Validation

I was perusing babycenter.com's weekly updates, since I'm 22 weeks today, and confidently received validation why reading too much information is just not necessary. Case in point, read the entry below titled, "Surprising Facts: Symptoms you should never ignore".

Let me make sure I understand this. You're asking a pregnant woman who has no memory and virtually no brain to retain such information? All the while basically putting her in a potential, not to mention an unnecessary panic, that something may be wrong at all times because there isn't a second that goes by during the day where something doesn't feel weird, hurt, itch, move, stretch, ache, burn, throb, pull, discharge or basically, change. Then ask these things of a first-timer and you're sure to induce full-on anxiety and stress, both of which should be avoided for the babies sake, because we really have no idea what any of these new symptoms are or mean so we automatically question everything anyway and now have to wonder where on a serious scale these things lie? What if something happens once and then goes away? What if I can't distinguish the difference in discharge (sorry)? What if I've always had some of these symptoms and they go away? What if I can't remember what I did all day? What if I can't remember my name?

Yeah, not having it. Instead, I'm abiding by the following general rule that seems like common sense: trust your gut and if something seems wrong, first consult with a sister and/or girlfriend and if they are unsure or haven't experienced it, call the doc. To that end, I'm ignoring what everyone says or asks except my doctor, my husband and my closest family/girlfriends. Otherwise I'll have to start making appointments to punch people in the face, shake them incessantly and/or kick them in the balls if they happen to be a man because if one more person asks me if I should be taking this or that medicine, drinking this or that soda or eating this or that treat… I'm going, to go, postal.

Surprising Facts: Symptoms you should never ignore

So many aches, pains, and strange feelings arise during pregnancy that it can be hard to decide what's normal and what warrants a call to your doctor or midwife. To complicate matters further, some symptoms may be more or less urgent depending on your particular situation or health history and on how far along you are in your pregnancy. Here's a rundown of symptoms that could be a sign of a problem. If you have any of these complaints, call your doctor or midwife immediately:

Before you reach 37 weeks:

• Pelvic pressure (a feeling that your baby is pushing down), lower back pain (especially if it's a new problem for you), menstrual-like cramping or abdominal pain, or more than four contractions in an hour (even if they don't hurt)
• An increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge — if it becomes watery, mucus-like, or bloody (even if it's only pink or blood-tinged)

At any time:

• Your baby is moving or kicking less than usual
• Severe or persistent abdominal pain or tenderness
• Vaginal bleeding or spotting, or watery discharge
• Pain or burning when you urinate, or little or no urination
• Severe or persistent vomiting, or any vomiting accompanied by pain or fever
• Chills or a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Blurred or double vision, or seeing spots or "floaters"
• A severe or persistent headache, or any headache accompanied by blurred vision, slurred speech, or numbness
• Any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, anything more than mild swelling in your fingers or hands, or severe or sudden swelling in your legs, feet, or ankles, or a rapid weight gain (more than 4 pounds in a week)
• Severe or persistent leg or calf pain that doesn't ease up when you flex your ankle and point your toes toward your nose, or one leg significantly more swollen than the other
• Trauma to your abdomen
• Fainting, frequent dizziness, rapid heartbeat, or palpitations
• Difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, or chest pain
• Severe constipation accompanied by abdominal pain or severe diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours
• Persistent intense itching all over
• Any health problem that you'd ordinarily call your practitioner about, even if it's not pregnancy-related (like worsening asthma or a cold that gets worse rather than better)