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Finding acceptance, forgiveness and achieving your health goals during the postpartum phase.

I partnered with journalist and owner of the babysteps.xyz blog, Ali Wolf Boghaert to ask her a few questions regarding nutrition and health tips for new moms. She has some great advice… so check out how she handles some of the following common, new mom issues regarding health and wellness.

The Struggles of Pregnancy and motherhood

I’ve always been very into health, nutrition and fitness. I love working out, eating healthy and feeling my best. In my 20s and 30s I felt in my control of my body and learned to love it. All that went out the window the second I got pregnant! While I was excited and grateful to have a healthy pregnancy, I struggled with the symptoms and the bodily changes. I found it hard to release control over my changing, growing body. While I celebrated the beautiful experience of growing a life, I also worried I would never get my pre-baby body back.

Staying Healthy as a new mom

Staying healthy as a mom is not easy, but it is possible! I gained over 40 pounds and I was able to lose it all. The first few weeks with a newborn were difficult. I dedicated that time to learning to care for my daughter. My health was secondary.

Once I had a handle on life with a baby, I learned to stay healthy by planning, cooking and being more intuitive with my health. I created printable grocery lists and meal planners (linked), which I still use weekly. I find that if I plan my groceries and meals, I stick to it and avoid eating out often. Finally, I’ve learned the key to staying healthy as a new mom is going easy on yourself. If I need to rest instead of working out, I do that.

How to make time for self-care

It’s easy to forget about self-care while caring for a baby. I believe it starts with your mindset. Simply think about what makes you happy, what makes you feel like YOU and do more of that. The challenge is finding time. Carve out time for yourself each day, even if it’s a ten minute shower. Start there. Enjoy it. If you can, wake up an hour earlier than your family or stay up later. Use that time for self-care.

I’m an early bird. As a new mom I started going to bed at 9pm so I could wake up at 5am to work on my Etsy shop, do yoga and enjoy a cup of coffee in peace. I know that schedule isn’t for everyone, but it’s been amazing for my mental health and clarity!

Staying positive and encouraged through your health journey

My biggest tip is to go easy on yourself. Celebrate your body and have gratitude for the amazing thing you accomplished! Enjoy the newborn baby cuddles and give yourself time to recover. In the beginning, you may not see dramatic weight loss, but have faith in the process. Start eating healthy, work out when you’re ready and soon enough you’ll start seeing results. Consistency is key.

Connecting with other moms is an incredible way to stay positive. No one understands the postpartum recovery process more than someone who is living it, too. Put yourself out there! Look into joining a moms group, a new mom fitness class or mommy and me classes. There are incredible benefits to taking 45 minute stroller walks with other moms.

In my first few weeks as a mom, I met a great friend through the Peanut app. We took a nature walk and even though our babies cried and fussed, it was incredible to get outside and connect.

My final tip is to ask for help. It truly does take a village. It can be a challenge to get your basic needs met as a new mom. You can’t expect to do it all without leaning on your partner, family or friends. If you don’t have anyone nearby to help, consider hiring a babysitter for a few hours.

Meet Ali:

Ali Wolf is a former TV News Anchor and Reporter living in Nashville, Tennessee. She’s a wife, girl mom and early bird. After having her daughter, Ali began helping other new moms by creating a website and Etsy shop providing lists and guides for pregnancy and mom life. She’s launching her second podcast this summer!

Tools to help new moms manage their health and well being