Obese first-time mothers run double low-weight baby risk

Categories: Uncategorized, news, pregnancy | February 9th, 2009 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

A study funded by the baby charity Tommy’s, the Wellcome Trust and the Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation has found that obese first-time mothers are almost twice as likely to have premature and low birthweight babies and have a higher risk of pre-eclampsia.  The study of 385 obese British and Dutch women in their first pregnancy said that those with a BMI of over 30 carry a particularly high risk.  The study is published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
This study is yet another reason for women to maintain a healthy lifestyle while pegnant. My mission is to encourage the health services to motivate women to exercise and keep healthy before conception, during pregnancy and to change their lifestyles accordingly.

Information highway

Categories: Uncategorized | October 28th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

The information highway clearly has not stretched into the arena of exercise and pregnancy. I was recently at The baby Show  at Earls Court in London, where I was speaking on exercise during and after pregnancy. It was incredibly interesting to speak to so many women about their experiences of pregnancy and their health and fitness- but what was most interesting was the lack of knowledge about what was appropriate, safe and effective during and after pregnancy. The difference in the amount of knowledge and awareness was even more evident when you compare the comments and feedback from  consumers in all 3 of the baby Shows in 2008: Excell London, NEC Birmingham, and Earls Cort London. The  sheer shock on the faces of some  pregnant women in Birmingham  when I mentioned exercise while they happily munched on their “lunch”( crisps, soda followed by ice cream) was both frustrating and enlightening. There clearly is a lot of work to be done!

The most incredible comment of all was one women quoting her yoga instructor saying that having toned and strong abdominal muscles during pregnancy made it impossible to have natural childbirth. Some of the other interesting questions were based around what Doctors and midwives advised, which mostly was  ”abstain from all forms of exercise except “gentle walking’ while pregnant”.

While I do not believe that every Doctor and every midwife should be an expert in this field( I should hope not- that wouldn’t be good for business) I do feel that there should be  general government backed  guidelines for healthy and fit women during and after pregnancy. Fitness, nutrition and health should be encouraged all the time- but our current obesity crisis, especially in children, is a major concern- so what better time than during pregnancy to educate and encourage women to adopt healthier lifestyles?

There have been enough studies to support the idea that healthier women give birth to healthier babies and that as the CBO( chief buying officer) the mother sets the patterns of lifestyle and food consumption in the home.

If our babies are at risk, the future generations are at risk, and our entire health system will become even more strained, surely we have the resources to educate and encourage women to take their  and their families health under control.

where is the centre?

Categories: Uncategorized | May 8th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

Do babies feel our emotions while they are in the womb? Are our thoughts and feelings directly linked to the little being inside of us?

There are countless theories on these issues, and as they cannot be scientifically tested- we are at a loss for the guidance that the research and scientific studies would usually offer.

Imagine being stressed out all day- you have a problem with work, your car gets a ticket, you get stuck in a horrible traffic jam- or anything else that may trigger stress, anxiety or anger - in your world.  In your baby’s world, the placenta and amniotic fluid offer a buffer to the physical  world- but what about your emotions? Are these feelings transferred to the baby? How does a baby in  the womb cope with these changes?

Stress in life is unavoidable.  I believe our babies know our feelings, call it a hunch or whatever you like- there is a sense that they are at one with  the mothers psyche and there is a direct link to the mothers thoughts and emotions. Emotional well being in mothers is an unusual topic; but if the baby is affected by every morsel of food that we eat, if the baby’s heart and organ development is dependant on our exercising and eating well- surely we should be dealing with the “others” too.

Balance is crucial, maintaining a healthy balance of emotions will help you through the pregnancy. But what about our buried emotions and issues that rear their heads at the most difficult times. All the issues that we would rather not deal with, the things that will make us face up to uncomfortable feelings and difficult emotions, can dealing with these issues before we conceive help in creating a healthy baby?

Anecdotal evidence from mothers supports the notion that the baby feels our anxiety- but just how can we avoid this in modern life?

Exercise! Of course! But not only  the physical kind(although I wouldn’t be me if I didnt put that in somewhere). We should be exercising our minds and filling them with positive thoughts and letting go of the negative and stress inducing. Easier said than done when life and the harsh realities it often brings are thrown at us- but try we should. It is time to invest in the “other” side of ourselves. Invest in positive energy, positive thoughts. Do one thing everyday that will feed your emotions and your positive energy.

Read something thought provoking, listen to your favourite song, sing your favourite song(really loud)smell the roses- and find your centre!

So where is the pelvic floor?

Categories: Uncategorized | May 7th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

The pelvic floor is a broad sling of muscles which stretches between your legs and extends from the pubic bone in front to the spine at the rear.It holds and supports the bladder, womb and bowel in place and controls the muscles which hold closed the anus, urethra and vagina.This hammock of muscles may seem redundant as we cannot actually see them- but when they aren’t working well- we know they are there!The most common problems can occur when they are damaged during childbirth: 30% of new mothers suffer from issues relating to a damaged pelvic floor: stress incontinence (leaking urine when coughing or laughing) and decreased sexual pleasure. In addition to childbirth, muscles weaken with age- and the pelvic floor is no exception to that.  Generally women who have caesarean sections have a lower incidence of pelvic floor damage and equally,  natural births, especially those involving forceps , have a higher incidence.The great news is that unlike other muscle groups – exercising your pelvic floor doesn’t require any equipment and /or gym membership. Regular exercise of the pelvic floor is as important as any other exercise and has a great impact on your quality of life.You can reduce the likelihood of damage to the pelvic floor by exercising before and during pregnancy- but like the rest of our bodies- if you neglected these muscles before you can still get them back!  Below are 3 simple exercises and for further ideas: www.melindanicci.com.Try these simple steps to a toned pelvic floor:1.       First- try to locate the right muscles: sit on a chair and close your eyes- now visualize the sling of muscles stretching right across your body holding your womb and bladder.2.       Next: contract   your pelvic floor muscles pulling inwards and upwards, hold for a count of five and release. Repeat this exercise at least 10 times a day.3.       Test: a great way to test the control of this area is by stopping your urine flow- you should be able to control the flow by contracting and releasing the muscles- but be careful not to do this too often as you might trap urine in your bladder which can lead to an infection!  

Heart health during pregnancy

Categories: Uncategorized | May 7th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

Scientists at Kansas City University in the US studied 10 women who were either exercisers (performing at least 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity activity) or sedentary.  They found that staying active during pregnancy lead to a healthier heart for both mother and baby.  Earlier studies found that exercise helps women cope better with the physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth. This research highlights another positive aspect of exercise during pregnancy- that the heart of both mother and baby can be stronger and more efficient when the mother exercises during pregnancy!             

Obesity increases clot risk in pregnancy

Categories: news, pregnancy | February 20th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

Obesity is clot risk in pregnancy - The Independent Obese women are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to suffer a potential fatal blood clot in the lung during pregnancy, according to a study in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. (The Independent, p12)

More…

This relates to yet another study on obese women and pregnancy. the study confirms other studies and anecdotal evidence to support the theories relating to health and wellbeing during pregnancy. It is far healthier for both Mom and baby if the mother to be is in good shape- a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle.

Best pregnancy workout

Categories: fitness, pregnancy | February 15th, 2008 | by Melinda Nicci | no comments

Do this workout at least 3 times a week to maintain your tone and fitness during pregnancy. This can easily be done every day- but at least 3 times a week to achieve real results!
Always get your Doctors approval to begin any exercise programme while pregnant. Continue Reading »