**This post may be TMI in regards to pregnancy stuff**
I'll be the first to admit that I spent a good part of the 1st trimester acting slightly crazy in terms of anxiety. Every cramp or twinge freaked me out and I got used to checking the toilet paper for any spotting/blood every time I went. I couldn't help it and nothing really calmed me down (I did get MUCH better once we hit the 2nd trimester and had 2 good ultrasounds). But I have been downright relaxed since about 13 weeks.
I tried not to google or read too much, but I did sign up for the weekly emails from What To Expect and Baby Center. I look at these as a double edged sword - they are helpful and interesting in terms of what was happening and how the baby was growing, but they also freak me out. I think in my 6th week, they sent an article called "The truth about miscarriage". Umm really?!?! Thanks for calming my nerves Baby Center! Especially when they also send articles about how staying relaxed can be beneficial to the baby. It was at that point that J made me step back from the computer, and I was very glad to have a little break.
Now that I'm 2.5 weeks away from the 3rd trimester, I've found that the crazy email hype is back! Right after I hit 24 weeks, the articles about pre-term labor started. What to look for, symptoms, etc. I'm not saying that it's not a good idea to know about this if something is happening, but it seems like it's pushed into pregnant women's faces and it is super scary! Now I feel like I'm back to analyzing every cramp and checking the toilet paper again.
The midwives I go to tell me to keep an eye on any leaking or increased discharge and then in the same sentence, tell me that my discharge may increase at this point and it's completely normal. Ok, well then which one is it??? Cramping that feels like menstrual cramps may be pre-term labor and it also might be round ligament pain or stretching, which is common and normal. Alright, when should I be concerned?? There's so much grey area!
J and I were talking this morning about how it was probably so much easier to be pregnant before the days of the internet. Blissfully unaware of all the bad things that can happen and no easy access to google every simple symptom that you have. I've learned to just read the articles about the baby's development each week and I don't really read anything else at this point. It's better for my mental health (and the babies!)
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I have one friend who read anything and everything and she was always a mess. I have other friends who read nothing and they had the easiest pregnancies! I don't know how I will be :)
***HUGS*** Sometimes, you do have to step away from the Google because that worry will wreak havoc on you. My last pregnancy was in 2008 and I swore that something was going to happen to my son. Now, he's just your average crazy 3 year old. BTW..that whole discharge thing is a pain in the ass. If you have to buy pantyliners in bulk, it will give you some peace of mind having it with you. And don't let the things you see on Google cause you to lose any sleep. Because I almost went Grey's Anatomy on myself once when all I was experiencing was round ligament pain.
I couldn't even read what to expect when you're expecting it upset me so much!
xoxo
SC
I understand. My dr. basically said the same thing. Avoid the internet! There is a lot of conflicting info. Also a lot of freak out inducing material. I know every pregnancy is different, but it helped me to ask one of my already mommy friends. They could usually assist in a much softer way than google!!
I'm so with you on this!!! My hubby signed up for the weekly emails and forwards them to me. The preterm labor stuff freaks me out.
I was the same about checking the paper the whole first trimester, I was really nervous something would happen. Now I worry about "decreased movement". There are some days that the baby moves like crazy and some days where he is really mellow and I get a few kicks here and there. The internet can be so bad for this stuff.
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