This is my first blog entry and I am going to start with the subject of pregnancy. The struggle for women to stay a healthy weight during and after pregnancy is a big issue. To help people keep on track I am going to share with you how my pregnancy is going and then continue with how everything goes post pregnancy. So let’s begin!
Right now I am about 6 1/2 months pregnant with my second child. This pregnancy has been very different than my first. With my first child I had a few months of morning sickness but I could still eat pretty normal. Actually when I found out that I was pregnant I knew the morning sickness was coming so I ate all of my favorite foods the first couple weeks and probably gained about 5 pounds 🙂 When I went to a checkup after my first trimester and I had gained more than is recommended I remember the nurse saying, a bit condescendingly, “Well… that’s okay.” I was surprised at her reaction but I wasn’t worried. I knew myself and knew that I would be fine. After the first pregnancy I lost weight pretty easily. I was still teaching dance 6 days and weeks and I was pumping. I am sure you have heard that breastfeeding will help you lose weight. I was surprised at how true that was. I recently heard you burn an extra 500 calorie when you breastfeed! I had to eat quite a bit to not lose too much weight because I knew I was burning a lot of calories. I also knew we were going to try to have another child when we felt up to it again so I really didn’t push the fitness too much. I exercised a couple times a week and I was dancing.
This pregnancy has been different. Like I said, I am 6 1/2 months along and still having some morning sickness. In beginning it was much worse this time than with my first pregnancy. I was not able to eat normal. I had to eat whatever my body would tolerate which was very frustrating. Eating healthy was pretty much out the window. The first couple months I lived on sour cream and cheddar potato chips, cheese and crackers and pickles. Anything that got that metallic taste out of my mouth. Any of you who have had morning sickness know what I am talking about. Still now I want to eat more protein and veggies but some days all I want is cereal. So if you are pregnant and having trouble eating well, I say relax and do your best. Considering all the info out there for pregnant women telling you how to eat it is hard when you just don’t feel like having broccoli. There is a lot of pressure.
At my 6 month doctor’s appt I was surprised at how much weight I had gained. Like I said this pregnancy has been tough and if I didn’t keep food in my stomach at all times I would throw up even up to this month. So I over did it a bit. I had been eating too many snacks and they were mostly empty carbs such as cereal. So I am now done with that. I am back to concentrating on eating more protein, veggies and fruits like I usually have in the past. I also am not going to buy the more refined cereals for my daughter because I was the one eating them anyway. At age two, she could really care less what she has for snacks (to a point :)). But if we only have plain O’s in the house that is all there is to eat end of story. I will let you know if the changes have paid off after my next appt.
The other thing that is different about this pregnancy is that I have been much more uncomfortable this time around. During my first pregnancy I taught dance, took walks and went to prenatal yoga. I never really felt super uncomfortable. This time I feel uncomfortable all the time. Lately I have really felt like I need to slow down which is hard for a dance teacher and mom of a 2 year old.
In summary, just like they say, every pregnancy is different. The first one I felt I did a good job of eating well and exercising. This time I haven’t been able to eat or exercise like I want to. I still try my best but try not to stress about it too much. I eat a well balanced diet and since I teach and have my little one I still feel pretty active. I am not able to go to yoga as much though which I really love.
One thing I am not going to talk about is how much I weigh or how much I have gained or lost. We don’t need to compare ourselves. We are all different and how my body works and how yours works will not be the same. We are not even the same ourselves from day to day. So, no numbers.