Healthy Chicks

When you’re discharged from the hospital and sent home with mesh undies (which are actually kind of fabulous, BTW), a sitz bottle and a new baby, “normal” is the last word to describe how it feels.

Not to mention you’re sleep deprived, overly emotional (those baby blues are no joke), and now in charge of taking care of this tiny beautiful human around the clock. Um, give this girl a glass of wine! But wait, you can’t really have one of those just yet either.

While you will never be the same — hello, you just birthed a baby — there are little things you can do to help you feel a bit more like yourself again.

Here are 11 tips that have helped me throughout the postpartum recovery process so far!

1. Sneak in Alone Time

Carving out time for yourself is crucial for your wellbeing! During the early days, this looked like hiding in the bathroom with a sitz bath, calming music and a candle lit.

Nowadays, it’s little things like taking an extra long shower, napping when the baby goes down for hers, or going on a solo walk. Find time to be alone with yourself … Read More!

Ever since having a baby about two months ago, online grocery shopping has become my new best friend — especially when I’m strapped for time. After all, you never know how long of a window you are going to get before the next poop explosion or crying fit.

The first time I took baby girl to Trader Joe’s, I was in and out of there in record time of about 15 minutes, and religiously stuck to my grocery list. Heck, I even skipped the free sample!

That’s why I love Thrive Market, an online marketplace offering wholesale prices on quality products you can trust. From healthy snacks to natural skincare, Thrive’s my go-to for online shopping.

And I can order all my favorites — one handed, with the push of a finger, while nursing — without even leaving my home. Talk about feeling like a Mom Boss!

Here’s a peek instead my Thrive Market cart, including my favorite gluten-free pantry staples, healthy snacks and beauty essentials. Get 25% off your first Thrive order here!

Pantry Staples

• Coconut Secret Organic Coconut Aminos – delicious gluten-free, soy-free alternative for sauces, “soy sauce” and salad dressings!
• Fourth & Heart Grass Fed

Cold and flu season is approaching, and every year the whole “Should you get the flu shot?” question brings up quite the heated debate. Heck, you’d think we were talking about Politics!

While getting the flu shot is a personal choice you must make for your health (yes, you do have a say), I feel there are many things you can do to naturally keep your immune system healthy without getting vaccinated.

And while I typically decline the flu shot, this year I chose to bite the bullet since I have a newborn at home, and by getting vaccinated you can pass on antibodies through your breastmilk to help protect little ones. That said, I strongly believe that most healthy adults without compromised immune systems can power through cold and flu season unscathed by making a few simple adjustments for their health.

But whether you choose to get the flu shot or not, everyone — I repeat everyone — can benefit from keeping their immune system healthy. After all, even getting the flu shot doesn’t guarantee you will not get the flu.

Here are some of my favorite tried and true ways to naturally boost the immune system and stay … Read More!

When I told my mom I was pregnant, one of her first questions was, “What’s your theme going to be?” “My what?” “Your theme…for your nursery.” Needless to say, I hadn’t quite thought about it.

But after a little research and Pinteresting, I landed on woodland animal. I really liked that it was gender neutral, and I mean how adorable are the little critters? I absolutely love how our nursery came together, and it suits our little Isabella Rose perfectly.

Here are 6 must-haves to complete your woodland animal themed baby nursery!

1. A Cozy Blanket

A cozy blanky is a must to complete any baby’s room. I love this handmade fleece blanket my sister got us from Etsy. It’s perfect for snuggling up, and has the most adorable design!

2. Treetop Friends Playmat

Playmats are great for baby’s development, and this one fits the woodland theme perfectly! This Treetop Friends Activity Mat by Skip Hop has 17 developmental activities, and comes in a beautiful grey/pastel or green/brown.

Baby loves hanging in here after feeding, and playing with her little bird friends.

3. Woodland Forest Mobile

Our baby loves laying in her crib and watching her little animal friends … Read More!

Whether you’re a college student with a jam-packed semester (been there!) or a new mom (there now!), there’s one thing we all have in common: our time is precious.

That’s why I like to keep it simple when it comes to cooking. After all, who has the time or patience to spend hours following 20-ingredient recipes pulled from a glossy cooking magazine? Not this girl!

During the weeks leading up to my due date, I planned ahead because I knew cooking would be the last thing on my mind when I got home from the hospital with baby. Heck, I’d be lucky if I got a shower in!

Here are 7 simple, healthy freezer-friendly meals and snacks you can make ahead in bulk when you’re strapped for time like me. Enjoy!

Crustless Quiche

This is my favorite on-the-go breakfast when you’re looking to squeeze in some extra protein, especially if you crave savory like me! Simply scramble up a dozen eggs, and whisk in your favorite toppings. We did one batch with spinach, feta, shiitake and sun-dried tomatoes and another “Western Style” with ham, peppers, mushrooms and shallots.

Pour into muffin tins, and bake on 350 for about … Read More!

They say to sleep when the baby sleeps, but sometimes I can’t help but stare at our little love while she dreams. I also have this inner need to be “superwoman” and clean the house/make the food/wash the clothes/do all the things when I get a window.

This goes on for a few days, when it hits you like a ton of bricks: the sleep deprivation of motherhood is real, folks.

True life: On week 2, I was so tired that I mistakenly rubbed butt balm on my boobs before a feeding instead of the similarly packaged nipple butter. All I can say is thank goodness for organic ingredients and the kind lady on the phone from Poison Control!

As Isabella and I get into our groove, I’ve realized my self care needs to be a priority including sleep. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup and let’s just say for a while I was running on empty.

One of our favorite new routines? Morning nap time after her early feeding! Her in the DockATot Deluxe+ baby lounger and me on the chase lounge next to her. Baby girl is super comfy and stays asleep for hours, and … Read More!

Welcome to the world, sweet Isabella Rose. From the moment we saw you squirming around on your first ultrasound as a tiny sesame seed, we were completely in love. Then on Sunday, August 26th at 7:43pm just as the full moon was rising, you came into our lives and took that love to a whole new level. You are absolutely perfect and worth every minute of the crazy, long beautiful (and yes painful) labor process as well as the rocky journey to pregnancy. Mommy and daddy love you to pieces, you are so worth the wait.

xoxo,

Mommy 

Two weeks ago, we welcomed our beautiful Isabella Rose into the world three days before her due date, and today on the blog I wanted to share my birth story. Before I continue, I want you to know this is my story, and everyone’s story is different. I 100% respect every woman’s choice in how they go about labor and delivery, and I also know that sometimes it’s out of our control and you just have to ride the waves.

As I mentioned before, pregnancy was hard, labor was no joke and motherhood is next level, but I wouldn’t trade it … Read More!

It’s been a while, but I’m excited to bring back the Healthy Chicks in the Community series, highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the wellness community! This week’s feature, Shay, is a role model for many young women, working as a self-defense instructor for IMPACT Boston.

Through her impactful work, she’s able to empower students to find their voice and defend themselves in the real world. I’ll let Shay take it from here!

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK: I’m a self-defense instructor with IMPACT Boston (although my actual title is Program Coordinator). We’re an abuse prevention nonprofit dedicated to teaching self-defense by giving students the opportunity to practice physical and verbal skills in realistic scenarios. I coach the students through the scenarios while my coworker, the “suited instructor,” plays a character who might be anyone from a stranger to a coercive dating partner. We teach empowerment self-defense, which means that our approach is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and anti-victim blaming.

I’ve been working here for almost a year and I’m in love with it. I get to help people get to a place where they can walk or wheel through the world without (or at least with less) … Read More!