Eating bread and cookies and pasta — I had a gluten sensitivity that was diagnosed right after we got married in the fall of 2012. The first month or so of my pregnancy, all I wanted to eat was a steak and cheese sub. I mentioned this to my midwife and she told me it was okay for me to try and have one. Some women find that their allergies go away completely during pregnancy. And for some women, they never come back! So on the way home from that appointment we stopped at D’Angelos and I had one. And I didn’t get sick! From that point on, I enjoyed all my favorite foods without worrying about if they had gluten in them! The only thing I really wanted but couldn’t have was a beer. I jokingly said to Keith that I hoped my sensitivity would stay away for at least a couple of weeks so I could enjoy a Blue Moon and a Sam Summer. So he bought a six-pack before she was born and we saved it so that I could have at least one. But now, I am starting to notice the all-too-familiar stomach pains that come from eating something with gluten. <Insert sad face here> I know that I need to get back on the “gluten free” wagon, but I think I’m so not ready! It’s been such a tease to eat this way again, and now I have to give it up for the second time!

Clear skin — I have struggled my entire life with bad skin. It started as a teen, and honestly just never got better. I tried every skin care system under the sun, and saw dermatologists and aestheticians. My skin would improve for a short while, but then inevitably always get bad again. And then I got pregnant! And just like that, bam — clear, radiant, healthy, amazing skin. I barely wore makeup most days! It was wonderful.

Now, my bad skin is starting to creep up again. I’m noticing breakouts and more redness. Looks like I’ll be going back to my intense skin care regimen soon!

No period –  Ok, ok so this one is a given …. but I also thought that if you were breast feeding, you didn’t get a period. I was looking forward to 9 months + extended time BF’ing …. but I got to eight weeks post-partum. Thanks, AF.

Migraines — I think that I got my first migraine when I was 8 years old. And then for the duration of my life, I had daily headaches and migraines several times a month. During my first trimester, my migraines went from bad to worse and we made several ER visits. I was no stranger to having to go to the ER for a particularly bad migraine. A shot of Toradol and I would be good as new.
But Toradol is a strict no-no for pregnant women, so the ER doctors struggled to find something that would be as effective.

And then, somewhere around week 16, they completely stopped. I went the entire rest of my pregnancy without even a headache! It was pure bliss. Sure, I couldn’t breathe and my back hurt and I had to pee every ten minutes, but living headache/migraine-free was amazing.

My headaches are back now, and I know that means a migraine is just around the corner. Boohoo.

So I guess pregnancy wasn’t ALL that bad But don’t expect me to be doing it again any time soon!