Each time I would notice that I am with child, I would google and look for posts that will just be on point, to validate what I already know looking at the symptoms I would be having. I must say this is a time where your body goes through major changes, and sometimes it is really tough to get by each day.
My desire is to continually create a community where you will relate with other parents, who have been through the most too as we lovingly learn from each other.
I know we cope better through harsher conditions, as we relate to each others stories. Of course this is an amazing time for parents, we are here to look at the changes the body goes through, not only that but the rush of emotions that we feel, and mostly cannot articulate or deal with them well, because we were not even prepared to feel a certain way.
The First time I fell pregnant was in 2012, a year after getting married. At that time being asthmatic I got so ill it was unbearable, what made things worse is that there was this huge emotional burden I felt. Whatever I felt about someone or something was immediately exaggerated. It was not until my grand mother asked my mom if i was not expecting.
So what are some of the symptoms of pregnancy that no one tells you about?
They are quite bizarre but they happen a lot, lets accept them normal and part of the process. When we know we are in a position to act accordingly.
The Emotional Turmoil
Oh!! but this has kicked my butt several times, I know a lot of moms relate to this one. There comes strong emotions that sometimes feel so unbearable, that they are exaggerate your feelings concerning a certain subject or someone are heightened.
For example if it irritated you that no one replaces the toilet in your toilets at home, this will be worth crying over all of a sudden, and if you know the perpetrator then those feelings may be directed to that person.
Change Of habits
I notice just how much your habits change as well, and ofcourse this will differ from many women in scale but most may experience such changes. More often as you pick up pregnancy’s many habits may begin, that you were not even aware you are capable of. Some changes I found to be common are the following;
- Quick to become angry
- Ignoring people, calls, messages
- Change of sleep patterns
- Drawing closer to your partner
- Pulling away from your partner
- More sensitive to comments concerning weight gains
- More anxious leading to clumsiness
So the point is that it is not just the physical changes you may notice, but there are these changes we cannot really touch that occur, and when you are aware of them it becomes easier to process those changes because you are able to articulate them.
Suddenly New Interests
All of a sudden I felt like a serious chef, and wait I am most certainly not complaining about this change, but I loved it. I would cook so much that we would have many salads with our meals, because I felt the urge to cook the best meals. I tried to keep up after delivery, but I was no longer as enthusiastic as I was during my first trimester.
It differs as we are all different but there are several interests you may develop, including certain television programs, that you had no interest in prior to conception.
Some of these interests are so strange, because they are a total opposite to what you would choose on a normal basis. If you loved Watching HGTV for decorating homes, gardens or building homes and vacation homes, you may decide you are now into romantic comedy movies and spend your leisure time watching that.
Your family will be the first to adjust to your newly found interests.
Loss Of Interest In Things You absolutely Love
As much as you develop interests in other things, you may just become an avid reader spontaneously, and lose interest in being an extrovert if you loved going out and attending every function you are invited to.
Sometimes this feeling comes as a loss of value and significance in the things you totally love. I love and always loved looking good, since I was a child and I have often seen myself as a fashion mom. However I have lost interest in it many times during my pregnancies. That is why you find you lose your identity or who you thought you were or the things you defined yourself as.
In many cases you find women go through many phases as a child does, of self discovery and reassurance of their interests while others abandon them for good.
It has taken more effort for me to feel like the stylish mom again than my first two pregnancies, and because I relate so well with dressing up I still explore that a lot, as I have now started exploring that with my children as the daily pressure of focusing on them closely has lessened.
Feelings Of Loneliness
It is possible to isolate yourself a lot, when you are still trying to understand and articulate the emotional and body changes that you are going through. Sometimes we get the idea that when we are by ourselves we can figure out what we are feeling.
You may feel the need to suddenly isolate yourself from your friends, and to their surprise at times and your family only does not feel the extent of your need for space, and this is because you live in the same house.
So next time your pregnant friend grows distant do no be mad at them, support by giving them space lovingly then when they need you around welcome them back.
Depression
Maybe the word itself is an extreme case, but it can happen to some degree that a mom may end up feeling depressed. This can happen when they are not able to address or even understand how they feel.
We mentioned earlier that there is a tendency to exaggerate feelings and emotions. If they feel negative emotions, they may exaggerate these emotions, and if it continues for a couple of days they may feel it unbearable.
Symptoms of Depression
- they complain a lot about everything
- unsatisfied with life and
- their life is a mess
- unacceptance of where they are in life and the sudden urge to be better overnight.
- everyone is to blame
Change is not easy for anyone, how much more when you find it hard to process the fatigue and weariness you feel.
If you know you are always the bubbly person, but all of a sudden there are mood swings that develop into depression, you might just be pregnant. Of course it is not always the case but a necessary urge to propel you to make certain changes in areas of an unsatisfactory life.
It is always good to have a place to communicate how you are feeling, so that one can help guide as a neutral person
Immune System Fallout
It happens a lot that some actually fall sick and are more prone to colds, flu and fevers during this time. It is quite common for women to have cold like symptoms when they early in pregnancy.
Contact your doctor who will medicate you accordingly. It may help to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.
Heat And Hunger
I do not know how this relates together, but the body is one amazing machine that acts up in different ways when you are expecting.
I had this symptom all the time with all pregnancies. So when you are feeling hungry it feels like you have not eaten for days, then this is followed by this major body heat where your temperature literally rises as if you are about to collapse. It often feels like the body heat source is from the belly, and it rises towards the entire body.
I trust I have articulated it well for other moms here, hunger cues no longer feel normal but they are severe.
It will be best to always have a snack around you. The healthier the snack, the better fruits are a very easy option during the early trimester.
Have you tried plain yoghurt, I fell in love with it and it goes so well with fruits. It is a bonus if you are committed to a lifestyle of eating healthy foods for cultivating a lifestyle of healthy eating.
Major Fatigue
I am not just referring to the normal fatigue you feel, but I am talking about a major weariness you go through and you find it hard to lift your head, and get out of bed in the morning. Actually this may feel so strong like something larger than you is pulling your body to remain still.
This feeling can get better in the day, as you gather the strength to get out of bed and bath. Bathing makes a big difference but if you listen to this, and stay in bed it can make you stay in bed the entire day.
Sometimes during weekends you just want to cave in and sleep in on your weekends, despite not expecting but this is heightened a lot when you are pregnant during the first days.
Create a focus and channel your mind, on something that will make you look forward to getting out of bed eventually. It may be taking a walk, leave the car and go on the other side of town may be good practise too until the body adapts to this habit.
Set a bath time routine that you can follow, especially on weekends so that you can bath and rest feeling refreshed afterwards.
The Annoying Metallic Taste In The Mouth
This one you can never really get used to! I have heard some women saying they never had such symptoms, but many actually go through such changes.
It feels like cold and flu like symptoms where you lose your sense of taste, and it may be accompanied by loss of appetite temporarily. This may be because you will desire something that has a very strong taste, like vinegar on french fries for example to calm the metallic taste while you eat.
Vegetables and fruits are really good when there is loss of appetite. Try foods that you can enjoy but watch not to over binge on those ginger biscuits leaving you feeling guilty.
Constipation
Even when I am just 2 weeks pregnant, I already feel like I am 2 months already. My belly starts bulging too soon and I walk around feeling uncomfortable already with constipation.
Some ladies have had the most adorable tiny bellies while pregnant, yet some of us get the biggest ones as if we are expecting twins. I noticed that constipation has an impact aswell as your belly will show even before you want people to notice.
Passing gas my become the new normal for sometime.
Keep yourself hydrated and watch our for foods that make you easily constipated.
Spotting and Cramping
The abdomen feels so tight and it can be felt as minor period pains, but the abdomen feels very tight.
One can easily ignore this as period pains until you realise that you are not getting your period at all, or you are actually spotting. Spotting is getting a pinkish discharge that is much lighter than a period.
Headaches, Dizziness And Back pains
These may go hand in hand with period like symptoms. Its possible to experience severe headaches many times although you do not need to ignore it and assume you are pregnant if you have not done a pregnancy test yet.
You may feel dizzy too but its heightened when you feel hungry and when your body starts overheating.
Back pains may be major and dominant too. They may take the entire first trimester for some ladies but like i said we are really different and each pregnancy is different. too.
Carry a snack with you, sit down when you feel dizzy as though you are about to fall and find a way to support your back too. If you sit down a lot because of the work you do, stand up and walk to the bathroom or drop some files in the building so your body moves a bit.
I trust you enjoyed this post as much as i enjoyed articulating some of the symptoms so you accept them and find ways to focus on better taking care of yourself now that you are expecting.
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Wrapped In Love,
Futhi Mkhwanazi
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