Maternal health and multiple pregnancies

Thank you for bearing with me during the recent Christian stewardship posts. Sometimes, things just need to be said.

But now, let’s go back to maternal health.

The very, very, very first thing I want to give you is…the assurance that it is okay for you to take care of yourself.

Yes, even as a busy mom, even as a sacrificial mom, even as a mom who isn’t sure how to fit any care of self into the day. You may think that it is selfish to take care of your health; but it isn’t. Think of it this way. The better you take care of yourself, the better you feel. You will have even more to give away to your family and loved ones. I’m pretty sure that they want you around for a loooong time, and you are much more likely to have energy for your grandchildren some day, even great grandchildren – if you allow yourself to look after yourself…now.

The next thing to establish is this: We’re not talking weight here. Weight isn’t really the right thing to focus on. I’ll never nag you about your weight! I don’t think it is about how you look, either. I utterly despise the current obsession with having and maintaining the perfect body. (Anybody ever seen The Grinch, where he goes thru the phone book saying…Hate, hate, hate. Loathe. Utterly despise…?) Yeah. That’s how I feel about the pressure to be thin, or the pressure to look just right, the pressure to have silicone transplanted into your chest. I have felt that intense pressure to be thin – I carried an eating disorder around with me for 13 years that greatly messed up my health. It is only by God’s grace that I am as healthy as I am. I reject the lies that tell women they are not “good enough” if they are not a size 3. Most women, past the age of 12, aren’t made to be that small. I could live the rest of my life, happily, if I never saw another super model.

What this *is* about is health. It is about feeling strong, about being healthy, about having energy. It is about not letting your body get depleted, dragged down, worn out.

I don’t want to leave any woman out of this post – because I think we all could use some of the information. But I’d like to speak specifically to the mothers of many young children. (Boy, have I been in your shoes!)

If we are going to have several children, some quite close together, it is imperative to do the best we can to take care of our health. Sometimes, there isn’t very long in between pregnancies to get back into strong shape. Some of my closest babies have been 17 months apart. I know that some of you have children closer than that. If this is the case – then you must make the most of the little time that you do have.

Of first importance – is simply eating well. Not expensively, but healthily. Eat some cheese, an egg, a grapefruit, drink a glass of water. “They” say, that often when we think we are hungry, we are really thirsty. I’m a little skeptical, because I’m *always* hungry…but I’ll go with what *they* say, this time. If you are nursing – you *need* to be drinking plenty of water. You know this….now do it! This is to help you feel good, and help your body make enough milk. I KNOW that some days you don’t even get to sit down to eat. But still, when you grab something, grab something healthy!

You need to take care of yourself. You should take care of yourself. It is important to take care of yourself!

What about exercise? How do you do this with a newborn, and maybe toddlers? First, I need to offer a disclaimer: Don’t start strenuous exercise too soon. Wait at least 6 weeks, and quite possibly more. I find 10-12 weeks much more realistic. Several ideas….take walks, with the baby in a backpack. I’m not much for getting up early in the morning, myself, if the baby is still up at night. (And my baby, even at 12 months, is still up. I nurse at 3-4 hour intervals during the day, and at 6 hour intervals at night. That is a good amount for keeping up your milk supply. It is more important for me, personally, to keep the baby nursing than it is for me to get the solid sleep.) Perhaps for you – mornings would work? Or during nap time? Most recently, I have asked my husband to keep an eye on the little boys following supper and clean up. There is a small span of time before their bedtime that I can work out. If nothing else, once they go to bed, I need to MAKE the time to exercise. I think it is good to have a “set” time…but in Mommyland everything is subject to the…subjects…and so you do it when you can. Things I like to do: Treadmill, various videos, jumping rope, push ups.

This might sound crazy, but I steal the moments. When I’m waiting for a toddler on the potty, I do wall sits. Or if no one is beating on the door to the bathroom, I take an extra 30 seconds and do 10 push ups. It is good to keep our core – or trunk- strong, and push ups are GREAT for this! I’ve been amazed at the strength that has built up. There was a time, not so long ago, when I couldn’t even do one push up. Now, I do about a 60 a day. Instead of grumping about the thought of running to the basement to grab something from the freezer or to throw another log on the fireplace, I plaster that silly smile on my face and tell myself I’m grateful for the chance to get a little more exercise. I’m really not…but I try to trick myself….and it helps.

Do what you can – but don’t obsess. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up and stop doing what you know you need to do. (That’s what *I* tend to do. Don’t do that!) Get back on the path and try again. And again. And again. Be content with the progress that you begin to feel. Hopefully every day will find you a little bit stronger, and you will find that you have more energy and even feel happier.

Goodness – there’s so much more to talk about on this single portion of the topic!  What about if you have a chronic health issue – such as PCOS or Thyroid issues or fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis? What then?  (I have opinions…)  Some people think that women who have many children have trouble-free pregnancies and pop out baby after baby with ease.  That is not true, at all!  What about repeat C-sections?   And even more!  But this post is long enough, so please feel free to ask any questions in the comments, or to add to the conversation. I’m counting on your experienced moms to share your tips!

Here’s to strong, healthy moms, who reflect the joy of the Lord in their mothering!