We were really lucky as, once we had decided to stop
taking precautions, I fell pregnant only a short time later. We found
out I was pregnant exactly 2 weeks before we got married! With the
exception of a couple of people knowing, it was our secret on
our wedding day and the knowledge of a new life growing made our vows
even more poignant.
I had a very healthy pregnancy with no major issues at
all. Like some women, I 'felt' pregnant right from the start - it
didn't take months and months for it to sink in. I didn't suffer with
'morning sickness' - a little nausea but never actually sick. The
tiredness did affect me quite markedly from about week 10 to 12 but I
don't remember it being a prominent feature throughout my pregnancy. I
didn't have any particular cravings. Like so many women, my lower back
hurt a lot towards the end of the pregnancy due to the ligaments
stretching and I did find it very difficult to get comfortable in or out
of my chair. Overall, I didn't find it difficult to get into a
comfortable sleeping position and as I sleep on my side anyway, I didn't
have to worry about not being able to sleep on my back or front.
My bump was really 'neat' - it was only during the last few weeks that it became really big. I felt 'baby' moving at about 17 weeks - when we were on holiday in Cornwall. As the weeks went on, I felt it more and more and then I could 'see' baby moving - my tummy made some bizarre shapes when I leant back in my chair!
I was concerned that weight-gain and my 'bump' would result in me being less mobile and that I would lose some of my independence, but it never happened. Even on my due date, I was transferring in and out of the car independently and lifting my chair in and out of the car. I was also transferring in and out of the bath on my own (but I only did so when there were people in the house, just in case!).
To be honest, the only real issues I had during my pregnancy related to my fears about the birth and how I would cope with the pratical side of things once baby was born. In fact, the latter was such a large obstacle for me that it marred my experience of being pregnant slightly. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to develop this website....I wish that there had been a resource for me to refer to that would have enabled me to see someone like me coping fine and seeing for myself how the practical side of things were managed. Things like changing a baby's nappy while they're on your lap, bathing baby, lifting baby in and out of the car, moving around the house with baby on my lap, getting baby in and out of a highchair, etc etc. It didn't help that I didn't have much recent experience of small babies...........my confidence needed a boost! (I'm glad to say that as I write this, my daughter is 2 and a half years old and there is not one thing that I have not been able to do independently for her. So, read on if you want to find out more!).