Yay, I can work out again

August 8th workout

Did this today. :)

The birth

Yep that's right this picture pretty much says it all. I know I imagined me looking  beautiful and refreshed and both of us holding our little baby boy at home on my bed with no tubes or anything. Well I have learned that you can't plan everything out perfectly, the hospital isn't as bad as I thought, and next time I need to be more pushy. :) I'll explain.

After watching a documentary and exploring my options of homebirth with a midwife or a hospital birth with and OB I decided I wanted a home birth. I loved the idea of just getting to be there with my baby and being able to trust that indeed my body was capable of giving birth without medical intervention. I mean god doesn't make mistakes right. Women should be able to do this. I also was farely confident because of my high pain tolerance and my general bullheaded and stubborness that I would have no problem.

A kink was thrown in my plan when little Kenter decided to come 5 weeks early. At 35 weeks I was going into labor. I had to decide what to do. That is a little too early for comfort to have a baby at home. Although I wouldn't need medical attention he would as soon as he came out.

At 34 1/2 weeks I started having random contractions that really didn't hurt. I kept talking to people asking how I would know if I was in "real" labor or not. I talked to my midwife, my mom, my sisters, my bosses wife, and really any other woman that was around. :)  Although my  midwife planned to come check my I was generally assured that it is quite normal to be having some contractions this late in the game. This continued for a few days...off and on. Some days I would time the contractions to see how far apart they were. There were a few days that were a little scary as they would be like 5 minutes apart for an hour or so and then completely stop. I decided to take it easy. I was told to just lie down so I didn't actually go into labor. I started having alot more contractions friday night. enough to keep me and Kwin up most the night tossing and turning. My Baby shower was Saturday the 11th. I headed to it after the contractrions subsided a little that morning. After I got there they came back but still 15ish minutes apart and not painful. Everyone thought I was having Braxten Hicks. I kind of did too.  I was so used to just having contractions all the time. That night I took a nice bath to ease the contractions and then headed home for the night. This seems to be where my brain got fuzzy and I was just in denial. At about 10:00 that night the contractions started getting a lot more painful and closer together. They were about 5 minutes apart. Because my midwife didn't seem too worried about it the earlier contractions I thought I would just text her and see if she thought maybe this was something. (I should have known, but aparently wasn't quite in the right state of mind...granted I was exhausted from no sleep the night before and completely new at this.) I didn't get a response so I went to bed. Well at least tried to. 4 hours of hardly any sleep I started thinking this was something so I texted her again. They were still painful. I kept trying to breath through them to bare the pain.  Periodically i would go take a hot bath to ease the pain too. At 6:00 in the morning I was taking a bath and I could hardly bear it. I thought if this isn't real labor I'm  getting an epidural. At that time I called my midwife, (who then explained she hadn't gotten the texts) she said she would rush down to see me.  Unfortunately she lived 2 1/2 hours away.  Soon after I called her the contractions subsided a little and I actually was able to sleep a little. She got here at 9:00 and checked me. I was dilated 9 centimeters. (wow) She started doing some pressure things and the pain with every contraction was almost unnoticeable. (Why didn't I call her earlier). At this point we had to make a decision. Should we go to the hospital? I labored for another hour or so.  The bag of waters was bulging out of my cervix so my midwife broke it.  After a little while baby's heart rate started acting funny so we went to the hospital. (good thing) We were admitted at 11:20 and Kenter was born at 11:56. My OB of choice was the one on call so lucky for me she is the one that delivered him. I had no epidural or pain medication of any kind and only had to have one stitch. I was doing pretty well besides my lack of sleep. Poor Kenter though came to the world too early. He was given to me just long enough to pee on me and then taken to the Nicu. He was hooked up to a cpap machine, an IV, Oxygen. I was taken to my room. I really wanted to go see him but needed to be checked myself. After 4 hours I finally walked to the Nicu and saw my little guy.  Poor thing it was so sad seeing him hooked to all the machines and having to be poked all the time. Over the next few weeks we watched as he first got off the cpap, then off oxygen. He was given a feeding tube and started to learn how to eat. It took two weeks before he was able to nurse all of his food on his own and we were able to take him home.

So what did I learn...What would I have done differently.
I still love the idea of having my child at home. As far as labor goes I think it is a perfectly normal thing that I want to do on my own. However I am extremely grateful for modern technology.  They were able to take care of Kenter as he struggled for his first little while here on this planet.  Of course no one wants to end up with a child in the nicu...I am glad that he was treated so well and for the nursing staff there.

I think next time... I'm going to be a little more careful with what I do in the last trimester. i gotta keep that baby in as long as I can. I'm going to attempt a home birth again...(unless I start contracting too soon again). I'm going to get a midwife that lives less than 20 minutes away. I also want to get an ultrasound to make sure everything is going well along the way.

Fat, Sick, And nearly Dead

So I have been struggling during this pregnancy to get my veggies into my daily diet. I work at a weight loss clinic where our clients eat 4 cups of vegetables a day. That is a lot. (especially when it doesn't include potatoes and carrots). My parents have started Juicing after watching a documentary entitled "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ After they and my midwife told me to watch it I finally did. I needed to find some way to get all those healthy green veggies in. It is a super interesting film. My parents have been feeling so much more vibrant and healthier from all the fresh fruits and veggies. So anyway this is a great film to watch. It helped me realize that most American's really don't get the veggies they need.


I do however feel like it is a complete waste of vegetables to juice them. You loose a lot of the bulk of the veggies. (ok and the real truth) I can't stand to drink them. I think they are disgusting. So although I love the idea and the ease of it I really needed to come up with something else. I decided to just make sure I ate tons of veggies. So of course if I want to eat them whole it is going to take a lot for me to learn how to incorporate vegetables into my diet.
How to shop for veggie's
How to cook them so they taste good
How to cook meals that include veggies but don't take forever. (let's face it...it's easy to throw spaghetti on the stove, it's easy to do whatever is already a habit.)


So there is the goal.... Learn to cook healthy meals that taste good but don't take forever to make. Can I do it? I hope so. :)

Photo Booth

                                                   

Weekly Weigh in

Although at the beginning of this pregnancy the thought of gaining the inevitable weight was terrifying, I have kept track of my weight gain. And I have actually enjoyed it. It is amazing to me to see how i am gaining weight and the reality of this whole experience. I am now at week 27 (13 to go) and in my extremely organized, wanting to know everything that is going on attitude I have followed my weight and measurements since before I got pregnant.
I think this is extremely interesting.

My weight and measurements throughout pregnancy:


Week                     Date               Weight          Belly        Waist            Hip            Thigh
Pre-Pregnancy        08/12                145                                 30.5            38.75            21.75
12                        01/04/2012          146.2           33              30.5             38.75           21.75
14                        01/15/2012         145.2            34.5           30.75           39                21.75
16                        01/29/2012         147               35.25         30.75           38.75           21.75
20                        02/25/ 2012        152               36.5           30.75           39                21.75
21                       03/03/2012          155               37.5           31.25           39.5             21.75
23                       03/18/2012          158               38.5           32.75           39.75           21.75
24                       03/26/2012          159               38.5           32.75           40                21.75
25                       03/31/2012          164              39.25          34                40.5             21.75
26                       04/09/2012          162               39              34.25           40                21.75
27                       04/14/2012          163              40.25          35.75           40                21.75


I must admit that some of this data may not accurately represent my weight gain. mostly looking at week 25. We went out to eat the night before to Pizza Pie Cafe so obviously that was artificially high.
Weight is taken consistently in the mornings before eating anything.
Belly measurement is just the biggest part of my belly
Waist is where I bend
and Thigh is always measured 6 inches from the top of the knee cap.
It has been interesting for me to watch my measurements. Although at first I was worried that I wasn't gaining any weight I soon realized that i would and yes my belly would grow too.  More importantly than what my measurements say however is the fact that I am extremely happy with myself. I know that I am gaining a healthy amount of weight and that my baby is healthy. Weight may have been a worry for me at first but now I am much more concerned about the health of my baby. I want to make sure it is getting the nutrients it need and that I keep my body in good physical shape so that I can go through labor.  I believe that is what is more important than the number on the scale or how big my belly ends up getting. I just want my baby to be healthy.

Walking Hills

My Husband took me out this morning for a speed walk. We sped walked down and up a hill. This is a great exercise because it let me get my cardio up without having to worry about my bouncing belly getting to annoying.

How Far and How Often?

If you already walk, keep up your regular program. To get started, walk 20 -30 minutes a day three days a week and build from there to 30 - 60 minutes most days of the week. Walking for exercise can continue into your last trimester and right up until birth as long as it is comfortable for you.

How Fast and How Hard?

Moderation is the word during pregnancy, don't push yourself to the extreme. The chemical byproducts and raised body temperature of overexertion are bad for the fetus. Your pulse rate should not be above 140 beats per minute at any time during your walk. You may also use the "talk test" -- you should be able to speak in complete sentences without having to huff and puff and gasp out only short phrases. A pulse more than 100 beats per minute five minutes after a workout means you have worked your body too hard. Drink water before, during, and after your walk to help regulate your core body temperature. The fetus cannot get rid of excessive heat, so avoid exercising in hot weather and keep your walking workout moderate. Consider mall walking as an alternative during hot weather.

Posture!

A good walking posture is essential and can help prevent backache.
Stand up straight: Think of being a tall and straight, do not arch your back.
Do not lean forward or lean back: Leaning puts strain on the back muscles.
Eyes forward: not looking down but rather 20 feet ahead.
Chin up (parallel to the ground): This reduces strain on neck and back.
Loosen the shoulders: Shrug once and let your shoulders fall and relax, your shoulders slightly back.
Suck in your stomach
Tuck in your behind: Rotate your hips forward slightly. This will keep you from arching your back.

Other Helpfull Pregnancy Exercises

• Pelvic Tilts: These can be done in nearly any positions. For beginners, I'd recommend standing, my personal favorite is hands and knees. To get started in a standing position, place a hand on your abdomen and a hand on your lower back. Bend slightly at the knees. Concentrate on moving only your pelvis only. You should not get a lot of body movement from this exercise. It should be done slowly. Do this often through out the day.
• Squatting: Try this first with a partner or a chair back. Slowly go down into a squat, stopping as low as you can go but before your heels come up off the floor. Practice this several minutes a day.
• Tailor Sitting: Basically it's sitting with your legs crossed at the ankle and knees out, much like you used to do in kindergarten. It helps stretch your inner thighs.

Kegels

The "wonder exercise of pregnancy", kegels are something every woman, pregnant or not, should learn how to do. Though you may be sick and tired of people telling you to exercise during your pregnancy, kegel exercises require so little effort from you, yet give you so much back in return, you really have no excuse not to do them.

Little Pain, Lots of Gain

Kegels are named after their inventor, Dr. Arthur Kegel, who suggested them to his female patients in the 1940s. Kegel exercises target your pelvic floor muscles, helping to strengthen your urethra, bladder, uterus and rectum. Both women and men can become a kegel exerciser, although men won’t gain the childbirth benefits that women do.
Pregnant women are encouraged to do kegels because strong pelvic floor muscles help make childbirth, specifically pushing, easier. Plus, the exercise can lower your chances of tears happening during labor. During the postpartum period, doing kegels can aid in your healing from an episiotomy as well as prevent postpartum incontinence and tone your stretched out vaginal muscles, thereby making sex better.
But the benefits don’t stop there! Kegels can also:

• Prevent incontinence from happening later in life
• Make your orgasms better
• Reduce your chances of hemorrhoids (the exercise aids in circulation to the rectal area)
• In men, kegels can help with erections since kegels encourage increased blood flow to the genitals

Become a Kegel Master
Easy childbirth? Better sex? What are you waiting for? It’s time to get that kegel technique down! Thankfully, instructions for kegel exercises are very simple and easy to follow:

• Contract your muscles as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine
• Hold this contraction for a count of three
• Slowly release and relax

That’s it. You’ve just done your first kegel. To begin with, try to do three to four sets of 25 repetitions several times throughout the day. As your pelvic floor muscles get stronger, increase the length of time you hold the contraction for, working your way up to ten seconds.
When you contract your pelvic muscles, though, be careful not to squeeze your buttocks and abdominals. These muscles aren’t needed to do a kegel. You may also find that you squeeze your rectal muscles. As you get better, you should be able to focus on just your pelvic floor muscles. To make your workout harder, and more effective, try changing your contractions. Do some quickly, like little flutters, while doing others more slowly.
Do It Anywhere!
The best part about kegels is the fact that you can do them anywhere at anytime. Whether you are watching TV, standing in line at the grocery store or are driving in your car; fitting kegels into your busy schedule is easy. Once you’ve had your baby, though, don’t neglect these muscles that you’ve just built up. Make kegels are regular part of your fitness routine for life.

This article from: http://www.pregnancy-info.net/exercise_and_well_being_kegels.html

The Decision to Deliver my baby at Home

Up till even after I got married I always imagined that my children would be born in a hospital with an OB-GYN. Of course isn't that what everyone does? The realization that there was more than one option came when I was shown a documentary, “The business of being born”. This documentary looks at birth the business aspect of it. As those who are delivering our children are running a business. There was a lot of insights that made me question if what was happening in hospitals was really for the good of the expectant mother and baby or just good for the business of bring babies into the world.

I started researching and talking to people who had used midwives and had home deliveries with there labor and deliveries. Everyone I talked to seemed very satisfied with the whole experience. Many women who had turned to midwives had done so because of bad experiences at the hospitals. The midwife allows much more freedom and the comfort of your own home.

I started considering using a midwife for my own children's births. Of course I was concerned. First of all was:

What if something goes wrong? How would a midwife deal with complications? Would we have time to get to the hospital if needed? The more I have looked into this the more reassured I am. Many studies show that home births with a midwife are actually safer for both the infant and the mother. There tend to be less complications and less interventions involved in a home birth when compared to a hospital birth. One Study looked at the outcomes of planned home birth with a registerd midwife versus planned hospital birth with midwife or physician. The comparison was of midwives at home verses those same midwives at the hospital and hospital births with a physician. The results were as follows

Per 1000 Births of infant death

Planned home births: 0.35

Hospital births with Midwife: 0.57

Hospital births with a physician: 0.64

This concluded that those with a midwife at home were almost half as likely to end up with an infant death. And even with those same midwifes at the hospital the risk drastically increased. Those women in the at home group were less likely to have obstetric interventions or adverse maternal outcomes. Newborns at home were less likely to need resuscitation or oxygen after birth.

According to this study along with others, my question seems to be the wrong one. There was less complications with the at-home births. Many think this is because of the easily available interventions. We are just intervening too much with birth and maybe God actually did make a woman capable of having her own child. Maybe we should just be prepared to handle the labor and delivery and then in cases where something still goes wrong then start intervening

My second Question was: How much is this going to hurt and will I be able to handle it?

It was funny because when some people found out I was planning a home birth they thought I was crazy. It would hurt. And that is what I've heard my whole life...it hurts. Now I'm not going to argue that it doesn't hurt. Pain in childbirth is a given. But soon I found that there really is no avoiding it. Although an epidural may help I was always a little nervous with the idea of numbing my whole lower body with something so close to my spinal cord. It just seemed really risky. After talking to a few people who'd had epidurals I also found that they are often times less than desirable. They can be put in wrongly and cause complications or you would still be able to feel pain. Also they interfere with the mother's ability to be involved in pushing out her own child. (an important part of giving birth...the involvement of the mother.)

I also took a birthing class that outlined many different positions that can greatly reduce the pain and speed childbirth. I was introduced to the idea of a water-birth. (the midwifes epidural). I loved the idea of more natural ways of dealing with the pain. For example: being upright instead of laying on your back, eating so you have the needed energy for labor, and relaxing. 

Source of study:

CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal; 9/15/2009, Vol. 181 Issue 6/7, p377-383, 7p, 4 Charts

Exercise During Pregnancy.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy

Exercise does wonders during pregnancy. It boosts mood, improves sleep, and reduces pregnancy aches and pains. It also prepares you for childbirth by strengthening muscles and building endurance, and makes it much easier to get back in shape after your baby's born.

The ideal workout gets your heart pumping, keeps you limber, manages weight gain, and prepares your muscles without causing undue physical stress for you or the baby.

The following activities are usually safe for expectant moms, although some of them may not work for you during the last few months of your pregnancy. Make sure you consult your healthcare provider before embarking on any exercise regimen.

Cardiovascular

• Walking: One of the best cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women, walking keeps you fit without jarring your knees and ankles. It's also easy to do almost anywhere, doesn't require any equipment beyond a good pair of supportive shoes, and is safe throughout all nine months of pregnancy.
  Video
• Swimming: Healthcare providers and fitness experts hail swimming as the best and safest exercise for pregnant women. Swimming is ideal because it exercises both large muscle groups (arms and legs), provides cardiovascular benefits, and allows expectant women to feel weightless despite the extra pounds of pregnancy.
• Low-impact aerobics: One good thing about an aerobics class is that it's a consistent time slot when you know you'll get some exercise. And if you take a class for pregnant women, you'll enjoy the camaraderie of other moms-to-be and feel reassured that each movement is safe for you and your baby.
• Dancing: You can get your heart pumping by dancing to your favorite tunes in the comfort of your own living room, with a DVD, or at a dance class, but steer clear of routines that call for leaps, jumps, or twirls.

Flexibility and strength

• Yoga: Yoga can help maintain muscle tone and keep you flexible with little if any impact on your joints. But you may have to augment a yoga regimen with walking or swimming several times a week to give your heart a workout.
• Stretching: Stretching is wonderful for keeping your body limber and relaxed and preventing muscle strain. Add stretching to your cardiovascular exercises to get a complete workout.
• Weight training: If weight training is already part of your exercise routine, there's no reason to stop, although most women should reduce the amount of weight they're lifting (you can do more repetitions to ensure that you're still getting a good workout). If you take the necessary precautions and use good technique (meaning slow, controlled movements), weight training is a great way to tone and strengthen your muscles.

Who should handle a normal birth?

Is Home Birth Dangerous?

Education of Midwives

Debunking the myth: Birth vs. Experience

Eating Healthy for You and Your Baby

A well balanced diet is not only important for your health as an expecting mother but for the growing baby inside of you as well. Your diet is the best place to get all the vitamins and minerals that you need. It is important to eat well for your baby.

Every day of the week you and your baby should have:

1. One quart (4 glasses) or more of milk. any kind will do: whole milk, low fat, skim, buttermilk, or cheese, yoguret, ice cream, ect..
2. Two eggs, 9hard boiled, in french toast, or added to other foods).
3. One or two servings of fish or seafood, liver, chicken, lean beef, lamb, pork, beans, or any kinds of cheese.
4. One or two good servings of fresh reen leafy vegetables: mustard, collard, turnip greens, spinach, lettuce, or cabbage.
5. Two or three slices of whole wheat bread, cornmeal, cornbread, or tortillas.
6. a piece of cirus fruit or glass of juice of lemon, lime, orange, tomato, or grapefruit.
7.  Three pats of butter
8.  Other fruits and vegetables.

Also include in your diet:

1. a serving f whole grain cereal such as oatmeal or granola.
2. a yellow or orange-colored fruit or vegetable five times a week.
3. Liver one a week. ( if you like it)
4. Whole baked potato three times a week
5. Plenty of lfluids, water, juice etc
6. Salf food to taste for a safe increase in blood volume.

You may substitute proteins if you wish, being sure your proteins are  complete, and that you get approximately 100 grams per day, If you substitute, also be sure all the elements necessary for a well balanced diet are available every day.

Distribution of Weight Gain during Pregnancy.

Blood................4lbs
Placenta............2-3 lbs
Baby..................7lbs
Amniotic fluid.....6-8lbs
Brown Fat.........5lbs
Breast tissue......2lbs

Total................26-29lbs

Iron

We all know that Iron is sucked from the mamma during pregnancy and given to the baby.
Iron is extremely important to keep up on though. Iron helps muscle tone, strength
Without it one may feel:
Brain fog
winded going up stairs,
you'll sleep more.
Varicose veins
Voice may go deeper or more gravily
Heart burn
It is important to have because it keeps oxygen going to the mothers mothers. This will be important through the pregnancy to help you stay motivated to do those exercises as well as to get the oxygen to the uterine muscle during labor. It is labor we need all the strength we can get.
And I realize that as I am writing this there is a reason I have been craving liver. I need iron. I have heartburn and brain fog, and am sleeping a lot...I guess we'll see how it goes.

And of course in order to properly absorb iron we need to make sure our calcium levels are up. it helps the uptake of iron

According to the USDA Dietary Guidlines for Americans 2005
Good Sources of Iron are as follows:

Appendix B-3. Food Sources of Iron

Food Sources of Iron ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All are ≥ 10% of RDA for teen and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)

Food, Standard Amount	Iron (mg)	Calories
Clams, canned, drained, 3 oz	23.8	126
Fortified ready-to-eat cereals (various), ~ 1 oz	1.8 -21.1	54-127
Oysters, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat, 3 oz	10.2	116
Organ meats (liver, giblets), various, cooked, 3 oz a	5.2-9.9	134-235
Fortified instant cooked cereals (various), 1 packet	4.9-8.1	Varies
Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup	4.4	149
Pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, 1 oz	4.2	148
White beans, canned, ½ cup	3.9	153
Blackstrap molasses, 1 Tbsp	3.5	47
Lentils, cooked, ½ cup	3.3	115
Spinach, cooked from fresh, ½ cup	3.2	21
Beef, chuck, blade roast, lean, cooked, 3 oz	3.1	215
Beef, bottom round, lean, 0" fat, all grades, cooked, 3 oz	2.8	182
Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup	2.6	112
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 3 oz	2.5	177
Beef, rib, lean, ¼" fat, all grades, 3 oz	2.4	195
Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup	2.4	134
Duck, meat only, roasted, 3 oz	2.3	171
Lamb, shoulder, arm, lean, ¼ " fat, choice, cooked, 3 oz	2.3	237
Prune juice, ¾ cup	2.3	136
Shrimp, canned, 3 oz	2.3	102
Cowpeas, cooked, ½ cup	2.2	100
Ground beef, 15% fat, cooked, 3 oz	2.2	212
Tomato puree, ½ cup	2.2	48
Lima beans, cooked, ½ cup	2.2	108
Soybeans, green, cooked, ½ cup	2.2	127
Navy beans, cooked, ½ cup	2.1	127
Refried beans, ½ cup	2.1	118
Beef, top sirloin, lean, 0" fat, all grades, cooked, 3 oz	2.0	156
Tomato paste, ¼ cup	2.0	54

^a High in cholesterol.
Source: Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Foods are from ARS single nutrient reports, sorted in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures. Food items and weights in the single nutrient reports are adapted from those in 2002 revision of USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods. Mixed dishes and multiple preparations of the same food item have been omitted from this table.

Getting Adequate Calcium

As I have started eating again life has gotten substantially better. Along with now being able to eat normal foods I know my body is getting the nutrients it needs. So just to make sure that we are getting the calcium we need along with those potato chips or whatever source of salt you find you like best we need some other things to adequately get the calcium we need.
For Calcium absorption we need:
Magnesium, vinegar, and electrolites.
We also absorb it best from 4pm till midnight.

Getting Through the First Trimester.

Although I was super excited when finding out I was pregnant...I soon had moments where I didn't know if I could take another second. I was one of the lucky little ladies who got morning sick. First came nasea, then came actual throwing up.  Which at first was a relief because that meant for a while after throwing up I wasn't naseated. However soon I found myself on an emotional roller coaster as the morning sickness ebbed and flowed. Some days I would be perfect with not even the slightest thought that i would throw up and thinking "Yay, it is finally going away!" but then the next day it would be nearly impossible for me to hold anything down. Eventually i figured out that for me at least I would have good days and then bad days and i would just have to deal with it. I started associating my bad days to certain foods but mostly compared it to how much sleep I got the night before. Days where I had got 8 hours of sleep the night before where bad days. Those where I got 11 to 13 hours of sleep I felt much better. Although just to be confusing every once in a while my body would switch things around where that wasn't even an acurate guess as to how to keep the morning sickness at bay.
It started getting worse. Till I found myself not even being able to keep saltine crackers down. It isn't that I would throw up all day..just when I ate. So I felt that I was starving. I wanted to eat but had lost hope that I would be able to keep it down. so what was the point of eating anymore. If anything the hope that my body would get a few seconds to absorb what it could before rejecting it.

At about 14 weeks.. and the end of my first trimester I went to a birthing class. One of the first things she addressed is how to keep the morning sickness at bay. although I was already nearing my second trimester when it usually subsides anyway I felt that mine was getting worse and I really didn't want to have morning sickness my whole pregnancy as i had seen happen to others in my family. I was just praying that it would go away.  So whether the morning sickness faded naturally or if the tips I used from the class did the trick...I am  beginning to hope that the morning sickness has gone away. (knock on wood) It has been about a week since the class and I haven't thrown up in 5 days.

So what was the trick? Again it is vitamin and mineral deficiencies because of all the vitamin and minerals that the baby is taking from me. The first deficiency that starts to cause problems is low salt intake. Crazy huh because usually you hear that you shouldn't because it causes bloating and swelling... (Although at this point I'd rather bloat than be starving because my body rejects everything I eat.)

According to dietician Amanda Leanard  "The medical community used to suggest limiting salt (sodium chloride) during pregnancy because they thought it contributed to water retention and bloating. Now most experts believe that some increase in body fluids is necessary and normal during pregnancy, and that a moderate amount of sodium is actually beneficial because it can help maintain adequate fluid levels."

In the class It was stated that the amniotic sac is made up of salt water. by the end of pregnancy the amniotic sac makes up about 6-8 pounds of the weight that is gained. So it seems natural to assume that the body will need more salt and more water to maintain that. Not to mention the extra 4 pounds of blood volume.
Although I wouldn't go completely crazy on the salt levels I wouldn't limit it too much either.

In the weight-loss clinic that I work at we limit sugars greatly on the diet. One of the side effects of this is headaches because of a drop in blood pressure. We aren't limiting salt but sugar. So in turn to remedy this we recommend a greater salt intake. Salt is a mineral that is needed in the body as an electrolyte... Sugar functions the same in retaining water but provides many more extra calories. (I'm not saying lower sugar intake...because the baby will be needing carbs...that was a tangent but you might want to check out this site it gives a little insight as to whether salt is really that bad for us or not...)
http://www.good.is/post/is-salt-actually-bad-for-you-new-research-adds-to-the-confusion/


Back to how to get rid of morning sickness. First salt is needed because it aids in making hydrochloric acid. (stomach acid: essential to digesting food) In my case I guess if I had trouble digesting it I would simple get rid of it.  Salt also aids in the absorption of calcium, along with sugar...(hence the age old craving of pickles (salt) and ice cream (calcium with sugar). So that is what I did.

Anyway so I came home from the class and bought a bag of salt and vinegar chips and powerade and ate as my little heart desired. I knew my body was low on salt because I had been craving really salty foods but had done nothing to go get any. I was even drinking pickle juice. (I know..typical pregnant girl). These definitely helped me replace some needed electrolytes in my body as I started feeling stronger. I figured it had to be at least some good because my body wasn't rejecting the chips. After replenishing my electrolyte stores my body started craving wendy's crispy chicken sandwich and a chocolate frosty. I got some needed iron from the chicken and the calcium from the ice cream. (Although I'm sure yogurt would have been a healthier option)
As I said before I am now on my 5th day of eating again and keeping it down and it is great because now I can eat fruits and veggies as well as my Wendy's chicken sandwich. One thing that I've learned is that my cravings guided me right back to being able to eat again. Which I know has to be healthier for the baby than deficiencies everywhere I look.  Although my craving don't include vegetables I try to make sure I am getting them along with the cravings. I also plan on keeping track of my blood pressure and making the needed adjustments to not get into any bad habits.



I wanted to add a little graph here to help you see if you were deficient in any of the vitamins and minerals that were discussed:

If you are deficient

You'll feel like this:                                If you don't have enough of This:
Overwhelmed,                                                       Magnesium
Low self esteem

Teary,                                                                      Salt
Hopeless
Weak
Lousy

Like you can't take anything more                           Potassium
Weak
shakey
Skippy heart beat
Lack of appetite

Angry                                                                    Calcium
Short Tempered

The Competition: Am I going to get Fat?

OK... The First Question: Am I going to get Fat?
My husband weighs 25 pounds more than me. The weight that you are supposed to gain during pregnancy for a normal weight person is 25 to 35 pounds...so i told him he better gain some weight because I didn't want to weigh more than him. So now here we have a competition. He keeps teasing me that i will weigh more than him and I'm trying to get him to gain weight. Luckily it is all in good fun.

Solution: At my first Birthing class I received some helpful information about just gaining pregnancy weight and not a bunch of extra non necessary weight. She gave a bunch of great information. In this particular case she did answer the question of how to not gain excess weight that does not include the baby weight and the weight that is naturally to be included in that 25 to 35 pounds.

As the baby is developing at about 32 Weeks it starts needing greater amounts of chromium and so of course pulls this from the mothers body. If the mother does not have sufficient amounts she will become deficient. This is interesting because of the functions of Chromium.
      These Functions include:  Fatty acid and Cholesterol synthesis (important for Brain function and other processes) as well as the breakdown of insulin. Chromium is also used as a weight-loss supplement for many people...although after researching it a bit more I found that it is rather controversial as to whether it should be used as one. Some say it is very helpful and others say that there is not enough evidence yet for people to start taking chromium supplements. However as I kept looking I found that getting your Chromium from food sources poses no risk.
Food Sources of Chromium include:

• Beef
• Liver
• Eggs
• Chicken
• Oysters
• Wheat germ
• Green peppers
• Apples
• Bananas
• Spinach

     But if you want to try this out make sure you are getting enough of the mineral manganese in your diet as well because it partners with chromium in your body.
Food sources of Manganese include:

• Mustard Greens
• Kale
• chard
• raspberries
• pineapple
• strawberries
• romaine lettuce
• collard greens
• spinach
• garlic
• summer squash
• grapes
• turnip greens
• eggplant
• brown rice
• maple syrup
• cinnamon
• black pepper

     Another interesting tidbit that was added was that by getting sufficient chromium during pregnancy can decrease the risk of getting gestational diabetes. When people are deficient in Chromium it usually manifests itself as impaired glucose tolerance... or type II Diabetes.
     In the article "Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies Which May Predispose to Glucose Intolerance of Pregnancy" by Lois Jovanovic-Peterson and Charles M. Peterson (Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 1996) It discusses a a study that was done to measure levels of Chromium in Pregnant women with gestational diabetes and pregnant women without it. The results showed a decrease of chromium levels throughout the pregnancy of those women with gestational diabetes.  

So it may help with preventing me from blowing up like a balloon as well as decrease risk of me getting gestational diabetes! Although I have not yet reached that stage of pregnancy I can kep this in mind as i am making food choices.
            

Newly Pregnant!

First let me tell you a little about myself. I recently graduated with a bachelor's in Health Science and a minor in Exercise Science. I work at a Weight-loss Clinic helping people lose unwanted weight and get in better general health.  I love running, swimming, and biking. I really got into fitness during college as I took classes and realized the joy of being physically fit. I ran my first triathlon over a year ago and my husband and I recently ran another one.
We recently found out that we are pregnant. A first pregnancy and like any newly pregnant person I had a lot of questions. Namely am I going to get fat? Will I be able to lose the pregnancy weight? What about stretch marks? And Morning sickness? Basically this is a long journey and what do I need to know to get through it with the least amount of problems. So I decided to start this blog to share what I learn with you.