Welcome to M.A.M.A. Month!

We, at FITMOM, have made November 

“Mental Health and Motherhood Awareness” Month – M.A.M.A.

Since 1999, when Andrea Page, founder of FITMOM Inc., had her first baby, she has been advocating for more support and awareness on the effects of mental health and its connection to Mothering.

Photo Credit: trinaphoto.com for FITMOM

Her personal experience with serious postpartum depression following the birth of her first son, Akua, makes her an ideal spokeswoman on an issue that touches so many families. Like most women dealing with mood disorders, she found a lack of support from both the professional community and her own personal network. Today, a lack of education, coupled with long waiting lists to access support, continues to be a barrier for many women to get the help they need.

Women’s Health Matters, a program operated by Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, cites maternal depression as one of the greatest threats to an infant’s development: “The first couple of years of life permanently set the stage for the cognitive, mental, and medical health of individuals. And, maternal depression is one of the greatest adversities an infant can face.”

In August 2013, a research study released found that mothers in urban areas were almost twice as likely to suffer postpartum depression (10 % of reported cases vs 6 %).

Throughout the month of November, FITMOM will be sharing stories and resources about motherhood and mental health. We want to educate mothers, along with their family, friends, colleagues and community members who connect with or support families during the first 6 years of a child’s life.

Building a strong base of support within a community is a major step in creating a mother that is healthy and strong. By creating awareness and sharing tips on how to build an effective and healthy network, we hope to shed the stigma that is attached to women’s mental health and to impact and teach communities the simple steps that can have a positive effect on moms and babies everywhere:

• A mother needs to be mothered. She needs to be nurtured by others, listened to, and cooked for. She also needs space to deal with the emotional and physical changes after birth and time to adapt to her new responsibilities as a parent.
• A mother needs extra support to sleep. Excessive sleeplessness is directly linked to postpartum depression.
• A mother requires frequent breaks from responsibility. This time away does not make her weak but rather, restores and replenishes her.
• A mother needs a community surrounding her. Historically, child rearing was a community concern. Our busy and sometimes overscheduled lives have impacted our ability to form ‘villages’ that support families effectively. Returning to these community roots has a far reaching, positive impact.
• A mother needs permission to be human. She needs to be relieved from the pressure to achieve “supermom” status. A shared responsibility to nurture with support and time to invest in self-care should be a priority. Anything else leaves a mother and her children vulnerable.

During the month of November, we'll be sharing our M.A.M.A information on our Facebook page every few days. Please look out for our posts and share them with other women who may be experiencing similar feelings. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions or comments you might have.

I just had a Baby... How often should I be exercising?

How often should I exercise after I've had a baby? is a very common question we hear from new moms after they've given birth.

Ideally, as a new mom you will work at your own pace and comfort level as you begin your fitness regime after the birth of your baby. As you gain strength and confidence, you can begin to increase your level of intensity and length of workout. Making a commitment to workout once a week is a great start to a new mom's fitness plan, but that frequency might not provide the results you're looking for as quickly as you may have hoped.

In fact, working out only once a week can hinder your progress and make you more susceptible to injury as your muscle recovery time can actually be too long between sessions.

The Public Health Agency of Canada suggests that adults be moderately to vigorously active at least 2.5 hours each week to achieve optimal health benefits. Further, it suggests that you target your muscles at least twice a week. This can be translated to 3 x 50 minute sessions or 5 x 30 minute (or some other combination) sessions each week, depending on your personal schedule. This recommendation is suggested to help prevent injury, improve strength & performance and achieve results over time. Your workouts should have lots of variety in them and should be an activity you enjoy doing.

Overtraining is also important to consider. Women who exercise at a high intensity too frequently (every day without including one or two rest days) are at risk for over use injuries and adrenal fatigue. 

Finally, it's important for you to ensure that you have plenty of rest and hydration and that you focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet. Incorporating training sessions 3 to 5 times a week will provide you with optimal results. Recognizing that moms lead busy lives and have limited free time, working exercise into your day with your baby, toddler or preschooler can be a great way for you to exercise and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle to your kids.

FITMOM Founder, Andrea Page, sharing information about how often you should workout once you've had a baby.

Mothering the Mother 101: FITMOM's Best Practices when Visiting a Mom with a New Baby

There's nothing like the birth of a new baby: little fingers, tiny toes and the insanely addictive smell of a newborn. Well intending family members, friends and colleagues will jump at the chance to visit and meet your new bundle of joy.

In the early days and weeks after birth (even an uncomplicated, vaginal birth), a new mom is running on fumes and adrenaline. For many, the very act of sitting can be painful and uncomfortable for a few weeks. All women experience some swelling and discomfort following a vaginal birth, especially if she's recovering from an episiotomy or an assisted birth (vacuum or forceps). A once routine visit to the washroom to pee can be a major event. Add in some swollen and tender breasts (as she tries to learn to breastfeed) and sleep deprivation, receiving visitors can easily put her over the edge.

New mom care is essential to newborn care. How we care for a new mom in the early days can impact the short and long term health of both the mother & baby, the health of other children and the health of our community overall.

At FITMOM, we really love and appreciate the approach and care of new moms in the Asian culture, where new moms are cared for by others for 30 days after they have given birth. Others in her community will manage the daily chores, including cooking, cleaning and caring for older children, during this time, allowing her to rest and nourish herself and her baby without having to worry about the burden of a daily routine. Unfortunately, this communal child rearing philosophy has been almost completely abandoned in North American culture and has been replaced with the "taking care of me" philosophy, leaving new moms often alone and isolated.

So, using this philosophy, here are FITMOM's best practices for family and friends who are interested in visiting you and your new bundle in the early days and weeks:

1. A new mother should never be expected to entertain you. She should not be making tea, offering a drink or making you a meal. For many new moms, hosting of any kind may be too much. Instead, message her and offer meals that you can drop off. Better yet, just drop off a meal and let her know it's at the door (do not stay unless asked!). You can also offer to run errands for her, cook a meal, clean her house, do her laundry or take the baby for a walk so she can have a nap.
2. A new mom may not have the energy to hold a conversation, make small talk, hear about your day or just "shoot the shit". Small talk, even with a BFF, can be incredibly draining in the early days. A new mom should not have to "be polite" because you are in her space, needing to engage.
3. A new mother should never have to answer the door to an unannounced, drop by visitor. EVER. If you are given the green light to visit, please refrain from bringing strangers, acquaintances or anyone else with you that she barely knows. Her nipples may be bleeding and sore and she just needs a safe space to figure it all out.
4. Please do not show up to visit with other friends or children in tow unless SHE REQUESTS THIS.
5. Do not offer unsolicited advice. Offer support and help instead.
6. A new mom should never have to receive unsolicited comments about her baby's feeding schedule, including how much the baby's eating and how often. If she's already worried about this, asking will make her feel worse. 
7. Please return the baby to her mother as soon as you are asked. If a baby is crying or distressed, she can easily be calmed by her mother. It often stresses both mom and baby to be separated. Let the new parents figure out what their baby's cries mean.

Other ways you can offer support:

• Providing childcare for older children
• Doing laundry
• Helping with chores around the house
• Rocking or holding baby, if requested
• Walking the dog
• Changing bedding
• Shopping for groceries
• Listening 
• Letting mom cry
• Listening some more
• Asking mom what she needs

These tips will go a long way in helping to ensure that a new mom and her baby are off to the best start possible.

My first few moments as a brand new mom