Postpartum Weight Loss

Congratulations! You have had your baby and are now ready to get your body back! Postpartum weight loss is made to seem like a given...like it is so easy by the way it is portrayed in the movies and on TV. But that is not typically the case for many women. There is nothing more depressing than seeing your once size 4 body, barely squeezing into a size 8 pair of jeans 2 months after giving birth. It feels like you will NEVER get rid of the baby weight...but you will! That is...if you are willing to work at it.

The first thing to remember is that "You JUST had a BABY!" so give yourself some time. It took you 9 months to gain the weight, it may take you that long to lose it. Sometimes though, you may not lose all of the pounds you gained, but you may lose all of the inches (if that makes sense). Most women find that their bodies have changed after having a baby. Usually you are more curvy than before...which can be a good thing! So remember, take it slow, and don't be so hard on yourself. Post natal weight loss may come easy for some, but not always for everyone.

What is Your Goal?

Is your postpartum weight loss goal to get back to your pre-pregnancy size? Is it to be even smaller than you were before? Do you want to tone your muscles and gain muscle strength? Knowing what your goal is, is going to be essential for you to be able to achieve it. What if I said that in as little as 90 minutes per week you could achieve your goal and then some? You can achieve the following results:

Reclaim your tight body and butt
Tone your arms, legs, and abs
Reverse the aging process
Lift your glutes
And perk up your chest

Holly Rigsby, a certified personal trainer, and busy mom, has come up with a proven system to help you reach your postpartum weight loss goal. All without having to give up time with your kids.

Holly Rigsby's system (Fit Yummy Mummy) works so well because it was designed by a mom, for a mom. By a woman who beat the battle of the bulge and is now helping other women to do the same.

Getting rid of jiggly arms, flabby tummies, cellulite thighs, and extra weight, is what her postpartum weight loss system (Fit Yummy Mummy) was specifically designed for.

6 Helpful Tips for Trying to Conceive

Fortunately for many couples, modern science has been able to come up with some very useful aids for trying to conceive. Before the invention of in vetro-fertilization, Clomid, Vitex, and inter-uterine injections, women who had trouble conceiving were left with no other options other than an empty nest or adopting. Yes things have changed and for the better. Now couples who were once told they would never have children are having not only one child but several children of their very own.

But what about those couples who are perfectly healthy, but just need a little something extra to help them conceive? There are actually 6 different tools couples can try before they seek medical attention, and those include the following:

1.) Pre-Seed is the first and only "sperm friendly" intimate moisturizer on the market. It works by replenishing natural moisture while providing the perfect environment for sperm (the pH and osmolarity is the same as semen). No other lubricant on the market offers a conception friendly environment.

2.) SoftCup which has been around since 1997 was traditionally used by women during their periods, instead of a pad or tampon. However, couples are now finding it to be very useful while trying to conceive. The cup can act as a barrier, thus keeping the sperm inside the vagina and near the cervix. It can be used as a shield after intercourse to keep the sperm inside, or sperm can be deposited directly into the cup and then inserted. It is a cheap and effective way to keep the "little swimmers" right where they need to be.

3.) Fertell is a His and Hers fertility test kit. Although it doesn't aid in conception as Pre-seed or SoftCup, it can be VERY useful for couples who are having problems trying to conceive, or who are investigating the possibility of a family and want to know if they are both functioning properly. The test kit is over 95% accurate and allows couples the opportunity to investigate their fertility in the privacy of their own homes. For men it measures the concentration of motile sperm and for women it detects the FSH hormone to check ovarian reserve (or the number and quality of available fertile eggs).

4.) Charting is a GREAT way to track your fertility and predict ovulation and also your due date! You can chart by taking your temperature every single morning (as recommended in my article "The 4 Easiest Ways to Track Ovulation").

5.) Natural Progesterone Cream raises body temperature, maintains the lining of the uterus for nurturing a fertilized egg, makes the cervical mucous fertile and sperm accessible, and may promote implantation and development of the baby throughout the pregnancy.

6.) Fertile Focus Ovulation Microscope allows women to view the visual changes that occur in their saliva throughout their cycles. Just before the egg is released, a woman's body will have an estrogen surge, which looks like ferning when viewed through a microscope. A woman can actually know when her estrogen surge occurs by using this simple little tool.

Since doctors typically won't even want to see you until you have been trying for 6 months or more with no success, it is best to try everything you can on your own, before you turn to your OB for help. If you think you have had a miscarriage or a chemical pregnancy however, you may want to call your doctor for testing. There are many different factors that can cause a miscarriage (although they typically happen for no medical reason at all), and getting blood work done and an internal exam would be excellent ideas.

Are Home Doppler's Safe to Use?

The question may not be one you have ever contemplated...but should you? At every routine doctor's visit you will no doubt have the doctor (or nurse) gel up your belly and fumble around looking for the heartbeat. It is such a joyous time for the parents to hear the beautiful sound of their unborn baby's heart beating away. But if you own your own Doppler, and use it from home, how often should you do it? Many women either rent or buy a Doppler to use from about 10 weeks - 20 weeks, or until they can feel regular fetal movement. It provides a relief to hear that the baby is okay and even though you can't feel him/her, you know he or she is alive and kickin'!

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), ultrasounds have been cleared for continuous use, meaning they deem them to be safe to have done routinely. Similarly home Doppler's should be used in the same manner....routinely. Using a Doppler for more than a 10 minute session and more frequently than once a day, is probably not a good idea. In fact, I personally wouldn't use mine more than once or twice a week just to be safe.

Why do you ask? Because the way a Doppler works is by sending small sound pulses into your body, then pause to listen for returning sounds. The sound waves may be irritating to the fetus. But besides simply annoying the poor kid, there is no scientific proof showing it does or doesn't cause hearing problems. For this reason alone, it is probably not a good idea to over use your Doppler. They are safe to use, according to the FDA, but as with everything you do during your pregnancy, moderation is probably best.

Braxton Hicks Contractions

Braxton Hicks contractions are also known as practice contractions because although they do contract the uterus, they are not strong enough to actually deliver a baby. They are however, very useful in helping your body to prepare for labor, and will help you to dilate prior to labor. Typically they begin around the 4th month or 20th week of pregnancy...although some mothers will feel them sooner than that, and others later. Mothers who have had previous children will find that they are more intense the second and third (etc.) time around then they were the first time. They may also have them happen sooner than they did with their first as well.

What Does A Braxton Hicks Contraction Feel Like?

The contractions feel like a gradual tightening of your uterus. You will notice it starts at the top and continues down near your pubic bone. Your uterus will become a hard ball, sometimes feeling like it takes your breath away. Typically they last between 15-45 seconds, and are not regular. Although they typically are painless, some women will be quite uncomfortable while the contraction is taking place. If you experience pain, menstrual like cramps, bleeding or are having more than 6 an hour, you need to call your doctor right away.

What Causes the Contractions?

There are several reasons why a woman may be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. They are as follows:

Dehydration- if you are dehydrated you can cause your uterus to contract and that may lead to pre-term labor.
An irritable uterus
Full bladder
Being active- that includes you and the baby.
Sex

What Can I Do to Make Them Stop?

The first thing you should do is change your position. If you are sitting or laying down when they occur, get up and walk around. If you are walking, take a seat. Also, drink...drink...drink! Try and relax. Take a warm bath or practice your breathing exercises. If still you try all of this and you cannot get them to go away, consult your doctor or midwife. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Braxton Hicks contractions should stop if you change positions, relax and hydrate. If they do not, if may be a sign of preterm labor.

Losing Your Mucous Plug

Throughout your pregnancy you will notice an increase in vaginal discharge, known as leukorrhea. It tends to increase as the pregnancy progresses, which causes many expectant mothers to wear panty liners especially towards the end of the pregnancy. This is very common and is not something to be concerned about. Typically the discharge is creamy, white or beige, and is globby/ boogery like you would have come out of your nose. If the discharge is brown, red, pink or watery, you would want to consult your OB right away. Brown discharge usually is nothing, because it is considered old blood, which means you are not currently bleeding. If it is red or pink it may mean there is a problem and your doctor will want to see you right away. Clear watery discharge may be amniotic fluid, and that is something you will most definitely need to be seen for as well. Two things to keep in mind while you are pregnant, is that you should never ever wear a tampon or douche as a result of the discharge. These are 2 very big no-no's, as they can cause major problems such as infection and preterm labor.

What does the mucous plug do?

The mucous plug is simply a collection of cervical mucous that blocks the opening of the cervix. It is the baby's barrier from harmful bacteria and infection.

How do you know if you lost it?

Many women during the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy tend to lose parts of their mucous plug at a time. Although some women do lose theirs all at once, some don't ever notice it at all! For the latter half that may be because they lost theirs while going to the bathroom, particularly a bowel movement. In that case they would not have even known it came out. But most women will notice during the end of their pregnancies several large deposits of thick cervical mucous. It is thicker and in a larger quantity than what a pregnant woman normally has.

I think I lost it! Does that mean I will go into labor tonight?

Losing your plug is a good indication that labor is near...near...but maybe not immediate. Typically women will go into labor several hours to several weeks after the loss of their mucous plug. Many doctors will tell you not to worry if you do notice yours has come out. It is more an indication that you have begun dilating then a sign that you are about to go into labor. If you notice "bloody show", which is a pink or red tinged glob of cervical mucous, and you are 36 weeks pregnant, or less, you will want to contact your doctor. You may be about to go into pre-term labor. The bloody show is a better indication that labor is close, because it means that your entire plug has come out and your cervix is spreading and opening.