A popular young celebrity shared this year that she would not bear a child of her own when she gets married. I used to feel the same for personal reasons, but because my husband wanted a baby, I eventually agreed.

There were some challenges from the start. I have an irregular menstrual period and polycystic syndrome (PCOS). These conditions can hinder conception. To address my condition, my obstetrician-gynecologist prescribed a powdered folic acid food supplement. After several days or weeks, I did a pregnancy test, but the result was disappointing. Still, I continued taking the supplement for a month, until I finally got a positive result.

My sister-in-law, however, advised me to have another pregnancy test to confirm it. I got the same positive result, and I almost couldn't believe it; I was holding the pregnancy test kit with a surreal feeling. We were all ecstatic.

The first trimester

Being pregnant opens new doors of new experiences starting with the first three months, also known as the first trimester. For my baby to grow, I needed to eat frequently as I was always hungry. A bakery was just steps away from the office so I would buy my snacks there. When I didn't eat immediately, my stomach hurt. So I would leave just to eat. This new routine had a consequence later.

Being pregnant was this easy. It felt almost boring. Later, however, I found that my blood sugar's lab result was on the borderline. An internal medicine doctor gave me a diabetic diet list — no sugar, only the listed food for both snacks and heavy meals. I did not see this coming.

Moreover, he explained that my baby and I each had a 30-percent chance to be diabetic, as I have Gestational Diabetic Mellitus. He recommended that I buy a Glucometer, a device that measures one's sugar levels. Monitoring it would help me manage mine.

I really did my best to follow the given diet or a few varieties of snacks even though it was challenging sometimes. Para kay baby (for my baby) was my motivation.

This was the start of our higher-than-usual expenses.

The second trimester

I continued with the not-sugary diet and could eat what the doctor told me to eat. The diet made me a health-conscious eater.