Monday, November 24, 2014

Body Conscious, With Whining

I started out this unexpected pregnancy by losing ten pounds.  Not on purpose; I was too sick to eat.

Since then I've gained back the weight I lost (which is good!  I needed those pounds!) and about ten more pounds.  (I'm 34 weeks.)  The number of people who feel free to comment on my appearance drives me crazy, though.  'You look great!' they say cheerfully.  Well, for one, I feel like an angry whale with stabbing pains, and for two, it's not like I did anything to cause this.  Did I exercise, refrain from eating that entire pumpkin pie, or make sure to take my vitamins?  I surely did not.  And, if I'd gained 30 pounds net instead, that would ALSO be fine.  (Though more of a pain to get rid of later, naturally.)  I have terrible headaches, there's a nerve-pinch-with-dagger every time I take a step, I wake up five times a night or more, and if I try to walk more than a quarter mile I start having contractions again.  The kind that hurt enough you're nauseous.  Frankly, I'd rather people say nothing.  I know they're trying to be nice but I'm maaaaybe just a little irritable about, oh, everything.

(I do dress up in Southern-business-casual every day and put on earrings, makeup, and a necklace.  The South can be pretty judgmental about personal appearance, in a totally different way from the North - where, I'll remind you, I lived for my entire adult life up until now, so I do know what I'm talking about.  So at least I'm not in yoga pants or Leggings Are Not Pants, even when I'd prefer to be.)

I feel entirely out of control while pregnant.  For me it's completely different from being not-pregnant, when I could perhaps convince myself to eat a carrot or something.  Now, if I eat a carrot when I don't feel like a carrot, I'll throw up.  (That entire pumpkin pie, however, was purely a loss of self-control.  And the pound of chocolate.  I could have not eaten the whole thing. That month I gained 7 of the 10 pounds.)

In summary: cranky, unhappy pregnant lady will bite you if you say something nice, but realizes that this is an unkind response.

(I am probably about to eat another entire pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.)

3 comments:

  1. Pumpkin pie has vitamins... And, it sounds like gaining weight is a net positive for you right now. So, more pie!!

    I'm sorry to hear about the stabbing pains and inability to walk more than a quarter mile. Hopefully that will all go away when the baby arrives.

    I'm not sure I could handle the judgement about personal appearance... I just never wear makeup. I can do earrings and decent clothes most of the time. I feel weird going out of the house in my yoga pants. Even though I grocery shopped last week in yoga pants, after attending a yoga class. (Hey, got to take advantage of kid-free time to pick up a few groceries.)

    I picked up Chinese food last night and 6 people came in while I was waiting. All 3 women were wearing yoga pants or exercise leggings and jackets, 2 men were wearing jeans and flannel shirts, and one very overweight man was wearing striped painting overalls. It was strange... On the upside, none my middle schoolers in Sunday School suffer from Leggings Are Not Pants!

    Should I send you a few pounds of good chocolate?

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    Replies
    1. (After yoga class gets a special pass. I occasionally wear leggings to the grocery store after going to the gym, even though Leggings Are NOT Pants.)

      Have eaten my dad's entire coconut cream pie so that should probably do it for this week!

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  2. The whole commenting on a pregnant woman's appearance needs to be outlawed (or on any woman's appearance, actually).

    Hugs to you and hope the rest of the pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible (and sorry I haven't been around much lately!)

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