*In the Spotlight*

I am really excited to share that myself, this blog, my recipes and my book have been in the spotlight a bit lately!


My book was in featured in Women's Running Australia Magazine

And on the blog Naughty Naturopath Mum

I was on the front page of the Range News and on page 3 about my blog and featured in the Sunshine Coast Daily too! See the online version HERE

I was featured on the beautiful Caro Ness Blog and also as a Mums in Health and as a proud supporter of the great work by The Diabetic Health Clinic

I also had one of my recipes from my upcoming Cook Book previously not seen elsewhere! Featured on the Natural New Age Mum Blog about Healthy Kids Party Food

And was a guest contributor on Mums Lounge with my Spinach, Kale and Broccoli Cheesey Scrambled Eggs Recipe - also from my upcoming Cook Book!

FEATURED - Women's Running Australia Magazine

I am SO excited to have my book featured in the latest issue of Women's Running Australia magazine

I absolutely LOVE this inspiring magazine and I want to run in my first ever fun run or half marathon this year! A big goal for myself :) So this magazine has been a huge source of inspiration for that!

Running in an event would be so amazing and I can imagine the feelings of accomplishment and self belief when you cross that finish line, regardless of where you come, whether you are a beginner or a skilled expert are breathtaking.

I started walking with the pram with my first daughter Lily, and then jogging, it was amazing. We averaged 8 km's a day, 6 days a week.
But it also importantly got me through my Post Natal Depression as well.
Exercise has such a powerful effect on our mood, it is one of the best, free tools we have available to us and can do anywhere, every single day!

I now have another little girl and we have done lots of pram walking and are now excitedly running together most afternoon's. We are just starting out but it is such an amazing bonding experience. My 7 yr old either runs or rides her scooter and the toddler urges us on giggling faster, faster!!

We had a very tough year last year so having this time slot of family fun together is wonderful!


 You can read all about my featured book and how I lost 30 kilos pushing that pram! ( not a fad or gimmick in sight) and even see me interviewed about it on TV by clicking HERE

Rebecca XX

The Mums behind the Push - Sunday Mail Feature

Sunday Mail Feature - The Mums Behind The Push

We are really excited to be featured in the Sunday Mail newspaper with our charity pram walk and Guinness World Record Attempt!

You can read more of the why's, our personal stories and what our very exciting Maleny Supa IGA Pink Pram Push is all about
BY CLICKING HERE

Rebecca x

Pram Diet on TV

I am delighted to say I have been on TV, A Current Affair to be specific with my story.They featured me twice and you can see both stories here (there is a brief gap between the two)

Sunshine Coast Pram Diet Library Events

I am very excited to be bringing you 9 FREE Library Pram Diet presentations and workshops across the Sunshine Coast!The Sunshine Coast libraries are a fantastic resource with an excellent ongoing array of interactive workshops. I am delighted to be one of their presenters this year with my 9 presentations taking place this November.

My presentation will be on inspiring and empowering yourself as a mum.

From getting healthy and being more active to reducing stress and even growing your own organic fruit and vegetables-I can't wait!

Bookings are required and can be done on the library websites or by phoning the library you wish to attend.

Rebecca xx

Get In Shape Australia

I am so delighted to be a sponsor of
GET IN SHAPE AUSTRALIA

A really exciting program with all proceeds from registrations going to Diabetes Australia and with over 600 participating fitness centres across Australia.

Get In Shape Australia

Our vision is to create a healthier future for all Australians. We will achieve success by making this challenge exciting, fun, affordable and accessible to the majority of Australia. Our people have a commitment to act responsibly, ethically whilst keeping in mind the wellbeing of participants at all times-Get in Shape Australia website

Pram Diet Extract

Extract from THE PRAM DIET by Rebecca Mugridge

(c)RebeccaMugridge


ISBN: 9781863256872
Imprint: Bantam
Publisher: Random House Australia
Avalable in bookshops

Introduction

The breathtaking bond that consumes a woman as she holds her newborn baby is simply beautiful. Feelings of joy, hope and awe race through her body, igniting adrenaline-fuelled surges of emotion that seem to create a timeless bubble of bliss.

For me, the first two precious months of motherhood became a blur of the purest and deepest happiness I have ever known. Holding my daughter asleep in my arms, I felt complete peace. My partner Damien and I were happier than we had ever been.
But the realisation that this tiny person depends on you, and will learn from you the values and life skills needed to successfully guide them to adulthood, brings with it a great feeling of responsibility.

As a new mother, I became painfully aware that my lifestyle was not an ideal model for a healthy, active and happy life.

By the time Lily was a couple of months old, stress, exhaustion and fatigue had combined with diminishing self esteem and feelings of unattractiveness and sluggishness to leave me feeling depressed. There was an overall sense of heaviness I could not seem to lift. Slowly but surely, this downward spiral began to affect my ability to truly enjoy the blessings of my new child.

One day, utterly sick of feeling frustrated, angry and depressed, I put Lily in the pram, packed it up with spare bottles, blankets, nappies, dummies, teddies, water, sunscreen, a blanket, toys – even a first aid kit – and we went for our first big walk together. This walk wasn’t a means to an end or a method of transportation – it was just a walk for walking’s sake.

It wasn’t a marathon, but it was a big walk for us. I couldn’t believe how amazing it felt, walking in that glorious fresh air, looking at the graceful, mighty trees, gazing at the endless horizon, hearing the wondrous sounds of nature all around us, smelling the wild, fresh scents, feeling the sun on my skin and the breeze in my hair. I could literally feel layers of stress and ill feelings peeling off me.

I had found a way to change my life for the better. A way to lift the dark feelings that had been draped around me and raise myself up to a new place where I was vibrant, healthy and, best of all, felt like a beautiful woman who was truly enjoying being a mother to my precious little daughter. I felt proud to be me and knew with confidence that I could and would, after all, be the great role model I wanted to be for my daughter. Above all, I felt a real sense of self achievement, knowing that the greatest gift we can pass on to our children is the ability to live a healthy and happy lifestyle.
The Pram Diet tells the story of how I achieved this positive transformation and how every mum, everywhere, can too.

Copyright © Rebecca Mugridge, 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Nominated!

I am really excited to have my book, The Pram Diet nominated in the 2011 connect to mums Mumpreneurs awards people's choice product award.
As you can see by the nomination badge on my blog!

http://connect2mums.com.au/

Australian Writers Rock Review

I am delighted to share the review of my book, The Pram Diet by Australian Writers Rock!

Read it HERE

Australian Writers Rock is a very passionate and supportive site of Australian Author's and emerging writers. They actively support and promote Australian literature through the website and also the FACEBOOK page.

sunnycoastkids.com.au-Caring-for-your-pregnant-self

Read my article on nurturing your pregnant self on Sunny Coast Kids.com .au

eBook's have you read one yet?

eBook's are undeniably taking off in popularity.

While I don't personally believe they will completely replace the paperback I do think they definitely have a big place in the industry.
Me-I'm in love with them both.
I enjoy the convenience of the ebook, I like that there are books I can read this way that I might not have been able to afford  and books that I won't have to make space for on my overcrowded bookshelves!

I can even switch between books if I get bored with a couple of clicks; but I will never stop loving the whole experience of the paperback, something I have passionately enjoyed from as far back as I can remember. For me a paperback is more than just the words in print, it is the texture of it in your hands, the smell of a newly printed book, the holding it tight with a sigh after finishing that last page of a story that completely captivated you. Feeling a tug of heartstrings when I see it on my bookshelf-wondering if it's time to read it again?

With so many of us on the go, commuting to work and spending a lot of time on the home computer they have become a very handy way of reading.

I myself have now read 4 ebook's and to my surprise found it easy and enjoyable. I don't have an ereader device either, I read mine on my home laptop, so no extra expense was needed there.
For those that travel alot and spend lengths of time on trains or buses or when you go away on holiday they are fantastic. They are also good for being able to read a great many books at a more reasonable price, making them actually more accessible to a much wider audience.

I know I myself would be more likely to give a book 'a go' that I wasn't too sure about or was from a genre I wouldn't normally read when it is at an e book price.
I read an ebook recently, loved it so much I bought the paperback version. And it was a book I might not have otherwise read.

I was so thrilled myself to see my own published book released as an ebook this month! I really felt excitement because to me as an author the greatest joy is in knowing my book is more readily available to more readers and every time someone reads my book, whether it be the paper version of the electronic one they are reading my writing. Words that came from my heart and mind.

Rebecca xx

Don't know how to get ebooks on your home computer?

Click here for Amazons kindle for PC instructions

Want to read electronically the first chapter of my book, for FREE?
Click through here to read it on Amazon
(scroll down a little and the link is on the right hand side)

Want to WIN a copy of The Pram Diet ebook???
Last days to enter here:
Enter HERE
(last days!)

Feedback that moves you as a writer

Sharing the amazing feedback from reader 
Cathryn Goldstone about The Pram Diet Book

"Hi Rebecca, Just wanted to say a quick thank you for writing such a inspirational book, I am only half way through and try and find 5 minutes a day between looking after a newborn and my 6yr old son to read your book and bring me back to reality. I have taken your tips on stress and have copied and printed them and they stick proudly ...to my fridge for when time feels a little stressful! Also have made a wee reminder which sticks in my wardrobe with positive "I am..."and " Whats important to me in my life right now..." messages to look at everymorning to remind me how lucky I am. I am now a daily pram walker and it gives me peace and refreshes my mind. Thank you so much for your help you have changed my post baby life, without The Pram Diet I know I would be so miserable!"

As a writer you feel like a part of you is in your book. You have put so much of yourself into writing each chapter, each page, each sentence that when you receive feedback like this it warms your heart and rekindles in you the inspiration that drove you to write your book and the passion to share your story.

For me I wrote the pram diet because I really want to help other mothers and reading Cathryn's words moved me and reminded me why I wrote the book all over again.

Thank you so much Cathryn!

Rebecca xx

Barefoot Basics Interview

Read my interview on BAREFOOT BASICS

"You can change your life with a single step"

HERE 

WIN a kindle copy of the pram diet!

To celebrate the release of the e book version of The Pram Diet book I am holding a competition to win a copy of the ebook!!

You can read a KINDLE e book on ereader devices but also on your laptop/home computer. Visit Amazon to find out how to get Kindle for your computer or device; And also to read a free sample of the pram diet!
Amazon

To enter:

#You need to LIKE my facebook Author page.
#Leave a comment here or on the facebook page on what you think of ebooks!
( you can leave a comment as anonymous if you don't have one of the listed linked account types but you will need to leave your name and email or facebook details so I can contact you if you win!!)

You can find my facebook page HERE

Competition starts 18/05/11 and ends on the 3rd June!

Good luck xxx

Mother Guilt

Are we our own worst critics?

Mother Guilt

Does 'mother guilt' stop you from leading a healthy, active lifestyle?

There can be a real resistance to doing things for yourself once you becme a mother. The days of spoiling yourself with an indulgent massage, shopping spree, movie with girlfriends, long hair salon appointment, day at home cuddled up with some tear jerking dvd's or evening out can seem like distant memories.

Let alone, spending money on special items or specific foods for yourself or allocating a time each day for exercise, relaxation or a taking a class.

As mothers we tend to put our families needs and wants first every time as we forever strive to be the very best mums we can be and ensure that our families are happy and all taken care of in every possible conceivable way..

We become so busy looking after everybody else that we forget to take care of ourselves too. Whether we are a stay at home or working mum are lives seem so exhausting at times we might even look back and wonder how we did it all.

We can all too easily forget that as the loving warmth of our family we are so important and by not taking care of ourselves we can overdo it, we can run dry of energy, we can burn out.

The guilt you can sometimes feel as a mother, especially when your children are very young for even considering taking an hour to yourself to do something that is solely for your own benefit or pleasure can be intense. You could even just be to exhausted at the mere thought of trying to find an hour in a day, let alone be able to relax in it.

We can sometimes find it hard to ‘justify’ to ourselves that it’s really OK even if our families are supportive of the idea.

Are we our own worst critic's? Do we as mothers push ourselves too hard and expect too much from ourselves? Do we often see as ourselves as the last priority of the day?

We need to remind ourselves that we are so important to our families, our babies our children so we should be important to ourselves too and this includes looking after health. Our mind, body and soul.

We are worth the effort and we do deserve to feel vibrant and full of energy each day.

For lots of great ways to relax, exercise with your baby and children, eat better as family, boost confidence and even unleash your creative side check out my book, The Pram Diet.
Buy it here

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!

E Book Launch

I am very excited to announce that my book, The Pram Diet will be officially released as an e Book on May 5th!!

It will be available through a variety of online sellers that Random House Australia uses, visit THIS LINK to see their full list and more details.

This means that my book will be available worldwide!

Join in my excitement at the official FACEBOOK launch party HERE

Rebecca xxxx

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

Pram Walking Tips-Babies

Tips and Tricks for a happy pram walk with babies

To make walking with your baby in the pram a pleasant and beneficial experience for you both there are some handy tricks and tips I have discovered with my two girls and our pram walking and from the many other mums I have had the pleasure to pram walk with.

Remember ever child is so different because we are all unique so different things work for different babies. To make you walks successful try different things until you are both happy and enjoying the experience and then it can become a beautiful routine you'll both look forward too and a great way to lose weight, get fit and healthy and spend some time together.

You want baby to love their pram.
This is quite a crucial early part of getting into a pram walking routine. It does seem that it only takes one or two 'unpleasent' experiences to make a baby not like something and then react fearfully about it and you can't blame them.
IE: Baby-Last time I was in here was horrible, please don't leave me in here mummy! Cue crying.
So how to get baby to love their pram??
If baby doesn't love their pram they won't want to A go in it and B stay in it for a walk and this can effect you in more than just your pram walks, it can effect shopping and family outings in general. So it is in everybody's best interest to make the pram a fun, lovable place for baby.

• Make the pram a pleasant safe feeling place to be.
• Always try to pick a good time for your walks, i.e when baby is due for a nap and they can gently fall asleep to the soothing pram motion, just after a feed so they wont get hungry during the walk or a time of day when you know they are usually in a happy contented mood. TIP Avoid the hottest parts of the day.
• Always make sure a young baby is well fed before you set out; being hungry especially for a demand fed breastfed baby is one of the quickest ways to upset the walk for you both!
• Be prepared. baby's are growing little new people, sometimes they just don't fit into the normal routine on an odd day so even if your baby has 'never before' needed a feed at that time or a nappy change etc be prepared that it could happen, just in case, allow for it and attend to baby until they are happy again. It really just doesn't hurt to have extra items in the pram.
  I have always also carried things like a first aid kit, hat, insect bite cream, paw paw cream, blankets, extra dummies/soothers, extra bottle if they are bottle fed etc.
• Stop and feed them. If baby is grizzling and they are hungry the best thing to do is stop your walk and feed your baby until they are happy again. Again this refers to baby 'loving' their pram. Neither of you will enjoy the rest of the walk if you try and 'just keep going' even if it is only just a little bit further. It is always going to be worth your while to stop and feed them. 
• Adjust the position to baby's mood. Sometimes baby will want to look out and see whats going on, put a good comfortable hat on them to keep the sun out of their eyes, prop them securely with blankets so they don't slide about or feel insecure.
  Sometimes they will be just wanting to see a bit and be slightly reclined where they can still see you clearly but feel rested and safe.
  Sometimes they might want it to be lying flat so they can sleep, play with toys, look up at toy's and have a kick at them or doze on and off. I have personally found this can make a huge difference to baby's happiness during a walk and can be something so easily overlooked.
• Always pick up baby if they cry. Again you do not want baby to hate their pram, at all. They need to know its a safe place, they need to know that when they are in their pram and if they get upset mum or dad will pick them up and see to them. If you do this right from the start they will feel more secure and content and they will trust and enjoy their pram-sometimes the pram can even become a most beloved place for them!
  The amazing BABY WHISPERER, Tracey Hogg has an awesome technique in her books loved by mums all over the world that she refers to as 'Pick Up Put Down', where you pick up baby from their cot every time they cry but as soon as they stop when you are holding them you put them back, if they cry you pick them up again and so on. You can find out the whole technique in her books. I too do not personally believe in letting a baby just cry, it only really makes things worse in the long run and causes a breach of trust between you.
  Remember to check all possible reasons baby might have started to cry like:
  Was the sun in their eyes? Were they bitten by something, a mozzie perhaps? Where they uncomfortable? Was a toy poking them? Did they get a fright and just need a little cuddle? Are they tired? Are they hungry? Do they want to see you? Is their nappy hurting them? Do they need a nappy change? Are their feet cold? Do they have wind? Need burping? Or are they hot/cold? Is wind annoying them? I don't know how many times I have picked up my crying baby and for them to give a huge burp and then happily settle again!I have personally found that by seeing to all these sorts of needs when they cry, giving them some comfort and 'time' they will go happily back into the pram and feel more secure the next time because they know it's safe.
• Be sun savvy. Think hat for baby, sun shade, sun umbrella even muslin cloths. Some prams even have reversible handles so you can adjust to match the sun. Having the sun in your eyes is just awful-check this regularly as you walk.
• Stimulation. As baby's grow we know they need different things to look at and play with, well the same applies to the pram. Keep a box of interesting toys aside that are just for the pram and no other time then rotate which ones you take on each walk so baby isn't always looking at and playing with the same things.
  Even stop sometimes to show baby a tree, colourful sign or something interesting.
• Communicate. Try not to take your mp3 player, instead talk or sing to your baby as you walk. Even if they are really little you can still point out things and noises along the way, they do love to hear your voice.
• Relax! Babies are so intuitive. They really pick up on your mood. If you are stressed, anxious, worrying, angry, frustrated they will not only feel this but will become unsettled even 'clingy' ( nI use this term loosely), irritable and anxious themselves making eveybody unhappy!
  Remind yourself, there is nothing that you have to think about on your walk other than your baby and the beautiful experience of the walk. Everything else can wait an hour! Put your mind and worries on pause. 

By putting in the effort in the first few main walks and making extra sure baby is happy during walks you really do find it sets you and baby up well for many great pleasant walks together, sometimes it just takes a little patience to get in the swing of it, sometimes it might mean being late, sometimes it might mean trying different scenarios, sometimes it might mean an unexpected pit stop or two and after 2 babies I can tell you personally it was different with them both, and so wonderfully worth it!!

(c)RebeccaMugridge2011

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Small Steps to Big Changes

When we want to make changes in our lives.

When we want to get healthy, lose weight or achieve goals it can all to often seem too big a task.
It can be daunting and overwhelming.

Just too hard to start...

BUT..If we approach with small positive steps, one little step at a time we CAN make changes, we can make difference, we can get closer and closer to our goal.
We really can.

With self belief, a positive attitude ( at least most of the time ) and some thinking outside of the square sometimes, we really can take small steps towards bigger changes.

How much of our modern busy lives are now spent inside? Inside buildings, inside houses, inside cars, bus's and shops?

Life just seems to be so fast these days, with always so much to do.
It seems that having some time to relax, take care of our health and active or creative time together as a family is so hard to find. Even finding time to 'just be' and have some personal time out can feel nearly impossible.

BUT...One of the best things we can all do ( and should do ) is make time.

Make it a high priority to find that time each day.
Time to get outside!
Peel our tired, worn out selves away from the TV, computer, sofa and car. Away from the never ending chores and things to be done for a little while and go out of doors..

We need to bring some freshness to our lives.

Get out in that rejuvenating fresh air, smell some garden flowers, walk through a beautiful park, watch a sunset, cook a meal with your children from fresh ingredients picked together from the garden or sourced at a farmers market, plant a garden as a family or through a group, school, church or other organisation and bring some fresh energy into our life.

Be fresh, live fresh, breathe fresh and eat fresh.

It can be so easy to think "I am so busy with everything already-how could I possibly find time to go for a walk? Or start growing some fruit and veggies at home? Or cook a healthy meal Or make that outdoor family time each day??"

But the benefits of bringing this freshness to your life are such an inspiring experience that you can and do find that time...sometimes it may mean saying no to some extra workload, favours or other things you find it hard to say no to, sometimes it might mean creating an organised daily plan or cutting back on things that take up too much of your time or even are just time wasting, sometimes it might mean making a daily 'appointment' with yourself or as a family and making sure its kept!, sometimes it might be structuring family chores so everyone helps more or de cluttering some things in your life like your home to make tasks easier. It could be assessing your priorities and working out what is most important and what really makes you and your family happy. After all being healthy and less stressed brings such a vibrant energy to your life that everyone benefits..

Even a small change makes a huge difference-THINK
Try one new healthy recipe to start with...
Plant and grow one pot plant of something edible to get started...
Go for a short walk on your own as your refreshing 'time out' or as a family as a great healthy way of bonding every other day to get started..
Take up a small creative hobby that really helps you unwind and express your artistic side..

I have learnt myself that once you start bringing some freshness into your life it is just so wonderful and is so inspiring that you never look back.

For me starting a daily walk changed the way I saw exercise and how much moving more made me feel so much more alive and full of energy..
For me starting an edible garden and sourcing and using fresh herbs and ingredients changed the way I ate and saw the food I was putting in to my body and on my families dinner plates..

For me bringing some freshness to my life changed my life and opened my eyes to a whole new and exciting way of living..

Small steps lead to other small steps which all lead to new 'good' habits.

Always look for your self belief and for inspiration....and remind yourself that every step towards a healthier lifetsyle is a step well worth taking.

Rebecca xx