Welcome to my blog. Here’ll you find a lot of information about health, mind/body/spirit well-being and self-empowerment. Due to the release of my new book, Right Time Baby, the blog will have a special focus on later motherhood, for now. Today, more than ever, we need positive messages and encouragement. There are so many outdated myths and ageist (sexist) misconceptions about later motherhood. But it’s all about getting the right information on fertility, health, pregnancy, birth and caring for your child. A lot of what doctors have been taught and the mainstream media publicise isn’t making it easier for older parents (how dare anyone dictate when and when not to have babies, anyway). But the real scientific evidence is on our side.
So this blog is really about regaining control of your life. Armed with the ‘secrets’ I’m sharing with you, you can take a more pro-active approach to your own health and that of your family. These texts are a mixture of the latest research and studies plus some personal anecdotes. I am my own living example of successful later motherhood. I had my first baby shortly before turning 40. And now I’m expecting our second at 42, going on 43. So here you’ll also find a kind of later motherhood pregnancy diary; conceived to entertain, as much as inform you.
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Lina says:
5 July, 2011 at 22:46 (UTC 2)
Hi Claudia, what’s your advise on bouncing back to pre-pregnancy body when you’re above 40 years old? Does it make any difference to those who are physically fit and active woman pre and during pregnancy in bouncing back to their pre-pregnancy body? Will it take the same amount of time and effort with those who are not? Will an above 40 year old pregnant body have the same elasticity and muscle memory with those who are much younger?
Claudia says:
5 July, 2011 at 23:47 (UTC 2)
Hi Lina,
It’s definitely easier to bounce back after birth if you’ve been active throughout pregnancy. I’m not talking about pumping iron at the gym but exercising gently. I find yoga, swimming and walking the best during pregnancy. They have the added benefit of getting oxygenated blood to your baby-in-utero.
It’s a very individual thing how much time it will take to get your pre-pregnancy shape back after 40. Generally speaking the more weight you put on, the harder it is to shift. It also depends on your body type. What kind of birth you’ve had will determine how soon you can start exercising again. It’s advisable to wait for a couple of months if you’ve have a C-section. If the weight really isn’t budging and it’s bothering you then the only way to go is cardio – this means high-impact, sweaty stuff. Running, spinning or very energetic dancing will do the trick if you persevere.
Elasticity shouldn’t be a problem after 40. It might change after 55 or 60 but I must say that all the yoga teachers I know over 50 (and many of them are) have amazing bodies. No signs of loss of suppleness or diminishing muscle power at all. Some of them have had children, others haven’t. I don’t think you can tell by a woman’s body if she’s had children or not. You can tell what kind of food she eats and whether she does a form of exercise that suits her.
Hope that answers your questions.
Claudia
Christa says:
22 February, 2012 at 22:24 (UTC 2)
Hi Claudia,
I was just wondering if you had any tips for me on getting pregnant after a miscarriage.
I am 40 years old (turning 41 in May). I was pregnant for the first time in my life for 11 weeks and was found to have no heartbeat 28 days ago after hearing a healthy heartbeat at 8 weeks. I had a D&C 27 days ago. It’s been the hardest 28 days of my life, but my husband and I are getting through it together
The fetus was found to have no chromosomal problems. So I’m now waiting for my menstrual cycle so we can try again.
We got pregnant the first month we tried, so I feel very lucky about that, I just don’t know what to do to try and be successful the next time. If we are blessed again with a “next time”.
Thank you for your time.
Claudia says:
1 March, 2012 at 0:21 (UTC 2)
Hi Christa,
First of all thank you for sharing this. Miscarriage is truly devastating. Grief in the real sense. I’ve been through it myself, seen my sister suffer and have many friends who miscarried. In fact, it’s hard for me to think of a woman I know who hasn’t miscarried. I’m saying this here to show that you’re not alone and you didn’t ‘make a mistake’.
The fact that you got pregnant so easily is a good sign, so I would be stay positive that you will have a healthy baby soon.
As for tips on how to ‘avoid’ miscarriage I would follow the advice everyone should to prepare for conception. I go into detail in my book (there’s also a chapter on miscarriage BTW) but basically it’s a good idea for you and your husband to get as healthy as possible as this improves egg and sperm quality. You could try a preconception care programme. Your age really shouldn’t be an issue, so don’t worry about that.
Wishing you all the best and a beautiful baby.
Claudia
Andrea says:
28 April, 2012 at 11:17 (UTC 2)
*HUGS* Sweetie. Don’t worry at all. There is so much they can do after a miscarriage to make sure it doesn’t hpeapn again. They can test your cervix, test your blood to make sure you’re not clotting or bleeding to much (some people go their entire lives not knowing until they have a miscarriage), and they can go the work now to make sure you have a success next time!!MY STORY:I actually have had a miscarriage. It was on Christmas day last year. What a horrible way to spend the holiday’s huh. But, I was almost 3 months alone. At first, it felt like the worse thing that could ever hpeapn to me. I mean, how do you say goodbye to someone whom you never got to meet. People said all sorts of insensitive things like at least you know everything works and you can try again . But, during a miscarriage your body has an excess of seritonin because it was creating more for the baby, so depression comes easily for most (including me) during and after a miscarriage until your body chemically adjusts which can take between 3 to 6 months and I took antidepressents to help. But, honestly, no one could console me, I was so upset.Here’s what I did:I had a funeral for my baby even though I didn’t have the body. I planted a tree to remember my baby. i named the baby. It was a way for me to say goodbye and make sure that it was never forgotten.It’s also important to remember:You didn’t loose the chance to know this person. I believe that you only lost the opportunity to see the baby sooner. The spirit will stick around for round two or the second chance.ALSO:my gyno said that almost 85% of women have a miscarriage their first time because their bodies aren’t use to the process. So, you’re not alone. People just don’t talk about it like we should. TODAY:Today I am pregnant with a completely healthy baby! I just saw it on ultrasound yesterday!! it’s so cute! My levels are normal. They know what caused my last miscarriage, so I’ll have my cervix sown up a little farther down the line to prevent anything from going wrong this time! The doctors say that they are confident that this pregnancy will be healthy and normal. I am living proof that just because you have a miscarriage doesn’t mean that you can’t have a healthy baby!! *HUGS* You will be in my prayers though. If you need to talk, e-mail me.
Luciana says:
1 April, 2013 at 20:52 (UTC 2)
Hello Claudia,
I’m turning 40 in two months. We are trying to get pregnant since September 2012. So, do you thing at this point we need to get some help. I’m taking the pre-natal for more than a year. I have my cicle of 28 days for 2 days every month. I had my physical last month and my doctor told me that everything is fine with me. My husband is really stress because he wants a baby too and the last two months he couldn’t eyaculate (on my ovulation days) I really don’t know if we have to take a break or keep trying.
Thank you!
Claudia says:
3 April, 2013 at 19:50 (UTC 2)
Thank you for trusting me with your question.
You say you’ve been trying since September 2012. That is six months. Taking into account that it takes the average couple 8 months to get pregnant there’s no need to panic quite yet. Also you are still young enough, at nearly 40, to spend some time trying out different things. And I don’t mean running to the IVF clinic.
It’s good you’ve been taking a pre-natal but the thing with supplements is that they aren’t a substitute for nutrient-dense food, just a back-up. I would follow a fertility diet (details are in my book, as well as other books) and really build up your blood to prepare for pregnancy. I would also recommend juicing and making smoothies (with superfoods such as maca) in order to get more nutrients into your body. Your husband could do the same because sperm health is just as important. Studies by Foresight Preconception have shown that adjusting diet and lifestyle improves couples pregnancy chances with an 89% success rate. I’m also a fan of a good detox 3 months before conception but you can do this gently by eating mainly organic, plant-based foods and eliminating processed foods and too much meat, dairy and alcohol.
As for your periods. It’s good that they are regular but I’m slightly concerned about the length. Two days means it may be difficult to get pregnant because you need to build your blood supply. Ideally they would be at least three days long. You can build your blood by eating more iron-rich foods and going for acupuncture. In Chinese medicine they have a very clear approach to preparing and building a good strong blood supply and womb lining for pregnancy. Also make sure you exercise to get oxygenated blood to your pelvic area.
Trying to conceive can be very stressful – and mindset plays an important role. It might not be a bad idea to take a few months ‘break’ while you prepare your body. Stress in men has been shown to affect sperm count, not to mention the ability to ejaculate. You may both also want to try some mind-body relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga or hypnotherapy. Or simply go for regular walks in nature or spend some time on self-care, doing what you enjoy.
If you can both be confident and believe in the fact that you will get pregnant when you are ready, then this may help ease things up a little. When I had my first child, around 40, I was also trying for a while but had very weak, irregular periods. Once I got my body ready and mentally let go it happened. It is a very subtle shift this ‘letting go’ but can make a huge difference.
I wish you lots of luck and please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any more questions.
Kind regards
Claudia
Kat says:
9 April, 2013 at 18:36 (UTC 2)
Hello, Claudia ~
I just ordered your book on Amazon and I can’t wait to get it. I am a 42 year-old mother of an amazing 8 year-old son. I will be marrying the love of my life soon, who just happens to be 5.5 years younger than me. We are both so happy and excited and want nothing more than to have a child together, so of course I’ve been harboring that secret fear of, “Oh please, please, please let me get pregnant and carry a beautiful healthy child to term!”
I’m going to read your blogs and will be reading your book as soon as it arrives in the mail. Thank you so much for your wonderful advice and support, but more importantly for giving me and so many other women over 40 the hope and confidence to continue bringing life into this world.
**Bright Blessings**
~Kat~
Claudia says:
10 April, 2013 at 16:15 (UTC 2)
Dear Kat,
Thank you so much for your email.
I could just feel the positive energy from it.
The fact that you desire a child with a man you love so much puts you in a very good position for getting pregnant again. We often forget the spiritual aspect of bringing a child into the world and that this actually comes from a point of love.
I also don’t think you should come across many problems in conceiving because you already have a child, so your body ‘knows what to do’.
Once you get the book you’ll see there is a chapter on fertility and preparing for pregnancy. This is something that is important for all ages but even more so as we get older because of accumulated toxins in the body. I would recommend that both of you ‘detox’ at least three months before TTC (trying to conceive). Whether this means a few days of juicing or simply adding more nutrient-dense, plant-based foods to your diet and cutting back on alcohol, coffee, dairy, meat, sugar and processed foods, it’s worth it.
Also aim to get oxygenated blood flowing to your pelvis and uterus and get plenty of fresh air and some exercise.
I think you’ll find lots of info in the book but don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
I started my family at 40 and I do believe that mind-set, health and lifestyle have more to do with the quality of our eggs than the actual age factor.
So lots and lots of hope for you and your future baby.
Wishing you a wonderful wedding.
All my blessings
Claudia