30 weeks prego and my Pesto recipe!

I'm 30 weeks along-- completely into my third and FINAL trimester! My doctor as well as the doctor who delivered Maggie (and therefore saved my life and hers), both assure me that everything so far looks perfect. As it goes with Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, I won't truly be in the clear until post-partum, but I cherish those words of encouragement. Here's a picture of my pregnant belly in my very messy bathroom:

In other news, I made Basil Pesto last night! This classic is an absolutely favorite of mine-- so much so that last summer I actually started to get sick of it from making it so often. It's SUPER easy to make (though it does require a LOT of basil), and such an amazing flavor when made fresh. Here's my recipe:

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
salt & pepper

Combine the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and olive oil in a food processor. Remove from food processor and stir in Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and pepper. Do this in a small pan on low heat if serving immediately.

Voila! That's it! The most time-consuming part of making pesto is picking the basil leaves, IF you're picking them straight off of the plant. Many grocery stores sell packages of fresh basil leaves that will work just as well-- and so much less work for you!

 

Since I have Gestational Diabetes, I can't just sit there and eat a giant bowl of pasta like I really want to. So I have to find a way to transform my Italian dishes into something more blood-sugar-friendly. For dinner last night, I started with whole wheat ziti.

 

I then sautéed a large cubed eggplant with a pound of hot Italian sausage. I only needed to add a little EVOO to the pan-- no other add-ins were necessary. The sausage is plenty flavorful by itself!!

And that's it! I combined all of the above, with less focus on the pasta and more focus on the sausage, eggplant, and of course PESTO, and I had a very happy blood sugar two hours later! I love it when I can eat the pasta that I crave without my body punishing me for it! :-)

27 weeks

As of tomorrow I will be 27 weeks pregnant. I certainly don’t FEEL like I’m this far along. Depending on who you ask, 27 or 28 weeks is the mark of the third trimester. When I was pregnant with my daughter, time moved like molasses. Now, being pregnant while simultaneously caring for my daughter, time moves like quicksand. I still haven’t gained much weight, partially because of the Gestational Diabetes diet, and partially because I just haven’t had time to sit on the couch and snack like I so often did during my first pregnancy. Having a toddler running around and using you as a jungle gym sure changes things!

                So far in this pregnancy, I have experienced the following:

-Blood sugar issues

Unable to control my fasting blood sugar, my doctor prescribed the lowest dose available (1.25 mg) of Glyburide, which is the only non-insulin blood sugar medication known to be safe during pregnancy. This worked for about two weeks. I then moved to the next dose (2.5 mg), which again worked for about two weeks. I then moved up another notch (3.75 mg), which has been successful for about a month now. I have been able to eat bigger breakfasts thanks to the leftover medication in my body in the morning, and through experimenting I have discovered that I can safely eat a much more “normal” diet than I did in my first pregnancy—it’s just a matter of trial and error, and being willing to have some imperfect blood sugar readings from time to time. It makes for a much easier pregnancy when you permit yourself more freedom with your diet!

 

-Occasional headaches

I have experienced mild headaches from time to time. This is a great improvement over my daily headaches during my first pregnancy. Less Tylenol= less stress on my liver= a good thing!

 

-Epigastric pain

Twice during this pregnancy (at 11 weeks and again at 24 weeks) I experienced very severe Upper Right Quadrant pain. As a HELLP Syndrome survivor, I was absolutely crippled with fear and anxiety at the pain’s proximity to my liver. At 11 weeks pregnant, I went to the Emergency Room. At 24 weeks, I simply waited a day and went to my regular appointment with the OB at the department of Maternal Fetal Medicine. Each time, a blood test was ordered and my liver function was found to be completely normal. The diagnosis: gas, constipation, and anxiety. The solution: Colace, Miralax, a good probiotic, and lots of prayer. “I cast all my cares upon you!”

 

                Between working each day, cooking, cleaning, having a toddler and a husband, I haven’t had much time to really even process that there’s another baby coming. But according to my calendar, there isn’t that much time left! During the next few months I will probably experience much more anxiety along with whatever else this pregnancy has up its sleeve. I hope and pray that I can control my worries enough so that they don’t have too much of an effect on my family! And I hope and pray that any pain I experience for the rest of this pregnancy will continue to be attributed to gas J