3 Easy Tips for New Moms: Feel Great & Look Better

I am so excited to be posting for Ana while she enjoys her new fresh-smelling, squealing little bundle of joy! Babies are just so precious. In fact, I get a little sad when I think back to my daughter’s birth. It feels like yesterday that she was so tiny and needy. Now she is nine months.

When I think back to first bringing her home, I remember getting bitch slapped by the new concept of coming last. It’s so hard; you barely have time to shower, so how are you supposed to take care of the rest? There’s nothing worse than feeling crappy and feeling like you look crappy.

I knew I didn’t want to take forever to get back into shape and I needed to keep my health a priority even though I was a new mommy with so much on my plate. It was no small feat, but I’m so glad I did it so I had energy to nurse her through the night, and care for her during the day. (Stay tuned for my 9 month post pregnancy “after” pictures!)

These three things can help you take care of yourself so you can take better care of your baby and look good while doing it!

Get in a quickie.

Ahem… sex is a workout, but get your head out of the gutter. Your workout doesn’t have to be an hour long to be effective. By throwing a dish in the oven or using the crock pot, you can spare 15 minutes to break a sweat. Include your baby sidekick! Try these mom and baby workout ideas or pop baby into a stroller and usethis simple walking circuit. Kids love to see that you are active plus something new will help challenge their brain. Whether you are ready to move or need more time to heal, don’t forget to try foam rolling and experience it’s gazillion benefits. You won’t regret it!

Make a snack stash.

When I came home from the hospital I knew that nursing a baby and eating was going to have to happen at the same time. I needed the nutrients, and to kill two birds with one stone. I kept snacks right by my nursing/pumping area so that I could easily get it myself if no one was there to wait on me. Here are a few things I kept handy: bananas, apples, almonds, granola bars, trail mix, and larabars. What a lifesaver. I would be starving sometimes at 3 am!

Hydrate.

In an ideal world, you should be drinking at least half your body weight in ounces each day. Ex. If you weigh 150 you should drink 75 ounces of water a day. If you are nursing, you can drink more than that, but don’t over-hydrate (hypernatremia) because that is harmful. Keep water bottles handy in case you can’t get up. At times, I needed a change-up and felt refreshed when I had fruit water. Kevita is an excellent substitution if you are craving carbonated drinks. It’s also a good idea to use a tracking system because TRUST ME you will get busy and distracted; before you know it, it’s 4pm and you only finished one glass of water.

If you can focus on these three things, I promise PROMISE you will feel so much better and look it, too!

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a guest today and if you ever need tips for motherhood, healthy living, or DIY, don’t by shy!

I’m Kayla and I am a mom to a beautiful baby girl and I’m a police wife! I blog over at Variety by Vashti about all things motherhood, coffee and how I attempt to be fit and frugal. Stop on by! You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.