Monday, June 11, 2012

A Weighty Issue

I've been waddling around the house, eating huge amounts and refusing to look at a scale because I knew... just knew... that I've gained like 20 lbs in the last two weeks since I've been home and not responsible for cooking.  There are desserts here.  A whole tray of brownies appeared yesterday after Nani got home from church.  And there are fruit and veggies and meat that I haven't had to touch when it's raw, which makes it about one hundred times more appealing.

And I find myself thinking of those moments when I've come across an article or a tv show where some doctor is telling women every where that an additional apple a day, in addition to their regular diet, is all they need when they're pregnant to get through the second and third trimesters and that anything more than that is excessive unless their underweight.

I've always scoffed at that, but also wondered.  I gained 40-50 lbs with my last two pregnancies.  So maybe an apple would do it.

This morning, after eating, I stepped onto the scale and found I'd gained a whopping four lbs.  Now, that's not four lbs since we got here two weeks ago.  That's four lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.  That would be minus two pounds since last week.  An apple my foot.

I've been eating when I'm hungry which is pretty much all the time, and stopping when I'm full.  If I weren't pregnant I would easily have gained... a lot... right now.  Apparently at the moment my metabolism is insane (I wish I could keep it after I had the baby!).

It also makes me wonder how much pressure those well meaning suggestions about an additional apple a day, put on women who are hungry, who are pouring over pregnancy books and magazines trying to do the exactly correct thing for their baby.  It just seems like it's really difficult to make such huge generalizations accurately when it comes to pregnancy diet.

I don't know.  I see pregnant as a time to eat good healthy foods and a time to eat when you're hungry.  I tend to go by, "hey, I'm hungry, that must mean my body (and baby) needs food" rather than by, "hey I already had 1500 calories today (or however many one is supposed to have at my height and build), I guess I better finish off that apple and hope it tides me over until morning."

That's why I stopped reading those pregnancy magazines after my first pregnancy.  The advice seemed like such a mix of silly and ridiculous after having been pregnant once, that I just couldn't take it anymore.

I guess Paul won't be done asking questions like:  "Why is there a giant bag full of kettle corn next to the bath tub?' (because I was hungry!) anytime soon!  I do have a feeling the time of steady gains in upon us.  And I'm glad it wasn't all in 20 lbs last week.

3 comments:

  1. Oh agreed...

    My midwives put a huge emphasis on nutrition, but there has been no "one apple more a day" comments or huge concern over amount gained. Instead its usually pushing more protein lol... which I'll give them the fact that yes I do need more of it.

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  2. lol, I can't even eat apples when pregnant (heartburn city). I gained like you in my first 2 pregnancies and the weight was really hard to get off (in fact I didn't lose all of weight after either). This time I have only gained about 20lbs, and it took me a long time to gain that weight. I was almost in the 3rd trimester when I finally gained weight. It made me worry a lot, of course I had no appetite and major food aversions. So that didn't help. . So glad you can eat (and it is nice that you don't have to fix it).

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  3. I'm at 23.5 weeks with my first, and it is amazing how many contradicting articles and opinions are out there! My midwife said that I should expect to gain at least 20 lbs, and that most of it will be the baby. It seems to me that the body/baby combo kinda know when some more food is necessary, and if it's healthy stuff there should be no problem. Being pregnant has actually helped me to eat more balanced meals, though the protein count was intimidating at first. :)

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