Baby and Me Yoga: No Way or Namaste?

Sometimes being on maternity leave feels like life on another planet. So I don't go completely bonkers having 1-sided conversations with my two month old, I make sure to get us out of the house for an "activity." Sometimes that activity is as thrilling as buying fabric softener. Sometimes it's lunch with a friend. Today it was Baby & Me Yoga.

Yoga is is supposed to help you de-stress, yet I was petrified. What if my baby cries? What if she poops? What if she's hungry? (Most of those things happened, minus the poop. HURRAH!! Small victory.) Anyways...

The minute we got set up in class, my little gal pal started to cry. Did she not get the memo that the place is called Tranquil Space? I broke into a sweat and seriously considered rolling my mat up and booking it out of there. But then I looked around. There were other babies crying, fussing, spitting up, breastfeeding... it was a hot mess. I breathed a sigh of relief. The room was full of people like me -- who had high hopes of appearing to know what they were doing with their kid and maybe sneaking in a few downward dogs. 

Doing new things with a baby can be daunting. But everyday, I'm learning that you just have to let go and know that pretty much nothing will go according to plan. Babies are going to spit up all over that cute outfit, cry just as you sit down to dinner, poop at a restaurant that doesn't have a changing table. And we just have to go with it and laugh. Or cry. Depends on your mental state at the time ;) It's liberating to just assume you will be pooped on.

So, today I probably did a total of 6 minutes of yoga. I fed my little one for the first part of the class. Then I laid her down on happily on a blanket and did some of the workout. She proved to be an excellent partner for the squat sequence. Dare I try it again next week...?

What activities do you like to do with your baby?

Back in Shape After Baby

Dear Claire Danes,

How do you look like this one month after having a baby? Too busy chasing Abu Nazir to eat? Seriously. How?

Love,

Living in Yoga Pants & Over-sized Cardigans



I knew this day would come.

The gelato, bagels, and pasta I enjoyed a little too much during pregnancy have stuck around to haunt me. And now, it's time to deal with it ... the dreaded post pregnancy weight gain. When everyone's focusing on the cute baby bump, it's easy to overlook the pounds packing on everywhere else. But now it's time to get my act together. So how to shed those post baby pounds? Here are a few tips I plan to try myself:

Walk, Walk, Walk: Being cooped up in the house all day is enough to make anyone on maternity leave go insane. So why not take your baby and that massive stroller out on the town? Explore different neighborhoods, find areas that are uphill, and invite another mom to join for company. Power walking is perfect for easing your way back into exercising. Check out this stroller workout featured on Fit Pregnancy.

Go to Yoga: Most yoga studios offer post-natal classes for moms and babies. Sure, you'll probably have to squeeze in a diaper change or feeding between those downward dogs, but it's a great way to meet potential play-dates and start re-toning your core (yes, it's still there...).

Use Your Weekends: Take advantage of when your hubby is home during weekend days to hit the gym. It's great for spending some time solo and clearing your head. Plus, it's waaaaay better than always going late at night during the week when your energy is zapped from the day.

Workout With Your Baby: Who needs free weights when you could do a set of squats while holding your little one for added resistance? Or wear your baby in a sling or a baby carrier while you do things around the house. There are tons of videos and articles online with ways to workout with baby, like this one from Babble.

Ditch the Diet: When you need every last drop of energy to take care of a newborn and handle sleepy night feedings, the last thing you need is an extreme diet. Especially if you're breastfeeding, it's important to eat right and often. But, it's time to say goodbye to those days of carefree, unaccounted for carb overload. Many new moms swear by Weight Watchers to help them get on track the healthy way.

Claire Danes, you look amazing but you're really pissing the rest of us pudgy post-preggers people off.

What are your new baby slim down secrets?

New Baby Essentials

In between getting pooped on and watching morning talk show segments about important things like grandmothers who weight lift, I'm sneaking in a little freelance writing for WEtv.com. One of my most recent posts shares 10 New Baby Buys. When I was pregnant, I didn't even know where to begin. So, I asked my friends for their tried and true baby must-haves so I could stock up on the right stuff. Here are some of things that work for us:

Aden and Anais Swaddles
These swaddle blankets are super cute and cozy. I wish they made them for grown ups. Aside from using them to wrap your little one at bedtime, the soft, breathable muslin blanket does double duty as a stroller cover, nursing shield, tummy time blanket, or burp cloth. I take these everywhere!

Cloud b Sound Machine Soother
It's "sheepy" time! This sound machine has 4 different sounds to help soothe your sweet baby to sleep. Not going to lie ... I kinda like it too.

 

3 Sprouts Hooded Towel
After bath time, babies look SO cute in hooded towels - especially ones that have ears. I love the 3 Sprouts hooded towels. We have the chicken and the elephant.




Ergo Baby Performance Carrier
Hang out with your baby, hands-free. Especially if you live in a city, the Ergo is perfect for running nearby errands and even getting things done around the house with your baby in tow.

Mustela Bathtime Essential Set
This smells AMAZING - different than the Johnson & Johnson we grew up with (which I still love). Perfect for a brand new baby, all Mustela products are free of parabens, phthalates and phenoxyethanol. (This sweet smelling set makes a great gift too.)

Tiny Love Soothe and Groove Mobile 
At around 6 weeks or so, newborns start to become much more interested in their surroundings. This mobile gets us a lot of smiles and cute squeals these days. Plus it's easy to attach to the side of your crib.



I also LOVED the Nap Nanny and the Rock n' Play which sadly both got recalled. Definitely fill out those forms so that companies have your info and can alert you to issues.

What are your newborn essentials?