4w4d

So far, so good. I'm lucky that I haven't had any serious symptoms so far... rather, I'm feeling things just enough to keep me reminded that I really am pregnant. I'm sleeping more than usual, and I get tired really easily. I get ravenously hungry every few hours, but then I feel totally full after just a few bites. I feel a little queasy every so often, but having a little something to eat makes it go away. (I'm munching on saltines, which my mom says she survived on during her pregnancies.) And, the last few days, I've been getting cramps on and off, centered slightly on my left side, accompanied by a weird "pulling" sensation that the book says is the stretching of ligaments around the uterus.

We're starting to get ready for our trip on Friday. I'm panicking a bit about what I'm going to be able to eat while we're gone, since the main cuisine includes lots of pork and locally-made unpasteurized cheeses. I'm also a little concerned about mosquitoes. I've read mixed reports about the safety of bug repellent during pregnancy, but at the same time, there are travel warnings for where we're going because of the threat of both malaria and West Nile virus from mosquito bites, and consistent use of bug repellent is suggested. I bought some non-DEET repellent today, and I'll just cross my fingers, wear long sleeves and pants as much as possible, and use the repellent sparingly on just my neck and ankles.