Stuffiness During: Pregnancy ~upd~

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 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. stuffiness during pregnancy

“You’re in there with plenty of room,” she whispered. “Lucky you.” Tonight, she gave up on sleep

Here’s a short draft based on the prompt "stuffiness during pregnancy": The Ninth-Month Cold That Wasn’t a Cold The steam loosened something in her chest, and