Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews are available in milk chocolate or caramel flavors at major retailers including CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Walmart, as well as supermarkets nationwide.
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing or planning on becoming pregnant, speak with your healthcare provider if you have any specific health questions or prior to taking any dietary supplements.
There is no question that carrying a baby is hard on your body. I will never forget a particular moment in a gas station when I was pregnant with Zoey. I was walking behind Kris and all of a sudden I couldn’t move. There was excruciating pain in my hip. I guess the pressure of the babe pushed it out of place. I was frozen, and as the pain grew worse and I could feel tears, I looked up to call Kris to help me out of the store, just in time to see the door close. He hadn’t noticed me stop and was already at the car. I am sure I had some weird looks as I hobbled/shuffled out to the car trying to stop tears of pain (and probably a few pregnancy hormone tears too). My hips did not love being pregnant…
Breastfeeding is also hard on your body. It can cause back pain and it is physically tiring. I can’t tell you how many times I have fallen asleep nursing, while sitting up, just from sheer exhaustion. I recently discovered something about breastfeeding that I was completely unaware of. Did you know that women can lose 3-5% of their bone mass while breastfeeding!? That is crazy, right?! Additionally, around 68% of women are calcium deficient. Your baby will get the adequate amount of calcium needed from breastmilk however; mom needs to keep her calcium supply sufficient so it does not lead to bone loss later in life. I am basically always sore since having babies and it got me thinking, I wonder if breastfeeding is contributing to a calcium deficiency in my body, too. One way to combat calcium deficiency is to take a calcium supplement and most prenatal’s only account for 20-30% of your daily calcium needs. That is why I went looking for something to add to my routine to make sure I’m getting enough calcium. What I found was Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews.
Viactiv is a calcium supplement that is chewable and delicious. Eating just two of them accounts for 100% of your daily recommended calcium intake, which can help you avoid a calcium deficiency and osteoporosis later in life. Viactiv also contains vitamin K and D, which helps your body absorb the calcium*. I don’t drink milk and eat very limited dairy, so even when I am not breastfeeding calcium is something I lack so I plan to keep taking Viactiv, even when I am not breastfeeding. If I had realized how breastfeeding affected your bones, I would have definitely been taking these supplements from day one of breastfeeding (and during pregnancy).
So first you have pregnancy, then breastfeeding and then there is adjusting to a whole new schedule with a new baby. I will be honest, although my baby sleep schedule really has worked to help both my babies sleep through the night, being consistent with my schedule when I have two kids is very difficult! I am balancing two babies, work, a husband in medical school, and more. It took almost an entire year after Zander was born to get in a good groove. Finally I feel like we have a great schedule and I can plan social activities, work, church, cleaning the house, time for Kris, etc. around a pretty dependable routine with the kids.
Even though breastfeeding and pregnancy were difficult for me, and it took a while to get into a comfortable routine with two, I feel like I learned so much! I will be better prepared for baby number three, whenever that happens. Looking back on this year I wish I could have told myself to worry less about keeping up on housework and work, and sleep whenever I needed too. I would have told myself to embrace the no shower and sweatpants days that followed the long nights, with gratitude that I am able to stay home full time with my babies. Last, I learned how important it is to take a calcium supplement like Viactiv when you are breastfeeding. Also… I will never forget that when my hips start feeling a certain way, I need to walk slowly. No need to get stuck in a gas station again, right?! If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant, speak with your healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
What about the process of having a baby was difficult for you? What will you do differently with your next baby?
*This post is sponsored by Viactiv. You can buy Viactiv at your local Walmart, Target, CVS and many other retailers! Be sure to check out Viactiv on Facebook and Instagram for more details about the brand. #Viactiv #BumpUpYourCalcium
*Disclaimer: If you are currently pregnant, please talk with your doctor regarding any concerns before taking dietary supplements. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease
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