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Archive for pregnancy

Breastfeeding support on demand, through your phone. Yes, really!

Posted on September 29, 2015
by Elana Natker, MS, RD

pacify-logo1Disclosure: I am part of the Pacify provider network but was not asked to nor will I be compensated for writing this post. I work with brands and companies I believe in, such as this one. All views and words are my very own.

I consider myself lucky. My first child was delivered at a baby-friendly hospital which truly lived up to its distinction. There was breastfeeding support as soon as my daughter was born, and I wasn’t discharged until I had at least one visit from the lactation consultants.

Also available to me were weekly breastfeeding support groups at the hospital, as well as unlimited calls to the lactation consultant support line. I’d leave a message and get a return call within about 2 hours, or the next business day if it was late in the day. I used that line a lot, as I was a nervous first-time mom with a smallish little baby girl – the honor roll student in me did not understand how 30 percent(ile) could be considered “good” or “normal”,  but so goes the growth chart system! Thanks in no small part to the support of the lactation consultants, as well as to my support system at home and of like-minded mamas, I was able to reach my goal of breastfeeding for one year. (OK, 13 months. It’s that honor roll/overachiever in me!)

That’s why when I first heard about Pacify, I knew I wanted to get involved. Pacify is a new company, an app on your mobile phone that connects subscribers (usually moms) with health professionals. For a monthly fee you can have unlimited, on-demand access to nurses, lactation consultants and dietitians to answer questions when you need it, not to mention the support and reassurance from a qualified health professional quite literally right there in front of you (most calls are done via video chat). While a goal of Pacify may be to increase confidence in a mom’s ability to breastfeed which may also increase duration, Pacify providers like me may also help with non-breastfeeding-related questions like when to introduce solids and how to overcome picky eating in a toddler.

Like it or not, we are an on-demand culture: we want to binge-watch television shows, get questions answered by Google, and hate waiting for a call back or when business hours roll around. When it’s the middle of the night and baby is crying but won’t latch, mom wants help from a professional and needs it now. Thankfully, services like Pacify are now there.

D.C. area readers: Tomorrow you can meet Pacify directly! Visit the Pacify booth at the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower tomorrow, September 30, from 6:00-9:30 p.m. at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center. You can get $15 off (that’s one free month) with a special code. No obligation – just try it out. Makes a great baby shower present, too!!

Everyone else: If you’re interested in trying Pacify and you’re in the D.C. area, Maryland, Virginia or California, leave a note for me in the comments and I’ll email you the code. Pacify is quickly expanding into other states, so stay tuned.

breastfeeding, kids and toddlers, pregnancy

Ode to Oatmeal

Posted on January 27, 2012
by Elana Natker, MS, RD

Do you have the January blues? You know what I mean – the holidays have come and gone, with the next major holiday not until Memorial Day in May (unless you’re one of the lucky ones who gets Presidents’ Day off); the weather is dreary and cold; your New Year’s resolution of eating healthier is starting to get boring…time for some inspiration and comfort to get you through the winter blues.

One thing January has going for it is that it’s National Oatmeal Month. Now, oatmeal isn’t much to look at – it IS pretty blah on its own – but it’s a nutritional powerhouse that’s just begging to be dressed up with other nutritious ingredients.
2010-oatmeal_forwebNear where I used to live in Colorado, there is an annual Oatmeal Festival. The event kicks off with a 5K race and ends with a health fair, cooking contest and perhaps the world’s largest oatmeal topping bar. At this breakfast you can top your oatmeal with the usual fruit and nuts, but among the offerings as well are M&Ms, peanut butter, gummy bears and jelly beans. Perhaps not the healthiest way to prepare this breakfast dish but, hey – those folks just ran 3 miles! And besides, anything that gets people to try a healthy dish they might not otherwise is considered a win in my book.

There are many reasons to love oatmeal:

  • It’s a whole grain – According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010), at least half of the grain products we eat should be whole grains. The reason is that whole grains have more fiber than refined grains since the bran and germ remain intact. Refined grains keep just the starchy part – the endosperm, and the bran layer and germ are removed.
  • It’s a good source of fiber – Nearly all Americans aren’t eating enough fiber every day. For most adults, that’s 25-38 grams daily. One half-cup of oatmeal provides 4 grams of fiber. Add some berries or nuts, and you can easily get one-quarter to one-third of your daily fiber goals just at breakfast!
  • It helps lower cholesterol – the fiber in oatmeal, beta-glucan, is a heart-healthy soluble fiber that essentially attracts cholesterol like a magnet and helps flush it out of the body.
  • It’s inexpensive – One 18-oz. can of Quaker Old-Fashioned oatmeal, which makes 13 half-cup servings, sells for $2.95 at my nearby grocery store. That’s 23 cents per serving! For comparison, an 18-oz. box of Cheerios, which contains 18 servings is $4.85, or 27 cents per serving.
  • It may be a galactogogue – OK, so I don’t have the science to back this claim up, but there’s an old wives’ tale that eating oatmeal may help increase milk supply for breastfeeding women. For something as healthy as oatmeal, it certainly can’t histock_000018669242xsmallurt for a nursing mother to try.

Back in my pre-kids days when I ran marathons, a packet of oatmeal (plus coffee and an orange) was my standard breakfast before long runs and races. The packets and oatmeal-to-go dishes were perfect for out-of-state races – I’d just heat some water in the hotel room coffeepot, mix and go. That, and when I travel is perhaps the only time I can tolerate the pre-packaged oatmeal. I find it’s a little too sweet for me, and I prefer the texture of old-fashioned oats (instant oats are chopped smaller to make them cook faster).

I guess I can be a little picky about my oatmeal, since I almost never order it at restaurants and would rather make it myself. I like using milk – but not too much or it won’t cook as well. Also nuts – but they must be coarsely chopped as slivered won’t give the same result. And must have berries mixed in – bananas, raisins and other toppings just aren’t as good. I use frozen berries throughout the winter and fresh berries when they’re in season. The result is a filling meal loaded with about one-third of my daily fiber and calcium needs, and is loaded with iron, a mineral that most pregnant women and women of childbearing age need. (Helpful hint: iron is better absorbed when you pair it with vitamin C, which the berries provide!)

Here’s my recipe:

Elana’s Oatmeal – Perfected!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, dry
  • 2/3 cup milk (fat-free or 1%)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup frozen berries*, unthawed
  • 1/2 ounce almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar Blend Splenda
  • Ground cinnamon, to taste

Preparation:

  1. Mix the dry oats with the milk and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2-3 minutes on high in the microwave. Careful that the oatmeal doesn’t bubble over.
  2. Remove the bowl and stir in the frozen berries, almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat for 1 minute more on high.
  3. Let sit for 1 minute to cool and thicken. Enjoy!

*If you’re using fresh berries, add after the oatmeal is done cooking.

Serves 1

Nutrition per serving: 355 calories, 11g fat, 1g saturated fat, 121g sodium, 51g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 14g protein, 27% daily value for calcium, 16% daily value for iron.

How do you like your oatmeal?

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, favorite foods, healthy habits, pregnancy

Body After Baby

Posted on May 26, 2011
by Elana Natker, MS, RD

Healthy pregnant woman resting, typing on laptop and eating green apple. Looking at camera.

Attention, ladies! There’s a surefire way to lose about 10 lbs…in one day! Of course, you need to first gain about 25-35 pounds, and how you lose that extra weight is a heck of a lot harder.

Yes, I’m talking about pregnancy. For a women at a normal weight, she can expect to gain about 25-35 lbs over the course of the 9 months. Underweight women need to gain more, and overweight women need less. Obese women might not need to gain any weight at all, according to the latest recommendations. Steady, moderate weight gain is good for both mom and baby, helping to prevent low birthweight (less than 5.5 lbs at birth) and high birthweight (greater than 9 lbs at birth).

Steady, moderate weight gain can also help women more quickly bounce back to their pre-pregnancy weight. For greatest success, follow a healthy diet and eating plan, and get some physicial activity, before the baby is born – ideally before you even become pregnant. But for those who find themselves weeks or months post-partum, struggling to lose the weight, all is not lost. Here a few tips and hints:

1. You are NOT eating for two.

Sure, when you’re pregnant a single body is carrying two beings, with two heartbeats, two digestive systems and so on. But a 130-pound woman does not deliver a 130-pound baby (can you even IMAGINE??), so strike from your mind any notion about eating for two. It’s more like eating for 1.2.

As I said before, most women can expect to gain about 25-35 pounds during pregnancy, and deliver on average a 7.5-lb. baby. So what about that extra weight? That’s placenta, amniotic fluid, extra blood vessels and several other ways your body grows and adapts to accomodate the being growing inside of you. Any weight accounted by the baby and placenta will automatically be lost at birth, but the other weight takes time to lose.

So even though you need to take in extra calories during pregnancy, the actual calorie amount needed is about 100-300 per day. If you’re breastfeeding, your calorie needs actually increase to about 500 extra per day. Continue to make those calories count by eating nutritious foods, having an extra snack or two, or using more calorie-dense oils and fatty/healthy foods such as avocadoes, fatty fish (no more than twice/week, and avoiding high-mercury fish), nuts and olives.

2. Drink up!

Staying hydrated during pregnancy helps prevent Braxton-Hicks contractions (those false-labor contractions). If you’re nursing, you tend to get very, very thirsty. Also thirst may mask itself as hunger, so before you reach for another bite, try drinking something first. Water is always a good option, but it can get boring after a while. Try mixing it up by serving it ice-cold, or adding a slice or two of fruit or veggies: lemon, lime, orange, cucumber – even some watermelon or frozen berries. Your calcium needs increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so you might even reach for a glass of lowfat or fat-free milk. Other good, low-calorie options are unsweetened iced tea (careful how much caffeine you’re getting), seltzer water, 100% fruit juice (try diluting with water, since a little goes a long way), even Gatorade or flavored bottled water. Of course, avoid alcohol during pregnancy and limit it when you’re nursing – try to time it until after the baby eats, and wait about an hour or more before breastfeeding again. Remember, alcohol can be dehydrating, so drink some extra water as well.

Fruits and vegetables also provide lots of water in addition to vitamins and nutrients, so don’t be afraid to load up on things like lettuce, celery, watermelon, oranges, and berries.

3. Get moving!

Gone are the days in which pregnant women need to stay off their feet and “endure” pregnancy. Research shows that being active during pregnancy can help keep weight gain in check and may even help ease delivery. Women who were not active during pregnancy should not suddenly take up a vigorous activity such as running, and all women should first check with their doctors before doing any kind of physical activity. Certain exercises such as bicycle riding, horseback riding, skiing – even volleyball and basketball, aren’t recommended during pregnancy due to their high risks for falling and colliding with others. Also, after the first trimester, pregnant women should avoid anything that has them laying flat on their backs. Activities that are typically safe during pregnancy include yoga, most cardiovascular machines (elliptical, treadmill, stationary bike), weightlifting (some modifications may be needed)…and, of course, walking.

In the immediate post-partum days, you need to give your body time to recuperate. Labor and delivery is a major event, and there’s a tremendous amount of recovery going on inside your body. Especially if you required stitches or had a c-section, it’s important to take it easy for the first 6 weeks, or at least until your doctor gives you the green light to exercise. Even then, take it slow.

Keep in mind –

Remember, it took 9 months to grow a pregnant body. It will take some time to lose the weight. Pregnancy is not a time to diet, but it is a great time to think about reassess your eating habits and to set yourself and your baby up for the best possible success.

breastfeeding, pregnancy, Prenatal exercise, weight loss

Forgive, forget and move on

Posted on March 7, 2011
by Elana Natker, MS, RD

I just spent a fantastic weekend with my sister and her family, celebrating my niece’s birthday and giving my daughter some much-needed cousin time. It was a quick trip, with one celebration after another: actual birthday dinner out Friday night, dinner together with even more family Saturday night, and the birthday party on Sunday.

The weekend started off poorly, food-wise: for one thing, it was a 5-plus hour drive and I hate to stop or not have something suitable for my very insistent toddler, so I loaded up a tote bag with healthy snacks for my daughter and me – peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat, raisins, apples, graham crackers. Not exactly balanced eating, but a lot better than stopping at Burger King or the other very limited options along the interstate. Also, eating while driving – i.e. multitasking and not really listening to satiety cues – isn’t exactly the most healthful behavior.

When I got to my destination, it didn’t get better. We went straight to dinner, which was at a restaurant of the birthday girl’s choosing (and I was duly forewarned by my sister and brother-in-law that the food was not very good, but rather that the main attraction was the kids arcade). I got a pizza, and it really wasn’t that great. But, I was so distracted by keeping an eye on my daughter, catching up with my sister and brother-in-law, that again I didn’t pay attention to what I was eating and before I knew it my entire pizza was nearly gone (plus a few slices from my daughter’s plate – the plain cheese kid’s pizza was actually better than the “gourmet” version I had ordered.)

I went to bed stuffed that night – a feeling I hate – and didn’t quite shake the full feeling all weekend. I’m a sucker for birthday parties and LOVE cake, and my sister had two absolutely delicious cakes for the birthday girl over the course of the weekend. I couldn’t help but indulge – and then blame my poor eating on being pregnant. Poor unborn child – he’s already being pegged as the scapegoat.

So what do you do when you find yourself sitting on the couch, feeling like a lump, and swear you can feel your belly expanding with each breath? Have a pity party if you want to, but keep it short. Weekends like these happen to us all – or entire vacations or even years of our lives. Rather than wallow in self-pity, or reach for another bag of chips thinking to yourself that the damage is already done – dust yourself off, say goodbye to the food free-for-all you just had, and make a new goal to refocus on making healthful, balanced choices. You can’t change yesterday, but you can certainly change tomorrow.

As gross as I can feel after a weekend of indulgence, it’s rare that I truly regret the experience. Splurging or going off your healthy eating path is often a good reminder that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing – and that even our favorite foods (such as cake), can be a turnoff if you get too much of it. It also makes me appreciate my fresh salads and broth-based soups even more, as my body just naturally craves a veggie-filled meal to counteract all the carbs, sugar and fat circulating through my system. So later today, I’m heading to the grocery store and re-stocking my fridge with fresh produce and salad fixings for the week, plus some lean proteins thinking black beans or hummus – and yogurt. Should be feeling better in no time. Besides, it’s what the baby is asking for – smart little guy!

favorite foods, healthy habits, pregnancy
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