1st Trimester (weeks 1-12)
***DISCLAIMER** Please note this is just my shared experience. I am not a medical doctor by any means. As always, consult with your physicain for medical advice***
Since beginning keto 6 months prior to becoming pregnant I had lost 45 pounds, and my period had finally begun to regulate itself. Like clockwork every 29 days I was used to it showing up. So when I was one day late, I was a tad bit concerned. One day turned into 3 days... so then I decided to test. And I think the positive popped up within the first 30 seconds on the test strip! So I had to test again... and positive popped up in less than 20 seconds!
Well here we were, with some super unexpected yet exciting news! Baby #4 was on the way. With a two year old, 11, and 12 year old we were definitely surprised on a fourth baby, but super happy!
In all transparency, my first thought automatically was thinking of the weight gain!
I had worked so hard to lose this weight and with all of my other pregnancies I always ballooned up and then packed on even more weight when breast feeding.
So right then I committed to keeping it keto during my pregnancy. Although there was very little information to be found, I knew deep down if following keto had enabled my body to conceive so easily when I had struggled previously, it was only going to be a lifestyle that would nurture my baby and myself.
Weeks 4-6 I honestly felt totally normal! I continued eating regular keto foods and kept with my workouts. Week 7 rolled around and I felt like I got hit with a bus!
Constant fatigue, nausea and vomiting, total disgust towards all meats and cheeses... I thought keto was just not doing to work. But I kept at it. I prepped bone broth by the quarts and stored it in my freezer. Boiled eggs, almonds, fresh celery with almond butter, and scrambled eggs were my basic "go to" meals. Small and simple is what worked. I also occasionally would have some shredded chicken breast to add to my bone broth. During Weeks 7-9 I actually lost 11 pounds due to my nausea .
I feel its important to disclose that you CAN still lose weight while pregnant, especially on keto if you are over your ideal body weight (more on that below)
Week 13 rolled around and I had a scare with blood in my urine so I was rushed to the hospital.
This is where I found out I was severely dehydrated. Even though I was drinking up to a gallon of water a day! I got pumped full of electrolytes and sent home the same day, and baby was perfectly fine. The doctor recommended a high PH water, which I began drinking religiously. I also tripled my normal electrolyte intake at night and noticed how much better I felt!
This is the electrolyte supplement I like the most Click HERE
Electrolyte supplemets are also extremely important, see my post here on why they are needed on keto and my favorites
What happens is your body will just keep on building that placenta, and feeding that baby! You basically get left on the back burner as a nobody! Once I began to follow a strict electrolyte increase and utilized the high ph water it was like my body made a total turn around! I felt like myself again! (During this time period I actually lost 11 pounds due to my nausea)
(to be continued in part 2!)