Life after a caesarean section
Our world is arranged in such a way that a person must overcome many difficulties during his life, especially this applies to ...
Every woman in her life has had or will have a moment when she begins to be proud of her rounded figure, forgets about regular measurements of her waist and hips, and proudly wears her tummy. Of course, this is the magical state of pregnancy.
It was during these nine months that I practically did not get upset about weight gain, because everyone around me said that it should be so. True, sometimes sad thoughts visited, they say, what will happen to my figure after childbirth, and I began to prepare my husband for possible metamorphoses with annoying questions: “What happens if I get better after giving birth? Will you fall in love with me? I have a predisposition! My husband only smiled, hugged me and said that even with the extra kilos he would need me, but he clarified that I would still have to go to fitness.
And here is the happiest day of our lives. Our son was born. The first month passed like a dream, because in our house the little general took his place of honor and immediately began to give out instructions, if not clear, but. And behind them there was no time, not only to stand on the scales, but even to look at oneself in the mirror.
When I nevertheless measured my weight, it turned out that I practically did not add, and even dropped a couple of kilos.
This is not a miracle - this is properly organized nutrition
Such a result then seemed to me a real miracle. "How could this happen? After all, everyone says that after giving birth, well, you will definitely get better. Yes, and my mother, unfortunately, lost her slender shape after my birth.- I was perplexed and attracted to unraveling the secret of how not to get better after childbirth, all household members.
And my sister opened my eyes to what was happening, who said one simple phrase: “And how can you get better from what you are eating now?”
Therefore, dear current and future mothers, perhaps you should heed my advice so as not to get better after childbirth. There will not be so many of them, but I hope they will all be useful, because they are based on a careful attitude to the well-being of you and your baby, and even more so if you are breastfeeding him. And also get acquainted with the advice of our author on the website "Sunny Hands" on how to lose weight after childbirth, in the article "Effective tips on how to lose weight after childbirth".
Tip number 2. Many say that thanks to a bun with butter and nuts, you can increase the fat content of milk. This is also an erroneous opinion, I did not abuse fatty foods, they were practically absent in the diet (and this allowed me not to recover after childbirth), and my milk was very fatty.
Tip number 3. The first three months after giving birth, and preferably half a year, it would be better if you did not allow yourself to eat an extra piece of fatty meat, a bun or a cream cake. These products, just like a large amount of sugar, can cause colic in the baby (but this is provided that you are breastfeeding). Although in fact, it is better to lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right always. After all, a healthy diet is the basis of your harmony, youth and beauty. Be sure to read the healthy eating tips at the link.
Tip #4. In order not to get better after childbirth, drink dried fruit compote! This drink will help your body recover from stressful situations. And doctors even offer to deal with the normalization of the acid-base balance with the help of such a compote.
Tip #5. We steam, cook, bake in order not to get better after childbirth! It is this method of cooking all dishes that is considered the most acceptable for the body of your baby and, of course, yours. At first, you can start to act up: “Everything in my life has already changed, I don’t understand anything, and now I’ll have to give up my favorite fried chops!” Of course, for the first couple of days you will jealously look at the plates of your relatives, in which either a fried piece of meat or scrambled eggs may appear. But in a week you will be indifferent to these dishes, and in a month you will enjoy healthy, healthy, and no less tasty food.
Tip #6. More cereals, less potatoes! It is cereals, and in particular, rice and buckwheat, that will be a good help and source of useful trace elements, without extra calories and fats.
After reading these tips, many mothers who have not been lucky enough to experience the full benefits of breastfeeding will say: “Well, what should we do so as not to get better after childbirth?” And I will answer that it is the same. After all, these tips are not a prescription for a patient that a doctor writes out, but an excellent method to cleanse your body, add strength and saturate it with vitamins. Also, many people may really like this menu, and it will become the main one in the home kitchen for many years. And I also recommend you an article on how to properly express breast milk.
Physical activity is also needed
Of course, some young mothers can lose up to 10 kilos from their previous prenatal weight. Most often this happens in the first four months of a baby's life. This is also possible because a lot of strength and energy goes into milk production. But I also noticed from my own example and the example of my friends that from the moment when the baby went to the fifth month, nursing mothers begin to gain weight.
When I saw on the scales that the rapid drop in my weight had stopped, I fell into despair: "That's it, the fairy tale is over, goodbye to almost perfect forms". Hands fell, but as it turned out, everything was not so bad: the return of the hated centimeters can be avoided if physical education is added to a healthy diet.
Many will say that physical activity is contraindicated for nursing mothers, but this is also a myth. As evidence for myself and annoying advisers, I determined the following fact: our great-grandmothers and grandmothers were engaged in physical labor all day long and at the same time managed to feed their children. So sport in moderate doses is not contraindicated, but even very useful.
About everything in order.
Dance in the morning!
Did the sleepless night make itself felt? This is not scary, because all the same, mom should always be in a good mood and tone. Turn on the music and just dance. Believe me, it will cheer up not only you, but also amuse the baby. The accuracy of movements is not important here, time is also not limited. I dance for 15-20 minutes with breaks to make up the bed and take my son off the potty. And such dances in the morning helped me not get better after giving birth. And about how to do everything with a small child and at the same time take care of yourself, read the article by Natalia Maksimova on our website "Sunny Hands" "How to do everything with a small child."
Gymnastics with kids!
You no longer know how to entertain your child, then just right to involve him in joint gymnastics.
Exercise #1
We put the child in our arms and like a barbell, and raise and lower it up and down. Do 3-5 times. And the hands will be in shape, and the chest will not sag, and the baby will just laugh. You can also squat with him on your hands, then you get a double load on your legs.
Exercise #2
Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees. We sit the baby on our stomach, hold it by the handles and begin to lift the pelvis up. You can do 3-4 calls 5 times each.
Exercise #3
Lie on your back, stretch your legs. We put the child on his feet. Then we tear off the body from the floor, rise and lean towards the baby. It turns out a wonderful game of "coo-coo"!
Today I continue to gradually lose my weight, feed the baby with ruddy and dance with him in the morning. While I have enough enthusiasm and desire for this, I hope this will be the case in the next 5-10 years or more.
Dear mothers, in any case, you are beautiful and worthy of only compliments and the best words, and taking care of your figure is necessary not for others, but for your loved ones. For some of you, my advice may be the ideal formula, and someone may criticize them. But do not be afraid to search and experiment, everything is in your hands!
Sincerely, Oksana Gordeeva
Every new mother, of course, wants to look attractive and slim. Often this is hindered by the extra weight that remains after the birth of a child. However, there is a small category of women who are preoccupied with a completely opposite problem: childbirth causes a restructuring of their body, and the kilograms gained during pregnancy go away much faster than we would like. This is also facilitated by constant overwork and stressful situations inevitably associated with caring for a child. Excessive thinness does not paint anyone, and in such a situation, you need to look for effective ways to restore normal weight.
There are a number of reasons that cause a woman to lose weight quickly after giving birth. And some of them are completely natural.
Caring for a baby, along with household chores and chronic sleep deprivation, lead to inevitable weight loss Breastfeeding naturally contributes to weight loss Often weight loss is a consequence of postpartum depression
Delicious and high-calorie drink that helps to gain weight
Many young mothers suffer from lack of appetite. There are various ways to solve this problem:
An apple eaten shortly before the main meal stimulates the appetite
Such a diet must be followed constantly, and a woman will be able to see the first results 2-3 weeks after the start of such a diet.
If a thin mother wants to get appetizing forms as soon as possible, then you can try the following popular recipes.
These foods should be eaten daily, several times a day.
In addition, it is useful for a young mother who wants to get better to keep a diary where the number of daily calories consumed should be recorded. This allows you to analyze your diet and, if necessary, increase it (this is easy to do by eating, for example, a handful of nuts every day or seasoning different dishes with olive oil).
One more important point should not be forgotten: it is better that the calories turn not into fat, but into muscle mass (then the body will be beautiful and the skin toned). To do this, a young mother should devote at least a minimum of time to sports: if it is not possible to go to the gym, then you can do simple exercises with dumbbells at home. During training, the body needs more liquid: let it be not water, but milkshakes or juices. In addition, muscles grow from protein foods (meat, fish, legumes, nuts).
You can even do exercises at home with your baby
Since sometimes the cause of a sharp weight loss of a young mother is postpartum depression, weight restoration should begin with the normalization of the woman's mental state.
A mild degree of depression can be overcome on your own with the obligatory help of close people, first of all, a loving and caring husband. First of all, a young mother must understand that this state is temporary and set herself up only for positive emotions.
The husband can ease the household chores of a young mother, for example, calm the baby at night and put him to bed
If depression worsens over time (complicated by insomnia, nightmares, suicidal thoughts, etc.) and you cannot overcome it on your own, then you should not delay a visit to a psychotherapist. After all, such a condition can develop into psychosis and become dangerous for the health of a young mother and baby. The doctor will help the woman to relax, remove fears and anxieties. In the arsenal of modern specialists, there are many means for this: psychoanalysis, hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, etc. You can attend such sessions with your spouse.
In severe cases, a psychotherapist may prescribe antidepressants or sedatives to the young mother. And here we will talk about stopping breastfeeding.
If excessive postpartum weight loss is caused by medical problems, then a doctor (endocrinologist or gastroenterologist, depending on the disease) will provide qualified assistance to the woman. So, in case of thyroid dysfunction, a young mother is prescribed long-term treatment with hormone therapy. At the same time, modern drugs that help fight hypo- and hyperthyroidism are quite compatible with breastfeeding, and sometimes even increase milk production.
Although there are not so many women who lose weight excessively after childbirth, nevertheless, they are worried about their condition. If weight loss is not accompanied by a deterioration in general health, then you should not panic: body weight is likely to recover on its own after breastfeeding is completed (and this process will be accelerated by high-calorie nutrition and good rest), but in some cases, a young mother needs the help of a specialist - an endocrinologist , gastroenterologist or psychotherapist.
Weight gain up to 12 kg is considered normal. After the birth of the baby, these kilograms usually disappear. However, if the expectant mother has gained more weight, it will be more difficult to get rid of it.
Contributes to weight gain nutrition of a pregnant woman. Very often, she does not particularly restrict herself in food, up to making nightly forays to the refrigerator.
A huge role is played by the increased production of female sex hormones. After childbirth, they do not return to normal immediately, but after a few weeks. At the same time, appetite remains elevated, which is why it is so difficult to control weight.
An important place in the question of the state of the figure is occupied by the activity of the thyroid gland. If you follow the rules of a healthy diet, weight gain may indicate postpartum autoimmune thyroiditis.
Some women eat sugary stress. The exciting expectation of a child, childbirth, the recovery stage greatly deplete the body. The situation is aggravated by constant lack of sleep and postpartum depression. At the same time, sweets and chocolates become a life-saving remedy for a separate category of women.
After giving birth, a woman leads a sedentary lifestyle for several weeks. If this does not reduce the number of calories consumed, the excess will be deposited in subcutaneous fat.
To make it easier to moderate the appetite after the birth of a child, it must be kept under control even during the bearing of the fetus. It is better to quench my thirst with water, tea without sugar, diluted juice. Useful inulin-containing drink from chicory. It helps to reduce blood sugar levels, which prevents its transformation into fats.
Dairy products should preferably be low-fat or low-fat. Milk and kefir should not have a fat content higher than 2%, cottage cheese - 5%, sour cream - 18%.
You should limit the use of seasonings, hot spices, salt, marinades, smoked meats, as they increase appetite. It is recommended to include lean meats, fish, light cheeses, low-carb fruits and vegetables in the diet. Eating should be frequent, but in small portions.
Sleep should be at least 8 hours a day. This will help to defeat the depressive state, and hence the craving for sweets.
In the first time after childbirth, active sports are not welcome. But you can do aerobics with a gradually increasing load at home. Fat burning exercises such as tilts and turns of the body, shallow squats, lunges with legs. In addition, hiking in the fresh air is useful.
Very often, young mothers after childbirth are faced with the problem of excess weight. And it can be extremely difficult to get rid of these unnecessary kilograms in the future. In general, weight gain is quite natural. During pregnancy, the body accumulates the reserves it needs, which later help to grow and give birth to a strong baby. Well, it will take time to restore the former figure.
The answer to our question must be sought even in the period. Doctors note that during this period, “acquiring” extra 15 kilograms is the norm. Graceful young mothers are more likely to gain more than girls with a denser physique. During pregnancy, a large percentage of the kilograms gained is the weight of the fetus and amniotic fluid, as well as the uterus and placenta. In the body of the expectant mother, the volume of blood and intercellular fluid increases.
There are times when pregnant women gain more than normal. This is due to the restructuring of hormones, as well as as a result of overeating and self-indulgence. Sometimes a woman may feel that she should eat as much as possible. But in fact, it is worth consuming 300 calories more than normal. If the expectant mother had a lack of weight before pregnancy, then 800 calories should be added to the norm.
Remember that overweight mothers have a greater risk of having a baby with a pathology, and excessive weight can cause diabetes. Also, if a woman gains a lot in size after the first birth, this may affect subsequent pregnancies. There is a high probability that they will pass with complications. Doctors also advise adhering to the norm of gaining kilograms, and because their excess can cause varicose veins. A large baby may also be born, which will increase the risk of complications during childbirth.
A woman who has given birth immediately loses about 5 kilograms in weight, and over the next few days, she still gets rid of three, this is due to a decrease in the volume of intracellular fluid. But this does not guarantee that a woman will return to her usual weight. It will take a couple of years to regain its former harmony. The remaining excess kilograms that remain in the body are needed by the body during lactation. When a young mother monitors nutrition and feeds her child, then in six months she can lose up to 7 kilograms more.
Women who stop breastfeeding are able to lose weight much faster. To do this, you need to follow a diet and exercise. But remember that you can not lose weight too quickly. The balance of hormones after childbirth is restored slowly, and it takes a couple of years to return to normal.
Often young mothers have a question: "Why does a woman gain weight and not lose it during the feeding period?". Experts attribute this to the consumption of large amounts of food and a sedentary lifestyle.
During pregnancy, the body gets used to eating more than usual, and in the future continues to require an additional portion of food. Sometimes relatives can also “help” in acquiring excess weight, slipping high-calorie food to mommy, so that the baby will receive more useful substances through milk in the future.
A woman who has given birth completely changes her usual way of life and does not even have time to just do gymnastics at home, not to mention visiting the gym. Therefore, they accumulate, and it is no longer possible to get rid of them without effort.
Another reason why a woman gains weight after childbirth is postpartum neuroendocrine syndrome, popularly known as postpartum obesity. It is caused by the fact that the level of some hormones in the body rises, and vice versa, it decreases in others. Often this syndrome appears in women who gave birth with complications. Such obesity is accompanied not only by the rapid addition of new kilograms, but also by a malfunction in the menstrual cycle. Blood pressure also rises, headaches appear and the temperature rises. In the process of treatment, diet therapy, normalized physical activity and medications are used.
It happens that a young mother begins to sharply limit herself in food while breastfeeding. This should not be done, as the child may feel a lack of protein. But you should not go to the other extreme, and try to consume as much fat as possible in order to increase the fat content of milk.
The female body is designed in such a way that the composition of breast milk is optimal for the baby, it should not be “improved” artificially. All fatty foods consumed in the future will "settle" on the hips and waist. Therefore, it is necessary that the diet includes vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products. It is necessary to try to exclude sugar and confectionery. Ideally, if a young mother eats small portions, as often and regularly as possible.
You should not use any pills or tea for weight loss after childbirth. They have not been fully investigated and it is not known how they will affect the child, having got to him with milk. If the birth went without problems, then you can safely start charging after a couple of days. This will help you recover faster.
After examining why a woman gains weight after childbirth, experts advise adhering to a few simple rules for nutrition.
About excess weight during pregnancy almost every woman experiences.
And there are even those who, out of fear of losing their figure, refuse to have children at all.
However, you should not be so afraid of being overweight during pregnancy.
After all, as a rule, after childbirth, a woman returns to her weight.
But provided that she ate rationally and healthy food.
It is important for pregnant women to remember about weight, because women who gain a lot of weight during pregnancy are at risk of developing diabetes and hypertension.
And some gynecologists also argue that overweight pregnant women give birth to large babies, and therefore childbirth is more difficult. But in practice this is not always confirmed. And it may very well be that a full woman will give birth to a small child.
It is especially important to eat right in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all the baby's organs are laid. During this period, the woman's body should receive a sufficient amount of proteins and vitamins. In no case should you force yourself to eat for two.
It is a myth that a pregnant woman needs to eat twice as much. In fact, women's bodies do not need extra calories during the first 6 months of pregnancy. In the last trimester, she needs about 200 extra calories, when the baby is growing most intensively.
And 200 calories is 1 large banana or 83 grams of dried apricots, or 33 grams of nuts, or 2 toast with butter, or a small baked potato in a jacket with cheese.
In order not to get better during pregnancy, do not eat fatty and fried meat, pork. Replace it with boiled chicken, turkey and rabbit meat - these varieties are rich in protein.
Include sea and red fish in your diet, it contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus. Very nutritious and healthy foods during pregnancy - milk, cheese, cottage cheese. Cheese dessert is a great substitute for sweets.
Replace white bread with black or wholemeal bread. If you do not want to gain a lot during pregnancy, sweets and sweets can be replaced with dried fruits and fresh fruits. Keep on hand what is good to eat. For example, peel carrots and apples and put them on a plate, and hide cookies and sweets as far as possible.
But whatever one may say, during pregnancy, I really want to eat something sweet, starchy or spicy, fried. Do not push yourself and limit yourself to loss of consciousness.
If it is already unbearable to endure than to suffer, it is better to eat a little of the desired and forbidden product. But only a little!
It happens that during pregnancy a woman feels severe hunger. It literally looks like you can eat an elephant. And here you, being afraid to harm the figure, begin to limit yourself in food. It is strictly forbidden to starve during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester.
To satisfy your appetite, eat a little, but often, 5-6 times a day. To save yourself from overeating, make it a rule to only eat from the same small plate.
When you eat, do not be distracted by anything, think only about the good and enjoy every bite of food. Experiment with flavors, mix unexpected foods, cook something you've never cooked before.
After eating a little, even if you have not completely satisfied your hunger, take a break for 20 minutes. According to nutritionists, this is how long it takes for the brain to receive a “message” from the stomach about satiety. Eat beautiful food and remember the amount of it, it will also help you eat less.
Do you feel like you are gaining weight? Weigh yourself weekly, and draw conclusions if you have gained more than the average. Write down your weight in the early stages once a month, in the later stages - once every half a month. Your weight should also be monitored by a gynecologist during each review. He will also state his wishes regarding your weight gain.
On average, during pregnancy, a woman should gain 4 kg before the 20th week of pregnancy, during the rest of the period - 0.5 kg weekly. If you "went through" the weight, adjust the diet and consult a doctor.
Hiking for long walks in the fresh air will help you keep your figure during pregnancy. Unless, of course, you are not threatened by varicose veins. Although you can walk with varicose veins, but not for so long. Special gymnastics for pregnant women, fitball exercises, swimming, water aerobics, yoga - all this will help you keep your shape.
At the expense of fluid during pregnancy, there are two diametrically opposed thoughts. Some doctors believe that if a pregnant woman has edema, you can’t drink a lot and you need to strictly limit the amount of drinking to 1 liter. Others, on the contrary, assure that edema is just from a lack of fluid.
If the doctor has not given you separate recommendations in this regard, drink diluted freshly squeezed juices, fruit drinks, herbal and green teas, still water during pregnancy. At the same time, keep an eye on the quality of the water. These drinks will help you cope with a strong feeling of hunger and saturate your body with vitamins.
Nutritionists have long come to the conclusion: if you don’t want to get better during pregnancy, get enough sleep. Because the lack of sleep, the body actively compensates with calories. As a result, wolf hunger and desire to eat foods rich in carbohydrates - that is, bread, sweets and sweets.
If you can’t do it at all and you want to eat up various nasty things - fatty, fried, buttercream cake - then just stop for a minute and think about your baby. The fact that all these harmful things get into his small and not yet formed stomach, settle in the liver and negatively affect his health.