This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha Tate’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

I was really lucky that I had the time to be really attentive to my daughter Amia postpartum. Having time at home does make breastfeeding easier. But it wasn’t always an easy road. Before giving birth, I set a goal to breastfeed for the first year. I know it was a lofty goal, but I had read so much about the benefits of breastfeeding that I wanted to make it happen for her and me. 

Benefits of Breastfeeding

For those who are considering breastfeeding, I think it’s important to point out a few of the reasons why I wanted to go this route. For babies, breast milk is:

• Nutrient-Rich – Breast milk is packed with nutrients and antibodies.¹
• Balanced – Breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water and protein for your baby.¹
• Gentler – Breast milk is typically easier than formula for babies to digest.¹
• Immunity Booster – The cells, hormones and antibodies in breastmilk may help protect babies from disease, including lower respiratory infections, dermatitis, asthma, obesity, diabetes and childhood leukemia.¹   

Breastfeeding Support

Despite my best intentions, breastfeeding didn’t come naturally to me. I really underestimated how difficult and painful breastfeeding can be. Amia seemed to know exactly what she was doing, once she latched. But, I really needed guidance on how to get her to latch successfully, so it wouldn’t be as painful. Unfortunately I went several weeks with her not latching correctly, and it was excruciating for me to breastfeed her.

The responsibility of caring for a new life and the logistics of breastfeeding were a bit overwhelming. I knew that in order to make this work, I needed help. I reached out to a lactation consultant for advice and counseling. She showed me exactly what needed to be tweaked with the latch. We also discussed ways to keep my milk supply up and discussed different pump options that would work for me. These counseling sessions made a world of difference early on, and really set me up for success to reach my year goal.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to reach out for breastfeeding support, even before giving birth. During the third trimester, an expecting mom should talk to her healthcare provider about her intention to breastfeed. Her healthcare provider can recommend resources to prepare for breastfeeding, as well as a list of lactation consultants. Plus, many hospitals have lactation specialists on-site who will meet with new mothers before and after delivery.

New moms should also ask for the contact information of the lactation consultant for follow-up questions or issues that may arise once their babies are home. For me the first four months, when I was feeding every two to three hours, were very challenging and extremely demanding. I can see why women feel like they want to give up. It is very difficult to stay on the regimen. When I went back to work it made it that much more challenging. So having additional support from a lactation consultant can make a difference. In those moments when I was seriously considering throwing in the towel, I just keep reminding myself of the benefits for Amia. That helped give me the mental fortitude to stick with it.

Nutritional Support for Breastfeeding

After giving birth I didn’t try to get my weight down too fast, primarily because I was breastfeeding. I’ve learned that it can cause a slow-down in the production of your milk supply. If you are calorie deficient then your body doesn’t have the reserve to keep up. My doctor advised me to keep my caloric intake up by 500 calories a day while breastfeeding. I love food, so I was really loving the free pass. Honestly, I was the most hungry while breastfeeding over any time during pregnancy. 

But while breastfeeding, a mom’s nutrition is just as important as her baby’s. I knew that healthy eating habits would impact both Amia’s and my mood, energy and overall well-being. Personally I avoided sodas or coffee and other caffeinated foods because I would notice a change in Amia’s energy and mood. I made sure to incorporate foods and supplements that were rich in omega-3s, calcium and vitamin D.

• Calcium and Vitamin D – Because babies have high needs for vitamin D, their mothers often experience loss of bone mass while breastfeeding.² Calcium and vitamin D work hand-in-hand to help keep a mother’s bones strong while her baby’s bones and teeth are developing.²
• Omega-3s – Up to 50 percent of omega-3 stores are lost in pregnancy, and six months are needed to restore them postpartum.³ DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that can help reduce the risk of postpartum depression and improve infant sleep.^4-7 For babies, DHA may improve cognitive and motor skills.^3-10 Plus, DHA aids in immune development and reduces inflammatory responses.^3,8-10 

Understandably you might not always able to reach the recommended daily amounts of nutrients with diet alone. Prenatal vitamins are not only important before and during pregnancy, but they may also be beneficial after pregnancy and during breastfeeding. A prenatal vitamin taken postpartum can help fill nutritional gaps. Don’t let your own goals go by the wayside after your baby’s arrival. I believe that taking care of yourself is the first step to giving your baby the best start in life.

_______________________________________________________

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate^® to offer insight and advice to women on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals during the transition to motherhood.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on the empowerment of women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.

About Prenate Vitamin Family

Prenate^® Vitamin Family offers a line of prescription prenatal vitamins that offer nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate^® Vitamin Family incorporates USP pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate^® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate^® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.

The post My Breastfeeding Journey appeared first on Prenate Vitamin Family.

This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha Tate’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

As a first-time mom I had to adjust my lifestyle in a big way. Our daughter Amia was born a year ago this July. We are really lucky that she isn’t very fussy and adjusted to sleeping through the night pretty quickly. But even with her low-key temperament, motherhood was a big adjustment for me. Just when you feel like you’ve got it all down, life throws you a curveball. My hope is that by sharing my experience it may encourage or inspire other women during their own pregnancy journeys.

Finding Balance in Body, Mind and Spirit 

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I struggled with an underactive thyroid during my first trimester. So finding balance took on a different meaning when my journey into pregnancy and motherhood was just starting out. I was completely exhausted, and it was hard to keep a routine at all. I was sleeping all the time and still felt tired. After a while, I started to realize that something wasn’t right. I encourage any expecting mom experiencing symptoms that are limiting your daily activities to talk to your doctor. Don’t just brush them off as pregnancy symptoms that you have to deal with. Once I was able to get my thyroid regulated, then my body and energy felt restored and I was able to focus on my whole self and healthy habits for pregnancy.

As a professional athlete, exercise has long been a part of my life. But during my pregnancy and postpartum I made my workouts my “me time.” I cut back on the intensity of my workout and just made sure I was getting some form of exercise four to five times a week. Carving out this time for myself gives me a chance to reset mentally. During my pregnancy I actually listened to pregnancy podcasts as I worked out. So my workouts doubled as mini-education sessions too. I was able to wrap up my workouts with a sense of accomplishment for me and my baby.

I also try to find time for crafting. It puts my mind at ease. I mostly work on different projects for things around the house. I recently completed button art on canvas for Amia’s nursery. For me, crafting is about the process. I love starting with an idea and seeing it through to the final product. Especially in the final months of pregnancy and first few months after delivery. I found myself at home a lot more during this time, awaiting Amia’s arrival or tending to her those first few weeks.

Maybe your thing isn’t crafting, but I encourage all moms (and women) to find their thing. Pregnancy and motherhood can become all-consuming. Yes, it’s a big deal and requires big lifestyle adjustments. The responsibility of caring for a new life and the logistics of breastfeeding can be overwhelming. It’s easy to see how your baby can start to become your identity. But I believe that it’s important to maintain your own sense of self. Find something that gives you a sense of pride, puts your mind at ease, helps you reset and brings balance to your life.

A Word About Nutrition

If you take away anything from this post, I hope it’s this: Take care of yourself so that you can give your best to the world and your baby, rather than what’s left of you. With that in mind, I feel it’s important to note that mom’s nutrition is just as important as baby’s during pregnancy and postpartum. Healthy eating habits can impact your mood, energy and overall well-being. As a professional athlete, diet and nutrition are a big part of my life. But when I was planning for pregnancy and throughout my pregnancy, I learned a lot about nutrients that are critical for my baby. I think it’s important to note that’s it OK to enjoy an indulgence once in awhile so you don’t feel like you are entirely depriving yourself. But smart nutritional choices are such a big part of finding balance in all aspects of your life and your baby’s.

Understandably you are not always able to reach the recommended daily amounts of nutrients with diet alone. A prenatal vitamin taken before and during pregnancy can reduce the risks of birth defects and support a healthy pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.^1-3 Prenatal vitamins are not only important before and during pregnancy, but they may also be beneficial after pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Don’t let your own goals go by the wayside after your baby’s arrival. I believe that taking care of yourself is the first step to giving your baby the best start in life.

—

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate^® to offer insight and advice to women on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals during the transition to motherhood.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on the empowerment of women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.

About Prenate^® Vitamin Family

Prenate^® Vitamin Family offers a line of prescription prenatal vitamins that offer nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate^® Vitamin Family incorporates USP pharmaceutical grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate^® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate^® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.

The post The Balancing Act of Motherhood appeared first on Prenate Vitamin Family.

This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

Our daughter, Amia, arrived in summer 2018. The labor was long … very long … 67 hours to be exact! It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. But as tough as the actual delivery was, we are really fortunate that Amia loves her sleep as much as her mom. I’m very thankful that we didn’t have too many issues with her sleeping through the night. Aside from the lifestyle adjustments that breastfeeding requires, the biggest change since her arrival is that my days starts earlier … much earlier.

Morning Routine: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.

My day gets going a few hours earlier now. I still have my morning ritual of my decaffeinated tea and a big glass of my mixed-greens water. I’ve noticed that when I do consume any caffeine Amia tends to get a bit irritable. I am breastfeeding, so I’ve been mindful to limit caffeine as much as possible. Or if I do have a caffeinated drink I time it right after a feeding, so it’s processed by the next time I pump or breastfeed.

I found that while breastfeeding my appetite was pretty ravenous. I was much more hungry postpartum that I was the entire time I was pregnant. I was mindful of eating enough to offset the calories and demand that breastfeeding was putting on my body. I love food, so the idea of eating 500 extra calories a day was a welcome idea.

Exercise Routine

I’m still pretty diligent about getting my workout in during the morning. My main fitness goal was to feel good and to be healthy. I wanted to “get my body back” so to speak. Pregnancy and delivery does take a toll on the body. I didn’t have a certain weight I wanted to reach, but I aimed to work out at least four days a week and feel good about myself.

I found that if I didn’t work out at my first opportunity I would expend more and more energy throughout the day. Then the idea of working out later in the day wasn’t so appealing. When Amia goes down for her first nap around 10 a.m. is the perfect time for me to break away and take a little time for myself.

I started with simple workouts at home. Right after delivery I made sure I got at least a 20 to 30 minute walk in. Then I added in some body weight exercises such as air squats and lunges. I’d also incorporate some sprints up and down my stairs. Then I worked up to Bulgarian bag workouts. For me, these add more variety to my workout and help keep things fun and interesting.
As Amia got a little older I started taking her on hikes around our home. Red Rock Canyon is one of my favorite areas. But like all things when it comes to my exercise routine, I try to mix it up and hike different areas around my home. We usually hike for 3 to 4 miles. I take my time and enjoy the natural beauty. It’s not uncommon for us to stop and take some photos.

Afternoon Routine: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

I went back to my show with SiriusXM® radio two to three weeks after delivery. Managing breastfeeding and work certainly comes with some obstacles. For the first four to five months, I was breastfeeding every two to three hours. I had limited time to do my show and get back to Amia. A quick lunch favorite was a tuna fish sandwich and snacks that are rich in DHA.

Safe-catch Tuna Fish Sandwich

• 5-ounce can of safe-catch, low-mercury tuna
• 2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Chopped celery and/or pickles (usually 1 stalk of celery or 1 to 2 baby pickles)

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Serve on two pieces of whole grain bread with tomato and lettuce.

Snacks

• Trail mix or mixed nuts
• Greek yogurt with blueberries and honey

Night Routine: 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Our nighttime routine was pretty much the same postpartum, with dinner around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Obviously, our breastfeeding schedule was a big focus. I’m pretty much always mindful of the time and rely on my phone to alert me when it is time to breastfeed again. Because nutrients in my body are preferentially portioned to Amia, I tried to incorporate foods rich in DHA and other nutrients that I know are important for her growth and development.

Baked Salmon

Recipe from Well Plated: https://www.wellplated.com/baked-salmon-in-foil/
This meal is great because it’s rich in DHA, just a few ingredients and easy to prepare. I pair it with asparagus or fresh green beans.

Prenatal Vitamin to Support Breastfeeding and Postpartum

But even though my pregnancy was over, I didn’t stop taking my prenatal vitamins. I decided to continue my prenatal vitamins postpartum. In addition to my prenatal vitamins, I’m taking additional DHA and vitamin D. I figured that a lot of the nutritional needs that my body had during pregnancy are still important to me postpartum.
I’m breastfeeding, and I’m sustaining the life that I created. So it makes sense to me to continue prenatal vitamins. My doctors agreed and recommended that I keep taking them daily. It was good to have that abundance of nutrients because breastfeeding takes a toll on your body.

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate^® to offer insight and advice to moms-to-be and new moms on topics including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals. In this edition, Miesha shares her views on the importance of prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy and in the postpartum months.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist. She competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on empowering women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.

About Prenate Vitamin Family

Prenate^® Vitamin Family’s line of prescription prenatal vitamins offers nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate^® Vitamin Family products incorporate USP pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate^® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate^® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.

The post A Day in The Life of Miesha Tate ~ Postpartum appeared first on Prenate Vitamin Family.

This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

By no means was I perfect when it came to diet and exercise during my pregnancy journey. I encountered struggles and some setbacks along the way, just like many other women. I did my best to be healthy, work out consistently and make healthy choices. My hope is that by sharing my experience, it may encourage or inspire other women during their own pregnancy journeys.

My life looked very different in my first trimester as compared to the second and third. During my first trimester I was completely exhausted, and it was hard to keep a routine at all. I found myself having no trouble sleeping 16 hours a day and yet still feeling exhausted. I knew it was common to be tired during the first trimester. But I started to think something was off when I was able to sleep that much and still be tired. After talking to my doctor about how I was feeling, we ran some tests and discovered that I was having issues with my thyroid.

It turned out that I had an underactive thyroid, which was contributing to the way I was feeling. Once I was able to get my thyroid regulated, I started having more energy and was able to refocus and develop a routine during the second and third trimesters. For this post I wanted to share some of the day-to-day activities that I did during this time to support a healthy pregnancy.

Morning Routine: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

I tried to get at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Typically I’d start my day with a decaffeinated tea and a big glass of my mixed-greens water, which consists of water, a special blend of dried greens and a few pieces of fruit, such as strawberries or raspberries. Here’s one of my go-to breakfast meals that I made frequently during pregnancy:

Breakfast Greek Yogurt Parfait

• Plain Greek, full-fat yogurt with no added sugars
• Fresh fruit, such as strawberries or blueberries
• Granola
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Sprinkle of cinnamon, to taste

Exercise Routine

I’ve always preferred to get my workouts done in the earlier part of the day. I worked out four to five days a week, right up until delivery. I made my workouts my “me time.” I needed variety in my workouts, and it was frustrating that I had to cut out grappling because of risk to the pregnancy. So I needed to change up my workouts to keep me motived. If they got too monotonous, I would lose motivation. But it’s important to note that you should always talk to your health care provider about your exercise routine, especially if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.

Cardio

At a minimum I would go for a 20 to 30 minute brisk walk. I had a few pregnancy podcasts that I would listen to. So I often used that time to learn about the baby’s development or certain nutrients I needed to be incorporate at different times of the pregnancy. I also enjoyed hiking. I would typically hike two to four miles. But I was mindful to hike in much less strenuous areas than I had pre-pregnancy.

Strength Training 

tried to strength train one to two times per week. I made sure to use lighter weights than I had pre-pregnancy. I also avoided any straight abdominal exercise, like sit ups or pushups, particularly as I got into the second and third trimesters. I used the TRX^® suspension bands as I got further into pregnancy for support with bodyweight exercises. Some of my favorites were assisted lunges or low rows. You can click the link below for examples of the TRX^® moves.

TRX^® Exercises: https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-best-trx-exercises-for-beginners/

Afternoon Routine: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

I continued to do my show with SiriusXM^® radio right up until my delivery. I would usually make a quick lunch at home before I headed out to the studio. Below is a recipe for one of my favorite lunch dishes and some snack options. I usually tried to snack a little before and after lunches to keep my energy up.

Stuffed Avocado

Recipe from The Healthy Chef: https://thestayathomechef.com/healthy-tuna-stuffed-avocado/#_a5y_p=3596292

I often swap out the tuna for chicken. I love this recipe because canned chicken is so convenient. But I’m mindful about meat I use – organic or no added preservatives. Sometimes I would scoop out the avocado, chop it up and mix it in with the other ingredients.

Snacks

• Honeycrisp apples with peanut butter
• Trail-mix granola bars with peanut butter (Can you tell I love peanut butter?)
• Chilled grapefruit

Night Routine: 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

After work I’d head home, and we’d eat around 6 p.m. or 7 pm. Occasionally, we would go out for dinner or grab takeout … a chicken cheesesteak from Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop was definitely enjoyed a few times during my pregnancy. But for the most part I tried to make most of my meals at home. Pinterest was my friend when it came to cooking. I also found that I had different cravings, so planning out meals a week in advance didn’t always work for me. I used Pinterest for inspiration and to help find meals that fit with what my body and my baby needed. I really got into cooking when I was preparing a meal for myself and my husband. It was a nice thing to look forward to at the end of the day.

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

• 12-ounce jar of salsa verde
• 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 3 cloves of diced garlic
• Dash of salt, pepper

Combine all the ingredients above into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. About an hour before you’re ready to eat, use forks to shred the chicken in the crockpot.

Once cooked, pile some of the mixture on a tortilla shell and top with sliced avocados, diced tomatoes and cilantro, or any of your favorite taco toppings.

This is one of my favorites because it’s just a few simple ingredients and packs a big punch. Plus, it’s a huge time saver because you can set it and forget it.

Lobster Tail with Garlic and Lemon Butter

Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen: https://natashaskitchen.com/lobster-tails-recipe-with-garlic-lemon-butter/

This meal is great because it’s rich in iodine, which supports thyroid function. It’s also pretty quick to make and delicious!

Sweets and Desserts

In terms of sweets or random late-night cravings, I didn’t really have too many of those. I tried to be mindful of eating too much sugar. But at one point I was really craving moon pies. I kept telling myself no, and they would keep popping up in my mind. It eventually became this mental tug-of-war and I finally gave in. I think it’s important to note that an indulgence every once in a while is OK. You shouldn’t feel like you are entirely depriving yourself throughout pregnancy. As long as sweets are in moderation and you’re eating well and exercising, you deserve it!

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate^® to offer insight and advice to moms-to-be and new moms on topics including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals. In this edition, Miesha shares her views on the importance of prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy and in the postpartum months.

Prenatal Vitamin to Support Pregnancy

I wasn’t always able to reach the recommended daily amounts of nutrients with my diet alone. So I made sure to take a daily prenatal vitamin to help fill nutritional gaps and support a healthy pregnancy. I have a sensitivity to taking vitamins on an empty stomach. So I would take my prenatal around dinnertime. I usually wind things down around 11 p.m. But there were a few times where I was reading in bed and remembered I hadn’t taken my prenatal vitamin. So I started keeping a stash of my prenatal in my nightstand for quick access. It’s important for women to come up with a routine that works for them.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on empowering women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.

About Prenate^® Vitamin Family

Prenate^® Vitamin Family’s line of prescription prenatal vitamins offers nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate^® Vitamin Family products incorporate USP pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate^® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate^® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.

The post A Day in The Life of Miesha Tate ~ Pregnancy appeared first on Prenate Vitamin Family.

This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

When I started my pregnancy journey I approached it like most other things in my life – to be the best. To do that, I had to soak up as much knowledge as possible to give my daughter every advantage possible. I started reading every day to learn what I needed to do to make sure that she’s super healthy and everything is top notch.

As a professional athlete, diet and nutrition are a big part of my life. For a time I was very meticulous about counting calories and tracking protein intake. But over time and through trial and error, I’ve learned to eat a balanced, healthy diet and to eat in moderation. I’ve been doing it for so long at this point that making better food choices is somewhat second nature. But when I was planning for pregnancy and throughout my pregnancy, I learned a lot about nutrients that are critical for my baby. My motivation for eating healthy took on a whole new meaning.

Prenatal Vitamins Support My Nutritional Goals

There are growth and development milestones that babies should achieve in each trimester. Through talks with my doctor and my own research I learned more about my daughter’s development at each stage. I also learned how I could adjust my diet to give her more of what she needed, whether it was calcium, iron or fatty acids. It was important for me to stay on top of that to give her every advantage. The way I looked at it is she’s being built for the first time and this is her baseline. So I’ve got to try and give her everything I can nutritionally.

But I wasn’t always able to reach the recommended daily amounts of nutrients with my diet alone. I learned that a prenatal vitamin taken before and during pregnancy can reduce the risks of birth defects and support a healthy pregnancy.^1-3 I learned that prenatal vitamins are not only important before and during pregnancy, but they may also be beneficial after pregnancy.

Prenatal Vitamins to Support Breastfeeding

After nine months and a 67-hour labor, I gave birth to my daughter. But even though my pregnancy was over I didn’t stop taking my prenatal vitamins. I decided to continue my prenatal vitamins postpartum. I figured that a lot of the nutritional needs that my body had during pregnancy are still important to me postpartum.

I’m breastfeeding, and I’m sustaining the life that I created. So it makes sense to me to continue prenatal vitamins. My doctors agreed and recommended that I keep taking them daily. It was good to have that abundance of nutrients because breastfeeding takes a toll on your body.

Nutrients I Look For In a Prenatal Vitamin

Folic Acid
I knew that folic acid was a major nutrient that is very important for the baby’s development during the first few weeks of pregnancy. In fact, it’s one of the most essential nutrients women can take to protect the health of the baby, lessening the risk of neural tube defects.^3-6 I eat a lot of greens, so I get a good amount of folic acid from my diet. But I also made sure my prenatal vitamin contained folic acid.

Calcium
Because I’m breastfeeding and producing milk for my daughter I want to make sure that I’m getting enough calcium. Right now I’m not getting a lot of calcium from my diet alone. I’ve cut out orange juice (which is often fortified with calcium) and milk because it seems to cause problems for my daughter. So that makes it even more important for my prenatal vitamin to contain calcium.

Iron
This is one of those nutrients that women need more of during pregnancy.⁷ My blood volume nearly doubled to support the needs of pregnancy. Plus, iron played a role in my daughters’ blood health and development.

DHA
I really focused on DHA during the third trimester and postpartum. It’s important for brain development, good body fat and immune development.^8-11 I incorporate DHA-rich foods into my diet, like avocados and salmon. But I also look for a prenatal vitamin with DHA so help supplement my diet.

Iodine
Iodine is an important nutrient for proper thyroid function. I have had an issue with hypothyroidism, where my thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. If my thyroid isn’t producing those hormones correctly, my body cannot provide them for my daughter. If I wasn’t diligent about my iodine intake and regulating my thyroid, it’s possible my daughter might have issues with thyroid function too.

Probiotics
I’m also making sure that I’m taking probiotics. I don’t think people realize how important gut bacteria is to the rest of their overall health. Probiotics may help keep your gut health in balance. For me, personally I’ve found that my energy levels and alertness are affected when my gut microbiome gets out of whack.

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, and Prenate^® are working together to offer insight and advice to women on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals during the transition to motherhood. In this edition, Miesha offers her insights into the importance of prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy and in the postpartum months.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on the empowerment of women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July.

About Prenate^® Vitamin Family

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This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

Prenate^® Vitamin Family is teaming up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during, and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, and Prenate^® are working together to offer insight and advice to women on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being mentally strong, focusing on nutrition, and setting achievable life goals as they transition to motherhood. This month, we’re sharing five insights we learned from Miesha about her UFC career, philosophies, and role as a new mom.

Q: I understand that you joined the boys’ wrestling team at your high school in Tacoma, Washington. Did you always envision yourself as an MMA champion or did you have other career aspirations as a kid?

A: The first career aspiration I ever had was to be an astronaut. I remember distinctly other people saying, “Do you know what the odds are of becoming an astronaut?” But I remember my mom saying that I could do whatever I wanted to do. She had such a profound confidence in me that it made me never second guess that I could be an astronaut or do whatever I wanted. It was just a matter of setting my mind to it.

I will forever be grateful to my mother for that. I don’t know if she knew at the time how valuable that would be to me later in life, or how much that helped shape my character… but it really did. For her to instill that in me allowed me to not be afraid to do whatever I wanted to do.

Q: You’ve been credited as playing a huge role in bringing awareness to women’s MMA and moving it more into the mainstream. What was it like in the early years and how did you keep pushing forward when women’s MMA wasn’t getting the respect it deserved?

A: For me [MMA] was more than what other people thought, as far as the respect and what the sport deserved. I didn’t focus too much on that in the beginning because I was just enjoying competing. I didn’t care what other people thought … and I think that’s exactly why I [chose] wrestling. If I had listened to what everyone else said and I hadn’t followed my own ambitions and my own passion and made my own way, then I would have never started wrestling. There was this concept that women shouldn’t wrestle. There was no opportunity for women really, it was [somewhat] frowned upon. It was the same thing when I transitioned into MMA. But [MMA] spoke to my soul. I felt alive doing it. So I didn’t care that it was a spectacle to everyone else. I didn’t care that it wasn’t necessarily getting the respect it deserved. I just did it because I loved it. I just focused on that. Nobody else’s opinion mattered to me.

Mixed martial arts challenged me in every sense of my being: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. And I think I enjoyed the challenge. I enjoyed that I faced a lot of adversity in the sport. I lost my first fight, pretty brutally. I got my nose broken and was bleeding everywhere. It was pretty awful. But the adversity is what drew me to it. I knew I could do better than that. Getting beat up didn’t scare me. Physically I believed that I could heal. I’m tough, I could get through it. But challenging myself to dig deeper, to learn more about myself, to find newfound strength that I didn’t know I had before – those are all things that are addicting. Especially when you do face adversity and you get to the other side. You discover something about yourself and that you are stronger than you thought you were. That’s a great feeling. Win, lose, or draw, I think I walked away from every fight I ever had feeling stronger than I was before.

Q: Being a top competitor and champion in MMA and later UFC required long hours of preparation and training. How did that experience help you prepare for pregnancy and becoming a mom?

A: To get through a training camp and then step into the octagon, knowing that the person standing across from you wants to try to beat you as badly as you want to beat them, takes a lot of mental fortitude. That helps when you translate it to other aspects of your life. Mental fortitude helps with everything. When I was pregnant, I didn’t lack the motivation to work out. I drew from the strength I had created from my whole fight career.

When I was fighting it was just my safety on the line. If I messed up, it was my [bones] getting broken. But with motherhood it’s scary because it’s someone else I’m responsible for … and I’m scared of what I don’t know. So I want to know everything and all the best things. And I don’t just want to get by. I want her to have every advantage possible. I want to know, “What do I eat so that her brain is developing maximally. What do I need to do to make sure that she’s super healthy and everything is top-notch?” So I’m competitive now, but with a totally different motive.

Q: Were there any adjustments you had to make to your nutritional goals to ensure you obtained the nutrients critical for pregnancy?

A: Oh yeah, definitely. I was reading every week and learning what and how she was developing during that time. There are milestones in every trimester… sometimes it’s about her blood being developed, or her bones solidifying, or her cartilage [being formed]. So I was researching all the things that she was developing at that time so I could adjust my diet to give her more of what she needed, whether it was calcium, or iron, or fatty acids. For example, in the third trimester it’s all about brain development and her packing on good fat and her lungs developing.¹ So it was important for me to eat a lot of avocados, salmon, and take fish-oil supplements and omega-3s [and other fatty acids]. It was important for me to stay on top of that to give her every advantage. The way I looked at it is she’s being built for the first time and this is her baseline. So I’ve got to try and give her everything I can [nutritionally] from my body.

Q: As a first-time mom, what are the most important lessons you want your daughter to know as she ventures into the world?

A: My gosh, that’s such a hard question because there are just so many things. But first and foremost I want her to believe in herself. I think confidence is key to everything. I also want her to understand that failure is OK. Failure is something that you should welcome. Failure is something to celebrate. Don’t be afraid to fail. Because anyone whoever did anything great failed a lot before they accomplished greatness. So thrive in your failure. Learn from your failure. I don’t want her to fear failure and be indecisive. Just go. Just do things. Have the confidence to know that even if you fail, even if you burn it all down, you can build it again.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but also laser-focused on empowering women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018

The post From MMA to Motherhood: Five Insights from Miesha Tate appeared first on Prenate Vitamin Family.