Celiac Ninja's Blog

Honestly it's not so bad being pregnant. Minus the swelling from various foods or things I drink that I have been informed are gluten free. The baby is growing quickly, seems to have growth spirts like a normal kid does out of the womb. I swear, in one week, I went from 145-150 and stayed there! I thought the scale was broken, I put the scale in the goodwill pile...everyone else who weighted themselves on the scale came up normal. Darn it! lol But, from a very very helpful website about pregnancy, I have learned that the weight is dispersed among many vital components...not just fat. For example, by the time the baby is 9 months, he himself will be between 6-8 pounds. The uterus will be around two pounds after expanding to it's fullest. Didn't think about that one did ya? The extra blood in the woman's body, 1/3 more than her normal 5 liters (1.3 gallons). Woman do carry more water weight than me, woman and children have less than 5 liters probably due to our size and need (muscle mass/oxygen use). Anywho....blah blah blah, a pregnant woman does carry fat reserves for baby and mother to use. The baby gets top pick, so the fat and muscle and bone nutrients that a pregnant woman has is the baby's main source. So fat yes counts for weight, which I can tell by my giant butt that I'm stacking the reserves alright. Lol bah!

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Also, added weight for a pregnancy woman would include the amniotic fluids that cushion the baby in the womb. Interesting, that's liquid which to me always seems to weigh more than it would appear. Then there's the placenta and cord, that thing could nearly be a pound or so and up to 9 inches long and like a one inch thick pancake. Then there's our good ole friends the breasts. Enough said, they will be pretty full and ready for baby by the ninth month. All that counts for weight. So there is a potential to gain a total of 34 lbs. I will be heavier (not fatter) than I have ever been in my life! WOW I started under weight due to celiac at a mere 118 lbs. Lets just say the pregnancy clothes don't fit all that great before or after the weight gain. Wonderful. I am glad I'm not a stick figure anymore, that part is true. But wow.

I can hardly hold back my excitement to get this little guy out of me and into some cute clothes and take him to the park where he can play with bugs and enjoy sunshine! It will be fun to have him a part of our lives. My husband is excited too, but he hides it well.

There is however a potential of mixing of the blood during birth. Hubby is positive and I am negative. So with this first birth, my immune system will recognize the positive RH factor of the baby verses my RH negative and the next birth will be totally dangerous supposedly. I am not willing or think I am able to take the RH shot. It is comprised of proteins and proteins and I have never met on good terms. There's the proteins in Retuxan that sent me into liver failure, it took three pain relievers/antihistamines to get me out of shock. That was not fun. Then there is the gluten protein chain (even though it's gliadin that is the issue) that my white blood cells react to, as well as regular proteins in everyday foods. It takes a while for my digestive system to break down and move proteins through, makes me very tired and often swollen. Even though it is gluten free meat, it does cause some swelling. I do believe that is an excessive reaction from my intestinal walls that really isn't necessary. So the shot, with donor blood and proteins, is a no go in my mind. I got red flags popping up all over the place whenever I think about it. I'm pretty sure my body has said no. So I am praying that the Lord guides me on this choice. Having one child is okay for my hubby and I. In the future we may change our mind, but the risk is too great for both baby and I, so adoption could be an option. Why am I rhyming?? lol