I feel as if time has literally flown by throughout my pregnancy thus far! I’m 28 weeks as of yesterday, and while expecting a baby has its amazing ups, it certainly has its downs and the struggle at times, is very real. The miracle of carrying a child and finally being able to hold the little human you created in your arms in the end is beyond words, but people rarely talk about the downside of pregnancy. So to anyone else currently struggling through it, I’m right there with you, sister!

My first pregnancy wasn’t easy – major sciatica pain along with lower back issues that lasted two years longer than the actual pregnancy weren’t easy to get rid of, and this time around they’re worse. And on top of waddling like a penguin as of last week, I still haven’t been able to shake the nausea.

The first 5 months were awful, and since then I’ve had some relief, but now I keep getting sick. I’m currently battling a spell of what my doctors think is walking pneumonia after ruling out a sinus infection and the flu. Any parent who’s ever been ill already knows how hard it is on its own, not to mention being pregnant and having a family to look after as well. 

Another major annoyance I’m dealing with is not being able to get a good night’s sleep. With Narayan, I was lucky to get 3-4 hours per night, so I developed sleep deprivation for the next few years, which turned into depression and anxiety. I was finally able to conquer my sleep issues earlier this year using these tricks, but now in my third trimester with baby#2, it’s becoming almost impossible. What’s recently helped me the most is replacing my u-shape pregnancy pillow with three large body pillows. While laying on my side, I keep one between my knees, one tucked under my belly and the other supporting my back. No, adjusting the pillows to get comfy after trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night isn’t fun, but this new set-up is certainly helping me get a bit more sleep than before.

Again don’t get me wrong, I’m beyond thankful and excited to see my daughter in just a few short months, but at 36 (and I don’t know if it’s my age making it harder or just how I carry my babies?) this is ROUGH.

 

But enough with the complaints, let's talk about the upside!

 

Feeling flutters which have now turned into jerking kicks that make my entire belly jump is really exciting! Narayan wasn’t this much of a mover in the womb, so it’s fun to experience the difference between my two babies.

As for weight gain (which I was very worried about if I’m being honest), I’ve only gained 21 pounds thus far which is surprising since I was already 35 pounds up carrying Narayan at this point. And I don’t deprive myself whatsoever, so I’m thinking it must be the nausea?

I also love dressing my bump. A challenge, yes, but so much fun experimenting with stretch fabrics and anything that fits over my tummy – wrap sweaters like this one are great during and before or after pregnancy! Other than jeans, I don’t buy or wear maternity when there are so many options that still work while rocking a baby bump. These are my current favorite pair of skinnies as well as these non-maternity leggings that have tons of stretch without being see-through.

What I’m enjoying most though, is seeing how excited Narayan is to be a big brother. Everyday he wakes up and runs to my belly asking, “is my baby sister bigger?!” It’s the cutest thing ever and I can’t wait to see them together.

Lastly, I’m happy to report that I’ve figured out the secret to accepting my husband’s claim that “we’re going through pregnancy together.” At first it really annoyed me when Dave started telling people this, because NO SIR, I’m the one who’s suffering through pregnancy aches and pains, not you! But what I’ve done recently though, is use it to my advantage when I need him to pick up the slack around the house. Thanks to the claim he made, which I’ve now openly accepted, he can’t make any excuses about being tired or too busy because after all “we’re in this together” so while mama’s busy making a human, daddy’s doing his part to pick up the slack!