Mothers of Smart Babies Take DHA

Mothers of Smart Babies Take DHA

DHA may be the most important nutrient for brain growth and development during pregnancy and lactation. It is from Omega-3 fat and is found mostly in fish. Getting enough DHA can be a challenge while pregnant because our fish supply has become contaminated with mercury. Pregnant women are only advised to eat 2 6oz. servings of fish a week. Salmon and sardines are especially high in DHA and are not on the “avoid” list of high mercury containing fish. Fish to avoid completely during pregnancy include Shark, Tilefish, Swordfish, and King Mackerel. How is a Hot Mama to get enough DHA? Take a supplement, plain and simple. Most pre-natal vitamins do not have DHA added, so you must get thee to a vitamin shop and start taking DHA in supplement form. Eating flaxseeds or flaxseed oil, although high in omega-3, is not a sufficient source of DHA. Your body has to convert the omega- 3 fatty acid from flaxseed into DHA and this conversion isn’t very efficient.

How soon after delivery can you do ab exercises

How soon after delivery can I do ab exercises?

If you had a C-section, your abdominal muscles were cut and need ample time to heal. This usually takes 6 to 8 weeks. Your doctor will let you know when you are ready to begin working your abs at your follow-up appointment. If you had a vaginal delivery, you should wait 4 to 8 weeks depending on the individual. About eighty percent of women who have delivered a baby have a gap in the abdominal muscles from pregnancy and delivery. It takes several weeks for this gap to close and beginning a strenuous abdominal exercise program too soon can cause damage to the tissue of your midsection. Hot Mamas, don’t fret! The flat abs of your dreams can be yours soon enough. A little patience goes a long way. Beginning to crunch your way silly when your ab muscles haven’t had adequate time to heal will only set you back further. Begin a walking program as soon as your doctor says it is safe, eat healthfully and mindfully, stay clear of the junk that goes right to the trunk, and hold on to your patience. Flat, toned abs of days past are in your future! Stay tuned as I outline the most effective ab exercises once you’ve crossed that 8 week mark…

Best Exercise Postpartum

So you’ve just given birth and you want to start working that baby fat off but you know that hitting the gym full force is probably not such a wise idea, what should a Hot Mama do first? Walk!!! Even if you have had a C-section, light walking is a safe, effective, budget friendly way to relieve stress, burn extra calories, and embark on your post-baby fitness program. Walking at an easy pace promotes healing and helps prevent complications from a C-section such as blood clots. The key to a beginning a walking program is to not over do it, especially if you had a difficult birth or a C-section. If you had a C-section, your doctor will want you to wait 6-8 weeks before beginning a more vigorous exercise program. If you had a vaginal delivery and you are feeling up to it, you can begin a walking program within a week of delivery and can gradually ramp up the intensity as you feel up to it. Joints and ligaments remain loose for 3-5 months after delivery. This puts Postpartum Hot Mamas at a greater risk for injury, which is why it’s even more important to slowly ramp up to a more vigorous exercise program one-baby step at a time. If you are feeling good, each week you can either increase the intensity of your workouts or the duration. Try not to increase both intensity and duration at the same time. Hot Mamas find your walking shoes and get out there and burn that baby fat off! Your hot pants await….

Alternatives to Hydroquinone while pregnant

Alternatives to Hydroquinone while pregnant or breast-feeding

The safety of Hydroquinone is questionable for the average Babe looking to get rid of discoloration from too much time at the beach. And for a pregnant or nursing Hot Mama, stay clear! Hydroquinone is classified as Category C for pregnancy by the FDA meaning that it’s use may cause harm to the fetus in the form of malformations. The company who manufactures the drug does not recommend its use for pregnant or lactating women. Hydroquinone is used in many topical creams to correct or reduce hyper-pigmentation and brown spots on the face. Obaji, Guinot, DDF, Reviva, and many other popular brands of face cream offer skin lightening creams with Hydroquinone as one of it’s ingredients. If you are pregnant or nursing, check your bathroom cabinets pronto! Read the ingredient list of any product that is used for lightening the skin and check for Hydroquinone.

Unfortunately, hyper-pigmentation is even more common in pregnant hotties and can take the form of melasma or “pregnancy mask”. Never fret, Hot Mamas, I have composed a list of safe and effective alternatives to Hydroquinone.

First, use sun block with an SPF of at least 30! Daily application of sun block will prevent both pre-mature aging (a curse word!) and lower the odds developing melasma.

Second, look for products containing Kojic Acid or Azelaic Acid. Both of these substances are effective, safe, and more natural. Two products that I recommend to my Hot Mamas are DDF Intensive Holistic Lightener and Donnel Super Skin Lightening Gel. Both of these products contain Kojic Acid and Azelic Acid and are Hydorquinone free.

Third, apply a topical vitamin C product which helps suppress pigment. Skinceuticals Phytocorrective Gel is a good choice.

As a last resort, once you have your baby and are finished nursing, have a dermatologist do a chemical peel. It will take that melasma or other brown spots right off!

Prevent stretch marks while pregnant

Stretch marks, ugh! Those unsightly little white lines that all Hot Mamas dread when pregnant....

The bad news is that most women get them during pregnancy. The good news is that I've compiled a list of what you can do for both prevention and treatment once you have them.

For Preventing Stretch Marks:

1. Do not gain excess weight! The more the skin stretches, the more stretch marks there will be! Stick to your exercise program and continue eating a balanced diet. Rapid and/or excessive weight gain are the number one no-no for prevention.

2. Moisturize your belly with either cocoa butter or almond oil with vitamin E twice daily.

3. Drink water and avoid dehydration. Well hydrated skin stretches better.

4. Eat zinc rich foods such as seeds and nuts or make sure your prenatal vitamin is rich in zinc. Zinc is a skin nourishing mineral.

For Fading Stretch Marks:

1. Apply a Vitamin K cream daily and eat vitamin K rich foods such as green leafy vegetables and tomatoes. Vitamin K is extremely effective at healing scars, stretch marks, and skin lesions.

2. Apply Lavender Oil on Stretch Marks daily. This can be found at your local health food store.

3. Try the product Strivectin-D. (This is the more expensive treatment than option 1 or 2, but many Hot Mamas have reported good results.)

Warning! Retin-a and Tazorac while pregnant

Warning!! Tazorac and Retin-a While Pregnant

If you once had acne, the prescriptions tazorac, retin-a, and renova can become your new best friend. They definitely fight pimples and acne like nobodies business! But…Hot Mamas, if you are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, you need a product makeover for the next nine months!!! Tazorac is a class X drug, meaning that it is not recommended for use in pregnant women because of the risk for birth defects. The company recommends that anyone trying to become pregnant not use their product. The topical ointment Tretinoin (brand names Retin-a and Renova) seems to be a bit less risky than Tazorac, but studies have shown that it’s use poses a 3-5% risk of birth defects. The makers of Tretinoin advise women trying to conceive to stop using the product one-month prior. (Tretinoin stays in the body for about seven days after use.)

As an alternative, over the counter products containing glycolic acid and salicylic acid are safe before, during, and after pregnancy and are extremely effective at keeping your skin clear and glowing. They help dry up oily skin and promote skin renewal.

Also, make sure to wash your face with anti-bacterial soap after hitting the gym, a day at the beach, or a walk in the summer humidity. Your body releases toxins when you sweat; which is why sweating is so essential to being a Hot Mama! However, if this sweat isn’t washed off your face the bacteria can clog your pores and lead to break outs. If you don’t have access to antibacterial soap and a sink, carry some anti-bacterial facial wipes with you. There are many inexpensive brands at your local drug store to choose from.

Prevent autism while pregnant

Autism can be one of the scariest words for an expecting Hot Mama. To date, the causes of autism seem to be a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. We are not geneticists here, so we are going to give you the most recent info on implicated cleaning supplies and other toxins, how to avoid them, and a list of natural alternatives.

First and foremost, make sure you are taking folic acid. Adequate maternal folic acid levels are crucial to ensure normal development of a fetus’ brain.

Second, avoid Mercury, a toxic metal, which has been found in abnormally high levels in the blood of children with autism. Dangerously high levels of mercury are found in fish such as shark, swordfish, and mackerel. Avoid these fish while pregnant. Also, limit your intake of all other fish to two servings per week.

AVOID common cleaning supplies containing phthalates and glycol ethers. Phthalates are a class of synthetic chemicals that are used to both stabilize synthetic smells in products such as air fresheners and are also used to make plastics flexible and soft in products such as teething rings! (Just criminal!) Stay away from anything with labels such as “fresh scent” such as laundry detergent, air fresheners, and other cleaning supplies.

INSTEAD use natural cleaning products such as Baby Ganics, Mrs. Meyers, and Greenworks.

INSTEAD use BPA free teething rings, bottles, and sippy cups.

AVOID fluoride in toothpaste and in water. Fluoride has been implicated as a neurotoxin.

INSTEAD drink bottled water and use toothpaste and mouthwash without fluoride such as Tom's of Maine.