However, a few months on, after your ‘bundle of joy’ has arrived, you have finally settled back into a normal routine and you may have caught a few unexpected glimpses of yourself in the mirror, leaving you a little unsatisfied.

It all comes down to a healthy lifestyle

Many new moms often have the desire to get back into shape and lose the baby weight post pregnancy. However, often the wrong approach is taken or they simply do not know how to get started.

Gareth Powell, National Training Manager at Ultimate Sports Nutrition (USN) says, “It is not easy to get back into shape after you have given birth, and your body may not be the same as before. However, taking up a healthy lifestyle post pregnancy depends on two factors; what getting ‘back into shape’ means to you personally as well as your ability to stay consistent in your workouts and nutrition.”

Fit tips post bump

Powell suggests the following tips on how to stay fit after giving birth:

• Keep active – after giving birth, for the first few weeks, you may feel exhausted, overwhelmed and sleep deprived. Although exercise may be the last thing on your mind, it is important to keep active. Start by walking around, whether it is in and around your house, or even around the block.
• Include your baby – including your new born in your exercise routine can be a great way to get fit while still being a mommy. While walking the stroller, take a break and do a few lunges in between your walk.
• Join other moms – joining an exercise group for new moms, or other women who are eager to get back into shape, can give you the extra motivation needed to reach your fitness goals.
• Keep track of calories and fat consumption – try to stay away from unhealthy foods and the craving fixes you experienced during pregnancy. Focus on foods that are rich in nutrition, and remember, your body is repairing itself.
• Breastfeed – by breastfeeding, between 600 and 800 calories can be burned a day.
• Start slowly – be gentle with your body in the very beginning. Weakened abdominal muscles, sheer exhaustion and the effect of relaxin (the hormone your body secretes in preparation for birth) means that your body cannot handle strenuous activity at first.
• Take regular naps – napping at regular intervals has been proven to help with weight control. To make sure you are not sleep deprived; take a nap whenever your baby is sleeping to ensure that your sleeping patterns are in sync.

Body Makeover Challenge

Lisl Windt, winner of USN’s 2012/2013 Body Makeover Challenge and single mother, managed to change her complete physique in just 12 weeks. “Between balancing a career and being a single mother, I could not find the time to look after my own health. Deciding to enter the USN Body Makeover Challenge and winning, has inspired me to take further care of my health and fitness so I may reach more of my goals.”

Supplements and Breastfeeding

Using supplements while breastfeeding is not recommended as it can be harmful to your baby however should you not be breastfeeding you can make use of select weight control products. USN provides a variety of weight control products to choose from, such asPhedra-Cut Lipo/Ultra XT, Diet Fuel Ultralean,CLA Pure 1000, Waterslim and Cellu-Treat.

Including your baby

“You do not have to leave your home or your baby by going to the gym. Instead, you can work out from home by doing exercises such as Pilates, Yoga and even power walking around the house along with your baby in your company. Remember that the same healthy lifestyle guidelines apply as to prior to your pregnancy, which is to be consistent in your diet and training and to stay motivated so you can reach your personal goals,” concludes Powell.

The post Tips to get that pre-pregnancy body back! appeared first on All4Baby.

The good news is that sleep training does not have to mean leaving your baby to cry for hours on end on his own.

All methods of sleep training entail some fussing and crying. You are teaching your baby a new skill and breaking old expectations.

While some crying is unavoidable the ‘Crying it out’ method is not advisable, as it can make your baby feel abandoned and emotionally insecure.

The goal of sleep training is not only to teach your baby to sleep through the night but, to teach your baby to fall asleep independently and to put himself back to sleep should he wake during the night.

Because babies pass through light sleep states every 45 minutes at night (up to an hour in toddlers), it is not possible to prevent your baby stirring at night (due to sleep cycles) but it is possible for you to teach your baby to go back to sleep without your assistance.

This means that you will give him a chance to see if he can put himself to sleep (or back to sleep). By not leaving your baby on his own for long periods of time and by portraying a message of consistency and confidence your baby will feel secure not abandoned.

When controlled crying for sleep training is done in the correct manner to meet your child’s needs on all levels, especially his emotional needs, there should be no negative effects whatsoever – in fact a well-rested child with well-rested parents plays an important part of creating a loving and secure home.

Have the courage to be firm, without guilt or fear that your baby will resent or love you less.

Before you start:

• Decide on an appropriate time to begin
• Rule out medical causes of night waking
• Ensure your baby’s diet is adequate for his age, with sufficient milk and age appropriate solid food
• Your baby’s sleep zone must support sleep and be a consistent and calming environment.
• Encourage a comfort object (dummy, soft toy)
• A consistent bedtime routine is an excellent way of preparing your baby for sleep.
• If you are both working, arrange for a days leave on either end of your weekend, to allow consistent time to change the unhealthy sleep habits.
• Try to rest during the day as it essential that you are rested for the night ahead. If you are not prepared, you will be more likely to give up or be inconsistent out of sheer exhaustion.
• If possible, take shifts with your partner to allow you to have some undisturbed sleep somewhere along the line to recharge!
• If you have other children or demands, try to elicit help and support from other care-givers for the first few days, so that you can invest sufficient time and energy into the programme. Reassure your other children that you will make it up to them later – don’t forget to do this!
• Earmark a reward for yourself at the end of it all

The post Sleep training: What you need to know before you start! appeared first on All4Baby.

He has now doubled his birth weight and continues to grow 1cm per month.

During the fifth month, baby will probably spend a lot of time playing with his hands and fingers. He also tracks moving objects and voices (especially the voices of mom and dad).

While most babies sleep through the night by five months old, it is not a given for all babies. If you are struggling to get your baby to sleep through the night, perhaps it’s time you initiate a bedtime routine. A routine that is followed each night might encourage your baby to get into a regular night time sleep rhythm. Start with a warm bath, followed by a final feed and a few minutes of gentle rocking.

At this age, it is best to put your baby down drowsy rather than asleep. By doing so, you teach your baby to self soothe, rather than relying on you to do it for him. This will help baby put himself back to sleep should he wake up in the middle of the night.

Although your baby is becoming more active and demanding more play time, he will still need two naps during the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Babies who don’t nap during the day tend to become overtired and fussy come evening time.

During the fifth month, your baby will;

• Smile at himself in the mirror
• Start drooling as teething starts
• Repeat sounds
• Mimic facial expressions of those close to him
• Be able to push himself up onto his arms during tummy time
• Start to roll from his back onto his tummy

The post How is my baby developing at five months? appeared first on All4Baby.