Women are faced with huge pressure to stay healthy during pregnancy and shed pounds after they’ve given birth, but some experts insist that it’s more important to focus on being at the peak of health before you even conceive. Two mothers share their thoughts…
We all know that healthy eating, regular exercise and a positive outlook on life can help you to lead a happy existence and I strongly believe that if you’re planning a baby – a lifetime commitment – you should consider these things more than ever.
Besides the obvious avoidance of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and blood clots, to name but a few, you have to be a guide for this little bean growing inside of you. In my opinion, being at your optimum weight is when you feel happy and comfortable with your own body. Nothing can prepare you for having a baby, so being in a content place with yourself is a good start.
Most of us wish for a natural birth, but the reality of being overweight can increase the use of induction and C-section. Being healthy before falling pregnant can also help you return to your former glory, albeit with a few stretch marks and an extra little role of fat over those jeans!
Being healthy and positive never stopped me reaching for those sugary carbs the first few months of breastfeeding, so possessing healthy habits pre pregnancy helped me to get back on track further down the line.
We want the best for our little ones, so we have to lead by example. If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, consider how you treat yourself: body and mind. Then, get as much sleep as you can as you won’t sleep properly ever again!
I’ve never followed a strict diet and exercise regime, and getting pregnant didn’t change that. We conceived quite quickly on both occasions. During those exciting few months when we were trying, I took pregnancy supplements and increased my folic acid intake, so it’s not like I completely disregard all health advice.
My problem is that there’s just too much advice, and it’s everywhere. Women are made to feel guilty about everything these days, whether it’s eating dairy products while pregnant or not breastfeeding a newborn. Yes, it’s important for guidelines to be put in place, but I think it’s gone too far.
I didn’t stress about anything during my last pregnancy, especially my weight, and I think that led to a relatively relaxed birth. That’s not to say that I’m fat and binge on fast food, I just believe that life is for having fun and stressing about the size of your bottom isn’t healthy. Pregnancy changes your body, that’s a fact we all have to deal with. I never go to the gym or eat superfoods and I can honestly say that it hasn’t affected Jasmine and Lottie. They are both healthy, active children, simply because we don’t take life too seriously.
