Shifting gears

Weeks 18-20: This appears to be a transitional period. On the one hand, my reward-response structure is normalizing, with the return of my desire to play my online game, slight decrease in the frequency/urgency of snacking, return of more energy, etc. On the other hand, foot swelling continuing, and in week 19 I find I'm having trouble crossing my legs -- some combination of the larger stomach with changes in overall weight and joint stiffness. (I can make my legs cross, but it's no longer an alternate rest position. meh.) My in-laws made me laugh hard, and scored some major points, with the card at the right; seems a good summary.

I should also note, having somehow left this out, that I'm several (four?) bra sizes up from where I started (having started to grow around 6 or 8 weeks along), but the flurry of bra purchases seems to have stopped. Don't know whether there will be another burst of growth toward the end of pregnancy (and preparation for milk), or whether I'll be about this size. It's definitely a factor now in the determination of whether an item of my clothing still fits, but otherwise this seems manageable, and so far I haven't had to sleep in a bra (which a cousin counselled me to expect) or anything like that. For anybody else who is well-endowed to begin with and looking for something comfortable in these new sizes, I really recommend this bra, which gives good support, has the material characteristics (wicking, etc.) of a sports bra (designed for "that ultimate 9-5 sport"), and keeps the wires out where they don't press on breast tissue and give you problems. What maternity shops sell are nursing bras, which will be needed eventually but right now just mean limited selection and unnecessary padding...

Week 21: It got cool enough for my long maternity pants to come into play, and also some fall/leather shoes. Or rather, the latter might have, if anything fit. Looks like I'll be in sneakers and one pair of lace leather shoes for most of the cold months. (One hates to sink money into shoes for 3-4 months of wear ever!) My fingers are getting a bit of the puffiness that my ankles have suffered, making me wonder whether my wedding ring will eventually go the way of my engagement ring (which is to say, somewhere that won't involve cutting my finger off)...

Settling into this silliness

Weeks 15-16: Lots of the same from recent weeks -- eating a ton, have to take things slower, up several times per night to pee. Also, I've been walking like a sailor for several weeks (again, without really having any change in center of gravity to justify it, leading one to think this is about joint relaxation, etc.) -- can't remember precisely when that started.

Two new things:

1. My feet have started to swell in the course of the day (although they're really always larger than they were) -- I can barely get into my tennis shoes and a couple of other pairs of shoes with laces. (I'd have thought loafers more forgiving, but nope: they don't expand enough across the arch.) For comparison with my normal ankle, see here.
   
   
2. Am going to regular monthly OB checkups now, which are very unexciting. I give a urine sample (after elaborate use of an alcohol swab), have my weight and blood pressure measured by a nurse (with no comment on the results), and then the doctor stops in for two minutes to find the baby's heartbeat with Doppler. More time in the waiting room than in the exam room, and not much to take home from the experience...

Week 17: More fun side-effects of the hormone parade. The drippy nose has irritated my throat until I have a frequent dry cough, meh. Not allowed to take Flonase or anything else that might stave off my tendency to bronchial infections -- am becoming religious with an evening NETI pot to compensate. Also, major acne, beyond my ability to really do much about it. Double meh. More debilitating is that I'm now in constant threat of heartburn (battling with the recurrent hunger), which becomes a particular problem at night. Have to prop myself upright on pillows for at least half an hour before sliding down into a more comfy sleeping position, and Tums are always handy.

On the amusing front, both Spouse and I have ceased to be of interest to our parents/in-laws, who now ask after only doctor visits and baby news during calls.