Justine Curran is an incredibly talented photographer. She portrays snapshots of everyday life with a nostalgic collection of pictures that portray childhood, pregnancy and love.

She also writes passionately about the rights of women in health care and in her recent article I was fortunate to be interviewed by her about how a Naturopath can be helpful in the circle of care during pregnancy.

I love working with women during pregnancy, supporting them nutritionally, providing relaxing and therapeutic massages and when appropriate, herbal medicine.

Also featured in this article was a women’s health physiotherapist and a doula.

You can read the full article here:
https://www.justinecurran.com.au/blog/pregnancy-must-haves

Find her instagram here:

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Following on from my latest contribution to Casa de Karma, I have shared some easy ways to change to natural products in your household, which is good for you as well as your pocket.

Read the full article here or scroll down for a preview.

Given the ever increasing piles of waste in our landfills, and the scary impact we are seeing chemicals have on the health of our children and self, then reducing the use of plastic and chemicals in our home is a great way to take action against this issue.

How & why you should reduce plastics

When I started looking into how and why I should reduce plastics I was alarmed at the sheer quantity of chemicals which are classed as endocrine disruptors that we are exposed to multiple times a day. Containers in which we store our food and drink are some of the biggest sources of these chemicals – but are also easy to change to safer alternatives.

Unfortunately some of the plastics we are using which are deemed as being safe, or BPA free have also been found to leach xeno-oestrogen chemicals after exposure to UV rays (UVA from sunlight and even UVC from some sterilisation equipment). This suggests that taking a precautionary approach where possible is best.

An easy way to tell the degree of safety of your plastics is to look at the recycle number on the container. While it’s best to avoid all types of plastic wherever possible, choosing glass or steel when available, there are some types of plastics that are safer than others.

• Recycle numbers 2, 4 and 5 are okay to be used in limited amounts. They are the most stable form of plastics and while some chemicals have been found to leach from them with exposure to UV and heat, they are not considered to be as harmful as the other chemicals found within plastics.
• Recycle number 1 is okay to use if no other choice is available but should not be re-used, and not used if it has been exposed to UV light. This form of plastic is found most commonly in plastic water bottles and take-away food containers. If you purchase food in this type of container transfer it to a non-plastic bowl before heating or eating from it.
• Recycle number 3, 6 and 7 should ideally be avoided altogether. The types of chemicals found within these plastics are the most harmful, and the plastic is considered to be the most unstable.

1. Re-usable food containers & drink bottles

Do you use a plastic water bottle, or take your lunch to work (or school) in disposable packaging?

For a moderate investment you can get some eco-friendly, stylish and healthy drink bottles, food storage and lunch boxes. It will save you money in the long run because you don’t have to keep buying the packaging. Plus it’s better for the environment, as well as for you.

Some great stainless steel lunch box options include Seed & Sprout, PlanetBox and LunchBots. I have recently discovered Seed & Sprout, a small business based in Byron NSW. They claim to plant a tree for every lunch box sold. YumBox is another option, and is made from BPA free plastic.

For drink bottles, I can recommend Cheeki, KleenCanteen, Thermos or EcoVessel.

2. Re-usable Coffee Cups

Did you know that reusable coffee cups are lined with a type of plastic that can’t be recycled easily, and this plastic also can be an issue for your health?! The plastic lids are also made of a plastic that is not great for your health. Polystyrene foam (commonly referred to as Styrofoam) coffee cups are another instance of harmful chemicals that are best avoided.

Even the supposedly biodegradable or compostable coffee cups are still lined with plastic, and it seems that biodegradable plastic may actually be an issue in itself for our sea life as the plastic breaks into such small particles (but doesn’t actually disappear) that it is contaminating our seas and being consumed by sea animals.

Bringing a reusable coffee cup, or even your own mug to the café when ordering take away is a brilliant solution. My personal choice (from what I’ve tried) for a reusable coffee cup is the glass Keep Cup. While this brand offers BPA free plastic, I prefer the glass because it doesn’t affect the taste of the coffee (and I prefer to minimise all plastic use where possible), and the Keep Cup has the best lid design with a cover for the spout. Other zero waste swaps I recommend include: Joco cup, Sol Cup, Pottery for the Planet, Rubber Cuppy and Frank Green.

A lot of cafes now offer a discount to those that bring their own reusable coffee cup, and I like supporting those cafes as they are helping to reduce waste too.

While on the topic of drinks, did you know that enough plastic straws are produced annually to fill over 46,000 full sized buses? Switching to a metal, glass or bamboo straw will mean that every time you remember to bring it with you and use one of these straws instead of a plastic straw, one less straw ends up in landfill. Also, there will be less plastic passing through your drink when you choose glass or metal as well.

Read the full article for the rest of the list, including food coverings, menstrual cups and period proof undies, and why you should be careful with cans.

See also: Choosing the right products for that time of the month.

The post 5 (Easy) Eco-Friendly Swaps To Make In Your Life Today appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

It may alarm you to realise that in countries such as Australia and America there are very limited regulations on the safety of which chemicals* are used in household and beauty products, and that this lack of protection can have a significant impact on not only your health, but also your babies and even your grand babies.

Chemicals that we are exposed to can be pass through our to offspring, and can even cross generations. This can unfortunately have a mutli-generational effect on health and fertility. Fertility rates are declining through generations and while there are many factors responsible for this, chemical exposure that passes through to our babies and affects their fertility and their children’s fertility is something that we need to become educated about and take responsibility for.

In a article I have written for Casa de Karma I discuss the benefits of reducing and removing chemical exposure from your diet and lifestyle, for both yourself and for your children. You can read a preview below, or click the link to read the full article which also discusses the relationship between chemicals and genetics, which chemicals to watch out for, the effect of chemicals of sperm health and some ways to reduce chemical exposure.

Read the full article here: http://casadekarma.com.au/why-choose-chemical-free-products-mum-baby/

Chemicals found in newborns

A study by the Environmental Working Group in 2005 examined the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborn babies and found a total of 287 chemicals, with an average of 200 chemicals present per baby. 28 of these were waste byproducts such as Formaldehyde, PCBs, Mercury, Petroleum and Dioxin 1, 4. 47 of these were consumer products such as Bisphenol A, Dioxins, Pthalates, Triclosan, Brominated Flame retardants, Pesticides and Preservatives.  Of these, 212 chemicals and pesticides had actually been banned or restricted in use 30+ years ago, giving us a scary insight into how chemicals can be stored in our bodies and be passed onto our offspring despite not having current exposure to them.

Other studies have shown that many of these chemicals were passed down the line from the grandmothers generation, however the chemicals were present in higher amounts in the children, suggesting that they are transferred across the placenta and breastmilk.

A precautionary approach

What does this mean? One of the lessons I take from this information is that chemicals which are currently viewed as safe but are not inert, are still best to avoid, as many of the harmful chemicals detected in this test were at one stage viewed as safe.

In Australia, the approach to chemical regulation is different to countries more progressive in this area – an absolute evidence of harm is required before a chemical is removed by use in Australia, compared to the EU where a more precautionary principle is in place – they believe that “When human activities may lead to morally unacceptable harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, action shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm.”

In order to navigate this lack of protection we must take more responsibility ourselves.

Penelope Jagessar said in her Ted Talk: The Toxic Baby “It is only a parent’s awareness that stands between chemicals and our children”…

You can read the rest of the article here: http://casadekarma.com.au/why-choose-chemical-free-products-mum-baby/

*I would like to address the often presented argument that “everything is a chemical”. I agree that this is very close to the truth (with the exception of sound and light which is actually matter). However, in this article I am using the term chemicals for the sake of convenience, and actually referring to toxic and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, substances which are known or suspected to be capable of interfering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone conversion which are in commercial use and have been proven or suspected of contributing to disease and dysfunction in humans, and chemicals which have shown to cause damage in ways such as mitochondrial dysfunction, neurodevelopmental toxicity, immune toxicity, oxidative stress and various levels of inflammation.

The post Why You Should Choose Chemical-Free Products For You & Your Baby appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

A condition that is growing in awareness is Pyrolle disorder. This condition is associated with many types of problems but in particular mood imbalances, gut symptoms and behavioural issues in children. The diagnosis of conditions such as ADD/ADHD, food intolerances or anxiety may be related to Pyrolle disorder, so if you or someone you know has these health concerns, this might be something to look in to.

In my latest contribution to Western Sydney Mum’s Hub I talk about what Pyrolle disorder is, the symptoms you can look for as a clue, how to test for this condition and what you can do to help it with diet changes and herbal medicine.

Originally published here https://www.westernsydneymumshub.com.au/parenting/what-is-pyrolle-disorder.

So what is it?

Also referred to as pyroluria, mauve disorder or kryptopyrroluria, pyrolle disorder is a condition where there is an abnormal amount of the chemical hydroxyhermopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) excreted. Everyone produces this chemical in small amounts, however excretion of high levels may be linked to issues with the nervous system (usually resulting in mood and behavioural problems) and digestive complaints. When this occurs it is referred to as pyrolle disorder.

If you have ongoing issues with mental health, especially anxiety, this may be something to look into. It affects about 10% of the population and can be brought on by periods of stress, both emotional and physical, as stress causes the HPL chemical to be excreted very quickly.

It affects children and adults and can be a factor in various mental health issues, mostly anxiety, behavioural problems, ADHD, addictions and autism.

What are the Symptoms?

This condition can affect someone in a lot of different ways, mostly via the way it affects the nutrients zinc and B6 which are critical for health digestion, immune function, hormonal health and emotional balance. Not everyone experiences all the symptoms, but the expression of the condition could involve some or all of the following symptoms:

·         Anxiety

·         Depression

·         Mood swings

·         Low tolerance to stress

·         Sensitivity to noise and lights

·         A dramatic tendency (histrionic)

·         Pessimistic

·         Digestive complaints such as constipation or diarrhoea

·         Poor dream recall

·         White spots on nails

·         Poor appetite or nausea, especially mid morning

·         High tendency to stretch marks

·         Inability to tan or very pale skin

·         Skin complaints such as eczema, dry skin or rough skin on the back of the arms (keratosis pilaris)

·         Thinning hair and early greying of the hair

·         Sore joints

·         Irregular periods or delayed puberty

There can also be an allergy component to the condition as it affects histamine levels. I consider this helpful to test when supporting people with pyrolle disorder.

This condition has also been associated with other conditions such as autism , ADD/ADHD, allergies, alcoholism and additions, learning difficulties, epilepsy, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder and acute intermittent porphyria.

How is it tested?

A urine test that measures the levels of pyrroles (hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one i.e. HPL) in the urine can give you a big indication whether this condition is an issue for you.

Most people should have low levels – less than 10mcg/dL of HPL in their urine. The upper limit of normal for HPL varies between 8-20 mcg/dL and levels greater than 20 mcg/dL are considered to be positive for pyrrole disorder. While that may be a positive test for pyrolle disorder, in clinic I have found that until levels get even higher then pyrolle disorder isn’t the main cause for the symptoms experienced and shouldn’t be the key focus of treatment.

Is it genetic?

There is a high likelihood that it is a genetic condition, with a 50% chance that if one parent has the condition that it will be passed onto the child.

Other genes can have a role in this condition such as MTHFR.

A lot of the time this condition may not be an issue, but in combination with stress, trauma or dietary/lifestyle issues it can become a bigger problem.

How is it treated?

A holistic approach is important, as there are often a combination of factors involved.

Usually repletion of the nutrients zinc and Vitamin B6 are important, but other nutrients such as magnesium, omega fatty acids and supporting B vitamins are important.

As the condition affects, and is affected by digestive health, the gut also needs to be supported with diet, and gut supporting nutrients and probiotics.

Diet for Pyrolle Disorder

Top foods to find zinc and B6

Zinc containing foods: Spinach, prawns, oysters, salmon, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, mushrooms, garlic, lima beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, eggs, turkey, beef, lamb, liver, brown rice.

B6 containing foods: Sunflower seeds, pistachios, salmon, turkey, lean pork, beef, prunes, banana, avocado, spinach, fortified cereals, rice bran.

Top foods for GLA (gamma-linolenic acid)

Avocado, brazil nuts, hemp seeds, peanuts, chicken liver, pinenuts, spirulina, borage oil.

Foods to avoid:

Those which are difficult to digest and are classed as inflammatory. This often includes gluten, dairy, alcohol, heavily processed or sugar rich foods and anything that contains chemicals or is overly refined. Some people respond best to a paleo style diet, or one free from grains.

Herbal medicine for Pyrolle Disorder

The symptoms of the condition vary for everyone, and so herbal medicine can be targeted to this. It may involve using herbs to support concentration and memory such as Bacopa, digestive health such as Gentian, Ginger, Dandelion root, Chamomile and Lemon Balm, or to reduce anxiety such as Passionflower. A herbalist can individualise a formula to the person.

If you think this may be an issue for you, seek help from a qualified health practitioner with experience in this area.

The post What is Pyrolle Disorder? appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The final part of my series for Western Sydney Mum’s Hub is about how to support your teenagers brain health in preparation for exams and tests, and supporting study in general.

The constant pressure of tests and exams on teenagers can make the whole family stressed, but thankfully there are some ways in which you can help your teenager boost their brain power, reduce anxiety and improve energy.

Click here to skip to the full article, or see a preview below.

The post Navigating the Teenage Years – Part 3 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The next installment to my Surviving the Teenage Years trilogy for Western Sydney Mum’s Hub is about dealing with acne.

The teenage years can be a trying time for parents, but often it is just as hard for the teenagers themselves. A common issue that many teenagers face is their skin health, with acne being such a problem for some that it significantly affects their self-esteem.

Acne affects:

• 36% of 4-7 year olds
• 28-61% of 10-12 year olds
• 79-95% of 16-18 year olds!
• 12% of middle aged women and 3% of middle aged men

Why do teenagers get acne?

The hormonal fluctuations can get a bit out of control during the teen years, and the levels of the hormones testosterone (present in both males and females) and insulin (related to diet, genetics and activity levels), nutritional status, immunity and genetic tendencies can make acne more prevalent.

As the hormone testosterone rises it causes an increase in oil production in the skin, and this oil feeds the bacteria that live in the pores. When the bacteria in the pores grow rampant they irritate the skin and pimples can become very red and sore.

You can help keep the testosterone more in control by eating foods rich in zinc, which is an essential mineral in testosterone metabolism. This mineral is also essential for skin healing, mood, immunity and general reproductive health. Zinc is high in oysters, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds wheatgerm, shellfish and fish, red meat, sesame seeds, pepitas, and almonds. Also important is keeping blood sugar levels stable by eating a low GI diet and exercising regularly.

If you are eating a lot of sugar, carbohydrates or refined foods then the hormone insulin becomes very high. This can then cause the testosterone to climb. It’s happening very frequently that teenagers are eating a lot more junk food, and this is making the problem worse.

Insulin resistance occurs when the body has been making a lot of insulin for a long time, and the cells begin to ignore it. As a result, you have a lot of insulin circulating around the body not doing what it’s meant to do, and it can cause other problems. High insulin causes high testosterone, which worsens acne in both boys and girls. In girls it can also contribute towards PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), a condition that affects ovulation. Acne is a common problem with PCOS, alongside hirsuitism (excess hair growth in unwanted areas).

In addition to that, there’s less exercise and activity happening, and that worsens the problem as well. Exercise is one of the best ways to manage insulin resistance. 150 minutes of exercise a week can be very helpful for this.

• See Part 1 of navigating the teenage years for tips of a low GI diet which can help insulin resistance.

Minimising Acne

Diet

Healthy diet is the foundation for good skin.

DO:

• Eat a variety of fresh vegetables including green leafy foliage. Green, yellow, red and blue fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidant compounds.
• Fresh fruit – aim to consume at least three pieces every day. Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are rich in antioxidants and protect your skin from free-radicals.
• High fibre foods such as whole grains and legumes are important and assist with eliminating any toxins as well as improving your digestion.
• Include good quality protein rich foods such as lean meat, fish, chicken, dairy and eggs, or if vegetarian beans, lentils, chickpeas and wholegrains. Protein is important as it contributes to your skin’s elasticity and firmness.
• Good fats are known as ‘moisturising foods’. Sources include avocado, nuts and seeds, fish, olive oil and flaxseed oil.
• Eat regularly – three meals per day with healthy snacks in between. Your food is your fuel, choose foods wisely and eat them in sensible amounts, your body and skin will look great.

DON’T

• Eat too much dairy. Many people find that eliminating dairy from their diet can reduce the severity of their acne. For some, choosing to include cheese and yoghurt may be tolerated, however it’s advisable to trial avoiding dairy completely first.
• Eat foods that you are intolerant to. Many people find that eliminating foods they are intolerant to can help with acne, likely because food intolerances worsen digestive health and subsequently inflammation and immune system can be affected.
• Eat processed food, which often contains hidden sugars and inflammatory oils.
• Eat too much sugar and sugar containing foods. Too much sugar can affect blood sugar level balance, and can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the digestive system.

Topical Options

• Tea tree oil has antiseptic and antifungal properties and is a great skin disinfectant therefore limiting bacterial growth on the skin. To use, mix the oil (5-15% solution) in warm water and wash the affected areas. Make sure to thoroughly clean and dry the face washer between each use so that bacteria do not build up between washes. Alternatively, the face can be ‘splashed’ with the tea tree infused water straight from the bathroom sink. For best results, wash the affected areas 2-3 times daily.
• Witch Hazel water can be used as a toner daily, and this help tighten pores and reduce bacteria build up. This can be a bit smelly so is best applied before going to bed.
• Lavender essential oil can be dabbed directly onto spots. You can also try this with tea tree oil, but it can be a bit strong for some people, so you may need to dilute it.
• Some people find betonite clay masks effective. This needs to be applied daily for two weeks, then once or twice a week for 3 months afterwards.  Due to the drawing nature of this, you may find that your skin will be red after washing off the mask, and acne may temporarily worsen in the first week before it improves.

Herbs and Supplements

• If the above suggestions don’t work, then you could see a practitioner who can guide you with herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.
• The most commonly prescribed herbs I use are Burdock, a cleansing herb which helps to clear the cystic type of acne, Echinacea for the immune system and to stimulate the lymphatics, and Phelledendron for it’s antimicrobial effect.
• I often will recommend Vitamin A, Omega 3 fatty acids and Zinc as nutritional supplements for their benefit to the skin healing and immune system.

Consult your health practitioner if you would like further advice on managing acne.

The post Surviving the Teenage Years, Acne – Part 2 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

I don’t think there is a food quite as debated about as coconut oil. A quick google search brings up a multitude of articles with differing opinions, some authors claiming coconut oil is a miracle cure-all, some claiming it is the devil incarnate.

The arguments about coconut oil bring along with it the debate of recent years, about the links between heart disease, saturated fat and cholesterol.

It’s incredibly difficult to unravel this mystery because there is a limited amount of research on coconut oil (especially in comparison to olive oil), and a lot of the claims made on the benefits of coconut oil are somewhat hypothetical, based around knowledge of its constituents such as the type of saturated fat, lauric acid. The claims made for coconut oil’s health benefits can at times be outlandish, one article I found listed a whole 200 benefits.

But if you look, there is research.

Compare the amount of research available on olive oil to that of coconut oil and you can understand why mainstream dietary recommendations are still not sold on this tropical oil, however in the last few years there has been some promising studies emerging that demonstrate some of its potential benefits, such as increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol and reducing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

In this article I wrote for Casa de Karma, I went into detail on what the research says about the good and the bad of coconut oil.

So if you want to know about any of these points, then follow the link below and have a read of the full article.

What are the traditional uses of coconut oil and how does this relate to us now?

The different components of coconut oil, in particular the medium chain fatty acids.

Can coconut oil help you lose weight

Can coconut oil kill bacteria and fungal infections? (the anti-microbial effects of coconut oil)

Does coconut improve hair?

Coconut oil for wound healing.

Does coconut oil help your teeth and gums?

Does coconut oil prevent alzheimer’s disease?

Is coconut oil good for thyroid health?

Does coconut oil affect your cholesterol?

Is coconut oil bad for you?

Is coconut oil bad for the environment?

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://casadekarma.com.au/everything-you-need-to-know-about-coconut-oil-a-naturopath-explains/

Go (coco)nuts and PIN this article to your favourite Pinterest board. Go on 🙂

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We’re all getting older, there’s no denying it.

And personally, I don’t think we should try to deny the aging process. But with aging comes the decline of health, and the increased risk for certain conditions. Choosing to take steps to slow down aging is not always about vanity – it can also be about improving your quality of life. The faster you age, the more your health will deteriorate, with conditions such as type 2 diabetes, arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease becoming more likely.

The post Can Supplements Help You Age Well? appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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This article was published in Great Health Guide magazine in April (Part 1) and June (Part 2) 2016

You’ve just had a baby..

Firstly, congratulations on achieving the amazing feat of building a tiny human within yourself. You’ve just made it through 9 months of pregnancy which for some women can be a tough slog dealing with various degrees of unpleasantness such as morning sickness, fatigue, fluid retention and back pain. And then you gave birth – whether it was a vaginal birth or a c-section, you were incredibly brave and strong.

During all this time, care and attention has been directed at you. You quite likely tried very hard to eat well and you took your vitamins regularly with the intention of growing a healthy baby. Perhaps if you were lucky you were pampered with foot rubs, back massages and relaxing baths to soothe your aches and pains. You may have even attended pregnancy yoga or Pilates classes, aquarobics, or walked more regularly than you did before you were pregnant.

But now your baby has arrived and suddenly there’s not as much time to look after yourself, but it’s just as important to look after yourself now as it was while you were pregnant. In this two part article I will share with you some ways which you can look after yourself without sacrificing too much of your time.

Things that new mums can do to take care of themselves

Take an hour just for yourself each week.

Recent research has found that new mothers who take at least one hour of time for themselves each week significantly reduce their chances of experiencing postnatal depression. How you spend this time is up to you, but if you need ideas, perhaps you could consider getting a massage, taking a relaxing bath, going for a long walk, attending a yoga class, going shopping, seeing a movie or sitting in the park reading a book.

Don’t stop talking your vitamins.

You need to be getting an abundance of nutrients just as much now as you did while you’re pregnant, this is especially so if you are breastfeeding. You lose a lot of minerals, including zinc and iron, while you are giving birth so it’s important to replace them.

Zinc has a lot of roles in the body but most notably for new mums it helps to keep your hormones balanced. Good levels of zinc also help wound healing and reduce nipple damage from breastfeeding.

Iron levels can drop if you lose a lot of blood during birth, and this mineral is important for energy and immune health.

Magnesium and B vitamins are also very important for new mothers as they help with energy, mood and relaxation.

In the last two trimesters of pregnancy and during breastfeeding you give Baby a lot of calcium to help build their bones, and if you’re not eating enough this can be broken down from your bones so it is important you’re getting enough. Calcium, along with magnesium is also important for muscle and nerve health and low levels can contribute towards tension.

While it’s possible to get plenty of nutrients from food sources alone, new Mums often struggle to find the time to eat well and so it is recommended to take a supplement as an insurance against deficiency. Talk to your healthcare practitioner about which supplements may be best for you.

Breathe to be calm

Meditation, mental stillness, or mindfulness comes in many forms, but my favourite way of calming the mind is to simply focus on the breath. Sit in a quiet spot, breathe through your nose slowly and by concentrating on the action of breathing, other thoughts are swept away.

This may be something you can do during a nap time, or if you have someone who can watch Baby for a little while. I would suggest to take 5-10 minutes a day to do this by yourself as well as while you are putting Baby down to sleep. If you are feeling anxious or your mind is occupied with other tasks that you need to do, it will drag the process out as Baby will pick up on your state of mind.

Part 2

Being a new mother can be a wonderful experience, but if you are feeling poorly then it can be difficult to enjoy this time to the fullest. Taking care of your mind and body will allow you to cope with the stresses placed on you during this time (such as sleep deprivation) and will also have a flow on effect to improve the health of Baby.

In part 1 of this article I shared some key ways to care for yourself after having a baby including taking time for yourself, practicing mental stillness and ensuring you were obtaining adequate nutrition. Read on below for some more ways to care for yourself after having a baby.

Meal prep.

It’s not uncommon for new mums to sacrifice their good eating habits due to lack of time to cook, often resorting to take away food or quickly thrown together meals that don’t contain the variety of nutrients that a new mother needs.

If possible start making and freezing some healthy meals while you are pregnant, but if you haven’t been able to do this you can start meal prepping now.

In addition to freezing meals in advice, you can also try the following ways of building up your meal reserves.

• Make extra servings for dinner and set it aside for lunch the next day.
• Take an hour or two a week to make a big meal that you can separate into portions and freeze.
• Set your breakfast up ready to go the night before.
• Organise to get your groceries delivered either by ordering from companies which ship variety boxes or online supermarket ordering. Ideally start this before you’ve given birth so that you don’t have to stress about it afterwards.
• Ask some friends or family members to bring you some meals.

When deciding what to cook, I have found it best to have a meal which can be eaten with one hand and wasn’t too hot, I often held my baby on my lap while eating – a newborns schedule is rather unpredictable.

Move and stretch.

5-10 minutes every day, perhaps while you’re in the shower or before you go to bed, stretch your neck, your arms, your back and your sides. You can find plenty of short yoga routines that you could follow on YouTube. Try to make this a daily ritual.

Lifting, holding and feeding baby can take its toll on your body, and muscle tension can lead to poor mood, poor sleep and reduced milk supply. If possible get a monthly massage to aid in the reduction of muscle tension as well.

After the first 6 weeks aim to go for a walk (take Baby with you!) every 1-2 days for about 30 minutes. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and a change of scenery, but walking is also an excellent way to keep fit without placing strain on damaged and tired muscles from pregnancy, childbirth or C-section.

Talk to other grown ups

It’s so easy to lock yourself away with Baby and forego spending time with other friends and family, and when the excitement of new baby wears away visitors start to dwindle, so it comes to you to reach out for interaction with your grown up friends. I consider this to be an important for a few reasons: it helps you to maintain relationships which so easily can dissolve during this period of life, it keeps you mentally active and it gives you an opportunity to talk about how you are feeling and coping.

In addition to keeping in contact with your existing friends, I recommend making connections with other mothers by joining local mothers groups or perhaps attend ABA meetings.

Follow your intuition.

‘Back in the day’ we used to have a network, or village, of people surrounding us that provided guidance when we had doubts about child-rearing. But now we are not surrounded by this small intimate group of trusted people, instead we have the Internet.

This can be both a blessing and a curse as while we can usually find an answer within minutes to questions such as “Why does my newborn squeak/snort/poo green” etc., it’s easy to come across comments or articles that make you feel inadequate or judged.

There are likely to be plenty of friends, family or acquaintances that will tell you what worked for them as well, but remember that this may not always be the best thing for you.

It’s great to get information but there is rarely one right way to do things so trust your own intuition and do what’s right for you and your baby.

Trust your own intuition and do what’s right for you and your baby.

Taking care of yourself as a new mother is just as important as taking care of Baby – you need to be well enough to care for Baby after all. Look after your body by eating well and keeping active, and look after your mind by practicing mental stillness and maintaining contact with friends and family.

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