Oh how things change with the 3rd pregnancy! This morning I tried to pull-up my “third trimester sized” leggings and my hips screamed at me. Aaron laughed (in a non-judgemental, its ok, way!). I care more then ever about what I’m eating this pregnancy yet I already feel like my belly is the same size it was when I’m entering my third trimester and I’m only 18 weeks along. I’m already waddling and find myself wondering, if I was mysteriously pregnant months before I knew I was pregnant. Maybe I’m actually 7 months pregnant. Ok- obviously I’m not- an ultrasound confirmed that. This is just part of the struggle for petite (aka short, fun-sized) women during pregnancy and even more so with the third!
I read a lot of articles about weight gain and some suggested not stressing about it till the baby arrived! Are. You. Kidding. Me. When I’m sleep deprived, using my own body as a milk machine and chasing two other kids around, you think that’s a better time to stress about my weight? Get out of here!
I found myself thinking about the past two pregnancies and how I ate so differently for both, yet for both of them I gained the same amount of weight- around 30lbs. ** the recommended amount is 25-35lbs**
This time I’m trying my best to not gain 30lbs, and quite frankly I felt so great as of week 17, not as sick and I’ve been eating so healthy (healthy food that’s delicious as well!). I’ve been exercising every week day (as of last week…I was too sick before). YET, I got on the scale the other day and I somehow managed to gain 2lbs in 24 hours. How? Then it happened again a few days later. Adding up to 4lbs in one week! I seriously started to wonder if we are just pre-determined to gain a certain amount of weight in pregnancy? Does it actually matter what we do, because I feel like I hear this from a lot of women; “I gain the same amount every time!”
So of course I start the googling. And I found this little snid bit from the book, Fearless Pregnancy.
So ok, this is one view. Then I had to search the web some more and then I started down the research hole of studies, but then realized this is dumb. This is ridiculous. I know I’m doing my best to eat healthy, I know I’m exercising, I know I’m taking care of my baby, and that’s all I need to do. There’s some stressors in life that you can only do the best you can do, and the rest you just have to exhale out of your body with the reassurance that you are taking care of your body, your mind, and most importantly your baby.
So to all the beautiful, strong mamma’s just keep doing your best and don’t let random spikes in the scale make you feel awful and helpless. And please find extra reassurance, in the fact that its NOT normal to gain weight in a perfect linear curve like the pregnancy weight gain charts portray, you’ll have spikes and it will all be A-OK.
Now go throw those maternity pants on the bed and let that sweet baby bump have its freedom 🙂
Till next time,
pantlesswithwine
Pantless With Wine 