Getting Pregnant…Again

For those of you contemplating getting pregnant again, either in the near future or down the road, there are a few things to consider before taking the plunge again, primarily as it concerns your health.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, it is recommended to wait at least 12 months before getting pregnant again.  This is to allow your body recovery time after your previous pregnancy.  Another reason is that women who become pregnant less than 6 months after giving birth have a 41 percent increased chance of having a preterm birth. 

There is no specific prescribed amount of time you should wait to have baby #2, but the general consensus seems to be that you should wait at least six months after giving birth to get pregnant again, and preferably wait an entire year after giving birth before getting pregnant again.

This information is particularly relevant for us, since we do want to have our children close in age (my husband is older than me, and I’d rather not be changing the kids’ diapers and his!).   However, I want to make sure that my body is healthy and given the proper amount of time to heal.  I also do not want to compromise my breastfeeding relationship with Butterball, or the time I get to spend with him as a tiny baby.  So, we have to see.  Other complicating factors are timing it to work with my work schedule as a teacher.  And I prefer not to give birth during the winter, since we had so many things to worry about this past winter (RSV, flu, etc). 

In the end, it seems to be a decision influenced by personal preference and circumstances (financial, etc).  My own mother had my brother and I 16 months apart.  I can’t see getting pregnant again when Butterball is 7 months old (that’s in 2 more months!).  And yet I know I don’t want the age gap that exists between L.P. and Butterball (about 6.5 years).  I guess in the end I’ll figure it out, as everyone does eventually 🙂 

Resources:

http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101.com/article.cfm/planning_next_pregnancy

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/considering-baby/another/best-time-to-have-2-or-3-babies/?page=1

5 Ways to Get Your Pre-Baby Body Back

Are you sick of the baby weight jiggling around on your mid-section and thighs? Do you not have any time to go to the gym and work it off? 

Join the club.  I just want to reassure you that you are not alone, and that there are things you can start doing today to zap that baby weight off of you. 

For me, my baby weight is sitting on my belly.  I am sleep-deprived and extremely busy taking care of a newborn, a 6-year old, our house, and working on the side.  I barely have time to take a shower, let alone work out.    

We don’t all have the resources like supermodel Gisele Bundchen to work out and look like a runway model.  That b#$%@ was modeling a few weeks after giving birth.  She didn’t even have to wear maternity clothes she was so skinny.  I’m sorry, but we’re not all biologically gifted with a pencil for a body. 

I was trying not to let her smug attitude get to me until she said this about pregnant women:  “I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals.”

EXCUSE ME??!!  I actually gained less weight than Gisele in my pregnancy.  I did NOT act like a garbage disposal, and yet I still have a little baby weight lingering around.  So what’s your point Gisele?

If you moms are anything like me, we don’t have a personal chef, trainer, or nanny at our disposal.  We have real bodies, not sticks like a character out of the Nightmare before Christmas. 

And yet I don’t want to just sit around and complain about Gisele.  I want to do something about it.  I want to take my situation and make something work for me. 

Here are 5 tips to lose your baby weight:

#1:  One hour workouts 3-4 times a week with the baby

I prefer to “swallow the frog” and get my exercise out of the way in the morning.  Now, being a mom of a newborn makes it difficult to get to the gym.  I don’t have the luxury like celebrities to pass my baby off to a nanny so I can go work on my body (nor would I want to).  So, the baby has to come with me.

I start the work out with light stretching.  Then, I follow that up with ab crunches and/or sit-ups.  I am adding 10 extra repetitions a day.  I’ll do my stretching and ab crunches while the baby is asleep or occupied in the baby swing.

Finally, I spend about an hour taking a long walk with the stroller at a quick pace. 

If the weather is bad or I’m bored of walking, I’ll work out to an exercise dvd in my living room.  A good pilates dvd always kicks my butt. 

#2:  No Liquid Calories

If you’re drinking Jamba Juice, Starbucks, or my favorite…the new McDonalds iced mochas, you are drinking your calories.  Lay off the fancy drinks and replace them with good old water.  It is recommended to drink about 8 glasses of water a day.  I like to carry my reusable water bottle around with me.  It not only reminds me to drink water, but I can also lug it around on walks or when I’m out and about. 

Here is a good little trick:  it’s probably very difficult to quit drinking your yummy drinks cold turkey.  Why not offer it to yourself as an incentive?  Allow yourself the drink once a week as a little treat. 

#3:  Eat nuts for a snack and lose weight

Studies indicate that nuts can help you lose weight.  Previously it was thought that nuts were fattening because of their high fat content and they are considered “energy dense.”  However, today nuts are being seen as a valuable component of a weight loss program. 

Nuts have high satiety, giving you the feeling of fullness.  The problem with low-fat foods on the market is that they don’t fill you up, leaving you hungry and scavenging for something else to eat. 

Research has also found that we actually poop out a lot of the fat content found in nuts- up to 17%.  Yes, that’s right we are literally crapping out the fat!  Why can’t all food be like that? 

When eaten in moderation, nuts can be great for weight loss.  Eat a small handful of unsalted, unsweetened, unroasted, whole nuts in between meals instead of other snacks.  Peanuts and almonds make great snacks. 

Remember…anything coated in chocolate, sugar, salt, candy, or anything else will defeat the purpose of losing weight, so skip the additives! 

#4:  Change your food portions

Try this:  eat a nice, healthy and filling breakfast.  For lunch, eat would you would normally eat for dinner.  Eat lunch portions at dinner time.  That’s it! 

When you are eating meat, make sure you only give yourself a piece about the size of a deck of cards.  It’s also important to control the portion sizes of your side dishes too.  Pasta and rice servings should be no bigger than what would fit in a cupcake holder.  Your vegetables and fruit should be about as much as the size of your hand (without your fingers). 

#5:  Breastfeed

You’ve probably heard this before, but in addition to being better for your baby, breastfeeding is also great for helping you shed your baby weight.  Breastfeeding burns calories.  I don’t know about you, but I think it’s pretty awesome that I can burn calories just by feeding my baby, which you know, you kind of have to do anyway.  It seriously beats getting on a treadmill!