Friday 24 November 2017

Having Children and Having Your Career

Do you ever feel so torn between your career and being a mum? Or the amount of guilt you feel because you want to do something or even one thing for yourself whilst being mummy?

I do.....

I read an article the other day from Fergie the pop singer (in the dailymail) and it just caught my attention and I really felt I could relate to some of the things she mentioned...She started the article off with this statement;
"As a woman... the men can have all the career in the world and still have children. If you're a mum and you have a career... it's the mummy shaming: you can't do that anymore, you're a mum!."

This really saddens me... the amount of intensity and loneliness us a mums already go through transitioning from an independent ambitious woman to then becoming a mummy- where your life goes on hold for that first year/two/ten years/ever and then you hear 'mummy shaming'... *sad face*
 Luckily I actually do not come across 'mummy shaming', I actually come across ' How the f**k do you parent full time and work self employed WITH NO NANNY' .... that in itself literally says 'Career out the window...- because it is hard... however it is possible- I am doing it and so are a lot of other mummies!'

She then pulls me in even more as she mentions about her first time leaving her child to go to the studio and was in floods of tears.... now how many people can relate to this? ... definitely me
I remember the first time I left Carter (my first) I was crying so much.. and even with Jaxton-Black(11 month old) I cried and cheered at the same time hehe- second time round is definitely a little bit different because there is no breathing time...so you do look forward to breathing/going toilet on your own hehe. Leaving your kids is very hard but I do believe it can be healthy for you and for them to an extent, however some have no choice which I completely understand too...

Fergie (pop singer) then quoted;

"What am I supposed to do? I love singing and dancing. It is who I am as a human."

This I can incredibly relate too.... Incredibly relate too. I absolutely love my career- I love helping women through their pregnancy and postpregnancy- it is who I am but I obviously adore my babies too. Men or even just the one with the biggest income' can actually have the best of both worlds' but just because you do not bring in the most money does that mean you career should take the backseat? Your career is just as important- it is you.... and what if your career actually has the potential to be big? Of course your babies will always be your number one but you are allowed to be you too...
I think us mothers put a lot of guilt on ourselves- too much guilt... when we are entitled to have a life too.. ' A Happy Mummy- A Happy Home' and I truly believe that.

I remember having my first baby boy; Carter. I did literally give up my career and it made me feel like shit. I felt I had lost my identity- the person I were, I remember having really down days. So this time round I have pushed my career even more and kept myself in the loop and returned to work much quicker. To be honest I do look forward to work it's actually a little break/a refresher, when I train my clients/teach my classes I feel like Kimmy and not just mummy'mummy..hehe...

With my work growing and becoming more demanding- time is needed and not just the time when I put my babies to sleep because there is a lot of times I actually pass out with them or sacrifice my time with my hubby...- the mum life hey...
So I have decided to make a plan of action and get some help with my 11 month old whilst my elder goes to preschool mon-weds...
However.....have I made it happen.... nope... why? because I feel blimen guilty... I feel I am the best for him, I want to be with him...... But in all honesty I need some help.... I basically run this ship by myself as hubby does hours from 6am-9pm tues-fri and half day sat- and my parents unfortunately do not live local and plus they are quite old.

I believe there are a lot of women out there just like me... torn between having their kids and their career- it is very hard. I think we need to find a balance.. maybe a good 2-3 days of work?... you are allowed your own life too.
We sacrifice so so much... I believe we need to be a little kind to ourselves. Having your first child is a massive life changing situation- mostly for the woman. I would say it takes at least a year to actually get in the swing of being a mummy....
If you are passionate about your career why not have both?! Make it happen- and that goes to myself too... this mummy is on it!

X
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Sunday 5 November 2017

Can I plank after pregnancy?

Lets jump straight to it.... should you plank after pregnancy?

No.... to my Knowledge/Research/My Opinion.... No you should not plank straight after pregnancy... Not until your body is strong enough to hold your own bodyweight' with good technique... i.e at least 9 months post-pregnancy to be on the safe side

My first forward-facing plank; 11 months postpartum
What is a plank exercise?
As you can see above it is a bodyweight exercise that your whole body holds itself as stiff as a board primarily targeting your core- the muscles that connect your upper and lower body as well as your shoulders, arms and glutes.

Now I want you to think about getting your post pregnancy body into a plank position.... this would mean you are basically holding most of your bodyweight on your postpartum core- your tummy and back- AFTER 40 weeks (plus or less) of pregnancy!
Look at my body below... does my body look like it could hold it self strongly in my core? no it doesn't and most women's body won't. I wouldn't even recommend to the most fittest of women' to plank through their postpartum journey. I would consider myself to be quite/very fit and strong and I have only just started to front-face-plank and I am 11 months postnatal from my second child.
After 9 months of your abdominals stretching, muscles weakening, joints' loosening, your spine alignment changing to suit your growing uterus, Do you really think your core is ready to hold most of your bodyweight?...


 
This is my early postnatal body.. Do I look ready to plank? My uterus is still quite enlarged which takes at least 6 weeks to go down after birth, you can see I clearly have no abdominal strength and you can even see I have hardly any strength in my glutes/arms/shoulders and mostly a weak back too.  
Take a look at the requirement from a plank exercise' ...Your entire body faces horizontally down holding yourself up with your forearms/shoulders and toes meaning that your whole body from your toes to your shoulders are basically depending on your abdominals... Sounds kind of ouch right?... Now we all know what our postpartum tummy is like... a hanging/loose tummy- whether its skin or muscle we have all experienced it....I remember in my first post-pregnancy recovery I turned to my side in bed and my tummy just hung to the side too... and its blimen normal- you have just grown and carried a baby. However, allowing your tummy to just hang exposed in that plank position will cause you more damage than good- even if you can hold it for a hour.

Look at my early postpartum-body- if I started planking I could tell you what kind of tummy I would have now.. a very similar kind to that early postnatal picture above and most likely with diastasic recti (abdominal separation) too. Unfortunately this tummy shaping post birth is very common and it could happen to you or it is you- not just because you planked but maybe because you wanted a quick fix instead of the appropriate journey.
Planking too early post-birth can deform your postnatal tummy muscles because you really do too much pressure inappropriately on your abdominals that are already over stretched and out of shape. Planks do not focus on shortening the abdominals and focus on strengthening the transverse abdominis muscles. Planks focus on holding your bodyweight on your core so you ideally need to have strength prior to planking and you definitely need to know how to engage with your abdominal muscles.

So when can I plank?

I would advise that you plank when you are able to;

  • Connect with your transverse abdominis muscles 
  • When you can prevent your tummy muscles from hanging' (abdominal engagement)
  • When you have 1 finger or less gap between your abdominal muscles 
  • When you are able to stay out of your lower back
  • When you can comfortably hold your tummy without your tummy doming' (i.e tummy tensed in a point shape out)

This is when you can start to plank....And when you do start to plank focus on technique rather than how long you can hold it for.
 I have only just started to forward face plank and I am 11 months postnatal.. even when I teach my abdominal classes in my early postpartum journey I would demonstrate and not participate because it was too much for me and I didn't want to cause damage.

Now is the time more than ever to invest in yourself...
I run a 6 month postnatal- myMummyFitness journey that will guide your through a safe and effective recovery to provide you with appropriate exercises to help strengthen and rebuild you postpartum body. Strengthening your body to the mumma needs' and get your sexy on not back! You are totally allowed to invest in yourself. Join now and email me we can do this together; mymummyfitness@gmail.com

myMummyFitness journey 
myMummyFitness journey  





Myself with my two boys
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Tuesday 3 October 2017

Enhance Your Breastmilk Supply With Lactation Cookies


Need more breastmilk?

Soooo I was talking to a lovely Mumma across the pond' and she mentioned a secret recipe for increasing breastmilk- so I decided to look it up and my gosh it worked! I instantly spread the work! 

Breast feeding can be very stressful- yes it's an amazing if you can actually do it and it means you literally have milk on tap but the stress can literally interrupt your milk supply- the more you stress the more you struggle.. and you totally have to put your mind to it...Sometimes I would say to myself- relax, come breastmilk, relax come breastmilk... Don't get me wrong I felt like a natural a breastfeeding but I did find my exercise did decrease my milk supply. Which is why I need to seek for help and in all honesty it worked for myself and for my friends- and they actually taste good too!


So here you have it; Lactation Cookies


Prep time: approx. 15 minutes Oven temp: preheat to 170C or 338F Makes approx. 14-16 cookies, using a dessert spoon per cookie (double the recipe for more) - .

  • 1 cup self raising wholemeal flour (if you have plain flour, add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder- I went for Gluten free flour, others used coconut flour) 
  • 1/2 cup butter (for a healthier option, use organic virgin coconut oil instead- def opt for coconut oil)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (if you want to reduce sugar, you could try just 1/2 cup or add in some fruits for a natural sweetness) 
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal 
  • 1 egg 
  • 2-3 tablespoons of water (depends on how moist you prefer the cookies to be) 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional, for flavour) 
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, for flavour) 
  • 1-2 tablespoons of brewers yeast – DO NOT substitute bakers yeast or any other yeast 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt – use himalayan salt if possible 
  • 1 & 1/2 cups oats – organic, steel cut oats are best for you, but rolled oats are fine - 

See more at: http://www.bellybelly.com.au/breastfeeding/lactation-cookies/


Once I got to grips with the ingredients I ended throwing everything in- theres no time to measure things hehe....I also ended up adding things putting my own yummy but healthy to it for example; mash some bananas in and throw in some raisins. 
However if you do do this never leave out the oats and brewers yeast! They are literally the main breastmilk enhancer ingredient- especially Brewers yeast!

Enjoy and Spread the word to any mummies, mummies-to-be

X
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Friday 13 January 2017

Can I squat during pregnancy?

Now we all know how popular squats are in this fitness world. Im sure if you speak to any trainer or exercise instructor they will tell you to 'squat squat squat......' but the question is 'Can I squat during and throughout my pregnancy?'



Here are 5 reasons why you should continue or begin to squat during your pregnancy:

Prepare you for labour
Squatting is one of the most natural positions for giving birth. This position can help you cope with contractions in early or late labour. Squats can also help your baby move deeper down into the pelvis, which is what we want during the late stage of pregnancy.  

Prevents lower back and pelvic pain
Strengthening your glutes maximus muscles helps decrease lower back and pelvic pain. By strengthening your glutes you help stabilise and support your pelvis by supporting your sacroiliac joint which loosens due to pregnancy hormone (relaxin and progesterone which effects the whole body). 

Stronger birth position
Squats will help keep your glutes and legs strong throughout your pregnancy. Not only will this help the body adapt to the extra weight that is gained but this will also help with your birthing positions during labour. Labour requires a lot of physical strength and control so keeping your lower body strong and active is very beneficial. 

Increase pelvic floor strength
Depending on how often you squat (with correct technique) your squats will help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles even more than your kegel exercises. Quality over quantity! 

A great derriere
Obviously you want a fabulous perky bottom, who doesn't? 

 If you are a fitness fanatic/love to squat you may just need to hold out until post pregnancy. This sometimes happens, pregnancy is very unpredictable. You may have had an amazing previous pregnancy or you may be the fittest woman out their but yet this pregnancy you may just be limited in what you can do.

There are always alternatives in exercise so please do not feel disheartened if you find you cannot continue to squat, you can always return/begin to squat after pregnancy. Baby comes first. 

Here are 3 reasons why you may not be able to squat during your pregnancy:

Medical reasons
Some of us won't be able to squat or even exercise during pregnancy. If you are someone that could have early labour, squatting maybe one of the exercises you will need to AVOID. Please listen to your doctor/midwife! There are always alternatives. 

Pain
Never continue if you are feeling abnormal pain. Of course you will feel uncomfortable and exercises will be challenging but no abnormal pain should occur at all. Please seek for professional advise or do not risk it at all. 

When baby is not in optimal birth position after 30 weeks gestation
Squats help your baby descend deeper down into the pelvis so if your baby is feet or bottom down after 30 weeks we don't want to encourage them to go further down. Wait until baby is head down then resume back to your squats.

How often should I squat?

If you have read that statement "Squat 300 times a day and you are going to give birth quicker" Ina MayGaskin.  You may just be questioning whether this is what you should be doing?

I can tell you squatting 300 times a day is a crazy. Not only will you loose the benefits from squats but you will most likely cause yourself an injury which is something you definitely do not want to do especially during pregnancy. 
I would recommend 12-15 repetitions in one set, 2-4 rounds depending on you and where you are in your pregnancy. I would suggest having squats in your exercise routine 2-3 days a week. 
Do remember you are maintaining your fitness or decreasing, this is not the time to set for any personal bests, Save them for your post-pregnancy body as you will feel you can conquer the world once you have been through labour!
You will also notice the later you get on into your pregnancy the more you will actually squat. By this I mean squatting in your day-to-day tasks which you should be doing anyway.(I.e lifting)

All the best for you during your pregnancy, Us women really are incredible......

I hope you have enjoyed the read.... Please do check out my other blogs if you have missed them.. Keep following me: kimmy_fitness on my social media for safe and effective pregnancy and post pregnancy workouts. Make sure you sign up to my mymummyfitness post pregnancy exercise program I have had amazing results from mothers. 


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