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Simple Tips To Reduce Stress as a Breastfeeding New Mother

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Simple Tips to Reduce Stress as a Breastfeeding New Mother

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Written by: Emily Graham of mightymoms.net

Adding a new baby to your family is exciting, but it is a life-changing event whether it is your first child or not. You must learn different ways to navigate motherhood if you are expecting a new baby, and you should anticipate a few additional challenges if you plan to breastfeed. Having a plan in place is important for minimizing stress. Use these five tips from Simply Gillian to reduce stress as a breastfeeding new mother.

Pack Your Hospital Bag in Advance

You may not feel the urge to pack your hospital bag for your third baby as early as you did with your first, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared in case the baby comes earlier than expected. You won’t need as much as you thought you need with your first baby, but your bag should include:

  • Nursing bras
  • A delivery gown that is both comfortable and functional
  • Phone charger
  • Toiletries
  • Photo ID and paperwork

Create a Plan To Prioritize Other Kids

Your new baby will need plenty of love, care, and attention, but it’s important to make sure that your other kids don’t feel left out. Make a plan ahead of time to prioritize your older kids. This can be as simple as asking your older children to spend quality time with you while you do small chores such as cleaning up the kitchen or folding laundry. You can also ask your significant other to take the baby for an hour each evening while you do the bath and bedtime routines with your older kids. Make sure you plan some fun activities and experiences with your older children so they still feel connected to you.

Accept Help

Navigating life with a new baby is challenging, especially if you have other kids. Trying to cook, clean, keep up with laundry and spend quality time with all of your kids will leave you exhausted. It’s okay to accept help from friends and family members. Whether someone offers to take your older kids to the park so you can sleep while the baby naps or friends bring you meals for a few weeks, the help can make it easier to adjust to your new routine. 

Going along with that, if you’re the boss at work, don’t forget to designate an agent to act on your behalf if and when you’re away. That way, work can go smoothly and you can focus on what matters most. You have enough on your plate without having to deal with business calls and questions every few minutes!

Set a Routine and Stay Fit

It’s easier to thrive with a new baby in the family once you get into a routine. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day to regulate your body’s internal clock. You should also prioritize tasks so you can accomplish the most important chores each day. Break down your cleaning list over the week so that you aren’t overwhelmed with keeping a spotless house. Do one load of laundry a day to keep it from piling up. Find whatever works for you and make it into a routine so you can minimize stress.

Also, never underestimate the power of exercise. In addition to physical benefits, it can help you deal with stress and stay mentally healthy, as well. If time is of the essence, try to fit some exercise into the rest of your routine. For instance, if you live close to the store, leave the car at home and run your errands on foot (or pushing a stroller) for some added exercise and fresh air.

Make Recovery a Priority

It takes time to recover mentally and physically from having a new baby.  Nourish yourself with healthy, delicious foods, and make time to get a relaxing shower at night. Don’t feel bad about asking your partner to watch the kids for an hour on the weekends so that you can take a nap. There are many ways to practice self-care while you recover from giving birth.

Reducing stress is important if you want to breastfeed successfully. From getting help at work to getting some exercise when you can, use these tips to adjust to your new normal as a new mother and find a routine that works for you and your family.

Simply Gillian is here with tips, tricks, and inspiration to simplify everything through organization, decor, and style. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Favorite Fall Activities with Toddlers

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Favorite Fall Activities with Toddlers

It’s that time of year. Yes, it is actually and finally, that time of year. The season is changing. Many people have been ushering in the fall season since early August and I’m sorry but I can’t stand it when people prematurely enter a new season, and I’ll tell you why. Time is so precious, and fleeting. I have been trying to live more in the present, not the future and not the past. When it is winter I want to try my best to enjoy winter (maybe take a nice vacation to break things up, I’m not a total monster) or enjoy the incoming of spring with fresh blooms, the change in temperature, rain showers, and the unfortunate high winds here in Colorado, the summertime lovin’ that comes with warm weather, longer days, and joyful sunshine (and yard chores), and then, when the time comes, the influx of crisp air, cooler nights, sweater weather, and changing leaves. I want to enjoy the seasons while they are present, not press ahead and constantly living in the future and forgetting to enjoy the present.

If you are someone who decorates prematurely, I don’t despise you. It’s simply that I just try not to subscribe to it . But, if you are someone who ushers in fall earlier than the weather, I have finally started catching up to you and I’m currently planning fall activities for myself and the kids during this season. Continue reading for some of my favorite activities.

Apple Picking

A classic. If they are common in your area. I grew up going apple picking almost every year in Maine with family and friends and it was always a blast. Climbing up the trees to pick the “best” apple, filling up your bag completely full, and having to drag it through the orchard. It’s an experience, and if you are all about the picture-perfect scene, this is a great spot to get great photo ops. I haven’t brought my kids yet, mainly because the orchards around here seem to dry up before fall so it’s not as festive, and we also have an apple tree in our backyard that produces a lot of delicious apples so we don’t have to venture far! We hope to plant another tree as well as some other fruit trees in the next year or two.

Pumpkin Patch

A classic. The pumpkin patch. I love going to one locally in Colorado Springs called Longneck Pumpkin Farm. They have petting zoo animals, chickens, a hay ride, jungle gyms, food and beverages, and so many fun activities, as well as a pumpkin patch where you and your little one can pick out the perfect (or imperfect) pumpkin to bring home with you.

Seasonal Baking

Filling the house with warm scents and bringing in a feeling of comfort is what seasonal baking is all about. Bringing out classic recipes to enjoy with family and friends always brings people together, the perfect touch when the weather starts to cool. Another fun aspect, if you have kids, this is a great activity for them to feel included in. Helping stir the bowl, add in ingredients, and of course, enjoying delicious treats is so fun and rewarding to watch as a parent.

Leaf Peeping

Honestly, growing up in Maine with absolutely stunning fall foliage, we just made fun of all the people that came to visit to view the leaves changing, but now that I don’t live in New England anymore, I completely understand the appeal. I miss it so much. The mountains in Colorado can have beautiful color, but it depends on the year. Some years the weather is crazy and we’ll get a massive snow in September and it will kill any chances of leaves changing, they will merely fall to the ground in sadness and winter comes early. Blasted high altitude weather! But, so far we have had a pretty warm beginning of fall and (knock on wood) no snow in the forecast so I think driving to the mountains one weekend may be a beautiful sight.

Local Activities

A town nearby us called Manitou Springs has their annual Coffin Races for the Halloween season, and I fully intend on going this year and bringing the kids to see what it is all about. It is a several-hour event and it becomes a big festival in the small town where the kids can run around and have a blast and the parents can enjoy the events and shops.

There are usually Oktoberfests, outdoor concerts/festivals, and other great outdoor activities going on this time of year. Finding the right event for your family depends on your preferences! Some kids will prefer being in the comfort of their home, baking seasonal treats, and other kids would rather run around and climb trees.

And if you don’t have kids or you don’t want to do any of those activities…do you! We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time so do what you enjoy!

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Top Rated Prenatal Vitamins

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Top Rated Prenatal Vitamins

It is highly advised to begin taking prenatal vitamins prior to conception although it is not critical, as long as you start taking them as soon as you discover you’re pregnant.

I have done some research on prenatals, looking at a variety of factors and testimonies. Below are the top three I would recommend trying out. You should absolutely consult your doctor before trying any vitamins or supplements and this is not a medical opinion.

Ritual

Prenatal Vitamins | Essential Prenatal - Ritual

I’m sure you have seen tons of influencers touting ritual prenatal vitamins. They definitely have some great benefits, including:

  • Delayed-Release Capsule Design
  • Vegan
  • Gluten and Major Allergen Free
  • Made Traceable™
  • Non-GMO Project Verified
  • No Artificial Colorants

They have also incorporated 12 traceable ingredients. What I love about their website is that they very clearly state where their ingredients are sourced from. All the way down to the town/city. 

On top of that, they describe the form of the ingredient and how it is produced. For anyone who like to have a clear idea of what they are putting into their body, I highly recommend the ritual prenatal vitamins. Check out their website here.

One con that I have found is that the serving is two capsules. I typically opt for a single capsule serving for any vitamin I take.

One-A-Day Prenatal Advanced

Amazon.com: One A Day Women's Prenatal Advanced Complete Multivitamin with Brain Support* with Choline, Folic Acid, Omega-3 DHA & Iron for Pre, During and Post Pregnancy, 60+60 Count (120 Count Total Set) :

These easy to find prenatal multivitamins are one of the top rated prenatals on the market by physicians. 

One thing I noticed about the marketing for this prenatal vitamin is their emphasis on Choline as opposed to the often highly touted Folic Acid. Although this vitamin clearly includes the recommended dose of Folic Acid, they emphasize the importance of choline. 

They state that the recommended daily choline intake is met by less than 10% of pregnant women. 

I wish they would talk more about how their ingredients are sourced and have a more “natural” type of marketing approach with their product but the ease of sourcing is a huge benefit. Just a “quick” (they’re never that quick) trip to Target or Walmart.

Perelel Health

This prenatal is made by women, for women. Instead of cramming everything into one pill, they have formulated packets for every stage of conception and pregnancy. With a packet for conception support to trimester specific formulations, they have it all. And once you are postpartum, they have a packet for that too. 

They also have a vitamin for your husband to boost fertility, among other added benefits. 

The trimester specific packets always include a multi-vitamin, but depending on the developmental stage of your baby, they add in other supplements. For the first trimester they include a ginger supplement to combat nausea as well as an folate capsule which is highly encouraged, specifically during neuronal development, so they add this capsule for additional folate outside of the multivitamin. 

For the second trimester they incorporate calcium magnesium blend capsules as well as Omega DHA + EPA..

For each stage they formulate the package of vitamins to best fit you and your baby’s needs.

One thing I don’t love is the amount of vitamins you have to take. I typically prefer a one stop shop when it comes to this but there are clear benefits to certain nutrients being in different forms best for their absorption so all-in-all probably worth the 2-3 extra pills.

What prenatals do you love? Drop in the comments.

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