Recap Of My Week 6 of Pregnancy
How many days are in a week? Seven? Then I picked up a fight with my partner SEVEN times this week.
Symptoms on week 6 of pregnancy:
- Feeling bloated and HUGE, while everyone says I look exactly the same. Some even dared to say I look “skinnier.”
- Cranky, angry, sensitive, impatient, irritable, tired, and tolerance level at -20
- Anxiety through the roof
- Shortness of breath
- Sense of smell multiplied by 300
- Sleepy by 9 pm
- Cramps or sudden tension in the pelvic area but nothing like period cramps
- Feeling ugly and isolated
- Extreme hunger
This week wasn’t easy. First, I think it hit me all at once that I AM PREGNANT. Then, I went from denial to excitement to freaking out. The combination of the shortness of breath I’ve been experiencing (which is a typical symptom in pregnancy due to the blood getting thinner and hormones going crazy) and my thoughts about realizing how my life will give a 180 had me in a constant state of anxiety.
I felt so envious of my fiancé that week. Thinking:
Why am I the one carrying this baby? And suffering? And having to sacrifice drinking and eating sushi while he gets to do all these things in my face? Why am I the only one getting fat and ugly while my friends are getting in their best shape ever? Why do I have to have a wedding and watch everyone get drunk while I can’t drink or have fun because I’m too tired? Will I even fit on my wedding dress? Why did I do this?
The number of negative thoughts could go on and on for hours. I was in a bad mental head space.
After a full day of being mad at the world, I would go to bed at night and feel like an awful mom.
Shouldn’t I be happy that I’m creating the most precious thing I’ll ever have? Shouldn’t I be grateful to be the one creating life?
The thoughts were too conflicting. I loved my baby and, at the same time, hated myself for thinking bad things about this pregnancy. Until I read this…
It all made sense!
My hormones were trying to coordinate all the changes in my body needed for me to have a healthy baby, and that came with side effects.
My baby was growing! It was now a sweet pea, taking on shape and developing a HEART! Ironically my symptoms were of a healthy pregnancy because no symptoms at all could mean I’m not producing a healthy amount of hormones.
Although this was a tough week, the therapist in me found a way to thrive from this week. Some tips helped me:
- Keep a Journal. It may not eliminate your emotions at the moment, but it may reduce the intensity of your thoughts. Besides, looking back on your entries after a few days will help you develop self-compassion.
- Validate yourself. People around you may not understand you, but it is because only YOU know what it feels like to be going through what you are going through. Whatever is happening with you, it’s real!
- Find medical answers to promote objective knowledge of what you are going through. There are numerous resources out there that can help.
- Drinks lots of water (it will help with the suffocation you feel from the shortness of breath).
- Get in contact with nature. I have found peace in taking short walks by the water or at the park.
- Meditate or practice deep breathing. Practicing deep breathing in meditation will help your body get used to breathing better and more frequently throughout the day. This mindful act activates a connection between your physical breath and your awareness of breathing.
- Speak to a therapist. They will validate, support, and educate you on how to cope with anxiety.
P.S.: Every pregnancy is different. If you read this on week six of pregnancy, and cannot relate to my symptoms, do not worry about it. I have been on that boat, too, and that is why I decided to write my own blog, hoping that someone out there can relate to me.
