Jason.
The moment she switched up the volume and I could hear my child’s heartbeat, I felt warm at heart.
Thump thump thump
The sound of my unborn baby’s heartbeat was making me tear up but I didn’t cry. I turned from the screen to look at the eve who just gave our baby a nickname, she was bawling her eyes out.
“Eve.” I said and moved closer to her where she laid on the small bed.
“That’s our baby.” She said amidst her tears and I nodded.
“Yeah.” I mumbled underneath my breath.
The doctor cleaned the gel from Eve’s stomach and told her she could pull her clothes down.
Then the doctor gestured to us to return to our seats so she could continue.
“So Doctor, there’s something I’ve been curious about.” I began and she nodded in response.
“Feel free to ask me anything, I’m willing to answer.” The doctor said,
“Okay, does craving start early during pregnancy?, I mean is it not too early for her to get cravings?” I asked since that was bothering me for a while now.
The doctor chuckled before answering me.
“I understand your point sir but there’s no exact time for cravings to start during pregnancy.” She explained.
“Cravings are mostly caused by heightened sense of smell and taste and nutritional deficiencies.”
“It begins in the first trimester and is at its peak during the second trimester but there’s no specific time for cravings.”
“Pregnancy cravings can come at about any time during pregnancy.” The doctor explained and I nodded in understanding.
“How long does the first trimester last?” Eve was the one to ask.
“The first trimester is about three to four months, that is thirteen weeks.” The doctor said to her.
“And during that time, you’ll get a tender or swollen breast.”
“You’ll feel nauseated with or without vomiting”
“Increased urination, fatigue, food cravings as I have said before, heartburns and constipation.”
“Which is why you need to be careful about what you eat so it won’t cause complications to your body.” The doctor said,
“You see, as a pregnant woman, you should know that your body isn’t just yours anymore.”
“You can’t do as you please.”
“During those nine months, your body belongs to you and your baby.”
“You’re growing a new life in you so you should be cautious of what you eat and what you don’t.” The doctor said sternly.
“What should she avoid eating then?” I asked, seeing that the doctor was serious about what she was saying.
“For fruits, she should avoid fruits like papaya, grapes and pineapple.” The doctor said and I felt like I was poured with cold water.
“Pineapple?” I asked to be sure and she nodded in response.
“Why?” I asked and she sighed heavily.
“Eating pineapples can cause sharp uterine contractions.” She said and I looked at her with widened eyes.
“What?” Eve and I said at the same time.
“In layman terms, it can cause miscarriage.” The doctor said and I sighed deeply.
Oh my goodness.
What are we going to do?
“Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein which is why it can soften the cervix and could result in early labour , however you’re still early in your pregnancy so it could cause a miscarriage for someone like you in a early stage, which is why you should avoid eating pineapples.” The doctor finally dropped the bomb.
“B-but doctor I already ate pineapples.” Eve said quietly and I knew she was about to break down and cry.
“I ate pineapple pizza.” Eve said sniffing.
“And?” The doctor asked like it was no big deal.
“What do you mean?” I asked with a slightly raised voice.
“How long has it been since you’ve taken them?” The doctor asked.
“About twenty four hours?” I said quietly.
“The checkup we ran earlier shows that your baby is in great condition which means that you’re a lucky couple.”
“However, that doesn’t mean you should eat them again.”
“You might have been lucky today but we can’t say that about next time.” The doctor said and I sighed in relief.
Thank goodness.
I thought the one thing that was making me happy was going to be taken away from me as soon as it arrived.
“S-so what f-fruits are good?” Eve asked.
“Oranges, mangoes, lemon, banana, apples, berries, avocados, watermelons.”
“In fact, watermelons are the very best.”
“They reduce preeclampsia, constipation and the risk of you getting haemorrhoids.” The doctor said and we both nodded.
“Now as a pregnant woman, you should eat breakfast every day. Don’t even try to skip it at all.”
“And when choosing meals to eat, eat foods that give folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamin B, C and D, choline, omega 3 fatty acids etcetera.” The doctor said and we nodded in agreement.
“And avoid drinking alcohol, don’t take raw or undercooked fish, fish high in Mercury is a no go, always eat meals that are high in fibre.” The doctor said,
“Also do aerobic exercise at least one hundred and fifty minutes in a week.” The doctor said,
We both nodded in understanding.
This is my first child we’re talking about so of course I’m gonna treat him or her like royalty.
And I’m going to start from Eve.
She deserves to be treated like royalty after all, she’s my queen.
“Any other questions?” The doctor asked and I smiled.
“Are you sure I can ask any question?” I asked the doctor to be sure.
“Sure, you can ask me any question, I’m sure you’re confused about a lot of things.” The doctor said with a smile and I nodded.
“Can we still have sex?” I asked and Eve smacked me hard.
“Ouch!” I winced in pain.
“Why would you ask her such a question?” Eve frowned and I chuckled.
“I need to know that’s why.” I said with a smug look on my face.
“But that’s..” Eve tried to say something but I cut her off in the middle.
“So Doctor, can we still have sex?” I asked again to the doctor who was still watching both of us in amusement.