August 4, 2022
Post-pregnancy can be an interesting time for a lot of women. Some common issues we hear about include the following:
- “Everything that helped me lose weight before pregnancy isn’t working anymore.”
- “My hormones are all over the place.”
- “I am losing fat everywhere except my waist.”
- “My appetite is very low, but I crave carbs.”
The good news is, your body is eager to go back to its original state after pregnancy. However, you must give it the right nutrients and training regimen to do so!Lifestyle is also a key factor in optimal post-pregnancy recovery. Here are 5 key things to implement into your life post-pregnancy to get back on track:
Focus on high quality proteins and fats: Proteins and fats are essential for your immune system, detoxification processes, mood, memory (say bye-bye to mommy brain!), and for rebalancing hormones.
Supplement with the right nutrients: Include zinc, fish oil, a multivitamin, betaine HCl/enzymes (Super Enzymes by NOW brand has both!), and magnesium.
Castor oil packs: If you have had a C-section, use castor oil packs daily to help heal the scar tissue. Castor oil stimulates circulation—the increased blood flow to the scarred area will improve healing time while also soothing the area. This makes it a useful tool for sore, swollen joints, for stimulating hair growth, for constipation, and for decongesting an overloaded liver! However, castor oil packs should not be used during pregnancy, during menstruation, or by those with bleeding disorders. Not sure how to do a castor oil pack? We’ve got you covered…
What you need:
- Castor oil
- Flannel cloth, large enough to cover the affected area
- Plastic, large enough to cover the flannel cloth (saran wrap works well)
- Heating pad or hot water bottle
How to do it:
- Pour castor oil on the flannel cloth until it is soaked through, but not dripping
- Place the flannel cloth over the affected area
- Cover the flannel cloth with the plastic (the plastic is used to make sure the castor oil doesn’t get on your clothes or sheets—it stains!)
- Place the heating pad, on low heat, or hot water bottle over the plastic
- Rest for a minimum of 30 minutes while the pack is in place—you can even leave it on overnight!
- After removal, cleanse the area with water
Exercise, but don’t overdo it: Do gentle exercises daily to strengthen the pelvic floor, the abdominal walls, and the glutes.
Work on your sleep: Although it may sound like an impossible task with a newborn baby in the house, it is essential that you do what you can to improve the quality of your sleep. Some small but effective ways to improve sleep include:
- Minimize your use of electronics including cellphones, TV, laptops, tablets, etc.—especially for the hour before bedtime.
- Sleep in a dark room—install blackout curtains and/or use a sleep mask.
- Take magnesium both in the evening and before bed.
Follow these suggestions to help you bounce back post-pregnancy, and share your progress with me at info@belite.ca!
