First Go

I just decided to start this morning on a little blog for myself, to document what's happening and how I am feeling about it all. I am 28 weeks pregnant, due September 16 but hooked on the date September 28 in my mind for some reason. We'll see if I am right. We don't know what we are having, we decided to let it be a surprise and for us it's been a great choice. We have a lot of fun wondering who this little baby will be.

I also spend a fair amount of time worrying about who this baby will be. I've been healthy throughout my pregnancy so far: Eating well, drinking milk a lot, taking my prenatals, exercising, getting lots of rest. However my one vice has been 1-2 glasses of wine a week. I'd say 12-14 oz a week. I decided early on that intellectually I believe this is completely ok for me and for my baby and Andy even thinks it might be beneficial as a stress-reducer. However the emotional side of me gets worried and even a little angry-- at the admonishments against drinking and other things aimed at pregnant women.

I've done significant research at this point on the effects of alcohol on the fetus and health of newborns. While there is absolutely NO evidence that 2 drinks a week could harm a baby, it seems the medical establishment and might I say many self-righteous mothers and pregnant women have decided once we're impregnated we lose the ability to make rational choices.

I've read that since people tend to lie about how much they drink, that doctors can't tell pregnant women a small amount of alcohol is safe because they will "abuse the pass." LOL. Seriously? Am I all of a sudden a freaking golden retriever who will eat until my food is taken out from under me? This is both insulting and unfair. Well educated, rational women like myself are having to look like "bad mothers" for being willing to come out and say we think it is ok to eat a cold cut or drink some wine.

I get it-- that since they can't really study this topic ethically, they have to say no amount has been "proven" safe. But they should also say that only about 5 drinks a day or more have been "proven" unsafe. it really is a personal decision as to what you eat and drink during pregnancy. You're given the list and recommendations, but in my opinion this is the first step at being a good parent: Do you follow word for word what some group of litigiously-freaked-out doctors and lawyers say like a lemming, or do you listen to the advice, do a little research, and make a decision for yourself? If I were a lemming, here are the things I would not eat or drink:

Coffee

tea

herbal tea (no studies on the effects of those herbs have proven safe either!)

cold cuts

blue cheese

brie cheese

goat cheese

feta cheese

sushi

wine and beer

soda

tuna

halibut and other bottom fish or large fish

hamburgers or steak with any "pink"

undercooked eggs (meaning runny yolks or yucky runny whites? I really have no idea.)

I am sure there is more. But here's the great part: Eat all the cake and ice cream you want! Sugar must be GREAT for the baby based on the advice I've read and heard. Jesus.

I am not bucking any of these suggestions as a whole. I am just saying come on people. If you think this stuff through, it makes no sense. Everything we eat carries some level of risk whether it's from ingredients not "proven" safe, or from preservatives and other chemicals.

I think it's time for all of us pregnant women to quit worrying about the decisions we've made. We made them with good reason. We can make choices for ourselves (despite our fragile condition) and this does NOT mean we don't love our babies nor are we unwilling to sacrifice. It means we're starting right off the bat making what we consider to be sane, educated decisions for ourselves and our children and we hope to practice this behavior for the next 18 or more years.