It’s no secret that your diet changes when you are pregnant. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, so the two hardest things to give up weren’t an issue for me. But, then again, others have their cigarettes and their alcohol and I have Diet Coke. While I couldn’t tell you how hard it must be to give up cigarettes, I can tell you that giving up Diet Coke was no easy feat for me.
I used to drink six to eight cans of Caffeine-free Diet Coke a day. I’ve been drinking Diet Coke for a long time and I am very particular. It has to be in a can. It has to be cold. It has to be Caffeine-Free (tho I can make exceptions every now and then and am willing to drink regular Diet Coke). I didn’t drink any water, juice, or any other drinks of any kind. In the first few months of 2003, I had begun drinking very weak lattes every now and then. But my source of liquid was undeniably Diet Coke.
When we decided to start trying to get pregnant, I knew I was going to have to give it up. Diet Coke is made up of chemicals and chemicals only. There’s nothing natural or organic in it. Even the caffeine-free version is not good for you – actually it’s pretty bad for you. Ordinarily, I am willing to have that be my only vice but I thought it unfair to transfer such an addiction to an unborn baby. Thus, I reduced my consumption to one a day while I was trying and I haven’t had a single drop of Diet Coke since I’ve been pregnant. Not one sip.
I’ve also not had coffee or tea but those mean nothing compared to the lack of Diet Coke. One would think that after almost seven months, I wouldn’t miss it anymore, but I still do. When I see people drinking it, I wish it were me. I still don’t like water though I drink a lot of it for the baby.
The sad news is that not only will I not be able to have Diet Coke for the next 13 weeks, but I won’t be able to have it all throughout breast-feeding either. This means almost one year, if not more, of no Diet Coke for this addict. Nothing else I’ve given up for the baby (or had to eat for the baby like the horse-sized prenatal vitamins) have made me as sad as Diet Coke.
Not that it’s not all worth it, but I wish I had been addicted to something less bad so that I wouldn’t have had to give it up.
Beautiful image. And I know the feeling (although I’m no where near pregnant) But I have to have a daily dose of regular Coke~Cola with caffeine or else my whole day mental goes out of whack. So I feel for you. =)
congrads on totally being able to give up your “coke” habit 🙂 I used to drink about 2 liters of regular pepsi every day or 2. Im happy to say that i now only drink 2 cans a day. I switched from the 2 liter bottles to can to make it easier to keep track of. My biggest thing yet that i gave up was smoking, i was never a heavy smoker though. I’m happy to say that i managed to quit by the time i was 2 months pregant with my son and he turned two 3 weeks ago,oct 20th. and as of right now i’m 37 weeks and 2 days away from having our daughter. I have not starting smoking again at all. 🙂
Try drinking bottled water that you keep nice and cold in the refrigerator. When I gave up soda, I thought it just wouldn’t cut my thirst like soda. Now, when I drink an occasional soda, it tastes syrupy and really gross. Water is so much healthier and, even after your baby weans, don’t you want to set a good example? :o) If you keep soda in the house, your children will grow up drinking soda no matter how hard you try to avoid it. I am glad you have chosen to breastfeed. I breastfed my children and have no regrets. Blessings!
photograph for PF radiant is stunning. Your choice on giving up the chemicals in Coke was smart. I took the liberty here of sending you a link to some information about the aspartame in it. Stuff you probably already know, however it may come in handy in the middle of a craving for DC in the future
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm …msdedi
Hi Karenika. It’s Kimmer from WVU. Cheryl gave me your website link a while back. I’m proud of you for giving up your diet coke. I gave up alcohol (my son Riley is now almost two!) through the pregnancy and eight months of breastfeeding. Any addiction is hard to give up, but I think the psychological pain is harder than the physical. Already your body is going through such radical changes, what’s a few more?! I can’t wait to see some photos of your little guy/gal. Hang in there, you’re in the final stretch!
Just think how good that first can will taste after being away so long.
I realize this is an old post but I just recently gave up diet coke in favor of carbonated mineral water. It’s just as refreshing as diet coke and so much better for you. I could never get into drinking large quantities of still water. There are tons of flavors that are very light to the taste and crisp.
Well I’m 13 and in the 7th grade. I stopped drinking regular pop like in September of 04. But in June I saw MK Olsen and I got jealous so I decided to skip breakfast and lunch but only eat dinner with a regular pop. Now I’m still on the diet, but I don’t drink regular pop I drink diet pop. I only have 1 can a day however. And sometimes I go without a day without diet coke, so I have never ever drank more than 1 can a day. I love diet coke but I have gotten scared about what people have said about it. I am 85 pounds and 5’1. I have had headaches like people say they have and my ribs sometime hurt from drinking it. Sometimes I am dizzy and sleepy too. Should I stop drinking it?? Remeber I only drink 1 can a day. And also, instead of skipping breakfast and lunch I have those meals but I don’t eat as much becasue I heard that is can slow down your metabolism if you skip meals. Like I have two cookies for lunch and one thing for breakfast. But of course my parents make me eat dinner!! Please email me at hilarydfan@sbcglobal.net! I just want to know if diet coke can kill me!
And my legs have also fell asleep more when I drink it. I am getting really scared! I love diet coke so much and I would hate to give it up. I have never ever held a regular can of pop with a lot of calories since September and I have never snacked ever since June.
I have a six week old baby. I am 39 years old and got addicted to diet coke when I was 20. I tried really hard to give it up during the pregnancy and cut down to 2 cans a day before I got pregnant which was ok so i thought once i was pregnant I could stop all together i was really good for a year but – once i got through the first trimester I started getting cravings for diet coke and I drank more diet coke than ever in the last two trimesters of my pregnancy. I felt incredibly guilty the whole time and tried not to drink it but I was fighting a losing battle. I don’t drink alcohol nor do I smoke – so this was my only vice – I ate all the good things during my pregnancy. I had a healthy baby girl who has suffered no ill affects from my drinking the diet coke – but was this good luck rather than ‘diet coke is ok’? I don’t know.
Hi…I appreciate your interest in macro photography. Check out daily dose of imagery http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/ for some good macro stuff, and Sam posts some good how-to info, too. Good luck with the new lens!
I’m afraid I can’t share any macro resources with you, but I want you to know how jealous I am that you’re shooting with L-series glass. 🙂 Hope we get some shots with it soon!
Wow, ‘Radiant’ is the right word for it. Stunningly beautiful image. Congrats, Karen! 🙂
Wow.
Very good shot with nice colors and focus…
I’ve got the 100mm macro from Canon, which I highly recommend, too 🙂