Body Changes

Posted by Liz Hodes on March 1, 2012

Tackling Pregnancy To-Do’s

There are lots of things you’re supposed to remember and do while you’re pregnant.  Fitting in exercise,  eating well, taking care of yourself – it all sounds great on paper, easy even.  But add in the demands of everyday life, the extra exhaustion that can come with your growing belly and the forgetfulness of pregnancy brain, and suddenly remembering whether you’ve taken your prenatal vitamin or eaten something green today can be a challenge.  I’m trying to make it easy to remember a few of the more basic things on my pregnancy to-do list by making them part of my daily routine.  Routines work great for kids – I know my toddler is wedded to the bath-PJs-stories rhythm we’ve gotten into before bedtime – so there is no reason they can’t work for mamas-to-be, too. Here’s how I’ve tried to incorporate a few pregnancy to-do’s into my everyday life.

 Prenatal Vitamin After I Brush My Teeth 

This is the one I’m most faithful about, because it’s the one I’ve been doing for the longest. (I’ve been either pregnant or breastfeeding – or both – since June 2008; that’s a lot of prenatal vitamins.)  I have a weekly pill organizers, and every Sunday I fill up each day’s slot with my prenatal vitamin, a DHA supplement and my morning dose of heartburn medicine.  I take all three immediately after I brush my teeth in the morning.  Simple, but effective.

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Posted by Jane Highley on February 4, 2012

Prenatal Fitness: Not An Oxymoron

There are new comforts and luxuries that I discover when I am pregnant, and they only seem to satisfy when I am with child.  Simple things like herbal teas and sleep-inducing bubble baths may be part of your regular end-of-the-day ritual, but when I am not growing a baby-belly, I usually drink coffee as my preferred hot beverage and consider baths a waste of time (and water).  Constant changes to my body, both physiologically and anatomically, demand different solutions every few weeks.  However, one solution to most of my pregnancy woes has remained constant in all of my pregnancies, especially this one.  That solution is working out.  Whether on the trail for an easy-paced 5-mile run or working up a mean sweat in my living room with a DVD, I have discovered that maintaining my physical fitness through my pregnancy is critical.  If I am more fit, I am less uncomfortable in the third trimester, I rebound sooner and with no complications after the delivery, and most importantly, I feel good inside and out. (more…)

Posted by Sunny Gault on November 4, 2011

Fat or Pregnant?

Well, the big day has finally arrived. No, it’s not “D” Day… it’s the first day of my second trimester. Which is simply amazing to me because it feels like just yesterday I was surprising my husband with a positive pregnancy test. It’s crazy how time flies when you’re already chasing after a little one.

In my opinion, there are pros and cons to the second trimester. Of course, the odds of miscarriage are now drastically reduced. Whew! This also typically begins the “honeymoon” phase of pregnancy. Your early pregnancy symptoms, like nausea, start to subside. Unfortunately, my body is a little tardy on this one. I still have to stuff my face every two hours to avoid seeing my lunch for a second time. Hubbys generally like this second phase of pregnancy as well. One word: Sex. Suddenly, pregnant women start to embrace their womanly figures and what better way to show it off then grabbing your partner for a little horizontal mambo? For me, pregnancy makes me horny in general. I could be five pounds heavier or fifty pounds heavier. My husband is a lucky guy. (more…)

Posted by Amanda McFadden on November 3, 2011

Hot Mom, Here I Come!

I want to be a hot mom.  I don’t mean skinny, let’s get that straight.  I don’t care about numbers on a scale.  I also don’t mean I want to look good for someone that has three kids.  I want to get rid of that “for someone that has three kids” qualifier.  I mean I want to be HOT.  I want to be sleek and strong and fast.  I want my husband’s jaw to drop when I get dolled up for a night out without the kids.  I want to be the kind of woman that other people look at and think, “Wow, she must work out.”  I don’t want to jiggle, I want to strut! I already know that my body is capable of amazing feats.  I have grown babies and birthed them all by myself.  So now, I want to be the best ME I can be.

Just to clarify, I am not completely shallow.  I also want to be able to keep up with my active boys, and set a great example for them, too. But most of all, I want to do this for me.

When Caleb was born, I set a goal to be a hot mom by the time I turned 30 (14 months after his birth).  I knew this was a big, lofty goal, especially because I hate exercise and love eating.  However, I figured I had plenty of time. Well, having three kids has been a little more hectic than I anticipated, and I didn’t really do much to meet that goal for the first nine months of his life. (more…)

Posted by Paula Woodworth on July 18, 2011

My Mommy Body

I have a confession: I was a fat kid.  Nearly nine pounds at birth, baby three-chins, tall and “solid” all through school…I was neither an athlete nor a prom queen.  When I went to college, my “freshman fifteen” came fast and easy.  Try as I may, I could not shed the weight that had plagued me the first two decades of my life…until I moved across country and became a nanny.  Living with an ultra-thin foodaphobe gave me a jump start to eat healthier, exercise more, and shun the junk food.  In ten months, I shaved off roughly 40 pounds and was finally (mostly) comfortable in my skin.

I maintained my weight and healthy body-image over the next few years- through dating and marriage, my early-twenties were a time of confidence and security.  Shortly before becoming pregnant with my first child, I confessed to my mom that I was terrified of becoming pregnant for fear of becoming heavy again.  She assured me that I wouldn’t care so much once I had my children.  That the feeling of empowerment from nurturing life would drown any petty concerns over the size of my hips or the lack of muscle tone.

She was wrong…. (more…)

Posted by Casey Phillips on February 17, 2011

Hot Mom: Mission Impossible?

My definition of beauty and what I will do to feel beautiful have definitely changed post baby. My son is one year old and I have never felt more beautiful in my life. Not to say I actually am, but I feel that way. It’s funny because I am 15 lbs. heavier than my pre-baby ideal.  I had this number in my head for years and I always strive to be at the unattainable.  My hips and feet have grown and I am not making this up.  The funny thing is, it does not bother me. Before Dutch was born, I was definitely someone who thought a lot about what I looked like. I went tanning, worked out to look good (not to feel good, although I didn’t realize it), thought a lot about what I would wear, whitened the teeth, etc. I have been trying to find my new definition of beauty because whether I like it or not, I don’t feel the same way about some of my former beauty habits.

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Posted by Sunny Gault on February 13, 2011

Dealing with Incontinence

There are always complications with childbirth. Let’s face it. You can’t squeeze a watermelon through the opening the size a grape or have your stomach sliced open without some difficult moments.

I’m very traditional when it comes to childbirth. I want my drugs, I want my hospital bed and I want my doctor within shouting distance. I had an amazing birth experience. Everything went picture perfect for the birth of my son, Sayer, my only child. In fact, I didn’t realize there was a major problem until an hour after he was born and I stood up to take my first few steps toward the bathroom.

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