The Crib: A Blog for New Parents

Posted by pecuellar on 08/21/08 - 02:03 AM

Shelia is an elementary school teacher who had her baby over the summer break. In the fall, while the teachers were setting up their classrooms for the next school year, one of the other teachers (a man of course) asked her when her baby was due. “My son is 9 weeks old”, she snapped and ran off to her classroom to pout. Pregnancy and motherhood can leave you looking in the mirror at a barely recognizable, squishy reflection of yourself. And for most, this does mean that you will spend a period of time post-pregnancy life looking like you are still in your second trimester. This happens to everyone so there is no reason to get depressed over it. You can overcome this final hurdle of pregnancy. Just remember, it took nine months to put on the extra pounds and it could take nine months to take them off.

You should not start an extremely restrictive diet right away especially if you are nursing. Your body is still recovering. And trust me when I tell you, sleep deprivation requires food. Focus instead on making the right food choices and portion control. Try not to graze. When you start to reach for a snack, ask your self why. Are you hungry? Bored? Lonely? Stressed? If the answer is not hunger, substitute a non food solution to your desire to snack. Maybe it is a phone call to a friend or focusing your attention to a project – like organizing all those new baby photos.

Try to incorporate a little cardiovascular exercise into each day as soon as your doctor says you can. This will not only help take off the weight but will make you feel stronger and more energized. It may not be easy between midnight feeding and dirty diapers but you must make it a priority. You need to feel your best for yourself and your family.