When I was pregnant with my first child, I found a doctor’s office that only had 3 doctors, so I could get to know each doctor that might deliver my baby. The office had one female and 2 male doctors. The female came highly recommended by a friend, so I usually tried to see her, but per the office’s policy, I had to see all 3, which unbeknownst to me, will be the best thing that could have happened.
Going to the doctors office when you’re pregnant is usually an exciting time, because you get to hear your baby’s heartbeat, or receive some type of reassurance that everything is OK. Most of the time my visits were great, except those when I had to see DrBee. He was very thorough, but really focused on the amount of weight I should gain.
During the first few months, I was progressing normally, not really gaining much weight, mostly because I didn’t change my eating habits, still exercised, and focused on the fact that the extremely little being inside my body, did not need me to eat a bunch of extra food to grow.
Six months in, I started to get this crazy hunger feeling, like a ravenous animal! I would eat lunch, but feel so hungry, that I could eat an additional portion, or I would need to eat very large snacks or even an entire meal between meals. It was a very bazaar and out-of-control feeling for me
So upon my next visit, I was strictly reprimanded by DrBee. He was extremely concerned that I had gained over his recommended amount between visits. I felt horrible! No one had ever mentioned my weight in a negative way, and his comment made me feel very ashamed!
So as time went on, so did his comments, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but either way, I really thought about how I felt when I had disappointed him and myself. Anticipating the possible feeling of guilt or disappointment helped me go for walks after dinner, or skip that 3rd or 4th square of raw cookie dough. I’ve never been on one of those weight programs, but I’d imagine it might be similar to having to go to a weigh-in, knowing you’ve not lost any weight, or worse, having gained weight.
So after I had my daughter, I had only gained the minimal amount of weight and since I was breastfeeding, I was back to my normal weight within a month. I remember others commenting on how they couldn’t believe that I had just had a baby, and how great it made me feel. Having your first child is such a huge change, and yet there was at least one thing, my weight, that I still had under control.
So back to DrBee… many might think it’s none of his business how much weight you gain, others would argue that he has no idea what we go through during pregnancy, but I think that he cared enough about me to make the obvious comment that no one else was willing to make during pregnancy. I mean, yes, there is a human being growing in your uterus, but honestly that doesn’t mean you are ‘eating-for-two’. You just need to keep reminding yourself that the other one you are eating for is the size of a pea, or lemon, or grapefruit, etc… depending on which month you are in, and that little baby doesn’t require an entire adult portion.
So Here’s the Big Secret!
How do you loose all that ‘baby’ weight after giving birth??
Answer: Don’t gain it in the first place.
And what I mean by that, is research how much weight you should gain, and stick to it. Or find an Obstetrician that cares about how much weight you gain during pregnancy. It will really help you in the long run. No one likes to diet, and let’s face it, it is SO HARD to loose weight.
Other things to keep in mind… and it’s a simple concept… unburned calories, equal weight gain. I know, DUH…. but the hardest part is that we need to be realistic about how many calories we are burning vs. how much we eat.
I hear people talk about exercising and how they still gain or don’t loose weight. However, you need to be honest with yourself and your food consumption vs. the actual calories you are burning. For Example: if a women walks 1 mile, she burns around 74 calories (running burns approx. 105), which doesn’t sound like very much, right? Well, burning 74 calories doesn’t even burn that soda you had for lunch, or that tablespoon of mayo on your sandwich.
Take the time and research how many calories your everyday food has and maybe after spending some time looking at the numbers like I did, you’ll be able to cut back on a few things, because it was a real eye opener when I realized that I’m busting my butt on the treadmill for 30 minutes, only to learn that I just worked off 1 can of soda. So needless to say, I don’t drink soda anymore.
I’m not saying that I’m in the best shape, and I’m most definitely am not trying to preach about losing weight, I just think that we all need a ‘DrBee’ to care about us during pregnancy, even if we don’t want to hear it. So write down your meals for a week, go online and see how many calories everything has, and look up the amount you burn while doing your exercise of choice. It may be just that little push that helps you stick to your goal.
Some of my favorite websites are
Extra Bonus: They both have iPhone, iPad, and iPod apps.
Best of Luck!
~Sue
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