15 Weeks and Symptoms - Stay Puft Marshmallow edition

(For some reason I didn't date this post, but 15 weeks was around  March 9th, so let's just say March 9th.)

As I am now in the second trimester - that magical mid-point that everyone says is "the best!" - I thought it was time to review my symptoms once again.  They are very different than the first trimester symptoms were and there's almost no comparison, really.

But first, a picture. (I am going to start trying to take my own pictures, since we are not good about remembering to have DH take them on the weekends.)

I am officially starting to look like I'm pregnant.  If I'm not actively trying to hide it, there's no way you wouldn't be able to guess.  This "puff" has definitely happened in the last week or two.

Anyway, on to the second trimester symptoms!

1. Bloat
In the morning I look like any other 15 week pregnant women should.  I show with a very small bump on my stomach, but nothing more.  I can put on nearly any pair of pants that I own, and I am fine.  However, as soon as I start eating or drinking anything, I puff out like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  It gets progressively worse throughout the day, particularly if I eat something that is high in sodium.  My belly puffs out so far that I look like I'm around 24 weeks pregnant, at least, and my pants start cutting into my stomach.  I can't hide my bulge under my clothing like I could just a few hours earlier, in the morning.  I put on sweat pants and sweat shirts and DH stays at me wide eyed and says things like, "Wow, you really are pregnant."  Thanks, honey.

2. Headaches
Some women have told me that when they were pregnant their headaches went away, even their migraines.  I wish this was true for me, but alas it is not.  I get headaches more frequently now, although they're not always of the migraine variety, like they were before.  Previously if I got a headache it was probably a migraine or about to be a migraine.  Now I get regular old headaches that last anywhere between one and three days.  I hate them but I guess I should be grateful that they're not migraines.

3. Burping
So strange, right?  The books all talk about gas of the "other" variety, but I have actually experienced burping gas more than anything else, particularly when I lay down.  At night I'll lay down and then sit up to burp, then lay down again and then back up to burp.  This happens at least twice before I'm actually able to fall asleep, otherwise I just feel pain and pressure in my stomach, probably related to the "bloat" mentioned in item #1.

4. Dizziness
I frequently feel dizzy or lightheaded, particularly when I'm hungry.  In the mornings before I get a chance to eat breakfast, and at dinner time, when I'm preparing dinner, are the worst times.  I get really lightheaded and my vision starts to get blurry.  I start sweating and it feels like my heart is racing.  I usually exclaim something like, "Oh my god, I think I'm going to faint" to DH and then have to sit down for a moment to let it pass.  It's not that I'm starving by any means, and in fact I've spaced my snacks out during the day to try to work around this problem, but it's only getting worse.  I don't want to eat more - I'm already gaining too much weight! - but I'm not sure what my other options are.

5. Rashes/Acne
I have a weird rash, that I'm pretty sure is acne, all over my chest, upper arms, shoulders and back.  I'm not 100% sure that it's acne because I've never had acne in those places before, and because it's not the traditional pimple or zit that I'm used to seeing on my face.  It's most like a ton of reddish, sometimes purplish bumps.  On my arms is actually more skin colored, but you can feel all of the little bumps when you run your arms over my skin.  Definitely weird although it's not uncomfortable or anything. I just hope it goes away before summer and tank top wearing season!

I'm trying to think of more, but really those are only the things I can come up with right now!!!  Not too bad, if you ask me.