Pure sisterly ass-vice on pregnancy

1. I was much too tired to have any morning sickness. I just slept. I tend to refer to the first trimester of my pregnancy and my coma. I’ve heard that keeping bland crackers near the bed for near intravenous snacking really helps. Here are some symptoms I did have…

• Disgusting realities of pregnancy during the first trimester
• Leg cramps
• Disappearing bikini line
• Leg cramps
• Leg cramps, nose bleeds, and heartburn (this post is very depressing towards the middle-ish all the way to the end – you’ve been warned).
• Skin Changes
• Linea Nigra, and heartburn
• Acid reflux

2. Your body will probably never be the same again. You may be able to get it close, but the pooch belly will probably always linger. Make your peace with that now and don’t worry about how many pounds you gain during your pregnancy. Some women gain 25, some gain 35. I gained 42. Your body will pack on the pounds you are supposed to gain no matter what you eat. That doesn’t mean you might as well go crazy with the chocolate cream pie or whatever, but don’t worry too much if your cravings take you away from dirty-hippy-vegan-leafy-granola-squirrel-food. The weight doesn’t just go to your belly either. You will get bigger EVERYWHERE and you will feel like you ARE a planet by the end of it. You’ve been warned – albeit a little late.

3. You are in fact eating for two, but remember one of you starts out about the size of a pea. Something the size of a pea couldn’t possibly need *that* much. Don’t force yourself to eat more than you can handle. Just eat as healthy as possible.

4. There are TONS of lists of what you should or should not eat and drink during pregnancy. You will drive yourself MAD trying to follow it all. The big one is to stop smoking crack. Never do a drug named after a part of your body (Dennis Leary). Seriously though, street drugs are a pretty obvious no-no.

The following three quoted areas are from Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines by Elizabeth Eden at How Stuff Works^*.

Alcohol:
In the US you will probably NEVER find a doctor that says it’s ok to have any amount of alcohol, however they will tell you not to worry about the drinks you had before you knew you were pregnant. I’ve known several people that had a drink here and there during there pregnancies and their kids came out just fine. I didn’t dare have any because it would be my luck that just smelling one silly drink would permanently harm my child.

No safe level of alcohol consumption has been established. As a result, it is best to take a cautious approach during pregnancy by abstaining from alcohol.

Cigarettes:
If you smoke you already know it’s not good, so I’m not going to beat a dead horse.

Caffeine:

increases production of stress hormones, causing constriction of uterine blood vessels, which lessens the blood flow to the uterus and may temporarily decrease the amount of oxygen reaching the fetus. Large amounts of caffeine cannot be good for your baby or you. However, caffeine consumption in small amounts (one to two cups of coffee per day) is considered safe during pregnancy.

Herbal Tea:

Some herbs and herbal teas contain drugs. Ginseng tea contains a small amount of estrogen. Chamomile tea contains ragweed, which can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. Teas made from juniper berries may cause stomach irritation. Just because herbal teas are considered to be natural does not mean they are safe for pregnant women. So, in general, avoid herbal teas except for those teas known to be safe for pregnancy such as peppermint and raspberry leaf.

I ran into a bunch of sites that say to stay away from soft cheeses and lunch meats. My thoughts are to just make sure the cheeses you eat are pasteurized (it should say on the label). I haven’t found a cheese in the US yet that isn’t pasteurized, including the ones listed as “no-nos” on the CDC web page about preventing listeria like feta and queso blanco fresco. As for the deli meats and such, don’t eat them past the expiration date and toss them after about a week.

The other thing I saw a lot of are sites saying to avoid fish because of mercury content, but it is safe to eat some fish in moderation (that’s always the key isn’t it?). FDA - What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish.

Fish contains DHA, which is fabulous for brain development, so if you like fish at all don’t rule it out completely because of mercury fears.

The best sources of DHA are: seafood, algae, and especially coldwater fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are nature’s antifreeze. In general, the colder the water, the higher the omega-3 content in the fish oil. Popular sources of DHA are: salmon, sardines, and tuna. Eggs and organ meats have a small amount of DHA in them, but the healthiest source of dietary DHA is seafood. Two 4-ounce servings of omega-3-rich fish per week should yield a sufficient amount of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. Besides fish oils, vegetable oils (primarily flaxseed, soy, and canola) are also rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, with flaxseed oil being the best. The two F’s, fish and flax, are the top brain-building foods for growing children, and adults.

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. This advice is not meant to take the place of talking to a doctor.

^*Eden, Elizabeth. “Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines.” 17 November 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. 21 July 2008.