Pregnancy Stories - Pregnancy and Weight Gain
by Tara from FuzzyNotions.wordpress.com
When I found out I was pregnant with River it was quite a surprise. It wasn't that I didn't want to be pregnant, I did! But more because I didn't expect to get pregnant within a month and half after stopping birth control pills.
I had expected it to take a while to regain my fertility after being on the
Pill
for almost 4 years. So when I decided to stop taking it mid-October I anticipated
getting pregnant in 6 months to a year. I thought I would have a little time
to adjust myself to the idea of being pregnant.
When the nausea
and fatigue started sneaking up on me in late December I just attributed
it stress from the holiday season and thought that I might have some sort
of virus. About mid-January when I was still feeling like dog shit everyday
I thought something must be wrong. I hadn't had a period (other than slight
spotting mid-November) so I planned on calling and making an appointment with
my OB/Gyn because I thought something was wrong with my cycle.
I thought I better just take a pregnancy test before I called because I figured
the first question they would ask was whether I was pregnant and I wanted
to be able to give them a firm no. So I bought a pregnancy test while I was
on my lunch at work. When I got back to the office I went into the bathroom
and peed on the stick. When I saw two lines I about fainted.
So after about 5 other pregnancy tests (just to make sure!) I called my OB/Gyn
for a whole different reason. I went in about a week later for my first appointment
where I was told I was about 8
weeks pregnant. My doctor was a little brusque and out of the blue informed
that if I were for some reason to start miscarrying there was nothing he could
and to just wait it out.
From that point on my life changed. I became a nervous wreck. I worried about
anything and everything involving that baby that was growing inside my belly.
I started off worrying because they didn't find a heartbeat with the doppler
which progressed to me worrying about miscarrying. Once they found River's
wondrous little heartbeat I felt better for awhile.
Then I started reading different articles on the internet (vicious internet).
The articles filled my head with worst case scenarios and dread. I chased
my tail in a circle of worry. I went from worrying about miscarriage, to premature
labor and then finally to still birth.
What all of this anxiety and worry added up to was a very crazy, very hormonal
pregnant woman. So I ate. And I ate. And I ate. Looking back on it now I realize
the eating was the only thing that took my mind off the (completely unwarranted)
worrying. I was pretty much medicating myself with food.
I ate cereal by the boxful, ice cream by the carton and chips by the bag.
Before I was pregnant I was good about eating my fruits and vegetables but
by my 20th week of pregnancy I was eschewing broccoli for a load baked potato
and fruit for bagels and donuts. When I was at a restaurant if there were
strawberries on top my pancakes, oh no that certainly wouldn't do; I needed
extra butter and maple syrup please and thank you. I loved food like well,
a fat kid loves cake.
I started out the pregnancy weighing in at 145 and ended up weighing 215 pounds
the week that I delivered River. So let's see here, that adds up to a 70 pound
weight gain. WOW, that is a lot of weight to gain, but I enjoyed every bite.
I delivered River (I was induced) at 39 weeks gestation. I had a very long
labor, 19 hours total with 3 hours of pushing, but was able to deliver vaginally
with the help of a vacuum. He was born August 16, 2006 weighing in at 7 lbs.
14 oz. and was 19.5" long. I was ecstatic. All that anxiety that I carried
around with me my entire pregnancy was gone the minute I pushed (or pulled)
River out. It vanished into thin air and was replaced with the deepest, most
instinctive primal love I have ever known.
After it was all said and done I was left with a precious baby boy and an
extra 35 pounds. Thankfully I didn't suffer from postpartum depression. I
was the complete opposite of depressed; I had never been happier in my life.
Breastfeeding was hard at first (but that is a whole different story) and
I felt fat. Both of those things worked out in the end though. I'm still breastfeeding
and I am back at my pre-pregnancy weight of 145 pounds. It has been a long
arduous journey to get where I am at now but I couldn't be happier! Life is
good.
Visit Tara's blog, FuzzyNotions.wordpress.com, to read more Musings on Life and Motherhood!
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