MY TINY WARDROBE BLOG & PRESS
A Mum's Pregnancy and Postnatal Health Journey
Hi everyone,
I'm Alice from @aliceinhealthyland. When I was asked by Amy to share a post on her blog, I jumped at the chance, as I was already a huge fan of Amy and her unique children's online boutique. I love her story too, such an inspiring woman. Thank you Amy for your continuous support and kind words.
I've decided to write a blog post about how I managed to stay healthy pre and post pregnancy and thought I would share a yummy recipe that will kick that chocolate craving to the kerb.
Okay so here goes...
A little about me....
I am 28, I am a registered nurse that works in Day Surgery and Medical Infusions, I am engaged to the man of my dreams, I am head over hills in love with our new baby boy, Cruz (currently on maternity leave) and love living a healthy lifestyle. I want at least 4 children but who knows what this life has planned out for me. I am the eldest of 8 children and family is everything to me.
What is Alice in Healthyland about?
I started my @aliceinhealthyland Instagram as a diary, to document my new healthy lifestyle. I had recently lost 20kg when I created the account. I figured if no one followed me, I would just use it as a journal of my lifestyle, use it as motivation and be honest about what I was eating and doing it to keep fit. I loved recreating naughty recipes and making them healthy. I instantly became very inspired by so many other people doing the same thing. I have met so many beautiful friends over the years.
When I fell pregnant I decided that I would still document my healthy lifestyle but also my fears and triumphs of pregnancy and motherhood. I continued to post recipes and documented my workouts. But my account was also becoming more about my journey and letting my followers get to know me more as a person.
Then I had Cruz! @aliceinhealthyland for me has helped me gain so many great networking relationships and friendships with many other mothers. I do spam Cruz a lot, but also love to post about what products have worked for Cruz and I. I enjoy sharing what I have purchased off other local mummy businesses. I also share the food I eat and the training that I continue to do postpartum.
Honestly at first I was concerned I might lose followers as they would be over my Cruz spam, but then I realised, my Instagram is about my life, what I am inspired and motivated about. I don't care how many likes I get. If people don't like my story then just un follow. No problem. Life is to short to live your life trying to impress others. I am ever so grateful for the support, love and kind words I get from my followers and I always try to reply to everyone.
MY PREGNANCY
I decided pre-pregnancy that I wanted to maintain a healthy mind and body during my pregnancy. I wanted to continue on this path I had chosen to good health. I wanted the best for my Bub growing inside me. It took me about 6months to get pregnant and when I found out that I was, I was completely over the moon.
I kept the sex a surprise and was just blessed to be carrying a healthy baby.
The first 13weeks were a little hard, I was so tired, I experienced 24hrs a day nausea and vomiting. I had to drop my hours at work. Driving a car was the worst part of my day as I got motion sickness every time.
I still walked everyday for exercise, as the fresh air was the only thing that helped with the nausea. I also did pregnancy yoga from home. Some days was hard to get up and walk but I truly felt better after going.
I continued at HIIT AUSTRALIA on and off until 18 weeks. But I kept on getting a real bad stitch in my abdominals so I stopped. I continued walking 1 hour everyday up until the day I gave birth to my baby boy Cruz. I also used 3kg dumbbells to do mini home workouts.
Nutrition was good most of the time, there was definitely some days where all I felt I could stomach was a bag of chips that were extra salty, Nutella and scrambled eggs with tomato sauce. I did buy organic chips though (makes it sound healthy right haha).
But most meals were all healthy, meals I prepared for myself. I also went sugar free. I ate vegetables with every meal and drank lots of cold pressed juices.
I did enjoy my having bump and actually became quite confident with my body at about 24 weeks.
Giving birth was hard but I felt like I could do anything after experiencing it. I would stare at woman in the shops with children and think you are AMAZING, you gave birth.
POSTPARTUM
EXERCISE
After a week, I decided I would start walking again as I had the okay from my doctor and midwife. I started with just 20min a day and am now back to walking 1hr a day. There were a few days where even walking was to much stress on my body. I really had to listen to my body and rest on those days. Plus my pelvic floor was terrible.
I couldn't go back to HIIT AUSTRALIA until Cruz was 11 weeks as I tore my upper abdominals. So a lot of stretching and mini yoga sessions at home helped to repair them. I used @activewithD ebook to assist in what exercises to follow at home.
I am now back training 3-6 classes per week at HIIT but it all depends on how Cruz is. I'm limited to what times I can leave Cruz with my partner as he works shift work. I normally work it out that I breastfeed right before I leave him with Dave. I also always have expressed milk in the fridge if he needs it.
I walk everyday as it clears my head, it's low impact and I enjoy taking Cruz out in the fresh air. Plus I have my beautiful dog Evie to look after too.
If I can't get to the gym, I just set my self little goals at home, like every time I go to the fridge I will do 10 push ups on the kitchen bench or 10 squats. Just to help move my body.
DIET
I find that meal prepping works for me and having lots of ready to go healthy snacks in the fridge.
I eat 1-2 of @milkandcookiesbyjewels lactation bliss balls a day, as they are a healthy snack to eat on the go.
Having fruit and vegetables cut up and ready to snack on helps a lot too.
I try to keep it simple, because who has the time for fancy food when you are a new mum, I make vegetable stir fry, basic fish/proteins and steamed vegetables and bake lots of sweet potato to add to salads.
I am breastfeeding so the meals I prep and the amount of training I do is all trial and error as my little man comes first. I need to make sure I have enough milk supply for him and I am not burning myself out.
Lots and lots of water too. I drink about 4litres a day.
A GO TO RECIPE OF MINE
My cacao clean chocolate. Let's face it, we all need to feel like we can treat our self once a day, it is full of good fats and who doesn't love chocolate.
3 tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil.
2 tbsp organic pure peanut butter.
1 tsp organic honey.
Melt.
Mix in 2 tbsp organic cacao. For something different I also added 1 tbsp of chocolate protein but this is optional and still tastes amazing without it.
Allow to freeze for at least 15minutes. Note - you can add mix ins if you like, nuts, fruit, frozen berries, cinnamon, maca powder, granola. Perfect for that after dinner craving.
I have lots of other recipes on my Instagram/Facebook page. I truly love to share my healthy creations with my followers. I also love when others have recreated my recipes too.
Mummy Advice.
Say yes to help from friends and family.
Join a mums group you feel comfortable to be open and honest in.
YOU know what is best for YOUR child.
Thank you so much for reading. I am forever grateful for the friendships I have gained and the experiences I have had since starting Alice In Healthyland.
Alice xx
Instagram @aliceinhealthyland
Blog https://aliceinhealthyland87.wordpress.com
Facebook https://facebook.com/aliceinhealthyland/
