After a few days of the weirdest pain and the baby sitting in a god awful spot, I decided to do some investigating. Especially since no matter of stretches, yoga poses, and me more or less tapping her, hoping she'd move, would do anything. What did this investigation lead me to find out? She's dropped. Yup. My little Bird has already dropped herself into birthing position. Know what that caused her mother to do? Panic. How can I be at the brink of thirty-three weeks, about seven weeks to go, and my little girl already drop?

First thing that I had to was Google. Yes, I know in a lot of cases Google is the death of people. I once was informed I had cancel when it was really just like a cough. But in this case, I googled the mommy boards. Thank goodness for those. I mean seriously. Dropping early doesn't mean she's coming soon. Some women experienced going past their due dates who dropped early. Not that means there's a correlation there, it just means that along with everything in pregnancy, it all varies. The time your baby drops, the day you go into labor. All of that. However, dropping early just means one thing, you get to deal with the pain of feeling like you have to pee 24/7 and that pelvic region is just constantly being bruised. Actually read where it resulted in one woman getting bruises from it. If I could request one thing right now, it'd be not that.

Along with her dropping, I experienced my first Braxton Hicks Contration. It was the weirdest thing ever. It didn't last long and it was just two in the midst of nothing so I figured that's what it was but kept an eye on the situation. Low and behold, that's all it was. Thank goodness for that. I think with all the complications I've encountered this pregnancy, the last thing I could deal with right now would be going into labor so soon. Don't get me wrong, I would love to get these next seven-ish weeks over with. But the complications that come with a premature baby are ones that I think people out there that deal with, are saints. Honestly, women (and men) who have premmie's, you deserve an award in strong parenting.

I know sex is a weird topic whilst pregnant. There are so many different views on it. Some women aren't in the mood. Some men are scared of hurting the baby. Sometimes it's the positions that cause issues. Some women can't get enough of it. Just like everything with pregnancy, sex is one of those things that is different person from person. Trust me, I've done my research. I've subscribed to the forums. I've read myriads of articles on sex during pregnancy. By trimester. By week. By person. Everyone has a different story but the common thing I read when I look at forums is "oh thank god, I'm not the only one questioning this."

That mindset has been my saving grace. I'm not the only woman in the world who is alone trying to figure out what to do. Pre-pregnancy, I couldn't get enough of it. I swear, I was like a teenage boy who had discovered what it was like and never wanted to stop. Faced with HG in my first trimester, it almost stopped and I'd often joke around with Theo about how it's getting us ready to be parents. But as my symptoms and waned and I was welcomed into the second trimester with open arms, my drive returned a little. A tiny percentage of what it was before I got pregnant. But now that I'm in my third trimester, now that I've had HG return plus with the whole I'm too large to make anything work, sex is a thing of the past.

But for all of you pregnant women out there who can still take pleasure between the sheets (or wherever you choose to take pleasure), here are some helpful hints I have found while reading up on this topic.

1. Find a position that is comfortable for you. Yes, that might sound like a given but when it comes to sex while pregnant, you have to get creative. Being on your back too long causes issues, so try and modified missionary (use pillows or one of those ramp incline things). Utilize chairs, they can help alleviate pressure for you will keeping things interesting. Use pillows if you choose to do positions that cause pressure on hands or knees. And if all else, spoon. It is going to be the most comfortable since you don't have worry about having too much unneeded pressure.
2. Communication. Talk to your partner. Let them know how you're feeling. If you're not in the mood, say so. If you are in the mood, say so. But make sure to let them know what is going on instead of freezing them out. Yes, they'll probably be smart enough (hopefully) to figure out that you're pregnant, sex is a hit or miss thing. But if you go from 60 to 0 without a warning, they need to know.
3. Find other ways to be intimate. Sex isn't the only way to be intimate with one another so find another way to be close. Sometimes I know you want to smack the crap out of your partner for no explained reason, but it really is important to find things to keep you close. Rekindle the romance, etc etc. And I don't mean a lit fire place with rose petals across the room (unless that's your thing), just find something to keep the two of you intimate.
4. Just remember, eventually, things will get better. Maybe not during your pregnancy, but have faith that sometime in the future, you'll find a way to make things work. Whether it's during nap time or school. Maybe you schedule it into a day. I don't know, I'm not there yet but from what I've read, it seems that eventually, sex is something that returns.
5. This isn't a tip, this is just more of a fact. If your partner won't have sex with you because you're pregnant, please smack them (whether figuratively or actually). The baby can't feel it and your changing body is beautiful.

Since returning home from the hospital last week, I went into work for a moment to find out that they're placing me on short term disability leave until my maternity leave kicks in. While this is kind of them to take my well being (and lots of days missed) into consideration, I have to say, I couldn't be more upset. I love my job. Not only do I love my job, but I love being productive and the idea of being stuck home until little Birdy decides to join us while doing nothing is making me want to lose my mind. The happy housewife gig is not for me. No offense to anyone who is a stay at home mom, I think what you do is incredible but I just know that I couldn't do it. I can't. I need to be busy. I need to do something productive. Save the world. Save the animals. Save plants. People. Etc, etc. I can't just sit at home. The idea of that is already making me cringe.

So with being stuck at home for the next.. who knows how long, I have decided to take up hobbies. Besides trying to get back into prenatal yoga (yes, I know I technically shouldn't with HG and all, but I think I'm going to need to), I'm going to start perfecting my gardening skills and well, I don't know yet. Anyone have ideas? Let me know! Please. Please. Please!

Like some suffers of Hyperemesis Gravidarum, I got the pleasure of it returning. My second trimester was a breeze, I got to enjoy some of the beauties of pregnancies. I got to watch my belly grow with excitement and count down to my third trimester as I wait for my little Birdy to get here. But as I rounded the corner into the promise land that is my third trimester, I was smacked in the face with HG rearing its ugly head. As my levels started to drop, so did my spirits and finally I contacted my lovely doctor who strongly suggested me returning to the hospital. Yay! Can I tell you just how much I love the hospital? And being stuck there at that! How did I ever become so lucky?

So with the advice of my doctor and the urging of the boyfriend, I returned to the hospital for a second time during my pregnancy for an extended stay. This time I wasn't as stubborn with the idea because I figured the sooner I got it over with, the sooner I could return home.

I went in Monday afternoon and am already out, hooray! But now am stuck on bed rest (again). Which I guess isn't a bad thing considering the fact that I felt (and still feel) like at any moment I am about to die. That or throw up all of my stomach contents which generally happens to be nothing since my appetite is non-existent and the only thing I seem to be consuming is Gatorade for the electrolytes to help with the dehydration that comes along with HG.

For all you non-HG sufferers out there, you are so lucky. Honestly, embrace your pregnancy and all the joys that come with it. Yes, I know some of the side effects suck, aka the ones most people don't talk about when it comes to the glow (the constant need to pee, possible hemorrhoids, stretch marks, wanting to hit your partner for the strangest things), those are nothing in comparison to the severe complications many women face during their blissful nine months.