Pregnancy can be understood as a passive period until the baby is born. It feels like nothing more than resting and waiting. But you should know that your health and your wellbeing are the most important factors during this time. In this article, we will focus on how to improve your lifestyle and tips that will help you feel more prepared. It’s a way to “program” your health forever, not just during pregnancy. Taking each step of pregnancy as it comes is not easy, there are twists and turns, but ultimately the end goal is your beautiful baby. It’s lovely to document things as you go along. Journaling is one fantastic way; another is to photograph the occasion. You could look at a lifestyle maternity photographer too to help you capture the beauty along the road. Here are some other tips to help keep your mood boosted during those magical and turbulent nine months!

Get physical, but not too much!

 

Performing physical activities during pregnancy can provide excellent results, such as improving your mood, helping to reduce pain, and even promoting sleep. Exercise strengthens the muscles, essential for preparing for childbirth. In this way, having an exercise routine for pregnant women is the best option, although always after consulting with the specialist.

 

1. Going for a walk every day is the ideal exercise for any pregnant woman. It is a complete activity regardless of the degree of previous physical activity of the pregnant woman. Of course, it is important to start gradually depending on the starting activity of each woman.
2. Swimming or water gymnastics are low-impact activities and are very comfortable for the pregnant woman due to the buoyancy of the water. For this reason, they are highly recommended, especially in the last trimester.
3. Yoga or Pilates are highly recommended exercises to prepare the pregnant woman’s body as they combine gentle movements with breathing exercises, therefore helping to improve elasticity, strength and the ability to relax.
4. If you are a pregnant runner, you will have to consult with your doctor to assess your physical condition and your pregnancy. If they give you the go-ahead, follow his instructions, and you can keep going for a run as long as they recommend it.

Eliminate discomfort

At bedtime, it is necessary for our body to feel safe. Therefore, it is essential to control the environment where you rest so that your sleep has as few complications as possible. For example, use a mosquito net to avoid interruptions at night and risk of illness. Control the temperature; the ideal is that it is comfortable, either through air conditioning, fan or windows. Bundle up properly with duvets in cold places. And try to eliminate noise as much as possible. Many small details can disturb your sleep at night, but each annoyance that you manage to eliminate is one step closer to your ideal rest.

Emotional health during pregnancy: how to avoid stress

Stress and anxiety are one of the most common problems that any woman can suffer during pregnancy, especially if they are new mothers. For this reason, special attention must be paid to the emotional health of the mother to prevent stress from causing negative consequences for her or the baby. If the mother’s stress is prolonged over time, it could cause some complications such as high blood pressure or insomnia, as well as low birth weight or premature delivery. Finding methods that help minimize stress in the pregnant woman is essential for her to live the pregnancy in a serene, healthy and happy way. Getting adequate rest at least 8 hours, eating a good diet and resorting to relaxation techniques are healthy lifestyle habits that help combat stress.

Get a more effective diet. 

During pregnancy, the uterus increases considerably in size, which will cause significant pressure on the rectum that will decrease intestinal motility. If you add more fibre to your diet and increase your water consumption, you can assist your problems. Certain supplements can also assist, such as iron supplements, but anything that you decide to take must be run past your general practitioner first. 

 

Please do not wait to suffer with digestive issues, as your baby needs sthe food as much as you do. So start right now, prevention is the first measure we must take to keep a healthy diet during pregnancy:

 

• Drink lots of water. It is the specific advice that we rarely heed. It is cheap and straightforward, but we forget it. Set a goal, a litre and a half bottle of water and a small one of half a litre. That will be the minimum amount of water that you should consume in your day. This way, you will know how many babies are, and you will guarantee a correct contribution.
• Let’s bet on whole grains. Substitute refined products such as flour, rice, pasta, bread for whole grains.
• Legumes at least three days a week. They admit many preparations, in a stew, cooked, salads, take your imagination. It is a complete dish and very affordable to the pocket.
• Fresh fruit whenever you’re a little hungry. It will also help you satisfy your appetite, even for a little while.
• Incorporate nuts into your routine, better without salt.
• Forget fatty foods, such as cheeses, butter.
• If your doctor doesn’t advise against it, try doing some exercise. You know, Pilates or yoga are very beneficial because they will also help you to strengthen the pelvic floor. But the walks cannot be missed. Physical exercise will help you improve intestinal motility.

 

Pregnancy is a beautiful time, but it is known that it comes with some difficulties too. You should always seek out the help of your medical professional team if you feel any anxiety or fear during your pregnancy. Nobody said it would be smooth running, but it will undoubtedly be worth it in the end. Take time to write down your thoughts, capture the beautiful moments, change your lifestyle to make things easier and create the most incredible start to your motherhood.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

 

Are you heading out of town on vacation? Not just a short weekend away from home but a true vacation where you’ll be gone one week, two weeks, or even more?

What if you could save money while you’re away? Wouldn’t that make your vacation even better?

Planning time away is half the fun. You check out guidebooks, create a calendar of things to do, buy tickets, and download maps. You purchase new items to wear or invest in new luggage to ensure it all arrives safely at your final destination.

But outside of turning out the lights on the way out the door, have you ever thought about what you leave behind? Is your house operating the way it always does? Or have you implemented vacation energy-saving tips that will truly help you save money?

While the primary reason to get your house ready before you leave is for safety—an empty home is an easy target—you can also take a few steps to reduce energy usage while you’re away.

Start Inside Your Home

The last thing you want to walk into after a relaxing vacation is a disaster. Especially if “life” starts in again the next morning, and you’ll be off and running to work, school, and non-stop commitments.

Instead of rushing out the door on the way to catch an aeroplane, spend a little time preparing your home for your return.

While you don’t have to scour every room and ensure it’s the cleanest it’s ever been, you also shouldn’t leave it a mess. Dishes in the sink, laundry stacked in the corner, and overflowing rubbish can make the house smell. And it can suck the energy out of you to see (and smell) it the moment you walk through the door.

With everyone away from your home for a few days, there’s no reason to leave your home in the same state as when you’re in and out all day long. Your home has a long list of “energy vampires,” appliances that continue to draw energy even when they aren’t in use.

According to the US Department of Energy, if an appliance is continuously taking in 1 watt of electrical current at all times, that can add an additional $1 to your overall energy costs per year. While that may not seem like a lot, add up how many items you keep plugged in, whether in use or not. The average household can save $100 to $200 a year by merely unplugging.

One of the best vacation energy-saving tips is to simply walk around your home, make subtle changes, and unplug nonessential appliances and electronics. A refrigerator is essential; a coffeepot is not. Look for hairdryers, digital clocks, cell phone chargers, lamps, entertainment units, blenders, and more. Not only will this save energy, but it will also eliminate the potential of having these items destroyed in the event of a power surge.

Pay Attention to Your Heating and Cooling System

If your home is controlled by a programmable thermostat, the temperature automatically changes throughout the day, depending on your schedule. If you’ve upgraded to a more sophisticated thermostat, check to see if it comes with a vacation mode. If not, spend a few minutes keying in new temperature guidelines for while you’re away. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat and would like to upgrade, you can contact a reputable HVAC company, such as Entek, to discuss your options.

Even just a few degrees can help you save a lot. The longer you’ll be away, the more change you should consider making to how warm or cool you’ll keep your house.

If the temperatures are scheduled to be mild, you can consider turning off your HVAC system completely. Even in the summer and winter months, you can adjust the temperature quite a bit without problems. Use the “auto” setting instead of “on” to ensure the HVAC system only operates when it truly needs to turn on.

Unless you have pets, consider raising the thermostat setting to 85 degrees in the summer. This will ensure the air conditioner only turns on during the hottest of days. The winter temperatures are a little trickier. You don’t want your appliances or pipes to freeze. A temperature of 50 degrees will keep your home warm enough to prevent damage yet be low enough to ensure you don’t pay more than necessary for the energy your home uses.

Also, lower the blinds and shades to further insulate your home against temperature changes. This simple act will keep the heat out of your home during the summer and prevent cold air from seeping in during the coldest months of the year. This will also make it harder for potential criminals to peek in and see what’s inside.

Pay Attention to the Lights Too

A dark house is ripe for criminal opportunity. Yet vacation energy-saving tips dictate that using lights while you’re away will cost you money. Which direction is best?

In this case, error on the side of keeping your property safe. However, there are ways to go about it that can save energy too.

Have you changed all of your light fixtures to LED? This change alone can save you money each year. We suggest replacing all of your lights with these new and improved fixtures, including your recessed lighting and ceiling fans.

While it’s not important to keep every light in your home on, select a few to plug into automatic timers to give the impression someone is inside. You should do that in the common areas of your home, like living spaces or the kitchen. You might even have a light in a bedroom go on and off at bedtime. And don’t forget about porch lights. Whether you choose timer functions or motion detectors, spilling a little light on a dark night can keep unwanted things away.

Water Can Be Devastating

Do you still have a tank water heater? Take action in two ways.

First, ensure that the area around it isn’t cold enough to freeze the pipes. Nothing is more devastating than having a water heater break and several inches of water left standing in your home for days or weeks.

Second, turn your water heater down in temperature. Tank water heaters are designed to hold water at a specific temperature. If you aren’t home to use the heated water, why keep it at your desired temperature? Just turn it up again once you return home, and you’ll have warm water in a short time.

End with a Walk Around the Outside of Your Home

A final walk around your home can get rid of potential hazards while you’re away. Disconnect garden hoses, especially if the temperatures may drop and freezing may occur. Unplug any outside gardening tools that you may have unintentionally left in the yard. Ensure the area around your air conditioner is clear and won’t impact the functionality of the system.

You might also have a neighbour keep an eye on your place, just in case something changes. A quick phone call can stop the bad from turning worse. It can be the difference in coming home to a place that’s as you left it, instead of a nightmare you’ll be dealing with for weeks.

Do you have any other vacation energy-saving tips you use before you leave?

 

Disclosure: This is a Collaborative post.

*This is a paid collaboration*

If I say the words foster care what are the first thoughts that come into your head? Foster care is one of those societal topics that unless it directly affects you it can be absent from your life and in turn your awareness. Apart from knowing it can be either a short or long term arrangement (often required in an emergency) that’s where my knowledge ends.

Compass Fostering – one of the UK’s leading foster care companies who work to find truly supportive and loving homes when they’re needed most for children and young people commissioned research with both foster carers and the wider public to discover more about fostering and the attitudes/preconceptions people may have about fostering as a whole. 

My first learning curve was that there are over 53,000 children and young people in foster care – that’s a staggering number and one that is seriously underestimated by 77% surveyed. Go back and read that number again: 53,000.

The decision to foster is one that isn’t taken lightly, requiring great commitment and the research showed that almost half of active foster parents have given homes to more than five foster children, while 22% of foster parents have cared for more than 10 different youngsters.

Opening up families through fostering is one that takes key skills. The survey also found that public surveyed also identified qualities needed to have in order to care for vulnerable children and young people: patience, kindness, empathy, resilience, motivated. The skills required to be a foster carer are monumental and the decision to become one is not to be taken lightly and I imagine not always easy but the reward of being part of a child or young person’s journey must be one of great pride and reward.

I’ve spoken before about actively not wanting to have more children and how the constant questioning about ‘just having one child’ is tiresome, inconsiderate and intrusive – people often ask what happens if later on, I want a child; I’ve given this thought and I’d seriously consider how to expand our family through fostering and/or adoption. 

Our concept of families has been transformed over the years to mean so much more than just a mother, father and children born biologically within that unit. The growth of what family has come to encompass can only increase our capacity for love. Fostering can be an important and loving component of how a modern-day family unit looks.

To find out more about fostering, including the allowance, benefits and support available to carers, visit Compass Fostering.