A new door opened for me this week; I’m finally starting to feel better. I still get a little green at night but it’s been nothing compared to what I experienced last month, which was brutal to say the least. I’m happy to report that aside from the daily bouts with heartburn I’m feeling pretty OK. My appetite has dropped quite a bit as well and I’m not sure why that is as I was told that the second trimester brings with it the most cravings. I still have them but they pale in comparison to the first three months when I was baking cinnamon sticky buns at 9 PM at night, eating popcorn for breakfast, pancakes for dinner, an pierogies every minute of the day. Seriously, it’s laughable the number of things I have sought out after having seen a commercial.
Even the headaches have subsided but I am told that since I’m prone to them they’ll be back. I’ve been pretty strict with my pregnancy so far. I haven’t touched a drop of caffeine since I found out. I’ve avoided all sugar substitutes, no more diet drinks, Splenda, or the like. I no longer eat fish (although, I have had some shrimp, lobster, and clams). I have avoided alcohol (of course), unsafe cheeses, and most medications. (Advil was a difficult crutch to saw in half.) I have taken half a Tylenol three times (when headaches became unbearable) and I do shots of Mylanta for when the heartburn eats my face or I feel like partying. Other than that, I think I’ve been pretty good.
The headaches have been hard to deal with, however. The first month of my pregnancy brought with it two migraines, which I haven’t had since I was a menstruating teenager. Both times Tobyjoe covered my head with bags of frozen fruit and vegetables and I sat there in the dark, sobbing. I now realize why some folks contemplate suicide while suffering from a migraine. (Worst days of my pregnancy so far.) Since then, I have only had moderate to severe headaches, nothing compared to a migraine, but still a big pain as they last for what seems like eternity. Last week I had a headache for almost 48 hours. I took half a Tylenol and it didn’t help so I simply gave up. I spoke to my doctor about the headaches on Monday who suggested, that the next time I feel one coming on, I take more than just half a Tylenol and I wash it down with a caffeinated latte. Up until now, I have been trying to keep my baby caffeine free. But if baby wants to keep mama from jumping in front of the subway, baby will have to deal with the possible run-in with a jolt of caffeine.
The first 3 months didn’t bring me much in the way of weight gain, but I made up for lost time during the fourth month when I added 5 pounds to my measly 3. It is suggested that a pregnant woman try and keep her total weight gain between 25 to 30 pounds. And it’s best to aim for no more then 25. That means I should put on no more than 7 to 10 pounds by week 20. I am 16 weeks and 4 days today. Based on those numbers, I’m not doing so well. How is it I’m eating less and gaining more? I now weigh more than I have ever weighed in my entire life, which is a painful reality to accept when you were at least 10 pounds overweight to begin with. (And now for something I said I’d never do… here’s some unsolicited advice! To all those ladies who are thinking about getting pregnant: get into shape before doing so. Lose whatever weight you want to lose, gain whatever weight you want to gain, but do it before getting pregnant. I wish I had. I wish I had worked more on my core, that’s for sure.)
I do hit the gym nearly every day and on the days where I do not, I practice 50 minutes of prenatal yoga in my living room using a DVD a friend of mine lent me. Exercise has helped me out immensely. My hips are really sore at the end of the day and yoga helps alleviate that. And I think concentrating on my breath helps with all the headaches. I use the elliptical machine at the gym while I watch shows like Regis and Kelly, Rachel Ray, and The View. Daytime television leaves a lot to be desired, although I have grown quite fond of Regis over the last couple of months. I think I might even be developing a crush on the guy. Daytime TV? Regis and Kelly? The View? I’m well on my way to Exit Stereotypical Motherhood.
Mihow 
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