General incompetence

I've reached the awkward, tiring, uncomfortable stage of pregnancy. And indeed the stage of general incompetence. I can't remember words. I'm so bunged up that I can't breathe by about 5am and so wake up and cant' go back to sleep. I'm exhausted in the evenings and can't make conversation with H. And, oh yes, I fell flat on my face while simply walking along the pavement on Sunday, and now have an impressive scar running down my nose, and another on my chin, which makes me look like a very depressing kind of victim. I can see people eyeing me up and not wanting to say anything, but it's a bloody great scar, particularly on the bridge of my nose, so it's pretty hard to avoid.

It was an odd accident. We were walking along the South Bank to meet some friends. H was wheeling Pob in her pushchair. She was crying for some reason we couldn't quite understand. There were quite a few people around, but it's a wide space and so not that crowded. I felt myself trip. I wasn't that worried. It all happened in slow motion.

Moment 1: It's the kind of trip you correct easily with a little skip, and keep going.
Moment 2: Oh dear, I'm still falling. Ah well, if I just move like this I'll be upright again in a second
Moment 3: Nope, still falling
Moment 4: Well, I'll just land on my knees here and that will be that
Moment 5: Nope, still going down, what's WRONG with me?
Moment 6: Well, how did my face get there. Ooops, there go my sunglasses. And why is that packet of tissues in my hand?

It must have looked quite dramatic as two police on patrol came over to check on me. I got straight up. Of course Pob was screaming at this point, so I got H to get her out of her pushchair and hand her to me. I felt very shaken but ok. My glasses were trashed. I carried Pob into Tate Modern, met our friends, and took a few minutes to stop feeling wobbly. It was only later when I went to the loo that I realised I looked pretty dodgy, and the following day as the scars formed I looked even worse.

I then started to notice I was wobbly at other times. On the escalator on Monday when I went to hitch up my crappy maternity jeans that always fall down. Getting out of a taxi yesterday. Walking up the stairs into a hotel. I'm no longer a competent walker. Or stander. That's not very impressive, surely?

Comments

[Geohde]

Fringe benefit of bedrest? Not falling over so much. I had to have my husband help me get in and out of the shower, though...

g

[Heather]

You poor thing! I got the same way at the end of my pregnancies. Try some Neosporin on your scar. It should make it heal faster.

[Hairy Farmer Family]

Oh honey! Poor you! How embarrassing! And, ummm, painful.

I never had a major fall pregnant but I did have a fairly catastrophic trip over a paving stone whilst carrying a small-ish Harry. I staggered for ages and knew I couldn't save myself, pulled Harry's head tight into my chest, and performed - what I'm told - was a perfect Charlie's Angels-type shoulder-roll. My jeans and knee were shredded, but Harry's head never actually touched the pavement, despite having been completely turned upside down. I sat on the pavement and cried whilst a crowd of kind ladies tried to calm my indignant baby down. So humiliating!

[Sara]

I'm so sorry about your fall. I hope that you recover quickly.

[Aurelia]

Ouch! Not so fun, can your doc give you something to rub on the scar, maybe make it less painful and heal better?

Yeah, I have to admit, that was the point where I was very very wobbly and poorly coordinated. Are you off work soon? Maybe it's time to skip the Tate Modern and just rest a bit until after the babe comes. It won't be long now, hang in there!

[Krista]

I can relate to the uncomfortable part. And boy am I glad you told this story. Because if I get wobbly and unstable I am confidant I would have assumed my tumour was back.

[Clover]

Oh, poor you. How many weeks are you now?

[Katie]

Can't get Neosporin in the UK (we slip it into our luggage) but Germolene isn't bad.

Is it something to do with your inner ear, maybe, especially if you are bunged up? Probably can't take decongestants but some old-fashioned steam might help (if it's as cold down there as up here)

[T]

But it's hilarious! Sorry - I laughed my way through the beginning of this post as I'm experiencing a few of the same things. And I'm many weeks behind you I think?

Sorry about the war wound!

[Betty M]

Uggh - sorry about the fall and the scar and the bruised dignity. It is good though that it is getting close - no? Have you stopped work yet?

[Girl Detective]

That sucks, but you're wobbly because your center of gravity has moved. It'll come back. And by scar do you mean "cut" or "gaping wound" as opposed to "permanent remainder of healed wound"?

[Lut C.]

Falling is one thing, being reminded of it by a bruised face is another. Hope it heals nicely very soon, and that people stop giving you those looks.

[Hetty Fauxvert]

Ow! So sorry for your poor nose, not to mention the indignity of falling on your face in public ... and then getting "those looks" on top of it all! You should come up with a really good story in case someone has the gall to try and make you come clean about what happened. Something that would really curl their socks....

[May]

I'm sorry I missed this when you posted it! How's your poor face?

[sarah]

just when i thought i was getting to the difficult stage you remind me i have a ways to go! why am i excited to remember that it gets oh so much more pitiful?