Rising from the fog 5 years after delivering my second child, I finally feel like ME again. After entering my first pregnancy with less than optimal nutritional stores, bad habits, and irregular sleep patterns I was somewhat doomed from the start. 9 months of growing a human that took what it needed to form itself properly, then the initiation of motherhood through labour and delivery, and breastfeeding for 16 months. I wasn’t even keeping my head above water.

I did the math on this and it worked out to be 4.9 years of either being pregnant or breastfeeding. Digging myself out of a hole in the ground was and still is something that I have to work on on a daily basis. I was living in a fog of sleep and nutritional deprivation, I was bitchy and over weight, a hormonal mess, and I knew that depletion + disease + depression all go hand in hand. My body was shouting all kinds of messages to me. Alarms going off and red flags being handed out daily. Making myself a priority could no longer take a back seat. Slipping into a deeper state of depletion would only result in dis-ease and depression to a further degree.

Making my health a priority. The Shift.

My journey to recovering myself included these as part of a daily extreme self-care regime.

Eating 3 meals a day

Not just the stuff my kids didn’t eat, but sitting down with my own healthy meal in front of me. Especially breakfast! Real, nourishing food. I cut back on carbs and upped my protein. Started feeling real, lasting energy instead of a quick high then low.

Herbal infusions

Nettle, alfalfa, red clover to name a few. Upgrading my water to these powerhouse infusions was a game changer.

Bone broth

Every. Damn. Day.

Cultured foods

To help repair my stressed out guts because of my stressed out life.

Adaptogens

Ashwaganda, rhodiola and reishi were my go-to herbs. When they got into my system it was as though I could see how things were stressful, but it didn’t get the best of me because my adaptogens were my body guards.

Activity

It’s really hard those early years. Midnight feedings, early mornings, stressful days, what to cook for supper… you know how it goes. However it has to happen, make sure you put yourself on the list for people to spend time with. Don’t forget yourself in the chaos! Go out with your girlfriends. Go for a walk. Go to a coffee shop and read a book. No one will hand this to you. You have to take it for yourself.

Bed

I went to bed every night by 10 pm. Lights out no matter what. Sleep is such a pillar of health. The dishes and laundry can wait.

 

Eventually life began to flow again. I can tell when I let things slide and I slip back into a version of my old self. Discipline and a huge desire to really change myself were key. Prevention is really the best medicine, which is why it is so important to focus hard on your health during pregnancy.

Blessings on your journey. x