18 Weeks

This week I am starting to feel really great. I have attempted a salad twice- both times a failure, as they don't have great salad leaves choice over here; mainly just chopped cabbage (which doesn't a salad make). My energy seems to have increased slightly again and nausea gone (or, nothing I feel I can really complain about). Mind you, after going shopping for maternity clothes on Saturday in Yokohama I was beyond exhausted. I mean completely, utterly wiped out. I didn't even want to eat dinner I was so tired- not to mention the excursion was completely fruitless as well.

Which brings me on to maternity clothes:
While trying to get dressed I has a massive freak out. I had reached the stage where none of the clothes I could wear would fit. I was left with fat jeans (which I think are pretty hideous, and are reserved for garden work, etc) or wearing tights as pants (not going to happen). I have reached the realisation that I am going to have to cull out most of my wardrobe, as most of my clothes were bought form fitting. And now that my form is growing- they don't fit...


Maternity clothes in Japan, I believe (from what I have found) are disgusting. Maybe it's just that I am used to dressing to show off my figure (kind of a trim, hour glass shape) and I am tall (179cm or 5'10). The maternity clothes I have found are all burlaps sacks, in horrific prints, or skinny pants (in horrific prints) that would be knee high on me. Not to mention that I couldn't find a single maternity store. The best I could get is a tiny section in some larger baby/department stores. Needless to say I was extremely disappointed.

I got to thinking what Japanese women did. I mean, what do they do with such a piddly selection. Here is what I came up with:
1- they mostly quit their jobs, so they have no need for smart looking office attire.
2- their regular clothes are so baggy (to hide their more up and down figures) that they don't really need to buy anything special (so I believe).

After this deduction I decided to hit the stores again on Suunday night, and found two baggy sweater dresses (not maternity) which, while not what I would choose (I like tight), look decent enough and can probably grow up to 40 weeks in them. So that with a pair of my comfortable leggings (most of them are uncomfortable and give me back pain) I have two 'go to' outfits that will fit and be comfortable. I also bought three pairs of shoes- which I didn't want to buy any shoes until after I delivered because of the growing feet problem... whoops.

So what am I going to do? Well, I think I will keep my eyes out for more baggy clothes like that and maybe a poncho or so to keep me warm in the winter. As for the work situation, I am going to buy some shirts online. I have made a kind of pants fastener with elastic and clips, which will hopefully keep my work pants up and I can continue wearing them... I hope. My belly bands I bought off ebay finally arrived yesterday (after nearly 5 weeks- thank goodness I bought them early). I am disappointed in them, as I bought a knock off version which is way too big on me, to I am going to have to hand sew it smaller and let the stitches out later. But, it hides my open pants, so that will be fine for now.

I am also currently looking at tutorials for creating a maternity shirt out a men's business shirts, so I am hoping to get a few and tie a nice ribbon or something around them, and then maybe husband can still use them later.

I will post more on my success/failure trying to dress myself at a later date though... Until then- baby!









Week: 18
Baby bump: slowly growing.
Movement: The same little flutters, very very few though- which is a shame, I was hoping they would be getting stronger and more noticeable by now...
Complaints: Nothing really.
Maternity clothes: Two baggy sweater dresses. Two belly bands (that don't fit) and a make shift pants holder-up belt.