My First Pregnancy – The first few days!

So it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve been pregnant and thought it would be nice to pen down a few ups and many of the downs that I’ve gone through.

So this is how it all started. On February 11^th night I had a big fight with my dearest husband! I was so angry that I didn’t talk to him the entire night and the next day. Well but somehow in those days when he was away I knew there was something wrong as I had missed my period and I just wanted to know. So on the 12^th I bought a pregnancy test and with thoughts driving me crazy I did the test – I basically peed on that stick!

I saw the first pink line come up and then came the second line! Clear as day! My reaction: “Oh shit!” (Please note: I generally do not use words like that, in fact I hate that word, plus I do not encourage the usage of that word too, but under the given circumstances I guess I excused myself!).

So now I’m torn between calling Aby (my husband) and just waiting for him to come back. But I was so mad at him coz he didn’t call at all and so I did the craziest thing! I sent him a message saying “I’m pregnant!” The worst way to find out! Instantly he called and was like “What? How? Are you sure?” (Well we did a test a week before and it showed negative, so this was a real shock for him). Well we laughed, I cried and all this while he was waiting at the airport to check-in his luggage! I sure was rude! Ah but what you gonna do?

So he comes back home the next morning and he just hugs me and I knew that having this baby was just perfectly timed. So the next day we go to the doc and meet this lady. She says it’s too early to do or say anything. Gives me folic acid tablets to take and sends us on our way home. Ok so I’m psyched that I have no nausea, no cravings, nothing and I’m busy cooking chicken for a pot luck dinner party, enjoying all the food everyone else made – it was on the 14^th of Feb! Yes Valentine’s Day.

That Sunday the 16^th of Feb is when I started actually feeling the nausea kick in. Gagging for a while with nothing coming out. But that just got me tired! Yet I could still eat anything. So I’m pretty happy.

Two days later we invite a couple home for dinner and as I’m cooking the chicken, I’m feeling weird as ever.  The smell of the chicken is driving me insane! I finally manage to finish cooking. We have a great meal together; I ate a little chicken too. But little did I know that that would be the last non-veg meal I had in a while.

Post that I couldn’t go into the kitchen. Honestly I think I became super-human in a not so nice sense! My nose could smell things that I wouldn’t even bother about generally. The vanilla fragrance from my candle making, the paint smell of the clay pots I painted, the neighbor’s dog-poop smelling compound, the smell of any meat, or masala frying, and much more. I could practically smell these a mile away and the instant I do all my stomach contents would threaten to come right up to my throat and wait there deciding what to do!

That’s when my life saver comes into play. My little yellow lime. It’s the best thing to keep your nose away from smells you hate. And I know the moment I keep the lime near my nose and sniff, I’m good baby! IT’s my drug I tell you! I don’t go out without it. Wait… I don’t go to the next room without it! If at any point my lime isn’t working and it doesn’t give my nose, stomach and mind rest, I know whatever it is has to come out of my system. No choice!

The first time I threw up whatever I ate was on the 18^th of Feb. I remember exactly what it was dosa and chutney! By the way, I hate throwing up, like I would rather do anything else than throw up. But well… like I said before – NO CHOICE!

So this is how my day goes… I wake up have something to eat and I’m feeling kinda fine. By 7.30 my nausea kicks in. I have breakfast by 8am; something simple like bread or idly. I eat a small meal by around 11am. My nausea continues till around 12 noon; by that time I’m so tired, I just want to sleep. I rest it out for say an hour or two. Then wake up by 1 and eat again. Sleep again. Wake up again all nauseous. Yeah basically I’m nauseous the entire day! The worst is by the evening around 6 or so. Goodness! And that’s the time I’m most hungry!

So I wanted to check online on what can be done about nausea; if there was any way to stop it. Every site I opened had a picture of a pretty lady with a face looking like as if she’s gonna throw up! And I couldn’t help thinking to myself, damn I wish I looked like that. With all the nausea, the last thing on my mind is if my hair is combed or if my clothes are in good condition, or if my bed’s done. I really don’t care about my disheveled look! I’m just waiting to feel ok; even just a little bit! Whew! Not happening I tell you!

Well anyway back to what I was saying… so many of the sites said eat something salty and many people said to have salt biscuits. It’ll help – they said! So I go to the shop with my husband, buy salt biscuit and come home. I bite into one and realize “oh no, this doesn’t taste one bit nice”! I somehow manage to eat it and I forget about it. The next day sometime in the afternoon I want to eat an apple. So I enjoy the fruit, sharing it with my first baby (yes, our little dog – a Cocker Spaniel named Hazel). Post eating it, I’m feeling a little queasy and think maybe now the salt biscuit will work. So I take a piece and eat it. And what do you know, instantly all I ate – the biscuit and the apple – come gushing out. The saltiness went right through to my nose! Oh I guess each one’s pregnancy is different and everybody’s got to test and try what they can and cannot eat.

Then I got super hungry all over again, this time I asked Aby to get me some vadas and bondas! So after work, he picked some up and came. And I relished every morsel I ate. After about half an hour is when it happened. I couldn’t lie down, couldn’t sit, I knew it was all going to come out and ta da… it did. And all the time I’m throwing up I’m thinking “Oh crap, this doesn’t taste one bit like what went in!” It would be much easier to throw up if it tasted good while coming out too you know! Disgusted? Imagine my plight!

I actually feel a little too much for my dear husband. Imagine this… He comes back from work and I can’t do anything. He heats food, gets the place cleaned up, and I just have no energy to help in any way! And more than that I have my silly flushes of heat and cold. So I’ll be like “Baby will you get me my sweater and socks.” Two minutes later, “Baby can you turn on the fan”. Few minutes later, “Baby please turn off the fan and bring me my blanket na, please!” And a few minutes later, “Baby, I think I need to throw up.” The poor guy! He really didn’t see all this coming. But he’s so gentle and caring. I can’t imagine what I’d do without him.

And of course there’s my little faithful doggie. When Aby’s not home and I end up alone in the bathroom throwing up, she faithfully will come sit next to me, showing me that she’s right there. I guess dogs kinda know, you know. She’s been very gentle with me, won’t jump on me, which is very surprising! She’s adorable! I wonder how she’ll take the new baby in the house!

Today, the 25^th of Feb and I’m feeling so much better. My uncle and aunt made some Bisi-bele-bath and I ate little by little. By now I’ve learnt to test my food before slugging it down like a crazy woman. And my tummy took it in well. I ate 5 meals and I’m feeling good baby.

So I’ve written all this and imagine it’s only been 10 days from the start of my nausea! JUST 10 DAYS! And so many people have told me, “Don’t worry Shobs, it’ll be there only for three months and then you’ll be fine!” ONLY THREE MONTHS! Like 90 days and I’m done only with 10! Whew!

Well I guess the story goes to say that honestly I don’t feel a deep rooted connection with the baby growing in me. I’m not very excited either. Maybe it’s because I’m permanently thinking about throwing up, or I’m trying to run away from some smell, or I’m constantly hungry and trying to figure out what I can eat! I guess time will tell how I feel. But it’s ok. Not every relationship starts with butterflies and giggles! Some start tough. I guess they teach you the importance of life and giving life.

Can’t wait for all the trauma of “Oh my gosh, I’m having a baby. How am I gonna handle it all?” Well that has to wait for a few months I guess. Till then… 

*Takes a bow, exit stage*