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It didnt take long for it to be hard to do mundane menial tasks. But I didn't reach the stage of hardly being able to move at all until 36 weeks

With my first, I didn't actually slow down until 38 weeks. With my second, by 20 weeks I was actually starting to get uncomfortable! 30 was when I was DONE...I was in a lot of pain for the last 10 weeks.

@shopaholic: I definitely would squat but it wasn't painful or uncomfortable like it was by 40 weeks--you aren't silly at all, each pregnancy is different. Actually, last year at this time I was only 12 weeks pregnant and I remember complaining about having to clean the pine needles from our Christmas tree off the floor...I think I had already started squatting by that point lol.

I'm just now (23 weeks) getting uncomfortable laying on my stomach and bending all the way over. I only notice it at the gym, when I'm doing things like deadlifts. I haven't noticed it with my shoes since I just slip them on. But my weights will have to be raised off the floor soon.

If i'm laying down, I roll over or have DH give me a hand sitting up. I'm paranoid that the strain of sitting upright from a laying down position will strain my stomach muscles too much, since they say "no sit ups"

Around that same time, maybe even a little earlier. I squat all the time to pick stuff up and I'm not at all ashamed! Getting out of bed is also interesting, as is putting on pants -- I have to sit down or else I almost fall over (I tried doing it standing up a couple of days ago with DH in the room and he was pretty appalled at my display). And forget putting on socks and real shoes -- DH has to do that for me. And I'm only 30 weeks!

@Lone Palm: OMG yes!! I have mastered what I call the "hard dab." (for No. 1... No. 2 is a whole 'nother ordeal.)

It definitely started towards the end of my second tri. That uterus is so low yet so big that it really throws you off! And it's like your abdominal muscles just aren't there to help. I felt the same way, that it was way too early, and it was just supposed to happen the last few weeks. I think it's because it just keeps getting harder as you go on, so you think "oh it's just in the last few weeks its gotten really tough." Now at 34 I'm starting to have trouble getting off the couch, getting off the floor, and bending over reallllly hurts, so I try not to do it. And it's a contortionist act to put shoes on! Last night I had trouble getting in and out of the car. But I'm sure in a few more weeks I'll be such a fat whale this will seem like nothing!

I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and this past week is the first where I really feel slower and that my belly is in the way. It's been great until now. I was sitting on the floor earlier this week and couldn't get up and decided to sit and wait for DH to come home from work so he could help me.

in the last couple weeks i've felt like, oh, wow, i'm pregnant, can't bend down, etc. but i have a wedding this weekend that i have to photograph, so i'm not letting myself think about it! after that, then maybe i'll recognize my slowing down!

For me it started to be more difficult to bend over at around that time, but then much more difficult and painful from around 33 weeks onwards! Take advantage of the squatting practice you'll get now! Luckily my husband has been uberhelpful with the bending and getting things for me. The worst part is that you are clumsier and so you end up dropping things more often!

For the most part, it was so gradual that I didn't really notice slowing down.

I had a really hard time at our baby moon, we went to Chicago and it was cold and rainy and I only moved at a snails pace. We now refer to that as "Chicago slow".

It didn't last long, but right at 39 weeks exactly I could not drive anymore- big belly with short legs. Fortunately he came the next day at 39w, 1 day!

I guess I'm in the minority, but I was really active throughout both pregnancies and didn't really slow down or feel like it was harder to move. With my first baby I worked full-time as a nurse in an ICU and hardly sat down during 12 hour shifts. Actually I think my last shift put me into labor at 38.5 weeks. With my second, I had a desk job, but still walked around for all my errands in NYC including taking DD1 to the playground, etc... at 39 weeks, I also walked around at least 1-1.5 miles a day everyday to get things going. She came at 39 weeks and 5 days.

with #2 though, I had a lot of what they call "crotch pain"! She was sitting sooo low for a long time. But I just tolerated it. Had a fast labor, so that was a big plus in the end.

i think i started having difficulty around 24-25 weeks, and now at just about 30 weeks i'm pretty much a cripple. if i drop something on the ground while sitting, forget about it.

@Lone Palm, @ladyfingers: yes, yes! i thought i was alone. i never dreamed at 24 i'd be nearly unable to wipe my own butt. so pathetic... haha.

@shopaholic: hmm still can't relate, but yeah there is a point where squatting replaces bending over and sitting for long periods of time isn't a good idea, unless on a exercise ball.