So many questions!

Spanish Moss at Botany Bay Plantation

Sorry I've missed a couple weeks!  

Vacation and lack of motivation can be very strong. 

Once family knew about the pregnancy we still kept it pretty quiet other than telling bosses/co-workers.   It wasn't until the first trimester was over that we actually posted an announcement to social media.  

Just over 3 months pregnant!

I can't emphasize this enough.  WAIT to post on social media.  Losing an unborn child is devastating and sometimes having to answer questions repeatedly to acquaintances is painful.  I have not experienced this, but I know many families who still cherish the memory of a lost child. 

Ok transitioning to more cheerful and amusing topics...

First question everyone wanted the answer to when I was pregnant.  GO! 

Was it: 

A) How far along are you?

B) Boy or Girl???

C) What crazy food cravings have you had?

D) When are you due?

E) Can I feel the baby?

And 
the 
answer 
is
...
....
.....
......
.......
........
C


Everyone was insanely curious to know what bizarre food cravings I had.  Sadly, I was an extreme disappointment. 

First Trimester food cravings:

Not gonna lie, the first trimester was a blur.  I was nauseous and tired.  Everyday I got home and went straight to the couch for 30 min to 2 hours.  The smell and taste of coffee was just, well, UGH.  

What I did eat was mostly fruit.  I LOVED fruit. Specifically watermelon and berries.  For me, buying berries and pre-cut fruit is a splurge.  Considering that it was healthy and something I could handle with my endless nausea, it was worth small rise in my grocery budget. 

Second Trimester cravings: 

Past week 12 I no longer needed a prescription for my nausea.  I still couldn't really stand coffee, and there were some rough mornings, but I really turned a corner.  

Gone were the healthy cravings of my first trimester. (With the exception of strawberries, they were a constant in my mad world of food)   All I wanted from then on was the greasiest, creamy, sweet food a fast food diner could offer.  Burgers, fries, fired pickles, shakes...you name it- I ate it.  

It didn't help that I was very suggestible and we were watching ALOT of Bob's Burger's at the time!

Instagram become an endless supply of food porn.  I was hungry all the time and the greasier it was- the better.  Fried? gimme.  Salty? don't mind if I do! Sweet?  give it here! 

The berries I craved turned into Strawberry Cake and Chickfila shakes. 

Third Trimester cravings: 

Carbs.  I wanted all the carbs.  Not pregnant Ali doesn't really DO sweet.  I do not have a sweet tooth. Salt and Vinegar chips are my jam.  Pregnant Ali however...I wanted waffles all the time.  Granted, this craving started in my first trimester but it grew exponentially throughout.  By Christmas the 2 people who know me better than anyone else in the world BOTH gave me waffle irons. I don't know what wrong with America, but how come Waffle House is the only place that serves waffles??  I love the place but I needed TOPPINGS. Butter and syrup are a great start, but this preggers woman needed her waffle with cream, berries, and sometimes topped with fried chicken.  


Please note that none of the above cravings are unusual or odd.  They just went against everything I had started out wanting to do during my pregnancy.  It didn't help that everyone loves to tell you, "GO AHEAD!! You're eating for 2 after all!!"  

Ha.  Yeah, well, you're eating for you and a tiny human.  Small, and not needing all the fat and sugar people THINK they need.  I tried to be good.  Protein was a priority, as were vitamins and all the other good things you read up on.  However, the busier I was with classes, work, and eventually moving across town, the less time I had for stuff like meal prep or exercise.  (both of which I highly recommend for those wishing for fit/healthy pregnancy)

Don't get me wrong!  I had a great pregnancy.  The fat, grease, and sugar didn't harm me as much as one would think.  I attribute this the health and good shape I was in before my pregnancy.  The summer before I was pregnant, my husband and I tried a vegan diet for a month, hiked almost every weekend, and took a trip out west where we did several miles on foot or bike every single day for over a week.  

Note: In my last trimester I was fully back on the coffee bandwagon

During my pregnancy, I went from 125lbs my first month to 170lbs pre-labor/delivery.  That's quite normal for a pregnancy, but not ideal for everyone.  With my next pregnancy, I hope to gain significantly less, if only because I still have yet to fall underneath 150lbs.  

This blog is to share my journey and not to impose an expectations on anyone else regarding their pregnancy or health.  I learned a lot about myself on this journey, and hope that by sharing what I have found encourages others to pursue their best health in all endeavors.