It's my second time around and I am surprised myself that I am finally willing to go through this journey again. My first experience was not very enjoyable
Positives
Glowing skin - The "Mama Glow" - I sometimes think this is a myth, but people always comment on my skin when I'm pregnant. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I do think my body retains more water and my usually dry skin is less dry.
Plumper breast - I noticed this after 20 weeks. I thought it occurred earlier during my first pregnancy because it kinda hurt a bit like those awkward teenager days again.
Fuller hair - I definitely noticed this during my first pregnancy, but this time after all the hair loss from postpartum, I think I just lose less hair than before. I've also stopped
Negatives
Leg Cramps - maybe I'm always dehydrated, but I believe even when I do drink 64 oz a day, I still get these leg cramps! I've been downing water with Liquid IV (try the Yuzu Pineapple from Costco, it's the best) for taste and electrolytes to try to relieve this issue. I also use magnesium lotion from Ren. With my second pregnancy, the cramps started a lot earlier (during 13 weeks) than I remembered from my first pregnancy. Magnesium supplements really help. Do it. You won't regret it if you get leg cramps every single day like me.
Heart Burn - ugh Tums was my solution
General Fatigue - I walk a flight of stairs at least 4 times a day due to the way our place is set up and it probably gives me powerful calves
Peeing a little when I sneeze! - I'm not sure if it's because it's my second pregnancy or my pelvic floor needs more strengthening, but this time around I almost always pee when I sneeze even during the late first trimester! I didn't have any trouble after giving birth to my first child. It's odd, but I think this time baby or perhaps the placenta is closer to my bladder this time around since I had the feeling of wanting to urinate when the baby was the size of a pea. I've been practicing the 360 breathing technique via Peloton and it's been helpful.
Nausea & Food Aversions - With my first pregnancy, this was 24/7 until after 17 weeks of pregnancy. With my second pregnancy, this was only between 4 PM to 11 PM (so weird right?!) until around 18 weeks of my pregnancy. My food aversion with my first pregnancy was raw garlic. Just thinking about it sometimes makes me want to gag even though it's been a while. My second pregnancy's nauseating food item was oddly enough hot oil. If someone had oil in the pan I would want to hurl. I couldn't even think of melted butter. Who doesn't like melted butter?!
Discharge - This would be sort of normal, but for me, I guess the chemistry down there was changing, so no matter how much prebiotics/probiotics/postbiotics I was taking I could not get it to regulate in a way that there would not be a smell. I'm very sensitive to smells. During my first pregnancy, I had problems with this and ended up getting a yeast infection.
Carpal Tunnel - the water retention and swelling caused my arms to tingle and go numb every time I wake up from sleeping
Neutral (I almost put some of these items in the negative section, but after some reflection, I have come to accept that a woman's body can do wonders and some things are just part of the process)
Areola Enlargement - The pigment got darker in the area around my nipple and looks bigger. I personally do not think it's very attractive, but I guess it's how the baby sees the target for breastfeeding and for us to figure out how to get the baby's mouth around that area and not the nipple. I really wish someone told me about this so I didn't freak out. It does go away. *breathes sigh of relief*
Linea Nigra - I had a dark vertical line across my belly button during the third trimester of my first pregnancy. It hasn't shown up during my second pregnancy (yet), and I really hope it doesn't because it made me shy about pregnancy photoshoots. Although I do think it's nice to capture all moments. Maybe this time around I will try to be less shy and be proud of the fact that my body was able to make a human! Not everyone gets this. Mine didn't go away immediately after months of postpartum.
Food Cravings - This makes me laugh because my husband honestly thought I just wanted sweets all the time, but I truly never ate so much ice cream in my life until the third trimester of my first pregnancy. Both my pregnancies wanted sweets, my first was more intense than my second. My second wanted more greasy foods like burgers and fries. Just thinking of it right now makes me want to go to in n out. Oh and I can't stay away from hot Cheetos. The moment I see it in the grocery store I have to get it.
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