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It’s My Pregnancy, So I’ll Indulge in Carbs If I Feel Like It
By Anonymous
Updated: Oct. 23, 2017
Originally Published: April 19, 2016
“Are you consuming a lot of carbs?” This innocent question came from my obstetrician during my 32-week check-up about a week and a half ago, after she estimated that I was carrying a hefty 4-pound-13-ounce baby. She’s a wonderful doctor, and I genuinely appreciate her, but she doesn’t sugarcoat things. Having worked with countless pregnant women, she clearly isn’t intimidated by any potential backlash from a woman who is clearly expecting a sizeable baby—essentially equating my situation to being “fat.”
In that moment, I felt like a child caught sneaking cookies from the jar. I stumbled through my response, attempting to explain that my petite mother had carried four babies, each weighing over 9 pounds. “It must be in our genes,” I said, trying to defend myself. My husband’s amused smirk and her skeptical expression made me throw my hands up in defeat and stop trying to justify my cravings.
You know what? Yes, I’m all about the carbs right now. And let me explain why.
As much as I would love to fill my meals with quinoa, kale, and hormone-free chicken, taking care of my 21-month-old leaves me with limited time and little desire for elaborate meal prep. It’s delightful to discover that nausea can persist well into the third trimester—only during breakfast, of course. “Why not try an egg-white omelette?” she suggested. Oh, sure! Let me just find the time to separate eggs, chop ingredients, and cook it perfectly while also managing a toddler’s demands. Right.
Most days, lunch slips my mind entirely. When my toddler finally naps, the hunger hits hard, and with a few taps on my phone, I might just order takeout. If I’m fortunate, I’ll delay dinner long enough for my husband to offer to pick up groceries and whip up something that might meet her approval.
And you know that uncomfortable, bloated feeling you get after overindulging in carbs? Well, since my belly started to show at 20 weeks, I haven’t felt that way at all. Every top I wear now fits beautifully, so I’m going to enjoy this guilt-free carb phase for as long as I can. After all, I think it’ll all turn to jelly once the baby arrives, so can’t I just savor this moment a little longer?
The kicker is, during my first pregnancy, I indulged without restraint, gained a significant amount of weight, and still gave birth to what I consider a perfect, healthy baby—all without any chia seeds or flaxseed deficiencies that I’m aware of. I breastfed that little one, and surprise! All those burgers and fries vanished within months with minimal effort.
So, please don’t give me that look and say, “It might be different this time.” I’m not ready for your dose of reality. I have only five weeks left! How much bigger can this baby really get? Only time will tell, right?
I spoke with my mom, and she confirmed that the women in our family tend to gain significant amounts during pregnancy but lose it quickly. It’s just how we’re built; we’re meant to carry large babies and then nurse them to reverse the effects.
So, whether it’s the rapid weight gain or the unrestrained appetite, it’s genetic. You can’t dispute that, Doc. You should know better.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to head to my yoga class—by which I mean the supermarket to grab more frozen yogurt, since we’re all out.
See you next week, Doc! That’s the response I crafted in my head three hours after our appointment. Maybe next time!
This article was originally published on April 19, 2016.
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Summary
The author reflects on the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet during pregnancy while juggling the demands of caring for a toddler. She humorously defends her love for carbs, citing genetic predispositions while sharing her experience from her first pregnancy. Ultimately, she embraces her cravings, confident that she will manage the post-baby body later.