Achy Breaky Belly

The tiny being growing in my belly was active and vocal in his own way. Not a day went by that I was not reminded of his presence. A swift kick here or a series of vibrations there. A foot, no matter how small, stuck snugly in your rib cage is not easy to ignore. My baby also seemed particular about what shared his small space. A full stomach or bladder would lead to a lot of protesting movement. To say the first ultrasound was lengthy and uncomfortable is an understatement. The technician found it difficult to get him to stay in one place for more than a minute or two. The more she poked, the more he moved, and the more I just wanted to get it over with.

Physically I didn't encounter much difficulty during my pregnancy until the last couple of months. I was able to stay at work and do all my usual duties. I just took advantage of the opportunity to sit more often. I ate very healthy and was able to avoid any significant swelling or water retention for the most part. I even lost weight during my pregnancy. This is not an issue for someone of my size sthough, so no complaints coming from baby or me about that. Baby was growing steadily in size and always had a strong heartbeat.

Midway through my eighth month (about week 31) I put in my Leave of Absence paperwork (LOA). I was free from work! The major differences were being able to sleep as needed without worrying about work, pajamas were perfectly acceptable attire, and the days seemed much longer without a set schedule. Being on LOA is not to say I was able to lounge out by a pool or play the couch potato. Far from it. I was hitting that nesting stage of my pregnancy and I was cleaning like a mad woman. It was ridiculous really. I celebrate organization on a normal day so I was beginning to border on becoming OCD.