First vs. Second Pregnancy Symptoms

Today marks 31 weeks pregnant! In 9 short weeks, give or take a week or so... my baby boy will be out of my womb & in my arms. It is so surreal! Looking back there has been times I have felt like this pregnancy was at a stand still. The "I've been pregnant forever" moments. But now, I realize how fast it has actually flown by! 

The lingering "I'm over being pregnant" moments are probably stemming from the fact that this pregnancy has been SO different & SO much more uncomfortable than my first. You're always hearing each pregnancy is different, each woman is different & how right that is! You also might hear that different symptoms means a different gender. Lies. We thought for sure the way this pregnancy was treating me that we'd be having a girl. Nope, another little boy!

Here's the breakdown.

First Pregnancy:

• Acne- during first trimester, face only, then it cleared up.
• Pelvic Pressure- 3rd trimester, as baby drops and gets bigger it puts more strain on your pelvis.
• Round Ligament Pain- Be careful how you move or you'll feel a SHARP quick pain in your lower abdomen/pelvic region. Feels like something ripping.
• Nausea- It was easy, cured by lemon ginger tea or some peppermint. 
• Food Cravings- I could've ate tacos, or anything Mexican all day everyday. No cravings with second pregnancy.

Both:

• Cold- I walk around in a hoodie in the house while everyone else is fine.
• Leg Cramps- This was actually worse the first pregnancy. They were pretty much my whole pregnancy, and horrible. EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. With none of the remedies working for it. This time they've started in my third trimester, and thankfully not every night.
• Crazy Dreams- Pregnancy dreams are the most vivid, weird & wild dreams you'll ever have! They also seem so realistic! 
• Lack of Energy- 1st & 3rd trimesters. Obviously because growing another human is exhausting.
• Baby Hates Coffee- My beloved. In first pregnancy it made me sick. This one it tastes like I'm drinking metal. I can do a frappe, but that's horrible for you, especially when you're trying to not gain a ton of weight. But some days I got to have my caffeine.
• Lack of sleep- Most nights this involves singing the same part of a song over and over for 30 mins. I feel like we're deprived sleep during pregnancy to get us prepared for the newborn who's up every 2 hours to eat or get diaper changed.
• Shortness of Breath- I'm sure this happens to just about all of us, as baby gets bigger more pressure is put on your lungs, so you run out of breath easier. Sometimes just emptying out the dryer has me panting.

Second Pregnancy:

• Acne- Throughout whole pregnancy, not just face it's on my back & legs too, so sexy. 
• Nausea- Not just morning sickness would be all day sickness wouldn't want to eat. Not cured by tea or crackers or peppermint. Would come in waves, where I wish I would just puke to feel better! Thankfully, at least no vomiting. Lasted until half way through 2nd trimester.
• Sensitive, Dry Skin- I cannot stay moisturized, especially my hands! 
• Shedding Hair- This usually happens postpartum but my hair was falling out so badly first trimester! I was afraid I was going to have a huge bald spot.
• Weak Brittle Nails- There's an old wives tale that says when you're pregnant with a girl they steal your beauty, LIE! 
• Headaches- These were some killer headaches! One time it lasted for 4 days, which ended up the doctor making me do a 24hr urine test to make sure nothing was wrong. Thankfully they have eased up in my third trimester!
• Seeing Spots, or "Floaters"- This is HIGHLY annoying. Vision can change during pregnancy, and last time my sight actually improved in one eye! This time I cannot be without glasses or hello headache! I see floaters constantly!
• Pelvic Pain- This is probably my worst symptom this pregnancy. I'm convinced I have SPD Any long amounts of walking, and I'm in pain all day, which is a bummer because this is my favorite exercise. Some days it hurts so badly, just switching my foot from the gas to brake pedal is awful. Putting on pants I have to sit down. Turning over in bed is my cardio, I have to be careful as to how I move. Around Christmas I had a horrible pain in my pelvic area, I am sure it was in the bone, never felt something so painful, not even a contraction, I was so sure something was going to be wrong with baby after that. The next day I could barely walk. I was around 18 weeks then. So I've been suffering with this for quite some time. Doctors just say "it's normal" ... "you just had a baby, your body is going to remember what to do and do it quicker this time"... As if
• Silent Reflux- This is my newest thing. I do not feel the burning sensation of heart burn, this just feels like my food does not go past my chest. Yesterday it felt like it was all trying to crawl back up my throat. It was an all day thing. I was starving & scared to eat. There are a ton of natural remedies. I tried quite a few. I broke down and bought some Pepcid AC last night and it did help once it kicked in. It's supposed to be a 24 hr pill. Today I can feel a little of it, but not like yesterday I'm interested to see once 8pm hits, when the pill wears off if I'm right back in misery. I do not want to have to take this everyday for the rest of this pregnancy.
• Numb Hands- This doesn't come with any pain, they just fall asleep every night, multiple times. 
• Braxton Hicks- I did not have any contractions my first pregnancy until they induced me. My experience with Braxton Hicks contractions has so far only been my uterus tightening and releasing you can feel it happen, belly feels like a brick, but it doesn't hurt... yet.
• Less appetite- There are days I'm HANGRY! But overall, I've not had cravings, or been food crazy. Which makes me happy because I've been able to keep the weight gain under control this time. Last time it felt like I never got full.
• Cry Baby- I cannot handle ANYTHING emotional right now. There are parts in movies that make the tears stream while hubby gives me that "Are you really crying... again?" look. Thanks hormones!

As you can see my first pregnancy list was a lot shorter. I had it pretty easy! Being pregnant comes with a lot of symptoms, some are actually good, like bigger boobs, & thicker hair! I hope my lists didn't scare any of you away from the idea of getting pregnant! But helped you to understand some of the things your body MIGHT go through! It's truly amazing how God created us! We go through so many physical & hormonal changes while pregnant, women are amazing. You can't expect every day to be perfect & comfortable while you're housing a human. But the experience as a whole, it truly is so beautiful & totally worth it. Seems so cliche to say but, I would do it all again for my sons. 

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Headaches for days!

It seems like everything this pregnancy is going to be rougher on me. From more acne, to hair shedding, horrible Pelvic pains, to now headaches that won't stop! I was so spoiled the first pregnancy. Thanks Hormones!

Yea, yea your body conforms faster the second time around. Doctors love to say that when you tell them what you're experiencing. Which makes perfect sense but not something you really want to hear when it feels as if your pelvic bone is ripping apart. "Oh it's normal, this is your second pregnancy. Your body does things a lot quicker." Gee, Thanks.

This time around I am also getting HORRIFIC headaches. I'm not a whiner. I don't like to complain. In pregnancy, yes a lot of crazy things happen to a woman's body when she's helping create a new life inside her. So most of it I just try to take it in stride. But these headaches, they're horrible.

I did have some with my first pregnancy. But they were healed by some Tylenol, or some Pregnancy-approved OTC tension headache meds. This time, nothing is helping! Currently since Jan 23rd, I've been struggling with an ongoing headache, today is the 29th. I've only felt semi-normal 1 day last week, and still my head was foggy. I finally broke down and called the Nurse on the 26th because I couldn't take the marching band playing in my head anymore.

My blood pressure has been good, I'm not seeing "floaters" or having blurred vision. But I am having horrible throbbing pain that makes me not be able to move at times. Try coping with that with a toddler running around. So, they told me to come in. They checked the baby heart beat. Checked my Blood Pressure. Checked Urine for Protein. Asked me about all my symptoms. Also took blood to do a Complete Blood Cell count to make sure I wasn't getting sick. Then prescribed me Fioricet. I don't like taking any type of meds. while pregnant, but I have no choice to be able to function this time around. The Fioricet works, until it wears off then like clockwork here's a nightmare of a headache returning. I'm getting 1 or more a day. There's not a day that has passed since last Tuesday that I haven't had a throbbing headache.

Yes, Headaches during pregnancy can be completely normal. Hormones make our bodies do crazy things! But an ongoing headache makes you wonder if something else is wrong.

I feel it's obviously better safe than sorry when you're carrying another life inside you.

So the doctor wants me back this friday for a follow-up. But the Nurse called me today to see how the headaches have been. She said all was well with my blood tests. When I told her, everything I've told you, she relayed it to the doctor, who wants me to take the next step of doing a 24 hour Urine Test. Yay.

This was my Urine Test Package I picked up today from my OB. This will be interesting. Nothing makes you feel sexier than a Jug of your pee in the Fridge. I start tomorrow.

The Instructions are:
1) Pee in the morning, but don't save that pee.
2) Every single time you pee after that pee in the container on the right, and pour it into the jug. Every single time, all day and night.
3) Keep it Cold.
4) When you wake up the next morning DO keep that pee. That's your final collection
5) Turn it into your doctor.

I am also going to have another blood test done. Which my wonderful Sis-n-law who happens to be a labor and delivery nurse, told me it's probably to check my liver, and check my platelets to make sure they're not dropping. 

This Pee test is going to monitor for any protein in my pee through the day, to rule out Preeclampsia. I'm really hoping that's not it. They can say that's not it, & write it off as hormonal. Then I'll put my big girl britches on, keep popping my Fioricet as needed, and make it through the rest of the pregnancy (17 more weeks, give or take). Ready to deal with whatever my hormones throw at me next!

I will updated you all with the details on Friday when I have my follow-up visit.

UPDATE 2/3/18:

Well for now we can rule out Preeclampsia which I am thankful for. Headaches are still coming. At least one a day. Today I've had one this morning but it did go away on it's own! Which makes me happy, anytime that I don't have to take medicine is a good thing! My urine test was normal, she said the protein level was at 133, and anything below 150 is normal. The blood test was great as well. It makes me happy that I'm healthy & all the tests came out well. Everything in this pregnancy has been harder, so I guess the headaches are just going to be too. Maybe they'll behave by the third trimester, we'll see!

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