Growing Pains

No doubt, our human bodies are able to do magical things during pregnancy - forming a new human being and caring for it for nine whole months. It is also mind blowing through what excruciating pain it can put us through in those nine months.

I do have to admit though that I surfed through my first trimester like a breeze. Besides constant fatigue and mood swings I felt perfectly fine. If you would not have reminded me some days that I was pregnant I would have forgotten. So as soon as the first trimester was over I felt even more confident, ready to get my energy and hormone levels back on track and seize the second trimester who other mamas swear by is the easiest one.

Wow was I wrong! All the aches that I was spared in the first trimester came back with a vengeance. And another surprise literally popped up out of the blue. The belly.

Yesterday I looked like I ate one too many burritos and the next day I was highly pregnant. Just like that. My belly turned to a huge balloon and felt like it has been blown up to its absolute maximum. You could poke it and I would explode. My skin felt (and still feels) at all times like it had been overstretched. Sneezing, coughing, yawning, stretching... everything felt horribly wrong. The days of sleeping comfortably were definitely over.

What is happening in the belly?

These cramps and pains are apparently very common in the second trimester. Your uterus is expanding to make more space for your baby which causes your muscles and ligaments to stretch. It is more commonly known as round ligament pain. As long as you feel like your cramps and pains are minor, you have nothing to worry about but if the pain is becoming more severe and is accompanied by contractions, bleeding or any kind of discharge you should call your doctor immediately.

With an expanding belly, something else expanded... The size of my eyes when I stepped on the scale! I was quite shocked when I stepped on the scale after not weighing myself for just a week. I magically gained 4 kilos in one week. I have no idea how I managed that. One of the many worries of mamas is gaining the weight and especially how to lose it after. After doing some research, the chart below is a rough estimate on how much you should gain during your pregnancy.

Remember: Every pregnancy is different and you should never beat yourself up about your weight. The main priority is the health of you and your baby. (I also keep telling this myself, it is not as easy as it seems, I know)

Another "new" thing that I had to get used to with the weight gain was the feeling of simply being heavier. Things that used to seem easy have become quite a pain (literally). I have joined a pre-natal class to strengthen all the muscles to carry my new weight but "normal" yoga classes have simply become very exhausting. I am still trying out different workout regimes to see what fits me best (please note I am not a crazy working out freak! I know it is a necessity but I very much love my sofa too). More on that, next time though!

Do you have any home remedies or tips on how to deal with cramps and aches? Share your story and secret tips and tricks in the comment section to help out other mamas!