Hey Growing Naturals friends! My name is Brittany, and I blog over at Delights and Delectables. I am a dental hygienist, mom of 2 sweet babies, Certified Health Education Specialist, and barre instructor. I wear lots of hats… and I love it! My favorite “title” however, is Mommy. As I said before, I have two precious children. In December, I delivered my little girl. My pregnancy was quite a challenge for me. Not only did I have a very vivacious 18 month old at the time, but I had severe sickness. I was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum- think morning sickness on crack. If I smelled anything- food, flowers, perfume…anything!, I threw up. It was very hard for me to keep any food down. Thank goodness for Growing Naturals! Since I had a hard time keeping things down, I needed good nutrition and things I could eat that didn’t smell. I couldn’t stomach the thought of a smoothie (bananas were a no go!), and all other foods had a smell. Believe it or not, the smell of oatmeal cooking would send me straight to the bathroom. For 9 months, I literally lived off of toast and protein shakes. Eventually, I was able to make protein muffins without it making me too sick. Growing Naturals brown rice protein is my absolute favorite to cook with. Exercise was mostly a no go during pregnancy. I was not physically able to work out for the most part, nor was I eating enough to sustain working out. After delivery, it took me about two weeks to get my appetite back. After it did, I was ravenous! I think I was making up for the past 9 months! Since I am nursing, I’m always hangry. On days that I’m constantly hungry, I whip up a smoothie with GN protein, make a protein muffin, or add GN into my oatmeal. I also use it post exercise to help my body to repair and rebuild after working out. Right now, my absolute favorite is the Strawberry Brown Rice Protein. Holy yum! I took it very easy when I started working out again. I took beginner barre classes, walked, and just played with my kiddos. I also taught a 5 week Mommy + Me barre class at the studio I teach at. It was really fun to have my little girl there with me in class! I was very careful not to over do anything, because I didn’t want to mess up my milk supply. As I was able to get stronger and more confident in my body, I added jogging and some barre cardio classes. I make sure to really listen to my body and take extra rest days. I am 5 months post delivery now, and my body is not where it was pre-baby. However, I am more concerned with fueling it properly, taking it easy, and making sure I am feeding my baby well. That is the most important thing right now. Every woman’s body is different and each pregnancy is different. I have friends that exercised all the way through pregnancy, and then there are women like me that couldn’t. Some women bounce right back post delivery, yet some take time. No matter where you are, be patient and give yourself grace. Your body performed a miracle by growing a baby! Nourish yourself well and take care of yourself. The habits you set today are the habits your little one will learn in the future! Of course, always check with your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet or new exercise, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. Growing Naturals has been an awesome supplement for me pre and post natal. By: Brittany Trentham, MEd, RDH, CHES To hear more from Brittany, you can find her at her blog Delights and Delectables and/or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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