Whoa, Surprising!

So, I just turned 20 weeks and so far I've gained... 22 lbs?! Just to give you an idea of how much that is for me, I normally am 7 or 8 months along before I gain that much (I can't remember exactly but I gain about 35-40 lbs all together for each pregnancy).

But wait! Before you label me a hog, there's a simple explanation for this. My prepregnant weight this time around was 110, which is a bit underweight for my height (5'8"). I was having trouble gaining weight because of a finicky appetite and (ahem...) an addiction to coffee. I was drinking up to 5 cups of the stuff a day and therefore not eating properly and feeling horrible most of the time. Not just the coffee but the sugar was literally making me sick and unable to eat.

Anyway, all this to say that I stopped drinking coffee the day I found out I was pregnant. I stopped cold turkey and didn't even crave it. After about a week or so my appetite picked up and I started feeling a whole lot better. And happily for me, this all lead to a small but steady weight gain, even through the first few weeks of morning sickness.

So, here I am, 5 months pregnant, 5'8" and weighing 132 lbs. Although I've gained more that I "should have" in the 1st trimester, I feel that it's the right amount for me. I'm not eating junky foods. I do eat whole fat yogurt and milk and I use butters and oils somewhat liberally to help with skin elasticity (it's sooooo dry here and this really takes a toll on my skin). I eat lots of protein and know by experience that what I eat now affects my body post partum. The healthier I eat now, the quicker I will bounce back from childbirth. I'm not too worried about what the weight gain charts say. I feel good and am so thankful to be in this place of my life right now.