Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Reclaiming Fitness: Post Baby






It has been 3 months since I had a regular schedule. Once baby J was born, schedule went out the window, along with my workout schedule. I discovered chaos and what segmented sleep can do to a body.

Now that the baby is sleeping with more of a schedule, I can get back to my love for fitness.
As busy mums, we lack long periods of time we can warm up, workout, and stretch. We need bang for our buck. In the time the baby takes catnap, you need to be able to burn some calories and then get on with your day. Today we will be going into Postnatal Cardio for apprx 10 minutes. 

As always, listen to your body and start slowly. You shouldn't jump back into exercise with the same intensity and during as you did before your baby was born(at least for the first few months). Start slow, as your body has been stretched to the max for the past nine months. It will take time to get back to your post baby body. Most importantly be kind to your body as your body needs time to heal before beginning any exercise program after giving birth. 

Normal Vaginal Births
Day After Delivery: Exercise while lying in bed. Try Kegels, pelvic tilts, and neck & shoulder stretches.

When You Feel Able: Try light walking and strengthening moves for your abs, lower back, and pelvic muscles.

First Postpartum Wellness Checkup (6-8 weeks): Resume light to moderate exercise with your doctor's permission.

Build up to full training program slowly and with your doctor's clearance.

Caesarean Births
*If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, you are doing too much.

Day After Delivery: Exercise while lying in bed. Try Kegels, deep breathing, pulling stomach muscles inward, and neck & shoulder stretches.

When You Feel Able: Try light walking and strengthening moves for your lower back and pelvic muscles.

Wait 8-10 weeks and get a physician's OK to begin any further activity. 

Here are a few tips for determining when your body is ready to start exercising after a Caesarean delivery:
  • All incisions or tears have healed. 

  • Your postpartum recovery is progressing normally, and you and your baby are healthy. (A baby with additional needs means even less sleep and more physical and mental stress for mom.) 

  • You feel good after exercise and don't experience any increase in vaginal bleeding. 

  • You don't feel excessively fatigued from exercise and you recover within your normal period of time following exercise. 

  • Your doctor has given you the go-ahead.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>CARDIO workout

Warm-up:
20 sets of butt kicks(left and right counts as one)

20 sets of high knees

Exercise program can be repeated to a longer workout if you have the energy and time

Workout:
40 jumping jacks(make sure you clap those hands, modified version is bent hand clap)

15 ski jumps from left to right


15 ski jumps from right to left

10 burpees



10 push-ups
Refer to Right to Bare Arms for more detail and modification.


10  burpees

30 mountain climbers



15 squat jumps



20 lunges

15 lunge jumps

50 turning jacks

Cooldown:
(Please be mindful and do not overstretch. Always stretch to the point of tension, not pain):

6 downward dog to  updog (picture shows reversed, so please do B before A, when performing A relax your shoulders, so neck is long)

6 chest opener


6 upper back

6 gluteus stretch


6 hip and piriformis stretch (bent foot is flexed to intensify the stretch)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Breastfeeding: A Quick Guide





As a first time parent, I wanted to do it all, including breast-feeding. Despite some ladies warning me that it would be hard, I figured it would just happen, like mother nature. The baby would just needs to latch on, and voila!

Fast forward to an actual baby, that’s a whole other story. It gets even more fun when the baby is agitated and wants to eat NOW. No one tells you how to feed a newborn that is screaming and kicking, and wriggling all about.  Keep in mind is will take time to get used to your baby and his pattern.

Here are the top worries and complaints from moms and solutions:


Problems latching on
Most mums experience this, especially if this is your first time. You should feel initial discomfort/pain, but it should disappear after the first minute, if not, the baby is not latched on properly.

Solution:
Try to achieve a latch where the baby’s mouth covers more of the areola from below the nipple. You know they have fed properly when your nipple does not feel pain and looks elongated after their feed.
In order to reposition the baby, place your clean index finger gently inside the corner of the baby’s mouth to disengage the suction.
The 3 key points to latching on properly is: turned to mummy, nipple to nose, and baby to breast.

Here are other helpful instructions/tips to help.
  • http://www.breastfeeding.ie/uploads/files/factsheet05.pdf
  • http://www.llli.org


Cracked nipples
This happens mainly when the baby isn’t latched on properly. You end up with very sore nipples, in some severe cases there is bleeding.

Solution
It can be cured with expressing some milk and smearing it on the nipple to help with healing and letting it air dry. If you find it still hurts, you can get a nipple guard, or use Lanolin; a thick petroleum like jelly that you don’t have to wipe off before feeding the baby( also to help with healing).

Leaky breasts
Congratulations on a good milk supply! But sorry they always leak at the most inconvenient time, usually in front of friends, or better yet the postman.

Solution
Try not to go to long without feeding the baby. Use breast pads, Johnson and Johnson makes the best breast pads to help with the leakage.

Not enough milk
Not being able to feed you baby is stressful enough. Doctors will say its supply and demand, but speaking with several mummies, sometimes supply does not meet demand no matter how hard we try. There is nothing wrong with you, sometimes it just happens.

Solution
You can try this Chinese fish soup; I found it helped with milk supply. One thing to note, it is very pungent and the house will smell fishy. Here is the link: Chinese Soup Lady

There is also the other more obvious choice, formula. Most moms like Aptamil.

Sore/engorged breasts
This typically happens when your baby is having a long sleep or not too hungry, your breasts become swollen and sensitive to touch/temperature.

Solution
  • Try expressing some milk and saving it for a later use. Do not express too much or your breasts will produce even more milk, exacerbating the problem.
  • You can also use hot compress before a feed to ease the pain, and cool compress after feeding.
  • Wear a snug but not tight bra at all times. (Also helps prevent from droopy breasts)

Mastitis
Mastitis is a bacterial infection in your breasts marked by flu-like symptoms such as fever and pain in your breasts. This is typically what happens when the breasts becomes engorged for prolonged periods. Breast may also feel hot to the touch and bumpy (this is from engorgement). Cracked skin, clogged milk ducts, or engorgement causes the infection. Mastitis typically only effects one breast, usually the breast the baby favors least.
Solution
Firstly, try to put damp heat on the breasts and express the bumpy, red areas until it softens. If that does not work after a day or so, you should contact your doctor and they may prescribe antibiotics. Please keep in mind, it is safe and recommended that you continue breastfeeding when you have mastitis.

Shooting milk
This is the mum that have so much milk, it actually shoots out like a weapon.

Solution
Mums recommend expressing some milk first and then feeding the baby (if they are a newborn).  As the baby gets older, they will be able to handle the flow.

Baby sleeping on the breast
Babies are typically sleepy in the first couple of months after so falling asleep while nursing is common. It happens to me often with baby J but I find it helps me put him into his bed much easier.
Solution
If you do not want the baby to sleep on the breast, notice when baby’s sucking slows down and his eyes start closing, remove him from your breast and try to stimulate him by burping, tickling his feet, or gently talking to him while rubbing his back, and then switch breasts. As baby gets older he’ll be able to stay awake longer.

Lastly, despite all the complaints, once you find the rhythm with your baby, it is a quite enjoyable and great bonding time. Also, breastfeeding can help you burn off approximately 500 calories a day and can help you get back to pre-baby weight faster.







References:

www.independent.ie
www.hse.ie
Breastfeeding.ie
http://www.whattoexpect.com/breast-engorgement.aspx