Wraps and Belts and supports, oh my! In general, we don’t recommend too many products here at Oh Baby! Fitness—we think babies need a place to sleep and some food to eat, but not much beyond that, and we never want to tell new moms “you must buy this one magical product, or else!” That said, there are two products that we get asked about a ton and recommend for some clients- the pregnancy support belt and the postpartum belly wrap. These may seem similar, but are actually very different products that can help with very different conditions. Here’s a primer:

Pregnancy support belt

These are generally used by pregnant women experiencing pelvic pain, pubic pain or (in some cases) low back or SI joint pain. Specifically, these are great for:

• Pregnant runners experiencing pelvic pressure.
• Pregnant women experiencing pelvic pain (particularly when carrying multiples, or women who have been pregnant before)
• Pregnant mom with SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction)
  

While this belt can help a lot women experiencing the above conditions, remember that your body has a built in support belt in your transverse abdominals. Holding your baby high and tight with your abs serves the same function as a pregnancy support belt, so be sure to do that as well. This video shows exactly what that looks like.

Amazon carries a number of different options of support belts.

Postpartum Belly Wrap

While these are marketed as something to “get your stomach back” after baby, these are great for women to wear after birth if they have diastasis recti (abdominal separation). The honest truth is that no product is going to suddenly shrink your stomach (remember, your uterus gets 1,000 times bigger during pregnancy!), but this wrap can help repair your rectus abdominals if they split during pregnancy.

How does a belly wrap/girdle/corset work?  The compression actually helps the uterus shrink faster, gives better back support and can help draw separated rectus abdominals back together. We recommend belly wraps for women in the early postpartum period who have mild to moderate diastasis recti/abdominal separation. If you do buy one, it can work to just sleep in this for a few weeks and then re-check your abdominal separation. While the wrap can help repair diastasis recti, it should be used along with recommended core exercises (most specifically training the transverse abs). Find out more about how to check your ab separation and exercises to help repair it here.

Amazon offers some belly wraps, but while it’s pretty pricey, we really like the Bellefit line.

Did you use a support belt during pregnancy or a postpartum wrap after your baby was born? We are looking for brands or specific lines that our clients might love. Share yours below!

Often clients will take one or two Oh Baby! Fitness classes a week, but ask what they can be doing in between classes to stay in shape. I’ve been teaching a mom and baby fitness class for the last few weeks and decided to offer “homework” to the class. It was completely optional, but a number of moms have taken me up on it and have said they can see and feel a real difference in their fitness level. I thought I’d share the homework in case you are looking for exercises to do at home with your baby. I also created a pregnancy version. I know there were many days back when I was pregnant where leaving the house to workout felt impossible, but doing some exercises in the living room felt great.

The secret to these workouts is that they are cumulative, and you have the whole week to perform them. Over four weeks, work up to completing the entire series (note that you have the entire WEEK to do the exercises).

Here’s how it works: during the first week, do only one exercise (ie, just the pushups). During the second week add in a second exercise (ie, do the pushups and sit ups). Add an exercise each week until the fourth week, when you’ll be doing the whole series.

MOM AND BABY SERIES

(do these over a WEEK– not all in one day)

50 Plank Jumps (see photo above- Jump your feet forward then back to plank)

100 Pushups

200 sit ups

300 walking lunges

PREGNANCY SERIES

(do these over a WEEK– not all in one day)

5 minutes of wall sits

5 minutes of plank

500 walking lunges

500 squats

Looking for more exercises to do at home? Check out our Exercise Apps online. The Oh Baby! Fitness Pregnancy Weekly Workout app and Mom and Baby Weekly Workout app! Both can be downloaded on iTunes. Each app gives a specific exercise for each week of the prenatal or postpartum period. String them together to create your own personalized workout that meets exactly where you are in pregnancy or postpartum.

See our Exercise Videos too!

Our Exercise app, Pregnancy Weekly Workout, has been named a Best Pregnancy Exercise App of the year by Healthline!

Healthline’s editors carefully selected each winner based on quality, usability and contribution to the community.

Download the Oh Baby! Fitness Pregnancy Weekly Workout app today, and get a specific exercise for every week of pregnancy!

String them together to create your own personalized, SAFE exercise routine. App also allows you to track your workout each day.

Check out all of our Exercise Apps for new and pregnant moms, and don’t miss our free Exercise Videos.

One of our clients just found out she has gestational diabetes. She’s an avid exerciser, but had terrible morning sickness in her first trimester and lost weight. She gained it back rapidly in her 2nd trimester. She wondered what she could have done differently and how exercise might help her manage her gestational diabetes. We’ve got some answers!

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. The condition develops in some women when their bodies have a difficult time regulating blood sugar levels. Many women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes (high blood sugar levels) between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. According to a 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, gestational diabetes affects about 9% of all pregnant women making it one of the most common health problems.

Gestational diabetes can cause high blood sugar levels that are unlikely to cause problems for the mother, but can threaten the health of the baby.

For most women with gestational diabetes, the main worry is that too much glucose will end up in the baby’s blood. When that happens, the baby’s pancreas need to produce more insulin to process the extra glucose. All this excess blood sugar and insulin can cause the baby to put on extra weight, particularly in the upper body. This can lead to macrosomia, a baby with excessive birth weight. A macrosomic baby may be too large to enter the birth canal. Larger babies are at risk for obesity and diabetes later in life.

What puts you at risk for gestational diabetes?

• You were overweight before you got pregnant. Extra weight makes it harder for your body to use insulin.
• You gain weight very quickly during your pregnancy (this can happen after weight loss from morning sickness)
• You have a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes.
• Your blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with diabetes. This is called prediabetes.
• You had gestational diabetes in a past pregnancy.
• You are over age 25.
• You gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
• You had a baby who was stillborn.
• You’re African-American, American Indian, Hispanic or a Pacific Islander.

When to screen?

Your doctor will evaluate your risk factors for gestational diabetes early in your pregnancy.

If you’re at high risk of gestational diabetes, your doctor may test for diabetes at your first prenatal visit.

If you’re at average risk, you’ll likely have a screening test near the end of your second trimester — between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Glucose testing/screening

• Initial glucose test: You’ll be given a sugary drink. One hour later, you’ll have a blood test to measure your blood sugar level. A blood sugar level below 130 to 140 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is usually considered normal.
• If your blood sugar level is higher than normal, it only means you have a higher risk of gestational diabetes. You’ll need an additional glucose test to determine if you have it.
• Follow-up 3 hour glucose test: You’ll fast overnight, then have your blood sugar level measured. Then you’ll drink another sweet solution — this one containing a higher concentration of glucose — and your blood sugar level will be checked every hour for three hours. If at least two of the blood sugar readings are higher than normal, you’ll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

If you’re diagnosed with gestational diabetes

Treatment for gestational diabetes always includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity. It may also include daily blood glucose testing and insulin injections.

How does exercise prevent and control Gestational Diabetes?

For women diagnosed with gestational diabetes diet and exercise are the main course of treatment. Four to five days a week of regular exercise is recommended for the best results in lowering blood sugar.

Exercise helps maintain a normal weight, which is one of the best ways to prevent high blood sugar levels. Exercise also increases the efficiency of the body’s own insulin, helping to keep blood sugar levels in a normal range without injecting insulin. Working out also helps decrease stress, which can raise glucose levels. Finally, participating in a fitness class can improve circulation, which is important for any diabetic.

Studies show women who participate in regular exercise in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy have a reduced risk of developing gestational diabetes. However, when it comes to using exercise to manage blood glucose levels in pregnant women already diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the research is less conclusive. Therefore, it is Oh Baby Fitness’ position that regular exercise participation is important to help prevent gestational diabetes.

Fortunately, gestational diabetes is usually short-lived. Blood sugar levels typically return to normal soon after delivery. Most women with gestational diabetes do not remain diabetic once the baby is born. Once a woman has had it, however, she is at higher risk for getting it again during a future pregnancy and for becoming diabetic later in life.

Tip: Don’t exercise strenuously on the day you take your GD test!

For the gestational diabetes test, you will usually fast on the day of the test, and then are given a very sugary drink. This has a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels, and you’re at a much higher risk of fainting during exercise. If you’re feeling okay you can work out, but you should exercise caution. It can help to eat something (particularly a good protein) between the diabetes test and exercising.

Bottom Line on Gestational Diabetes

Exercise is important for all pregnant women, but especially for those at risk or diagnosed with gestational diabetes, as exercise can help prevent gestational diabetes, and also help manage it after a diagnosis.

A couple of my clients have work trips coming up and asked if I could share some workouts they could perform in a hotel room. I wanted to share with you guys what I came up with– these are great pregnancy workouts you can do anywhere that don’t need any equipment! The motto for this is: short, simple, effective– just what you want when you have a little time, a little space and want to get a workout it.

If you are interested in creating your own custom prenatal workout, be sure to check out our Pregnancy Weekly Workout app! It’s a must have for pregnant women on the go. The app gives you a specific exercise each week for the full 40 weeks of pregnancy, tailored to exactly what your body is going through. You can string exercises together and make your own personalized workout that you can perform at home, when traveling– wherever you are! The video demos help you know how to do each exercise correctly– that’s me up there coaching how to do the perfect pregnancy lunge. Download it now, and between that and the following 3 workouts, you’ll be set for at-home workouts during your pregnancy.

Workout 1- perform below sequence 2 times

50 walking Lunges

40 squats

30 sit ups

20 pushups

10 moving plank (each arm)

Workout 2- perform below sequence 3 times

15 squats

15 pendulum lunges each leg

15 alternating side squats

15 dips

1 min plank hold

Work 3- perform below sequence 3 times

10 pushups

10 moving plank (each arm)

10 stationary lunges (each leg)

10 alternating leg lifts in wall sit

10 walkouts (standing to plank to standing)

(hint: be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a $25 Athleta gift card!)

So, you’ve signed up for your first pregnancy workout class! Maybe it’s an Oh Baby! Fitness class, or maybe it’s a pregnancy yoga class at your nearby Y. First- congratulations! You’ve already done the hardest part- deciding to exercise, finding a class, and finding time in your schedule. These three things require lots of energy- the one thing that most pregnant woman don’t have a large supply of. The actual working out part is usually the fun part. Here are 8 things to know before going to your first class:

1. You are either going to feel “not pregnant enough” or “too pregnant”

Every person in the class either feels too pregnant (“I can’t believe I waited until 32 weeks to workout!”) or not pregnant enough (“I’m only 11 weeks and don’t even look pregnant- I feel like a fraud!”). This is normal. If you’re pregnant, you belong here. If you are early on, find a friend that’s later in their pregnancy and grill them about what’s to come. If you are late in your pregnancy, know that you are inspiring all the other women by the fact that you are still working out and kicking butt.

2. A good class will leave you feeling better.

A lot of women wait until they feel good to workout, but a little known secret is that a good prenatal group exercise class will actually make you feel better. First, you’ll be able to commiserate with other pregnant women. Second, getting your blood moving will take care of many normal pregnancy complaints. Nausea, back pain and low energy levels will all benefit from a good workout. Finally, a good class will at least give you an hour’s distraction from how horrible you feel!

3. It’s okay to barf, and eat, and fart, and cry.

A pregnancy exercise class is sometimes the ONLY place no one will look at you funny for the behaviors that pregnancy brings on. I guarantee your instructor has seen it all—so don’t worry if you suddenly are the girl that accidentally lets one fly, or that breaks down in tears. You’ll garner more sympathy from these woman then from anyone else, I promise.

4. Don’t look at other women’s bellies. And REALLY don’t ask them how much weight they’ve gained.

One of the weirdest parts of being in a prenatal exercise class is suddenly being surrounded by more pregnant women then you’ve ever seen in your life. And with that data set, it’s hard not to start comparing. Avoid doing this, and certainly avoid any verbal comparing. And the golden rule of dealing with pregnant women: never ask how much weight anyone has gained. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you get to avoid this one- in fact, it’s even more important.

5. Bring water and a snack.

Most pregnant women remember to bring water—if you forget just ask your instructor where the nearest water fountain is. But try to remember to pack a small snack as well (granola bars, fruit and nuts are all a good pick). In both the 1^st trimester and from weeks 20-28 your blood sugar can be all over the place and sometimes you’ll be surprised by a workout that suddenly makes you feel dizzy. Even if you don’t end up needing the snack, I’ve seen many women become friends by one giving their snack to another woman in class who is suddenly hit with low blood sugar and doesn’t have anything to eat.

6. Don’t assume everyone is having the same experience you are.

It’s easy in a class of pregnant woman to assume that everyone 1- wants to be pregnant and 2- is having a healthy pregnancy and carrying a healthy baby. In any given class there are likely to be women dealing with all sorts of hard circumstances. Another little secret? Often the woman that looks the most put together is the one dealing with the biggest, scariest stuff. Try to remember the quote: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” You can learn a lot just by listening and truly becoming part of the community. Look around you, these women in your class might wind up being your friends for a long time, and it’s a different relationship from the ones you have at work. Everyone is vulnerable, scared and honest. You can create close bonds and long-lasting friendships at this time.

7. Don’t worry about what you’re wearing.

Some people really like to doll up to go to the gym. Your pregnancy exercise class does not have to be that place. It’s hard enough to find clothes that fit to go to work, don’t worry about looking cute or put together for class. An extra-large t-shirt and sweatpants are fine –or leave a comment on this post and be entered to win an Athleta gift card and buy yourself something fun for your first class!

8. If it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.

This is the most important thing to remember about your class. Hopefully you’ll work your muscles and get a good, tough workout in, but that does not mean you should suffer through ANY exercise that feels uncomfortable or painful. Even if the rest of class is smiling and looks like it’s no big thing- ask your instructor for a different exercise. Their job is to give you a good workout that doesn’t hurt—make sure they do it.

Share what you wish YOU had known before your first exercise class (prenatal or otherwise!), and be entered to win a $25 Athleta gift card, courtesy of XShadyside TRX Training in Pittsburgh ! You must comment below to be entered.

Disclaimer: I am not of the belief that all women should be doing isolated pelvic floor contractions (aka Kegels) and certainly do not believe that women should do Kegels “as much and often as possible” as many OB physicians will advise their pregnant patients.

But a blanket statement, such as “Halt the Kegels!” can be equally damaging as telling all pregnant women to do Kegels until their pelvic floor muscles can turn coal into diamonds. Nothing about the body, muscle strength, muscle function or prenatal health should be in absolutes (unless it causes direct harm to the baby).

Any practitioner who works in the field of pelvic health should promote a healthy pelvic floor and educate their clients. This may look different for different women. Many women become pregnant and lack not only the awareness but also the knowledge of what the pelvic floor muscles are and what they do. Teaching these women how to do a Kegel exercise correctly by identifying and isolating the pelvic floor — and learning to contract AND RELEASE the muscle — has a real benefit.

A healthy pelvic floor plays a huge role in staving off incontinence (peeing your pants when you sneeze, laugh or jump) Learning what it feels like to fully RELEASE your pelvic floor is the physiological secret to pushing your baby out during child birth. Kegels can also help rehab your pelvic floor faster after delivery.

Watch this video from Oh Baby! Fitness on how to properly perform a Kegel.

This does not mean women need to squeeze their pelvic floor with all their might until they can no longer squeeze. It simply means they need to learn how to turn it on. They also need to learn how to turn it off, how to make it longer as well as shorter, how to hold it for a certain length of time, how to do quick contractions and most importantly, HOW TO USE IT WITH OTHER MUSCLES.

This blog post tries to make the argument that Kegels are bad and other exercises, such as squatting, are better for the pelvic floor. The authors assert that doing pelvic floor muscle contractions makes the pelvic floor shorter and thus may do more harm than good in the pregnant population. The reality is, strength is a measure of muscle force, length is a measure of muscle size; the 2 are not synonymous.

Muscles held in a chronically activated position may adaptively shorten. However, doing exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor will NOT shorten these muscles and make them “tight.”

The anti-Kegel article also attempts to discredit the relationship between pregnancy and pelvic floor dysfunction.  Several articles confirm a relationship between pregnancy/childbirth and common pelvic floor diagnoses including stress urinary incontinence and prolapse. While cause-effect may not be proven, the association is there.

Up to 44% of women in their first pregnancy, and 85% of multiparous (previously pregnant) women report stress urinary incontinence by the third trimester of pregnancy (Morkved, et al 2003).

A study by Wilson, et al (2002) found that 5-7 years post delivery, 44.6% of women had some degree of urinary incontinence. That’s almost half the women in the study at 5 years AFTER pregnancy experiencing incontinence!

So what’s the bottom line here? We cannot ignore the pelvic floor muscles in pregnancy. Women need to become aware of where these muscles are, how they work, and how they function as part of a neuromuscular “team” with the abdominals, diaphragm and low back muscles. For some, this may mean starting with Kegels. The eventual goal is to incorporate pelvic floor muscle activation and/or relaxation into other exercises, including squats, lunges, planks, and even simply breathing. Recommending pregnant women “Halt the Kegels” is doing a huge dis-service to new and expecting Moms.

–Blair Green is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, PT, DPT, OCS, PHC and a member of the Oh Baby! Fitness Advisory Board

Note from the Founder of Oh Baby! Fitness, Clare Schexnyder: I find this new research absolutely validating! Exercise can help new Moms avoid depression! We’ve seen it in our classes over the last 12 years, and it’s the reason I started this business after having my baby 13 years ago. I suffered from serious postpartum depression. I was sleep deprived, hormonal and didn’t want to have any outside help for me and my baby. I didn’t want anything to do with my child, but being a control freak, wouldn’t let anyone else touch her either. An awful situation for mom and baby. That lasted about 12 weeks, and finally a friend took me to a new parents support group at a local hospital. The Moms and Dads I met there, asked me to go for a walk EVERY day. That exercise, the new friends I made, and a little Zoloft, saved my life, and the idea for Oh Baby! Fitness® was born. Now, to have scientific research that exercising during your pregnancy and after can help new Moms avoid depression is fantastic!! It means, if you’re pregnant or a new mom, you should get moving to feel better fast! Come join us for a class to get fit, bond with your baby and make new friends!

Exercising during and after pregnancy reduces the risk of getting depression after having baby. Simply walking with a stroller can ease symptoms.

• Studies tracked almost 1,000 mothers who were offered different exercise programs
• Exercises included aerobic activity, Pilates and yoga
• Researchers found those who exercised had fewer depression symptoms after birth
• 1 in 9 women suffer from postpartum depression – the most common complication after  childbirth. (CDC)

Exercising during and after pregnancy helps Moms avoid depression after having a baby, researchers have discovered. Even low-intensity exercise, such as walking with a baby stroller, was linked to a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms in new mothers.

Scientists tracked the mental health of almost 1,000 mothers who were offered exercise programs during and after pregnancy as part of a new study. The women who exercised displayed fewer signs of depression following the birth of a child.

The benefit of having fewer symptoms was seen even among women who did not meet the cutoff for a depression diagnosis.

“We expected that physical activity could reduce postpartum depressive symptoms,” said researcher Celia Alvarez-Bueno, a PhD student at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain. “However, we were pleasantly surprised when we found that exercise after pregnancy also reduced depression among the women who didn’t have diagnosable symptoms.”

Most exercise programs lasted for three months or longer and recommended three to five exercise sessions per week, but the current study didn’t draw conclusions or provide recommendations about the type or length of exercise that would be most beneficial.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends pregnant and postpartum women get 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week.

‘The negative consequences of postpartum depression not only affect the mother but also the child, who can suffer poor emotional and cognitive development,’ said researcher Celia Alvarez-Bueno, a PhD student at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain.

Symptoms of postpartum depression can include anxiety attacks, insecurity, irritability, fatigue, guilt, fear of harming the baby and a reluctance to breastfeed. The symptoms start within four weeks of delivery and are considered severe when they last for more than two weeks, according to the researchers.

‘That’s why it’s important to test the most effective strategies to prevent this disorder or mitigate the consequences,’ Ms Alvarez-Bueno said.

The study team analyzed data from 12 controlled trials of exercise interventions during or after pregnancy between 1990 and 2016 that addressed the effects of physical activity on postpartum depression. The studies included a total of 932 women and all examined the severity of postpartum depression as well as including basic information about the length, frequency, type and intensity of the exercise. The exercises used in the various studies included stretching and breathing, walking programs, aerobic activity, Pilates and yoga.

“We know that exercise is just as effective as anti-depressants for adults. The trick is to get them to do the physical activity,’ said Beth Lewis of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, who wasn’t involved with the study. “With postpartum depression, it’s even more complicated due to the increased stress and sleep deprivation after having a baby. We’re starting to learn more about exercise and how it helps.”

Future studies should include more data about the types of physical activity programs that could reduce depression, the study authors write. Health providers should know more about the duration, intensity and frequency of exercise to recommend to new mothers, Alvarez-Bueno noted.

“It remains unanswered how these characteristics improve postpartum depression prevention,” she said. “More research addressing this issue is urgently necessary because of the influence on both the mother and child.”

“This study highlights that the abundance of benefits achieved from exercise during pregnancy extends to psychological health,” said Katherine Ingram, a pregnancy exercise researcher and assistant professor at Kennesaw State University. “Even more noteworthy is that the effect of exercise on post-partum depressive symptoms was found to be higher than that seen with traditional treatment.  Previously, the research on this topic was inconsistent, but the advantage of meta-analyses is the ability to produce an overall conclusion using the combined data of multiple studies.”

Ingram was not involved with this study, but has her own prenatal exercise study in progress. She’s also an advisory board member of Oh Baby! Fitness. She finds this news exciting, “This is yet further evidence that women in uncomplicated pregnancies should follow the recommendations of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and participate in at least 30 minutes of exercise almost every day.”

The research was published in the journal Birth.
Source Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/birt.12294/abstract
Source article: Reuters

Almost every day, a pregnant woman asks me what is normal in terms of weight gain during pregnancy. Here are few basic things to keep in mind about how weight gain and pregnancy work:

1- Doctors recommend women at a healthy weight (BMI of 19-25) gain between 25 and 35 pounds, and women that are overweight or obese gain between 10 and 25 pounds. This is an important distinction, as more than a third of American women were classified as obese in a recent study. Long story short, if you are not underweight (BMI under 19) you don’t need to gain a whole lot of weight to have a healthy pregnancy.

2- Eating for two is a myth. During pregnancy, your body only needs about 300 extra calories—that’s not much more than 2 glasses of milk! Doubling your normal caloric intake under the guise of “eating for two” will quickly take you out of the healthy weight gain levels mentioned above.

3- So the real question is, how does the weight gain work during pregnancy? First off, it’s not linear. Most women experience the bulk of their weight gain between 20 and 28 weeks. Second, many women plateau or lose weight at the end of their pregnancy– because the baby’s size makes their stomach so small. If you are looking to keep your weight gain between 25 and 35 pounds, a good way to know if you are on track is to keep the number of pounds you’ve gained below how many weeks pregnant you are. So, if you are 30 weeks pregnant, and have gained 25 pounds, you are good to go. This works because so many women stop gaining and start losing weight around 35 weeks.

These are all just general guidelines, and as every pregnancy is different, every woman’s weight gain will be different. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about what is normal, and consult with a registered dietician or nutritionist if you have questions about what or how much you should be eating.

How did your weight gain progress during pregnancy? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

Kathleen Donahoe, Oh Baby! Fitness COO, guest posted on the Lamaze Science and Sensibility blog about the five steps Childbirth Educators and Doulas can take to teach their clients how to push out their babies. In it she writes, “Since 2010, I’ve been teaching pregnant people how to push out their babies. I have a different approach to the pushing phase of childbirth- I teach the PHYSIOLOGY of pushing…and it really works! Parents, doctors, midwives and doulas report to us over and over: “People are pushing out their babies in 20 minutes with this technique—without tearing!”

Visit the article here to learn the five ways to train pregnant women how to easily push out their babies.

This was me in 2004. I was in the pit of postpartum depression. Funny thing about depression, you don’t realize you have it when you’re going through it. You’re at the bottom of a hole and nothing makes sense. Being responsible for a new life only makes the hole deeper. It was a BAD place for me and my baby.

I was at risk for postpartum depression before I even had my baby. Type A personalities who like to schedule everything are at risk. People who need their sleep and routine are at risk. I was also a control freak.. biggest mistake of my life was telling my Mom and Dad that they could be present at the birth but then I wanted them to go home because “I wanted to bond with my family — just the three of us.” BONEHEAD MOVE. Accept ANY and ALL help!!

My baby was colicky and slept only 30 minutes at most. He’d wake up screaming and writhing from what looked like a sound sleep. Breastfeeding was not going well. My nipples were scabbed over. But I wanted it to work, so I kept at it. The first 4 months were a blur. I do remember my baby sleeping for more than an hour once. I didn’t sleep. I just laid awake listening for him to stir. He wasn’t making any noise. I knew I should get up and check on him, but I remember thinking, if he’s died… at least he’ll be quiet….. Even after having that thought, I didn’t seek help. I just stayed closed up in my house with my baby. I really didn’t want much to do with him, but I was a control freak and wouldn’t let anyone else touch him either. When we did go out, I was completely freaked out anytime someone would touch him or hold him. Such an awful time. I remember trying to put on a happy face, and I think I fooled a lot of people. People expect you to be harried and strung out as a new Mom. Very few people came and sat with me and my baby. All my friends had busy jobs, and I didn’t know any other new Moms.

New moms are more isolated today than ever before. We have smart phones and social media, so we *think* we’re connected, but we’re really alone. Friends may bring a meal or attend your baby shower, but then you’re back at it on your own FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. When you’re a new mom, you NEED a community of people around you. People to hold your baby. Give you a break. Help with the laundry. Give you time to take a nap.

If my neighbor hadn’t connected me to a new parents support group, I’m not sure I’d be here today. I met Moms and Dads in that group and they asked me to go for a walk EVERY DAY. I wasn’t interested, but they were persistent. One of the Moms in that group said she was struggling with postpartum depression. She describe it as “crying all the time, not being able to sleep, feeling totally incompetent and lost.” After my first outing with the parents in that group, I called my husband and asked him if he thought I had postpartum depression. He screamed through the phone: YES! YES! YES! He told me we’d discussed it. I totally didn’t remember that discussion! I made a doctor’s appointment that day, and my life started to change.

That parents group was life-changing. I found friendship, support, exercise (and an RX for a little Zoloft) and it saved my life. Also helped create a little company called Oh Baby! Fitness. I knew I wanted to bring that life-saving connection to every other Mom in my community. #RealMotherhood #NoShame Please share your own story in the comments.

Oh Baby! Fitness is pretty darn lucky to have an exclusive excerpt from “Mom Hacks” – the new book that is available TODAY – by Dr. Darria Gillespie.  Mom Hacks is full of 100+ science-backed shortcuts to reclaim your body, raise awesome kids and be unstoppable! There’s a huge section of hacks on how to get moving, to make exercise fun and ways to get the whole family exercising.

Our bodies were made to move. It feels good—like laughing. But, somewhere along the way growing up, we seem to have unlearned a few things, such as how to snort milk out our noses, how to rock striped leggings with polka dot socks and a paisley dress without self-consciousness, and how good it feels to just play.

At some point, recess became exercise, which became “no pain, no gain” workouts, which . . . well . . . just became work— and something we started to dread. .. But, post-baby, I started to think differently: I realized my postpartum shape wasn’t some debt for which I had to be penalized. Exercise didn’t have to punish my body. In fact, walking was one of the best ways I could love my shape. For the first time in years, I realized that I didn’t need to suffer to get the benefits of physical activity. Exercise can feel good. And if the first thing you try doesn’t feel good, find something else.

Two weeks after one of my friends implemented a few hacks from this chapter, her nine-year-old cautiously asked her, “You’re in such a good mood lately . . . why?” My desire for you is that by the end of this chapter, you have some habit of movement. I don’t care how small it is—simply that you can sustain it and that makes you feel good.

Hack 36:  Start with Fifteen Minutes a Day 

A friend of mine told me that she had skipped exercising that morning because she didn’t have a solid thirty minutes to exercise. Hold up—there are no exercise police who say that you only get “exercise credit” if you go for thirty minutes or more. You know what’s worse than just doing a partial workout? Not exercising at all.

Truth #1: You absolutely can get a benefit from exercising— for whatever amount of time you have.

Truth #2: You’re more likely to do a shorter workout. A study showed that people who aim for multiple, shorter bouts of exercise (like two 10-minute workouts a day) actually exercised more per week and lost more weight than those who exercised only when they had a single block of forty minutes.1

• Start with ten minutes a day.If you exercise less than once a week, I ask you to give me ten minutes a day. All it takes is ten minutes to boost your mood. Really. Ten minutes of doing any activity that you want. If you already are doing ten minutes a day, add another five to ten minutes, as each incremental ten minutes will take you to the next level, health-wise.
• If you can’t give me ten minutes, start with five.I’m serious. If your days are erratic, do five minutes of exercise as soon as you wake up. It’s short enough that you can squeeze it into even the most chaotic days, to build an exercise habit.
• Do multiple, shorter bouts.Break a workout into multiple, shorter intervals on the days that you don’t have a solid thirty-minute block (or when your motivation is low and thirty minutes seems sooooo long). On those days, do two fifteen-minute sessions, or even three ten-minute ones.

Hack 45 – Temptation Bundle

Brussels sprouts are all the rage on menus today. But, let’s be honest—they’re really just a vector for butter. By adding butter . . . and bacon, we’ve made these mini cabbages the plat du jour that we all love.

Exercising may feel a lot like eating plain Brussels sprouts— but what if we found the equivalent of butter and bacon for exercise? Suddenly, instead of pushing exercise to the side, you’d be seeking it out.

Sounds crazy? It’s not—and it’s called temptation bundling (TB). In TB, you pair something you don’t always feel like doing (like exercising), with an indulgence (like watching Game of Thrones).

In a Wharton study on temptation bundling, participants were assigned to one of two groups: (A) the TB group, who were allowed to listen to an addictive audio book only when they exercised and (B) the control group, who could listen whenever they wanted. Those in the TB group worked out at the gym 51 percent more! Follow the steps below for your own temptation bundles. (Oh, it sounds so naughty, doesn’t it?)

• Choose your indulgence.What do you enjoy? Is it watching Real Housewives? A good junk magazine? Or a new music playlist? Choose an indulgence that you regularly look forward to.
• Pair the indulgence with an exercise.Choose an exercise that allows you to simultaneously do that indulgence. Listen to an addictive audiobook or watch Game of Thrones while you’re on the treadmill, read your favorite junk magazine while you’re on the stair-climber, or make a playlist of your favorite songs for running.
• Only let yourself engage in the indulgence while exercising. This is key. Whatever you choose, do not let yourself indulge when you’re not exercising, or this falls apart. When my People magazine arrives or I hear a favorite running song (two of my indulgences), it actually makes me look forward to exercising. You’ll find that happens for you quickly if you adhere to this rule.

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— Widely renowned as an expert in making life and health better for women, Dr. Darria Long Gillespie, MD MBA is a regular national TV health expert, author of Mom Hacks, board-certified Emergency Department physician and a digital health executive. Given her experience, she holds a unique, multifaceted perspective of the healthcare system.  @DrDarria  #MomHacks