Remember how exciting bra shopping was as a teenager? It seemed so adventurous and almost a little risqué. So many styles, so many different colors. Lacy bras, push-up bras, strapless bras, and even bras that zipped in the front. There were so many options and it felt like each one could transform you into a new, more empowered woman.

Flash forward to a few weeks ago. A store at the mall was having their annual sale and I thought I would venture in to get a bra that actually fit. And by a bra that actually fit, I mean an A cup bra, because my B cup bra is basically empty now that I’ve stopped breastfeeding.

I walked into the store and was surrounded by gorgeous young women with their gorgeous young friends picking out skimpy lacy bras in bright neon colors and sexy push-up bras that are very obviously meant to impress someone else. I cautiously approached one of the bins marked 34A, trying to hide the size from the group of women next to me. I dug through the bin for a minute, became incredibly self-conscious and overwhelmed by a need to explain why I had to look in the bin meant for thirteen-year-olds, and before I knew what was happening, I was walking out of the store, empty-handed.

It was humiliating.

Growing up, my little sister nicknamed me “Tiny.” I’m almost 5′ 10″, so you know the nickname didn’t come from my height. Two years my junior, she was much more well-endowed than I was, so she had every right to call me that. And when I was pregnant, I barely fit into a C cup bra. A mere few days after I was done nursing, my boobs seemed to vanish in a mysterious magic act, as if they had never even existed.

Which is why I found myself venturing into the aforementioned bra store. I didn’t need something provocative or colorful or with a fancy closure in the front. I was hoping to find something neutral and snug and with a little bit of a lift that will remind me I’m an adult woman and not a pre-pubescent teenage girl. What I found instead was shame.

I know I shouldn’t compare my body to those gorgeous young women’s bodies, because I’ve birthed and nursed three healthy babies, and my body is a boss. And yes, I’m confident and I have grown to love my body as I’ve gotten older. But that doesn’t make it any less humiliating to have to shop for smaller bras than the girls who babysit my kids on date night.

So next time you go to the mall, if you happen to see an almost flat-chested someone with a paper bag on her head sorting through the 34A bin, don’t be alarmed. It’s just me and my deflated boobs.

The post Bra Shopping After Breastfeeding is Humiliating appeared first on Life With My Littles.

We all know babies are adorable. And as your kids get older, you’re probably going to get a hankering for a new baby. Yes, they are squishy and soft and smell good, but there’s a lot more to having a baby than newborn snuggles and tiny pajamas. Here are a few things to remember when you get baby hungry:

1. You have to be pregnant first. Ugh. Nine months of discomfort, peeing all the time, not sleeping well, nausea, food aversions, swelling, and gas. It’s like self-inflicted torture that lasts for nine months.

2. You have to give birth. Obviously. And whether you have a natural birth or get an epidural, the labor and delivery process is hard.

3. Postpartum life is hard. Bleeding, cramps, hormones, engorgement. There are so many hard things that happen to your body postpartum. Any time in your life that you wince when you go to the bathroom is not going to be too pleasant.

4. You won’t get any sleep. Having a newborn in the house is exhausting. They have to eat every 2-3 hours, which means you won’t sleep longer than 2-3 hours for the first few weeks.

5. You’ll turn into a human milk factory. Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience, except for when it’s not. The best way to describe those early, frequent feedings is to say that you feel like a human milk factory. Mooooo!

6. You’ll have to buy so many diapers. So, so many. I hope you took out that second mortgage on your house.

7. You’ll have to change so many diapers. So, so many. You will wonder how something so tiny and sweet can produce something so foul and disgusting. Baby poop is gross at every stage of feeding.

8. Babies are expensive. Even if you have a few hand-me-downs or are are lucky enough to be gifted things at your baby shower, you’re still going to have to buy a lot of new things for your baby. They’re small, but they need a lot of stuff!

9. Babies turn into toddlers who turn into school-aged kids who turn into teenagers. They might be cute at first, but then they start becoming independent and then they think potty-humor is funny and then they start talking back and wanting nothing to do with you. No, thank you.

10. Going out to eat with a baby is impossible. Have you ever tried to go out to eat with a baby? Either they want to nurse or they are tired and cranky or they just want to be held and then they try to grab everything on the table. Even if they are bigger and eat solid foods, you still have to try and keep them entertained for an hour or more while you’re out. Which, by the way, I still sometimes struggle with (thank goodness for drive-thrus!).

So yeah, babies are adorable and it can be easy to fall into the trap of wanting your own when you see cute babies that your friends have. But before making such a big commitment based on the fact that you like babies, maybe just ask your friend if you can babysit for an afternoon. Then you can send that sweet little babe home and get yourself a good night’s sleep!

The post Things to Remember When You Get Baby Hungry appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Back when I had just one baby, I was a very different person. Having kids changes you, and with each baby you add to the mix, your parenting style changes, out of necessity and because you’re just better at it. I definitely did things with my third baby that I never would have done with my first baby (gasp!). I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, but l was more relaxed with my third baby than with my first baby. I’m willing to bet that if you think about it, you’ll notice some parenting differences between your first and third baby, too. Assuming of course that you’re crazy enough to have a third baby.

Here are a few parenting differences you may notice between your first and third baby:

Nursing your first baby: Sitting in your baby’s rocking chair in their perfectly decorated nursery, gazing into their eyes, petting their hair, rubbing their toes, and just taking it all in, all while making sure your baby is eating from both sides and eating every few hours. Breastfeeding is such a beautiful, special experience!

Nursing your third baby: Sitting on the sofa in front of the TV while your first two kids run around you, eating a snack and scrolling through Instagram, wondering if you fed your baby on the left or right side last time, and hoping that it was the side you didn’t start them on this time.

Sleep training with your first baby: You read Baby Wise when you were pregnant two times, so you’re basically an expert now on baby sleep schedules. You’re going to follow each stage and your baby WILL be sleeping through the night at eight weeks, and I will be sleeping through the night, too!

Sleep training with your third baby: You hear your baby crying in the middle of the night and roll out of bed to go feed him. It’s easier to just feed him and have him go back to sleep than to listen to him cry. He’ll sleep through the night eventually.

Starting solid foods with your first baby: Such an exciting time! You check with your pediatrician at six months, and then start your baby on rice cereal. You set him in his high chair for the first time, get the camera ready, and give him his first bite! What a cutie!

Starting solid foods with your third baby: You start giving your baby a few baby food purees at four months and by six months he’s eating off your plate.

Bathtime with your first baby: Every other night with a relaxing, lavender-scented body wash. You let him have a few toys and play in the tub for about ten minutes before rinsing him off and getting him out.

Bathtime with your third baby: How does your baby smell? If he smells okay, pass on bath time. If he smells stinky (or had a bad poopout that day) he probably needs a quick rinse in the tub before bed.

Cleaning up a poopout with your first baby: Gagging, using 1,000 wipes, soaking the changing pad and baby’s clothes immediately after to remove any stains, then sanitizing the changing pad area and giving baby a bath.

Cleaning up a poopout with your third baby: You’ve realized the value of a good wipe, so you use as few as you can to clean up the mess. Getting baby poop on your hands doesn’t gross you out as much anymore either, so if you get a little on your hand in the process, it’s not a big deal. Strip you baby down, wipe off the changing pad, and give your baby a good “wipe bath” before putting on a new diaper. You can wash the clothes and changing pad later.

Buying things for your first baby: You foolishly think your baby needs everything from baby sunglasses to three kinds of swaddles. You buy a bouncer, a swing, a playmat, a jumper, and five different pairs of baby shoes. Not to mention all the adorable tiny outfits you can’t wait to put him in!

Buying things for your third baby: After looking through storage from your first two and finding anything that can either be wash or wiped down, you buy some diapers, wipes, a new pacifier, and some baby lotion. You have everything else!

When your first baby is learning to crawl and walk: You’re constantly trying to encourage your baby and help your baby practice, bribing him with everything from snacks to your iPhone. You take lots of videos of his attempts and send them to everyone in your family.

When your third baby is learning to crawl and walk: You definitely aren’t in a rush for your baby to be mobile, because it just means you’ll have another one to keep up with. You’re lucky if you even get his first steps on video.

Milestones with your first baby: You write every little thing down in your baby’s baby book, recording the date, how you felt, and how exciting it was. You tell everyone and post every big milestone on social media. It’s too good not to share!

Milestones with your third baby: When did your baby get his first tooth again? Did he start rolling around four months? Or maybe it was six. Who knows?!

Feeding your first baby: You get him buckled safely into the high chair, put on a bib, and pull up a chair so you can carefully spoon-feed him homemade baby food. You’ve got wipes right next to you so he can’t make a big mess, and you’re constantly wiping his face so he doesn’t get food everywhere.

Feeding your third baby: You sit him in the high chair and put some Cheerios and blueberries on the tray. Then you go do your own thing while he eats.

When your first baby is crying: After immediately picking up your baby, you check to make sure he’s not poopy or wet. Then you go through the 5 S’s in your mind. Swaddle, stomach, shush, swing, and suck. You’ve got this!

When your third baby is crying: If he’s not poopy or dying, he’s fine. Let him cry.

When your first baby drops their pacifier: You quickly pick it up and frantically run to the bathroom to scrub it with hot soapy water before giving it back to your baby.

When your third baby drops their pacifier: You brush it off on your shirt and give it back to your baby.

When your first baby spits up on you: After panicking for a minute, you carefully set down your baby somewhere they’ll be happy and rush to change your outfit so you don’t smell like spit-up the rest of the day.

When your third baby spits up on you: Oh well. You wipe it with a burp rag and just deal. You’re going to put your pajamas on in three hours anyway, so who cares.

Worrying about germs with your first baby: You ALWAYS carry around both sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer, and you wipe down everything before your baby sits in it or touches it. If anyone touches your baby, you sanitize both your hands and theirs. No germs!

Worrying about germs with your third baby: Most days, you’re just lucky if you have an extra diaper in your bag, let alone sanitizer. Germs are everywhere, so there’s no use worrying about them!

Nap time with your first baby: You plan your whole day around your baby’s nap schedule, and you refuse to go anywhere around nap time because if your baby doesn’t get good naps, your whole day is ruined. No exceptions!

Nap time with your third baby: What time is the play date? 1pm? That’s my baby’s nap time, but he can nap in the car for a bit. He’ll be fine.

Going out in public with your first baby: We can’t leave the house for the first six to eight weeks, and then when we do, it’s only going to be for short amounts of time, and he’s going to stay in his car seat, covered, the whole time.

Going out in public with your third baby: We just got home from the hospital two days ago but let’s head to the zoo! I’ll just feed him while we’re there if he gets hungry.

Where your first baby sleeps: He’s going to sleep in our room for the first six months and then we’ll slowly transition him to his crib if he’s ready.

Where your third baby sleeps: After a few days of sleeping in your room, you move him into his crib in his own room. You’ve got a baby monitor and you need your own space.

There definitely a lot of parenting differences between your first and third baby, and if you ask me, a lot of them are for the better! Babies are pretty resilient, and once you’ve had a few, you get pretty good at taking care of them and knowing what they actually need. So if you’re on the crazy train where you and your husband are outnumbered by your kids (or you’re pregnant with your third and reading this post trying to mentally prepare), you’re in good company. Having three kids is a wild ride but it’s a lot of fun!

The post Parenting Differences Between Your First Baby and Third Baby appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I’ll be honest with you. I lie to my kids a lot. Not once or twice a week, but multiple times a day.

I just can’t help it. Sometimes they are whiny and want things I don’t want to get them and sometimes they are whiny and don’t want things I am offering them. And yeah, sometimes they just drive me crazy. So I lie to them.

It’s not like I’m lying to them about things that are going to hurt them in the long run. My lies are little and really, they benefit everyone involved. Here are a few examples of lies I tell my children so you can see what I mean:

1. It won’t hurt. As in, that shot won’t hurt. You and I both know it’s probably going to hurt, but it’s a lot better than my child getting the flu or chicken pox down the line.

2. It makes you strong/fast. As in, these peas will make you strong! That sandwich will make you fast! Please, just eat your food!

3. It’s not open today. As in, sorry, the trampoline park isn’t open today! What I really mean is that I’m not taking three kids under five to the trampoline park by myself during summer when school is out and there will be 100 other kids there. Just no.

4. It tastes like ___. Like, that pasta dish tastes like pizza in a bowl! It has the same basic ingredients, so am I really lying here?

5. It’s Elsa/Lightning rice. We love quinoa, but my kids don’t. So we usually get them to at least taste it by telling them it’s Elsa rice or Lightning McQueen rice. Works like a charm.

6. The iPad doesn’t work. To be fair, this one is basically true since our screen has a giant crack in it and pieces of glass are threatening to fall out. But before that happened, this was a lie I told quite often in order to prevent my son from watching weird YouTube videos of surprise eggs.

7. That show isn’t on right now. As in, sorry, but we can’t watch Doc McStuffins right now. Yes, we do have DirecTV and yes, I could easily go to the menu and turn it on, but I’m not going to sit through another song from Stuffy or Lamby.

8. We’re almost there/done/our turn. This is a pretty common one. Driving in the car: we’re almost there. At the DMV/doctor/mechanic: we’re almost done. Waiting in line: it’s almost our turn. I’m sure I’m not alone with this little gem of a lie.

9. Your food is almost ready. As in, we just ordered our food from the server so it will probably take 15 minutes and I don’t want you nagging me the whole time so yes, your food is almost ready.

10. That’s really cool. I love my kids and I love that they love to build and create things, but most of the time, I’m not impressed by their LEGO structures or their blanket forts. But I like to build their confidence instead of tearing it down, so I lie and tell them how cool their creations are.

11. That’s a beautiful picture. Again, I love that my kids love drawing, but I am not impressed by scribbles. And instead of asking what it is, I just lie and tell them their pictures are beautiful.

The lies I tell my children aren’t a big deal, and I still consider myself a good mom. But if my kids start asking if we are there yet on a 12 hour road trip two hours in, I’m going to lie to them and just say yes.

The post Lies I Tell My Children appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Dear Baby Bump,

I think it’s time that we went our separate ways. I can’t say that you haven’t been good to me or that I haven’t enjoyed our time together, but I feel like I have exhausted all I can from this relationship, and it’s about time we broke up.

Before we started our relationship, I desperately wanted you. I felt like I was seeing you with other women everywhere I went–the store, the park, even the mall. I was so jealous. They all were glowing and looked so happy to be with you. But you aren’t the monogamous type, so I knew that my time would come to try you out.

When our relationship finally began, it was in secret. We decided not to tell anybody, and it was so exciting. Eventually we made our relationship public and everyone was so happy for us. My parents even cried when we told them the news. I was giddy and wanted to show you off to other people. I even bought a whole new wardrobe so I would look better when you were around. Those first nine months of our relationship were like a dream.

But after nine months, you completely changed. Your once firm and taut physique was suddenly sort of tubby and while at first I thought it was a little funny and a stage we would pass through together, I quickly realized that you weren’t going to change unless I did something. I don’t like having you around as much anymore, and I have even started trying to hide you from my friends and family, acting like we aren’t together anymore. But it’s so tiring, and when it is just us, I can’t help but stare at you and wish you would just go away.

I think our relationship has gone on long enough. You haven’t gone away on your own like I expected you would, and I don’t think you’re going to any time soon. Even though I don’t take care of you or give you any sort of affection, you still follow me everywhere and I don’t feel like the person I was before our relationship began. You’re really weighing me down and I just want to go back to being on my own for a while. Maybe we can try this thing again in another year or two, but right now, I need a break.

It’s not me, it’s you. Thanks for everything you gave me, but it’s over.

Sincerely,

Chelsea

The post I’m Breaking Up With My Baby Bump appeared first on Life With My Littles.

If you’re on the fence about getting pregnant again, I understand. Nine months is a long time. In elementary school that’s an entire school year. So if you’re going to sign up to be miserable and uncomfortable for that long, there better be a good payoff, right?

Well I’ve got some good news for you. There are some awesome perks to being pregnant. I wouldn’t judge you at all if you decided to get pregnant just for some of the special treatment pregnant women get–I’m actually thinking about it myself.

Here are ten reasons why you should definitely get pregnant again:

1. You can blame things on pregnancy. Let a toot slip? Just say there was so much pressure in your abdomen from your growing uterus that you just couldn’t hold it in. Fall asleep at 6pm and wake up at 10am? Just blame it on all the energy you spent during the day creating a human being. You can pretty much do what you want and people won’t even question you.

2. People are extra nice. Normally, it can be sort of creepy when random people smile at you at the grocery store, but when you’re pregnant, you get it all the time. People comment on how cute your bump is or how amazing you look. Seriously, if you’re tired of opening your own doors, just get pregnant and people will go out of their way to help you out.

3. Bigger boobs. This might be more for my husband than for me, but going from an A cup to a C cup is a real treat, even if it only lasts through breastfeeding. You might even have to buy separate bras for pregnancy and normal time because of the difference. True story, guys.

4. Priority parking. When I’m not pregnant and I go to the mall, the parking lots are always packed and I end up parking in the back and basically walking miles to get to the door. And on my way to the door, when I pass that very first parking spot on my way inside, the one with the  “Expectant Mother Parking” sign, my uterus contracts and I longingly wish that I could save those extra steps and park in that spot.

5. Stretchy pants with no judgement. If you’re anything like me, you probably change into sweatpants/yoga pants/leggings as soon as you get home from running errands. Sadly, people are still coming around to the idea of normal women wearing stretchy pants in public, but when you are pregnant, nobody even cares. All their eyes are drawn to is your bump, so you can get away with wearing stretchy pants anywhere you want.

6. No pressure to diet or lose weight. Before you get pregnant, you might feel like you want to lose a few pounds. After your baby is born, you definitely feel like you want to use a few pounds. But when you’re pregnant, people are always telling you to gain some weight. They give you extra servings and they don’t comment when you order the larger portion of pasta. It’s basically what heaven is like.

7. You can use your stomach as a table. Have you ever been in a situation where you’re eating something and you just wish you had a table to set your plate down on? When you’re pregnant, you have a built-in table everywhere you go. Eating in the living room has never been so easy.

8. Hair of a goddess. Thanks to those wonderful pregnancy hormones, your hair grows faster and thicker during pregnancy. It looks shinier and healthier, and you’ll probably want to whip it around like you’re in a 90s Herbal Essences commercial. Yes! Yes! Yes!

9. No period. I would do pretty much anything to get away with not having lady time for nine months. And that includes getting pregnant again.

10. A baby at the end. Obviously the best reason to get pregnant again is because you get a chubby, squishy newborn at the end of it all. Even without all the other reasons to get pregnant again, snuggling that tiny little bundle makes every second of those nine months worth it. And is there anything better in this world than the smell of a newborn baby?

The post Reasons to Get Pregnant Again appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Pregnancy is one of the best and worst times of a woman’s life. One minute she is in absolute awe that there is a baby the size of a pea growing inside of her, and the next minute she’s crying uncontrollably because she’s sweaty, hungry, and her pants won’t button anymore.

And if you’re married to a pregnant woman, I’m going to be honest and tell you it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Walking the line of what’s okay to say to a pregnant woman is a dangerous, rocky road that winds and curves and has sharp drop-offs around every corner.

Lucky for you, there is one thing that will ensure you can safely navigate that terrifying road without hitting any speed bumps or slipping off the edge to your doom–just tell your pregnant wife exactly what she wants to hear!

Not sure what that is? Here are some suggestions for you to tuck away and use when the time comes:

Any time: “You look beautiful. Nobody can rock that baby bump like you can, honey.”

At 3 am: “Of course I will run to Pizza Hut and pick you up some cheesy breadsticks. I have to work in three hours anyway, so I can just start my day a little early. Would you like any dipping sauces?”

On a road trip: “We can definitely stop again. I know it’s only been ten minutes since we last stopped, but my legs are feeling tight. You can pee again while I stretch my legs.”

Before leaving the house: “Hey, let me tie your shoes. You’re making our child, and it’s the least I can do so you don’t have to bend over.”

When she has gas: “It doesn’t bother me. I would be gassy, too, if I had a baby in my belly. Just let them out, sweetie.”

Anytime she complains: “That sucks, babe. I’m sorry.”

When she is sad about her stretch marks: “They make you even more attractive to me because they remind me of all that you’re doing for our family. You should be proud of those lines!”

When she can’t fit into her regular clothes anymore: “Now you can wear your yoga pants all day long! And if you need to go buy some maternity tops, go ahead and take my credit card.”

When she literally can’t get up off the couch: “Grab my hands and I’ll pull you up. I almost got stuck the other day, too!”

In the middle of January: “Yeah, it is super hot in here. How about we turn on the air conditioning today?”

In the middle of July: “Can I get you a bucket of ice to put your feet in so you can cool off?”

When she’s nesting at four months: “I’m excited, too. Let’s start putting together baby’s crib together!”

Anytime: “I could never do what you’re doing, babe. You’re amazing, and I love you!”

Any of these 6 best things to say to a pregnant woman.

When she sleeps for 12 hours: “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep another hour? You need all the rest you can get!”

When her feet and ankles are swollen: “You should sit down and relax. Can I rub your feet? And how about a pedicure while I’m at it?”

When she can’t get off the couch to get the remote that’s five feet away: “Oh don’t worry about it. I’ll grab it for you. Would you like to watch HGTV or Food Network?”

When her back hurts: “Why don’t I schedule you a prenatal massage?”

When she can’t sleep at night: “Do you want my pillow? It might help you get more comfy, and I don’t really need one to sleep.”

When in doubt, use lots of flattery, justify how she’s feeling, and offer to do something for her. And remember, it only lasts for nine months.

The post Things Your Pregnant Wife Really Wants to Hear appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Congratulations! You’ve just had your baby! You get your body back!

Just kidding! If only it were that simple. On Monday I talked about all the things that happen to your body during pregnancy. Well, after your baby is born, your body is not instantly going to be normal again. There are some crazy things that happen to your body after your baby is born. Immediately after your baby is born is pretty rough, and then in the weeks and months following, you get some more unpleasant surprises with your body.

So whether you have just had your baby or you are trying to mentally prepare for what it’s going to be like after your baby is born, here are some things that happen to your body after pregnancy, just so you know what to expect!

1. Bleeding for days. Yup, no filter. Imagine a period, multiply it, and then add in the fact that you are crazy sore and tender down there. It’s super fun.

2. Cramps. Your uterus had to expand super big to fit your baby, so after baby is born, it has to shrink. And it hurts. It feels like cramping when you’re on your period, but worse because it’s all happening super fast.

3. Difficult bowel movements. I told you there was no filter. Because you are super tender and sore down there, pushing hurts. So the nurses will probably give you some stool softener. TAKE IT. It will make a big difference and help you not to get constipated.

4. Waddling. Yeah, you thought after baby was born you could walk normal, but no. You are super sore down there and so to move, you waddle. You also might want to carry around one of those blowup donuts or a pillow for sitting, too.

5. Hair loss. And a few months after your hair starts falling out, you will start to notice super cute baby hairs (notice my sarcasm) all over your head. It’s crazy annoying when you’re trying to style your hair, and it looks like you have lots of flyaways all the time.

6. No sex for six weeks (or more). I think most people know this happens, but I thought I would mention it anyway. Please, stick to what the doctor tells you. It might be more depending on how severe the damage is down there.

7. Weak bladder control. When the doctor tells you to do kegels, they are not kidding. DO THEM. And if you have to go to the bathroom at all, GO. You don’t want to be stuck somewhere without a bathroom because you will pee your pants.

8. Sore breasts. Regardless of if you are going to be breastfeeding or not, your milk will come in and it will be painful. If you are breastfeeding they will be sore for a while as you get used to breastfeeding and your body adjust to how much milk it needs to make. If you aren’t breastfeeding, you will have to let your milk dry up and that hurts, too. So either way, expect tenderness for a while.

It will take a while for things to go away and get back to normal. And in the meantime, you might hate the things happening with your body. But when you are feeling in pain and super grumpy that you can barely sit down without wincing, just look at the tiny little person you carried in your belly for the last 9 months and you’ll feel better. Because even though it’s hard on your body, it’s completely worth it!

The post Things That Happen to Your Body After Pregnancy appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I know pregnancy is a beautiful, wonderful, special time in a woman’s life, but it’s also super hard. Pregnancy is a beast, and it SERIOUSLY takes a toll on your body. During the first trimester you are sick and have to pee all the time and then during the third trimester everything hurts and you can’t even walk normal. It’s worth it in the end, but that doesn’t make it much easier.

Pregnancy does some crazy stuff to your body. You are essentially sacrificing your body for nine months to grow a human. And regardless of if this is your first or fourth pregnancy, you might be wondering if the weird things that are happening to you are normal. I decided to put together a list of all the things that happen to your body during pregnancy (and are totally normal). So don’t panic if you start experiencing one of these things, because I promise, it’s normal and other pregnant women have experienced it, too! You can blame all of these things on pregnancy!

1. Carpal tunnel. This is where you get a pinched nerve and part of your hand or arm goes numb, feels tingly, or is painful. I had it at night when I was pregnant with my son, and I had to wear a wrist brace when I slept. It went away after he was born. Super weird.

2. Acne. Thanks to your wonderful hormones during pregnancy, your face might suddenly look like it did when you were a teenager. The good news is that it will clear up after your baby is born!

3. Popped belly button. I feel like most people know that towards the end of pregnancy, your belly button becomes a super outie. It’s super fun (not) when you can see it through all your shirts.

4. Stretch marks. Not just on your belly, either. Stretch marks can happen on your butt and thighs, too. Pretty much anywhere you gain a lot of weight fast. I gained 50 pounds when I was pregnant with my son, so that explains why I had them everywhere!

5. Amazing hair. One great thing that pregnancy does is that your hair gets super shiny and thick and feels amazing! Because of your hormones, it grows faster and grows wonderfully. So look forward to that, because it changes after your baby is born!

6. Linea nigra. This is a vertical dark line on your abdomen that goes up to your belly button. Not all women get it, but it’s super weird. No need to be alarmed, though. It’s totally normal.

7. Waddling. Thanks to the baby positioned down in your abdomen, towards the end of your pregnancy, you start waddling. No more walking normal for you! Husbands think it’s super funny and like to make fun of you, but it’s definitely not funny. It’s uncomfortable!

8. Nausea. The degree of nausea and how long it lasts varies, but in the first trimester (and sometimes into the second), nausea is very common. It sucks, yes, but eventually it will go away. (Here are some ways to deal with it)

9. Breast changes and tenderness. Sometimes bigger isn’t always better, because along with the size change, your breasts are going to be tender and even bumping up against something will hurt. Make sure you invest in a good bra because it will make a big difference in your comfort level.

10. Varicose veins. These might pop up in your legs, especially as pregnancy progresses. As the pressure of your baby on your lower body gets more intense, your veins have more pressure on them, and that’s when varicose veins happen. I didn’t have these when I was pregnant with my son, but with my daughter, I got them pretty bad in my legs. They did go away after she was born, but they are starting to come back so that’s no fun. Compression stockings can help, but if you are pregnant during the summer like I was, you might think twice about wearing them.

11. Cankles/swelling. Your hands (goodbye, well-fitting wedding ring), your feet (hello, flip-flops), and those glorious cankles. The pressure from your baby causes other problems, too!

12. Hemorrhoids. And another problem from pressure on your lower body. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. Hopefully you don’t have to deal with these, but if you do, it’s normal and you can get them treated.

13. Heartburn. The progesterone you are producing relaxes the muscles of your uterus, but it also relaxes the valve between your esophagus and stomach, which leads to acid sneaking it’s way out and making you feel like your chest is on fire. Take some Tums and prop yourself up with pillows. It will be over soon!

14. Weight gain. Obviously. I’m not even going to explain this one.

15. Eyesight changes. Those darn hormones are at it again. It’s not a big deal and it’s usually not super dramatic, so don’t worry and don’t go buying new glasses. Your vision will go back to normal after your baby is born.

16. Itchy belly. Okay, so I know this isn’t like a technical term, but with my pregnancies my belly got super itchy as it stretched and my babies got bigger! It’s super annoying, and all you can really do is make sure you put lotion all over your belly.

17. Back pain. Especially lower back pain. It’s rough and it makes everything uncomfortable (walking, sitting, sleeping).

18. Gas. It’s the worst. And as your abdomen stretches and things down there change, it gets harder to keep it in. And it hurts, too. So you will feel like a balloon sometimes. Just excuse yourself and blame it on pregnancy.

19. Cravings. When I was pregnant with my son I went through the Arby’s drive-thru several times a week because I could not get enough of their mozzarella sticks. And when I was pregnant with my daughter, all I wanted were Pringles. Cravings definitely strike during pregnancy, and it’s totally normal!

Pregnancy changes your body in some pretty big ways. Some of them are super uncomfortable. But you know what else happens to your body during pregnancy? A HUMAN FORMS IN YOUR BELLY. Yeah, how insane is that? You are making a human. And not just any human, your human. It might look like you, it might act like you, it might like the same things as you. Guys, it’s so worth it. All the crappy things that happen to your body during pregnancy are so worth it. Because when it ends and someone places a tiny crying baby in your arms, you forget about all of it.

And if you thought you would “get your body back” after pregnancy was over, you should probably check out this post about things that happen to your body after your baby is born.

The post Things That Happen to Your Body During Pregnancy appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Pregnancy is the ultimate excuse. There have been instances where my husband has told me he doesn’t like when I’m pregnant because I seriously blame everything on pregnancy. But to be fair, making a baby is hard and it does a lot of weird and difficult stuff to your body. Sometimes when you are pregnant, there are things you just can’t control, and you can always blame those things on being pregnant. Here are 8 things I have definitely blamed on pregnancy:

1. Cravings. I’m not talking about “oh, I really want pizza” cravings here. I’m talking about wanting pizza so bad that it’s all you can talk about and all you can think about. You want it so bad that until you get that specific food, you will not be satisfied. There were several times that I had to bribe the Mister to go get something for me because I wanted it so bad. Like Pizza Hut Breadsticks with Cheese. Those things get me during pregnancy. And lucky for you, you can just be like “I’m pregnant!” and then it justifies your cravings and people usually feel sympathetic enough to go get it for you.

2. Wanting to eat all the time. Since you are growing a human, you are going to need about 300 extra calories per day. But somehow that translates into wanting to eat ALL THE TIME. And also wanting to eat at weird times. It’s 3 am? Your body doesn’t care if you are sleeping, it wants food now. But just blame it on pregnancy and people will excuse your giant appetite.

3. Gas. When you have a person in your uterus, it makes you super gassy. And because of that tiny person in your uterus, it is a lot harder to hold that gas in. It’s super unfortunate and kind of cruel, but it happens. And when you do let one slip, just blame it on pregnancy. Because it really is hard to hold it in when you are pregnant!

4. Nausea. If you tell someone you feel sick and then follow that up with “I’m pregnant,” they’ll be like “ohhh, I’m so sorry! Is there anything I can do?” Which there probably isn’t, but if you tell someone you are nauseous because you are pregnant, they will definitely understand. Sometimes it’s all you can do to just sit and try not to think about how sick you feel, and it sucks. So yes, just blame it on pregnancy.

5. Sleeping a lot. I don’t mean getting a good solid 8 hours. I mean sleeping 10 hours during the night, and then napping at random times throughout the day. When I was pregnant with my daughter I caught myself falling asleep and waking up while I was just sitting and watching my son play. I would just blame it on pregnancy and it made me feel at least a little bit better. And when your husband complains that you want to go to bed at 9pm, just blame it on pregnancy and tell him good night.

6. Laziness. Is the TV remote out of your reach? Well when you are pregnant, sometimes that is too far. You are either too nauseous to move, too sore to move, or you have sunk too deep into your couch to be able to get up and get it yourself. So while some people might call it laziness, you know better. It’s because of pregnancy.

7. Soreness. You get to a point in pregnancy where your whole body hurts. Your ribs are killing you, it hurts to walk because your hips are being stretched out, your lower back hurts, and even your feet feel like you’ve walked a million miles. Having a human in your belly makes your body stretch and of course that is going to make things a bit painful. Hence, the famous pregnancy waddle. But if someone dares to say “toughen up” when you say “ow” to standing up, just blame it on pregnancy.

8. Peeing all the time. In the first trimester, you are peeing all the time because hormonal changes fill your bladder more often, not to mention the 50% increase in blood leads to extra fluid being processed in your kidneys, and hence, having to pee more. And then in the third trimester your baby is pushing right on that bladder, making you have to pee more. Good luck going on a road trip when you are pregnant because you are going to be stopping all the time, even if you aren’t drinking a lot (which you still should, because you’re pregnant). So when your family or friends sigh and say “again?” when you get up, just blame it on pregnancy.

Lots of crazy things happen to your pregnant body that you can’t control, but luckily, you can just tell people “it’s because I’m pregnant” and they’ll hopefully understand. Being pregnant can be hard, but it’s so worth it in the end. So enjoy using that excuse, because in less than 40 weeks, you won’t be able to blame that midnight run to Taco Bell on pregnancy.

The post 8 Things You Can Blame on Pregnancy appeared first on Life With My Littles.