Home Stretch

So, home stretch. And no, I am not talking about the book by Velma Pollard which we did as a set book in high school. I am talking about the eviction notice I am giving my unborn child. Lord knows I am tired of feeling like a bipedal hippo.Anyhu, I already know the string of questions forming in your heads…”Oh, wow! When is the baby coming?””What baby are you expecting?””Do you think it’s gonna be big?””Are you nervous?” (‘Cause you don’t want to say scared.)”Will they make you wear a face mask while you’re in labour?” ‘Cause, you know, Covid.In summary, baby will be here when they’re good and ready; it’s a human baby; it’s bigger than an orange, so… And the mask thing is not something I look forward to.Speaking of masks, it’s funny how we keep being told how to wear them, but we Kenyans just like to do our own thing. “As long as I don’t sneeze on you, I can wear it how I want.”They forget that you can inhale the virus through the nose, that’s why you cover the mouth and nose.What else about lockdown bugs me besides being home all the time? Well, shopping now gives me anxiety, because Africans have never really been good at social distancing, even when you put tape on the floor saying, “Keep distance. 1.5m”.Not forgetting that the husband still goes to work most days. And he does everything now, from end to end. I feel for him. I wish I still had the same energy I had in the second trimester, I would have helped him. For now though, it’s all I can do to remind him to shower as soon as he gets home.I was to go for birth prep class and it was cancelled by Corona. So YouTube is now my best friend. It helped.So now, I am just concerned how my last appointment will go before I officially start the birth watch. Whoopie like Goldberg.Pregnancy is a journey. With many ups and downs. Bloating, insomnia, heartburn, loss of appetite, or the opposite, skin crawling, itchy feet and hands, iron supplements (🤢). If and/or when you go down this road, just know many things will happen to your body, not just weight gain and stretch marks. You have been warned.However, it’s interesting and special in its own way too. You go through a lot. You learn a lot. You feel a lot. Things your partner will never understand, even if you explain repeatedly. It’s a good struggle, especially when you think to what lies ahead: a baby!You know I had to… 🤪