Updates and Peanuts

7 weeks, 1 day. The morning sickness that I thought was going away seems to be slowly coming back with a vengeance. I keep forgetting that I’m pregnant, which makes it hard to remember my prenatals or that I need to eat, not just for me, but for that little thing growing inside me. Yesterday I wasn’t hungry first thing in the morning and I didn’t feel like having tea, so I waited for hours until I finally felt so sick it was nearly impossible for me to make it out to the kitchen to get myself some food. Eric made me toast. I thought I might die.
The gas and constipation are crippling. I have lots of belly cramps which I’m not sure whether they are uterine or intestinal. Bloating combined with widening hips are making my pants less than comfortable. Today is a little chillier than usual, so pants were a must. Here’s how I coped.

I’m growing forgetful and distracted. This morning I locked my keys in my apartment. Before I could drive him to work, my boyfriend had to climb our balcony and break into our apartment to retrieve the keys. At the grocery store, I bought 3 potatoes. 3. I have no idea why that seemed like a good idea.
I’m finding that, as I go farther along, I start to panic more about baby things. I cried the whole 35 minute drive from my mothers house back to my own because I wanted to be closer to family when I had my baby. I feel very unstable. Eric and I are trying to work through it, but it seems that it’s taking a toll on both of us. We’ve talked, we’re trying to relax and get through things.

 

Now, for the real purpose of this post.

Peanuts.
I know a lot of pregnant women avoid them like the plague in fear of allergies. I intended to as well, but if you have read my other posts you have seen mention of peanut butter several times, as it is one of the few foods that I have on hand at all times that is quick enough to eat that I don’t over think it and throw up.
My reasoning is in the science. I did my research. I looked at the pros and cons. So far, there is nothing definitive stating that peanut exposure inutero is dangerous. In fact, there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary. No one in my family or Eric’s has a peanut allergy (or really anything apart from dairy and seasonal). While I would like to branch out from peanut butter based on it’s high fat content, I generally do not eat a very high fat diet and do not see this as too much of a problem. My only concern with eating peanut butter during pregnancy is getting carried away with it as it is frequently my standby snack. Just an hour ago I found myself famished and dizzy and thought I was going to die in my bed. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed and knife, and scooped some peanut butter onto a piece of wheat bread. Crisis averted. No one died.
On the off chance that my child ends up with a peanut allergy, I won’t blame myself and I won’t assume that it could have been avoided. Sometimes these things happen. But it certainly will not be the end of the world. No one will die. My child will enjoy other nut butters and healthy things. I might even learn to cook from scratch.

Everyone is doing there best. Generally, we all come out unscathed.