Get a Move On! Exercises to Do with Your Baby to Lose the Baby Weight

Exercise is often the last thing on the minds of many new moms, especially when taking into account what to do with a little one while you workout. You may be surprised to learn that there are a wealth of exercises you can do with your baby!

Many women celebrating the early months of motherhood share the same complaints: fatigue, lack of energy, and an inability to “get going.” The irony is that daily exercise has been proven to help increase stamina and improve bodily functions.

Exercise has many benefits for new mothers that extend beyond physical fitness. Increased mental improvement and ability to cope with stress and anxiety as well as more energy are additional benefits of postpartum exercise. There are many exercise options that involve working out with your new addition.

Consider the following benefits of exercise for moms:

• Healthier and stronger bones, muscles, and joints.
• Reduction in body fat and controlled weight level.
• Increased mental improvement, reducing occurrences for postpartum depression, anxieties, or stress.

Dance with your Baby
Literally. Wear your baby and dance yourself in shape.

Yoga
Yoga is a workout option that helps to increase range of motion, muscle tone and breathing. Babies often enjoy the up and down movements involved when changing positions in yoga.

Walking
Walking with baby in a stroller or in a carrier is an exercise that can be performed at your own pace. You are able to control the length and intensity of each walk, increasing each of these factors as you build endurance. There may also be some stroller walking groups in your area.

Postpartum DVDs
If you’re not yet ready to work that body in public, consider using a post partum exercise DVD.  If you are self-motivated and feel like you are more likely to get it done in the comfort of your own home.

Other workouts
Your baby can be incorporated in other, more typical forms of exercise as well. Airplane ride, crunches, baby leg lifts and flying baby all provide entertainment for your baby as well as exercise for you. Using your baby in these exercises also provides extra resistance, such as if you put your baby on your stomach or lap when doing crunches.

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New Mom Acronyms – Learn it…stat!

The more I hang out with my friends who are “moms-to-be” or new moms, I feel like they are constantly using lingo and acronyms that are foreign to me. Or if I am searching through an online forum with message boards, I noticed how many acronyms are being used and there are so many LO’s, FTM’s, DD’s and FWIW’s, that I feel I need an interpreter! I am relatively young and feel like I am becoming outdated!

That’s when I found this amazing interpreter on BabyCenter.com called an online guide to motherhood-related acronyms.

Here are the acronyms and emoticons that I find to be most useful, IMHO, to help you navigate the vast sea of motherly message boards.

BF: breastfeed, or boyfriend
BM: breast milk, or bowel movement
CIO: cry it out
CS or C/S: cesarean section
 DD: dear daughter
DF: dear fiancée
DH: dear husband
DP: dear partner
DS: dear son
DW: dear wife
EBF: extended breastfeeding, exclusively breastfeeding
FF: formula feeding
FTM: first time mom
LO: little one
MC or M/C: miscarriage
ML: maternity leave
MM: mother’s milk
PG: pregnant, or pregnancy
PPD: postpartum depression
SAHD: stay-at-home dad
SAHM: stay-at-home mom
SAHP: stay-at-home parent
WAH: work at home
WOH: work out of the home

Okay – enjoy and TTYL (talk to you later!).

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Should Grey’s Anatomy be renamed “Baby Boom?”

source: http://www.greysanatomyinsider.com

Ellen Pompeo, 39, and husband Chris Ivery welcomed a daughter, Stella Luna Pompeo Ivery, on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.  Ellen and Chris married in 2007 and announced they were expecting in April.  In an interview with Allure in 2008 Ellen had this to say about motherhood, “It’s a huge lifestyle change, and I take it very seriously.”

Why the ‘name change for the show?  There’s been quite the baby boom on the Grey’s set – costar Katherine Heigl recently adopted a daughter, 10-month-old Naleigh, while Chyler Leigh is also a new mom to daughter Anniston Kae, 4 months. 

Congratulations to Ellen and Chris and ALL the new parents of Grey’s Anatomy!  This set should be a fun place – especially if everyone brings their baby to work!  All of us at le•top are excited about their baby boom!

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Motherhood Overload? What do YOU do to Replenish Yourself?

…submitted by guest contributor: Dawn H.

I was amazed at how demanding having a child was. I was also amazed at how I felt like I never got anything done! I had been married ten years prior to having my daughter. I was used to getting free time and completing my daily “to do” list most days. When my daughter was born, I joked to friends that she was my “new boss”.  Little did I know how demanding she would be, wanting to be held most of the time, along with nursing often and only happy if I held her. Shortly after I became a new mother, I had a health care practitioner recommend making it a priority to do something for myself at least once a week. I was surprised to hear this – especially since it came from a male. I guess I was overloaded with my body showing adrenal fatigue. I needed some rest and fun in my life. It was sort of like the announcement that the airlines warn you about “in case of loss of oxygen, please secure your mask first, then help others”.  How could I continue to care for my young child (especially when my husband traveled for overnight business often) if I wasn’t balanced myself? I realized I had not done much for myself in those first six months of being a mother.

I tried my best to figure out little ways that I could nurture myself. I started out slow like choosing an activity once a month that I enjoyed. I’d plan a creative outlet with a girlfriend and let my husband care for our daughter. At that time, my main passion was scrapbooking. I could enjoy and relax by getting photos into an album for others to enjoy. I realized after awhile that it was an activity that was still goal-oriented. I was supposed to be doing things for fun, right? If I was worried about finishing something, was that the most fun I could allow myself?
It’s taken me several years to get past this compulsion. I have managed to try a few new things with less pressure – things like playing in a monthly Bunco group, or doing some sort of art project. I rediscovered coloring books – yes, adults can color – it’s not just for kids! A friend shared with me woman’s coloring books with detailed designs that are just fun to color – a little or a lot at once. No deadlines, no pressure, just creative fun. I’m always looking for more ideas of simple, easy-to-do activities and ways to help nurture myself, so please share things that work for you!

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