The Healthy Side of It

Since becoming pregnant, I have often been focused on two aspects to this "condition": What I cannot do (or eat or drink) and how I feel. The first one has a somewhat lengthy list: No alcohol, drugs, sushi or trampolines. Which really puts a cramp in my weekend activities of getting wasted, free-basing crack, and jumping on a trampoline while eating raw fish. The second probably has consumed more of my thoughts since I have so often felt nauseous and barf-tastic.

However, in the past few days, I've been thinking about new behaviors and habits that I've been forced to pick up along the course of this pregnancy, and I am thinking that some of these things should be a part of life no matter what:

1. Taking vitamins everyday.
For those who know me, you know that I hate taking vitamins because swallowing them makes me gag, they kinda upset my stomach, and I usually forget about them after a few days of vowing to religiously take them (and they thus become expensive medicine-cabinet decoration). But now that I take a daily prenatal vitamin, as well as an Omega-3 fatty acid pill (good for baby's brain!), I have actually gotten used to them, and now me thinks they're not so bad.

2. Drinking more water.
I've actually always been a pretty good water drinker, but being pregnant requires a woman to really up her intake of water, so lately I have been drinking about 80-100 oz of water a day. Certainly the consequence of this is that I feel like I spend half my day (and night) peeing, but I think all this water is good for me.

3. Eating healthy.
Again, pre-pregnancy, I always thought of myself as a good, balanced eater, but since becoming pregnant, I think I am a better eater. I definitely eat more fruit, veggies, and whole grains. Sure, I also love me some Oreos and Snickers, but I am seriously going through the contents of the crisper faster than usual!

4. Eating smaller quantities. More frequently.
Basically, right now, I am eating something all the time, but it's small amounts throughout the day. This helps keep the nausea at bay, but also, I am frankly hungry ALL THE TIME! But supposedly, this is also a key to long-lasting weight control, which I've known, but knowing and doing are two separate things, right? Now that it's become habitual, I hope it will remain that way.

5. Avoiding drinking.
Usually, I would think of this as an abomination, but I actually think that the hiatus from drinking has several benefits, not just healthy ones: It's cheaper, it ensures that Jerry and I always have a sober-cab, and I have discovered that I still like my friends even when I'm sober (man, they must be keepers, huh?).

6. Running.
In the years that I've been running, I think I began to take running, and the benefits I gain from it, for granted. And I just figured when I got pregnant that my running would remain a constant. I didn't estimate how much harder it would be or how my physical limitations would change, but none of this has diminished my enjoyment of it or how much I need it on a regular basis.

All of these are things I'd like to carry over into my everyday life after the baby is born. Well...I'm not gonna go completely "dry" (pertaining to #5 there), but I think I could manage to drink 2-3 drinks at a party instead of 10 and that would be beneficial. But we'll see. Maybe a new mother needs her crack, booze, and trampolines, right?