Weight Loss After Pregnancy
The following article presents the very latest information about Weight Loss After Pregnancy. If you have a particular interest in weight loss, then this informative article is required reading.
See how much you can learn about Weight Loss After Pregnancy when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.
Sarah is a pregnant mother of three who continues to breast-feed her 18-month-old. After each of her pregnancies, she has had difficulty losing weight. With all of her responsibilities, weight loss isn’t a priority. Still, she wishes that, once this pregnancy is over, she will be able to return to her pre-marriage weight.
The average woman gains more than 25 pounds during her pregnancy. The procedure of childbirth may result in a weight loss of up to 14 pounds, which means that new moms still have considerable weight to lose once they leave the hospital. However, some women simply assume that this “baby fat” will never go away. Yet, it is entirely possible to lose weight during the post-partum period.
A number of medical experts recommend easing into a weight loss program after the birth of your baby. This means that you will not start dieting until about three months following birth. You should combine a low-fat diet with moderate exercise in order to achieve weight loss.
Don’t expect instant results. It will take you a good nine months to get back to your weight prior to pregnancy. A go-slow approach is best because you need to give your body time to recover after childbirth. Certainly, you might be able to lose weight faster, but you might be sacrificing valuable nutrients as a result.
Interestingly enough, breastfeeding actually enhances weight loss. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has found that breastfeeding leads to the release of hormones which enable your uterus to return to its normal size. However, breastfeeding alone won’t bring down your weight. You need to combine it with a sensible diet and a moderate exercise program. Keep in mind that you need to have at least 1800 calories a day while breastfeeding in order to keep yourself and your baby healthy. Still, stay clear of junk food during this period. You should rely on food with high nutritional value to maintain the proper level of calories each day.
There are many good reasons to exercise during the post-partum period. In addition to helping to accelerate weight reduction, exercise can help alleviate post-partum depression, improve your mood, and boost your confidence. Exercise can also “clear your head” so that you’re better able to meet the demands of motherhood. You might consider joining a “Mommy and Me” exercise class so that your baby can exercise right along with you. Another helpful hint is to enlist the help of a friend or relative to act as your exercise buddy so that you’ll have some emotional support while exercising. An added bonus of exercise is that it should boost your energy level, which is quite important when battling the fatigue which comes from caring for a newborn.
Your diet should generally be low-fat but not fat-free; vitamin rich; and high-fiber. Under no circumstances should you go on a fad diet. Such a diet could be quite harmful to your health and could actually slow your recovery from childbirth. It’s a good idea to set weight-loss goals, but don’t go overboard. Recognize that there’s a limit to the amount of weight you can lose during a given period of time.
You may see a number of actress-moms gracing the covers of magazines shortly after the birth of their children. They appear svelte and elegant, totally devoid of baby fat. In the accompanying article, they may even talk about exercising right after childbirth. Such articles send new mothers a dangerous message: that you must do all you can to become thin as quickly as possible after your baby is born. Such a philosophy is not only ridiculous, it’s also unhealthy. As a result, you’ll need to “tune out” such messages from the media and stay the course with your own gradual weight loss plan.
The time right after the birth of a child can be quite challenging, taxing both your physical and emotional strength. While it is certainly a good idea to eat healthy, you’ll need to pace yourself as far as weight loss is concerned. Over time, you should be able to lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy. In fact, you might find that you’re actually healthier after your baby is born.
Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.
Categories: Find An Obstetrician Gynecologist Tags: after, Loss, pregnancy, Weight
The Secrets to Weight Loss After Pregnancy
Sarah is a pregnant mother of three who continues to breast-feed her 18-month-old. After each of her pregnancies, she has had difficulty losing weight. With all of her responsibilities, weight loss isn’t a priority. Still, she wishes that, once this pregnancy is over, she will be able to return to her pre-marriage weight.
The average woman gains more than 25 pounds during her pregnancy. The procedure of childbirth may result in a weight loss of up to 14 pounds, which means that new moms still have considerable weight to lose once they leave the hospital. However, some women simply assume that this “baby fat” will never go away. Yet, it is entirely possible to lose weight during the post-partum period.
A number of medical experts recommend easing into a weight loss program after the birth of your baby. This means that you will not start dieting until about three months following birth. You should combine a low-fat diet with moderate exercise in order to achieve weight loss.
Don’t expect instant results. It will take you a good nine months to get back to your weight prior to pregnancy. A go-slow approach is best because you need to give your body time to recover after childbirth. Certainly, you might be able to lose weight faster, but you might be sacrificing valuable nutrients as a result.
Interestingly enough, breastfeeding actually enhances weight loss. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has found that breastfeeding leads to the release of hormones which enable your uterus to return to its normal size. However, breastfeeding alone won’t bring down your weight. You need to combine it with a sensible diet and a moderate exercise program. Keep in mind that you need to have at least 1800 calories a day while breastfeeding in order to keep yourself and your baby healthy. Still, stay clear of junk food during this period. You should rely on food with high nutritional value to maintain the proper level of calories each day.
There are many good reasons to exercise during the post-partum period. In addition to helping to accelerate weight reduction, exercise can help alleviate post-partum depression, improve your mood, and boost your confidence. Exercise can also “clear your head” so that you’re better able to meet the demands of motherhood. You might consider joining a “Mommy and Me” exercise class so that your baby can exercise right along with you. Another helpful hint is to enlist the help of a friend or relative to act as your exercise buddy so that you’ll have some emotional support while exercising. An added bonus of exercise is that it should boost your energy level, which is quite important when battling the fatigue which comes from caring for a newborn.
Your diet should generally be low-fat but not fat-free; vitamin rich; and high-fiber. Under no circumstances should you go on a fad diet. Such a diet could be quite harmful to your health and could actually slow your recovery from childbirth. It’s a good idea to set weight-loss goals, but don’t go overboard. Recognize that there’s a limit to the amount of weight you can lose during a given period of time.
You may see a number of actress-moms gracing the covers of magazines shortly after the birth of their children. They appear svelte and elegant, totally devoid of baby fat. In the accompanying article, they may even talk about exercising right after childbirth. Such articles send new mothers a dangerous message: that you must do all you can to become thin as quickly as possible after your baby is born. Such a philosophy is not only ridiculous, it’s also unhealthy. As a result, you’ll need to “tune out” such messages from the media and stay the course with your own gradual weight loss plan.
The time right after the birth of a child can be quite challenging, taxing both your physical and emotional strength. While it is certainly a good idea to eat healthy, you’ll need to pace yourself as far as weight loss is concerned. Over time, you should be able to lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy. In fact, you might find that you’re actually healthier after your baby is born.
Causes of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
While there may be one or more causes of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, recent studies have found certain anti-depressant medications and weight loss suppressants are the known culprits. Most people who are diagnosed with this disease are sensitive to certain internal or external factors which constrict the blood vessels when exposed to these factors.
Case in point: Raynaud’s disease is a condition in which the fingers and toes turn blue when cold because the blood vessels in the fingers and toes are particularly sensitive to cold. Individuals with Raynaud’s disease are more likely to develop Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.
Moreover, diet suppressants such as Fen-Phen, has been the leading agent which has ultimately caused PPH and for which PPH lawsuits are on-going. Other factors contributing to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension include pregnant women who take anti-depressants, specifically Paxil or any of the other more common prescribed anti-depressant medications. Further, this has caused increased litigation among those women whose babies have been born with serious defects or, in some cases, died.
It is important to point out how PPH begins. It starts with injury to the layer of cells that line the small blood vessels of the lungs. As a result, the smooth muscle contracts more than normal and thereby narrows the vessel. The process eventually results in the development of extra amounts of tissue in the walls of the pulmonary arteries.
The amount of muscle increases in some arteries, and muscle appears in the walls of arteries that normally have no muscle. With time, scarring, or fibrosis, of the arteries takes place, and they become stiff as well as thickened. Some vessels may become completely blocked. There is also a tendency for blood clots to form within the smaller arteries.
Due to the demands placed on it by PPH, the heart muscle gets bigger, and the right ventricle expands in size. Becoming overworked and enlarged, the right ventricle gradually becomes weak and loses its ability to pump enough blood to the lungs. Eventually, the right side of the heart may fail completely, resulting in death.
This brings us to the treatment of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and the drug Fen-Phen. Studies have revealed that treatment with this weight loss supplement increased the risk of PPH by 28 times. Therefore, individuals with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension developed this disease as a direct result of the drug Fen-Phen. Law firms who specialize in pharmaceutical litigation have been deeply involved in PPH lawsuits, and those who have been diagnosed with this disease by a PPH specialist, have sought a PPH attorney to handle such litigation.
Fen-Phen is a combination drug that was introduced for weight loss treatment in the 1990’s. It was recalled from the market by the FDA in 1997 because of data showing that this drug caused heart valve damage and PPH. Studies showed that patients who took these appetite suppressants, particularly those whose treatment lasted for more than three months, were much more likely to develop Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.
As mentioned earlier, the anti-depressant Paxil is just one of the known causes of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in babies. This, too, has resulted in women retaining the services of a PPH attorney for the express purpose of filing PPH lawsuits on the newborn mom’s behalf.
Pregnant women and those who plan to become pregnant should avoid taking the anti-depressant Paxil if possible because of the risk of birth defects. Two studies of pregnant women who were taking Paxil during their first trimester have shown that their babies have heart defects at a rate that is as much as twice the norm.
However, a conundrum exists. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said the decision whether to treat pregnant women with SSRIs, a class of anti-depressants that includes Prozac, Zoloft and Lexapro as well as Paxil, should be considered on an individual basis.
However, it is clear that exposure to SSRIs late in pregnancy has been associated with short-term complications in newborns. A caveat, however, was also mentioned in that reproductive-age women have the highest prevalence of major depressive disorders. The benefit to the mother of treatment with any of the drugs may outweigh the risk to the fetus.
It is worth reiterating that Paxil, taken when pregnant, does pose a risk to the unborn.
In addition, if you or anyone you know has ever taken Fen-Phen, and are experiencing symptoms, it is vital that you seek a PPH attorney so that he or she can litigate this matter via a PPH lawsuit on your behalf. Moreover, it is important that you consult a PPH specialist immediately. PPH treatments, while they may be unable to stop the progression of the disease, can help to improve your quality of life.
Categories: Find An Obstetrician Gynecologist Tags: Causes, hypertension, primary, Pulmonary
How You Can Use Acupuncture For Endometriosis To Ease Your Pain
When therapists and enthusiasts are asked about the effectiveness of acupuncture for endometriosis the topic of pain relief often comes up. This is because endometriosis pains are so varied and differ wildly from woman to woman.
Endometriosis is often difficult to treat even with today’s advanced pain medication. According to acupuncture therapists and enthusiasts, however, although acupuncture will not treat endometriosis entirely, it can help relieve the pain that comes with the disorder.
Women who suffer from endometriosis often report severe abdominal cramps, a feeling of heaviness especially in the pelvic area, and disabling, crippling pains in the lower back.
This is because endometriosis involves the migration of endometrial tissue normally found in the uterus, to other parts of the body. Each month as hormonal changes encourage the tissues to swell and then shed, instead of being expelled as menstruation, the blood and tissue lodge in various organ systems, causing internal bleeding, intense pain and even disruptions in normal bodily functions.
Because the cause of endometriosis is unknown, it is difficult to treat with only one form of therapy. Physicians will often recommend various drugs, including those that can help manage pain, and those that can lower the levels of estrogen in the body. Acupuncture contributes to therapy by allowing patients to relax better, and to deal with pain more effectively without resorting to medication.
If you are suffering from endometriosis and do not want to take more medications to relieve your pains, then you may wish to consider acupuncture.
Acupuncture makes use of tiny needles inserted into strategic parts of your body, with the aim of redirecting the universal energy field, called chi. When redirected, chi can allow you to be healthier and more relaxed. With greater relaxation, you can perhaps learn how to handle your pain better.
Before you go to an acupuncturist, however, you will need to consult with your doctor first about what other therapy options are available to you. This is especially advisable if you have a fear of needles, or if you are highly skeptical about acupuncture. If you do undertake acupuncture therapy, however, then these tips can help in your search for an acupuncturist.
Ask your physician for referrals. Many obstetricians and gynecologists will be in touch with acupuncturists who offer relaxation or pain relief therapy. These acupuncturists will also be licensed and legal, so you can be sure that you are receiving treatment from a qualified practitioner.
Join an email group or forum for people suffering from endometriosis, and ask around about acupuncture therapy. There will most likely be people present who have undergone the therapy to deal with their own endometriosis-related pains, and they can offer you tips on where to go, who to see, and what to do.
When you arrive at the acupuncturist, ask as many questions as you can. This is a good way to do research on acupuncture. Besides, a good, licensed acupuncturist will be happy to answer your questions, offer reassurance and be more than willing to help you. Try and find a practitioner who has knowledge and experience of dealing with endometriosis.
Share your good experiences with members of your email group or forum. You can help other endometriosis sufferers in dealing with their own conditions.
Discover more information on natural alternatives for treating endometriosis by signing up to the newsletter below.
For those who practice acupuncture, endometriosis is not necessarily easy to treat. The many pains can blind patients to the possibility of being able to deal with the difficulties of the disorder. However, with positive experiences, and with more acupuncture for endometriosis therapy sessions, the pains of endometriosis may lessen significantly.
Sign up for Shelley Ross’ free Endometriosis newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about acupuncture endometriosis.
Categories: Find An Obstetrician Gynecologist Tags: Acupuncture, Ease, Endometriosis, Pain
Are Saunas Good For Pregnancy?
Saunas are usually treated as relaxants and stress busters. Women who are accustomed to using saunas before pregnancy are not sure whether or not to continue using saunas after they find that they are pregnant. During pregnancy, the safety of your baby has to be of utmost concern.
Most medical practitioners advise against using saunas during pregnancy. As per the advice of the ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) saunas are not advisable during pregnancy for more than 15 minutes at a time – and if you can do without it, all the better.
It is believed that the high temperatures in the environment of a sauna could interfere negatively with the development of the fetus, especially in the first two trimesters of pregnancy. High temperatures are particularly harmful during the first twelve weeks of development of the fetus and hence, any such exposure should be totally avoided during this time.
Doing anything that would cause a pregnant woman’s core temperature to rise is considered to have the potential harming the unborn baby. Even running a fever can result in harm to an unborn fetus, so deliberately raising body temperature is certainly ill-advised for a pregnant woman.
The potentially damaging impact of heat on your unborn child is not the only reason you should avoid using a sauna during pregnancy. Another reason why you should not use saunas during pregnancy is because it might induce dizziness and utter exhaustion, which are harmful for you and the baby.
Alternatives To Sauna
If you are totally addicted to saunas, you will need to find alternative ways to enjoy the heat without risking the healthy development of your unborn child. For de-stressing, you could use body massages which would help your muscles unwind and relax. There are many professional massage parlors which you will find especially welcome during this time. There are even licensed massage therapists who specialize in pregnancy massage techniques. Alternatively, you could ask your partner to give you a massage every now and then when.
If what you really miss about the sauna is the heat, you could try taking a hot tub bath, of course taking care not to use very high temperatures and not to stay in the hot bath water for more than 15 minutes. Even a short warm bath can go a long way toward relaxing your body and your mind.
There are many other ways to relax and make you feel good. Yoga can be an excellent means of relaxing. Additionally, practicing the breathing exercises that you need to learn for the birth of your baby anyway can be very relaxing. Taking long walks is also an excellent way to relax and distress without putting your unborn baby at risk. When it comes to saunas and pregnancy, it is much better to wait until after the baby is born. Instead of choosing to stick with your sauna habit, choose to be safe and avoid any risks to yourself or your baby.
Categories: Find An Obstetrician Gynecologist Tags: good, pregnancy, Saunas
Health: Exercise and Pregnancy
Prescribing a medication for pregnant women is a complex process.
Before obstetricians and gynecologists decide which dose of which drug can best treat a condition without putting any harmful side effects on the mother and the baby, they consider the patient’s age, general health, the number of months before delivery, tolerance for medications, and any other drugs the pregnant patient may be taking.
Prescribing exercise on pregnant women has to be just as scientific and precise. The type, intensity, frequency, and duration of a “dose” of exercise are all critical. One person’s healthy, vigorous workout could be hazardous to another. These dangers may be greater in pregnant women because they are more likely to have strains and other serious side effects for the would-be mother.
However, if exercise will be implemented and carried out in a normal, average range, exercise will not have an effect on the overall condition of the pregnancy and especially on labor or delivery.
Pregnancy
Quality prenatal care should be given to a mother during her pregnancy. She should be prepared for the normal delivery of a healthy baby. Complications should be prevented at all costs.
All of these things are boiled down to the fact that a pregnant woman should be cared in such a way that she will not be compelled to do vigorous work but should not also stay in bed and be inactive until she gives birth to her baby.
Consequently, a pregnant woman’s condition varies in relation to the growth and development of the baby in side her womb. Therefore, it is necessary that proper health guidance be provided by her physician during her visit.
Moreover, it is important to keep the pregnant woman’s life active in order to promote good health, not only for her but also for the baby most importantly.
Physical conditions like blood pressure, weight and health status is usually monitored during the pregnant woman’s visit to her doctor. For this reason, it is significant to note that exercise can be the number one factor in order to keep these aspects in good condition.
As the health experts contend, adequate physical and emotional information is needed by a pregnant woman to prepare herself for delivery. She needs practical health messages in keeping herself and the baby healthy.
Hence, for mothers or would-be mothers who are not yet aware why they should exert some effort in engaging into moderate, normal exercise, here is a list of some of its benefits so that you will be able to understand the reason why pregnant women have to exercise regularly:
1. Defiance against fatigue
As muscle becomes fatigued, it produces less force. To accomplish a task like climbing the stairs, for example, or shoveling snow, more units of muscle must be called into play to back up the wearied muscles.
The tired muscles are both less efficient and less effective. Hence, this will just put more strain on the pregnant woman because of the weight that is continuously adding up each day. That is why tired muscles will usually result to leg cramps or sore muscles.
What every pregnant woman must know is that exercise improves the condition of the muscles and their ability to work longer without fatigue.
2. Reduce backaches
Even when you sit or stand, some muscles are working, and such relatively easy postures can tax some muscles and cause fatigue. The muscles of the lower back, for example, can be exhausted and worn out by the effort of keeping erect when a pregnant woman stand still for several hours.
With exercise, a pregnant woman can correct this error by developing her posture.
3. Increase the amount of oxygen
Work and exercise rely on glycogen, a substance produced by the body from complex carbohydrates and stored muscles and liver. The supply of glycogen in the muscles determines and limits the duration of activity. Exercise depletes the glycogen in the muscles and leads to tiredness.
However, when glycogen is depleted by strenuous activity, it is replaced in quantities greater than before, as if the body recognized the need to lay in a larger supply of fuel.
Hence, oxidation is essential for converting glycogen to the energy that pregnant women need to wiggle a finger, flex a muscle, or practice the lungs and heart for some blowing action during normal delivery.
These are just some of the many benefits exercise can bring to pregnant women. Besides, nothing is completely wrong for a pregnant woman doing some moderate exercises. The only important thing to remember is that before starting an exercise program, whether pregnant or not, it is best to consult your doctor. As they say, doctors know best!
Categories: Find An Obstetrician Gynecologist Tags: Exercise, health, pregnancy
Are you Taking Proper Nutrition During Pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises women to increase their nutrition during pregnancy. It recommends increasing their usual food servings and taking variety from the four fundamental food groups.
The Standard Diet
The standard diet for pregnancy nutrition consists of about four or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, 4 or more servings of enriched cereal, bread, and whole grains, 4 or more servings of dairy products and milk, and 3 or more servings of protein-rich foods such as dried beans, peas, and pulses.
Iron
You need lots of iron for good nourishment. As per the National Research Council, the requirement of iron is not possible to be met solely by natural food, especially in the later pregnancy stages. The increment in iron requirement is due to fetal demand as well as the increment in the volume of your own blood by 30 per cent. Iron is vital for the production of red blood corpuscles.
If you do not take adequate iron, the fetus will suck its supply from you and you will end up with anemia and extreme exhaustion. It’s good to take iron supplements after consulting your doctor.
Folic Acid
Your requirement for folic acid increases during pregnancy. In fact, you should start taking enough folic acid well before you plan to get pregnant to prevent deficiency. But, not all doctors agree on the intake of folate supplements for every woman. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel found inadequate proof to declare that all pregnant women should take folate supplements.
Folate is found naturally in green leafy vegetables, peas, and dried beans. There is enough evidence that shows that folic acid is important for the prevention of neural tube disorders, like spinal bifida. Besides this, this vitamin helps in red blood cell formation.
Nutritional Supplements
As per the report published in June 1990 by IOM, supplements do not help much in providing nourishment. Doctors all over the world agree that, almost all the nutrients can be obtained through a balanced diet. Except for iron, which poses a double requirement during pregnancy, you need not depend on nutritional supplements for healthy nutrition during pregnancy. Only in cases of deficiencies, do doctors recommend supplements, out of which, the common ones are those containing folic acid and calcium.
Keep yourself well informed by reading books and articles that talk about nutrition during pregnancy.