Being pregnant in the summer is a different experience than having a baby due in March. My body is really out there. And I mean out there. But still, people have been pretty nice.
One friend complimented me on how good I looked and then made the analogy: “like an olive on a stick.” I liked that better than the “did your mommy swallow a basketball?” question in the grocery store.
As I was walking away from dropping my son off at day camp, another parent rolled down the window of her car to say: “You look great! I’m an obstetrician and I would have had no idea until you turned the corner!” I replied with a thanks and “Two weeks left!”
Because it was super cheap and super close to my son’s camp, I bought a month trial to a gym through a Living Social deal and ran into a friend who is a member. “I’m impressed!” she chirped about my working out at 38 weeks pregnant. “You can even hold a conversation!” she noticed while I ellipticaled.
I went to a bellydancing Moms Night Out with my Holistic Moms chapter, and, when we danced in a line, my friend commented that she couldn’t even tell I was pregnant from behind.
Bellydancing at Moms Night Out
So, despite the fact that I think my face is super puffy looking and my wrists are tingling and numb, if not painful — while I hold the phone, while I chop vegetables, and a lot during the night — it’s nice to get some positive feedback from the outside world on this body that is carrying an extra third of its normal weight.
You looked awesome when I saw you a few weeks ago!
I’ve bellydanced regularly for years, and continued taking classes up until 3 or 4 weeks before I delivered. I even introduced my sister to the studio I go to, and she ended up taking another class the same day/time as mine. So the last night of class, we’re running late and I’m in the back doing my thing. I look over and see my sister coming out of her class, so tell her to wait 5mins for me (I should mention we both took sign language in college – comes in handy sometimes). She told me that as she was leaving her studio, one of her classmates yells “WOAH! That woman is reaaaaaaalllly pregnant!” My sister (who didn’t actually know I was in class at that time), does a double take and is all “haha, that’s my sister.” Classmate backpeddles and starts asking when I’m due, etc. My sister can’t stop laughing however, because I did look pretty ridiculous ;)
Make sure to keep it up – it’s great for getting your body in shape for labor.