Nicolle, 25 weeks

Hi

As an expectant mum of somewhere around 25 weeks, I was very interested to see your blog site.

Only last night my partner and I were debating about the evils of my finishing off the last easter egg (heck, Easter was 10 days earlier!) so late at night. The discussion arose from my recent expressions of astonishment at how my legs are turning into tree trunks and my once slender arms definitely deserve the term 'tuckshop lady' arms.

It has been difficult to determine what is eating too much or too little, even with all the nutritional information given, as I rarely played by the book pre-pregnancy and managed to stay a size 10 to 12 for the majority of my adult years.

I swear that I have been eating less junk food than pre-pregnancy as I have become aware of how important it is to eat healthy during pregnancy, although my eating has increased from two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half meals a day (isn't that kinda normal anyway?), I am surprised at just HOW MUCH weight/water retention/baby fat I am packing on.

I am not overly disturbed by it as I see it as the only time in my life to really have no excuse to not eat well, and figure it's a lady's lot in life to get another stretch mark or twenty (we all get them in our teen years anyway, what's the surprise?), but I do find myself wondering where 'the line' is. I am banking on 'Bio-Oil' living up to its reputation and claims as I religiously lather it on every night after a shower - this is not product placement although I will graciously accept any freebies for the name drop - ha!

I have recently sent baby bump shots taken around 22 weeks to my friends by email, and the one upside I hadn't even thought of until the replies started coming back was how fantastic my boobs are! Every cloud has a silver lining!

So I can only suggest to those expectant mums who are worried about their weight gain, eat well, moderate exercise (like, derr), embrace your womanhood, and on a really bad day, show the world your awesome cleavage! (See attached - Have I no shame?!)