It's been quite a while since my last post. I've been super busy: first moving, and then moving again after a fire in my condo building; living like a gypsy, and then finally finding my little slice of paradiso. All the while my biggest priority has been ensuring I remained as stress-free as possible during my pregnancy, and thankfully delivering the world most awesome little boy. I know, I'm a bit biased. I've decided to make my next few posts about some things I found very helpful before, during, and after my pregnancy. And now for the standard disclaimer: I'm a microbiologist, not an OB/Gyn. The information contained in this post is based on my personal experience and not meant to be medical advice. If you are pregnant, wish to become pregnant, or a recent mommy, you should consult your primary care provider for medical advice.
Prenatal Insight
Okay, so I'll start with the prenatal insight. Although I'm in my late 30s (alright 39 is as late as it can get), despite the conventional evidence that most women will have a harder time getting pregnant after 35, it was not a challenge for me to get pregnant, In fact it was the opposite... but that's all I will say. I believe the main reason for this is because I was in good health--emotionally and physically. Although my weight was a bit more than ideal, I exercised regularly, and for the most part I ate healthy, home-cooked meals. I've always preferred making my own food as opposed to eating out, or eating fast food. Don't get me wrong, I love me a Five Guys every once in a while, but I could never allow myself to make it a habit. I know what Type II diabetes and hypertension can do to the body, and my goal is to avoid them now and in the future. Throughout the years eating healthy has been one of the most important factors in maintaining my overall health. I've never been a size 2, and my weight has fluctuated over the years, but it's usually directly correlated to the amount of exercise I engage in, as opposed to unhealthy eating habits. At most times in my life I maintain my exercise routine by walking. A lot. I've walked seven or eight miles in a day without a second thought.
During my pregnancy I only gained about 20 lbs over all. In fact, most people who saw me on a regular basis didn't even realize I was pregnant. It did help that it was winter and I could wear bulky clothes. As a reference Kim Kardashian had gained over 50 pounds with six weeks left in her first pregnancy. I don't envy Kim her weight gain, but I do applaud and admire her ability to snap back into top physical form. For the record, I won't be dropping 50 pounds within 3 months of my delivery, but I will be losing the weight I gained and even more, because I'm determine to return to what I call my "ultimate healthy body" before my next birthday. Plus, I have closets filled with vintage clothes I love that I'm planning to wear until they have holes in them.
I was never a fan of drinking plain water (bad, I know), but, during my first trimester, I became very good at it as a means to stay hydrated. Given that I was probably losing about a gallon of water a day in urine, gulping huge glasses of water became routine. This is one thing I plan to continue doing postnatal--not the losing lots of urine part, the drinking lots of water. Also, I have been a fan of taking prenatal vitamins for years, not because I was actively attempting to become pregnant for years, but because it's my belief that it can't hurt to be as healthy as possible and to take them as my regular vitamins. So, at the "advanced maternal age" (that's what they label you medically if you're my age and pregnant) of 38yrs, 9mths., I had an easy, breezy conception and a problem-free pregnancy. Well, mostly problem-free pregancy. My first trimester was an awful blur of nausea, but I actually only vomited once. Next time I'll provide some insight into how I managed to get through the purple haze of nausea for two excruciating months, and talk about some websites and products I found extremely helpful. Oh, by the way: my pregnancy test was a $1 test from the Dollar Store. I took it almost on a whim. They work.
