My First Pregnancy: Loves & Hates

Wow, it's been a while hasn't it! My last post was uploaded in November, just a few days after I told my friends and family that I was three months pregnant following my first scan and how time has flown! I cant quite believe I am now 34 weeks and counting down the final six weeks until aloha baby GIRL (if you didn't know already) is due!
I've been wanting to get back into writing and blogging for years now, I've been awful at promising content and never fulfilling it - but I am now determined to get my butt in gear and find my love for the blogging world once more. 

So, as this is my first pregnancy and I've been experiencing everything for the first time I wanted to be honest and share my loves and hates of my journey with you all! 

LOVES

The excitement - Yes, it is bloomin' exciting and the feel of others being excited for you is so special. It's all very surreal being pregnant, you imagine it for years and then it happens and you're doing it and it just becomes the norm but really - wow what a gift! I feel so, so grateful to be able to be doing this.

The shopping - Eeeek I may have taken this one a little too far. I mean, everyone knows that you need to purchase a fair bit for a baby, especially your first, and although I've spent an arm and a leg (and a kidney and a femur) I have really enjoyed buying everything for this little one and preparing everything for her arrival. 
I'm not just talking clothes (although we know she has an epic wardrobe), I mean everything from furniture to dummies... as much as I hated that first stressful trip to IKEA - it's been so lovely getting everything organised and sorted and I think we are pretty much there! 

The kicks - This is something you really can't experience unless you are or have been pregnant. The feeling of your little baby wriggling around is just insane. From the first little blips I had at 18 weeks to the feet and little butt sticking out of my stomach now, the novelty for me really hasn't worn off and every time I feel her move I get such an overwhelming feeling of excitement!

Thoughts of the future - As much as the thought of becoming a parent is completely daunting to me, the thought of this brand new chapter in my life is just amazing. The feeling of a new purpose and knowing that there's going to be this little person entering our lives for us to love and bring up is just wonderful, and although this wasn't planned I feel like the timing couldn't have been more perfect for us, everything has been falling into place around us and I am some overwhelmed with gratitude. 

The community and support - I've been VERY lucky that not one, not two but THREE really close ladies in my life have all been pregnant at the same time as me, so there's always been someone I can talk to who can relate and not get bored of me going on! As well as this finding other mummas-to-be online has been lovely, especially on Twitter! Nice to know some of the things I'm feeling and doing are SO normal and I'm not alone.... plus it's been fab getting advice from you amazing mums out there - from which changing bag to buy to what to expect in labour!

My body - Something I thought I'd NEVER say. If you followed me for a while you will know I've always had an issue with my weight, I've always been on a diet or trying to change myself but for the last however many months I have truly given all those thoughts up and have just been concentrating on baby girl - not myself. I'm so proud of my body for doing what it's doing, when you sit down and realise you have created an actual human you really do feel so lucky. Yes, I'm the heaviest I've ever been... but shouldn't that be the case when you're pregnant?! AND I know that as soon as she's here it will fall off and I can get back to my usual active self with a new found sense of confidence!


HATES

The sickness - Let me tell you, as much as those first 17 weeks are now a mere blow I will never forget how truly AWFUL I felt for that time. Sick every single day up to 15 times a day, every time I went in a car, not being able to keep food down - it was a bloody rough ride. Think travel sickness mixed with the worst hangover of your life and nothing you do eases it... I hated every second.

No sleep - I don't remember the last time I slept properly or relaxed easily. When I first found out I was pregnant I would lie awake at night in shock, stressing, over thinking everything and be totally knackered by 3pm. As time has gone on this has just turned into me being SO uncomfortable no matter how much I try to get cosy or more bladder waking me up! As much as I know I'm not going to get much sleep once she's here, I'm just really looking forward to being more comfortable!

Acid reflux - This is something I had never really experienced until becoming pregnant (and hitting about 25 weeks or so). This has been so intense that it has woken me up night after night - SO painful. (Rennie seem to be doing the trick now though!)

The size comments - This is something that has got to me a fair bit and that's people's comments on my bump size. I've had STRANGERS ask me how long left I've had and I've told and they've given me the most offensive shocked 'wtf' face and stared at my bump. With my hormones they've been lucky I haven't burst into tears or told them to eff off! Although with other people saying "you're big aren't you" ... just WHY would you say it? I may have a big bump but there's a healthy little baby in there so who cares, don't make me feel like it's not normal! 

Restless legs - oh my gosh. This IS something I've had in the past but pregnancy has truly made it another level. Past 7pm that's it, my legs need to move or it's agony - the only way I can relieve this is going to lie down in bed... hence why we've stopped going to the cinema so late... it's unbearable for me to sit there, I can't stop moving and tensing my legs! I know this is super common in pregnancy, such a bizarre feeling.

Lack of wardrobe - For someone who loves fashion and putting outfits together being pregnant has sucked. As much as I'm living the dream just wearing comfortable clothing, shopping has been a nightmare. Never knowing what size to buy, to buy or not to buy maternity styles and re-wearing the same few things over and over has been a bore! I can't wait to totally revamp my wardrobe later this year! 


What were your LOVES and HATES during your pregnancy? 

I'm hoping to really get content out regualry from now on so if you can think of anything you'd like me to talk about let me know in the comments or message me on Twitter or Instagram!