Pregnancy
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6 Tips for Healing Postpartum Foot Pain: Flat Feet and Tendonitis
Let’s talk about postpartum, specifically postpartum foot pain. Pregnancy impacts your body in so many ways. In postpartum you can experience bigger feet, flat feet, and even tendonitis in some more extreme cases. All of my life I’ve had flat feet with the occasional aches and pains but no specific injuries or issues. In the third trimester of my pregnancy my feet were regularly swelling (hello summer pregnancy!). Because of this I was very limited to what shoes I could wear. I had some very stretchy Sanuk yoga sandals (highly recommend them if you don’t fit into any shoes). I could also barely wear my tennis shoes as long as…
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10 Gift Ideas for New Moms
Welcoming a new baby into the world is so exciting and the ultimate gift a parent could get! Often we, as family members and friends, get wrapped up in seeing those cute squishy baby faces, little fingers and toes. Sometimes we forget to check in with the mom (and dad!) who just worked so hard to bring that little bundle of joy into this world. Even if they had an “easier” labor and delivery, there were still many months of a commitment before that baby joined the world. Of course, new parents love to show off their little baby, but sometimes they’re also desperately needing their basic needs met. If…
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Postpartum Exercise & Mobility After a C-Section
After an emergency c-section in July 2019, I wasn’t sure where to start with my postpartum exercise and recovery and how long it would take me to get back into a fitness routine. Obviously going for a run immediately after giving birth wasn’t my first priority or even feasible, but I’m the type of person that likes to know what to expect in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Throughout my pregnancy, I worked out and moved my body as often as I could. Towards the end I mostly went on walks (because hello short Minnesota summers). While I was pregnant, I especially missed having fitness goals to challenge myself,…
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Emergency C-Section: 20 Tips for Recovery
On July 13, 2019 I had an emergency c-section (cesarean). After 26 hours, labor was stalling, I had spiked a fever of 102, and there were some signs that Q was starting to be in distress. Although a c-section was not how I planned the birth of my daughter, it was what was best for the both of us. While I was pregnant, Ryan and I took a Labor and Delivery 101 class from the hospital. During the class, we briefly discussed cesareans and watched a short video. That prompted me to, at the very least, mentally prepare myself for all the potential scenarios of labor and delivery. I communicated…
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PUPPP Rash: 8 Natural Remedies
If you find yourself experiencing pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) rash, I feel for you! I experienced this unfortunate skin condition. You may feel like you are losing your mind looking for relief, a solution, or a light at the end of the tunnel. I can’t promise you any of those, but I’d like to help others through sharing my experience and the natural remedies I used for relief. Please note that I am not a medical professional. Consult your doctor with any health concerns. PUPPP, also known as: nurse’s late-onset prurigo Bourne’s toxemic rash of pregnancy toxic erythema of pregnancy polymorphic eruption of pregnancy It typically…
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10 Healthy & Easy Freezer Meals to Prep Before Baby
One of the many things on my to-do list before having Q was to prep easy, ready-to-go freezer meals. I knew my life would be a lot busier with a newborn, and taking the thought out of what to make for meals would allow me to have more quality time with Q. The first few weeks can be filled with visitors offering to make or buy a meal, but eventually the visitors dwindle and that’s when the freezer stock pile comes in handy. Whether Paleo, Keto, or Whole30, it was important to me to choose healthier, nutrient-dense options since I was planning to breastfeed (see my post on Breastfeeding &…
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Nursery Remodel, Decor & Organization
Quinnlyn’s nursery was a room I was so excited to decorate and organize! Before I was pregnant, this room was used for guests, storage, an office, and a place for the dogs to hang out. It was a room that we desperately wanted to redo because of the gross carpet squares and trim that didn’t match the rest of the house. We’re so thankful to my parents for helping us with all the DIY projects. It was definitely a labor of love. We wanted to keep a bed in her room with the goal of switching off sleeping in there in the first 6 months. Our house only has two…
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Baby Registry Must-Haves: Newborn and Beyond
There’s a 90% chance you’re either here because you’re expecting (congratulations!) or you know someone who is expecting. Now you need to know what baby registry items are must-haves. First things first, decide where you want to register. Even if you plan to buy all the items yourself, at least take advantage of the discounts offered by stores when you create a registry. There are many websites that offer a central location for multiple registries such as Babylist or The Bump. We are two months into the journey with our first child, Quinnlyn. It’s true what most people say, time goes so quickly! Now that we’re finding our groove, I’ve…
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Hospital Bag Must-Haves for Labor and Delivery: A Complete Checklist
I recently just had my first child (yay!). I tend to be a very prepared, plan ahead kind of person, but I took FOREVER to pack my hospital bag. Really, I was still adding to it right before leaving for the hospital…then again, I tend to be an over-packer. Thankfully our little girl had no plans of showing up early. I had to ask myself – What was necessary? What was important to me? What would provide comfort in the moments when I needed it most? Based on a lot of different resources and lists from others who had experienced labor and delivery, I compiled my own list of hospital…
