Carrying a baby onboard does not mean that mommies-to-be should toss all exercise overboard and send a healthy diet to walk the plank.
Pregnancy should not be an excuse to over-indulge in hot-glazed doughnuts, greasy potato chips, or Ben and Jerry’s latest concoction. While a growing belly should stretch during pregnancy, the rest of you does not have to – women can keep the rest of their bodies from stretching by controlling portion sizes and monitoring caloric intake, as well as continuing to stay active through daily activities and exercise. Eating well can also help women have a healthy pregnancy, easier delivery and a healthy newborn.
Staying in shape during and after pregnancy may be like climbing Mount Everest for some women while for others it may be as easy as 1,2,3; however, for both mom and baby’s optimal health, eating healthy, exercising, and following a doctor’s orders, no matter how strict they may be, are all necessary parts of staying healthy before, during, and after your bundle’s delivery.
Exercise Smartly During Your Pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is important that women exercise, but they need to be aware of their limits. Gary Mills, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist with Beacon Health Alliance in Chattanooga, says low-impact exercise will not harm an unborn child given the absence of complicating conditions such as an incompetent cervix or placental abruption. “However, exercise may cause mechanical discomfort to a pregnant woman from joint and ligament strain.” He notes, “Avoid overheating or a prolonged heart rate of greater than 130 beats per minute, I recommend 20 to 30 minutes of exercise once or twice a day, five to seven days per week.”
Cindy Nash, R.N, a childbirth educator who teaches classes at Erlanger East, believes walking is the best exercise you can do when you are pregnant and after pregnancy as it is convenient, free, and you can adjust it to your level of fitness. She notes that women should watch for warning signs during any exercise regimen such as breathlessness (you should be able to walk and talk simultaneously), abdominal cramping or pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, bleeding, or fluid leaking from the vagina. Women should consult with their doctor before beginning any diet or exercise routine.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends that women get regular weight-bearing exercise which forces them to work against gravity, and helps build and maintain strong bones. Weight bearing exercise includes walking, climbing, stairs, dancing, and lifting weights.
Glenda Parks, R.N., M.S.N, a lactation consultant and parent educator who coordinates childbirth classes for Erlanger downtown, cautions that joints are more lax to prepare for delivery so weight-bearing joints may start to hurt with high impact exercise. “Also, center of gravity shifts so it’s easier for the mother to hurt herself during exercise,” Parks says. “I have had mothers just take a misstep and break a foot or a leg. Mothers find that if they do not like walking, they may enjoy swimming or yoga.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports several ways pregnant women can benefit from exercise.
Exercise will:
• reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling
• prevent or treat gestational diabetes
• increase energy
• improve mood
• improve posture
• promote muscle tone, strength, and endurance
• sleep better
• get you back in shape after your baby is born.
Nutrition
Nutrition is a key part of a successful pregnancy. Since babies need a bevy of nutrients, it is important for moms to eat from the major food groups and drink plenty of water. “As far as diet, we encourage mothers to eat a variety of foods for around 2,000 calories a day,” says Parks. “It (pregnancy) is not the time for dieting. Most mothers need to gain around 25 to 35 pounds.” She says underweight women need to gain 28 to 40 pounds while overweight women should gain between 15 to 20 pounds.
Parks says mothers need about 3 servings of dairy foods, 5.5 ounces of protein, 6 ounces of whole grains, 2 to 3 cups of colorful vegetables, 2 cups of fruit, and 8 to 10 servings of fluid. In addition to avoiding alcohol, pregnant women should limit soft drinks and caffeinated beverages to two or less servings per day. “Try to avoid use of artificial sweeteners,” Parks says, “and fats should be limited to 6 teaspoons per day. Limit desserts to a few times a week, not every day.”
According to the National Institutes of Health’s Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, an unborn baby needs plenty of calcium to develop its skeleton, especially during the last three months of pregnancy. Studies find that if a mother fails to get enough calcium, then her baby will draw what it needs from its mother’s bones.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day; pregnant teens should take 1,300 milligrams a day. Good sources of calcium include:
- low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream
- dark green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, collard greens, and bok choy
- canned sardines and salmon with bones
- tofu, almonds, corn tortillas
- foods fortified with calcium, such as orange juice, cereals, and breads.
- any vitamin or mineral supplement recommended by your doctor
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ (NIDDK) suggests avoiding fish containing high levels of methyl-mercury (a substance that can build up in fish and harm an unborn baby). The institute further suggests avoiding shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish during pregnancy and eating no more than 12 ounces of any fish per week (equal to four 3-ounce servings – each about the size of a deck of cards). Avoid raw fish such as sushi, sashimi, or ceviche and raw or undercooked meat and poultry. The NIDDK also encourages pregnant women to avoid eating soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and goat cheese as well as ready-to-eat meats including lunch meats, hot dogs, and deli meats. These foods may contain listeria, bacteria that is harmful to unborn babies. Cooking lunch meats, hot dogs, and deli meats until steaming hot can kill the bacteria and make these meats safe to eat.
Incorporate foods into your diet that are high in folate (to help prevent birth defects) like fortified breads and breakfast cereals, orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, and beans. Or, you may supplement with prenatal vitamins containing folic acid – pregnant women need at least 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) every day.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Of course all medical professionals and groups encourage healthy lifestyles that are free of smoking or drinking alcohol. Gary Mills, M.D. notes that pregnant women should avoid tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs, and should seek regular prenatal care. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ (NIDDK) suggests that instead of wine, beer, or a mixed drink, enjoy apple cider, tomato juice, sparkling water, or other nonalcoholic beverages. Large amounts of caffeine-containing beverages should be eliminated or limited. Try a decaffeinated version of your favorite beverage when possible.
Continue Healthy Habits After Your Pregnancy
A healthful pregnancy and delivery is usually followed by months of “getting back into shape after baby.” Once your precious bundle has arrived, it is important to not let your healthy eating and physical activity fall by the wayside. Doctors recommend continuing to eat a variety of foods from all of the food groups and if you are not breastfeeding, doctors suggest eating about 300 fewer calories than you ate while pregnant. Breastfeeding moms need to eat about 200 more calories per day than they did while they were pregnant.
Studies show that breastfeeding may help women return to a healthy weight more easily because it requires so much energy. Breastfeeding may also protect babies from illnesses, such as ear infections, colds, and allergies, and may help lower mommy’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer, according to research. “The best way to drop pregnancy weight is to breastfeed,” Parks adds. “Most mothers burn about 500 calories a day just making the milk. An exercise program can begin about six weeks after delivery. Mommies need to allow time for their bodies to heal before starting a heavy exercise program.”
When you’re feeling up to par and your doctor says it is safe, ease back into a regular routine of moderate-intensity physical activity. Erlanger’s Strolling e-Motions Walking Program at Northgate Mall is designed for new parents and their babies, according to Noelle Beck, RN, CRRN, of Erlanger Community Relations. Strolling e-Motions meets from 9 to 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday. Walkers must sign in at Erlanger Health Link Plus before walking.
“It is a free Erlanger HealthLink Plus program that provides parents a chance to get together for fun and fellowship, while reaping the physical and mental benefits of exercise,” Beck says. “This group ‘stroll’ offers an incentive program, with great rewards for reaching mileage goals. Grandparents and other caregivers are welcome, too.”
Treat Yourself
While it is easy to get caught up in your new role as mommy with all the cooing and tiny fingers and toes, it is imperative that new mommies take care of themselves as well – don’t forget to get plenty of sleep, rent a funny movie or attend a humorous play and laugh, invite people over whose company you enjoy, get involved in out-of-the-home activities such as a “new moms” group, or take a class to learn about a subject that intrigues you.
The stress, loss of sleep, and emotions a new mother experiences can be exhausting and challenging so remember to treat yourself with the respect you deserve; being good to yourself can help you cope with your life changes more effectively. You can embrace motherhood while also being good to yourself.
So to stay healthy during and after your pregnancy, take the advice of experts: exercise smartly, eat foods good for you and your baby, maintain a healthy lifestyle, continue to take care of yourself after delivery, and throughout it all enjoy this special time in your life.