I went to the doctor complaining of ill-functioning digestion, liver pains, and wondering about possible gall-stones or problems in the pancreas. I was getting a full-abdominal ultrasound, and the doctor said: we can't do the ultra sound as planned, because you are pregnant. And not just a little pregnant: 17 weeks pregnant!
I have been doing all kinds of yoga poses that are strictly not recommended when pregnant, drinking more coffee than usual to get my brain back, I had been crying all the time due to a miscarriage in January that was frankly much more difficult than I imagined and I lost my father in February. Now I see that despite all the loss and stress and mourning, this baby really wanted to live. I have wanted to get pregnant for at least two years after having a wonderful natural birth with my daughter who is seven.
I'm a little worried though: I was convinced I had menopause and was taking Chinese herbs (including dong quai), drinking tons of ginger to cure some colds I caught due to a combination of emotional and work-related stress, I was using cascara sagrada and other herbs to deal with an incredibly sluggish disgestion system. Is my baby ok? I still can't believe I'm pregnant. When we all found about this little one, s/he has exploded and I'm into maternity wear and the pregnancy is undeniable.
I'm living in Lima and I have to fly back to New York in August, when I'll be over six month's pregnant. Will it be dangerous to fly such a long flight (8 hours)? Should I cut my work-related stay here short or try to stay here until I give birth? Is there anything I should do to make the sure the baby was not damaged when i did not know about her existence? Can I trust the due date that the US guy gave me based on the baby's head size?
This pregnancy I've had a lot less appetite than last time. I assume this is because I had already put on a lot of weight during the 3 months with the baby that miscarried. Another difference, my gums are killing me. I'm a lot older (43), and I know each pregnancy is different. Should I just learn to deal with the aching gums or are there remedies? I assume it is because the baby is sucking up some calcium. In general, I have trouble absorbing nutrients. What is the most absorbable form of calcium?
Lastly, the doctor prescribed coffee enema 1/day to support my liver. It has been truly a revelation because I have had nonstop cleansing of materials (runny stool with floating particles) that seem liver-related for the two days I did it. But I'm anxious about continuing. What are the negative side effects?
Thanks in advance! I love this magazine and its values and I know there are a lot of wise women out there who are going to have amazing advice for me.
