The ugly side of pregnancy

Everyone has a different pregnancy experience, some have a smooth, uneventful 9 months, while others struggle with every month. I think that I am somewhere in the middle of that... maybe even leaning a little more toward the struggling side. Lol. As most of you know this is my third and final pregnancy, and it has been very hard on me. I've always been the type to read as much as possible about what to expect and what to do/not do during pregnancy, and you would think the third time around I would be a pro, but I find that I'm actually at a loss.

With my first pregnancy it was very text book. I was sick in the beginning, emotional, continued working-out like normal, gained 45 lbs., and knew that I was in labor because my water broke. Ten hours later I was holding my baby boy. I never got any stretch marks, had no trouble breastfeeding, and the baby weight fell off. The second time, I would say I was very sick for a lot longer, I was more tired and cranky, but overall it was also a very text book pregnancy. I was still able to exercise and play with Remy, I only gained 25 lbs., and worked until the day I delivered. The labor went smoothly even though they had to break my water and I had to get an IV and oxygen, I was better prepared for the pain that was to come. 9 hours later I was holding my baby girl. I did have a little difficulty getting Jackie to breastfeed right away and it took a few hours before we both were comfortable with it. I stayed one night and begged to be released the next morning so I could go home to the rest of my family. I still had not gotten any stretch marks and the baby weight once again fell off.

Now, into my third pregnancy, I've had a very difficult time. I found out early that I was caring twins and all I can say is I don't know how people do this multiple times. I've been extremely sick since the beginning, losing about 15 lbs. and gaining very slowly. Everything made me throw up and even now there are things that I can't do because they make me gag (like washing dishes, cooking meat, cleaning cat/dog/kid vomit). I was put on pelvic rest for the first 20 weeks, I'm always tired, I have had to basically cut exercising, I don't even take the stairs at work anymore. I'm measuring about a month and half ahead, which means all the things that usually happen later in pregnancy I'm experiencing now. I have trouble getting up off the couch, rolling over in bed, sleeping, walking, bending down, putting on my shoes. My hips hurt all the time along with my back. I often have pains in my lower abdomen making it difficult to lift my legs, and get into and out of my truck. I'm always hungry and I'm always constipated. I've given up on shaving my legs, not that I have much motivation to shave, considering it's cold out and sex is too uncomfortable anyway (my husband has been great about this... maybe I should look into getting a sister-wife. LOL.) I can't brush my tongue because I throw up, my gums bleed no matter how often I floss. I'm out growing my maternity tops, so I've started wearing Bryan's shirts. I can't listen to anything but classical music in the car because everything else makes me have motion sickness. The worst is trying to explain to my two kids that they can't sit in my lap because I don't have a lap.

The doctors tell me that all of this is normal and that overall I'm coming along quite nicely. But for me, this is not normal, and I've been a royal pain in the butt. On Monday I will officially be 26 weeks, my goal for this pregnancy is to make it to 38 weeks. That means I have a lot more growing that I need to do, I will most likely get stretch marks (which I honestly don't care much about). When I go into labor I'll have to deliver in the OR and have a hook up for an epidural (which I'm scared to death to get) even if I don't get the meds, in case I have to have a c-section. I still plan to breastfeed the first 12 months and I know that this will be a difficult task with two other children. No matter how much I've read about multiples, natural deliveries, and breastfeeding, I'm still nervous as to how it will all get done. The two things that I know for sure are: 1) I can not wait to meet these two little boys and 2) I'm extremely happy knowing that I will never be pregnant again. And if years down the road I get that maternal urge I'll get a puppy :)