2024 has arrived, which means the time for New Year’s Resolutions has arrived. However, with a newborn baby in your arms, a strict diet, regular gym routines and hours of beauty treatment aren’t particularly easy to keep up with. Nor are they necessary. You are beautiful exactly the way you are! But you may want to consider incorporating a few healthier habits into your routine.
It is important to support and sustain a healthy lifestyle which you and your family can maintain in the long-run. This is why we have put together a list of ‘baby’ steps you, your partner and your little ones can make to live, eat and feel healthier in the new year!
Eating Clean
What exactly is clean eating? Simply put, it involves choosing whole foods and avoiding artificial foods. Stock your fridge and cupboards with healthy ingredients and start making plenty of tasty and healthy recipes to keep you and your family healthy, energised and in an overall better mood.
Gentle Exercise
No, you do not need heavy exercise and daily gym visits to experience the benefits of physical activity. There are many studies which suggest gentle exercising might even be more beneficial. You might like to try a Mummy & Me Yoga class. This gentle practice keeps you fit, without having to take your eyes off your little one. Or maybe you’d prefer a local group run, with a chat and coffee afterwards. The options are limitless.
Calm the Mind
Invest some time in yourself and find a calmer mindset. Believe us, you'll need it. It's difficult to maintain your calm when faced with a screaming baby 247. Many new parents talk about being exhausted, drained and unable to think straight after several weeks of sleepless nights or daily battles over weaning. It's 100% normal to occasionally lose it.
To find your inner calm, take just 5 minutes each day to sit quietly and meditate. Even if you've never done it before. Lie down, elevate your legs, and breathe deep.
B Calm are a brilliant sustainable brand who offer gorgeous essential oils and aromatherapy to aid calmness and relaxation.
Deep Sleep
Screen time before bed is a no-go! Limit this for yourself as well as your kids. The best way to get better sleep is to leave phones, iPads and other electronic devices far from the bedroom and use an old-fashioned alarm clock next to the bed. Also avoid the temptation to leave the video baby monitor glaring in your eyeballs. Turn the video function off and only take a look if you do hear sounds of upset.
Obviously, deep sleep and proper sleep-quality do not tend to go hand in hand with having a newborn baby around, but there are ways to improve things. You may want to consider co-sleeping or using a side-cot in the early days to increase the quantity of your sleep. Once your child is at the appropriate age, a gentle, consistent bedtime routine is a great way for the whole family to get a better night's sleep.
Ditch The Toxins
Where possible, swap to natural products. Choose natural shampoos, body lotions, hair products, etc. For adults, good natural brands are The Green Woman and Beyond Organics. As far as shampoo goes, brands like Dr. Organic and Ethique are a great choice. Dr Organic includes details on their website about the % of organic content. Unlike some brands which may use as little as 5% organic content, many of Dr Organics shampoos and conditioners contain over 70% organic content.
Of course, you want to offer your little one the same healthy care. Brands like odylique, Child’s Farm, Green People and Kokoso are a great pick in this case.
Stop Wearing Plastic
Your baby’s skin is as delicate as it gets and of course you want to protect it as best as possible. Nappies and clothing made from polyester and polypropylene are the number one cause of nappy rash and eczema. Our skin is not meant to be wrapped in plastic.
Choose Mama Bamboo nappies and wipes to protect your newborn as best you can and sustain a healthy lifestyle from the very beginning.
Get Outside
Even in the depths of winter, it's important to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day. The benefits of sunlight and fresh air cannot be overstated enough. For those of you with a little baby, the exposure to daylight will help set their circadian rhythm and encourage better separation between day and night for sleeping. So wrap up warm and step out.
Conclusion
Being a healthy family does not mean having a 5% BMI or having expensive skin treatments every month. It means holistically taking care of your families’ bodies, minds, and spirits, in a way that helps you balance the pressures of parenthood with the need to eat, live and feel healthy.
