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Monthly Archives: September 2010

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Pillow Talk – Pregnancy Week 20

Posted on by Posted in pregnancy, relaxation, week by week pregnancy tips Leave a comment

ONE is never enough.

You’ll likely end up keeping them all well after pregnancy. I still have all mine, and you know what? My husband has been taking to curling up with one in his arms too…shhh, don’t tell him I told you that!

Resting on your side as often as possible, especially on your left side is advised, because it provides the best circulation for your baby.

Me, my natural tendency is to lie on my stomach (can I tell you how long it took me to get comfortable on my back?) or my RIGHT side. Bah. It all worked out…find your spot and add in the pillows. You will WANT them.

You can place a pillow between your legs or underneath your stomach for more comfort.  If your upper back is also bothering (due to the increased weight of the breasts) place a pillow between your arms while lying on your side. Check out the body pillows.

Other resources:

I promise you…my son is older now, six as of this posting.  I still have the body pillow on my bed. You will love it. (Of course, I won’t mention the other EIGHT pillows we have scattered about for the two of us…..shhhh.)

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25 things we wished we knew about being a mom

Posted on by Posted in motherhood 1 Comment

A cousin of ours  is expecting her first child after so many years of trying, and she asked, “What did you wish you knew about motherhood before becoming a mother?” Here’s a collection of comments from my friends.

1.     You never will sleep deeply again until the kids are out of the house, and even then you’ll be worried about them.

2.     You will learn to balance laundry, dishes, getting the kids a meal and then forget to make yourself one.

3.     I never realized how much I could enjoy watching someone…

  • sleep….looking so peaceful and innocent
  • play….using imagination, just plain old having fun
  • read…..marveling at what their little brains can do

4.     Never knew how wonderful a laugh or giggles could sound

5.     It will be a long time before you get to shower, go to the bathroom, do ANYTHING alone

6.     You will also be the last one to eat, drink and sleep.

7.     Once you sit down, your name will instantly be called.

8.     If you have more than two kids and they know, if they both cry. They both wont get into trouble. Kinda like a “get out of jail free card”

9.     With out special care the shampoo bottles will be empty ever other night because “bubbles are so darn cool”

10. Your usual place for everything has just been moved. Good luck finding ”it”

11. You know its bad when you can not even go pee without hearing “MOMMY”

12. You might even need to make a checklist just to get out of the house.

13. Ok so you are sitting on the couch, here comes one of the kids. RUNNING in the house, then you hear a crash, now you are waiting for that scream that comes right before they cry but what you really hear is  “I’m good” and they jump up and keep going there has never been a better moment in life when you think “Oh thank god, I don’t need to make a trip to the ER.” Yes…

14.   I never realized that all of the authors who publish books on putting a newborn infant on a schedule are nuts!!  Babies have their own schedule and you adapt to it…if you want a happy baby.

15.    I never realized that sending my child off to Kindergarten would be more traumatic for me than my daughter!

16.   The secret to managing a child age 1 – 18 is to decide what behavior you can live with, and which behavior you will not under any circumstances tolerate….because you are not going to get a child who can possibly live up to ALL your expectations and behave all the time.

17.   Keep your promises to a child, teach and expect respect, and they will give it back to you.

18.   Realize that giving a 5 year old pizza three times in one week for dinner does not make you a bad parent.

19.   Eat dinner with your children as a family…they CAN sit for a meal…its up to you to teach them how.

20.   Be consistent….if you say it, do it.

21.   Have a routine for your children for everyday life.  It helps keep down their anxiety.

22.   Tell children you love them…over and over, and over.

23.   Have a babysitter you can trust, and pay them well after all, you are putting them in charge of the most important person in the world.

24.   You use to think taking a shower was a necessity and after having a baby it becomes a luxury!

25.   Before children your romantic conversations included wine and cheese… after children it’s macaroni and cheese.

What do you have to add to the list?

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Why Iron? Pregnancy Week 19

Posted on by Posted in health, nutrition, pregnancy, week by week pregnancy tips Leave a comment

Iron is needed in order to develop red blood cells in both mom and baby.  Throughout the course of pregnancy mom’s body will increase its total blood volume by 40-50%.  That’s a lot of blood and iron is essential in helping it form!  Not too worry, it’s already in your prenatal vitamin!  And, if you are eating a well balanced diet, the extra iron should not cause constipation.  If it does, choose more fruits for carbohydrates, especially apple juice!

Keep reading for some specific facts about iron… (this is the science part)

Typically, the average woman needs 15mg, but now that she is pregnant, the iron requirement increases to 30-50mg, especially from about the 20th week on.

What happens in you are deficient in Iron:

  • Insufficient store of this mineral is the likely cause of incessant fatigue; it also increases the incidence of illnesses and fainting spells
  • Lack of iron will put a strain on the maternal heart
  • Lack of iron will also endanger the mother should she face excessive bleeding during delivery

Adding in an iron supplement (only add if recommended by your healthcare provider):

  • Iron supplements are useful; they help to manufacture hemoglobin, which will in turn help you to maintain the energy required during pregnancy.
  • Iron tablets come in several forms and under various trade names: ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate and ferrous fumarate
  • Absorption of iron is enhanced by vitamin C. Ideally supplements should be taken with fruit juices

Certain foods and medications including high calcium foods, caffeinated drinks and antacids inhibit iron absorption. Avoid taking your supplements with these items at the same sitting.

In the later months of pregnancy, when the blood volume has expanded, women may have to take additional supplements apart from their prenatal vitamins as the iron dose won’t suffice then.

Do not exceed the recommended dose of this mineral unless advised by your doctor – iron can suppress zinc levels.

Want to learn more about anemia click http://www.babycenter.com/0_iron-deficiency-anemia-in-pregnancy_3073.bc or go to http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/202333-overview

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Best skin products for MOMS – tested by our fitness expert!

Posted on by Posted in fitness, health, pregnancy 1 Comment

So your body has been stretched thanks to all that wonderful pregnancy weight gain…and maybe your body is back, but what about your skin.  I have a few favorite concoctions that I create…yes create!  During my pregnancy and through years of competing in figure and fitness I learned that taking care of your skin is just as important as what you put in your body when it comes to how you look.  And, I have stretch marks, on my boobs, my thighs and my butt.  I got the ones on my thighs when I was younger and started dancing.  The others, they came during pregnancy – one morning I woke up and it looked like a cat had scratched my thighs in the night while I was sleeping.  I had big vertical red marks, and oh, my hips, they were everywhere, and I only gained 40 pounds.  The sad thing about stretch marks is there is no one thing that will keep you from getting them, but there are products that can minimize how they look.  20 months after having my daughter, unless I point out my stretch marks to you, you won’t be able to see them.  So, how did I do it…

Daily happy skin:  After every shower – rub Johnson & Johnson’s baby lotion all over your body (have done this since I was a baby)

During pregnancy:  Combine in your palm and then rub all over Bio Oil and Palmer’s Coca Butter, after every shower and then again one other time during the day.  If skin feels itchy add an additional lather!

Post pregnancy:  Same combo as during pregnancy.  Have a little bit of dimply skin?  You can think the hormones and weird pregnancy cravings for that.  Make sure you are removing saturated fats from your diet, but also use Nivea’s Goodbye Cellulite Gel Cream – the patented L-Carnitine really does the trick, however I don’t recommend using this if you are nursing or trying to conceive again.  There are no studies showing this to be harmful, but better to be safe!

Got any more you absolutely love, please tell us!

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Staying in Shape Tips for Mommy

Posted on by Posted in fitness, motivational, pregnancy 2 Comments

Get the kids up and ready for school, take the dog out, finish up breakfast, load the kids in the car for school, oops don’t forget to put the dog back in the house, drop the kids off…whew…ALL DONE…nope still have the littlest ones at home.  So, really, with all the multi-tasking us moms do, how are we ever suppose to get a workout in that doesn’t involve lifting Suzy on and off the potty or in and out of the sandbox?

Being a mom is the hardest job I have ever had…and I miss workouts too AND don’t always eat as healthy as I should…and GUESS WHAT…I do all this for a living!  And if that isn’t bad enough, we all know the mommy guilt all too well.

I wanted to take a moment and give you a few simple tips on how to keep that summer body in shape and fit throughout the fall, and it doesn’t take hours upon hours at the gym.

Here are a couple workouts – 10 minutes a day!  Recommended reps 15, sets 3…

Prenatal:

Workout 1: On the Ball

  • Prenatal Crunches
  • Shoulder Presses
  • Butt drops

Workout 2: On the Mat

  • Knee Pushups
  • Abdominals
  • Squats

Postnatal:

Workout 1: With Baby

  • Pushups with baby
  • Crunches with baby

Workout 2: Stairs and Baby Carrier

  • Up and Down
  • Squats

Workout 3: Stroller – Outside

  • Walking
  • Lunges behind stroller
  • Pushups with stroller (locked)

So you have a little more time, and access to a gym.  For ultimate results I recommend to moms’ three days of strength training for 20-30 minutes with 3-6 days of cardio (yes, this can be pushing the stroller or walking to and from the bus stop).

Easy splits:

Chest & Triceps

  • Pushups
  • Seated dips
  • Finish with abs

Back & Biceps

  • Lat Pull-down
  • Row Machine
  • Arm Curl Machine

Legs & Shoulders

  • Lunges – superset with overhead presses
  • Wide stance squats – superset with lateral raises

Each split is a full day, finish with cardio right afterwards and you are in and out of the gym in 3 hours per week!

Coming up next – Nutrition tips for moms on the go!

Want to train with other mom’s???  Try out the Mommy Boot Camp taught by our Fitness Expert Corry Matthews at Gold’s Gym in Lake Ridge VA, or purchase a workout online www.CorryMatthewsInc.com – here is to all you Strong & SEXY moms!

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Braxton-Hicks Contractions in Pregnancy Week 17

Posted on by Posted in health, pregnancy, week by week pregnancy tips 3 Comments

True Labor is characterized by contractions that come in regular intervals and increase in frequency (how often contractions occur), duration (how long contractions last) and intensity (how strong the contractions are) over time. As time progresses, the contractions come at closer intervals.

What are Braxton-Hicks contractions?

Braxton-Hicks contractions are smaller contractions or “practice contractions” that can occur as early as the 2nd trimester, but more commonly occur in the third trimester. Unless they follow a pattern they are what we call “false” labor. Not everyone will notice or experience these contractions, and some will have them frequently. Some moms say they notice them more in subsequent pregnancies than in their first pregnancy. Don’t panic if you don’t notice them. Some women only notice them because they find them to be uncomfortable or annoying.

Braxton Hicks(named after English gynecologist, Dr. John Braxton Hicks in 1872) are described as:

  • Irregular in their intensity
  • Infrequent
  • Unpredictable
  • Non-rhythmic
  • More uncomfortable than painful
  • They do not increase in intensity, or frequency
  • They taper off and then disappear altogether

What triggers Braxton Hicks Contractions?

  • physical activity or exertion
  • sexual intercourse
  • dehydration
  • touching your abdomen
  • your baby moving inside your uterus

Braxton Hicks contractions help your uterus practice for your upcoming labor and birth. They help to soften your cervix and exercise all the muscles that you will need to push your baby out. Without the help of Braxton Hicks contractions, labor would actually be much more difficult and painful.

If you are experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, you really don’t need to do anything unless they are causing you discomfort. If they are making you uncomfortable try the following:

  • Change positions; lie down if you have been standing or go for a walk if you have been sitting or laying down.
  • Get some sleep or rest.
  • Empty your bladder with first urge to void. A full bladder can trigger Braxton Hicks contractions.
  • Relax.
  • Drink water, juice, or herbal tea.  Dehydration can make your muscles spasm, bringing on a contraction.
  • Eat a snack or small meal.
  • Get a massage.

Braxton Hicks Versus True labor

Braxton Hicks True Labor
Contractions don’t get closer together. Contractions do get closer together.
Contractions don’t get stronger. Contractions do get stronger.
Contractions tend to be felt only in the front. Contractions tend to be felt all over.
Contractions don’t last longer. Contractions do last longer.
Walking has no effect on the contractions. Walking makes the contractions stronger.
Cervix doesn’t change with contractions. Cervix opens and thins with contractions

Call your healthcare provider if you have contractions closer than 12 minutes apart prior to 37 weeks, as this might indicate preterm labor and not Braxton Hicks contractions.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/true-false-labor?page=2

http://www.pregnancyhut.com/braxton-hicks-contractions/

http://www.epigee.org/pregnancy/braxton_hicks.html

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Eating for two….not quite – Pregnancy Week 18

Posted on by Posted in health, nutrition, pregnancy, week by week pregnancy tips 1 Comment

Sure you are pregnant, and sure you need more calories but only an additional 200-300 are needed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.  Plus, these additional calories should be in the form of something healthy…not ice cream or French fries (no matter how much we’re craving them)!

Some of our best posts on nutrition:

  • Drop in links when all posted.

What are you finding that your body is craving? Sugar, salt? A specific food?