Third Pregnancy-wanting to Eat Healthier

Hi Christie,

Congratulations! You will be busy!
I gained way to much w/ baby 1 and really was more cautious with the others. I still carry the extra from #1, but at least didn't compound it w/ 2, 3 and 4!

I kept the stuff in the house for interesting slads- fresh spinach, mandarin oranges, Garganzola cheese- If I was grilling chicken I'd make extra and use that for salads.
I always kept fresh fruit around for munchies. Oh! Laughiung Cow was a good ice ream treat or the frozen juice bars?? (Instead of the triple dip Baskin Robbins I did w/ #1).
Now that the weather is warm grill grill grill....
I made more of an effort to just walk around the block with the kids. We live near Flagpole Hill so when we went to the park I would walk all of the way to the flag and back... little things like that.
I promise at 5'8" I am still in a size 18- so I am not the poster child for weight control BUT like I said I didn't compound the problem either!
Please feel free to e-mail me w/ any questions!

Have you tried Super Suppers? With two small children and one on the way, you are undoubtedly busy! Super Suppers meals are affordable, tasty and very healthy (Weight Watchers approved). Check them out:

www.supersuppers.com

I need to just eat better all together - I am a vegetarian and struggled with wondering if I ate okay thru my pregnanacy. If you do get any good info and think about it - forward me the info. I have a 2 yr old son and will be 40 soon so I am not getting any younger. Good luck. N. ____@____.com

Buying organic vegetables is a good way to eat healthier. Whole Foods has a wide selection of organic veggies and fruits, canned and fresh. They have organic condiments, and many other organics, as well. Also, Braum's milk, dairy products and hamburger are all hormone free, so that's what I buy for my family. Their milk is also cheaper than anywhere else. :0) I know that Whole Foods is quite expensive, but I have found that if I buy what organics I can from there, and everything else from some other grocery store, I can get away with spending less than $30 there each week, if you're concerned with budget. There is also a local (Arlington) co-op with a Yahoo group called Veggiepails. You have to ask permission to join, but if you're interested your should check them out. Hope this helps!

I've noticed someone already suggested it, but it's so great that it's worth mentioning twice. I really encourage you to check out http://www.bradleybirth.com/PD.aspx for guidelines for a good pregnancy diet. As someone said before, it doesn't matter how much weight you gain as long as you've gained it eating the right foods the weight will come off after you give birth. Bradley is about natural child birth, but regardless if you're going that route or not proper nutrition during pregnancy is the most important thing you can do for your baby and yourself. I actually lost some weight following this diet when I was pregnant with my first. Good luck and congrats!

C.,
With my son I gained about 60 pounds so I understand how you feel. I couldn't even look at a veggie or a chicken breast without gagging. Also, I worked full-time and didn't want to cook and wanted hot meals. So, I had alot of restaurant and fast food.
When I finally get pregnant with my 2nd baby, I am going to try some new things. I am going to try those Dinner Stations and Supper Suppers as well as Diet Gourmet. They all have healthfull meals with a good portion size. This will also give me the easy way out (no cooking or cleaning) with the feeling that I'm eating out.
Also, be prepaired. Bring healthy snacks to work or have plenty at home. I think being prepaired is the key. That way you don't splerge and order pizza, stop at McDs, or open a bag of chips.

I have used Diet Gourmet and really liked it. They have family or single size meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as well as snacks and dessert. And they even make baby and toddler food. www.dietgourmet.com
The best thing is you order it and pick it up. It cost the same as your groc bill (plus no eating out and splurging cost)
I don't order as much because my husband hates veggies and anything good for him so I had to eat it by myself and feed him something else. But I loved it. In their words, it's low-fat, low-cholesterol, sodium-controlled and nutritionally complete cuisine to a new level. The menu emphasizes foods that naturally support optimal health with fat-burning and energy-building qualities. Each meal is designed to conform to or exceed the nutritional guidelines established by the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Association and the American Dietetic Association. The recipes are nutritionally analyzed and approved by our registered dietitians.

http://www.supersuppers.com/
http://www.thedinnerstation.com/

Good luck and have a great pregnancy!
SAHM, TLee

congrats! lots of walking (weeather is about to turn nice) and fruits and veggies! :)

Registered dietitians are your best resources. These healtcare professionals are specially trained in nutrition and can work with you to help you meet your goals. You might try calling the hospitals near you or asking your OB for a referral. Some healthclubs even employ dietitians, so if you belong to one- ask! If you decide to see a dietitian (sometimes called nutritionists), make sure they are licensed with the state and have the credentials RD, LD behind their name. Anyone can make a claim they are a nutrition expert, but not have the education, lisensure or credentials to back them up. You might also check your insurance book to see if there are any listings for dietitians.

Hi C.! Ask your doctor about Juice Plus. It's a great way to get extra nutrition from whole foods. They say, "healthier moms have healthier babies." Lots of research has been done on Juice Plus and pregnancy. One study showed overwhelming positive results: less caesarean deliveries, no premature deliveries before 37 weeks, no diagnosed incidents of preeclampsia, and babies weighed about 1/2 pound more at birth. The list goes on. I have more information on Juice Plus during pregnancy if you are interested.

Dr. Sears (world famous pediatrician) recommends it to families everywhere. Here's what he says about Juice Plus and why he recommends it:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040500.asp

Here's my link for Juice Plus:
www.takejuiceplus4life.com

Let me know if you have questions! Good luck!!

A.
____@____.com

Hi C.,

I am not trying to push you towards a natural drug free labor or anything...but I took the Bradley classes for my first child and besides learning about the birthing process I learned more about nutrition than I ever expected. The Bradley does not focus on how much weight rather what you eat. They recommend you take in 80-100 grams of protein a day---this will curve your sweet tooth believe it or not. If it doesn't then you deserve something sweet anyhow. :-) If you need more info feel free to contact me.

http://www.bradleybirth.com/
Here is the link. Look on the left side of home page and click pregnancy diet.

Congrats on your babies,
K.

Hi C.! The wellness company I work for just launched a new online weight loss and healthy eating program! It is so great! When filling out the questions about yourself you would select that you are pregnant and it would make recommendations based on that. The program provides you with a diet plan, a grocery list prepared for you, a personal exercise plan, and so much more all for only $6 a month! Let me know if you want some more information!! ____@____.com

N.

C.,

Congrats! My first baby I gained 67 pounds! My second baby I gained 40 lbs, and my 3rd baby I gained 27 lbs. My first baby I obviously didn't do anything (I was too scared and paranoid that I might do something wrong). My second baby I didn't cut back on the food but did water aerobics and walked alot. And my third baby I walked everyday, and ate a lot of veggies,fruit and chicken. When I splurged I went and got fatfree fruit smoothies, or ate chocolate yogurt. I would try and do reall good during the week and eat real healthy and then on the weekend, I would eat anything my little heart desired. I have been told before, its not what you eat, its how much of it you eat..
Happy Pregnancy!

I recommend "What to Eat while you're Expecting". It's the follow on book to "What to Expect while you're expecting". If you liked it, you'll like this one. You can probably get it at Half Priced Book. I felt like I had a good handle on nutrition before I read the book but it surprisingly really helped me. congrats!