Childbirth is not a neat and clean or entirely predictable process, which is part of the reason why I opted to have my babies at a hospital rather than at home. However, many women who have had home births swear by them, including those who have had the experience of delivering a baby in a hospital to compare it to. This is the case with one of my dearest friends Brooke – she delivered her first baby at a hospital, and the second in the comfort of her own home in a birthing tub – and swears she would have a home birth if she were to do it again.
 
The best thing about having a trusted girlfriend dish about childbirth is that you can rest assured she’s telling the truth.

Feeling tired, overwhelmed, insecure or downright exhausted after pregnancy are all valid reasons to avoid getting (back) on the exercise train. After all, the thought of punishing ourselves with copious amounts of crunches in hopes of regaining some assemblance of a waistline sounds like the opposite of fun, right?   
 
While it may seem like the last thing on your mind, there are far too many benefits from exercising postpartum to ignore. Aside from getting back into your skinny jeans, getting active promotes cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and toning, can boost your energy level, improve your mood, relieve stress and help combat postpartum depression.

Up to 80% of all mothers experience some degree of low mood or “baby blues” after their baby is born.

After you have a baby it is important…

Postpartum psychosis is a rare medical condition experienced by 1-2 out of a 1000 women in the postpartum period.