So you know the bit in the movie when the girl goes “I have something to tell you…” Well for me it didn’t quite work like that. For starters when the moment came I was sadly unable to speak such was the severity of my shock. Tom just kind of had to piece it together from my trembling and the pee stick I was waving dangerously close to his face. Luckily he is thrilled while I’m still pretty stunned. Though I have to admit “newly married girl gets pregnant” is hardly the most radical event ever to have occurred.
Until a few months ago I was on a hormone based contraceptive implant which caused my period to stop. I had been told it could take a year or more for normal service to resume after I ceased taking it so Tom and I decided I would discontinue using it with a view to perhaps tentatively broaching the baby question in a year or so. My cycle hadn’t returned by the time I started to suspect I was pregnant so when I went to the doctor last week it was even more complicated as we have no idea just how preggers I am. I even delivered the immortal line “I didn’t know you could even get pregnant without a period” to which the doctor responded with a derisive snort making me feel even more stupid and incapable of this momentous task. My mother has responded by upping the ante on the house hunt on our behalf. I’m guessing she’s terrified I’ll pop while we’re still living with them. Meanwhile Tom’s mother laughed and said “babies having babies!” which pretty much perfectly describes how I feel right now.
I’m over the moon to have conceived apparently so easily especially with so many people having such difficulty these days. I also know that there is no perfect time and that right now is as good as any. Tom and I spent our twenties traveling the world working and just generally having a deadly time for ourselves so I’d say I’ve had my fair share of all nighters (this time next year we’ll be having a new type of all nighter I suppose). I’m so excited to have our first ultrasound this week and find out how far along we are.
In the mean time I’ve been researching good nutrition in pregnancy to give this little tadpole the best start. Tom suggested I start by ditching my customary pop tarts for breakfast (I told you “babies having babies”!) and instead try a healthier alternative. Here is an easy and much healthier recipe to make at home. The perfect pep for when you’re lagging a typical symptom of early pregnancy.
Crunchy Granola Bars (approx 18 bars)
3 cups/ 8 oz/ 225g rolled oats
1 cup/ 5 oz/ 150g quinoa (rinsed in cold water and dried using a clean tea towel)
1 cup/ 3 oz/ 75g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
1 cup/ 2 ½ oz/ 60g desiccated coconut
1 cup/ 4oz/ 125g pumpkin seeds
1 cup/ 3 oz/ 75g dried cranberries
2 tsp/ ½ oz/ 15g coconut oil or butter
½ cup/ 100ml honey
½ cup/ 100ml maple syrup
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or gas mark 4 and line a 10 inch by 12 inch tray with baking paper.
- Combine the oats, quinoa, pecan nuts, coconut and pumpkin seeds in this tray and toast the mixture in the oven for 15 minutes, giving it a little mix around about halfway through.
- Place the coconut oil, honey and maple syrup in a pot over a medium heat and stir together until the coconut oil has melted and is thoroughly mixed in.
- Transfer the toasted mix to a large bowl, add the cranberries and stir in the syrup making sure that all the dry ingredients are well coated.
- Turn out into the lined tray once more and firmly press the granola mix into the tray. Reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees C or gas mark 2 and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
- It is easier to cut when it is still slightly warm so leave it to stand just until it has almost completely cooled before cutting into 18 bars.
Store the bars in an airtight container. They can be a little crumbly when you’re cutting them but if you keep the crumble it makes a delicious topping for porridge or yoghurt.
