Inspiration for Bella Bellies

By Bella Bellies Owner Anne Martens

It was a sunny May day and gathering around my Mother's family table sat myself, my Mom, Nana / Grandmother, Great Aunts, Aunts, Cousins & Siblings, all of them lovingly taking a turn holding my newborn baby. All of the adults at the table were mothers and this was the first time I sat in their presence as a "Mother." I was humbled and stunned. I had always loved, revered and respected my family but that day I looked at all of them with a new found respect. They were mothers who had sacrificed their bodies, time and mental energies...AND they had survived. But how? How the heck did they do it?  Sleep deprived, hormonally questionable and constantly reminded by my engorged breasts that I was exclusively nursing a 12 pound baby, I could not find the words to ask these questions out loud, so I simply listened and watched as my family laughed and reminisced about motherhood.  Alas, it was night-time and time to leave. As everyone stood up to go and helped me swaddle the baby, they joked about how sore their arms would be the next day. On that note, my Grandmother and Great Aunt joked about how they used to lift soup cans to strengthen their arms in preparation for motherhood, my Mom and Aunt joked about Jane Fonda Videos...and I realized, exercising and moving was inherently instilled in me as a small child. Of course I exercised and of course I exercised during my pregnancy, so much so I took it for granted. And there it was, that a-ha moment. During my pregnancy, I had been so focused on the birth and exercise for birth, that I overlooked the physicality of motherhood. Unbeknownst to me, I was ready. The exercises I had practiced during pregnancy strengthened my arms, back and tummy for motherhood. This memory is profoundly moving to me, and help motivate me to devote my career to maternal fitness.

Bella Bellies Prenatal Exercises on Fox

Hello All!
I am excited to write I was invited to share some of Bella Bellies Prenatal Exercises for Fox News Network. They recently posted the exercises to their Online Magazine, check it out at: http://magazine.foxnews.com/food-wellness/bella-bellies-prenatal-pilates
Warm regards,
Annie

Coffee During Pregnancy?

Submitted By Certified Bella Bellies Instructor Eun Young Kim

Did you know that there have been over 19,000 studies done to research the health impact of coffee?

How does one go about filtering through those studies to show which one is good, valid, worth sharing and believing? Most of us will read just enough to get the answer that we are looking for. Healthy!? Sounds great to me!

I have a strong belief for staying as close to nature as possible with everything we do. However, I also believe that science has an important place in our health, environment, and lifestyle. It is very challenging to find the perfect combination of both. Another component is the individual – their genes, lifestyle, emotion, mindfulness, etc. I believe tapping into the individual is the first and key component of any decision or debate when it comes to our health.

So why am I getting philosophical about coffee?

It has played a near and dear relationship in my life since… oh about senior year in college when I started falling asleep in my 2pm classes and then continues into my career when I just had to find every job that for some reason I would have to rise at some time between 4:30am and 5:30am to start my commute or start work and finally being blessed with that second child who wanted to defy every philosophy I strongly believed in on how to get a baby to sleep through the night.

I loved (and still love) coffee! But is it REALLY healthy for us…..for me?

Diving into research and reading articles here and there, I found an overwhelming amount of research for the positive effects of coffee drinking. However, in the end no matter what I read, I questioned the positive health effect it had on me personally. It did not help that my favorite way to have it was “cream and sugar please” or “yum mocha!” So just under 3 years ago (once my youngest son decided to sleep through the night) I began my journey of trying to get rid of coffee.

First step, lets get rid of the sugar and limit the mochas. That was not so hard; however, I needed a lot of cream. Then I started to eliminate dairy (that is another post). I finally found Coconut Half and Half. All set!

Or was I?

Throughout trying different “healthier” ways to enjoy my coffee habit and not feel so guilty about it, I learned how coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Oh yum, let’s drink a cup of chemicals and pesticides. As a result, I went organic. As you see this leaves me to only making coffee at home or stopping in my local Whole Foods. So I will admit to cheating and reverting back to old ways from time to time just to get my java fix.

I still did not like the fact that, I felt like I needed coffee. Throughout the three years of experimenting with healthier ways to enjoy my coffee and get the most health benefits from it, I would occasionally torture myself and try to give it up. It was not until a little over a year ago that I was able to give it up for a full month and then just go back to it occasionally.

What was different?

I was ready to really commit to kicking some bad food habits. (Yes, I am human and I have some not so good vices that would get mixed in-between the greens and fruit.) I addressed my addiction to sugar and my sensitivity to wheat and gluten.

When I am on track with my good choices – keeping the good stuff in and eliminating the foods that don’t work for me, you will rarely see me with a cup of coffee. Instead, you will see me with hot tea or water. I do still love coffee and do believe when organic and without sugar it has health benefits. I still enjoy my cup of coffee and will admit to sneaking in those seasonal latte’s; however, I don’t need it. I enjoy it instead.

So my point…. There are foods and habits that we can read are healthy or unhealthy. Read up and educate yourself; however, when the time is right, take a look at how the food or habit plays a role in your life.

Is it good for YOU?

A little more on coffee (caffeine) specifically during pregnancy and in early motherhood?
So, we all have heard from doctors, midwives, family, friends and other people who generally love to offer advice when they see a glowing pregnant lady that one should limit the caffeine intake whilst pregnant. But, why? Simply put, because caffeine, acts as a stimulant and a diuretic - it does cross the placenta to the fetus, although the effects of high caffeine intake on miscarriage / intrauterine growth restriction are inconclusive at this time.

People do have differing sensitivity to caffeine, but to more or lesser degree, ingesting caffeine will make you feel more alert and increase your heart rate and it may increase your blood pressure. And heart rate and blood pressure are of course, two of the key things we are keeping a close eye on especially for a pregnant lady, and even more so, for a pregnant lady engaging in a little physical workout. Then, as a diuretic, though mild, it can lead to more frequent urination and therefore put you at higher risk of dehydration; and proper hydration is oh so important for fighting fatigue, constipation, preventing preterm labor....

With pregnancy induced insomnia experienced by many and the increase in bathroom trips experienced by all pregnant ladies, it is wise to avoid factors that may even further up your chances of having to battle with these factors.

And what about for the nursing mom?
Caffeine does infiltrate the breast milk also, although the levels are quite low. However, one of the top recommendations for breastfeeding moms is to keep well hydrated - to help maintain the milk supply. The stimulating effects of coffee, whilst potentially providing an initial ‘pick me up’, can also trigger feelings of anxiety and tension - and with a newborn / baby to care for, often with a dose of sleep deprivation mixed in, you want to create an environment and diet that will allow you to feel as relaxed and calm as possible.

There is no hard number to follow when it comes to what is an “acceptable” daily consumption of caffeine during pregnancy. It varies somewhere between 150mg - 300mg (ACOG calls 200mg a day a “moderate” consumption of caffeine). One shot of espresso contains about 100mg and a cup of the beloved Starbucks tall brewed coffee will pretty much put you at the upper limit. Add in any other sources of caffeine such as chocolate, tea, energy drinks and it’s easy to go over this limit.

So what did I do during my pregnancy?

I found that the sensory effect of just smelling the coffee often gave me the boost I needed - so I stuck with decaf. I also dabbled a bit more with different teas. On other days, I indulged in dark chocolate. And I learnt to savor each bite / sip.

 

Find out more about Eun Young at: http://wholesomemotherhood.com/Home.html

 

Prenatal & Nursing Moms; Balancing Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D & Vitamin K2 for Bone Health

By Bella Bellies Owner, Anne Martens

Goal of the Day;

Find a Vitamin / Supplement with Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D & Vitamin K2

First and foremost, if you take a supplement for better bone health, it’s important to maintain the proper balance between calcium, vitamin D,  magnesium and vitamin k2. Lack of balance between these nutrients is why calcium supplements have become associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Also, it is important to have the balance, to help prevent indigestion and constipation. Dr. Oz advises: "Calcium without one-third the amount of magnesium leads to constipation, so choose your combo carefully." During pregnancy and postpartum the body has a shift in hormones which softens our smooth muscles tissue. The good? -this helps prevent preterm labor / early contractions. The bad? -this makes a pregnant and postpartum woman more prone to sluggish digestion and thus constipation. Make sure you have you have the proper balance of nutrients to prevent this.

Balance is what I like to stress here. Every individual is different. Your best resource is your care provider. Speak with him / her about the best daily supplement.

In the meantime, here is what Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen recommend in their book You: Having a Baby

• Calcium; 600 mg three times a day when pregnant; twice a day prior to pregnancy
• Magnesium; 200 mg three times a day; twice a day prior to pregnancy
• Vitamin D 600 IU twice a day
• Vitamin K2 (?)

As for Vitamin K2, Dr. Rheaume-Bleu writes:
" The optimal amounts of vitamin K2 are still under investigation, but it seems likely that 180 to 200 micrograms of vitamin K2 should be enough to activate your body's K2-dependent proteins to shuttle the calcium where it needs to be, and remove it from the places where it shouldn't. "

Here are a few other important points to consider:

Why Vitamin K2?

• If you take oral vitamin D, you also need to take vitamin K2, this will help prevent toxity of vitamin D in your bloodstream. Third trimester and the immediate postpartum period are particularly taxing on the body -this is when K2 levels drop the most.
• Helps "shuttle" calcium throughout the body and into the bones and teeth
• Want more information? Check out -Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue; Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life. -Personally, I read it -pretty compelling and concerning. Dr. Rheaume-Bleue estimates 80% of the general population is Vitamin K2 deficient
• May help to prevent nausea during the first trimester

Why Vitamin D?

• Help Mom's muscles function properly; helping to reduce the chance of those pesky leg cramps!
• Help Baby's muscles function properly!
• Proper intake of the above minerals / vitamins will help reduce the chance of prenatal depression, postpartum depression and depression in general, including vitamin D

Why Calcium?

• Long term proper intake will help reduce osteoporosis in both mom and baby
• Provide the uterus with enough minerals to produce Corin, which will help regulate blood pressure and reduce the chance of preeclampsia, Calcium and Vitamin D are needed to produce corin. A deficiency of corin may contribute to higher blood pressure and difficulty absorbing proteins. Here is an excellent article: http://www.lerner.ccf.org/news/notations/16/4/1.php
• In utero, your little one accrues roughly, 30 grams of calcium in bone mass

Why Magnesium?

• May help prevent preterm labor; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7603732
• May help to prevent nausea; especially during the first trimester
• Helps the muscles function properly in both mom and baby
• Helps prevent leg / toe cramps
• Check out Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., author of The Magnesium Miracle. -Personally, I read it, and realized my kiddos vitamins are lacking this critical nutrient, thus switching.

A Poem For My Children

Here is a verse I happened to come across. I thought it would be appropriate to share on a Sunday.
"You are the poem I dreamed of writing, the masterpiece I longed to paint. You are the shining star I reached for in my ever hopeful quest for life fulfilled. You are my child now with all things I am blessed." --Author Unknown

Interview with National Public Radio!

Here is my interview with National Public Radio, "It's Your Health" Radio.
http://audio.itsyourhealthnetwork.com/media/parent062012annemartens14min10sec.mp3

Daddy's

This is a must see video! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl0fck9yhG0

Thank you for sharing Tracy Park RN from Hillcrest Hospital!