Check out my interview on Rebates.com where I share some of my fave tips for busy moms — getting comfy in the kitchen, making space for self-care, and a quick, easy beauty routine!
Click here to read it!
Image: Rebates.com
6 Ways to Boost Milk Supply
A lot of breastfeeding women freak out when they notice their supply dropping while traveling, if they get sick, or around the time they start menstruating again (usually between 4-6 months after birth), and think they need to start supplementing with formula. It doesn’t help that many myself had major drops in supply from all three of these factors, which led me to dive deep into natural ways to boost milk supply. The good news is, I discovered tons of easy peasy things you can do to boost your supply when things get a little dry. Unless there is something medical going on, like hypoplasia (or insufficient breast tissue), there is no reason to start using formula if you want to keep exclusively breastfeeding. If you choose to use formula for other reasons, no judgment here! These ways to boost milk supply are for you ladies (like me!) who desperately want to keep nursing your little one and are faced with a drop in supply.
What to Pack for Your Natural Birth
As I learned from my somewhat unexpected birth experience (which you can read all about here), the key to a more pleasant and confident birth experience is to be prepared for what may come. We were planning on a birth center birth, and were adamantly against the hospital. As it turned out, we had a bit of both.. What both experiences had in common was our desire for a natural birth, and in retrospect, I am so grateful that we thought to pack the tools necessary for the birth we wanted, both at a birth center, and at the hospital. I did plenty of research to make sure everything I brough with me was as natural, healthy, and safe as possible, both for myself and for my new baby! Here are your must-have’s for your natural birth, wherever it may be*:
A Mega Warrior Smoothie for Endurance and Energy
One look at my Instagram feed, and it’s pretty obvious that green smoothies are my top pick for breakfast. I probably rock one of these puppies 5 out of 7 days a week in the warmer months, and only slightly less often when the weather cools. My green smoothies have a whole huge salad’s worth of greens, loading my body up with iron and folate, lots of healthy fats in the form of coconut oil and almond butter, omegas in the form of chia seeds, antioxidants and tons of vitamins in the form of berries, and a heaping dose of protein in powder form. Naturally, I’m always on the hunt for the best protein powders and get super pumped when I discover a new one.
How To Lose The Baby Weight, But Not Your Mind
Baby weight has been a topic du jour among my mommy friends these days, and understandably so. On top of the occasional stressors of life with a new babe, we can often feel out of control of our bodies, as they take their time bouncing back to pre-baby form. Add to that photos of Gisele and Gwyneth in their size 2 bods five seconds after popping out their little ones, and the pressure to get back in our skinny jeans can feel overwhelming.
Luckily, it’s totally doable. It may not happen as quickly as Hollywood starlets and supermodels, but it will definitely happen, as long as you commit to taking some important steps. I’m certainly not back to my pre-baby size 4, but it’s been amazing watching my body return to form gradually and healthfully over the last three months. And the confidence that the rest of the way is soon to come certainly does a lot to relieve the pressure. Here’s what has worked for my clients and is working for me:
Holistic 3rd Trimester Must-Have’s
Now that I’m a few months away from pregnancy, I realize that the specific tools I used throughout each trimester were key to feeling and looking great until the end. I shared with you my must-haves for a healthy holistic 1st trimester and 2nd trimester, both of which set the stage for the final stretch, the 3rd trimester and subsequent delivery. Keeping yourself comfortable, energized, toned, and preparing your body for birth are the name of the game in the third trimester. These holistic tools, resources and remedies worked wonders for me, and I hope they help you feel awesome as well!
Learn to love your body, no matter what
There’s this weird stage in pregnancy that no one ever talks about, where your body has changed enough to be noticeable, but not quite enough for it to be obvious that you’re carrying a child. It was in this ambiguous state that I went for a beach vacation to Mexico last week… in a bikini, no less.
I’m not going to lie and say that I love everything about my changing and expanding body, or that I’m thrilled that my boobs have gone from a reasonable B-cup, to an insane and pornographic DD. Obviously, I am in awe of the fact that there is a baby growing inside me, but connecting to my sense of body love has come with it’s challenges when I look in the mirror and see an unfamiliar form.
I see this with my clients all the time — they gain some weight, feel out of control, or have a bloat-inducing weekend of indulgence and suddenly they’re overcome with body hatred. Their bodies become the enemy. The irony is that body hatred is not a place from which to healthfully and successfully make any kind of changes. Body hatred leads to crash dieting, deprivation, hours on the treadmill. None of these tactics lead to any kind of lasting change, and they certainly don’t feel very good while you’re at it.
The fact is, our bodies are not static. They change, they swell and shrink, expand and contract. Some days we look and feel light and lithe and slim, other days we’re carrying a little something extra as our bodies voice their displeasure with how we treated them the night before. Some days we are flexible and energized, other days we feel heavier, slower, and sluggish. This is a natural ebb and flow. It might last a night, a week, or even a whole season. The key is not to jump to the response of body criticism.
When you approach your body with love, understanding, and compassion, you are able to actually recognize the pattens and behaviors that are causing the shift, and do something productive to restore balance. Here’s how:
Spring Break Travel Essentials
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: traveling is no excuse to get off your heathy routine, overindulge, and throw your body off track. If you feel like you need a detox after you return, you know something is up!
We got back from our baby moon in Mexico the other day, and I knew I had to share some of the goodies that helped make the trip super awesome (and a whole lot healthier) — as well as a few that I totally spaced on (and paid the price!). From looking radiant and gorgeous, to staying healthy and balanced, these spring break essentials will change the way you travel.
More big news!!
Ahhhh! I know, right??
This has been such an exciting and illuminating time for me — adapting to an insane amount of changes in my body and how I need to eat, and finding a wellspring of flexibility to give myself space and time for rest, relaxation, even the occasional nap! (Turns out babies grow best when mama is nourished, chill, and well-rested.. who would’ve thought?!)
