How to Lose Weight Healthily After Giving Birth

After pregnancy, many women are excited to get their bodies back, but find that they are a different body than they started with. Others may want to lose the additional pounds they put on during pregnancy, but find it difficult to find the time with a new baby. The good news is, if you only put on between 25 and 35 pounds during the pregnancy that weight will be easiest to get off. Women who gained excess weight will have to work harder to shed those extra pounds. The tips below can help you to lose weight in a healthy manner after pregnancy.

Don’t Diet

Having a new baby in the house requires a lot of effort from new mothers. Generally speaking, eating a healthy diet and adopting good food habits are enough to help women shed those extra pounds. Following a strict diet often leads to stress and can result in overeating in a binge. Additionally, not eating enough calories can actually lead to your metabolism slowing down and your body storing more fat. For nursing mothers, it is especially important to get enough calories for milk production.

Eat Healthy Foods

In order to lose weight, your diet should include fruit, vegetables and lean proteins. Adding fish, low fat milk and yogurt can provide much needed calcium. Stay away from processed foods, food that is high in fat and food that is high in sodium. All of these items are a drain on your health and can leave you taking in empty calories with no nutritional benefit.

Exercise

For new mothers, going to the gym for an hour may not be realistic. However, there are many things you can do throughout the day in order to increase your activity level. Taking a walk around your neighborhood gets you moving and helps with circulation and blood flow. Parking further away and walking a greater distance into stores can also help you get in some additional activity.

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Finding the Balance Between Work and Fertility Treatment

Fertility treatment can be a long process. There is the diagnostic phase where the root cause of the fertility issue is identified, followed by a treatment phase that requires frequent trips to the doctor’s office for monitoring. Knowing how to balance the time needs of your fertility care with your work schedule can seem like an impossible task. The tips below can help you to navigate these waters so you can pursue your dream of growing your family while managing your career.

Know Your Policies

The first step in navigating the waters of IVF and managing your workload is to understand your company’s HR policies. Read your employee handbook to determine how time of is handled and if there is a requirement for a certain amount of days’ notice prior to taking time off. Look into flex time, altered schedules and working from home. Even with an intensive schedule, it may be possible to get all of your tasks done without taking much time off. Speaking with your HR department will provide additional information and help to set your expectations.

Speak with Your Manager

It is important to be honest with your manager about your need for medical care. How much detail you provide is up to you and your relationship with your manager. Being honest about what you will be experiencing including testing and treatment procedures will help your manager to plan for your schedule. Additionally, when procedures need to be planned on short notice, your manager will be better prepared to react.

Determine Your Communication

Your coworkers may be curious about what is going on with you and your altered schedule. You are not required to provide any detail to coworkers. Determine what you feel safe talking about and know what information you want to convey before starting those conversations. Being prepared can go a long way in preventing stressful situations.

Speak with Your Care Team

If you’re having difficulty given your work schedule, speak with your fertility care team. They’ve treated many patients and have likely dealt with a number of different working circumstances. Chances are there are some ways they can help.

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How to Choose the Right Prenatal Vitamin

Taking a prenatal vitamin is one of the best ways to ensure your body gets the additional vitamins and minerals it needs during pregnancy. While they do not replace healthy eating habits, taking a prenatal vitamin can help to avoid complications that arise due to vitamin deficiency. With so many prenatal vitamins on the market, choosing the right vitamin for your needs may seem difficult. When evaluating your vitamin options, be sure to look for the following:

Folic Acid 

Folic acid is a key vitamin as having adequate levels are important for avoiding neural tube birth defects, including spina bifida. Look for a vitamin that provides at least 400 mcg of folic acid in a dose.

Iron

Iron is important for producing red blood cells within the body. Because both mother and child will be pulling for a woman’s iron reserves, using a prenatal vitamin with at least 27 milligrams of iron is key. Not getting enough iron can result in a pregnant woman developing anemia.

Calcium

Calcium is necessary for the body to keep bones strong, including the teeth. As your baby develops, they will also need calcium in order to assist with the formation of their bones. If you do not get enough calcium in your diet while pregnant, it can have significant medical impacts. If there is not adequate calcium in the body it will be leached from the mother’s bones in order to provide for the baby. This can result in significant health issues down the line.

Other Vitamins

Other vitamins that are crucial for fetal development include copper, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E.

Some women find it difficult to take a prenatal vitamin due to stomach sensitivities or morning sickness. Taking your prenatal vitamin at night allows you to sleep through the symptoms while helping to ensure you’re getting the nutritional support you need.

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Dr. Zhang’s Pick Of The Month: What You Need To Know About Premature Births

On average, one in every eight babies in the United States is a premature birth. Being born too early can result in health issues that can follow a child throughout their life and can even result in infant death. Preventing premature birth is the goal of both mothers and their medical teams. Knowing the facts about premature birth can help mothers to seek help as soon as possible in the event of premature labor.

Facts about Premature Births 

More than 15 million babies are born prematurely in the US. Premature birth happens when a woman delivers prior to the 37th week of pregnancy. A number of health issues can arise as a result of premature birth including:

• Respiratory issues
• Brain hemorrhages
• Difficulty seeing
• Developmental delays
• Jaundice

Causes of Premature Births

It is common for mothers to feel some guilt about their premature birth. The truth is, delivering prematurely is a medical issue that is typically not impacted by the acts of the mother. It is believed that there may be a genetic component of the issue or that the woman’s environment may have an impact. Common causes of delivering prematurely include:

• Having an infection
• Experiencing bleeding during the pregnancy
• Having an autoimmune disease
• Abnormalities in the placenta
• Having a multiple pregnancy

Women who smoke, abuse drugs or do not get prenatal care are at the highest risk for delivering prematurely.

When to See a Doctor

The best way to stop premature labor is to address the issue as possible. Contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding during the pregnancy
• Your water breaking or a sensation of leaking fluid
• Experiencing contractions that are painful

Many women are hesitant to contact their doctor to address their symptoms. However, getting medical attention early allows the medical team to take steps necessary to help prepare your baby for birth, in the event that the labor is not able to be stopped.

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