Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Baby Due Any Minute! Will S/He Have Asthma Too?

As some of you may know from this or my (grossly neglected) other blog, I'm pregnant again.

I don't know what I'm having, but boy or girl, I'm just praying this one is not asthmatic. It would be nice to have a helathy child in this family! Perhaps the third time is a charm.

Here's where it might get interesting in comparing the three. Let's assume it's another boy, for argument's sake. (It probably is.)

With #1 son, I ate beautifully. I'm a vegetarian, and I made sure I got my daily (or nearly-daily) serving of pretty much every color vegetable. I steered clear of simple carbs, with the exception of an occasional trip to Johnny Rockets. (Veggie burger, cheese fries and vanilla milkshake. Yummmmmm....) I went for whole grains. I added wheat germ to my yogurt. I drank whole milk. I also walked every day and did yoga regularly.

I intended to deliver naturally, but the hospital wasn't so supportive. I ended up with a nasty episiotomy and some kind of IV drug. Also, this hospital routinely dispenses the Hep B vaccine to newborns.

With #2, I was unemployed for the last trimester, so stress was a little higher as we actually needed money. We also had our house on the market, which was stressful, too. I didn't eat quite as well, but I was still pretty good. I got lots of rest. The weather wasn't suitable for too much walking, but I did some yoga.

#3 is a different tale altogether. I've been working full-time at the office, eating a ton of processed foods (but still probably eating better than most people!), and exercise? Remind me what that is...? Is that the act of walking up the hill to my car every night?

#2 was delivered naturally by a midwife and avoided all unnecessary interventions and vaccinations. #3 will have the same treatment.

So, what are the odds that #3 will develop asthma, too? If he or she doesn't, I guess we'll know for sure it has nothing to do with Mom's eating habits....

Honestly, let's just pray that s/he doesn't develop asthma. It would be nice to have one child that I don't have to administer corticosteroids to. It would be nice to not have to CRANK the monitor every night so I can listen to the babies breathe.

Sigh. I can dream.

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