It seems like your head barely hit the pillow before a distant cry echoes in your dreams.
The very sound creates a twinge of regret and you yearn for it to fade away, but it only intensifies.
Your eyes sting as they crack open to search for the source, but your confusion wanes as you catch a glimpse of the flickering red lights of the baby monitor.
Suddenly, you are engulfed in a flood of emotion and you bolt out of bed.
The exhaustion dissipates once you lay eyes on this sweet, delectable little morsel.
Surprisingly, this little bundle quenches the desire for the sleep that you so desperately craved only moments ago, and you now have a greater urge to stay awake and bask in this tender mercy of motherhood.
It's amazing how something so small can invoke such strong feelings, and you may be surprised, or even shocked, that you are also heavily immersed in feelings of doubt, discouragement and disappointment.
Feelings of inadequacy are creeping in and the person you used to be is fading.
But rest assured, as difficult as it may seem right now, what you are going through is a vital and necessary process to self-discovery.
Because it is only through these negative feelings that you will be able to comprehend those purely precious moments that will help you realize the priceless, rewarding and gratifying role of motherhood that you are now embarking upon.
Although not the most important, the first step to the new you, is to start that physical makeover through healthy, nutritious eating and simple exercise.
As you start down this road to transformation, the process may be slow, but hopefully you will feel your body start to change.
Little by little you will feel yourself getting stronger.
You will have more endurance, and more energy to tackle your day! Once the physical changes begin to occur, it is time to move on to the next phase, which affects your complete outlook on life.
Before long, you will be on your way to a stronger, more confident, NEW YOU! The first aspect of change relates to those physical problem areas that have been affected by pregnancy weight gain.
Most women have trouble shedding those last few pounds to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight, which can be extremely disheartening and discouraging.
But the truth is, you can regain your pre-pregnancy figure within 8-12 months! Now, this may seem slow, but you have to remember that you can't lose the weight much faster and stay healthy at the same time.
Most doctors will recommend that you do not engage in any rigorous exercise for at least 6-8 weeks.
Your body needs time to heal, and you need time to adjust to life with a newborn.
So do not feel guilty about taking this time to rest and recover from childbirth! Instead, focus on the following tips to stay healthy during this critical post-partum phase.
1.
Drink plenty of fluids (at least 2 litres of water daily) 2.
Get as much sleep as you can: The most important thing you can do right now is sleep! The more rested you are, the easier it is to deal with a crying baby and the stresses that come along with caring for a baby.
Try to sleep when your baby sleeps.
There will always be time to do the dishes later.
3.
Eat healthy foods: Eat low-fat foods (not fat free) that are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Also, avoid foods high in sugar.
If you are breastfeeding, you should eat 500 extra calories than you would normally eat.
(This is roughly equivalent to 1 serving of dairy, 1 serving of grain, 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of leafy green vegetables).
4.
Make sure you are eating enough: If you are breastfeeding, you should be consuming no less than 1800 calories per day.
You are also burning more calories while breastfeeding, so make sure to replenish yourself! 5.
Don't rely on junk food for your calorie-count: Make sure your food is nutritious by staying away from packaged foods.
Remember, fresh is best! The most effective way to lose weight is to incorporate diet, exercise and general lifestyle changes.
Some ideas for you to get you going: 1.
Be realistic: If you set goals that are achievable, you are more likely to succeed.
So, don't overdo it! 2.
Be patient: Healthy weight loss takes time.
You should allow yourself at least 3 months before engaging in any serious weight loss diet.
And do not starve yourself to get thinner! It is guaranteed to fail, so don't waste your time! 3.
Avoid crash dieting or fad diets: Maintain or start healthy eating habits rather than trying to get thin quick! 4.
Start exercising: When it is safe to do so (after your doctor suggests), you can begin to exercise again.
Strive to exercise 30 minutes each day, but start out slowly.
If you can only exercise for 10 minutes, that's okay.
Just be consistent to develop good habits.