Well.... the time has come. I am happily 13 weeks pregnant. I say happily for many reasons. The obvious one, is that we're expecting an addition to our family- we couldn't be more excited. BUT, in addition to that, my early pregnancy symptoms are easing up now that I'm nearing the end of my first trimester. Thank goodness! I thought I'd never be able to get out of bed feeling half-way normal again!!
Now, I know everyone has a very different pregnancy experience. Some of you, unfortunately, will feel sick and tired throughout your whole pregnancy, while others will skate through as if they are carrying an internal espresso dispenser as opposed to a fetus. I'm acknowledging this fact so that you know that I understand that even though I'm a dietitian, and even though I'm pregnant, I can't possibly understand exactly how you're feeling or the exact right solution to your problems. But, I'm hoping now that I have a little bit more personal experience, I can help at least a few of you more than I would have been able to before.
So, here we go with my confessions of the first trimester...
Confession #1: I couldn't take my prenatal vitamin every day. Just the thought of it made me sick. If you find one that you're tolerating, stick with it! I always hated when my patients switched to the gummies because I knew they lacked some nutrients that are majorly important during pregnancy. I'd tell them, try to take your prenatal with a meal or right before bed. Well, I took mine with dinner, only a a couple hours before bed (you know I'm falling asleep at about 8pm these days!). On the nights I would take it, I would wake up in the middle of the night, hanging my head over the toilet, just praying to throw up for some relief. Then I'd lay in bed, totally miserable, cursing the little pill that I was successfully taking for months before pregnancy. So here I am... taking the gummies. BUT, I found one with DHA and plenty of folate. I take one with breakfast and one with dinner. Since there's no calcium in the gummy, I also take a Viactiv calcium chew twice a day. If this a route you plan to take, please make sure you also ask your doctor about your iron status. The gummies do NOT contain any iron (at least all the ones that I've seen). My hemoglobin level was fine at my 12 week visit, but if it starts to drop, I'm going to have to suck it up and find an iron supplement...or switch back to the horse pill. I'll let you know how that goes.
Confession #2: My diet consisted of mostly carbs ... and very little vegetables. I was finally able to find my love for vegetables again at about 9 weeks- but prior to that, all veggies, and most fruits for that matter, made me sick to my stomach. Also, I am by no means a vegetarian, but meat sounded terrible to me most of the time, leaving me with very limited food groups. Being the good little dietitian that I am, I strolled the grocery store aisles looking for the best options. Admittedly, existing on these things alone is not the most balanced diet, but starch was pretty much the only thing I could tolerate for a good amount of time. So, here's how I made the best of it (Important note!! If you're not used to consuming a decent amount of fiber, add these foods in gradually and make sure you increase your water intake --- I know you're already bloated and gassy enough!):
Sweet potatoes - Wash well. Poke some fork holes in it and pop it in the microwave. A little heart healthy version of butter spread and delish! Don't forget to eat the skin for the nutrient bonus if you can tolerate it.
Cheese and Bean crisps- Spread low-fat, reduced sodium refried beans (I used Amy's Light in sodium which has 0 grams of saturated fat, 6 grams of fiber and only 190 mg sodium) on top of a whole grain tortilla, sprinkle with low-fat cheese and heat.
Whole grain pasta- Find one with at least 3 g of fiber per serving. If tomato sauce sounds good to you, try Giada's brand sold at Target and opt for the Vegetable Marinara or go with the Prego Veggie Smart to sneak in some extra nutrients like fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A!
Dry cereal- I love the options Kashi makes. I had a box in my car and one at my desk. I snacked on it pretty much all day.
Multigrain wheat thins- another constant snacking option
Flaxseed crackers- (I was eating the Doctor in the Kitchen brand "Flackers"... I didn't even know they existed before). Please note, I'm used to things that taste like "health-foods" or as some would say "cardboard." You may or may not like this one.
There are plenty of other good options out there. My rule for picking any sort of cereal, starch or snack bar is the following: At least 3 g fiber, less than 2g saturated fat, and less than 13 g sugar. If you have blood pressure issues or are already starting to notice your legs and feet swelling, please watch your sodium intake as well!!! And if you are diabetic, you need to spread these foods out appropriately throughout the day and be conscious of your carb counting. Please see a dietitian for a personalized plan of attack if you have either of these issues, both can lead to very serious pregnancy complications!
Confession #3: I started my day with oatmeal and couldn't make it to work without stopping in a drive-thru for a sausage breakfast burrito. Fast food establishments now have so many amazing choices, they've really come a long way in offering nutrient loaded, low sodium, low fat options. However, I see that sign and all I can think about is that delicious burrito. Because of my medical background, I am very good at justifying whatever I do... so here's how I am absolutely okay with my morning indulgence. I have lost 2 lb during my first trimester and need the extra 300 calories. My blood pressure runs low, I need the extra 780 mg of sodium. The fabulous little burrito has ~3 g iron and 140 mg calcium which are very important nutrients during pregnancy. Please don't be fooled by my convincing justifications, this is not the optimal food option. I'm trying to limit it to just once a week at this point. I'm a work in progress ;)
So, I can now say, I know pregnancy is absolutely terrible sometimes. Thank goodness I have our little peanut rooting for me in there saying, "Go, Mom!" and throwing up a fist pump. I'm sure yours is doing the same ...hang in there.
