It's a boy!! The truth of the after birth effects.

Image The Age

It's a boy!! We all love the arrival of a healthy little bub, it's thrilling and ever so exciting but often the pain and the changes of a womans body is rarely talked about. We just don't talk about the after effects of birth.

I'm here to tell you, its not so glamorous and can be painful for a while. I have the philosophy of telling my patients that over the next 3 months - consider them your fourth trimester. Rest, Recuperate and Recover.

When I had my first baby, my friends couldn't believe that my tummy was still full - they visited 14 hours after the birth! I too was slightly surprised that it was still protruding 3 months later! Yes it can take that long and this is the reason that I now support the use of a belly wrap. I used a belly wrap after the birth of my second son, it was amazing and assisted my uterus retracting back into my abdomen very quickly, I looked back to 'normal' in weeks.

The pain and discomfort after birth, where do I start; vagina, breasts, bottom, tummy everything is painful, you have just birthed (on average) a 3.5kg baby and placenta. I was in pain after my first birth for four weeks, it was incredible. Mind you I had a relatively good first labor experience; 6 hours, no drugs, natural birth - how could I be in so much after pain! Let me tell you I was.

Image The Age

There is pain when your milk comes in, your breasts swell and fill. There's also nipple pain, the Australian Breastfeeding Association say that there should be no pain when breastfeeding, and they are right to a degree, but initially you have never had anyone suckle from your nipples as much as your newborn and it irritates the skin and is a new sensation. Relax in the comfort of your own home, braless, use some nipple cream if needed. Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated.

The uterus starts retracting when you start feeding your baby and for some women this again is painful and uncomfortable, I'm not making it sound too good but I'm re-enforcing the need to Rest, Recover and Recuperate.

And then there are the 'baby blues', your bodies hormones drop and the tears flow. This can occur around day three after birth or later. Sometimes the blues can turn into post-natal depression, don't be scared if you can't connect with your baby there is support. Speak to someone close to you, or contact PANDA. 

Rest, Recover and Recuperate. If you were lucky enough to live in some villages in China, you would recover for 3 months in bed and bond with your gorgeous baby when he or she needed feeding. Motherhood is really a beautiful experience but we all need to respect our bodies and recover. Eat well, rest, drink, love and laugh, I've written before about my tips for new mums here.

Most of all give your self a BIG pat on the back, you've just grown and birthed a beautiful little human - CONGRATULATIONS.

Oh my I'm locked in!

I am locked in. I'm detoxing and febfasting and surviving - although it's only Day3!
My febfast team has half a dozen committed souls which is a great inspiration and it's not too late to jump onboard here.
I have a facebook group open for the next 28 days which is full of support, tips and ideas on how to manage your detox and get the most out of it - you can join that here.

A detox is a great opportunity to take a break from alcohol, coffee, sugar, wheat - all those inflammatory causing agents, clear the Mind Body and Soul. And by doing febfast it's a great way to incorporate all of that and raise funds for youth and families with serious drug and alcohol related issues. I've written about the benefits of detox here.

As a naturopath and nutritionist I believe in detoxing our bodies for a variety of reasons:

General Detox - helps optimise our elimination organs function including liver function and assists in regeneration of new liver cells - yes our liver is the only organ which regenerates itself! Who says our body isn't amazing? It helps eliminate the cloudiness and stresses caused by alcohol consumption which essentially helps us combat the stresses of the year ahead.

Fertility - For women (and men) thinking of conceiving it is a perfect opportunity to prepare the body for pregnancy.

• As alcohol intake increases, the chance of conceiving decreases! Truth. 
• Alcohol can also cause a rise in oestrogen excess which leads to reduction of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) secretion which may affect ovulation!

Detoxing before conception reduces the chance of Pregnancy complications, Improves infant health and if Breastfeeding alcohol can affect bubs feeding and sleep patterns! Why wouldn't you detox before making your baby.

Weightloss - And detoxing can also help you reduce your waistline!

• Alcohol is high in kilojules
• When we drink we tend to snack on really unhealthy food choices - 'lets skip dinner and open another packet of chips', scenario.
• Reduces your ability to think clearly and affects your willpower. 'C'mon lets have another..'
• Leads to junk food cravings the next day - hello the likes of Macca's!

My reason for detoxing is my health, I want to balance my hormones and regulate my menstrual cycle, clear all of those hormones from my pregnancies and breastfeeding, and begin to feel alive. And here is a chat about the phases of detox It's tough to abstain from alcohol and chocolate but I've been waiting for this and I'm ready, but like everyone I need your support too. So it's great to be apart of the Febfast 28 Day DETOX - join in and help me help you.

Tips for new new mums

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As we welcomed a new baby son in October, yes it was really that long ago. Another beautiful boy to add to our family, I thought I would list some simple tips on how to keep a new mum sane!

'Tips to help settle into being a new mum' but I think you all know the golden rules.

• First week (or first 3 months) be INDULGENT and loose all GUILT, sleep, accept all offers of help, have no shame just say YES and if you are not particularly good at it learn fast.
• I can't emphasise enough how slow you should take it; REST. Think of the next three months as the fourth trimester.
• EAT. Eat good healthy wholefoods, forget biscuits and cakes, eat real food, nurture your body. Almonds are a great to snack.
• DRINK lots of water, keep rehydrated especially if you are breastfeeding, fill a jug of water to have on the bench and just keep topping up your glass through out the day
• SLEEP and generally rest and hang with your baby.
• Slowly reintroduce yourself back into the world and BE GENTLE with yourself DON'T PLACE UNREALISTIC GOALS ON YOU OR YOUR BABY.
• Want that tummy to return to normal? Try these Belly belt it will be the best investment you can ever make and will help your uterus contract and your tummy retract. (Wish I'd known about this post my babies, I wore high waisted bike-like pants; it was very difficult to go to the toilet!)
• Begin activating your PELVIC floor as soon as possible after the birth. The sooner you get started the sooner you will be in better shape in more ways than one. I wore these great high waisted 'contour shorts', yes very attractive but they pulled my uterus in much faster than after having my first child. Your tummy may never be the same as prior to pregnancy but CORE STRENGTH activation will certainly help.
• Don't make too many rules or timetables as you may just come unstuck and no-one wants that, not you nor your husband/partner or family. Everyone does love a new mum and is only willing to help - Just ask.
• Take a good quality SUPPLEMENT to help with your energy levels, best to see a health professional and be prescribed the correct therapeutic doses.
• Get out of the house and WALK, breathe FRESH AIR and mostly ENJOY your new bub because as everyone says 'they grow up so quickly'!
• Welcome to motherhood

What's your best tip for a new mum? 

Eating for two?

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Lately I am speaking with more and more women who are claiming that they are adding over 20 kilos to their weight during pregnancy. I am finding this concerning as physiologically this is unnecessary; a pregnant woman should gain between 10-13 kilos during pregnancy.

When pregnant, a woman should concentrate on increasing her nutrient intake, rather than her kilojoule intake. This means forget the excuse of eating for two concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity. Continue and maintain your normal healthy diet – it doesn’t mean your growing baby needs cream buns, extra slices of choccie cake, double burgers with extra chips!

To maintain a healthy normal weight range you will only have greater benefits at the end of your pregnancy including feeling good as a new mum when you slip back into your pre-pregnancy clothes faster.
To get the best from your pregnancy and give your baby the best start to life seek advice from a Naturopath or Health professional and be advised of therapeutic doses and remedies.

Tips to prevent excessive weight gain:

• Concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity.
• Avoid the ‘eating for two’ syndrome this will lead to unnecessary weight gain.
• A healthy pregnancy only requires approx an extra 850–1,100 kilojoules a day this is equivalent to a glass of milk or a sandwich! However you will need to increase your kilojoule intake if you are breastfeeding – still best to consume wholefoods rather than those cream cakes.
• Accommodate cravings, but don’t let them replace more nutritious foods.
• Keep physically active. If you exercise regularly there is no reason to stop your current exercise regime. Healthy body, Healthy mind, Healthy baby.
• Nutrient requirements before and during pregnancy should include Folate, Iron, Zinc, EFA, Calcium and Iodine.
• Drink plenty of fluids that means water!
• Avoid alcohol, it is unknown what the ‘safe’ limit of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is and it’s recommended not to drink at all.
• Do not smoke – both direct and passive smoking are associated with growth retardation, increased risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirths, placental complications and low birth weight – making it a great one to avoid!

Be good to yourself and enjoy growing your baby. 

Butter - Margarine. Is this true?

My family is fairly conscious about the food we intake into our body, my dad is beginning to become more and more conscious, even though I have (from a professional point of view) been giving him what I consider great free advice for years but who listens to their family! This is an email that my dad has sent me and I thought I would share what is says with you all. Take from it what you will, believe what you want and make your own decisions.

'This is frightening! Have you heard this before?

Having Worked at (Removed name)Premier Margarine Factory in the UK for 1 Year, as a Management Trainee, and then in Sri Lanka Managing Margarine Manufacture, I can safely admit that what you are about to read is true !!
 

Pass The Butter... Please.      


    

This is interesting. .. .  




Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys.  When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.  



It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. 

How do you like it?   They have come out with some clever new flavourings....   

DO  YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?    




Both  have the same amount of calories.  




Butter:

Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.  




Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by  53% over  eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent  Harvard  Medical Study.  




Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in  other foods.

Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and  only because  they are added!  




Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods.  




Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

Margarine. 




Very High in Trans fatty acids - Triples risk of coronary heart disease ... Increases total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) and  lowers HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)  




Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.




Lowers quality of breast milk.  




Decreases immune response.  




Decreases insulin response.



And here's the most disturbing fact.... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!  


Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT! 




These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added,  changing the molecular structure of the substance).    




Try this yourself:  


Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area.  Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:  


*  no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)  


*  it does not rot or smell differently because it has  no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.  Why?   Because it’s nearly plastic.  Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?  Share This With Your Friends.....(If you want to butter them up')!  




Chinese Proverb:  

When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.    



Pass the BUTTER PLEASE'

FYI - My dad has been trying this experiment for three weeks now and agrees it is true, he says that there has been no discolouration, the birds have not touched nor the ants, he has added some to the compost and it hasn't broken down or altered in any form (except of course melted and re-solidified) let me know your results.

Yunmmy and Easy

My friend just had a baby - well a few months ago now - I often make something for the new family and well time has just gotten away. I have now made this a few times for her and we have eaten it! 


It's so simple, so yummy, and HEALTHY I thought I would share. Also spinach contains iron which is great for breastfeeding mums. 

I don't mean for this blog to be a recipe catch up because I am certainly no cook - just into easy healthy food. And this one is great - it can be made for dinner, to share with friends at a picnic or cut up for lunch slices and best of all it can be frozen for later on.

Enjoy

Mum’s Spinach Pie

Ingredients.

4 Sheets of filo pastry

1 onion

200g feta

½ cup of parmesan cheese

2-3 free range eggs

1 bunch of organic spinach or silverbeet

Herbs; pepper, garlic, ¼ tblspn of nutmeg, sage or parsley.

Cook onion, garlic in frypan add washed spinach then COOL.

Add herbs. Give it a stir.

Mix eggs and a dash of milk, pour into cooled mixture.

Place 2 of the pasty sheets in a greased tray.

Break up the feta and parmesan over the mixture.

Then break up the final two sheets over the top of the tray.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 30-40mins at 180*C