The D Pup Diet and Exercise Program

The arrival of the D’s has created a whole new approach to weight loss for Tam’s B/Cs. Here are a few of the highlights:

Day 0
Exercise:
SQUAT near pool to catch arriving puppy, hold while cleaning off pup, hold more while umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Release, squat and give pup to mom. Release, bend to clean out and replace newspapers. Repeat for next pup until finished.

KNEEL next to pool to help mom lie down relaxed so that she exposes all nipples for hungry puppies. Hold until mom is convinced she needs to stay put and relax. Release. Repeat 2 min later when mom moves. (She does the DOWN part of the process easily and quickly, of course. It's the "lay on your side and relax right now" part that she's still getting used to...)

STRETCH into pool to move puppy who is hungry and can’t find mom. Repeat 8x. Repeat sequence several times when pups move.

SUN SALUTATION to stretch sore back muscles. Repeat multiple times as it hardly seems to be working.

Diet:
DO eat breakfast while waiting for mom to go into stage 2 labor.
DON’T eat lunch (busy delivering pups) .
DO cheer when Vicki and Robert offer to bring dinner. (Yummy lasagna!)

Day 1
SQUAT’s modified from Day 0 to move puppies and attach them to mom.
KNEEL multiple x .
BEND to rearrange bedding as mom moves it when cleaning pups or nesting.
STRETCH after pups move, mom gets out to get a drink etc.

DO eat a high protein breakfast to compensate for sleep deprivation.
DO order groceries focusing on healthy, quickly prepared foods
DON’T panic when you realize you’re running out of caffeinated soda or milk for coffee.
DO send the rested person off to get the caffeine.

Day 2
Repeat SQUAT, KNEEL, BEND and STRETCH from Day 1.
Add BEND while cleaning up bedding and multiple loads of laundry.
Add LEG STRETCHES due to sitting cross-legged for extended periods.
Add (gentle) HAND CLENCHES to help with holding pups who wiggle during nail cutting.
Repeat SUN SALUTATION from Day 0.

DO repeat high protein breakfast.
DO pick up those healthy groceries.
DON’T spend too much time in the kitchen making dinner when needed with the puppies.
DO eat in shifts so someone can move the pup who’s crawling behind mom’s back.

Day 3
SQUAT to get pups in the right general direction to nurse.
SQUAT to pick pups up for weighing.
Repeat KNEEL, BEND and STRETCH from Day 1.


And so on……. So the pups gain weight and thrive and if we’re lucky the B/Cs lose weight. :-)