Posts Tagged ‘Know’

Giving birth to a child is one of the most wonderful moments in a woman’s life. One look at the newborn and the mother knows that the pain and hardships of the pregnancy were not in vain. It also means that life must return to normal with new responsibilities of bringing up the child.

Soon after the child birth, the mother starts thinking about how to lose weight gained during pregnancy. Many young mothers resort to quick fix diets, diet pills or cardio programs to lose weight.

However the weight loss will be gradual. After all you didn’t gain the weight in a day! So don’t expect to lose the excess weight in few days.

Plus it is now a medically accepted fact that the body and metabolism of a woman who gives birth undergoes a number of changes that can sometimes make losing those extra pounds more difficult. And some mothers do not lose the last few pounds till the breastfeeding continues.

In order to lose weight after pregnancy both safely, and effectively, you should undertake a program of slow and steady dieting along with exercise that will produce long-term benefits.

You should concentrate on the health of your child and your own health and diet. After all now you have to think about how to regain your lost strength as well as provide good nutrition to your baby.

An ideal diet for a new mom would consist of:

* 2000 calories per day
* Small amount of fiber
* About 50 percent intake of Carbohydrates
* 30 percent intake of proteins
* 10 percent intake of fats

And you can start taking your favorite foods again that you may have stopped during pregnancy. But remember, do not indulge too much as you are looking to knock off the extra pounds gained during pregnancy. And before trying any quick fix diets or diet pills, make sure the diets and pills are absolutely safe because what you eat also becomes the food for the baby.

Combined with a healthy diet, exercise is one of the most effective methods for weight loss after pregnancy.No doubt you will be busy as a new mom, but exercise is still important especially at the early stage as it will help build up your stamina and return the muscle tone you lost during the pregnancy.

Exercise is also a good way to improve moods providing it is not overdone and will help to ensure you do not begin to see it as a chore. The idea is to reduce the overall body fat while improving muscle tone at the same time although this should be a gradual process.

It must be re-iterated that the loss should not be looked upon as something that must be done as quickly as possible as it should really come off about the same sort of pace it was put on.

With a good nutritional program and with moderate exercise, you can expect to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy within a reasonable time rame.

During pregnancy it is in fact healthy for expectant women to exercise provided it is done in the proper manner.

Mild exercise appropriate to the various stages has several advantages.It helps to strengthen the pelvic muscles,reduces mood swings that expectant mothers commonly experience and also keeps the circulatory system healthy.If done in the proper manner exercise can also help lessen the severity of backaches,improve sleep and daily stretching helps keep the joints more flexible and firm.

A moderate work out helps to release endorphins that elevate the mood and help to burn up the anxious energy leading to more relaxed sleep patterns.It also helps to strengthen the back,thigh and buttock muscles that improve posture and relieve pregnant women of headaches.

The exercises in particular that are appropriate to most expectant mothers are swimming ,spinning and pelvic straighteners.

Swimming in fact is good for the cardiovascular system.It helps to regulate the endocrine system and keeps muscles and joints supple.Most pregnant mothers enjoy this exercise because it helps relax their back and leg muscles which is a great source of relief during later stages of pregnancy.

Swimming also has the added benefit as in this way one gets to exercise the entire body in a low impact manner.Knees get some rest from constantly carrying the additional weight and proper breathing exercises can also be done while wading in between laps.

Spinning is also a very effective exercise provided it is done in the proper manner.Like swimming it aids the cardiovascular system and also works the leg, stomach and pelvic muscles.Thus it helps to keep the legs in shape to prevent falls.It also helps two particular muscle groups that will be needed during delivery.

Even a 10 minute routine on a stationary bike is more than enough exercise but one should stop immediately at the first signs of dizziness, bleeding , intense pain or fluid loss.

‘Kegels’ is also another commonly recommended exercise for soon to be mothers.It helps develop the very muscles that aid in child birth.

To find the right muscles you need to focus on , pretend to halt urination in the middle of elimination.Squeeze those specific muscles for a few seconds and then relax them.However keep in mind that during this exercise one should not tighten the muscles of the legs or stomach.This helps to zero in on the muscles that need to be worked on.It is important to breathe in and out normally and regularly during any exercise.

Always have a long detailed chat with your physician before attempting to do any exercise while pregnant.Get all the answers you require in order to stay fit but in a safe and healthy way.

If you find that any activity produces heart palpitations,back pain or dizziness stop immediately.Do not be obsessed with weight loss during pregnancy .The main aim is to keep fit in order to maximize your overall mental and physical health.

I had a tubal pregnancy in october 2005. It was bad, they had to removed my one tube, it actually bursted, they drained 3.5 liters of blood from my stomach. I had no clue i was even pregnant. I never even missed my period. One day i just had very very bad pains in my stomach and i was blacking out and passing out. I can honestly say that the pain from the tubal pregnancy was way worse then what pains i had in labour with my daughter and i had her 100% natural. Anyways.. I was told that the other tube had some scaring… Do you think i still will be able to have another baby? Do you know anyone who has had this happen to them?

Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful experiences that women can go through in their life. However, most women who are pregnant for the first time are unaware of the many different stages of pregnancy and they have to go through. Some women will categorized their pregnancy based on morning sickness and other problems that they experience and they refer to this as phases of the pregnancy. In actuality there are three stages to a pregnancy.

 

The first stage of pregnancy is referred to as the first trimester. This first stage of a pregnancy extends to about fourteen weeks. Some doctors will argue that it is the first thirteen but most will agree that fourteen weeks is the beginning of the next stage. It is during the first trimester that women begin to notice differences in their body. Some women will experience morning sickness during this stage, some more than others. It is the common misconception that morning sickness only happens in the morning but if you were to ask women who has experienced morning sickness, they will tell you that it can happen at any time. During this stage that you will also begin to notice that your breasts becoming more tender and sore and some women report that they noticed an increase in the size of their breasts at this time.  At the end of the first trimester, your baby will be about two inches in length.

 

The second stage of pregnancy, the second trimester, begins after the first three and half months of pregnancy. This stage of the pregnancy will last about another three months. It is during this phase that there is an extensive amount of growth in the fetus or baby. Many people will say that the first stage of pregnancy is the most important but the second stage is just as important because this is when your baby grows and develops the most. It is during this stage that you will begin to show. You will find that none of your clothes fit anymore and you now have to turn to those dreaded maternity clothes. At the end of this stage the baby will be almost fourteen inches in length.

 

The third and final trimester begins around month six of the pregnancy and continues until the baby is born. The belly continues to grow and get bigger and bigger. During this stage women begin to complain of increased back pain and the general feeling of being uncomfortable. Women in this stage of the pregnancy tend to be more emotional about the arrival of the baby and sometimes about things in general. Women have reported that they were tense and testy during this stage, while others reported they cried a lot during this time. This does not happen to all women at this stage. For most women there is an increase the amount of worrying that occurs. At the end of this stage, the baby should be between eighteen and twenty-two inches in length and should weigh close to eight pounds, which is the size of the average baby.

A baby starts begins forming its major organs during the first few weeks of a pregnancy. It is therefore important to devise a nutrition plan that will begin prior to getting pregnant. A history of good eating habits before getting pregnant will translate to knowing the proper foods to eat when pregnant, which will result in good nutrition during pregnancy.

Why Nutrition in Pregnancy is Important.

Pregnancy nutrition needs to be taken seriously since the essential nutrients a baby requires to develop come from the mother’s diet. A mother who takes the time to learn about the correct foods to eat when pregnant and in turn eats the proper foods ensures optimal nutrients to her baby through a well laid out nutrition during pregnancy plan. If the mother eats too many empty calories the baby’s cell development can be compromised and the baby will have a low birth weight. Low birth weight babies are usually prone to numerous health problems. During the first few months of a pregnancy, a mother’s metabolic rate increases and so does her circulation. This happens to ensure that the baby receives the nutrients needed to develop the baby’s bones, organs and tissues. Poor nutrition during this phase will lead to an unhealthy baby.

Pregnancy is Not the Time to Diet.

Weight gain in the mother during pregnancy is normal and is definitely not discouraged. The pregnant mother’s body gains weight not only because of the baby’s weight but also due to the increased volume of blood, fat storage, increase in muscle size and an increase in size of the mammary glands as they prepare for milk production. However, the weight gain should be slow and steady with an average pregnancy weight gain of between 22 and 32 pounds. A well balanced nutrition plan ensures that nutrition during pregnancy is carefully monitored.

Making a Pregnancy Nutrition Plan.

To properly monitor your nutrition during pregnancy diligence is not required; What is required however, is a good understanding of the foods to eat when pregnant via the food guide pyramid. The food guide pyramid teaches pregnant mothers correct proportion size, which foods should be eaten in moderation, and it also teaches that a variety of foods are important to nutrition during pregnancy. A pregnant woman should eat the minimum recommended requirements of the pyramid.

Bread and cereals are at the base of the pyramid. This group supplies the necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fruits and vegetables make up the second level of the food pyramid. The sources of many essential vitamins are found in this group. Folic acid which is very important in the fetus’s development can be found in this group, so are vitamin A and vitamin C. Experts recommend that pregnant women should eat at least one food high in vitamin A and one high in vitamin C daily. Proteins make up the third level of the pyramid, which are essential for healthy cell wall development. The final group which is comprised of fats and sugars can be consumed in moderation as they are not essential.

Learning about the correct foods to eat when pregnant is important as it helps start and maintain good nutrition during pregnancy. Pregnancy nutrition does not take time to plan and does not mean giving up favourite foods; it just requires healthy food choices.