Pregnancy: it’s a funny thing, isn’t it? It floods you with hormones and your body changes so fast that you have to frequently get reacquainted with it. One day you might feel great and the next day you feel like you were hit by a bus.
I’m currently pregnant with my second, so I started keeping a journal to track my symptoms and feelings. While doing so, it occurred to me that my toddler and I actually have a lot in common. Things I find a bit annoying about his behavior are things I now recognize in myself. With my first pregnancy, I didn’t have a toddler to compare myself to, so maybe it wasn’t so obvious, but now it’s become clear: pregnancy turns me into a toddler. Here are seven reasons that’s the case:
Reason #1: Food Aversions
The biggest similarity is my random aversion to certain foods, even foods I usually like or had even eaten the day before. My toddler is super picky, so my options are limited anyway, but then he will even refuse to eat something he just happily gobbled down the day before. He goes through phases where he’ll eat a banana every day and then not want to touch one for a week. I waste so much food and it’s hard to plan what to make, since I never know what he will feel like eating. But now I have more empathy for this trait, because I’m the same way.
I’ll shop for groceries and buy all kinds of salad and produce, thinking they sound good. Then I won’t want anything to do with them when I get home. I’ll be excited for homemade cheeseburgers and then take one bite and feel ill. As someone who normally isn’t picky at all and will eat just about anything, I have a hard time understanding why people are so picky, including my son. Pregnancy changes that and I’m like, “Oh…I see how it is now.”
Reason #2: Constant Snacking
I love snacks. Even when I’m not pregnant, I like to snack. However, when I am pregnant, snacking is not just something to do when I’m bored; it is truly a necessity. I can literally tell time with my stomach; I know within about five minutes of when it’s 10:30 in the morning, because that’s always the time I NEED a snack or I start to feel nauseated.
I have snacks ready to grab, like cheese sticks, peanut butter crackers, cheddar puffs, fruit, trail mix, yogurt, and protein bars…you know, the exact kinds of snacks a toddler begs for. When I worked in an office during my first pregnancy, I had to upgrade to a larger lunch bag just to fit all of my various snacks. Coworkers were amused, because I seemed to eat at my desk all day long. Even during my snacks, I think about what I’ll have for lunch. Just as I pack snacks for my son when I leave the house, I now pack my own snacking emergency kit.
Reason #3: Moodiness
Why am I crying again, you ask? Did you even see that diaper commercial? Did you just hear the lyrics to that song? Yes, I know they normally aren’t that sad, but pregnancy is like PMS on steroids and it lasts for months. Why am I so upset and yelling over something so insignificant? I’m sorry and I feel terrible now. I don’t even know why myself. Yay, hormones! So now when my toddler cries or throws a fit over what I feel is a really ridiculous reason (yet again), I can now think of my own ridiculous reasons for getting emotional and have a bit more understanding.
Reason #4: Not Sleeping All Night
It took a long time, but we finally reached that blissful phase of parenting where your child can sleep all night (usually). There are still certain nights that he gets up in the middle of the night or early in the morning to cuddle, but he usually goes back to sleep. This wasn’t the case not too long ago, though, when we struggled with several wake-ups during the night. I tried to be patient, but often found myself tired and irritated.
Now the tables have turned and it’s me getting up during the night: to race to the bathroom, to eat another snack, to adjust a knee pillow, to wonder why my pillow is soaked with sweat (pregnancy always gives me terrible night sweats), to deal with heartburn, to analyze yet another bizarre and scarily-realistic pregnancy dream, or to generally have insomnia for an hour or two about every night. I guess I might as well get used to it, because baby #2 isn’t going to let me sleep anyway.
Reason #5: Difficulty Getting Dressed
Both my toddler and I have a hard time getting dressed these days. I never know exactly what will fit me from week to week. As my belly grows, certain shirts and pants are put away for now and I must rummage through my stash of maternity clothes to see what fits and what’s still too big.
This is much like not knowing if something will fit my ever-growing son. We recently went on a week-long vacation and two of the four pairs of shoes I packed for him would not go on his feet. Of course, he really wanted to wear one of the pairs of shoes and threw an absolute fit when he couldn’t. I now had empathy for both not getting to wear what you want because you’re growing and for the somewhat irrational outburst.
Reason #6: Needing to Take Naps
Naps are always a nice luxury if you can get one, right? I mean, most people, if given the choice, would love a daily nap. If you don’t get one, though, you can probably make it through the day. Babies and toddlers, however, must nap or you will have a monster on your hands. As a parent, you will likely find yourself planning your days around this sacred time.
The same can be said for those in their first trimester. Extreme fatigue is a common symptom of early pregnancy and napping may no longer be a choice, but a necessity. Before pregnancy, I used my son’s naps to be productive. I typically didn’t nap myself, because it was the only time to work on things uninterrupted. However, during the first trimester, I had days where I struggled so hard just to keep my eyes open. As soon as he was asleep, I jumped in bed and slept, sometimes for an hour or two. When I was working during my first pregnancy, I even used my lunch breaks to grab a quick nap in my car.
It makes you understand the importance of a toddler’s nap. With so many things changing and growing with both toddlers and pregnant women, sleep is essential for both groups. Luckily, I am coming out of that fatigued phase as I start my second trimester, but it can really knock you down for a while.
Reason #7: People Needing to Help Me with Simple Tasks
I haven’t quite reached this point of pregnancy, but once I get bigger and more obviously pregnant, I’m sure people will assume I can’t (or shouldn’t) do certain tasks for myself, such as lifting things. I will get frequent offers for help, similar to how people need to help toddlers. Heck, at some point, I will probably need help tying my shoes. It can be frustrating at times not being able to just do something you need to do and relying on others for certain things, just as it must be for my son.
So, there you have it, seven ways I feel like a toddler when I’m pregnant. Can you relate? Can you think of any other ways? I guess I will just embrace this time and let it help me bond with my son.
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