Happy stomachs make great moms

A year ago my husband and I were enjoying a week holiday in Croatia and celebrating the greatest news ever –we were expecting a baby!!! We were super happy!!! And I wasn’t hit by any tough pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness. Handling the changes in my body over nine months –hormones, belly growth, weigh gain– was not difficult at all. In fact the toughest challenge was changing my eating and drinking habits. The list of things to cut off was not long but it was meaningful -no wine, no rare meat, no raw fish so no sushi or sashimi, no fresh or raw milk cheese, no foie gras, no tea or coffee… And all these things used to make my stomach so happy. I had no choice but learning to be happy eating what was good for the little human being growing inside me and balance the trade-off with some sweets and desserts that I used to easilly cut from my diet.

In the middle of the pregnancy I experienced some complications that put me in bed rest until term with weekly doctor appointments in the maternity located in the city center. We discovered a very nice pastry shop in front of the maternity building and my husband and I started eating breakfast there every day we were seeing the doctor. Of course it wasn’t a healthy breakfast, rather one with a latte -with doctor’s permission- and a cake called “Berlin’s ball” filled with pastry cream (“crème pâtissière” in French), and it was all I needed to start the day with some happiness followed by wonderful news on how the baby was doing. I remember going back home always with a smiley face – both my stomach and my heart were happy!!

Emma was born on the 10^th of January and a new phase began that still required paying special attention to what I ate and drank for the sake of breastfeeding –for the quality of the milk and to avoid potential sickness that could only be healed through antibiotics and other harmful drugs. Sometimes I tasted wine and I could drink a coffee a day but it was so controlled that I couldn’t really feel pleasure with it and often felt a little guilty.

Last month Emma decided she had enough of my milk and my breasts and we transitioned to formula milk. So my diet could go back to normal and what meant the most to me was being free from restrictions –I finally can eat and drink again whatever I want. You can’t imagine how good it felt to drink red wine or champagne without feeling guilty… However I still impose myself some restrictions, reducing the quantity of sweet and fat food and drinks, to lose the few extra kilos left from the pregnancy.

In addition to my stomach’s happiness, my brain is happy for I went back to work a month ago and I really feel good about it. I realized how much I missed seeing people and talking to people, addressing business challenges and executing on strategy and objectives. When I am at work I feel motivated and focused, and when I am with my family -husband and daughter- I feel very happy and concentrate on them only.

Who thinks the stomach has no influence in happiness should talk to pregnant women. And who thinks work doesn’t bring happiness to women’s lives should talk to working moms. J