It’s important to eat a healthy diet during pregnancy. Your body requires lots of extra vitamins and nutrients to nourish your growing baby. Eating a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy can help to give your baby the best start in life. If you are on a tight budget, you may worry that a healthy diet is out of your grasp. By following these simple tips, you can make sure your developing baby is getting all the goodness he needs without breaking the bank:

1. Plan your meals – if you buy a bucket load of fresh fruit and vegetables, with no clue of what you’re going to cook, it’s likely that at least some of the food will end up in the bin. By putting time into the planning stage, you can save yourself throwing your hard-earned money into the compost each week. Work out what you are going to eat each day, and what you need to buy from the shops. This will help you to avoid food and financial waste, as well as helping you to assess whether you are eating a healthy, balanced diet. Seeing everything written down makes it much easier to analyse your food intake.

2. Shop around – now that you have a shopping list, you can hunt for some bargains. Buying everything from your over-priced corner shop could become expensive, so try to shop around for the best bargains. You may find it useful to split your shopping list, and buy certain items from your local green grocers, and visit supermarkets to snap up a bargain offer.

3. Make the most of offers – use offers, in-store specials, and coupons as a way of grabbing some bargains, but be careful not to impulse buy. Stick to your list, and buy only what you need, but make the most of any offers that fit into that criteria. Supermarkets often have fresh fruit and vegetable offers, and your local green grocers may sell discounted produce close to the best before date.

4. Bulk it up – cooking in bulk can help to save you money. Buy what you need, cook it all, and then freeze what you don’t need. You’ll have some meals ready and waiting for you in the freezer then, and this will help you knock some money off a future food shop.

As well as eating a balanced diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, you should take a daily prenatal vitamin. Do you have any tips for eating healthy on a budget?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

As soon as you found out you were pregnant, you probably started to look for ways to improve your health. Many women find that pregnancy gives them a renewed interest in healthy eating, exercise and clean living. All of a sudden your body goes from being taken for granted to having the ability to create and sustain life. Some women describe pregnancy as giving them a deeper respect for their body. With this in mind, now is the perfect time to improve your health.

1. Take your vitamins – lots of people have a dusty tub of vitamins in the cupboard that they take sporadically when they stumble upon them looking for the oregano. Now that you’re pregnant, you should start taking your vitamins seriously. Invest in some vitamins specifically formulated for pregnancy – these have higher levels of folic acid and iron than regular vitamins. You should take the vitamins daily during the first trimester, and can continue even longer if you wish.
2. Eat a heathy diet – now is the perfect time to cut down on take aways, reduce your intake of fatty foods and up your fresh fruit intake. There’s no need to eat for two. In fact, you only need to be eating an extra 300 calories per day by the end of the pregnancy – that’s the equivalent of two slices of buttered wholemeal toast.
3. Exercise – if you exercised before you became pregnant, then you should aim to continue exercising throughout the pregnancy. If you’ve never exercised before, then now is the perfect time to start. Your pregnancy, and your baby, will both benefit from regular light exercise. Walking, swimming and yoga are firm favourites amongst mums-to-be.
4. Cut it out – there’s a whole host of things you should avoid during pregnancy – smoking, alcohol and drugs are the most notable. You should also avoid certain foods and medications. Speak to your healthcare provider and find out what you should cut out. If you need help to quit smoking or drinking, ask for it – there’s plenty of help available.
5. Up your fluids – during pregnancy, you may find yourself feeling thirstier than usual. Increase your fluid intake to ensure your body is getting enough fluids. The healthiest drink you can choose is water.
6. Get some zzz’s – if you’re feeling sleepy, have a lie down. You are growing a whole other person, so don’t beat yourself up for falling asleep on the sofa. If you are tired, it’s because your body needs to rest. You might be surprised just how much sleep you need, especially during the first trimester, but try to get as much as you can to help you feel and stay healthy.
7. Don’t overdo it – thanks to pregnancy hormones, you are more susceptible to muscle sprains. Take it easy to avoid ending up with unnecessary aches and pains. If you have a physically demanding job, ask to relinquish some of your more hazardous duties. Lifting boxes, pushing heavy loads, even lifting your toddler may cause sprains, so be cautious or even avoid doing these things.
8. Talk about it – you may feel during pregnancy you are expected to be happy, excited and blissful at your approaching motherhood, but it’s not true for everyone. Hormonal mood swings, financial worries, concerns over the birth, and even uncertainty about what kind of mother you will be are all to be expected during pregnancy. Don’t keep all of your worries bottled up inside, but instead find someone you can talk to. You could talk to you partner, friends or even an online community of pregnant women. Your emotional health is just as important as your physical health, so please do seek help if you feel you need it.
9. Relax – pregnancy can be an overwhelming time. You may feel you can’t possibly get everything done in time, and this might lead to feelings of stress. Dedicate fifteen minutes each day (more if possible) to relaxing. Meditation, yoga or even simply taking a warm bath are all great ways to unwind at the end of the day. Clear your mind, stop thinking about your to-do list, and let yourself focus on you and your developing baby.
10. See a professional – you should contact your healthcare provider as soon as you discover you are pregnant, or even before you start trying. Your healthcare provider will be able to provide you with the information to allow you to enjoy a healthy pregnancy. Your healthcare provider will be your go-to person for the next nine months, so the sooner you get to know each other, the better!

What else are you doing to enjoy a healthy pregnancy?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

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This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Breastmilk – it’s how nature intended babies be fed. Apart from the nourishment and nurturing, though, the amazing properties that make breastmilk such a healthy food choice also make it an incredible medicine.

While some uses of breastmilk have only anecdotal evidence, many others have actually been researched and are supported with studies as to their effectiveness. In fact, donor milk is sometimes even used for treating older children and adults with certain conditions, such as cancer and other serious illnesses.

Full of antibodies, breastmilk has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties without the side effects of pharmaceuticals. According to one source, a teaspoon of breastmilk contains at least 3 million germ-killing cells.

While you may never have considered many of these, you will see from the list below just how versatile your breastmilk is. Breastmilk can be used for:

• Eyes: Whether from a viral or bacterial infection, breastmilk’s anti-infective properties have been use to effectively treat “pink eye” and clogged tear ducts. Even styes seem to respond well to some drops of breastmilk.
• Ears: Ear pain seems to be lessened with a couple of drops of breastmilk a few times per day.
• Skin: Treat diaper rash, baby acne, cradle cap, adult acne, cuts and scrapes, burns, rashes, poison ivy, insect bites and stings with expressed breastmilk. Breastmilk has even been used to get rid of warts (apply breastmilk several times per day until the wart dries and falls off).
• Cold symptoms: Stuffy nose? Try breastmilk instead of saline nasal spray or drops. Sore throat? Have a shot of breastmilk or a breastmilk gargle.
• Cancer: Amazing research has shown that in a laboratory situation, breastmilk causes cancer cells to commit suicide while not damaging the healthy surrounding cells.

With any illness, a visit or call to your healthcare provider may be warranted along with your home comfort measures.

Apart from home remedies for illnesses, breastmilk has been used for other interesting purposes:

• Contact lens solution: If you’ve forgotten your solution when traveling, or if you’re just out and about and need to clean your lenses, what could be easier than using breastmilk? Its antimicrobial properties will clean your eyewear, and the small amount you need can easily be hand expressed (no need for a pump).
• Soap making: You can find recipes online for creating a gentle cleanser with breastmilk. Soap makers say it’s an ideal ingredient since it contains essential proteins and amino acids, as well as lactic acid and vitamin A – all excellent for skin care.
• Cooking and baking: Recipes for breastmilk ice cream and cheese can be found online. Actually, in any recipe that calls for milk, breastmilk can be substituted. Though heating or freezing the breastmilk may decrease the number of anti-infective organisms, it’s still a healthy choice. Out of coffee creamer or milk for your breakfast cereal? Try breastmilk. Hungry for a smoothie? Use breastmilk as the base.
• Jewelry: A number of online companies will take your expressed breastmilk and make it into jewelry to immortalize your breastfeeding experience. Some will sell the supplies, as well, if you want to DIY.

Have you used breastmilk for anything other than nourishing your baby?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

As a breastfeeding mother, you probably double check whether pretty much everything you do will affect your milk. You have probably googled how much caffeine it’s safe to consume, whether alcohol enters your breast milk and how long until you can switch back to your beloved underwired bras. What did mothers do before Google was there to answer all of their questions?!

Will exercise affect my milk?

If you’re hoping to improve your fitness and, perhaps, get rid of some of the baby weight, you may be wondering if it’s safe to exercise when you’re breastfeeding. Obviously, you shouldn’t be lifting weights or running laps with a baby attached to your breast, but exercise is generally perfectly safe for new mamas.

Now is a great time to improve your health. The healthier you are, the better able you will be to look after your baby. Exercising can help to lift your mood, fight stress and help you sleep easier (obviously, the baby will still be keeping you awake, but at least you know you could sleep if you wanted to…).

The key is to start slowly and gradually increase the amount of exercise you do. If you are taking an unhealthy approach to exercise, and exercising to extreme exhaustion, you may find that it does affect your milk supply and general health. Instead, take baby steps along the road to fitness.

Things to keep in mind

It’s always important to wear a decent sports bra for support when exercising, but this is arguably more important when you’re a breastfeeding mother. You may find it most comfortable if you feed your baby just before exercising, as this will ensure your breasts don’t feel too full.

You can feed your baby as soon as you need to when you return from exercising. There is no minimum period, exercising doesn’t have much affect on your milk. It can increase the amount of lactic acid in your breast milk, but most babies don’t seem to mind this. Some babies aren’t keen on the salty taste of sweat, so you may find that washing your breasts after exercising encourages your baby to feed.

Exercise can be the perfect way to unwind after a long day of parenting. If you’ve been home with the baby all day, you may find yourself feeling touched out and stressed. A brisk walk or a few lengths of the pool could be all you need to turn the day around.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.