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So what is considered ‘normal’ when it comes to dieting after pregnancy? We’ve got the skinny on after pregnancy weight loss and how to lose that unwanted baby weight without losing control of your new life with your newborn.

Factoring in Your Post-Pregnancy Body

You’ve done it: you’ve given birth to the most perfect little baby in the world and now here he is, in your arms. As you stare down at the newest addition to your family you are feeling indescribable joy. However, as you glance past the newborn and down to your tummy, you discover, to your horror, that you still look six months pregnant!

How is this possible?

No, you didn’t dream the delivery. Unfortunately, most women leave the delivery room looking much the same as when they came in. The average woman loses only 10-12 pounds when she delivers her baby. This fast weight loss after pregnancy is a combination of baby (7-8 pounds), placenta (1-2 pounds) and amniotic fluid (2 pounds).

But what about the other 15 to 25 pounds or more?

The reason you still look six months pregnant after delivery is because your uterus is still in expansion mode. It takes up to six weeks for your uterus to contract back to pre-pregnancy size. The other reasons for your bloated belly and excess weight can be attributed to the leftover fluids in your body and your abdominal muscles being bent out of shape.

And after the uterus contracts back to pre-pregnancy size, and you’ve eliminated the fluids – which takes about 6 weeks – that’s where the harder weight loss work begins. Your body was also storing extra fat when you were pregnant, and the additional pounds are there to prove it.

Your Post Pregnant Diet Plan – What to Eat Everyday

Pregnant women know the importance of maintaining a balanced diet during pregnancy, and, apart from those chocolate and pickle cravings, you were probably quite stringent when it came to what you ate. The post pregnancy diet is not much different than your pregnancy diet, especially if you are breastfeeding. Here is a breakdown of what you should be consuming on a daily basis:

• Three servings of protein (meat, poultry, tofu)
• Five servings of calcium (milk, cheese, yoghurt, broccoli)
• One serving of iron-rich foods (beans, soy)
• Two servings of vitamin C (oranges and other fruits)
• Five servings of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, squash, beans)
• Two servings of fruit (apples, berries, oranges, peaches, melons)
• Three servings of whole-grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice)

Weight Loss While Breastfeeding

There are numerous reasons mothers choose to breastfeed. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that not only is it beneficial to your baby, but it can also help with fast weight loss after pregnancy. In fact, breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day. In the past, doctors used to recommend elevated caloric intakes for new mothers while breastfeeding. However, today doctors  are saying that what you eat is much more important than how many calories you intake. So make sure you’re not eating those empty calories from junk food, sugar, soda, fried foods, etc. And ask your doctor about the appropriate caloric intake for you while  you’re breastfeeding – it may not be as high as you might think.

Three critical nutrients needed for breastfeeding mothers include zinc, calcium and iron so up your daily intake of food such as meat, legumes, eggs and fish (for zinc), milk, cheese, yogurt and leafy greens (for calcium) and spinach, bean and peas (for iron). Ensure you drink plenty of water and juices throughout the day and continue with your pregnancy and breastfeeding vitamins. Great advice for drinking water is to drink a full glass during each time you breastfeed. It will help keep you hydrated, help keep your milk flowing, and help you feel full so can remain on a health diet. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid cigarettes, alcohol (especially before nursing) and more than two caffeinated beverages per day.

Exercise and Weight Loss After Pregnancy

Another factor essential to after pregnancy weight loss is exercise. During the first six weeks, you can expect to spend much of your time feeding, changing and cuddling your baby. During any down times, you will probably be so busy making meals, doing laundry and catching up on those missing zzz’s that exercise is out of the question. And that’s O.K. For the first six weeks, it’s best to allow your body to rest as much as possible.

As you and your baby start to establish a routine, it’s time to venture into the realm of exercise to help with baby weight loss even though it may be difficult to find the time and motivation.

Make sure you keep the following tips in mind when it comes to exercise and weight loss after pregnancy.

• Get the Green Light

Before you hit the gym with a vengeance, make sure you check with your doctor. Walking is recommended in the first few weeks after giving birth, and may even help speed up the healing process. But some doctors recommend that women wait at least 4 weeks to do high impact exercise if they had a vaginal birth and at least 6 weeks if they had a c-section

• Exercise with your Baby

Strapping baby in the stroller and going for a light 30-minute walk every morning is a great way to lose the extra weight. Running and hiking can also be a great way for you to tone those muscles while introducing baby to the outside world.

• You’ve Gotta Work!

If you’re talking and walking at the same time, you’re not working out hard enough. When you’re finally physically ready to exercise, and you’ve actually motivated yourself to get to the gym or a workout class – really go for it and get into it; monitor your exercise intensity by watching your heart rate, and try to maintain it within 50 – 85 percent of your maximum heart rate for the majority of your workout. Putting in the extra effort while you’re working out means that you’ll shed extra calories, and very soon those extra calories begin to translate into shedding extra pounds.

• Look for Support

Check your local newspaper for exercise groups for new mothers. Often your local YMCA or recreation centre will feature baby weight loss classes in some of the hottest workouts including swimming, yoga, pilates, aerobics and aquatic exercises. Many recreation centres will also have a babysitting service included in the fee.

The Sleep Factor

It is also important to note the value of slipping between the sheets. A recent study on weight loss after pregnancy performed at Kaiser Permanente found that those who slept five or fewer hours a day in the six months after giving birth were three times more likely to hold onto those extra pregnancy pounds. Sleep deprivation, as well as additional stress, can lead to a change in hormone levels in appetite regulation. Once the initial craziness has worn off and baby has developed a routine, aim for at least six, but better yet seven or eight hours of sleep to ward off those unwanted pounds.

Your Baby Weight Loss Calculator

The reality is this: it took you nine months to put the baby weight on and, for most women it will take around that same time to lose it again. Allow yourself up time, flexibility and leniency to lose the baby weight, especially if you gained more than 35 pounds during pregnancy.

There is no such thing as ‘normal’ when it comes to weight loss after pregnancy. Addressing concerns with your doctor, eating a balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle are three of the most important ways to ensure both you and Baby are healthy and happy. And, as for those skinny jeans lingering in the back of your closest? They will make their grand re-entrance in due time. And, trust us, with a newborn baby in your arms, no one is going to be too interested in the size of your butt.

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If so, be especially carefully with your weight gain during pregnancy.

Women who were habitual dieters before they became pregnant have a tendency to gain more weight during their pregnancy than those women who maintained a healthy weight without dieting. Researchers have found that women who were yo-yo dieters or “weight cyclers” on average gained an additional five extra pounds throughout their pregnancy than non-dieting women. A possible explanation for the additional pregnancy weight gain is that the repeated dieting and eventual overeating could distort the ability to know when you’re full.

So if you’ve been known to diet regularly before you became pregnant, be extra careful not gain those additional pounds. Obstetrics and gynecology experts recommend that 40 pounds should be the maximum prenatal weight gain. Gaining more than 40 pounds during your pregnancy can increase your risk for having a too heavy baby, along with other discomforts during pregnancy including lower back pain and problems sleeping.

Follow these tips to help you stay within the recommended prenatal weight gain:

Know How Much You Weigh & Follow Your Total Weight Gain

Even though the numbers start looking scary and you’re entering new heights you’ve never experienced or surpassed before, keep your eye on them. Getting on the scale backwards at the doctor’s office and not following your monthly weight gain can mentally allow you to be more lax about the foods you’re eating and the amount of exercise you’re getting.

Don’t Increase Your Caloric Intake in the 1^st Trimester

A woman who is at a normal weight (not underweight, overweight or obese) does not need any extra calories during her first trimester of pregnancy.

Remember You’re Not Really Eating For 2

During the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters, a normal-weight pregnant woman needs an additional 300 calories per day. That’s not a lot. Drinking an additional one cup of skim milk per day already increases your caloric intake by 100 calories.

Choose Foods That Deliver the Goods

Nutrient dense foods have fewer calories and have the nutrients to support your baby’s proper growth and development. Examples include yogurt, spinach, whole grains, lean beef and chicken; a healthy combination of which contain protein, iron and calcium – all things you and your baby need. And do strive for variety in your diet. Along with your daily prenatal vitamin, choose from an assortment of foods to ensure you and your baby are getting the best balanced prenatal nutrition you need.

Don’t Eat Empty Calories

I know, pregnancy cravings are tough to ignore. And ignoring your sweet tooth or denying your fried food fix isn’t necessarily always the best idea. There’s not secret: the key is moderation. Eating a limited amount of foods high in fat and calories such as desserts will ensure you’re not feeling deprived – and it will also help you to not be tempted  to overeat in the long run.

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1. 5 Factor After Pregnancy Weight Loss Plan While some new mothers are more than happy to spend...

Drinking any kind of alcohol during pregnancy can damage a fetus and cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS can have physical, mental, and behavior problems. Whenever alcohol is consumed it gets into the blood system. If a pregnant women drinks alcohol, it passes from her blood system to her unborn baby through the umbilical cord. Drinking alcohol during the first stages of pregnancy can cause facial and other physical defects in the fetus. Drinking at anytime during the pregnancy carries a very high risk that the fetus will suffer stunted growth and harm to the brain. No type of alcoholic beverage is safe for a pregnant woman: beer, wine, hard liquor, any type at all.

Babies with FAS are usually born underweight. Throughout their lives they can have trouble with problem solving, learning, memory, and attention. It is possible they will have hearing difficulties, speech disorders, and be impulsive. FAS affects coordination, also.

No cure for FAS has yet been found. Children will not outgrow it. Adults with FAS more often than not have great difficulty keeping a job, staying in relationships. They often end up with legal difficulties, or in jail.

Sometimes children of mothers who drank alcohol during pregnancy do not display all the effects of FAS. They may have one or more symptoms, but not all, referred to as fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Those who display either physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities are said to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). No cure is available for people with FASD.

Other names for alcohol related defects are: Alcohol related birth defects (ARBD). Children may have defects affecting the heart, face, brain, eyes, or limbs.
Alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). These children may have brain damage causing milder symptoms of FAS or FASD.

Common Problems for FAS Victims:

• Abnormal facial features such as flat cheeks, short noses, very thin upper lips, or short eye openings.
• Learning and behavior problems
• Brain damage, possible mental retardation
• Undersized and unusually short

There is no cure for any of the above syndromes. But many of the symptoms can be treated. Eye glasses help with vision. Hearing aids help with hearing. Special services, some through the educational system, some not, are available to help children learn to live on their own as adults. Not all can be helped to a point where they can live an independent life.

Not all children of mothers who drank alcohol during pregnancy will suffer with FAS or any of the others, but why risk it? FAS and the other syndromes mentioned are not curable. They are a lifelong sentence.

Do not drink any alcohol when you are pregnant. If you plan on getting pregnant, or if there is a chance that you may become pregnant, don’t drink.

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Varicose veins are enlarged veins. They occur when blood has pooled in the vein because a valve or valves in the vein has failed to keep blood flowing back to the heart correctly. The heart pumps nutrient and oxygen filled blood from itself through arteries to the rest of the body. Blood returns to the heart through veins, less the oxygen and nutrients, with the help of valves that open and shut to encourage the blood flow. When one or more of the valves weaken, which happens frequently with pregnancy due to the increase in blood volume, blood pools in the area. This causes the vein to bulge and appear on the surface as ropey, blue, or red, or even skin tone varicose veins. Most often varicose veins are found on the calf or inner leg. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins located at the anus or vaginal area.

Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, only smaller. They also appear red or bluish in color. Spider veins look like spider webs (hence, their name) or maybe tiny roadways on a map. Like varicose veins, spider veins can be caused by pooled blood, but also can be from too much sun, hormonal changes, or genetic factors. For the most part, spider veins appear on the face and legs. Both varicose and spider veins are very common. 55% of women and 45% of men have some vein problem, half the people over 50 have them.

Risk Factors for Varicose & Spider Veins

• Born with weak veins
• Genetic predisposition
• Increasing age
• Hormonal changes, especially during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
• Taking birth control pills
• Taking various medications
• Taking estrogen or progesterone
• Obesity
• Leg injury
• Standing on your feet for long periods of time
• Sun exposure

Health Problems Associated with Varicose & Spider Veins

Spider veins usually do not need medical attention, although a dermatologist can remove them. However, varicose veins often get larger and worsen over time. Some of the health problems caused by varicose veins are:

• Irritation, swelling and painful rashes
• Skin tissue around varicose veins can develop sores or skin ulcers
• Severe pooling of the blood which slows the return of blood to the heart
• Blood clots
• Severe infection

Warning Signs of Spider & Varicose Veins

• Numbness in the legs
• Swelling in the legs
• Easily tired legs
• Leg heaviness
• Itching or irritated rash
• Darkening of the skin in sever cases

Varicose Vein Treatment & Spider Vein Treatment

Consider this question: Have my varicose veins become swollen, tender, warm to the touch, or very tender?
If the answer is yes to any of these, see your doctor. He will use x-ray or ultra sound to determine the severity of the problem. There are doctors who specialize in phlebology. Some treatments your doctor will consider are:

Sclerotherapy

In this, the most common treatment for varicose veins, the doctor injects a solution into the vein, causing it to swell, stick together, and then seal shut. This stops the flow of blood and the vein turns into scar tissue. The vein should fade within a few weeks. You can expect to return to normal activity immediately after the treatment. Special solutions and particular injection techniques makes the treatment of spider veins very affective also. There are some possible side effects:

• Small groups of tiny red blood vessels around the site that usually disappear
• Brownish lines around the site that also disappear
• Temporary stinging or painful cramping at the injection site
• Small sores at the injection site, they disappear
• Some bruising
• Red patches on the skin
• Lumps of clotted blood that disappear
• Inflammation

Applying heat to the treated area, as well as taking an over-the-counter pain reliever should take care of most of the discomfort.

Laser Surgery

Laser treatments are very successful against spider veins. Laser ‘surgery’ sends very strong bursts of light onto the vein. The vein will slowing fade and disappear. There is no need to use needles or make incisions with laser treatment. However, the laser does get hot and can be quite painful, lasting up to 20 minutes. Generally, spider veins require 2 to 5 treatments. Just as with sclerotherapy, normal activity can be resumed directly after the laser treatment. There are some possible side effects:

• Skin discolorization that disappears with 2 months
• Some swelling and redness that disappears within a few days
• Burns and scars can result, but it is rare, and usually means the
  treatment was poorly executed.

Endovenous Techniques (radio frequency and laser) – These methods for treating deeper varicose veins of the legs have been a huge breakthrough. They have replaced surgery for the vast number of patients with severe varicose veins. The technique is not very invasive and can normally be done in the doctor’s office.

A very small catheter is put into the vein. Radio frequency or laser is pushed through the catheter (a small tube), which shrinks and seals the vein. The normal flow of blood passes through the healthy veins around the treated area. Varicose veins on the surface of the skin that are connected to the treated veins will also shrink after treatment. The possible side effect is bruising.

Varicose Vein Surgery

Types of surgery reserved for very large varicose veins are:

Surgical Ligation and Stripping

This surgery requires either a local or general anesthesia and must be done in an operating room, but can be done as an outpatient. With this treatment the veins are tied shut and removed from the leg (the most common area where varicose veins are found). Blood circulation is not affected as the deeper veins in the leg take the blood flow.

Possible side effects of varicose vein surgery are:

• If a general anesthesia is used, there is always a risk of heart or breathing problems.
• Permanent scarring
• One to four weeks painful recovery time
• Bleeding
• Nerve tissue damage around the treated area. This can cause numbness, and burning.
• Infection
• Inflammation
• Swelling and redness
• Deep vein clots
• Painful recovery

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

General or local anesthesia is used. Usually only one treatment is required and only a small scar may be left. Tiny incisions are made in the skin and surgical hooks are used to pull the vein out of the leg. Normal activity can resume the day after the treatment. The only side effects are slight bruising and temporary numbness.

Endoscopic vein surgery

This treatment requires general anesthesia, epidural, or a spinal anesthesia. A very small camera is used to inspect inside the veins. A tiny incision is made and the veins are removed. After a few weeks, the patient can resume normal activity.

After treatment, can varicose or spider veins return?

Though these treatments have been highly successful, after a few years it is possible for the varicose or spider veins to return. Weak vein valves are to blame.

What can I do to protect myself from getting varicose and spider veins?

The most important thing you can do to ward off varicose veins from getting so bad that treatment is required is to wear graduated compression support stockings as much as possible during the day.

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(Also known as ‘crib death’)

SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant less than one year old. Most SIDS occur between the ages of 2 to 4 months, and is the leading cause of death in children from 1 month to the age of one year. Most SIDS occur at less than 6 months old. There are about 2,500 SIDS deaths a year in the United States.

Reducing the Risk of SIDS

There has yet to be a confirmed cause for SIDS. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk:

• Always put your baby on his/her back to sleep. This is the number one risk reducer.
• Always put you baby on his/her back to sleep, during the night and for naps. This warrants repeating. Baby’s who are put on their stomachs to nap on at VERY high risk for SIDS.
• Use only firm surfaces for your baby to sleep on. Do not use a pillow, sheepskin, quilt, or soft surface. Use a safety approved crib mattress and a fitted sheet.
• Keep all items away from your baby’s face. This includes blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, fluffy bumper pads. Dress your baby in clothing to keep him/her comfortable without using a blanket. If you must use a blanket, make sure it is tucked into the bottom of the crib and pulled up no higher than baby’s chest.
• Avoid letting your baby overheat during sleep. Keep the room at a temperature that you, as an adult, are comfortable with. You do not need to overheat a room for a baby.
• NO smoking around your baby. If there is a smoker, have them go outside to smoke.
• If you use a pacifier, make it a clean, dry one and do not force your baby to take it. If you are breast feeding, wait at least 1 month before offering a pacifier.
• Make sure you inform anyone caring for your baby about these precautions.

Babies At Risk for SIDS

• African-American babies are more than 2 times more likely to die of SIDS than white babies.
• American Indian/Alaska Native babies are 3 times more likely to die of SIDS than white babies.
• Babies who are placed on their stomachs or sides are more likely to die of SIDS.

Flat Spots on Baby’s Head

Once your baby learns to sit up, any flat spots created by back sleeping will go away. Here are some ways to reduce the chance of flat spots:

• Tummy Time – When someone is watching, put your baby on his/her tummy to play. This will also strengthen baby’s neck, head, and shoulder muscles. Make sure there is someone watching.
• Switch the direction that your baby faces in the crib from week to week, so he/she is not always laying on the same part of the head.
• Avoid too much time in car seats, bounce chairs, and carriers. Hold your baby upright often during the day.

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Premature labor (another name for preterm labor) is labor that begins before the 37th week of pregnancy. A doctor will often take steps to try to stop the labor as the risk to the baby’s survival is high at this point. Premature birth occurs about 12% of the time and is the number one cause of infant deaths in the United States.

Who is at risk of going into preterm labor and having a preterm birth?

There is no way to predict which women will experience preterm labor or premature birth, but here are some factors that may be involved in having preterm labor and birth:

• Trichomoniasis (an infection)
• Bacterial vaginosis (an infection)
• Shortened cervix
• Previous premature labor or birth

Risks of Preterm Birth to the Baby

• Low birth weight
• Underdeveloped organs
• Under developed lungs, breathing problems
• Greater risk for cerebral palsy (CP)
• Greater risk for learning disabilities
• Greater risk for developmental disabilities
• Greater risk for serious infections

Preventing Preterm Delivery

Unfortunately, these preventions are not effective most of the time, but because they are helpful some of the time, these are some methods for prevention:

• Treating high risk women with progesterone
• Bed rest
• Medications

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Premature ovarian failure is a term describing failure of the ovaries to function normally in a woman under the age of 40. Other names for the problem are primary ovarian insufficiency, or hypergonadism. The failure to function normally is not to be confused with menopause.

Premature Ovarian Failure Symptoms

• Irregular menstrual periods
• Infertility
• Low libido
• Painful intercourse
• Dry vagina

Diagnosing Premature Ovarian Failure

• Irregular menstrual periods
• Absence of menstrual altogether
• A blood test to measure follicle stimulation hormone

Causes of Premature Ovarian Failure

The cause is not clear, but for some reason the follicles in the ovaries cease to mature into eggs. If the follicles have a problem, they also stop forming the hormone estrogen, which is necessary for a woman’s good health. One of two scenarios may occur. A woman with follicle depletion has no follicles left and there is no way to make more. Or, the woman’s follicles do not mature into eggs.

Premature ovarian failure may be genetic. Somewhere between 10% to 20% for the woman who have the condition also have family members with the same problem. Other health problems created by premature ovarian failure are:

• Osteoporosis – Loss of bone density and strength. Getting enough exercise, vitamin D, and calcium can help reduce this risk.
• Addison’s disease – An autoimmune disorder in which the body has trouble handling physical stress, such as injury or illness, because of problems with the adrenal glands. About 3.2% of the women with premature ovarian failure also have Addison’s disease. This disease can be very dangerous, especially for women who do not realize the have it. Addison’s disease is not curable, but it is treatable.
• Low thyroid function – Affects metabolism and energy levels. This can be treated by replacement of the thyroid hormone.
• Heart disease – Reduce this risk by getting enough exercise, eating a healthy diet for weight control, and getting estrogen replacement therapy.

It is important to know that women who are carriers for the gene for Fragile X syndrome, or have the premutation for it, are more likely than other women to get premature ovarian failure. If you are a Fragile X carrier, or have the premutation, it is very important to get tested for Premature Ovarian Failure.

Premature Ovarian Failure Treatment

There are no treatments for Premature Ovarian Failure. Once the follicles cease to mature into eggs, there is no way to reverse the problem. However, there are treatments that can help some of the symptoms.

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• Couples who have been trying to get pregnant for a year or more, but have been unsuccessful (this applies to women age 34 and under)
• Couples who have been trying to get pregnant for 6 months or more and are age 35 and older
• Women who have uterine fibroids
• Women who have endometriosis
• Women who have amenorrhea (irregular menstrual cycles or no cycle at all)
• Women who have had more than one miscarriage
• Women who have had a stillbirth
• Women or men who have certain genetic conditions

Fertility Testing

How can fertility be tested? Of course you must see your doctor in order for fertility to be tested. Usually the first tests focus on the man. A sample of the man’s sperm is tested for shape, mobility, and quantity. Blood tests are usually taken from both the woman and the man to check hormones, and to check for any infection. These tests on the male can include:

• A test to see if the sperm can swim through mucus (called a mucus penetrance test)
• An x-ray of the mans reproductive organs
• A hamster-egg penetrance assay (to see if the sperm can penetrate a hamster egg cell, similar to penetrating female egg cells)

The first consideration for the female is determining if her menstrual cycle is regular and if ovulation is actually occurring.

There are a few ways to determine whether you are ovulating:

• By using a home ovulation kit (available at a pharmacy) to chart changes in her morning temperature.
• Examination of her cervical mucus which changes throughout her cycle
• Ultrasound of her ovaries
• Blood tests for hormone levels

If no problem is found with the woman’s ovulation, other tests can be done:

• An exam of the fallopian tubes for disease
• An exam to verify the fallopian tubes are open
• An exam of the uterus to check its shape and position, or disease
• An exam of other reproductive organs for infection or disease
• A biopsy of the uterine lining

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