Health

There are so many things to worry about during pregnancy — what cheese you can eat, what stroller to invest in, whether to try for a natural birth sans the epidural — that many women tend to forget about themselves. Well, in a way, the birth really is all about you.

Taking care of yourself (and your emotional well-being) is key. There are even some simple things you can do during pregnancy to reduce your risk of developing postpartum depression. Dr. Lucy Puryear, author of Understanding Your Moods When You’re Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness — Before, During, and After Pregnancy, offers tips for alleviating stress and focusing on self-care:

• At about 35 weeks, develop a postpartum plan.
• Schedule time to sleep. In Dr. Puryear’s experience, one of the biggest risk factors for triggering PPD, or exacerbating it, is sleep deprivation. Have someone watch Junior so you can take an afternoon siesta. Get Dad to handle some of the night feedings.
• Figure out how to delegate household chores, food shopping and meal prep. You can hire help or recruit Aunt Hilda.
• Space visitors out over six weeks. You don’t want everyone there the first week you’re home from the hospital.
• Work out existing conflicts with your spouse. Share your expectations with each other about work, the new division of household labor, the amount of time DH will take off, and sexual issues that may arise during or after pregnancy.
• Engage a therapist. This can be especially helpful for women who have a history of physical or sexual abuse.
• Consider asking your healthcare provider about anti-depressants.
• Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in pharmaceutical grade fish oil (available at Whole Foods). Data indicates that omega-3 fatty acids may alleviate symptoms of depression.

South Beach, Hollywood and Scarsdale are fine places for kids to visit, unless those locales have the word “diet” in them. In a world where carbs and sugar have been so vilified, it’s important for parents to lay the groundwork for a healthy attitude toward food.

Donna Fish, a social worker specializing in eating disorders and the author of Take the Fight Out of Food: How to Prevent and Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems, offers tips on how children can enjoy real food for real life:

Super Bad: When eating diet-challenged foods such as fries or a donut, try not to say “This is bad for me” in front of your child (no matter how you feel).

Model Citizen: Set a good example. Stop eating after one portion. Show enthusiasm for your food.

Adults Only: Being a good role model doesn’t mean you can’t be on your own, say, low-carb diet. But your mini-me shouldn’t have the same food restrictions.

Clear Signals: Teach kids to stay connected to their body signals. Eat when hungry. Stop when full.

Intervention: Some kids have trouble self-regulating. It’s acceptable to tell a child who has trouble with intuitive eating, “It’s OK. You’ve had enough.” Many parents are held hostage by a fear of creating an eating disorder when in fact, a little parental guidance is in order.

Mirror, Mirror: Keep your vanity hidden inside your walk-in closet. Never say, “Do I look fat?” “I feel fat,” or variations thereof.

Forbidden Fruit (Or Cupcake): Prohibiting a child from eating junk food makes those treats all the more desirable. And when kids do have access to the banned treats at school or on a playdate, they become fixated on them, and all hopes of portion control go out the window.

Food for Thought: Be kid-relevant when explaining nutrition — for example, “You need to eat protein so you can concentrate during your soccer game,” or “Eat well and you’ll grow into those rollerblades.”

Enough: Kids should learn the concept of moderation. When parents lay the right foundation for good eating, children can navigate well for themselves.

Piece of cake.

How many times have you found yourself unprepared when confronted with sun? Not only is your inner Girl Scout disappointed, but you worry about baby’s unprotected skin.

Throw some of the handy new Baby Silk sunscreen towelettes in your bag. The soft wipes (developed by pediatrician moms) are saturated with a gentle, sweat-proof, broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen that’s safe for young babies (one wipe will cover an infant, though you may want to double up).

When in doubt, sunscreen.

Available at mdmoms.com.

Getting back in shape post-baby is tough, even for the pros. UB checked in with tennis star — and new mom — Lindsay Davenport, on her off-the-court tips for getting your bod back.

• Once you get the OK from your doc, start back slowly. Get out and walk with baby in the stroller — and try some hills for an extra push. Obviously you’re exhausted, but try to be as active as you can.
• To get energy for your workout, nap whenever the baby naps (and don’t be ashamed to sleep during the day — Lindsay does it, too!). Perhaps during his third nap of the day, you can fit in a little exercise at home.
• Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week. Try to do something different every day, to change up the routine and get your heart rate going. Lindsay recommends the elliptical machine, which doesn’t put too much stress on your body but burns more calories than the stationary bike.

May is National Salad Month, which means that now is the time to start eating healthy (summer wardrobe, notwithstanding). In honor of radicchio and romaine, below are some links that may come in handy.

• Check out kid-friendly chef Annabel Karmel’s easy recipe for Lettuce Boats.
• Before you hit the grocery, brush up on The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
• And if winging it isn’t your thing, consult one of these books for leafy green tips on healthy pregnancy eating.

You’ve taught your kid not to trade lunches, no matter how tempting that fluffernutter looks. Not only is his turkey-and-tomato ‘wich lower on the sugar scale, but his allergies forbid foreign foods.

Keep his snacks in check: STAT Kids makes customized lunch bags that can be personalized not only with a name, but health alert (peanut allergy, no soy, asthma, diabetes). The insulated poly bags will blend in with the other lunch boxes on the playground, but help keep risky business at bay.

Which gives you more time to bake gluten-free cupcakes.

Available at statkids.com.

All the warnings you ever heard about lead in toys come flooding back to you the minute your see your young chef sticking a Made in China play spoon in his mouth. Ever wondered why the box his cookware came in had a “Warning: Not for use with real food” sticker on it?

A safer option is Green Toys’ beautifully basic Cookware and Dining Set ($40), made from recycled milk jugs and other plastics and containing no traceable phthalates or BPA. They’re unpainted, so you needn’t worry about lead, and they’re durable and safe enough to be used to hold real food. Tea parties without fear! What a wonderful world we live in.

Available at WoodenHorseToys.com.