Eco Parenting

Before having Albee I never really considered how much waste a baby could generate, it was something that had never really entered my mind, but when I started to get prepared for his arrival, I began to think about ways in which I could reduce my waste as a parent. Because let's face it, this is something we should all be doing in all aspects of our lives. So, with today World Earth Day I thought it would make sense for me to share my experiences reusable nappies and wipes.


It's hard to change the bad habits we have all got into, but motherhood was something I had never experienced before, and I was adamant I would do my best to not get into any wasteful routines. However, I also wanted to be mindful that I didn't know how I would find my new role and didn't want to add any unnecessary pressure, so I decided to try and focus on one area at a time rather than setting my sights on being a 100% plastic free parent, because I knew I would struggle with this. The area I chose to focus on was nappy time.


It shocked me when I found out some nappies take 500 years to break down. Five hundred years, which is crazy, and something that hit home. Especially when I remember a breastfeeding specialist telling me to change Albee every time he needed feeding to ensure he was awake, and that he could feed every couple of hours!


I would say I change Albee's nappy (at age seven nearly eight months old) around 4/5 times in 24 hours, sometimes more sometimes less but let's go with 5. So that's five nappies a day, seven days a week, for a month, you're looking at 140 nappies per month. Crazy isn't it!


Then there are the wet wipes, don't get me started on those! Most don't decompose, most clog up our drains, sewage systems and waterways and most contain chemicals which are tough on our babies skin. I hate wet wipes and only use them if I am stuck.


So if you're a parent of expecting mother, father or parent already and you're looking to reduce your little one's waste here are some tips I would like to share and some brands I am using, and I trust. Not everyone is ready to give reusable nappies a go, they can seem daunting, time-consuming and the thought of cleaning up you know what can fill some with dread. Hopefully, I will convince you to give them a go and help reduce your little one's waste.

N A P P I E S 

I brought 4 Bambino Mio nappies from Aldi and have been sent two more from the brand as a gift. Five of the nappies are the all in one system, and one is the two-piece nappy.

I can say after using them for who knows how many months they are amazing. Both designs have their benefits. The all in ones are quick, easy to get on, but I found the two piece system could hold more and had more room for extra linning. At the start, we had some accidents, because one thing I didn't realise is that they cannot stay in the reusable nappies as long as the disposable ones (well Albee cannot anyway!). So, I had to make sure I changed him more or added extra linning.


Don't be scared to use them out and about. Bambino Mio also sells convenient wet bags, which you can put any dirty nappies, you can zip them away, carry them around with you until you can get home and wash them. Add extra linning if you're going on a big car journey or putting them down for a nap. You can buy additional nappy liners or even use muslins or flannel cloths.

Washing them isn't an issue. I kept his nappies in a nappy bin, with some essential oil in it. When the bin is full I wash them on their own or with my reusable nappy wipes. I use a Bio D nappy sanitiser as well which is excellent and always make sure I wash my machine once a month (which I did before anyway.)

W I P E S 

My advice, buy the Cheeky Wipes System. You will not regret it. They are great for all the fluids your baby will excrete. They have changed my life. I carry them around with me and on the odd occasion where I have to use a wet wipe I hate it! I cannot shout about this brand enough; I honestly think they are up there with one of the best things I have EVER received.

In the set you get

- One dirty box

- One clean box

- Cotton Pads/Wipes

- Two types of essential oils

They are so easy to use, you simply get your cotton wipes wet in the clean box, wipe away the mess on your little one, then chuck it in the dirty box — that simple.

And same as the nappies I store them in the dirty box until the end of the day and then wash them with the nappies.


I honestly do not know what I would do without the Cheeky Wipes and the Bambino Mio nappies. They are by far one of the best products I have been gifted as a mother. They are clean, hygienic and kind on your babies skin and earth friendly.

Now I have shared the brands I have been using here are my top tips!

Don't be hard on yourself
If you use a disposable one from time to time. Sometimes, you have those days and especially at the start when life is one big whirlwind!

Be prepared.
Take multiple wipes and nappies and a wet bag to put them in. You never know how many you're going to need when you're out and about.

Find your own way.
Understand what works for you if that's one reusable nappy a day that's cool. Just do what suits you and your lifestyle.


It's a small step but it's a step all the same and the more steps we all take to reduce our waste can only have a positive result on the environment we live in.

Fowey Hall Hotel

At the beginning of March Albee, Ben and I packed up our car and headed off on a mini Cornish adventure to the beautiful South Coast Cornish town Fowey, to spend a weekend at Fowey Hall. It was, in fact, my second time visiting Fowey Hall but this time it wouldn't just be for high tea and spa treatment, I would finally get the chance to stay in one of their stunning rooms along with my family.

With this being Albee's first time in a hotel and our first mini break away not staying with family, I was a little nervous about how the weekend would go. What if I forgot a crucial bit of baby paraphernalia or what if he screamed all night and we couldn't enjoy dinner?

Thankfully, I am happy to report that our stay went unbelievably well, and precisely what we all needed. So here is what we got up to.

We arrived early evening on Friday quickly settling into our stunning room, which had panoramic views of the coastline. We got Albee set up, which didn't take long as the staff at Fowey Hall had taken care of all the details, meaning we didn't have to. With a changing mat, nappy bin, bottle warmer, cot and blanket; our stunning corner suite was entirely equipt for Albee, it also had everything we could possibly need. With stunning interiors and breathtaking views, we didn't want to leave.

With Albee ready for bedtime we started his routine and promptly ordered a bottle of red to the room to enjoy while we got ready for dinner. We opted to move Albee's cot into the children's room, to give us a bit of time to sip wine, in our robes and catch up. Life has been so busy for us both and this weekend away couldn't have come at a better time. We actually got to spend some quality time together.

With Albee going to sleep like a dream, Ben and I could enjoy a "grown-up" dinner. We took full advantage of the baby listen in the system, which for those who don't know, is essentially a baby monitor which goes off if the baby so much as coughs, alerting the reception staff, who then intern inform the parents.
To be completely honest, we were very nervous about using this, but trusted our instincts and did check on him a couple of times during dinner, but if I haven't said already, I have been blessed with a dream sleeper of a baby who once down very rarely stirs and the Friday night was no exception.

We got to enjoy the most beautiful dinner, with exquisite wine, local cuisine in a beautifully set dining room. I got to wear a lovely dress, some makeup and feel like the "pre-baby me" again. It felt so refreshing. We may have spent most of the night talking about Albee, but it was beautiful all the same.

The following morning we were up early ... very early in fact. Albee woke at 5am, so we all got into our ginormous bed for cuddles. When we were all finally ready to get up, we headed down for breakfast, Albee had already had his milk but as we are weaning, we decided to give him some fruit in the high chair provided, which was the first time we had ever fed him in a highchair and well, didn't he just love it! The hotel even provided Albee with his own big and tippee cup!

We took it in turns to enjoy our cooked breakfast and fresh coffee, with morning sun, shone through the family breakfast room, as we planned what we would do with our day, making plans around my all-important 2pm Spa appointment.

With nap time approaching I took Albee for a walk around the hotel grounds to get him off to sleep. When he had finally drifted off, I sat on one of the benches overlooking the Fowey Estuary and watched the wind blow through the trees. Albee slept for over an hour, it must have been the fresh sea air but he woke up full of smiles, so we popped him in the carrier and headed down into the town.

Taking the scenic route, we wandered down through the narrow streets, stopping off in the beautiful independent shops. We brought Albee an ocean and beach inspired book from a tiny book shop and a few other little trinkets. Stopping for a coffee, it was soon time to head back and my afternoon of relaxation to begin.

While Ben and Albee watched the ruby in our room, I headed down to the spa for a back and shoulder massage, followed by a facial. The therapist took the time to ask about any problem areas, we discussed my skin condition and chatting about the type of products they might use. I honestly could have stayed in that room all afternoon, but once my treatment was over, I was eager to head back to the room to see my boys.

We had all originally planned to head to the pool, but Albee had other plans, in fact, his teeth or should I say lack of teeth! As I wandered in the door, I was greeted by a rosy-cheeked grizzly baby who didn't know what he wanted. Knowing these nights too well, we quickly made the decision to inquire about room service (while I ordered a couple of the Fowey Hall Gin & Tonics - which we divine!).

We opted for room service as Albee took a while to go down, and with a slight temperature, we didn't feel happy leaving him. Again, I couldn't fault the hotel staff! We had the same high-level services and delicious food as we did the night before in the hotel restaurant but from the comfort of our room, in our robes with Albee tucked up in bed. We even took advantage of the hotels vast collection of DVD's and snuggled up in bed watching a film. I cannot remember the last time we did this.

Our final morning in the hotel was just as beautiful as the first, we took our breakfast a little earlier then went for a long walk down to Readymoney Cove. We sat in the sunshine, watching the gentle waves lap the shore while Albee slept in his pushchair. Our time in Fowye had come to an end for now, and we had to head back home.

Although we were heading home back to reality, we were heading home refreshed, rejuvenated and more connected. To be honest, I had never seen the appeal of staying in a hotel in your home country let alone your home my county, but after our weekend at Fowey Hall, I can honestly say I am a hotel convert. The weekend away was exactly what we as a family needed.

I honestly couldn't fault our stay, Fowey Hall go above and beyond to accommodate families, in fact, they are all about family, but still make the time to give the adults a "grown-up" experience too, all the while getting to enjoy the experience the luxury of spending time together as a family in a very relaxed and hassle-free environment.

 

For more information, Fowey Hall, head to www.luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk 

This blog post is in collaboration with Luxury Family Hotels, it is not a paid post, and the views are all my own. 

Turtle Tots Ambassadors

As you may have already seen on my Instagram feed, Albee has been selected as a Turtle Tots Ambassador for Cornwall, which I am so stoked about. It's imperative to both Ben and I that Albee to feels comfortable in the water and to learns how to swim. He may only be 6 months old, but he is already showing clear signs that he loves the water, and we are only three sessions in. He loves it so much he has in fact only cried once ... when we had to give back his foam duck mirror! Babies, they really are brilliant, not phased by going under the water, or having water on his face, he cried when he had to give his mirror back. Classic!

Anyway, let's go back to the beginning

The first lesson 

I felt a little nervous but really excited to see how Albee would respond, but as soon as we walked into the pool area, any worries that I had dissapeared. The small group looked really friendly and I had Ben with me for added support.

I have realsied that anything you do with a baby for the first time is daunting. Before the first lessons I had so many questions; where do I put Albee while I get changed, what if he has a dirty nappy while in the pool, what if they scream the entire time ... so many things flashing through your mind, but really there was no need to stress.

The first lesson was all about getting the babies comfortable in the pool and familiarising their faces with the instructor, who is amazing by the way. We sang songs and moved them around the pool in different motions.

Albee loved it and kicked his little legs virtually none stop.

The sessions last 30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time, by the end of the session they are all ready for some milk and a big sleep.

Lesson number two

The same format as the first lesson but this time we began to teach the babies about holding on. This is a great skill to start to use, and in theory, we can apply this to many aspects of Albee's life later on.

He seemed even more excited than the first week, I think it felt a little familiar to him.

Lesson number three 

Albee's first time underwater.

Now, I thought that Albee would be pushed through the water and I would be lying if I said it didn't scare me a little, but I needn't worry, This is not how the Turtle Tots team do things. They like to let the baby take the lead and decide whether they are ready to go. Which Albee certainly was.

Albee went under the water, for a matter of seconds, leaping off the instructor straight into his Daddy's arms.

I couldn't have been prouder of him. Such a new sensation for him and one milestone ticked off the list.

I have been completely blown away by the Turtle Tots lessons, and look forward to every session. If you're considering swimming lessons, I would highly recommend their sessions, but if you want to ask me any questions about our lessons so far just get in touch!

Winter Skincare

You beautiful bunch asked, and it only took me the best part of 6 months to write it. Obviously, I have been slightly busy of late, but nevertheless, I am dedicating the next however long this takes me, to pull together my skincare essentials, hints, tips and hacks. Some of the items featured in this blog have been gifted, some I have brought myself, but regardless of gift or purchase, these are items I love and use regularly.

Before I share the products I am using, I wanted to chat about the other ways I care for my skin. In all honesty, I think the foundation for good skin is hydration. I drink so much water, very rarely have caffeinated fizzy drinks but of course, I drink coffee. I don't know what I would do without my morning coffee. I also eat a really balanced diet, loads of fruit and vegetables. When it comes to sun exposure, I don't go on sunbeds, and when I am in the sun, I always make sure I wear SPF, and block when I am in the surf. As far as looking after my skin I do whatever I can to try and keep it looking healthy.

For me, my skincare routine starts at night.

I begin by cleansing my skin, removing any makeup. At the moment, these are the products I am using on my skin:

Ren Skincare Gentle Cleansing Milk *
Botanics 100% Rosewater
Poppy Austin Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum

I apply the cleanser to my face and massage in, while I do that I soak a flannel in hot water, as hot as I can handle it. I then remove the cleanser with the flannel, covering my whole face, giving it mini steam clean at the same time.

I then pat my face dry with a towel then apply a few sprays of the Rosewater spritz.

I have been using this toner for well over a year now. It's refreshing, clean and hydrating. I just spray the toner over my face and leave it to soak in while I clean my teeth.

Once the teeth are clean, it's time for the best bit, the face serum.

I tend to change up for face oil and serum every time they run out, and at the moment I am using one I picked up from Amazon and so far so good!

I apply one pipet full to my face, neck and chest, leaving it to soak in.

Mornings are pretty easy, I don't wash my face and avoid getting my face wet in the shower, because I like to keep all the natural oils my body produces on my face. I just add a couple of sprays of my Skin & Tonic Rose Mist* and then apply Ren Skincare Omega 3 Optimum Skin Oil*. 

Next up are the products that I used one/twice a week. 

I love to treat myself to a face mask and deep clean. So, when I feel like I need some extra TLC, these are the products that I use. 

Face Masks

Ren Skincare Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask

Skin & Tonic Coco Mask

Deep Clean 

Skin & Tonic Steam Clean 

There are two other things I love to use. First up is the Naughty Tigi Jade Face Roller *. I have been wanting to try a face roller for a while now and especially after having Albee. My eyes get very puffy, and I can honestly say this really helps. It feels so lovely on your skin, especially when cold. I try to use this once or twice a day, either with my toner or serum on. 

Next up is something that helps with my pale, winter skin! It's the Isle Of Paradise Self Tanning Drops. A little goes a long way, and you can add it to your own face oil or cream. Just one drop is enough to give my skin a sunkissed glow. 

In a nut shell I love a skincare routine. I love face oils, creams, face masks ... anything hydrating and nourishing. These are the products I am using now, but when I find more gems I will be sure to share them with you all. 

All items have been linked.

x

*gifted items, not a paid for post

My Baby Sleep Routine

What a whirlwind few months that have been! Albee is coming up to four months old, and I had all these big plans to share my daily life, multiple blogs and my motherhood journey, but to be honest, I haven't had the time. I have been extremely busy with Albee, being a mum and more recently going back to my job (one day a week) but still back to work!

Anyway, what I am on here to talk about sleep, and for anyone with children, you'll know how precious this is, not only for the baby but also for yourself. During the first few weeks, I didn't sleep a lot, and neither did Albee. Which is completely normal, it turns out newborns sleep a lot in the day but a not a lot at night and as much as people say to sleep when they sleep, I did not.

I remember thinking around week three or four, that Albee would never sleep at night, or we would never be able to put him down, and he would stay asleep but here I am sixteen weeks on, and I am pleased to tell you Albee sleeps like a pro! Obviously he has his bad days and nights but on the whole, he sleeps really well, and I put that down to a few things. We started a bedtime routine really early on, we listened to him (I will explain later on) and we used a white noise/lullaby machine to help.

First up let me explain the routine we have adopted.

6:30 pm (ish)
Bedtime routine begins, and this begins with bath time, now this isn't every night but Albee loves is a bath, so we do tend to get him in most nights, sometimes with bath oil/wash or just water. I find it helps him to relax him and dissimulate him. When he is out the bath, I give him a mini baby massage with coconut oil and dressed for bedtime.

7:00pm (ish)
Now it's time for a feed, breast or bottle which every way you're choosing to feed. I feed him in the dim to dark light, with Ewan The Dream Sheep playing a lullaby. Albee loves Ewan, as soon as he hears him, he relaxes. When he is fully fed and burped I leave him upright on my chest for a little just to check there's no other wind to come up. Albee suffered really bad with cholic, and it also turns out he has a dairy intolerance, so once we knew how to treat this life got a lot easier.

As soon as he seems ready to go down, I place him in his Sleepyhead, in a cot next to my bed, while Ewan continues to play the lullaby.


If Albee stirs we don't pick him up, we will go in, pop a dummy in his mouth and hold his hands. He loves the slight pressure on his hands or chest, and we do this until he falls back to sleep. At the start when we began the routine both myself and Ben would sometimes spend up to an hour in there with him. Our patients were tested on many occasion, but we only picked him up when he began to get distressed, but we would then settle him and place him back down again. Now Albee is at a point where the only time he gets restless in the night is if he has a cold or is teething.

11:00pm (ish)
This is where we get Albee out of bed, change his nappy (in the dark) and feed him. This is where we try to get the most food in him, to help see him through the night. Albee usually falls asleep after this feed and goes back down really easily.

If he stirs in the night now, it isn't because of hunger, once a dummy is in he is sound asleep.


Albee can wake up from any time between 5:30am and 7:30am. More often than not he alternates between an early and late one.

Now, you may be wondering why the Sleepyhead. Well, Albee used to sleep in a Moses basket, but it became pretty clear he didn't like it. He loves being snuggled up, warm and cosy. After lots of sleepless nights, we decided to try him in his sleepy head in a cot that we were leant. I had a brainwave moment one day and asked the question why does he sleep so well in the day but not at night, and it turns out the Sleepyhead had a lot to do with it. In the day I would put him in his Sleepyhead, so one evening we thought we would give it a go and low and behold, he slept straight through. So, Albee has been in it every night since. We also found the Sleepyhead great for travelling, even just going somewhere for the day; it always meant Albee could sleep comfortably with ease. If you're a fan of co-sleeping then Sleepyheads can work well for this, we never tried it, but I have friends who have. If you have any questions about Sleepyheads, they have an excellent FAQ's on their site - http://sleepyheadofsweden.com/faq/


He is at the stage now where he is ready to come out of the Sleepyhead and go into his cot, hopefully over the next month we will begin that transition. It is familiar to him, it smells like him, and after doing lots of research I came to the conclusion that it's safe for him to sleep in, but like I said, the little man is getting bigger and ready for his big boy cot! So stay tuned to read how that transition goes.

Some of you may be reading this, thinking that sounds like a terrible routine or maybe you do something similar, but all I can say is do whatever works for you and your baby. If my routine advice helps you, then that's awesome.

To shop any of the products mentions just click below (these are not ad links)

Ewan Dream Sheep - S H O P 
Sleepyhead - S H O P










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Getting back in the surf

After nearly 6 months out of the water, I got to dust of my surfboard and hit the waves! However, this isn't the first time I have had months out of the surf. In the past, on some occasions, I have had time out due to injury, but this is the first time I have taken a step back from riding waves due to growing a human. This has been by far the most significant change and challenges my body has ever gone through, and it's taken me longer than I hoped to get back in the water, but boy did it feel good to get back in when I did.

I will be completely honest with you all, it took me longer than I expected to get back into the surf, and I felt extremely nervous, overthinking every aspect of which should be a fun experience, not a scary one. Funnily enough, it wasn't the prospect of the cold water or waves that made me feel nervous, it was, in fact, fear of my body failing me. Since having Albee I have felt weak, my stomach muscles feel like they don't exist anymore, my upper body feels broken from all the uncomfortable positions I have to get it while feeding or putting Albee to sleep. I couldn't feel further from fit and healthy if I tried. To be brutally honest this has been one of the hardest things for me. I thought after having Albee I would bounce back to fitness and feel just like I did before. The truth is, it's going to take a while to get back to where I was before, which I am fine with, I will have to make time for the gym, get in the surf as much as I can and on my yoga mat at home, all while trying to juggle being a working mom!

Anyway, I wanted to write this post for anyone who was in the same boat that I was in. Maybe you have gone through childbirth, or you're recovering from an injury, whatever the reason you've taken time out from surfing I am here to tell you  ... DO NOT WORRY. Your first surf back won't be as bad as you expect, take it from me. Here's how I overcame my nerves and got back on my board after having Albee.

Finding the right time

The day I got back into the surf, I felt terrific. I had a great night with Albee and for the first time in a while felt full of energy and lucky the stars aligned, and the Gods of surfing delivered me perfect conditions, the wait was worth it. I had plenty of other chances to get back in the surf, but on those days the waves were either too big, too small, too windy or my head wasn't in the right place. I didn't want to put pressure on myself to get back in too soon. I tried to make surfing fun again, and I knew a fun surf for me would be 2-3ft clean conditions on a weekend so Ben could watch Albee, and that's just what I had.

My advice would be to wait, the patient and surf when you feel ready and when the conditions are right for you. Avoid the days you know you won't enjoy, there's plenty of time to challenge yourself, but now is not the time.

My Pre-surf thoughts 

I felt anxious, which is normal but, it didn't let this stop me getting in the surf when I finally felt ready. The key thing here is "when I finally felt ready." I patiently waited for the right waves, and more importantly the right day for me emotionally, because let's face it, my hormones have been all over the place. I did have a lot of self-doubts flowing through my mind, but I guess this is quite normal. I thought I wouldn't be able to get to my feet, that I'd completely kook every wave and end up getting frustrated. Luckily it was quite the opposite.

My advice would wholeheartedly be, don't over think it. Remove the high expectations and pressure and just go out there and enjoy it. Even if you end up just surfing the white water, just enjoy being back in the surf.

Not as bad as I thought

I managed to get to my feet with ease, cruise along the waves and even attempt a little cutback, which felt so good! It really wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be. The feeling of the ocean on my fingertips, the light salt breeze on my face, I felt so at home. I built it up to something so much bigger than it needed to be, which in turn added extra pressure which was completly unnecessary. The moment I got in the surf and removed all expectations to ride waves like I did pre-baby, was the moment I began to feel excited again. I chose to surf my bigger board, a board I would catch fun waves on and just focus on cruising along the waves rather than trying to do any manoeuvres.

My advice to you would be this, just enjoy being back in the water. You've waited so long for this day, don't ruin it by pilling on the pressure. Just sit back, take it all in and embrace being back on your surfboard again. Surf a board you are comfortable in and in a place that's familiar to you.

I also wanted to end this blog post talking about the kit I am wearing this winter. I get asked all the time which wetsuits I would recommend, and my answer has been the same for over 10 years now. The best wetsuits for our UK waters are C-Skins. This season I have two wetsuits to choose from. 

November - January I will be wearing the C-Skins Solace 5x3 wetsuit, with boots, gloves and a hood. 

January - March because I really feel the cold and love nothing more than being cosy in the sea I will be wearing the C-Skins Wired 6mm wetsuit with a built in hood. As with the 5x3 I will team this with boots and gloves for extra warmth. 

When buying a new wetsuit, there are a few areas to consider. The fit, the thickness and type of zip fastening. I always favour a chest zip wetsuit, I find the prevent flushing and keep me warm in the surf. I also think where ever possible it's best to try on a wetsuit because the sizing always varies. For example, I wear a dress size 8/10 but wear a UK 6 wetsuit. 

Just make sure you pick the wetsuit that is right for you and the one that fits the best because ultimately that's what will keep you warmer for longer. 

H A P P Y   S U R F I N G

My Post Baby Body

Over three months have passed since the birth of my baby boy Albee, and my body doesn't look like it did before, which is to be expected. It took me nine months to grow him, so, I can hardly expect my body to bounce back to how it was pre-pregnancy. I am slightly wider than I was before, certainly a lot less toned and my core strength is pretty none existent. All of which are very normal things to feel postpartum. 

During my pregnancy, I had all of these big ideas of exercising straight away, getting my abs back after a month and feeling amazing in a bikini again. Well, I am sure any new moms will tell you these big ideas are entirely unrealistic. The reality is; I have surfed once, been to the gym twice, had two at home pilates sessions and do not feel great in a bikini. I'm not exercising every day or surfing a few times a week, but guess what ... that is ok! 

Once upon a time, I would beat myself up if I hadn't gone to the gym 3 times a week or feel guilty if I hadn't surfed in a month but now my priorities are very different. Not only because I have Albee in my life but also, because I have removed any pressure that I had before. Pressure to look a certain way, the pressure to be busy exercising and eating clean. For the first time in my life, I am on the go slow, and I love it, doing things on my terms (when Albee allows of course) and telling my number one critic aka myself to shut up. 

Postpartum Exercising 

My first time back in the gym and my first surf filled me with a lot of dread with just a sprinkling of excitement. I had built them both up to something so big that on both occasions I actually had butterflies in my stomach. Silly, I know but anyone who has taken a break away from something they once did every day will understand the feelings. But, I patiently waited until I felt ready to go back to the gym and chose a small, calm day for my first surf. I took my big surfboard out to make it easier to catch waves and set myself a light cardio and interval training session to ease myself back into gym life and much to my joy I caught waves and didn't pass out on the cross-trainer! I was in fact far fitter than I thought. 

Thankfully I had no abdominal separation and didn't have to recover from a c-section meaning my transition back into exercising was in fact relatively easy, all be it took longer than I initially thought it would. It really wasn't such a big deal, and if I have any advice to give any new moms who are eager to get back to the gym, in the surf or doing any form of sport/exercise, it would be this. Don't put pressure on yourself to be able to do what you did before and go at your own pace. Just because one mum on Instagram is smashing daily gym sessions just weeks after having a baby doesn't mean you have to as well. Go at your own pace, set your personal goals and above all listen to your body. We all recovery differently and what one woman may struggle with another may not. Be proud of your body and how far you've come because you're bloody awesome! 

My Tips For Postpartum Excising 

Chat with your doctor 

I had some concerns about my pelvic floor and ended up going to the doctor for an examination. It really put my mind at ease, and they gave the go-ahead to exercise. So, don't put things off, just as a professional and put your mind at ease. 

See a women's health physio 

If you're like me and you've just had or are about to have your first child, then you won't have a clue what your body is supposed to feel or look like, which is where a women's health physio comes in. It was around 6-8 weeks when my friend Jenny Chancellor (Physio and Pilates Instructor) came to my house, to not only see Albee but to also check on my recovery. She was able to confirm that my abdominals had healed meaning I could begin light exercise. I am also booked in for a New Mum MOT in a couple of weeks, to make sure my recovery is going well and to find out what exercises I should be doing. 

Start with light cardio 

Don't put pressure on your self to be at the same level you were pre-baby. Just ease your self back in with light cardio work or even better. Ask your local gym to write you a postpartum programme specific to you. Most gyms offer this service if you are a member. 

Do your pelvic floor exercises 

The most important thing you can do for your body after a baby is your pelvic floor exercises. I downloaded the Squeezy app which is an NHS approved an app. Giving you five pelvic floor exercises per day. This has been great for me as it's so easy to forget what exercises you have done the day before. This app also reminds you when to do your exercises. 

Drink plenty of water 

As always being hydrated is indeed imported. Even more so if you are breastfeeding or expressing as this dehydrates you quicker than normal. Having a refillable bottle with you will help you keep hydrated when breastfeeding or expressing. 

Ease yourself back in 

It's important to not take on too much or anything too strenuous straight away. So it's best not to jump into a new sport or style of training unless it's specific for postpartum. If you did yoga pre-baby head back but take it easy.  All sports and training work different muscles and muscle groups, some of these will be stronger than other after having a baby. Working new muscles will put extra strain on your body, so stick to what you know. 

Supplements 

During my postpartum recovery, I have been making sure that I have been taking plenty of vitamin and mineral supplements. Anyone with a newborn knows it's not always possible to have 3 nutritious, healthy meals per day.  So taking a selection of vitamin supplements helps keep your energy levels up when you have those nightmare days and can only eat on the go while you attend to your new arrival. 

Heres the ones I use 

Omega 3 plus -

Contributes to a normal healthy heart

Zinc and Magnesium  -

 Anti-fatigue formula supports the immune system

Coconut and collagen skin boost - 

Contains high levels of Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress and keeps skin looking healthy

Curcumin and vitamin D3 - 

Support the immune system and muscle function 

To shop any of these supplements just click on the supplement name and use code CORINNE20 to get up to 35% off. 

To all you new mums out there, or those of you getting back into exercise after having a break. Don't put pressure on your self, go at your own pace, and above all enjoy it. Because exercise is meant to be fun.