As the saying goes, “every pregnancy is different.” That’s true, but I can tell you that for me, pregnancy is always difficult.
Now that I am in the last few weeks of my second pregnancy, I can confidently say that my pregnancies are the opposite of the glowing pregnancy experience I had dreamed of.
For one, I get all day nausea for all nine months – nine long months of retching so hard I irritate my esophagus. Combine that with heartburn, constipation, constant stuffy nose, add in a myriad of other “fun” symptoms and you get the picture.
Pregnancy is rough! And because of that, I really don’t have the energy or motivation to do much of anything besides working and entertaining my exhausting four-year-old.
So for nine months, don’t be surprised when I cancel plans, when I make empty promises of “Oh definitely. We should get together,” when I’m missing from family functions, when I send my husband with only my daughter in tow, when I just go missing for an undetermined amount of time.
I’m at home, just trying to make it through this pregnancy.
I self-isolate, not to be rude, not to miss out on functions or memories, but because I just don’t have it in me. I’m barely staying afloat with work, parenting duties, and housework that I just have nothing left.
I don’t feel myself when I’m pregnant. I feel more like I have a never-ending case of the flu and honestly don’t want to leave my house (you should see my food delivery bill for this pregnancy!).
This time around, I already have a child I have to think of, so I do my best to pull myself together for the occasional outing.
And my poor daughter, she has been such a trooper, just rolling with the punches. She is just as happy to lay in bed with me and snack on popcorn as she is to adventure outside the home.
My family and I, we’re in this together, sacrificing our time and energy to hunker down together at home as we await the arrival of our newest family member.
So if I’m delayed at responding to texts, never commit to a time and date to get together, turn down invitations or end-up cancelling on plans, please don’t take it personally; instead, know that I am deep into survival mode.
Of course, I’ve had friends and family members that when pregnant, barely slow down. They make all the functions and events, with hair perfectly in place and make-up on point. But then there’s me, who wears pajamas to daycare drop-off with slobber and who-knows-what on my shirt, no makeup and hair looking like a scarecrow. Not all pregnant women are the same, and definitely not every pregnant woman is lucky enough to get that glow – some just get slobber and sweat!
