16w0d - Oh, the things people say and do....

A fellow pregnant friend sent me the following link: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/01/15/until-we-have-better-science-please-shut-up-about-my-pregnancy-pinot-grigot.aspx. Ah, how it rang SO TRUE! I am not even showing yet, but I am getting all of the advice / judgment / WHATEVER!

I am personally being rather conservative with my eating and activities, for the most part. I never smoked, and I quit drinking the second I found out (and, honestly, cut back as soon as we started trying). I pass on the cold cuts, sushi and artificial sweetener. I even mostly abstain from bacon and hot dogs (I may have the occasional bite, if Hubby-poo is having it or if bacon is being served… but not like I eat those foods regularly or anything). But you can’t follow ALL of the recommendations. The key is educating yourself, reading the data / studies, and making an informed decision that works for you. When you do that, you quickly figure out that not all of the recommendations mean anything; in fact most of the studies are rather flawed. But it doesn’t stop people from looking at me cross-eyed when I do something ‘wrong’.

Before I went home for Christmas and started telling people what was going on, I dyed my hair. Wouldn’t you know that several of the people commented on it almost immediately after I told them? It was ‘hooray, congratulations’ followed almost immediately by, ‘GASP You’re not supposed to dye your hair!!’ To which I respond, ‘It was all-natural, organic, vegetable-based hair dye… oh, and my doctor told me it was okay to dye my hair’ (I was just shy of 12 weeks when I dyed it, but my OB told me it was fine when I saw her at 10 weeks).

I am still consuming caffeine. Am I having a lot of caffeine? No! Did I ever have a lot of caffeine? Not really. I didn’t become a daily coffee drinker until I started working a grown-up job (and that was only 4 years ago), and that was more of a social thing most of the time (it’s more entertaining to go to the coffee bar and chitchat while waiting for my computer to turn on than it is to sit here staring). I still go to the coffee bar, but I just fill up my water bottle on most days. It helps that I have sort of an aversion to coffee first thing in the morning. But on mornings when I’m REALLY tired, I make a cup of tea. On weekends I drink a cup of tea. That’s usually where I stop (if I even make it that far), but sometimes I have a decaf or cocoa in the afternoon. And sometimes I have a Pepsi with lunch if I’m really sluggish. I generally don’t do all of those things in one day (I don’t do any of them on most days – I’m talking 2 times a week!). But when I do partake in any of these activities… HOO BOY! People sure have opinions! They look at my mug funny, without even considering that it could be decaf coffee or herbal tea, or without considering the fact that my doctor told me to drink coffee in order to keep other things… uh… working properly.

The other strange thing that people do is touch my belly. It’s a bit off-topic, but it’s probably the strangest of all. Like I said, I am not even showing! Yes, I have gained a few pounds. And, yes, my belly sticks out a bit more than it did previously, but no more than it did after I had a big burrito for lunch, for example. At this point, it’s water, food and backed-up bowels filling my belly. Not my baby (which is still WAY down in my lower abdominal area, which if somebody at work touched me there I’d be calling HR!). But as soon as you say, “I’m pregnant!” the hands start reaching out. The only person I want touching my tummy right now is Hubby-poo. Heck, once I start showing, I’m pretty sure he’s the only person I want touching my tummy (at least without permission).

So don’t ask me if it’s okay to be eating the things that I am eating and doing the things I am doing (it’s okay to ask me if theoretical things that I am not doing are okay, especially as a point of information, that’s different). Obviously, if I am doing it, it’s okay. Why would I do something that would harm my baby? Think about it. I am an intelligent person and a researcher. So consider the fact that I have probably done my research before doing something. And, for the love of everything holy, do NOT touch my belly without permission! This means ALL of you! I’m serious.