posted April 27, 2007 02:12 AM         

Can anyone , esp sunshine who is in the family way let me know certain tips a pregnany women need to implement to deal with probs like
a.)stretch marks in stomach -creams we ned to use
b.)exercises to do for ease during delivery
c.) foods (please suggest vegetarian)which need to be consumed for mother and foetus's health
d.)Relacation options which will soothen and relax the mom.
e.) Things to avoid
f.)Most importantly how to avoid undue weight gain in the 9 month duration.
g.)how does one come back to normal pre pregnancy weight/body shape and when is it safe to start exercising to reach this goal.

Though its a pleasant thing ,i need these desperately .Please please do share whatever helped or you have felt done wonders to combat certain sickening things which come with pregnancy like weight gain, stretch marks, coffee burns, loosening and bloating,etc etc..
Basically i am looking for all enlightening and timetested things to minimise the telltale signs and to get back in shape.

i have seen many women who loose their attractiveness by gaining weight and getting shapeless,looking a lot older post pregnancy and its a pity to see that.

Any suggestions or useful links will be greatly appreciated.

posted April 27, 2007 02:51 AM         

that's what it is to be a mama....i eat as much as i need so that he can nurse to his heart's content....and he takes a lot from me...still.

posted April 27, 2007 04:40 PM         

http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000178.html

talaith
Knowflake
Posts: 271
From:
Registered: Feb 2004
posted March 16, 2004 02:52 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
is anyone else here an earth mama?
motherhood has shown me the most amazing insights and strength....

for instance, i have a completely new relationship with my body....i'm learning to cherish how awesome and exquisite it is. whereas pre-motherhood, i felt like i was battling my body....to look better, to feel better...to be better.

now i know it's the best there is....i'm all soft and curvy, provider of comfort and nourishment for my little one. i still have my baby fat, and for a while post-birth the years of conditioning weighed on me.....but my focus has shifted finally to learning to nourish myself as much as i need to....to find the ideal natural shape and health that has always eluded me, yet that i've pursued for so long, in so many ways -- over the years....

diet pills and birth control pills
diet sodas
sugar free gum
cigarettes
caffiene
laxatives
fat free butter, cookies, cake, etc...
aerobics, long distance running, triathlons
calorie, fat gram and carbohydrate counting
fasting
strict macrobitotics
....to name a few...

always some restriction or another to force my body to do something....that i oftentimes thought for my own good and health!

the following is from an article in this month's 'Mothering' magazine:

A pregnant woman has our society's blessing to eat heartily, even irrationally...She is, after all, "eating for two...." Often, it's the first time a woman can begin to satisfy her lifelong hunger, which long ago she learned to squelch.

whoa....when i read that, i was amazed at how true that really is, but how unaware i ever was of it.....if you really think about it.....

to continue....

To my great surprise, I actually love my body more than before I got pregnant. I view my body with a previously unknown sense of respect and awe. Yes, I'm bigger and stretchier and jigglier....But in the meantime I made a whole other person! I stand taller now and walk with a greater purpose. I'm proud of my baby body, knowing that it gave my son a comfy vessel in which to gestate and has been the source of all nourishment since birth. When he's hungry, he cries for me to bring my body to him for a feeding. When he's tired, he wants my body to comfort him -- an angular form won't do (ask my husband)....Rather than feeling desperate to "lose the weight," I am revelling in my baby (and my body), enjoying him every moment, without entertaining those intrusive, culturally prescribed thoughts.

Mothering Magazine
(a wonderful site with great articles and forums)

it took years of abuse to have the imperfect health that i have now, so i know it will take time, patience and love to re-configure back to true health, but i feel that i'm already there just in acknowledging this!

your mind is in your body, not separate from.
your body truly is your temple....housing your being, mind and soul....

in the same way that society tells us to regard our bodies, it tells us to regard our lives; i truly believed for the longest time that the following thoughts were mine originally (now i know better!)

think about what society constantly tells us to think....for most of my life i've believed that birth and children were a nuisance, painful, and an unfortunate aspect of being female. not for the educated, modern person who is going places, but more of an afterthought to your life once you've done your share of living...after you've settled down, not while in the midst of your youth and freedom!!!

how terribly wrong and blinded by culture i was! birth and a babe have been the most empowering, life-affirming events i could ever imagine! i think our culture must discourage women from focusing on children to keep women from coming into their full power. being pregnant and a mother have deepened and expanded my life in ways i never could have imagined. babies should be welcome in our lives as a bonus and a gift. it would not seem so dire to have a child if all your life circumstances weren't exactly right if society didn't tell us so. we can make room for our children in all aspects of our lives if our culture would allow for it.

posted April 28, 2007 10:03 PM         

jani_jean i use cocoa butter creams on my stretching belly, and on the rest of my body. ive found cocoa butter is the most nourishing and moisturising cream i have used.

for exercise, i think walking and stretching will be enough.

with eating, before i eat anything else i will eat lots of fruit...i have 4-5 servings of fruit before breakfast, usually by then i'm full and have some yogurt...since being pregnant i have decided to include yogurt as the only animal product, like a supplement.
i like starchy foods such as sweet potato with a salad and legumes.
i always put nuts in my salads with plenty of cold pressed flax oil or olive oil. that's a typical lunch for me. or i will have a veggie sushi rolls.
i love rice.
for dinner i usually include a salad with whatever i'm eating, i mainly eat raw plant foods but sometimes i will cook or steam some starchy veggies and have beans too.

i find eating several times a day works well, rather than waiting a long period in between meals...if i get too hungry i will go for foods that aren't healthy, but if i eat healthy foods several times a day i'm much more satisfied and have loads more energy.

i think having a juicer is important especially if some find it hard to eat raw plant foods.

posted April 29, 2007 10:35 AM         

Will walking for 1/2 hr to 45 min slow walking thou not very brisk be sufficient ?

I am so jittery imagining how tough the next months would be for any expecting mom and the weight gain/ageing sideeffects it will leave.I dunt know if i can think like this and if i am being slefish or immature or scared.
Please suggest me some good books for tacking my fears and for my health and the foetus. In this modern fully euqipped world when there is a prevention , ways, steps we can take to every body problem ,i know its wise to make use of it. However at the moment i am not aware of any such prevention/tips etc though i am sure they would exist.
Please can you help me.Planning to go to crossroads or borders for books on these but felt i will be more confused seeing a wide variety of books not knowing hwat to buy. I beleive its wise to consult here prior to that!

posted April 30, 2007 09:56 AM         

A healthy pregnancy needs to have a variety of safe foods, gentle movement and well being.
If you gain weight, good.. there are guidelines, but you know, if it's an excuse to just eat whatever, then you will gain more.

Some women do that and lose it, and that's fine! It's empowering for the first time in their lives to not have to stick to a 'diet' as society is hard on them day to day.
That said, I have also seen women 'lose' themselves... weight wise, and personality wise as they become mothers.
There is healthy moderation in everything. You will change.. body, mind, emotions.... and it is the most wonderful enriching change ever.

If you are prone to stretchmarks, there isn't a cream or technique that will prevent them.
That's a solid truth.
Cocoa butters are incredibly nourishing, as skin gets itchy as it stretches, and it's nice to nourish with a dense cream.
I liked the palmers cream... the solid kind of butter in a tub.

I got them with my first pregnancy, so it prevented me from getting any more with subsequent pregnancies, haha... but I have always gotten back into a healthy shape after my babies.. and believe me, I have gained.

I don't have tonnes of time, so no actual resources or links, but just my words of comfort.

posted April 30, 2007 11:21 AM         

Yoga During Pregnancy
Yoga has increased in popularity in recent years. It has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve sleep and digestion, strengthen muscles and joints, and increase flexibility. Yoga removes impurities from the body through the breath, sweat, liver, kidneys, and digestive system. People who practice yoga regularly report that they feel less stress and more peace in their lives.

Pregnant women can gain additional benefits from practicing yoga: relief from back pain and nausea and increased stamina. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that can help expectant moms to stay in shape. And the breathing meditations practiced in a yoga class may come in handy during labor!

You probably have observed that great changes take place in your body during pregnancy. Practicing yoga is a great way to slow down and appreciate these changes. Yoga encourages you to be in the moment — to be fully present. It encourages you to listen to your body, to accept it as it is, and to surrender to its sometimes uncomfortable changes. Through gentle stretches and simple strength-building postures, you can improve your physical health. Through meditation, you can reduce anxiety and self-critical thinking and thereby improve your mental health!

If you are interested in practicing yoga during your pregnancy, be aware that certain postures should be avoided (such as those that involve laying on the back or belly). Get a video or book that is specifically designed for expectant mothers or attend a prenatal yoga class. These videos, books, and classes will cover postures that help to reduce back pain, swelling in the lower extremities, and misalignments due to weight changes. Many postures (for example, squats) are useful preparations for natural childbirth. During pregnancy, hormones cause joints in the body to become loose (that’s why women often increase in shoe size). Yoga postures can help to stabilize and strengthen these joints and promote flexibility in the muscles and fascia.

There are two nervous systems in the human body: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic, commonly known as the “fight or flight” system, causes the blood pressure to rise, the breath rate to quicken, and stress hormones to flood into the body. Historically, this occurred to prepare the body for fighting dangerous animals. But in today’s world, we experience this response while we are sitting in traffic or feeling stressed at the office. When this system is overly stimulated, we can experience health consequences such as ulcers, migraines, and heart disease. During pregnancy, the effects of the sympathetic nervous system can be transferred to the developing baby.

The parasympathetic nervous system lowers blood pressure and slows the pace of the breath. When the blood no longer has to rush to the muscles, it is free to travel to the digestive, reproductive, glandular, and immune systems — systems made up of organs more necessary to long-term survival. Studies have shown that long, deep breathing encourages the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system and allows relaxation and healing to occur.

The food that you eat, the oxygen that you breathe, and your state of mind are all transmitted to your baby. The stress you feel is the stress your baby feels. Yoga has developed over thousands of years to help people obtain optimal physical health and a relaxed and peaceful state of mind.

The word yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning yoke or connection. Yoga connects your body, mind, and spirit. Yoga can connect you to your baby too! The practice of yoga gives you the opportunity to create a world (your body) for your baby that is healthy and peaceful. “What a child learns in the womb cannot be learned on earth” (Yogi Bhajan).

http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/pittsburgh/yoga.htm

posted April 30, 2007 01:08 PM         

one of the best, and most healing moisturizers is pure olive oil. i've heard that massaging olive oil over your abdomen daily is a great way to prevent stretch marks and maintain elasticity during pregnancy. olive oil's benefits are numerous...definitely preventative on the stretch marks and great on the skin.

also, another approach -- to heal scarring and burns, health professionals prescribe the intake of healing vitamins and nutrients. esp for intense scarring from plastic surgery, intaking quantities of vitamins such as c, a, b vitamins and naturally occurring collagen works miracles in diminishing and healing scarring, and repairing the skin. the best sources of these nutrients are apricot, green bell pepper and carrot. juicing these daily will provide amazing results, in a myriad of ways...reducing scarring from stretch marks, providing excellent nutrition for mama, and much needed nutrients for impending babe.

posted April 30, 2007 03:38 PM         

you pregnancy diet sounds very healthy and yummy. i loved veggie sushi while pregnant, at times when nausea kept me from eating anything else, all i could stomach was sushi.

posted May 02, 2007 08:08 AM         

Most cocoa butter creams are useful..try organic or visiting a health food store. It probably wont prevent stretch marks all together but will help reduce the appearance and the elasticity of the skin.

Walking for half to an hour is fine, just stay at a moderate pace and be hydrated.

There's a book called "Primal mothering in the modern world"... I have been recommended that. I will get it next week. I'll let you know what I think of it. I'm not sure what else to recommend, I haven't read any pregnancy books yet.

posted May 02, 2007 02:00 PM         

here is a nice site that has lots of good lovin' pregnancy stuff...staying in shape, keeping healthy....

http://www.pamperingmom.com/

and i noted this book in Sunchild's thread also...love this ~

Spa Mama -- Pampering for the Mother-to-be

Book Description
Day spa owner and new mom Stacy Denney knows how to make any expectant mother feel beautiful and relaxed with nine months' worth of revitalizing treatments designed to inspire well-being. Spa Mama presents facials for hormonally challenged skin, massages to ease all those new aches and pains, reflexology to fight morning sickness, healthy snacks for eating for two, and gentle prenatal yoga. There are even tips for looking good in those less-than-flattering post-delivery mother-and-child hospital snapshots. Witty and wise commentary throughout brings much-needed humor to those panic-filled Will I ever see my toes again? moments, while stylish illustrations demonstrate that a bump is the ultimate fashion accessory. A relaxed mommy makes for a healthy, happy baby. Spa Mama leads the way.

About the Author
Stacy Denney is mother to one-year-old Maxwell and the owner of Barefoot and Pregnant, a day spa in Marin County, California, designed for mothers-to-be. Stacy and the spa have been featured in Fit Pregnancy , Child , and Organic Style . Kerrie Hess's clients include Neiman Marcus, Australian Vogue , and British Glamour . She lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Spa Mama

i love this book...has great info....and expresses how important it is to be loved and well-cared for as an impending mom.

posted May 08, 2007 04:31 AM         

You guys have been informative and helpful Thanks so much for that.Am eagerly waiting for the books i oredered.

posted May 09, 2007 05:44 AM         

Some pdfs you may find useful...

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Eating For 2!

posted May 30, 2007 03:31 AM         

have grown bulkier & i know the reason thast becoz the weekend ending 20 may i ate lots of sweets (enjoyed having casaata icecream, pista flavour one and other sweet delicacies) as we went to a resort with family..it was nice expereince in all but i gained a good 1.5 kilos after this trip.

Further i have a question-
if i had a tummy before , will the preg casue more expansion /stress to the abdomen skin proning to more marks?
lol i partly wonder if the enalrging stomach size is exemplified by the pre existing paunch?

yesterday i had a vvv firghtful dream at 3.30 am ..cudnt sleep peacefully after that .cud see my babys (it was a boy )face and think he was arnd 2 yrs old in my dream changing suddenly into a doll when i am bathing him ..it went like soemones buried a doll inour garden and it possessed my baby .etctec..
what shoudl i do to prevent such dreams (i have alwasy been known for my scary intutive dreams in the past too)..

posted May 31, 2007 02:58 AM         

i have aslo heard that lsitening to positive thinsg like hymns,devotional songs etc pass thro vibrations upto the baby and have a nice effect or can even influence the childs qualities or interests (like if u see cpurageous and brave stories of soldiers etc the child may be v brave etc etc?