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Mompreneur Spotlight: Stephanie Greunke of Healthy Mama, Happy Baby

It’s no secret that Gugu Guru is a big fan of the Whole30, so when we got the chance to interview the mama behind the Whole 30’s Healthy Mama, Happy Baby program, we were beyond excited! Stephanie Greunke is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition who specializes in women’s health. She is a certified personal trainer and prenatal and postnatal corrective exercise specialist. Stephanie guides and supports women locally and globally through her web-based private practice, RockYourHormones.com. She also hosts a podcast called Real Food Mamas, which is available for free on iTunes and Stitcher. Together with Melissa Hartwig of the Whole30©, Stephanie created Healthy Mama, Happy Baby, a virtual pregnancy handbook consisting of a series of short videos with comprehensive information meant to guide women throughout their entire pregnancy. Read below to learn more about Stephanie Greunke.

GG: How and why did you start Rock Your Hormones, and how did the Happy Mama, Healthy Baby program come about?

SG: I originally started Rock Your Hormones to support women dealing with a wide variety of women’s health issues (such as PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, endometriosis, and infertility). As I started helping women heal their bodies and resolve their hormonal complaints, they ended up getting pregnant! I then switched my focus to prenatal/postnatal health to continue to provide optimal care for the women in my practice. I love educating women on how to optimize their diet and lifestyle to support a healthy, enjoyable pregnancy and postpartum. I empower women with the information they need to make the best choices for themselves and their family when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

During my first pregnancy, I realized how much misinformation was out there when it came to pregnancy. I kept reading conflicting information and became frustrated that women were confused about what to believe and were scared about veering off from the conventional path, even if it didn’t feel right. Melissa Hartwig of the Whole30 had a very similar experience to mine and we decided together to create something different. We created a virtual pregnancy handbook that replaces the conflicting, fear-mongering information currently available to pregnant women with a common sense, open-minded, positive approach to pregnancy. We continue to update the program with the latest evidenced-based recommendations and support the women on a daily basis through our private Facebook community.

How do you balance work and family?

I do my best to keep them separate. When I’m with my kids, I’m WITH my kids. When I’m working, I’m working. I used to try and tackle a quick e-mail or two while my son was independently playing, but found that I would easily become frustrated if he needed my attention before I was done. I felt that wasn’t fair for either of us, so now my computer stays in the office and I set my phone on a table far enough away from our play area, so I’m not tempted to check social media during playtime.

I hired a nanny when my first son was about nine months to give me more time for work. It was important for me to spend the first six plus months with him, but as he approached his first birthday, I was ready to add more work hours to my day. Starting when he was a year and a half, I had him spend Monday – Friday morning with our nanny in order to give me time to work on my business. I picked him up from the nanny, feeling refreshed and productive, so I could spend the remaining day present with him.

I just had a second son in October, and lucked out with a great napper. Since I’m not ready for him to be with a nanny, I use his naptimes to work. I have to be extremely organized and focused because my work time is condensed. I pick no more than three tasks to accomplish each day, and say “no” to a lot of business opportunities. I give myself grace with my business knowing that this is a short season, and I will be able to put in more work hours once he’s a little older. As long as I’m doing a little bit every day to maintain my business, I’m happy. And if mama’s happy, everyone is happy.

What’s the best part about being a “Mompreneur” and running your own business?

I love having a flexible schedule. With young kids, they are bound to get sick (a lot). Even with all the nutrition/wellness tricks in the world, their immune systems are constantly being challenged and it’s a good thing for them to get sick every now and then. Being able to take a “day off” without having to check in with a boss and enjoying the extra snuggles makes being a mompreneur the best option for me right now.

In addition to being a mom, I’m a military wife. We move every couple of years, so having a virtual private practice and online program is such a blessing. I don’t have to worry about starting and quitting jobs every few years because everything is online.

DIY Fringe Bibs

by Gugu Guru 20 Comments

See Kate Sew partners with Gugu Guru once again to share a fantastic DIY tutorial. This time? Adorable and easy to make fringe bibs for the little ones in your life.

As soon as this little girl hit six months old she was ready to chow! It’s so much fun to see her explore food. So far she loves it all, but especially the vegetables! We partnered with Micuna for this post. They make the cutest modern baby gear and we are loving the Ovo high chair! I love mid-century modern style and this high chair fits right in. I had to go with the pink pad, but it also comes in a few other colors!

I made these modern fringe bibs to go with the chair! These bibs are fun and easy to sew up. You can customize them with your favorite fabrics and different types of trims, lace or pom poms! There are so many possibilities that will work for any sweet baby! Make sure the fringe is washable and you’re good to sew!

Read more about this high chair over at See Kate Sew today and enter to win one on this post!

Materials:

-1/3 yard cotton
-1 yard trim
-1/3 yard soft backing fabric, I’m using double gauze from Raspberry Creek Fabrics
-pattern download

Instructions:

1. Download the pattern and print it out at 100% (do not scale). Trim off excess on the sides and tape together as shown from below. Cut out the bib pattern.

2. Cut out 1 bib from main fabric and one from backing fabric.

3. Pin the trim to the front bib piece, facing the bottom edge of the trim UP. Pin in place.

4. Pivot at the bottom point and finish pinning the trim.

5. Baste trim to bib.

6. Place the backing fabric on top of the main fabric and pin it together. The trim will all be on the inside. Sew all the way around 3/8″ from the edge of the bib. Leave a 2-3″ opening on one of the straight side edges.

7. Clip the corners and turn the bib right side out. Press well and topstitch around the bib 1/8″ from the edge.

And you’re done!

Whole30 Tips and Tricks for Moms

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Gugu Guru’s editor in chief is a big fan of January Whole30’s to reset for the year; when she came across the Happy Family Organic Superfoods Cookbook for Baby and Toddler, and saw that some of the recipes were Whole30 compliant, she knew she wanted to share the book and some Whole30 tips with all of you! Read on for a description of the Whole30, as well as tips for completing a Whole30 with a baby and toddler in tow.

Doesn’t every January feel like a total mental reset? Along with organizing my bank statements and computer files, I also gravitate towards doing a Whole30 program. What is this Whole30 that seems to be popping up everywhere now? Essentially, the Whole30 is a total reset of your awareness of food; by eliminating sugar, grains, alcohol, legumes, and dairy, you can give your body a chance to reset the system and see how these foods affect you mentally and physically. Initially, I started eating paleo and doing Whole30s back before I had kids, as I found that sticking to a paleo diet helped cure my lifelong cystic acne! However, I’ve stuck with it because I’m a huge fan, and I love that I can involve my kids in eating healthy too.

When I received the Happy Family cookbook, I was in awe – it is gorgeous! My three year old even came and read it with me; the colors are bold and bright, and I love that the recipes are kid-friendly, but also super sophisticated. A bunch of their recipes are paleo, and even Whole30 compliant, but two of them stuck out to me as sounding amazing. The Coconut Milk Chicken with Broccoli and Snow Peas (just sub out the vegetable oil for coconut oil!) on page 70, introduces children to a new palette with mint and basil, as well as providing healthy fats and veggies. I couldn’t stop salivating over the recipe on page 77 for Orange-y Beef and Carrot Burgers (again, sub in another oil for the vegetable oil to make it Whole30 compliant). I love that these burgers have so many veggies and fruits high in vitamin C – perfect for a wintertime dinner! These meals, while created for children, would be wonderful for anyone, even at your most chic dinner party! Colorful, healthy, and completely full of flavor.

Doing a Whole30 with kids at home isn’t always easy; there’s lots of cooking and cleaning up, meal planning, and thinking about food. By resetting your system and not eating sugar, often times, you’ll find yourself sleeping better at night…that is, unless you’re a mother whose two kids wake up every hour (sleep, what was that again?) Luckily, you can still have your coffee in the morning; though dairy isn’t allowed on the Whole30, we have a wonderful solution: Nutpods! I have to say, when a friend told me about these genius little pods, it was a total life changer. Did you know a lot of coffee creamers have added ingredients which aren’t good for you? Nutpods are made from purified water, coconut cream, almonds, and natural flavors. They are totally Whole30 approved and delicious! They come in original, hazelnut, and french vanilla (I even cook with the original sometimes!). They surely perk up my coffee after a long night of not sleeping. It absolutely makes the Whole30 easier to have these on hand (we suggest adding them to your baby registry, as they’re great even when you’re not on the Whole30).

There are many amazing resources for staying strong during a Whole30 – especially for pregnant and breastfeeding moms! Healthy Mama happy baby is a Whole30 website dedicated to all of the women currently on the Whole30 whom are breastfeeding, pregnant or post-partum. Anyone else doing a Whole30 this month (or have you done one?) leave a comment and let us know!

All photos by Molly Leon Studios

Product Discovery: Kurobaa Cloth Diapers (Cloth Diaper + Yooki Wool Giveaway!)

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Cloth diapering has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Many pregnant moms and new moms prefer cloth diapers for many reasons – cloth diapers are super eco-friendly since you reuse the same diapers and aren’t disposing of many daily diapers in the garbage; cloth diapers are great for babies with sensitive skin; cloth diapers are extremely cost efficient and can even be used from one child to the next! Today we’re highlighting a brand new cloth diaper company founded by two moms, Kurobaa Diapers.

Kurobaa Diapers began when two cloth-diapering mamas had tried almost every single diaper on the market and decided to create their own perfect diaper from everything they learned in their trials and errors. All of their diapers are OS – one size! What does that mean for you? It means you’ll save a ton of money because these diapers grow with your babe. Their One-Size Bamboo Fitted Cloth Diaper comes with a shell, soaker and booster included with every diaper.

Kurobaa Bamboo Fitted Diapers have a diaper shell that consists of three layers: two layers of HEAVY bamboo velour and one layer of bamboo terry. The small, envelope-style waist flaps provide a snug fit without adding excess bulk, while two rows of waist snaps are designed to eliminate “crotch droop” and leg gaps. The diaper shell also has one set of rise snaps to extend the functionality of the diaper. On the smaller rise setting, the diapers will work well for younger babies too!

Like the diaper shell, its long tapered soaker is also made of three layers: two HEAVY bamboo velour and one bamboo terry. The length of the soaker can be custom folded to suit the absorbency needs of the child. And the best part? This diaper comes with a bonus three-layer OBF booster. Use the booster to extend wear time during the day, or to use overnight. All of the fabric used is Oeko-tex certified to ensure no harmful substances come in contact with your baby. The diapers come in 6 different colors, so you can choose what works for you (we suggest gender neutral colors if you’re planning on reusing again!). Since these diapers are a fitted diaper style, they are designed to use under your favorite woolies; Kurobaa suggests using Yooki Wool’s leggings and shorts with their diapers.

Like what you see here? Enter below to win a Kurobaa fitted diaper, a 4-pack of wipes and a pair of Yooki Wool Leggings of your choice (excluding Cadet, Titanium, Delta and Orchid).
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5 Simple Prenatal Cardio & Strength Moves (+ Expecting More DVD Collection Giveaway!)

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Sara Haley is a pre and postnatal fitness specialist and creator of the award winning prenatal program, Expecting MORE and postnatal program, Expecting More®:The 4th Trimester Workout. Here she shares 5 Simple Prenatal Cardio & Strength Moves You Can Do at Home in Less Than 20 minutes PLUS offers a chance to win her signature pre- and postnatal workout DVD collections!

Please consult your doctor or midwife before trying this or any other exercise program during pregnancy.

For this workout you’ll need a supportive chair, medium sized weights (an amount at least equal to the weight of a healthy newborn baby) and a timer. Run the circuit 3 times through with one minute of rest between each rounds.

Busy Bee: You think you are busy now, but just wait until baby comes. That’s why it’s so important to keep your cardiovascular endurance strong. Stand next to your chair. Reach up and away from it as if you were trying to put something high up on a shelf. Then, rotating from your feet, to turn your body towards the chair, tap the chair. Repeat this for 30 seconds before walking to the other side of the chair and repeating it for another 30 seconds. You want to move quick enough that you feel your body getting warm. Just avoid going breathless. Also if this is not enough for you, you can always reach down to touch the floor, until your belly no longer allows you too.

Carseat Rows (weights needed): A strong back means less backache during pregnancy and post. You need strong back muscles to lift and carry your baby, along with everything else that comes with it (car seats, strollers, diaper bags,etc.). For this exercise, stand facing your chair. Bend your knees and hinge at the hips. Hug your baby to your spine to help keep your back flat. Leave one hand on the chair. With the other arm, row it back so that your arm comes right to your bra line. Keep it very close to your body. Return and repeat for 30 seconds before switching to the other side. Again, before you’re showing, you may be able to perform this movement without the chair. Use it for support as soon as you need it.

Baby Burpees: I bet you were thinking you get out of doing burpees, just because you’re pregnant, right? Wrong! Baby Burpees are a great way to get your heart rate up and train your core at the same time. Stand facing your chair. Walk one foot at a time away from the chair so you are in an elevated plank. Walk your feet back in. Continue alternating the leading foot for 60 seconds, or if you’ve done burpees in the past (before you were pregnant) and can land light on your feet, hop your feet out and walk them back in. The farther you walk your feet away from the chair, the more challenging this will be. If you need more modifications, just walk your feet away from the chair so they are right underneath your hips and back in (so your legs will never straighten).

So Big Shoulder Press (weights needed): Strong shoulders will allow you to do so much with your baby, but especially fun games like “So Big!” “How big are you? Soo big!” as you lift them up high. So let’s practice with weights. Stand in front of your chair. Squat down with your weight in your heels (not shown in picture). You can allow your butt to touch the chair, or just hover slightly above. Keep your weights at shoulder level. As you stand up press them high over head. Repeat for 60 seconds.

Baby Butt Lift: Most women feel and see a change in the way their butt looks during pregnancy. Let’s create less work for your postnatal recovery and keep that butt as lifted as we can, yes? Stand facing your chair. Use the chair to support your upper body as you lift one leg up so that it creates a straight line. You can put one hand on the back of the chair, both on the chair, or take one hand off to test your balance. Do whatever feels good to you that day. It doesn’t matter if your leg is high, just that the back is long and straight. Do this by thinking of hugging your baby closer to your spine. Pulse the leg up for 30 seconds before switching to the other side.

Like what you see? Enter to win Sarah’s DVD collection of Expecting MORE® and her postnatal program, Expecting More®:The 4th Trimester Workout here:

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*** All exercises are taken from Sara’s prenatal workout program Expecting MORE, available as downloads or on DVD on her website.

About Sara Haley: Sara is an LA-based pre and postnatal fitness specialist and creator of the award winning prenatal program, Expecting MORE and postnatal program, Expecting More®:The 4th Trimester Workout, which is geared towards all moms whether they had a baby 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years ago. With over 15 years of experience as a fitness specialist, 7 years as a Reebok Master Trainer, Sara has a passion for educating women about staying fit, healthy and strong during pregnancy and beyond, in the safest and most effective ways possible. You can catch Sara at @SaraHaleyFit on social channels or SaraHaley.com.

Pregnancy Fitness Must-Haves + Giveaway

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

Working out – even lightly – on a regular basis is key to having a healthy pregnancy. Whether it’s taking a stroll down your block, yoga, or jogging, there are many ways to stay fit and feel good while pregnant. Here, some of our favorite products for mamas-to-be that are working up a sweat:

Bao Bei Maternity
Some pregnant mamas feel overwhelmed with a new belly while they are working out, which is why we love the Belly Sport Band from Bao Bei Maternity. Created by a Women’s Health Physical Therapist and pilates instructor, these bands are made to feel like a “sports bra for the belly”. Slip one of these soft, but structured, bands on and you will instantly feel pulled together, as the band takes pressure off the lower back; helping your posture and ab muscles. The Belly Sport Band is perfect for under fitness wear, or anytime you need that extra belly support.

For Two Fitness
But, what to wear over your Belly Band? We like the stylish and functional clothing from For Two Fitness Apparel. Just as its name implies, For Two Fitness Apparel caters to active pregnant mamas. A family owned business, For Two Fitness focuses on making women feel beautiful and comfortable during all stages of their pregnancy and beyond. Made in the USA, For Two Fitness offers a huge selection of adorable tank tops, t-shirts, and long-sleeved tops, perfect for running, cycling, yoga, dance, and more. With side-ruching, these tops will stay in place while you work out, so you don’t have to think twice about how you look. With a wide selection of capris, yoga pants, and running shorts, you’ll be fully covered from head to toe in cute and comfortable fitness apparel.

Baby Bump Ball
Looking for a great way to work out at home? Check out the Baby Bump Ball, which is a revolutionary way to exercise, pre-natal and post-natal with baby in arms. The Baby Bump Ball‘s unique feature is its legs; making it stable and secure for a pre-natal workout, as well as to bounce a crying baby on. By using the Baby Bump Ball during pregnancy, it can help prepare your body for labor, as well as strengthen your abdominal muscles and legs. Suffering from lower back pain towards the end of pregnancy? Baby Bump is good for exercising the deep, supportive muscles in the lower back and surrounding spine so you’ll have better posture and be less prone to backache and sciatica. These colorful bouncy balls are “burst proof, recyclable, Latex-BPA-Phlalate-FREE and environmentally friendly,” and a great investment, as you can use prenatal and postpartum.

basq Cooling Body Bliss
Pregnancy can cause swelling and achy muscles in general and working out can exacerbate this. So how does a pregnant mama soothe those pains away? We love the Cooling Body Bliss from basq; a light textured gel packed with antioxidants perfect for the pregnant body. With a wonderful aroma, reminiscent of green tea, cucumbers, and eucalyptus, this cooling gel instantly soothes the body upon application. Ideal for reducing swelling in the feet and legs, which is common in pregnancy, this cooling gel will leave your skin feeling silky smooth and refreshed. Whether it’s a neck ache, tight back muscles, foot ache from walking all day, or a swollen ankle from running, slather on some Cooling Body Bliss and your pregnant body will instantly feel revitalized and nourished.

Ready to break a sweat with these products? Enter to win a Belly Sport Band from Bao Bei Maternity, a top and bottom from For Two Fitness, a Baby Bump Ball and basq Cooling Body Bliss here:

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