Do you view pregnancy as a good excuse to take things easy? Or has pregnancy motivated you to
embrace a healthier lifestyle in readiness for your new baby?
Tempting as it might be to simply sit down and put your feet up when you are pregnant (and let’s
face it, there will be times when this is what you absolutely need to do), experts, including the Royal
College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, agree that you should ideally be aiming for at least 30
minutes of exercise, at least five days of the week.

Lots of people think yoga is not for them. I often hear people say they like to sweat when they exercise (I always suggest Bikram), or they like to know how many calories they are burning- perhaps they feel that in order for exercise to be beneficial it should be punishing in some way. But I believe the many physical and emotional benefits of yoga can help everyone. And so I ask, shamelessly ripping off John Cleese and Monty Python …

Understanding what your immune system does and where it is found will help you to
understand how best to support it, and give yourself a fighting chance of staying well and
energised through the long winter months.

Many of my childhood memories involve the great outdoors but as I grew up I have to admit, I became a little lazy. When I had my first child I didn’t put a great deal of emphasis on outdoor play, but now a few years down the line and mother to a 6 year old and 4 year old, I am really trying to change things for the better. 
 

Pregnancy is the most incredible journey, but I’ve had 3 kids and I know first-hand how vulnerable women can feel afterwards. The pressure to now suddenly feel happy and ‘complete’, to be the perfect mum, and to have the perfect baby. And added to that, we often put pressure on ourselves to regain our pre-pregnancy figure in the blink of an eye, all the while functioning on little to no sleep.
 

Postnatal Nutrition - Where to start?
During pregnancy there is so much information on what to eat and what to avoid.
Postnatally the focus shifts to the baby; how much milk do they need? Am I
producing enough? What essential nutrients does the baby need to grow and
thrive? But what about you? Having gone through a full pregnancy and birth, the
physiological stresses on the body are huge. A brand new mum needs all the
nutrients to replenish and support her bodily systems in order to function and look
after both the baby, and herself. Here is some guidance on where to start: