Prenatal Workout Review: Prenatal Fitness Fix with Erin O’Brien

May 23, 2013 at 4:21 pm (Reviews)
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I must admit, I’ve done this one before. I did it when I was pregnant with Anna. However, I was in much different shape then–and about five months further along. Jumping into it at seven months with not much prior stamina or activity level, it was rather difficult and I kept saying “I hate this,” throughout the whole thing.

This time, it was completely different.

Now, I am writing this about a month after I tried it again. Only a week after I tried it, I suddenly had horrible bouts of nausea and dizziness and could hardly get through the day, let alone do a workout DVD. This is also my explanation of why there was such a lull in my writing…

Anyhow, on with the review.

This time around, I loved it! Perhaps it was my increased activity level prior to doing the video, or perhaps it was only being two months along and not having a giant belly to work around. Either way, I really enjoyed it.

Erin, who does the video while pregnant herself, begins with a gentle warm-up, then into a more intense workout, and bookended with a well-deserved cool-down.

What I loved:

1) Erin incorporates dance, pilates, yoga, and traditional exercises to create a well-blended workout. This encourages flexibility and conditioning without overworking the mama. Having once been a dancer myself, I enjoyed doing the plies and eleves, though I wasn’t quite as proficient in them as I once was. Still, it was familiar and even comforting.

2) She encourages many water and potty breaks throughout the video, so you will be given breaks and times to cool down. She also encourages proper ventilation and frequent rests so that mama will not become overheated (this is a risk to baby).

3) Perhaps one of the things I respect most about it is that Erin is very knowledgeable about the pregnant body and gives sound advice about movement, what kinds of exercises to do, and the level of intensity. Something that is a bit of a pet-peeve of mine is when people who do “prenatal workouts” ignore the fact that the belly being stretched so far puts mama at risk of having a ruptured abdominal muscle. This means that mamas should not do any exercises which overtly contract the abdominal muscles–including crunches, planks, and sit-ups. She is also mindful of the vena cava in the lower back, making sure that mamas are not on their backs or right sides for too long, noting that with the weight of the baby, this large artery can be compressed, cutting off circulation to the brain and causing syncope, or fainting. I know about this all too well, having experienced it (while driving, no less) while pregnant with Leah.

What you should be warned about:

As I stated earlier, when I tried to jump in at seven months with a low activity level, it was very hard. Not totally impossible, but I certainly did not enjoy it.  If you plan to use this throughout your pregnancy, I would strongly recommend getting started early on to work up the stamina and activity level needed to complete it with enjoyment.

So there it is! My take on Prenatal Fitness Fix with Erin O’Brien. I hope this information was useful to you.

And just to make sure we’re clear of any legal issues, I must inform you that I have reviewed this without any endorsement or payment of any kind. It is my desire only to educate and inform expecting mamas so that they can make decisions on which resources they would like to utilize during their pregnancy. I rented this DVD with my own money and was not prompted or contacted by its creators.

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Old Roads Leading to This One

May 20, 2013 at 10:14 am (Parenting, Spiritual Growth & Encouragement)
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I could spend a whole post talking about the recent journey we’ve been on with my younger daughter, Anna, but as this post is more focused on my personal journey and its impact on the current circumstances, I’ll only give a brief summary.

Anna, who will be three at the end of next month, has recently begun Early Intervention for significant speech, social, and fine motor delays. They are also considering the possibility of her being on the Autism Spectrum, but they are taking it slow with that diagnosis and making additional observations before they recommend for an evaluation with Autism Specialists (and we are appreciative of them taking their time with that, though we wish we knew exactly what was going on so we could address it more specifically). We are also going to have her hearing tested to see if that is a contributing factor to her delays. I recently had a meeting with Child Development Services–the first of many, I am sure–to discuss what the plan would be for her. That plan included a variety of therapies, like speech, physical, occupational, and social.

Needless to say, there was a lot to process after the meeting, and I took some time to myself to think about what this meant for our future–homeschooling, friends, family, daily life.

And then I had a moment of clarity. The kind you have when you finally get a glimpse of understanding as to why things happened in your past, though they seemed like failures at the time.

When I began my college career, I wanted to be a Physical Therapy Assistant. I got a job as a Physical Therapy Aide, working one-on-one with patients and becoming quite familiar with various PT machines, exercises, and therapies. Then, when I discovered it wasn’t quite what I wanted to do, I developed a keen interest in American Sign Language, and wanted to be an Interpreter. This I pursued the longest, eventually forming this desire into a more specific plan: to be a Special Education Teacher, working with Deaf children. When financial aid fell through and I had to stop, I worked full-time at a school as a Teacher’s Aide, Substitute, and Elective Teacher. I worked with a variety of children, though one stood out in particular as the child who taught me the most about “finding what works” for a specific child. He taught me a great deal about patience, accommodations for children who lack focus, and exploring different options to encourage positive behavior.

After that, I became a Stay at Home Mom, though I always wondered what career I would pursue once my children were old enough for me to begin working again. I became a Certified Infant Sign Language Instructor, and while that did offer me a little spending money while we were in San Diego, the demand is not high enough here in this area to make a full business out of it.

I considered being a CNA, but God closed that door firmly, no matter how hard I tried to open it. I had no true desire for it, and I only considered it a means to make money doing something that came easily to me (care-giving).

I also received my certification as a Labor Doula, and that is a career I would love to have, though finding paying clients is a struggle. Ask any doula, and they will confirm. Unless you live in a very wealthy area with a large community of natural-minded mothers, making a living as a doula is near impossible. Ultimately I’d love to be a midwife, but of course that takes so much time that I want to wait until my children are a bit older to pursue that fully.

All this to say, it’s been a long journey to find my calling, and for a long time I felt like I had wasted my time in college. That all those rabbit trails, leading to no degree, were a waste of time, money, emotion, effort…

And then I have that meeting with Child Development Services, where we discuss the plan for Anna’s Early Intervention. And it all comes together.

The experience in physical therapy will help with her motor skill delays. Once I meet with the Physical Therapist and see what exercises to do, I will be able to easily integrate those into our daily life. The clinic I worked with specialized in Hand Therapy, which included some occupational exercises, and that will be particularly useful in helping her to develop those fine motor skills she struggles with.

The experience in ASL and studying the Deaf Culture may be useful if she does have a hearing loss, and will make interaction with the audiologist that much easier, having a prior understanding of the various levels and types of hearing loss.

Knowing American Sign Language, though perhaps not enough to be a Certified Interpreter, will help me to communicate with her, whether her diagnosis is a hearing loss, Autism, or other speech delay. I have already been using ASL with her, and though she will not use it expressively, she seems to understand it receptively. But overall, I have a “head start” on communication with her, while other parents with a similar diagnosis may have to start from scratch and learn a whole new language to communicate with their child. That is something I can check off my list already. And since I’ve also been teaching Leah ASL as part of her preschool, she can also communicate with her sister.

My experience with my “special friend” (as the primary teacher and I used to call him when being discreet) at the school will help me to have patience, understanding, and the persistence to work with whatever difficulties she may have in focusing, listening, and temper.

So you see, they were not mistakes, failures, or unfinished works; they were precisely what I needed to experience to fulfill my most important role. What Man may see as failure, God saw as my preparation to the greatest job in the world. What I saw as things left undone, degrees not achieved, and careers not pursued, God saw as my training to be not just any mom, but Anna’s Mom.

He always knew, though it was a mystery to me. And that’s usually how it works when you’re following God’s will.

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On Growing Up as a Reader, but Frightened as a Writer

May 18, 2013 at 10:28 pm (Writing)
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Today I was reminded of how my tastes have grown and changed over the years.

On a message board, moms were sharing some of their favorite fiction novels and writers. A few were mentioned that, while at one point in time may have brought up feelings of joy and adulation, now stir up only deep sighs and the shaking of my head.

It is not that these writers are awful. I’ve read some books that truly are awful. Some I read only because they were required for school, while others I had simply told myself over and over, “It has to get better, right??” Still, these particular authors are not them. They are popular in the Christian fiction scene (particularly in the romance sub-genre), and I’m sure they make a good living with their books. And that’s what frightens me.

I will elaborate.

My tastes have changed over the years, and I find myself yearning for more realism. Not necessarily literalism–I am perfectly happy with fantasy and the creation of new worlds, where the rules we are accustomed to here in the real world are bent slightly–but realism in regards to consistency in a character’s personality, the struggle of true growth, and believability in the plot. I have also found myself wanting stories that are not quite so “fluffy”, and have a bit more meat–substance–grit–depth.

While at one time these authors kept me awake at night, reading “just one more chapter”, and while their stories and characters gripped me, there was a point when I had picked up one of those books, after years of reading much deeper, rougher material, and thinking, “This is silly.”

And this, my friends, is what frightens me. I do not fault the readers for their lauding of these books. Christian bookstores, publishers, and reviewers have developed a knack for pushing the “tried-and-true” Christian romances while rejecting anything that might be uncomfortable for the delicate sensibilities of a Christian woman.

Yes, there are novels about “difficult” subjects, but they are always approached from a very lofty view. The struggles that the heroines must overcome are safe and internal. Things like fear, insecurity, and indecision.

Allow me to walk you through the dime-a-dozen Christian romance novel. You meet the heroine. Young, sweet, naive, definitely a virgin, raised by loving parents and active in her church. Then you meet the handsome love interest who is–gasp–an unbeliever! So she tries to ignore her attraction, firm that she cannot possibly love him while he is still doing horrible things like smoking, riding motorcycles, and wearing a leather jacket [I must interject here that I've just described the hero from one of my favorite series, and I couldn't help but chuckle at myself for alluding to him, as he's not like the typical Christian-romance-love-interest...]. So she invites him to church, smiles as he asks question after question about her faith, and he eventually has a tearful conversion, obediently reciting a rote sinner’s prayer, and immediately casting off his old life, never again desiring a single cigarette, wearing khakis and polo shirts, and getting a job at the church. They get married and have lots of babies. The end.

Or one more for you, just for fun: It’s another time period, or perhaps in an Amish community (don’t even get me started on the Amish trend!). A young girl is rebellious–but nothing drastic–or simply doesn’t want to fulfill her role as a lady/daughter/goodAmishgirl–and is told she must marry _______. She doesn’t want to! She wants to do something else with her life! She is the closest thing to a feminist that a Christian writer is willing to make a heroine! But the man wins her over, though he may seem stern, shy, or boring (take your pick) at the beginning. They gradually fall in love, she accepts her role as his wife but he allows her to do something that she wants to do, like feeding the poor, planting a garden, riding horses… whatever. They live happily ever after. The end.

I’ve had my fun, so now I’ll explain to you further why this is unsettling to me as a writer. Because these are the stories that are paying the rent. These are the ones that have made writers successful and adored. These are the stories that sell books.

Please don’t get me wrong; I’m certainly not doing this for the money. The fact that I’m still unpublished and have never been paid one red cent for anything I’ve written is evidence of that. If I wanted to create one of those stories, I could. Probably in one night. But I don’t want to, and that’s the problem. I would be severely bothered if I wrote a story like those. I’m sure there are good ones out there that just so happen to have a similar plot line. But really, haven’t we seen enough? Haven’t we grown past those yet? I have.

I know, this is getting long, but this is a subject I’m really enjoying right now. Bear with me.

My cousin and I wrote a book when we were 16 and 15, respectively. Or that’s where it began. We haven’t finished it yet, a mere 13 years later. We’ve changed plot lines, changed characters, changed events and emotions. After years of putting it on the back burner, we revisited our book, asking ourselves as adults, wives, mothers, what this story would look like if we stripped away all those silly plot devices and contrivances we had included in our first story. If even our villains had depth, if our characters were real, how would they really react to situations, and what was the norm for that time period? How can we make this believable? How can we draw in readers? How will they be able to relate?

Our two heroines are grossly imperfect. One is abused, damaged, and cynical. The other starts out as innocent but, like the thorny ground, is pulled away by the cares of the world and is quite changed, not for the better, by the climax. But by the end they come around. They find redemption. They make amends. And they take responsibility for their mistakes. They grieve over their sins, but not in an overly dramatic way. They struggle to get back on the path.

The men in their lives are total opposites to one another. One, a seeming pillar of strength and integrity, with a few vices from his past that he must work overcome daily. The other, a philanderer and a fake, taking advantage where he can. Yet both men must step up to their place and, like their women, take responsibility, show remorse, make difficult decisions, and actively change.

I’m not saying my writing is better, or that I am better, or that those readers are inferior for reading those stories. But what I am saying is that my goal–my desire–for my own stories is so different than the successful ones, and I’m afraid not so much about the lack of money (again, I don’t do it for the money) but of being rejected. Of being judged. Of being labeled a bad writer, or worse, a bad Christian, for writing something that wasn’t G-rated. It is a real fear, and I look to various mentors for their advice, support, guidance, and knowing smiles. But I still fear what will happen if I publish my book. And perhaps that is the main reason I’ve not yet published it. Not my perfectionism or my lack of time to edit, but my fear of rejection.

And as this is something I am realizing just now as I write this, I have nothing more to say. It’s a lot to consider and process. My fear, real as it is, is difficult to accept.

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Change of Plans

March 26, 2013 at 1:41 pm (Daily Life and Personal Growth, General Health, Pregnancy and Birth)
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Since you last heard from me, much has changed.

I’ve been using http://www.myfitnesspal.com to track my food intake and to make sure I’m getting enough protein, fat, and fiber–and not too much sugar and carbs. It was working well for a while–really brought awareness to how little I was eating–but then my OCD got in the way and I was slightly obsessed, stressing over it. So I decided to take a break.

While on said break, I discovered that (drum-roll, please) I’m pregnant!

We just found out yesterday, and we are VERY excited!

However, this changes things. Yes, another child, blah blah blah. But I’m talking about my weight loss goals, health, and plans for school, career, etc. In an attempt to take this major change in stride, I’m going to give myself a few challenges to help me to stay more on track and less veering from the course.

1) Weight Loss: Food.

It is not–I repeat, NOT–recommended for women (even obese women) to try and lose weight while pregnant. Even overweight/obese women should still gain about 15 lb during their pregnancy. Restricting calories and excessive working out can result in malnourishment, low birth weight, and other congenital problems. So my goal for weight loss is on hold.

BUT… I also don’t want to gain an excessive amount of weight. The recommended weight gain for someone of my size and body type would be approximately 20-25lb. So my goal is not to lose any weight, or to maintain my current weight (as that would be losing weight overall), but to stay within 20-25lb for weight gain throughout the pregnancy.

HOW? Eating clean and healthy, keeping active, and drinking plenty of water. Simple, right? We’ll see…

When left to my own devices, I tend to under-eat. Without actively trying to eat enough, I tend to average at about 1200-1500 calories a day. My Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), even when set at a “Sedentary” level, is 1870 calories. So even if I were completely sedentary and didn’t do any exercise, I’d still be 300-600 calories under my goal. Add to this the extra food needed during pregnancy (in this first trimester, I’m going for about 2000, which is my TDEE at a “Lightly Active” level), and I’ve got quite a deficit, and quite a bit more I need to eat.

Now, I try not to focus too much on calories. More nutritionally dense foods, like the delicious organic foods I eat, allow me to be satiated without too many extra calories. This is excellent for someone who overeats. Not so much for me, who is constantly having to push myself to eat more. I am trying to listen to my body more and not worry so much about the calories, but I do still want to aim for a little bit more each day, until I figure out how in the heck to eat that many calories in one day. For that purpose, I have returned to tracking my food, but I hope to only use it temporarily until I get not the flow and can eat the way I’m supposed to without having to track.

2) Weight Loss: Exercise.

As I said before, weight loss is on hold. But health and fitness is not. This is why I am going to be continuing to exercise, but gently and with modifications.

The hubby had ordered RushFit for himself, and I had been using it (though not as strictly as he has), but given the amount of abdominal workouts, I am not able to continue (abdominal workouts like crunches, sit-ups, and core work can cause the abdominal muscles to split).  So I’ve decided to continue walking, using the elliptical, doing yoga, and all that jazz… But I’d also like to try out some prenatal fitness DVDs. Lucky for me, I have Blockbuster online and can just rent those DVDs, rather than having to buy them (and then later regret them). After making this decision, I had a light bulb!

I should do the workouts, and then REVIEW them on here! That way, other moms can get an idea of which workout DVD is best for them during their pregnancy! So there it is–a new little project for me.

Oh I’ll still be continuing the other ones I have going on (although I know I’ve been behind on a few) but that will add a bit of variety to my repertoire and hopefully help other prego mamas in their search for fitness during pregnancy!

3) School.

*Sigh*

I’m still going back and forth on this. On the one hand, I’d like to get as much as possible out of the way while I can. On the other hand, there’s really only one class that I can take right now that doesn’t expire, and that is necessary for the degree I’m pursuing. So I can take that one class to get it over with, but the rest of it will have to wait until I can do the entire program in sequence. I’m already registered for that one class, which is online, so I might as well get it done while I can, but the other pre-req’s I need are not available online, and they do expire, so I want to wait until I’m actually completing the degree to get those done.

4) Job/Career.

I’ve recently signed up to volunteer at a local hospital as they start up their doula program. Currently it’s an unpaid position, but it would get my foot in the door for when they are able to pay (they are working on a grant as well as insurance reimbursement), and would help to get my name out there and maybe some referrals.

I’ve done doula work at 38 weeks before, and really, in the hospital, the work is far less physical than in a home or birth center setting. But I will take it one client at a time and see how I feel towards the end of the pregnancy. In the mean time, however, I’ll take whatever I can get!

Oh, and I guess my idea to donate my plasma is out of the question. I have thought about looking for a part-time temp job to help pay for various expenses during pregnancy. The baby will cost nothing, between breastfeeding, cosleeping, and cloth diapers–which we still have from the other two; and I hope to have insurance cover the actual birth. But for things like an ultrasound (if needed/wanted), additional tests, maternity clothes (gave most of mine away), and other little extras, I’d like to have some money to take care of those things, and not have to put it on the credit card. But finding something like that won’t be easy, and I’ll have to be persistent in looking through Craigslist to see what’s out there.

 

I suppose overall, there are quite a few changes ahead, but I hope that with this plan, I’ll succeed in my new goals.

 

What changes did YOU make in pregnancy? Did you find these changes difficult, or did you change with ease?

 

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Homeopathy in the Home

March 16, 2013 at 12:20 pm (Natural Living)
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I like using homeopathic remedies. I’d like to talk about them.

Before I expand on what I like about them, I want to clarify something that is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Homeopathy =/= all things natural. Just because something is a natural/herbal remedy, it does not mean it is homeopathic. Homeopathy is a very specific form of medicine within the realm of natural medicine. That would be like saying that all mainstream/allopathic medicine is surgery. It’s not. Please stop using incorrect terminology.

Another common failure in the layperson using homeopathy? Mixing with herbs. Herbs and homeopathy are, by nature, antidotal to one another. They basically cancel each other out so that the patient receives the benefits from neither of them. Choose one or the other, and don’t store your herbs and homeopathics in the same place; in fact, don’t store homeopathics with anything other than homeopathics–no strong fragrances, allopathic medicines, or herbal medicines, especially essential oils.

In the same line of thought, don’t eat or drink (besides water) within 15-30 minutes before or after taking a homeopathic remedy. This, too, will antidote it.

Those out of the way, I can now move on to the meat of this discussion.

Homeopathy has been called a sham, placebo, etc. by not only the mainstream medical community, but even some in natural medicine doubt it potency. My guess? They’ve simply never used it correctly. It’s a complex method to work out which remedy is correct, and (as evidenced by my previous paragraphs) is very easy to use incorrectly.

Perusing the internet, you’ll find videos of people who take a whole bottle of homeopathic sleep aids to “prove” that they don’t work. The only thing they’ve proven is that they have no idea how to use them properly, or even the faintest notion of how they actually work.

How do they work? As mentioned before, homeopathy is very complex and it would take a very long time for me to explain. However, I did find this explanation which is rather informative.

One of the better explanations I heard of it (from a Homeopath) was that these pellets (or sometimes liquids) look very much the same on a very basic level (ie, if you look at them under a microscope). However, their insides and their energetic makeup, is quite unique to each remedy. This would be likened to seeing two unlabeled CDs. From the first look, and in a very primitive physiology (and even molecular structure), they look identical. But the information contained in each disc can be vastly different. One could be only music, while the other is purely text. In fact, one may work both in a CD player and a computer, while the other must be used on a computer to obtain the information written in it.

Very different.

Now, the beauty of homeopathy (and the reason why so many people fail at truly “proving” that it doesn’t work) is that it does not at all work like allopathic medicine. Allopathic medicine forces the body to do something, whether it will benefit from it or not. Even Tylenol forces the body to reduce a fever or to lessen pain, which sound like good things, but can harm the body if used in an inappropriate situation.

Homeopathy, on the other hand, will only work if it is needed. If you have the wrong remedy per your symptoms, or if you use it when it is not needed (ie, a well rested person taking the sleep aids), it will not work. It will do nothing.

This not only attributes to its safety, but also helps to explain why it is so important to have the correct remedy.

Additionally, it can take some time for certain symptoms to be remedied. One symptom, like pain being treated with Arnica Montana, may have an immediate relief. While another, which may be “deeper”, more complex, or constitutional, may take weeks to correct (example: Homeopathy has been used to help treat behavioral disorders, which typically get worse in the first couple of days, and then begin to subside after a week or so). But they also can be discontinued after the balance has been struck. I’ll have an example of that in a couple of paragraphs, but suffice it to say, when a deeper remedy is needed, there is usually an initial treatment of a couple of weeks, or even months, but after that point, is not needed unless there is a “relapse”–and even then, there is usually only a single remedy that’s needed to bring it back into balance.

Finding a remedy can be long and arduous at first, but after a while, one tends to simply have a feeling of what the remedy might be. There have been times when I have looked at my child and thought, “This feels like it’s Pulsatilla.” Granted, with Leah it usually is Pulsatilla (fits her constitution), and I’m very familiar with it; but there have been times when I was less familiar with a remedy and still had just a “hunch”.

A few months ago, I had never before used Coffea Cruda. Now I am quite familiar with it, but then, I had no idea what the Materia Medica had to say about it. In other words, my brain didn’t know if it was the right fit for my manic/insomniac daughter. I was looking for a remedy for her, and just skimmed a very basic book of remedies for insomnia. There were about five remedies listed, but Coffea Cruda stuck out to me. I hadn’t made it to the store yet, so I hadn’t tried it, or even researched it. But each time I tried to get my daughter to sleep, I kept thinking, “She needs Coffea Cruda…” So I used a nifty app on my phone to check my instincts. And the remedy fit her PERFECTLY. After a few weeks of giving the remedy nightly, she now goes to sleep rather easily, and if she doesn’t, a single dose of Cof. Cruda does the trick.

Now, does it force her to sleep and put her out of sorts, like allopathic sleep aids? Nope. It simply restores the natural rhythm of her body so that she can fall asleep on her own. As mentioned before, it does not force the body to do anything, and only helps the body to do what it needs to do.

Do I only follow my instincts and just go by what I feel to determine a remedy? No; rarely, in fact (but I’m elated when it does happen!). Most times I do need help from the app on my phone, or if I have a lot of time, an Online Remedy Finder. And sometimes the symptoms aren’t so crystal clear, and I need a trained Homeopath (or at least someone with much more experience, like a midwife or naturopath who has taken a special interest in Homeopathy) to help me narrow it down and figure out which remedy is the right one. But over time, I’ve come to note the differences between Gelsemium Sempervirens and Aconitum Napellus (both for various flu symptoms), or Nux Vomica and Ipecacuanha (both for vomiting/nausea), or Pulsatilla and Natrum Muriaticum (both for runny noses).

But all of these things that most people would be put-off by are exactly what I love about Homeopathy. The safety to the point of doing nothing when it’s incorrect, the body coming back into balance through a gentle guiding of the remedy, the instinctual knowing of which remedy is the right one…

It’s a very beautiful form of medicine, if you ask me.

Do you use Homeopathy? What has been your experience? What are some of your favorite remedies, or ones you always keep on hand?

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Respecting the Mother: Questioning the Modern View of Childbirth’s Affect on the Mother

February 27, 2013 at 11:12 am (Pregnancy and Birth)
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Phew! That was a long title. And while I could get into a very long tirade on the overall view of childbirth’s affect on the mother in today’s society, I’ll only focus on one specific part: “Getting right back to life”.

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend among new mothers. There is a flippancy and disrespect of the mother’s body after childbirth. It is not intentionally disrespectful, and in many ways, almost sounds quite feminist. I am not a feminist (I’m not an anything-ist), but I would still agree with those in the birth world who say that birth is empowering. After my second daughter was born at home, in water, posterior, in the caul (all very rare instances), I felt as if I could do ANYTHING! Birth IS empowering!

“There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don’t ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it.” Sheryl Feldman

But it’s also very exhausting and requires a great deal of recovery time–physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I have heard stories in the past few years of women going back to work just two weeks after baby is born; of mothers who have had Cesarean sections developing infections at the incision site because they went back to exercising too quickly; of mothers who developed life-threatening infections like sepsis because their husband couldn’t wait a few more weeks to be intimate with them. These are real, serious problems.

The body goes through a great deal to birth a baby. Joints and muscles are moved out of their regular positions. Abdominal muscles, along with the uterus, can be contracting for hours on end. Can you imagine doing crunches for 8 hours straight? That’s a pretty close comparison. And if there was a Cesarean section, that’s not just a simple procedure. It’s major abdominal surgery that, while it can be life-saving, can also be life-threatening, resulting in maternal or (sometimes and) neonatal death. It’s serious.

So why do mothers have this idea that it’s GOOD to get right back to normal life? They not only have a new baby to care for–to learn about, to establish breastfeeding with, to change, to hold, to comfort, to sniff, to cherish–but also their own bodies, which are in need of REST and REPAIR.

As a former midwife once told me, there is an open wound the size of your placenta on the inside of your uterus. If you had an open wound that large on your leg, back, or anywhere else on the outside of your body, would you be walking around Disneyland? Would you be gettin’ it on with your husband? Would you be jogging on the treadmill? I didn’t think so.

I believe this notion of “getting back to normal” is a direct product of this society’s lack of connection with birth. It’s a result of the industrialization of birth and the disregard for its impact on the mother. Birth is a medical procedure, managed by doctors–surgeons–who do not educate the mother on the process of labor and birth and will simply prescribe an antibiotic if there is an infection, rather than teaching prevention and self-care.

“Having a highly trained obstetrical surgeon attend a normal birth is analogous to having a pediatric surgeon babysit a healthy 2-year-old.” M. Wagner

Birth is an inconvenience to employers, and mothers are expected to get back to work as soon as possible.

Anyone who takes the time to learn about birth, to acknowledge its power in a woman’s life, to honor that childbearing year, is a dirty hippie who’s making something out of nothing. Or worse, they are perverts trying to sensualize birth (as a side note, there are people who do this, but to be clear, not all who respect birth are also those who make birth overly sexual).

“For far too many women pregnancy and birth is something that happens to them rather than something they set out consciously and joyfully to do themselves.” Sheila Kitzinger

Is it any wonder that Postpartum depression is on the rise? Having experienced it myself, I know that stress, life-changes (outside of giving birth–which is a major life change in itself!), distance from support, and a lack of self-care can lead to not only the mental and emotional depravation of the mother, but also the hormonal imbalance which can lead to the more serious aspects of PPD, like suicidal thoughts, abuse, and eating disorders. There is so little respect for the mother in our society, more so when she decides to stay at home for more than 6 weeks after giving birth. Having those expectations of returning to normalcy (what is that??) can place undue stress on the mother, resulting in physical ailments, depression, anxiety, and may also affect the bond with their child.

Physiologically, our bodies MUST heal. Our bodies NEED rest. Resist the modern-day disrespect of birth and embrace this time as one of bonding and connection with your baby. Take the time to nurse, cuddle, rest, heal, and enjoy meeting your new baby. Birth is a big deal. Treat it like a big deal.

While I could go on and on and on about this subject, I do have some homeschooling and laundry to attend to, so I will allow you to proceed to this link, where the author not only shares my sentiments, but also provides practical advice and resources for support in the immediate postpartum period.

And as a conversation-starter for the comments section, what are your thoughts on the subject? Are women getting “back to normal” too quickly? How long should a mother rest and recuperate before getting back into the swing of things? What has your experience been with the immediate postpartum period?

 

Special thanks to Giving Birth Naturally and Before and After the Birth for making it so easy to find the wonderful childbirth quotes!

 

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POTW: Kale!

February 26, 2013 at 4:45 pm (Plant of the Week!)
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No list of healthy foods would be complete if I did not include kale on the list.

This post is actually inspired by–and dedicated to–a former drama director of mine, Robbie Iobst. She is a fellow writer and currently on a health journey of her own. But alas! She does not like kale. ‘Tis a shame, really, since kale is so chock-full of nutrients–and it’s mighty tasty, too!

Kale is all the rage in health-conscious communities, though there are a plethora of other veggies that have similar nutritional make ups (including fellow dark-leafies like chard and collard greens). But kale is versatile, delicious, and comes in multiple varieties.

Kale is rich in Vitamins A, K, and C, and minerals like manganese, calcium, and potassium.  This means that it supports the immune, blood, nervous, and muscular systems.

Most grocery stores only carry a few of the many varieties, but you can grow your own or find a local farming community which might have more varieties. The most common variety seen in stores is “Curly” kale, which looks just as it sounds. It has deep green leaves, which curl at the ends.

Some varieties of kale can be bitter when eaten raw, but when cooked will take on a more sweet, sometimes just plain neutral, taste.

What can you do with kale?

The easier question would be what you can’t do with kale!

Add to soups, stews, and chili.

Add to rice, quinoa, beans, and mashed potatoes.

Massage it with oil and citrus (or vinegar) to make a delicious salad.

Include it in your homemade sauerkraut recipe.

Make kale chips in your dehydrator or oven (I add lemon or lime juice  and chili powder to mine for a zesty, festive taste).

Steam with other greens, or by itself, and add real butter.

Include in stir-fry.

Sautee with peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and onions to eat by themselves, or to add as a topping for steak.

Add to omelets or egg scrambles.

 

 

There truly is no end to what you can do with kale!

 

What have YOU done with kale lately? Care to share any recipes?

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I’ve been meaning to post again…

February 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm (Daily Life and Personal Growth, General Health)
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I’ve been meaning to write another post in the last couple of weeks, but alas! Life got in the way. My work hours were drastically different, one kiddo got sick, then I got sick, now hubby is sick… So it hasn’t been fun. But on the bright side, I have lost two pounds! I know, doesn’t sound like much, especially in comparison to the oodles of weight I’ve lost in the past (60 lbs, 30 lbs). But then again, I am starting at a lower weight, so there isn’t as much to lose–and it’s much harder to lose those final 15 or so pounds when there’s not as much excess… and when I’m neither childless (like when I lost the 60 lbs) or nursing (when I lost the 30 lbs). But I am proud of myself nonetheless, and I consider this a nice start to my gradual decline in weight and incline in overall health.

So what have I been doing?

I joined a diet/exercise site called My Fitness Pal. Most people on that site use it as a calorie counter. But to be honest, excess in calories have not been my problem, especially lately. Even on a day when I don’t pay much attention and eat “at-will”, I still only consume roughly 1500 calories per day. For reference, my Total Daily Energy Expenditure (or, “TDEE”–find yours here) is 1,891 calories when set at a “Sedentary” lifestyle. This means that if I did nothing but sit at a desk (or on a couch) all day, and simply wanted to maintain the weight I am at right now, I would need to consume 1,891 calories. If I want to lose, it’s best to decrease that by no more than 20%, which in my case would be around 1,512. So I’m right on track, I suppose. But if I work out (which I do 5 times a week now), even giving it a low-level exercise rate, I’d still need 2,166 to maintain and 1,732 to lose.

Getting to 1,700 calories a day on mostly organic/natural/unprocessed foods, very minimal grains, and low-starch foods is VERY DIFFICULT! I’m full after 1,400 at the end of the day, and have to work out to build up enough of an appetite to get to maybe 1,550 or 1,600. I find it very interesting to see how much effort I have to put in to actually meet my caloric goal without totally stuffing myself when I’m eating “clean and healthy”. It’s a challenge.

Now why, you may be asking, must I eat so much? I mean, isn’t it best to limit calories as much as possible? Wouldn’t that help you lose weight faster? The short answer is no. It would not. Eating too few calories can cause a drastic metabolic slow-down. Many people have misused the term “starvation mode” to describe a dormant metabolism, so I wanted to clarify that I am NOT talking about “starvation mode”. I’m talking about the body’s “fire” being only embers and not burning anything because it has no fuel to burn. Keeping my fire properly stoked will help to get the most out of my workouts, and will ensure proper burning of excess fat. Not only that, but nutrients from food are best. Yes, I take vitamins to fill in the gaps, but I rely primarily on real food to provide my nutrients. So I need to eat more to get more of those vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients (ie. fats, fiber, etc).

Now, these workouts, I must confess, have not been very extreme. I’ve been doing about 12 minutes on the elliptical (started at 10 mins and plan to gradually increase until I get to about 30 minutes, maybe more if I have time), strength training with resistance bands, yoga, ball exercises, and a little pilates. I also do the Wii Fit on occasion and go on walks when the weather permits. And honestly I’m not sure if I want to do much more than that. I’ve never been one to “love” working out, even at my most active. Not only that, but I’m really not interested in “eating back” my calories burned. It’s hard enough to reach my calorie goal, even when I’m not having to eat even more from working out.

But I do want to continue at least being active in my daily life and working out as much as my temperament will allow. It’s important for bone, joint, and muscle health to keep moving, and at some point in the future, I’d love to take a dance class again. But I don’t want to be so out of shape and inflexible that I totally stink at it. So consider this maintenance for the “someday dance class” that I am hoping we can afford in the future, and general healthy living.

I am going to be laid off soon, which was my own choice (sort of, in that I’m choosing my school schedule over the work schedule they had available, as they did not mesh together). And I’m considering donating plasma to help us get by until I’m done with school (can make up to $200 a month and help save lives!), at which point I’ll seek employment as a CNA. And then I’ll be continuing school on the path to becoming an LPN. Some people have told me that there are not many jobs for LPNs, but when I look at job listings on various sites, I do still see them being advertized. Most positions are for part-time work in a home with someone needing additional care (special needs child, elder care, etc) that a CNA cannot provide, and at a pay grade lower than an RN. That is actually exactly what I would be looking for–something part time, simple, and personal.

I’m not sure there is much more to update about. I think that’s all there is.

So tell me… what have YOU been up to lately? How is your health journey coming along?

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POTW: Celery Root

January 24, 2013 at 4:51 pm (Plant of the Week!)
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Celery Root (also called “Celeriac”), like most root vegetables, is a starchy veggie with a somewhat bitter taste, though it’s decidedly celery. The outer skin of it is quite tough, and usually dirty (and hard to clean, since it’s so bumpy), so I tend to just cut it right off. It can be grated, minced, sliced, diced, chopped, boiled, fried, roasted, stewed, sauteed, and much more!

It is great to add into soups, stews, stir-fries, and any other “mix-it-up” type of meal. This week, I used it in chili, stir-fry, and meatloaf. I still have some left, though I haven’t quite decided what I’ll do with it.

Here are a few more ideas for celery root:

~ Boil and mash along with potatoes

~ Grate into a salad (even tuna salad!)

~ Fry in butter to go along with eggs (in place of hash browns)

~ Dehydrate and salt to make chips

~ Pickle (raw ferment) with cabbage, cucumbers, ginger, beets, turnips, onion…. and anything else you can pickle!

~ Dice and saute to mix into your eggs (or add to quiche!)

Have YOU tried this veggie? What did you think? How did you use it?

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Plant of the Week (New Series!)

January 15, 2013 at 6:37 pm (Plant of the Week!)
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Over the past year or two that I have been more deeply exploring nutrition and food in general, I’ve discovered a few new veggies, fruit, and herbs. I’d really like to share some of these lesser-known goodies with you, so you can explore new tastes and textures in your food without feeling intimidated by new produce.

Those who begin the journey to health soon find themselves looking beyond the norm of salad, and start to explore a whole new world of vegetation. This exploration most often begins with something like kale. Being a dark, leafy green, it is nutrient-dense and very versatile. You can massage it into a salad, toss it into stir-fry, or steam it like spinach. But many times explorers stop there, and don’t venture into, for instance, the many varieties of kale, nor do they go beyond that easy and now-familiar vegetable to find other amazing plants like….

Kohlrabi!

Kohlrabi is our plant of the week. It is an oddly-shaped member of the cabbage family, with a bulbous base and long stems with soft leaves. The tops taste like cabbage; the bottom tends to taste like broccoli stems. The base will need to be peeled, as the skin is quite tough and not pleasant to chew.

What I Did:

Tonight, I steamed the base and tops, along with carrots, kale, and celery. It’s a tasty side to my gluten-free fried chicken (I also roasted potatoes with herbs as the starch).

Other Ideas:

~ Use the tops in place of cabbage for stews, colcannon, or to top your fish tacos.

~ Chop the base and use in stir-fry, chili, or cream of broccoli soup.

~ Wash and chop the leaves finely; add to salad.

~ Boil the chopped base along with potatoes and blend into mashed potatoes.

~ Roast, along with other veggies (like onion, bell pepper, and carrots) with olive oil, vinegar, and spices.

~ Juice it! Blend into a green smoothie!

Have YOU tried kohlrabi before? How did you like it? What did you do with it?

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