Remember to cherish YOU - these holidays too

The festive season is upon us.
It's exciting, it's often fun and a time of year we all generally very much look forward too and love.
But it can also be exhausting, emotional and stressful for many or even just some of the time...
So these holidays remember to hold your family and loved ones dear but hold yourself dear too. Remind yourself that you are a key special part in your own happiness. You are loved.
Let go of the bad and embrace the good. Do what you can and then let go for the day. Be patient. Be kind. Be calm. Be peaceful. Be positive. Be happy x

Remember too If you ever find yourself feeling on edge or think you might be a little more than just exhausted or upset reach out to loved ones, friends and family, your doctor or a supportive group like Lifeline 13 11 14
You are never alone, and you are so important to your family so you should be to yourself too!

Love Rebecca xx

Post Natal Depression Awareness Week - Raising awareness & helping each other as mums

This week was Post Natal Depression Awareness week.

http://www.panda.org.au/panda-events/postnatal-depression-week

In my book The Pram Diet I talk openly about my experience with Post Natal Depression after having my first daughter Lily and also about how much stigma I perceived there to be around it, how much I thought I would be judged, how I thought admitting it to those closest to me would make them think I didn't love my baby, wasn't grateful for the blessing of motherhood, I thought no-one would understand.

As I began to open up and talk about it I was stunned by the strong waves of support I found, and by the amount of mums who then shared their own stories with me, and those who thanked me for being so honest and open about it.

Post Natal Depression is said to effect as many as 1 in 4 Australian mothers and can happen to anyone.
The biggest misconception with post natal depression is that it is only the extreme cases you might see on the TV or read about it when the truth is, it can be so varied and different, mothers can have different symptoms and it can vary from mild to very extreme and everything in between.
Some women have quite mild symptoms and some very serious and severe and all should be treated with respect, dignity and support.
What IS a common thread to it is that it is something experienced by women from all walks of life, from high incomes to low incomes, from celebrities to everyday mums, it doesn’t discriminate and it doesn’t only affect those with hardships in their lives.

The most important thing to remember is suffering from PND is nothing to be ashamed of, it doesn’t make you any less than as a mother, it does not mean you don‘t love your baby, it does not mean you aren’t happy to be a mum.

It just is.

We can all make a huge difference by increasing support networks and promoting awareness and understanding.
So what can you do if you think you are or someone close to you is suffering from PND?

• Reach out to those around you. You’ll probably be very surprised to learn that some of the mothers you know have been through the exact same thing and words cannot describe the relief of sharing your story, sharing your experiences and knowing you are not alone in this.
• Get Support. Along with talking it over with your doctor and midwife ( who should always be your first point of reference) there are fantastic groups out there for mums that can make such a positive, non judgemental difference.
  From www.beyondblue.com to Facebook groups like http://www.facebook.com/#!/MumsHelpingMumsPND and my own private fb mums group https://www.facebook.com/groups/20093089740/ 
• Get out of the house. It might feel like the last thing you want to do but it can make such a difference to your day. Get out in the rejuvenating fresh air, get away from the housework, even if it’s just for 30 minutes it can really help.
• Go for a pram walk. New studies have been conducted that show there is a definite link between exercise and easing depression,
  Professor Mary Galea with the University of Melbourne found that exercise can reduce the risk of PND by as much as 50%.
  http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthvictoria/may10/postnatal.htm
  And it was pram walking that helped me personally so much during my depression after having my daughter Lily. Every single walk we did I felt a little better, like the dark cloud lifted just a little each time until eventually I felt like a new me and the skies all seemed blue. Calmer, happier, less angry, and alive again. No longer looking in from a lonely place.
• Try something active or relaxing that you enjoy like Yoga, swimming, pram jogging or a fun mums fitness class.
• Build a support network. It is a sad fact that in our busy modern lives we have less and less extended family and support networks around us and a solid support network is SO important for all new mum’s. If you don’t have a lot of family close by reach out and build one. Ask your midwife when you are pregnant for link’s to mother’s groups in your area and to introduce you to other pregnant mums.
  even having someone who can come over and cuddle your baby so you can have a relaxed shower can literally transform your day.
• Socialise. It can be the last thing you feel like doing sometimes with a newborn but it can help your day so much. Some light laughter, sharing stories and just even adult conversation can really help brighten your day.
• Nurture yourself. You are important. Try to include some healthy foods in to your diet, drink plenty of water and take whatever help family and friends offer and try not stress over the little things, your post baby body or the housework!

Together we really can make a huge difference and support one another.

Please if you think you might be however lightly or strongly feeling like you may have post natal depression, anxiety or are just over stressed or not coping - DO reach out, there is beautiful help and support out there, and  I promise it will really help xx


Rebecca xx

Motherhood Pressure Turned Into BLISS

Becoming a mother is many amazing things. It is the purest and deepest love you never imagined was possible. It is breathtaking joy. It is moments of treasured complete bliss marveling at this new, perfect person that loves you unconditionally and you them.

For some mum's In amongst the bubble of loving haze can creep in unwanted emotions. Anxiety, worry, fear, frustration even depression.
Sometimes when you become a mother too something almost competitive happens to you, an invisible pressure, an instinct to want to be a super mum, or to feel like you have to be a super mum, to always put on a pretence that everything is always perfect and ok because it can seem from the outside that all the others mothers you know are doing it all so perfectly, so effortlessly.

Sometimes a feeling of being inadequate can creep in, you compare yourself and your baby and children unfairly , maybe even against celebrities and often it all comes from us and our own unreasonable preconceptions anyway.
You can feel that no matter how much effort you seem to be putting in it’s just so hard to keep up with the other mothers! What am I doing wrong?
There can be this silent feeling that you have to do it all and do it all super well at all times. That you can’t have a bad day. Your child can’t be covered in mud when you arrive at the catch up, you can’t be at school drop off looking like a right mess, your children can't all catch head lice or a cold. You can't just relax even when your in the supermarket with a poo filled nappy baby or a power play creaming toddler. You should take to breastfeeding effortlessly of course. Your baby should sleep through...it can go and on.

You can create a world of pressure around yourself that saps all the joy out of the experience.

You can even feel too guilty and pressured to even just have a relaxing bliss day every so often, basking in the glow of motherhood and just being with your baby.

You can start to feel really pressured, that you should always be doing something and that your house should be spotless at all times, your baby growing at the top of the charts, hitting all the milestones early and of course sleeping all night. You should have all the latest baby must haves and you should even be juggling it all with a high flying career or making lots of money from home, while also making elaborate meals and of course looking fantastic and being back into pre-baby jeans in around 3 weeks and never skipping a beat with an ever chirpy greeting to everyone you meet.

Is it any wonder we as mothers can burn out? Get post natal depression? Get stressed? Become ill? Forget sometimes to just take a moment to just be? Forget what makes us, as an individual shine?

If you find yourself ever feeling like this, step back. Breathe. Centre yourself.

Just be the you as you are as a mother. An honest version of you. DO spend whole days just enjoying your baby, your kids, your husband, your own company. The time really does go so quickly and each moment is a precious bubble of time. Go with the flow more. Get over the things that happen beyond your control, let your children play in the dirt and climb a tree.
Have a career or be a stay at home mum-whichever YOU truly want, both are perfect choices when made from the heart.
Do things each day that make you happy, you deserve to feel happy. Cherish yourself. Have hobbies that thrill you and make you smile, ask for help when you need it-whenever you need it, follow your natural instincts with your baby, have friends over even when the house is a mess, follow a dream, enjoy stillness as well as delightful chaos, be honest with everyone who cares about you, be passionately happy, be exactly what YOU want to be.

Most of all as a mum be honest and supportive of other mums, respect each other’s choices and journeys.

Never be afraid to admit openly if you have had a horrible sleepless night, when you really need a break to your partner (before reaching a breaking point), say when you want a hand or even just a non judgemental ear to listen over a cup of coffee.
Do ask for advice when YOU want it or to talk about how you are feeling with those who support you.

Create, find or join a supportive group of mums and do swap ideas and tips with each other, laugh together, cry together, eat meals together it is amazing what we can learn from each other and the benefits this interaction really does have.

We all have our strengths and skills and sharing them with each other helps us all to grow.
Open up to the mothers around you and lest all support each other in this journey that is motherhood and above all else be the beautiful, talented, unique person that is you!
The ONLY you!
And after all a true SUPER MUM is every mum who parents with her heart!

Rebecca xxx

Walking and depression-a powerful connection

Walking is something that the human body is meant to do, everyday. Yet walking is something I personally spent years trying to avoid.
First it was the push bike as a child then it became the car as an adult. Walking became something I did as little as possible.
I will admit to circling shopping centre car parks to get as close as possible parks. To reparking the car on the same stretch of road when I could have easily walked. To embarresingly driving my car around the corner maybe 500 metres to buy fish and chips.

Yes, I didn't like walking at all.

After having my first baby, Lily everything changed.
A couple of months had gone by and I was a mess. Depressed, overweight, tired, stressed out and just plain down in every sense of the word.

One day that started out just like any other, a bad nights sleep, an unsettled baby and me swimming in emotions of guilt, negativity, anxiety and hopelessness something snapped.

I was angry, I was frustrated, I was lonely, I felt such anger towards what my life was like and I didn't even really know why.
I stormed off. With tears in my eyes, dishes in the sink and my house a complete mess I went out that front door.
My baby in her pram, packed with every perceivable single thing I could think of, from a first aid kit, to nappies, to bottles to baby clothes.

It wasn't a walk to get somewhere. It wasn't a walk to achieve anything.

It was a walk to get the emotions out of my body and to get me out of that house!

It was about half an hour into that first fast paced walk that I began to notice it.
That I began to notice the feeling that this walk was creating.

The wind blew through my hair like it was blowing away the tired, drained and over emotional feelings that had clouded my days and left me feeling so low.

I began to feel the gentle warmth of the sun on my skin and I could feel a little of the cloud that had been following me around lifting just enough to let peeks of sunny blue skies in.

That was all it took for me. I was hooked on walking. Everyday it was my part of the day. Every single walk led me to feel that little bit better, think that little bit clearer and return to the happy, bubbly woman I once was; and 6 months later my feel good walks had transformed me.

I was happy, I had energy, I was no longer feeling depressed at all and amazingly I had lost 28kilo's in weight!! Just from walking.

And the very best part was my baby was with me the whole time and my baby had loved the walks too. It became our special active time together. We laughed, we sang and talked about what we saw as we walked. We walked to parks, shops and the beach. We walked through national parks, along rivers and all sorts of scenic trails.
We wore out 2 prams, 2 stroller's and a toddler bike in those early years and now today she walks with me as we puch her new baby sister in her first pram.

Walking might not be the quickest or the snazziest way to lose weight. It might not be your first idea for exercising when you decide to go a health kick and it absolutely might not be something you at first think you might ever enjoy but it is something we should all make more time for in our lives.

Walking is something that is not just good for the body but for the soul also.

Rebecca x

Walking works!

Read my whole story in my inspirational book that I wrote to share my experiences and help other mothers

The Pram Diet

Pram Walking-Babies

Pram Walking

Prams, buggies, strollers, carriages, toddler bikes.

They simply are a wonderful invention and a so often overlooked tool and even yes, A great exercise device.

Whether you have a newborn, infant, crawling baby or toddler they are the source of one of the best to ways to get start to get into shape after having kids.
Pram walking gets you and baby out in the fresh air, and when you let them be a time out that is just a walk and clear your mind from household chores, worries from work, concern over issues effecting you and jobs that need to be done they become a glorious recharging experience also.

Therapy for body AND mind.

Why is it so good? Wouldn't it just be easier to go for a run without pushing the pram?
I particularly love pram walking because you are exercising with your baby. You don't need to feel guilty, yopu don't need to worry about your baby-they are right there with you and you are being an amzing role model at the same time!

When you enjoy a regular physical activity with your child/ren you are in effect sharing quality, positive time together in an active way. When your baby grows up with pram walks, moves on to a stroller and then a toddler bike as they grow older and eventually end up walking, jogging or riding a bike with you you have created a wonderful habit in that child's and your own life.

Pram walking needn't just about losing weight, even though it is a fantastic and effective way of doing it.

• It is also good for your health and fitness in general.
• It can be a social thing if you join a pram walking group or walk with a friend, great for you and your baby! 
• It can be a great family bonding time if you have a busy family where it's one part of the day that you all spend an hour together.
• It can help relieve symptoms ( along with proper treatment from your doctor/health nurse and talking about it ) of post natal/partum depression, anxiety over being a new mum, stress from too much going on in your life or tiredness from sleepless nights-yes truly it is really very good for a tired mum! I am not deluding you here, believe it or not, try it. ( For me if I had a really bad nights sleep, a good walk was the only thing to really make me feel better. It was what got me through alot of days after really bad nights with my first daughter who did not really sleep at night until she was 2!) 
• It can be a fun outing if you combine it with meeting a friend for coffee or at a park, use it as a walk to a local fresh fruit and vegetable market or the library, to pick older kids up from school and walk together. It can be what you make it.

I have long been such a passionate supporter of pram walking as a wonderful tool for mothers and I am not alone!

Professor Mary Galea's research with the University of Melbourne has shown that exercising and in particular pram walking after having a baby reduces the risk of post natal depression by 50%!!
Read the amazing study HERE

There are also groups and organizations popping up all over the place now for mums wanting to join a pram walking group, many run by professional fitness trainers who also take you through effective exercise to help tone and strengthen your post baby body and groups that are more social based for mums to get together with other mums, enjoy a social outing and some fabulous stress relieving fresh air with their babies.


Check out more through my favourite links on my blog.
 And for inspiration to get started, to read how I lost 30 kilo's by pram walking or how I progressed from pram walking to toddler bike to family walks and much more check out my book!

Whichever way you chose to set out, solo with your baby, with a friend, your pet dog, the whole family, another mum or with a group, pram walking is definitely something to look into if you have a little one!

I started with my first daughter who is now an energetic 5 and loves family walks and I am doing the pram walking all over again with my second daughter who is 5 months old.

It changed my life!

Author interview with Literary Life

Read my author interview with Literary life, a site I enjoy very much!

In the interview-
Opening up about post natal depression
Why I wrote the pram diet book

Plus win a copy of the pram diet book!

http://bookworm-megs.blogspot.com/2011/04/author-interview-rebecca-mugridge-plus.html