August 15, 2019

This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

Our daughter, Amia, arrived in summer 2018. The labor was long … very long … 67 hours to be exact! It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. But as tough as the actual delivery was, we are really fortunate that Amia loves her sleep as much as her mom. I’m very thankful that we didn’t have too many issues with her sleeping through the night. Aside from the lifestyle adjustments that breastfeeding requires, the biggest change since her arrival is that my days starts earlier … much earlier.

Morning Routine: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.

My day gets going a few hours earlier now. I still have my morning ritual of my decaffeinated tea and a big glass of my mixed-greens water. I’ve noticed that when I do consume any caffeine Amia tends to get a bit irritable. I am breastfeeding, so I’ve been mindful to limit caffeine as much as possible. Or if I do have a caffeinated drink I time it right after a feeding, so it’s processed by the next time I pump or breastfeed.

I found that while breastfeeding my appetite was pretty ravenous. I was much more hungry postpartum that I was the entire time I was pregnant. I was mindful of eating enough to offset the calories and demand that breastfeeding was putting on my body. I love food, so the idea of eating 500 extra calories a day was a welcome idea.

Exercise Routine

I’m still pretty diligent about getting my workout in during the morning. My main fitness goal was to feel good and to be healthy. I wanted to “get my body back” so to speak. Pregnancy and delivery does take a toll on the body. I didn’t have a certain weight I wanted to reach, but I aimed to work out at least four days a week and feel good about myself.

I found that if I didn’t work out at my first opportunity I would expend more and more energy throughout the day. Then the idea of working out later in the day wasn’t so appealing. When Amia goes down for her first nap around 10 a.m. is the perfect time for me to break away and take a little time for myself.

I started with simple workouts at home. Right after delivery I made sure I got at least a 20 to 30 minute walk in. Then I added in some body weight exercises such as air squats and lunges. I’d also incorporate some sprints up and down my stairs. Then I worked up to Bulgarian bag workouts. For me, these add more variety to my workout and help keep things fun and interesting.
As Amia got a little older I started taking her on hikes around our home. Red Rock Canyon is one of my favorite areas. But like all things when it comes to my exercise routine, I try to mix it up and hike different areas around my home. We usually hike for 3 to 4 miles. I take my time and enjoy the natural beauty. It’s not uncommon for us to stop and take some photos.

Afternoon Routine: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

I went back to my show with SiriusXM® radio two to three weeks after delivery. Managing breastfeeding and work certainly comes with some obstacles. For the first four to five months, I was breastfeeding every two to three hours. I had limited time to do my show and get back to Amia. A quick lunch favorite was a tuna fish sandwich and snacks that are rich in DHA.

Safe-catch Tuna Fish Sandwich

• 5-ounce can of safe-catch, low-mercury tuna
• 2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Chopped celery and/or pickles (usually 1 stalk of celery or 1 to 2 baby pickles)

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Serve on two pieces of whole grain bread with tomato and lettuce.

Snacks

• Trail mix or mixed nuts
• Greek yogurt with blueberries and honey

Night Routine: 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Our nighttime routine was pretty much the same postpartum, with dinner around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Obviously, our breastfeeding schedule was a big focus. I’m pretty much always mindful of the time and rely on my phone to alert me when it is time to breastfeed again. Because nutrients in my body are preferentially portioned to Amia, I tried to incorporate foods rich in DHA and other nutrients that I know are important for her growth and development.

Baked Salmon

Recipe from Well Plated: https://www.wellplated.com/baked-salmon-in-foil/
This meal is great because it’s rich in DHA, just a few ingredients and easy to prepare. I pair it with asparagus or fresh green beans.

Prenatal Vitamin to Support Breastfeeding and Postpartum

But even though my pregnancy was over, I didn’t stop taking my prenatal vitamins. I decided to continue my prenatal vitamins postpartum. In addition to my prenatal vitamins, I’m taking additional DHA and vitamin D. I figured that a lot of the nutritional needs that my body had during pregnancy are still important to me postpartum.
I’m breastfeeding, and I’m sustaining the life that I created. So it makes sense to me to continue prenatal vitamins. My doctors agreed and recommended that I keep taking them daily. It was good to have that abundance of nutrients because breastfeeding takes a toll on your body.

Prenate^® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate^® to offer insight and advice to moms-to-be and new moms on topics including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals. In this edition, Miesha shares her views on the importance of prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy and in the postpartum months.

About Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist. She competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on empowering women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.

About Prenate Vitamin Family

Prenate^® Vitamin Family’s line of prescription prenatal vitamins offers nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate^® Vitamin Family products incorporate USP pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate^® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate^® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.