Confessions Of A {Pregnant} Certified Personal Trainer
I am 28 weeks (7 months) pregnant now, and I’m officially in the third trimester! Since beginning my journey to becoming a first time momma, I thought I would share some of my “confessions” with you… Confessions of a {Pregnant} Certified Personal Trainer 1. Before I became pregnant, I would always wonder why women didn’t exercise during their pregnancy. It’s an important time in life and exercise is still needed! Well, since becoming pregnant, I finally get it. During pregnancy, women are tired. Actually, exhausted is probably a better word to describe how tired women are during pregnancy. On top of that, many pregnant women experience nausea or other difficulties. For me, I would start my workout, feel nauseous, keep working out anyways, and then I would experience some painful cramping in my side. After speaking with my Midwife regarding my concerns...
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Athletic Preparations for Childbirth
For what could be the most important athletic event of an expectant mom’s life, it’s worthwhile to do the research and prepare for delivery day as any athlete would. Doctors and other health providers will have their contributions to make, but it is ultimately up to mom to make the experience a positive one. Since certain conditions may require special precautions with exercising to ensure the safety and viability of pregnancy, all preparations should be approved by the primary health provider beforehand. Breathing A major step to keeping both the emotional and the physical stress of labor under control is to learn the beneficial breathing patterns taught by experts in childbirth, and yoga for pregnancy, classes. The research-based breathing techniques for pregnancy should be learned as early as possible, as they will be useful throughout pregnancy as well as...
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Important Nutrients During Pregnancy
Nutrition is always an important equation for your optimal health, and in Pregnancy, it’s can easily be argued that nutrition is more important than ever since it impacts both the mom and baby. Calcium for Strong Bones • Dairy Foods • Canned Sardines/Salmon • Fortified Cereals/Breads • Oatmeal • Orange Juice (fresh squeezed/juiced) • Collard Greens Carbohydrates for Energy • Whole Grains • Vegetables • Brown Rice Folate (Folic Acid) for Preventing Birth Defects • Lentils • Fortified Grain Foods • Dark-green leafy vegetables • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Green Peas • Oranges • Melons • Chickpeas • Spinach Healthy Fats for Boosting Baby’s Brain Function and Health • Fish • Olive Oil • Avocados • Wild Pacific Salmon (low in mercury) Vitamin A for Baby’s Skin, Eyesight and Bones • Liver • Eggs • Vegetables (green and yellow) • Milk B Vitamins for Baby’s Brain and Vital Organs • Beef • Nuts • Beets • Chicken • Potatoes • Spinach Fiber for Regularity • Whole Grains • Beans • Water •...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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How you can prepare for Pregnancy
If you have the luxury of planning for your pregnancy, here are some helpful tips to get ready for pregnancy. Visit your Doctor or Midwife It’s a good idea to visit with your Doctor or midwife before you try to get pregnant to discuss relevant medical concerns, your pregnancy plan, and answer any questions you may have. If there is any health concerns, they will be able to help you prepare your body for Pregnancy. Healthy eating habits You shouldn’t be on a “diet” per se while you are pregnant, but before, during, and after your pregnancy you should have a healthy, balanced diet. If you are eating a lot of fried or sugary foods, you should start eliminating them out of your regular eating habits as soon as possible. You should focus on eating healthy food, not only...
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