Welcome to Pregnant Chicken!
Pregnancy can be the happiest time of your life but it can be the scariest, most guilt ridden, and tiring time of your life too (I think it gives you a preview for actually having a kid).
During my two pregnancies I was overwhelmed with all the information of what I should and shouldn't do while pregnant. Everything finished off with "to be on the safe side, just avoid it." Well that's great except I'd be sitting in a hamster ball eating washed, organic leaf lettuce and popping folic acid for 40 weeks if I did that.
As much as I wanted to discount all these scare tactics, I couldn't help but think "what if". What if I did miscarry because I ate a hotdog? What if my baby was deformed because I cleaned out the litter box? I second guessed and googled everything.
Now that my two sons are here and I'm no longer pregnant I look back on that time with anger. Not because there are warnings of what to avoid when pregnant but these so called experts drop these little nuggets in your lap with terms like "studies have shown" and "experts agree" but with very few studies or experts to back them up. Then they wrap it all up with the ever endearing "to be on the safe side, avoid it" to absolve themselves if your kid grows a tail because you ate a breath mint in your first trimester. You're left rocking in the corner with the ever looming "be on the safe side" hanging over your head if, godforbid, you decided to have a glass of wine with dinner. So I decided to compile as much as I could find on many of the subjects that haunted me throughout both my pregnancies to shine a little perspective on all of it.
I'm not a doctor. I'm not even close. This is only a compilation of the things I found online but surf for yourself and decide which things you think you should avoid during your pregnancy and things that you shouldn't. All I can guarantee is that down the road we'll all find out we chose both right and wrong and it's a miracle any of us are here at all.
36 Comments
Reader Comments (36)
You just summed up my 1st pregnancy! And I thought your blog on Rants From Mommyland was good!!
Wicked.
M
I am 54 years old and my children are both grown now. I'm going to be a Grandmother again and this site is wonderful!
I am so glad I've discovered your blog. I'm bookmarking it and I will be back. Thanks for articulating what had been namelessly, ominously looming in my brain.
Why didn't I know about your blog 5 months ago when we conceived?!? I love it and just placed an icon on my iPhone to quick link to it! Your writing is very entertaining! Thank you!
I'm very glad I came upon your blog. It echos a lot of what I have been thinking throughout my pregnancy. I found a book called 'The Panic Free Pregnancy' by Dr. Michael S. brodeur. I have appreciated the research that he has done to clarify the hysteria out there & I recommend it to everyone to read in order to make informed decisions.
Hi! I found your blog because someone sent me the link to your maternity pictures post...anyway, I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to say I am bookmarking this blog. We aren't even pregnant yet and all my know-it-all 20-something mom friends (who are experts, you know, after having been parents for all of two years) already feel free telling me everything I would be doing wrong if I was pregnant/had kids. I need relief. This is it. Thank you.
And for the record, my mom bleached her hair, wore acrylic nails and drank Coke throughout my brother's entire gestation (the only one I was old enough to remember). 16 years later, he's 6'4" and an A student. Just throwing that out there.
Love, love,love your site! I wish I had this to read when I had been expecting! Sometimes you just need to laugh... Until you cry, so you can justify crying! I did A LOT of crying with my last pregnancy! I could't watch anything on TV, listen to a sad song, read a touching story....without shedding some tears! Thanks for giving me some good laughs:)
Amy, I love you!
I just discovered your blog and I pretty much devoured it in one sitting (like I tend to do with all things delicious). I just blogged about it because I am pissed/delighted that I have only just discovered you and everyone I know shall speak your name! I'd like to be your new best friend, please. Thanks.
I love your honesty and you, m'lady, are HILARIOUS, as you've already been told. This is my new favorite blog, period.
Why, oh why couldn't I have found this website when I was pregnant or even when I was a new mother? It might have given me some much needed perspective. Oh well, I've bookmarked it for next time I go crazy and decide I want another one.
I just read your entire site in one sitting. I'm not even pregnant (yet) and it's my new favourite thing ever. And you're Canadian! Icing on the cake!
Although, is there a way to password-protect this site against the men folk? I really don't want my husband to find out that I'm probably OK to clean the cat litter. That's at least half the reason I want to get pregnant in the first place... :D
I love you - thank you for doing this. That is all.
Found this site a few weeks ago and am addicted to all of your posts :)
I am thinking of getting pregnant at the end of the summer and this is the most interesting mommy sight I have ever read...and I get bored reading easily. I love the sarcasm and I can't wait until I can parade around with an enormous belly leading the way! (All friends I have, starting from high school have been having kids...I am somewhat "The Last of the Mohecans" lol)
Great job - looking forward to more!
I'm 11 weeks pregnant, and this is my first kid. OF COURSE I have tons of people telling me what I should and shouldn't do and it makes me feel so restricted. It's literally impossible to cut out everything that's supposedly "bad" for you. Your posts make me feel better and not as guilty. Thanks!!!!
Oh what a great site to stumble across right now. I'm in the 3rd trimester of my 1st pregnancy and have scared myself quite a few times, with things I read on the internet. Just recently it was flax seed that sent me questioning my doctor. Anyway great site, and thanks for posting this info!
This is a great site for moms and moms-to-be. When I got pregnant before, I was also restricted to just about everything that I used to do, have, and eat. I was miserable then. I wish I could have found your blog during my pregnant days. I love reading all of your posts. Thanks.
HOly Hell! I'm only 2 months in and I swear, I am already so overwhelmed with the constant battles of information and the 'just best to avoid it'! After reading this I feel like I have a whole new lease on my pregnant-ass life! I seriously needed some comic relief in this exciting but insanely stressful time. Loving the frank, no-nonsense view of a practical mom with two healthy babes. Thanks for being REAL.
Someone told me that I should not eat pineapple during pregnancy because it contains Bromelain which can also soften the cervix but it is said that it takes large quantities to have any effect which can also result in diarrhea.
I drink 2 L of pineapple juice a week for sure, it's my 'drink of choice'! And, I just can't get enough. Have you found anything or ever heard anything about this? I love your posts, so much fun to read!
Hi Monique,
Pineapple does does contain bromelain which it thought to help induce labour (you can check out the How to Induce Labour post I did to see the list: http://pregnantchicken.squarespace.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2011/1/10/how-to-go-into-labour-or-labor-if-youre-getting-picky.html)
but you would have to drink tons (like a bathtub full) of it to have any effect so I wouldn't worry about it too much about it.
Thanks for reading and congratulations!
Amy
Reading these posts makes me miss being pregnant. I already have 2 children and they are already close. My husband isn't ready for another one...neither am I. I just miss being pregnant!! I love this site!!
I just wanted to let you know I've given you the Versatile Blogger Award! Check it out here:
http://monsterroundup.blogspot.com/2011/05/versatile-blogger-award.html
Thanks, Desirae!
Thank you for this blog site SO much! It started for me when someone emailed me the link for the awkward pregnancy photos. LOVED them! I'm not pregnant and have no plans to be any time soon as my husband is way good with just the one kiddo we have! Anywho, you're freakin awesome, totally hilarious and I love reading what you have to say. I've been telling all of my friends about you, too! So keep up the great writing and keep the laughs coming. I really wish this site had been around in 2006 when I was pregnant! :) I LOVE YOU!
thanks for this!
I'm 15 weeks, and totally freaked out all the time for the same reasons you mentioned.
I'll be visiting your site often for peace of mind ; )
So happy to have found you and your beautiful site! I keep coming back each day and finding so many interesting tips! I'm 15 weeks pregnant and this is my first baby so i'm currently researching and reading up on as much as I can. Will be following you for sure! I'll be linking you on my blog as well because people need to know about you!
Natasha xo
I am currently going through my first pregnancy...thus far full of raging hormones, super smell sensitivity, and a stomach that churns at the most random stuff (co-worker putting toothpaste on toothbrush...really stomach?).
Your blog is helping me keep my sanity.
Thank you so much for sharing your awesomeness.