nine month challenge?

[alr]

Anyone else planning to double their waistlines and gain about 25-30 pounds in the next nine months or so? Suddenly the old rules and goals seem to go right out the window. It's going to be a little hard to give up the big lifts, but coming up with safe and exciting ways to stay active and healthy is sort of a new and inspiring mission.

Any ideas?

[spezzy]

i believe we have one other.

also: congrats

[alr]

Thanks! My last two pregnancies were not shining examples of knocked up athleticism and I gained over 50 pounds each time, so I have a whole lot of motivation to do things differently this time, although I did learn one huge lesson from #2: walking as much as possible helps tons. I had my son in Germany, where I used my feet and public transportation to get everywhere, so even after months of bedrest and excessive gain, I lost ALL the weight in less than a year by doing three things: walking everywhere, wearing my baby strapped to my chest at almost all times, and breastfeeding on demand. The nice side effect was that the last two made for an incredibly healthy and happy baby. This time I want to start the healthy living BEFORE childbirth, and have started walking school runs already, although my children strenuously object to being carried papoose style anymore.

[LynnyLee]

*raises hand*

I'm in it with you. My first pregnancy here. So, to someone who's been through this before, when does the feeling of being scared sh*tless go away?

[alr]

I hate to say this, but. . .

It doesn't.

I'm less neurotic this time, but I think it's because I'm too old and have too many irons in the fire to obsess effectively this time. My first pregnancy ended in an emergency premature delivery and I was a nervous wreck the next time because of that, but the truth is that most women go all nine months without a hitch. Eating right prevents a ton of the major risks (pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, neural tube defects) and REALLY helps with everything else. Flaxseed oil helps with the mental fuzziness some. By the second trimester, you will already know about most potential stuff that could go wrong, so extra meditation and scheduling daydreaming time and nap time help a little until then, but once you get to the fourth month, you're most likely in the clear.

OH! And childbirth is not that bad. Mine were both c-sections but I was in labor with the first and did not realize that I was having full-blown contractions until my water broke after 48 hours because they are so much less horrible than they are made out to be. Your body knows what it's doing. Every mammal does this all the time and we are the only one that needs a hospital for it. You'll be great.

[afflictionreckoning]

Congrats to both of you! =D