Motherhood Relabelled
Motherhood Relabelled
11. Mother Nurtured: Postpartum Nutrition, Health & Wellbeing with Fiona Agius 🥑
When I first became a mother, I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of nourishing my little one, especially during the postpartum period. It was through this journey that I discovered the importance of nutrition for both my baby and myself. In this eye-opening episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Fiona Agius, a certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant and the founder of Mother Nurtured, who shares her expert insights on postpartum nutrition, health and wellbeing.
As a fellow mom of two, Fiona opens up about her journey from a marketing background to pursuing her passion for nutrition during her maternity leave. We discuss the challenges of balancing studies, parenthood, and business, and how the skills she gained in her previous career have been invaluable in her new path.
Fiona's wealth of knowledge becomes evident as we explore the essential aspects of postpartum nutrition, from building balanced meals and honouring hunger cues to making mindful choices while eating out. Her tips for self-care habits and adopting a holistic approach to wellness during this critical period are not to be missed. So grab a healthy snack, get comfortable, and tune in to this enlightening conversation that will leave you inspired to prioritise your own nutrition and wellbeing during the beautiful yet challenging journey of motherhood.
Check out Fiona's Instagram Mother Nurtured.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Motherhood Relabelled is a non-parenting podcast for all parents who don’t let the “parenthood label” hold them back. It’s for those who think that parenthood is a part of us, but not the only thing that defines us. Travelling with kids? Sure! Starting a business with kids? Absolutely! Feeling the fittest and strongest you’ve ever felt with kids? Most certainly! This podcast is your weekly dose of making yourself and your own goals a priority.
Speaker 1: Well, this week it's very exciting for us We have our first guest speaker. It's Fiona Agius. She's based in New Zealand, Sydney Girl originally. She's a certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant and runs a business called Mother Nurtured And she talks about all things nutrition in pregnancy, postpartum and beyond. So we're looking forward to speaking with her very shortly.
Speaker 2: I'm super excited because when we talked to Fiona, we thought she really aligns with the mission of our podcast. She's like a mom of two herself, but she went back to study pregnancy, postpartum and infant nutrition. While she was on maternity leave. She's really found her calling and is super inspiring. So, yeah, that's why we connected with her initially and super excited to be talking to her about specifically everything related to postpartum nutrition. Because, as we know, mums often fall short during that time all the focus is usually on the baby, which is understandable, but, yeah, definitely something I would love to know more about and love to learn for a potential second time.
Speaker 2: So I could be better prepared instead of you know eating Chinese noodle soup at 4 am and well nourished, exactly, exactly. So I think, yeah, this conversation is going to be all about, you know, staying healthy, like choosing the right nutrition and making it simple for this period where, yeah, moms are usually super time poor and, yeah, we can hopefully get a few tips and hacks from her on that can't wait.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so let's get Fiona online, alrighty.
Speaker 2: Hello Fiona. Hi, How are you?
Speaker 1: Hello.
Speaker 2: Fiona.
Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 3: Thanks for having me. I'm so excited.
Speaker 2: Welcome to Motherhood Relabelled. You are our very first guest speaker, which we're so excited about.
Speaker 3: Love that.
Speaker 1: It's very exciting.
Speaker 2: Well, maybe just start by introducing yourself and like who you are, a little bit about your family, what you do, and yeah, and then we go straight into the conversation of today's topic.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely So. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited. My name is Fiona. I am a mother of two children. I've got a four year old and a two year old. Two beautiful children, boy and a girl, and I am a Holistic Nutrition Consultant. I have my own consulting business called Mother Nurtured, and I specialise in nutritionally supporting women during pregnancy, postpartum, and also parents, so mums and dads for when their child is starting in solids.
Speaker 2: Awesome.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I guess from a postpartum point of view, because that's the focus of today's conversation, really, I help mums plan and prepare for a nourished postpartum period, because motherhood should be about thriving and not just surviving. So that's essentially my goal.
Speaker 1: Absolutely. And how long have you been doing this for Fiona?
Speaker 3: Still very new. So I studied with the O-Baby School of Holistic Nutrition. I did that while I was a maternity leave. I always knew I always knew, entering motherhood I was destined for a career change when I became a mother. I always knew that. So my background is marketing. I've worked for creative advertising agencies. I do feel a lot of the skills. Yes, Yeah, I do feel a lot of the skills I learned. There are quite transferable to what I'm doing to an extent Definitely. Obviously, I'm not offering nutritional support in a marketing agency, but there's definitely skills I've learned that I've transferred over. So I'm still quite new. I've probably been in practice now for about six months and I'm just really offering just that nutritional support. So I guess my goal really is to just nutritionally replenish women and allow them to be nutrient rich versions of themselves. So that's my goal.
Speaker 2: That's amazing. Well, good on you for following your passion Even like, I feel like with maternity leave, i had the same kind of idea. I was ready for a career change myself, so I work in creative advertising as well, like all the ad agencies et cetera. I was ready for a change. And then I had all this, the idea of, like, during maternity leave, i'll figure it all out, and then I was completely overwhelmed with all the things that motherhood threw at me. So it didn't quite work out that way, but I still found my answers at the end. But it just took me. I'm just in all of you even finding the energy and the headspace, the capacity to follow that journey throughout a period that is already so life changing, which is amazing.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely
Speaker 2: So did you have the passion for nutrition, like from way before?
Speaker 3: Yeah, a bit of a nutrition nerd, to be honest, oddly, and I feel like my life's done a full 180, because when I left school and undertook university studies, my first degree was actually food and nutrition. And you know, you're 18, you don't really know what you want at this stage. I started the course and I was like whoa, this is not me, i can't do this. And then I pulled back and I undertook another undergraduate, which was marketing, and I was like, yeah, this is more me, and I felt like it had to happen that way because, for whatever, reason I wasn't ready for nutrition at that point of my life, so undertook marketing.
Speaker 3: And now I've always had such a keen interest in nutrition for myself, for any kind of condition or any kind of illness I'm suffering. How can I support this from a nutrition point of view? And then, when you become a mother, i just became obsessed with starting solids and just really wanting to get it right. And now I'm just, i just I just love nurturing myself and my family and my children through food. So it's just, it's a passion that's evolved over the years.
Speaker 1: I love the name Mother nurtured. Mother nurtured Awesome. Coming from a brand background.
Speaker 2: It's so beautiful And it's sort of welcoming and warm and you just feel like it's so wholesome.
Speaker 1: Yeah, done a great job. I feel like everyone's like That's your background, yeah.
Speaker 3: The colors are so in but like I hope, hopefully they haven't been done to death because if you look at my house, like everything's like rust and orange and burnt brown.
Speaker 2: Very trendy, yeah, very trendy, but you're right though I feel like you know everything you've done has led up to where you are now, because it allows you to know how to you know market yourself properly, which is obviously essential, like now that you're studying your own business and you know it's all skills that will serve you well. That's why I always said as well I don't regret my career in marketing because I think, like, whatever I'm going to do next, it's going to serve me so well, so I can definitely relate to that.
Speaker 1: I mean, and the coolest thing is, obviously, and like you, Fiona, now you know you found your thing Like when you do find your thing like it doesn't feel like work and I always feel like that And we've been in business now for 13 years and I'm just so grateful that you know I did find my thing early and that I still love what I do and I still love that I can help businesses grow and really thrive themselves, You know so that's what I'm super passionate about. It's just, like you know, taking businesses to the next level, nurturing them on their journey of brand.
Speaker 3: Businesses need nurturing as well. They need their own version of nutrition and nourishment, so true. I have a question for you guys How have you balanced? How have you balanced? like you know, you've got your own kind of Monday to Friday job, if you want to call it that maybe not Monday to Friday And then how do you balance? like this podcast on top of that? Because, it's your passion, your little passion on the side.
Speaker 2: It's kind of like how would you call it a weekly therapy session Where it's, you know, like it kind of holds us accountable to get together, catch up, take a moment to breathe. you know, regroup, Like that's. yeah, we've been doing it weekly now And I think, yeah, it gives us a lot, like that's. that's the main goal, And just you know, like we've always started out thinking, it would be great to speak to some really inspirational people like yourself and just learn from others Like that's the main goal is to speak to as many interesting people as possible.
Speaker 2: Learn from them and just share this moment every week where we get to think of ourselves. You know like our projects, our goals, our future, yeah, yeah. So I'm currently back in work, back at work, part time, and I'm also like launching trying to launch a business that's going step by step, So it's like a lot of different things going on. But, yeah, the podcast is definitely a little passion project. Yeah, yeah, i love it. How long has the degree taken you to complete? So how? what was the journey like?
Speaker 3: It's a self-paced course. It was all done online. It's the oh baby school of holistic nutrition is the only nutrition school that specialises in pregnancy, postpartum and baby nutrition. They are introducing another element of it which I really want to undertake, which would be fertility and preconception. So I'd love to add that to my suite of knowledge there. So it's you can do it in. I think it's like a minimum of 10 months And then I think they give you like like an extra time and a half basically to do it. So it can take you up to a year and a half, just over a year and a half. Basically, it was full on, i'm not going to lie. A lot of my evenings were spent. Just as soon as we get the kids down, it would be evening time go, go, go up until 10, 30 PM. It was just exposed to blue light every single night, so then I had to like get those blue black glasses. Yeah, I couldn't wind down.
Speaker 3: And then when your mind is on and you know you just can't wind down for bed. So I'm lucky in that I had my partner really supporting, really supporting my studies and just really helping along the way. But it's been challenging and balancing the studies with mum.
Speaker 1: And did you do that with one baby or two? Was that when you're with your first or your second?
Speaker 3: My second. Yeah, my second was, i think, about a year, a year and a half, when I started it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, That's amazing. Yeah, Because I mean I remember going on Mat Leave going. I'm going to need a project because I'm going to be too bored, but you're not, you're so busy. I'm going to say to my business partner Yeah, Like I, just I was like what was.
Speaker 2: As a first time. mum, I think you have a very different idea of what Mat Leave is going to be like.
Speaker 3: I know You think it's all brunches and like, yeah, doing, and you can still do that, but it's so hard to get out the door. There's just so many challenges that get thrown your way?
Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, and both your two are in care now, like so you've got. That's why you've got a bit more time on your hands.
Speaker 1: But as, as we say, it's always the race against the clocks to get things done before you go to pick them up.
Speaker 3: And they're not in full time care. I do like having days with them just to be able to do, like you know, the cute little fun stuff the swim lessons, the dancing and whatnot. So they're not in full time care, but the days they are there it's just go, go, go.
Speaker 3: And I do try and be present as much as I can with them, and I hate them seeing me do work as well, because I know, i know I like my little boy. When I go to bed he'll be like, because my study is right next to like opposite his room, and I'm like, mom, are you doing your study now? And like it almost comforts him knowing I'm in this room because he knows I'm like super close.
Speaker 1: Yeah, close, yeah. And I guess, on the flip side of that, i think there's merit in in showing your kids you know that you are busily working and that you do have that sort of work ethic as well.
Speaker 2: So I think don't be too hard on yourself. Yeah, outside of parenthood, that light you up, you know. I think that's a great way of modelling for them. to be honest.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true, Because even my, my little one, like we, we sometimes, you know, often on a Monday morning I have a whip which is working progress, meetings with my team, And you know I try and put him in front of the TV just for, like you know, 15 minutes Yeah, And then he'll always come and sit with me and he's like I take notes. So he wants to sit there and take notes with me. So I sit him on my lap and we, you know, I'm like you've got to be quiet.
Speaker 2: So so sweet.
Speaker 1: It works out.
Speaker 2: Yeah. But yeah, like you know, I think it's not so bad. You know, show your best. You know like we all do it. I think it's very hard because you, deep down, you know that you need to do certain things for yourself, and then you always want to be there for your family and just you know this constant balancing of yeah.
Speaker 2: it's not easy, but I think yeah got a little bit bigger picture, I think, yeah, you're, you're role modelling and amazing, you know, like passion for, for what you do, which is which is amazing for them to to experience and to see.
Speaker 3: Oh, thank you. I think for me, like it's, it's an interesting one because, like, like you guys, you've got your jobs and then you've got this as your side house and then you've, you know, you've also got another little project.
Speaker 1: And like for me, being in a business and I'm lucky enough to have had a business partner And I think for me that was, i think part of our success is and just getting through things quicker and making decisions quicker, and I feel like that's something I'm not sure, if you know, maybe use your partner as your business partner or soundboard, but like having those people around you that can bring you up and tell you, no, that's not good or, yes, that's go, great for you know that's great go for it.
Speaker 1: And I think that's super helpful and even just you know, as I said, being in business that long, we're kind of getting to that point that we need that business coach as well. And whether that's something that you might want to get, just to kind of hold your accountable and push you along.
Speaker 1: You know we've just signed up for a program. It's costly, but you know it's putting all those and you know you've got that marketing background to really create those foundations for your business anyway. So I feel like there's lots in there that you've got for yourself.
Speaker 2: But sometimes it is helpful having that. Whatever coach you you're feeling, you know, but I definitely learned the value of the coach this year. Like I have three, four different coaches I work with Coaches, do you? And yeah, for different things And like I've never invested like this before but I can definitely tell, like the value you get out. It's life changing, yeah, interesting. You've got to find the right people though. Yeah, it is interesting.
Speaker 3: What kind of coaching? So you mentioned nutrition coaching, and then now you've got business coaching.
Speaker 2: Like, what other things would you Definitely Yeah, okay, and then I've got an investment property coach because that's a whole new avenue. We're kind of getting our heads around at the moment.
Speaker 3: Oh, is that your little passion project business that you're trying to sell Or separate?
Speaker 2: Something different. And then I've got like a mindset coach, if you can, if you want to call it that way.
Speaker 3: That would be powerful. I feel like a mindset coach would be powerful, because so much has just comes from the mind. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Big time, yeah, and Vanessa's my coach.
Speaker 2: And I learn all the things you're going to do.
Speaker 1: But no, you know, yeah, my coach. It's very handy.
Speaker 1: Happy to be your coach. But no, like I think the business thing for us, like the having the business coach, like if they talk about you know, taking your business from, like you know, a six figure salary to a seven, eight figure business, you know obviously your business, so it's just having those steps in place to get you there. So, and it's so great that you already know why you're doing this.
Speaker 2: But what you could also do. You could look into whether there are some nutritionists turned coaches, if that makes sense, because I've seen, for instance, like there's this one girl she. She works in the fitness industry And I think she used to be a personal trainer And now she's grown this whole new business dream around coaching other you know business entrepreneurs to basically scale their business. So finding someone who, who knows your industry and knows your niche to then help you you know as well develop that business side.
Speaker 1: Definitely That'd be awesome Yeah.
Speaker 3: Is that is that a Toby.
Speaker 2: Hey Toby, hello Coming one minute.
Speaker 1: It's mom's arrived and Toby's bursting in. He wants to. He often does, he does, he does.
Speaker 3: I feel like you guys are helping me out Awesome, look, we got some out of this More than happy to meet. I need the help I know I'm starting out.
Speaker 2: I really love what you said in the beginning about you know, you wanting to help parents thrive, not just just survive, and I think that's a that's a good introduction as well in today's topic, which is all about postpartum nutrition and how to help moms stay healthy, because I think, again, that was one of the things I struggled with. I didn't prepare well enough because I just didn't know any better is the postpartum nutrition part or meal planning? because you know, especially me, i don't have any family here in Australia, so I'm originally from Germany and my me and my partner it's just us So I had like amazing friends like including Tania who sent me foods.
Speaker 2: You know that really helped, but I definitely feel like I didn't prepare well enough, and you know. Then you enter the cycle of like just getting quick meals or take, take out all the time And it's not really nutritious, like it's not good for you, but you're just surviving, not thriving. I think We would love to hear from you today, like you know what we can, how we can best prepare mums for that journey
Speaker 1: That's right And also just why it's so important. You know, i think you kind of just so stuck in these trenches when you just had a baby. You kind of you know you just go to the easy options, but I guess it's just understanding. Why is it so important to really nurture and nourish your body during that sort of period of postpartum?
Speaker 3: Yeah, and we live in a city of convenience. So when we live in a city of convenience we're going to opt for things that require minimum prep time and just things that are like that you can easily grab. So I understand that And I think nourishment and nourishment and nutrition from a food point of view, it's one of the fundamental pillars of postpartum care. It's through deeply nourishing food that the postpartum body heals after birth. Not only that, it provides energy, It helps rebalance your hormones. If you're a breastfeeding mother, it helps build your milk supply. So nutrition and nourishment it is essential for postpartum care and, along with support and rest and recovery.
Speaker 3: I personally experienced it myself after my second child. It's probably quite more severely than my first And that was a big way I opened up for me because I became depleted, as very quickly I could identify that I was deficient in some of the essential nutrients required for a postpartum mother. I wasn't feeding myself properly, I was hardly eating, which is just not the way to go, and a lot of women enter pregnancy and then breastfeeding quite deficient in nutrients. So it's really important that we help meet our nutrient requirements here through a whole foods diet, because we're going to get more nutrients and nourishment from whole foods diet than we are from supplementation.
Speaker 2: Interesting And the question about like. So you say it's important to find out, you know the deficiencies, etc. So would that be done through blood testing or like? what's the best way of going about that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, So typically a blood test would help you identify, like a full blood count would help you identify what you're lacking in. But there are some quite obvious symptoms that would help you or help you know someone in like as a nutrition consultant. I'd be able to quickly identify potentially what you're lacking in. You know, like iron, for example, like a common symptom of that is fatigue, the low energy, the pale skin. Equally, if you're low in vitamin D, zinc and vitamin C they're all. If you're constantly getting ill and sick, that's a sign that your immune system might need some more support.
Speaker 3: So that's where your probiotic rich foods would really benefit you Your vitamin C rich foods, your D, if not from sunshine, then from whole foods that contain that. Your omega three fatty acids are really great at balancing your hormones And also, as the source of healthy fat, they help stabilise your blood sugars. So there's quite a few things that you can quickly identify what you're lacking in. But typically I mean during pregnancy you do get quite a lot of blood tests, So your health practitioner or your midwife will be able to help you identify these along the journey. But sometimes taking a more in depth consultation would help us to identify that and then support you through those needs.
Speaker 1: And when you sort of identify those needs, do you sort of support both with food and what you actually put into your body as well as supplements? Is that something that you look at when you help people through that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, Ideally we want to help support women that meet these nutrient requirements through whole food sources. So a consultation with me I'd help you understand the essential nutrients required for postpartum period and their best food sources to get that. You can quickly increase your nutrient requirements if you're consistently having a diet that's varied and rich in whole foods. However, supplementation some people do need supplementation, but it is just there. Is there the supplement you've got? It's never a long-term solution. It's there to just bring your nutrient levels back up to a point where you can then maintain that through food. So as part of my nutrition consultations I would also provide recommendations on the supplement protocol that might be right for that person.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, it's interesting. It's definitely something that I mean. I was very lucky. Obviously, I had my mum who was cooking me meals and bringing me food. So good, Very nice. And that's very wholesome And she would do all sorts of stuff. But if it wasn't for her, i'm sure I would have gone for whatever was quick. I mean, during my pregnancy all I wanted to eat was carbs and pasta and bread, basically.
Speaker 2: Or even during the early postpartum months. I remember sometimes at 3am I sat on the sofa and I was literally eating the ready-made Chinese noodles which you know like with zero nutritional value whatsoever. But you just do what you have.
Speaker 1: You just survive it right, i wasn't prepared well enough, and so how do you help people through that, like when they could go the easy route, like how do you help meal prep or how do you help in that sort of sense?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the key thing here and this is common knowledge but I truly believe it's not commonly practiced like building balanced meals. That is key to satiating you, to sustaining your energy levels. So that really does require you to make sure you're eating a meal or a snack that contains your protein, your carbohydrate and your healthy fat. So your nutrient requirements during pregnancy increase And then throughout the post-partum period they also increase. So your requirement for your macronutrients and the majority of your micronutrients increase during this time. So your carbohydrates they're there to provide you with your energy. They also help build milk, supply Your proteins there to help with that recovery. So it helps repair and build your tissue and muscle.
Speaker 3: And healthy fats I love the healthy fats, let's not fear fats, because they're there to stabilize your blood sugar, rebalance your hormones and they also nourish your breast milk. So building balanced meals it doesn't need to be complicated Like. Take, for example, an omelet like that's a perfectly. That's a perfect example of a balanced meal. You've got eggs as your protein. You can add any vegetables to that, you can have some grated zucchinis, some capsicum, some mushroom. Your healthy fats can be a source of cheese, or the butter that you're cooking it in and served with a side of avocado on some fresh salad dough. That right, there is a balanced breakfast.
Speaker 1: That'd be dinner as well.
Speaker 3: It could also be yeah, eggs is so versatile.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, i think people are overcomplicating it.
Speaker 2: You could have your set set meals go-to meals. That's all you need, really, If they're easy to make and you know you've got that repertoire there that you can go back to just a rinse and repeat.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2: And this is it.
Speaker 3: And as part of a consultation with me, i know that meal prepping and sometimes just having the inspiration about what to eat, like I feel and I see this as a lot of the clients I speak to That's the daunting part. Like, how do I make a breakfast that's going to hit the spot. Like, and you know, breakfast I'm most. A lot of mothers are time poor. I'm so time poor in the morning, but that is my non-negotiable I will have a breakfast.
Speaker 2: Yeah, great.
Speaker 3: It could be a whole and it could be something as small, as ideally, i want it to be more than this. It could just be something as small as some fruit and yogurt with some.
Speaker 2: Yeah, perfect.
Speaker 3: Small one or a chia pudding. A chia pudding is something I batch make every Sunday. It's in my fridge, ready to spoon into a bowl, and I love fresh fruit.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love a chia pudding.
Speaker 3: Chia Seeds are great like they're high in the three and source of calcium, source of fiber. They're a complete source of protein. So they're they're like like I love them, And you can just easily top them off with some nut butter, for some more healthy and so great.
Speaker 1: Yeah what do you soak yours into, two seeds in? What milk do you use normally?
Speaker 3: I do, I do the there's like a coconut, the Nutty Bruce, the brand.
Speaker 1: We've got that too.
Speaker 3: Love that brand. So, and that's, i love that brand because it's additive free. A lot of the almonds have been activated So it's going to help with new tune absorption. So I soak them in that that one. I always try and go for the almonds or coconut, and then I add a little bit of honey or maple syrup for some sweetness, awesome. And then, yeah, it's ready to go. And then the trick for me is yeah, it's just so good. I love it.
Speaker 1: Sorry so what's your trick?
Speaker 3: It's a great travel snack. Yeah, absolutely, The trick is because I get? I get told so many times how do you get rid of the clumps in your tree pudding? So there is a ratio you need to stick to. So for me, what works is half a cup of milk to two tablespoons of chia seeds. And then I use a fork.
Speaker 3: Yes, Yes love it And it's a fork because yeah, and then I put it in a jar. I make sure I make it in a jar and then just shake it. So I do that a good couple of times because it sets really quickly. So you do it for like a good couple of times, like, and then it's in the fridge ready to eat the morning.
Speaker 1: So, yeah, i love that. I'm so gonna make that too. Oh, for sure, i know.
Speaker 2: I'm all about efficiencies because, like I, even like from the very early, like start, like I always try to cook food that Teo could try to, obviously in the beginning you know they're just eating specific like, ingredient after ingredient to see if they can actually tolerate it or not. But as soon as he started to eat you know a bit more sophisticated meals. Like I started basically cooking for every, like I don't want to end up cooking something different for the kid And then for us, like my mom used to do that, like she used to cook like three meals because my sister was such a fussy eater, my dad's such a fussy eater. And I know fussy eating is a whole different topic.
Speaker 2: But yeah, I'm all about the efficiencies. You know it can be simpler than what people think to eat healthily But at the same time it requires a lot of planning, organization and also time to prepare the meals. So do you have any tips or like insights into how you manage that and how maybe us or our listeners could manage that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, of course. I mean. I think at the end of the day, we want to be kind to ourselves. We can't start big and go hard with nutrition because, you know, equally we don't want to overwhelm people, and healthy habits create healthy habits. So when you start small, there is this ripple on effect. So I think for me, i do try and dedicate, you know, at least an hour where I can just get this stuff done. So it's, you know, it's preparing those chia puddings. It's cutting up fruit, so it's ready to go into a tapware that I can top onto anything. It's making sure my grocery order is done and all. I'm a big online shopper. I do it by the app. I can just add to it as I go. So that's great from my sanity point of view, because I cannot handle a supermarket with children Too difficult, too hard basket these days Too hard basket, too hard basket.
Speaker 3: So I just try and find those small wins where I can. I guess. And yeah, i guess it's one of those things. It's overwhelming and I can appreciate that it can be overwhelming because it does require a bit of upfront effort. Definitely The future version of you will thank you for it, oh for sure. And you know it's just. You know bulk. If you're cooking something like a bolognese, it's double batch, making it and freezing it into portions. So you've got that ready to go.
Speaker 3: And there's some great convenient products like bone broth is, you know, my absolute mask for a postpartum mother, especially in those early postpartum. And you know you cannot sometimes traditional bone broth would be ideal, but that obviously takes hours and a lot of time and a lot of prep, unless you have a family member or a mother in law or a mother who would make it lovingly prepared for you. But there are a lot of convenient products out there where you've got some fantastic bone broth options And it's just as simple as adding a teaspoon of powder to some more water. Get added to a meal. You can have it as a nourishing cup for your to help with your postpartum recovery. So there are avenues we can explore to help with that convenience that we all need in today's modern life.
Speaker 1: I feel like you need to be plugged into, like when you go like I mean it's into the hospitals Like people don't have enough of this education or you know all the part with obstetricians or whatever it might be.
Speaker 2: I feel like which is also understandable. But I think, yes, definitely like the postpartum care of the mother is, you know? it's not something that's paid attention to enough. I think Definitely.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, absolutely. And I think it baffles me that the first meal you get offered in hospital after you've just delivered your baby is like white toast with a veggie.
Speaker 1: I mean, that's what I thought. I don't know what it's like. Yeah, you'll happily take it, but like you know, some bone broth. One thing nourishing, i know.. That would be lovely.
Speaker 3: And just going back to early postpartum, because you know this is when you're you're most vulnerable. You've just birthed a baby and the basically what you should prioritize during early postpartum is foods you would consume if you're recovering from a cold, so hydration. you're warm, soft, easy to digest foods, because there's a lot of digestive complications that happen Post-birth. Yes, because everything's moving around getting back into place.
Speaker 3: So we want to. We don't want to introduce foods that are going to put pressure on the digestive system, so foods that are cold and raw, like a belief to slow down digestion and don't promote healing, because they're yeah, they're said to just not support circulation. So, in general, so you've got your warm, soft, easy to digest foods like bone bra, your soups, your teas, lots of warming herbs and spices, your ginger, your turmeric, your cinnamon. Yeah, there's ways you can do that to help nourish your early postpartum.
Speaker 2: Like digestion right, like I've heard that It's really good, like I think there are some easy, nutritious snacks that we can almost like pre-prepare or prepare Like again. I think it comes down to that you know having ideas and having, you know the little things that you know you can go back to at any time. That could be yeah. What other snacks would you recommend Like? are they that easy to make?
Speaker 3: Oh I love the snacks. I mean ideally we want like, especially because you're breastfeeding and formula bottle feeding, your hands are limited. You've only got two. You're holding a baby, you're holding a bottle and you're in.
Speaker 3: It's very hard. So one handed snacks are ideal, yes, so like little mini frittatas or little mini quiches you just make in those beautiful little silicon muffin trees, bliss balls. They are my absolute go-to because they are perfectly balanced. A lot of them contain dates. Dates are a source of fiber. They are carbohydrate rich. The only thing about dates my precaution there is they are high in sugar. So if you do suffer from blood sugar irregularities, then it is recommended to pair them with a healthy fat and a protein. So some dates, some nut butter and some cacao and it's like beautiful. I love that, yeah, yeah, but dates when they're, when they're made bliss balls, when they're made up, they've got your dates with your nuts and your coconut oil. So it all kind of balances out So good. Chia puddings, yoga smoothies You can just pre-make. You can pre-make a lot of stuff and freeze them like little carrot and zucchini muffins, a really healthy, fat rich banana bread That's a great homemade thing to make. It's also a great food that can be handed to someone in their early postpartum days.
Speaker 1: Very true, yeah, so funny because I turned off, i went off salad because it was all too hard, like I used to eat salad and then all of a sudden, like I'm like requires too many hands and effort and ingredients, whereas when you say things like you know, frittatas and things that you can just pick up by hand like genius.
Speaker 3: It's so easy, yeah, so you can just heat them up, but then there's something as simple as fruit with some nut butter, yes, you know. So this is where this is where balancing apple slices with some nut butter, it's a go-to snack for my children.
Speaker 1: Sometimes, i forget that I can have fruit too.
Speaker 3: I can prepare all this fruit for my child And I'm like you know what? I'm going to cut myself an orange and I'm going to have this banana with some nut butter, You know because, like that's, it's a beautiful snack and it's nourishing. Sometimes you know, weirdly, nut butters and nuts and nut butter. they are full of healthy fats. Almonds alone are a complete, balanced snack. They're a protein, a carbohydrate and a healthy fat, so they're just great things to have, sometimes just to help. Yeah.
Speaker 1: It's super food.
Speaker 3: Along with hemp seeds, and they are. There are a lot of like, little wins. Like superfood sprinkles You can add to things. It's a beautiful plant-based source of iron. It's also a source of prebiotics, so it's going to feed that healthy bacteria So that can be easily added to a smoothie. You know just things we can do to help increase that nutrient portfolio. Yoga, like yoga, is a fantastic source of fermented foods, so that's going to help increase that beneficial bacteria in your gut. Your gut is just imperative for so many things your immunity, your digestion, your nutrient absorption. So there are little wins. It requires a little bit of planning, but You know, as part of what I do, like I believe information should be free, so I want to share my information and it's in a hip, it's in the nutritional consultation with me where I want to help you transform your nutrition and take it to the next step. I want to be your nutrition mentor.
Speaker 1: And when you're so passionate about it too, like I feel the same when it's in the world of design. But you know you want to educate and you want to give as much information as you possibly can because you know It's gonna benefit. You know a business or you know a human being. You know and and the way that they.
Speaker 2: You know I also think like we are moving into the right direction.
Speaker 2: So, for instance, during pregnancy, like you know, i got a lot of like pointers towards go and see a women's health physio, make sure you train your pelvic floor and prepare. I don't think that and, like my mom didn't get that advice, i'm sure you was pregnant or gave birth. So I think we're going into the right direction and in a similar fashion, how we, you know, prepare our bodies for birth, like I think, hopefully in the future, people will start, you know, creating more awareness around preparing our bodies, like from a nutritional perspective, like both for birth, pre birth and after birth. And, you know, i would wish that You know the type of conversation we have with you right now that any pregnant mother or postpartum mother would have that conversation and really Understand.
Speaker 2: I know we're all time poor, but I think it also comes down to making it a priority right.
Speaker 1: Hmm. Absolutely.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I know how good would it be if you were visiting your midwife for your checkup and she just said Right, I really think it's time you do your nutrition consultant.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, i think it's so important. Just, i mean, i'm so inspired today to go. Okay, now time to get back into you know, to thinking more holistically. But yeah, i mean, there's so much that you want to learn about you know Giving birth and about the baby coming, that you do forget about yourself. And I feel like you know at that point, just like I think it would be super important to have somebody to you know, kind of you know, give you the information that you need, at least to start thinking about it.
Speaker 2: It's also understanding the information and understanding why certain things are good for you. So you can actually take those lessons like for life.
Speaker 2: Because, for instance, i have like a meal plan I get from my nutrition Coach and she's like it's amazing, like it's not very a one-on-one Plan that I have, so I basically provide my information on the app and based on the information I provide, i get like every two weeks I get a new meal plan and it's amazing, like I'm definitely seeing, like my well-being has improved, like all the goals I wanted to achieve I have achieved. And now that you are talking through some of the nutrients, like hemp seeds and like, for instance, that stuff That's on my meal plans all the time, like almonds, and now I start to understand Oh, you know, i can see why it's on my plan, but it's like Exactly.
Speaker 2: You know how I should be incorporating them in the future as well. \
Speaker 1: And you know, um, you know there's so much pressure as well when people you know in during the past podium phase, postpartum sorry, during the postpartum Um, with losing weight and you know getting your body back and all that sort of stuff. and you know, yes, you know, women don't have time to eat, but what are your thoughts on making sure that you know you do have enough? you know calories, i guess, and you're not deficient, um, or in a deficit, i think, um, you know, there's always that sort of thing like I'm not gonna eat You know how can we do it?
Speaker 2: Because it's also Like if a woman wants to feel good in their body and wants to get back into some sort of shape. But I think the you know the questions around how can we do it safely And in the right time as well like you know what are your, what's your sort of recommendation?
Speaker 3: Yeah. So I think just the word calorie I mean for me and and for a lot of women, i believe it conjures up feelings of dieting, weight loss and that, yeah, that in itself is so far from the mindset a postpartum woman needs to be. There's just there's a lot going on and I, of course, can Appreciate the confidence you have and what it does to your mental state from being back in shape. I get that. But I think Postpartum is the season of slow and it's it's a sacred time that needs to be respected as such and your body, your. If you just give your body the time it needs to get itself to where it needs to be, that can be addressed later.
Speaker 3: But I think you know, like I said before, like women enter pregnancy and then breastfeeding in their postpartum journey, quite nutrient deficient and You know, like I said before, your nutrient requirement increases during this time And it's, it's quite typical for a postpartum woman, especially in the early days, so for her appetite to increase. So this is definitely not a time to go into a calorie deficit Or to be restricting your diet, because if we're, if we are in this, you know, nutrient deficit state, then we need these whole foods to help, to help us become more nutritionally rich versions of ourselves, absolutely and equally. I'm and I always tell my clients This is a time where you really need to honor your hunger cues. Like we all have this innate understanding of when we're hungry and when we're full. Food. For me, like food, food puts me in a good mood and, like you know, good food puts me in a good mood, like It goes hand in hand.
Speaker 3: So I think my recommendation to anyone in their postpartum period is to Honor your hunger cues and to try not to go long periods of time without eating, because what that does is it It creates, um, inbalances in our blood sugar and it causes those blood sugar irregularities and when our blood sugar levels drop, our energy drops And when we're in that state will likely like need some energy. So we'll we'll grab for something like a chocolate bar or a packet of chips or a muffin or something, just to get our energy Levels back up. But what that does is it'll be a steep rise and I see, for our energy levels, yeah, so it's important that. Um, yeah, i wouldn't recommend it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, i wouldn't recommend a deficit diet, especially, especially if you're a breastfeeding mother, because your nutrient requirements Increased during this time. So yeah, and not just your macronutrients, like your carbs, you protein, your fats, it's a lot of your micronutrients, and the maternal diet Impacts the quality and quantity of your breast milk. So it's important we stay on top of that, because if we're nourishing ourselves when nourishing our breast milk and, in turn, nourishing our baby, um, so it's, it's this beautiful ecosystem of nourishment that all I love the season is slow.
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 2: I love the season of slow aspect, because I think it is about um, you know it's not about Over-eating or overindulging, because you're tired and just time for it's about, you know, prioritising the right nutrients and making sure yeah you, you you get to thrive rather than survive. but um, then survive, yeah, i personally um. Definitely felt as well, like with the breastfeeding, like it was. I was even too scared to go into a calorie Difficult because I was scared to lose my milk you know I was like what if I'm?
Speaker 2: you know like what if I'm losing my milk, can't, can't risk it. So I think for I only really started to even think about dieting, even though I don't like that term either. It's a lifestyle, yeah, it's more of a um When, when Teo was like 10 months old and then I started very slowly just adjusting a few things, um, yeah, before I had no headspace for that even.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's, and that's it that that felt right for you. You were, you know you, you were, you've gotten into a good rhythm with your baby, so that felt right for you to to go into that and and everyone has that and and they know when it's the right time. And and not just from a nutritional point of view, but physically speaking, like how is your body? Are you able to throw yourself back into exercise? You know, too much intense exercise, equally, can cause those stress levels to rise, and when our cortisol levels rise, we can tend to hold on to fat. So it's important that you know we take it slow, like You know long walks, gentle exercise, yoga, things that are still allowing the body to move, because I do Do the blurring, but just doing it in a way that's not going to put that stress on the body.
Speaker 2: And I think everybody's got their own timeline right, like, for instance, my example of, like a 10 months. I started to really think about my nutrition and, you know, getting back into an exercise routine that month It might look very different, like for for someone else. Like somebody might already feel ready at six months, or Or someone might not feel ready for two years, like I think it's very different for for each individual.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. We're all on our own journey and I think that, yeah, it'll. It all happens differently for everyone.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and um, on a day where everything goes down the drain, let's face it, like what are some little like quick wins or um Ingredients slash meals that we should always have, you know, in the back of our fridge or Pantry that we can go back to? on those days one of those days.
Speaker 3: Yeah, um, okay. so I mean, i I truly believe the key here is preparation and we all have those days and I get it, and that's why and dedicating that time to meal prep So you've got them in your fridge or your freezer and you're ready to go. But, equally like, if there is a day where you're just like, you know what, i'm just gonna listen to my body Right now. what's gonna help me in my mental state is something that's just gonna nourish me and just be comforting on a level of whether that's chocolate or chips or whatever. Like we need to also be kind to ourselves and we can't be perfectly healthy all the time. Like that's. you know it's gonna be ideal but it's not realistic.
Speaker 3: But there are quick wins and I guess, if the day is going to shit and you're just like, you know what, what can I eat? right now, it's just at the back of your mind, knowing that how am I gonna have a meal or a snack that's gonna be balanced like, at the very least you know, with a protein, a carb or a fat? There's this saying to like eat the rainbow, and that's because each color represents a different nutrient. So you know, the goal is to aim for six different colored fruit or vegetables a day. So you know, aim for two different color vegetables per meal, and that way you're eating the rainbow. It's amazing.
Speaker 2: I love that, So I think that's just yeah, I've never had that before actually It's really nice Yeah. Something to live by, isn't it?
Speaker 1: And beyond postpartum like it's. You know, if you live by that, you know that's. You're doing something pretty good.
Speaker 3: You're doing something good, yeah. And then you can take your humble meals and you can pimp them. You know your porridge, you can pimp it and you can make it more nutrient dense, more nutrient rich. You can add. You could add hemp seeds, you could add, you know, some beautiful coconut milk, because that's a healthy fat. Nut butters, some fresh fruit, like there's ways to increase the nutrient portfolio of the humble meal, like your bolognese. It's a great way to add your freeze-dried liver or your bone broth Extra veggies Or your vegetables, exactly.
Speaker 3: So, you know, and I think, i think that's where we can, just, you know, that's where it doesn't have to be complicated. We can just take meals that we're already doing, that we know our family love, and we can just make it more nutrient rich. So then yeah, And it's understanding how to do that.
Speaker 1: I love that. It's like you know.
Speaker 2: Pimp my porridge .
Speaker 1: It's like there's so many things that you could completely take something that's fairly standard, like even a shepherd's pie or those you know, simple but wholesome things that you know you can just add something to it to go And a whole lot of range of benefits and nutrition.
Speaker 2: And then again, hopefully the whole family will eat, because children sometimes, as we know they can be a bit fussy. So, like if you give them a plain porridge or plain Bolognese, you know, that they will love that, and then you just do your. You know little like pimped up version for yourself Pimped up version Absolutely.
Speaker 3: We're all creatures of habits at the end of the day. So we just want to stick to what's familiar. Yes, and this is where we don't want it to be overwhelming, but we're just helping. Yeah, absolutely, we just elevate it a bit.
Speaker 1: Love that. And what about eating out? Like, do you kind of give advice on what to go for? I mean me, i'm similar to you in that I've always had a really keen interest in nutrition too And I always know to choose the right options for me, meaning like the healthier option. But what do you suggest? when you know you go to a pub or you know what sort of stuff, do you say look for this.
Speaker 3: Yeah Well, i mean eating out like eating out should be indulging, like you know, i agree, i don't want to take.
Speaker 3: I don't go to the rest of the food Out of the food. I guess That's what I always say. No, yeah, yeah, so exactly. So you know, on one hand we don't want to take the enjoyment out of food, because food should be enjoyed as well. You know there's a lot of reasons, but people come together for food. It's a beautiful way to connect And you know there's a lot of cultural, you know things that resonate there with food. So, but eating out, you can take a healthier or a more mindful approach, if you want to call it that.
Speaker 3: When you're eating out You can just look for a meal that looks balanced. You know you've got your steak or your fish or your salad in there with some veggies. The sauces would probably be my only comment there, because a lot of the sauces contain feed oils and seed oils undergo quite the process before they even reach your pan. So they undergo, they're exposed to ultra high heats, light, oxygen and even chemicals. So and that's something a postpartum body, really anybody's body, doesn't need They can be the contributor to quite a number of modern day health issues, such as inflammation and hormonal imbalances.
Speaker 3: So, where you can and it's hard when you go out to a restaurant, because a lot of them do use these seed oils. We want to find healthy replacements for those. So your avocado oil, your olive oil, your coconut oil, your butter, your butter. But in general, i think it's a tricky one because eating out, really, it is a time for you to indulge And, let's be honest, how often are we eating out these days? Like you know, we do try and balance that Especially children, yes, especially children, so much potentially.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, and just going out with children is just a nightmare.
Speaker 1: I can't enjoy it.
Speaker 3: But I guess my advice there would just What your body is wanting, i think, and I think that's just going back to those you know, cues, yes, and it is a balance.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's satisfying, isn't it Like when you get to choose something that actually you can't make yourself at home, or you know you haven't had for a while, or you know it's using those times that you do go out as a treat, in a way that you get to choose something that you enjoy And, in the back of your mind, keeping in mind that it is slightly nourishing and has some veggies as well Absolutely, yeah, it's fair, absolutely Well, like I think that was so much great information you shared with us.
Speaker 2: Seriously, like, I feel like so, inspired, and you know. I can't better understand some of the things that are on my own real plan now. And yeah, but you just easily.
Speaker 1: It's easy to forget to, like you know, do those little hacks Like just have some chopped veggies in the fridge that you can just go to instead of going for a biscuit. Yeah yeah, go for some carrot sticks. It's harder to just go for a whole carrot versus chopped carrot, You know. so I think it is those little things that just make such a massive difference.
Speaker 2: Well, to finish today's conversation like, what's the one thing you live by daily? I guess you know it doesn't have to be from an international perspective. Like but like. Think of your you know like some you call it non-negotiables earlier, like that's another way of putting it or something you know that's really important to you that you live by daily.
Speaker 3: Hmm, hmm, i think, since becoming you know, since pursuing this area of my life and then pursuing nutrition, i think what's? it's a quote really, and it's like a mind frame, a mindset really. but what's really stuck with me is this concept of anything you do from a depleted state is met with resentment, but anything you do when your cup is full is met with abundance. So it really I love that, oh, so great. I love it. And I know it hits, it really hits hard, because it just goes to show that, like women and mothers, we've got. we've got quite the mental load. And when we're feeling it and when we're run down, that's the time to just listen to our body and pull back and just take a moment, because we know that time will pass. And then when we've got the energy, when we've got the love behind us to want to do more, then that's when we do it and that's when it's going to be met with abundance.
Speaker 3: So and there's so many scenarios where I've played that out and I've done something, when I've been absolutely wrecked and I've regretted it because I didn't perform the best way If I didn't get my message across or what it is you know.
Speaker 2: Yeah, totally get that. It's a good way to check, isn't it?
Speaker 1: Am I doing this in this way, like that? that serves me, you know, and sometimes it's okay to say no, because you know what.
Speaker 3: It's just not aligning with what's going on in my life right now. So yeah, it's just a beautiful kind of something I live by And it's like my little check, I'm like hold on.
Speaker 1: I'm depleted.
Speaker 3: Should I be doing this?
Speaker 2: It's amazing because it also forces you to stay in tune with your own body, your mental health and making sure that you are filling your cup, because that's something we talk about a lot And that's one of the main inspirations of our podcast in the first place is to you know, we need to put more emphasis on ourselves, putting ourselves, making ourselves a priority, putting us first, because we always think of our children first, which is, i think, you know, in our DNA as mothers, but at the same time, you know, from a depleted state, we can't look after them, we can't be good mothers. So I think that's the whole idea of like why we started this and why we wanted to talk to people like yourself, because, you know, i think you can be a great inspiration, you know, not just from a nutritional perspective, but also, like, from a mindset perspective. For a lot of young mothers, or even older mothers, doesn't matter, because the worry about our children never ends, absolutely.
Speaker 1: Never. We always come second, especially when they're sick or whatever it might be.
Speaker 2: You know, you do you have to put things aside, and that's. That's just sometimes the way it goes. But I guess looking after yourself, to making making sure that you're in a position to feel well enough and mentally and physically, to be able to do that, is super important too.
Speaker 2: I mean, just you know you're doing what you love. what you're doing now, i think that's you're refilling your cup and you know creating that abundance of energy, abundance of love for your family and yourself, like that you can give back. It's like a ripple effect again.
Speaker 3: It is, and it's I was told to like. Just do things like where you get your pockets of joy throughout the day. You know what I mean. So and this for me, it does bring me joy. I love being able to help women through pregnancy and through postpartum, and also parents, moms and dads for when starting solids, because that's an overwhelming time. So just being able to share my information and just empower women to make healthier choices throughout their pregnancy and for their postpartum, that's what brings me joy And that's I go back to like. That is my goal for why I pursued this.
Speaker 3: So, I want to have more nutritionally rich versions of women out there. You know that's my goal.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I'm so inspired.
Speaker 2: Yeah, can we call it again So?
Speaker 3: cool. Yeah, of course.
Speaker 3: No, but I do love it. I do love it And thank you for giving me the opportunity to share, because this is where I thrive, you know, absolutely. This is what lights me up, so yeah, Thank you so much, So it's really insightful.
Speaker 1: So much great information Yeah.
Speaker 2: What a great way to start your Monday. What a Monday. We're so, so great.
Speaker 1: Yeah, love it. Thank you so much. Thank you for joining us And yeah, hopefully maybe we'll see you again another time.
Speaker 3: All right, perfect, thanks guys, see ya.
