Working Out & Pregnancy

Even before the discovery of Otter girl, working out was a priority in my life. Now, I value it even more & believe it is a necessary component of a healthy & enjoyable pregnancy. I've been thinking a lot recently about the variety of benefits that working out has & try to encourage other mommy's-to-be to get moving [because it feels so good!].

I should also be more specific on what I would consider a workout. A workout doesn't have to end with you soaked in sweat and short of breath. I would actually discourage that during pregnancy as it isn't wise to push yourself to exhaustion. Any activity that gets the heart rate up a little bit for an extended period of time is an appropriate workout for the pregnant gal. A 20 minute quick walk, a [stationary] bike ride, the elliptical machine, doing some light weight lifting, yoga, or body weight workouts can all help prepare the growing body to carry & support increased weight throughout daily activities & for post-partum activities as well.

Benefits to working out while pregnant:
 1. Prevents lower back pain - As baby grows & weight increases around the abdomen, posture can be affected & the strain of carrying that weight can cause back pain. Also, having tight muscles & ligaments from a lack of movement also causes lower back pain. Even a simple 20 minute walk, 5 days a week, can help the body build muscle to support the baby & prevent the back from over-arching, which causes pain. Stronger muscles help maintain better posture; something I've seen that can go out the window during the last couple months of pregnancy [shoulders hunched forward & too much lower spine curve].

2. Controls weight gain - It is suggested that women gain 25-35 pounds during the 9 months of pregnancy. Gaining too much weight increases the chance of developing high blood pressure or gestational diabetes [which puts the baby at a higher risk of developing diabetes later in life]. Other problems can include a large baby, which complicates labor, & premature labor. It also helps post-partum to lose the weight quicker because there is less weight to lose [mostly the weight of the baby, placenta, & water retained which is gone just after birth].

3. Relaxation - There are many things to be stressed about during pregnancy, & wacky hormones don't help either! I find that after I take the time to workout, I feel better emotionally. Even when I'm tired, but choose to workout, I feel much more energized & refreshed than before. There is scientific proof that working out boosts emotional well-being...  endorphins are released during a workout, which are "feel-good" hormones & provide a natural "high".

4. Prevents late night leg cramps - I've been warned that now is the time [starting the third trimester] that leg cramps can start haunting me in the middle of the night. I haven't had one. Cramps are caused by fatigued muscles [& other factors, like dehydration]. Spending a day on your feet with extra baby weight can be exhausting for muscles that aren't used to doing that kind of work. By working out, legs will become stronger & daily activities won't be as exhausting for the muscles. End result = less likely to be woken up with agonizing leg cramps.

5. Self-confidence boost - I want to feel good about myself & how I look while my belly continues to balloon.  Becoming a mother isn't an excuse to "let yourself go" but an even better time to really take care of your body [for yourself & your baby!]. I'm not scared of getting a puffy face or ankles during the last couple weeks of carrying around Jori girl because water retention is just part of the last phase of pregancy. But I do care that I don't put on excess pounds & fat that will affect how I feel about myself.

I could list even more benefits, but will save that for another day.

[disclaimer: it is never my intention to offend or seem as if I'm passing judgement on someone who isn't "doing pregnancy" the same way I am... My goal is to just give out ideas to consider for a healthier life & easier pregnancy]

Healthier Food Alternatives

Here is a small list of some of my favorite foods: french fries. bread/pasta. ice cream.

& if I wasn't careful I could easily be packing on some extra pounds now that I'm a washed-up, former college athlete that will never do a dead-lift or burpee again. & pregnant. It makes running tricky now that I'm belly heavy.

I've come up with a small list of suggestions on how to still eat some of your favorite foods, but in a better version of them. It's not all about weight loss, but about putting food into your body that keeps in functioning & feeling its best [but also a little bit about weight management].

1. French Fries: Choose sweet potato fries &/or red potato wedges. French fries sure do taste good. but are also fried. & don't have much nutritional value. Sweet potato fries are taaasty & so so easy to make! Lightly coat in olive oil, add some paprika [just a little, that stuff has a kick of spice!], and cook them up for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees... yum. Even good dipped in a little ketchup [which is good for fulfilling ketchup cravings]. Sweet potatoes are cheap, full of vitamins, are a good source of potassium & iron, & contain kerotins=good for eyes. Red potato wedges are also a better option; slice them up, lightly coat in olive oil, add some salt/pepper, & cook them up in the oven. These also contain significant vitamins & minerals good for the body.

2. Bread/Pasta: This is simple. Get the white out & switch to wheat/whole wheat. Be aware of sneaky bread companies that claim their bread is whole wheat, then the first ingredient they list is not whole wheat but "enriched wheat flour". You're not getting what you think you are, so look for 100% whole wheat [& double check that label]. Pasta also comes in the wheat option. It may take a couple tries to get used to the different texture, but your body will thank you for switching to a better carb. & it still tastes amazing with some spaghetti sauce & parmesan cheese.

3. Ice cream: [notice I did not cross this one out. because I love it. & still eat it.] Oh sweet sweet goodness I love ice cream. Especially with peanut butter. The key to this, in my own little opinion, is portion control. We have adorable polka dot dishes that are meant for ice cream & don't allow me to fill up a cereal sized bowl with 800 calories. We also don't buy it on a regular basis, maybe once a month. [Now that Jori girl gives me unstoppable ice cream cravings I've given in a few more times a week than I normally would. I justify it by claiming she needs more calcium. I just need my vanilla & peanut butter goodness]. An alternative to ice cream is smoothies. Cold, sweet, & creamy. But with natural sugars & a lot less calories! We buy extra fresh fruit sometimes & just freeze it up. We found this to be more economical than buying frozen fruit. Add a little low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt to the fruit in a blender & mix away. Use bananas, cocoa powder, & peanut butter for an amazing treat & a massive boost of vitamins & minerals.

These are only a few of multiple ways to replace the foods you love with healthier, but similar options. Got any other tips? I'd love to hear them :]

Jori Marie Update:
-25 weeks [26 weeks on Friday & a week away from the third trimester]
-Tiny girlfriend is the size of an eggplant, almost 2 lbs, & over 13 inches long! what a woman.
-She is kicking my bladder. a lot. but I haven't peed my pants yet [I hear this could happen!]
-Weight gain weight gain :] At my appointment Monday, the scale showed that I gained 8 pounds since my last appointment 4 weeks ago. Which is SO good. The last time I had lost 3 pounds. So I'm now within the 11-19 pound gain suggested for 25 weeks that keeps me on track for 25-35 total gain. [my total is now 14 pounds!]
-A couple instances of mild cramping... hoping this goes away & not that I'll have to end up on bed rest before my due date. How boring.
-I love her more than I could have ever imagined.

Nursery Update

It has been busy for the Owens the past couple of weeks - AAU bball tourny for my husband's 6th grade team & I worked a couple 50+ hour weeks. However, I still found some time to do some crafting & Craigslist browsing for nursery furniture. My plan is to create Jori's nursery with as many home-made things as possible to save some cash but also because I just love having reasons to make things. The first two projects I took on were an adorable little owl pillow [not an owl themed nursery] & a banner to hang over our little girlfriend's crib [that we don't have yet].

I found my inspiration for the owl pillow from a Pinterest. I've never made a pillow before, or even put together anything out of felt, but it didn't seem too complex so I just 'winged it' & am super happy with the results!

I started with the face - eyes first, then layered under it to get the right portions. I lightly drew out the shape I wanted with pencil on the felt & eyeballed it the rest of the way while cutting. 

Next I used the size of the head to cut a proportionate body shape & top head feathery thing [I really have no clue what that is for on real owls... extra feathers? it just looks cute.] 

Before sewing the owl to green fabric, I hand sewed the individual pieces of the owl together to add a little dimension to it. After all the pieces were together, I sewed around the outside of the owl to the green fabric square.

This is the back of the pillow, & the main colors of her nursery :]

The other project I've completed [& so far my favorite] is our Jori girl's name banner. I made a banner that says "Mr. & Mrs. Owens" for our head table at the wedding & it now hangs above our bed. How perfect that our tiny girlfriend will have one too above her crib :]

I cut the banner triangles & letters from fabric I purchased from Hobby Lobby with their wonderful 40% off coupon. The letters are the same fabric as the back of the owl pillow. 

I sewed the banners to a string of twine [with the extra light green triangles, same as the green fabric on the front of the owl pillow & some cute mini ones between each flag]

I just can't wait for her crib to be under the banner [sure would love it if it was gifted off our registry!] & to have our sleeping girl cuddled up & cute in her bed.

Another area we've started to set up is her book/reading area. I bought a bright pink trunk my freshman year of college & my husband really couldn't think of an appropriate place for it to sit in our grown-up apartment pre-baby. Now I can pass on this cutie trunk to our little girl & encourage her to be a baby genius :]

I picked up the metal bird book ends at a garage sale for $2 a couple summers ago - they even made an appearance at our wedding. The trunk sits on the floor between two, 10 foot windows, & are considering putting mini shelves above the trunk, between the windows, for more books. 

& lastly, here is the beauty of a Craigslist treasure we purchased a couple weeks ago. We originally wanted a simple dresser that would double as a changing station because these things are expen$ive - we found this glorious changing station/dresser/shelving unit for $130 & it's basically new. There is one tiny scratch. Bonus: The top piece comes off for when we want it to look more like a dresser & not the place we used to wipe her butt :] I cannot wait to put little baskets multiple shapes & sizes up top & possibly put different/fun knobs on the drawers.

& that's the nursery so far :] Current projects include a heart garland that is basically done, just needs a home for hanging, a little wall decor with some letters & fabric-filled cross-stitching rings, & curtains. 

Looking Ahead:

-25 week appointment update

-Small eating habit changes that make a big difference

Veggie Quesadillas & Jori Update

Here's a suggestion - go vegetarian for two or more meals a week. Why?

1. It saves $$ - we usually only purchase one package of meat [typically ground beef or chicken] each week. We make it stretch a couple meals & go meatless for our other meals

2. It saves calories - veggies are GOOD for you. & good tasting :]

3. Encourages cooking creativity :] When we first starting cooking together, we put together meals that were based around the meat. Now we we think more about the variety of veggies & whole grains we can get & add some protein to that. [because yes... you can get protein from more than meat. research it.]

So here is a quick little meal I made up this week based on things we had around the house & needed to use before they went bad. I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty it was [and quick]! They are veggie quesadillas. 

Ingredients:

-whole wheat tortillas [you can you flower tortillas, but the whole wheat tortillas are a healthier option, & better tasting, in my opinion]

- 1/2 yellow onion

-fresh mushrooms [one package]

-green & red, orange, or yellow peppers [or all four kinds! but that would be a pepper overload] we used half green, 3/4 yellow peppers

-1 can of refried beans [check the label for lard & avoid that. & check sodium levels as well]

-chili powder

-garlic powder

-crushed dried red pepper flakes optional

-thinly shredded cheese. Mexican blend is good. or cheddar. whatever you prefer

-sour cream optional

-salsa optional

[this made 3 quesadillas, Matt & I had 1 & half each and were VERY satisfied with that amount, plus our side of chips & salsa]

Directions:

-thinly slice onions & peppers. About half an onion & one full pepper. Mixing & matching pepper colors makes for a more interesting quesadilla. Mushrooms can be purchased pre-slides & don't need to be cut thin

-sautee all veggies together in olive oil over medium heat with a few pinches of the seasonings, depending on how many veggies you're cooking [I didn't measure when I did it]. The red pepper flakes add a little spicy flavor [which I wish I would have used!]. 

-while the veggies are cooking, spread a thin layer of the refried beans on half of the tortillas, thick enough that you can't see the tortilla through it, but not a massive pile - you need room for veggies!

-when the veggies are soft, put a single layer of veggies on the beans & cover with a thin layer of cheese. Fold in half.

-on a clean pan at medium heat, place the quesadilla on it for 2-3 minutes. [tip: putting another pan on the quesadilla while it cooks will heat it through quicker & keep everything sealed together]

-flip & heat other side 2-3 minutes- can be some browning on the tortilla to firm up the quesadilla, but it is done when the cheese is melted and beans are warm

-it will be a tiny flimsy, but shouldn't fall apart. add a tablespoon of sour cream to the top, &/or salsa, if you like. & enjoy!

we have chips & salsa as a side dish, but seasoned brown rice would be another good side option. 

Current Stats:

-Jori is almost 24 weeks [on Friday] & kicking up a storm! I finally got some bladder kicks that weren't the most enjoyable, but I still loved.

-She is the size of an ear of corn & weighs a little over a pound

-The nerve pain in my sacrum is back. dangit.

-Current weight is unknown, but weight surely has been gained since my sad midwife appointment two weeks ago where I lost weight. 

Looking Ahead:

-Nursery update

Otter's 'Not-So-Secret' Name

I'm weak. I can't keep a secret. I had this brilliant plan to keep our lady's name a secret until we announced her arrival. However, I'm so dang excited about it I've been dying to spill the beans since we chose it!

So after begging Matt nearly every day, he told me he didn't care either way if people knew or didn't. So here is her naming story :]

When I originally posted about choosing a baby name, I kind of lied. The name we had then is not actually her name. I was too anxious that it wasn't the right name & questioning it frequently. This was enough for me to decide this was not her name. That name was Ella. We still love the name, but don't love the sound of "Ella Owens" [kind of choppy]. I also didn't like that some college friends still call me Bella. Mama Bella & baby Ella. Did not love that at all either. And lastly, both my friend & brother have dogs name Ellie... a little too close for comfort. So in the end, Ella became Otter again.

People were saying "wait until she is here! you'll know when you see her!" I'm sure that's amazing advice for some people & I can see how it could work. But for this obsessive planner... not happening. So one night my loving husband willingly laid in bed with me while I read name after name from the world's longest list of baby names. Most of them were impractical, but we needed inspiration! Then I saw it. A name I had heard only once before when meeting my best friend's roommate, & had  LOVED it then. I had never considered using it for my own child [this was a few years ago, before I even had a ring on my finger]. The second I read it was like a breath of fresh air. I told Matt [with a little too much excitement] how much I loved the name & he seemed to like it too.

Before I got my hopes up too high, we had to check the meaning of the name. When we first found out we were pregnant [much to our surprise], we decided that a name meaning "gift" or "blessing" would be a perfect fit. We had found other names we like, but when we saw that they meant "bitter cow" or "lazy", we no longer loved it so much. So when the meaning of this special name was "abundant blessings down-flow from above" When I saw that, I couldn't imagine her with any other name.

& that's how we named our sweet girl, Jori Marie Owens

[Jori comes from Jordan [or Jordon, Matt's middle name] in reference to the Jordan river, which is where "down-flowing" comes from. Marie has always been my choice for my first daughter's middle name. It's my middle name, my mom's, & great grandma's]

I love the meaning. I love carrying on the family name of Marie. & I love the uniqueness, but not strangeness, of her first name. I can't wait to meet our little Jori.

21 Week Appointment

[by now I'm nearly 22 weeks, but better late than never!]

I visited my midwife Monday & had a normal appointment:
-pee test
-weigh in
-blood pressure
-quick chat about any questions/problems.

Everything checked out great.

Except my weight :/

I am now down to 126 pounds from my last appointment's 129 pounds.
In a normal world this would be wonderful for most people. & I'm in no way complaining that it's been hard for me to gain weight... but it is of concern because little Otter girl needs me to grow while she grows! My midwife isn't too alarmed since I still have 3 months & a week to reach  my goal weight of 145-155 pounds, but instructed me to get a higher caloric intake these next 4 weeks [before my next appointment] so I'm up at least a couple pounds next time.

More calories = more food. Not candy bars, ice cream, pop, & all things fattening. Unfortunately I've heard stories of women who need to gain weight so they take this as a cue to eat 2 Snickers bars a day. That kind of weight gain is not beneficial. They are empty calories that do not benefit the health of growing baby or mama.

My goal these next few weeks is to be more aware of when I'm hungry & eat healthy, but higher caloric snacks - like almonds, peanuts, yogurt with granola, etc. Getting more protein in my daily diet will help as well.

We were also updated on the ultra sound results - Otter girl looked just as she should for the number of weeks she's at :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] :]

Now on a completely different topic - THE NURSERY! Some supplies have already been purchased/re-used for our sweet girl's room. My hope is to document the process of creating her little space & posting as the crafts are completed. Currently she has a bassinet we bought on Craig's List for $20, a pink trunk [from my college days] used as a mini book shelf, a paper lamp [from my best friend's wedding], & a handful of cutie outfits gifted to us from friends & family. I'll dedicate my next blog post to all things nursery [thus far] including a craft I've nearly finished & what we hope to do with it as we prepare for our little lady's arrival in May.


One last question: for all you pro bloggers... HELP! I tried making a button but cannot figure out how to link it up to my page so viewers can click on it to subscribe to my blog/put the button on their page... Any good tutorials for me to watch/read?

Current Stats:
-Otter girl is the size of a pomegranate, about a pound in weight
-Physically feeling great, working out, sleeping comfortably
-stronger kicks & pokes from Otter & at predictable times of the day :]

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a huge bummer - especially when your job is semi-strenuous or you want to be active & exercising. This is a very common problem with pregnant women because of all the strain of a growing belly, shifting hip bones, & a shift in posture to accommodate the change in weight placement [a little front heavy for those farther along!]. I've had problems on and off throughout my first 20 weeks with back pain & I've done tons of research to try & calm down the pain. For general lower back pain, these are a few suggestions that may alleviate &/or get rid of the pain. I also don't encourage the use of medication such as Tylenol or Advil... those things mostly just mask an underlying problem [& really not safe for growing babies in the womb!].

1. Stretching: Seems too simple, but it really does help. The hamstrings are the main culprit for lower back pain due to their attachment point at the posterior [back] side of the pelvic bone. When hamstrings are tight, they pull on the pelvic bone, which causes stress on the lower back. Doing simple hamstring stretches a couple times a day [consistently, like every day!] can make a huge difference. Hold the stretching position for 30 seconds & maintain a normal breathing rhythm [some people forget to breath while they're stretching]. There are various positions in which you can stretch your hamstring, here are a few:
     -On the ground, one leg out at an angle, the other bent in at the knee [like a checkmark]. Reach toward your toes, but keep your upper body up straight! A lot of people tend to hunch over when reaching for their toes... this isn't as effective in stretching the whole hamstring. Switch & stretch the other leg. Do this 3 times on each leg.
     -Using a partner, lay on your back. One leg goes straight up in the air, the other bent or flat on the ground. Have your partner hold one hand on your knee [to keep it straight] & slowly guide the leg in the air towards your head. Have them stop pushing when you feel a stretching sensation, but not pain. Obviously do both legs. Again, 3 times each leg.
    -While standing, put one foot onto a chair or the couch & keep the leg straight. Again, reach for the toes while keeping upper body as straight as possible. Keep the shoulders back. Do each leg 3 times.

     [I tried getting diagrams online so I wouldn't have to use so many words... but the internet is horribly slow tonight. Sorry pals]

Another stretch I like [& that makes me feel so silly when I do it] is something I like to call "happy cat/angry cat". I actually borrowed stole this phrase from my athletic trainer in college who helped me through some back/hip problems during my senior soccer season. Getting down on all fours [hands & knees] let your back/belly relax so your back is arched & head is looking up. This is happy cat pose. Hold it for a couple seconds then round your back upwards, tucking the chin under towards your chest. This is angry cat pose. Repeat this as many times as you want. I usually do about 30. This helps loosen up & stretch the muscles in the back.

2. Avoid standing for extending periods of time: Maybe with your job this isn't possible. So make sure when you are standing, use good posture by keeping the shoulders pulled back, butt tucked under [avoiding a sway back], & spread body weight evenly between each leg. If you have chance, do a quick stretch to break up the standing.

3. Heat: This is my favorite. It feels like heaven. Warmth will help loosen up tight muscles that can cause pain. **Especially for pregnant women** Do not lay on a heating pad. Do not put the heating pad directly on your skin. Do not use the heating pad for more than the instructed time. It is important to be cautious about raising the body temperature because it can be harmful to the tiny person you're carrying! There are electric plug in ones or ones you can make yourself with fabric/sock & rice. All you need is a microwave to get these warm [a luxury we don't have!]

4. Drink water: A lot of stiffness can occur when water consumption throughout the day isn't high enough. Most people don't have more than one cup of water a day [if that!]. It is recommended to drink at least 64 oz. of water a day minimum [more if you're very active or of larger stature]. Staying hydrated helps keep things like fascia [fibrous tissue that connects some bones/muscles & helps with some muscles move in a smooth gliding motion]. When you're dehydrated, the fascia are affected & become more sticky-like, causing stiffness. Also, water helps flush out toxins in the body which can affect how your muscles feel.

I hope if you're currently having lower back pain problems, these tips can help you. The key is consistency. Don't expect results overnight either. These stretches [especially happy cat/angry cat] can also help with sciatic nerve pain. That's a whole different post though [& a pain in my butt... kind of literally]


Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. I have studied the human body & have a degree related to  fitness & the well-being of the body... This is something that has affected me & the techniques I've used to manage the pain. That's all :] I also read. A lot.

PS: This is not just for mommy's to be... but can be applicable for any pals with general lower back pain.


Looking Ahead:
-21 week midwife appointment update [tomorrow!]
-Otter Girl's first nursery craft