Gaining weight during pregnancy...

On the baby board at babycenter.com as well as some people I've observed there's something brewing that makes me very concerned... The odd celebration of not weight during their pregnancy for fear of either loosing their body or not wanting to have a bigger baby. Now. You are naturally cautioned to not gain too much weight for obvious reasons. Yours and the baby's health.

"I'm still in my pre pregnancy jeans and haven't needed to change much by way of clothing!! How amazing, hardly any weight gain!!" 

You can see when a woman's physical shape is built to naturally have that thin structure vs somebody who's got some curves. And there are health conditions that make it difficult for some to gain weight but this isn't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the mom who has it fixed in her head NOT to gain much weight in the unhealthy sense.

There are many reasons as to why this happens and many of them spiritual based.

No, I'm not going nutty on you I'm stating it in terms of deep wounds that sometimes we don't even know we have... Thus I believe eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder and other conditions along those lines are all due in part to a lie bought into long ago. It's such a sad and scary thing because in the end it's meant to destroy us. I wrote one of my very first blogs on a girl who's funeral I was at that she died due to an eating disorder...
She was only 20.
It shook me and broke me as I too suffered from one years ago...

My point is that the fear of not gaining weight in pregnancy is more of a fear from something deeper within... Heck it could be due to the fact you grew up with a weight leery mother who harped on you to watch yours and would always have a critical comment if it looked like you gained even an ounce (Not my case by any means, my mom was telling me I need more weight on me). This is damaging to a young girl! I've seen what it does to a woman and it breaks my heart. What a young pregnant mother doesn't see right away are the ramifications this could have on her unborn baby...

Common issues:

Low birth weight on the infant

Premature birth

Malnutrition
Poor heart, lung and brain development

Other issues later down the road can consist of:

Potentially stunted body growth
Poor Bone development

Low immune systems and more...

We don't even know everything that really can happen when it comes down to it.

Thus a health care provider cautions you on your workouts and daily diet.

For 9 mos there's a bigger picture than just yourself and it's your developing baby. 

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/eatingfortwo.html

I was worried I wouldn't gain weight at first due to my morning sickness but soon learned I was. Peanut butter saved my butt, literally ;) In fact so far I've gained 41lbs! My goal was 35lbs like my mom but I've had to take it easier so there's been less physical work and more time with my feet up to rest my back etc... I'm okay with that, esp when my best friend who's small like me stated she gained 50lbs for hers and she looked amazing!

They give you various indexes online and they're a basic guild line to get an idea of what you may or may not need to gain to have a healthy pregnancy. If you're a few lbs over it's usually okay, usually. It's the few under that should concern, esp since every lb helps baby. Esp during the 3rd trimester!

Here's a breakdown for what the weight you're gaining is...
 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=435977409771046&set=a.363376287031159.75375.135714456464011&type=3&theater

"I've been in maternity clothes for awhile now and have hit my 3rd trimester and am growing out of stuff! This can't be good!"

What I would tell our mommies who came into Motherhood when shopping, "You can buy a steady set of clothes to help you along for now but there's a chance you'll have to change a size up once you hit your 3rd trimester. It's normal! Here let me help you..."

I myself have officially hit that...
I needed new sleeping bras, underwear, some shirts haha
All of a sudden the belly pops even more and the boobs take a flying leap to "Holy Moses!" and you're left with small clothing that fit you not 1 week back... My goodness :)

"But I don't want stretch marks!"

50% Of pregnant ladies get these during their pregnancy and most if it is due to genetics or poor skin care. Yes, a super amount of weight gain might do this, but a skinny chick can get them too! Doesn't mean you're fat. Just remember to hydrate, stay nutritious and take supplements to aid in skin health, lotion and oils etc... Also, yes, it can be genetics! 
http://pregnantaesty.blogspot.com/2012/09/stretch-marks-in-odd-places.html

"What about my pre baby body?!"

That takes time and for some longer than others.
Basically it's about diet and physical activity and NOT skipping meals!
You can't starve yourself and try to breast feed at the same time, you'll be feeding your baby an empty diet if you skimp on meals. You still need extra calories afterwards, just make sure you have a workout plan in place. Talk to friends who have had kids and maybe gain a workout buddy or trainer? Not everybody likes to workout alone.
 Also, investigate placenta encapsulation if you want a faster recovery, I am!

** A side note: For some there may be a confusion of doing everything right and the baby might have a health concern, that's a very different story all together.

I just wanted to touch on the delicate topic of weight gain during pregnancy. There's so much more to say but I only wanted to touch on the topic for fear of writing a book of a blog! (Already guilty of that haha)

What are your thoughts on pregnancy weight gain?

Leave me a comment!
I love hearing from readers :)

You can also check out my professional page on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannon-P-Aesthetician-Professional-Makeup-Artist/135714456464011?ref=hl
Don't forget to click the "Like" button!

Have a wonderful day,
Shannon <3

The "Don't touch me!" mood during pregnancy...

I'm sure you've heard pregnant ladies talk about how they feel the need for more personal space during the time they carried a child? If not, you will.
Just keep your ears open to their conversations...

 Some are worse than others and some never feel that way.

There is a very definite mood change during certain times during pregnancy that are so odd even you yourself don't know what to do with how you're feeling! Mine is enhanced due to the TBI and that's a whole different ball game some days/nights. But, when you feel out of it and you want your space it's such an intense sensation at times you feel like curling up into a ball and just allowing the blankets enfold your changing body and let a nap or sleep for the night just take you away for a bit. 

My husband is very affectionate and caring so he's usually one to pass by me and brush my cheek, grab me for an embrace or kiss etc. After I became pregnant and the hormones REALLY started to kick in, which for me was in a matter of days after conception haha Yeah, I was one that felt different a few days after. I suddenly wanted more space some days and even didn't feel like cuddling at night while we read, talked or watched a movie on his laptop. 

This was weird.

Cause I do enjoy being close!

However, now I felt like personal space was my best option and there was nothing he could do about it. I hated that upset look on his face when I'd tell him "Not too close" or "I just don't want a kiss right now" and so on... I learned to word things differently pretty quickly but I do forget now an then if I'm overly tired or my back is killing me.
The man is a trooper, I am so proud of him!

This has been and off an on thing my entire pregnancy, a bonus is you can read about it in many pregnancy references both in books and online. They even give a rough timeline of when you'll most likely feel this way too which is helpful if you're feeling lost and confused.

**The best, best thing to do is to make sure you're resting and drinking enough water, keeping those lines of communication open between you and your Hubs even midwife or medical professional. The only thing I'd be wary of is if your doctor would try to put you on meds for this... Run, don't walk!

Here's why I say this:
Ladies who have taken stuff such as Zoloft are now filing law suits due to their babies having heart problems etc... We truly don't know the extent of what drugs do to a growing baby while they're inside. None are officially safe, only considered safe.
Considered isn't good enough for me.

As.
Always.
There are true medical issues for some but do your research and learn, learn, learn!

It's nice to pin point when you're feeling yuck, heck it hits out of the blue too!

Just remember, there's a bundle cooking who can't wait to meet you :) Not to mention your husband may just be trying to show you how much he loves you and how your changing body is such a joy for him as he waits along side for baby to come.

Have a glorious evening,
Shannon <3

The "Wait till you're a mom..." blog

I was reading on the babycenter.com boards that there are people who are sick of being asked stupid things or told things that may be true for some but it's not necessarily going to be true for you. 

Or isn't if you're a parent already and expecting another...

I started thinking back on the few things I've heard or been told since I got pregnant and I've looked at each statement and said, "This doesn't have to be me, or anybody for that matter."

What I've heard most:

(I think I've touched on this in a much earlier blog.)

"Welcome to never sleeping again!"

"I hope you and your husband enjoyed the time you had alone, you'll never see those times again."

"You say now you won't let electronics and TV be a constant babysitter...
That's because you don't have kids yet."

I understand there are times when a baby doesn't sleep well for various reasons.
And I understand mine and my husband's life will look different once the baby is born.

BUT.

My parents got sleep when raising us.

They found time to be alone.

Our electronics and TV were held to a minimum and that suited everybody just fine.

I seriously don't get why people have allowed so many distractions into their lives?
Why always on the go?
Why never alone time for you and your husband?
Why have you stopped caring about yourself personally?
And why on earth do your kids have to be in EVERY activity known to mankind?!

I see how my parents raised us and I am blessed to have been raised in an environment where my parents made sure when knew when it was "Mommy & Daddy time" or it was time to turn off the TV or hey tough, it was nap time and yes we did have to eat that and try at least one "thank you" bite. Bedtime was bedtime no wiggle room around it, unless it was a holiday or special occasion. And no we NEVER slept in our parents bed with them. We were allowed in for a nightmare or sick but always showed back to our bed for the night. 

Where have family values gone?

Is spending time with your family at the dinner table and on Sunday not cool anymore?

Why have we suddenly allowed fancy games, TV shows and electronics numb out the amazing imaginations our children were naturally born with??
(I believe technology only holds a small part of growing a child's mind. There are so many other ways to enhance what's up in their little brains vs electronically stimulating them all the time.) 

Not to say I'll be a perfect parent.

haha That's so funny... I'm human.

Kinda lacking the whole perfect thing...

That's why it's a God sized issue!

We need to seek Him on raising our little ones and yes, sometimes we honestly forget.

We forget Him in general sometimes and that's when we need to be brought back to center page and wakeup to see we REALLY need His touch in our daily lives. It's because we're not perfect and we make mistakes. But in all of that, we do have choices.

Having a little one to raise sometimes scares me to death sometimes as I know I'll make my own mistakes and nobody wants to consider themselves anything but a great parent. My husband and I pray over our little bundle and give him to God in doing so. We can't wait to have our baby dedicated once he's born!! Something we just asked my dad to do once the time comes :)

Call me old fashion in some aspects.
 But I just don't understand today's world when raising a family.

Shannon <3

Protein during pregnancy

I have come to realize how much of a meat eater I am not....

They impress upon you (as I do for myself and others) how much you need protein in your diet, esp when pregnant. I will eat meat, I will eat eggs (But those push it sometimes too), I will eat peanut butter etc. But I have taken notice I will eat the meat the day it's prepped and after that if we have leftovers it's not exactly what make my tummy say, "Yaaaaay! Just what I wanted!" Esp when it comes to chicken.

I will look at it in the fridge and inwardly groan...

My brain responds with, "You know that doesn't look so great right?"

Tummy says, "Ugh yes. Peanut butter anyone?" 

I've had SO MUCH peanut butter this pregnancy.... You have no idea!!

Entering the 8th month I can feel I need more protein in my diet and my husband suggested a protein isolate based drink. You can be sure I'm talking to my midwife about this next week.

Anything to help give my system a boost!

I always do awesome in the fruit and veggie department, same with grains and dairy.

(However, I have become addicted to fruit this pregnancy!) 

Protein is where I lack it seems and thus my being tired some days.

You can study and learn incredible stuff, then it hits home for you on a different level. 

A more personal one. Or a deeper level of personal.

Here's how I know I need more:

A. I will eat grains and fruit in the morning and I'm still tired.

B. If I eat something with protein it's a swing in the opposite direction.

(Not always, but it does help)  

I would say this is my biggest struggle diet wise.

**The Mayo Clinic states a woman in her 3rd tri needs 71 grams of protein each day.

That's eating something protein based with each meal!

Here's a confession.

I have never disliked food so much in my entire life as I have since I got pregnant!

Don't get me wrong,

I love to eat and always have! Just right now it's more when it's something I've been looking forward to or have really wanted. But in general, the constant hunger and needing to snack? I was ready to break up with that food relationship almost as soon as it started. I missed eating like a "normal" person right away and it's only become more of an annoyance as the months go on. Also my appetite has been rather up an down lately so that's and odd roller coaster in an of itself. My plan of action to help aid my body is by getting a shake that's safely designed for a pregnant woman's body. 

Thus my gratefulness for having a midwife apt next Thursday!

There is also light at the end of the tunnel and a blessing for this pregnancy and me being in the 3rd tri this time of year... All of the wonderful holiday food!!! A pregnant woman's dream and one I'm happy to see fulfilled. haha It'll be truly glorious!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Shannon <3 

Didn't I just go pee??

A question our mother's would ask us before we left the house was...

Did we use the bathroom before?

Or did we have to?

As a small child it's the last thing on your mind and sometimes the most annoying thing to hear!

Cause you know if you say you don't have to you'll be told to go try anyway.

Of course we all shlumped off to the bathroom, listening to avoid any conflict.

Aaaand we usually shocked ourselves by actually having to go.

Oh childhood.

But now a different phase of life has kicked in....

You're in your 7th month of pregnancy and suddenly you're asking yourself,

"Did I use the bathroom yet??"

Cause you know, if you don't, as soon as the blasted car pulls out the the drive you'll have to go!

And we're not talking about,

"Oh, I think I have to pee...?"

No, we're talking,

"OMG! If I don't pee right now I'll wet myself!!"

Add a bladder kicking child into the mix and you barely make it walking to the bathroom some days...

My husband's nick name for me currently is "Princess Potty"

He's lucky I find him so cute. Cause normally this would annoy me.

But I can see how is must be funny to him as I will say several times while we're out,

"We need to find a bathroom!"

Or at night when I get up and go 5 times and he's a super light sleeper.

"You're seriously going pee AGAIN?!"

He would ask. Now he just chuckles if he's awake.

I must say, it's even more odd when you have the kiddo kicking your bladder as you pee. 

Made me jump the first couple times haha he's a strong kicker!

But what's really funny is when I'm sitting down doing work and he starts kicking away and I didn't know I had to pee until then... I'll fuss my body up and out of the chair and waddle to the bathroom. Sometimes very quickly.

All i have to say is, this is a very interesting part of pregnancy and it's kind of nice that people don't look at you funny when you ask for the bathroom. Cause we've all been there for asking the question and we're not pregnant and we don't have a child with us. Nope we're just standing there vulnerable and waiting for an answer. Now, people smile and point you in the right direction. It's nice and even nicer when you actually get to the bathroom and go.

And in all this talking about peeing I need to go myself!

Have a wonderful day!!

Shannon <3 

Update time: About my 2nd Trimester!

(Sorry, this is over 3 mos late!! Ugh. Computer and lack of energy issues are to blame.)

Such a wonderful thing to say,"I'm in my 2nd trimester!"

A new hair cut to bring it in! It was SO hot this summer... Ugh.

 I can feel things changing and my goodness some of it feels out of this world!! It's cool because some days I don't feel anything and I wonder what's up. Not as in worry, just as in, "Hmmm the body is feeling still today... What is next??" It's more excitement than anything!!
Esp since I'm officially not fitting in any pre pregnancy clothing.
(Minus a thing or two that I'll probably be able to wear all pregnancy long...)

I've become so sick of wearing soft yoga or sweat pants I'm glad to have maternity jeans to wear!

Makes me feel more human seeing as the entire time I was down with morning sickness I was loathing the idea of actual clothes. I would dress nicely when needed but never really looked forward to it. Now with having a small maternity wardrobe I feel like I can now continue in this adventure on a more steady note. (Or shall I say more put together.) And hello fall, here comes some cute clothing options!! 

My morning sickness has all but vanished, weeeeeeeee!!!!!

I have "ick" moments/days and still know when something food wise sounds gross but I can now focus on eating a more balanced diet. This is a true blessing! I disliked hearing how people were sick their entire pregnancies... Nobody likes to hear that. Esp since nausea is probably some of the worst crud to experience. However, Coke was a great way to ease my stomach in the long run. That and not going too long without eating. Did you know Coke was first designed as a treatment for upset tummy's?

I would make sure to have small amounts and not over do it. I'm just relieved how much it helped!

My skin, well, I'm come to realize the pregnancy hormones are going to do their own thing.

This is a huge struggle when you're an Aesthetician! 

I have learned that by enhancing my nightly cleansing routine and doing a clay mask twice weekly that my skin seems to respond on a more friendly note. Pregnancy hormones create more gunk for you to clean off at the end of the day, and if you're taking extra care to make sure you're getting it all, there are  results to be seen! I'm feeling more at ease knowing there are things you can do to help prevent stuff from getting out of control. I've never been one with skin issues...Stress made me breakout and the birth control crap did. But I had that all but cleared up. Then the pregnancy hormones kicked in full swing...

It's fairly common and many ladies talk about it online. As well as some friends I know who have had kids already. It's just part of being pregnant for some of us ladies. Just make sure to drink water, eat fresh fruits and veggies and use clean, safe skin care products!

i.e. From a fellow poster on Babycenter.com

Foods like salmon, dark green veggies, olives, berries, strawberries, cantaloupe, and xtra virgin olive oil all contain powerful antioxidants.

I'm still pretty tired but am sleeping better (For the most part).
The congestion that comes with 30% of pregnancies has really been an issue for me.
It started out as allergies and converted into this wonderful mess of not breathing well and drainage.
Gross, I know! But oh so real and it can be awful for sleeping.
I've refused to use drugs to help me because I don't want that in my body.
I have found that by using those Breath Right strips at night I can actually sleep!
They have been a lifesaver next to my humidifier. 

I've felt growing pains in my lower abdomen for the past several weeks and sometimes it's enough to make me stop and take some time to breathe. It's nothing I can't handle, just feels really weird!

(I'd take this over throwing up any day.)

I talked to my midwife about this and did my own research, come to find it's very normal and could be felt throughout the entire pregnancy for some. I just need to not sit too long or adjust how I'm sleeping if I feel it begin to bug me. My husband also showed me a couple stretches that really help.
He's so amazing. :)

My breasts are not nearly as tender as they were before, this is wonderful!

I have learned that nursing bras are not nearly as comfortable as my Victoria Secret bras...
This is even wearing the correct size.
I can see why ladies would complain about them now.
I miss my old bras but won't bee seeing them for quite a while yet.

I'm more emotional now vs my first trimester...

I smacked my head on the freezer door and burst into tears while laughing.

Then when my husband brought me a napkin for my nose vs a kleenex I started to cry again.

It's crazy and you tend to feel really stupid. 

All part of the fun right?

I'm seeing my chiropractor weekly to help keep my body in line and ready for labor. His wife swears by it and my midwife says regular adjustments usually cut down labor time.

I'm down for that!

My cravings come and go but there's nothing really there most of the time.
I might think of something and HAVE to have it but it's nothing on a daily basis really.

My goal is to gain 10 lbs per trimester and so far I seem to be doing really good.

The blessings of being 25 is it will come off pretty quickly after baby so I'm not worried. :)

The belly did it's fair share of popping so I've included some photos for ya!

15 weeks!

18 weeks!

22 weeks!

23.5 weeks!

26 weeks!

Until the next trimester update,

Shannon <3 

Feeling the baby move!!

The much anticipated thing each pregnant mommy waits for....

Feeling her baby move inside of her!!!

I started feeling little "popping" like popcorn back in early Sept but on the 17th I was wowed by the sudden strong movements of my baby wiggling about one evening. I asked my husband if he wanted to try and feel the baby move and he jumped at that chance. Low and behold the baby had both grown big enough for him to feel something!! His face brought joy to my heart as I watched him have a very special bonding moment with both myself and the baby.

The movement can be felt as:

Popcorn (Kicks)
A ball rolling around
Pressure changes and weight unevenly distributed in stomach
Swishing or swimming about
Or slight "shivers"
(I'm wondering if those are hiccups??)

What stuns me is feeling the baby grow in a different way now, this little one is healthy as ever and loves to show me what foods are the favorite. It kinda cracks me up seeing as most of the baby's favorites are my husband's favorites. I told my husband this baby is so much like him already when it comes to food. So far this baby LOVES, loves, loves BBQ, fruit (esp pears), pizza, meats, ice cream and as well as other various healthy foods i.e. carrots and salad... This little bug is an eater so I have moments of zero peace when it comes to hunger. This is fairly difficult at times considering I don't want to eat everything in the cotton-pickn' house! I know the grocery budget has grown and not by choice. haha Within a week I had polished off a bag of triscuts, 2 blocks of cheddar cheese, half a bag (big bag) of baby carrots, a block of fresh fudge, couple candy apples (home made), countless boxes of Cheerios (Over a period of time not just this week haha! Same with the box of Raisin Bran.) etc... I feel like a piggy. However, you would never know I eat like this... I seriously don't know where all of the 29 some lbs have gone to minus the front portion of my body and a little bit to my butt and legs. I still fit into my small maternity jeans, it's the tops and a few sports bras I'm having issues with.

Anyway.

Each week is a new remarkable feeling as I can tell the baby is getting stronger.
This past week I have started noticing my tummy move when the baby kicks and it is amazing, simply amazing!! I was enjoying a bubble bath the other evening when I noticed this and saw the bubbles bounce and I was hooked from there on out. Can't wait for the next 3 months of watching as this little one grows! After all, baby comes in 3 months. Time has flown!

He is a bit of a stinker for somebody still so small...

My best friend was out here for the "Baby Bath" aka Shower and he was wiggling then stopped when she tried saying hi. He has this habit I'm noticing... Moves the most for his Daddy. :)
He's also a bladder kicker and likes to sit low so it's a really interesting feeling wether sitting someplace awake or being woken up by hard kicks to the bladder and having a sudden need to use the bathroom because of it. Very odd sensation indeed. He also doesn't like it when I'm bending over or sitting in a position that might be giving him less room, he lets me know by kicking and squirming once I either sit back up or if he;s really annoyed he'll fuss while I'm still bent or leaning. Cracks me up!
He also has discovered the difference between kicking on the side that's close to the mattress vs the one that's not. He will kick harder sometimes when he feels something more than my tummy and that too makes me sit back and just enjoy these precious moments before he's born!

I'm beyond tired from my busy weekend so I'll end things here and try to catch up on other things that
are LONG over due.

Blessings,
Shannon <3