I talked this morning with my lovely midwife in Kansas, where we will be travelling for our “homebirth away from home.” in June. I feel much lighter of heart!
Some of the things that helped lighten my heart and ease my mind –
After hearing about what my body’s been doing the last few weeks, she’s not worried about preeclampsia at this point. I’m going to keep tabs on my BP, etc, and keep in place the healthy changes I’ve made in the last couple weeks, but my mental load over this issue is lessened by her confidence.
It was interesting to hear her recommendations for protein intake. I actually wasn’t doing poorly with protein intake before, according to what she recommends. I was still getting way too much junk food and too many wasteful carbs. I find it fascinating that so many women that I respect and see helping women have healthy babies have such varying opinions about things like optimal protein levels. I’m not sure where we’ll land over the next few weeks on what my daily goal will be for protein intake, but it’s encouraging to know that there probably isn’t a perfect number!
While not sounding happy about how much weight I’ve gained already (I was expressing my concern about this issue), she is happy with the fact that I’ve changed my eating and exercise habits the last couple weeks. She thinks that if I’m really committed to eating well and exercising faithfully, that I could healthily maintain my current weight or possibily drop some before delivery. Dropping weight is never a good goal in pregnancy, but it’s neat to know that if I take advantage of the spirit of power, love, and self-control that God has given me (2 Tim. 1.8), that I could see some of the junk food weight come off while nurishing my baby better.
And then there’s just the excitement that comes from getting ready to order a birth kit and starting to really prepare for a birth. That always gives me such a lift.
Guess what??
I’m gonna have a baby!!!!!!! 😀
It looks like I am headed for a diet overhaul as well. Much of what I have been reading seems to indicate that one can safely LOOSE weight while nourishing baby quite well. It is so exciting that it is getting close! How much longer do you have? I just broke the <100 days this week. I can't wait for your news!
What kind of changes are you going to be making, Shawna?62 days till the official ETA of June 19.Whee!
the midwife and the specialist both seem to think that I have gestational diabetes. I will have a screen for it done this weekend. We will see what it says. So basically a diabetic diet. Which is not bad, healthy really. I get into some pretty bad eating habits when pregnant due to being so sick. So I am sure it will be good for me. :)62 days! And you usually go early! Do you know when you are heading this way?
Probably the weekend of June 3rd we’ll head that way. Our specific plans are very much up in the air right now – prayers are welcomed for wisdom!We don’t feel nearly as certain of an early arrival as we have in the past. I’ve learned that estrogen has a lot to do with the process of sending your body into labor, and wonder if my estrogen dominance is one reason why I’ve always gone early. What will happen now that we’ve worked some on my hormone balance, only the Lord knows!
I forgot to ask… with the “diabetic diet” do they have you doing lower carbs and more frequent meals?Also, do you know anything about using Glycemic Index to pick foods that will help keep your blood sugar steady?
From what I read it is lower carbs, with more of a focus on healthier carbs. (brown ones) I have read about picking foods off the GI list. Funny thing is that is how I lost a ton of weight, so I know how it works. I just have a hard time eating well when it is near impossible to keep things down. And that sets a bad pattern for when I start to feel better!