Second Trimester Woes

Every pregnancy is different for every woman. No two women have the same experiences. I am 16 weeks into my first pregnancy. The baby is doing well, all my tests came back normal, and even though I haven't gained any weight, my doc says I am right on track.

So what the heck is going on!?! My first trimester was pretty uneventful despite getting sick over Christmas break. That illness was not due to pregnancy though. Tyson and I spent a whole day at Disneyland in the pouring rain; we both paid dearly for it. I never threw up which didn't really surprise me since my mom didn't throw up during her pregnancies either. I had some nausea but it wasn't that bad. I slept pretty okay and everything was great until maybe two weeks ago.

Welcome to the beginning of my second trimester and the end of my sanity. Good glory! I thought things were supposed to get easier! Sleeping has become significantly more difficult. I can't get to sleep until 2am or 3am. The fatigue is ridiculous. I'm frequently shaky and I have to take showers when Tyson is home just in case I faint. I've never passed out before but I know what it feels like to be approaching a faint. It's a weird sensation. My hearing starts to go and I get tunnel vision. At least I get some sort of warning so I can sit down and take some deep breaths.

Eating is nearly impossible but not due to nausea. Every time I eat something my stomach gets all angry. I think my baby is a really picky eater because I can't eat anything without feeling terrible. My doc sort of reprimanded me for having lost weight since my first appointment. He wants me to gain one or two pounds before my 20-week ultrasound. He told me to eat more frequently and to snack on high protein snacks like nuts. The only problem is the baby is anti-food. I can't figure it out!

Skin care is another issue entirely. I've struggled with acne for a long time but pregnancy has sort of calmed that down. Yay! My skin gets super dry though. I use a Vaseline lotion for my face to keep it from cracking. My mom got me some concentrated cocoa butter which is supposed to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. I've been using it on my tummy morning and night but my skin is still flaking. No good! After showers I use Lubriderm pretty much everywhere to keep my skin nice and moist and reduce itching. That seems to be working out well.

Aches and pains seem isolated to my shoulders but Tyson is such a sweetheart, he'll give me shoulder rubs whenever I ask. I love that boy :)

I thought that second trimester was supposed to be easier than the first but I think my body is doing things progressively. Sigh. I just want to sleep and eat without an issue! Where are the cravings? My sister-in-law is pregnant and due at the end of April. She puked for her first trimester but she's pulled out of it and now eats all the time. I am glad she's doing well and I only hope I get so lucky.

PS Four week countdown to April 4th: Ultrasound day!