Pregnancy Skincare Advice Blog - Free Tips & tricks

Hi There

Because delivery is the ultimate goal of a healthy pregnancy it is extremely important to prepare for this Herculean task as best as possible. ”I mean you wouldn't dream of running a marathon without training first!” Of course all training should be with the approval of your health care provider and if possible under the guidance of a certified fitness expert. Our Blooming Babe fitness guru is Daniel Chicano and he has been training Jo has throughout her pregnancy.  Recently I asked Daniel, who is a Corrective & Performance Exercise Specialist with 7 yrs experience as a Specialist Trainer working with celebs, athletes & mums who come both during & after pregnancy, to share some of his expert tips with us (see below).

BB Tip:
When choosing any prenatal fitness programme be sure to check the workout follows the guidelines for exercising in pregnancy as advised by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) or The Royal College of Obstrecians and Gynecologists (RCOG).

All the best & good luck
Elizabeth

Daniel's Strategy for working with Jo:

Jo says she wants to feel like her body is still hers!

• Using foam roll for massage of lower body, de-stress body before training
• Focusing on obliques to support Diastasis Recti (DR)
• Stability exercise as centre of gravity changes
• Kegels or Pelvic floor exercises - strong muscles are more flexible, good for childbirth
• Focusing on posture, strong bum & mid / lower trapizeus to supporrt lower back & give neck relief
• 12 week land based pregnancy program for last trimester

Daniel has listed the benefits of prenatal exercise:

• Increased Energy and Improve circulation
• Enjoy Better Sleep (Relieve stress and tension through exercise).
• Increase muscle tone and maintain flexibility 
• Maximize muscle memory (Increase your bodies ability to recover its pre pregnancy shape).
• Prepare under-used muscles for the challenges of labour.
• Be Happy! Boost your serotonin levels through exercise and enjoy a healthy mind and body! 

To contact Daniel directly please email him at info@bloomingbabe.co.uk

Hi all,
 
I learnt something over the recent Easter holidays, pregnant women should by-pass Easter! Quietly sitting at the kitchen table reading the papers I scoffed an entire chocolate rabbit, enough to feed 3 small children. At any other time I would have nibbled the ears and kept some for later or I would have felt very sick, but being 29 weeks pregnant I happily polished of the entire bunny and felt great.

Needless to say, I felt guilt ridden on Monday, worrying that the mass of sugar would have had my baby spinning for hours. That was, until I spoke to a girlfriend who assured me this was nothing, when she was pregnant she ate an entire cheesecake, enough for 6 guests! From bunnies to cheese wedge shaped cushions....ummmm, there seems to be a food-link to this weeks blog...Purchased from Mothercare for £9.99, the sleep wedge cushion has saved
me from acute aches and pains. My baby bump now needs a little support during the night and the cushion simply wedges under my belly to support me and keeps me straight whilst I sleep. During the day, I tuck it behind the base of my back which helps alleviate the irritating back ache that has set in this week.

There are loads of support cushions on the market but most seem to take up half the bed, so unless you want a disgruntled partner, my advice is to keep it simple. I even contemplated popping it in my handbag when I went for dinner last night but figured I still have 11 weeks to go and in the aim of trying to retain an element of pre-pregnant chic, a cheese wedge shaped cushion sticking out of a Marc Jacobs handbag isn’t a good look....not yet anyway! This week also saw me enter week 5 on my personal training sessions with Danny. I’m really happy with my progress and definitely find having one-to-one training more inspiring. The mornings are hard now as I feel tired a lot the time, left to my own devices I would probably by-pass the workouts so knowing Danny is waiting for me is all the incentive I need. It also helps kick start the day. We continue to work on the obliques and pelvic floor and I'm chuffed to see that I still have some upper arm definition. Knowing i’ll be able to bare my arms with confidence this summer is a good feeling.
 
 Jo x

Hi there

Moving into my 3rd trimester has bought with it the joys of nausea again. For the first 12 weeks I carried a paper bag in my handbag wherever I went which did attract strange looks from fellow commuters on the tube, am sure they just thought I was hungover, that most definitely feels like a thing of the past! Now, at 27 weeks pregnant I was thrilled to be trying out something more sophisticated, the "reach before you retch" Rescue Anti-Nausea pulse point not only smells delicious, I have particularly enjoyed the restorative mandarin with ginger, the soothing and calming scent helps alleviate the
sickness and take your mind of chucking up in the nearest bin. For a more refreshing and reviving scent, the Sesame oil with peppermint is lovely too.
 
All these delicious Blooming Babe lotions and oils are helping to make me feel relaxed and in control of my body again. In line with an attempt to retain my fitness, very important for both mummy and baby throughout pregnancy. The past 6 months i have been sweating my way through a series of self disciplined work-outs but moving into my last trimester I do feel the need for extra guidance, with my balance shot to bits and a near fatal trip of the treadmill landing in a heap on the gym floor I decided it was time to get a personal trainer. Perusing the selection of trainers can be a mind field so its always best to ask what they specialise in, finding the right one is essential for both your well being and the health of the little one growing inside you.
 
An hour of research later I chose Daniel Chicano, who works at David Lloyds in Kensington. He specializes in pre and post natal training and has extensive knowledge of nutrition so was able to guide me through the does and don'ts of what to eat. He's also very good at reminding me to do my pelvic floor   exercises, easily forgotten when left to your own devices, something I am certain I will be thankful for later on! Concentrating on keeping my oblique's taught and balance on track, along with a fierce determination to keep my butt in some kind of shape, I now see Danny twice a week. Its only been 3 weeks but already I feel like I have more energy, my body feels fitter and I am more confident knowing i'm not over stretching or risking my health and
that of my baby.
 
Jo x