Aminarra's Quest for Healthy Pregnancy (Battle Log)

[Aminarra]

Our story begins a long time ago, in a turn-based, text-based, role playing game called Vagabond's quest... 

TL;DR

And ends, 12 years later, with me married to another gamer and expecting our first child together. 

 

When I joined The Rebellion, I was looking to lose weight, but the reality is that I'm 28 years old, the proverbial 'clock' scares the dickens out of me, and I told The Hubster that I'd either be at my goal weight or be a mother within a year.  In my first challenge with The Rebellion, I actually lost about 8 pounds!  I had busted through my first goal of 6 pounds and came out on top.  I've been away for a while, dealing with this new and different experience, and now I'm returning about 7 or so weeks into my pregnancy. 

 

My main challenges have been 

• Lack of sleep
• heartburn
• lack of appetite
• (followed by) roaring appetite

I've been walking quite a bit, and plan to keep that up.  I was just getting into strength training in earnest and so I plan to keep going with that as long as it still feels good.

 

Since I'm overweight by so much that my BMI is a concern for my doctor, my goal is to not gain any more than 15 lbs throughout the course of this pregnancy.  I have *no idea* how I'm going to manage that, but I'm going to try everything I know about traditional weight loss to accomplish it. 

 

My home scale before the pregnancy was 238.  My home scale now reads 240.  The doctor's scale had me at 243 at my first check up back on 7/21. 

 

Now that you know the back story, let's get down to the battle log, eh?

 

Primary Objective: Have a Healthy Pregnancy

Walk >20 Minutes, Daily

Strength Train 3x/week

Continue with Paleo Plan

 

Secondary Objective: Stay Active with Nerd Fitness

Check in to chat rooms at least once/week

update this thread daily

motivate 3+ NF members/week

[Aminarra]

I went for a 30 minute walk tonight and took lots of naps :/ I was completely wiped out today. I'm committed to getting my strength training in tomorrow, though, even if I'm tired.

I was in the chat room today and got some great insight from emcee, special sundae, and aab. I'm going to talk to my new doctor later this month about what my weight targets should be.

-Ami

[Aminarra]

Today: 

 

30 minute walk (in the rain with The Hubster)

 

Strength Training - 

- Bent Over Y-Raise 2x12 5lb DB

- Under-hand Grip Rear Lateral Raise 2x12 5lb DB

- Push-ups (knees) 2x12

- Squats 2x12 BW, Shallow - I had started the first set with a 12 lb DB, and was going parallel to the ground, but I started getting serious knee pain, so I dropped the weights and went shallow

- Side plank (knees) 2x15 seconds

- Reverse Lunges 1x12 - knee pain, dropped movement

- Pelvic Tilts 1x12 - took the place of 2nd set of Reverse Lunges

- Bent Over Dumb Bell Row - 2x12 12lb DB

- Shoulder Press - 2x12 12lb DB

- Bird Dog 2x5/side, 3 second hold each rep

 

I have to start small because this is where I was at pre-pregnancy.  Barring any complications, I anticipate adding reps and weights to this routine.

[Aminarra]

No walk tonight, I'm exhausted..  I came home from work, made dinner, folded laundry, and now I'm going to bed.  Nuhnight!

[Aminarra]

Last night, after work, I made dinner then felt horribly sick. I went to bed early and didn't work out.

The good news is that I actually slept well, and I'm heading to the gym right now.

[Aminarra]

... Almost got in a wreck this morning and by the time I called down and got it together, there wasn't enough time to work out before my shift started.

After work, I made dinner, took a short nap, cleaned the kitchen, and now I'm just exhausted. I told The Hubster to hold me accountable tomorrow. I can't go this long with no work outs and still expect to maintain my weight during this pregnancy.

In other news, food for the day was spot on nutritionally. Home scale read 239 this morning.

I really hope I sleep even better tonight...

[Aminarra]

Let me just declare: When I started this thread, I had no intention of making it a book of excuses! 

 

Today I'm actually feeling really good, though.  Yesterday I got the cleaning closet cleaned out, and today I'm tackling the other closets in the house.  We may finally be able to start house-hunting, so I've got my work cut out for me.  Even though I *just* finished my kitchen about a month or so ago, I have to take the contact paper down again because of the impending move. 

 

I found a clause in our lease contract that actually says I shouldn't have used it in the first place, so I'm hoping it comes off cleanly. 

 

Home scale says 238 today  I'm happy with that, despite my lack of exercise this week.

[ManicSpider]

Congratulations on the bub! It sounds like you're going great and doing all the sensible things. 

 

I know how you feel - I was 118 kilos (260 pounds) when I got pregnant, and I put on so much weight it made everything really difficult. Seriously, slow and steady and you'll be fantastic  

[Eirlys]

Hi Aminarra!

 

Congrats on your pregnancy!  I'm guessing you're about 10 weeks along now?

 

I wouldn't beat yourself up about keeping up with the pre-preg exercise regime in the first trimester if you don't feel up to it.  I'm 19 weeks pregnant now and for the first 12 I was completely exhausted and fell asleep on the couch whenever I wasn't at work (so all weekend).  But it has got a lot better after that!

 

Hoping all goes well with your challenge! x

[elsfaire]

Hi Aminarra! I am glad that I found your log. I am attracted to all things pregnancy (I am a childbirth educator, former doula, healthy pregnancy author and mom of 2), so I had to come check out your thread.

 

Congratulations on your pregnancy! It seems like you are still in first trimester, so being tired is normal. I think it is great that you are dedicated to your health and have come here for some support! It is a great group of people on the forums.

 

Subbing.

[Aminarra]

Congratulations on the bub! It sounds like you're going great and doing all the sensible things. 

 

I know how you feel - I was 118 kilos (260 pounds) when I got pregnant, and I put on so much weight it made everything really difficult. Seriously, slow and steady and you'll be fantastic

 

Thank you!! Sorry for the delayed response! For some reason, Nerd Fitness hasn't been loading on my phone!  

 

How are you doing now?

 

Hi Aminarra!

 

Congrats on your pregnancy!  I'm guessing you're about 10 weeks along now?

 

I wouldn't beat yourself up about keeping up with the pre-preg exercise regime in the first trimester if you don't feel up to it.  I'm 19 weeks pregnant now and for the first 12 I was completely exhausted and fell asleep on the couch whenever I wasn't at work (so all weekend).  But it has got a lot better after that!

 

Hoping all goes well with your challenge! x

 

Ah! Thank you!! I'm at about 8.5, 9 weeks along at this point, but I've been feeling pretty good.  I went for a walk with my husband yesterday for 30 minutes and that was really nice.  Tonight, we didn't get a purposful walk in, but we were touring houses looking for one to buy, so I got a few steps in  

 

We're doing the same thing tomorrow, so I'm pretty excited for that.  I'm finally not feeling zonked during the day, but I just started having crazy ass dreams at night.  Pardon the french, but there's no other word for it!! Did you get any of those yet?

 

Congrats on your pregnancy, too I'm going to follow your thread and keep up.

[Aminarra]

Hi Aminarra! I am glad that I found your log. I am attracted to all things pregnancy (I am a childbirth educator, former doula, healthy pregnancy author and mom of 2), so I had to come check out your thread.

 

Congratulations on your pregnancy! It seems like you are still in first trimester, so being tired is normal. I think it is great that you are dedicated to your health and have come here for some support! It is a great group of people on the forums.

 

Subbing.

 

Thank you Elsfaire!  This is my first child, so my husband and I are really excited.  Our life has flipped upside down, though... I had to switch clinics because mine was too far away, but now we've realized our apartment is too tiny so we're house hunting, too!  I'm estimating that I'm at about 8.5 weeks, but I'll know for sure next Tuesday.  Please feel free to throw out any advice or recommendations that you have for me  These days my symptoms include crazy dreams, heartburn, and maybe a tiny bit of insomnia.  No worries, though, because  nothing is actually that bad.  I see a Chiropractor once a week and he keeps me feeling great.  I haven't had any nausea yet. 

 

The scale this morning said 239.2, so that's not bad

[Aminarra]

I logged in this morning with 38 notifications  

 

My week has been all out of whack because of the house hunt.  We put in an offer last night, though, so I'm crossing my fingers.  In some ways, it feels like I've bitten off more than I can chew.  Since I found out I'm pregnant, I've re-enrolled in school (3 courses), decided to buy a house, hunted, offered, and now we're waiting.  But that means I have to start packing to move, soon (the tentative closing date is 9/26 if all goes well), but I've got a trip to Canada soon and I'm up to at least my shoulders in work at the moment.  It's all a bit overwhelming! 

 

I'm not stress-eating, though... that slice of pizza that I had in midnight is because I go from fine to absolutely starving with no warning My hunger woke me up!  

 

I have my first real appointment on Tuesday and I'm hoping that makes the pregnancy more real to me.  I've kind of refused to really process what it means because there's still a chance I could lose it.  I've had so much anxiety over a possible miscarriage that I'm surprised I haven't caused one just by worrying about it @_@; 

 

Plans for today include white-tornadoing the apartment and figuring out next steps in the game of life... real life.. not the board game.

[Eirlys]

Hi Aminarra,

 

I hope your appointment on Tuesday goes well - is that for a scan, or with a midwife?

 

I've always had crazy dreams every night throughout my life, so I've had little change on that front.. although I woke up me & my husband yesterday morning by yelling during a sort of nightmare where this black incorporeal ghost passed through my body...!

 

I'm getting quite a bit of heartburn.  I won't complain too much at this stage as I have a feeling it may get a lot worse  My mum said that heartburn was what caused her to pile on lots of weight during her pregnancies, as she was always eating/drinking milk to try and take the edge off it.  At the moment I am sticking with chewy antacid tablets.

 

Sounds like you're taking on lots of stuff!  I'm impressed.  I was zonked and unable to function until about 14 weeks!  

 

Fingers crossed on the house - when do you think you'll hear?

[Aminarra]

Well. I've gained the five pounds that I was allowed.

And I wake up in the middle of the night starving.

What the hell am I going to do??

Oh yeah, I have a list:

I have placed an offer on a house, it's been accepted. I need to get the house inspected within five days and then we'll close on 9/26.

I need to find a day care provider because there are wait lists out the whazoo and other moms tell me not to wait.

I have to finish planning and executing a baby shower for my friend for the day after we close on the house.

I start school tomorrow with three courses left to complete my degree (history through women's eyes, team building, and sociology)

Our first ultrasound is on Tuesday

I'm swamped at work but got volunteered for the United Way fundraiser planning committee AND User Acceptance Testing in the next two weeks

I have to go to Winnipeg, MB to visit the in-laws next weekend

And my best friend's wedding is only two months away (and three states away) and we don't have the route for the road trip or the speech planned.

... I think I bit off more than I can chew.

*tummy rumbles*

Oh yeah, this post started because I'm hungry, but I've already gained weight.

[elsfaire]

Weight control during pregnancy can be challenging, but it is do-able. The first key is to start eating low-glycemic carbs (and avoiding high-glycemic ones) and more fiber and freggies. Add some exercise, and it helps a lit with weight management without needing to count calories or be hungry all the time.

As for heartburn, during pregnancy heartburn is most often caused by an insufficiency of digestive enzymes because the body is using those "supplies" to make pregnancy hormones instead of digestive enzymes. The body then tends to overproduce hydrochloric acid to try to compensate. (Relaxation of the sphincter at the top of the stomach can add to heartburn, too, but that only happens in late pregnancy). Using antacids to combat this is a temporary measure at best, and can make heartburn worse as the body tries to overcompensate more. A few solutions include separating large amounts of carbs and proteins at different meals, and supplementing with OTC digestive enzymes. Heartburn was one of the issues I had during pregnancy, and for me only enzymes really solved the problem. Of course, talk to your doctor or midwife first.

The good news- if you have not had nausea yet, you are unlikely to get much of it.

That is all I can type with one finger on my phone for now-see you later!

[Aminarra]

Well.. this battle is all but over

 

The ultrasound this morning did not go well.  There was no heartbeat, the embryo was measuring at 6 weeks, 5 days, there was no yolk sac, and the embryonic sac was showing signs of collapse. 

 

So now we're just waiting for the inevitable discharge of this miscarriage. 

 

The waiting is miserable, and the loss just feels... I dunno. Is it cliche to say heartbroken?

[elsfaire]

Oh, no, Aminarra. I am so sorry to hear that.

It is not at all cliché to say you are heartbroken. The emotions are real, though at least in the US it seems almost taboo to talk about miscarriage. Definitely find someone who is willing to listen if you feel the need to talk (or cry). Many women have gone through this, but even so it is hard to know what to say.

((((((((Aminarra))))))))))

[Eirlys]

Aminarra, I'm really really sorry to hear this.  I don't think there is anything as devastating as losing your baby (sadly I say this from experience).  Please take care of yourself and lean on your close friends and family for support if you possibly can. xx