If you're pregnant or a newly delivered mom, please be sure to check with your caregiver before beginning to exercise. Some exercises are not safe for pregnant moms or in the first few weeks after childbirth. But once you've gotten the okay to begin, make it a priority! You'll be amazed at the way it will increase your energy and health.

If I can be consistent in exercise, anyone can and it's never too late to start. It has given me more energy and such a boost, if I'd realized just how much of a difference it made, I would have forced myself to be consistent years ago. (I never was into exercise or athletics!) I'd encourage everyone to just DO it at least for 21 days, by then it will be a habit. 

Stormie Omartian has some excellent exercise videos for all levels whether you're a beginner or experienced. These can often be found on Ebay.

I did some easier low-impact aerobics videos during some of my pregnancy. There was a point though (in the early weeks and then again later in the last trimester) when I was unable to exercise. Don't be discouraged if this happens to you, too. After my baby was born, I began to do easy low-impact aerobics after about two months and it didn't take me long to get back into the swing of things.

Helpful Links for Exercising Moms:

Pregnancy Exercise Guidelines recommended by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists at Nutrition for you, Nutrition for two

Postpartum Exercise Tips at  Nutrition for you, Nutrition for two

 

---

 

Nutrition!

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are two of the best motivations I know to eat healthfully! I've mostly stuck to a low-fat diet  for several years now for health reasons but when I became a pregnant grandma I was even more concerned about eating well. I gave up sweets and empty calories for my pregnancy so I could be sure to have plenty of room for the good stuff! A baby is a great motivator for me --no more multiple cups of coffee; I switched to decaff and learned to love it with a generous amount of 2% milk. 

Managing Morning Sickness:

I experienced morning sickness (and afternoon sickness and evening sickness!) during all of my pregnancies but I learned how to manage it much better by eating frequent healthful snacks with a little protein.  This generally nipped it in the bud! I've found I can eat more of a variety if I don't wait too long in between eating and catch it before I feel so very sick. 

Here are some of the things that work best for me now --if you're eating smaller regular meals (which I am, I can't manage to eat that much at one time so spread it out), the calories are all spread out over the day:

bananas
apples
2 graham crackers (I spread one with peanut butter or cream cheese if I need a little extra fat or calories that day.)
small amount of dry cereal (frosted mini-wheats or plain cheerios, or mixture of healthful cereals, etc.)
1/2 cup cottage cheese and crackers or fruit
1 cup lowfat yogurt (sometimes I sprinkle lowfat granola on top)
1 cup frozen lowfat yogurt (I just pop the small containers in the freezer and imagine it's healthy ice cream !)
1 slice of swiss cheese (and fruit or crackers or bread)
1 small baked potato or sweet potato
any type of vegetables that sound good
1 thin slice homemade lowfat bread toasted (I make all our bread and only use about a tablespoon of canola oil per large loaf.) or wholewheat pita bread.
1 boiled egg (boring but oh so full of nutrients!)
small serving of lowfat homemade pudding (I make mine with skim milk)
small serving of pasta salad (the last I made had chopped chicken breast and vegetables and pasta with a little lowfat miracle whip)

Pray for the Lord to bless you with a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby and mama and that you gain just the perfect amount of weight for this pregnancy!

In His Love,
Tamara

---

Helpful Links for Good Nutrition:

Pregnancy Nutrition FAQ 

Mom's Nutrition Guide

The Brewer Diet

Breastfeeding Help from La Leche League

 

From Dr.Sears:

 Nutrition during pregnancy 

 Breastfeeding 

 Feeding your infant and toddler

 Family nutrition

All you older moms who have gone though this, or are going through this, please  email me your positive thoughts and ideas on diet and exercise and I’ll keep adding to our list here!