Heartbeats and head beats

So I had my latest doctor's appointment on Tuesday and, as hoped, we heard the baby's heartbeat!! :) It was a little hard to find at first but eventually my OB found it and it sounds really good. From that, I guess everything is progressing just fine. :D

So from heartbeats I move on to head beats... the kind where I just want to beat my head against a wall. Not from frustration at the stupidity of humanity, more from my own demons that I need to deal with. Since my previous doctor's appointment I have gained a little over a pound. Because I'm still within that first trimester range it's ok but I could tell my doctor would like to see more the next time we see her. This is the point in my pregnancy that I have been dreading for years... the weight gain. I think most people know by now that I struggled with food and body image in high school and college. Even though I eat normally now, almost daily I find that I have to tell myself "I'm not fat, I'm pregnant." I don't think I'll do anything to seriously jeopardize the health and well-being of my child but I do think that gaining the weight I need to will be hard for me.

For now, I approach food things almost analytically. Instead of seeing food for what it is, I think in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. I really try to eat a balanced diet but so far it's been more of a "baby's hungry; are you going to eat that?" ;)

In regards to what baby will let me eat, carbs are not a problem. Proteins can be though. I'm still unsure about some dairy items (although for the moment I can't pass up a chocolate shake) and most meats I'm very careful with. Chicken and hamburger are my safest. Turkey is, unfortunately, questionable. Steak is also not something I seek out. Pork is ok but it depends on what form it's in (BACON!!!!!). And seafood I stay away from entirely. Not so much because of doctor's warnings (are you kidding me? if baby lets me eat something, I eat it!) but because baby doesn't seem too keen on seafood.

As I come to the end of this trimester I sincerely hope with every fiber of my being that my tastes will return to what they were pre-pregnancy. I've always said that if I have a picky eater of a child that I will lose my mind. Hopefully what I can and cannot eat now won't be a reflection on what the baby will want to have once it's here.

*fingers crossed!*