Learning about Pregnancy

Let me just say that as a transgender man that is planning to carry it is going to be quite the story. As soon as conception is confirmed there are a lot of changes that have to be made. Especially eating healthy and making sure I'm getting the right nutrients the right way. Which might be a little complicated.

There are a lot of situations that require you to contact your OB in order to verify or question something you may want to ingest. Apparently, tuna can be safe. So, the myth that all tuna contains murcury in high amounts is false. Albacore and other white tunas are the offenders. Light tuna in moderation is perfectly fine. It was a very interesting discovery for me. Let me just say I am a sucker for the occasional tuna on saltines or bread. It's fantastic and my husband makes the best tuna spread I have ever had. Just the right amount of pickles for me.

There is also a lot of other fish that is great for you. I love tilapia and salmon and they're on the list of good fish. There is nothing better than salmon for me. I'm basically addicted to well-cooked salmon with crispy skin and tender flaky meat. The Omega-3 fatty acid content of some fish is fantastic for fetal development.

I hate white bread with the exception of hot dog and hamburger buns so making sure that I am eating enough whole wheat is fairly easy for me. I like 9 grain bread and bran muffins so getting enough fiber is simple enough for me. Skipping breaded foods will be a bit more challenging. Who doesn't love chicken nuggets? I know I adore them. So that might be a bit more challenging.

Perhaps the hardest thing for me to give up is caffeine. Apparently, you can have some so it is not a situation where you have to immediately throw that out of your diet. You can have around 200mg of caffeine a day. What to Expect when you are Expecting, which I am currently reading, suggests a red bull or tea instead. I love tea so that one is easy. But I had never had a red bull until a day ago. It was actually a pleasant experience. I got a peach flavored one that also was nectarine flavored and it was delicious. I would happily recommend it. It did not have the same kick I get from my usual 260mg energy drinks since it boasts a decent 80mg. Worse than that my coffee fix has to go out the window. My husband makes strong delicious coffee. Something I am going to have to give up. If I want coffee it has to be decaff. Which is not entirely caffeine free. It just has far less caffeine. I am already not in a good position to drink coffee. Something in it can make it seriously GI problematic. Does not keep me away sadly.

And let me just say that some of the pregnancy tests that you take to check on your baby are horrifying. There is one diagnostic test that you can take, which I do not think is regularly part of testing, that has them sending something up into your uterus to grab a few cells from outside of the placenta to make sure that everything is all good. And there is a test called an rH test that can make sure that you and the fetus are compatible. If you are not, they give you a shot or so and that will protect the baby.

While some of the tests and eating recommendations can be a little frightening or strenuous it does not deter me from wanting to have the healthiest pregnancy possible to start my family off right. I've bugun weaning myself off caffeine and changing my sugar intake which is causing a lot of headaches and stomach upset, but it is worth it to prepare now for the happy moments after conception. Morning sickness and all. If we are lucky, I will have managed to conceive before the end of the year. Should that happen I will likely post something every day about what happens. There is not a lot of representation in the transgender community about pregnancy.