Nineteen Weeks

I’ve nearly reached the end of my “Girlfriend’s Guide” book. I’m not sure I should have read it this early. All I remember from the labor chapter is “blood, lots of blood, more blood.”

I keep telling myself all these women have done it… surely I can as well? My mom told me that they knocked her unconscious once I (and my sis and bro) started to emerge, so she doesn’t really know what it’s like after that. She said it was standard in those days. I think I really like that method better.

I’ve noticed that my hunger hasn’t been as demanding as the first trimester. It has definitely leveled off. I still get hungry frequently, but it’s not as constant and not as urgent. Just as my hunger has waned, my impatience has increased. I had been fairly proud of keeping my emotions in relative check since I’ve gotten pregnant, but I’ve noticed that recently, I can’t deal with the small stupidities that I used to just ignore. (I have snapped at several coworkers recently… and I don’t care!)

Speaking of nearly snapping, I have a coworker in my unit who used to be chubby and lost some weight. Pre-pregnancy, she used to ask me what size pants I wore. I think she was a little obsessed that I was thinner than her. Recently, she asked me what size I am now. I explained to her that pregnancy clothes come in pre-pregnancy sizes, so I’m still the same size. She looked upset. Then yesterday, she said to me, “Ha ha, you’re showing!” I could’ve said, “Ha ha, and you’re still ugly,” but I thought better of it. Instead, I said, “Well, I am pregnant.” People say the oddest things to you when you’re pregnant. Another coworker asked me if I was coming back to work after the baby, which I thought was really inappropriate. (A man, of course.)

I also recently experienced for the first time someone touching my belly without asking. Thankfully, it wasn’t a stranger, but my hairdresser. He accompanied it with, “You look so cute!”, so I won’t hold it against him.

I just read about this new study that links any type of caffeine — whether from coffee, tea, or hot chocolate — to miscarriages. I haven’t had coffee in a real long time, but I let myself have at least once cup of black tea a day and maybe another of green tea. On one particular day, I had about four cups of green tea, which exceeds the max of the recommended three. I don’t know about you, but if it’s not one thing we pregnant women must worry about, it’s another. Also, a friend of mine told me to avoid all nuts because her son developed a nut allergy. I think that’s a little unrealistic (not to mention, unproven). Maybe pregnant women should just live in a bubble. Or just put us in The Matrix for 40 weeks, so at least we can dream that we’re enjoying ourselves.