Introducing 5 Beauty And Wellness Hacks For Breastfeeding Mothers

Having breastfed my two babies for more than forty months, I fully understand how “milking” and “sizzling sexy” are not synonymous.

Breastfeeding mothers are more often than not physically tired, emotionally and mentally drained and very pressed for time, be it to catch up on sleep or meet competing demands of life.

The wardrobe seems ever so limited and depressing, be it due to oversized boobs or the need to give consideration for nursing in public. It is indeed an immense challenge to feel sexy in this season of our lives.

Answering the highest calling of producing “liquid gold” for your babes shouldn’t leave you feeling lousy about your body.

With these beauty and wellness hacks, start taking care of your body, stay strong, feel good and breastfeed glamorously!

Hack #1: Short and Sweet

haircut

If you notice you are losing hair in worrying quantities, why not consider wearing your hair short? Do you notice a receding hairline, balding patches, parts getting wider, and your once-lush ponytail becoming thin and limp? Postpartum hair loss is not uncommon. Pregnancy and lactating hormones may cause breastfeeding mommas to lose hair in disturbing amounts. While waiting for your body to regain its hormonal balance, wearing your hair short reduces stress on the scalp by eliminating manipulations such as pulling hair back in a ponytail. It also protects the scalp by reducing nutrients lost whilst maintaining long locks.

Hack #2: Anti-Gravity

Breastfeeding is a period of time where some women wished they live on the Moon. These women do not rejoice over having bigger boobs, simply because they sag. Count on Yoga to regain attractive and firm boobs.

Try these yoga poses to lift saggy breasts – Bridge, Cobra, Warrior, Triangle and Bow. They expand the chest and stretch pectoral muscles, and are gentle and suitable for beginners. Ommm away now to resist gravitational force!

➡️ Related Read: Top 7 Reasons Why Pregnant Mummies Should Learn Yoga

Hack #3: HIIT Me Baby One More Time

exercise workouts for mums

Between feeds, you probably only have about 1 hour of me-time while your baby naps. There is simply not enough time to make a dash to the gym and back. A 90-minute Bikram Yoga session is a luxury. Running may no longer be enjoyable given how heavy and sore your boobs feel. You need an exercise regime that is not time-consuming and also static enough. Give High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) a shot.

HIIT is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred per cent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up burning more fat in less time. It typically involves static exercises such as lunges, squats, dips and push-ups. You can easily search for HIIT videos online to follow in the comfort of your home. It doesn’t matter how many reps you do, it is more about working at an intensity that is high for you and your fitness level. Best thing of all, a 15-minute workout is enough to achieve results!

Also check out the HIIT Pilates version!

Hack #4: Every Queen needs a Crown

lady getting her teeth checked

Pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones may lead to dental problems in some women, including gum diseases like Gingivitis and increased risk of tooth decay. For some women, dental health may be weakened since pregnancy days. Gastric reflux or vomiting associated with morning sickness can coat your teeth with strong stomach acids which damage tooth enamel. Even with a high intake of calcium, some women do lose bone during lactation to provide calcium for human milk.

➡️ Related Read: 10 Ways To Combat Morning Sickness

In order to avoid dental problems and surgical procedures such as root canals or crowning while breastfeeding, it is important to keep up a stringent dental regime (brushing, flossing and regular visits to your dentist) and consume foods that are rich in Calcium, Vitamin D and Phosphorus. Do take note that a rich source of Vitamin D is sunlight. So get out of the house and busk in the sun with your bub.

Hack #5: Breakfast like a King

healthy oats breakfast

If your baby has yet to sleep through the night, chances are you won’t have the energy to whip up a wholesome breakfast in the morning. You might even skip it entirely. A good breakfast is important to kick-start your metabolism and fuel your body to produce quality milk.

Get onto the bandwagon of overnight oats. Overnight oats are extremely easy and quick to prepare. It takes no more than 2 minutes to prepare, is wholesome and yummilicious!

The basic ingredients of overnight oats are power-packed with nutritional goodness – chia seeds are a good source of healthy fats; honey is known for its healing properties; and oats themselves are scientifically proven to boost breastmilk supply.

➡️ Related Read: How To Increase Your Breastmilk Supply

Get a power boost cum supplement with these yummy milkshake recipes specially for mothers!

When you start taking care of a newborn, you easily fall into the trap of forgetting to take care of yourself. Always remember that self-care is other-care. Only by safeguarding your own interests would you then be able to have your baby’s best interests at heart.

Don’t suffer in silence from motherhood and breastfeeding burnout. Get those endorphins pumping through you and even your milk with these hacks in your breastfeeding journey.

Remember: stay strong, feel good and breastfeed glamorously!

5 Hacks for Busy Breastfeeding Mamas

Breastfeeding-hacks-for-busy-mums

Need more time to pump after returning to work? These breastfeeding hacks might come in handy.

#1 Co-sleep with baby

Consider to co-sleep in the initial few months and get a baby cot that you can place right beside your bed. This will help parents to get more rest, especially with frequent nursing during the first few months.

#2 Get a Hands-free pump and Nursing Bra

Invest in a breast pump that directly collects the pumped milk into a cup, allowing you to pump hands-free with your clothes on. With these pumps, you can pump and complete other tasks on hand. Go for nursing bras that are specially designed for hands-free pumping. There are also bras that allow mothers to nurse on one breast and pump on the other. The fitting of the bra has to be the top priority in order to support the hands-free pumping.

#3 Store breastmilk in smaller quantities

For the extra milk that has been pumped, you can freeze them in storage bags. Storing breastmilk in smaller quantity allows the milk to be thawed quickly.

#4 Breastmilk popsicles

For babies who are teething, why not give them a breastmilk pop? Your baby not only gets a nutritional snack, but they also get to soothe their gums.

#5 Get your beauty sleep

It may seem strange to suggest resting when a busy mum does not have enough time! Not resting enough is likely to cause more issues such as low breast milk supply, poor immunity, possibly recurring mastitis and the lack of motivation to persist in breastfeeding.

By Rachel Lim and Marcie Mei.

This article is part of Breastfeeding with Love campaign, initiated by The New Age Parents and New Age Pregnancy.

Join the Breastfeeding with Love Group to find out more and be part of our breastfeeding online community!