I was reading an article about healthy eating during pregnancy, and one of the main headlines was "You may not be hungry, but your baby is."
Um.
Ok - I understand that you can't just NOT eat. That people feel sick and don't feel like eating but that you HAVE to eat something in order to sustain your pregnancy. But this read like, "Even if you're not hungry, eat some food!" No wonder women are gaining 50 pounds during pregnancies! That is just poor, poor advice outside of the specific situation where it would be needed. I eat EVERY TIME I am hungry. Whether it's every four hours or every 45 minutes. I don't eat enough green vegetables, I know, but I try to eat a lot of fruit to make up for my veggie deficiency. But seriously - telling people to eat when they aren't hungry is asking for problems. Especially since as soon as they're finished breastfeeding you're going to tell them NOT to eat when they aren't hungry so they can lose the baby weight.
Anyway - I am not following a guideline for weight gain. I will gain as much weight as I gain. I understand that in the last trimester, the baby usually gains a pound a week. Well, that's about 13 pounds. So the fact that I've gotten half way through the pregnancy and only gained about 7 pounds so far (and seriously - the baby only weighs like, 7 oz., so it's ok!) is a pretty good indication that I'll fall exactly where I am supposed to in the weight guidelines (about 25 pounds). So why should I worry?
I have to make sure I don't OVEREAT. It makes me sick. The two times I've just had a moment and binged during this pregnancy, I suffered from ridiculous heartburn all night long. Anyway - My midwife isn't concerned with my weight, and the doctor wasn't concerned with my weight, and I'm not concerned with my weight. But I did want to put all this down, just in case people think I'm starving myself or otherwise doing things to keep from gaining weight while I'm pregnant.
4 comments:
I don't understnad why everyone gets so nosy when another person is pregnant. I mean, would you ask some stranger on the street about their eating habits or give them "advice" if they weren't pregnant? No, they'd either ignore you or cuss you. So why does everyone feel the need to relate their personal, ie horrific, stories or dole out unsolicited advice to pregnant women? And don't get me started on the unwanted belly touching! Then, when the baby comes there's more advice. All I have to say is if I am EVER pregnant again, watch out because somebody's going to get their feelings hurt when I tell them to shut their cakehole about how much weight I've gained (or not). Whoa, I'm feeling feisty today. Sorry if this comment is overly snarky (the subject is obviously a touchy one for me:)
I don't know. I don't get it. I mean, I think some people WANT to be helpful and just want to tell you something helpful. But what they don't think about WHAT might be helpful. "Oh, you need to gain some weight" = not helpful.
So rage on, sister girl! I've got your back. In fact, I may be out front :-)
i think it's funny how you say you're not worried about weight gain. rachael, ALL pregnant women are worried about weight gain. it comes with the territory, and it's okay. :)
Jeni:
HA - NOOOO I mean, I am not worried about not gaining ENOUGH weight.
I AM worried that I'll go too far.
You are funny.
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