Pregnancy Weight Gain: Not All Baby

Pregnancy Weight Gain

When women get pregnant, they will typically gain anywhere from 25 to 35 pounds. It’s not all baby in there, so what exactly is all that extra weight gain for anyways?

Here’s a look at what pregnancy weight gain entails:

Baby: 6-8 lbs

Placenta:1.5 lbs

Amniotic fluid: 2 lbs

Enlarged uterus: 2 lbs

Increased body fluid: 4 lbs

Increased blood: 3-4 lbs

Breast growth: 1-2 lbs

Maternal stores of fat, protein, and other nutrients: 7 lbs

TOTAL: 26.5 – 30.5 lbs

Something to Think About

I think it’s interesting to note that there really isn’t a lot of fat that needs to be gained for a healthy (singleton) pregnancy. Just 7 pounds of fat. That’s it! So how is that possible? If you are already at a healthy weight before you become pregnant, you are only supposed to consume an additional 300 calories a day. That’s really not a lot if you think about it. It’s adding a tablespoon of peanut butter with your daily apple (yum!). It’s an extra 8 ounce glass of milk. It’s not an extra full-sized meal. Maybe an extra healthy snack, but that’s it. Oh, and you don’t really need those extra calories until after your first trimester. Only 7 pounds of fat is starting to make a little bit more sense.

Focus During Pregnancy 

During pregnancy, the ultimate focus should be on the health of the baby and the health of the mom. When pregnant (and any time before and after), it’s important to live a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and enjoy your health!

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Tags: Pregnancy, weight gain

Jessica Alba uses HypnoBirthing

It was recently announced that Jessica Alba used hypnobirthing for her first pregnancy, and plans to use it again for her next child – apparently it works well!

I have been investigating natural child births for a couple of years now, and when I first learned about HypnoBirthing used as a technique to reduce pain, I immediately began research. Anything that naturally reduces the pain during child birth has my attention!

What is “HypnoBirthing” ?

HypnoBirthing is a method that is typically used for natural childbirth, and it focus on relaxation by using self-hypnosis techniques. Another way to look at it is meditation.

Jessica Alba, who is currently pregnant, was on the Ellen DeGeneres show and talked about her plans to use HypnoBirthing to help her remain calm during the labor. She used it with her first pregnancy and HypnoBirthing was able to help her stay relaxed during the contractions.

“I’m just concentrating on breathing and staying relaxed because it’s when you get tense that makes the whole labor worse and more painful.” -Jessica Alba speaking to Ellen during the Ellen DeGeneres show.

Is HypnoBirthing Right for Me?

I have personally spoken to a lot of moms who have given natural childbirths, and I always ask them what helped them make it through the pain and the entire experience. Surprisingly, I hear these women say that giving natural childbirth has a lot to do with “mind over body”. I believe HypnoBirthing is a technique that could possibly help with this.

Side Note: I personally think that too many women hear all of these horror stories about giving birth and I just don’t see how that could be of any benefit. I think those stories do more harm than good. Create your own stories…the good kind, of course! ; )

Perhaps HypnoBirthing is easier said than done (forget the pain during labor contractions!), but I don’t see how trying this it out would negatively effect the labor experience – whether you decide to go natural or not.

Would you give HypnoBirthing a try? If you know of any other techniques to help reduce the pain during childbirth, please share!

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Image Credit: latina.com

Tags: Celebrity, Jessica Alba, Natural Childbirth, New Mom, Pregnancy

Maca: Natural Solution to Infertility

Are you or someone you know trying to get pregnant, but not seeing any results yet? If so, you need to know about Maca Root, which may help with any infertility concerns.

What is Maca Root?

Maca Root is a South American herb that is considered to be a powerful superfood. Maca is an adaptogenic herb, which means it aids in restoring the body’s normal homeostatic functions. Maca is used to increase energy, boost libido, increase stamina, stimulates blood circulation,  and even helps with hormonal balance in young women. Maca Root has been known to promote reproductive health in both men and women.

How Maca helps with Fertility

There’s no denying that Maca Root helps both men and women with fertility, which is why I might suggest that both spouses take Maca Root.

Maca Root helps with increasing a man’s libido, regulating estrogen levels, which ultimately increases healthy sperm production. All very good things for fertility.

For women, it’s important to have optimal estrogen levels. If estrogen levels are too low or too high, it can prevent a woman from becoming pregnant or remain pregnant until full term. Maca Root helps regulate the estrogen levels in a woman’s body, helping a women become pregnant.

How soon can Maca Root work? Many see positive results in the first few weeks of taking it. I found a Maca Root fertility “success story” which really tells you how beneficial this herb is with fertility: “How Maca Root Got Me Pregnant”.

In addition this that women’s story, I have personally known couple’s who have tried to get pregnant but couldn’t. Once the women started taking Maca Root, within a month or two, she was pregnant!

It seems so simple, right? That’s actually a reason why many won’t take Maca Root! It just seems too simple. I believe that herbs are on this earth for a reason, and they are here to benefit and heal our body! If you and your spouse are trying to get pregnant, you have nothing to lose by trying Maca Root.

How to Use Maca Root

You can use Maca in a powdered concentrate form, which can be mixed with flour for baking or blended in with smoothies or shakes. If you prefer not to mix it in with your meals, you can also try taking Maca Root in capsule form.

I found Organic Maca Root Powder at my local health food store, but if you can’t find it locally, you can easily buy the product online.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Tags: fertility, Health, herb, infertility, libido, Maca, Maca Root, natural, Pregnancy

Losing weight after having a Baby

Meet Three Inspirational Women

I interviewed three women who are Moms that have successfully lost weight after giving birth. They are an inspiration to others by proving that you can skip the crazy diet pills and actually lose the extra “baby weight” in a healthy way.

You will learn a lot from these women, from relating to their weight loss battles and you will find strength in their ability to succeed.

Brenda E. and baby Zohie from Pensacola, FL.

Postnatal Exercise

As a new Mom, it’s important for you to realize that you need to rest and let your body properly heal after having your baby. Your body just went through a lot!

Depending on the type of delivery you had, you may need extra time to heal. Some Moms wait six weeks, while others wait several months before they start to exercise again. Wait for your Doctor to tell you when it’s safe to exercise, as well as listening to your own body’s needs.

There are a lot of exercises for you to choose from, so which types of exercises will work best for you?

For Brenda, who was preparing for a marathon before she got pregnant, she decided to go back to her roots and start running again.

“I love to run! So I started running again and that was great! Running has always been a stress reliever for me, so it felt great to run and leave the stress of having a newborn out on the road.” – Brenda E. from Pensacola, FL.

I think a great way to workout is to involve your baby! Katie talks about how she took her daughter in the stroller and went on walks. It’s a great way to burn some extra calories while letting your little one explore the world outside!

“I took my daughter on walks. I also did a walk at home exercise DVD. It is great!” – Katie S. from Draper, UT.

Are you ready to workout? If you have ever been on bed rest, you can relate to Genine. She had a high risk pregnancy and spent most of it on bed rest. Once she started her exercises, she started with small steps and worked her way up, which is a great way to start a new exercise program.

“…since I was on bed rest for so long I was struggling to even move – so I started with Pilates – twice a week. From there I moved into cardio – and then onto weights – now I maintain cardio 5 days a week, Pilates twice a week and weights twice a week.” – Genine F. from Cincinnati, OH.

Genine lost a total of 140 pounds since she had her twin boys! She lost the extra weight in a very healthy way, and said that she is in better shape and more balanced now than before she was pregnant!

Biggest contributing factor in your weight loss success

I understand that with a small child, it can be hard to get your exercise routine back. I asked these wonderful Moms what helped them most with their weight loss success.

Brenda realized that exercise wasn’t the only factor that led to her weight loss. You can’t focus on the reasons why you shouldn’t start eating healthy or exercising again. There’s plenty of reasons to hold you back, but all you need is one to move forward in the right direction.

“It is so easy to come up with a million excuses (most of them extremely valid!), but with motivation; nothing stops me!” – Brenda E. from Pensacola, FL.

Be sure to surround yourself with those that are able to support you with your goals. Katie found that having a workout partner is very helpful in succeeding. If someone else is working with you towards the same goals, is seems to help ease the burden of trying to do it yourself.

“My husband worked out with me, and was very encouraging.” – Katie S. from Draper, UT.

 

Are your thoughts in the right mindset to help you succeed? You need to decide if eating right and exercising is a temporary change or a permanent one. Once you make the decision that this is a lifestyle change, you will start to incorporate healthier habits into your life that will help you reach your health goals.

“Consistency and Patience – this was going to be a lifestyle change and a marathon not a sprint – so even when I didn’t want to workout i did. When I wanted to eat bad, I would stop and think if I still want it after a glass of water 10 minutes from now then I will have it, most of the time I forgot.” – Genine F. from Cincinnati, OH.

Time to Motivate Yourself!

Everyone has their reason why they want to lose weight after their baby is born.

What motivated you to get back into shape after giving birth? Losing the extra weight is healthy for you and helps you feel good on multiple levels.

I have to say, I just love what Genine had to say when I asked her what motivated her to lose weight after she gave birth to her twin boys!

“Honestly – I often joke that I wanted someone to think I was the nanny to the twins” – Genine F. from Cincinnati, OH.

Every Mom deserves to feel good about the way they look.

Becoming healthy is a journey that doesn’t end with a single decision. Health starts before your pregnancy, during your pregnancy, and a long time afterwards!

Weight Loss: Challenges and Success

Trying to lose weight can be quite the challenge, especially when balancing the hectic schedule of having a little one around the home!

“It was hard to find the time to strength train at home because most workout videos that give good enough workouts are 45-60 minutes! I just don’t have that kind of time. Once I found Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred, it became a whole lot easier! Her workouts are only 20 minutes (almost 30 with warm-up and stretching), but they really kicked my butt! It was perfect!” – Brenda E. from Pensacola, FL.

Everyone faces the challenge of trying to get started, and the first step to losing weight is just making the decision to do something about it. Once you have made the decision to change, you need to create a plan and take action immediately. Don’t wait any longer, and you will reap the many rewards of a healthy lifestyle.

“I sometimes lacked motivation to lose the weight. Then one day I just got really motivated, and started working out everyday, and eating even better.” – Katie S. from Draper, UT.

If you run into a brick wall where you seem to stop losing weight, does this  mean that you have reached your goal weight? Without measuring your body fat ratios, I can’t give you an answer. No matter what the situation, you still have every reason to continue to eat healthy and exercise. Perhaps you can evaluate your current situation and see if there is something you can improve.

“The biggest challenge that I have found is that I would plateau every few months – and would have to go back to the drawing board and change some things up… there are also days when I just don’t feel like working out or being healthy but I have pushed through…” – Genine F. from Cincinnati, OH.

Great Advice for You!

These three Moms did it. Now it’s your turn to get back into shape! Here is some practical advice to help you lose the extra weight in a healthy way that will be beneficial for your body.

“Just do something! Even if it small, it is a step in the right direction! Want to eat healthier? Try adding just one extra serving of vegetables to your intake for a week or two, then add another and so on! Also, always eat your vegetables first! Filling up on the healthier options first will cut calories and provide you with more nutrients! Want to be more active? Try taking the kiddos with you for a short walk or go to the park and be active with them! You don’t have to start with long workout hours! Just adding more active minutes into your day will help burn calories! Remember that you don’t have to be active and eat healthy on your own! Your whole family will benefit from it, so include them too!” – Brenda E. from Pensacola, FL.

“It may seem hard to lose weight after your baby is born, but you can do it! Just take one day at a time, and before you know it the weight will be gone!” – Katie S. from Draper, UT.

“Don’t look at the immediate – look at the long term goal!” – Genine F. from Cincinnati, OH.

I would like to thank all of them for their willingness to share their story and inspire women to get back into shape after giving birth – in a healthy and safe way.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Tags: Baby, exercise, Fitness, Healthy, Lose Weight, New Mom, Nutrition, Pregnancy, success story, weight, Weight Loss

Stop Morning Sickness

You were so excited to get pregnant – that is, until the Morning Sickness crept up on you.  Don’t let the morning sickness ruin the fun of being pregnant. Here are some tips that can help you get rid of that sick feeling…

Acupressure- This technique is different from Acupuncture. A huge plus is that there are no needles involved. Acupressure involves working with specific pressure points to relieve the morning sickness. Women who put pressure on the area above the wrist on the inside of the forearm (it’s called the Neiguan or “P6″ point) have been shown to help with Morning Sickness. Try this technique several times a day to help with the nausea.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) - This technique has some similarities with Acupressure, where you end up tapping on different pressure points on your face, upper body, and hands while saying specific affirmations aloud. You don’t have to understand exactly how or why this works – just know that it does.

Natural Remedies – There are plenty of proven Natural remedies that you can take for your Morning sickness. You can choose among Ginger, Raspberry Leaves, Chamomile, Peppermint, and Vitamin B6.  You can also try taking Vitamin K  - just be sure to take Vitamin C with it.

Eating Habits – Sometimes a pregnant woman just needs to eat on a more regular basis. Instead of 3 regular sized meals a day, perhaps 6 small meals a day can help relieve some of that morning sickness.

Some pregnant woman try to go on a “diet” – you shouldn’t be on a diet while you are pregnant, but you should focus on eating healthy foods that will provide nutrients to your baby’s body as well as your own.

Sources: The Journal of Reproductive Medicine September 2001; 46:811-814, 835-839

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Tags: acupressure, chamomile, EFT, Ginger, Health, Healthy, Healthy Eating, morning sickness, Natural Remedies, nausea, No Diet, peppermint, Pregnancy, pregnancy sickness, Raspberry leaves, vitamin B6, vitamin C, Vitamin K