Pregnancy Diary: It's a baby, not fat!

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WEEKS 15 - 19: My ‘news’ has spread really fast and now everyone seems to know that I’m pregnant! The worst thing is when people I hardly know touch me and try to feel the baby moving...

I can’t even feel its movements myself yet! I’m finding that people don’t take hints very well. They approach me with their hands pointed menacingly in the direction of my belly and I take a gigantic step back, but they always seem to follow me. When you get pregnant it’s sort of like people think your body has become public property!

At the moment I kind of just look like I’ve been packing on the weight. I wish I would get a bit bigger, so it’s obvious that it’s a baby in there and not just some extra cheesecake.

 

I was recommended this website, Baby Center and I'm loving it. They have this section called 'Pregnancy Dilemmas' which covers heaps of subjects including how much alcohol is safe to drink and how to tell you mum you don't want her with you in the delivery room. It works like a forum and you can post your dilemma and heaps of other pregnant women can offer you their advice.

 

My favourite piece of advice on the belly touching problem was to get a t-shirt that says "Not pregnant - just fat". Someone else suggested rubbing the offending person's tummy and asking 'Was that weird for you too?". Haha these discussion boards are fun!

I’ve been trying to keep the exercise up. Before I got pregnant I would go jogging a few times a week. As I’ve been getting bigger, though, I’ve found that jogging really puts too much strain on my hips and I can feel my tummy bumping up and down, which is a bit strange! So I’m just walking every day now. My midwife also recommended swimming, cycling, yoga and aquarobics, but I’m only just managing to fit in the walking at the moment.

And I get puffed much more easily too. I’ll arrive at the top of the stairs at work breathing hard, needing half a minute to be able to talk normally again! It’s a bit embarrassing.

You’re not supposed to go horse riding, skiing, backpacking, or lift heavy weights while you’re pregnant. Contact sports like basketball, rugby etc should probably also be avoided, although right now I can’t imagine how any pregnant woman would want to play rugby! It’s definitely the last thing on my list of things to do.

Reaction to the news has been really interesting. It’s amazing how many people have assumed that it was an accident! Typical responses seem to be along the lines of ‘oh dear, what are you going to do?’

But my good friends know how much I’ve always wanted kids, and they have just been so wonderful and supportive. I’m sort of the first one of my friends to be pregnant, so everyone is super curious and interested.

My mother-in-law is one of the most excited. She loves babies and has been hinting that she wants grandchildren for a very long time!

I’m going to have to get some new clothes soon, I’ve only got two pairs of pants that still fit round my huge middle... so I guess I can hit the shops! I’ll write about that next time... Bye!

Debra