I don’t even know what I really think about “Push Presents”- gifts like expensive jewelry given to moms (mostly the rich and famous: 10 Celeb Mom’s Extravagant Push Presents) who just gave birth. For example, Mariah Carey’s push present was a $12,000 diamond and sapphire necklace.  Personally I’ve felt my baby was a good enough reward after nine months of pregnancy and a day of labor and then pushing them out. But maybe that’s just me? I’d rather wear my baby than a fancy necklace.

Continue reading »

Tweet

18

Pin It

If it's everywhere, we just don't see it.

I know this story all too well. “As (being) overweight and obesity have become more common, those who are carrying unhealthy extra pounds are increasingly likely to see their weight as normal, and are therefore unlikely to feel the need to shed some of those pounds.” That’s from a Health Magazine article about obesity in the US. Like many women, I jumped from being “normal sized” to being “plus-sized” after giving birth. (And I’ve stayed plus-size because that was the last time I ever jumped.) For most of my 20′s, I hovered near the top of the normal-sized ladder, wearing a 12 or 14. (The only exception being the summer I got married, when I was in a size 6. My wedding, apparently, was a low point.)

I didn’t gain tons of weight while I was pregnant, but since I was so close to the tipping point as it was, I didn’t have to pull a Kate Hudson and gain 75 pounds to wind up an 18. My life was quite full after my daughter was born, and when Americans run out of time, we often eliminate those activities that are best for us. I was too busy and tired to go to the gym or to workout. I was too stressed by work and my relationship to worry about trying to lose weight. (Of course working out relieves stress, but that argument wasn’t convenient at the time.) I did walk and carry my daughter’s stroller up and down the subway stairs, but I wasn’t getting enough physical activity to make a difference. I had become fat. It snuck up on me, like a cheesecake in the night.

According to Health, “Roughly two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the U.S. are now overweight or obese.” But perhaps more importantly, we’re ignoring the fact that we’re out of shape. “The latest evidence for this trend was presented Wednesday at an American Heart Association conference in Atlanta, where Columbia University researchers reported the preliminary results of a study that found that overweight mothers and children tend to underestimate their own — and each other’s — weight.” Continue reading »

Tweet

1

Pin It

Pick me up, please!

Lower cribs, bigger babies, older moms, and moms using smart phones, these are all contributing factors to an increase in “mommy thumb,” or a sharp pain that can run down the thumb side of your hand when you lift up your baby.

The technical name for the condition is De Quervain’s tendinitis, and it’s caused by inflamed tendons between the thumb and the wrist, and while men can get it, more women do.

According to the Wall Street Journal, orthopedic surgeons estimate that between a quarter and half of new mothers experience the condition.  While this tendinitis has long been a feature of new motherhood, and it can start during pregnancy, doctors say they’re seeing more and more cases of it.  It gives carrying around the baby weight a whole new meaning!  But what can you do about it?

First, notice the way you’re picking up your child.  Try to scoop her up so the baby’s weight lands in your palm or on your forearm and try to avoid lifting her up from under her arms.

A combination of icing and anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofren can help manage the pain. If it doesn’t, see your doctor.  A splint, a cortisone shot, or some combination of the two can often provide relief, but doctors don’t recommend getting more than two steroid shots.  If the pain persists, surgery is an option.

Continue reading »

Tweet

0

Pin It

A celebrity mom who looks just right.

Over in England, they’re not only talking about Prince William’s engagement. They’re also talking about how celebrity moms who lose the baby weight fast effect the rest of us.

Apparently, the news isn’t good. When celebrities with babies not even three months old trot out their super slim physiques, it makes regular moms feel — what’s the word — bad.  But worse than that, it inspires some to go on crash diets.

In a survey by the Royal College of Midwives, two thirds of respondents said they felt some degree of coercion because of media images of instantly skinny celebrity moms.

In our 24/7 media culture, women whose job it is to look fantastic must feel like they need to look “fantastic” (read: like they did before they had babies) as quickly as possible to maintain their brands.  But they’re not going on crash diets to lose weight fast. They’re hiring people to help them exercise and eat well and take care of their babies. And even if you could hire a trainer, a nutritionist, a nanny or two and a cook, should you even try to lose all the baby weight within three months of giving birth? Continue reading »

Tweet

4

Pin It

Thin moms bad for baby?

Moms in the U.S. have been getting a talking-to lately about gaining too much weight in pregnancy, but it seems Japanese women might need the opposite advice.

It turns out that Japanese women are more likely to diet when they find out they are pregnant to try to keep their weight down. And in contrast to most developed nations, the birthweight of babies in Japan has been going down over the decades.

A story in Bloomberg last week highlights the trend through the story of one Japanese pregnant mom who was scolded by her doctor and told to keep her weight down (she was a dancer and weighed 112 pounds). She cut out rice from her diet and skipped meals before her doctors appointments.

Apparently it’s not uncommon for doctors in Japan to be strict about weight gain and use much tighter guidelines than the ones we have in the U.S. and Europe. The Japanese health ministry says 15 to 26 pounds is okay for a normal weight woman (in the U.S. it’s 25 to 35 pound). And Japanese women are already much more likely to be thin — with almost a quarter of women in their 20′s being classified as “underweight”.

So what are the possible ramifications of Japanese moms not putting on the pounds? Interestingly, they’re similar to the problems we’re hearing about that come from too much weight gain: Continue reading »

Tweet

6

Pin It

Your big boy is likely to grow up to be a stud.

If you’ve got a son who was wearing size 12 months by 6 months, chances are he’ll grow up to be tall, strong – and get this – quite a Casanova!  “As adolescents, these boys are likely to reach puberty earlier, have higher testosterone counts” and are more likely to score with chicks before the other dudes, according to The Press Association. Continue reading »

Tweet

0

Pin It

We might still be debating whether OctoMom’s stretchmarks could magically disappear without surgery, but there’s no doubt Kourtney Kardashian had some work done to get down to a twig post-baby.

At least, her photos had some work done – Kardashian is crying foul after OK! ran photos of a svelte postpartum bod she says is not even hers.

And can we say, Kourtney, we’re with you? Continue reading »

Tweet

2

Pin It