Endless Minor Troubles
Recently, as my belly has become more noticeable, more people have been telling me I look "happy." Honestly, before I was pregnant, I also used to think all my pregnant friends looked "happy." To me, that "happy" look simply meant they seemed to be living their lives thinking only about "looking forward to the future." I thought it was similar to the excitement before marriage, even if there were some anxieties.
However, now that I am actually pregnant, it is completely different from the "happy" image I had imagined. Of course, there is excitement, but for me, the physical discomfort outweighs it. This is the most physically difficult time in my life so far. So, if pre-marriage was "excitement:anxiety = 8:2," for me during pregnancy, it is "excitement:anxiety:physical discomfort = 3:2:5."
Well, whenever I talk about this physical discomfort to people who already have children, they always tell me, "It's even harder after the baby is born." I get a little scared, but I also think, "No way, that can't be true!"
Also, when I ask friends who have already given birth about their physical discomfort, they often seem to have forgotten most of it, so I decided to keep a record of my own physical troubles as a reminder. There are no major issues, but the minor discomfort just keeps going on and on.
◾️ Smell Morning Sickness (Mid-2nd month to mid-5th month)
The refrigerator, trash can, and washroom were absolutely unbearable, and the smell of cooking food was also a no-go. As for food, seafood was strictly off-limits, and raw meat (the look of it) and strong-smelling things like garlic were also out. I couldn't handle citrus fruits in the latter half, either. I vomited from the scents of the washroom and citrus. Now at 8 months, I can't stand the smell of milk soap or my husband's moisturizer.
◾️ Eating Morning Sickness (Mid-2nd month to mid-5th month)
It was tough when coming home after having a fun time with people, in the evening to night, or while traveling on the train. I didn't actually vomit, but this was the period when I felt nauseous. My stomach felt all queasy.
◾️ Throat Morning Sickness (Mid-2nd month to present (8 months))
The feeling that something is stuck in the back of my throat has never gone away. I think post-nasal drip is also a cause of this. It feels like I have a lot of fat under my chin. This sensation is not something many mothers who have already given birth seem to empathize with.
◾️ Bad Taste in Mouth (Mid-2nd month to present (8 months))
I've gotten quite used to it, but my mouth tastes bitter and unpleasant. It's fine when I'm eating something, which might be why I often eat ice cream or fruit.
◾️ Toothache (3rd month)
I originally had a cavity and was in the middle of treatment when I got pregnant, so I had to stop. It seems the temporary filling didn't fit right, and there were days I couldn't sleep because it hurt so much. It was a blow that there was a period where I had to refrain from treatment during early pregnancy. Instead, I went to the dentist every week during my second trimester to get all sorts of treatments done.
◾️ Dry Skin (Mid-2nd month to 6th month)
It was winter, so that's part of it, but the morning sickness mentioned above was so bad that I didn't feel like taking any measures, so it got worse. In particular, the dryness of my lips was severe. They were so cracked they would bleed.
◾️ Hay Fever (3rd month to 5th month)
Everyone said this year's pollen was bad, but in my case, it was severe and lasted a long time. Even into April, my sneezing and runny nose wouldn't stop.
◾️ Constipation (2nd month to 5th month)
I was already prone to constipation, but having it on top of morning sickness was really stressful. I managed to deal with it by taking magnesium oxide, but I really hated it. Lately, I've been regular even without taking medicine.
◾️ Feeling Suffocated (5th month to present (8 months))
This is because of physical pressure, so it will continue until birth. Still, being this uncomfortable 24 hours a day is tough. Apparently, my belly looks small on the outside, but the contents are standard size, so maybe that's why it's even more painful. I'm constantly wishing my skin would stretch more. This discomfort definitely increases at night, and stomach acid often flows back up. It's truly miserable.
◾️ Cold Hard to Cure (Mid-2nd month, early 8th month)
I blew my nose until I was sick of it. The amount of tissues I used was incredible. It didn't turn yellow, which is proof of fighting off bacteria, so I felt a lack of immune strength.
◾️ Urinary Incontinence (6th month to present)
I often had urinary leakage from sneezing. It has decreased quite a bit lately, but when I was 7 months pregnant, it happened once a day.
◾️ Pubic Bone Pain (8th month to present)
My left pubic bone hurts a lot. I feel the pain most when I try to get up from a lying position. It must have become misaligned. To get up, I use the muscles in my arms and legs, trying to avoid using my abs as much as possible.
◾️ Stuffy Ears (8th month to present)
The feeling of wanting to drain water from my ears persists. I went to an ENT specialist, but they said there was nothing wrong, but having stuffy ears is unsettling. I worry, "What if I lose my hearing?" It's sometimes the right ear, sometimes the left, and sometimes it goes away and comes back... According to the midwife, because the amount of water in my body is increasing, it gets stuffy due to water pressure.
◾️ Itchiness (7th month to present)
The tops of my feet and my arms started itching for no reason, and now the area around my belly button is itchy. There are little red dots around my belly button, so maybe something is biting me. Also, my panty line is extremely itchy. It got inflamed and left a mark. However, I haven't developed any stretch marks yet.
◾️ Swollen Legs (8th month to present)
It's still a minor symptom, but my pumps have become tight, and I've started feeling fatigue in my calves. I hear it gets bad around the time of birth.
◾️ Back Pain (8th month to present)
As expected, I've become a bit swaybacked. I was already pigeon-toed, but it's gotten worse, and if I'm not careful, I walk in a very strange way. The back pain is definitely something that makes me groan at night when I'm trying to sleep.
◾️Abdominal tightness (6 months to present)
Especially since reaching 8 months, my stomach tightens just from walking around the room a little or while using a kitchen knife. Every time it happens, I'm like, 'Ouch!' Also, it gets really tight on the way to the bathroom when I first wake up.
I think that's about it.
Other than that, it's tough when I have trouble falling asleep. Since the difficulty sleeping is due to physical discomfort, I don't know what to do, so I seek help from the sofa every time and fall asleep there. Maybe the angle of the sofa is just perfect for supporting my belly.
Well, feeling sick from morning sickness or feeling sick from the pressure has taken up most of my pregnancy. Even so, I keep telling myself, 'This is the only time I have free time!!!' and I pack my schedule and stay active. If it's a short distance, I ride my electric bicycle, and I also drive my car. At first, the seatbelt was uncomfortable in the car, but I've gotten used to it and it's become comfortable. Surprisingly, it's easier on my body to drive myself than to be in the passenger seat. It's strange.