little feet, big sky

I was about halfway through Tina Cassidy’s Birth when I stopped, slipped in a bookmark and put the book away.

I’ve been reading for over the past year like the information whore I am, and I’ve reached my saturation point. Where before I’ve been happy to gobble up new information, research, tips and theories, I guess I’m at a stage in my pregnancy where I’m starting to believe that from here on out, it’s how I feel about things rather than what the numbers say. I’m trusting more in how I feel when it comes to eating, sleeping and moving around. I’ve stopped calorie-counting to make sure I’m eating enough because I was previously worried about not gaining enough, and I’m so much happier for it. I don’t keep junk food in the house other than tortilla chips and some trashy chocolate and I have this rule that if I want cookies, I have to make ‘em myself. :-) I’ve stopped counting how many hours I sleep at night and don’t begrudge myself the occasional afternoon lie-down.

I’m nervous about saying this, because I’m sure there are others out there that will read this and say, “Hey, that sounds good, I’m going to stop reading up more on childbirth.” Please, please – keep reading until you’re genuinely sick of it. :-) When other parents remark on how confident and comfortable I seem for a first-time future mom, I can’t help think it’s thanks to all the books I’ve read and stuff I’ve learned. I loved what I read in Birth so far, but the more I fixate on how much as gone wrong in the history of pregnant women, the more depressing my own outcome seemed. Maybe I’ll pick it up again in the coming months, but if not, I know I’ll finish it later.

I’ve had an easy time so far with weight gain in terms of eating well and gaining just the right amount. Thought I’d share some tips from various sources & just from my own meandering experience. :-)

• Pick one type of indulgent junk food to keep in the house and toss the rest. Don’t think too hard about it being wasteful, or if you just can’t do that, try giving it to friends or taking it to work to leave in the lunchroom. :-) Chances are good that there are only so many Doritos you can eat repeatedly.
• Stock up on fresh fruits and keep fruit juices to a minimum. Drinking lots of fruit juice may seem healthy at first glance, but fruit sugar is still sugar. Eating your fruit whole increases the time it takes for the sugar to hit. You can only eat a few oranges at a time, whereas one 8 oz. glass of juice probably has the sugar of say 6-8 oranges, without the fiber to slow the sugar rush. Pregnant women are already more insulin-resistant (meaning that you have a higher blood sugar than normal by default) and pushing those blood sugar numbers up can lead to serious complications and interventions later in pregnancy. Plus, fiber is good in helping you feel full.
• Cut the caffeine & sodas. Your baby really doesn’t need extra sugar or caffeine. My rationale is that the effect of caffeine or sugar on a person is similar to stress: the heart races, the adrenaline picks up, etc. It’s been proven that babies exposed to stress in the womb can suffer all sorts of problems, mainly because while we can respond with the fight-or-flight instinct, our pre-birth babies can do neither! I love my crazy caffeine drinks (candy, chocolates, etc ), but I don’t want my baby to be any more stressed or jittery than he/she would be after birth, so it’s a temporary sacrifice on my part.
• Start your morning with whole grains and a huge glass of water. This has been a lifesaver for me in terms of keeping those freak hunger attacks under control until lunch. For something cold and quick, I’ve taken to Kashi’s GoLean Crunch with a mix of almond and regular milk. If I want something hot, I whip up some quinoa, topped with fresh fruit, a bit of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. The water is a must for preventing constipation, another delightful pregnancy experience.
• Drink only water. You really do need those annoying 6-8 glasses of water a day when you’re pregnant, in spite of the hassle of peeing every few hours. If you have trouble with this one (as I do), cut out all other drinks other than water. I’ve taken to drinking my water at home with a mere splash of juice in it for flavor. Treat yourself to the occasional tea once a week, or a soda or coffee once a month.
• Evaluate your meal choices and ask yourself nutritionally, “Would I give this to my two-year-old?” If it’s junk food, overly greasy, has few natural ingredients, has a high sugar content, your answer will most likely be no, and that’s a good sign that you should find something better. Remember that your baby only gets the nutrition that you give yourself.
• Get used to eating half portions. Your stomach (and intestines) are getting squeezed and pushed, so you’re likely to suffer indigestion, heartburn, and bloating. When eating out, I eat about half, or until I just start to feel full, then ask for the rest to go. If this is tough because it’s really tasty, a friend recommended boxing up half to go before even eating. I find I’m usually hungry again within an hour or two and can finish off the other portion then.
• Walk around for at least 30 minutes after eating. Failing that, remain upright (sit, stand) to let gravity help your food digest.

Overall, just make the best choices you can, and feel good about doing right by your child. The better you eat now, the more your taste buds will change and you’ll eat better later. In turn, you’ll pass on healthy eating habits to your children. :-)