Photo by Andrew Galligan Photography
I’ve been passionate about helping moms feel amazing and rock the postpartum phase for 5 years, and I’m thrilled to be able to summarize here my top 10.
You’ll see there’s only 9 tools shown here, the 10th is at the bottom, so keep reading.
We’re starting a Postpartum support community on FB in the new year…I hope you’ll join us! Hop on the list to be notified when we open it; we’re calling all moms who are ready to feel amazing, care for themselves and baby like never before, and to share their best tips and tricks with all of us!
Here they are, in order of essential importance:
- Vitalizer, the best pre-natal, transitions naturally to your daily strip of post-natal support. It has extra iodine for thyroid support which is critical post-partum, and it’s backed by a 17 year study, which I am happy to share with you. There’s a reason it’s considered the most comprehensive nutritional strip on the market. I love that it has a probiotic, and tons of B vitamins for mood and energy…I take extra of these too as needed which is below.
- The shaklee life shake. Baby is growing like crazy, and your body is rebuilding itself literally at the cellular level after a child. Protein is an essential building block, and this one is one of a kind in terms of its safety (some shakes on the market aren’t safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding…say what?), it’s delicious taste, the probiotics and omegas it provides, as well as the many different types (soy, vegan, grassfed whey, etc) to suit everyones’s dietary needs. This is what’s helped me build muscle, lose fat and feel super energized from right after baby. I have been in a smaller pant size post kids, and that is definitely due to the reshaping nature of the leuceine coupled with a regular (sometimes) exercise routine:)
- Energizing tea. This is a tough call as 3rd but I have to go with it. It’s such a great way to get a natural energy boost without caffeine or much sugar. Bonus points that it comes in a packet that is easy to store in your purse for emergencies, or to drink with chia seeds or seltzer water. I call it my 2pm crash cure.
- Alfalfa. The mother of all postpartum and breastfeeding needs. It’s a known galactagogue helping milk production, but what I found was that it doesn’t just increase under supply, it can also balance out oversupply. I recommend people start taking it in their 3rd trimester. It helps with bloating, water weight, energy, mood and reducing inflammation. Basically, a must-have.
- Hydrate. From the nightly feedings and all day care, moms need to replace essential electrolytes to keep from getting dehyrated. Enter the hydrate shake which is low calorie/low sugar and tested and approved by olympic athletes. I often start my mornings with this to get the day off to the right start, and definitely when adding in workouts to your postpartum flow, it becomes an essential game changer!
- GLA, This is a key component for balancing hormones. I didn’t have it in my first postpartum year, and boy was it a rollercoaster. It supports your body’s natural balancing, and I take it whenever I feel moody or low, especially in the first 3 months following birth. Some folks feel they get the right support from vitalizer alone in balancing out their systems, but this is very helpful to have on hand…and you can google GLA to learn more about what it’s doing to support us.
- Stress relief. Exactly what it says it does. An herbal blend involving Ashwaganda, to calm the nervous system, support your adrenal function, and allow you to be your best self…even on little sleep. I find it helps with milk supply too, makes sense, right? A calm and happy momma is a calm and well fed baby.
- B complex. Also known as the Happy pill. Boosts mood, increases energy, and I take this on top of the 800mg of the B in the Vitalizer strip, because you literally can’t have too much of this goodness. Great for a 4/5pm pick me up that wont involve a crash or keeping you up at night. My husband swears by his too (in fact, gift the new dad in your life his own vitalizer men’s and you’ll see such a difference in his energy in being able to support you and baby–just a little insider tip)
- Energize. For those moments when you DO want to squeeze a yoga session or quick workout in while baby naps, this is key…it provides a quick clean energy boost without any jitters or strange side effects…I love these before workouts, or anytime that the energizing tea isn’t cutting it 🙂
- The secret ingredient: your mindset! The difference between a tough postpartum experience and an easy one can be sooo many factors. We’re all so unique in what our healing journeys are and what our babies need (and how they sleep)…however, I’ve found that having a positive mindset and seeking a community of support for the tough moments (like the one we’re creating for all of us on FB and here for the new year), can be key. The days are long but the years are short. Enjoy these moments with your newborn, as you grow to a new level of wisdom, strength, fitness and fulfillment in your new role.
This is my real life photo ya’ll. My busy 1 year old who loves to help momma and climb things. He’s benefitting from all of this, and truly thriving, so I’m immensely grateful. We do it for them and we do it for ourselves.