I have three new loves in my life: Tums, coconut oil, and my stability ball.
I have never had heartburn in my life. Acid reflux plagued me when I was younger, but it went away before I hit 20 years old. Even pregnant with my daughter, I didn't get it (but to be fair, with her everything was easy). Now, even water gives me issues. WHAT??? I finally broke down and got Tums a few days ago, and I am an idiot for not doing so sooner! Anyone that knows me knows I am stubborn, and I insisted on finding a natural remedy. Yeah that didn't work out.
I also lucked out last time when it came to stretch marks. I only gained 18 pounds, and it was so gradual that my body adjusted nicely. Not so lucky now. I am so horrible... I actually refused to even look at my body for about a month. Never mind that I can barely fit into my clothes, NOPE I'm not growing except my belly. So not true. Once I FINALLY stopped being in denial, I started trying lotions. Eew. The one I had for pregnancy was gross and slimy, and I could feel it even after showering. Any other lotion I have didn't feel like it was doing anything at all. Crap.
So, the other day I was scrolling through Pinterest (my favorite thing to do lol) and I came across a recipe for Coconut Oil Whipped Body Butter. I already loved coconut oil, but now I have a new appreciation for all it does for me. All you have to do to make it is scoop some out, break it into little chunks, and whip it with a hand mixer. It doesn't melt, and it only takes a tiny bit to moisturize. I used it for the first time last night and it not only moisturized, it soothed my very angry skin.
The final issue I've been having (now that my nausea is gone) is hip and back pain. I have scoliosis, so sitting in one spot usually bothers me. However, I can no longer stand for more than a few minutes without my back and hips hurting. Plus, sitting on the couch hurts my hips worse. I figured out a solution: my stability ball. I originally bought it for working out, but now it's been sitting in a corner because I've been focusing on gentler exercises. I spent most of last night rolling around on it, stretching out my hips and watching tv.
Don't judge me. My poor little body doesn't know what to do about growing a baby, and at this point I'm willing to do anything just to be comfortable (including build a pillow fort just to sleep at night). To all my moms-to-be, I feel your pain. Don't be afraid to look foolish to get comfy!
