This is an interesting choice of topic. I like it!
When I found out I was going to have a baby (the first time) I was ravenous for information on pregnancy and birth, as well as taking care of said child after delivery (because as much as we hate it, they DON'T come with instruction manuals).
After spending much time on various message boards, I found these to be the hottest topics: spotting-what's normal and what isn't, cramping, caffeine, and what foods are safe to eat. So here we go.
Spotting:
While I, personally, have no experience with this, friends assure me that this is totally normal and can happen for various reasons. DO NOT automatically freak out. Sometimes you can spot from implantation, or if you have an irritable cervix. If the bleeding is RED and heavy, this is a time when you should consider calling your doctor, especially if it is accompanied by cramping. If the blood is brown, it's considered "old" and not really anything to worry about.
Cramping:
Cramping, especially very early, is very normal...especially if you've never had children. I remember feeling like I was going to get my period, yet it never showed up-thus the positive test I got a couple days later. The cramping really didn't stop for quite a while...and when it did, the round ligament pain (RLP) started. It's just your baby making it's home a little bigger. And if you've never had children before, your uterus has never done this before, thus making it more likely that you'll have some cramps. With my second pregnancy, the cramps didn't seem as bad and didn't seem to last as long.
Caffeine:
Of course, you should always follow your doctors instructions, but it is generally believed that up to 300mg of caffeine per day while pregnant is acceptable. To give you an idea, a 20-oz bottle of Mountain Dew has 91mg of caffeine in it. The first trimester can be draining...the fatigue is really hard to get over some days. If you need that cup of coffee (or 3) in the morning, go for it. During my first pregnancy I cut caffeine out in the first trimester, but by the 3rd I was too big to get any sleep and if I wanted to stay awake at work, I needed something. I opted for a Pepsi most days because its slightly lower in caffeine, but on the days I needed a little more Mountain Dew was my friend. Having a toddler at home while being pregnant is EXHAUSTING to say the least and the caffeine was definitely necessary.
Foods:
This is ALWAYS an amusing topic...the dreaded "lunch meat debate". This is the reason I never went back to the 1st Tri board on TheBump when I got pregnanct again; I couldn't take the 1 million "Can I eat unheated lunch meat" posts. So here's a couple of the more popular ones:
Lunch meat-Yes you can eat it...unheated, even. The major concern is Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. However, if you trust the place where you get it from then its safe to eat it cold. Places like Subway and other such sandwich shops are likely safe because their meat doesn't sit out all day and gets cycled through fairly quickly. If you have doubts and you still want to eat that lunch meat, you can heat it up to kill any bacteria that may be living on it.
Sushi-Yes you can eat it...even the raw stuff. The things to avoid are the fish that are considered to be high in mercury, such as Tile Fish, and of course, anything out of Lake Michigan. Once again, reputation is everything. I wouldn't go eating raw sushi from the gas station or something. I have had sashimi from our favorite sushi bar several times during both pregnancies. Also, some amount of fish is good for you and the baby due to the Omega-3's found in it. However, if you still have doubts but still want to eat sushi, go for something like a California roll or something with tempura in it. And as always, follow your doctor's instructions. Mine said sushi was just fine.
Then there's the things that those TV shows like A Baby Story never tell you about pregnancy and birth: the gas, the hemmorhoids, the discharge, and all the bleeding, hormones, and night sweats you have once the baby is born! As my doctor would say, it's bad for repeat business. :)
Seriously, though, making a baby is a truly amazing process, as is watching them grow up into little people. One big thing I learned from my first one is to document EVERYTHING. I very sporadically kept track of anything during my last pregnancy and I regret it. I've done a weekly survey every week since I was 4 weeks pregnant this time and I love looking back and reading about what went on that week. I've also been doing a survey every month of my first child's growth. I like to see how much she has learned from month to month and it's a good way to look back after #2 is here to see how they compare as they're growing up.
I may do a follow-up post later on about packing for the hospital, since I'll be doing that myself soon. Stay tuned!
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