Irony | born.in.japan

You know how I was talking about my pregnancy cravings. The three foods that I want so badly (sweet potato, kabocha, and peppermint) . Well, I just got some bad news about one of them…

Last night, while suffering from a particularly painful bout of heartburn, I decided to check my Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy to see if there was any useful information that I had forgotten that might help me overcome the burning sensation in my chest.

First the book explains why pregnant women are more prone to heartburn – their digestion slows down, the uterus presses up against the stomach, etc.

Then, they talk about some of the things that can aggravate it or make it worse. Eating too big of meals, getting an empty stomach, etc.

And they give a list of foods that are common culprits, things that might potentially make it all worse. There are the usual suspects – fatty foods, fried foods, spicy foods and acidic foods (citrus). But then, where I least expected it, right in the middle of the list of foods:

PEPPERMINT and CHOCOLATE

Clear as day. This is the most tragically ironic thing ever. Just as I was lamenting to everyone that I craved peppermint and couldn’t find it in Japan, my family came through. They included enough peppermint chocolate inside the Christmas packages they sent as they could fit.

And now it is sitting there taunting me. Do I eat it anymore? How much peppermint and chocolate would be enough to aggravate the problem? Surely one or two squares of a chocolate bar would be ok, right?

Just 104 days unti my body will be mine again….just 104 days.

One more thing, the kicking is awesome. Little R has been having a serious party for close to 2 hours. I am sitting at my desk at work with my cardigan unbuttoned looking at and feeling all the movement going on. I think my co-workers must think I’m crazy. Crazy foreigner, sitting and staring at her belly.

Aunt Sandy

Does this mean that I should remove the Vande Walle’s chocolate mint candy bars that are in your Christmas box?

[Reply]
Rachel

Danielle, Here’s the bad news…. The baby will not think of your body as yours just because it is born. You will be a mobile milk manufacturing machine and source of most comfort (I am sure Aaron will do his part.) To this day, your nephew, feels that I should be at his beck and call. He has a very strong opinion that my body still does, in fact, belong to him. We have our little arguments over this at 3AM sometimes.

And chocolate…well, it comes through in the milk and some say, it is a source of gas and belly aches for baby. I say…to heck with them. I am eating chocolate.
That is easy to say, when all is well. When you have nearly gouged your own eyes out in frustration trying to get the little kidlet to stop screaming and puking, the chocolate still may have to go.

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