Feeling Self-Conscious

I feel icky today. Not icky because I'm sick (which I still am) or because of morning sickness. It seems that between Wednesday night when I got home and Tuesday morning, when I finally made it to the office after battling a nasty cough and more phlegm than I care to remember, I gained some weight. It's not a huge amount, by any means. I don't think most people can tell looking by at me that I really gained weight, much less look pregnant. I can't tell for sure if I gained a huge amount, because I've refused to weigh myself ever since I found out I was pregnant.

That being said, I can tell that there has been weight gain. It sure crept up on me over the last few days. I didn't even notice it because I was stuck at home with this cough, and I wore yoga pants and a sweatshirt the entire time. Those clothes are definitely more forgiving than work clothes.

So imagine my shock on Tuesday morning when I put on my dress shirt and realize that the buttons looked like they were about to pop off. I still can't tell if it's a result of my bigger boobs or of a growing belly (I swear it's starting to jut out!), or a little bit of both. My pants were feeling a bit tight too, though not as bad because they were stretchy cords. Today's pants, however, were a tad tight.

I know that weight gain during pregnancy is a given. I've known that for a long time. But it's one thing to know about something, and another to experience. I'm not liking this part of the experience one bit. I've worked really hard over the last 7 years to keep my body in tip-top shape. I changed my diet, and I exercise regularly.

I still eat pretty well, and I still exercise regularly. I've been able to keep arm and back tone in spite of not being able to climb or do chin-ups. My abdomen is a different story. The growing waistline is not sitting well with me. Whenever I sit I can feel the blubber of my stomach. I'm probably overreacting, but that's how it feels.

Maybe I'll feel better once I get over this cold and can sign up for pre-natal exercise classes. Maybe seeing other expectant moms will ease this feeling of ick. But for now, I guess I'll have to suck it up and find a maternity store and get me some new clothes. Sigh...