Pregnancy Blues

Have I told you this is my seventh time being pregnant?  For those of you who've been pregnant before, you realize that gaining weight is a natural part of the blissful process of bringing forth a baby into the world, right?  And you don't have to be pregnant to realize the fact of gaining weight is natural for any pregnant woman, no matter how many times she has conceived and delivered before!

As I mentioned, this is my seventh pregnancy and I already have five children, ages 18 months to 8 and 1/2 years old.  I have gained a whomping total of 230 lbs (all of my pregnancy weight added togehter) and have lost 210 lbs.  I am not the scrawny woman I was at 20 years old when I got married 10 years ago, but I didn't think I was looking particularly obese either. 

I went to my check-up the other day and my doctor reminded me that I am only to gain 25 lbs upon which I immediately threw back my head and gave a hearty laugh.  Sh e titled her head and asked, "Do you gain more than this normally?"  "Look at me," I replied.  "I'm already in my 6th month of pregnancy and have gained about 16 lbs.  Do you think I can stick to just 25 lbs?"  I then told my doctor how much weight had I gained total with all of my pregnancies and pure shock registered on her face.  She looked at my chart and past medical history and said, "Well, I see that all your babies were healthy and you've never experienced gestational diabetes so I guess just continue your regular pregnancy routine - whatever that is."

What is my pregnancy routine?  It consists of eating sweets - but not too much - and working out for more than hour 5 days a week at the YMCA.  Like I said, I thought I was doing pretty good, especially after the "orders" I received from my doctor.  Well, not everyone must share in my optimistic rosy perceptive of my appearance for when I stepped on the elliptical machine just 2 days ago, a complete stranger - some woman in her mid 50s - asked me when I was due.  After my response she looked at me and said, "Wow!  You are quite large to be only 6 months along!  It's good that you're working out though."  What?!?  I felt like saying, "Wow, your face is extremely ugly!  You should have consulted another plastic surgeon before your doctor did his damage.  And by the way, the leather look of your skin doesn't fit you so well."

But, no, I didn't say any of those things but rather I smiled and said, "It is my 7th pregnancy so I've been stretched out a bit.  But thanks for the encouragement."  She simply looked at me and shrugged her shoulders replying, "Well, I better stop talking and start exercising."  "Yeah, that's a good idea.  You have a great day!"  On the inside I was steaming and I felt as though someone had just punched me in the face.  Being pregnant I'm already more hormonal than usual and I tend to be taking things quite personally as of late.  Why do random strangers feel it is necessary to comment on the size of my belly?  I know I'm not the first pregnant woman to experience such rudeness but it's getting a bit old, people, really! 

Here I sit, a bit blue about the size of my belly and butt, yet I continue to push forward in terms of exercising and trying to eat less sweets.  It's not like I enjoy being pregnant when it comes to gaining weight, but I love children and I do enjoy feeling the baby move around inside me, knowing I'm bringing forth another wonderful human being into a somewhat chaotic world, but I just wish people could keep their lovely comments to themselves - inside their own heads!  Just let me be - I can see myself in a mirror so I don't need reminding from you about my ever-expanding belly!