Health and wellness blog - Form Fit

Good Standing POsture

11/10/2021

standing posture for moms

Standing posture

Whether you are carrying your little one now or you have had to in the past, you may notice that you now fall into a similar posture when standing. This is very common but can lead to aches and tension in muscles over time. So we need to pay attention to where our body is when holding our children and what standing posture we are in.

Do you notice that you slide your torso to one side?

Do you jut your hip out and sink into it while holding your child or even just standing in line at the grocery store?

Do you turn one foot out while standing?

These are all common positions when standing but it is important that we are moving through different positions throughout the day rather than staying stuck in any one position.

No one position is BAD but over time if that is your "go to" standing posture it can start to tighten and weaken muscles which could cause aches and tension over time. So make sure you are moving in different positions. Hold your child on the other side as often; and if it feels awkward doing this, then even more reason to continue doing it.

If you are interested in more specific information in regards to posture make sure to grab our FREE guide below.

FREE Posture Guide

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What is the best sitting posture

Reasons You May Have Low Milk Supply

11/9/2021

Low milk supply

TWO REASONS YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH LOW MILK SUPPLY

Many new moms struggle to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship with their infant for several reasons. Low milk supply and decreased milk production are two possible reasons a woman might experience low breast milk supply causing a frustrating nursing experience. In episode 28 I speak with Victoria of Milk Made Mama and she goes into detail of how moms can overcome these hurdles so they can successfully nurse their infants.

Discovering that breastfeeding isn’t going to be the easy, natural experience that many women assume it can be painful and cause a woman to feel defeated. What should be a natural bonding between mom and baby quickly becomes fraught with stress and frustration as Victoria found out on her own journey. Unfortunately, low milk supply and decreased milk production are becoming more common amongst new moms. Victoria's goal in starting Milk Made Mama is to support women going through this experience and help them to see if they can overcome their breast milk supply issues. If the clients she works with can’t overcome her supply problems, Victoria works with them to process the reasons why and help them move forward from what they may sense as a failure.

Victoria helps women find the root cause of why they have low supply and if they are able to address it, she works with them to breastfeed successfully within the limitations of their underlying cause.

Some root causes of low milk supply include primary and secondary issues.

Primary issues are issues going on within the mom such as anatomical or hormone issues or trauma or damage that could have occurred due to various reasons like surgeries or inverted nipples.
Secondary issues include poorly managing feeding schedules, oral restrictions in baby like tongue ties or diet.

One of the best ways moms to be and new moms can help their body prepare for breastfeeding is by following a healthy lifestyle including having your doctor check your hormone levels before pregnancy as well as making sure to follow a healthy and nutritious diet. She also mentions that there are supplements women can take to help their bodies milk production. The list she has on her website are herbs known to promote milk supply and she also lets you know if they are safe during pregnancy.

Each woman has their own unique breastfeeding experience. What worked for one mom will not always work for another. Listen to episode 28 where Victoria and I dive deep into the road bumps moms might run into during their journey and how to navigate them. Head here to learn more from The Milk Made Mama

If you are looking for a group of supportive moms to help encourage you through this motherhood journey, make sure to join us over in our Form Fit Mom Community.

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Helping New or Pregnant Moms Know What to Expect From Breastfeeding

11/4/2021

breastfeeding tips for new moms

What to know before you start breastfeeding as a new mom

Nothing is more nerve wracking than bringing home a new baby. You spend 9 months getting the nursery ready and making sure you have all the equipment like swings and changing tables but very little time is spent on learning how to care for the new baby including how to breastfeed. Many women think breastfeeding will just happen naturally. While many times it does happen without complications, many women struggle to breastfeed from the start. Today we speak to Erin, a certified lactation specialist, who gives us steps we can take before we give birth to help make our breastfeeding journey as a new mom easier.

After struggling with her own breastfeeding journey Erin decided to become a certified lactation specialist to help other women transition to a smooth breastfeeding journey as a new mom.

Below are basic steps she suggests her clients take before they go into labor so they can be set up to be as successful as possible.

Consult a lactation consultant before you give birth. Talking to a specialist prior to beginning your breastfeeding journey can help you identify any issues that may arise after birth.
Prepare yourself mentally to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is a full time job. Prior to giving birth enlist the help of your partner those first few weeks while you and baby get the hang of nursing.
Know who to call. If you run into issues when nursing you want to know who is available to help you. Most hospitals have lactation consultants on staff who you can speak to after leaving the hospital.
Choose a pediatrician that is supportive of breastfeeding. There are specific questions you can ask a pediatrician that will tell you if they support a nursing mom including what they do if a breastfed baby loses 10% of their body weight (it’s totally normal!). If they mention formula right away, keep looking for another doctor.
Pay attention to how your breasts change throughout pregnancy. Growing in size does not mean it’s fatty tissue. The increase in size comes from an increase in blood flow which is what helps produce milk.
Don’t ask strangers on Facebook for advice. Call your professional lactation consultant you have saved in your phone from step 3 above.
Find a postpartum lactation group. Many hospitals and local groups hold mom and baby classes in the community where you can meet other new moms and have a lactation specialist to ask questions to.
Set small goals. Your first goal should be to nail the latch. Then after you get the basic mechanics down, set a goal for how long you'd like to continue for.

.Once your baby has arrived and your milk comes in many women experience breast engorgement. Erin likens that feeling to the feeling of having to really use the restroom first thing in the morning. Once you use the restroom, you feel relief which is what engorgement is similar to. Once you nurse your baby, your breasts are no longer full and heavy. Erin suggested that if the engorgement is very uncomfortable to get cabbage leaves that you can place on your breasts. The chemical reaction between your skin and the cabbage leaves helps to give some relief to the engorgement.

I had a wonderful conversation with Erin and we covered so much more than what is here. I highly recommend that you listen to Episode 27 Helping new or pregnant moms with Breastfeeding with Erin to hear all of the wonderful advice she had to give. Head to Nursing Mama's to learn more from Erin.

If you are looking for a community of moms who will support you on this crazy life called motherhood, we would love to have you. Please join us in our Facebook community.

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What is the best sitting posture

What is the best sitting posture?

11/4/2021

sitting posture

What is the best way to sit

There truly is not a "best" sitting posture. What I prefer you to think about is how you are moving through the positions while you are sitting. So the best sitting posture is the next one. The goal is to find small micro-movements throughout the day, so while you are sitting, make sure you are changing your position.

If you notice that you tend to lean to one side quite often, than your goal is to start moving your body to the opposite position, which can be really tough because it isn't a comfortable position for you since you are rarely sitting like that.

So whether you are breastfeeding, reading, or watching TV you can begin to relax and think about how you are sitting. Change it up often throughout the day to get those micromovements in and if you want to learn more about ways to help work through specific areas that are causing you tension, than you will want to join our Mom Posture Fix program.

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Why everyone needs to take a day to detox their home

11/1/2021

chemicals in your home

Getting Rid of the Chemicals in Your Home

We are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day. Many of these chemicals, while being approved as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), can disrupt our hormones, cause asthma and headaches and contribute to cancer or cardiovascular disease. One way these chemicals cause harm is by damaging the enzymes your body naturally produces for every physiological function in the body. Once these chemicals come into contact with your skin, the enzymes stop functioning which can contribute to disease. That is why it is so important to detox and get rid of the chemicals in your home to live a healthier life.

Trying to replace all of our cleaning and personal items with safer, better for you products can be overwhelming and expensive. That’s why Kelly Liston developed her program Detox Your Home In One Day. By taking smaller steps over the course of time choices become less overwhelming and less of a hit to our wallets.

Below are three tips she offers to get you started on getting rid of the chemicals in your home:

Ditch the fabric softener/dryer sheets! Fabric softener is the most toxic consumer product available according to Kelly. Fabric softener works by clinging to your clothing to make it feel softer but that means the residue it leaves behind will also cling to your skin where it’s absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead, replace your fabric softener with wool dryer balls. If you miss the scent fabric softener leaves, add a couple drops of essential oils directly to your dryer balls.
Throw out your candles! Yes, they smell amazing and can make your house feel festive at the holidays but the fragrances in candles are never just one fragrance. Candles can contain up to 300 different fragrances that don’t need to be declared on the label. Make the switch to an essential oil diffuser using high quality oils from a trusted brand.
Download the app Think Dirty! Save time and utilize the app Think Dirty where they list thousands of products and rate them based on their ingredients. You can even check the items you currently have in your home to see how they are rated and know if you can keep using them or replace them with something safer for you and your family.

Click below to listen to Ep. 26 Detox You Home with Kelly Liston for more details on her program Detox Your Home In One Day and for more tips on choosing the right products that are better for you and your family.

What is the first thing you are planning on getting rid of in your house? I don't use fabric softener since we have a lot of skin allergies but do love my fall candles. I do believe the company I love so much offers safe candles, but am going to be aware of what else I might be bringing into my home that may not be healthy.

Today a friend also mentioned to me to look into the health of my water and it was very disappointing to see that our water in this area is not as safe as I would like it to be. Head to the EWG to see how your tap water ranks. Test your tap water

You may also enjoy reading these other blogs:

How to organize your paperwork at home

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Checking your shoulder mobility

10/29/2021

shoulder mobility

One thing I notice with a lot of the moms I work with, is that they start dealing with shoulder pain after starting up with a fitness routine. Whether it's from the way they are moving, the way they are sleeping, their every day posture or overusing the shoulder with picking up children, large diaper bags, and all the carrying of baby equipment I can't say without working with them one on one. So I like to check their shoulder mobility by seeing how the rest of your body moves when you bring your arms overhead.

Test this out for yourself to see what happens. When you lift your arms up over your head, what do you notice?

does your shoulders rise up with your arms?
does your back sway to help you get your arms up overhead?

If so, let me know and watch the video to get some ideas of exercises that you can begin to practice which will help to strengthen the mid back so that you can start to feel better.

And please don't go out and start lifting heavy things over your head if either of these things are happening or you may deal with more pain. Our goal is to get your body moving more through all ranges and feel good while doing so before we start lifting heavier things.

If you are interested in learning more, grab our Mom Posture Fix program to begin working on your body as a whole.

Mom Posture Fix information

Helping Your Children With Homework

10/27/2021

child doing homework

Zoie Hoffman, of Hoffman Tutoring Group, found her passion in tutoring after several moves made it hard for her to continue teaching in a physical classroom. She began online tutoring services for children in kindergarten through eighth grade and now has built her successful business to include several tutors with a variety of styles and specialties. She wants to be able to help you help your children with their homework by setting up these routines.

Her first suggestion for helping make homework less of a chore is to have a set routine. Every weekday have a time when your child knows they need to do their homework. If you are on the go and kids will have to complete homework in the car or while watching a sibling practice, create a homework caddy for the car that includes the supplies needed to complete homework - scissors, glue sticks, paper, pencils, crayons or colored pencils, calculator and so on.
If your child struggles in a specific subject, have a list of resources they can access to help. If math is a struggle, allow them to search for help on websites like Kahn Academy or if they have a family member good at math let them call them to ask for help. Most schools also now have online resources students can access for homework help as well. Also, know when to call it quits! If your child is really struggling and it’s becoming a source of conflict or upset then let them stop. Send an email to the teacher to let them know your child struggled and with what so they can give some extra help.

Other ideas Zoie suggested to help your child include:

- Let them choose where and how they want to sit (exercise ball, standing, at the kitchen table, in their room)

- Let them move around while they work if they have the wiggles

- Help your child set specific goals for their grades and help them figure out how to reach that goal

- Help guide your child to acquire a growth mindset

Zoie has so many more great tips and ideas to help make homework time more manageable for families. Listen in to episode 23 Helping Your Children with Homework with Zoie Hoffman.

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Avoid waking up in pain

10/25/2021

avoid waking up in pain

It happens all to often, you feel like you get a great night's sleep but once you jump out of bed, your shoulder or hip begins to ache. We all just end up saying, I slept on it wrong last night and then hope that the next evening it will just fix itself. Unfortunately this tends to be a cycle that we continue over and over again. So what can you do to avoid waking up in pain?

You are going to need to look at how you sleep and try to access what may be causing the problem. In this video I will share with you a few things you can do to hopefully ease the pain if you are a belly or side sleeper.

If you are looking for help with your posture or want to work on getting a better night's sleep, than you will want to grab our Free Posture Guide where we provide you with 3 steps to fix your posture.

Grab the FREE Guide

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How to get a better night's sleep as a busy mom

10/21/2021

better nights sleep

We are a society that has become overcommitted and overstimulated, we don't get enough down time or sleep time. 51% of moms are getting less sleep then they need and it is killing us. We need to take more care of our sleep time so that we can get a better night's sleep. This is a time for cell renewal and rejuvenation, allows us to manage our stress hormones, gut health, weight gain, reduces chronic disease development, cognitive functioning and our overall safety.

If you aren't getting enough sleep you are increasing your risk of disease, did you know that one week of poor sleep decreases your immune system function for up to a year.

So if you are unsure about whether or not you are struggling with sleep, I want you to think about these 3 things.

Do you have trouble falling or staying asleep more than 3 days a week
Struggle to fall asleep for more than 30 min, or if you wake up in the middle of the night are you up for more than 30 min.
Does this happen for 3 weeks or longer.

Us mama's our hormones will be affected, grehlin will go up which will have you craving more sweet and carbs and leptin will go down which is the hormone that helps you to feel full. (Go deeper in our master class in the membership portal).

5 things to help you get a better night sleep:

1. The lighting with electronics and dim the lights in the house

2. create a routine (weekend warriors-you are messing up your sleep clock as it takes 4 days for your body to get back on track).

3. Breathing techniques to really let your body know that it is time to relax and calm down.

4. Consume alchohol at least 3 hours prior to bed as it will mess up your sleep cycle.

5. Try to go to bed before 10pm, 2 reasons-your skin senses and processes light so even if you are sleeping your hormones are starting to be affected and for each hour before midnight you go to sleep you can count that as an extra hour of sleep.

If you are struggling to get the mind to stop racing in the evening I recommend Ashwaganda helps to relieve depression, anxiety, and stress to help with this or Melatonin- hormone of darkness doesn't help you to sleep, it just tells your body it's time to sleep

Wishing you a good night's sleep this week and if you are ready to dive in deeper to your personal and family health journey than you will want to join our 5 day challenge where we start to work on making small changes in your everyday life. Just click the button below to join, it's FREE!

Join the 5 day FREE Challenge

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How to organize your papework at home

10/19/2021

I had the opportunity to speak with Tracy Hoth, with Simply Squared Away, about best practices to organize our lives as busy moms and families. Some days the clutter and amount of paperwork that comes home can be overwhelming. How do we know what to keep, where to keep it and how long to keep it? As a professional organizer Tracy has great tips to help us get ourselves organized and to help our kids stay organized.

Many times when we look at all the clutter and paperwork mounting on the counter or desk our brains get overwhelmed. Tracy says we need to get to the nitty gritty of our mental block.

Why can’t we organize?
What is stopping us from cleaning up?
Once we recognize what is stopping us from starting then we can flow and begin with one step at a time to organizing our lives.

When it comes to organizing all the paperwork that comes home from school, Hoth recommends the following:

Immediately go through the paperwork and add to a keep or trash pile. If the keep paperwork has an action attached to it then add it to the action bin so you know to follow up on it.
If a form has a date on it, add to your calendar when the form is due or needs to be completed by.
For the items that you will keep, put them in the bin. Then when you have more time you can go through that bin and organize it even more.

Once we have ourselves on the road to organizational bliss we can then turn our attention to helping our kids organize themselves. Taking time once a week to sit down with children and plan out what they have to do is immensely helpful to teaching them how to organize. It can be a quick check in to help them know what they have coming up that week, what assignments or tests are due and activity schedules.

Tracy has many more great ideas when it comes to organizing ourselves and our families. Listen to episode 24 How to Organize your Paperwork at Home for great tips and tricks and to learn about joining Tracy's online program through her company Simply Squared Away.

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Courtney is a Mom and personal trainer, who wants to help you move more while raising healthy humans.

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