Chapter 4
Getting into the fifth month
This week is the 18th week of my pregnancy and officially the first week of my firth month. It is also the fourth week of my being sick. I STILL have that cold. The nose is blocked and cough does not let me sleep at night. I have seen the doctor three times but the only advice I get is to drink lots of fluid and use some Vicks. People have been getting exceedingly annoying with their ‘scientific advices’ about traditional remedies: “you should have some milk with turmeric – it is a miracle for your cold”. I have already tried milk with turmeric; honey with cinnamon; honey, lemon and ginger hot drink; tea with raspberry jam (well, hot water with raspberry jam as I excluded tea because of caffeine); milk with honey; apple vinegar with hot water; and half a dozen of other remedies. I was even tempted to try some traditional Russian cold cures, e.g. vodka with hot water or just hot vodka, but abstained. I don’t think my little baby would appreciate that cure even if it works. Anyhow, I have tried all of the above and I am still sick. I think I am going to strange the next person who tries to give me another ‘scientific advice’.
The same unfortunate accident is also going to happen to the next person touching my belly. Two people out of three feel like it is their duty to pat my belly. All concepts of personal space seem to evaporate with the presence of a pregnant woman. I wonder whether being pregnant is considered an extenuating circumstance in case of some physical violence on my part. One of the books suggests when someone rubs your tummy without asking your permission first, rub their tummy back and ask – do you like that? It sounds like an idiotic advice, but I am getting to the point where I might try that, and I haven’t reached a half of the pregnancy term yet.
The Fifth Month
I am in a week 19 right now. The main event of last week was the second ultrasound. At this stage one can normally find out the gender of the baby. Unfortunately, my ‘little terrorist’ decided that his or her gender should remain a mystery. This baby crossed little legs while holding an umbilical cord between them. The gender was impossible to determine. I was really looking forward to finding whether it is a boy or a girl so I can start buying little dresses. Now this baby will have to live with less gender specific green and yellow cloths for the first six month of his or her life.
On a positive note, my baby got her first personal thing – a blanket. My mom made it. It is a lovely light green knitted square with a yellow border. I can’t wait till my husband comes back from his business trip so we can go and buy the first ‘official’ item for our baby. Somehow, I’ve been having this obsessive idea that the first thing for our baby should be bought by us together. I already have a list of stores where we can go shopping for the baby. I think we’ll buy something this weekend.
I’ve heard many times that getting pregnant changes your life. It does. I can’t think or talk about anything else. The baby controls all my thoughts and my actions even 5 months before he/she is born. I am looking forward to being a mom. It is going to be an amazing experience.
Getting into the fifth month
This week is the 18th week of my pregnancy and officially the first week of my firth month. It is also the fourth week of my being sick. I STILL have that cold. The nose is blocked and cough does not let me sleep at night. I have seen the doctor three times but the only advice I get is to drink lots of fluid and use some Vicks. People have been getting exceedingly annoying with their ‘scientific advices’ about traditional remedies: “you should have some milk with turmeric – it is a miracle for your cold”. I have already tried milk with turmeric; honey with cinnamon; honey, lemon and ginger hot drink; tea with raspberry jam (well, hot water with raspberry jam as I excluded tea because of caffeine); milk with honey; apple vinegar with hot water; and half a dozen of other remedies. I was even tempted to try some traditional Russian cold cures, e.g. vodka with hot water or just hot vodka, but abstained. I don’t think my little baby would appreciate that cure even if it works. Anyhow, I have tried all of the above and I am still sick. I think I am going to strange the next person who tries to give me another ‘scientific advice’.
The same unfortunate accident is also going to happen to the next person touching my belly. Two people out of three feel like it is their duty to pat my belly. All concepts of personal space seem to evaporate with the presence of a pregnant woman. I wonder whether being pregnant is considered an extenuating circumstance in case of some physical violence on my part. One of the books suggests when someone rubs your tummy without asking your permission first, rub their tummy back and ask – do you like that? It sounds like an idiotic advice, but I am getting to the point where I might try that, and I haven’t reached a half of the pregnancy term yet.
The Fifth Month
I am in a week 19 right now. The main event of last week was the second ultrasound. At this stage one can normally find out the gender of the baby. Unfortunately, my ‘little terrorist’ decided that his or her gender should remain a mystery. This baby crossed little legs while holding an umbilical cord between them. The gender was impossible to determine. I was really looking forward to finding whether it is a boy or a girl so I can start buying little dresses. Now this baby will have to live with less gender specific green and yellow cloths for the first six month of his or her life.
On a positive note, my baby got her first personal thing – a blanket. My mom made it. It is a lovely light green knitted square with a yellow border. I can’t wait till my husband comes back from his business trip so we can go and buy the first ‘official’ item for our baby. Somehow, I’ve been having this obsessive idea that the first thing for our baby should be bought by us together. I already have a list of stores where we can go shopping for the baby. I think we’ll buy something this weekend.
I’ve heard many times that getting pregnant changes your life. It does. I can’t think or talk about anything else. The baby controls all my thoughts and my actions even 5 months before he/she is born. I am looking forward to being a mom. It is going to be an amazing experience.
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