Officially Official

Posted: June 3, 2010 at 6:14 pm

I feel like I should be saying “Happy Hump Day” (sorry Kelly), but instead it’s already Thursday! Woo! I don’t even work, but can feel the effects of a shorter work week after the long weekend. What makes it even more nice is that Peter got to work from home today since we had my first ultrasound and baby visit today. I’ll get to that in a few.

First, let’s back up to the beginning of the day. I woke up actually feeling refreshed, so I downed a wheat bagel with cream cheese and all-fruit strawberry spread to get myself fueled for a chance to workout. When I feel up to working out, I take advantage immediately. I only have been able to fit in 3 light workouts a week lately, which is just enough during the first trimester. Today I simply went for a 40 minute walk on the treadmill at a 7.5 incline and 3.5-3.7 speed while reading my book. Which reminds me, for those of you asking – Emily Giffin’s new book (The Heart of the Matter) is really good.

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Anyways, it felt really good to get some movement in. After the workout, I showered and got ready to head to the doctor. There it became officially official. Yes, I had positive pregnancy tests at home and even had a couple blood tests for confirmation, but something about seeing this…

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…really makes it real. It may be only the size of a grain of rice and look just like a little blob, but it already amazes me. And I already love that little blobby grain of rice baby immensely. There was only one let-down from the appointment. I am just turning 7 weeks tomorrow based on the ultrasound. The same thing happened with Makenzie and she consistently measured small from there on out, so I’m not worried. I’m more bummed that I’m not as far along as I hoped. I just have to remember one week isn’t a big deal…even when it likely means one more week of feeling sick. The best part of the appointment was getting an official due date – January 21, 2011!!! I guess I should have written it in blue since I still have a gut feeling it’s going to be a boy.

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We spent a majority of the afternoon at the doctor talking to the midwife, getting 6 vials of blood drawn, going over all sort of medical history and my pregnancy with Makenzie, and other details. I don’t know how it wore me out, but when I got back I crashed for a two hour nap. I had to get some energy up to write this post and then go to dinner with Peter for our anniversary. Three years today. Love my man!

I have one more thing to mention about the doctor’s office.   I am going to do something that isn’t exactly common during pregnancy. I am NOT going to know my weight at ALL.

doctor-scale

I am simply going to have the doctor’s record it and tell me if my gain is healthy or should be adjusted in any way. I have not known my weight for almost 6 months and really think weight is an unnecessary number. I understand the need to gain a healthy amount and monitor it, but I don’t think I need to worry about having numbers floating around my head. It is not because it would bother me, but I like to practice what I preach in all situations. It also bothered me with how often people would ask me what I gained during my first pregnancy. Why do you need to know? And even more frustrating was people would compare their own weight gain and I constantly had to assure them that I wished I gained MORE because a lot of my smaller weight gain was due to Makenzie being concernedly smaller.

I don’t want to deal with the importance people place on a number. A number does not show me my worth when not pregnant, so why should it say I’m “good” or “bad” at pregnancy because of how much I gain? Sadly, those are comments I heard often during my last pregnancy when weight was brought up a LOT in the pregnancy section of a forum I used to frequent. I thoroughly believe your body will gain just what YOUR BODY needs to if you do the following:

  • Eat a balanced diet still getting in nutritious whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc and still enjoy some extra treats as well because, hey, you ARE pregnant. That means you don’t have to be scared to only eat healthy stuff so you don’t gain overboard, but also that you shouldn’t eat for two adults and a diet consisting of junk the entire time. It’s understandable though if the balance is hard during the first trimester, when food aversions and nausea are at their peak. Eat your best in a way you enjoy….like we all should, regardless of pregnancy.
  • Stay moderately active. Don’t expect to keep up with the same intensity workouts. Doing something active regularly will be enough. Do workouts that leave you energized and help you maintain some strength and cardiovascular fitness. I have a post in the works for the benefits of maintaining exercise during pregnancy, but for right now we’ll leave it at do what you can.

I honestly think you don’t have to put more effort into it than that. I plan to do those things and just let my body do it’s thing. I don’t need a number to assure me I am taking care of myself.

  • What do you think of not knowing your weight during a process where weight is so involved?
  • What is something you easily get attached to? As soon as I see that little baby on screen I get so attached. It amazes me how I can fall even more in love with it at the first heartbeat (didn’t get to hear it today), at the first kick I feel, at first sight when he/she is born, and then every day afterwards.

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33 Comments to “Officially Official”
  1. These are some great tips! I’m no where near close to being pregnant (I still need to go through the whole dating, engaged, married, dog thing first before kids) hahah but I completely agree that you shouldn’t know your weight when you’re pregnant. I would get too freaked out over the weight. I just need to know if I’m healthy or not.

  2. January seems so far away, but it is going to fly! So happy for you. 🙂

  3. homecookedem says:

    How exciting to finally get your first ultrasound! You found out really early!! That is great b/c you have been able to give your baby A+ prenatal care. So happy for you!! 🙂 Also, I love your idea of not knowing your weight and just knowing whether things are progressing well or not.

    Happy Anniversary!! 🙂

  4. Sarah says:

    Awww…the first ultrasound! I’m really excited for you. You seem to have a good, healthy handle on things like your body, pregnancy, and motherhood. Thanks for posting this. I love reading about your perspective.

  5. Congrats girl!! January is going to be here before you know it!!!!

  6. Ha my ultra sound on Tuesday tells me I am 6 weeks today when we thought I was 8 weeks as of tomorrow. It was a little disapointing and does not make complete sense to us. I measured small with B the whole pregnancy so my Mommy gut tells me this baby will just be small also. I too am reading “Heart of the Matter” I am about 1/3 way through and so far so good. Have you read her other books? They are good also.

  7. Congrats on the baby boy!!! Didn’t you say you felt it was going to be a boy?!

  8. Kati says:

    Woo hoo! First baby pic!! I’m soo happy for you :> And I know exactly how you feel about being told you’re not as far along as you think. I think they did that to me twice! I was so relieved when they finally started being consistent in dating my pregnancy. So you’re due almost 1 month past me! Who knows if I’ll go early/late though, this being my first. Do you like plain cream cheese on your bagel? This week my “thing” has been a cinnamon raisin english muffin at work with strawberry cream cheese. Mmmmm.

  9. AHHHHHH Congratulations!!!!!

    I really admire you for your decision not to know your weight. I think when I am pregnant someday I will follow in your footsteps. It’s been a real struggle for me to liberate myself from the scale, and I’d like to keep it that way!

  10. Lee says:

    Yay for the sonogram! Are you going to find out the sex?

  11. Holly says:

    CONGRATS!! 🙂 So exciting to see pictures!! – makes it so much more ‘real.’
    Props to you for not knowing your weight thru the pregnancy- I can see how that you really throw people off…& just cause so much stress/ anxiety..which obviously is not good for you or the baby. So happy for you 🙂

  12. Jessica Lee says:

    congrats!! you’re smart for not weighing in during pregnancy because really, can you REALLY help the weight gain? just spend the next few months enjoying the good foods you have been craving. i think pregnancy is the only time i would just let it go. then kick my butt in the gym once i give birth of course 🙂

  13. Congrats! I’m so excited for you!! =D

    I think it’s awesome that you are listening to your body and fitting in exercise when it feels right! And isn’t it so nice when you wake up, not feeling like hitting the snooze button a million times!?

  14. The sonogram of your little one is so exciting!! And I like your decision to not know your weight gain during pregnancy. As long as you’re still eating a balanced diet & listening to your body, then nature should work things out 🙂

  15. She-Fit says:

    Congrats on being pregnant… I can’t imagine how real it must have been to see that ultrasound. I can’t wait to read about your pregnancy journey these next 8 months. January will be here before you know it!

  16. Shannon says:

    First….Happy anniversary!

    Second…Congratulations! You have a due date 🙂 It does make it so much more real to see your baby on the screen 🙂

    The weight question is a good one. I am so nervous because this is my first time. I am having a tough time trusting my body, even though I know it knows what it needs to do. But you’re right, as long as the doctor says that my weight is good, the number shouldn’t matter to me. I think where I am getting caught up, is the fear of losing it afterward.

  17. CONGRATS!! 🙂 My mom has this thing with babies- no matter whose it is, she wants to hold it. Including a woman’s baby while I was working out. (under 18= parent supervision)

    The weight question is a good one. The only time when I really have to know my weight is when I go to the doctor, once a year.

    I easily get attached to characters in novels. You know them so well and once one is killed off it makes me cry. You feel like you are them, in a way.

  18. Jess says:

    YAY on getting a due date and seeing your little peanut for the first time!! So exciting. AND happy anniversary to you and Peter, I’ll “cheers” to you two tomorrow night when we’re celebrating our anniversary too. 🙂 I totally applaud you for choosing not to know your weight during the pregnancy – I think it’s totally healthy of you to just keep plodding along, eating healthfully, working out when it feels good to do so and managing your pregnancy as you see fit. And besides, you’ve done this once before so you kinda know the drill by now right??

  19. Jennifer says:

    All I gotta say is that I am so happy that you are going through this pregnancy right before my husband and I start trying for one. You are teaching me so much by your thoughts and feelings on being pregnant. I think it is a great idea to not know what you weigh. As long as the doctor keeps you on the right track, I see no reason for anyone to know! I hope you do have a boy! I’m not even pregnant, but I’ve always had a gut feeling on having a girl first. I guess we will see. Have a great day momma 🙂

  20. I really needed to read this post today-thank you so much! Being pregnant myself, I’m gaining more than I should, according to my doctor. I haven’t been eating too far off from how I used to eat before we conceived, although I do enjoy treats more than I used too. I know that this weight will come off after the baby. I also have to trust that I am doing a good job at eating healthy for the little one.

  21. Lindsay says:

    Awwwwwww! Thanks for sharing the ultrasound! I think it’s wonderful you’re not going to focus on your weight. As long as the doctor is keeping track and making sure everything is going in the right direction, who could complain about that!!

  22. Marcia says:

    Hey you!
    Love the U/S picture!! It’s sooo official now!
    I am with ya on the “don’t ask, don’t tell” with the scale! I have no idea how much I gained with Miles..or Amara for that matter! Somewhere between 25-50 lbs is my guess! All I know is that it was healthy and so were the kids!
    Congrats to you, Peter and M!!

  23. Ahhh congrats!!! That is so exciting!!! I hope the baby is born a few days early on the 17th (my birthday). Great people are born on that day 😛

  24. I can forgive you for loving Wednesdays…only beause it is you! haha! Kidding.

    I am really proud of you for not knowing your weight. I think that is awesome…truly awesome. So many women get so caught up in the number and I am proud of you for recongizing that that isn’t going to work for you. You are so amazing…I feel like I could learn a lot from you….

  25. With my first pregnancy, I gained 53 lbs. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Fast food, candy, sodas… and I didn’t work out at all. With baby number 2, I ate a “mostly” balanced diet and ran until my third trimester. I lifted weights and walked until the day I went into labor. I gained 49 lbs.

    It was so frustrating to be doing everything “right” and still gaining enough for 2 pregnant women. I finally realize that my body is going to do what it needs to do and I can’t obsess over the numbers. Of course, by the time baby three comes around, I’m sure I’ll be focusing on the scale again. That’s really awesome that you set the numbers aside.

  26. jennifer says:

    Major congrats!

    I love that you’re not looking at your weight. You’re making me consider doing that, too, though I don’t know if I can. I haven’t been on a scale since Addison was born nine months ago, and I really don’t want to get on one at my 8-week OB appointment. But I probably will.

    We’re due six days apart! We just got our ultrasound EDD of January 27, 2011.

    The morning sickness still hasn’t officially kicked in, though I’m feeling more and more queasy everyday. It didn’t hit until 7 weeks last time, though.

    I’m currently at the beach. Vacationing in a bikini while newly pregnant and queasy = a novel experience. 😉

  27. Rachel says:

    Congrats on being officially official!

    It is better for my sanity to not know my weight. However, I stepped on the scale this week after putting it away in the closet for several months and have put on almost 10 lbs since I stopped obsessing over the scale. I don’t know how to not gain weight whenever I am not on top of myself, and weighing weekly. My clothes are fitting the same, so that tip hasn’t really helped me! Any tips??

  28. Nicole, RD says:

    Awwww! SO exciting! What a special time for you and hubby! 🙂 The whole family, really! And bloggies, too! I feel like there’s so many bloggies due in the fall and winter this year! And I couldn’t agree more. Your attitude towards a number is so healthy – rock on!

  29. Denise says:

    Weight is just a number and I don’t think it is that important. The Dr. will let you know if you are staying healthy and for that matter you probably already know.

  30. ellie says:

    Oh, my heart melted with that image 😀 And congrats on your anniversary- celebrations all round!

    I think it’s awesome not knowing your weight- numbers, schnumbers, your doctor will tell you if there is something not quite right/needing adjusted. I LOVE your attitude 😀

  31. Susan says:

    That’s two days before my birthday!! (January 23)

    I think it would be totally easy to get all thrown out of whack with knowing weight gain numbers during pregnancy. I don’t weigh myself either, and I can see where you’re coming from. So long as you stay in a healthy range, it’s not necessary information. You don’t need it to define your pregnancy.

  32. Holly says:

    Congratulations, Tina!! I’m so glad all looks well. I hope these next few weeks go quickly for you!

    I think it is SUCH a great idea to not know your weight gain during pregnancy. I’ve never understood the importance of that, unless it becomes a health issue. I would love to do the same thing!

  33. […] a normal looking (aka not bloated to high heavens) stomach. That’s all I can go by though, since I refuse to worry about weight even when pregnant. It’s all good to […]

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