some of you OG fit foodies might remember this recipe from a few years back! my girl Ogechi is not only the author of this insanely amazing, good-for-you soup, she brought me a batch while i was in the hospital having our first born, Chiso, back in 2011. she then made more once i got home from the hospital as we adjusted to being a 3 member family. so, so thoughtful of her.
Read More😘mamas! check out these SIX healthy 1st trimester breakfasts🍳! <RECIPES INSIDE>
Read Morebaths are so my thing. i have always favored them over showers. a daily bubble bath never hurt nobody! they were extremely soothing during and after pregnancy at that....
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even though this was my 3rd time giving birth, i left the hospital with a few share-worthy gems from the amazing, seasoned L & D nurses who assisted us during our stay. WHAT a job. i am impressed and inspired by the L & D nurses every single time i see them in action! i can imagine that there is no typical day in their world; every shift brings a new adventure.
as i sat up in bed to prepare to receive my epidural, i felt another contraction coming on. i distinctly remember my nurse instructing me to just hold her hands and breathe until it passed. well i squeezed the crap out of her hands!!! it was the last contraction i remember enduring before the meds kicked in and i appreciated her so much for sacrificingherbody helping me through it. whether you are a 1st time mom or pro, i hope these nuggets of info help you out too:
the more kids you have, the more intense your uterine contractions will be while nursing. HELLO! oh my word. i knew to expect them as i nursed Kosi in our postpartum hospital room but whoa. hearing one of my nurses say this confirmed that i was notcrazy. after about a week or so, thankfully the contractions went away completely though.
we know that as baby sucks away (especially in the first 2-3 weeks after giving birth), it aids your uterus in returning back to its normal size and position. however, if you have a full bladder before baby starts going to town, it could cause your uterus to shift and unnaturally settle to the right or left of its original position as it contracts (because your bladder is obstructing its path). this could potentially be a problem if you plan to have more children (e.g. tilted uterus).
most likely you are given stool softeners during your stay at the hospital post-birth. it is extremely important to keep that going once you get home. extremely. chug plenty of water as hydration helps to keep things moving along too. upping the fiber in your diet while in the hospital (have/add in some dark, leafy greens with every meal) and once home is crucial to keeping your digestive system running as smooth as possible as your body heals. the less processed your diet, the better. prunes are one of my go-to natural laxatives (thx, Dad!) and a handful of them per day is golden. although i did not tear 'down there' this round, i did have some pretty disrespectful hemorrhoids. #whatisTMI
when you get back home and take that first amazing, uplifting, incredible shower (they really do make you feel THAT good), don't forget to use scent-free, alcohol-free body wash. keep that going until you heal completely. i cracked open one of the Johnson & Johnson baby shower gel's Kosi received for a shower gift; it was perfect and didn't irritate my lady parts. very important! if you did tear or received stitches, a soothing sitz bath helps you heal and keeps things from getting stiff down there.
HAIR. so as most of you know my hair is 100% natural now and i'm loving the versatility that comes with it! this is the healthiest my hair has ever been and i have not one regret about my decision to finally let go of the creamy crack. micro braids are normally my protective style of choice, but i'm loving faux locs and i'm rocking them for a second time thanks to my girl, Ogechi! i cannot stress enough the convenience a cute, protective style is for the 3rd tri and postpartum stages. focus on everything else; surviving those last uncomfy weeks or months of pregnancy, your new babe once he/she arrives, and should you have a visitor or three at the hospital or home, you'll be (somewhat lol) picture ready already! now all i need to do is just get some microblading done and i'll really be set, haha
if you found this helpful, let me know below and please share!
y'all, we have a lil' girl!!! i'm still not big on pink though and plan to keep the yellow/gray/white color combo going for Kosi's nursery. speaking of yellow, thanks to my girl Dami for hooking us up with this beautiful Solly Baby Wrap!
as parents know, newborns change daily. that's exactly why i'm soaking up these precious moments with each of my babies cause time just continues to fly on by. things won't always be this way. people still ask me if i'll return to the IT field (lol) and i still don't know! God knows i'm right where i desire and need to be right now, though, that's for sure.
only perform this workout if you have been cleared to do so by your doc, mamas! as of this past friday, Dec. 16th, i was given the green light to lift again. however, i'll be on lock down/house arrest for a while cause of breastfeeding (i don't lug my pump around with me if i don't have to) and Kosi can't join me at the gym until she is 3 months old. soooo, home workouts, GO! i'll be filming the entire workout soon and posting to my YT channel, but here's a collage/snippet of our very first one together (even though she slept the entire time ;) ).
sumo squats (turn feet and knees out to side) - 25 reps
fast arm circles forward + calve raises - 1 min
knee ups + overhead press - 1 min
side step squats (R & L) - 12 reps on each side, 24 total
good mornings - 20 reps
outside foot taps (engage your obliques) - 25 reps on ea side
wall pushups - 12 reps
chair squat - 25 reps
reverse fast arm circles + calve raises - 1 min
side leg lifts - 15 reps
runners lunges - 12 on ea side
just one round might be enough for you. listen very carefully to your body and let it guide you! don't overwhelm yourself and do too much too soon. most importantly, enjoy this time with your new little one!
fit foodie le is committed to living a healthy lifestyle and showing you how to do the same. see just how great your body is designed to feel through physical activity and eating well. we are obsessed with dairy-free recipes and taking care of yourself, inside and out.
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