Week 16

Hello There,

     Welcome to my new sanctuary! Below are a few things that are helpful to know about me if you plan to join me in this adventure.

1. I am a Lighting Designer/Technician/Production Manager living in Brooklyn, NY.

2. I am exactly 16 weeks pregnant.

3. I am fascinated by herbs (and not just the kind you add to your meals).

4. I am extremely health conscious. I have been this way for the last couple of years. It is not a new development because of my pregnancy.

5. I am an introvert who loves to take photos, explore new places, and buy produce from local farmer's markets.

It's important to know that I am much more than these five short notes, but it would be a very long post indeed if I tried to explain myself fully (and nobody has time for that).

Ok, with that out of the way we can begin.

HEADACHES - I have had them for the last week on and off. I think they are tension headaches, but I'm not a doctor. They say it's safe to take Tylenol, but I'm not a fan of that kind of thing, so I did some searching for more natural alternatives only to find that most of them suck. There's only so much time I can spend lying down in a dark room with a cold compress on my head before I start to lose it. Many people also talked about dehydration, but I drink between 80 and 90oz a day and pee a nice light straw color, so I'm sure this is not what's causing this hell. Another person mentioned that posture has a lot to do with it, so I have been trying to sit up a bit straighter these days...but again, still have headaches. So, I decided to specifically research herbal headache remedies for pregnant ladies (I'll have a rant on here at some point about the lack of options for anything just because no one has done the research. My new least favorite line is "better safe than sorry" what a cop-out). I found one herbalist who suggested a tea made of equal parts skullcap, lavender, chamomile, and some other herbs, but I decided to stick with the first three and add some red raspberry for good measure.

Herbalists generally maintain that these headaches can be brought on by a lack of calcium and magnesium, or just busy hormones. I thought about it and these headaches have come along after I stopped my daily infusions of nettles, red raspberry, and red clover that I rotate from day to day, so I'm wondering if that's where this began. Not to mention that I may be a bit stressed about the idea of being pregnant and having things change every day. It's easy to be overwhelmed by it all without realizing it, it creeps up on you like a nasty cold.

Regardless, I am currently sipping on a chilled nettle infusion and crossing my fingers that I will find relief in the coming days. Otherwise I think I'll just have to cut the top of my head off.

BELLY - Is huge! at least for me it is. My stomach is definitely protruding and causing my pants to be super tight when I sit (bring on the maternity jeans!). I'm really not that big, I'm just big by comparison to how I was before. I haven't been weighed since the end of April at my last midwife appointment, but I'm sure I've gained a pound or so. I've always been the type to keep my weight down, so this change is major for me and also adding some stress. Yes, I know this is a thing and that it is good and necessary, but it doesn't mean I like it. I was cool with my body before and now I barely have a day with this new one before it starts changing again! So silly, but still a concern.

EXCITEMENT LEVEL - A 10/10, no joke. I have a game plan for my headaches and activities planned tomorrow, so my excitement is at an all time high. I'm excited about the progress my kid is making (it's the size of an avocado!) and can't wait to find out if it's a she or a he. I'm also excited because my husband's sister is moving to the city for the summer to work and play! It's going to be a long, hot summer, but I think it's going to be a good one. My current outlook is positive and I'm hoping to keep it that way, but who knows where these hormones will take me?

That's it for tonight. I need to shower and get into bed because I have to be up at 5am with the husband to make sure he eats and has lunch. Bye for now!