First-time moms may be apprehensive about working out while pregnant, which may stand in the way of maintaining an active lifestyle. One question you may be itching to ask your health provider is: can I exercise while I’m pregnant?
Routine exercise during pregnancy is generally encouraged and can be very beneficial to you and your baby. Even if you didn’t exercise before your pregnancy, you might want to consider consulting your doctor to see if you should begin doing so in order to help reduce pregnancy symptoms, facilitate muscle tone, and also to ease labor pains. However, while exercise is ideal during pregnancy, some activities should be avoided to prevent harm. With the approval of your physician, consider some of the safe exercises below.
Workout Activities To Avoid During Pregnancy
Although prenatal exercises such as light yoga and stretching are generally great activity options throughout pregnancy, there are some activities involved in certain workouts you should consult with your doctor before engaging in. For example, it is advised to avoid certain yoga poses the further along an expectant mother is. To prevent harm and complications during pregnancy, you may want to stay away from the following activities:
- Activities that involve a high risk of the falling or physical contact: sports such as volleyball, basketball, or soccer and other sports with a high risk of falling like downhill skiing, outdoor cycling, or rollerblading should be avoided after the first trimester (or 20 weeks) to prevent potential injury.
- Activities where you lay flat on your back: lying flat on your back for an extended period can cause the weight of your growing uterus to restrict circulation to you and your baby. These activities are especially off-limits after 20 weeks.
- Excessive bouncing or advanced abdominal moving: activities such as sit-ups, leg lifts, and stretches that involve jumping and/or bouncing can pull on the abdomen as well as stretch and tear ligaments.
- Exercises in warm or humid environments: Hot yoga, exercising in a warm climate, or sitting in hot tubs and saunas will raise your body temperature. This may trigger blood to be carried away from your uterus in an attempt to cool off your skin.
- Exercises that restrict your breathing: holding your breath or exercising at too high of an intensity will not allow you or your baby the constant flow of oxygen you need.
Safe Exercises for Working Out While Pregnant
The body undergoes significant changes throughout pregnancy, meaning that you may be able to do slightly more vigorous exercises in your first trimester that you might not be able to do in your third. While avoiding the activities above, there are several accepted exercises and activities to try throughout every trimester of pregnancy.
First Trimester Pregnancy Exercises
Most people would not want to work out while experiencing nausea, fatigue, heartburn, constipation, and other symptoms of pregnancy — however, exercise can help reduce first-trimester conditions and symptoms. With your doctor’s permission, try some of these exercises during your first trimester:
- Walking, jogging, and running.
- Swimming and water aerobics.
- Pilates.
- Low-intensity weight lifting.
- Stationary cycling.
Yoga Poses for the First Trimester
Practicing yoga throughout pregnancy is highly encouraged to ease aches and pains, alleviate indigestion, and relieve stress. However, it is advised to avoid hot yoga and positions that involve backbends, laying on your back, abdominal twists, raising your feet above your head and heart, and situations where you may fall. Yoga poses in your first trimester should include some basic standing, standing balancing, hip openers, mild abdominal, and open-seated twist poses. Some yoga poses that are safe for your first trimester to try include:
- Side Angle Poses.
- The Palm Tree Pose.
- The Butterfly Pose.
- The Cat Pose.
- The Warrior Pose.
Second Trimester Pregnancy Exercises
Months four to six will see the development of a “baby bump”, and you may experience shortness of breath and heartburn. Your nausea and fatigue may be subsiding, and you might have more energy to exercise, but, as you are further along in your pregnancy, you will want to be more mindful. It is recommended that 30 minutes of exercise on most, or all, days of the week should be your goal.
Your activities here should be less intensive than your exercises in your first trimester. It is a good rule of thumb that if you are too out of breath to carry a normal conversation during the following workouts, you may want to slow down:
- Walking and jogging.
- Swimming and water aerobics.
- Stationary cycling.
- Squats.
Yoga Poses for the Second Trimester
During the second trimester, you’ll want to avoid poses such as the Boat or Plank Pose, which puts pressure on the abdominal muscles. Additionally, you can substitute and modify poses using support to prevent a loss of balance. Yoga Poses to try in your second trimester can include:
- The Warrior Pose.
- The Triangular Pose.
- Downward Facing Dog.
- The Child’s Pose.
- Poses while laying down on your side.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Exercises
It can be beneficial during the third trimester to do exercises that will strengthen birthing muscles. Pelvic floor exercises, squats, and gentle ab workouts can help reduce third-trimester pains while preparing the body for labor. These types of activities can include:
- Walking.
- Kegels.
- Knee Lifts.
- Toe Taps.
- Squats.
- Swimming and water aerobics.
Yoga Poses for the Third Trimester
Yoga in the third trimester should include poses to help create a good pelvic alignment and position for your baby. This consists of some poses from the first and second trimester, however, will involve some new poses such as:
- The Tree Pose.
- Standing Hip Rotations.
- The Warrior I and II Pose.
- The Cobbler’s Pose.
- The Bridge Pose.
Each exercise above will serve a specific purpose throughout your pregnancy. Walking, running, and jogging are heart-healthy, and swinging your arms during these activities can help build upper arm strength. Swimming and water aerobics involve low impact motion while building core muscle strength. Yoga can help you stretch muscles, decreasing blood pressure and relieving aches and pains.
All of these activities should be done on flat ground to prevent falling, and it would be best to take special consideration not to overexert oneself during any phase of pregnancy. When working out, remember to do what feels right, to warm up and cool down, and to always stay hydrated. You may also want to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. In certain instances, it may be prudent to purchase disposable nursing pads to absorb leakage, prevent staining your clothes, and to protect your nipples from becoming sore or cracked.
Exercises To Induce Labor
You should always speak with your doctor before trying to induce labor. Additionally, if you are counting on exercise to help induce your labor, you may want to consider other options. Exercising while pregnant can make for a healthier baby, easier labor, and can even reduce the risk of a cesarean birth — however, it is not proven that increased physical activity will induce labor. Though it is not proven, it won’t hurt to try inducing labor with exercise in most cases.
Exercising while you are pregnant should always be discussed with your doctor to create a routine that is best for you. Your doctor can also put to bed any breastfeeding myths, such as claims that exercise negatively affects your milk supply. Before you start any of the activities above, or any work out activities in general while pregnant, it is a good idea to get the go-ahead first from a medical professional. In most cases, a regular prenatal exercise routine will be suggested so that you can have the most complication-free labor and delivery possible.
Dogs can be loyal companions and family protectors, and many dogs are considered members of the family. As such, it is essential to know how to prepare your dog for a newborn, so that they don’t become too difficult to manage or cause any harm during this time of great change. Introducing your furry friend to your new baby properly can help them accept your newborn as a lasting member of the family, and as an individual to care for and protect.
Can Dogs Sense Pregnancy?
A dog’s fantastic sense of smell can detect changes in a pregnant woman’s hormonal patterns during pregnancy. Because of this, a dog may be able to understand that a woman is pregnant even before the woman does. Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a staff doctor at the New York City Animal Medical Center, states: “I suspect that dogs can smell something we cannot in a pregnant woman.”
Your dog’s ability to detect changes brought on by pregnancy extends well beyond its nose. Dogs can detect subtle changes in movement, mood, physical changes (your growing belly), and behavior. You can take steps to prepare your dog for the most significant change, helping them to learn to behave correctly, and not feel left out, when your baby finally arrives.
Preparing a Dog For Your Baby
You can start preparing your dog for a new family member well before your baby arrives. In essence, you’ll have nine months to slowly introduce your pup to the changes that will be affecting them, and to get them used to these upcoming differences. Consider some of the approaches below to prepare your dog for a baby around the house.
Start as Soon as You Know You Are Pregnant
Training and retraining should begin immediately after confirming you are pregnant. You can start by tackling any aggressive tendencies or fear-based issues your dog might display. For instance, dogs may aggressively guard their food bowl, resting space, or toys. This could be hazardous for babies and young children who don’t understand to leave these things alone, or who may be oblivious to the warning signs that dogs normally give off.
There are numerous treatment exercise options for food guarding and relaxing a dog around its bed or toys. Try some desensitization or counterconditioning techniques so that your dog won’t have such strong reactions to people, especially babies, being near these things.
You should also pay attention to how your dog acts around strangers and infants. Get them used to waiting to greet strangers, while not jumping up on them. Dogs can become excited and want to jump up on people, which could inadvertently harm your baby. It is also a good idea to determine your dog’s sensitive areas.
Common sensitive areas for dogs are the ears, mouth, paws, and tail. It is a strong possibility that a baby may pull on your dog’s ear, which may provoke an unwanted reaction from your dog. Help your dog become more comfortable with these areas being grabbed and played with by handling them by the collar and touching and/or petting their mouth and ears while giving them treats. This way, they associate these areas being handled with something positive, and won’t act aggressive or fearful when these areas are grabbed.
It is always wise to speak with your veterinarian when for the best approach to these techniques, and you may even want to consider training classes for you and your dog.
Establish New Boundaries in the House
New parents should already have taken on the task of baby proofing the house. Safety latches, baby gates, and corner and edge bumpers are all must-haves for expecting parents. You can even buy extra baby gates to keep your dog out of areas that will be used solely for and by your newborn.
Get your dog used to off-limit areas by setting up the gates before your baby arrives. This will give your pup a chance to map out the new layout of your home. You can also set up a safe space for your dog to retreat to and relax. Pro tip: get a diaper disposal container with a secure cover, because dogs may be tempted to go through dirty diapers!
Pretend You Have a Baby
Just like you may have done in middle school health class, you can simulate having a baby around your dog to see how they react, and to help correct unwanted behavior. Instead of a bag of flour, try buying a doll and wrap it in a blanket. Have your dog watch you change, bath, and feed the doll. During this time, you can retrain your dog about boundaries and being too close to the baby, staying out of certain rooms, and aggressiveness over your baby’s toys.
Additionally, you can start setting physical boundaries and conditioning your dog to leave you in peace when you are nursing and pumping. You can even buy or obtain a breast pump at no cost with qualifying insurance before having your baby, and use it to train your dog. To do so, train them to lay down and stay on their bed when they hear the noise of the breast pump, and reward them for doing so with a treat after pumping, allowing you your privacy. Associating something positive (treats) with the sound of the breast pump can help you set boundaries more easily, ensuring that you won’t be interrupted in your safe and quiet space when nursing or pumping.
How To Introduce Dog To Baby
You’ve made all the preparations, now comes the time for your dog to actually meet your baby. When bringing your baby home from the hospital, there are several things you must keep in mind.
Consider a Pet Sitter
Your dog won’t exactly be the first thing on your mind while going through labor, so you should think about setting up a pet sitter to watch over your dog while you’re in labor. They can take care of your dog in the first hours and days after delivery as well, so you can get adequately adjusted to living the baby life. A dog sitter can be a neighbor, friend, or family member. There are even apps available to hire a dog sitter, such as Rover and Wag, if a family member or friend isn’t up to the task.
Don’t Ignore the Dog
It may be easy to place your dog on the backburner with a newborn baby in the house, but this doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Dogs are social creatures, and with so many changes happening and a new family member present, they’ll have curiosities. You can include them into the fold by positively responding to their interests with enthusiasm, while keeping the boundaries you have set previously and keeping your baby a safe distance away for the time being.
Stay Positive
You want your dog to associate its first interactions with and around your baby with positivity. A negative vocabulary such as “no” and threats can teach your dog to connect the arrival of the baby with negativity. Instead, try positive reinforcement. Give them treats when they adhere to the new rules you have set. To get their mind off of the new baby, try offering them toys that stimulate them mentally. Your preemptive training will come in handy here, as your dog won’t have to learn these behaviors all at once, and you can positively reinforce when they do listen and are changing their actions.
Be Realistic
If it comes down to it, the safety of your baby takes precedence over the dog. If you come to the regrettable conclusion that your dog cannot or will not change its behavior, it is best to make arrangements to find your pet a new home. This may be an incredibly tough choice, and you will have to be honest with yourself and think critically about whether you and your dog can make it work, or whether the presence of the dog represents a risk to your newborn.
New moms already have a great deal to worry about, and wondering how your dog will react to the new baby shouldn’t be one of them. With the proper training, you can prepare your dog for a welcoming introduction to your new child safely. It may take hard work — on top of the hard work it takes preparing for the baby itself — but, your canine can become a loving and caring companion to its new family member.
As the due date for your little bundle of joy gets closer and closer, you’re likely starting to realize that there is way too much to do, and you’re running out of time to prepare. It can be difficult to prioritize all the different massive changes to your home and life! It’s an exciting, but stressful, time.
One thing that should be at the top of your list is getting a car seat. This absolutely must be taken care of before you go into labor. It is never safe to have a baby, a toddler, or any child under four feet nine inches tall in the car without some sort of car seat. Newborns in particular require rear facing car seats. This kind of vital safety requirement is not something you want to leave until the last minute.
When to Install a Car Seat During Pregnancy
Purchasing car seats doesn’t have to be the very first thing you do, but you might want to start saving up for one as soon as you know you’re pregnant (or make it a baby shower request!). The most important thing to keep in mind is that your car seat should be installed and ready before you’re far along enough that labor is imminent.
Every state in the U.S requires that babies be secured in car seats. In order to be in compliance with state laws, hospitals will often require car safety seats as part of their discharge policies. Hospital staff may be required to actively observe the baby in a safety seat that meets regulatory standards before discharge can be completed.
That’s why you need to have a seat sorted out before you’re likely to go into labor. The last thing you want is to be stressing about finding a car seat when it’s time to head to the hospital for delivery. The ideal time is anytime before active labor becomes an imminent risk.
Baby Proofing the Car Checklist
Getting the family car ready for baby is more involved than buying a car seat. If your vehicle is older, and doesn’t have certain safety features, you may want to think about trading it in for something slightly more modern. There are several key safety features you may want in a car for transporting children.
- Child locks: These have been installed in American cars by default for decades. Unless your car was built before the 80s, this shouldn’t be a problem, but it’s good to double check.
- Auto reverse windows: These windows are sensitive to objects in their path, and will reverse course if touched while moving. This will help stop little fingers from getting pinched!
- A good safety rating: Safety ratings are issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pay specific attention to the location of accessible safety seat latches.
- Advanced front and side impact airbags: These go along with a vehicle’s safety rating; better airbags could save lives!
- Interior trunk release: This is a release mechanism inside the trunk of the vehicle. This is important because children are generally curious by nature, and in the past have been seriously injured by trapping themselves in a car’s trunk.
- Rearview camera: This safety feature helps prevent collisions while you’re reversing, and will allow you to see if there are any little ones running around behind the car.
You’ll also want to make sure you have appropriate emergency kits on hand for different situations. A good emergency kit for breakdowns and accidents is a necessity, but specifically for a baby, you’ll want to keep a kit with all the things you might need on the road in a pinch. Diapers, wipes, and ziplock bags for soiled diapers and clothing items are all a good idea.
If you use formula, a bag with unopened packs of formula, baby bottles, and water, is ideal. If you use a breast pump, you’ll want to make sure you have all the sterilized pump items, as well as pump car charger.
It’s also a good idea to pack extra clothes for multiple weather conditions. Be sure to update the car baby emergency kit appropriately as your baby grows!
Baby on Board Decal
This is an important addition to your vehicle. There can be stigma surrounding the “baby on board” signs, but when used properly they are very helpful. Their purpose is twofold; to inform other drivers to treat your vehicle with care, and to inform first responders of the presence of a baby in case of an emergency.
It’s important to remember not to obstruct the driver’s view with signs, so place the sign out of the way. Only use the sign when the baby is actually in the car.
Car Travel With Baby: Safety Tips
Here are some general tips to help in preparation for travelling with a baby on board. Babies make travel more complicated, but with the right preparation and know-how, the trips can be less stressful for everyone involved, including you and your baby!
How to Keep Your Baby Cool
- Sun shades: you can get shades for the inside of the back windows to help keep the sun out of the baby’s eyes, and it also helps to limit the buildup of heat from direct sunlight.
- Car seat covers: can be useful in preventing car seats from heating up too much.
- Park in shady areas: when you pile the family out of the car, try not to leave the car in direct heat. That way, when you come back, the car won’t feel like a furnace when you first get in. It goes without saying that you should never leave children or pets in the car unattended.
- Keep them hydrated: check on your child’s hydration regularly. When they get old enough to hold a sippy cup and drink by themselves, make sure they always have a water cup when they’re in the car to self-hydrate with.
How Long Can a Newborn be in a Car Seat?
Newborns should not spend very much time in car seats. This is because their bodies are very early in developmental stages, their spine is still developing, and their breathing may be weakened during prolonged periods of sitting upright. A two hour rule of thumb is recommended for babies; no more than two hours in a 24 hour period.
As children get older, this rule of thumb can be relaxed. The two hour rule is still a good one to follow, however. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a break every two hours on long road trips, to get out of the car and stretch out the body.
Feeding Baby in a Car Seat
Ideally, feeding your baby in a car seat is something you want to avoid. If it’s something you need to do, here are a few safety tips to keep in mind.
- Don’t feed baby while the car is moving. Bottles become projectiles in the event of a crash. Motion sickness is something to consider as well as choking hazards while a vehicle is in motion.
- Don’t feed babies solid items of food that could be choking hazards, like grapes, in the car.
- If bottle feeding, attend to the bottle; don’t just try and prop it up.
- Try to protect the car seat as much as possible from getting messy. If it does get messy, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions carefully.
With the right planning and the right things on hand, travelling with baby doesn’t have to be as stressful as you think. Just remember that safety is non-negotiable, and a little extra effort makes a huge difference.
BREASTFEEDING
7 Raw Breastfeeding Photos Uncover A Rarely-Talked About Side
As a breast pump company, obviously breastfeeding and pumping go hand-in-hand in our thought-process. The same cannot be said for much of the population. People thinking “nursing mother” and they think special tucked away moments between mother and child in a cozy chair, rocking baby. It is likely they never think of a mom hidden in a corner hooked up to a machine while in work attire and expressing milk just so she can bag it up and get back to her job.
Photographer Leah DeVun has a wonderfully moving photo project she titled In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduciton that features images of women using breast pumps. [See more here.]
Images: Leah DeVun
PREGNANCY
What Makes Pregnancy Labor Progress?
They say every month has about 30 days, except the final month of pregnancy which has 3,053 days! Once you hit the point of full term, most moms are totally ready for labor to start and have their water break on the kitchen floor. (Spoiler: most moms do not experience a Hollywood style water break and instead the doctor breaks it for them while in the hospital!) If you are ready to get the show on the road, there are no natural guarantees, but some of these recommendations have helped others. [Read more here.]
Test Your Baby Name
Having trouble deciding on your baby name? Or maybe you have one, but you are still hesitant to commit? We understand. In some ways it feels like you are defining your child’s future. (Even though that is ridiculous!) But there are things to consider. This list has a lot of the top questions to ask yourself about a name before committing. Saying the name out loud for hypothetical situations is beneficials as well. (How will it sound being shouted in your ‘you are in big trouble’ voice?) [Read more here.]
MOTHERHOOD
A Book’s Content Matters More To Kids’ Learning Than Whether It’s Digital Or Print, Study Finds
Read. To. Your. Kids. I am sure you have been told that it is kind of important. It definitely is; so much so, that new studies are saying how the kids consume reading is not as important as the reading itself. Parents who give their children tablets or phones are sometimes scolded or looked down on because of “too much screen time,” but maybe the child is still benefitting.
“While many studies over the years have vacillated on whether digital books are good for youngsters (or any reader, really) a recent study found that when it comes to reading comprehension, the format might not be the most important thing. A book’s content matters more to kids’ learning than whether it’s digital or print — at least for preschoolers.” [Read more here.]
6 Common Parenting Habits That Are Hurting Your Health
As a parent, it is easy to be so focused on taking care of the kids that you forget to also take care of yourself. But keep in mind, you cannot take care of your kids if you get sick!
“[U]nlike biting your nails or chewing with your mouth open, there are actually quite a few common parenting habits you don’t realize are killing you. I’m not talking about turning into a meth manufacturer to save your family from debt, a la Walter White. I’m talking about everyday habits that are harmful mentally and physically.”
Take a read and see which of these habits are a part of your daily routine and figure out how you can remedy them sooner rather than later. Your kids need you healthy, mama! [Read more here.]
INFANTS
17 Questions You’ll Ask Yourself the First Time Your Baby Sleeps Through the Night
What’s that noise? Wait, nothing? Not your baby? The first night your baby sleeps through the night, in theory, is a dream come true. What more could you want after nights of up and down, intermittent sleep? More than likely, though, you won’t sleep through the night despite how at peace your babe may be. You will wonder and worry. We are doing our best to help you in advance. Read through these questions and know, every parent runs through question after question on the first occasion of baby’s sweet slumber-filled night. [Read more here.]
New moms: which stroller is right for you and your baby?
As a new mom, figuring out what baby products to list on your registry can be really overwhelming. It is especially hard to decide on some of the more costly products. Which pacifiers to buy? Who knows… Buy several kinds to see what works. The same cannot be said for a stroller. (Unless maybe you are a Kardashian and can afford one in every brand and color.) For the rest of us, we need some guidance for the one perfect fit. (Or at least best fit.) Use this post to learn more about these five strollers that were used by a mom like you. [See stroller reviews here.]
TODDLERS
6 Ways to Encourage Toddlers to Actually Sit Still and Eat Already
How do you find the balance of not having half-filled plates of food sitting out from meal to meal, but not being cruel and snatching away your kid’s food before they’ve eating a sufficient amount? Toddlers are the worst at not simply sitting and completing a meal. Even when they like the food you put in front of them, they easily become distracted and can have trouble sitting still and focusing on finishing their plate.
“Toddlers are busy little people,” says Natalia Stasenko MS, RD, CDN, of Tribeca Nutrition. “Plus, their growth slows after 12 months, so they do not need as many calories. So sitting down for meals is not their priority.”
The good news is, there are ways to reign in your child’s all-over-the-place eating habits and this article includes advice from professionals. [Read more here.]
Pics That Will Make You Feel Better About Your Current Situation
There is a season of life all parents endure through it’s ups and downs: toddlerhood. While dealing with meltdowns, weirdness at home can drive you close to the edge, you can always change up the vibe and escape the house. Experiencing the extreme situations of being the parent of a toddler in public is another story. You feel all of the heads turning and watching. You even feel the ones actively making a point not to stare. But the Instagram account Kids Are The Worst does a great job of bringing parents together in their moments of “glory” (or lack thereof). Misery loves company, right? Check out a compilation of classic moments shared from this Instagram account here.
IMAGE VIA INSTAGRAM/ KIDS ARE THE WORST
