The Life of a Pregnant Woman

Ever since I got pregnant, my life turned a whopping 180 degrees. Everything now is all about the baby. Everything is all about the pregnancy….

I used to go for 5-inch stiletto heels. The sexier the better. I don’t care if they damn hurt my feet as long as they are gorgeous. But now, I am all for comfortable flats. Making sure that the soles of my sandals are not slippery. I now live with my slim havaianas because I find them more comfortable and stable. Mas kumakapit sa basang semento kaya sya ang default footwear ko.

I used to worry about the perfect pink lipstick for morenas like me and would spend hours discussing the topic with Len (my friend who introduced me to the wonderful world of lipsticks). But now, I would spend my entire 1.5hrs lunch break making sure that the lipstick brands I use are lead-free because I don’t want lead to reach my little one since I still want to wear make up.

I switched from Olay Whitening soap to Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Milk Bath coz I want to lessen my chemical use. I know that the skin is supposed to serve as a barrier, but hey! Just for my peace of mind, I switched. Anyway, J&J baby naman talaga ako. I just started using Olay because I got darker after all those beach trips.

I also ditched the Lactacyd Intimate White that I’ve been using for months and went back to the original unscented one. My OB-GYN told me that I should always always keep my vajayjay clean to prevent UTI. And the best way to clean our vajayjay is by using feminine wash that ensures our vajayjay’s acidity is on the right pH level. Regular soap just won’t do it. They make them dry (at least for me). Note that my OB didn’t tell me to do the switch. I just figured out that since Intimate White whitens our private area, they might have extra more chemicals; plus it’s scented so more chemicals? Wala lang! Makaarte lang ako. :) Again, just for my peace of mind. Matahimik lang ang paranoid na buntis.

I kissed softdrinks, iced tea and juices goodbye. I am not a “water fan”. After every meal, I need to have something sweet to wash down my food. But now I am all water! Good thing I started measuring my water intake early this year for health reasons. So sanay na ko lumaklak ng tubig. But now, I increase my water intake EVEN MORE and ditched the juices, unless it’s pure fruit juice. I mean PURE fruit juices okay? Not the 100% fresh fruit CONCENTRATE that we all go for. My health buff friend told me that juice CONCENTRATE = CHEMICALS therefore its not healthy. Most of the juices available in the grocery are actually made of juice concentrates so make sure you read the labels. That’s the reason why I stick to Buko Juice to prevent UTI. Some friends told me cranberry juice is also great but I can’t find pure cranberry juice in the market. All of them are cranberry concentrate so it’s also no good.

My friend (who’s wife is a doctor) advised me to just buy the cranberry fruit (available daw sa Puregold!). It’s true daw kasi that cranberries have anti-bacterial something but he agreed with me on the fact that juice concentrate is not the same as the fresh ones.

Also, softdrinks and iced tea and sweetened juices have too much sugar. Pregnant women are prone to diabetes so I stay away from them.

My OB says I should keep myself hydrated at all times. Water is my cure for allergies and colds. Water ensures that I don’t experience constipation. They also help prevent the dreadful UTI. Water supposedly helps reduce the stretch marks (hopefully) so I am declaring water as my new bff. I still measure my water intake! Atleast 2.5 liters a day.

I had UTI two weeks ago and I swear! Nakakaparanoid talaga. I used to have UTI all the time. And I blame my incorrect hygiene for that. You know I am one of those crazy (OC) ladies who wear panty liners all the time. I even prefer the scented one. One day, my doctor told me to stop using them and then I’m okay na. No more UTI. So when I had UTI two weeks ago, feeling ko katapusan na ng mundo ko. Kasi naman, I thought I was having contractions. I feel like I’m having cramps. And for a first time mom like me, nakakaloka sya! And that’s all because of UTI.

My OB then told me that I should always make sure that I have dry and clean panties. She recommended the use of unscented pantyliners but make sure daw that I change it every 2-3 hours. And a pregnant woman have constant discharge so we really need to take this seriously. She also said that if I really feel uncomfortable with the pantyliner idea (mentioned to her my previous experience), magbaon daw ako ng panty sa office. I tried the pantyliner idea and I swear I change all the freakin’ time. Inoorasan ko talaga but I still feel uncomfy. So again, just for my peace of mind, I always have clean undies on my bag now. Then I change undies mid-day. #TMI

Also went all out and got myself cotton undies. Most of my knickers are either silk or lace but I was told that cotton is better with wetness absorption and they are breezier. I hate the fact though that most cotton knickers are so un-sexy! Hmp!

As I’ve said, I always need something sweet in my life. But again, the pregnancy changed that. I am now very aware of my sugar intake. The moment my officemate learned of the pregnancy, she immediately warned me of gestational diabetes. Her sister had one late in her pregnancy and her sister had to undergo diet. Now her pamangkin is very picky on food. Parang laging on diet daw. They blame gestational diabetes for that.

And because, I am a paranoid pregnant woman, I really count my sugar now. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t ditch sugar at all! (I’d die if I tried) I still allow myself to a couple of sweets every now and then but I really try to say no most of the time. If I had chocolate this week na, no more chocolates for me. Next week na ulit. Then I try to have small frequent meals heavy on fruits and veggies and less rice. No junk food. My family have a history of diabetes so I’m more prone to it kaya triple ingat.

Dental care, most of the time, are being dismissed here in the Philippines. I realized that when I accompanied my brother to the dental clinic a few weeks back. He has a health card but he hasn’t done oral prophylaxis EVER. Why? We don’t know. We just don’t think its important. But ever since I got pregnant, I look at every aspect of my health. That includes dental care. I had oral prophylaxis last week. Had my teeth and gums checked to ensure that they are healthy enough. Well aside from the sensitive teeth and few cleaning, the dentist said I don’t need anything that requires immediate attention. That little tooth that needs pasta can wait until after I gave birth. I was advised also to use soft bristled toothbrush coz my gums are a bit pudpod na. The dentist says, it’s probably because of brushing too hard. So to all pregnant ladies out there, go visit your dentist please!

But despite all of those, I still feel like I’m not doing enough. So I’m glad that Mommy Fleur mentioned this article about not trying to become a Supermom, because really, no one is. I read it this morning and I felt better. I promise not to fret on small stuff anymore. I am doing my best for my baby and my love will lead me to the right path, I know that!

xoxo,

Reigne

P.S.: I just realized that my blog is starting to become to mommy blog already. But what can I do??!! My life is all about the pregnancy now! :) Hooray!

Pregnancy