From Limbo: A Pregnancy Update

Since I am still waiting for word from my supervisor after submitting my first draft, I thought I'd take this time (after doing my prenatal exercises and after cleaning house) to write about being pregnant with #2. I haven't written much about being pregnant a second time--mostly because it's pretty much the same as being pregnant with #1 and most of you have already read all about that--but in all fairness to Emeth I should probably write something about the time he spends in the belly.

I think that many of the details are the same this time around, but my perception of them has changed. When I was pregnant with Istra, I'd never been pregnant before and all the sensations were new. When I experienced round ligament pain for the first time, yes, it hurt--but it was also a new and interesting experience. Making it through weeks of back and hip pain was sort of liking finishing a marathon--something that I sort of felt proud of. Now it seems that feeling these things the second time around isn't quite as fun or exciting. It is actually quite difficult being pregnant and not having the luxury to lie down for a nap whenever I want, or even curl up with a book on the couch. Sure, Istra isn't the most demanding toddler--compared to some others I know--but she doesn't exactly let me sit around on the couch all day.

It is difficult to focus on the baby that is inside, when the one that is outside is pulling the toilet paper off the roll or dumping the cat's food into the cat's water for the fifth time in a day or laughing hysterically when you stub your toe or get a paper cut (yes, this is Istra's new and somewhat disturbing trick).

My body seems to be handling pregnancy much the same as before, though in ways typical for second pregnancies; namely, I am bigger this time much sooner than I was with Istra and my midwife tells me that this is normal. Apparently your body just "knows what to do" the second time around and there's no fooling around with a maybe-baby belly. I've got three months to go and I'm probably not much smaller than I was at the end with Istra. Whee!

The only difference I can really pinpoint, not having the luxury of much time for reflection, is that Emeth is much more active than Istra was. It was a very neat experience to go to the ultrasounds and actually see him moving around in there, waving his arms and opening and closing his mouth. Istra didn't move much when we got to peek in at her. Emeth's movement actually necessitated a follow-up ultrasound after our 18 week appointment, as they couldn't get clear pictures of his constantly waving arms and hands.

This difference between my two babies makes me really curious to meet Emeth and see what he is like. I wonder if his movement in utero reflects his personality. Maybe he's just in there listening to Istra's hysterical, sadistic laughter and cries of "Eyes! Eyes!" and trying desperately to work on his upper body strength in order to defend himself!

We shall see... we shall see.