Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Wendy,
    
    Congratulations on your upcoming wedding (and eventually family)!!!
    
    I would think if your doctor has recommended exercises pre-pregnancy
    that he/she would also recommend a diet or full health program as well.
    Talk to him first. 
    
    I know I said I wanted to lose 10 pounds before I got pregnant but
    knowing the way I diet (on my own) I would have done more damage to my
    body then good (I basically cut out food rather then alter my eating
    habits). I know my pre-natal vitamins say for pre-pregnancy, while
    pregnant and for breast-feeding mothers. 
    
    A good friend of mine (39 when she first conceived) had a mis-carriage
    and then went to a nutritionist to help her "clean out" her body. If
    your doctor doesn't think you have any "act to clean up" but you still
    do, a nutritionist might help you. Being is good physical shape is more
    important before conception because you most likely will not start a
    hard-core exercise program once you become pregnant (maybe a walking
    program but not high-impact aerobics). Most doctors will allow you to
    continue your form of exercise throughout your pregnancy, modified as
    appropriate. My doctor said I could ski into my 6th month so long as I
    wasn't doing mogul runs!! The trouble was finding ski pants for
    pregnant women.
    
    The second time around I did eat healthier for about 2 months before
    and rarely drank.
    
    Best of luck. Don't worry about the relatives.
    
    Andrea

    Wendy, with everything else on your mind right now, I don't think you
    need to worry about preparing your body for pregnancy!! :):):):)
    
    I am trying to get pregnant again, too, and I think I've done about
    all I can -- cut way back on caffeine, refined sugar and flour, 
    alcohol, etc.  These are things I'm doing FOR ME.  I want to live long
    enough to see my grandchildren!  Plus, I want to set a good example of
    healthy eating and living habits that will stay with my son for all
    his life.
    
    My advice is, enjoy everything in moderation.  Enjoy the plans for the
    wedding, have fun on your honeymoon, and try to take it one day at a
    time.
    
    I do not mean to belittle the way you feel -- I was a complete wreck
    for months before my wedding -- but you have an exciting time ahead of
    you, so try to relax and enjoy this happy time!
    
    Warm hugs,
    Kate

    Hi Wendy,
    
    First of all, congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!
    
    I did try to "be healthy" before/during the time we were trying
    to get pregnant.  I cut out all wine during the last 2 weeks of
    each monthly cycle, just in case.  I also decided it was a good
    time to loose the extra 5 pounds I was carrying around, hoping that
    would help in the long run with loosing the extra pregnancy weight,
    by at least starting things out where I wanted to be (baby's due
    in 3 1/2 weeks, so I've yet to find out if I think it helped).
    
    I had head that you shouldn't start an exersize program once you're
    pregnant, so I started one well in advance.  My exersize was walking
    2-3 miles.  All of a sudden, after doing the walking for months,
    I found I could hardly make it up hills and was terribly winded.
    Well, turns out that was when I had become pregnant!  Once I found
    out I was pregnant, I started doing the hills much more s-l-o-w-l-y!
    I was certainly glad I had been doing the walking for some time,
    as I don't think I *could* have started it while pregnant!  (Now
    my doctor has advised me to stop walking till after the baby comes
    - it was making my feet and ankles swell up too much.)
    
    Good luck to you in your wedding and your future pregnancy!
    -Cathy
    

    	Thank you all for your kind words about the wedding. I've been
    kicking myself lately for not eloping in Kauia when we had the chance.
    (wedding are fun, but the hassle that goes along with them is
    not).(seriously, I know that everything will work out just fine)

    	Anyway, it's not that I am trying to add more stress to my life
    right now but someone pointed Parenting out in Medical and I thought
    I'd come over here and ask the people who would know best.

    	We're not planning on getting pregnant right away but let's face
    it, at this stage in our lives (I'm 31) one of the big reasons for us
    getting married is to start a family in the near future. The thought is
    there.

    	I've also had Doctor's tell me that any kind of pregnancy in this
    body of mine will be difficult for physical reasons (my pelvis and leg
    has been broken several times, they've said to expect lots of pain, but
    I guess that that's just a chance that I will have to take (that I WANT
    to take)). I think that the previous reply of doing a fair amount of
    walking before and after is probably a good idea. As is modifying (but
    not completely altering) the eating habits.

    	In any event as the time gets nearer, I'm sure that you'll be
    hearing from me again.

    	Thanks much for the encouragement.

    			Wendy

    	

    Wendy
    
    The Fallon Clinic in Shrewsbury, Plantation Street has a program called
    Healthy Start.  It's for those of us who are or who are planning to
    become pregnant.  It's about two hours long, one evening, and it gives
    you all kinds of information on exercise, diet, nutrition, body changes, 
    etc and I'm almost positive it's for members and non-members alike.  I think
    for non-members there may be a fee of $10.00 or something, but it's
    worth checking out.  You can ask questions there.  I went with my
    husband when we were just trying to conceive.  I remember thinking
    "Here's a room full of pregnant people and here I'm not even pregnant!"
    But it turned out that I was and didn't know it yet!  It's informative.
    
    Give them a call and see when the next meeting is.
    
    And one more thing.  I have a bad back.  It gets very tense sometimes
    and I go to a chiropractor to adjust it (which feels great) I went all
    through my pregnancy (btw, his wife was pregnant same time I was and he 
    adjusted her all the way through too).  I didn't find that being
    pregnant made it any worse, as strange as that sounds.  I did have
    tension between the shoulder blades when sitting too long.  I used to
    keep a tennis ball in my car and when my back ached I'd throw it
    between my back and the seat, the pressure felt wonderful to my tense
    muscles!  
    
    I walked before becoming pregnant and then all the way through my
    pregnancy.  I'd go at lunch and walk about 1 1/2 mile, my paced slowed
    but I still got my exercise.  It also had alot to do with me not
    gaining more weight than I needed for the baby to grow heathily.
    
    Good luck over the next few weeks.
    
    Nancy
    
    
    
    

    Swimming and cycling (stationary after you get too large) are also
    good forms of exercise that usually can be continued unless you
    have very severe swelling or other complications.
    
    --bonnie

    I have arthritis in my spine and hips.  I have other hip problems and
    have injured both ankles many times.
    
    I had my daughter when I was just shy of my 37-th birthday.
    
    I started doing yoga after I became pregnant.  I was pretty heavy duty.  
    I went to a yogi (who also did sports physical therapy) 3 times a week.
    As a result I experienced very little discomfort.  I was still able to
    stand on my hands well into my 7-th month.  I developed my abdominal 
    muscles so that they were able to support the baby much better than
    usual.  I was able to hold my tummy WAY in.  My back didn't get pulled
    forward.  I never looked really big until I was OVERDUE.  In fact when
    I went to the hospital to have my baby the nurses in the delivery suite
    said 'You can't visit anyone in her - you must have taken a wrong
    turn."
    I said "But I'm in labor."  They said "Oh no, you look much too 
    comfortable to be in labor".  My contractions were 3 min apart and more
    than 1 min in duration.  I was well into labor.  I didn't experience
    any great difficulty during labor (I'm allergic to most meds - so had
    none).  I had a very healthy baby ( she was born pink - not blue).  My
    yogi took full credit for that too.  She used to have me do breathing
    exercises.
    
    I done many different kinds of exercise.  But for that particular need,
    I thing the yoga was best.  But it was aways 1-on-1 or with very small
    groups.  The program had my doctor's blessing.
    
    You do have a special need.  Look carefully for the program that is
    best for you.  It will really pay off.
    

    Hello, Wendy.
    
    Thank you for entering this note here.  I feel very much as you do--
    with my wheels spinning-- planning, and reading this conference 
    frequently, because the thoughts of family are on my mind.
    
    You and I are the same age, too!  The only difference is that my
    husband and I have been married for 3 years this November.  Now we are
    at the point in our lives when we feel we are ready to start a family
    and God willing... 
    
    I like the concept of the pre-planning seminar offered at Fallon.  Can
    non-Fallon members take advantage of it... ?    
    
    I just got a flyer from my HMO - Harvard.  They have all kinds of
    wonderful seminars, some of them on this very subject, but in lovely
    places like Boston, Chelmsford, etc., etc... nothing in the Worcester
    area.
    
    The exercise program is one that I am seriously considering.  I used to
    do aerobics three times a week until last March.  Most recently, I
    joined a health club, but it feels like I'm throwing my money away
    because I haven't gone.  I think that I will "get back into it" because
    it really is not a good idea to start any new exercise at all after you
    conceive.
    
    I also just recently quit [okay, ALMOST quit] smoking... well, it's
    been three whole weeks since I made a conscious effort to quit smoking. 
    However, I "fall off the wagon" once a week when I bowl on the Digital
    Bowling League Wednesday nights!  Now if I can only stop having those 4
    or 5 cigarettes on Wednesday nights, I'd be all set!  [I was a heavy
    smoker.]
    
    Caffeine is another thing to cut back on.  But for now, well, I can't
    give everything up that I enjoyed all at once!  I still enjoy my coffee
    but if need be, someday I'll quite the caffeine, too!
    
    Thanks again for entering this note!
    
    Rgds,
    

    re:  pre-pregnancy classes
    
    Call your local hospitals as well as the clinics.  I know both
    Nashua hospitals offer them.
    
    --bonnie

    Yes, I was considering that... and wondering what the costs would be. 
    As I mentioned, my HMO offers seminars, classes, etc., but nothing in
    the local Worc. area.  I think Worcester Memorial would be a good place
    to start... Or whatever it is called these days...  Medical Center of
    Worcester, or something like that?

    I was flipping through a pregnancy book last night and it said that
    there is research that shows that taking prenatal vitamins 2 months
    prior to conceiving and during the first 3 months of pregnancy has
    proven to prevent spina bifida and the associated problems they test
    for during the alpha fetal protein test.
    
    It didn't say if it was the higher dosages in your body or if it was
    just having the balanced vitamin intake you could get from a diet.
    I assume if it could be soley diet controlled the research would have
    been using a diet rather than vitamins. 
    
    Andrea

    re .11
    
    About a year ago, when I was first pregnant, I saw a blurb in the paper
    that recommended prenatal vitamins prior to becoming pregnant. It
    mentioned folic acid specifically, though, as something that helped
    to prevent spina bifida. Apparently some women are low in folic acid
    and it's something that developing fetuses need. I think the problem 
    is worse if you've been on the Pill, as it can lead to lowered levels
    in the body. 
    
    FWIW,
    Sue

    When I went to my gyn for a physical and told him I wanted to start a
    family, he started me on the prenatal vitamins for the same reason that
    was mentioned in .12.  There is evidence that the folic acid prevents
    some birth defects.
    
    I happened to get pregnant the very day that I left the doctors office
    (I'm not psychic, I get ovulation pain), but at least I was on the
    vitamins since day 1.)
    
    Anyways, I'm into my fourth month now.  I'm also 31 years old and will
    be celebrating my first wedding anniversary in 3 days!!!  I quit
    smoking 1 week after conceiving and have given up caffeine, etc.
    
    My hospital (Winchester) offers prenatal exercise classes, health and
    nutrition classes, etc.  I'm sure a hospital that handles labor and
    delivery in your area would offer programs like these.  You pay for
    them, but they're not that expensive.
    
    I'm not a doctor and I don't know you, but I kind of think it was
    wrong for your doctor to tell you that being pregnant will be a painful
    experience for you.  Why make you worry, it may not be.  He should have
    just told you it's possible.  I'm sure it will be bearable.  Lots of
    people in worse situations have had babies.
    
    Good luck at your wedding and have fun trying to conceive.
    
    Nancy