Fit for Birth and Beyond: The Guide for Women Over 35

Description

Forewords by Dr Dereck Souter, obstetrician, and Dr Richard Fisher, fertility consultant. Many older women spend months, if not years, trying for motherhood, then endure an anxious pregnancy wondering if they are eating and exercising properly. Fitness expert Suzy Clarkson has been there. Her first pregnancy at the age of 38 was relatively trouble-free, but trying to get pregnant again a few years later was very different. Following fertility treatment, she finally gave birth to her second child at the age of 45. Qualified in physiotherapy, Suzy has now devised a practical guide to assist older women through their pregnancies, using her own experiences of motherhood to support her text. This easy-to-follow fitness programme will take you through each trimester, showing suitable exercises and suggesting how to develop healthy habits to achieve a safe outcome, a successful childbirth and a speedy recovery afterwards. The book is fully illustrated with step-by-step photographs showing the exercises in detail. The information she provides is based on the latest research, and is endorsed by leading specialists in obstetrics and fertility. But the book is more than its exercises. Suzy is a ‘real mum’ who offers encouragement and a compassionate helping hand to all older mothers. 'Fit for Birth and Beyond' is the guide you can trust and use with confidence. Acknowledgements Foreword by Dr Dereck Souter Foreword by Dr Richard Fisher Introduction Chapter 1: Getting Started Chapter 2: Nourish Your Body During Pregnancy Chapter 3: The Fabulous, But So Often Forgotten, Pelvic Floor Muscles Chapter 4: Your Crucial Core Chapter 5: The First Trimester (0–13 Weeks) Chapter 6: The Second Trimester (14–27 Weeks) Chapter 7: The Third Trimester (28–40+ weeks) Chapter 8: Bring Back My Body Chapter 9: My Journey Through IVF, Miscarriage and Postnatal Depression Appendix A References Back Cover Material