Breast milk is best for your baby

Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for healthy growth and development of babies. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond. Good maternal nutrition helps sustain an adequate supply and quality of breast milk. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding, partially or fully, or of other complementary foods and drinks may have a negative impact on breastfeeding, which may be irreversible. Consult your doctor and consider the social and financial implications before deciding to use breast milk substitutes or if you have difficulty breastfeeding. Follow usage, preparation and storage instructions of breast milk substitutes or of other complementary foods and drinks carefully as improper or unnecessary use may pose a health hazard.

My Pregnancy My Way

Me Time For Mummy

Setting goals can help you and your family stay focused on what really matters, and better manage your never-ending list of to-dos.

A 3-ingredient DIY foot soak for dry, cracked heels.

Setting goals towards a happy family, and happy you
It’s easy to get all caught up and forget that being a good mom is not about fitting into a standard or expectations set by others. It should be about what being a good mom means to you and your family. Setting goals can help you and your family stay focused on what really matters, and better manage your never-ending list of to-dos.

Be S.M.A.R.T.
Goals should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound. The S.M.A.R.T. framework is often used in business to break down goals. You can start by setting your most important intention as a mom for the next year. It could be a word such as ‘nurture, or a phrase such as, "I want to nurture my child’s natural abilities and learn through exploration together."

Decide on a list of goals that will have a positive impact on your family, and break it up to three or four goals every quarter. You could also settle on a number that works for you and be sure to combine big goals with smaller ones. Then, place the written goals in a place where everyone can see it. For younger kids, drawing pictures helps in processing information and recall.

Remember to celebrate little victories along the way, and setbacks should be viewed as opportunities to develop a growth mindset together. In addition to family goals, it is important to include self-care goals too.

Mom-pause, please
It is understandable that you are already tired and need more rest. Waking up before your kids for some precious ‘me’ time is not always possible. So, it would be good to plan a time during the day, even for just 15 minutes, to be alone. It could be during your kids’ nap time, while they are at school, or when your other half is at home to watch them.

Take a walk, talk to a neighbour, do a little gardening, enjoy your coffee without any interruptions – do whatever that gives you some reprieve from daily responsibilities. If a daily time-out is not possible, be sure to do something for yourself every week. It could be attending a yoga class, reading, taking a bubble bath, writing, or watching a movie.

Let’s get physical
Whichever way you choose to move, this ‘me’ time is invaluable and the endorphins will give you a happy start or add a dose of feel-good to your day. Take the time to exercise and strengthen your body. It’s not about fitting into that honeymoon bikini. It’s more about knowing that to live a full life, you need a body that is working at its best potential.

Once you start setting goals and purposefully work towards realising them, you’ll see that your life becomes more meaningful, and you’ll feel more accomplished!