Advice for Pregnancy

I have heard from many people I train who are overweight, "you don't understand, you have been thin all your life". Well here it is, picture proof I was not always thin. After Logan I weighted in about 200 pounds. Everyone kept saying it was just baby fat but that should have only been 25 to 30, I gained 45. I even gained weight while breast feeding. (Didn't help I was going to school with a month old baby and couldn't breast feed the weight away.) This pregnancy I have not gained any weight and am already half way done. (YEAH bragging moment!)

Me at 200 (notice, no collar bone, and the size of my arms), my great friend Kyrsten, and my 1 month Logan

This pregnancy has been a challenge because of my sensitive stomach, anemia, and other things but I have managed to keep my butt from sagging, keep the baby weight forward rather than migrating around my sides and able to give myself energy. Here is my trick for keeping that baby weight forward and make this rough pregnancy easy.

I went to the doctor and told him I was beyond fatigued. His answer, it is the heat, "don't let it be an excuse to not move around". So I didn't. I went out into the garden and started garden work. I cleaned my house and did the dishes. I went to the park and kick the ball around with Logan. I felt so much better after my little burst of energy rather than sitting on the couch all day. I do have down days were all I do is sleep but I make sure that if I have energy I get up and do something. So make sure you are still active when you are pregnant. I know it is hard but push through some of the fatigue but the results are a much easier pregnancy.

If I want something, I go for something healthy. This little Van (the one currently being a parasite) hates fish and poultry. It makes me almost puke. So I am eating a lot of fruits if I want something sweet and making sure I have a veggie with each meal. There are days where all I eat is some cooked carrots and squash. I feel better and beat that craving for the symphony bar in my fridge.Eat healthy and within the limits the alien has provided for you.

Stretch EVERY night. My circulation is horrible to the point I can't stand because my legs hurt so much. That is when I sit down and stretch. If Carl is home I have him rub my legs to get rid of the severe tingling. I can remember losing a lot of flexibility in my hamstrings because of the bowling ball strapped to my belly. I am doing my best to get ahead of it and it has done wonders. Never forget to stretch! It will save you so much trouble when it is month 8 and 9.

You don't have to do extreme yoga, forget about all those Hostess Cupcakes that soothe the preggers fever, or no longer treasure those days were you just do nothing. Simply make sure you don't use the pregnancy as an excuse to sit and do nothing for 9 months. Stay active and functional. Eat as healthy as the kid will allow. Keep stretching and moving to prevent your blood from pooling in your legs (consider the fact you have a sac of fluid and a kid pushing against your vital veins and arteries so leg circulation is dramatically decreased.) Enjoy the 9 months of hell as much as possible. Remember it is better than a kidney stone because you get something that poops, pees, pukes at the worst time and wakes you up in all hours of the night, and give the best hugs and kisses when you are having a bad day!