Get Support Having people you enjoy spending time with is a great way to manage stress. Whether you re shy or outgoing, the first step is to find people you can talk to and who support you. Who do you like spending time with? Who do you trust to share your worries? Who will help you get and keep healthy habits? Now think about how those people can support you. Could you: Talk to them about what s bothering you? Tell them you need a laugh? Tell them you d like company? Ask them for advice in solving a problem? Don t be afraid to reach out to others. Call your family, text a friend, or knock on someone s door. Talking with others can get you through trying times. It also may be helpful to talk to and share experiences with other pregnant women or new moms. Make time to spend with people you enjoy every day. Find 30 minutes to share a meal, exercise together, or simply talk. It s time well spent. 15
What Went Wrong? You ve had a setback. Let s take a look at what happened. What do you think caused the setback? Was it a new situation, like a new job or schedule? Was it an upsetting time, like a bad breakup? What happened because of your slip? Did you eat junk food and feel unhealthy? Were you in a bad mood and getting into fights with loved ones? What unhealthy ways did you use to manage stress? How can you stop the situation from happening again? How can you deal with the situation differently next time? You can keep using what you learn here after the baby is born and for the rest of your life. 35
3. What a Normal Portion Looks Like. What s the normal portion size for a hamburger? It s not the size of a Whopper or a Big Mac. The portion size for a hamburger is 3 ounces. That s about the size of a deck of cards. Lots of women gain too much weight because they don t know how much they re eating. Play this Portion Control Game to learn how to spot a normal portion size. The portion sizes on the left are about the same size as one of the objects on the right. See if you can figure out which ones go together. You can find the answers at the bottom of page 53. Portion Control Matching Game A. 3 ounces of lean meat B. 1 ounce of almonds C. 1 ounce of cheese D. 1 3-ounce bagel E. 1 cup of fruits, vegetables, wholewheat pasta F. ½ cup of sorbet or light fruit cocktail G. 2 tablespoons of salad dressing 1. Golf ball 2. Deck of cards 3. Tennis ball 4. 2 Dice 5. Ping pong ball 6. Baseball 7. Hockey puck 51
Healthy Choices on a Budget You can eat healthy on a tight budget. Avoid shopping at convenience stores (mini-marts, gas stations) if you can. Shopping at a grocery store is cheaper and healthier. Large chain grocery stores usually have better bargains than smaller stores. Wal-Mart and Target sell food in many of their stores. If you can buy large amounts of food and store it, become a member of a big box or warehouse store (like Sam s, Costco, BJs). If you are eligible, take advantage of the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC: www.fns.usda.gov/wic). You can even shop at farmers markets using WIC s Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Look for farmers markets in your area at http://apps.ams.usda.gov/ FarmersMarkets/ Avoid take-out or eating out. Cooking at home is cheaper and healthier. If you are tight on time or do not like to cook, try simple meals with fresh ingredients. Here are some basic rules for shoppers on a budget. Be Prepared Make a list before you go shopping and stick to it. Buying extras that you see as you shop will cost you more. Take a couple of minutes to use coupons and read store flyers for bargains. Think of the food groups you ve learned about. Make sure your list includes items from each group. Plan to use leftovers from one dinner for next day s lunch. At the Store Shop on a full stomach to avoid buying more because you re hungry. 62
Get Inspired: Stories from Other Smokers Keisha: Age 25, smoked a pack a day for the last 5 years Where I live it costs $9.20 for a pack. I figured out that if I keep smoking at this rate, by the time my baby finishes high school, I ll have spent over $60,000. Now that s foolish I can t afford that! The average one pack a day smoker spends more than $1,800 a year on cigarettes. Jackie: Age 18, smoked since she was 13 My mama, sisters, and friends smoke and all of their babies have been healthy. But my nurse told me how risky smoking is for a baby. It s going to be tough enough the way it is. I don t want to risk any other problems. Smoking causes babies to be born too early and too small and weak. Those are serious risks that can lead to infant disease and death. Alana: Age 36, smoked for one year I had asthma as a baby. My mom always says how scary it was to see me in the oxygen tent. I never thought I d become a smoker, like my mom. But, a year ago I started. I thought it would be easy to quit since I haven t smoked for that long. But, boy it s tough! I ve waited this long to have a baby. I want to make sure she s healthy. I ve cut down and I m really trying to quit. By quitting during pregnancy your child is less likely to develop allergies or asthma. 89
1. Dealing with Urges to Smoke You probably face times every day that remind you of smoking. For example, before you quit, did you smoke when you talked on the phone? What about after a meal? The best way to deal with urges to smoke is to replace smoking with something else. For example, if you used to smoke when you were driving, chew gum instead. Soon, when you get in a car you ll reach for the gum without even thinking of a cigarette. It might be hard to believe now. But, it will happen. Below are other examples of times when you might have smoked in the past, and other things you can do instead. At the bottom you can enter some examples of your own. Times when you used to smoke When I wake up in the morning When I am driving When I am stressed When I am hungry When I am talking on the phone When I have just finished a meal Substitutes I will brush my teeth rather than smoke. I will chew sugarless gum and sing. I will take 10 deep breaths. I will have a healthy snack. I will drink a glass of water. I will leave the table and keep my hands busy by cleaning up. 100