Thursday, August 21, 2008

a healthy prego = a happy prego

So far I have had a pretty great pregnancy. I feel much better than I did during my first pregnancy which I am sure has something to do with a much better diet and schedule. While pregnant with Luke I was working nights at the bar on my feet for most of 10 hours or more at a time. By the time I got off of work which was usually around 3am I was always starving and Dave (who was also on night shift) would be ready for his "lunch" and we would go eat at Denny's before I would go home to shower and watch tv while I waited for him to get home around 6am to call it a night. Then up again at 3 in the afternoon to shower and head back to the bar where I would usually eat my daily meal other than my Denny's grill cheese and tomatoe meal. I also did not cook at the time and on our days off we would usually go out to eat and go to the movies (the only thing to do since we were on night schedules and weren't ready for our day to begin until 6 at night). It was a fun time but not so healthy for the body. All the running around at the bar sure kept me in shape though but it all fell apart when I quite the bar once I was almost 8 months along and then wanted to do nothing but sit on my couch or relax in my bed to make up for all my hard work up until then.
So anyway the point to the whole story: we are leading a much more normal and healthy lifestyle now. Joining a local organic produce co-op earlier this year has also helped a lot because for the most part I plan and prepare our meals around the fresh fruits and veggies we get rather than just throwing together whatever sounds good at the last minute. I also find that I am much more able to control my sweet tooth and cravings than in my first pregnancy. I am much more motivated to stay at a healthy weight this time because I had such a hard time getting any weight off after Luke was born (in fact I am still carrying at least 10 pounds leftover from that pregnancy). So far at my 20 week mark I have only gained about 6 or 7 pounds as opposed to the 20 or more I had probably gained by now in my last pregnancy.
Now my only goal is to get into a good excercise regiment. Before I was pregnant I was pretty good at walking with Luke for an hour a day. I would either walk in the neighorhood or go walk the new bridge around the corner from the house. Then I fell off the wagon when all the naseau and exhaustion set in during my first trimester. And ever since that has subsided I just can't stand the heat outside even for a minute. I ordered some prenantal excercise videos that I wanted to start doing but I had a bleeding episode over the weekend and I am nervous about doing too much right now. I am sure it would be fine but I think I will wait until next week. I am very much looking forward to the weather cooling off so I can resume my outdoor walks and workouts that I much prefer and hope my back doesn't bother me too much to kill my motivation. For now chasing Luke around and sticking as much to my normal activities as possible has helped but I know I am still out of shape and want to feel as best I can in the end for the healthiest labor possible. I am actually trying to find a local prenatal yoga class as we speak. I think this will help me feel much better. I am also hoping it will help me with all the back trouble I tend to have while pregnant. I am already having back pain and I have a ways to go and a ways to grow.

1 comment:

Denise Punger MD IBCLC said...

I am glad to read about your healthy ways and the insight you have to caring for your prego body.