This is the second part of the pregnancy symptoms that i experienced during my pregnancies.

One of the pregnancy symptoms that I think no one can get out of having is backaches.  I started having back pain right from the beginning of my pregnancy. The position and the intensity of the backache changed with time.  At the beginning I had lower back pains that were a lot like period pains. Then as the pregnancy progressed the pain changed so many times. During pregnancy the ligaments becomes softer and this puts strain on the joints on the lower back and the pelvis. One of the pains I had was sharp pains on my right pelvis, this pain made me even limp. There was also pain on my sides and sometimes I would feel that the whole of my back hurts. Due to the soft ligaments you are advised not to carry something heavy because you could cause yourself permanent injuries. This was easy to say during my first pregnancy, but I had a toddler during my second pregnancy and I must carry him sometimes.  Later on in pregnancy I found it extremely difficult lying down flat on my back, I must always be slightly elevated with something at the small of my back, or on my side. 

One of the pregnancy symptoms that I thought of as a pregnancy blessing is the changes I felt to my hair. It has become thicker and smoother. My hair usually is frizzy but now I feel that it is much smoother and softer than before. Due to hormone changes the hair grows faster therefore some women experience increased hair loss.

Heartburn is one of the very uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms that I had during both of my pregnancies. I suffered with heartburn from the sixth month onwards. As the baby grew and there was more pressure on my stomach the more frequent I experienced the heartburns. The medical reason behind increased heartburn is the pregnancy hormones. Pregnancy hormones, causes a relaxing effect on the muscles that are at the end of the food pipe, the oesophagus. Therefore this causes acid from the stomach to pass back up into the food pipe, causing heartburn.  I found heartburn medication really helpful.

Piles are one of the symptoms that I developed straight after giving birth to my son and they came back during my second pregnancy. They say you get them if you have experienced constipation but I had them the whole way through my pregnancy.  Although I had them the whole time they were not always painful. I am just hoping that this time I will not have to go through the pain that I went though after giving birth.

One of the embarrassing pregnancy symptoms is urinary incontinence. This is when the pelvic floor muscle becomes stretched or even damaged due to pregnancy. This can cause the bladder to leak small amounts of urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze or jump.  To strengthen this muscle and reduce the risk of urinary incontinence you should do daily pelvic floor exercises. They are simple to do but it is just a matter of remembering them. You should not just do these exercises during pregnancy but also after giving birth.

There are two pregnancy symptoms that if you get you could have for life, there for you would really wish through your whole pregnancy that you don’t get them. These pregnancy symptoms are varicose veins and stretch marks.  

Varicose veins are usually found in the legs but occasionally which has happened with me they are found around the vulva. The varicose veins which are in the legs I know they are there to stay but I am not sure about the veins that develop around the vulva. I have developed this pregnancy symptom during my seventh month. It is extremely uncomfortable when opening the bowls or passing urine. Also After intercourse it is extremely painful and uncomfortable. I was told that I should not squat or stand for long periods of time.  At first I had no idea why I had swelling around the vulva after going to the toilet or intercourse therefore I went to see the doctor and it was she who told me it could be varicose veins. But the next time I went to visit my midwife she checked me and said there was nothing wrong. Therefore I don’t know if I do have varicose veins or not, but I still do get swelling.

Stretch marks unfortunately I have developed with my first son’s pregnancy and I still have them.  These are created as the skin stretches as the baby grows during pregnancy. They start of being red colour and changes with time to become silver marks. There are many creams in the shops that claim to reduce them. But once I was told by a midwife that it is potluck you either get them or you don’t.  One advice I was given once from a friend before I got the stretch marks was to start putting the creams and body moisturiser that contains vitamin E4 before I got the stretch marks but I did not listen therefore I don’t know if her advice would have worked or not.

One of the most common symptoms of pregnancy is morning sickness which I can never understand why they call it that. This has been my worst nightmare during this second pregnancy. They also say it lasts the first 14 weeks. Well everything they say don’t apply to me I guess.

Ever since I was around 10 weeks pregnant till this moment I vomit everyday. I think it has been very rare that I would go one day without being sick. I still wake up feeling nauseous in the morning and I might even get sick first thing in the morning.  Early morning vomit would be yellow and extremely bitter.  Through out the day I would vomit mainly after eating. I have tried anti sickness medication but they did not always help. Sometimes I get sick after taking the tablets.  There were some days when I would even vomit after every meal. The only way I managed to avoid vomiting was to eat very small meals and often. But this still didn’t even always work. Water was one of the things that till now make me sick. I can’t drink more than a tea spoon of water without being sick.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

Exited about being pregnant, well that’s how I was for the first 3 weeks after finding out that I was pregnant. As soon as I started my eigth week I started to feel the effects and symptoms of pregnancy.

I had all sorts of symptoms starting at different times during my pregnancy. Some went away after some time while others lasted my whole pregnancy. 

Before I even found out that I was pregnant, one of the first things I noticed was feeling fatigue. I spent so much time sleeping. I would sleep everywhere I go. Even visiting friends and family would mean that most likely I would end up have a short naps there. The fatigue lasted through out my pregnancy getting stronger at some time and going away at others.

Soon after I found out I was pregnant I started feeling an altered sense of taste. I used to drink around 3 cups of tea and lots of diet coke during the day. Well not anymore, I tried to drink tea many times but couldn’t get down more than a sip. This lasted until my seventh month and then I slowly started accepting something’s.

One other symptom that lasted the first five months was an increased sensitivity to odours. I could not cook without getting sick. If I did cook then I would not eat. There was many times when I would get sick after smelling the food while feeding my son. Sometimes even walking into a restaurant would bother me. I would smell some sent that others can’t. The reason for this is not known, but one theory is the increased levels of hormones.

Don’t be surprised if you can’t stand the smell of your partner or even yourself. My husband’s sent would really bother me, many times he would be coming to give me a hug and all I do is just push him away. Also my own sent bothered me, I could end up having 4 showers a day sometimes.

During early pregnancy the pregnancy hormones increases urination. As the pregnancy progresses and the baby gets larger you will find yourself visiting the toilet very often. Sometimes as soon as you go out of the toilet you would feel you need to urinate again. This pregnancy symptom really bothered me when I am out. I had to make sure that where ever I go there is a toilet close by. The baby’s weight starts putting pressure on the bladder therefore the later in pregnancy the worse this feels.

Food Cravings is it real or an old wives tale, oh believe me it is real. I think the most words I said during my pregnancy was “I feel like having…” Once I read that food cravings could be a sign of lack of certain nutrition. I had cravings during the whole of my pregnancy, I believe that it is true the lack of nutrition because I wasn’t eating well during my second pregnancy. Some cultures still believe you should obey your food cravings or the baby will have a birth mark. That is something I don’t believe in. And I truly hope it is not real because I am currently pregnant with my second baby and I have had so many cravings, I can’t even remember most of them.

Do you remember how sometimes before a period you get sore breasts, well one of the pregnancy symptoms is sore and tender breasts; but it is stronger than those you get before your periods. They say you get this during early pregnancy but I got it during mid pregnancy.  Sometimes it was really uncomfortable especially when I was out as my bra kept feeling tight.

Find out about the rest of my pregnancy symptoms in “Pregnancy symptoms part 2″

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

The afternoon came and still there were no contractions and I still did not feel that I was in labour. I thought “wow this labour thing is not bad after all”. At around 4 in the afternoon the midwives came to check on me and saw I was still only 3 cm dilated. They asked for the head midwife to check me and she said there was water still that was restricting the cervix from dilating. She told me that she will break my waters; I thought ok not knowing what it would feel like or what would happen next. All I knew is that it would help shorten the length that I was stuck in that room.

So she broke my waters which I remember was slightly painful. But from the moment that was done I started having contractions. I could see it on the monitor as it came and went. They started gently but did not stay gentle for long.

I can’t remember how they felt like. All I remember is that I spent the whole evening and night in pain. I try to remember how does a contraction feel like but I can’t. They were extremely intense and very frequent. I had no time to breathe or have a short break. I was told it was from the hormones they were giving me. I think from 7 pm onward I was unaware of what was happening around me.

I had a tense machine which became useless after a while but it kept me busy for the first part of the labour process. I was also given Gas and Air which I can’t remember if it helped the pain but I remember I was drowsy. Then I was given the pethidine injection, I don’t think that did anything at all. At midnight I was asked if I wanted the epidural and I said yes. I can’t remember anything else other than the word epidural. Therefore the anaesthesiologist came to give me the epidural, but as the usual formalities he must explain to me and take my consent. I don’t really remember what he was saying but I was told that I shouted at my husband and told him to shut up.

While I was bending over so that he can insert the needle I remember that all what was going on in my head was “I must keep still or I might get paralysed, but what if I get a contraction during this”. Thank god he was extremely fast. And it was the best decision I made. From then on I felt absolutely nothing. I could feel my tummy tighten but there was no pain at all. I remember the cold feeling that I felt go down my back each time they topped it up.

I still was told to keep taking the gas and air, it was absolutely wonderful feeling. I can’t remember what was happening around me, but my husband and mother told me I was making silly jokes and laughing for no reason. They said I looked drunk and they were all laughing at me. I can’t remember any of this. All I remember is that I was calm and I had no pain.

By then I was told I was fully dilated and they wanted to deliver the baby, they called the doctor to deliver me. I always thought it would be a midwife who delivers but possibly due to my condition they called a doctor. I remember I could feel my tummy tighten slightly when I have a contraction and I could see it on the monitor. Therefore the doctor was telling me when to push and when to stop. I remember that because I was calm and relaxed I pushed extremely hard. I was worried about the baby as I was told that his heart beat was dropping. I was putting so much effort into pushing. Then she told me she would use the forceps to take him out. I knew what that was and I didn’t care again, I didn’t seem to care about anything as long as the baby comes out well. So after using forceps and giving me an episiotomy the baby finally came out at 1:36 am.

One thing that is indescribable is the feeling you get when the baby comes out. All of a sudden there is this heavy weight lifted of your chest. I remember she placed him on my tummy and I was surprised, he was heavy but the cutest thing in the world. I think I cried at that moment. This living being was growing inside me. They took him to get him checked and cleaned. Then I was cleaned and stitched myself.

My husband went to check on the baby to see what was happening and he was amazed how all the midwives were playing with him. He told me it was like they have never seen a baby before. They were all happy and amazed because he was big. It was like having a fully grown baby. Robin was born 10lb 11 and 58cm tall.

The baby was then brought back to me to feed which is another story.

From my experience with Robin I tell you something, there is absolutely nothing as amazing as delivering a child. The moment you see the baby you forget all pains, you forget all 9 months that you were pregnant. All you think about is this pure child that you brought into life.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

During the last few weeks during my pregnancy with Robin I had extremely strong back pains. Sometimes the best position to sit down would be kneeling down on the floor leaning onto something.

Soon after completing 38 weeks of pregnancy, I noticed a lot of discharge and thick mucus, I called the hospital and I was told that it is the plug. But reading online most places said that the plug of mucus would be slightly blood stained. I did not see any blood. I thought it was just extra discharge. Oh well now I know what to expect.

I saw the mucus on Wednesday and continued to see extra discharge for the next two days but as the midwife said it is only a show and it could be weeks before I am in labour. For the next two nights I could not sleep properly, I would only sleep two to three hours a night.

Friday morning the alarm clock rang and I jumped out of bed all of a sudden then I felt a small flow of fluids. As this has happened before and after being checked I was told it is only urine I made nothing of it. All day Friday I would feel these fluids each time I cough, get up, or move suddenly, still thought it could be urine.

Friday night was another night when I couldn’t sleep, also my mind was buzzing with ideas. I started to think what if this is not urine and it was my waters. I had always thought the waters breaking would be a sudden gush of fluids. So after not being able to sleep, at 1 am I gave up on sleeping and went online to research waters breaking. I found out that there are two types of waters breaking, either a large gush of fluids or what I had slow trickles.

At 2 unable to keep still I tried to call the hospital but there was no answer so I thought I waited all day I might as well wait a few hours, I called again at 7 am and I was told to go in for a check up.

So by now it was Saturday morning, I tidied up the house, had a shower, straightened my hair and prepared breakfast. It was my husband’s birthday so I went and woke him up with a kiss and gave him his birthday present. Gave him breakfast in bed then after he finished I told him about what happened. He was shocked that I was still sitting down as normal. So we got ready and went into hospital.

They did an internal examination and told me it was my waters broken and because it has been leaking for long I must be induced. I was taken to a maternity room which I was stuck in for the next 20 hours and I was hooked up onto a monitoring machine and onto a drip. I was still not in pain for the whole morning. I felt absolutely nothing therefore I was making poses as my husband took photos of me.

I called my mother to tell her I was in labour; I did not want her to miss on the opportunity of being with her only daughter during her labour. I know what it means to my mother to be with me as she has been very excited about having her first grand child and her daughter being pregnant.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

If I told you the number of times I have cried about silly things or the things I cry about, you would laugh at me. During this pregnancy my mood swings has been up and down the whole way through. So many times I find that I just want to cry and I do not know why. I feel miserable for no reason, all I want to do is lie down in bed and cry.

The last silly thing that I remember that I cried about was when the washing machine door broke with me. I knew that it could be fixed and there are spare parts but I just couldn’t help myself from crying.

Movies and TV programs are another story with me. I cry so much when watching something emotional. Especially if it involves a child, I can not look at a sick child on TV. Even if I have seen the program before, it still affects me and I could cry.

Why do some people’s mood swings make them happy and not me. I find myself mostly miserable, and upset. Could it be the pains that are accompanied with pregnancy that has an affect on how my mood is.

Also I find myself thinking a lot and making problems for no reason. Making a big deal out of nothing. I tend to bring out problems of things that has passed. I really feel sorry for my poor husband, the number of times I had a fight with him over silly things is unbelievable. There are so many times when he tries to joke with me to cheer me up but I end up shouting at him. I just would not be in the mood to joke or talk even.

Also I noticed if I am not in a good mood and he asked me the same question twice I end up shouting. I just do not think about it until later on. My mood swings are extremely terrible when I am tired or in pain. I just cant stand anyone talking to me, I want to be left alone. I am just worried that these terrible mood swings will last long after giving birth. I am aware that they can last for a further three months postpartum.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

Crying again, and feeling miserable as if no one understands you. Sometimes we know that there is no reason why we should be crying or it is not worth crying for. Other times we start crying and feel miserable and we think we have the right and don’t think about the real reason.

This happens to all of us during our life. During our teenage years and then again some of us get this every single month when we are getting rapid mood swings. But during pregnancy some of us get constant mood swings for 9 months. One minute we are happy and smiling and when a tiny little thing happens we start crying.

Pregnancy makes our hormones high and low. Crying to a sad movie, or for not getting something right. Sometimes just sitting down and remembering something that might have happened long ago and we start crying. We don’t just cry, unfortunately our hormones also makes us get angry at small things. Do you find yourself fighting with your partner and the argument escalating? At the time we think we have the right to fight and argue but later on we realise it is just hormones that is if we do realise.  We start arguing about things that we might not have cared about before or we might have let it go.  Start saying things that we might not usually say, let things slip through our lips without control.

The sad thing is that partners sometimes they just can’t understand that these mood swings are caused by our hormones. There is also one other thing we should let our partners know, these mood swings don’t just last during our 9 months of pregnancy. They can go postpartum; they can go on for another 3 months after birth or maybe more. Oh yes also we may also get mood swings every month due to our hormones.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site

I am Currently pregnant with my second child. It is as they say every pregnancy is different. With my first I felt absolutely nothing until I was in late pregnancy. I did not know what morning sickness was, did not feel the pains and aches until I was in my seventh month. I had no complications other than the anemia which is usual in the end of pregnancy.

This pregnancy has been the complete opposite to what I experienced with my first baby. I hated the smell of food and cooking. I am now 35 weeks pregnant and still getting morning sickness. I still wake up feeling so nauseous. The aches and pains started when I first got pregnant and kept getting worse. This does not include all the other medical complications that I am experiencing.

Unfortunately pregnancy is one of those things that we  do not know what to expect, we can read about the symptoms and causes but you will never know what will happen to you until you go through the experience. You might have an extremely easy and straight forward pregnancy or nature may go against you and let you have some different experiences.

please add to your favourite social bookmarking site