Why yes, as a matter of fact I AM hungry!

The Bump says Kelly is somewhere between the size of a pomegranate and a grapefruit at about 11 inches long. Baby Center says she is about the size of a large ear of corn. I like to think of it in these terms instead:

Yeah... it's dinner time here at Casa de Fehling.  My husband ran to the store because I was craving Parmesan Cheese Pasta Roni with asparagus.  I know, that's random, but you know how cravings are.

I've been reading this awesome book called Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman.  Basically, this American moves to France and marries a Brit who lives there, so they raise their kids in Paris.  She observes the differences between child rearing in France and what she saw in the States.  It's really quite fascinating.  I read it the first time in two days and now I'm re-reading it again before taking it back to the library.  It's funny, because one of the main criticisms that I've seen repeatedly in reviews for this book is that the author is saying French mothers are superior to American mothers, but that's not what I got from it at all.  She points out the differences.  In some ways, I think the French methods come across as better, while in others I'd definitely go the American route.  I mean, a four year old with a pacifier??? Not in my world; you'd better believe it!

So anyway, the reason I mention it is because she says these Parisian mothers treat pregnancy differently than we do.  Here as soon as you  see two pink lines it's like society gives you the go ahead to eat; after all, you're eating for two now!  Got a craving?  The baby must be telling you that you need some missing nutrient (even if it is Vitamin Cheesecake).  Better go satisfy it!  But in France, they see them as nuisances to avoid.  There, it's got a craving?  Go eat an apple instead.

Yeah, I'm pretty glad to be an American.  :)

I don't give into every craving though.  For instance, I've been craving ham sandwiches something fierce since I got pregnant.  My doctor said no lunch meat though, and I agree.  Processed foods can have so many things wrong with them, but it's pretty common for them to carry listeria.  Now, in a regular healthy adult, if you get some of that crud, usually the worst that will happen is an upset stomach, or maybe a little diarrhea.  But if you're pregnant, it can cause you to miscarry.

Now, I don't know about you, but if I gave into a craving for a sandwich and I did happen to be unlucky enough to get tainted meat and something did happen to the baby, I could NEVER forgive myself because I knew better and ignored what knowledge I had.  To accidentally kill your child just because you wanted a sammich?

Yeah... could not live with that kind of guilt!  So, just like when Bubba was born, that ham sandwich will probably be the first meal I order at the hospital.  Of course, there are always those people who try to make you feel bad about what you choose to do to protect your baby.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Oh, I ate it the whole time I was pregnant and my baby was FINE!"  Well, good for you.  I'm sure that there are lots of people out there doing lots of things that are potentially unsafe (remember when it was okay to drink and smoke while pregnant? and no one had car seats?) that have emerged fine.  Like I said though, I try to think of the "what if" and what the consequences of my actions could be.  From there I consider how I would feel about those consequences and move forward from there.  My baby is worth more than satisfying that particular craving to me.  I know not everyone thinks this way though, and that's fine.  That's their business, even if it does make me cringe a little.  To each their own.

(oh, and I know that you can eat it "steaming hot" but that honestly sounds foul)