Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [132]
One-third of women in their child-bearing years are considered obese. Babies born to these women have a much higher chance of being insulin resistant than babies born to women of a healthy weight. Women who gain too much weight also are more likely to need a cesarean section to deliver their larger-than-normal babies, and they generally have a more difficult time losing their pregnancy weight.
Fighting media images of “skinny” mamas
Recent baby booms among celebrities, coupled with the pervasive media images provided by paparazzi, have created a new image of the perfectly skinny pregnant woman. These women seem to gain just a “baby bump” and not an ounce more. Within a few weeks after giving birth, they’re seen again in a bikini or even modeling underwear on the catwalk. This image can make your pregnancy miserable if you try to attain some unnatural, supposedly perfect body and weight.
Gaining too little weight during pregnancy can cause health problems for yourself and your baby. The extra weight you’re putting on is a combination of the baby’s weight, amniotic fluid, extra blood volume, larger breasts, and a larger uterus. An underweight pregnancy can result in a premature, smaller baby who may suffer from delayed development and the increased likelihood of heart or lung problems.
Just remember that it’s totally natural to gain weight all over your body and get a little puffy. And, despite popular belief, it may take several months to lose the weight you acquire during pregnancy. Some women are naturally skinny and lose their baby weight quickly. Some don’t. No matter what your body type is or how your body responds to pregnancy, it’s more important that you’re eating healthy food and providing ultimate nutrition for yourself and your growing child. Revel in the amazing power that your body is capable of, and, if at all possible, avoid any media images of celebrity moms.
Easy Meal Prep and Sanity-Saving Ideas
Pregnancy and modern living are sometimes incompatible. You may need to work until a few days before your due date, you may be a soon-to-be single mom, or you may already have children to care for. Whatever your situation, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy diet during this time. Ordering takeout is sometimes an option to save time on cooking and shopping, but restaurant food is rarely as healthy as home-cooked meals, and the expense is too much to regularly indulge.
Use these tips to keep healthy food readily available and easily accessible so that meals are more manageable to cook for yourself:
Cook once and eat twice (or thrice!). When preparing meals like homemade soup, pasta, casserole, stir-fry, or curry, make a double batch. Eat the leftovers for lunch or save individual servings in the freezer for easy reheating later.
Start a cooking co-op with vegan friends. Ask friends to cook extra servings of their favorite meals and trade once or twice a week. This gives you a variety of vegan meals to choose from and it takes away some of the prep work.
Go to your freezer section occasionally. Freshly prepared foods are certainly best, but some great, vegan frozen meals are available for those times when you’re just too tired to cook. Choose hearty frozen dishes like whole grains with vegetables and tofu, bean burritos, and lasagna. These easy meals offer great nutrition and convenience.
Ask a friend to be prep chef for you. After a big shopping trip, ask a family member or friend to come and do some of the prep