I know I have not blogged for many many weeks . I have had to hit “pause” on some projects to keep up with a healthy pregnancy (#1 priority) and work. I miss blogging and will be back on a more full-time basis again once baby arrives and I get settled into a schedule. I very much want to continue to focus on healthy eating tips to incorporate into any one’s lifestyle, easy recipes as well as keeping up with a pregnancy and “beyond” page. For the past  39 weeks ( I am due Sunday 8/28 )I have been stowing ideas, tips, and things I have learned from my own pregnancy as well as feedback from a lot of moms and moms to be and will share all this with you soon.

For now here are some resources I have found helpful thorughout my pregnancy: 

 Now, this is my first pregnancy and I have not given birth yet but I have enjoyed reading these books and feel very calm, self-assured and positive about my the birth experience to come.

1. Great Expectations: Your All-in-One Resource for Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones – a simple guide which I liked at the beginning to read about all the changes your body is going though – has a nice week by week section and if used this as a resource when I had a cold, headaches etc and found very helpful suggestions (like a nasal flush for nasal congestion)

2. I also signed up for weekly updates via BabyCenter.com – gives you a weekly email of what week pregnancy you are in – again fun to read weekly and I sent to close family members and everyone has loved it

3. Birthing From Within by Pan England and Rob Horowitz - loved loved this book – opened up my mind to think about the birth process. Before reading this I just assumed that if my mom could do it so could I (which is true) but this gave me a deeper understanding of birth, history of birth and what birth encompasses – this is also the book that almost every mom and midwife I have talked with has recommended. It also provides a nice discussion on different types of birth and birth interventions (cesarean, drugs etc).

4. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin – reading this book now. I started reading the 2nd half of the book first (1st half is birth stories) and again an informative look at birth and focus on slightly different aspects than Birthing from Within. Barbara mentioned the “Sphincter Law” from this book in class a few weeks ago. The birth stories are also wonderful to read.

5. Mindful Motherhood by Cassandra Vietan – not a typical pregnancy or motherhood book – the subtitle is “practical tools to staying sane during pregnancy and your child’s first year” great mindfulness exercises, very easy to pick up and read whenever – short chapters and I have found quite helpful with all the life throws at you – pregnancy or not!

6. I also subscribed to Fit Pregnancy Magazine and that has been helpful and fun to flip through. It comes out every other month. I like magazines to casually read here and there, before bed, at the breakfast table etc. Plus the magazine helped me stay motivated to stay active!

I hope some moms and moms to be (as well as partners) find the above resources helpful and please comment on this post if you have books that connected with you during and after pregnancy.

Until next time . . . thank you for reading as always and for your support during this amazing new phase in our lives!!!

I know this is my first pregnancy so I am by no means an expert however, having been talking and being around many pregnant ladies some first time moms-to-be, others on their 2nd or 3rd pregnancy and my own experiences, I wholeheartedly believe staying active is crucial to pregnancy.

For me pregnancy has been wonderful and has kept me very focused on living the healthiest life I can. With that said, eating right, enough and frequently plus staying active while keeping with with a full time job and my nutrition practice and some how finding time to plan for baby is A LOT at times. I will compromise on some things (not having a always tidy home) and not on others (having a good amount of protein at every meal). There are many days I feel like all I do is work, eat, try to squeeze in some physical activity and sleep.

Back to the point at hand – our lives are so busy and you throw in pregnancy it can be overwhelming to try to fit it all in!  Taking 30 minutes to take a walk or an hour to take a yoga class will give you more energy, give your mind a break while your body takes over, and in the end will leave you feeling more capable to keep leading your busy life.

Not to mention pregnancy can be a bit uncomfortable and even painful at times; being active will greatly reduce this discomfort. Plus we are preparing for the biggest physical challenge of our lives – BIRTH – we need to make sure our cardiovascular system is strong, our muscles are ready for all the new challenges that will arrive (car seats, strollers, oodles of baby stuff to lug around ), and our mind is prepared to feel physical discomfort and know how to push through it (no matter how or where we give birth).

All you beautiful pregnant ladies out there – take a 30 minutes to take a walk, talk to your baby, rub your belly, breathe. Try to get some physical activity in 3-5 days a week even if just for 20-30 minutes. The rewards will be amazing and will be felt from your head to your toes including all parts of your little one!

I snack – I have always snacked and when you make snacks healthy and balanced, snacks are an important part of a healthful diet if you are pregnant or not.

If you are pregnant or not – snacks should consist of at least 2 of the 3 macro-nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat). Following this rule will make your snacks more well- rounded nutritionally and provide your body with adequate fuel so you are not “munching” all day (the downfall of snacking). You also want to keep in check that your snack is a snack and not a meal. Everyone needs a different amount of calories so there is no fast rule on how small or large a snack should be but you should feel satisfied not full after it and be energized. If you are not then you are possibly eating too much and not following the first rule I gave you above. Typically my snacks are between 150-300 calories. I focused on snack size more pre-pregnancy and now I focus more on healthy snacks that will sustain me until my next meal – you get crazy hungry when pregnant .

Back to the main rule – having protein, carbs and fat – all three or just 2 out of the 3 in your snacks. When picking carbs focus on fruits, vegetables and minimally processed whole grains – this will give you fiber which will stick with you so you are not ravenous in an hour and searching for more food. Plus snacks are a great opportunity to add more crucial nutrients from fruits and veggies.

Protein will also give your snack staying power and is especially important for pregnancy as well as post workout. Fat – we need healthy fats in our diet and a handful of nuts is a great snack plus provides some protein. When I say fat I mean healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, healthful oils (olive oil) – think hummus made with olive oil and carrots or raw almonds and an apple.

Lastly, we often snack on the run so prepare your snacks ahead of time if you can and have back ups such as nuts in your car. If you need to eat something packaged like a bar find something more “natural” = fewest ingredients such as Lara Bars, Cliff bars etc. Also, find something you like – food should never have to be un-enjoyable .

Here are some of my go-to snacks:

1. Greek yogurt with blueberries (I buy large containers of plain Greek yogurt and put about a cup in a container with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries for my afternoon snack - sometimes I add iron-fortified cereal now that I am pregnant and need lots of iron).
2. String cheese and fruit – string cheese can go anywhere and doesn’t have to be refrigerated for the day – add a piece of fruit and you have an awesome, easy, cheap snack.
3. Nuts and fruit (watch out for salted nuts and watch portion sizes – I like to keep a handful of nuts in a container in my purse)
4. Sandwich thin with almond butter and jam – a larger snack – can be great before a workout or if you had an early lunch and won’t be eating for awhile – sandwich thins are full of fiber and are less calories than regular bread. Can also leave out the jelly to help cut calories and sugar.
5. Lara Bars – these are all natural and only made of fruit and nuts. Since I have been pregnant I always keep 1 or 2 in my purse in case I need an extra snack or didn’t have time to make a snack at home. Sometimes I add a string cheese for more protein.
6. Muffins-can make on the weekend and use them as snacks all week –  my fav recipes – Nutritious Oat Bran Muffins & Blueberry Protein-Packed Muffins
7. All Natural Energy Balls- make with any nut butter – also satisfy a sweet tooth since they have some chocolate in them!

When snacking and throughout the day remember to drink lots of water. We can confuse hunger with thirst so when we munch all day long we may be thirsty! (Proper hydration is also critical for pregnancy so drink up mamas!)

You hear about moms-to-be getting “nesting” obsessed and it has officially hit . I am a planner normally and now that the little one is on the way I am a little obsessed figuring out what we really need and getting his nursery all set up. After being lucky enough to have 2 showers thrown for me, we do have lots of stuff – mainly the big items like the car seat, stroller, crib which is AWESOME.

Now I am figuring out what reusable diapers to get and how to budget etc. I am trying to balance what I think I will need from talking to moms and what we can get as we go. Ideally, I don’t want to have to go anywhere the 1st several weeks after my baby boy arrives. I am the type of person who is perfectly content not leaving the house for the weekends so I can definitely foresee how I will be content not leaving for awhile after giving birth!

Once I try out products I will give feedback so stay tuned for that. Until then I am going to try to make more recipes but last weekend I wanted to make the Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Herbs and Blueberry Protein-Packed Muffins but I ended up going to a baby consignment sale and picking up an Arm’s Reach mini co-sleeper gently used and 1/2 price (yeah!) along with some other needed baby items. Then I finished out my weekend with a stack of thank you notes for the baby showers and organizing the nursery (I even read the baby books I have received to the little one – just to practice ). I also got in a 40 minute swim which felt great for a 6 month prego lady!  And this weekend we are going to a wedding and then on Sunday is our 7 year wedding anniversary ♥ and we are going to tour the birth center at Foothills Community Hospital in Boulder, CO. So, not sure how far I will get on recipes again!

Almost every weekend I have been making Healthy French Toast which is always amazing – love the dollop of Greek yogurt, loads of blueberries and crunchy walnuts.

Well, just a update for today and more on the way soon . . . I am trying to be more mindful with my pregnancy and take things day by day – thank you for reading as always

My husband, Will who is a psychotherapist that specializes in couples and family therapy writes a blog about varying “life” topics called thoughts from a therapist. He wrote the other day about his top 7 health tips which I think are great (think he picked up a lot from me over the years ), practical and easy to follow. Plus I love that they come from a male perspective and someone who is very active and loves cheese more than anyone I know!

Here is the post – Enjoy!

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Quick summary: My wife, Franziska Bishop, is a Master’s level nutritionist who writes a really awesome nutrition blog www.justalittlechocolate.com . For this post I am going to be brief and quickly tell you 7 tricks that I have picked up from my wife that have been immensely beneficial to my ability to maintain optimal health.

1.) Drink a full glass of water before you eat… better yet try and drink water with regularity.

• When you drink a full glass of water before you eat you will feel full faster… you are therefore far less likely to overeat… and most people are not drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated anyway.
• This is also a great rule for people who drink too much alcohol… drink a pint of water for every beverage that you consume (note: don’t over drink liquid… you can die from drinking too much liquid). This will help with hangovers, will increase the oxygen in your blood, and should help limit your intake.

 2.) Wait ten minutes before going to get seconds. If you are full… stop eating.

• There is a delay between when you are full and when you feel full… often when you wait ten minutes you will find that you are full and do not want or need to eat more.

 3.) Avoid diets that are too dramatic and encourage you to give up all of your favorite foods… make your nutrition goals realistic… starting with small achievable goals will help in building up the momentum and motivation which accompanies success.

• Firstly, it is not necessary to give up all the food that you like to be healthy… write down your favorite foods and try eliminating the foods that are not particularly important to you… keep your favorite food and enjoy with moderation.
• Second, If you set up a goal that is unrealistic you are more likely to fail… failing makes you less likely to believe in yourself the next time you set a nutrition goal = you become even more likely to fail. If you set yourself up for success you will increase your hope and your motivation.
• If your diet is too much of a sacrifice than you will be unlikely to maintain the diet… you might get fast results but you are likely to lose those result rather quickly.

 4.) Eat a piece of fruit when you need a snack… if you need more food after the fruit then you can consider a bit more.

• (This one was the hardest for me and was probably the most helpful… I will eat an apple or an orange as an after dinner snack (if hungry)… I never need more even though I crave cereal or cheese bread before I eat the fruit.)

 5.) Eat a little something about every 3 or 4 hours to keep you metabolism going. Eating small meals with greater frequency is better than large meals with less frequency.

• Fasting turns your metabolism off… eating less frequently therefore will be counter productive to your weight loss goals.
• Think of your metabolism like a fire… if you keep that fire lively and really cooking it will be better able to burn up anything that you put into that fire.

 6.) Have a salad with dinner.

• We use my mothers very simple salad dressing = olive oil, rice wine vinegar, and Lawry’s salt.

 7.) If you make your food at home it will likely have fewer calories and will likely be healthier for you.

• Restaurant portions are huge.
• It is advantageous for restaurants to use too much salt and fat (oils butter etc) as the fats aid in clean up (an oily frying pan is easy to clean) and flavor and the salt also aids in flavor and it encourages the consumption of beverages that the restaurant will gladly sell to you.

 Do these tricks with consistency for one month and they will become a habit.

Do these tricks sound all that hard to do?

I work out 4-5 times a week and basically use just the nutrition tips above… works for me and those who know me would not label me as having a restrictive relationship with food. Read more at http://www.thoughtsfromatherapist.com/

I some how came down with a either food poisoning or some virus . All Thursday night and Friday I was sick in bed with stomach cramps and you don’t want to know the rest! I am finally back on the mend the last couple days but dealing with frequent heartburn which is annoying

If you are pregnant and struggling with any flu like symptoms remember to stay hydrated and call your doctor or midwife if you can not keep anything down for more than 24 hours (also watch our for diarrhea which is also very dehydrating). Dehydration is a huge problem with any flu like situation but is that much more of an issue with pregnancy since fluid requirements go up with pregnancy due to increased blood volume etc. I tried to drink as much water as possible but knew I was not getting enough so sent Will out to get me some Pedialyte. Now, it’s not the tastiest stuff but put it on ice and its not too bad and did make me feel better – less fuzzy and disoriented feeling. I also like to use a straw when I am sick – can drink beverages easier in bed and I can take little sips more often. Maybe colored strays also makes me feel like a sick kid being taken care of by their mommy .

As for the heartburn – that is another symptom of pregnancy associated with increased progesterone produced to relax the smooth muscles of your uterus but also relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach allowing more gastric acids to back up. Progesterone also relaxes the wave-like contractions in your digestive system – this slows down digestion and can also lead to constipation. As the baby grows he/she will also put pressure on your stomach further releasing more acid into your esophagus. So, you can see why heartburn (also called acid reflux or acid indigestion) can be an issue!

If you have problems at night try not to snack right before bed – I know telling a pregnancy lady not to eat is cruel or better yet use an extra pillow to prop yourself up a bit in bed. My doctor gave me a list that also says Tums, Zantac 75 and Pepcid AC are also safe to take. I have tried Tums and Zantac 75 and they offered some relief but not complete relief. I hear Pepcid AC works well so that will be my next try. I am not big into taking meds so I usually wait until I am totally fed up and very uncomfortable but when my heartburn in interfering with eating and feeding my little boy than I am thinking a little ant-acid is not a big deal.

You can also try to figure out if you have any trigger foods such as carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, acidic foods, and highly seasoned foods. However, you want to eat a variety of foods especially when pregnant and don’t want to cut out citrus for example – oranges are high in vitamin C and calcium which are both crucial during pregnancy. Do try to identify your triggers and if they contain a lot of foods that are good for you then try to limit the portion not eliminate from your diet and mix with other foods to help digest. Also, try to eat smaller meals and avoid lots of liquids at meals. And do yourself a favor and don’t wear restricting clothes – let that belly out!

I found out the last couple days that if you take the joy of food away from a pregnant lady – she is not fun!  So, I am eating yogurt, taking probiotics, sticking with my regular breakfast (eggs, cream of wheat with raisins and calcium-fortified OJ – to provide a pick hit of protein, iron and calcium) to start the day off right and gentle on my system.  (Side note – I was in rush the other morning so had toast with mozzarella and a big glass of OJ with whey protein powder – too much citrus in the OJ – my regular 8 oz is just right; so when you make little changes and don’t feel right take note!)

Here is a guest post from a friend, new mom and massage therapist, Rebecca Kanov. I asked her to blog about the benefits of massage while pregnant (and for anyone). Enjoy

I have been a massage therapist for 12 years, a movement therapist for 4 years, and a mom for almost two. One of my favorite things during my pregnancy was receiving bodywork. I have worked on pregnant women for most of my massage career, and it wasn’t until I was pregnant, was I able to reap the benefits.  

The moment you conceive, your energy and body awareness shifts and your focus becomes more internal. As a pregnant mom, I became constantly aware of every little movement and new growth in my body.  It was satisfying to have a therapist mirror and support this growth, as well as encourage the expansion that was occurring.  I had minimal pain and soreness throughout my pregnancy, and had an easy delivery.

As your baby and uterus grow, your pelvis literally stretches from the inside in preparation for delivery.  A lot of women experience low back pain due to this expansion.  Your center of gravity shifts, your hamstrings become tighter, and your neck and shoulders struggle to keep your body standing up straight! All of this going on….and you have to prepare for the new life entering your home!

Massage not only relieves tired musculature, it also heps increase flexibility in your joints and tendons – which are becoming more and more stretched with the ever increasing bump!  As your energy shifts with the growing life inside you – pregnant women struggle to remain clearheaded and grounded, aka “Pregnancy Brain,” which further leads into “Mom Brain!”  Massage helps your body remain grounded and balanced with your growing babe.  

I kept a journal throughout my pregnancy, and updated it after each bodywork session.  The images that came into my consciousness during my session were extremely useful during labor.  As I mentioned before, I had an easy labor.  It was long, as many first labors are, and I labored at home for about 12 hours before going to the hospital.  Contractions are no joke, and I did have an epidural prior to delivering. BUT! I was able to use my breath and imagery – much of the same experience during massage, for those 15 hours prior to the drugs. I had a very easy recovery too – not too sore from pushing, and home from the hospital under 48 hrs post-delivery.

Following the birth of my son, I received massage weekly to help my body re-acclimate with itself.  Massage is almost more important for new moms to help the body recover from labor.  There is a transition process from carrying this little being inside your body for 10 months (its really 10 months, not 9), to holding it in your arms.  Your energy again shifts, your focus is now completely external, and it is easy to forget about how YOU are feeling, because you are so entirely focused on your little babe!! Now, 16 months later, massage still reminds me to take care of myself, and it is essential that I stay grounded and healthy to be 100% there for baby.

So, all your prego mommies out there get massage. All of you mommies out there, get massage, too! Don’t neglect your physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies,  so you can stay 100% healthy and present for your little ones.

In health and wellness,

                                        Rebecca Kanov, MS DTR CMT

                                        movement therapist / massage therapist / mom to Caleb

                                        Cell: 646-369-6077

                                        Email: rebecca.kanov@gmail.com

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Please let me know if you have questions regarding massage during pregnancy and post-delivery. If you would like to schedule a session, mention Franziska or “just a little chocolate” and you will receive $10 off a 60 or 90 minute session with me or free 30 minutes on top of a 60 minute massage and $10 off for mommas for Mother’s Day ♥!

There are several reasons I have not been good about blogging lately – the main one how busy I have been and trying to balance work and staying healthy as possible (getting adequate sleep, exercise, food) while pregnant.

I did not think pregnancy would impact this as much as it has as I am still  focused, if not more so, on wellness however I can not push myself as much to get in a workout or try a new recipe and have been more focused on balancing fitness, eating enough and well, and resting when my body tells me to rest. I cannot in my right mind push myself to get up at 6 am for a workout if I did not get a good nights’ rest – no more catching up on sleep in on the weekend . Basically, my body is a bit less forgiving (or rather busy doing other things ) and I am listening intently as to not get run down, sick, exhausted – I am not longer thinking of just me .

So, I am going to go back to my format of writing what I am thinking about and experiencing and it will often be pregnancy related. However, the main thing I am experiencing with my first pregnancy is the art of balance – something we all work on daily. A priority can be non-negotiable – mine is my baby that I am growing to be the healthiest he can be – what is your non-negotiable goal?

Most of us know someone who is pregnant so pass this blog their way and maybe you have children, are expecting yourself or simply want to take a peak at a working lady doing her best at creating wellness for herself, her baby on the way and husband!

As always thank you for reading and please make any comments/suggestions. I am always open for a topic – pregnancy related or not!

She and a close friend hosted Will and I a baby shower on Saturday which was so fun! Receiving tiny newborn clothes really puts your pregnancy in perspective.

As we are approaching summer I was thinking about how most of us have more social plans and those can often involve lots eating and drinking. I am a huge fan of happy hour so I am not going to tell you eliminate sunny patio happy hours with margs or anything but when the weather warms up it does provide a great backdrop for healthy and active activities with friends – walks in the park, hikes, bike rides, camping, you name it.

I also feel more motivated with the sun is shining and am more likely to walk or run that extra mile, park farther away and walk, garden, play with Lucy in the backyard etc. Soak up some motivation from the sun, form the birds chirping, from mother earth (BTW – happy earth day!!!)

So, celebrate the changing of the seasons and plan an “active” date with friends (can still end with a happy hour ) and get moving more.

Also, check out these earth-friendly posts . . .

• Green Eating Tips
• Earth & Budget Friendly Eating Tips
• Clean up your Kitchen (decrease BPA in your life)

I am feeling good overall, just tyring to stay active and fueling myself and the little guy properly in the midst of my busy schedule. My mom is coming to town tomorrow and I am taking a couple days off – so I promise to blog. Thanks for sticking with me!