Just breathe

This pregnancy has been tougher than my first. Tiredness was my main complaint with number one, but this time around the nausea has been unbearable and the pain in my pelvis has been excruciating at times. Thankfully my appetite has now returned, but the ongoing aches and pains have left me feeling frustrated, short tempered, anxious and emotional.

I’m trying very hard to just breathe, to rest when I can and to be as gentle as I can with The Bean, but some days it is just too much. I sat down in the parents room at a shopping centre yesterday and cried out of sheer frustration at not being able to perform simple tasks without pain (I’m really feeling for people who suffer from chronic pain I tell you…)

There is so much to do around the house each day, as well as so much that needs to be done before the arrival of number two. With six months to go I am already feeling the pressure and stressing that things won’t get done.

Stress isn’t good for anyone in the family, least of all Pumpkin (so called in honour of the Halloween due date) so I need to focus on staying calm. I’m going to stop reading news stories and watching TV shows that are not conducive to good mental health. I'm going to try and stop feeling so guilty about what I am doing/not doing with The Bean. I'm going to try and let go of things that ‘need’ doing around the place and be happy with the bare minimum until my energy returns and my pain is under control.

It’s easy when I’m feeling this way to lock myself away and limit my interactions with the outside world, so my real challenge will be staying engaged and not succumbing to the comfort of isolation.

It is a stunning time of year in my home town, sunny days and the turning autumn leaves make for a spectacular display of colour wherever you look, so getting outdoors for gentle walks and photos will be high on my list of priorities.