In preparation for her first pregnancy, Susan Clinton decided to get in shape. The Ottawa accountant had always led a fairly active lifestyle, but before conceiving, she staged a last healthful hurrah, training for and completing her first half-marathon. When she crossed the finish line, she was in the best shape of her life. Finally she deemed herself ready?and healthy enough?to grow a baby.
?I expected to be the poster child for an easy pregnancy. I somehow had this visual that I?d just glow. But that was not the case.?
With every passing day of her pregnancy, Clinton found herself getting further and further away from her goal of a stress-free nine months. Her healthy habits fell by the wayside. ?I was sick through the whole thing. When I?m pregnant, I have a hangover-type feeling. My body wants comfort foods: carbohydrates, ice cream. It was as if a different body took over, and I was living in someone else?s.? By the time she gave birth to her 10-pound son, Clinton had gained 85 pounds?three times the amount she had initially planned. Little did Clinton know, she was right on trend. Pregnant Canadians are gaining more weight than ever before, according to a series of recently published studies, and the impact is hurting more than our waistlines. It?s putting our babies, who are also heavier than ever before, at a serious disadvantage: They are more likely to struggle with weight issues for the rest of their lives.
In Clinton?s case, she had no idea of those risks, or ...