Now that I’ve got your attention, let me start by saying I am a strong advocate of breastfeeding and all its wonderful benefits (i.e., nutrition for baby and the bond between mother and baby). I breastfed my three boys - two of them for one year and one for six months. One thing which does upset me however is this burgeoning militant attitude some people have towards breastfeeding.

A few years ago, a woman training with me to become a Doula (i.e., labour support coach) stated she would not take on a client who chose not to breastfeed. (more…)

Congratulations! You’re about to become a mom for the first time! I know as a first time mom you are bombarded with so much information, but instead of sharing what to expect, I thought I’d give you some insights into what not to expect during the first month with your new baby.

Many moms think that when the baby is born labor is done. NOT TRUE! While the high intensity contractions are behind you, during the first few days contractions (much lower in intensity) will continue. That’s right. Your uterus continues to contract for a few days when you breastfeed. (more…)

The fitness industry and exercise “experts” have given us very different, and often conflicting, messages about how often and how intensely we need to workout. “At least 20 minutes of cardio, 3x /week for cardio vascular health,” or “Four times a week for an hour to maintain your weight, five times/week to loose.” So, it is no wonder that I’m frequently asked by many women, “how much is exercise is enough?”

Years ago, the prevailing belief about exercise was that we had to “do it ’til it burns” and “no pain, no gain”.
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Sex during pregnancy raises many questions for expecting couples. For most expecting moms, sex during pregnancy is a safe and encouraged experience. The issue more often is desire and this can be a concern for both partners.

In the first trimester, moms-to-be are often nauseous and the thought of shaking it up between the sheets (more…)

Weight gain in pregnancy is a hotly contested issue and many moms-to-be are confused by the conflicting messages they receive regarding how much weight they should gain. How much is too much? What is a healthy weight gain and should moms-to-be follow the proverbial principle of “eating for two”?

It may surprise you to learn that the “eating for two” philosophy has long been dismissed as a sensible approach to healthy weight gain in pregnancy. Most health care providers (more…)

Most of my readers know I’m passionate about good, organic food, especially if it comes from sustainable sources. Speaking of passionate, when I saw, in a major “foodies” kitchen, the book The Orgasmic Diet: A Revolutionary Plan to Lift Your Libido and Bring You to Orgasm by Marrena Lindberg, I had to do some questioning and research. The premise behind the book is not startling. It’s not news that a lot of women are unable to reach orgasm or that people want to improve their sex lives. This book has a simple diet and exercise plan to help women achieve an orgasm and a heightened quality of sex. How you ask? (more…)

Please welcome Dr. Michelle Segar to the beYOU.tv family. Michelle is America’s leading expert on exercise motivation for women over 40. Her passion has been helping women learn to sustain physically active lives and prioritize their own health and well-being. A researcher at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan, she holds a Ph.D in Psychology and  Master’s Degrees in Health Behavior, Health Education and in Kinesiology. She is also the Founder of EssentialSteps, Coaching for Women. Michelle will be checking in with us regularly, but if you have questions for her, please leave a comment for her or visit her at EssentialSteps.

If you, like most women, lack the on-going motivation to exercise and feel like you don’t have time for it, this article is for you! But in order to understand how to find that inspiration, it is important to first understand what is often the real, but hidden, reason we say “I simply don’t have time to exercise.”

True, time is a rare commodity these days. But, do women who are regularly physically active have more time than those who aren’t?

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During my first pregnancy, I was a sluggish mess validated by all of the excuses and inaccurate information I could get my hands on. As I mentioned before, my preterm baby was born as a result of hypertension (linked to excessive weight gain, mine to the tune of 60 pounds) and preterm rupture of membranes (linked to hypertension). An unhealthy mom, I knew, couldn’t mean a healthy baby.

With a background in fitness, I should have known better — and did. But instead, I held dearly to my right to put my feet up and be lazy. Let’s just say it didn’t pay off and created a long list of regrets that inspired me to change my ways. (more…)

As a new Mom, or a third time Mom for that matter, there are always a multitude of issues to sort through. One of them you may have been hearing about lately is “bad plastics” or plastics made with Bispehnol-A or BPA.

So what’s the big deal with them? Why are they bad and what can you do about it?

Let’s take a look.

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Please welcome Andrea Page. Andrea is one the leading experts in pre and postnatal fitness in North America and founder of FITMOM Fitness and we are thrilled to have her as a part of our team. Check in regularly for her tips on pre and postnatal fitness as well as parenting advice on a range of topics. If you have specific questions for her, please leave a comment or email us at info@beYOU.tv.

Eight years ago, as a single mom pregnant with my first child, I gave up the one thing that keeps me grounded – my active lifestyle. Fitness fell to the side during that pregnancy partially because of the misinformation given to me by my caregiver. I didn’t feel the consequences right away, but when I was eight months pregnant, I began to realize my pregnancy was out of control!

A 60 pound weight gain and pregnancy-induced hypertension, which actually go hand and hand, had set in. This led to a premature delivery, which led to breastfeeding issues, which led to postpartum depression.
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