An Unfit Mother: How to get your Health, Shape and Sanity back after Childbirth. Kate Cook

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СКАЧАТЬ out where no bits bulged before. That is quite disconcerting, Louise says. When you have been used to being in control of your body, it can be fairly alarming when suddenly, like a magician’s balloon at a children’s party, your stomach resembles a sausage dog.

      The mythical eating for two plot

      With Jasper, Louise also feels that she had said a mythical, ‘Sod it!’ once she found she was pregnant. She let go of her discipline around food. Her portions became massive (definitely ‘eating for two’), but as luck would have it, because she was training to be a nutritional therapist, at least her double portions were healthy ones—but too much of a good thing isn’t necessarily wonderful. Healthy food is great, healthy food is even great in big portions, but watch the mega giant portions!

      This time Louise has wised up to that. Yes, you may feel hungrier; yes, your body is changing and has different needs but it is the quality of the food that is vital, not necessarily the amount. In fact, you only need 200 extra calories in the last three months of your pregnancy. The newly pregnant, ‘let’s push the “go nuts” button and think about stuffing-the-whole-thing-back-in-the-box of carefulness after a couple of months’ attitude is really difficult to overcome once you have had 500 cream buns. Not impossible, but more difficult. Of course, we all have our moments, but once the moment becomes the whole time—well, who are you trying to kid?

      Remembering that you are pregnant and not fat is the key. If you are putting on weight, you think, ‘Well, who cares anyway?’ But this ain’t so. Repeat after me, ‘I am pregnant and not fat.’ In this way, you can really re-educate the way you think about your body—Louise has learnt to really love her pregnant alter ego this time. She feels sexier and more womanly, with curves in all the right places.

      Ask any bloke—most men love pregnant women and curvy women; they look, well, they look like women should. Most blokes also hate our obsession with food and being thin. For most men, trying to be thin doesn’t even begin to cross the screen of what’s important in life, which is why blokes are running the world. They are not using up all that valuable headspace worrying about the size of their butts.

      We owe it to our children, therefore, to stop obsessing about our hip and waist measurements and start thinking instead about far more important things—like, for example, how we could do a darned sight better job of running the planet if we were in charge.

      Stop looking at yourself (endlessly!)

      Don’t spend hours in front of the long mirror in your bedroom, pregnant or not—this is a sure way to get totally paranoid, says Louise. Try to be where you are with your body and not wish your life away dreaming of being thinner or fitter or younger. We spend so much of our time wishing we were something we are not—be where you are now!

      Patience

      It took Louise much longer than she thought it would to get back her pre-Jasper figure—with a new baby in the house, spending time with her partner and running a house and business, the time to exercise just wasn’t there. This time round, though, she is doing more exercise while pregnant, so that she is altogether in better nick.

      * Eating a healthier diet throughout pregnancy is key.

      * Change your attitude towards your body—you are pregnant and not fat!

      * Be patient—you will take time to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

      * Be kind to yourself.

      In the hospital

      We all know you are not in the hospital for the food. Get someone to bring you some energy-supporting food for when you have had the baby. I know this sounds like being in the movie Midnight Express, where you have been transported to some dodgy Turkish jail, and have to rely on the kindness of your family to feed you, but you will thank me later when you get out of there. You could ask for:

      * Oatcakes

      * Fresh fruit

      * Almonds

      * Seeds—like pumpkin seeds

      * Nut butters

      * Bottled water

      * Cool bag with hummus, salads, guacamole.

       The homecoming

      Try to plan ahead and organise one of the following for when you get home. You’ll need it.

      * Ask someone to fill the fridge with great stuff so that you and the chocolate chip cookie monster stay apart.

      * Pay a student/cook to come in and cook simple meals to freeze (or ask your mum).

      * Consider a company like www.purepackage.com if you are in London. They will deliver fresh, healthy meals—be sure to tell them you are breastfeeding. (Extra calories needed, honest!)

      Start thinking about food

      This bit is our gentle stroll into getting your nutritional act together. So relax. Ideally, you would not be reading this when you are desperate to get your body back, you would really have thought about it before giving birth. But let’s face it, there’s a big difference between the ideal world and reality. Right now, escaping out of the hospital and thinking of eating great healthy food is probably the last thing on your mind. Boring but true. All you need to do for now is get organised.

      * Pack your freezer with delicious, nutritious foods—or get someone in (your mum?) to cook some stuff for you. This all sounds like a massive schlep but it will pay huge dividends. Freeze enough for a few weeks. Think about: —Stews —Soups —Chicken —Fish pies —Roasted vegetables —Frozen organic veg, such as peas and spinach

      * Set up an internet delivery template for your shopping. Can you get your partner to do this?

      * Get an organic delivery box stuffed with veggies—great for making simple soups.

      * Have a fruit bowl on your kitchen table.

      * Snacks—get in hummus and oatcakes together with some nuts and seeds.

      * Stock up your cupboards with great stuff (see page 247) and chuck out biscuits and crisps. I am telling you that these will be highly tempting when you are knackered and will be the first thing you reach for—just because they are there.

      Think about increasing:

      * Veggies and fruit—really obvious!

      * Beans and lentils—not everyone’s cup of tea, but lentils are easy to cook and you can get pulses like beans and chickpeas from a tin (organic, naturally)-no need for soaking (which involves an element of planning ahead!).

      * Eat fresh fish, poultry and lean meats—organic if you can run to it.

      * Eat dairy in moderation—just three times a week. You can get calcium and other important minerals from green leafy vegetables and nuts and seeds.

      Focus СКАЧАТЬ