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By Rita Rubin
Amber Miller sounds almost apologetic when she says yes, she did have an epidural when she delivered daughter June at 10:29 p.m. Sunday. She just didn’t think she had the strength to go without an epidural. Not surprising, considering she had completed the Bank of America Chicago Marathon seven hours earlier.
Really, that last sentence should have a row of exclamation points after it.
In a phone interview from her hospital room, Miller says she wasn’t sure until the last minute whether she was going to run the marathon, her eighth. Not because she didn’t think she could do it, but because it fell eight days before her due date.
“I kind of was thinking it was likely I was going to have her before the race,” says Miller, 27, a stay-at-home mom who lives in the Chicago suburb of Westchester, Ill. After all, son Caleb, now 19 months, was born 18 days before his due date.
But “the night before, I’m still pregnant, I’m still feeling good. I figured I paid for it.”
So what the heck, she thought, not planning on actually completing the whole 26.2 miles. “I thought it’s likely that the last few miles I’m going to get really, really tired.”
On her doctor’s advice, she conserved her energy by alternating between running and walking every two miles. “Pregnancy-wise, I felt fine. The baby was still moving. I was drinking a lot, eating a lot.”
To read the rest of this article and watch the video click here.
Showing posts with label fit pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fit pregnancy. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
New Guidelines for Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Written for the March of Dimes website
If you're an expecting mom or know a woman who is, we have important information for you. The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report with new recommendations for how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy, including how much weight she should gain week by week.
It is important for women to get to a healthy weight BEFORE getting pregnant. That's because women who are overweight or obese before pregnancy face greater health risks to themselves and their babies during pregnancy. For women who are overweight or obese and ALREADY pregnant, the report recommends that they work with their providers to carefully monitor their weight gain so that both mom and baby have a greater chance of staying healthy.
Curious about the pregnancy weight gain recommendations? Check it out.
New Guidelines for Weight Gain During Pregnancy
If you're an expecting mom or know a woman who is, we have important information for you. The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report with new recommendations for how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy, including how much weight she should gain week by week.It is important for women to get to a healthy weight BEFORE getting pregnant. That's because women who are overweight or obese before pregnancy face greater health risks to themselves and their babies during pregnancy. For women who are overweight or obese and ALREADY pregnant, the report recommends that they work with their providers to carefully monitor their weight gain so that both mom and baby have a greater chance of staying healthy.
Curious about the pregnancy weight gain recommendations? Check it out.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Watermelon Wonders
Written by Leigh Brown Perkins for Fit Pregnancy
More than just a summer picnic favorite, watermelon offers important pregnancy benefits and shows its stuff in several surprising recipes.
Once considered just a juicy treat with limited culinary range and nutritional value, watermelon actually is a versatile and very healthful fruit. On a salad plate, it's a succulent stand-in for tomatoes. It adds crunch and color to entrees. It makes a sweet background for smoothies and sorbets. And it freshens up a tangy barbecue sauce.
If you're pregnant, the benefits are even more delicious. Watermelon eases heartburn and reduces swelling; its high water content (92 percent) and fruit sugars alleviate morning sickness and dehydration; and the minerals it contains can help prevent third-trimester muscle cramps. Ounce for ounce, watermelon is richer than tomatoes in lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against cancer and cardiovascular disease, boosts the body's immunity to infections and naturally raises the skin's SPF, according to Steven Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx (HarperCollins, 2003).
Even better news for pregnant women: A 2003 study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that daily lycopene supplements reduced the incidence of preeclampsia by 50 percent. Test subjects were given 4 milligrams of lycopene; a single serving of watermelon can have triple that amount. What's more, scientists have discovered that watermelon is packed with vitamins A, C and B6, as well as potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are important for the development of your baby's vision, brain, nervous and immune systems, and more. For you, potassium regulates water balance in the blood and body tissues during pregnancy. And you get all these benefits for less than 50 calories per cup.
With its plentiful health perks and juicy, refreshing taste, watermelon is one of summer's most perfect nutritional packages. Try it in these sweet and savory recipes.
An Easy Way To Ease Nausea
Some pregnant women swear that watermelon is all they can keep down when morning sickness kicks in. Perhaps the only thing more refreshing than a big slice is a glass of fresh watermelon juice or a watermelon ice pop--and making either is so easy.
To make juice, purée 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon in a blender until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve (don't press the fruit through with a spoon, or the juice will be too fibrous). Discard the pulp. Serve the juice immediately or chill it, stirring well before serving. If desired, add 1 tablespoon citrus juice (such as lime, lemon or orange) to intensify the flavor. Makes 1 quart, or about 4 8-ounce cups.
To make ice pops, purée 4 cups frozen, seedless, cubed watermelon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender. Pour purée into popsicle molds or 10 small paper cups. To forgo the fibers, strain purée through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring into molds. Top each cup with aluminum foil, making a small slice in the top of each with a knife and inserting a wooden stick. Place in freezer until hardened, then unmold when ready to eat. For variety, mix the purée with lemonade, sweetened low-fat yogurt, fruit juice or other fruit purées before freezing.
Makes 10 2 1/2 -ounce servings.
Grilled Chicken With Watermelon Barbecue Sauce
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each) For sauce:
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 cup seedless watermelon, chopped
Purée watermelon in a blender. Place purée in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in remaining ingredients (except for the cup of chopped watermelon) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped watermelon and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Grill chicken for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with barbecue sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes, then turn and brush with more sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. Brush with remaining sauce. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes, if desired.
Nutritional information per serving (1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup sauce): 374 calories, 12% fat (5 g), 38% carbohydrate (36 g), 50% pro-tein (47 g), 2.5 g fiber, 3.7 mg iron, 74 mg calcium, 15 mcg folate, 19 mg vitamin C.
Summertime Slush
SERVES 3
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: None
1 cup seedless watermelon, cubed
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup cold green tea, sweetened
1/2 cup ice cubes
Purée watermelon in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information per serving (10 ounces): 80 calories, 0 fat, 95% carbohydrate (19 g), 5% protein (1 g), 2 g fiber, 0.6 mg iron, 24 mg calcium, 17 mcg folate, 58 mg vitamin C.
More than just a summer picnic favorite, watermelon offers important pregnancy benefits and shows its stuff in several surprising recipes.
Once considered just a juicy treat with limited culinary range and nutritional value, watermelon actually is a versatile and very healthful fruit. On a salad plate, it's a succulent stand-in for tomatoes. It adds crunch and color to entrees. It makes a sweet background for smoothies and sorbets. And it freshens up a tangy barbecue sauce.
If you're pregnant, the benefits are even more delicious. Watermelon eases heartburn and reduces swelling; its high water content (92 percent) and fruit sugars alleviate morning sickness and dehydration; and the minerals it contains can help prevent third-trimester muscle cramps. Ounce for ounce, watermelon is richer than tomatoes in lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against cancer and cardiovascular disease, boosts the body's immunity to infections and naturally raises the skin's SPF, according to Steven Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx (HarperCollins, 2003).
Even better news for pregnant women: A 2003 study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that daily lycopene supplements reduced the incidence of preeclampsia by 50 percent. Test subjects were given 4 milligrams of lycopene; a single serving of watermelon can have triple that amount. What's more, scientists have discovered that watermelon is packed with vitamins A, C and B6, as well as potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are important for the development of your baby's vision, brain, nervous and immune systems, and more. For you, potassium regulates water balance in the blood and body tissues during pregnancy. And you get all these benefits for less than 50 calories per cup.
With its plentiful health perks and juicy, refreshing taste, watermelon is one of summer's most perfect nutritional packages. Try it in these sweet and savory recipes.
An Easy Way To Ease Nausea
Some pregnant women swear that watermelon is all they can keep down when morning sickness kicks in. Perhaps the only thing more refreshing than a big slice is a glass of fresh watermelon juice or a watermelon ice pop--and making either is so easy.
To make juice, purée 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon in a blender until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve (don't press the fruit through with a spoon, or the juice will be too fibrous). Discard the pulp. Serve the juice immediately or chill it, stirring well before serving. If desired, add 1 tablespoon citrus juice (such as lime, lemon or orange) to intensify the flavor. Makes 1 quart, or about 4 8-ounce cups.
To make ice pops, purée 4 cups frozen, seedless, cubed watermelon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender. Pour purée into popsicle molds or 10 small paper cups. To forgo the fibers, strain purée through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring into molds. Top each cup with aluminum foil, making a small slice in the top of each with a knife and inserting a wooden stick. Place in freezer until hardened, then unmold when ready to eat. For variety, mix the purée with lemonade, sweetened low-fat yogurt, fruit juice or other fruit purées before freezing.
Makes 10 2 1/2 -ounce servings.
Grilled Chicken With Watermelon Barbecue Sauce
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each) For sauce:
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 cup seedless watermelon, chopped
Purée watermelon in a blender. Place purée in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in remaining ingredients (except for the cup of chopped watermelon) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped watermelon and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Grill chicken for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with barbecue sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes, then turn and brush with more sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. Brush with remaining sauce. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes, if desired.
Nutritional information per serving (1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup sauce): 374 calories, 12% fat (5 g), 38% carbohydrate (36 g), 50% pro-tein (47 g), 2.5 g fiber, 3.7 mg iron, 74 mg calcium, 15 mcg folate, 19 mg vitamin C.
Summertime Slush
SERVES 3
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: None
1 cup seedless watermelon, cubed
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup cold green tea, sweetened
1/2 cup ice cubes
Purée watermelon in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information per serving (10 ounces): 80 calories, 0 fat, 95% carbohydrate (19 g), 5% protein (1 g), 2 g fiber, 0.6 mg iron, 24 mg calcium, 17 mcg folate, 58 mg vitamin C.
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