The Fat Ladies Club

I just finished reading The Fat Ladies Club, a book given to me by my sister-in-law which she herself has read some four years ago. There is something interesting and funny about this book because it almost perfectly describes the experiences and emotions that I have been going through the last 15 weeks.

I have to admit that I still have to get used to the idea of me being pregnant. In fact, just the thought of me getting pregnant is something that already amazes me! I have read numerous articles saying that only 25% of couples would conceive within six months and most (90%) would conceive within 18 months. So when my husband and I decided that we are ready to start a family, I was thinking that perhaps pregnancy will happen within a year or more, and worst case, perhaps even never. One thing is for sure, we certainly did not want the "getting pregnant" pressure, as if this is the only thing that matters. We figured that if having a child is not meant to be, then we shall also be happy just the two of us or consider other options such as adoption.

You could just imagine our surprise and delight when three months later, we learned that we are pregnant. At first I had my doubts, took two home pregnancy tests for reassurance, and only after an echo performed by my doctor on my 8th week convinced me that I am indeed pregnant. I guess my disbelief was brought by the fact that I have witnessed several friends and relatives, some a lot younger than me, who have been trying to conceive for years, but to no avail. It was almost surreal for me to be pregnant in no time. I also consider myself quite lucky (so far) to have a relatively easy pregnancy. Except for the usual food cravings, sluggishness (or pure laziness?), frequent urination, etc, I am not experiencing the common pregnancy complaints such as nauseousness, aversion to some food or particular odour, nothing, whatsoever. While most of my friends described themselves as "miserable cows" during the first trimester, my common complaint which I repeatedly say to my doctor is "I don't feel pregnant!". In fact I always look forward to visit my doctor just to reassure me that our baby is okay, just to hear the heartbeat and see him/her whirling around gives me confirmation of my pregnant status, and of course there is my slowwwwly bulging belly. I have never thought that I would feel so much pleasure in being pregnant. I also find enjoyment to see my husband just over the moon with the pregnancy, and I have no reason to complain about the pampering that comes with being pregnant. In between thoughts, my husband and I are also naturally nervous about the prospect of being parents. Afterall, there is really no "school" to prepare us for parenthood and likewise to gauge how parenthood will fit us. We took our chance, and now we are open to the whole parenting experience. So I have joined the fat ladies club and in a few months time perhaps I will be complaining about stretch marks, heartburns, bloated legs, and what have you. However, I would like to enjoy and cherish every step of my pregnancy and share this experience with my husband and our families. This thing about creating and nurturing a life has been truly an amazing experience for us.