Maybe a baby in 2017

[Lyndzie]

Gosh, I feel a little stupid admitting this, but I think I finally "get it." I've been working on eating a WFPB diet for over a year and a half, and I think I finally understand how to do it. And, it really is because of the kids. Their/our breakfasts have always been compliant, but sometimes lunch or dinner can get off course. Knowing that they will eat corn, sweet potatoes and broccoli with enthusiasm has really been a lightbulb moment for me. We were having so many dinners where they would complain about the food, but now, voilà, a completely nutritious, well rounded meal.

The poor littles, though, their bellies haven't quite caughten up to the increase in vegetables, and they've had upset tummies. I felt like we were eating fairly decent amount of produce, but the ridiculous amount of broccoli that has been consumed in the last four days really got things moving for them. I'm excited for other fun dinners like fries and (banana) ice cream. We also like stir fry veggies with tempeh or tofu.

Now that I'm also back on plan with my eating, I'm working on getting really comfortable and back in my rhythm at home, then I'll have to tackle dining out. I went out for dinner last night with a friend, and it was a super disappointing experience - the vegan chili was served with sour cream! We're going back to the same restaurant for my husband's birthday on Monday, and this time I'll bring my own salad dressing and just get a large salad.

Also, I've got a phone appointment with Jeff set up for the end of the month. I've been tracking my food the past few days, and I'm falling short in a few areas - calcium, iron and overall calories. I wouldn't worry too much about the calcium, but I do eat salt at the table, so I'm not sure how much I should be aiming for. As far as iron, the recommendation for pregnancy is 27 mg/day, and I'm getting about 18. I'm not sure how important that is, but it is a requirement for home birth to have a blood level above 10.5, and mine has been below that with both previous pregnancies (low iron is linked to poor maternal outcomes). I'd prefer food to those awful iron pills. Also, my total calories are still low, lower than pre-pregnancy, and I'm not aiming for weight loss right now. I'm only up 8 lbs, which puts me dead center for for target recommended weight gain of 25-35 lbs. I have a feeling that I'm going to gain less this pregnancy than the other two because of my better food choices. My midwife told me that I should gain 20 lbs by 20 weeks, which sounds like a recipe for disaster!

[Lyndzie]

Here is a few of the meals I've had in the past week. Giant thank you to the amazingly gracious amandamichele for explaining to me how to post the pics!



This is the Cook's Illustrated Ratatouille on polenta. I'm not a big fan of eggplant, but it really melts into the background and allows the other flavors to come forward. I added some chickpeas, which is totally not traditional, but I'm trying to make sure that I get in 1 cup of beans a day.



This is Minimalist Baker's Fettucini Alfredo, plus sundried tomatoes and broccoli. I entered it into Cronometer, and a serving came out to 400 cal and 8 grams of fat (not including veg), which is waaaaay better than the stuff I used to make with butter and dairy. Rich, for sure, which is why the veggies are needed to lighten it up.



This was my lunch today. Veggie stir fry of baby bok choy, broccoli, zucchini, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and tempeh with sticky brown rice. I like it with sambal oelek.



This is what the girls had for lunch. It was Favorite Vegetables Stir Fry, and they got to pick what was in it. They chose broccoli, baby corn, water chestnuts and tofu with sticky brown rice. Among my many epiphanies this past week, I realized that instead of trying to use the stir fry as an opportunity to introduce the girls to new veggies, I should just ask them what they want, and let them stuff their faces with broccoli and baby corn. Also, the training chopsticks make eating veggies so much more fun! These are Edison brand, and while they are on Amazon, they were cheaper at my local international grocery store.



This photo definitely leaves something to be desired, but after the sun goes down, natural lighting is not an option. This was tonight's dinner: whole wheat penne with zucchini, mushrooms and spinach, in my homemade marinara sauce, topped with diced kalamata olives, capers and pine nuts. It's very loosely modeled after penne alla Norma, which has eggplant, but at this point I prefer zucchini, so I'm sticking with it. A hefty dose of garlic and sprinkling of red pepper flakes creates some really big flavors.

[Lyndzie]

Today is 20 weeks - halfway! It's also my 5 year old's half birthday! Fetus is about 6.5 inches from head to tush, and 10 inches from head to feet.

I've been tracking my food for the past week in Cronometer, and I've been consistently coming up short in calories, iron and calcium. I think everything but the iron would be fixed if I could eat more food. I eat when I'm hungry, and stop when I'm full. If I overeat, I trigger the cram circuit theory and end up craving junk, which won't help me reach nutrient goals. I can't figure out how to get the puzzle pieces to fit together. I'm looking forward to my call with Jeff.



This is the macro view. According to a couple sources, I need a couple hundred extra calories a day, which would be around 2000 cal/day. When I eat what I want, I get between 1350-1600. I've gained 8 lbs, and the expectation is to gain .5-1 lbs a week from here on out. Yesterday I managed to eat another meal, so this screenshot reflects the higher calorie intake, but I'm still about 300 cal short. I've been eating richer foods, which is why the fat % is so high, in an attempt to increase calorie density.

I have no idea how to get in another 11 mg of iron in a day (I'm averaging 16 mg, and the goal is 27 mg), and I've had low iron both last pregnancies. Calcium comes in around 450 mg, but I'm guessing it's not enough because I've been having higher salt meals, and needs increase in pregnancy. Protein is actually fine, around 52 g/day, which is in the 47-58 g/day range for my weight.

I had a blood draw on Monday, and my blood has never been such a beautiful, rich color. It definitely looks healthy! I'm interested to see what the results are.

Today I warmed up a couple slices of Ezekiel bread, topped with peanut butter and a banana. It was definitely rich! We'll see how that impacts nutrient intake for today.



This is yesterday's (and today's) lunch. Chickpea and cauliflower curry with sriracha.



This is my usual breakfast. 1 lb of frozen hash browns, cooked dry, and folded in half (otherwise it takes up the whole plate), with homemade ketchup (that totally sharted all over) and yellow mustard.

[Lyndzie]

I got my bloodwork results this afternoon, and I am anemic.

Iron = 10.1 (low) Normal = 11.1-15.9
A1C = 4.7 Normal = 4.8-5.9
Thyroid = 1.4 Normal = .4-4.5 (preferably closer to 2)

Well, on to figure this thing out. I want to avoid supplements. Last pregnancy I used a supplement called Hemaplex that worked really well, but has a ton of stuff in it that I am no longer interested in ingesting.

[Lyndzie]

As of Wednesday, I am 21 weeks pregnant. Fetus is roughly 10.5 inches long from head to toe.

We had the ultrasound last Friday. Please allow me to introduce to you (drum roll please)...

PEPPER MINT CANDY CANE (this is a nickname)



Gender is a surprise, but all body parts are accounted for. Measures exactly on schedule.

I also had a phone call with Jeff on Tuesday. It is always so reassuring to talk with a healthcare professional that supports and understands healthy eating. My two conversation priorities had shifted between setting the appointment and the actual call. Because of the anemia, I needed a strategy to try and elevate that, ideally without those God awful pills (the side effects are terrible!). Taking those iron supplements quickly turns into cascading interventions, when you need pills to deal with side effects from the pills.

So, the game plan for my personal health situation to increase my iron:
- make sure to eat 1 cup each of beans and greens a day
- eat a source of vit C with my beans and greens to increase absorption
- a little molasses on oatmeal at breakfast
- occasional cooking in my cast iron skillet

I will retest my iron in a month to see if it has improved enough. As a side note, before eating this way, I had dealt with low iron forever. About 13 years ago, I developed glossitis, but could not figure out the cause. Then, while reading about iron deficiency, I saw that glossitis was a symptom. Light bulb moment! The only time my iron levels have been solid has been since I started McDougalling, and it also is the only time my glossitis disappeared. Now I know what the cause is and how to get rid of it.

I've got more thoughts to write, but I'm dealing with another round of sick kids and am barely getting enough sleep, and the house is a mess.

[SilverDollar123]

Thank you so much for sharing with us Pepper Mint Candy Cane! I do so enjoy this experience with you! RAS

[Lyndzie]

You are welcome, RAS!

Man, oh man. Today I was suppose to host our monthly WFPB pitch in, but we ended up rescheduling because of the never ending illness that has taken over my house. Then, my 5 year old's fever reached 104.2F last night!!!! Called a nurse, who said to go to the ER. Called my MIL, who also said to go to the ER. Checked the Internet, which also said to go to the ER. So....we went to the ER. Fortunately, it was nothing concerning, and the ER was completely empty, so we were seen very quickly. The staff was great with her, and we saw the nicest doctor. They said to follow up with her pediatrician on Monday, and just keep an eye on her fever.

In other news, crazy pregnancy pregnancy dreams had me at an Advanced Study Weekend, where I met Jeff in person (along with the entire McDougall family) and Jeff had a peg leg like a pirate.

I've been salting my food more, and checking my blood pressure, and it's back up to a reasonable level, 90's/50's. My mom lent me her blood pressure machine, so I've checked it a few times, and it's been pretty consistent. I'm also up 2 lbs ten days, but it's probably a little bit of water weight since I've increased the salt. (I've also added a couple nut servings in the past few days, such as walnuts on my oatmeal and Ezekiel cinnamon raisin muffins with 1 tbsp peanut butter for a snack.) I had just gotten readjusted to the taste of low/no salt foods again, but I also would rather eat a little salt on my food than black out when I stand up.

In regards to my call with Jeff, we also discussed a reasonable calcium level to shoot for. He said 750, so I updated Cronometer to reflect that. And, continue to eat to satisfaction, and increase my amount of starch at meals to get in more calories.

I was working on a list of iron + vit C meal ideas that would be tasty and nutritious, because my first thought of pinto beans and oranges was borderline repulsive. I tried lemon juice on my collard greens and that is not going to work for me.

IRON + VIT C MEAL IDEAS
- pinto/black beans with salsa on rice, aka a burrito bowl
- salad with beans and bell peppers
- whole wheat pasta with white beans, spinach and marinara
- lentil "bolognese" (pictured below)
- stir fry with broccoli and bok choy
- hummus and bell peppers
- chickpea salad (contains lemon juice), I could probably eat it in a pita with roasted bell peppers
- Taco Bell bean bowl (also pictured below)



This was my first attempt at lentil bolognese. I used liquid smoke to give it a little meaty flavor, and mushrooms. I did not like the spinach in it. In this version, I used regular pasta, but the heartier sauce definitely would benefit from whole wheat noodles. I think I'll try it again today for lunch.



This is my Taco Bell reenactment. It is homemade refried beans, diced onion, diced tomato, shredded lettuce and a hefty dose of Taco Bell hot sauce, topped with a bit of avocado (optional). It's for those times when you feel like reliving those college days of frugality without the prerequisite hangover.

Tonight I am not planning on watching the Super Bowl, but would like to catch the halftime show. Even though I'm not going to watch the game, for dinner I'm making buffalo cauliflower bites with tahini dipping sauce and guac with homemade chips. I'm excited to "pig out" a little on compliant foods. It's good to have alternatives for these kind of occasions.

I hope everyone out there stays well and avoids all the colds and stuff that have been going around.

[Lyndzie]

I've tried posting THREE TIMES, and each time, right before I'm about to submit, something happens and the whole post gets deleted. So, I'm going to keep this short in case it happens again.

As of yesterday. I am 23 weeks pregnant, and the fetus is roughly 11 inches long, about the size of a large mango, which I can totally attest to because this little bugger is kicking up a storm.

I've had a couple days with poor eating. Not the whole day, but parts of it - lunch at a restaurant had oil, or a chocolate bar, that sort of thing. I bought a container of dates at Trader Joe's today, and tomorrow will stuff my face with those things if I feel tempted to wander off plan. I got the ingredients to make a vegan Mac n cheese, so I might attempt that tomorrow, but I still have some red beans and rice to finish up from earlier this week.

I went to see Michelle Obama speak earlier this week. It was so inspiring. I got a Nasty Woman button to put on my Planned Parenthood bag that I carry my knitting in. Nothing like being that super pregnant mom in the bright pink pussyhat with her pro-choice bag with a feminist button, sitting by herself knitting while her 5 year old is in theater rehearsal, while the other moms still around and talk about bible study.

[Lyndzie]

I have had some pretty epic-level insomnia set in over the past two weeks. I'm sleeping very lightly, and if I get woken up, I can't fall back asleep for a couple hours, if at all. I picked up some melatonin to try out, and it kinda helps. I've been up since 4 this morning, and at this point going back to sleep is not in the cards. I've had to resort to putting the kids in front of a movie to get a nap in on the really bad days.

I was just looking up insomnia and anemia, and came across someone's personal experience with B-12 anemia. I'm having a lot of the symptoms they had, such as waking up at night, light sleep, tinnitus, achy hips, vertigo, and glossitis. My iron is low, and I will take my B-12 daily to see if that helps.

I hosted another of our local plant-based pitch in's today. We had a ton of last minute cancellations, but the small group lead to better conversation in my opinion. I got to talk to everyone, and the food was great as usual. My favorite dish was the no bake brownies from the How Not to Die Cookbook. Boy, those things are rich, and incredibly delicious. It calls for a ridiculous amount of nuts and dates, but I can totally take this to any family gathering and SAD eaters will be none the wiser.

Also, I found a new product when grocery shopping last week - no-oil ramen noodles. The sodium is 260 mg per 200 cal serving, which is higher than Jeff's standards, but definitely the lowest sodium of any ramen I've seen. I'm excited to try out a shiitake miso ramen recipe. My kids like ramen, so it's an alternative to that gross packaged stuff that's widely available, and the "authentic" noodles I've found at the international grocery with MSG and egg. I'll post how it turns out.

I tried the America's Test Kitchen vegan Mac and cheese (minus the oil) last night. I didn't have quite everything needed on hand, but went ahead anyway and put it together with what was here, and it turned out alright. It was edible, but not mind-blowing. I will try it again with all the ingredients. Salt really helped it come together, and I think it's because cheese is very salty.

I picked up some iodized salt this week, too. I was looking up the iodine requirements for pregnancy and lactation, and I'm guessing that I'm not getting enough iodine. My midwife suggested dulse, but aside from the repulsive flavor, the high levels of heavy metal contamination are a big turn off.

[Lyndzie]

Tomorrow is 24 weeks pregnant, and the fetus is almost a foot long, weighing about 1 1/3 lbs.

Interestingly, my uterus is roughly the size of a soccer ball, which explains why bending over is no longer an option. Pregnancy is great for working on squats.

I'm struggling through another bout of sweets again. White bread and anything with refined sugar snowballs, and takes a while to get under control. My meals are solid, but those extras that sneak in between meals are a problem right now.

My husband is finishing up his work project, and is working insane hours. Yesterday he worked for 24 hours straight, came home and slept for 4 hours, then left again. I am doing the parent thing by myself right now, and it's going fine, but I am definitely looking forward to his schedule relaxing again, because he needs the sleep and I'd like a break!

[Ruff]

Hi Lyndzie, I just wanted to pop in and say hello. I have been reading your journal, and thank you for the baby pic

I am at the other end. November 2017 we became child free at home. I think for the last time.....they had been coming and going a bit over the last few years. It is an interesting stage, and we are learning how to just be a couple again. I have to say it is rather fun....


Katie

[Lyndzie]

Hi Katie! I’m glad you enjoy reading about my journey. I can’t fathom what this house would be like without the contant noise and chaos, but in another 18+ years it might be just what I need. Congrats on the empty nest.

Hi to the other folks who are reading this, too. I’d love to hear from you.

On another note, I feel like a bit of an idiot. I make my own homemade marinara and ketchup, and neglected to label the jars in the fridge. Well, guess who poured ketchup all over their gnocchi for dinner? Yup, that was me.

[Lyndzie]

Ugh, I just weighed myself, and it was a shocker. I mean, I know the recommendation for a person of normal weight to gain 25-35 pounds in pregnancy, but it looks like I'm trying to do that all in a single month! Exaggeration aside, looks Iike dates and nuts are back out for the time being.

Average Pregnancy Weight Gain Distribution
7 1/2 lbs for baby
1 1/2 lbs for Placenta
4 lbs for increased fluid volume
2 lbs for uterus
4 lbs for increased blood volume
7 lbs for add'l body fat (to aid in breast milk production)
2 lbs for amniotic fluid
TOTAL: 30 lbs.

I'm up 17 lbs as of this morning, with 17 weeks to go, so I'm still within the recommended range, but I gained 7 lbs in the past 3 weeks. I'll weigh myself the next few days to make sure it's not a fluke. I've read that the weight can come on in spurts, and that this time in pregnancy is when blood volume takes a drastic increase, and that weight gain of 1-2 lbs a week is fine, but this totally caught me off guard. I did not weigh myself at all the last two pregnancies, and ended at the same weight, so I really don't have anything to compare this to. I just don't want to over do it already!

[Lyndzie]

Also, I made another journal called Adventures in Eating found here: https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=57495&p=578247#p578121. I'm going to post all my food related stuff there because this pregnancy won't last forever (thankfully!), and that is a journal that can continue with post-birth.

[Lyndzie]

Currently 25 weeks, 5 days pregnant. Fetus is 13 1/2 inches long, 1 1/2 lbs, about the size of a rutabaga.

101 DAYS TO GO!

Man, for as much as I struggled with eating in the beginning of pregnancy, that is no longer a problem. Everything in sight looks wonderful, and I've become a bottomless pit. On the plus side, healthy foods are delicious. Unfortunately, so is everything else. I had a good 24 hours where I went completely off the rails, due to the Easter candy displays. Cadbury eggs are my favorite candy, and I'm hoping I got that out of my system for the year. Thank goodness that is a seasonal food item!

I watched Dr. Lisle's webinar on making positive change, and something really struck me (which usually happens when I watch one of his talks!). He mentioned how people in pain have such good compliance once they change their diet, because avoiding pain is extremely motivating. Pain did not bring me to this way of eating, avoiding a heart attack in thirty years did, and heart disease is a slow, mostly pain-free disease. There might be some chest pains, but that doesn't happen until arteries are really in bad shape.

Also, I've had the good fortune of being vegetarian for two decades, so I was already eating a bit better than the average American. Sure, there was way too much cheese, but I avoided many common pitfalls by avoiding meat.

That being said, I have had a lot of little details that improved, which I had not realized we're even impacted by diet. My skin is clear (as long as I stay the course!), and it wasn't ever really bad, but now it actually glows, and it's not from pregnancy. My anxiety level is manageable, whereas before I was kinda a bit of a nut. Mental clarity is excellent. I rarely have to wash my hair anymore, which is great because it is ridiculously long and takes forever to clean and dry. I don't smell, but that might be because I'm pregnant and it's winter (we'll see when summer comes!). And, for the first time ever, normal, healthy bathroom habits. I'm lactose intolerant (yet would still gobble up the cheese) and had IBS issues forever, but funny thing is, when you eat what you're suppose to, your body works like it's suppose to.

What keeps me compliant on this diet, truly, is vanity. I like my clothes, and want them to fit a certain way. The challenge, though, is that I don't have that daily feedback while pregnant. Especially with having a third, my stomach is HUGE. I'm petite anyway, so there is no room to hide this thing. Some tall women look so graceful while pregnant, and I look like I am due any day for the last three months. With my first pregnancy, I had just so happened to measure my waist the day before I delivered, and it was 42.5", up from my usual 27". (Funny side story: I measured my waist a couple weeks back, and was up to 34" already. I mentioned this to my MIL, and she exclaimed that I was still thinner than her! Note to self - still not ok to discuss weight/dress size/whatever, even when expecting).