by Nicole Serafin, Age 41, Tintenbar, NSW
I had my first child at 35 years old and my second at 40. Actually, it was closer to 36 and 41 as my birthday was only a few days after both children were born.
I was not overly active during my pregnancies, however I was aware of the fact that having a baby would affect and possibly change my body. Changes affect everyone differently, so I was not sure how it would affect me, or even if it would. All I knew was that I had to be open to the possibilities and be flexible with what might be needed during and after that time.
Pregnancy and Exercises
I approached my first pregnancy being aware of the exercise that I did and the food that I ate.
I used to go for short walks every day and do gentle yoga most days, neither of which were over strenuous, nor were they done vigorously. My exercise was only ever done so as to keep me mobile and to support me to stay connected to myself and my body.
My body was constantly changing so I had to be open to change with that, always feeling what was needed and when. For example, I might have felt to go for a walk one day whereas the next day I might have done only some gentle stretching, or perhaps not done any exercise at all.
I had to keep being flexible and allowing these changes. Of course I had certain things that needed to be done throughout the day, but when and how they were done sometimes needed to change.
The walks allowed me to feel my body and to take time to observe my surroundings and how I felt in them. It took me outside into the fresh air which for me was always supportive and nurturing.
The gentle stretching was very similar, allowing me to connect to and feel my body and where it was that I was holding anything.
For me, keeping exercise simple and light felt very supportive for both myself and the pregnancy.
I kept it very simple by only doing some gentle stretching and walking. Even my walks were only done when I felt to, rather than walking or exercising because I should. I found that I enjoyed the exercise more and felt it to be supportive when it was done when I felt, rather than because it needed to be done because I was pregnant, which can so often be the case.
Food, Eating and Pregnancy
The food that I ate was mostly fresh and I remember having huge breakfasts, lighter lunches and dinners. Often when out for breakfast the wait staff thought the bigger breakfast was for my partner! Whereas with my second child, I had lighter meals throughout the day.
Even though it was my second pregnancy at the same time it felt like my first so I tried to treat it as just that, my very first pregnancy, not comparing it to my past pregnancy but allowing it to have and be what it was that it needed to be.
Food was something that most people commented on. There was always someone mentioning how much I should eat; especially now I was ‘eating for two’ was the most common suggestion.
I can only imagine how many of us fell for that and then had to pay the price once we had the baby.
It makes it harder to lose the excess weight after having a baby if the support is not there to allow you the time that is needed in order to do the exercise, as well as to prepare and to cook the meals that are needed to support that process – not to mention the time to even go shopping for food in the first place.
Our bodies need to be cared for and the foods we choose to eat will have an effect in them – which will often vary depending on each individual and being pregnant does not alter this fact. Some people can eat whatever they like, whenever they like and never gain a pound, whereas others just have to look at food and gain 5 pounds. Why is that that we are all so different, our bodies store and release energy in different ways, no matter what our condition is, pregnant or not pregnant.
I have been at both ends of the scales, being overweight, average weight and extremely underweight, all being for many different reasons. I was one of those people who only had to look at food and would gain 5 pounds, whereas my mum could live off cream cakes never gaining an inch. Different people release and store food and energy in different ways and for me being pregnant was no different.
Just because I was pregnant did not mean that I had a green light to eat whatever I wanted.
My diet remained the same, eating what I felt was needed to support myself, knowing that would support my child also.
Eating a balanced diet of fresh foods, lean meats and fish is something that I ate prior to my pregnancies, as well as during and after, along with using gentle exercise to keep my body spacious.
Both my pregnancies were slightly different in terms of what my body needed and I was aware of this fact and had to make sure not to do something just because that’s what I had done in my first pregnancy, but rather feel what was needed in each moment, as if I was actually pregnant for the first time. For example, when pregnant of my second child I felt to eat smaller portions and lighter meals than I ate during my first pregnancy. The types of foods did not alter a great deal, what varied was just the quantities and the frequency of eating.
I did not eat wheat, yeast, gluten or dairy prior to any of my pregnancies and had not done so for the previous 20 years, so it was an even greater support to my body, not having the bloating or congestion that I used to get when I did eat gluten and dairy.
I only gained the weight that was needed to support myself and the baby; after they were born my body lost the excess weight that I had gained and all that was left to do was continue caring and supporting my body so that it could lose the remainder of the weight – to begin to tone up from carrying a baby.
This I did by continuing in my same diet, routine, occasional walking and gentle stretching every few days.
I had a lot of women say, ‘oh, you are so lucky’. For me I don’t feel it was luck, I feel it was common sense and staying focussed on what it was that was truly needed. It would have been easy for me to lash out and eat whatever I wanted, but in the long run it would have made things a lot more difficult.
Yes, my body changed after both pregnancies, but no more than what it has done with age. My older child is now 5 and a half and the younger is 6 months.
I loved being pregnant and I loved and still love my ‘after pregnancy’ body.
Of course things change, but with the love, support and care that I have for myself I was then able to honour what was needed in every moment – before, during and after the births of our awesome children.
Inspired by the work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine.