I’m currently in the 26th week of my pregnancy and I already feel really huge! My belly is now all-day hard unlike before when it was only after I have my meals and during night time that it becomes hard. Now, even when I’m on my bed, either lying on one side or on my back, my belly is already bulging out. Bibibam must really be a big boy!
First Trimester: Strict but Deprived
During my first trimester up until the early parts of my second trimester I have not really took notice of my weight. It is because of the fact that I do not care if I gain much weight as long as I eat healthy. I was very strict with my diet then, I only ate real foods, I increased my daily intake of fruits and vegetables and if I were to eat meat, I only did so sparingly. I only increased my rice intake and I rarely had sweets and junk foods but even though I was eating healthy I felt really deprived.
Since I had been reading a lot of do’s and dont’s in the earlier part of my pregnancy, there came a point that I got really scared of eating and exploring other food options. I just stuck with ingredients that I know and whenever I do try to experiment (because that’s just who I am, I can’t not explore), I always become wary that it might hurt my baby.
When I read that raw and even undercooked eggs might be bad for my baby, I freaked out that starting from that moment, I had always overcooked my eggs. Since some cakes also have raw eggs in them, I steered away from them too. And when the temptation to eat a slice came as the cake was just there staring back at me and it was hard to block it since it looked really yummy and delicious, I would just go near it, sniff it and then turn my back, fill my drink bottle with lots of water and drink it up so that I would become really full, hoping the craving would creep out of my system. Usually I was successful but sometimes, I would just go ahead and pinch myself a slice and put it in my mouth right then and there. It was horrifying then, I felt like I am a mad woman or something.
It was crazy.
I also did not have any cravings of any kind. I only stock 1 bag of chips to satisfy my tongue when it felt like eating salty food and a tub of coconut-based ice cream (the healthier alternative!) when it felt like eating anything sweet, which would already last me for 2 weeks.
I only gained about 1.5 kilos until the 16th week but when I hit the 17th week, even though I was still strict then with my diet, my weight gain went crazy fast. I were then gaining about 500 to 600 grams a week, not to mention I really ate a lot when my husband went home again here in Melbourne for 5 weeks.
Second Trimester: Over-indulgent
He cooks amazingly and he did cook us lovely foods that I really missed back home. When he was here, all my inhibitions about food flew right out the window. I just felt that since he was here and he approved, I had the license to eat anything I wanted. I just went crazy with food but amazingly I felt like I had more energy and I felt really satisfied so I continued on. I still ate a lot of real foods and I threw in a serving of junk foods in the mix too. I had my birthday and he had his too during his stay here which actually gave me more license to indulge. Every day that he was here felt like a feast for me. He was here until the 23rd week of my pregnancy.
During the last 2 weeks that he was here, I started to become guilty of my eating choices, primarily because my weight gain, week after week, had become steeper. I started to recent the way I had pigged out. Even though I was contented, I started attributing my consistent weight gain to my bad choices and over-indulgence.
After he left for the Philippines, I reverted to my old ways. I again became strict with my diet but without inhibitions anymore. I went back to exploring and eating foods that I think were good for us, I threw out paranoia in the bin and I toned down my junk food intake. I only eat sweets now during the weekend and I had recently found a better alternative to my chips intake. I just buy a pack of Lebanese bread fresh from the bakery, cut it in triangles and pop them in the microwave for about a minute to mimic the crispiness of chips. I also buy a small tub of dip from the grocery store (Guacamole every single time for me!) to dip the crispy triangles in. Technically it is still carbs but I’d go for carbs anytime than those yummy but very salty chips in the grocery shelves. I think this is what healthy-eating encourages everyone to do: to not deprive yourself, to be creative and wiser with your food choices and to always choose the lesser evil.
Although my mom also came to visit me for a few days and she had also cooked some amazing food, I did not over-indulge anymore and I only just consume what my body needed. Surprisingly, even though with the adjustments that I made, my weight gain is still steady at 500 to 600 grams each week. Even so, I am happier and more at peace now.
Now: Strict but Healthier
I think I’ve already accepted the fact that may be it is not my fault after all. Maybe the weight gain is not directly due to my diet but it is just how this pregnancy works. Sooner or later, I will really have to gain these pounds. The weight gain is not just from my baby or my increased body fats but it is more than that. There’s still the increased weight of the placenta, uterus, breast tissues and other protein and nutrient stores that I have forgotten to account for. There’s also the increase fluid and blood volume. To ease my mind some more, I am now referring to Baby Center’s weight gain tracker. Accounting my BMI before I became pregnant, my weigh then, my weight now and how long I already am in this pregnancy, Baby Center assured me that I am still in the healthy range. And with that, it looks like we are doing just fine.