Blood Volume

Did you know that the blood volume in your body is essential to fetal growth?  I didn't.... not really.  It's one reason why they put pregnant women on complete or partial bedrest....  Because the more YOUR doing the more work it takes for your body to pump blood to your extremities and organs in order to function.  That means, essentially, that the fetus is not getting enough blood volume to develop, which is one reason they ask some pregnant women who are at risk for slow fetal growth to "take it easy."  Which, in reality, means you just have to quit doing everyday activities that others have, and you have, taken for granted.  I, myself, am okay with this as long as I can maintain survival maintenance with the girls, making sure that they are clean, fed, and hydrated.  It's making other people recognize and UNDERSTAND that you're not being simply lazy, but doing what is necessary for your pregnancy.  Because the reality is, this length of time that you are pregnant is very finite.  The rest of it will be there, but the choices you make now, during pregnancy, can have effects that can last a lifetime.