We all know it’s important to maintain a healthy diet for the well-being of your unborn child. Here’s a list of foods that can be detrimental to your baby, and foods that are a good choice for yourself and your growing baby. Bonn appetite!
Exersize during pregnancy: Do No Harm
Did you know that your resting heartbeat is increased by 8 beats per minute during the first few weeks of your pregnancy?According to Natural Pregnancy: A Much Better Way, pregnancy also shifts your center of gravity forward, and softens the ligaments around joints. Carrying around the extra weight puts strain on your back, legs, and internal organs, and makes certain movements more difficult. Because of all these changes, and more, you will need to adjust your exercise regiment.
Some tips suggested by Kenneth Elliot are:
Eliminate crunches or any other form of exercise that stresses the abdominals or back.
Go with lighter weights.
Avoid jerky movements and forgo squats which can separate the placenta from the uterus.
Breathing properly during exercises performed while pregnant is essential.
Hydrate at an appropriate amount throughout the day. That means you should take small sips over a longer time frame, rather than large intake at a given time. Eating should follow the same pattern – four to five small meals per day is preferable to three larger ones.
Warm up gently. Perform easy stretches and rest often for a few minutes at a time.
Swimming is one of the best forms of exercises. It gives very low stress on the body, but is an active cardio workout.
Prenatal yoga
If you feel any dizziness, swelling or experience any kind of vaginal bleeding or discharge discontinue at once and consult a medical professional. Before beginning any exercise regimen it’s vital that you talk with your physician.
Moving, lifting, straining
We are moving to a new apartment down the street, tomorrow. Those of you who have packed up a whole home before know that this is A LOT of work! And since organizing and packing seems to be a missing gene in the male personality, I find myself doing most of the work.
Yet people keep warning me of the hazzards of too much strain. My neighbor warns me not to work too hard. (What exactly is “too hard”?) “Don’t do any lifting!” my grandmother begs. And my husbands hovers in the background ordering me to drink cup after cup of water.
Are there safety guidlines for pregnant women and the amount of work they can do? Dr. Judith Reichman answers some of these questions, and more, in this article called
Debunking myths about pregnancy hazards.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) all the activity required to pack up and move are pretty much on the Safe list for me! *sigh* So now I must get back to work!
Stressed moms, stressed babies
Are you stressed out because your baby won’t sleep, or does your baby not sleep becuase you are stressed out?
The Early Human Development journal suggests it might be mom’s fault: Babies born to mothers classified as anxious or depressed while pregnant were about 40 percent more likely to refuse to go to bed, to wake up early or to persistently crawl out of bed.
Yet another reason it’s important for expectant moms to take care of themselves! Read more here.
Mad at Mimi’s Maternity
Oh my! Someone is really pissed by her shopping experiences at Mimi’s Maternity. I can’t say I remember an experience like ths, but it’s been a while since I stepped into a maternity store. This time, I ordered most things online, and am making do with what I have from the last one. Anyway, judging by the comments, she’s not the only one who feels like this!
You can read the Open Letter to Mimi Maternity here. This woman has got an impressive list of outrages suffered at the hands of the salespeople, “young women who have never been pregnant.” This woman mad about the obtrusive questions, unwanted brochures, “free” magazine subscription being forced upon her, and discourteous service. Oh, and the lack of bras larger than size E…
If these things bother you, too, maybe you should try shopping Mimi’s online. (They are having a sale now!) Or if this whole thing bothers you that much, find another place to shop altogether!
Acceptance of Pregnancy affects the mother-child bond
How do a mother’s feelings durring pregnancy affect her relationship with that child? Well, when I was pregnant with Esther, who is now two years old, I’ll be the first to admit that I was not exactly “accepting” of the fact. There was no question that I wanted to have children but I was’t feeling particularly ready or excited about the dramatic life-changes that a new baby brings. (I was still recovering from getting married!) But the minute the midwife laid that tiny, purple creature in my arms, it was love at first sight, and I have to say this little girl is the most precious, miraculous, sweetest thing in the world, and I wouldn’t want to go back to life without her!
So what do the researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have to say on this subject? The way a mother feels about her pregnancy does seem to affect her views on child-raising and the relationship with her children. They found that found that “mothers who were not accepting of their pregnancies had a greater tendency to later feel that parenting is burdensome.” Yet the researcher also found that “most mothers, even those whose pregnancies were unintended, enjoy their children” and want what is best for them. Like my own experience shows, mothers can be ambivalent about pregnancy, but still be warm, caring and attached mothers once the baby arrives.
“Apparently, mothers were able to separate their feelings about being trapped by the responsibilities imposed by childrearing from their feelings about their toddlers.” Well, thank Heaven for that!!
N.Y. Times dispells pregnancy myths
Did you know that eating too much tuna can harm a growing fetus? What about sushi? Have you thought of re-heating your deli meats before eating them? How many cups of coffee is it safe to drink while pregnant? Do you think it’s ok to gain 40 lbs, since you are now “eating for two”?
Read the facts here.
3-D Pregnancy
Want to see your developing baby in all his or her glory? If those fuzzy sonograms are really not enough to satisfy your desire to see your baby, check out the 3-D Pregnancy website. They have a week-by-week pregnancy calendar, amazing 3-D images of your baby, education articles and fun stories. It will let you appreciate your growing miracle in a whole new dimension!
Stress is bad for growing babies
“Chronic mild stress in pregnant mothers may increase the risk that their offspring will develop cerebral palsy,” says a new study. “These findings are consistent with growing evidence that constant stress, even minimal, can have a major impact on the quality of life.” Well, if that doesn’t stress you out, I don’t know what will. Read about it here. Stop it! Calm down! You’re getting stressed out just reading this article… ahhhhhhhhhh!!!
But don’t worry, the article also offers way to combat stress. The last tip is: Identify the personal sources of stress in your life and look for ways to eliminate them. Well, that’s handy-dandy. Let’s see, I’ll just quit my job, tell my landlord to bug off, lock my 2-yr-old in the basement, and pull the phone out of the wall. That ought to take care of things around here!
Answers to your most embarrassing pregnancy questions
Been wondering if it’s normal to wet your pants every time you sneeze? Want to know why you’re so constipated or gassy? Are you sweating more and smelling stronger? Check out this article for some answers to those questions you’re too embarrassed about to even ask your doctor!