fashion, style and more; bump & beyond blog

You have finally become a mommy after waiting impatiently for nine months! Now you know that it is the best thing that can ever happen to anyone, and no experience, feeling or sensation could ever compare to that joy and happiness of giving birth to a beautiful, healthy baby. And for the sake of your little one, you need to be healthy as well! That is why here are 5 postnatal care tips that you should know about and, well, live by.

1.

Rely on superfoods for a rich and well-balanced diet

Being a new mom means that your body is in the phase of adapting to the role of a nurturer, and taking good care of yourself is now more important than ever. Perhaps you are too exhausted to think about what to eat, but in order to be a healthy mom, there is a certain nutritional plan after giving birth that is advisable to begin.

First and foremost, you need wholesome, nutrient-dense snacks that will provide you with plenty of energy. In order to stay resilient, foods abundant in a wide spectrum of amino acids, iron, zinc, magnesium and B vitamins are essential. You also need to focus on hydration and no matter how much you want to go on a diet and lose weight, don’t think about it right away, because it’s very important for you to eat well so that you can breastfeed without a problem.

2.

Connect with other parents and always be informed

This is not just useful, but healthy for you as well, at least mentally. It’s always a good idea to connect with those who are going through the same as we are. Today there are awesome new mom apps that can help you keep in touch with other new moms or those who are already veterans and have older kids. You can exchange tips and advice with these women and this way, you’ll always be up-to-date regarding everything that’s important for you to know.

3.

Taking care of your pelvic floor is very important

It’s common that women experience certain nuisances after giving birth. One of them can be bladder leaks when coughing, laughing or straining. In this case, you should do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. These exercises are great because they can reduce swelling, but they can also increase blood flow and even improve healing after birth.

If you want to do them regularly, consult your doctor. They often advise new moms to begin these exercises straight after delivery. Of course, you should start gently and do only what’s within your comfort range at first, then as you progress, you can try more demanding exercises. This should be something you do every day, and you can tighten the muscles before lifting your little one.

4.

Be active but get as much rest as possible as well

Naturally, after giving birth, you will feel like getting your fit and slender figure back. But be familiar with the fact that the trip back down is different for each mommy. What you can do is be active as much as you can. Of course, your baby will keep you active, but you can also do exercises that will make you feel good. Don’t do anything too strenuous right away, it should rather be something light and easy. You’ll also need to get enough rest in order to handle all your tasks and mommy duties.

5.

Tell your doctor if you are feeling anxious or depressed

This is probably not your first time to read tips concerning this topic, and it is a great thing that today, there are so many invaluable tips for new moms in magazines, on the Internet and of course, you can hear a lot of useful things from family members, friends, relatives and acquaintances too. So, you know that one thing is always recommended – consulting your doctor in case you are feeling anxious or depressed.  It’s not rare for women to feel postpartum depression, and it’s crucial that you talk to someone about it as soon as it happens. It should be an expert, of course.

You should know that there is a difference between baby blues, which equals moms being sad, anxious, and not sleeping well. These moms can get better within 2 weeks after their baby’s birth. However, postpartum depression is more severe. Some of the symptoms are the feeling of necessity to avoid family and friends, not feeling like you are able to take care of yourself or the baby, feeling like it’s too difficult to bond with your child or even fearing that you’re not a good mom. There are specific treatments that can help you feel like yourself again, but that’s why you need to see your doctor and talk to them about it.

No matter how difficult having a newborn is, many will claim that it’s the most rewarding experience ever. But for you to feel like it’s the best thing in the entire world, you need to be healthy, physically and mentally. Eat healthily, be active, do pelvic floor exercises, keep in touch with other moms and you will enjoy your mommy duties like nothing else. Lastly, in case you don’t enjoy them as much, consult with your doctor and let them help you find the right solution.

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Peter is parenting and lifestyle writer for Joyful Source magazine. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Thanks to this fab dad for sharing these tips for moms, and we're so excited for him as he and his DH prepare to adopt the latest addition to their family!

We hear it every single day.  Women walk into the shops and state a preference for over the belly or under the belly jeans.  

Or, they come in and tell us that their friend said that they need to go with over the belly...or that they must go with under the belly.

And even more women come in asking us which is better.

So, which one is best?!? 

That's easy.  Both.

Seriously.  The important thing is that you are comfortable, and that they don't fall off.  We are serious about both of these points. 

Are you comfortable? 

Only you can know that.  And the only way to actually know which you prefer is to try them on.  Here in the IRL shops more moms opt for under, they like the comfort and the like that they are great for the trip back down.  This is not to say that there aren't plenty of women who prefer over the belly.  But more moms leave with under.

Do you want your jeans to stay up?

We also hear daily from women who complain that their jeans are constantly falling down and driving them CRAZY. We're not sure about jeans that we don't carry, but we've heard a lot of people say that the "belly panel" jeans slide off.  Not here.  The two pairs that we carry absolutely will not slide down.  One even has an adjustable elastic hidden in the waistband under the bump so you can make sure that your jeans stay in place.  Yep, it just looks like a cami tucked into a pair of jeans, but it's so much more!

Under the bump jeans will slide down if you go too big. So invest in ones which fit properly.  You want them to feel snug when you first slide them on.  The waist shouldn't be tight(obviously!) but the rest of the jean should be comfy and stretchy, not loose.  An exception is the all-around under belly band, which is why our boyfriend jean, which is designed to be slouchier works-the band fits, and the jeans are loose, but will never fall down!

Welcome to parenthood, where everyone has an opinion and yours is the only one that counts. 

The funny thing about this opinion is that a second time mom who walked in earlier saying she hated under the bump walked out wearing...yup, under the bump jeans. 

So, welcome to womanhood, where we get to change our change our minds, be open to different viewpoints, realize that there are in fact very few "rights" and "wrongs" and do our very best to take care of us, cuz we're the moms!!

Sarah, AKA our founder, has been styling and supporting moms IRL since she worked in a maternity shop in high school(!), another one through college and at Mom's the Word since she was pregnant with her second child.

New year’s resolutions are difficult to keep and often leave many of us feeling as if we are setting ourselves up for disappointment or failure. This is NOT how we want to head into a new year, season, moment etc… Here are easy, action items that will improve your quality of life. 

Stop letting the entire world in your bedroom.

How?

Don’t sleep with your phone in your room.

• Dig out or buy yourself and alarm clock.
• Make a charging station for your phone and all devices in the kitchen or living room or anywhere that isn’t your bedroom. This will keep you from checking social media, email, the news, or texts first thing before going to bed or waking up. You can own your morning without letting an outside source put you in a bad mood.
• We all likely heard how the blue light can interfere with our sleep patterns and cause us to think we are more “awake” when it’s time to be winding down.
• Use the time to connect with your partner without the distraction of your phone. 

Schedule a date with yourself.

Put 30 to 60 minutes a week in your schedule to do something that brings you joy. A week.  You can do this.  Can't find an hour?  Give yourself two half hours.

• Take a bath and read a book. Knit, take a dance class, paint, draw, go for a walk outside.
• Do something consistently that you are doing for no other reason than for the enjoyment of it.
• The routine break from your long list of “have to's” will act as a stress reducer and keep you ready for all life will throw at you. 

Start a morning ritual.

Depending on the age of your kids this will look very different. Those with newborns are not going to do the same thing as those with kids who can sleep through the night and dress themselves in the morning. The idea here is to get your day set up to a great start.

• This may be a quick run around your neighborhood, or may be reading with a cup of coffee for 30 minutes before your family gets up.
• It could just be getting up, showered and dressed before your family wakes up.
• Whatever is going to get your day off on the right foot so you are ready for everything the day may bring. 

None of these are not huge changes on their own, but the consistency of these small practices will have a big impact on your ability to show up for those around you.

Happy new year! 

Dede Lewis is a magnificent mother of two, has been part of Mom's the Word since 2013 (before she had those two kids), and can be found in our SF location on Mondays and Tuesdays, alternate Sundays and Wednesdays, and on occasion in Palo Alto.

Every pregnancy is different, but most moms-to-be go through at least some sort of a strange craving experience that completely redefines hunger. Add to that the prenatal vitamins, a slew of doctor’s orders on what’s best to eat and what’s best to avoid, and it seems like it’s been a lifetime since you’ve been able to enjoy a glass of wine.

The incessant cravings might be gone, but new challenges arise as soon as you bring your baby into the world, and your belly begins to go back to normal.

Now, as your body is adapting to the role of a nurturer, a mom, you need to take excellent care of yourself. A balanced diet after giving birth is essential to your own health, healing, as well as the well being of that little earthling that you’ve made. So, let’s dive right in and tackle the dietary tips that can help ease the recovery and make your new momma days juicier and more nutritious!

Have healthy snacks at the ready

Being pregnant has been exhausting, but... being a mom will be even more so, hence the need for some wholesome, healthy snacks you can rely on during the day that won’t overburden your stomach, but that will keep you satisfied. Nutrient-dense snacks are the best way to go, and you should always stock up on long-lasting items that you can then allocate for every day during the week.

For example, nuts and seeds are your go-to energy-boosters, and they are brimming with healthy omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial to your recovery and strengthening your immune system. They are also packed with fiber, which will help you with digestion and normalize your bowel movements, which will be very helpful in the first weeks postpartum. Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and dried fruit are also great options to give you some immediate energy while providing you with ample vitamins and minerals.

Enrich your diet with superfoods

Now that you’re about to face sleepless nights, first fevers, ear infections, breastfeeding, and changing diapers, giving your nutrition that extra kick can be very helpful for restoring your energy, protecting your immune system, and of course, delivering the right balance of micronutrients you need in these sensitive times.

Since it’s very difficult and time-consuming to introduce many different foods to your diet every day, you can actually supplement with natural foods such as spirulina to reap all the nutritional rewards sans the effort. These potent algae are packed with everything your body needs: a wide spectrum of amino acids (18 of them to be precise), plenty of iron, B vitamins, but also zinc and magnesium, which are key to staying resilient.

Focus on hydration

If you are to breastfeed your little bundle of joy, then all the more reason to be very careful with your hydration habits. Although your own postpartum recovery depends on drinking plenty of water for your own good, your baby will also benefit from this simple habit. To make sure you’re drinking ample water every day, you can get an insulated water bottle made of stainless steel that will keep your water fresh for longer, and not exposed to any harmful plastics.

Producing breast milk will be much easier when you drink enough fluids during the day, but do make sure that you steer clear of coffee and caffeine in general, but stick to herbal teas, fresh water and juices that will support your breast milk production. When you and your doctor determine the time is right for you to go back to physical activity, proper hydration will be a pivotal factor to help you sustain your energy.

Details matter for a new mom

Macro and micronutrients are important for every single one of us, but new moms in particular need to mind their diet, since deficiencies can affect your ability to produce milk, your body’s natural ability to heal as well as the speed of regeneration. First of all, talk to your doctor to find out which particular nutrients you might benefit from. Most new moms need the following:

• Vitamin D – essential for bone formation and calcium absorption, this micronutrient is often deficient in our diets alone, as well as that of your baby’s. Good to add it to your list!
• Calcium – sometimes new moms use their bone-stored calcium through breast milk, hence the need to prevent the depletion of this mineral in your bones by upping your intake.
• Iron – for optimal energy levels, reducing fatigue and exhaustion, and a slew of relevant processes in your body, so pay attention to foods that contain plenty of this mineral.

Nutrient-dense over all else

Finally, as a mom, you should first and foremost keep an eye on the quality and diversity of the food you consume. Although this is a general rule that applies to all people, you in particular will benefit from focusing on eating fresh, whole foods that are nutrient-dense and that will ensure your body can recover fast. Of course, be mindful of your calories as well, since some new moms need to consume more calories to breastfeed properly, while others need to shed some postpartum weight gradually and in a controlled manner.

Talk to your physician, and prepare yourself for the first several months of momhood so that you can enjoy your time bonding with your bundle instead of worrying about your munchies. Use these tips to help you navigate these new dietary waters, and make the most of this beautiful new chapter in your life!

Peter is parenting and lifestyle writer for Joyful Source magazine. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Thanks to this fab dad for sharing these tips for moms.

This cashmere ruana is every pregnant woman's must have piece. And then they become obsessed and come back every year for more, long after baby is born.

Elevate every piece in your closet. Seriously.  Every piece.  

Over a LBD

Layer one of these over that Little Black Dress that you wear to work, oh, every other day under a different jacket? Hello Holiday Party happy!!

Over a Tank and Jeans 

How do you make a tee shirt and jeans dinner party or luncheon ready? Add this cashmere coziness. Boom.

Just craving snuggly and warm?

Celeb Inspo

Even celebs want nothing more than to walk out the door wrapped in a duvet, but they have stylists who know better! Everyone from Rhianna to Kim understand the wonder. So, no, you do not have to be pregnant to embrace the magic of this single style piece.!

What's not to love? Explore your poncho-wearing possibilities with our favorite looks.  All the comfort of a blanket without having to carry around your bedspread.

So, keep it simple.  When you've given your waistline over to the baby and your closet is filled with clothes that temporarily don't fit, give the babe in you a style boost with one simple piece