Stuffiness During Pregnancy _best_ -

Mara woke to the sound of her own breath—a thin, whistling rasp that made her feel like a kettle left too long on the stove. She lay on her left side, the way the books said to, a pillow between her knees and another propping up her head. Still, her nose was a locked door.

Outside, the January wind rattled the windowpane. Inside, Mara’s body had become a foreign country—swollen feet, a pelvis that cracked when she turned, and now this: a stuffiness so absolute it felt like betrayal. Her husband, Leo, slept peacefully beside her, one arm flung over his eyes. She envied the easy rise and fall of his chest. stuffiness during pregnancy

Tonight, she gave up on sleep. She shuffled to the bathroom, turned on the hot shower, and sat on the closed toilet lid, letting the steam unfurl around her like a slow dance. She closed her eyes and breathed—really breathed—for the first time in weeks. The steam loosened something in her chest, and she felt the baby turn, a slow roll beneath her ribs. Mara woke to the sound of her own

The baby kicked, hard, right against her diaphragm. She wheezed-laughed, then coughed, then laughed again. In the mirror, her reflection looked back—round face, flushed cheeks, hair a wild nest. She didn’t recognize herself. But beneath her palm, the tight, warm curve of her belly felt like home. Outside, the January wind rattled the windowpane

At her last checkup, the midwife had smiled. “Nasal congestion is very common in the third trimester. Increased blood flow to the mucous membranes. All those lovely hormones.” Lovely. Mara had wanted to laugh. Instead, she bought a humidifier, eucalyptus oil, and a wedge pillow. Nothing helped.

“You’re in there with plenty of room,” she whispered. “Lucky you.”