Channeling Our Inner Strength from Birth into Parenthood - Chat with She Births and OBGYN

“We need the sisterhood. We need the village.” In this video above I sit down with my OBGYN and Birthing Educator for a birthing team ‘debrief.’ I would love to hear your birth stories and lessons learned. Leave me a comment on social media.

My OBGYN, Dr. Jan Dudley and doula, prenatal yoga instructor, and creator of She Births childbirth education program, Nadine Richardson, have a lot of great insight on how to make the birthing experience a beautiful one. They talk about what we can learn about ourselves from pregnancy and childbirth. And how to channel that same strength and perseverance right into parenthood.

“Learning in pregnancy to drop the judgment of yourself is such a great way to launch into parenthood. Because the last thing we need is to feel isolated. And that’s what judgment does. If we are judging ourselves, we stay at home in our little bubbles, and we go to mother’s groups and we start judging. And that happens a lot. But we don’t need to. We need women that are empowered and happy. And that’s how you’re going to be the best mom.”

I love the quotes above from Nadine Richardson. During pregnancy, I learned so much. I have always been a go, go, go, go, GO kind of person. Pregnancy and motherhood have slowed me down in the best way possible. Motherhood has taught me patience, acceptance, empathy

I can tell you the deep breathing techniques I learned in the She Births education program helped me to have a an epidural free birth (even with a posterior baby). In the end it was a difficult delivery though. Brooksy’s heart rate dropped from the cord being around his neck and he had to be suctioned / vacuumed out. Breathing techniques and getting in the ‘athletic zone’ are what helped me. Believe it r not, I didn’t even realize it was a “traumatic birth” in a lot of ways. But it did slow down my recovery a bit when I wanted to get back to running and jumping.

My mindset and inner strength is what got me through the birth and the recovery. If you’re about to birth a baby too…. YOU GOT THIS, MAMMA!

Sending you so much love.

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The Secret to Better Sex After Having Babies

The secret to better sex after having a baby. Man, doesn’t everyone want to know? The truth is, the secret in many cases is simple. A stronger pelvic floor can mean stronger orgasms and better sexual satisfaction with our partners. The weight of the fetus during pregnancy and the pushing we go through to get them out, often leads to a weakened pelvic floor. Checking in regularly with our pelvic floor can often help. Check out the pelvic floor section on StrongSexyMammas.com for some exercise ideas and considerations. Better sex often leads to better relationships with our partners. And better relationships with our partners often leads to being better parents to our kids.

Watch my interview with the principal women’s physiotherapist, at Women in Focus Physiotherapy. Elizabeth ‘Lyz’ Evans is not just a women’s health expert, but also a rockstar mum of two. Aren’t they cuties? If you live in Sydney, Australia, I highly recommend paying her a visit!

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Chaos Minimizing Tips for Moms On-The-Go

T-I-M-E. Time. Nobody has enough of it. Everybody wants more of it! Lack of time makes us feel like life is too chaotic to make time for fitness. Too chaotic to cope. The number one reason mammas tell me they don’t exercise is because they can’t fit it into their busy schedules. The Strong Sexy Mammas website has you covered for the fitness side of things. But I also have a few tips for surviving outings with kids that can help cut chaos and save time.

I am a busy mamma, known for always being ‘on-the-go.’ Upon writing this post, Brooks has just turned one and has already flown from Sydney, Australia to New York City four times in his short little life! People ask how we keep it together and how I stay fit and fresh. I’m the first to tell you I don’t have everything figured out. This mamma thing is hard work! But I can tell you what is working for me. Hope it helps!

Watch the video I shot with baby Brooks and our dog Baxter a few months ago at a local park in Bondi Beach. We go through a few ways I survive being ‘on-the-go.’

Tip #1 Buy a lightweight stroller for travel purposes (Umbrella strollers are awesome. But I think it’s worth investing in a stroller that folds up small enough to go in the overhead compartment on airplanes. This way you don’t have to gate check it and you’re never with out it).

Tip #2 Pack plenty of toys (i have some touch and feel books that are very interactive and seem to kill two birds with one stone).

Tip #3 Use a backpack as a diaper bag (nappy bag as we say in Australia). This allows us to stay hands free rather than having the shoulder bag that inevitably falls off the shoulder and knocks into things! LOL.

Tip #4 Use a blanket that is durable enough to double as a play-mat in a pinch. This saves a lot of precious space.

Tip #5 Stock your closet with long, flowy dresses (This makes me feel ultra feminine and put-together, even though it takes almost zero effort. Pull the dress off the hanger, and you immediately look like you spent more time getting ready than you truly did! Yass!)

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Breastfeeding Benefits and Basics

I have made a commitment to breastfeed my baby boy, Brooks because I have learned about the seemingly endless benefits. I hope this post offers some great info to expecting new moms like me! Also, be sure to watch the YouTube video of the interview below.
Breastfeeding Benefits and Basics Q and A with Dr. Jill Gamberg

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DIY Natural Baby Products, A Lovely Afternoon with My Sister-In-Law

Want to save some cash and save your baby from chemicals at the same time? I do! Read on to see what I mean.

I am now in my 39th week of pregnancy and doing last minute odds and ends awaiting my baby boy to tell us he's ready to come into the world. Hopefully my water breaks soon! LOL I am so ready to meet him and see his sweet face! This year for Christmas, my amazing sister-in-law gave me the perfect gift. She organized an afternoon together to spend some quality time while concocting some natural baby products. We had a lovely day putting together all kinds of DIY baby potions. I'm thankful she had the idea of pinching a few pennies all while enabling me to use natural baby products on my sweet boy once he gets here.

Below are recipes my sister-in-law found for homemade diaper cream, nipple butter, baby wash & shampoo.

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Postnatal Fitness No No's! Which Exercises to Stay Away From and Which Ones are OK?

Postnatal Fitness No No's! Which Exercises to Stay Away From and Which Ones are Okay? Abs separation (diastasis recti) and pelvic floor weakness are just a couple of the lasting effects pregnancy leaves behind. Jumping into high impact fitness and certain abs exercises are very bad for postpartum recovery. Anna Kooiman, creator of Strong Sexy Mammas (online workouts for moms), takes you to a women's physiotherapist to see which exercises we should stay away from after having a baby. And which exercises are good! Check out StrongSexyMammas.com to work out with international TV host and fitness instructor, Anna Kooiman.

This may surprise you…. Crunches are a bad idea for some new moms. Same goes for full sit-ups and planks. Don’t sabotage your exercise success.

Watch my interview with the principal women’s physiotherapist, at Women in Focus Physiotherapy. Elizabeth ‘Lyz’ Evans is not just a women’s health expert, but also a rockstar mum of two. Aren’t they cuties? If you live in Sydney, Australia, I highly recommend paying her a visit!

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Why Sit-Ups are a BAD Idea

This may surprise you…. Sit-ups are a bad idea for some new moms. Same goes for full planks.

But why you ask? If we want a flat tummy, aren’t these exercises normally winners? Well the majority of new mammas have some degree of abs separation (many don’t even know it). Doing incorrect abs exercises can actually lead to more of a belly rather than less! Don’t sabotage your exercise success.

Watch my interview with the principal women’s physiotherapist, at Women in Focus Physiotherapy. Elizabeth ‘Lyz’ Evans is not just a women’s health expert, but also a rockstar mum. If you live in Sydney, Australia, I highly recommend paying her a visit!

How to Survive Mealtime with Kids

Dinnertime for moms can be stressful no matter what the age of our kids. Am I right? Making sure our little ones are nourished with healthy, nutrient dense food can be a challenge in our busy lives. Since becoming a mother this year, I have found several ways to survive mealtime. Take a look at this video for a few of my mamma tips.

Tip #1… No Screens! Even at 7.5 months when we recorded this video, Brooks was so drawn to screens. Smart phones, tablets, televisions, Apple watches, etc. It’s still the same today. So we try very hard to limit the time he is exposed. And we have a hard rule, no screens when we are trying to feed him. I have to keep them off so he stays interested.

Tip #2… Eat your greens! Lead by example and your kids will follow. Sneak them in if you have to. With purees, Brooks seems to like apples and pears more than zucchini and broccoli. So when I make them at home I almost always add in a little fruit to give it a naturally sweeter flavor. It works every time! As the kids get older it’s a great idea to sneak vegetables in wherever we can as well. Even if they are asking for pizza, sneak in some veggies as toppings. But hide them under the cheese!

Tip #3… Get the kids involved! When Brooks is older, I plan to take him to the grocery store to pick out all the yummies. I’ll then have him help me cook dinner in the kitchen. I think when kids feel like they are part of the process they are more likely to be proud of what they’ve made, and scarf it right up!

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Belly Binding Post-Baby: Good or Bad Idea?

n the early hours after giving birth to my first born son, Brooks, I chose to use a belly wrap. I have read a lot about them and have friends who swear it has helped them get their 'inside bits back in order!' A woman's uterus needs to shrink back to its usual size and the bands are supposed to help. Critics say it is unnecessary or even a bad idea because the body becomes reliant on the splint rather than the muscles, which can leave the weak. Women have been having babies for the ages with and without wrapping their bellies around the world. But several friends have also told me the wraps have helped their tummies flatten out faster and that it's been good for building better posture. I have been wearing mine quite religiously and have noticed positive results. I can’t say whether this was the reason or wasn’t. My OBGYN and the midwives at the hospital in Sydney recommended I wear my belly wrap while I begin gently easing into my new fitness routine (at the beginning of the journey). So far so good!

I asked Dr. Jill Gamberg, a GP doctor at Double Bay Doctors about belly binding/wrapping/splinting. Here’s what she had to say:

“An abdominal binder is a wide compression belt that encircles your abdomen. It may be used to speed-up the recovery process after abdominal surgery like caesarean section, bariatric surgery, or cosmetic surgery. It is thought to support your surgical incision, help relieve pain, enable you to move more, and reduce swelling. It may offer secondary lumbar support.

Women may use an abdominal binder after vaginal childbirth to help shrink the uterus and lose weight. Some women use it if they have a large diastasis recti (abdominal separation) post-partum.

It is advised to only wear from 2-6 weeks after childbirth. There’s no scientific evidence that binding your belly gets you back into your pre-pregnancy jeans faster. However, they may be helpful for some women, and it is definitely worth talking to your doctor or woman’s physiotherapist to see if one may benefit you.”

I have also done a Q and A I've done with the three sisters behind the ever popular brand, Belly Bandit. See what you think and decide for yourself if abdominal splinting/wrapping is for you.