Lifestyle Changes During Pregnancy

     Growing up I always assumed being pregnant just gave you a "glowing" reflection, beautiful hair, and an adorable baby belly. I guessed that all the lifestyle changes came after you finally got to bring your bundle of joy home. Little did I know, but soon came to realize, the changes in your lifestyle start the day you find out you are pregnant. Sure you can still do some if not all the things the things you like, but there is a list of do's and don'ts added on to your daily life. For instance, as soon as I found out I was pregnant I set my goal to quitting what I knew would be the toughest challenge for me; smoking.
     As we all know, smoking is one of the biggest don'ts while you are pregnant. Smoking can lead to a variety of complications and upsets during and after your pregnancy such as:

• spontaneous abortions
• ectopic pregnancies
• other birth and delivery problems
• fetal brain damage 
• growth retardation/low birth weight
• lower or higher than normal infant blood pressure  
• problems requiring neonatal intensive care
• infant death from perinatal disorders
• sudden infant death syndrome
• mental retardation
• respiratory disorders during childhood
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• other learning and developmental problems
• behavioral problems, violence, and criminality
• smoking during adolescence
• various adult health problems
• cancer-causing agents in infants’ blood: potentially carcinogenic mutations; and childhood leukemia

List is provided by the Colorado Department of Public Heath and Environment
(http://www.cdphe.state.co.us)

I've been a smoker for around three years straight and the thought of quitting anytime in my near future never came to mind. But finding out around the end of November that I was already a couple weeks into my pregnancy, I decided my New Year's resolution would be to quit smoking. It was a lot harder then I thought and though I didn't reach my goal quitting date, I knew I had to for the baby. What really helped, I believe, is that I was never really into drinking alcohol so the only thing I had to focus on was my smoking. But now only did I have to quit smoking, I had to start eating a lot better then I was.
     I never watched my weight well or what I was eating on a regular basis. I ate what I wanted when I wanted and if I didn't like it, I didn't eat it. Thought not obese I am overweight and have had diabetes scares due to family genetics and my love of sugar. So after finding out I was pregnant I knew I had to change my daily diet drastically which meant no more Mountain Dew and more apples. Fortunately I've been chugging down water like a fish and I've never liked coffee and have never been a big fan of chocolate so the little to no caffeine issue wasn't an issue at all. Though I do love apples, grapes, watermelon, peas, and salad, I still find it hard for me to get all my daily fruits and veggies in. I'm not big on either, especially vegetables. But thankfully they have plenty of foods and drinks that have a some if not a full serving of fruits, vegetables, or both already in them so that has helped a lot. There is also the list of food that I'm not allowed to eat, however, that sometimes happens to get in the way. The other day I was asked if I wanted a sandwich but unfortunately I'm not allowed to eat uncooked lunch meat. Honey is out of the question as well as tuna fish. The whole diet thing is a hassle sometimes but its not only good for me, its good for the baby as well. Sometimes I just forget what I can't have. But the big thing I happen to forget sometimes that I have to take on a daily basis is my prenatal vitamin.
     I'm not used to taking a daily pill and every so often it happens to slip my mind. Or it slips my mind until late in the day that I find myself taking my pill around 12 a.m. or later! Plus I've had a problem with the dogs taking my bottle off the table and eating all my vitamins. You may be thinking that taking a pill isn't a problem and I agree to a certain extent that no, it really isn't but remembering to take them is. Plus I have to make sure my stomach is full or else I get an upset stomach. Which in my case can be a hassle. You would think that after taking them every day for a month you'd remember it easily, but in my case I can take them for a month and forget to take them just one day and its like I have to start all over again.
     Other lifestyle changes are not being able to pick up objects over 20 lbs which gets in the way especially working in a kitchen. You wouldn't believe how light 20 lbs actually is. Finding and buying clothes that fit in this awkward starting to get a belly stage. Going to the doctor every month and towards the end going every week. Watching my weight to make sure I don't gain too much too fast. Worrying everyday if I'm doing everything right and if I'm not making the wrong choices. Not being able to go and do everything I was able to do before. And last but not least making sure I get my doctors recommended 20 minutes of exercise a day.
     So basically your life doesn't just change once you bring the baby home. It changes the moment you find out that in 9 months you'll be bringing a baby home. Though some changes are harder then others in the end its all worth is for the baby and you'll most likely feel better then ever as well if you follow everything! As my doctor likes to say "Labor is a marathon so better start training now."  -By Nicole Shaffer