10 ways to treat the modern mother’s tech dilemma.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Mamas: raise your hand if you routinely hold your newborn in one arm while refreshing your email with your other thumb or incessantly scrolling through WellRoundedNY’s Instagram feed. If you do, you may have experienced an occasional little twinge of pain at the base of your thumb.

But that twinge could be much worse: you could develop the carpal tunnel of new moms: de Quervain’s syndrome, also referred to as “Mommy Thumb.” Defined as a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist, it will probably hurt when you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.

It is said to be brought on by repetitive motions that are all part of motherhood: picking the baby up, holding them with your thumb stretched out, breastfeeding and, sadly, performing all other tasks with your dominant hand when you’ve shifted holding the baby to the other side. This includes a new stressor of our modern day era: texting, emailing, scrolling on our smart phones. All initiated by the mighty thumb.

To prevent the condition from getting worse for you, here are 5 suggestions of how to change your daily routine, as well as 5 exercises that you can do at home, to strengthen your hands.

5 Ways to Change your Routine:

1. If you own a smart phone with a thumb print unlock system, make sure to add a second or more prints to avoid using the same thumb over and over again.
2. Whenever you are scrolling, refreshing and opening items on your smart phone, do it with your index finger. Put the phone down, unlock and use your index finger. It sounds like it’s not a big deal but it will save your thumb from agonizing pain.
3. Avoid the ‘L’ position of your thumb and index finger. Instead try keep the thumb close to the palm of your hand when performing any repetitive activity like picking up the baby, to create more of a cupping movement
4. Ice the base of your thumb regularly, as soon as symptoms occur.
5. Use your non-dominant hand for activities that aren’t potentially dangerous, such as brushing your teeth, reaching for items like your coffee cup, eating snacks that don’t require silverware and anytime you instinctively do a motion that is one-handed.

5 Exercises to Strengthen the Base of your Palm and Wrists:

1. Flexing the wrist with or without a weight. With your palm facing up, make a fist and flex your wrist towards you and down away from you. Once you feel comfortable doing this without a weight, you could add a can of beans/corn/chickpeas. Do 3 sets of 10, going through the motion slow and controlled.
2. Tie a kitchen towel to a door handle or secure in a different place that won’t move. Wrap one end of the towel around your hand and standing sideways pull the towel towards you until it is taught. Hold here for 30 seconds with your elbow tucked to your side. Do 3 sets.
3. Hold your hands out in front of you, like you would push into a wall. Slowly rotate your wrists clockwise and then counter clockwise. 2 sets of 10 in each direction.
4. Press your palms into one another like you are praying and extend your elbows out to the side. Now rotate your palms out as if pointing at something and back to the starting position. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
5. After all these exercises and throughout the day, make sure to stretch your wrists. With the palm facing up, push your fingers down towards your wrist and until you feel a nice stretch in your forearm. Then reverse and keep your palm facing down while you push your fingers down and towards the wrist. You will feel a nice stretch on the outside of your forearm. Do 2 sets of 30 second holds in each direction.

I hope that you will never have to experience de Quervain’s syndrome or Mommy Thumb. Make sure to adjust repetitive motion as soon as you feel the slightest pain because once it develops into full-fledged tendinitis it is among the most painful conditions that I have witnessed in new mothers.

This article is by Roma van der Walt, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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Find out what your diet needs those first few weeks postpartum.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Pregnancy and birth certainly take a major toll on your body. In the first few weeks after delivery, think recovery nutrition – lean proteins, whole grains, fresh produce and of course hydration. If you are breastfeeding, your body is working hard to create and maintain that milk supply, which is why you need about 500 extra calories every day – that is more than what you needed during pregnancy!

Here’s a few things you should look out for in your postpartum diet, and what you need to add to your grocery list.

Calcium: During pregnancy the body draws calcium from mom’s bones to support the growth of the baby, and during breastfeeding the body continues to pull calcium from mom into the breast milk. Getting enough calcium is essential to preventing long-term bone loss and osteoporosis down the road.

How to Eat it: Think dairy, sesame, fish with small bones (sardines), legumes, tofu and fortified non-dairy milks.

B Vitamins: B vitamins like folate, biotin, B6 and B12 are involved in many of the body’s processes, and taking these in these vitamins can help boost your energy and ward off feelings of lows, and possibly depression. Plus, the B vitamin, biotin, plays a role in hair growth. The degree to which biotin helps to regenerate new hair is debatable, but it can’t hurt to boost your biotin since its deficiency has been linked to thinning, brittle hair.

Hormonal birth control can deplete B vitamin levels, so if you are re-starting the pill now is a good time to think about these vitamins.

How to Eat It: Add in whole grains, green leafy greens, nuts eggs and red meat.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to depression, low energy, bone problems and even weight gain. The best way to get in vitamin D is from the sun, but if you have a winter baby and exposure to those sunrays is limited, opt for foods high in vitamin D or a supplement.

How to Eat it: Focus on fortified dairy, egg yolks, cod and cod liver oil.

Iron: Your iron needs are higher when breastfeeding and menstruating, and, if you’ve lost a significant amount of blood during labor. Whether you are opting to nurse or it is that time of month, make sure your iron levels are in check because low levels can contribute to fatigue as well as dry, brittle nails and hair. While taking iron supplements will not prevent the natural hormonal changes that lead to postpartum hair shedding, being iron deficient will contribute to dry, dull hair, making the loss of those locks a little worse.

How to Eat it: Up the lentils, liver, shrimp, lamb, beef, fortified whole grains, spinach, molasses and nuts.

Omega 3’s: Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties that can do wonders for the brain, skin and immune system. So, to continue that pregnancy glow, opt for more omega’s in your diet, especially since your body will be pulling in that DHA from your stores into the breast milk.

How to Eat it: Increase fatty fish (salmon, sardines cod), walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds.

This article is by Nicole Silber, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

The postpartum app that every new mom needs.

Article & Photos courtesy of Well Rounded NY

There’s something about pregnancy that makes people go out of their way to be nice, areweright? But then baby comes and, well, the sweetness subsides. Which is such a bummer because you’ve just gone through one of the hugest physical and emotional transformations a human can go through, AND you’ve got a brand new baby at home.

To throw salt in our postpartum wounds, a new mom’s care often stops 6 weeks after baby’s arrival; the U.S. has some of the lowest paid maternity leave rates; 1 in 3 women have undiagnosed postpartum depression; and there’s no standard protocal to track postpartum maternal health outcomes.

How ’bout a little postpartum love?

Maternal health advocate and midwife Rebecca Egbert’s got your back. Her new app, Little Mother’s Helper, and its companion deck of cards (yes, you heard us right), is an educational self-care kit for women from 6-weeks postpartum through the first year. It’s filled with nuggets of wisdom, advice, tips and encouragement to make your journey a little bit more manageable, and organized by different areas of health: body, mind, heart and soul. The app and (deck) covers topics like the physiology of sex postpartum, “boob issues” (mastitis, engorgement, etc.) and even finding your mom wife. The words are few but meaningful, and the illustrations are adorable.

“I see the postpartum period as a crucial time for extra attention, because there is little to no emphasis on care. You’re left to discover the information and what helps on you own,” says Egbert. “If we start to focus on this period now, systemically, we will largely impact and improve the health and wellbeing of future generations to come.”

Below, Egbert shares some of those valuable postpartum nuggets of wisdom to help a new mom’s body, mind, heart and soul.

Body: For the first 4 months postpartum, refrain from doing high-impact activities, such as: running, horseback riding, high-impact workout classes, jump-roping, heavy weightlifting, and sex if it’s painful (there are plenty of ways to be intimate). These activities put a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor, increasing the risk of further weakness. This can lead to long-term or permanent incontinence and other issues. Consult a physical therapist, or trainer who specializes in postpartum recovery for exercise to help you retrain your pelvic muscle in early postpartum months.

Mind: Beyond receive professional care for maternal mental health issues, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, some things you can do everyday to help yourself follow:
● If your baby blues don’t go away within 2 weeks and symptoms intensify, get professional help.
● Get up each day and take a shower.
● Get out of the house and do something, even just one thing, just for you.
● Talk about your feelings and experiences with your partner, friends, and family.
● Allow yourself to do less.
● SLEEP when the baby sleeps! Get adequate rest.
● Be really clear with your partner about how they can help you with chores around the house.
● Eat enough food, drink enough water, take care to get good nutrition
● Make time to get outside and get your Vitamin D!
● Get acupuncture and massage to help your anxiety.

Heart: Being new parents has a steep learning curve. One way to strengthen your relationship is to delegate tasks and responsibilities equally during the first year. Delegate tasks so that you both know you’re in this together, such as chores, negotiating drop-off and pick-up committing to that schedule, and negotiate who does the grocery shopping, arranges childcare, etc. Delegating early will prevent resentment and stress resulting from unspoken feelings of inequality.

Soul: As you filter through the volumes of advice you’ll get, remember to allow your heart to guide you to do what’s best for you, your family, and your baby. Intuition can’t be measured; it goes beyond science and into the soul. The secret: Trust that quiet voice deep inside. Trusting and believing in yourself is key!

This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

healthy mama® is the first brand to offer pregnant and nursing mamas a complete line of safe* and effective wellness solutions for those times when mamas feel a little less than “glowing.” The entire healthy mama® line has been created in partnership with major health organizations, OB/GYNs and nutritionists to ensure it contains the highest quality, safest* and most effective solutions for all of mama’s common pregnancy and nursing needs.

How was Healthy Mama conceived and how has it been received by mamas-to-be?

I founded healthy mama® out of my own real life experience of being confused and frustrated when trying to find a safe remedy to help alleviate my dreaded constipation during my first pregnancy. Feeling particularly uncomfortable one night, my husband David and I paid a visit to my local pharmacy in search of an over the counter remedy, but with the aisles full of pills and potions, I wasn’t sure what was safe to take and neither was the pharmacist. Needing to ‘get things moving’, I unknowingly selected a remedy that I later learned was deemed unsafe for use during pregnancy and was in fact, cited to cause uterine contractions. Sometime shortly thereafter, I delivered my oldest daughter, Mia, at just 24 weeks! I spent the next five months watching Mia fight for her life in the NICU. It was there that I made a commitment to help other women avoid the same plight.

How many pregnancy concerns addressed by Healthy Mama did you experience during your own pregnancies? Which existing Healthy Mama products do you most wish you had back then?

The most disruptive concern I had was constipation--I had never had that ailment before and it was quite uncomfortable. If you ever get into such a bind (pun intended), you will know that Move it Along! Constipation Relief is the safest product to take during pregnancy to alleviate your ailment effectively. Boost it Up! Protein Energy Drink contains 3g of fiber to avoid constipation too. Be Well Rounded! Prenatal Vitamin and DHA supplements have a special non-constipating iron, a mineral pregnant women need but many don’t take due to side effects. I wish I had these 3 products mentioned to safely avoid and remedy constipation with peace of mind during my pregnancy!

What was the biggest difference between your first and second pregnancy?

We tried so hard to get pregnant the first time around. My second pregnancy was actually not planned... we had just come home from being in the hospital with my first child and recovering from a very traumatic event when we discovered we were pregnant. We were shocked and nervous but also so excited!

Do you have any advice for those of us that may be thinking about having #2?

You are a bit more knowledgeable and experienced the second time around… there are always new products available and more convenient ways to do things, but you have more control of the situation. It’s a bit more laid back. Enjoy the ride. Ensure your body is prepared to be a host for the little munchkin by maintaining a healthy weight and taking prenatal vitamins with folic acid at least 3 months prior to conception.

How do you balance being a mother-of-two and CEO/Founder of a such a fast-growing and successful brand?

Not easily quite honestly. I like to do everything at 100% and that’s just not possible. I try to prioritize and get all my work complete during work hours so that I can get home to spend time with my two beautiful girls in the evening. I am blessed to have an extremely supportive husband who takes on additional responsibility when necessary. He gets up in the morning to make them breakfast and get them dressed for school and helps them brush their teeth and put them to bed at night when I am away on a business trip or need to spend extra hours at the office. Everyone has different measures of success--I wouldn’t be successful in life if I let them grow up without me being there, even if I had the most successful business.

We love what Healthy Mama has come up with thus far. What's next for the company?

We have some really exciting products on the horizon! We are about to launch an amazing product to help alleviate one of the most uncomfortable symptoms, morning sickness. Nip the Nausea! organic morning sickness capsules contain organic ginger and vitamin B6 which are clinically proven ingredients to help eliminate the need to pray to the porcelain god. It will be launching on healthymamabrand.com February 1st and at select GNC stores March 22nd.

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How to get protein into your baby’s vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diet.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

If your baby is near the 6-month mark, you’re probably doing a lot of thinking about solid foods. Even though he or she will get all the nutrients she needs from breast milk, formula or a combination of the two, it’s a good time to start mixing in natural sources of protein, too. Here are some ideas for ways to add protein to purées for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. For every ounce of purée, mix in 1 teaspoon of protein. Just be sure to taste what you are serving to baby, and adjust flavors and amounts accordingly. Who wants to eat something that tastes boring and flavorless? You don’t, so neither does your baby.

Before adding anything to your baby’s food, be sure to check with your pediatrician. Also, you should introduce common allergens such as soy and nuts one at a time in case your baby has a reaction. Learn more about allergy symptoms.

Whatever sources of protein you choose to add to your baby’s food, remember to:
1. Keep trying, even if the first, second or third attempts don’t go well (some babies need to taste a food up to 40 times to decide they like it!).
2. Be creative and play around with different combinations.
3. Have fun!

Sources of protein that add minimal or no texture:

For Vegans:

• Soy milk
• Hemp oil or powder
• Silken tofu
• Soy yogurt
• Puréed legumes such as peas and beans

For Vegetarians:

• All items listed in Vegan category
• Unsweetened yogurt (Greek yogurt has a higher protein count than regular yogurt)
• Ricotta cheese

For Omnivores:

• All items listed in Vegan and Vegetarian categories
• Cooking liquid from cooked meat, poultry or fish

Sources of protein that add texture:

For Vegans:

• Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter)
• Quinoa

For Vegetarians:

• All items listed in Vegan category
• Cottage cheese

For Omnivores:

• All items listed in Vegan and Vegetarian categories
• Puréed meat, chicken, fish or seafood

Happy cooking, experimenting and feeding!

This article is by Jory Lieber, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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A personal trainer shows us how to set realistic fitness goals postpartum.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

It’s that time of year again: the cold sets in and we become less active. And a certain underwear company holds a big fashion show in which women wear very little. While many of us choose not to watch, we are all exposed to it through social media, regardless of whether we want to or not.

One recurring theme of the past years has been the impressive weight loss that women achieve leading up to the show — especially the models that are new moms. Their routines have been praised by the media.

Journalists love to highlight these supermodels’ postpartum weight loss and make comparisons to other women. Once 12 weeks postpartum seemed like a fantastic comeback…then 10 weeks…and now it can be as little as 8 weeks from delivering a baby to baring it all on the catwalk in front of cameras and the world.

As a personal trainer and coach, I commend my peers who coach these women through the rigorous routines which they must surely endure to achieve these results. But as a woman and somebody who has worked with hundreds of expecting and new mothers, I shudder at what message the media is sending and how this adds to the already full plate of a (first time) new mom.

Most women don’t get the green light from their doctors to work out until 6 weeks postpartum. This depends on their level of fitness before and during pregnancy and whether the pregnancy was high or low risk. The shortest I have witnessed has been 3 weeks, and even then, I advise new moms to get back to working out at their own pace before I restart my work with them.

What we must all keep in mind, is that women in the public eye make their living off of their appearances and, as such, treat nutrition and fitness as a full time job. They work out up to 5 hours a day, 7 days a week and have nutritionists watching their diet and assisting them in their healthy lifestyle. During those first weeks postpartum, many can focus almost solely on their goal event with the help of assistants, nannies and others.

While we all know this on some level, it’s hard not to get sucked in to wanting to look the same — and as quickly — postpartum. So here are a few pointers to keep in mind while you’re losing your pregnancy weight.

1. Find other new moms to get active with. Whether you go for a walk or do a mommy and me yoga class, the accountability, camaraderie and motivation that comes from doing it with others, will get you out the door even in the winter.
2. Acknowledge the changes in your body. Forty weeks of pregnancy will wreak havoc on even the fittest of women. It creates tension and loose joints, and you will feel more winded doing cardio. The immediate postpartum period can be overwhelming with nursing, insomnia and learning many new things as you adjust to keeping a newborn alive.
3. The best foundation is building strength and balance in the body. It’s not about bulking up or building muscle, but rather about strengthening your core form the inside out. This will help you combat conditions such as diastasis recti, ensure a strong pelvic floor to avoid problems like incontinence, and create stability and strength in your upper body and limbs to avoid mommy thumb, shoulder and back pain. That new-found strength has a positive effect on your mental attitude too.
4. Remember that some women lose weight because they breastfeed and others (the lesser known camp) lose weight when they wean. Accept that if you fall into the latter category, you may hold on to a few pounds around the hips that are there to ensure your baby has enough resources. It’s nature, and it’s unfair, but don’t be tempted to interpret this is a good reason to quit breastfeeding. Rather, think of it as a nice amount of weight loss to look forward to without much effort once you stop nursing!
5. Take every opportunity that someone offers to watch the baby to get off the computer and get out and get active. The internet can suck you in — and make you compare yourself to others. Especially when you’re feeling depleted and low and isolated at home, in your pajamas (because it’s just you and the baby after all). Part of the reason why celebrities “bounce back” quickly is because they are being watched 24/7. So don’t be shy. Go out! Make it a priority to leave the house and face the world.

This article is by Roma van der Walt, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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A pregnancy perfect breakfast or brunch.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Breakfast or brunch, as we all know, is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it provide us with the right fuel and nutrients we need for sustained energy levels throughout the day, it also helps with better metabolism, digestion and our overall mental and physical well-being.

For the perfect start to your pregnant day, we’ve created a delicious, simple and healthy scrambled eggs dish with three green and three red vegetables. On the red side, you’ll find Spanish onion, capsicum and mini Roma tomatoes, while our greens include spinach, zucchini and basil leaves. All you need is a chopping board, sharp knife, bowl, whisk, frying pan, and wooden spoon, and you will be able to serve up an amazing brunch that will be enjoyed by all your guests…and you!

This recipe is for 4 people, however you can halve or double the amount if you require less or more portions.

Ingredients:

• 5 x organic eggs
• 1 x red Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 x red capsicum, finely chopped
• 100 x grams mini Roma tomatoes, cut in half
• 100 x grams spinach leaves, washed
• 2 x zucchinis, finely chopped
• 4 x fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 x cup milk
• 1/4 cup x olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in frying pan and add onion, capsicum and zucchini. Lower to medium heat and sauté for 4 minutes.
2. In the meantime, whisk eggs with milk in a bowl and set aside.
3. Add spinach and tomatoes to fry pan and sauté for another minute.
4. Add egg mixture, salt, pepper and basil leaves and cook on low heat for 3 minutes or until eggs are cooked light and fluffy (stirring constantly and gently with wooden spoon).
5. Cut in quarters and serve.

 
This article is by Penny Zalalas, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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Appealing as it sounds to escape and hibernate (especially when you’re expecting your own little cub), humans must endure the shorter days, dipping temperatures, and holiday hoopla of winter. As you manage daily responsibilities, spread holiday cheer, and attend family events, you’ll likely find that there are not enough minutes in the day, days in the week, or weeks in the month to get to everything—including carving out precious time for yourself. Here are our top ways to pamper yourself without ever having to leave home:

Preen. Run the shower hot to create a humid, steam-filled sanctuary, which will induce sweating to help your body release impurities and relieve water retention. Then dial back the heat before stepping in. Many studies have shown that good health, hygiene, and appearance positively impact our self-esteem and how we feel. To capitalize on that good hair day, gently cleanse locks with Nine Naturals Citrus + Mint Nourishing Shampoo to improve elasticity, increase strength, and restore moisture; and coat them in the oil and butter rich formula of Nine Naturals Mandarin + Ginger Restorative Conditioner to add luster and improve hair texture.

Polish. Whether it be bold and edgy nail art or a classy and neutral french, nothing makes a woman feel more primped and pampered than a fresh manicure. To avoid cold and flu germs that are swirling in the air, become your own manicurist. All you need are a few hot nail colors—try Trust Fund Beauty polish in Money Buys Happiness, I Had It First, Put A Ring On It, Rich Bitch, Insta-Famous, and I’m Kind Of A Big Deal. These 5-free, non-toxic nail polishes and treatments are safe for expectant moms, persons with skin sensitivities, and children because they don’t contain carcinogenic and reproductively dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, camphor, and more.

Play. Besides the obvious fun-factor, getting dolled up is a great and inexpensive way to learn what colors and techniques work best for your face shape, skin tone, and eye color, which in turn can make you feel more beautiful and confident. You don’t need a final destination to play with makeup. With your favorite makeup palettes, experiment with different looks. We love using Honeybee Gardens’ Cosmopolitan Eye Shadow Palette’s to create that evening smoky eye. Complete the look by painting your pout with Truly Natural Lipstick in Heirloom (a matte, classic pink) or Seduction (a matte, neutral rose/mauve).

Perfect. Decorate and pamper skin by spritzing it with an all-natural fragrance that doesn’t upset your pregnant-nose, like Pour le Monde Parfums' Empower, a fresh and vibrant scent with top notes of citrus, middle notes of woody herbs, and base notes of cedar wood will uplift you despite the current weather. Pour Le Monde Fragrances are phthalate-free and derived from safe, natural oils and to work with your body chemistry to create a truly unique fragrance on skin.

Primp. Dress your good looking--and even better feeling--body in your chic loungewear or evening wear (comfort is key at this stage of your pregnancy)! Enjoy your favorite restaurants or have your partner order-in from your favorite fancy place--dining in using your finest china. Maintaining a mutually supportive partnership is an important part of preserving positive emotional health during this ever-changing stage of your lives, so find ways to “treat” one another based on your likes and hobbies.

Nurture your mind, body, and spirit often, and be sure to continue this positive self-care even after you welcome your precious baby into the world. Share your look with us by using #NineNaturals! Cheers to the New Year!

NINE NATURALS WINTER PREGNANCY GLOW GIVEAWAY:

WEEK 4 PAMPER & GLOW

Staying hydrated might be front-and-center in your mind during the sunny summer season, but it's crucial to keep the hydration habit going strong when the weather turns cold as well. Cold and flu season can be more easily combated with a strong immune system, which needs proper hydration to maintain. Pregnant women in particular need to focus on drinking lots of fluids, as keeping the bloodstream hydrated facilitates the absorption and transportation of important nutrients to the fetus. Proper hydration also staves off some of pregnancy’s less pleasant symptoms, including morning sickness, headaches, and hemorrhoids.

Luckily, providing your body--and baby--with enough fluids is as easy as sipping a soothing cup of tea or slapping on some luxuriously replenishing Nine Naturals Natural Belly Oil. Here are our top tips on staying hydrated during the winter for optimum health and glowing skin--pregnant or not!

1. Drink Up

Aim to drink about eight to twelve full glasses of water daily. For every half hour of light exercise, add another glass. Not craving cold water when you're already feeling chilled? Hot herbal tea counts toward your overall fluid intake. Try ginger or peppermint varieties – both pregnancy-safe scents that help ease morning sickness and other tummy troubles. If you enjoy caffeinated tea, you’ll want to stick to about 200 mg or less of caffeine each day; that’s a little over two mugs of steeped black tea or around a 10 oz. cup of coffee.

2. Soup & Smoothies Equal Superfood

Are you on the bone broth bandwagon yet? This hydrating and healthful liquid gold can be sipped on its own or used as a base in a soup – just add nutritious veggies and a high quality protein, simmer and enjoy! We also like this curry noodle soup and this vegetable roast. Real juice, blended or cold-pressed, from fruits and vegetables efficiently and deliciously delivers vitamins and enzymes to your body's cells too. Some of our favorite blends are this super-pregnancy smoothie and this fruit and juice pop. Also try Bundle Organics' dark berry veggie, kale apple lemon ginger, and orange berry carrot ginger organic prenatal juices, which are packed full of OBGYN-recommended nutrients for expecting and new moms.

3. Eat Your Fluids

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain water, too, not to mention vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more great stuff that does your body (and growing baby) need. If you're pregnant, it's also important to take a prenatal that meets your specific nutritional needs at each stage of the baby-growing game. Promise Prenatal Vitamins, which are formulated with just the right dosage of the right nutrients you need during each trimester, uses all-natural ingredients. Its Stage 2 + DHA is unique designed for 2nd and 3rd trimester, with increased vitamins as baby grows, and packed with Omega-3 DHA and Iron (to help avoid anemia).

4. Hydrate Outside-In

When outside air is cold, it contains less moisture, and as a result, so does your skin. This change causes your largest organ’s lipid-layer--the cells that retain moisture and protect it from elements--to become more susceptible to damage from harsh winds and UV rays. Indoor heat can further dry skin out. Pair these factors with the dryness that hormonal changes and stretching skin often create during pregnancy, and you may feel scaly, itchy and dry. Counter-attack with an air humidifier in your bedroom, and be sure to adjust your bodycare routine to give your skin a boost. Nine Naturals' Unscented Moisturizing Body Cream contains vitamin-rich plant extracts from broccoli seed, borage, and comfrey root that nourish your skin, help it to retain moisture and improve its elasticity. For chapped lips, try Nine Naturals' Simply Natural Lip Balm, which contains organic butters and oils packed full of nutrients to help your lips retain moisture.

Water is the key to life. Make sure you and baby get enough hydration and nutrients this winter by using these tips. Win our ultimate hydration pack including Nine Naturals ultra-moisturizing skincare, Bundle Organics Prenatal Juice Blend Variety Pack, and Promise Prenatal Pregnancy Vitamins!

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WEEK 2 HYDRATE & GLOW

A lactation-friendly sweet treat that’s perfect for the fall.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Want to know something incredible about this apple crumble recipe? Not only is it seasonal and delicious, but there are even a couple ingredients that make it beneficial for breastfeeding. Now it’s in no way a pure lactation recipe, but oats and almonds are known to increase lactation so that’s the perfect excuse to make and consume this wonderful fall treat, right? Right!

Ingredients

Filling:
6 medium honey crisp apples
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar, depending on tartness of apples
½ cup dried cranberries

Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup shaved almonds
½ cup melted butter

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your baking dishes with pam. I used a pie dish as well as an 8” square dish.
• In a large mixing bowl juice your lemon and add in your dried cranberries to soften.
• Core apples and cut into 3/4 –inch pieces. Feel free to peel your apples or leave the skin on. I left the skin on mine. Mix into your large bowl with cranberries and lemon juice. The lemon juice will help your apples from turning brown. Add in cinnamon and sugar and mix.
• In a separate bowl make your topping. Mix together your flour, oats, sugar, salt and almonds.
• In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt down your butter. Mix into your topping.
• Distribute your filling mixture into your baking dishes and cover with your topping.
• Place into the oven and bake between 1 hour and 15 minutes and 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the juices are bubbling, apples are soft, and the crumble top is golden brown. Enjoy!

This article is by Hailey Andresen, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.