26 days to go, Exercise and Nutrition Report 35-36 wks, Check up appt and latest belly pic

DAYS TO GO!!!!

Week 35-36 Preggers (Tuesday 19th Jan – Monday 25th Jan 2010)

Exercise

Tuesday – Bodyvive

Wednesday – Rest Day

Thursday – Trained -TRX / Bodyvive
Friday – Rest Day
Saturday – Bodyvive

Sunday – Outdoor Powerwalk – 45 mins
Monday – Bodyvive

5 Cardio based sessions this week & 1 TRX Resistance Circuits
Approx cal burn in BV class – 350 – 450 now, harder on the Heart Rate moving this belly around.

Nutrition
Trying to keep up my calcium serves per day still from Raw Milk , Organic Cheese and Bio-Dynamic Organic Natural Yoghurt.
Raised my total calories this week as advised and had a 0.2kg increase in weight!! WOOHOO.
Should still be a bit more so same process this week, more cals via good fats, have been having Nuts, Avocado, Salmon, Coconut Oil etc.

Feeling / Emotions

Starting to get to the ‘exhausted by arvo’ stage but think alot of this is sleep related, I actually think I am sleeping better or maybe that I am getting used to being so restless, going to the loo 3 x per night etc etc so think I’m sleeping better?

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36 Week Check Up

All good, saw a new midwife from the team so that's 2 of 5 seen, hope we get different one at 38 weeks, then at 40 then Ive done 4 of 5, whats the betting I'll get number 5!! :)

Paul and I had a chat about it and its all good either way, they don't have a alot of intervention and you are pretty much left alone to labour if you want to be, I plan on being in the bath and that's cool with it just being me and Paul. Just want midwife around for the actual pushing and birth.

BP is its normal low self, bubs is lying just right, his heartbeat is bang smack in the mid of normal, movement is still frequent and strong and touch wood this will be how it all stays.

Here's the latest belly Pic and it added to the progressive belly growth pic from 35 Weeks so a week and a half ago.

So all is good and why wouldn't it be?

I am very lucky to have such a wonderful soul to

share my life with and have been blessed with my

gorgeous babies, all 3 of them.

34 Days, Weekly Exercise and Nutrition Update, Family Birth Centre

34 Days til Due date.

Week 34-35 Preggers (Tuesday 12th Dec – Monday 18th Jan 2010 )

Exercise
Tuesday – Bodyvive
Wednesday – Rest Day
Thursday – Rest Day
Friday – Rest Day
Saturday – Bodyvive / Bodyattack
Sunday – Outdoor Walk – 35 mins
Monday – Bodyvive

5 sessions this week.
Had to take a few rest days this week, listened to my body. Not sleeping, its hot and my classes are taking most of my energy as they get harder week by week.

Nutrition
Feedback from last week from nutritionist was to up my calcium serves per day due to the skeletal development that takes place during this phase, so I am now hitting 3 serves per day.
Raw Milk , Organic Cheese and Bio-Dynamic Organic Natural Yoghurt.
Also was to up my total calories and add in some extra good fats, my food totals are OK but due to exercise (my job) and the fact it is challenging me more, the deficit that it is creating is more. So I need to up them more as my scale weight is not increasing (should be slight increases each week at this stage) nor is it holding, I’m still actually losing slight amounts each week, in fact this week was more than slight, so have to really focus on getting the fats in, I love being told to eat more!
One importent inclusion at this stage of preganancy not only for good fats but for Lauric Acid which is very importent in breastfeeding is Organic Coconut Oil - read here for the benefits whilst breastfeeding for benefits even if not pregnant and breastfeeding I have included below.

Feeling / Emotions
A little irritable (or just in the late stages of pregnancy?) and a lot of this is sleep related I think. Still got to focus on getting more, no better this week and the temps Perth are having aren’t helping, 42.9 yesterday and 42.7 today, WT!! My other two pregnancies were winter due dates in the UK!!!! Might have to sleep in the lounge with the Air Con tonight as the low is sitting at 24-26 degrees and that’s not until about 4am.

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My Birth Choice - The Family Birth Centre - KEMH Perth
Well we actually managed to getto the Multi- refresher evening last night at the Family Birth Centre where we will have bubba boy.
Basically It is for parents in their 2nd or 3rd in our case pregnanacy.
You get to hear everyones past birth experience, the midwife comments on how it would / may be dealt with differently in the Birth Centre etc.
She also covered, when to call, when to go in, their approach - which if you have done your research is minimal intervention and natural active birth hence the reason for choosing there over a hospital, the minimal pain relief choices they do offer, length of stay, the role of your support person/people and procedures at due date as you cannot be induced there.

I had a few questions answered just listening and feel great about the whole thing. Originally we were booked at the Hospital but when attending my first appt there at 20 weeks started crying in the wait room! I knew I did not want to be in that setting.
I researched a little more and gained a refereal to the Birth Centre, THANK GOD!!!

Its located in the hospital grounds, so if a transfer is needed it take 1 min to move you, medical teams available or if you are unlucky enough to hit 42 weeks you would have to do the hospital for an induction, in saying that the midwife last night says thats very unlikely that will occur as they have lots of tricks they start trying :)
It has 4 rooms, which are quite large, each with own bathroom, huge shower, seating area, big bed (NOT a hospital bed!) sofa and chairs for family, crib, outdoor patio area and just a generally realxing open feeling.
Pain relief offered is only - Water by way of the huge birthing bath - which from my birth with Maddi is straight where i'll be heading when in the throws of the contractions and maybe I'll stay there this time, I laboured there then got out to push last time. Gas and Air. Morphine, on occasions they use this depending on your situaton, has to be given only if you have longer than 2 hours left before delivery or if labour has been long and you need to rest.
Length of stay can be anywhere from a coupl eof hours after birth to max of 24 hours from birth time.
You can basically have how ever many people in the room as you want, including kids!! and for the record I have asked Bryce (14) and got a very funny stare back!!! :)
Maddi is keen but I feel she should just be in the kids play area/family lounge area ready to come in once her brother has made an appearance.
Of course Paul will be there everystep of the way and I'm tryingto get him in the pool with me, but I think hes keen to do the same as last time and hang over the side or be behind me.
If my mumma makes it off the plane, I don't come early and isn't caught up with maddi, which we can sort out as my step dad could have her, I would love for her to be there for the birth too, fingers crossed.
I love going there for my appts and get a great feel from the place and the midwifes, I am actually looking forwaard to labour.
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Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and why the demand is growing for it?

New research is verifying that organic extra virgin coconut oil is the best oil for your health, weight managenment and has the potential to cure many of the ailments that have manifested in our bodies through having a highly refined diet.
Aclara Health Pty Ltd is dedicated to bringing to you the wonderful health benefits of organic extra virgin coconut oil.

What Coconut Oil DOES NOT do:
it does not increase blood cholesterol level
it does not contribute to heart disease
it does not contribute to weight problems
it does not contain trans fats & is NOT hydrogenated

What Coconut Oil DOES do:
it supports healthy metabolic & thyroid function that promotes weight loss.
it Coconut oil is the only natural source of beneficial Lauric acid other than human breast milk
it has a mild delicate flavor.
it is highly resistant to spoilage due to the antioxidant nature of the oil it is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
it helps prevent premature aging it functions as a protective antioxidant which may reduce risk of cancer and degenerative conditions.
it supports immune system function.
it helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections.

Extra Virgin coconut oil is not the same as inferior Copra (or Cophra) oil which is produced under industrial conditions with high heat, requiring bleaching,deodorizing and refining to produce an edible product.
Extra Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is produced under low heat conditions (< 27 degrees C) from fresh coconut, retaining a natural fragrance and taste. It also retains all the inherent qualities associated with its remarkable chemical makeup, qualifying it as the healthiest and most stable food oil on the market.
Coconut oils chemical structure remains intact and resistant to mutations when heated to high temperatures making it the safest oil to use for cooking. It has a long shelf life because it is so stable.

Have a great day everyone, Shar x

Nesting Continues, Rest Days ,some 'Baby Stuff' pics and a new blog

Nesting Continues

So yes the nesting has continued pretty much all week, have been sorting and throwing lots of my crap away, it feels good to throw stuff away hey?

Had 3 bin bags of mine, Maddi's and Bryce's clothes and took them to the clothes bank.

Continued hemming curtains and also took the Sun/Black out material down to my friends to be hemmed and finished. Hung those last night and yes it is dark, just have to get Paul to finish the track length for overlap and bubba boys bedroom is done diddly done done!!

Rest Days

Had to take a few days rest this week, the heat was getting me and I didn't feel 'quite right' IYKWIM.

So have had a few days with no classes/extra exercise (apart from nesting) and a arvo nap and all good again, was back to exercise again yesterday, I actually did 2 classes :o Bodyvive then Bodyattack, powerwalk this morning early as its forecast 40 degrees here today! one class in the morning then that's another week complete.

I'm have been really listening to my body recently hence taking the rest days this week and I find the whole journey fascinating. I'm also really in a better place both mentally and physically this pregnancy for the period following birth.

I have been more focused this preggers on keeping my fitness up (important for labour and post natal period), continuing my classes (as thats what I love and that makes me happy), eating a wide variety of foods with guidance from nutritionist about what food types etc are important and when in bubba development, actually been told to up my food this week!! good food of course, but more food is always good! :)

I have also been monitoring (NOT OBSESSING.... it is different) my weight following guidelines taken from my pre-pregnancy weight not just general guidelines for everyone.

Also looked periodically - 12 weeks, 20 weeks and 34 weeks at my bodyfat via skinfolds, obviously only the skinfolds you can get an accurate reading from in preggers, not abdominal or supra reading :)

Both are sitting well at this stage of preggers......more on that in my weekly report on Tuesday.

Baby Stuff

As promised, here's a few Baby stuff pics. I have the Mammut range from Ikea, quite funky and cool and not traditional. Ive got the wardrobe to which is great with extra storage, perhaps I'll take a pic of the inside as its quite full! :)

A New Blog - I have done lots of researching, reading and have been working with a nutritionist whilst pregnant. As I have previously said it is an area that interests me alot (even when I'm not pregnant) and I have lots of bits and bobs I want to share but obviously not applicable for everyone to read. So back in June 09, yep June 09!! I set another blog up with the intention of putting some of the info in there and didn't get round to it.

I have finally started to post bits in there, so if your preggers, thinking of becoming preggers, know someone that is pregnant or are post natal please drop by and have a read, maybe even let me know if there's anything in particular you want put up or any questions we can post and put out there for all to respond to.

COME VISIT - THE PREGNANCY PLACE :) ( the link is on my sidebar too)

Anyway, thats about it from me for today, have a great weekend, Shar.

41 days, Exercise & Nutrition Weekly Update, Nesting has begun and having a 'Contented baby'

DAYS TO GO

Week 33-34 Preggers

(Tuesday 5th Dec – Monday 11th Jan 2010 )

Exercise

Tuesday – Bodyvive

Wednesday – 60 Min Outdoor Walk

Thursday – Bodyvive
Friday – Bodyvive
Saturday – Bodyvive

Sunday – Rest Day (if you can call nesting all day rest!!)
Monday – Bodyvive

6 days training this week.
Back to walking and Bodyvive. Teaching challenges me a lot more than participating in classes and Bodyvive for the 55 min class is averaging 380 – 420 cals burnt per class for me, its creeping up the more preggers I get, obviously my systems have to work harder and harder.

Nutrition
Good week this week, probably need to eat a bit more having put my week into writing to e mail to my preggy nutritionist. Have also had instructions to up my calcium quite a bit from this week due to the skeletal development that takes place during this phase.

Feeling / Emotions

Feeling great in general, happy I’m sitting well with my weight to come in just under the guidelines for healthy preggers weight gain. Never looked into it in past two pregnancies, hence the 25-35kg weight gains I had!!! Not this time, which will make for a happier Shar after birth.
Got to focus on sleep, the disturbed nights are playing havoc with my energy. I fully know what its like to have a baby waking up through the night and I need to get used to it, but there’s a purpose to that, waking up for the loo 2-3 times per night or because you have a numb leg due to pressure on your hip cause you have to lay on your side is pissing me off!!! Oh well not long to go, small price to pay for my bubba boy :)

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NESTING HAS STARTED!! All day on Sunday I was hemming curtains, 4 pairs to be precise, Paul put up the curtain track in Bubbas bedroom, we had a clear out of some more stuff and it felt great!!

I have brought some blackout / sun out curtain materiel for the bubbas bedroom which my friend is going to hem for me as that's a bigger job and I'm not that great with sewing.

The reason for the blackout is that being on 3rd bubba and finding out what was good what wasn't quite so good with the first two kids when they were babies, I am giving 'The Contented Baby Book' routines and principle a go to help implement a routine and get bubs sleeping through sooner than 12 months old!!!

For me if sleep is of and ok (6-7 hours) duration and quality I can function in every other aspect.

Among other things, Gina Ford - author of the book insists babies sleeping space is as dark as possible to help distinguish sleep time from awake time, making a strong sleep/bedtime association.

So we have a curtain track no pole as it sits closer to the wall and doesn't let light in, we have gone longer past the window so as to limit the glimpes of light down the sides!! Obviously the other bonus to these curtains is that it will limit heat from the sun.

.

Yesterday I also washed and scrubbed down my 2nd pushchair down and dried it in the sun. I got this one locally 2nd hand. They are a fortune new, this one was in great condition and is a great option for walking which I will be doing alot of. So I after I basically dismantled the seating unit so I could get in all the nooks and crannies, a wash and scrub, dried in the fresh air, purchase a nice pushchair liner to make a little more accommodating to a baby baby, I am happy

its as good as new for my walking mission that will begin after birth.

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The nursery is nearly there too, will post some pictures soon.

46 days, Birth Centre Check Up, 32-33 wks Training & Nutrition Update and Wonferful Evolved Shar (WES)

Days (approx) til we meet bubba boy. Kids are excited, Bryce loves feeling him move and kick as they are so strong at the moment.

Had my 33 week check up at the Family Birth Centre on Wednesday. Each visit I get to meet a different midwife from the team (yellow) I have been allocated too, she was very nice and I had a few questions this time and she answered them fully and was really good with Maddi who had to come with us this time.

After doing all the normal bits - BP, urine, weight, checked in with how my moods/emotions were, tape measured from pubic bone to top of uterus, she asked Maddi if she wanted to hold the doppler to hear bubba boys heart rate, all good, she then asked to hear Maddi's heart, it was sooooo cool to hear Maddi's and the bubba, heaps of difference in speed and Maddi's was so strong, Haven't heard hers since I was pregnant with her! Maddi was so chuffed.

Anyway after we sat back down the midwife just stated that everything is excellent and I have pretty much the text book pregnancy. This is soooo good to hear and although I worry constantly (just natural I think?) I feel blessed I have had nothing to actually worry about and the process so far has been a dream, I feel great compared to last pregnancies for a number of reasons and I am sure the after birth experience is going to be smoother this time due to that. So for the next 6 weeks I just have to hope everything stays on track and bubba continues to grow strong.

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Week 32-33 Preggers (Tuesday 29th Dec – Monday 4th Jan 2010 )

Exercise

Tuesday – Rest Day / Wednesday – 60 Min Outdoor Walk / Thursday – Bodycombat /

Friday – 60 min Outdoor Walk / Saturday – Bodyattack / Sunday – Rest Day /

Monday – Bodyvive

5 days training this week. Changed it up a bit and did Bodycombat and Bodyattack, I am absolutely dying to get back to Bodyattack.
Weather is holding hot now with no real dips so when I go out walking I have to go early which is more limiting, may have to utilise the treddie again, but that way I can control my HR a bit more with consistent speed and incline.
Although 'watch' this space, I have a new toy coming!!

Nutrition
All back on track, scales reduced a little this week, must be the system clearing out the bloat from Chrissie treats, bubba biggest growth now so gotta expect the scales creeping up soon.
Paul did measure my hips and I have lost 5cm from last measure!! gotta be pleased with that.

Feeling / Emotions - Still feeling good with the whole preggy thing although back is starting to play up and sleep is difficult, but all part of the journey so you just adapt.

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When Katie posted this back in October I was fascinated with the concept and had a go for myself.

I do truly feel I am working my way to the WONDERFUL EVOLVED SHAR (WES), I have made alot of changes, I am still making changes currently and I still have planned changes to implement. Its a slow process and that is where I have slipped up before, trying to change everything (habits/behaviours) all at once, be perfect, all or nothing, give 100% or nothing.

Thinking in the mindset of 'what would the WES do in this situation?' really helps me to STOP, PROCESS and ACT in a rational, informed and empowered way. Please go and read if you haven't already and let me know if start to use your WONDERFUL EVOLVED SELF to implement changes. Lastly, Thanks to the W E Katie for sharing this concept on her blog.

Have a great Friday everyone!!

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it.........

I am soooooooo excited about meeting this little bubba boy that I have kicking me to pieces, although I will be sad I'm not preggers anymore I love this too.
If you haven't popped in to Hilary's blog, check out baby skye, she is just gorgeous!! Alicia won't be long, then me, then Nicole, I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!! its all kicking off, YAY.

Anyway, for my exercise this week, I have had the usual Bodyvive, walking etc and I decided to mix it up a bit this week and went and participated in Bodycombat on Thursday and did Bodyattack on Saturday, both were big calorie burners for me, not hard when your HR get s straight up there and stays there for an hour!! they did tire me out for the rest of the day but both were great.

I have had the best Christmas and New Year, I just love being with Paul and the kids and cannot wait to finish up work as a GFM and spend more time with everyone, new baby and get back to just doing my 'love job', teaching Group Fitness.

Also being a mum (obviously I'm a mum already but I mean a FT mum) only is going to be great, I have wanted to do this since having Bryce. Yes I will be working in effect but teaching classes in my book doesn't feel like work, they will also give me just enough me time.

Just a quick post, back soon to post up my weekly exercise and nutrition as Monday is the end of my preggy week.