Now being six months postpartum/post-C-section myself, there are some definite must-haves that made all the difference on my road to recovery.
A postpartum journey is such a whirlwind of high highs and low lows (thank you, hormones!). The list below along with my daily actions has helped me get back to feeling more like myself again.
Any new mama can tell you that in those first few months as you’re adapting to your new role in life as a mom (or mom of one more), between the vast change in your body and hormones and the sleep deprivation, you feel like most days you’re having an out-of-body experience.
Some even experience severe swings with mood and self-esteem and struggle to find and own their new identity. It’s as though a whole new you comes to life alongside the incredible tiny human you just birthed. It’s equal parts amazing and terrifying.
And while I absolutely wanted to prioritize soaking up all these precious first moments with my babe, it was also VERY important for my overall health and well-being to have a plan for me too!
Getting back “into shape” after this second pregnancy, had less to do with my physical results or needing to feel pressured to fit back into my clothes right away, and EVERYTHING to do with setting myself up mentally and physically to endure all the ups and downs of newborn life in the healthiest way possible.
That’s why from day one postpartum it was a priority and I had a plan. This plan has definitely flexed along the way and gave way to a few splurges and allowances for sleepless nights. But… at least having a plan gave me some focus, clarity, purpose, and direction. Which is especially helpful when you’re joyfully delirious, slightly overwhelmed, covered in baby spit up, can’t remember what day it is, and just want a shred of sanity and to do something healthy to make yourself feel human again.
For these reasons, I have made sure to be purposeful in my approach to my postpartum bounce back, so that I…
- Didn’t compromise my milk supply for my exclusively breastfed babe
- Honored where my body was at with healing and recovery each step along the way
- Tackled each day in the most healthy and balanced way possible
- Was realistic with my expectations of myself and my energy, giving myself grace along the way
- Was empowered as a mom & woman, and had POSITIVE self-talk
- Didn’t compare my postpartum experience or results to other people, who have different genetics than me (not everyone leaves the hospital in skinny jeans!)
- Felt good and energetic about the actions I was taking and was a better me for my family & myself
So far I’ve been successful in my pursuits. You can see what I did nutritionally (within 2 weeks of my delivery) to give myself the reboot and jump start I desperately needed before I was cleared for any type of physical activity here.
However, that was only step one. In addition to that, the list I’m about to share with you are the items that I relied on most!
Specifically, as I was cleared by my doctor (around week six postpartum) and wanted to start easing back into activity. I’m also including a few glimpses of what some of the workouts I did looked like at the very bottom of this post. If you want to access my postpartum workout playlist and to have access to all of my postpartum plan (workouts and meal plannin). LEARN MORE BY CLICKING HERE.
A community of expectant and recently postpartum mamas supporting one another to have a healthy and active pregnancy. This community saved me! It’s a supportive group created to provide you with workouts, meal plans, and more for each stage of pregnancy. We tackle meal planning tools and resources, recipes, supplements, as well as OVERALL support for the changes and challenges we experience during pregnancy and when adapting to life as a new mom.
It saved me because, like you, I needed support and community to share all the ups and downs too.
My favorite supportive shoes were my Nike Fly Knits by far! I loved the extra stretch and give they have as my feet got bigger and swelled in my third trimester (one of the loveliest of side effects of pregnancy).
I was very active throughout my pregnancy and used the belly band EVERY DAY. I especially loved having it immediately post delivery/C-section. It gave me just the right amount of support for my incision. Recovery of your abdominals is so important and often neglected. My favorite belly band I wore during pregnancy and postpartum was from Bao Bei Maternity.
These tools helped during postpartum yoga to stretch and regain movement and flexibility. Having yoga blocks and straps can also be SUPER useful tools to stretch and reach when you’ve got a growing belly.
As I shared above, having great nutrition during pregnancy is so imperative. Through my Rockin Your Bump & Beyond support group and wellness studio, I compiled SIMPLE, clean eating recipes and plans with minimum prep so that you can feel confident nourishing yourself and baby while breastfeeding and keep up your milk supply with a clean whole foods plan that will help you feel healthy and more energetic.
**SUPER HELPFUL SIDE NOTE FOR POSTPARTUM MAMAS!**
( if you’re overwhelmed with the idea of trying to prepare healthy meals)
Subscribe to or request family/friends send gift cards for a clean foods meal prep service. I like
Sunbasket (organic farm-to-table), but there are lots of others. I like
Sunbasket because they have meals for dietary considerations (gluten free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan) and everything from them is SUPER yummy. Consider also adding this as an option to your baby registry if you’re reading this with your bun still in the oven. Instead of relying on friends and family to help with cooking, and expect anything other than casseroles, ask them to gift you a few
Sunbasket meals. That way you can choose the food, and healthy meals will be delivered right to your door! That meals better quality fuel for you and baby that you will both need for energy and healing.
As a new mom (especially if you’re breastfeeding), nutrition is a HUGE deal! We are not only supporting our own nutritional needs, but also that of a rapidly growing and developing babe. There is literally NO better or more important time to prioritize eating the best, highest quality, most nutrient-dense foods you can! You’re providing the building blocks for your baby’s developing body and mind and setting him or her up now for life.
That said… I get it! Meal prep can be time consuming, and you may not know where to even begin. Or feel like you have the energy to make it happen. In my first pregnancy, I battled wicked cravings for carbs and sweets while nursing. I did the best I could eating clean, but after nursing for 15 months and doing my best to eat clean I was TAPPED OUT! I also had ZERO energy and just felt craptastic. Luckily I stumbled upon this superfood supplement that turned everything around for me.
Let me say…. I was a HUGE skeptic, but the proof was in the smoothie. I had nothing to lose by trying it, and I’m so thankful I did. I’ve stayed consistently drinking one of these EVERY DAY for the past several years, even throughout my pregnancy.
It’s a daily superfood smoothie packed with pre and probiotics, adaptogens, fruits, veggies, gives you protein, but more importantly nutrient density. I have next to no cravings and I am able to manage my sweet tooth with some tasty mashups of my favorite superfood smoothie blends. I provide one
HERE. Of course with ANY supplement you want to make sure you first clear it with your physician or provider, but if you want to learn more about the one I chose you can
CLICK HERE
Whether you choose this sports bra or not, be sure that you go try on a few sports bras. I tried many and liked few, but really appreciated having my Boobs Sports nursing bra. Breastfeeding comes with it’s own WORLD of issues, don’t let supporting your tatas be one of them. Be sure whichever bra you choose isn’t too tight. Even though we want support, it can cause clogged ducts while breastfeeding.
HYDRATION IS KEY! My preferred water bottle to always have on had is a HydroFlask . It maintains its cool throughout the day. Hydration is SO important for us mamas – especially those who are breastfeeding! I found always having mine filled and at my side kept me from feeling more fatigued than normal. Plus, staying hydrated keeps your milk supply up and is so much better for you and baby! (I also LOVED adding Ultima Electrolyte Blend
(grape is my favorite) or Hydrate to my H2O for a little flavor. Both are electrolyte blends that add a super yummy flavor, and don’t add lots of extra sugar or yucky additives like sugary sports drinks.
I have some amazing ways to make my favorite electrolyte popsicles too on the
BLOG HERE These are awesome to have on hand for sweet tooth fixes.
Within my first week and still to this day I LOVE my postpartum leggings I wore them before I was allowed to work out, for the simple reason that it helped my abdominals and back feel supported, and helped me heal (no seperation or Diastiasis Recti). Once I started working out again, they were even more valuable to me. I have been thankful for the support of my leggings (I have three pairs!). My preferred ones are from Bao Bei Maternity. They also have supportive leggings for pregnancy and postpartum. They were AMAZING to help my back and tummy during and after.
I actually got our
Bumbleride Indy when I was pregnant with our first over six years ago, and it’s held up so well! I love taking my babe on long walks and it was great for me in that early recovery phase when all I could really do was walk. I chose the
Bumbleride because after demoing so many in person, this was the only jogging stroller that was SUPER lightweight, easy to fold, and took up less space than other jogging strollers. It also doesn’t require a car seat adaptor to fit most car seats which can cost up to $100-150 more than the stroller itself.
not one who frequents stroller strides, but I know LOTS of new mamas who love meeting up with other mamas to workout with their babes in the stroller, and for the handful of times I’ve attended these classes I LOVED having my Bumbleride. It lays completely flat, has storage down at the bottom, is lightweight (already said that, but it bears repeating!), has a shade that covers the whole thing, and even has a bassinet attachment you can get for the infant stage.
So let me 100% real with you… both of my kids LOVED seats like this, but I have also seen plenty of kiddos not love the MamaRoo. For me, this device meant some of the only hands-free time I would get all day. I could pop them in this thing and get through half, if not ALL, of a 30-45 minute workout.
My recommendation though would be to wait until you meet your baby and see if they like moving chairs before buying one. 4Moms does have quite the price tag, but if your baby loves it, IT’S WORTH IT! Also, try looking on your local Facebook Marketplace or CraigsList for a gently used one. They hold up fairly well and you can save 50% or more getting a slightly “loved” one.
Full transparency, I have two versions. That’s how much we love it The
SWING LINKED HERE (moves up and down, side to side, every which direction, it plays sound effects, and even has a jack for you to plug in your iPhone and play music). We also have the
4 Moms Bounce-a-Roo Seat LINKED HERE. It has different settings of vibrations and sounds and is more lightweight so I can put it up on the counter or move it really anywhere I need to easily.
She loves both.
This amazing creation gives us HOURS of play time. I use her
Boppy now at six months to prop her up so she can reach everything, but it’s worth it’s weight in GOLD for all the time we’ve played, used it for tummy time, or she’s occupied herself so mommy could do a workout.
By month 5 I knew she was ready for this. We’ve had ours from when our oldest was a babe and this is probably one of Ky’s FAVORITES. She’ll hang out, bounce, and play while mommy gets in a whole workout! I still have to put the pillow under her so her toes can reach, but this one is a MUST for us. Plays music, has lots of attachments to play with, and she’s bouncing along with mama the whole way through.
I LOVE this carrier! This is the ONLY one I’d use to wear my girl while attempting to do a workout. She can face me or out (I had the newborn insert when she was teeny), and unlike other carriers, my LilleBaby has a great back support, and it’s also great to convert to so many different positions. We had an Ergo with my oldest and I debated whether I really needed another one, but hands down I’m so glad we got the
LILLEbaby.
I wear her for workouts, go on hikes, really anytime I’m going to be wearing her for a prolonged period of time this is my go to. She can even nurse while facing me in it. I have the one
LINKED HERE. BONUS for us since we live here in Hawaii, it’s also breathable, so I don’t get to overheated.
7 WEEKS POSTPARTUM WEARING MY BABE, USING THE 4 MOMS MAMA ROO & BOUNCE-A-ROO
There are days that just get the better of me, and this was one of those days 😳.
I woke up to my oldest having a temp of 101.3 ON HER BIRTHDAY, and had my youngest scheduled for her 2 month shots.💉😫 From the time I opened my eyes nothing seemed to go as planned. .
But that’s life, and I choose to believe that I can either use what happens to me as an excuse/reason why I can’t get to where I want to go, or I can view obstacles as opportunities to grow and find a way. .
It’s not always easy to live this way, but it IS worth it. .
What curve balls have you been thrown lately? Instead of viewing them as obstacles can you take a different look and realize some opportunities? .
Personally for me, taking care of myself and prioritizing time to take care of me, allows me to better care for others. .
If you’re interested in joining in with us and want more information on my pregnancy group or my 365 online wellness community fill out my health assessment linked in the comments below, and I’ll connect you with all the details about membership in my online wellness studio, including a way to have a FREE trial in my October group!! .
I hope you join us! 🙌🏼😊 (eligible in the US, Canada, and U.K. Only, for now 😊)
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@fit.moms.of.ig @uniteinmotherhoom
Posted by Jaclyn Hughes on Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Ever have one of those days where you finally have energy, but “life”, all the distractions, and your little ones 😊 seem determined to not “let you” workout? well… that was this day 😂 .
This is yet another reason I’m thankful a great workout can take place here at home, and most of my faves are only 20/30 mins. This is one of my go to favorite Barre Workouts. I add some ankle weights for an added 🔥🔥, I took my postpartum progress pics this weekend too, and there’s nothing like SEEING your progress/results to keep you motivated. .
Should I share them? .
I have few more openings this month to join our fit mama crew!! If you’d like more info on either my pre/postnatal group or my exclusive 365 online wellness community fill out my health assessment linked in the comments below, and I’ll connect you with all the details about membership in my virtual wellness studio, including a way to have a FREE trial in my October group!! .
I hope you join us! 🙌🏼😊 (eligible in the US, Canada, and U.K. Only, for now 😊) #10weekspostpartum .
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@fit.moms.of.ig @uniteinmotherhoom
Posted by Jaclyn Hughes on Monday, October 16, 2017
Do you ask yourself Craptastic 💩 OR EMPOWERING Questions?!? .
I must admit that there was a time when my questions were super craptastic!! And not surprisingly that was also one of the most unmotivated and unhealthy times in my life. .
Sometimes getting our mindset focused on better questions can give us the self motivation we need to create change!! .
Ask a crappy question like “how do I find the time for this or how uncomfortable is this going to make me? or what am I going to have to give up?” And it will yield an equally crappy 💩 answer. .
Ask empowering questions like, “how much better am I going to feel by doing this? Or How can I be more creative with my time to make this happen? Or what new things will I be able to try, do, and participate in if I make this change? And you will get inspired & EMPOWERED Answers AND be more inclined to DO the DANG thing!! 😉 .
The best way I’ve found to move beyond my crappy questions is to surround myself with others who are committed to asking the empowering ones too, and learning to show up for myself and them!! .
If that sounds like you, Come join us! Get your FREE health assessment linked in the comments below. I’ll connect you with all the details about membership in my virtual wellness studio, including a way to have a FREE trial in my November group!! . .
I hope you join us! 🙌🏼😊 (eligible in the US, Canada, and U.K.
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@fit.moms.of.ig @uniteinmotherhoom
Posted by Jaclyn Hughes on Tuesday, November 7, 2017
