Update: Samantha Harris tracks her pregnancy for Fitness Magazine
Update: Samantha has posted 6 more entries to her blog. Check them out in the extended post.
Originally posted September 7th: Dancing With the Stars and E! News correspondent Samantha Harris, 33, has been tracking the upcoming early October arrival on her baby with husband Michael Hess for Fitness magazine.
In her pregnancy diary, which runs from the beginning and is still continuing via blog, Samantha discusses finding out she was pregnant, cravings, tips she’s gotten from celebs like Naomi Watts, working out, and her baby shower.
Click below for Samantha’s entries.
Month One — January:
We’re having a baby! When my ob-gyn’s nurse called to confirm it, I snuck out to the E! News parking lot and called my husband, Michael. We were both ecstatic.
It feels like the perfect time to start a family. But I know that life’s about to change in a big way, starting with how I treat my body. I started dancing at age 7, and I love tough classes, like Cardio Core Ball at the nearby Equinox gym. My doc said to go for it but to wear a heart-rate monitor to make sure my heart doesn’t beat more than 130 times per minute. I used to run up all 200 of the Santa Monica Stairs, and my heart rate would rise to 172 bpm; the other day I had to stop at 50 stairs and walk.
Month Two — February:
Knock on wood — I haven’t been tired or had morning sickness. A big reason is my new breakfast of four or five boiled or scrambled egg whites with OJ and fruit or yogurt. For lunch, it’s salad with grilled chicken; for dinner, fish with sliced vegetables. For dessert, I love Skinny Cow Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream sandwiches. The only thing I desperately miss: raw-fish sushi.
I’ve gained a few pounds this month — so long, skinny jeans! I’ve retired my Levi’s Premium Slim Fits, at least for awhile.
Month Three — March:
On the second week of last season’s Dancing With the Stars, I wore a purple satin dress that showed a little belly pouch, and the Internet started buzzing with rumors. I made an announcement on the show a few weeks later. Heather Mills told me she’s going to send over a book she used to get her newborn to sleep. At a party, Naomi Watts said that high-waisted dresses are the best thing to wear during pregnancy, so I bought a few cute ones.
I’ve been so busy with work that I make it to the gym only once or twice a week. But Michael and I have been taking walks around our neighborhood to de-stress.
Month Four — April:
Dustin Hoffman is my new favorite celebrity! At a photo exhibit, he put his hand on my belly, predicted a boy and told me that parenting is the best thing a person can do.
Now that I’m up eight pounds, my B-cup bras aren’t cutting it. I got some great new ones at Gap Body — they’re supportive and comfortable and have just enough padding.
Month Five — May:
I admit it’s been a little hard to see my onetime six-pack become a full-blown baby bump. But instead of covering it up with big shirts, I’m wearing fitted tops to accentuate it. At the MTV Movie Awards, Jessica Alba kept touching my belly and telling me how cute my tummy looked, and Eva Mendes said, ‘God, your boobs look amazing!’
This month’s highlight: a 3-D ultrasound. Everything is where it should be and the baby is healthy and wonderful.
Month Six — June:
I’m taking more exercise classes now that the show is done for the season, but I’ve really had to change what I do in them. My latest: a class combining a half hour each of cardio, sculpting, and yoga. I don’t do any moves flat on my back or any inversions (my doctor says they reduce blood flow to the baby). And I take lots of breaks and drink water constantly.
I’ve now gained 14 pounds, and my belly has really popped. Since I’ve started to feel full very quickly, I’m eating five small meals a day. My nutritionist, Christine Bybee, has helped me come up with snacks that combine protein, carbs and fat to keep my full and energized: celery and peanut butter, cottage cheese and Wheat Thins, or an apple slice with turkey.
Month Seven — July:
My friends are throwing me a shower in Malibu next month, and Sarah Chalke (from Scrubs) Laila Ali and Kelly Carlson (from Nip/Tuck), the on-air girls from E! News and Tia Carrere and others from Dancing With the Stars are all invited.
I’m so busy planning: When’s best to fly home [to Minnesota] with the baby to see my family? What do we want in a nanny? (Dancing With the Stars will have started again, and I’ll work as long as I can until the baby”s here.)
I’m still working out — even a 20-minute walk makes me feel empowered. I also know it will help me get back into a fitness routine after the baby’s born. Instead of worrying about losing my figure, I’m embracing this beautiful time. I have the rest of my life to get in shape, right?
Month Eight — August:
All the while, the baby has been thriving. Every ultrasound has shown that he or she — we don’t know the sex and don’t want to know until the big day — is growing beautifully so far.A few weeks ago, my friends threw me a baby shower, and it was amazing. Nothing about it was traditional — which was just the way I wanted it.
It was a beachside gathering in Malibu of friends and family. There were no games or long gift-opening sessions. Just sun, conversation, and good food from this amazingly yummy gourmet pizza spot in LA called Stone Fire Pizza. We had this cute onesie/t-shirt making area hosted by Logan and Blue so everyone could come up with their own design or message ("My Dad Makes Cute Babies" was one).
Another thing that was kind of different: it was co-ed, which meant that more of my former Dancing castmates and their significant others could come. Drew Lachey and his wife, Tia Carerre and her hubby, and newlyweds Laila Ali
and Curtis Conway were all there, as well as the dancers Cheryl Burke, Edyta Sliwinska and Kym Johnson. The best part was that my mom and sister, Aimee, flew in from Minnesota.
Around the time of my shower, it was hard to get my workouts in as much as I would like, since I had family in town and house renovations to deal with daily. This is always tough, since my workouts keep me sane! I did get to have a nice hour-long walk with my mom, however, and it’s one of our favorite things to do together. I showed her the great park near our house where we can, eventually, take our little one.
I’ve also bought some 3 and 5 lbs weights to keep at home so that when I don’t have time to get to Equinox gym for a class, I can try to fit in a few reps of some arm exercises (I have to keep those delts and biceps strong to lift the baby!)
While I’ve been slowing down my workouts, it seems that the baby has been kicking things up a notch. Starting in late July, I started to feel the baby’s foot kick up under my right rib cage for the first time. Hmm — not quite as fun as the swirling feel of the arms and bottom when the baby dances around. It’s fun to know that this baby is an active little one, though.
Month Nine — September:
4th:
One of the coolest things about my jobs is seeing what goes on behind the scenes of my favorite TV shows. Monday, I visited the set of new show on the AMC channel called ‘Mad Men‘ to conduct interviews for E! News. The cast is fun and the show is fantastic — created by one of the executive producers of ‘The Sopranos’. My favorite part was going into the costume trailer to talk to the Emmy-nominated stylist Janie Bryant. She showed me all of the vintage 1960 clothes and undergarments that the cast wears (the show is set in that era).
One thing that’s most definitely not cool this summer: the weather in L.A.! I’ve been living in dresses these days. I find that the loose, cotton ones are best for me. I love what Puella has to offer — that’s the label that made the blue dress I wore to my shower. Another fave: Plush, which just made me a pair of really terrific maternity jeans. The denim line is so cool and I can’t wait until after the baby is born to be able to fit (squeeze?) into some normal-size pairs.
5th:
Throughout the pregnancy, I’ve kept working out to the extent that my heart-monitor would allow: keeping my heart rate at 130 beats-per-minute or less. But at Week 35, my OB asked that I stop all workouts completely. I protested and said, ‘Well, I can take walks, right?’ But no: She doesn’t want me doing anything, except some wading around in the pool. Which I have yet to do!
I’m doing what she says: I have a fantastic doc and totally trust her. But usually it’s really hard for me to stop exercising altogether. To be honest, I’ve never — in many years of being a diligent fit girl — allowed myself to take a break for an extended period of time. Sure, a week here or there on vacation or down with the flu…but that’s it. So in some ways, it’s nice to be ‘forced’ to take some downtime. It allows me to see some friends who’ll be harder to make time for in the months after delivery — as well as get in those much-needed naps!”
7th:
Overall I haven’t been as hungry in the last 2 weeks. My tummy gets so full so fast when I do eat, so I try to snack throughout the day instead. On busy work days, I tend to get lazy about giving myself the proper nutrition, but I’m trying to eat more and more of the ‘right’ foods: fruits, veggies, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, chicken, OJ with calcium, etc.
As for my nights: Let’s just say that everything they tell you about the baby pushing on your bladder is so true. I average five to seven trips to the bathroom within an eight-hour ‘sleep’.
On the other hand, no one tells you about leg cramps! And they don’t only happen at night. The other day, I was anchoring with Ryan Seacrest (via satellite) for E! News, and I tried to be a good little host and wear heels.
Well, when I took them off, not 45 minutes later, and stood flat-footed — wowee. The crippling pain of calf-cramps completely overtook my legs. The next day they were still sore. I’ve learned my lesson: For the early weeks of DWTS while preggers, I’ll be wearing flats with my glam gowns!
9th:
At a recent party where I met the DWTS cast, Marie Osmond tried to use what she called her ‘Chinese theory’ to determine the sex of the baby, which involved asking me exactly how old I was when I conceived as well as the due date. She then predicted…a GIRL! Funny — since earlier in my pregnancy Dustin Hoffman, by putting his hand on my belly, predicted it will be a BOY. So who knows? I love the anticipation of it all. Of course, though, like most moms-to-be, my biggest hope is that this baby is very healthy.
I also had such a great time interviewing Courtney Thorne-Smith the other day. She’s five-and-a-half months pregnant, so we swapped stories about our changes with working out, eating habits and funny dreams. She told me she and her hubby sit with their hands on her tummy for the longest periods just waiting for kicks and movements.
On that front, my baby is a total gymnast! The movements are slowing down a tad now, though, since it’s getting cramped in that little womb. I’ll feel feet poking out on my right side, and lots of swirls and stretching. It’s amazing to think that a little person is in there.
11th:
We’ve done a little more prepping for the baby. We have our cradle (so cute in dark brown wood by Bratt Décor), and we will get our crib and changing table soon by Bratt from Nursery Couture.
I also had my first oh-so-fun experience buying nursing bras. Aren’t they pretty? Yikes.
And wow: It’s time for us to pack for the hospital! So exciting but a tad daunting at the same time. Please feel free to email me any advice or thoughts you may have to Samantha@fitnessmagazine.com.
12th:
Just the other night I had a chance to meet up with the new cast for season five of Dancing With the Stars. Check ‘em out at the show’s site — they rock! It’s going to be such a fun season with them. Wayne Newton is so warm and charismatic; Jane Seymour is elegant and kind; Mark Cuban (who owns Dallas’s NBA team) is a riot; Albert Reed (the model) and Cameron Mathison (the soap hunk) are sweet and sexy to look at; and Melanie Brown is super sassy. The rest of the cast seems terrific, too!
Everyone is so excited to start the show. Rehearsals have begun, so we’re hearing about sore feet and exhaustion, but it will be a blast to see them shimmy and shake on stage — starting September 24th on ABC.
I’m planning to co-host the first week or two or three of the show before my due date — and then, return to the show as soon as I feel up to it post-delivery. I love DWTS, and don’t want to miss a second of it! Still, I know that when this precious gift of my baby comes, my focus could shift.
Some more good news during this happy time: I got my second Emmy nomination! So I’ll be attending the Emmys on Sunday, September 16th and then co-hosting E!’s Live Emmy Post-Show at 11 pm EST. It will be a full day but lots of fun for sure.
15th:
We’re less than a month away frommy due date, and Michael and I have been getting more excited – andanxious – each day. We can’t wait to find out the sex of our baby. Somedays I think, ‘How the heck am I going to deal with sleep deprivation?Will I know what to do with this beautiful, crying little thing? Howdo people manage to figure it all out?’ But then I think of my sisterwho has two children of her own and how wonderful she is with them -and that she was in the same place at one time that I am now. She’s atrue inspiration and, I know, I’ll be able to call her at any time foradvice, tips and support.
Since I’m still working full-timeat E! News just as DWTS is getting underway, I’m a bit more tired thesedays; but every so often I have these spurts of incredible energy. Thefunny thing is that even if I don’t think I need a nap, when I forcemyself to lie down, I’m out cold for an hour. The days I choose to pushthrough and not nap, I hit a wall and realize I am beyond exhausted.
Samantha will continue to update her pregnancy diary for the next few weeks — until baby makes it’s debut in early October! Check out her blog here.
Samantha’s pregnancy favorites:
Polar heart rate monitor ($95) — I check this constantly to make sure my heart rate is in a safe range while I’m working out.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter formula ($5) — I slather this on after showering to prevent stretch marks; it smells good, too.
Rock & Republic maternity jeans ($250) — These fit my new curves.
Nike Air Max 360s ($140). These give me great support. (Even feet stretch during pregnancy!)
Source: Fitness, October issue, p. 92-94; The Bump Report with Samantha Harris
