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The day before I had Patsy, I had a doctor's appointment. In the waiting room was a new mom (baby looked about 6 weeks old) and all the other women in the waiting room were oohing and ahhing at her cute baby boy. Some of the women in the waiting room were asking her about her life as a mom, if she had other kids, etc. She said she was a stay at home mom and the other moms in the waiting room seemed to ooze with glee and excitement. "Being a stay at home mom is really the best thing for your children." "Oh I agree. There would be less problems in the world if more women stayed at home to raise their children." "Who wants their child to be raised by daycare?" This is what the conversation was like for at least 30 minutes.

I have previously spoken a few times about my experiences and issues with food (here and here). I talked about how I dealt with these thoughts and ideas during the beginning and end of my pregnancy. Now that our little nugget is here and I have one of those "post-baby bodies", I thought I would give an update about how I'm feeling and coping with some of these new thoughts, feelings, and body images.

Recently, Steph at Run for Fun talked about her struggles with ED (eating disorder). It got me thinking about my own post on food, eating, and my own issues with disordered eating and how I've handled it throughout my pregnancy. I re-read that post and all of the comments, and I realized that a lot of folks were interested in following my journey and seeing how things went. How would I feel throughout the pregnancy? Now that I'm heading into the third and final trimester, I thought I would give some thoughts on how I got through the rocky beginning and how I've been weathering the storm. I am by no means an expert in any way, but here is how I was able to find the balance that worked for me.

1) Stay off the scale. Ugh. This is something I do pretty much in my every day life whether I'm pregnant or not. They weigh me when I go to the doctor and that is it. A few pounds here and there are so arbitrary (Have you had a lot of water? Have you taken a #2 yet today? Did you have a big lunch?) and I just know I would obsess over it if I knew about it. I like to know my progress at the doc, but I don't need to know things on a daily basis.

2) Listen to your cravings. This is something the doctor recommended too. I like it when my doctor and I are on the same page (which is often). If I wanted ice cream, I would have it. If I wanted a cheeseburger, I got one. If I wanted some french fries, gosh darnit I got some! (Hell, when I couldn't get my favorite donut, I even cried a little.) As long as I wasn't eating horribly every single day, I wasn't (and still am not) concerned about it. That isn't that different than my normal eating habits anyways. I always would want something bad after a run. Haha.

Enjoying a post-run cupcake

3) Treat yo self. This kind of goes along with #2 and can also be related to non-food things. It took me a little while to figure it out, but I'm pregnant. I can't do all the things I used to do. People have been very accommodating to me and my new restrictions. The hubs has said that I'm "milking this pregnancy thing." Well, you bet your butt I am. Pregnancy is hard work and so I'm going to take advantage oft this as much as I can. I know I won't have the luxury with future pregnancies, as I'll be chasing around other child(ren) in the process!

My ventures into the wonderful world of specialty donuts in Chicago. If you follow me on Twitter, you're aware of my antics.

And, I've decided to skim/skip the diet/weight tips in the baby books. I'd like to think that I'm kind of a healthy person. I have a basic understanding of nutrition and calories. I think I know enough to make sure my body is fueled for the day and that Baby is happy and kicking. I'm not going to worry about what some book tells me I need to eat. I know what I need to eat and that is what I'm going to keep doing. (Although, I'm still following the no-no list like sushi, hot dogs, etc.)

I think it was hard in the beginning as this whole pregnancy thing is new to me. I wasn't really showing, I wasn't feeling any kicking, yet I was gaining weight. In the end, now that I'm actually looking pregnant and feeling pregnant, I feel better about the weight I've gained. It is for the good of the baby and that's all I need to be concerned with. I thank you all for your continued love and support as I continue to make this long and strange trip, also known as pregnancy!

Mom and Dad-to-be on Father's Day 2013

I know I've talked a bit about this here and there, but I thought I would be fitting to put together a summary post on how I've been feeling about running since this whole "being pregnant" thing started.

Being a blogger, it is very easy to compare yourself to other bloggers. I read lots of blogs where women ran throughout their entire pregnancy. I figured that if they can do it, I can too. Why not, right? Well when it actually came to it, my body and my mind weren't really on the same page. During the first trimester (the first 13 weeks of pregnancy), I was EXHAUSTED ALL. THE. TIME. I could get 8-9 hours of sleep and still be ready for a nap at any time. I felt like garbage and was really nauseous for about 5 weeks. Then, to top it all off, I was working long hours at the office including a few business trips along the way (all while keeping my big secret). Honestly, I don't know how some women can run despite all of that going on. I know I had to choose my priorities wisely. Running or sleep? Sleep won every time.