Early Pregnancy Exercise Safety

I have just started to train a new pregnant woman at the gym- she thinks she is 7-8 weeks pregnant. I noticed during the assessment she was getting breathless quick and kept referring to how deconditioned she is. I told her the facts on what is happening to her body while exercising during this early stage of pregnancy.

Things that are happening in your pregnant body
1. Your blood volume is increasing up to 40% more
2. Your blood vessel may not have dilated enough yet to catch up with the elevated volume so spikes in heart rate with little effort occur. Your blood vessels are dilating to accommodate volume. This depends on what week you are in.
3. More blood to your periphery

The difference in your early pregnant body during exercise
1. Breathlessness
2. Dizziness
3. Sweating

It is critical in your first trimester to work in your age appropriate heart rate zone. The neural tube is developing and an elevated core body temperature may hinder proper development. Due to your blood volume changes listed above an your bodies accommodations, elevated core body temperature is easily achieved.

TARGET HEART RATE ZONES (taken from par med x for pregnancy)
The heart rate zones shown below are appropriate for most pregnant women. Work during the lower end of the HR range at the start of a new exercise program and in late pregnancy.

Age Range Heart Rate
< 20 140-155 bpm

20-29 135-150 bpm

30-39 130-145 bpm

Holiday Pregnancy Workout

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. So what is it like to be pregnant through the holidays? You are missing out on unpasteurized cheeses, wine and need more sleep than others. On a positive note you are not hungover, most likely have gone to bed on time. Your only enemy could be too much chocolate. If you are enjoying holiday chocolate please limit your portions to avoid excess sugar and caffeine. Opt for dark organic chocolate, not the cheap candy coated kind.

Although during pregnancy you may not be a bundle of energy, you may be feeling slightly more motivated than others around you. Keep it up, lead by example. Do short exercise routines 10 minutes is all you need to boost your energy, keep your blood flowing and make you and your baby more healthy. Try this great little pregnancy exercise routine, for healthy pregnant women in any trimester.

PREGNANCY EXERCISE ROUTINE

Bi lateral Back Extension- 5x

Squats- 5x

Side Lying leg raises- 10x

Kneeling Push ups-5x

Wall Slides- 10x

Enjoy this little routine and keep up the good work.

Abdominal Exercises For Pregnancy- What to Do and What Not to Do

This weekend I got a great question from a colleagues client. She is 6 months pregnant and wanted some abdominal exercises because her SEPARATION was bugging her. As pregnancy progresses rectus diastase is inevitable but there are ways to prevent early separation and have relative comfort. Managing this is the key.

What Not To Do

1. No Lumbar Flexion Exercises- that's right crunches, mini crunches when pregnant are not good and can contribute to further abdominal separation. Lumbar flexion is obsolete anyways, the main function of abdominal muscles are to prevent rotation of the lumbar spine, not to flex the lumbar spine. Forward flexion should be initiated from the hips, like a waiters bow.

2. Reduce oblique exercises, as when they flex with a separation your muscle will pull towards the insertion or side of your torso, further widening your rectus diastase.

What To Do

1. Plank and plank variations for lumbar stabilization, not flexion.

2. Side Planks for stabilization of the small muscles in your lumbar spine called multifidi- do in reps not for a steady amount of time

3. Bilateral Back Extension - to use your abdominals as anti rotators, what they are meant to do.

All of these exercises are featured in the Baby Bump Pregnancy Fitness Program.

Have a great day and enjoy your pregnancy,

Jacqueline
www.babybumpfitness.com

Best Pregnancy Exercise

The bilateral back extension exercise is one of the BEST Busy Mom exercises for pregnancy and a new mom. Yes it's origin is rehabilitative in nature, but why is it so important for you. From a 4 point kneel you are cued to lift up one of your back legs straight out by contracting your glut muscle- you are not to let your pelvis drop or shift during this leg lift and your abdominals need to be tight for your pelvis to be held steady. This is step one and testing if you are able to hold your 3 point stance working on your pillar and anti-rotation muscles in your core to hold your pelvis steady. Next (or is you are advance you can lift arm and glut simultaneously) lift your opposite arm straight out in front of you, trying to get your arm in line with your ear, but again not letting your pelvis drop or rotate. You are now in a 2 point stance. This is beneficial because your anti-rotator muscles are firing (increasing lumbar stability), your glut medius of the pillar leg is working, your glut max muscle of the suspended leg is firing, your shoulder stability muscles are firing of your support arm and your core and back muscles are firing of the extended arm. This is a lot of bang for your buck- highly efficient exercise, perfect for busy moms. Many athletes use this 1-2 x per week in their dynamic warmup program so everything is firing for performance. For a new mom and for a a pregnancy exercise this should be part of your regular routine as you are overcoming changes in your body. During pregnancy your hips are widening making your glut medius less effective, you lumbar spine is mobilizing in the joints due to relaxin and your belly is expanding putting your pelvis into anterior tilt. The pregnancy waddle or gait associated with late pregnancy is inevitable. Performing the bilateral back extension will help prevent discomfort from joint instability and pregnancy posture. You can learn how to manage your new changing body by firing your muscles to help prevent loss of balance and aid in recovery.

During Pregnancy Fitness Routine the Key Reasons For performing the Bilateral Back Extension are;

1. Manage lumbar instability that can lead to discomfort

2. Fire your abdominals at their new changing lengths for aid in daily activities and recovery after baby is born

3. Shoulder stability

For a NEW MOM regaining lumbar stability is mandatory. You are now carrying around a baby, your body is constantly changing shape and you are under physical stress from sleep deprivation and delivery recovery. The main goals of performing the bilateral back extension for a new mom is to

1. Retrain deep abdominal muscle firing and anti rotational muscles ( the true function of the abdominals)

2. Strengthening your glut muscles for pelvic stability to avoid lifting with your back instead of legs

3. Stabilizing the shoulders by horizontal pressing and vertical lifting

Like mentioned earlier once you go through your pregnancy fitness and recovery new mom fitness this exercise is a great warm up for any routine. It is commonly performed incorrectly as people allow there belly to sag, pelvis to rotate and lift their back leg with their back not by firing their glut. Be aware of these when you perform this exercise.

Preventing Swine Flu

7 Simple Techniques to Minimize Your

Swine Flu Risk


It is that time of the year when the weather changes in most parts of the world and the common cold starts rearing its ugly head. Flu season also begins. This season is causing more anxiety amongst the general population because of the H1N1 swine flu.

There is almost a panic because the experts feel that this flu virus is more severe than the others.



Let me give you some statistics.

• Seasonal flu annually sickens 5-20% of the population.
• More than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu complications
• About 36,000 people die from influenza related complications each year in the United States alone.
• 75 million work days are lost each year
• 1765 deaths are due to influenza annually

Now I didn’t give these statistics to scare you or alarm you. I provided these to show you that these statistics are from what we know as general flu, which means that the swine flu is not necessarily more harmful.

This means all flu may be potentially harmful and life threatening. That is why you need to take the proper steps to avoid all types of flu this season and not just worry about the swine flu.

The National Institute for Health and Center for Disease Control also states that 62 million cases of the common cold are reported each year.

So what are we to do?



We have all heard of the common tips that we should be doing and these are pretty powerful.

1. Consistently wash your hands
2. Avoid contacting your face with your hands unless you have recently washed them of germs.
3. If you are in contact with public areas where germs tend to thrive make sure you wash your hands afterwards and avoid touching your face prior to washing your hands.


Did you know that your nutritional habits play an important role in combating the common cold and flu?

More and more research is showing that Vitamin D can play an important role in fighting off the flu.

The problem with this is we have become so scared of the sun and skin cancer that we tend to cover our bodies in sunscreen, which limits the amount of Vitamin D we can absorb from the sun.

The result is we are actually starting to see a deficiency in Vitamin D, which the experts thought would never happen.



Which type of Vitamin D should I take?


You can take a good multi-vitamin that has Vitamin D in it, but many multivitamins contain Vitamin D2 instead of D3. Both are usable forms of Vitamin D, but D3 converts 500% faster and binds with protein more effectively than D2.

The other solution is to spend 10-15 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen on. This is more difficult in climates where the wind is blowing and the temperature is 20 degrees during the winter months. That is why a good multi-vitamin that contains Vitamin D3 is a good alternative.

Many experts believe this is why flu is worst in the fall and winter because most people spend their time indoors because of the nasty weather.

Here are 7 simple inexpensive ways to dramatically boost your immune system and reduce the risk of the cold or flu this year.

1. Vitamin D through sun exposure or a good multi-vitamin that contains Vitamin D3
2. Avoid sugar and processed foods
3. Exercise
4. Daily Omega 3 fats from krill oil to boost your immune system
5. Get enough rest. Some believe getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night dramatically increases you chances of contracting the flu
6. Wash your hands thoroughly throughout the day
7. Consume anti-oxidants to help fight off free radicals that can weaken your immune system

If you're looking for the way to stay healthy this year then that means following all 7 seven steps above.

Can you think of any reason not to take care of your health this year?

Now there is no one miracle solution and relying on the swine flu vaccination which for many won't be available until sometime in December is not the safest route to go. Combining as many solutions as possible is going to give you the best defense against colds and flu this season.

We have put together a package for you that is called our Total Wellness package. The name says it all. It provides total wellness. After researching the cold and flu remedies we realized that it makes a very good cold/flu defense system by helping to boost your immune system.


Don't risk your health on poor nutrition.



Order your Total Wellness Package Right Now!




Or use our 100% secure online ordering system below.

Avoid Pregnancy Related Muscles Cramps

Muscle cramps are a nagging part of pregnancy. A few way to avoid muscle cramps are;

1. Preform a proper warm up and cool down during your exercise routine. Your cool down should be extended and gradually bring your heart rate back to resting before perform static stretching. This will keep blood from pooling in your extremities and contributing to muscle cramps. You blood vessels are relaxed due to hormonal changes and pumping blood from extremities is more of a chore, allowing pooling- this is another reason why a cool down is important.

2. Foam Rolling- perform foam rolling as a form of self myofacial release to keep blood flowing around your muscles and help relax the unavoidable tightness is certain muscles caused by pregnancy posture. You can get a copy of the foam rolling routine as a free bonus product in the Baby Bump Pregnancy Fitness System.

3. Stretch- static stretch your calves, hamstrings, low back (in length not rotation), chest muscles, gluteals and hip flexors.

4. Diet and hydration- each your potassium, calcium and magnesium to avoid muscle cramps. Drink plenty of water. Potassium rich foods are potatoes and bananas.

Following these 4 steps can help you get a better night sleep and avoid pregnancy muscles cramps.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline

Avoid Pregnancy Related Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are a nagging part of pregnancy. A few way to avoid muscle cramps are;

1. Preform a proper warm up and cool down during your exercise routine. Your cool down should be extended and gradually bring your heart rate back to resting before perform static stretching. This will keep blood from pooling in your extremities and contributing to muscle cramps. You blood vessels are relaxed due to hormonal changes and pumping blood from extremities is more of a chore, allowing pooling- this is another reason why a cool down is important.

2. Foam Rolling- perform foam rolling as a form of self myofacial release to keep blood flowing around your muscles and help relax the unavoidable tightness is certain muscles caused by pregnancy posture. You can get a copy of the foam rolling routine as a free bonus product in the Baby Bump Pregnancy Fitness System.
3. Stretch- static stretch your calves, hamstrings, low back (in length not rotation), chest muscles, gluteals and hip flexors.

4. Diet and hydration- each your potassium, calcium and magnesium to avoid muscle cramps. Drink plenty of water. Potassium rich foods are potatoes and bananas.

Following these 4 steps can help you get a better night sleep and avoid pregnancy muscles cramps.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline

3 Great Pregnancy Snacks

Today I'll report on some easy nutrition tips, with some modifications so you can give them to your children or send them to a "nut free" child zone such as school, daycare or birthday parties. These are also great snacks when you are pregnant. Eating is essential for all, but to get in healthy snacks when pregnant can be the difference between feeling nauseous and not. Keep your blood sugar stabilized if you are pregnant-eat.

1. Blueberries, walnuts, cottage cheese. This is a great busy super mom snack as blueberries contain antioxidants, walnuts contain essential fatty acids or omegas and cottage cheese contains whey protein to stabilize blood sugar. For the super kids snack version you can leave out the walnuts and a touch of applesauce for added fruity sweetness for the kids.

2. Apple slices and cheese. This super mom snack contain fiber, protein and fat to reduce blood sugar fluctuations. Mom may prefer apple-wood smoked cheddar and kids mozzarella, it all works. Eat the skin on the apple as this contain a few grams of fibre on its own.

3. Dried apricots and almonds. This busy mom snack again contain fibre and omega fatty acids. For the super kids version you can add some dried apricot slices to yogurt or cottage cheese. OK so you or your child is lactose sensitive or intolerant- so add some dried apricots (sliced) into nut free granola with a few dark chocolate chips(or carob)- I guarantee they'll gobble this down.

These snacks are easy to make, relatively not messy for children and mom, and have a balance of nutrients to stabilize blood sugar. I use the almond /apricot combo as my go to snack. I always have a bag of this in my backpack because it doesn't go bad. You can always have your food on hand. None of the snacks are low fat as you will notice, actually quite the opposite. Fats are essential in your eating plan to be successful at health and weight loss.

For the mom that is ready to take her nutrition to the next level I am going to refer you to this complete comprehensive eating program with great tasting recipes I am going to refer you to an ebook call The Diet Solution. I think you will find this easy to follow and is full of great ingredients such as coconut oils and medium chain fats to boost your metabolism. A great compliment to your busy mom workouts.

Also for a complete Busy Mom Fitness program or Pregnancy Fitness program check my Baby Bump ebooks. Everything you will need from pregnancy, post delivery, and fat loss/fitness. A comprehensive system.

My Busy Mom Fitness workout today- dynamic warmup and circuts

circut #1 2x- modified pullups, squat press, prone jack knife with pushup, kettlebell snatch

Busy Mom Fat Loss circut #2- lunge kettlebell row, burpee with jumpsquat, lunge xover row, jump squat 10 of each 2x through the circut

To get more workouts like the one listed aboven in a 16 week program get a copy of your Baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness ebook.

PREGNACY FITNESS- Keys To Pregnancy Fitness Success with These Moves

Congratulations, now where do you begin? Everything you read, advice from friends and doctors indicates having a fit and healthy pregnancy is the key to making a healthy baby. You want to do the best for you and your baby, but where do you start.

If you are a complete beginner to fitness, meaning you have not exercised regularly for the past 3 months walking within your age predicted heart rate zone is the activity recommended for you in your first trimester. I do personally feel this guideline in Canada is outdated. Start performing kegel pelvic floor exercises NOW on a regular basis. Mobility moves such as CAT/CAMEL and the Bialteral Back Extension(shown above) exercises are also great during pregnancy, beginner or advanced. Once you hit your second trimester it is safe to add in some other forms of exercise.

If you have been exercising regularly you can continue BUT adjust your program using your age predicted heart rate guide. Add more focus on your warm-up (lengthening it to about 10 minutes) and be diligent performing a cool down regime to prevent and blood from pooling in you extremities and to help prevent hemorrhoids. Yes without a gradual decrease in heart rate during pregnancy exercise blood can pool around your pelvic floor area further expose you to the risk of hemorrhoids.

As your belly grows your posture is changing dramatically Pregnancy workouts should focus on postural exercises so you can prevent aches and pains of pregnancy. To get a free pregnancy workout please sign up below.

If you have been regularly active for 3 months or more please start this complimentary program right away. If you are a beginner to exercise please wait until your second trimester to add full range squats and lunges, but bilateral back extensions, hip rotations and shoulder clocks which are all mobility move are great.

OK, so I am editing my post today (Aug 13) as I have just come across an article that supports my view of current pregnancy exercise guidelines being outdated-please enjoy through this link Pregnant Women Should Start An Exercise Program-study GREAT STUFF.

PREGNACY FITNESS- Keys To Pregnancy Fitness Success with These Moves

Congratulations, now where do you begin? Everything you read, advice from friends and doctors indicates having a fit and healthy pregnancy is the key to making a healthy baby. You want to do the best for you and your baby, but where do you start.

If you are a complete beginner to fitness, meaning you have not exercised regularly for the past 3 months walking within your age predicted heart rate zone is the activity recommended for you in your first trimester. I do personally feel this guideline in Canada is outdated. Start performing kegel pelvic floor exercises NOW on a regular basis. Mobility moves such as CAT/CAMEL and the Bialteral Back Extension(shown above) exercises are also great during pregnancy, beginner or advanced. Once you hit your second trimester it is safe to add in some other forms of exercise.

If you have been exercising regularly you can continue BUT adjust your program using your age predicted heart rate guide. Add more focus on your warm-up (lengthening it to about 10 minutes) and be diligent performing a cool down regime to prevent and blood from pooling in you extremities and to help prevent hemorrhoids. Yes without a gradual decrease in heart rate during pregnancy exercise blood can pool around your pelvic floor area further expose you to the risk of hemorrhoids.

As your belly grows your posture is changing dramatically Pregnancy workouts should focus on postural exercises so you can prevent aches and pains of pregnancy. To get a free pregnancy workout please sign up below.

If you have been regularly active for 3 months or more please start this complimentary program right away. If you are a beginner to exercise please wait until your second trimester to add full range squats and lunges, but bilateral back extensions, hip rotations and shoulder clocks which are all mobility move are great.

OK, so I am editing my post today (Aug 13) as I have just come across an article that supports my view of current pregnancy exercise guidelines being outdated-please enjoy through this link Pregnant Women Should Start An Exercise Program-study GREAT STUFF.

MOVED BLOG

You can read all my new posts at BABY BUMP FITNESS. Thanks for visiting.

HIP STRENGTH

Yes hip stength is very important during pregnancy. Working on your hip rotators, flexors and extensors can help prevent some low back discomfort. Your pelvis is changing and your muscles are changing in length too, you need to keep them strong so they do not become too tight, too loose or too weak on any one postion.

When preforming hip strength exercises later in pregnancy you can complete them standing. Doing a simple standing hip extension or lateral raise can do the trick. If you experience low back pain during standing hip extension this is a red flag to discontinue this exercise. Your best bet is to perfrom closed kinetic chain leg moves to prevent any pelvic shering that you become more prone to later in pregnancy. By closed kinetic chain I mean both feet fixed on the floor, like in a stationary lateral lunge.

Recti Diastasis Study NEW YORKERS

Calling all pregnant mothers and new mothers in NEW YORK. This is a unique opportunity for you to be part of a study with Julie Tupler, RN.

Hello,

My name is Julie Tupler, RN and I am doing a research study on diastasis recti and need 100 new moms by July 15th to participate. All it requires is filling out a questionnaire online and getting their diastasis checked. I will be checking 50 women on one day and 50 women on another day. Women can bring their babies if necessary.need to bring the baby you can bring the baby. It will be at a location in New York City. It will be by appt and take less than 5 minutes.

Participants will receive a 20% discount for participating on one of the following:

1. Individual session with Julie Tupler,RN in your home

2. Lose Your Mummy Tummy Seminar or Workshop

3. Lose Your Mummy Tummy DVD, Tupler Technique Guidebook or Diastasis Rehab splint



I am also willing to write an article for your site or start a blog on this condition.



I am owner of Diastasis Rehab which was formerly Maternal Fitness. I am a Registered Nurse, Certified Childbirth Educator and Fitness Instructor and advisory board member of Fit Pregnancy. I developed the Maternal Fitness Program in 1990. I am the author of Lose Your Mummy Tummy and Maternal Fitness.



The Tupler Technique is the only research based exercise program designed to heal a diastasis recti (separation of the outermost abdominal muscles) This condition is a common condition that occurs during pregnancy. If it is not closed it will get larger with each pregnancy. It is the cause of the mummy tummy, low back pain,
umbilical hernias and ventral hernias.

my website is www.diastasisrehab.com

my email is diastasisrehab@yahoo.com



Thanks so much.

Look forward to hearing from you.



best

Julie Tupler,RN

BED REST AND EXERCISE, WHAT?

What?, I thought you could not exercise when you have been prescribed to pregnancy bedrest. NOT TRUE says leading expert in the field, Darline Turner-Lee. I am a huge advocate for movement, if for no other reason than to make you feel better, feel human. Lord knows pregnancy takes its toll and healthy pregnant women have options. They can perform regular modified workouts throughout pregnancy, but what if you have been prescribed bedrest. Your once active body, told to sit in a bed until your baby is born. Loosing muscle tone (needed post partum), slowing circulation, and generally feeling helpless. This is what most obstetricians will lead you to believe about pregnancy bedrest. Today I want to introduce a guest blogger Darline Turner-Lee, she has some ground breaking information regarding pregnancy exercise and bedrest. I was struck by her right away when I met her, I am very excited to have her posting on Baby Bump Pregnancy Fitness. Pregnant women on bedrest- you do have options.

Darline
Hi My name is Darline Turner-Lee and I am a physician assistant, clinical exercise
specialist, certified perinatal fitness instructor and the owner of Bedrest Comfort & Care.
My company provides resources and services to pregnant women on prescribed bed rest.
The company developed as a result of the success of my fitness DVD, Bedrest Fitness.
This DVD is a set of safe and effective modified prenatal exercises designed specifically for pregnant women on prescribed bed rest.

Movement and strength training are very important for women on bed rest as physical activity helps women labor and deliver (vaginally) more effectively and to have the strength and stamina to care for themselves and their newborns in the early post partum and beyond. According to data released in 2007 from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)women who are immobile for just 60 days lose nearly 25% of their muscle mass and up to half of their muscle strength. Pregnant women on bed rest are also at increased risk of developing
blood clots in their legs which could travel to their lungs, heart, or brain and be fatal. The NASA study noted that as little as 40 minutes of movement daily can stop these negative effects and avoid potential health risks. This is equal to just 2% of the time that they spend in bed during a 60 day period!

One day there may not be a need to put pregnant women on prescribed bed rest. But until we have other options, Bedrest Fitness is available to help keep a woman healthy and strong.



Darline Turner-Lee

Physician Assistant, ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist, Health Care Writer

Next Step Fitness, Inc and Bedrest Comfort & Care

6705 Hwy. 290 West, Ste 502 #283, Austin, TX 78735

www.nextstepfitness.com

www.mamasonbedrest.com

darline@nextstepfitness.com

darline@mamasonbedrest.com

512-288-0827

Thanks Darline that was a great information session. Mamas on Bedrest fills a much needed gap in the fitness industry giving pregnant women prescribed to bedrest fitness options. To check out some of Darline's exercises and her new DVD visit MOMS
ON BEDREST.

Cesarian Birth

You may have a planned Cesarean section birth or even an unplanned one waiting to happen. 30% or births are c-sections and on the rise. To get the jump on recovery you can start performing your pelvic floor kegal exercises now. After a cesarean birth your recovery time will be longer. Walking is suggested for the first 2 weeks, but if you are feeling nauseous or light headed or pulling in your incision it's time to stop. After consulting with your doctor around 6 weeks post partum you may want to start a slightly more intense program with transverse abdominus and more kegal work.

You do not need to wait until your post partum days, you can perform pelvic floor and transverse abdominus work now. Slightly draw in a tense your abdominals while pregnant for transverse work. This will benefit all pregnant women and mothers, but if you are having a c-section this can help with your recovery.

Mother of the Year

Check out this video, it is the funniest thing I have seen in a while. MOTHER OF THE YEAR
Happy Mothers Day

Jacqueline

Pregnancy Exercise May Increase Baby IQ

ARTICLE
MOTHERS who exercise during pregnancy are helping to boost their child’s IQ, according to research by American psychologists. "Exercising large muscle groups increases the growth of neurons and adds to the blood supply of the brain,” writes Nisbett, a psychologist.

This is an easy read take a look for yourself, interesting approach.

Pregnancy Fitness and Massage Therapy

Please visit BABY BUMP SOCIAL for a guest blog post by experienced registered massage therapist Anna Lui. Anna has written a small post on the benefits of pregnancy massage. She is available for questions through the BABY BUMP SOCIAL site.

Make the most of your pregnancy, you may not feel like to have time to stop and smell the roses or even go for a massage. Whether you have 0 or 5 children right now, things will only get busier when your baby is born so please take an hour for yourself and try a massage by a registered therapist.

Pregnancy Fitness -Ileotibial Band Syndrome

Roll your I.T. band from your hip bone to the side of your knee. 5x
For your vastus medialis (inside of leg, just above knee cap) remember to drove your heel into the floor so it is flat and you have extended your knee (straightened your leg)- 15x

Yes it is true pregnant women are prone to ileotibial band syndrome. What is it? It is an I.T Band that has adhered to the underlying tissue. The I.T. band runs down the outside of your leg from your glut to the outside of your knee. You may feel knee pain, you may feel a buring in your Ileotibial band on the side of your leg or extreme discomfort in your glut (butt cheek). It can be brought on in pregnancy as your gluts are getting stressed and tighter as you gain weight and your pelvis opens (causing your legs to turnout). It is common for walkers or runners to suffer from this. So what can the pregnant woman do about this discomfort. The same thing that most runners and athletes do. Use the foam roller to roll your IT band and strengthen your Vastus Medialis muscle to help pull your knee cap in line. Then you can stretch your glut muscle. This is easily managed, but can be debilitating if left. You may want to check with a sports chiropractor or physiotherapist to get this assessed.

Pregnancy is a great time, Mothers should feel proud and strong. Don't let discomforts of pregnancy get you down. Face them head on and embrace your pregnancy. Get your nutrition in order and start an exercise program. You can get all of this information for free by signing up for a weekly newsletter. Check the sidebar of my blog.

CAFFEINE AND PREGNANCY-The Good/The Bad /The Ugly -Interview with Dr. Castle

Since caffeine in pregnancy is such a hot and controversial topic, I decided to continue this post from last day. I gave many tips on how to make a healthier coffee if you NEED it.

Now it's time to talk about The Good / The Bad and The Ugly of caffeine. How does this affect your health? I met with Dr. Jennifer Castle (ND) to pick her brain on this subject. To get a full pregnancy nutrition guide with meal options from Dr. Castles sign up for a free pregnancy fitness newsletter at the top of my blog.

Interview with Dr. Castle(ND)

BBF- Hi Dr. Castle

Dr.C- Please call me Jen

BBF- As you may have seen I did a small post regarding caffeine limits and coffee for my readers last week. What is suggested for main stream pregnancy nutrition is ok, but not ideal. I am here to pick your brain about this subject to take this to a higher, more informed level for our readers today.
So Jen lets start with The Good about caffeine or coffee.

Dr.C- Well Jacqueline, coffee is a great help with constipation, a regular symptom of pregnancy.

BBF-Yes as progesterone and relaxin are release they relax all smooth muscle in the body, not just the uterus so intestinal mobility is greatly reduced. Ok, lets move to The Bad about caffeine in pregnancy.

Dr.C-First of all if you don't need your morning Joe- DON'T HAVE IT at all. If you do need something you can try replacing coffee with Green Tea. Then if you need your coffee stay within the suggested guidelines and use some of your brewing tips from last days post.

BBF-Wow, wasn't expecting that, as mainstream guidelines indicate 400mg daily are safe. I noticed your nutritional pregnancy download (available when you sign up for the newsletter) you suggest 300mg of caffeine is acceptable.

Dr.C.- Yes acceptable, not optimal. Caffeine is dehydrating, that can contribute to further pregnancy related constipation and muscle cramps. Coffee is also an ACID food, we all know our immune system and body functions better in a slightly alkaline environment. On this thought coffee is a lower esophageal sphincter relaxor, that can exacerbate pregnancy related heart burn.

BBF- So heartburn from smooth muscle relaxation and pressure of the growing baby is made worse by coffee because of it's acidity and ability to further relax the lower esophageal sphincter. Let's get to The Ugly of caffeine.

Dr.C-There are many studies that support caffeine during pregnancy is safe, but there are also studies supporting caffeine during pregnancy can contribute to miscarriage. If you have a risky history, just stay away from coffee altogether.

BBF-Caffeine also interferes with Iron and Calcium absorption which can contribute to anemia and muscle cramps as well. Jen thanks for approaching some of these difficult subjects so readers can make an informed decision on what they are comfortable with regarding caffeine and pregnancy. Again refer to last days post for ways to make the healthiest cup of coffee you can during your pregnancy.
Oh yah, one more thought on that, if brewing drip coffee make sure your coffee filter is GREEN, and doesn't contain chlorine and other chemicals. Get a basket filter if you can.

Dr. Castle is available for consultations in person at The Urban Athlete in Toronto (416-481-8880) or email/phone consultations if you live out of area. She can reached via email to set up appointments at drcastle@theurbanathlete.ca