Did You Really Just Say That?

As all of you know, I am pregnant. In fact, I am really pregnant. With my first pregnancy, I gained 28 pounds. The experts all say it is healthy for the average woman to gain between 25 and 35 pounds, so I did just right. With my first pregnancy, I was so happy to be expecting, I didn't care how large I got. It had taken us over three years of lots of heartache and tears to get pregnant, so when I finally found out I was having a baby, I wanted to get big fast so that everyone would know I was pregnant!

My second pregnancy came as a surprise, but a very welcome one. It had been so difficult the first time, we felt very fortunate to have gotten pregnant with no fertility treatments. During my pregnancy with Will, we found out at my 20 week ultrasound that I had a few weak spots in my placenta. It was nothing to really stress over, but I was instructed to take it easy. Well, I really took it easy. At my last doctor visit before going in to have Will, I had gained 40 pounds. I still went one more week, so I'm thinking my final tally was probably somewhere around 42 pounds. I wasn't really all that self conscious about my size with my second pregnancy either, even though I managed to gain 14 more pounds than the first time! With both of my first two pregnancies, I was able to get back to my starting weight within a few months, so I wasn't too concerned.

Now, let's talk about my current pregnancy. This pregnancy has been difficult for me in so many ways. I was sooooo sick at the beginning. I threw up so often that I had a blood vessel in my eye that wouldn't quite heal up all the way because I kept re-bursting it! Some of you know who are around me a lot, but a lot of you don't know that I have a condition when I'm pregnant called ptyalism. It makes you produce much, much, much more saliva than you naturally would, so to deal with that, I had to spit ALL THE TIME! I know, it's so gross!!! I hate it! It is miserable. I can't explain to you how embarrassing it is to be speaking to someone and have to excuse yourself to go spit! It's crazy! Luckily, that has just about completely gone away. Occasionally, in the evening, it'll come on a little bit, but it's nothing compared to what it was for about 26 weeks straight!

This pregnancy, I have also been much more aware of how I look. I think I'm on track to gain a little over 30 pounds, which is within that 25-35 pound window, but for some reason, I have felt huge. No matter how many times my sweet husband and family tell me how radiant I look, I still feel like a blimp. I'm starting to think lately after some of the statements that have been made to me, that I am a blimp. Here are a few of the things people have said to me in the past few weeks. (Remember while you read these that I have 9 more weeks to go.)

Person 1, "Aly, when are you due?"

Me, "Sept 17th. I have about 10 more weeks."

Person 1, "Wow, I thought you were gonna say next week!"

Person 2, "Honey, how much longer do you have?"

Me, "About 10 weeks."

Person 2,"Oh me, you'll never make it!"

Person 3,"Bless your heart! You look like you're gonna pop!"

Me, "I hope I don't pop!"

Person 4, "Have you ever gotten this big before!?"

Me, "Yep, I sure have."

(This one's my favorite)

Person 5, "How far along are you?"

Me, "I'm about 30 weeks."

Person 5,"Good Lord! By the time you have that baby, you'll be as big as a house!"

Me, "Well, I hope I won't be as big as a house."

So, the moral of this little diatribe is this:

If you see a pregnant woman, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all! You don't have to shower her with compliments! She (I) may be really large! She (I) may look like I'm going to go into labor any second, but don't tell me those things! I can promise you that I, along with every other woman who ever carried a child, am acutely aware of how large I am. I am the one who tries to put on pants that fit me two weeks ago, but will no longer fit around my belly. I am the one who is now having a great deal of difficulty bending over to tie my kids' shoes. You don't have to tell me, nor do you have to tell any pregnant woman. WE KNOW!

Anyway- I have spoken my peace.

Be nice to pregnant women. You never know when her crazy hormones will take over and she'll point out all of your imperfections in response to your snappy comment!

Aly