Good morning readers,
Hope this note finds you well! I wanted to throw in a current picture -- Above is me eating my lunch last week while carrying my babes in her carrier. I LOVE this carrier (especially if shes extra fussy). She sleeps well in it since shes close to my heart and I can get things done while "holding" her. I highly recommend it. This carrier is made by ErgoBaby. Check it out if your in the market for one! Now, I wanted to touch upon the benefits of breastfeeding and what it does to your body postpartum (and for baby). I actually didn't know much about it until I experienced it and read up on it. I knew it was better for the baby, but why? I didn't know the impact it had on the mother and how beneficial it was to her as well. I wanted to make note of some of the many benefits that make breastfeeding the best option for mommy and baby (as long as the body and baby allow). So why is breastfeeding beneficial? Benefits for Baby: - It builds antibodies in the baby's body that will help protect him from illness -Breastfeed babies are sick less in comparison to formula fed babies -Lower chances of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) -Decrease chances of childhood diseases such as diabetes (1 & 2), high cholesterol, childhood cancers, and inflammatory bowel disease. -Increased cognitive development -Decreased chances of childhood obesity Benefits for Mommy: -Decrease risk of postpartum depression -Decrease risk for postpartum stress -Moms who breastfeed tend to return to pre-baby weight faster and loose weight faster -Studies have shown breastfeeding can protect mother from certain cancers as well (breast and ovarian) I'm not going to lie, breastfeeding isn't as easy as I thought. Thankfully my baby took to it easily but I didn't realize how dependent the baby is off of you. You cannot be too far from the baby because she needs to eat every 2-3 hours (that's IF they aren't going through a growth spurt).Sometimes my baby will eat back to back within an hour or hour and a half. When you do feed the baby, it can take up to 45 minutes (when they are little... once they are bigger they don't feed as long). A breastfeed baby digest the milk faster than a formula fed baby so that means they need to eat more frequently. When you look at all the benefits for the baby (and mommy), it really outweighs all these factors. Keep in mind, when you breastfeed, you burn calories and therefore need to consume extra calories to help keep up your milk supply. This is NOT the time to try and "diet". You should increase your caloric intake to 300 calories per day. It is also extremely important to stay well hydrated. I bring my liter water bottle with me everywhere and make sure to drink a full bottle at least 4 times a day (that's 1 gallon). This helps keep up my milk supply. For questions or comments in regards to fitness and health during and after pregnancy, please email me at [email protected]. In good health, Cristina
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AuthorCristina Panagopoulos is the owner and founder of CW Physique, an in-home personal training and nutrition company. She has been in the fitness industry for over a decade and loves helping others transform their lives. She is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer and metabolic coach along with American Fitness Professionals & Associates certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. Over the years, Cristina gained specialty certifications through the American Council of Exercise for Orthopedic Exercise and Pre and Post Natal Exercising. Cristina started this blog as a casual and personal journey through her experiences of pregnancy and later on motherhood. She wants to educate females on proper fitness and nutrition who are going through pregnancy and motherhood. For more information, please email Cristina directly at [email protected] Archives
October 2016
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