Top parenting stories this week
The Truth About Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss
Why you might not lose your baby weight right away.
by: Nancy Ripton
Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss
- The average woman will drop about 10 pounds after delivering her baby, placenta and umbilical fluids.
- Women can gain up to five pounds of water weight if they had an IV.
- As your milk starts to come in, your breasts can gain up to five pounds.
- It can take up to six weeks for your uterus to contract back to its original size.
fter giving birth, many moms assume those first pounds will melt off in days. But some women can hold onto weight for up to a month after giving birth. Here’s why your body may not look like Heidi Klum’s the week after you deliver: To view the full story click here.
Healthy Grocery Shopping Strategies for Families
Just when you thought you were making healthy food choices for your family, it turns out there’s a lot more to food labels than meets the eye. Here’s how to decode nutrition claims on your next trip to the grocery store.
by: Kerry McLeod
Healthy Shopping Strategies
- The front label on foods is a manufacturer's prime real estate where they entice shoppers to buy their products–much of the wording (especially things like "fortified" and "sugar-free") is pure advertising jargon.
- Labels with "zero trans fat" imply a product contains no trans fats, but labeling loopholes allow foods that contain less than 0.5 g of trans fat per serving to say they contain none at all.
- When comparing foods, the ingredient list is a good place to start. Manufacturers list ingredients in order from most to least–so if the first ingredient listed is sugar, you know you're off to a bad start.
- "Light" or "reduced calorie" juices are usually watered down, contain less juice, and have artificial sweeteners and chemical additives. It's better to give your kids 100% fruit juice and add a few ounces of water to reduce calories and sugar.
- Labels that read "made with wheat, rye, or multi-grains" don't actually tell you how much whole grain is really in the product. Look for the word "whole" before the grain to ensure you're getting a 100% whole-grain.
hen you're trying to shop for healthy foods for your family, it's easy to fall for products emblazoned with marketing buzzwords such as "fortified" and "sugar-free." But many foods that appear to be good for you are actually the opposite. Here's how to decode product labels to help you select the healthiest foods on store shelves. To view the full story click here.
Fast Family Recipes for a Healthy Year Ahead
If your goal is to eat healthier as a family in the new year, here are some healthy recipes to start you off on the right track.
by: Nancy Ripton
Healthy Eating Resolutions
- Only eight percent of Americans say they always achieve their New Year's resolutions.
- 38% of resolutions are related to healthy eating.
- For healthy eating success, don't set the bar too high–keep your meal plans healthy, but simple (see recipes below).
- Enlist your child's help in the kitchen. He'll be more likely to eat healthy if he helped prepare the food.
his year, make a New Year's resolution you can actually keep–make it your goal to feed your family healthy, homemade meals at least three nights a week. It's easier than it sounds. Aviva Goldfarb, author of The Six O'Clock Scramble, has created meals even Oprah is singing the praises of: "Creative, healthy, unprocessed and kid-friendly without being adult-alienating." To view the full story click here.
Exercise After Baby
Finding time to shower can be a major accomplishment when you have a newborn. But exercise speeds your recovery and helps you shed pregnancy pounds. Here’s how to fit it into your baby’s schedule.
by: Tracey Mallett
Planning Post-Natal Workouts
- Post-natal exercise speeds up the recovery process after childbirth and helps give you the energy you need to keep up with the hectic pace of caring for a newborn.
- Be patient–once you start exercising it may take a few months, or possibly longer, for you to see the results you want.
- To fit in exercise at home, create a library of workout videos that are different lengths so you're equipped when some unexpected time arises.
- Use a day planner to loosely plan your workouts around your baby's schedule.
- If you start to feel light headed and nauseous, or notice a change in the color of your vaginal discharge, you may be exercising too strenuously.
fter childbirth, I was amazed by how much my stomach looked like a deflated balloon. If this is happening to you too, don't panic–your uterus will naturally contract back to its pre-pregnancy shape a few weeks after you give birth. But this alone is not enough to get your pre-pregnancy body back. To view the full story click here.
Getting your Pre-Baby Body Back
There's no reason you can't look better than ever after giving birth. Here's how to get your pre-baby body back - and then some.
by: Sydney Loney
Post-natal Fitness
- Wait until your six-week checkup before starting strenuous exercise.
- 20-minute walks are a good way to ease back into fitness.
- Protect muscles and joints with specialized post-natal fitness programs.
- Work out after nursing and invest in a new sports bra to prevent breast pain.
- Talk to your doctor if you think you have diastasis recti (a separation of the abdominal muscles) before doing abdominal exercises.
here were probably days during your pregnancy when you thought your body couldn't possibly expand any further. But, incredibly, it did. And then you discovered that everything doesn't just miraculously deflate once your baby is born. Fortunately, getting back into shape post-baby is possible. Here's how:
To view the full story click here.
