10 Weeks Pregnant and 10 Things I am doing to try and have a Healthier Pregnancy!

I cannot believe I am already 10 weeks pregnant. This time has really flown by, probably because I really do not have time to really think about being pregnant.

I thought I would make a top ten list of things I am doing different this time since I am a little wiser this go around and since I am 10 weeks pregnant today. If any of you have any sort of advice on how to have a healthy pregnancy I am all ears!

1. I am working out this pregnancy three times a week. I am going to Gold’s Gym and I take their Body Step and Body Combat classes. They have the best childcare ever! Last pregnancy the hunger was so intense and I struggled with being a little depressed (only while I was pregnant) and so I knew a goal this year was to have an exercise plan that I enjoyed before I got pregnant again. It has made a huge difference and I am really not as tired as I was last time. With Jackson I gained fifty fun-filled pounds and my goal this time is not to gain that much weight. You can work out while you are pregnant if you continue to do whatever you were doing before you got pregnant. If you struggle with weight issues I strongly recommend having a plan. I have already gained five pounds but I feel so much better!
2. Along with Life-Finesses Prenatal Vitamin, I am taking a DHA supplement that helps with all of the fish that I do not eat and also helps with brain development. I get this supplement at Walmart and they have a coupon in the box for $2 off your next purchase. I think they are about $9 for thirty pills. Last pregnancy I did not really understand what the DHA supplement did but my new and wonderful doctors explained them to me fully at the Women’s Physicians Associates (yes they are all women doctors there and a woman will be delivering me) I love this practice so much! They do not think any of your questions are stupid and are very loving women. I will be delivering the baby at Palmetto Richland Hospital. What is even more cool is that I could have Dr. Painter (a woman) deliver me and then her husband take care of the baby (if he is on call) at Palmetto Pediatrics of which we already go. There are only four main doctors at Palmetto Pediatrics and Dr. Painter is one of them!
3. I am drinking two 32 oz glasses of water a day through my water jug and I drink it through a straw so it goes down quicker.
4. I am also having one diet coke in the morning and one caffeine-free diet coke at night. With Jackson, my sugar levels were real high so they said it would be better for me to risk the diet sugar thing than to have my baby have too much sugar. I know, I know, diet sugar can be unhealthy, but anything in moderation is okay.
5. I have a SlimFast chocolate shake in the morning for breakfast. Last time I wanted a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit like every morning which is ridiculous and not good for me or the baby. I think slimfast even has their pregnant plan online.
6. I eat a ton of fruit - mainly because I crave it real bad. With Jackson I craved veggies and beef more. I also crave Popsicles and have one every day.
   
7. I take a nap when Jackson takes a nap. The doctor recommends eight hours of sleep at night when you are pregnant plus a nap. I am just blessed that Jackson is at the age where he still takes one long nap.
8. The only strange thing this pregnancy is that when I get something in my head that I want to eat, I refuse to eat anything until I get that something (such as a McAllisters club sandwich). I would not recommend this and with Jackson I could eat anything at any time….I guess every baby is different.
9. This is off the subject, but many people have asked me if I think I am having a boy or a girl. Whatever gender the mom thinks she is having studies show that she is right seventy percent of the time. I know many moms say this, but I really do not care what sex I am having but I just pray for a healthy baby. I do however pray for a less energetic child! Jackson is a wild man. The heart rate is already 16 beats less with this baby one week earlier than with Jackson (the earlier on in the pregnancy usually the higher the heart rate). This baby’s heart rate was 160 at 8 weeks and Jackson’s was 176 at 9 weeks. I already know that this baby has a calmer spirit than Jackson... If it is a boy, we will be set with clothes, and since we probably want three children this is not my last chance to have a girl and Jackson will have a brother to play ball with. The Chinese Lunar Calendar says girl, but the science of it (trying only one time), would say 100 percent boy. If I had to say one way or another I would guess girl (but this is strictly a guess) just because my stomach has been more upset and I have acne on my face (extra hormones) which I did not have at all with Jackson, and I did that silly ring test and it went in a straight line, not in a circle like it did with Jackson. Ultimately, you can try to do all the tricks to have one gender, but God completely controls what sex you are having and he knows what is best for you…praise God! Just like with Jackson, I am dying to know what gender the baby is and one of my friends told me about this “intelligender” test that you can order for about $35. Supposedly you can tell what the baby is as early as 10 weeks by doing a test that is similar to a pregnancy test. They say it is 82% effective. Go here for more info: http://www.intelligender.com/index.php Have you heard about this? Do you think it is a waste of money? Since this pregnancy has gone by so fast, I am not to that point yet, but I do not know if I can wait until July. With Jackson we did go to an ultrasound place, We See Ultrasound on Two Notch Road in Columbia and paid for a package there and we might do that again but we will see. I just cannot wait to get his or her room all ready (I really do not like surprises since I am a huge planner).
10. Lastly, I have not thrown up at all this time (I did with Jackson) and I have had a pretty easy pregnancy. I have felt nauseous though about every day but I know that is normal. I have been able to fight off the nausea and I guess since I just had a really bad stomach bug a couple months ago it really does not seem that bad. For the moms out there that throw up constantly I pray that God will give you supernatural strength to get through you days, and remember this affliction will pass! For me, it is a lot easier not having to go to school and work like I did last pregnancy. God is so good!

Ps- I enjoy the book Pregnancy Week By Week the best (it is the least overwhelming book for me)