Thursday, March 8, 2012

Occupy Veggie Mama: Week 12


I know they say every pregnancy is different, but it's interesting to have them so close together and really be able to compare.

Ha. I say "interesting". More like "exhuasting".

For starters, last time I knew before the strip turned pink that I was pregnant. I could feel changes in my stomach and I was breathless almost straight away. I took what was supposed to be a leisurely ride through a gorgeous park in Vancouver, and slogged away miles behind everyone else, unable to breathe or catch up, or even look like I was remotely enjoying myself while small children and elderly people whizzed past me on either side. Things immediately were different.

And when morning sickness hit bang on 6 weeks, I was rendered useless. I would sleep late, get to work with the barest minimum of self-presentation, slump in my chair for 8 hours moaning and drinking ginger ale, go home, sleep, cook dinner that I wouldn't eat, and go back to bed.

As many of you know, with this pregnancy I didn't even know I was pregnant. Until 8 weeks. Until extreme exhaustion and dizziness sent me to the doctor, who said pretty much: "duh". The only time I had an inkling was the night before my appointment and I was groaning on the couch, wishing I hadn't eaten my bodyweight in mashed potatoes and gravy for lunch. Before bed I ate a piece of toast with vegemite, and as I was eating, I felt better.

I was vaguely reminded of morning sickness, where I ate endless boxes of Cruskits with vegemite because I felt somewhat normal if I ate them constantly.

The next day I bought a box of Cruskits and a pregnancy test.

I don't know whether it's breastfeeding hormones or what, but I just didn't feel any different. In fact, until about last week, I still probably wouldn't know I was pregnant. I think eventually the constant ladies' room breaks and severe lack of appetite would probably have made their way to my fatigue-ridden brain and started to make some connections, but I can't be sure.

It was only last week that my stomach finally went from I-just-had-a-baby-jiggly to I-ate-too-much-pasta-at-lunch. Last pregnancy I had pretty much no traditional symptoms, and no cravings. Nowadays I can smell a soiled nappy and cat food that's been in the bowl just a little too long from three rooms away. I get up and immediately have to sit back down because my vision goes black and my head spins. I pack lunch and when I open it at work, don't want a single thing and end up buying a vegemite sandwich from the cafeteria. I'm rarely seen without a cup of Ginger Snap tea from The Rabbit Hole, although my morning sickness is about one-third of what it was last time.

Things are so different, and it's interesting to compare.

Oh, the thing that's not interesting, and can get lost as far as I'm concerned, is the fact that I've completely skipped the incredibly fabulous coma-like sleep the first trimester brings every night, and gone straight to the last-trimester insomnia where you're awake for two hours at 4am and wondering if you should just get up already because you could never sleep with your stomach rumbling like that anyway.

I don't suppose it'll change much - with two babies 18 months apart, my educated guess is that I won't sleep for at least the next five years anyway. Might as well get used to it!

29 comments:

  1. Even reading that you have the uncanny ability to make my ovaries burst with clucky... I think I will have to move up north so I can babysit. :D I hope you feel better soon x

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  2. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG I'm so excited for you, I have actual butterflies!

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  3. Very interesting hearing how different they are. I'm the in insomnia stage and describe it perfectly!

    Bettina @ http://lovelylittleone.blogspot.com

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  4. Oh, isn't it the worst! I used to get up and eat cereal and whinge :)

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  5. I'm too exhausted to be that excited!

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  6. Really? I thought I made it sound really miserable... Because half the time it is!

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  7. I have one word for you 'Enos'. Morning sickness God send!

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  8. Really? Last time vitamin B worked like magic. This time I was so close to 12 weeks and it wasn't that bad, I thought I'd just ride it out!

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  9. I'll do it for you - energy to spare!

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  10. Thanks for writing this Stacey. It's awesomely positive yet honest. I had three varied pregnancies (each one more difficult than the last). And my first two were 21 months apart. For my money, I wouldn't change a thing. Having two-under-two is hard. But if you expect it to be a challenge, and have strategies, and help about the place, it turns out beautifully. (I pretty much thought I could be superwoman and waltz through with no strategies and only my hubby to help. I crashed.) Even so, now that my eldest are 7 and 5, I love that they're so close. 


    Hope you get some restful sleep soon, and are able to enjoy the rest of the "occupation". :-)

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  11. Yes, I'm pleased they're close, but I'm under no impression that it will be easy! I have a fabulous husband and plenty of support nearby, which is great. I like to be positive about pregnancy, but there are some fairly miserable things that go along with it! Lucky I don't have to do it ever again :)

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  12. So this is my fourth pregnancy and they've all been different. This one feels much like my first one, only I'm not quite as miserable!

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  13. I think I may be slightly more miserable this time around! last time I could wallow on the couch and whine, this time I've got a cranky, whiny, teething, non-sleeping baby and very little stamina to keep up with her... I'm much more emotional too, so I'm often found tearing my hear out in the corner in despair wondering how I'll manage two babies haha.

    Glad to hear yours is going well, hope you've seen the end of the morning sickness xoxo

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  14. I had the same type of experience with my second pregnancy. Within a week of getting pregnancy I was nausea and light headed. I couldn't confirm it for a few more weeks, but I knew.

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  15. My husband so didn't believe me! I kept telling him the negative tests were wrong :)

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  16. Is it bad that my favourite part of this is the title? It's just my "OMG I couldn't have another kid right now" bias... actually it's not. It's my I WANT another kid right now and can't just yet jealousy hehehe. Occupy Veggie Mama!

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  17. My stomach was churning just reading this post. I was horrendously ill both pregnancies - the first time I had no idea & went to the doctor with what I was sure was some evil gastro bug. She laughed at me & handed me a cup to pee in. I was horrified that this was what it felt like to be pregnant & continued to feel that way up until half way. Second time was even worse & I had to take maxolon because I had a two year old & was running training course for 8 hours a day my entire pregnancy. I even had to carry garbage bags in the car & used to throw up between changing gears driving down the highway. Classy!! 

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  18. Becky from BeckyandJamesMarch 9, 2012 at 8:10 PM

    I hate pregnancy. With a passion and, even though I had been pregnant 8 times before my last pregnancy, it still manages to surprise me just how different they can be. Except the one that that's always been the same, that I hate pregnancy!! But, so worth it. And your bump is ultra cute.

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  19. Oh my god, that is the worst! I was terrified of that happening to me, but I ended up having plenty of other crap to run me down instead. And would you believe I've just come from your blog? Love it, especially the real blogger post!

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  20. Oh Lordy do I hate it too! I am a terrible pregnant woman. I find it all so dreadfully uncomfortable :-/

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  21. Ouch!  I couldn't have handled two so close together, but then others I know have done it and they say that it's nice to "get it over and done with all at once".  

    I didn't enjoy my pregnancies much, but the lovely newborns they produced were totally worth it :)

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  22. OMG! Congratulations. Yes, I'm totally behind the eight-ball, but ever so delighted for you. As for those stories of The Others who didn't know they were pregnant, I'm with you. Knew I was preggers the MOMENT it happened. Fatigue, Exhaustion.

    Yep. Pregnancy sure is amazing, but totally tiring. I hope you're feeling better soon. xx

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  23. Thanks! Not feeling too bad these days, so fingers crossed I'm over the worst of it :)

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  24. Yes I can't say I'm a pregnancy-lover but those babies sure are cuuuuuute!

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  25. Um, I think we're having identical pregnancies right now! I'm 10 weeks now and have had insomnia since about the minute I fell pregnant, cravings and food aversions - had none of those last time. Interesting but yes... exhausting!

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  26. I've had no cravings, but I'm sure making up for it in the insomnia department. What is going on?!!

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  27. Oh, and congratulations - I don't think I've said that yet! <3

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  28. Ahaha, yeah i happened the same with me, i was unknown that i was pregnant for 2 weeks.  Take good care of yourself and hope you have a beautiful girl..@Lisa Pregnancy Week by Week

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  29. Thank you, that is very kind! Sitting with my feet up as we speak x

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