My husband and I started having babies as soon as we got married. When we got married I weighed around 150 pounds ( I am 5’7″). I was 23 when my first baby was born, and I suffered terrible Hyperemesis (a condition of severe nausea, vomiting and dehydration), I was in the hospital several times for dehydration. My OB GYN was a sweet little Indian lady whose philosophy was “fatter the better, take it easy, no exercise”. Granted, first babies are typically the biggest, but, eating a pint of brownie fudge ice cream didn’t help either. I had gained 70 pounds with my first baby, and she came along at a nice 9lbs 8 oz . After she was born, I lost 20 pounds, and then gained ANOTHER 70 lbs when my second baby came around 18 months later. I was a well rounded size 18 for quite a while.
Over the course of 3 years, I had lost the weight and gotten down to a slim 165 (not far from my goal weight). Then SURPRISE! Baby #3 was coming and my new OB (we had moved to a different state) told me to only gain 20 pounds… when I asked her how to do that she said… “just don’t eat very much”. But I was HUNGRY all the time, especially in that last trimester, I remember longing for the days when I didn’t have to eat every 2 hours! I had become a runner in my 3 years between babies, and exercised a lot. I had figured out that exercise helps with morning sickness and if I could keep my blood sugar steady even in the night, my morning sickness wouldn’t be so terrible. I decided to buy Oreo’s and eat three or four in the middle of the night, and another handful in the morning before I got up. This would only spike my blood sugar, rather than keeping it nice and even. By the time we received news of baby #4 arriving soon, I had discovered that almonds helped more than Oreo’s at stabilizing blood sugar.
When, our son Admiral was 3 months old, I discovered Trim Healthy Mama. I had started this way of eating and managed to loose the baby weight – about 30 pounds. When he was just over a year, we decided we wanted to try for baby #5. That was the best pregnancy ever, because I had been a Trim Healthy Mama for a while, I could effectively manage my hyperemesis, and that pregnancy I had only gained 20 pounds ( and even lost 5 pounds right at the end) … and my doctor was IMPRESSED!
It is true , that each woman and each pregnancy is different, this is my story. Some women need to gain 20 pounds – that’s great! . Some women need to gain 30 and that’s alright! Some only need to gain 10 and that’s OK too! That is what is wonderful about Trim Healthy Mama. It helps you be your best you for yourself and your baby. Its real food, no special pills, shakes, supplements required (although, some are just helpful and fun).
THM TIPS for pregnancy:
1: Collagen is your best friend – Keeping your blood sugar at a nice even level is key to keeping morning sickness under control. I would make myself a cup of coffee ( I limit myself to 1 cup of coffee a day) first thing with collagen and sip on it until the nausea went away long enough to eat real food! I like to order this one from Amazon, it is the best bang for your buck and dissolves nicely with no clumps.
2. Exercise when you can. Exercise is good for mom and her growing baby. Don’t over do it, you don’t have to run a mile everyday, just take some nice brisk walks to help keep morning sickness under control and weight gain down.
3. Lara Bars – They are a great crossover snack to stash in your purse or your car to have on hand. The extra fiber helps keep you from getting constipated. Just pair with a nice hot drink and some collagen to make sure you get enough protein.
4. Eggs and sprouted toast- This was the best thing for me when I was pregnant. I usually needed an S helper or crossover breakfast. Eggs were perfect because the thought of meat made my stomach turn. I think I ate this meal every day, its quick and easy and great for balancing blood sugar.
5. Drink plenty of water – everyone says this right? Its so true though that hydration keeps the nausea away. You could add some lemon or berries to the water, or you could add some baobab and stevia for a nice boost of vitamin C. I like this for some added electrolytes (Beyond Raw Chemistry Labs Electrolytes)
6. Good Girl Moonshine – something about the Apple Cider Vinegar helps control nausea and keep your electrolytes up. If you add the Ginger you get the added benefit for nausea.
7. Kefir – Oh how I love kefir. It is amazing and loaded with calcium, probiotics and folic acid, which is super important for a growing baby. Its a great drink to have before bed, because it has some protein too.
8. Secret Big Boy Smoothies – Found in the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook, these shakes have a secret ingredient that help you get plenty of veggies ( mainly okra) that are loaded in folic acid and a great alternative when you have an upset stomach.
9. Cross Overs are your friend – Its OK to have 1 or 2 cross overs during pregnancy. Your body needs the carbs fat and protein. So don’t feel guilty, the time for separating fuels will come, but no is the time to relax and enjoy.
10. NEVER RUN OUT OF CHOCOLATE – This is just plain common sense when you having raging hormones, for the love of your HUSBAND- don’t run out of chocolate!
Live. Love. Sisters. 