Worries, Stretching, being ALONE!
Week of
Pregnancy:
16 & 17
Food to Fetus Comparison: Sweet Potato/ Around 6 inches and 100 grams.
Cravings: Not a lot. Eating because of boredom and stress, as per
pre-pregnancy.
Aversions: Nothing. Like, not even the stuff I’m allergic to... this can’t
be good?!
Husband’s excitement metre: Don’t know – he’s abandoned me for the
snow...
So I’m tired. Yeah, the energy burst didn’t last forever. Perhaps
overdid it during the week of energy. I’m pretty sure I used it all up.
This week (16) we’re back at school, so haven’t had a lot of time to
think about what was going on. I’ve been desperately trying to feel movement,
but pretty sure I mistake digestion for baby kicking, which I am humble enough
to admit. Would really appreciate some movement because, although I’m getting
bigger, there are very few actual signs that I am pregnant. Except for scary
ones, which is typical, now that I am on my own for 8 days and live in a tiny
town an hour and a half from a decent hospital or ultrasound. Awesome. So
here’s what’s been going on:
1.
Cramps. Yeah. Not exactly a ‘good’ sign but I’ve
been told they are probably round-ligament pains as my uterus is currently the
size of a rockmelon (a lot larger than usual, for those who don’t subscribe to
‘Your Uterus and U!’) Was not too worried about these, as google is generally a
good judge of medical issues and told me not to worry... UNLESS...
2.
Spotting (light or intermittent bleeding) occurs.
Yep. Thanks Google, as soon as I read this, guess what happened. The good news
is (probably TMI for most of you) it was definitely old blood, not new, so perhaps
a cervix tear as everything expands... and probably from a few days/week ago.
Needless to say, as soon as this happened, I freaked out. Justin is
300000000 km away at Perisher, my Mum and Dad are in Scotland, and my Brother
(bless him) never answers his freaking phone, and is still 6 hours away with
uni to do. Also, I seem to be having another hormonal surge and cry a lot...
for several hours.
Also I dream about Zombies and have to sleep with the light on.
Fab.
So I call the midwife the next day, during my spare at school.
Receptionist promises she will get back to me. Unfortunately we play a bit of
phone-tag as I teach three classes and she has patients to see, but finally I
call back again, from my car, in my five minutes of spare time before final
class on Wednesday.
Me: “Hi Irene, It’s Rhona Bechaz here, I just wanted to ask you a couple
of questions about my pregnancy.”
Irene: Fire away, that’s why I’m here!
Me: (Tells tale of cramping and spotting expecting a brush off of ‘don’t
worry, that’s perfectly normal’)
Irene: Ah. Okay, you need to go home and lie down.
Me: Uh, what?
Irene: Yes, that’s not a great sign – hopefully it will clear up on it’s
own but you should really lie down for a couple of days and not do anything.
Me: But... I have athletics carnival tomorrow... I’m integral to the novelty egg-and-spoon
event!
Irene: No.
Me: really?
Irene: Go home and stay there for at least two days. In bed. No
cleaning, no shopping, no standing.
Me: Holy mother of god what is wrong with me?!?!?!
I then proceed to cry a lot after hanging up. Not great, as I still have
to teach a class of grade 8’s in 5 minutes time. I walk into staffroom and cry
to Athletics Carnival organisers, who are very understanding. I find out I am
not as integral as I thought, and they are able to cover for me. I still feel
bad, and kind of in shock, as I rarely take a day off except for when I’m
feeling really sick. A couple of cramps and a single spot of blood don’t really
rate on my sick metre, but I’m not taking any chances.
Deputy Principal is also very understanding, but that could be because I
look like a panda and am still crying a waterfall. (Hormones and because I’m a
bit scared at this point) I attempt to clean my face and teach 70 minutes of
grade 8 art, before picking up my stuff and driving home. I sit in bed, cry
more, and cuddle my dogs (on the bed... naughty!).
So, all in all, not a fabulous way to end week 16 into 17... but I am
guessing my body is telling me to slow down and stop being so busy and
stressed. Understandable.
No cramps today and no spotting since that first time, so I think it was
just a warning to slow down and take time doing nothing, which I will attempt
to do. It’s really hard, though.
So, wish us luck – Mini-Muffin and Me – until Justin returns to wait on
me hand and foot ;).
Love xxx
