What Happened to Eating for Two???

First of all, I hope you've been enjoying the refreshing break that Mark's provided with his blogging. Even though we talk all the time, it's nice to see his thoughts organized into written form.

Eating for Two. This is the phrase I've been hearing since I first announced we were pregnant. Even though I knew this technically wasn't true, I still felt a lot less guilt when my appetite starting ramping up. And even better when I saw that 16 weeks into my pregnancy, I'd only gained a whopping 5 lbs. "Yes. This I can get use to," I told myself.

But the doctor recommends a steady 1 pound per week gain through your second and third trimesters. Seems easy enough as I'd only gained an average of 0.3 pounds through the first 4 months. What they don't tell you is that your body really doesn't gain weight all that linearly! Unless you have some serious self control. I think the problem is that as you get later into your pregnancy, not only is your baby growing faster, but because of that, you get more tired and start carrying weight in weird places. Due to that, your activity level really starts to drop.

So 28 weeks into this process my total weight gain is now up to 22 pounds! Yes, that's 17 pounds in the last 12 weeks. No bueno. The doctor isn't complaining yet, but I know that more I put on now, the more difficult it will be to take it off later. Not to mention the higher risk for stretch marks and gestational diabetes.

Hmmm... speaking of gestational diabetes. I've been dreading this test for weeks. For more info on what gestational diabetes is and why it's such a bad thing, check out this site http://www.babycenter.com/0_gestational-diabetes_2058.bc?showAll=true. Basically, if left uncontrolled, all the excess blood sugar and insulin can cause your baby to make more fat and put on extra weight, particularly in the upper body. Which equals painful delivery and a whole schlew of potential medical conditions for baby.

I had my pre-screen yesterday and found to this morning, I didn't pass. It's not the death sentence. But it does mean that I have to return for the Glucose Tolerance Test. This is the test where you have to fast for 8 hours prior to going into the lab. Once you get there, they make you take that digusting orange drink, again. And then they proceed to draw your blood once every hour for 3 hours. All the while, you can't eat. Yes, you read that correctly. This test requires for pregnant women to abstain from eating for 11 hours. Talk about ridiculous.

Those lab techs better watch their fingers.