There’s a lot of judgement on this thread. I’m almost 40, no drugs, no surgery, good diet and exercise and I look like I’ve never had kids. I’ve had five, all full term.
Sure!! I can only say what has worked for me. I admit that it’s been more challenging since I’m close to 40. I had 3 kids in my 20s then two more after 35.
Breastfeeding helps a lot, it gets your uterus back down to its regular size quicker, plus you burn crazy calories!
Start working out now, even if it’s just walking. What you do pre-pregnancy can usually happen during the pregnancies, there are ladies at my gym who were running on the treadmill and weight training all the way until they gave birth. That will make it even easier to get back into good shape.
Remember that your body will be different, hips may be wider for example, but the fat- that can go!
Eat a healthy diet now and keep it going, consider it a change of lifestyle as opposed to a diet, which sounds temporary. Find healthy foods you actually enjoy, but you don’t have to be super strict, just reasonable. We’re not trying to win any competitions here :)
Find a gym with childcare. That was a requirement for me..otherwise I don’t know what I would do. It helps motivate me because the kids want to go play there. If you don’t have a gym, find a mom friend to walk or exercise with, so you have accountability. It’s easy to fall off, especially being a stressed out mama!
Prior to being pregnant, I was an avid gym goer. I even worked out while pregnant, too. I remember trying to do that first sit up after healing from a c-section. I was so pissed I couldn't even lift myself up. I agree though, working out before and during pregnancy helped quite a bit post partum. I breast fed for a little while, but my son would always get angry when he couldn't get it all at one time. LOL
Learn about vitamin E oil and how to avoid stretch marks BEFORE getting pregnant. I was 15 and that's pretty damn young, I'm covered in them because I was young and stupid and nobody was trying to warn me about them. I remember after having the baby, the nurse laughing when I asked her how soon they'd go away. My daughter is 30 now and believe me, they're still there.
drink LOTS and LOTS of water. lotions and oils can only do so much and penetrate so many layers of skin. your body needs to be hydrated from the inside out to avoid stretch marks. some of it is hereditary and there's not much you can do there, but from my personal experience, I can confidently say that water is the answer.
There’s a lot of judgement on this thread. I’m almost 40, no drugs, no surgery, good diet and exercise and I look like I’ve never had kids. I’ve had five, all full term.
Are you me? Lol
Any tips for a younger ladypede looking to have a lot of kids?
Sure!! I can only say what has worked for me. I admit that it’s been more challenging since I’m close to 40. I had 3 kids in my 20s then two more after 35.
Breastfeeding helps a lot, it gets your uterus back down to its regular size quicker, plus you burn crazy calories!
Start working out now, even if it’s just walking. What you do pre-pregnancy can usually happen during the pregnancies, there are ladies at my gym who were running on the treadmill and weight training all the way until they gave birth. That will make it even easier to get back into good shape.
Remember that your body will be different, hips may be wider for example, but the fat- that can go!
Eat a healthy diet now and keep it going, consider it a change of lifestyle as opposed to a diet, which sounds temporary. Find healthy foods you actually enjoy, but you don’t have to be super strict, just reasonable. We’re not trying to win any competitions here :)
Find a gym with childcare. That was a requirement for me..otherwise I don’t know what I would do. It helps motivate me because the kids want to go play there. If you don’t have a gym, find a mom friend to walk or exercise with, so you have accountability. It’s easy to fall off, especially being a stressed out mama!
Prior to being pregnant, I was an avid gym goer. I even worked out while pregnant, too. I remember trying to do that first sit up after healing from a c-section. I was so pissed I couldn't even lift myself up. I agree though, working out before and during pregnancy helped quite a bit post partum. I breast fed for a little while, but my son would always get angry when he couldn't get it all at one time. LOL
Oh yes! That was a weird experience for me too! How the muscles are separated like that!
Learn about vitamin E oil and how to avoid stretch marks BEFORE getting pregnant. I was 15 and that's pretty damn young, I'm covered in them because I was young and stupid and nobody was trying to warn me about them. I remember after having the baby, the nurse laughing when I asked her how soon they'd go away. My daughter is 30 now and believe me, they're still there.
Oh yes!! Lots of lotion helps. I started when I was pregnant with my first, and apply lotion now every time I shower. Keep that skin soft and supple!
Knowing is half the battle. :)
drink LOTS and LOTS of water. lotions and oils can only do so much and penetrate so many layers of skin. your body needs to be hydrated from the inside out to avoid stretch marks. some of it is hereditary and there's not much you can do there, but from my personal experience, I can confidently say that water is the answer.
You actually have lots of company in the world.