15 minute sanity saver meals for new Mums

When I first arrived home from hospital with a toddler wrapped around one leg and a newborn in my arms - I truly appreciated friends and family dropping around with ready-made, home cooked meals.

 

Of course, this kind of hospitality doesn't last forever. And there comes a point when you need to stop opening the pantry in a zombie-like fashion wishing that dinner would magically appear before you.

 

As much as I tried to 'stock the freezer' with nutritious meals before baby-number-two arrived, there just never seemed to be enough time. And when you're a working Mum with little ones most of the time you just feel drained - even just thinking about all the things you have to do (and the little time you have to do them in). Sometimes you just need a fast energy fix - some easy, nutritious meals you can just whip up quickly. Who has the time to prepare a three-course gourmet meal anymore?

 

If your nutritional habits have disappeared since giving birth (last seen somewhere near the nappy bin), along with your energy and your sanity, try some of these 10 quick, easy and tasty dishes that'll nourish your body and re-boot your drive!

 

Let me know what you think of these - and if you have a special body-nourishing recipe of your own please share it with us!

Heavenly stretches during pregnancy

Stretching is a bit like backing up your PC: you know you should do it, bit it's easy to put it off.

But stretching is an easy thing to do when you're up the duff - and it has so many benefits - you feel more relaxed, it helps correct posture, and gives your greater flexibility for labour.

For pregnancy
During pregnancy, your chest muscles (those pecs), hips flexors, hamstrings and lower back muscles become tight. As your chest and stomach swell, the added weight frontside can result in you rounding your shoulders and dropping your head forward and down. So stretching your pectoral muscles and doing some mobility exercises for the upper back and neck will prevent these muscles from becoming tense and restricted.

Likewise, those hip flexor muscles get tight with the weight of the baby pulling forward - and this can effect your pelvic tilt and put extra strain on the lower back. 

For labour
Squats and groin stretches encourage the opening of the pelvis to prep you for labour. Inner thigh and hamstring stretches prepare you for the second stage in labour, so you're as comfortable as possible in your chosen position.

Top tips for static stretching during pregnancy

1. the hormone relaxin softens your connective tissue in preparation for birth, so it's important not to overstretch as it could lead to permanent damage. 
2. only stretch a muscle as far as you can without pain, and hold it there for 10-20 seconds
3. to maintain flexibility, stretch to the 'biting point' where you feel the stretch in the muscle, and leave it at that. 

Modified Mermaid

Why? This stretches and strengthens the back as well as your side abdominals. You can also do this exercise throughout pregnancy to help strengthen the muscles that support your growing baby.

How?
Sit on the right hip with the right knee facing forward and the left knee pointing up into the air with your left foot flat on the ground.

1. Extend the right arm next to your hip for support. As you inhale, life your right hip off the group and exhale as you bring your left arm up toward the ceiling and over to the right Exhale and return to the start.
2. Repeat 3-5 times and then switch to the other side.

Next time: I'll go through four easy dynamic, feel-good stretches for pregnancy you can do anytime.

Beating the Easter chocolate binge

Easter has almost arrived but the lure of chocolate in every aisle of the supermarket has been here for some time now.

If chocolate is your weakness, surrounding yourself with it, or depriving yourself of any, is a sure-fire way to feed the cravings.

What causes cravings for certain types of food may be a mystery, but you can still enjoy Easter without overindulging.

See these top tips to kick the chocolate binge. 

Wishing you and your family a safe and happy Easter break.

Good posture long after the bump has gone

For more than 38 weeks your body went through a dramatic transformation to grow a new life. Early on your waist seemed to disappear, then your belly started to stick out, and then your centre of gravity started to shift forward.

By the time you reached your third trimester, your pelvis tipped forward too, and your ribs migrated to the nether regions to make room for the little cherub. No doubt about it, over nine months your posture changed. And it doesn't just zing back into shape once the little one is born!

So why is correct posture so important?

When the body is 'out of whack' it has to work harder to maintain an upright stance. Muscles that aren't designed to support the body have to take up the slack and they become too tight. As well as putting extra strain on the joints, tight muscles decrease range of movement and pull the body out of alignment. And if that isn't enough, slack muscles tend to tire easily in the attempt to correct things and the body begins to sag. These changes also increase the pressure on the spine and can decrease blood flow.

What does it mean to have good posture?  And how on earth do you get it back long after the bump has gone?

For a start, when you look at yourself from front on, your spine should be nice and straight. This means that:

• your ears should be at the same height;

• your shoulders should be at the same height; and

• your hips should be at the same height. 

Many Mums just assume that this is the case and are surprised when they actually look in the mirror. Check it out for yourself, or even better get a friend to check it for you. While you’re at it, check out your posture from side-on as well. The middle of your ear should be directly above the middle of your shoulder, which should be directly above your hip, which should be above the front of ball of your ankles.

Top 3 tips for getting your posture back:

1. Practice good body alignment (as above).

2. Increase your core stability (yes, that means working on those abs and strengthening the back).

3. Balancing opposing muscle groups (ie. chest and back) through strength and stretch routines.

   Join me next time when we look at how to set up and maintain good posture for those everyday things you do as a Mum - lifting, holding and feeding your baby.

Top 5 tips to make your resolutions stick

Now we're at the start of another new year, many of us have been busy thinking about what we'd like to doing - or stop doing - this year. But how do we make our good intentions stick beyond today, tomorrow, let alone 365 days? Try these tips to help you create resolutions that actually make a difference to your life.

Create a plan - 'cos as the saying goes - "an objective without a plan is a dream."
In order for your resolution to have resolve, (as the word "resolution" implies), it has to have clear steps that can be put into action. A good plan will tell you: what to do next, and what steps are needed to complete the goal.

Don't wait 'til tomorrow - create Your Plan NOW
If you're like most people, then you'll have a limited window of opportunity during the first few days of January to harness your motivation.  So it's really important that you start creating your plan now.

Write it down
Commit your resolution and plan to writing somewhere; keep it where you can see it, and refer to it often.

Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's
Resolutions should be realistic; with small steps to reach specific goals. Nothing big gets done in a day. Resolutions are set in one day, but accomplished with a hundred tiny steps that happen throughout the year.

Remain flexible to keep your sanity
Accept that being a busy Mum often means that things don't always go as planned. So when great intentions are derailed, there's no guilt or giving up: just pick up and move on. Most of all, recognise when you succeed at every step along the way.