When I first found out that I was pregnant, I begrudgingly gave up almost all medications and drinking. I thought giving up these things would be mostly annoying, but doable. In the end, I found that being almost completely "drug free" for six months has really taught me a lot!
First of all, I learned that headaches go away. (Editor's note: I'm talking normal headaches--I don't know anything about migraines or other severe headaches.) I used to pop a pain pill anytime I had a headache, but since that's mostly a no-no during pregnancy, I started trying other solutions first. When I felt a headache coming on, I would make sure I was hydrated and not hungry, go out into the sun if I had been inside all day, take a nap, and--if I still had a headache--take a pain pill. By the time I got to taking a nap, the headache was always gone.
Another pill that I took without really thinking was allergy medication. Granted, this isn't like the pain medication that I found out was basically unnecessary. I need allergy medication. I went through a half a box of tissues every single day in the spring this year and had to put myself on mute for conference calls because I was sneezing so much. It was a pretty intense allergy season. BUT the interesting thing I learned about my allergies is that they go away in the summer! Who knew? I never had a clue because I would just start taking medication in the spring and quit in the fall. Next year, I will definitely take my allergy medication again, but I will lay off it in the summer and only start up again for a little bit in the fall.
And, finally, drinking. I thought the worst part of not drinking would be feeling "left out" at parties, concerts, or other social situations, when really, I've almost had more fun in these situations since being pregnant because I don't hit that drunk/tired wall halfway through the night. This summer, I was energized enough to stay late after a concert to get an autograph, which I never do. And, we stayed through an entire Bee's game. Turns out, it's more interesting when you're not tipsy by the 5th inning. Surprisingly, the thing I miss the most is a simple glass of wine at dinner or a "happy hour" beer with the family.
I'm not convinced that I should live this way all the time, even after the baby is born, but it has been an educational experiment. And much more positive than I would have assumed!
