Stress and Discomfort in the Third Trimester

Yesterday I found out something kind of scary - the kind of thing you really don't want to find out in the middle of your pregnancy.

No, the baby is fine. No, I'm fine. It's nothing like that.

My husband's work decided to change health insurance providers.

I nearly had a panic attack.

Now, this is not to say the new insurance plan may end up costing less. I don't know. But that's the thing - I don't know. I don't know if dental and vision will be covered. I don't know if they will cover the birth center where I've been going for the past 4 months of my life. I don't know if the $2500 I've paid thus far to the birth center will be taken out of the deductible for this new plan, or even when this new plan will take effect.

There are a lot of unknowns. And it frightens me. I frightens me because I knew more or less what was going to happen up until yesterday and now I don't. It frightens me because I'm already worried about our finances (one of the reasons I'm trying to push out a whole bunch of books - which you can read about here - before I push out a baby).

Needless to say, this change has greatly increased my stress level (at least until I have all my questions answered, and I'm not sure even when that will be).

Add the stress to my growing belly and the consistent mild level of discomfort that has begun the last week or so, and things are a little more difficult than before.

If you can imagine, my clothing all feels incredibly uncomfortable. Nothing feels like it fits, or if it does, it feels too hot. There are new limits to how I can sit comfortably (sitting typing at the computer has become something I can only do in short bursts - which puts quite a damper on my long term plans, and my daily schedules).

Honestly, it feels like my body is at war with me - fighting against everything I should or would be doing. Even the smallest things have become ordeals. Ironically, exercise still feels pretty good, but that's about it. Eating doesn't even hold it's typical level of enjoyment, because usually afterwards I'm greeted by heartburn, or the uncomfortable feeling of my recently ingested food sitting somewhere in the middle of my esophagus.

Yes, things are decidedly more uncomfortable than before. Stress seems to make everything more difficult on top of my regular pregnancy discomforts.

I would love a reprieve.

I will say this: now, more than ever, I am convinced women being called "the weaker sex" is something to make men feel better about the fact that they don't shoulder one of the most physically and emotionally demanding tasks any human could bear.

When I can drink beer again, I will lift a pint in honor of all my big belly sisters. It will be a welcome stress reliever.