Poll for women who've been pregnant:

[rbnyc]

What's your favorite symptom?

[MuseRider]

1. I just loved having to haul

my ass out of bed 15 times a night to pee. Now that was fun, especially when rolling was no longer an option.

[blm]

2. Oh honeypie...

wait till you have to pee every 20 minutes. ;)))))))))

I was one of those who clung to the bed for the first 5 months feeling sick as in seasick. I had a few weeks after where I felt fine, then the doctor put me in bed for the "high risk pregnancy" and I was stuck for the duration. I ended up with one helluva phone bill, calling various media outlets and complaining about their election 2000 coverage. heh.

[1monster]

5. Lucky YOU!

I had "morning sickness" from the third week on... I was still tossing
my cookies the day before labor was induced. The faintness and lack of stamina were dreadful. A half hour in grocery shopping and I'd hand the check book to my DH and go to the car to lie down. Then spend the next three days in bed. The sound of the shower always started that nauseated feeling. On a good day, I brushed my hair.

My favorite part of pregnancy? Labor... at least that only lasted 11 hours.

[curlyred]

32. You could brush your hair?

I tell you what: I was approx 5 days pregnant with my second child when I started throwing up.
When the doctor confirmed my suspicions, I asked him right then and there to tie my tubes immediately after birth. Do not pass go, do not collect $100. Just make damn sure this will never happen again!

[catzies]

35. I can beat that -- I was still throwing up IN LABOR.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I threw up over 30 times a day. Ask my mom.

I started puking at about 6-8 weeks, and never stopped. Threw up anything, everything, empty stomach, full stomach, day, night, you name it.

That's why my daughter is an only child.

[KCDem]

3. Did I miss something?

Are you trying to tell us something, rbnyc? If so, :toast: (with sparkling, grape juice, of course!)

For me... the nausea. Ugh. (by favorite, I'm assuming sarcasm was meant, right?) It's not fair to waddle and puke at the same time.

[rbnyc]

7. yeah, there was a big hoopla!

I'm gonna have a baby! So far, it's pretty amazing.

:)

[KCDem]

11. Congrats!

When's the EDD?

Yay, another little Democrat! Woo-hoo!

[blondeatlast]

16. WooHoo!

No alcohol for you, so:
:donut:

[soleft]

24. WOW!!!!

When did you find out, how far along? Details, details, and congrats! What an amazing wedding it's going to be.

[Pithlet]

26. Congratulations!

I don't know if this was asked already, but when are you due? I'm due on Oct 31st, which I think is a cool due date and easy to remember. KCR and I are having a boy.

[plcdude]

33. hey congratulations

I was just spying on this thread since I have four children and wonder how women rate their experiences.

[liberalhistorian]

4. What was incredibly frustrating for me was

the very heightened sense of sexuality and greatly increased, uh, shall we say, "erotic desires", which did me absolutely no good at all since my boyfriend wanted nothing to do with me once I got pregnant and I was single and alone the whole time, lol!

[rbnyc]

8. aw, that's terrible.

I can't imagine my boyfriend not wanting sex, but you never know. Good thing I have my toys.

;-)

[davsand]

6. I loved that constant peeing thing.

My Dr. said drink as much water as I could, and boy howdy did THAT add to the fun! I lived in the bathroom, which, upon reflection, may have been part of the reason that my sense of taste and smell was so heightened...the cat boxes went into the room next door. :puke:

They *have* warned you about not changing the kitty litter--right?

Laura

[rbnyc]

9. Yeah, I told Cliff right away...

...that he gets to change the catbox!

[davsand]

10. That perk can continue after the delivery!

If you breastfeed you can still get him to do the litter thing for as long as you nurse the baby...

If you are lucky, he'll get in the habit of doing the catbox and you won't have to reassume that ritual of love for the kitties!

Just another benefit to nursing, IMO. :)

Laura

[KCDem]

12. aw crap, I didn't know that!

I think I resumed catbox duty upon delivery with both of my girls.

Damn lazy POS husband.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Worked for me,

My hubby is still changing the litter box and our son is 10 years old.

BTW: I loved being pregnant, especially after the first 3 months when I woke up again. However, labor and delivery sucks.

I tried to go natural in a birthing center, no drugs for me. After 24 hours of labor, I was begging for the epidural (sp?). My attitude after that was if I ever got pregnant again, I was going to have the needle put in a week in advance so as not to have to go through that nonsense again.

[AlienGirl]

34. I was trying for a homebirth

At the time I was still so full-blown medical-phobic that my birthing class's tour of the hospital almost made me pass out.

Average first labors last twelve hours. I figured I could endure anything for twelve hours; heck, that's only half a day. Indeed, I held up well for the first twelve hours; and the twelve hours after that. But at Hour 36, I was hitting my limit--I was dehydrated and the midwife wanted to put an IV in me.

I decided if a needle was going in, it ought to have something in it for pain. (I'd been in active labor, with contractions four minutes apart, the whole time.) So we--me, hubby, the midwife, her assistant, and my two friends who saw me through the process--went to the hospital.

I got an epidural, and my brain was suddenly flooded with endorphins that were now not being used for pain control. I blissed-out and permanently lost most of the medical phobia!

Total labor time was 42 hours; pushing time was two hours. I am very small, and gave birth to a large baby with a 21"-circumference head! (*My* head is 23" around.) Surprisingly I didn't tear or require an episiotomy.

Tucker

[blm]

29. heheh...I had mr. blm cleaning the catboxes

for at least a year after delivery. It became a habitual chore...heheh.

[Amaya]

13. I love babies

[Punkingal]

14. My "other" is actually a good symptom......

I had loads of energy...don't know why...must have been a hormone thing.

[blondeatlast]

15. The insatiable need to PEE!!!

nm

[MuseRider]

17. A BIG HUGE CONGRATS!!!

Hooray for you! As difficult as some of it can be there is nothing more wonderful IMO than being pregnant and having my children. I was lucky, built for the job I guess. Two deliveries, total labor maybe 2 hours. Nauseated only once but my then 18 month old stood right next to me banging my head with the toilet seat. He was SO cute. Anyway, good luck. I am very happy for you. ((hugs))

[rbnyc]

21. 2 hours!

Wow. Who knows what I'm in for!

;-)

:loveya:

[RC]

18. So, Tell me again

Why most women have more than one kid?

[marigold20]

20. You really do "forget" the bad parts and start longing for another one

even after natural childbirth!

Peeing in the night became so routine, I swear I could get up in the dark, go, get back in bed and not really wake up. All the best to you.

:)

[rbnyc]

22. I actually love it all!

I do register that there's pain and discomfort, but I just love it.

[LWolf]

23. I have a few others; take your pick!

1. Do not travel more than 10 yards away from the bathroom, ever. You must pee every 10 minutes or so.

2. I figured out how to combat the nausea; never, ever, let your stomach get empty. Lots of small, frequent meals. And the unfortunate side effect of excess weight gain. Either that, or be prepared to lose the first half of whatever meal I ate.

3. My hair grew like Rapunzel while I was pregnant, and fell out after the babies were born.,

4. Stretch marks!

5. And one other symptom I won't mention, caused by a large infant resting in a certain position, putting pressure on key points. Suffice it to say it makes both labor and recovery more painful.

[tjdee]

25. Gestational diabetes is poop.

One of the perks, I always thought, was getting to eat a lot.

Not if you have gestational diabetes, LOL.

I was SO hungry all the time....this was, of course, after months of morning sickness and partial bedrest. And the guy who dumped me.

I hope your pregnancy goes much better than mine! Congrats!
One of the best things is when you can feel them moving and turning over. Awesome.

[gate of the sun]

27. other no period.

.

[populistmom]

28. Well

I've had 4 children and all the rotten symptoms, but I did have some good symptoms too. Specifically sex drive.
My oldest is a girl, but my next three are boys. With my daughter, no change in that department. However, with my two older boys, I was as horny as you could imagine and had a very happy husband ;). Maybe that's why despite the peeing all the time and the nausea :puke:, we went for #4. However, no such luck on the libido department. I thought I was having another girl since it was so much like the first time, but alas, another boy (but a little more mellow that the other 2 boys).
Anyway, I'm done now, but wow, those two pregnancies were fun!!! Dear hubby agrees!

[maxanne]

30. big boobs

and the constant peeing are what I remember most. I was sick for the first 5 months - and then I was totally energized. I had the cleanest house in town!

As far as the 24 hour labor - well, lets just say my daughter is not an only child by accident!

Congratulations rbnyc and mr. rbnyc!

[SPICYHOT]

31. the shining skin!

the best for a woman I think. It was for me

[flama]

36. My back didn't hurt for six months!

That's because you straightened me out.

Of course, back labor made up for it.

Love ya anyway!

:loveya:

Ma

P.S. I never felt so good or had so much energy as when I carried you. Too bad I'm too old to give you a brother. (Perish the thought!)