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When you grow a human in your belly, things change. Some things are temporary and some are permanent. From stretch marks to hair loss, many women struggle with low self-esteem over their new "mom bod," and this saddens me greatly. To me, each tiger stripe is a reminder of your most wonderful accomplishment. That remaining "baby bump" brought life and completed your family. So, acknowledge your imperfections, stay fit and eat mindfully, but embrace your mom bod for what it is: beautiful, strong, loving, and amazingly awesome!! With the help of a few mom friends, I've put together the following video to encourage moms to love themselves and their bodies. I hope you'll help the #MyMomBodIs movement by commenting below and sharing this blog post and video! Thank you!!
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Originally posted onMommy Nearest
Most of us are very aware that what we consume while pregnant will pass through to our baby in the womb—that's why we do our best to eat well-balanced meals, take vitamins and stay healthy. But did you know that what you consume while breastfeeding could be causing problems for your baby (and thus yourself)!? I chatted with food and wellness educator Ebeth Johnson, aka The Breastfeeding Chef, to talk about breastfeeding nutrition and its effects on mother and baby. She experienced first hand how changing your diet while breastfeeding can eliminate things such as colic, cradle cap and eczema.
Not having enough milk is a huge concern for expecting and new moms. Are there certain foods that will help maintain or build the quantity of milk produced?
The best way to increase your supply is to put your baby on your breast as much as possible, pump after feedings, and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water—you’re hydrating yourself and the baby. Beyond that, there are various lactogenic foods that will increase the milk supply of breastfeeding mothers, however they effect each woman to a different extent. Most women can see the impact of lactogenic foods within 4 to 7 days of consistent use, though some will experience changes within 48 hours. Foods that will help your supply include green leafy vegetables (especially kale, collards and mustard greens), oats, barley, carrots, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, quinoa, figs, sea vegetables, nutritional yeast, fennel, almonds, macadamia, cashew, walnut, ginger, and garlic. Just be careful—using a few lactogenic foods over and over will cause them to lose their effectiveness. Instead, eat a variety of lactogenic foods over time.
On the flip side, are there any foods that could decrease milk production that breastfeeding moms should avoid?
Actually, yes, there are many anti-lactogenic foods that can decrease a breastfeeding mother’s milk supply. Such herbs and foods include peppermint, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, coffee, black tea, green tea, chocolate, soft drinks and carbonated beverages, citric acid, vitamin c supplements, tomatoes, paprika, and citrus fruits. Some women may consume a small amount of anti-lactogenic foods and experience major effects while others may eat large quantities and experience no effect at all. My suggestion is that you avoid these foods for the first three to four weeks after birth.
Colic is common, but a pretty horrific thing for new parents to deal with. When you have a colicky baby who screams all evening, you’re often told there is no cause or cure and you just have to wait it out, for months. What’s your take?
My own research revealed that colic may be caused by contractions of immature intestines as they try to digest food or by gas trapped in the intestines. Since it seems the issue resides in the digestive system, this suggests that the maternal diet may have something to do with its cause and can perhaps have the ability to relieve or soothe its painful effects. If you have a baby with colic, the first thing I suggest is to remove all dairy products from your diet—dairy is the number one dietary cause of colic and may take up to 14 days to completely leave your milk and stop causing challenges for your newborn. You might also consider decreasing consumption of or eliminating other common triggers including wheat, refined sugar and flours, gluten, chocolate, peanuts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, garlic, and even too much fruit (especially peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries and pineapple). At the same time, consume caffeine-free teas that contain catnip, dill, fennel, lemon balm and cinnamon (these can help relieve the painful cramping of colic as well as ease digestion for both you and your baby) and consume foods high in magnesium. Colicky babies secrete more magnesium in their urine due to their high level of stress. This magnesium needs to be replaced because magnesium deficiency leads to muscle spasms, like those experienced in the gut of colicky babies. Above all, hold your baby more—colic is linked to emotional upset that can be soothed somewhat by skin to skin contact and nursing on demand.
How about eczema? Is that food-related as well?
It can be. Infants with eczema most often get it as a response to formula or something their mother ate that came through breast milk. The most common food triggers of eczema are dairy, wheat, corn, soy, citrus, wheat, eggs and bananas. You’ll want to consider eliminating those as well as increasing your intake of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and zinc. Some zinc rich power foods are ground raw sesame seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, adzuki beans, raw sunflower seeds, wild rice, edamame, shitake mushrooms, tahini and kale. In the meantime, massage your baby twice-daily with one tablespoon flax seed oil, one capsule of borage (220mg) or primrose oil (500mg).
Let’s talk cradle cap. It doesn’t seem to bother the babies, but it’s pretty tough to see your little one’s scalp covered in this gunk. Do you really think it’s the result of what the baby (and mother) is ingesting?
Yes! Cradle cap is often associated with an intolerance to formula or a food in the maternal diet. One of the most common dietary causes of cradle cap is milk and dairy products, however eggs, wheat, nuts, peanuts, shellfish, soy and corn are also usual suspects. My suggestion is to remove all dairy and eggs from your diet, increase your consumption of magnesium, zinc, biotin and essential fatty acids (hemp seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, and cod liver oil), and treat the cradle cap topically (massage with oil, leave on overnight, and rinse and gently rub with a warm wet washcloth in the morning). If cradle cap persists, try eliminating another possible dietary cause listed above.
What foods should be increased or avoided for reflux?
Add foods that are soothing to the digestive tract, including ginger, aloe vera, melon, fennel, asparagus, green beans, leafy greens, root vegetables, brown rice, pseudo grains, and fresh papaya with the seeds. Make sure you’re getting enough calcium, magnesium, potassium and B12. Avoid trigger foods like chocolate, mint, citrus, raw onion, caffeine, carbonated beverages, alcohol, dairy, and fried and grilled foods.
Have you treated any of your baby’s ailments through an elimination diet? If so, let us know how it went below.
Just because you're pregnant or breastfeeding doesn't mean you can't look and feel beautiful... stunning... and simply fahhhbulous!! But you'll need the right clothes. I recently wrote about maternity wear rental with Bella Gravida, but how about your sleepwear and underwear? Sure sure, you can just wear your hubby's oversized tee to bed. But wouldn't you rather wear something super cute, comfy, practical, and *gasp* sexy!?? If you answered YES, then I'd like to introduce you to You! Lingerie!  Photo credit: You! Lingerie All of their bras, sleep and lounge wear are pregnancy and nursing friendly - that means they're comfortable, supportive, and convenient (with easy access for breastfeeding). On top of that, they're seriously stylish. I don't know about you, but it can be hard not to feel frumpy during pregnancy and the postpartum period, but You! Lingerie is here to help unfrump your bump! I recently got the Ashe Maternity & Nursing Tank and Rosette Super Mom Super Tired Maternity & Nursing Pajama Set and I'm totally in love. Funky colors, super soft and stretchy, what's not to love!? The nursing clips work perfectly, and the Tank has cute little bows on them which is super cute!! They both have inner-shelf / built-in bras, but personally I like my milk monsters to feel super duper supported, so I wear these with a bra on (which you really can't see, so it's a non-issue in my book). The two-layered-look tank on the left has a kind of pleated baggy front which will highlight your beautiful baby bump but is also great for hiding any postpartum muffin top you might be sporting. Not saying I have a muffin top... not saying I don't... but it's a nice feature, as is the fact that you can wear the straps straight or criss-crossed on the back!  The red "super mom super tired" tank set said "hand wash only" and I was like ohhhh heck no... I don't do "hand wash"! Ain't nobody got time for that! But before throwing caution to the wind and tossing it in the laundry basket I decided to do a quick test to make sure it wouldn't bleed. But it did. BIG TIME. I rinsed it out in the cold water for a good 5 minutes and the water kept turning pink. So, yeah, they're serious about the hand wash thing but it's such a cute shirt, I'll just deal with it. Though I'll be extra careful to not get spit-up or other wash-necessitating things on it! (The leopard pants and the black/pink tank on the other hand did fine in the wash, phew!) OK, now that we can agree that You! Lingerie has some awesome stuff, are you ready for some awesome news?? The grand prize winner of my "Get Your Sleep On Giveaway" will receive a Maternity & Nursing Chemise from You! Lingerie's Sprinkles Collection (pictured below). The winner can choose size and color. Head on over to the giveaway (running February 15-25, 2016) to enter to win this and $300 worth of awesome sleep-related products for babies, toddlers, and mamas!!  Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
Sleep... We could all use more of it, am I right!? There are a bazillion and one products out there claiming to help you or your kids sleep longer and better. Do they all work for everyone? Nah. Are they all safe? Unfortunately, no! You gotta do your research and listen to your gut. In the meantime, you're in luck because I've put together a fabulous giveaway of sleep-related products for the entire family! YAY!!! The jackpot is valued over $300, here are the prizes one lucky winner will receive:
QuickZip is a game changer in the bedding department, revolutionizing how we change our sheets! QuickZip is a two-piece fitted sheet, so once it's on the mattress you simply zip the top part off, launder, and zip back on - it couldn't be easier!! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive one Crib Premium Starter Pack (base + 3 zip-on sheets - $79.99 value) and our 2nd place winner will receive a Twin Premium Starter Pack 200 Thread Count (base + 2 zip-on sheets - $89.99 value). Check out my personal review and demo video!
You! Lingerie carries bras, panties and sleepwear for pregnant and nursing mothers. All are comfortable, supportive, convenient for breastfeeding, and seriously stylish! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a Maternity & Nursing Sprinkles Chemise in her choice of size and color, a $48 value. Check out my personal review here!
Achieve with Carolina is a Certified Pediatric Sleep Specialist who helps parents solve a multitude of sleep issues, from multiple night wakings to creating a schedule to toddlers not staying in their beds. Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a 15-minute phone consultation with Carolina, as well as a copy of her new children's book, "Goodnight Melanie. Good Morning Corey!" in which Melanie Melatonin and Corey Cortisol teach Crabby Cornelia how to be a Master of Sleep!
Provided by Saira of Bath Time Fun, our Grand Prize Winner will receive a Disney Sofia the First Costume Nightgown ($49.99 value; Size 2, 18-36 months), featuring a satin bodice, glittering organza peplum and puffed sleeves, and screen art appliqué. Great for sleeping, playing dress up, or even for Halloween!
Provided by Allaya at Babydroppings, our Grand Prize Winner will receive Graco's Sweet Slumber Sound Machine ($44.99 value), featuring 12 high-quality soothing sounds, jack for mp3 player / iPhone / etc, soft glow nightlight, timer, and easy control buttons!
Bitta Kidda provides unique children's sleepwear with built-in lovies, which help babies learn to sooth themselves but cannot be lost, tossed out of the crib, or become a suffocation risk! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive one BittaSack ($44 value), with a choice in color and size (for babies 10-36 pounds). Check out my personal review here!
Cloud B has been providing products that help families sleep better and live healthier for over 13 years nationwide and in over 42 countries! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive one of their Stay Asleep Buddies ($30.95 value), interactive and plush pals that teach toddlers when to sleep and when to wake, using gentle melodies and glowing lights. Check out my personal review here!
Barefoot Books, founded by mothers Nancy Traversy and Tessa Strickland in 1992, is a publishing company providing award-winning children's books worldwide. Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a $15 credit to shop through Barefoot Ambassador Alison DuBois-Eker.
Revelae Kids produces innovative products for kids, from their Yummi Pouch reusable food pouches to their Sudsy Dough moldable soap! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive one Revelae Kids Blanket Pouch ($14.99 value), in their choice of blue, pink, lavender, or lime.
Now that you're familliar with the prizes, what are you waiting for?? Enter in the Rafflecopter box below for your chance to win!! ( Open to US residents ages 18 and over; ending at 11:59 PM EST on Feb 24, winner will be contacted via e-mail on Feb 25 and have 24 hours to respond before another winner is chosen).
Life as a new mom is... up and down and all around crazy town! Am I right? Check out the fun video I made highlighting the highs and lows of life with a newborn! (Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!!) If you're a fan of Shark Tank, you may already be familiar with the Twin Z Pillow, a nursing pillow designed especially for breastfeeding twins. But did you know the makers of the Twin Z have recently created a pillow for nursing a single baby? It's called the One Z Pillow and if you have a baby or one on the way, you need to know about it!  The One Z Pillow, like its Twin Z predecessor, is super comfortable for mom and baby, with a very unique back support built in. It's quite a different feel from the current forerunners in the breastfeeding pillow market, and now that I have tried it I really wish it had been available for me with my son! This thing is really amazing!  On both the One Z and Twin Z Pillows, part of the pillow kind of flips up and acts as back support, making it like nursing on a cloud. SO comfortable!!! The minky cover is also seriously luxurious and feels really nice for mama and baby. Of course it's not just for nursing, you can use them for bottle feeding as well, for baby loungers, and for tummy time! But these pillows are not limited to that... before the baby arrives, you can use these as pregnancy support pillows, and after your nursing days are over, these pillows make for great toddler chairs, allow for super duper comfy book reading in bed (or on the floor, or anywhere), and more! The One Z and Twin Z Pillows come in regular or waterproof, the covers have several colors to choose from, and they also offer personalization of the pillow (can you say AWESOME baby shower gift!??). If you have one baby, you can get more info and buy the One Z Pillow here (or on Amazon). If you have twins, you can get more info and buy the Twin Z Pillow here (or on Amazon). Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
Looking for an all-in-one maternity, nursing, and pumping bra? BeliBea to the rescue!  I recently got my hands on the Nourish by BeliBea and here's what I'm especially loving about it:
 I only pumped a handful of times with my son, but this time around with twins I'm expecting to have to do it a lot more. Tandem feeding at home sounds hard enough, but trying to do it while we're out and about? Forget it! Feeding them one at a time? That would take forever!!! So, I expect I'll have to pump and bring bottles with us anytime we leave the house for more than a couple of hours. Le sigh. On the bright side, having an awesome bra like this one by BeliBea that allows me to pump hands free will be a major help!!! Want to check it out yourself? Nourish by BeliBea retails for $49.95 on BeliBea's website and Amazon, and don't forget to follow BeliBea on Facebook and Twitter! Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
Eating healthy is important, and especially so while pregnant. But it's not always easy! Pregnant women find themselves with insane cravings and aversions, as well as increased nutritional needs. Prenatal vitamins are pushed by most care providers and even recommended for women to start while still trying to conceive, since consuming enough folic acid during the first few weeks following conception seems to be vital for preventing spina bifida and other severe birth defects. But what if I were to tell you that you could avoid the scary horse sized gag reflex inducing prenatal pills for a powder that is equally nutritious and actually, dare I say it, DELICIOUS?? Well, you can!! I give you: Mamamlicious!!   Mamalicious is the first ever protein powder formulated specifically for pregnant women, and really packs a nutritious punch into a yummy drink! We're talking 11 grams of protein, 800mcg of folic acid (100% DV), 5mg of B6 (200% DV), 30mcg of B12 (375% DV), 255 mg of calcium (25% DV), and even probiotics! And that's before you mix it into 8 ounces of milk, a Greek yogurt smoothie, or your beverage of choice! The protein base is whey, but they even have a vegan option for you vegetarians / vegans out there! When my midwife mentioned that I need to be consuming 175 grams of protein A DAY for the duration of my twin pregnancy, I felt extremely overwhelmed and frustrated. How can I possibly get in that much protein?? Especially when dealing with morning sickness and severe lack of appetite. It felt like a losing battle, on a daily basis. I tried a couple of protein drinks I found at the grocery store, but each swig was rather repulsive and they did not go down smoothly. And then I discovered Mamalicious. One scoop, together with 8 ounces of milk provides me with 19 grams of protein. What's more? It's freaking delicious!!! I'll be honest, for my taste the vanilla and vegan chocolate are alright, but the chocolate one is, in a word, AMAZING!!!! No joke, it would fit right in at Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Shake Shack... you get my point. Actually, Mamalicious should really try reaching out to be carried as a supplement at those types of shops!! I wonder what they would say if I walked up and ordered "a tall caramel light frappuccino, oh and hey can you throw a scoop of this in there?" handing over my tub of Mamalicious! HA! Actually... I may have to try this, just for the sake of research of course... Will Mamalicious provide you with all of the nutrition you need during the long nine months of pregnancy? No, of course not. You still need to do the best you can to eat a smart and well-balanced diet. Nothing beats nutrients that come from fresh whole foods! But if you're struggling, as I am, Mamalicious sure is a (delicious) insurance policy to help you know you're doing everything you can to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible! You can purchase a 14-serving tub of Mamalicious on their website or on Amazon for $39.99. And don't forget to enter to win 2 tubs (a 1-month supply) of Mamalicious in the flavor of your choice in my $500+ value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running April 15-28. Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
I'm so excited to work with Green Scene Mom on yet another awesome giveaway! Each of the items in this giveaway's jackpot is the recipient of a Green Scene Mom Award, celebrating eco-friendly product design and creative innovation. This fabulous 2015 Winter Awards Giveaway is sponsored by the winning brands, and one lucky mom will win them all!  The jackpot will consist of all of the below items. For more details on each of the items, click here or on the individual links below. This is an amazing eco-friendly gift set, valued at $750!
Enter in the Rafflecopter box below... GOOD LUCK!!! In honor of World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Awareness Month kicking off tomorrow, I'm going to be reviewing an app that brings Breastfeeding FAQ's and helpful tips right to your fingertips. Breastfeeding Central guides you through all stages of breastfeeding and is written by Beverley Rae, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Clinical Social Worker, and mother of five breastfed children (you go, girl!!). You can read through it like a book (click on a category and it'll bring you to a list of articles), saving any for easy reference later (the "saved" folder is one of 5 icons at the bottom of your screen). Or you can just look up specific topics when you find yourself faced with difficulties, such as a plugged duct or low milk supply. Each article is short and to the point, which is about all an exhausted new mom can handle, let's face it! Forget fumbling through a 200-page book or turning to Google, which if you're like me, is likely to send you into a major hypochondriac fit! Breastfeeding Central is like having your own personal Lactation Consultant in your pocket! OK, so let's see how it works. We'll say your milk has just come in and you're suffering from engorgement. Yes, that sounds familiar!! You click the main screen, then "Common Difficulties" and finally "Engorgement" which brings you to a helpful 2 paragraph article with a photo. 
Here's a closeup of the image that goes with the engorgement info, since my screen shot didn't quite capture it. There really is nothing quite like cold cabbage on your moobies, whether you're suffering from engorgement or a plugged duct... ahhhhh!! 
"Washed, chilled green cabbage leaves placed over the breast help to reduce engorgement."
So, there are 6 main categories in the Breastfeeding Central app:
Furthermore, the help tab at the bottom brings up a list of websites where you can find a local lactation consultant and mother-to-mother help and support groups! Woohooo!! In a nutshell, this app is extremely helpful and convenient. I wish I'd had such a resource in my early days of breastfeeding just 19 months ago! Wanna get your hands on it? Breastfeeding Central is available for download on iPhone and iPad for $3.99, and you can follow Beverley Rae and Breastfeeding Central on Twitter (@BRaeIBCLC) and Facebook! Sponsored Post Disclosure: Opinions are my own and not swayed by compensation of any kind. This was a sponsored post, but I limit such posts to companies that meet my moral standards and I feel I can really stand behind (hey, I'm not a sell out, but time is money...). |
 
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins + 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, helping busy parents find the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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