Pregnancy: 5th Month — Babylicious by Figur8

Pregnant, Large and Clumsy

They say that this is when the real growth starts taking place… I’m already starting to feel like a beached whale. At my last visit to the doctor, he informed us that baby now weighed about 500 grams. That’s only one sixth of the size he will be when due and that’s assuming he’s an average size baby. If he grows to the size I was at when I was born, it means he’s only one eighth his birth mass. At that rate, I’ll be as heavy as an apatosaurus by the time I’m due!

I’ve heard from PL that by a certain stage of pregnancy, spilling food down your front during meals can be a common occurence. Well, I’ve already started. Whether it’s due to the fact that the enlarged belly prevents me from getting closer to the table or the increased clumsiness reported by most books, it seems I’m not just the size of a hippo but also a slobbering grot when it comes to meal times. The worst of it is that sometimes I’m not even aware of it!

I’ve dribbled meat pie sauce down my front only to realise it an hour later when I lay my hand to rest over my chest. Crumbs on my t-shirts are also becoming a regular feature.

The other difficulty I’m experiencing with the enlarged bump involves reaching for items at or near my feet. For instance, putting on my shoes is no longer the simple task of squatting down when I’m obstructed by my belly. Cutting my toe nails is another task requiring some acrobatics on my part since bending at the waist has become quite cumbersome.

On the other hand, my physical appearance is starting to shout volumes about my pregnant status and it appears that the general consensus is that pregnancy is a very fragile state to be in. Carrying bags of any sort is considered a task too strenuous for a pregnant woman regardless of the fact that they contain items barely weighing more than a kilo, if that. Then there was the lady that bumped into me while I was wondering around the shopping mall. It wasn’t her fault because I hadn’t been watching where I was going. When she saw I was pregnant, she was full of concern that I might be hurt even though I was still standing.

About the author

Shen-Li is a stay-home mum to two boys who have been the inspiration for her interest in early childhood development and early child education. She searches for the balance in child development methods and the educational philosophies that will enable the nurture of happy, confident and successful children. She shares her views and findings at Figur8.