Blocked ears and other things they don't warn you about during pregnancy

Thus far, pregnancy hasn't been that bad for me. Part of the reason is that I'm thankful for it and I actually look forward to all the discomforts, physical and mental. But looking forward to them and accepting them doesn't make them any more comfortable.

Take the stuffy ears. I know it's due to the pregnancy. I've been dealing with this off and on for several months. Since yesterday, it's been more on than off. They won't unplug - well, not for long. I can hear everything going on around me perfectly well, but it's accompanied by a terrible echo in my head whenever I talk or breathe. I can minimize my talking - for which my husband, I am sure, is grateful - but I can't stop breathing. Extra liquids don't help, although they do a very good job of contributing to the heartburn (more on that next). The only thing that offers even temporary relief is bending forward. That seems to drain my sinuses, nose, and ears for a few minutes. Of course, I can't do that in public: they'll think I'm going into labor.

The heartburn has been a unique experience. I've been dealing with this for several weeks. Let me tell you, it really does get worse in the third trimester. I say this as a warning to other first time moms: watch how much you drink after eating. The food tends to sit in your stomach longer. When you put liquid on top of that, it has nowhere to go until the food finally oozes its way through your sluggish intestines. No, that's wrong, it has somewhere to go: back up. Whenever you bend over, slouch, or lie down, you'll feel an uncomfortable burning sensation at the back of your throat. Watch how much you drink and when.

Feeling the baby's movement has been fun. Knowing she's in there squirming around takes away a lot - but not all - of the worry I felt earlier on. I say "not all" because she's not a very active baby and there are times when her activity is up and down. It's the down part that causes concerns, even though she always exceeds the minimum 10 kicks in 2 hours quota. I can't speak for anyone else, but in my experience, it always picks back up again a few days later. I simply need to be patient and accept that all babies have their own frequency of activity. Mine happens to prefer a more subdued pace.

Those are the highlights of my experiences in the second and third trimester.