Nutrition/Exercise

Posted by Christiane Williams on March 2, 2012

Preparing My Body For Labor

In the back of the pregnancy journal I kept for my first child is a check list for all the things I did daily to prepare my body for labor! Every day for the last 4 weeks I did: a 45 min walk, 200 Kegels, 240 pelvic rocks, 20 min tailor sitting, 30 min relaxation and a perineal massage!

Wow. That seems like a lot in retrospect, but I was also rewarded with a quick 7 hour labor, no tears and a smooth recovery! For the second pregnancy, I tampered it down a bit and now – this is No 3 – I simply don’t have time to do it all… However, I still want to prepare my body for laboring (after an 8 year gap) the best I can, so here is an overview of all the things that will hopefully help me achieve a natural birth with a smooth recovery again! (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, this is entirely my opinion formed by research and taking into account experiences of myself and friends).

Physical Preparation:

Other than general fitness (achieved by daily walks), there are specific things you can do to strengthen you pelvic floor, which will help during labor as well as with recovery and avoiding incontinence after birth. Kegel exercises (simple pulses, longer holds and three-staged “elevator” holds), pelvic rocks / tilts (cat stretches on all fours, pulsing and holding) as well as squatting (increasingly longer periods if possible) and tailor sitting (bottom of feet together, stretching not bouncing, with a straight back) are all very beneficial and can be done while watching TV! In order for me not to forget the Kegels, I try to do some at every red light while driving and during my sons’ daily violin practice! A prenatal Yoga class often incorporates may of these beneficial moves as well as relaxation techniques.

I am convinced that the main reason I never tore giving birth was the diligence with which I prepared my perineum by stretching and massaging. This is not everybody’s cup of tea, but if you can muster the courage, use some non-scented organic oil (I always used Evening Primrose Oil for reasons stated below) and try to massage and stretch the vaginal opening every evening. If you can’t reach, you could ask your partner to do that, though that’s a whole new level of intimacy! My husband was willing to do it because he was convinced of the benefits, but it was still a bit awkward… But the increased elasticity of the pelvic floor tissue after just a week was proof of the effectiveness of this treatment! (more…)

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 Jeni Reynolds on September 20, 2011

The New (Pregnancy) Super Food

Do you remember the list of super foods that came out a few years ago?  Blueberries, spinach, almonds – just to name a few – that were praised by all as having the essential nutrients needed for a healthy diet.  Nutritionists raved about them and encouraged everyone to find ways to enjoy them every day!

Well, that fad simmered down, and currently if you try to find a list of super foods you’ll have a hard time getting doctors and nutritionists to agree on a complete list, leaving the battle to be called a super food to PR firms and manufacturers as they try to convince you that THEIR food will make you healthy, wealthy, and wise. (more…)

Posted by Sessilee Lu on July 19, 2011

Orange Peel Thighs

I know the cellulite was always there – hell, Gwyneth has it, Kim Kardashian complains about it and even Jillian Michaels says she suffers from it so why should we be worrying about it?  We’re pregnant and should be gaining weight and have to deal with the by-product of what that really means, right?  Unfortunately, we don’t have to like it and I don’t.

Now, I’ve never been super thin or a workout queen.  However, as an expectant mother of “advanced maternal age” (41), I’ve prided myself in my efforts to take care of myself:  regular work-outs, CSA subscriber (farm share), frequent salad eater, and when need be – occasional Jenny Craig drop-ins.   My clothes fit and for the most part, I feel good.  But as I enter my 28^th week of pregnancy, up 25 pounds, that nasty cellulite has reared its ugly head in spades across my thighs.  Mockingly, it shows up during times of stretching and exercise (while sitting, cross one leg over the other and bend torso over legs to stretch out hips, thighs, and back – wince as you see cellulite across thighs). (more…)

Posted by Zoe Quinton on July 16, 2011

Me, postpartum.

The other day a neighbor lent me her copy of Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott, a chronicle of her son’s first year. I devoured it in between feedings and sleepings, as it’s such a wry and totally accurate and honest account of what it’s like to be a new mom. (Although she was a single mom, with a very colicky baby, a combination which I would not wish on anybody.) One line in particular struck me, in which she talked about all her body has been through, and observed that “when all this is over, I’m going to throw my body a party,” or something to that effect.

PHOTO BY: Charlotte Astrid, Creative Commons

Lately I’ve been trying to see my body with that kind of forgiveness and appreciation. Most of the time I empathize more with the line where she compares her floppy belly to a small puppy that lies down beside her when she is lying on her side. (more…)