Healthy Pregnancy

[belfie]

Audax - will u be my chef? LOL

Oooh me too!

Audax - great suggestions thanks heaps! And guess what... the soup is bubbling away on my stovetop RIGHT NOW! re the recipe books, I've got a few of Sue Shepherd's "irritable" ones, they're great. I'll have to look at that one I'm not familiar with it, but thank you so much for the offer, it's very kind. And lol I hope you're not heaving over a bucket!

HJ - luckily my nausea has finally gone now. I found lemon cordial was a lifesaver... but I know I don't have an excuse for the bad foods now the m/s has gone I was having a little hormonal dummy spit this morning and felt I couldn't do it, but this thread has really helped and motivated me SO much!

Off for a walk to the park now! Walk the dog, walk me, toddler play and exercise hubby - WOOT!

[entreat]

YUM! look at that dip recipe!! I'm totally making that tonight!

I'll join you ladies!

As a plus sized woman to begin with, I've been really chuffed with myself & how healthy and trouble free my pg has been so far. No morning sickness, no high blood pressure, no odema, no major food adversion, cravings have only been fresh fruit & vegies, and I've been exercising heaps - and I dodged the GD bullet . I've only had some SPD, which -strangly - was mostly solved by a massive fall on my butt that realigned my pelvis (i didn't enjoy being pushed over by my horse at the time!!).

I've grabbed the program at the gym & highlighted all the classes I can attend (BodyBalance & BodyVive are AWESOME, but I will settle for Aqua, but most of the ladies in that class are so lazy!!), and I have 2 pg fitness DVDs I can do if I don't want to go out. And there's always walking the dogs, but I like to do that with DH when he's on break from work.

That's enough from me (as I need to feed the horses & go to Body Balance). I'll catch up with the thread later.

[Cherished]

YAY another inspiring friend, Entreat! Sounds like you've been really healthy and that's so great to hear!

Adux pumpkin is my fav veg and ontop of that roasted pumpkin is right on the top of the list!!! I've been getting into the roasted vegies too lately and we always pop garlic in mmmmmm. Frozen spinach portions are fantastic aren't they! You can chuck them in so much stuff.

hj1981 you're a crack up with your vegies! I admit frozen ones are not the best but as I said any is better than none... I think you could give the soup a go too Do you like any vegies such as corn and potato? Maybe soups will be a good start for you if you do because those flavors are strong and could disguise other vegies you add? oh an re the massuse... I'm sure you can train your dh to get all the right spots

Belfie good on you getting that exercise in... I've just got back form the supermarket, dh is mowing the lawn and then I think we'll go for that walk

[Dr. Tal]

Cherished - This thread is such a brilliant idea! Thank you SO MUCH for inviting me to join you!! I'll be baking some of your oat banana cookies tomorrow on my day off. They sound yummy, especially with some maple syrup (my mum always brings me some of what either dad makes in the spring thaw or from the farm I use to work at, so I have heaps and heaps)

Entreat - I seem to have dodged the GD bullet as well, thankfully. I was a bit worried because my mum is type 2 diabetic, and I suspect she might have had GD when she was UTD with me.

Belfie - you certainly have a lot of food allergies to dodge! It would defnitely make it more difficult for you. Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job and staying healthy despite them all though

Audax - Looks like I'll be adding quite a few recipes to my book. The ones you've posted so far sound REALLY REALLY good.

HJ - about you having a drink with your veggies so you can swallow without chewing.

Elise - Sounds like your dog is a bit like my DH's.

AFM - I'll try to keep this short, as I tend to like to write short novels
I can't take any of the pregnancy multivitamins, because they all set off my MS (along with just about everything else). So my doctor has worked out a vitamin list for me which means I take about 16 a day, but they cover all the essentials. My blood levels of everything are monitored regularly because I either vomit all the time or it runs straight through me (constipation is the most common 'down there' issue women have when pregnant, but apparently the opposite can also happen).

I've started making salads when I get home from work for both DH and myself. Partly to keep myself healthy and make sure I am getting enough veggies but also partly becaue I think DH eats too much meat. So if I fill him up on veggies before tea he can't fit in a kilo of steak I also try to eat at least 2 pieces of fruit a day. I've also been having the greasy food cravings, but thankfully on most days I can 'stay strong' and not give in to them.

I can't say I do any formal exercise, but I do get out a lot. I only recently stopped walking the dogs of a morning, but that's just because I can't handle my two and DH's on my own. My two aren't too much of an issue because while the love their walks their both getting older and don't pull or anyting. But DH's is another story and she listens to NO ONE but him.

I usualluy walk down to the supermarket for lunch every day and by a piece of fruit and some yoghurt to go with my leftovers from tea the night before. I don't bring them with me to make sure that I get out and do some walking.

Then every night DH and I go out to feed up the horses and other animals so I do quite a bit of walking with that. Plus on the weekends I still mow the lawn, do gardening, clean my fish tanks (which includes toting about 200+litres of water between tank toilet and sink tank) as well and the 'normal' house work.

That having been said I think there's probably lots of room for me to eat healthier!

[[M]umma[M]ia]

WOW hasnt this thread just taken off!!!

Cherished - your welcome hun! Meal planning is a great idea, well done


HJ - I think popcorn being classed as corn mayb? lol Can you find a way to incorporate all the vegies you dont eat into a dish that u do? For instance, i put grated carrot, zuchini (whatevers going really) in my spag bol. If u cook it down in the pan a little before you brown your mince, u dont even notice or taste that its there. Also opting for better choices like spinach and tomato pasta etc. You can still indulge in your "fried" food... just take a better aproach. Make your own chips and oven bake them, steam some dim sims, oven bake your fish etc. As for eating on the run, try them breakfast bars. The weight watchers range has great "snacks on the run" stuff too. Your doing a awesome job already and with your busy lifestyle already, having a healthy pregnancy will help your body cope LMAO about the having to have a glass of water with your veg. Can you have salad instead?


Elise - Welcome!!! First of all, good on you for eating 2-3 serves of fruit a day, thats fantastic. As for the veg, mayb when you have some free time make some vegie stirfries, quiche etc that u can take to work with you.


Belfie - hey stranger wow your pregnancy is going quick!! I remember u having GD last time...... for u that it doesnt happen this time. But i think looking at it as if you do already is a great idea. It is hard with your range of foods you cant have... but i will have a hunt around also and see what i can find. Good on you for walking with your dog

Audax - Welcome! I agree with the spinach portions! i have them handy in the freezer to and chuck them (hide them ) in anything i can!

Entreat - Welcome! Sounds like your doing great!! welldone hun!!!! Where abouts did you get your Preg Dvd's from?


Dr.Tal - No good about the morning sickness!! Looks like your doing well. Pity about having to drop the morning walks, but you dont need the stress right now of a dog that refuses to listen to you. My DF is a big meat eater aswell.. i have to resort to hiding most his vegies in food (yes like a child) and he wont eat salad at all

[entreat]

For eating on the run (or any ladies still stuck in the starving 1st tri!), I found Up & Go's to be a great breakfast (or 2nd breakfast, if the first one didn't stick). They have less calories than most of those 'shake diet' sachets, and people don't scowl at you for having shakes while your pg! I think there's around 800kj a serve, so IMO a bit much for a 'snack', but infinitely better than drinking choc milk due to the added vitamins (it even has folic acid added!!).

MM - both DVDs were given to me, but you can buy them on line. One is even available through BigPond! That one is called 'Great Expectations - fitball pregnancy program', and is my favorite of the two as it's lower impact, so I'm more likely to do it! If you google the title, you'll find a bunch of shops stocking it.

I'm sure it's not the greatest meal in terms of balance, but I'm so looking forward to my baked potatoes tonight. Especially after an AWESOME bodyBalance class this arvo.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

thanks entreat!!

As a little guide for you ladies, remember your dinner plate. 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs and 1/2 fruit/veg/salad

[Dr. Tal]

MM - I've always struggled with the 1/4 carb thing mainly because I love potatoes so much! I could probably eat nothing but potato and cheese and be perfectly happy.

about you hiding your DH's veggies like he's a child. hehehe. Thankfully my DH isn't that bad. He eats just about any veggie I give him. The key phrase there is that it needs to be given to him by me! If left to his own devices he'd eat nothing but meat I'm slowly working him around to realise that having that much just isn't good for him and now he even cuts the fat off (he use to just eat it...fat and all before ) I've also introduced him to vego night, at least one night a week (I say at least one becaue I am trying to sneak two in on him now) we have a completely vegetarian meal.

I also feel really bad about dropping the morning walks, but DH's dog is just too much she listens to me in the house and yard, but as soon as we're out the gate the only person she listens to is DH...it's so frustrating. I also can't take my two and leave her, that would just be cruel and I can't not take mine because they jump the fence to follow (and it's 2 metres high! thankfully they never jump it any other time)


Entreat - I might have to look in to those Up and Goes. I imagine that they probably digest, body absorbs nutrients faster...then 'solid' food and given that nothing stays in me for very long the faster I can digest the better!

AFM - I'm off to the shops to buy groceries I'm going to be trying out a couple of those new recipes! Then I'm going to do some more painting on bubs room. I was going to mow the lawn today, but it raining

[Cupcake]

Okie dokie Miss Cherished. Amy is here & subscribing. Im meeting with a nutrisionist on the 27th at GCH to try and keep my pregnancy low risk so im sure being apart of this thread will help as well

I havent yet read through all the posts, you are a chatty bunch and im feeling really sick at the moment, im predicting an early exit from work this morning

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Welcome Amy!!!


Dr Tal - Im the same, i love potatoes and cheese. But i have learnt a different way to have them. Mashed spud is quite a big no no for me, so usually mine are baked. Once i lose my first 20 kg i might treat myself to a bowl of mashed spud with sour cream and cheese yum yum
Im not kidding, DF is REDICULOUS with food. Hes so fussy (i blame his mother lol). If i introduced a vego night once a week, he would happily just have a ham sandwich lol But its a great idea

Anyone got a Wii Fit? I dont, but i want one.. are the exercises on there ok for pregnancy?

[Cupcake]

Welcome Amy!!!

Anyone got a Wii Fit? I dont, but i want one.. are the exercises on there ok for pregnancy?

Thanks!

I have a Wii Fit, before i fell pg i was trying to lose weight but the Wii Fit didnt really have any 'high impact' exercises so i didnt use it much. I think it would be fine for use during pregnancy. When it weighs you it might tell you you're gaining weight lol but the games & stuff that i have to go with it are pretty low impact IMO

[luna moth]

MM - I was just reading in the Doc's waiting room that Wii Fit is far less effective than actually getting out there and exercising. Sorry to bear the bad news. Maybe do both?

belfie - how was your soup?

Also, while at the Docs, discovered that I have LOST two kilos by her scales! First time ever that her scales have said less than my scales at home. I am going in for morning appointments more often! The I walked home, it's about a 3km walk, but I did stop in at a cake stall at the hospital Completely wicked.

Dinner tonight is a sort of polenta pie. It's meant to be like a frittata analogue since we don't have eggs.

Polenta Pie

1 cup cooked cannellini beans
2 frozen spinach portions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup instant polenta
Vegie stock
Tomato paste (optional. I have read that it's quite high in iron)

Put beans, spinach and mushrooms in a baking dish.
Bring 3 cups vegie stock to the boil. Stir through 1tbsp tomato paste. Pour polenta slowly into the vegie stock, stirring constantly, until cooked (different brands of polenta take different cooking times)
Tip polenta mix over the top of the vegies in the baking dish. Stand for 20 minutes in a slow oven.

Serve with a salad of some sort.

[JLeigh29]

OK, I know it's a bit late for me to join, but I need some help staying motivated now that I'm not working. It was really easy at work, because I'd pack my healthy lunch and that would be it - no opportunity to buy take away and school tuckshop food is not at all appetising! And when bubby is born, I'll need to stay healthy for bfing.

I have had everyone wanting to come over and visit or meet up for lunch 'before bubby arrives' so have lots of morning/afternoon teas and lunches, which make it hard (but jam and cream filled lamingtons don't count as unhealthy, do they???!!!! Cherished???!!!). I have always followed the routine of eating only 'healthy' (ie fruit and veg, low gi carbs) things until I reach my 2 fruit and 5 veg limit, 3 serves of calcium and get in a serving of nuts. That usually takes me up til afternoon tea and by then I'm too full to want junk! And if I do, I can usually only fit in a little bit of dessert. I looooove veges, so dinners are usually healthy, but this preg have also been craving carbs, especially pasta. I am also a 'grazer' and eat at least 5 times a day.

Cherished - am off to make your banana bikkies now. Last week I did a l/f banana, date and almond loaf, which was great (you can freeze leftovers), and I also love my low gi fruit slice (diabetes friendly and suitable for freezing too).

Pasta salad is a good lunch or dinner choice - pasta with kidney beans (or 3/4 bean mix), whatever salad ingredients you want (e.g. tom, cucumber, baby spinach, avo, celery, capsicum, olives, sundried tomatoes, onion, sultanas, pine nuts) and a l/f mayo and wholeseed mustard dressing. I sometimes add tuna too! Yummo.

No exercise tips - I'm very good at avoiding it though! Will start walking when bubby arrives though. I promise!

[eliselouise]

Hello ladies, its so good to see so many of us in here now and all these healthy recipes are great.
Cherished i made those banana oatmeal bikkies yesterday and they are very yummy, i added some honey to them too as im a bit of a sweet tooth.
JLeigh i hear you on craving carbs its terrible, before i got pregnant i went on a no carbs diet and i lost 11kgs so i know how much weight i put on when i eat them and its not good. The pasta salad sounds good though i might have to try that one.
Audax well done on the weight loss even if it was unintentional. I lost 3.5kgs in my first trimester but now into the 2nd tri ive put it and more back on so im kinda glad i lost that at the start. The polenta pie sounds yummy too, might have to give it a whirl.
Ammaki the wii fit does sound like fun other than being told you put on weight LOL. Ive wanted a Wii for ages now but DP keeps saying no its a waste of money, which i suppose hes probably right LOL
MM my DP sounds the same, hes not into vegies and when im cooking meat and vegies he says ill just have meat and pasta, i dont feel like vegies(he never does feel like them haha) Thanx for the idea of the quiche, it actually reminded me of a zucchini slice i havent cooked for a while and its got lots of vegies and very yummy.
Dr Tal im hearing you on the potatoes and cheese, yummo i also add sweet chilli sauce to mine as well but really need to cut back on them i think. I too feel bad for not walking my dog as much, hes a labXsmithfield and hes huge and so strong so he doesnt get walked as much as he used to. What sort are your dogs to jump a 2 meter fence??
Entreat thanx for that tip i might have to try the Up & Go. Are they nice?
Hj thats so funny about having to have the glass of water to wash your vegies down, i dont think i could cope without my vegies, when i havent had them for a little while i actually crave them. Maybe the blended vegie soup would be good for you as you wouldnt have to chew them up LOL
Belfie dont be too hard on yourself about the weight gain, as long as your eating healthy and getting some excercise im sure it will be fine. Hope you can avoid the GD this time around.
Hello to anyone i missed, i think i got everyone and sorry if i didnt.
AFM just making a yummy zucchini and noodle slice with lots of vegies in it. I also managed to take my dog for a walk this morning and have organised with a friend to go for another walk in the morning so thats a good start to the week i guess. Heres my recipe for my slice that im making, hope you enjoy it!

Zucchini & Noodle Slice
50g dried rice vermicelli noddles
3 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
2 X 125g can corn kernels
1 onion, diced
1 medium red capsicum, finely chopped
1 cup SR flour
3/4cup grated tasty cheese
4 eggs
1/3cup LF milk
1/4cup vegetable oil
1/4cup oyster sauce
Preheat oven to 180 degrees, cover noodles with boiling water till soft then cut into 5cm lengths, squeeze excess liquid from zucchini & carrot, combine noodles, zucchini, carrot, corn, caps, onion, flour & cheese in a bowl. Place eggs, milk, oil and oyster sauce in a jug and whisk. Pour over noodle mixture. Spread mixture into a lamington tim lined with baking paper. Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden and just set. Stand for 20 minutes to set, serve.

[Cupcake]

Id love to walk more but the fact we live at the top of a huge hill & our neighbourhood is really hilly turns me off the idea. My lower back hurts at the best of times at the moment so cant imagine what all those hills would do to it!

Might give it a go, see what happens. Maybe a heat pack on the back afterwards would help? Any suggestions?

Elise i love our Wii - i know its not apart of Wii Fit but i play Monopoly on it a lot. They have a version of Monopoly with a lot of mini challenges and that works my arms out hehe

[Dr. Tal]

It almost feels like a mini reunion in here with Cherished, Ammaki and JLeigh!! I'll have to tell Kirsten about it and see if we can get her to join in as well (did you all know she got another BFP recently?? She'd be about 4-5 weeks now)

Cherished - Those cookies are really really good (they even passed the DH taste test, I met him for lunch and brought one along for him). I added about 1/4 cup of maple syrup to them and that made them taste really good (I have a bit of a sweet tooth!)

Ammaki - You can get pregnancy I'll call them 'girldes' (but I don't think that's what they're really called) with back support that might help out your lower back some. I've been seeing a Chiro once a week and that's helped heaps. So I would recommend that too.

Elise - My two are huskies, my boy started jumping the fence (when I lived alone before I met DH) to follow me when I sleep walk (he's a bit over protective). Now that I'm pregnant he's even more protective of me if that's possible. My girl would just jump the fence to tag along for the fun DH's dog is a mastiffXdane (weighs in at about 65kg) so if she decides to pull or go somewhere I don't want her to there's nothing I'll be doing that could stop her.

JLeigh - about everyone wanting to catch up before the baby comes. Maybe that's a secret bonus of working up until 2 days before my EDD?? I don't need to worry about eating too much??

Audax - At this rate I'm going to have to start a cook book just for your recipes. What can I call it?? Yummy Audax recipes??

MM - how come you can't have mashed spud?? I grew up in a potato farming community so know just about every way to eat a potato imaginable (did you know there is even a recipe for potato fudge? Yup, you read correctly....fudge) If I know what about them you can't eat I might be able to suggest something else to do with them. Have you ever tried twice baked? They can be really good. I can give you a recipe if you want.

AFM - Am in the middle of making pumpkin soup for dinner. mmmmmm. All the healthy food talk made me decide to slip a vego night in on DH (hehehe we already had one last night too). I don't really have a recipe per se but I usually add approximately:

2 cloves garlic
1 large onion
2-3 carrots
1 sweet potato
1 large or 2-3 small potatoes
1 pumpkin (usually make it half kent half butternut)
Some tyme (I put tyme in just about everything I cook)
(if I make the vegetable stock myself I also add a bit of salt)

cook all those in a large pan until soft then cover with vegetable stock until about 1 finger knuckle above the veggies. Boil until all veggies are soft and mushy. Blend until smooth. (optional add 1/2 cup cream)

[Cupcake]

It almost feels like a mini reunion in here with Cherished, Ammaki and JLeigh!! I'll have to tell Kirsten about it and see if we can get her to join in as well (did you all know she got another BFP recently?? She'd be about 4-5 weeks now)

I know! So awesome! Glad to be back in a thread with you ladies! I popped in to congratulate Kirst hope she saw it!

Ammaki - You can get pregnancy I'll call them 'girldes' (but I don't think that's what they're really called) with back support that might help out your lower back some. I've been seeing a Chiro once a week and that's helped heaps. So I would recommend that too.

I see a chiro too! Been going for about 18 months now! LOVE my appointments each week! Im pretty sure Cherished would be seeing one too being a Chiro Assistant?

That recipe made my mouth water! We dont have a blender at the moment! DYING to get a new one!

[luna moth]

Actually, Dr Tall, my cookbook is already planned. It will be called "HELP! There's a weirdo at my table..." and it will be full of stuff that is vegan/vegetarian/gluten free/nut free/unsweetened etc.

Ami - no idea what will help. I love walking so much, especially on hills. We used to live on a huge hill, great for walking but not so good for cycling. I hope you work something out though.

JLeigh - can you get people over for nibblies? And have stuff like plain toasted pita crisps with vegie sticks and dip? I know it's probably exhausting, but if you get them to come to you, maybe you have a bit more control over what gets eaten? We're getting into soup weather too - can you cook up a big pot for lunch? Minestrone is so yummy and pretty healthy. Let me know if you want a recipe

Me? Pretty lazy day, really. Cleaned out the sewing room, went to town (to pick up DH's bike that got left in Landsborough on the weekend! That's a story for next time, C1 ) went for a walk. Will do dinner, then super early night. I'm trying to sleep as much as I can.