Real mothers tell us what it is really like…1
This is a legacy edition story. True stories of past pregnancies in yester days (or years), as published in Pregnant Magazine.
Real mothers tell us what it is really like…
…my worst moments!
Morning sickness. During the first four months of my pregnancy, the nausea was agonizing. Most smells from cooking food and perfumes would send me to the bathroom! But baby and I are doing better now. Now at week 30, most of the nausea is gone although occasionally I get that ‘urgh! feeling. I am passionate about pizzas… Although I cannot resist pizza and i eat it secretly, I keep telling my husband that I do not want to put on so much weight.
I seem to be permanently fatigued. I have a full time job with a heavy workload, and a toddler who is as demanding as he is cute! So when I get home from work and about to drop dead. I still have a little energy to play hide and seek and ‘horsy’ though most of the time I cannot get down because my tummy is so big right now and bending (some luxuries!) is getting harder. I would do anything to stop the fatigue… But I guess it comes with the third trimester. My husband still insists on getting out to walk because ‘it’s good’ for me. But half the time I just want to put my legs up and sleep until the baby comes. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Another interesting problem is that I hate herbal toothpaste and unfortunately that’s what my husband likes. Brushing my teeth generally makes me throw up so I do not look forward to doing it, though I have to or I may lose my man! I also have occasional dizziness and muscle pulls. This is accompanied by discomfort when the baby is playing in the belly.
My back is killing me. Sometimes I think it’s because of the long hours I spend at work. As a project manager I have to do a lot of work in the field. I have tried everything, from massage, daily back rubs, baths, pillows, extremely firm mattress to flat shoes …name it. My doctor says I should expect it because the baby is big and pressing down on me so the muscles on my back stress out leading to pain in the lower back. The weight on my pelvic floor is just as bad. Sometimes when I stand up, I feel as though the baby is just about to force itself out of me. Pretty scary… But I know God will keep my baby in there until the due date..
My journey’s best moments…
The first ultrasound we took was one of the best moments of my entire life. Just seeing my little bundle alive with a real heartbeat was an awesome experience. I think just knowing that you are carrying life within you is more than anyone can ask for. Isn’t the whole concept of making and carrying a life such a miracle? I cried!
Carrying a baby boy made me happy and also the added weight pleased me since I knew the baby was doing fine.
I remember the very first kick… isn’t it just an incredible experience? My baby has this habit of kicking…no, more like violently thrusting on my stomach at the very worst moments. Try wearing one of those trendy almost sheer tops with very thin fabric… you can actually see the movements!
I love the attention especially at home. It’s only when I’m pregnant that I can get my husband to do literally anything for me. I try not to take advantage but… a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. And it’s the same almost everywhere: try standing in a queue at the bank or some place and wear that tired look… it always works! Or if you are travelling, rest assured when you ask for a seat with a lot of leg room, no one will give you a funny look or tell you ‘sorry…they are all taken.’ It’s likely to be ‘let me see what I can do.’ Or if I’m a bit late to work, I always give my boss that look – `I’m so sorry…it’s just been one of those mornings…’ Try it! Beth Mbugua
My Journey…
When my husband and I discovered we were expecting and the baby was going to come in September we were so excited! We had been praying for this as our first born son Mwendwa Mwathime is a September born and we wanted another September baby.
However, my best moment was when I finally reached 38 weeks as the baby had threatened to come early so many times before. I was so thrilled to reach full term that I sms’d a few friends to request them for a thank you prayer to God because we all had prayed that I would reach full term. During the week starting 26 September which was the 40th week, I was ready for the baby anytime. On that same day I woke up having slight contractions. I had become accustomed to bleeding and false contractions and therefore did not think much about this particular occassion.
I decided to stay home to see if the pains and bleeding would stop so I could go to work. It didn’t stop and as the contractions continued, I kept updating my husband. I called a friend who came to my home and we were talking when my husband came in and insisted I go to the hospital, wasn’t keen but he persisted, so I gave in.
On the way to the hospital I requested my husband if we could pick up my guardian mum as she had wanted to support me during my labour and be there when the baby arrived. He urgently declined and that must have been God’s leading because when we arrived at the hospital I had already dilated 10 cm. The nurse called the doctor who responded quickly. We had arrived at the hospital around noon and just after one o’clock we were holding our lovely and handsome second born baby boy — Jadidi Muuo Ndambuki. This was a great moment for me because the baby came at full term and I did not have painful labour as was the case with my first son. It still amazes me up to now how I didn’t know I was experiencing real labour when Jadidi came! Lillian Nyanj’or Ndambuki
ED: PG 1/12-13