Maintaining Your Mental Health as a Mom

When you go through pregnancy your doctor or midwife will take so many things into account, from your blood pressure to your weight, heart rate, and other physical elements. But how many times is mental health addressed? Becoming a new mom is something that can change your life completely, and so it makes complete sense that it can have an impact on your mental health. You could experience some anxieties around labor, stress over health, money, or situations out of your control, and you can be more tired than normal, which can all add up. 

It is important to not ignore your mental health when you are a new mom. So here are some of the things that you can do to help, from taking steps to decrease your stress levels, as well as things that can calm you or increase your energy levels. You and your baby will thank you for taking some steps for change.

Self-care is something that is so important for mental health, and important at any time, but especially when you are a new mom. It doesn’t mean that you have to go on spa trips each week, as with a baby that can be nearly impossible (and expensive). However, it is about taking some time to do something for you, to look after yourself. If you just need to take a nap when the baby naps, then do that; the household chores can wait. You’ll be able to do much more as your baby gets older.

Natural Remedies

There are a number of natural ways that you can help your mental health, according to https://www.mind.org.uk/. Sometimes medication from a doctor will be required for mental health, but sometimes there will be things that you can do for yourself, such as using CBD oils or taking St. John’s wort supplements when you’re feeling low. You could even look into the kinds of things that a site like https://fatbuddhaglass.com/ has. It can be some trial and error to find what works for you, but being proactive about how you are feeling is something that is so important. Talk to your doctor too, as they can advise what will be best if you don’t want to go down the medical route.

Treatments

One of the solutions for looking after your mental health would be to seek a treatment option. Typically, this involves speaking to your family doctor and then getting some kind of referral to see a specialist. Depending on your evaluation, you may be offered therapy sessions or even medication. However, not all of these treatments are suitable and it’s worth getting multiple opinions from different doctors if you have the ability to.

You’ll also find that there are many alternative treatments available for conditions like depression and your doctor may recommend them as a starting point, or if you’re showing signs of being treatment-resistant. For instance, your doctor may suggest Spravato providers like Andala. This is a nasal spray product that can be used together with antidepressants, but it could also be used on its own as a treatment option. In short, don’t be afraid to speak with a professional about your mental health.

Positive Self-Talk

When you are a new mom you are faced with so many exciting things, but also a lot of challenges. Some days will go well and you’ll feel like you’ve got a lot done. Other times you’ll feel like you don’t know what you’re doing and you will barely get dressed that day. Being a mom is something that you learn on the job, so it is important to not speak negatively towards yourself. You’re a beginner at this, and things will get better! Speak kindly to yourself and remember that you’ve got this!

Is there anything else that you would add to the list? It would be great to hear what you think.

Top Mother’s Day Ideas For Mummies-To-Be

Expecting a baby? Congratulations! This is guaranteed to be the most magical, precious and utterly terrifying time of your life. You will face myriad challenges, but none of those challenges will outweigh the love and joy that your child will bring to you. As Mother’s Day approaches, here are our favourite Mother’s Day gifts for mums to be

Memorable Card

You don’t become a parent the moment you see your baby, you don’t even become a parent the day that your baby is conceived. You are officially a parent the second that you make that decision that you are ready to welcome that new addition to your family. 

For many, the journey from making that decision and actually having a baby or child living with them can be a long and painful one. So, cherish every step in the journey. There’s no better way to do this than with a mummy-to-be card to mum from bump/baby. 

Memories Book

Document the journey through parenthood with a beautiful memory book, the perfect Mother’s Day gift! From the first scan or photo to first Mother’s Day, steps, words – every precious memory can be recorded for years to come. (don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will remember everything; one day, they’ll ask what their first was and if you don’t write it down, you will definitely have to make it up). 

Mummy Pamper Pack

Most parents know very well that life never be the same again. And for mums, they know that their body won’t every truly be theirs again, either. Fill a pamper pack with her favourite things: books, candles, bubble bath, a miniature of her favourite tipple (one won’t hurt) and her favourite chocolate because, take our word for it, in a couple of years’ time, she isn’t going to get a look in on her own chocolate treats!

Fine Dining

Make the most of your last Mother’s Day as expectant parents, rather than actual parents, with an extravagant final hurrah. Go to a beautiful restaurant, take a trip away. This is your last opportunity to focus on the two of you for a while, so make sure that you enjoy every moment before your keenly waited arrival turns up and changes everything (for the better, we promise). 

Baby Shopping!

If you thought you had seen everything there was to see in the shopping world, you probably thought wrong. Having a child adds a whole new dimension to shopping and, no matter what your feelings normally are about retail therapy, you will probably love shopping for the newest member of your family. 

Buggies, clothes, toys, books, technology – there is so much out there, more innovations and cute designs than you ever dreamed of in your wildest imaginings! So, celebrate Mother’s Day with some baby-centric retail therapy and a decadent lunch, of course. 

Massage or Spa Day

As you prepare for the wonderful world of parenthood, the biggest adaptation, yet one that comes naturally to most parents, is the realisation that you won’t come first for at least the next 15 years. A massage or spa day is the perfect, indulgent treat where mum – or both- parents-to-be can relax and take care of themselves before they officially become parents. 

Families come in all shapes and sizes. The most important thing is that you love and cherish each other, and take time to show one another that you care.

Lucid Audio HearMuffs

Parents will do anything within their powers to protect their children from harm. Right? Right! So, if we protect our children from  … say for instance … mosquitoes or harmful UV rays … shouldn’t we also protect their precious hearing? Of course, that is why I was happy to let my one-year-old nephew try out the Lucid Audio’s HearMuffs.

Growing ears of babies and toddlers are susceptible to damage. Providing hearing protection, especially at a young age, helps to ensure optimal hearing as your child grows. HearMuffs is a protective devise that is tauted as being the most advanced hearing preservation for infants and toddlers! Sounds great, but does it work?

I used the HearMuffs at a recent Track-n-Field event where there is historically a large amount of screaming by parents who are trying to encourage their competing children … and not to mention the sudden pop of the starter’s pistol at various times. Unexpected sounds or aggressive voices startles my youngster … which leads to a crying … which leads to crankiness .. which leads to the me leaving earlier thank expected from an event. By his reactions, it is clear loud noises hurt.

To gauge if the HearMuffs really worked, I closely watched my tiny human as the environment seemed to explode around him. Not a budge … nor flinch … only cute toddler smiles and drool. It’s a keeper folks!

HearMuffs compress sounds and has the unique ability to let in outside voices to comfort a child. The unit can even play soothing sounds. Options include Protect only, Soothe Mode allows voices to be heard while compressing potentially harmful noises to comfortable levels and Sounds Mode where the child can enjoy four soothing sounds — Lullaby, White Noise, Creek, and Heartbeat.

We were at the track meet for a few hours and my nephew stayed the entire time and did not have a tantrum. I really believe it was due to the HearMuffs.

Possible Hearing Hazards for Children

  • Loud toys
  • Television volume
  • Events such as festivals, sports events, concerts
  • Firework displays
  • Household appliances (vacuum, hair dryer, blender)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Donna Andrews

Super aunt of a 1 year old boy

Must have Breastfeeding Products from Fair Haven Health

Disclosure- We received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.

Breastfeeding can be tough at times, but very rewarding. With these great products from from the Milkies line from Fair Haven Health, providing Breastmilk should be no problem what so ever.

About Milkies (Fairhaven Health):

The mission at Fairhaven Health is to develop products designed to safely and naturally promote fertility, pregnancy wellness, and breastfeeding success. And for years now they’ve been achieving that important goal. From preconception through pregnancy and nursing, Fairhaven Health is there – every step of the way – to provide clinically-proven products to help you along your journey to parenthood. As a trusted leader in the field of reproductive health, their products are cooperatively developed and formulated by a diverse panel of medical experts – including doctors, ObGyns, nutritionists, and naturopaths. Noted fertility expert Amos Grunebaum, MD, plays a pivotal role in formulating their FertilAid, FertileCM, FertiliTea, and Pregnancy  Plus product lines.

About Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement:

Nursing Blend is an all-natural dietary supplement that contains a blend of herbs that have been used for centuries by nursing mothers when a boost in breast milk supply is needed, including fenugreek and fennel seed. And, by providing a unique combination of whole fenugreek seed powder along with a concentrated fenugreek seed extract, Nursing Blend offers an equivalent dose of 2 grams of fenugreek in each daily dose. Nursing Blend also includes herbs that provide calming effects for mom and baby, including chamomile and anise.

The Nursing Blend is the only dietary supplement that combines herbal support for breast milk production with the vitamin and mineral support that nursing moms need to produce quality breast milk. Nursing Blend was scientifically-designed by doctors and nutritionists to specifically meet the nutritional needs of nursing mothers and their babies and to aid in milk production. In addition, Nursing Blend is endorsed by leading lactation specialist and MD, Dr. Kathleen Marinelli.

My Thoughts:

WOW, I absolutely love this amazing vitamin. I made it to the 7 month mark before I started noticing I wasn’t pumping near as much as I was pumping originally. I only had about 3 more months to go with pumping before I was off for the summer and wouldn’t need to pump anymore. I was very impressed with how it helped me maintain my supply as well as gave me the subtle boost that I was needing. I also liked that the vitamins truly made me feel better than the vitamins that I was taking before. I would highly recommend these amazing vitamins to anyone that is looking for a good boost and to maintain the supply that they already have.

About Fenugreek Dietary Supplement:

Fenugreek is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean region of the world. Fenugreek is used throughout the world as a culinary spice and has been used by women for centuries as a “galactagogue” – a natural product to increase production of breast milk. Fenugreek contains diosgenin, a plant-based estrogen, which has been shown to increase milk flow in lactating women to help support breast milk production.

Unlike other available Fenugreek supplements which can require taking up to 8 capsules per day, Fairhaven Health’s Fenugreek contains a unique blend of organic Fenugreek Seed Poweder, along with a concentrated Fenugreek Seed Powder, delivering a dose equivalent to 2000mg of standard fenugreek seed powder in just 2 vegetarian capsules each day.

My Thoughts: 

Since I have been taking the vitamin that already has the Fenugreek in it, I don’t take these on a daily basis, just on days that I notice that I have dipped a bit for various reasons. I am really impressed with this vitamin compared to other Fenugreek that I have taken in the past. This is a great vitamin to use and I know that it will benefit others just as it has benefited myself.

About Nursing Time Tea:

Nursing Time Tea is the all-natural herbal tonic designed to help nursing mothers increase their milk flow and soothe digestive unease of both mother and baby. Nursing can be problemeatic for many women, particularly in the beginning, and the herbal ingredients in Nursing Time Tea have been used for centuries to promote healthy lactation and bring quick relief to both mothers and colicky or “gassy” newborns.

Nursing Time Tea brings together a select array of safe and proven ingredients to aid nursing in three key ways: enhancing the quantity and quality of available milk; alleviating digestive complaints, including gas, indigestion and colic; and providing a rich spectrum of nutritive vitamins and minerals central to robust and healthy nursing.

My Thoughts:

I have really enjoyed this Tea a great deal. Through the cold months and when I was trying to get back to what I was producing I found it incredibly effective at it’s job. It tastes great, and I get to use my favorite tea mug since it is a loose tea.

Purchase:

If you are interested in purchasing one of these amazing products or checking out all the other amazing products from Milkies (Fairhaven Health), head on over to their website and find the perfect product for your stage of production!

5 Ways for Moms to Prepare for Their Newborn Photography Session

 100_1776

When you finally bring home baby, you’re bound to spend every waking moment marveling at the beauty

of your brand new family member…or wondering why the heck he’s crying. The part you’ll want to

remember, though, is how he looked in his infancy, which is why memorializing your newborn’s first days

of life with a professional photography session is probably a good idea. You’ll certainly take plenty of pics

on your own, but a pro can lend you the knowledge, skill, and experience that make for truly exceptional

photos that you and your family will cherish forever. But before you show up at the studio, there are

a few things you’ll want to do in preparation to ensure that your photographer has the best chance to

elicit smiles and take some fantastic photos. Here are some guidelines to follow when you’re getting your

newborn ready for his photo session.

1. Choose outfits. You don’t want to show up to the session with nothing more than the onesie your

baby happens to be wearing. You should bring several wardrobe changes including everyday

outfits, special garments (such as a Christening gown, for example), fancy clothes, and perhaps

even costumes, depending on what you’re going for. And don’t forget to bring several color

options. You’ll have to pick backgrounds when you’re at the studio, and having different outfits to

choose from can ensure that you get the effect you want, whether it’s high contrast or something
[Read more…]