Elizabeth’s Sympathy Pregnancy
Twenty years ago I sat in the doctors office with my mom and soon to be born baby sister. After coming in and instructing my mom to undress and put the hospital gown on, the doctor left her to change. After a few minutes he returned, shocked to find me stripped down to my underwear so he could “check on my baby”! Now, being pregnant with my second baby, I am experiencing the joys and laughter that my mom experienced with me and my sister. Most call it sympathy symptoms, and they are typically experienced by the father of the baby. My situation is a little different though. The father of my baby boy had been gone fighting fires in the west for the majority of my pregnancy. That has left my precious two year old to experience this pregnancy with me.
The first time I noticed her ’sympathy symptoms’ we had picked up Wendy’s for lunch and were sitting at the table eating. Elizabeth was sitting there alternating between her chicken nuggets and applesauce. A craving must have hit hard because in the span of just a couple minutes she had polished off her nuggets after dipping them in the applesauce!
Further along in my pregnancy Elizabeth noticed that my belly was getting bigger and with that my belly button had started to protrude. After multiple attempts to “push it back in” she decided that it was evidence that there really was a baby in there! Combine that with her slightly protruding belly button and the ‘movement’ (gas bubbles most likely) she occasionally felt and it was only a matter of time before she became pregnant as well!
Her ‘pregnancy’ finally came to a point when she started feeling the same jabs and punches that mommy had been feeling. We were out shopping one day and after our last stop I was feeling rather winded and bruised after Colm had decided to turn my ribs into his punching and kicking bag. I asked my sister to drive home so I could lay my seat down. Shortly after leaving Costco I heard moaning coming from the backseat. I looked back to see my baby girl stretched upward and grabbing her stomach. Having an idea of the problem I still decided to ask her what was wrong. She responded in an agonizing voice “My baby!”. Stifling the urge to laugh I asked “Is your baby in your ribs too?” to which she responded “YES!” in the same agonizing voice!
With only two months left before her little brother arrives I am eagerly awaiting to see what other symptoms she discovers. Keep checking back often, I’m sure you’ll want to hear all about her labor experience!
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