3-22-11 The "Stretching" Period

I've already written about what I call "the puff" - that horrible time in the evening when my stomach puffs out and it's really painful.

But yesterday it went to a whole new level.  I couldn't move.  Everything hurt.  I was flopped on a chair and couldn't get out without help.  My stomach was SO big.

DH tried to help by offering to get me things but I wanted nothing other than for the pain to go away. 

He said, in a voice that almost convinced me he knew what he was talking about, that I was going through the "stretching period" and that this was how my skin prepared for the stretching that it would need to do in the future. 

An example of what I look like during the "stretching period" aka evenings

I don't think the stretching period is a real thing (or is it!?!?) but it makes sense in a way.  Your skin needs to stretch gradually, and instead of constant, steady stretching mid way through the pregnancy, going through a "stretching period" followed by time where your skin goes back and has time to relax could actually be a good thing.  I know I'm probably just trying to justify this in my mind, but that's a lot easier than admitting I can't eat a normal dinner like I could before....