I am a bit nervous about this new phase, mostly because it means that in about 12 weeks my little Theo will arrive and 12 weeks is NOT a long time.

12 weeks is one term at university.

Most importantly, I have grown a tiny human from not even a thought, to a person who weighs as much as a kabocha squash and I have learned to marvel at the tiny human growing inside me. I have fallen in love with someone I haven’t even met yet.

But… I am not going to pretend that things are all beautiful and the sunshine is always out. Being pregnant has been wonderful so far and I love my baby, I have marvelled at his movements and laughed at myself for needed a wee every time I sneeze… and I have learned that carrying a human inside you comes with a fair amount of discomfort and it’s not usually talked about.

I think I have been quite lucky, but I have suffered from a bunch of pregnancy symptoms that I didn’t realise would happen… here are my 9 top examples:

Being sick is normal – morning sickness did not go away after my first trimester, and I still get sick even now… or when I’m not sick, I suffer from huge waves of nausea… It is not something I was prepared for, but I have learned that it is something that happens and is normal.

Diarrhoea is also normal – yeah! Most of the time, we tell pregnant women to be careful and eat right because getting constipated is both common and a pain, but your body is changing rapidly and hormones are shifting so the opposite is normal too.

Heartburn! I never understood what this was until now… and now, I have a deep sympathy for those who suffer from it.

Boobs hurt (really early on). Bras are not my friend! This one is not applicable to everyone I am sure, but personally, I hate wearing a bra… they are uncomfortable and quite frankly, I don’t care if you can see my nipples through my top, the are part of my body just like my arms or legs. But, breasts grow and become heavy… in the last 12 weeks I have gone from a 32C to a 34D and still growing. My husband has quite enjoyed this change but I have been less keen…

Cars are also not my friend … in fact, most forms of transport other than walking don’t agree with me. I have always suffered from a bit of motion sickness, but being pregnant on a plane is a lot more uncomfortable than not being pregnant on a plane… and in a car when the heating is one – I honestly would rather walk! Luckily, in Portsmouth I cycle most places, and when I am home in Gibraltar, almost everything is within walking distance.

I could sleep for days .. I have never felt so physically tired after a day of doing nothing as recently. Lucky for me, I am taking the advice and resting more because when Theo arrives I know I will be tired 24/7.

Yoga is NOT always good – even prenatal. I have had to check and change my routine because all those hip openers may not be the wisest idea.. I have the knowledge and resources to change this which is good, and my mum is wonderful because I can talk to her and share and we will figure out what might work better. I love my yoga sessions and I feel 10x better whenever I do them, but I definitely have noticed the subtle differences and pains when I walk after some postures… Maybe I’ll do a post with an example prenatal yoga class structure when I am back home.

People touch your belly – even when you wear jumpers saying not to. This is a weird one.. I don’t usually mind, but it’s strange because what happened to the personal space bubble? Apparently when you grow a person, it goes away because everyone wants to feel the miracle inside you.

And lastly….You are allowed to be sad sometimes. At first I thought there was something wrong with me, and that I was being selfish and horrible but I have learned that giving up my body to another person, while beautiful, is inherently difficult. When I gave myself permission to be sad or worried, it allowed me to realise that I’m probably not the only one who’s ever felt like this and it meant that I could feel my emotions without being angry at myself. It doesn’t mean I don’t want my baby, or that I won’t love him… but it does mean that I am going through a scary time and have feelings about it.

Overall, my first trimester was a massive roller-coaster, and my second trimester was really busy. I am a student which means essays; studying abroad means a fair amount of travel, and having a husband who works away means lonely nights sometimes. That said, the time has flown by and now I am entering the final phase… I am nervous and excited and altogether a little bit uncertain… but I know that the time will pass quickly so I want to enjoy it as much as possible. For now, I will focus on my uni exams and look forward to going home in 3 weeks. 😄