Yes, pregnancy is beautiful but there are just some things that cannot be glamorized. It really can be the pits. Of course it’s going to be the pits, your body is forming a whole new human being from scratch. So yeah, that’s a pretty big deal. I was kind of prepared for the nausea, the heavy bump and swollen feet but not so much for some of the bizarre changes I mention here. Please note that all women are unique and that no two pregnancies are the same, so what I share with you is not meant to discourage you in any way. I’m sorry if it does. Would I do it again? Of course!

First Trimester

Wow! I think this was by far my worst trimester. As if the morning sickness was not bad enough, I experienced some really mean headaches almost every day for about a month. They were bad. So bad I had to take paracetamol. For over two years, my go-to medicine for pretty much everything was a cup of rooibos tea with juice from half a lemon. You can imagine the disappointment when the tea wasn’t working for the headaches. I remember having a headache so bad I started crying in the middle of the night. Then, there were the sensitive nipples. Those had a mind of their own. My nipples were on fire. Any sort of rubbing literally had me squealing from pain. Showering was such a mission. Loose T-shirts were a no-go. I had to stop hugging people too. The champion of first trimester drama had to be the sudden sensitivity to smells. Everything that was not me had an unpleasant smell and it made me nauseous. Baby daddy doesn’t know this (haha) but there was a time I started a really unnecessary argument just so I could avoid sleeping at his place. I don’t know, I just didn’t like his scent. Even when he was fresh out of the shower and put on cologne, he smelled like him and that bothered me a lot.

Second Trimester

The headaches and sore nipples left (phew!) but a whole new set of problems came. My gums got swollen a lot. I wasn’t enjoying most
of my favourite foods anymore. I stopped buying KFC Zinger wings not only because they gave me heartburn but also because they were too crunchy for my already sensitive gums. Then my nose grew and took up most of the space on my face. This one took me by surprise. I stopped taking selfies because Wow! I don’t know if it will ever go back to its original shape and size but I have to make a plan somehow for the next pregnancy. Yes, the pregnancy glow was there but it was overshadowed by the nose so there was not much to celebrate there. Certain parts of my skin also grew darker; my breasts and abdomen had dark patches and although I was fortunate to not have any stretch marks on my belly and breasts, the marks multiplied on my thighs and made my skin really itchy. I had to swap my body lotion for tissue oil which helped with the itchiness but not so much with the appearance of the marks.

Towards the end of the trimester, I thought I was out of the woods until I got a really bad yeast infection (two days before my birthday). It was my first. I wasn’t “doing the dance” so how was this happening? I’ve never been so angry at my vagina! It turns out that consuming foods with a lot of sugar did that and I honestly wish I knew this before I started consuming 250 g packs of grapes daily. This trimester was not all too bad though. The smooth, glowing skin came with good hair and nails. I didn’t really capitalize much on the hair growth because I love my hair short but the nails, yes. The length and strength was amazing, I even stopped going to the
salon to get my nails done. Ladies, that glow leaves as soon as you give birth so make the most of it.

Third Trimester

Most of the pregnancy woes ended with the second trimester. Here, the only thing that stood out was the belly button that popped out, the swollen feet and the foot growth (yes, my feet grew one shoe size bigger – completely terrified to try on my favourite shoes). The back pain really intensified on the 8th month, I remember really struggling to sleep. I also waddled around like a duck because of all the pressure on my back and pelvis. My boobs are massive now and I’m just not getting used to them. If it was possible to trade them in for my old ones I would but I understand that they have to be the way they are for the sole purpose of nurturing my baby.

To everyone who thought I was difficult during my pregnancy, I apologize but I also hope you now understand after reading this.

Feature photo by Ilzy Sousa from Pexels