LIFE IS LOVELY: It's easy to forget how much pregnancy can take its toll on your body

Growing a baby inside of you is certainly a remarkable experience from the moment you find out right up until the very day you hold him or her in your arms, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.

At almost 26 weeks pregnant I’m nearly in my third and final trimester which many women will agree is the most tiring part of the pregnancy.

I’m at the stage now where nothing seems to fit and I’m solely living in maternity wear as my stomach is expanding week by week. I’ve even opted for my husband’s t-shirts with my pyjama bottoms for bed as they are so much looser and comfortable.

Any women that are pregnant during the summer will agree with me we are troopers for making it through the recent heatwave while carrying our babies around. At least when I was heavily pregnant with Elijah it was during the winter when the heat didn’t get the better of me no matter what I did.

As baby continues to grow and wriggle around more as well as chasing around after a toddler full of energy I look forward to bed time each night to recharge my batteries and feel less drained.

It’s now a struggle to bend down for things and if there’s something on the floor I question whether I really need it as it’s such as effort to bend down, pick it up and get back up again which will only get worse the bigger I get.

I’m not sure how common this is with other women but in both pregnancies I’ve suffered with eczema flare-ups and leg cramps.

Thankfully prescribed cream is helping with the skin situation but when those legs cramps start it’s another level of pain. I roll around in bed whimpering during the night to shake the cramp away.

Whilst it’s a wonderful journey being pregnant, sometimes I feel ready for baby to be here now.

How did you find pregnancy?