The journey of bringing your precious little baby may be full of ups and bumps but every single thing that happens during pregnancy is 100% worth it.
- Each pregnancy is unique. Enjoy every moment; the days go by so fast. Enjoy the bump, dress it up. The people around you will also be very protective and you will get a lot of extra attention, embrace all aspects of your journey
- Morning Sickness is not really ‘morning sickness’. Nausea can strike at whatever time of day; in a matatu, talking to your boss, as you sit in a meeting or right at your gate as you leave in the morning.
- In the first trimester, you will feel ridiculously tired – all you want to do is sleep. Your body undergoes a lot of changes at this stage and all these coupled with the new hormones will make you feel tired most of the time.
- Your breast size starts changing right from the 1st trimester and will continue growing even as you start breastfeeding. Enjoy the new cleavage.
- Buy clothes that are adjustable and can be used throughout the pregnancy. Think of trousers that stretch around the waist or are adjustable, loose-fitting clothes that can be belted and later let loose to accommodate the bump. Buy a few good pieces that you can mix and match.
- If you sneeze, you may pee. Due to the hormonal changes, you may find that a little urine may leak out whenever you do something strenuous like cough, sneeze or laugh.
- You may find that you cry more easily. You cry when you are happy and you cry when you are sad, upset or angry. You may get unexpected mood swings. All those hormones flowing in your system play havoc on your emotional side.
- Take a childbirth education class. There are so many myths and opinions out there and everyone seems quite obligated to share them with you. These may erode your confidence in your ability to go through labour and even mother your baby. A childbirth class will clarify the facts and educate you to be able to feel more in control
- For most women, breastfeeding does not come naturally. It will take a few tries and you might even have to get lactation support before you finally get it right.
- Pregnancy is the end of your privacy, right from the doctor’s visits, the ultrasound scans where you expose your belly, to everyone touching and feeling your bump, to the adjusting to breastfeeding.
