Home » coffee

Tag: coffee

7 Ways to Create “Me” Time Postpartum

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links!

After having a child, it can be harder to create alone time, or what some like to call “me” time. During your postpartum period it can be even more crucial as you are adjusting to life with a newborn, or with more children. Your “me” time allows you to relax, re-set and refocus on you. When you are finished with your “me” time, you can return to your children and family refreshed and happier.

Creating “me” time can be as simple as 10 minutes to 1 hour a day or it could be a few hours one afternoon, once a week. Allowing yourself time to re-set is important for your health, just as exercising and eating healthy is. If you are a planner and have a family calendar, carve these days out in your schedule. If it’s on the schedule then you and your significant other will be prepared and it is more likely to happen.

Are you not sure what to do during your “me” time? Check out this great list I put together!

Take a Hot bath, Epsom Salts & Lavender Essential Oils. This is my favorite and the most simplest way to have some alone time. Grab your favorite book and some hot tea. Of course, if you are newly postpartum you may need to wait a few weeks until your doctor approves you to bathe. Epsom salts are a great way to relax your tense muscles from carrying and nursing your baby. Add a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil to your bath. Lavender Essential Oil can help relieve nervous tension, enhance blood circulation and much more. Plus, it just smells amazing!

Spend an afternoon at a local coffee shop or book store. Grab your favorite book, a journal, or go look for a great book to read while taking your hot bath. Every new parent needs coffee right? Treat yourself and get a fancy, specialty drink and relax. Read your book or people watch. Both can be equally entertaining 🙂 Check out some great, local coffee shops here!

Spa Day! What woman doesn’t love a spa day? It doesn’t need to be an entire day, but you can go get a manicure and pedicure or an hour long massage. If someone is wanting to get you something postpartum, ask for a gift certificate! You just gave birth and are juggling life as a mom, you deserve some pampering. Do you live in Central Iowa? Check out some great spas in the area here.

Sign-up for a yoga class. Yoga is a great way to relax and to get your body moving. It does not have to be a sweaty workout, but it can be an opportunity for you to become re-centered. Yoga is a great time to meditate too! I know whenever I leave a yoga class, I am refreshed and ready for the world. If you live in the Des Moines area I highly recommend checking out The Family Tree Yoga. They offer several great classes and workshops for pregnancy, postpartum and more. They also offer massage too! 🙂 Check out Power Life Yoga, also! They offer several locations in the Des Moines area.

Take a walk. Fresh air is truly some of the best medicine. After being cooped up in the house all day with your newborn, getting outside and taking in the scenery can be a great way to unwind. The Des Moines area is truly blessed with tons of bike trails. One of my favorite places to walk and explore is the PappaJohn Sculpture Park located right by Central Library and Ritual Cafe. You can also walk along the Des Moines River on the Principal Riverwalk. Too chilly out? Check out Botanical Blues at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

Take a class. After becoming a parent, you easily can forget to do things you love to do! Find something you want to learn or something you have always loved, and take a class. Are you artistic? Paint some pottery or canvas at Glazed Expressions! There are several places to do canvas art in the area. You can also take a cooking class! The Des Moines Public Library offers an Adult Coloring Time weekly.

Get adjusted! This seems simple and actually does not take much time at all, but can easily be added to your afternoon break before you head to the coffee shop or book store. After giving birth, whether it be vaginally or via c-section, your pelvis and entire body experiences changes. Not only from child birth, but from nursing positions, carrying your newborn, and carrying that hefty car seat! Getting adjusted regulary by a chiropractor you trust and is experienced with prenatal and postnatal adjustment is highly recommended! Check out Dr. Jennifer Thompson at Balance Chiropractic & Wellness.

Photo Credits: PappaJohn Sculpture Park, Smokey Row Coffee Shop

Friday Randoms

It’s Friday and I just have to share with you some random things, I’ve discovered this week, and have fallen in love with!

1. Crane Humidifiers

Sunday night into Monday was a tough night for Monte. He was very congested and he slept like crap. I heard about these Crane humidifiers last year, but never brought myself to purchase one. We had a basic Vicks one, that I thought, did the job just fine. Boy was I wrong! Monday I went out and purchased this adorable owl humidifier and Monte slept so much better that night. It uses cool mist and increases moisture in the air for easier breathing. Monte also enjoyed that it was an owl 🙂 I bought mine at Babies R Us and it was 20% off. Great buy!

(Image Source)

2. Green Grounds Cafe

I finally checked out this little gem in Valley Junction. I have heard lots of people talk about this small coffee shop, but never made a stop. I am so happy I finally did! They have awesome lattes (I tried the White Chocolate Raspberry) and delicious, not so good for you scones (I tried the apple cinnamon). They also offer wraps, sandwiches, salads, muffins, and breakfast. They have unique gifts from local artists and also carry Young Living products and I love Young Living Essential Oils. It’s a very large cafe where you could meet others for a meeting or just to hang out. Definitely check it out and support a local business!

(Image Source)

3. “Disconnect to Connect”

I updated my vision board this week and came across this quote. I will admit, I have an addiction to Facebook, Instagram, checking my e-mail, etc. I have an iPhone and all of these things are easily at my finger tips and so easy to look at. I’ve decided I need to limit my time on the phone. Each day will be a bit different, depending on what is going on. Monday night was my first night. I put my phone down, left it in another room from 5 pm – 9:45 pm (I checked it right before bed). Since I did this I enjoyed some quality time with my family and actually focused on them. I also read almost half a book! And I’ve been complaining I don’t have time to read? REALLY?!? 

I challenge you all to do the same. You don’t even realize how much time you spend on your phone. I always said to my self “I will just check my e-mail quick” “Did someone post something on Facebook? I will check real quick”, etc. Those “quick” checks add up to many minutes you are missing out on your family and/or reading a great book!

(Image Source)

4. The Body Book

Above I mentioned I read half a book in one night … it was The Body Book by Cameron Diaz. I’ve heard good things about this book and decided to pick it up. I absolutely love it! This is a not a diet book and not a workout regimen. It doesn’t tell you, you need to do this and this; to look amazing. It basically explains how YOUR own body works and how to LOVE the body you have been given. Right now, I am in the section on nutrition. It’s amazing how much I have learned, about the food I put in my body and what my body NEEDS to survive and work at its best. Of course, I know too much sugar is bad for you and you need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, but this book explains WHY. I think it’s easier if you understand WHY and how things work, it’s easier to follow through. When I finish this book I will definitely share my thoughts and favorite things I gained from reading The Body Book.

(Image Source)

What are some new or different things you have come across this week?

Routines & Schedules

I’m a girl of routine, schedules and organization! If I do not have a routine, my life is haywire! It is good to stray away from schedules and routines from time to time. At the beginning of July, Travis, my dad and I took a much needed vacation to Chicago and Milwaukee. It was a lot of fun!

Cubs Trip 2013

When we returned, we just could not get back into the groove of things. Many things came up including work schedules, life events, etc. I am a person if I do not have a routine of eating, exercising, going to bed at a decent time and so on, I am not very pleasant to be around and feel like crap 24/7 (ask the hubby and mi padre).

BUT, it is now August 1st and I am determined to get back into a routine! Including blogging 🙂

One thing Travis and I invested in to help with our “routine” was a Keurig!

We LOVE how easy and quick it is to make coffee in the morning. For awhile, I was getting into the habit of going to Starbucks, Dunkn Donuts or Smokey Row for my coffee because it was easy and tasted better then any coffee that I could make. When I did that, I ended up buying myself a scone (what is a coffee shop coffee without a bakery item?) The calories started adding up and it was putting a dent in our budget. Now, the Keurig tastes just like any cup of coffee, I would pick up elsewhere. We also don’t HAVE to buy the k-cups (which are nice) we can use any ground coffee with the machine, because we have the my K-Cup. Overall, I give this product a BIG thumbs up!

Mr. Monte has surely felt the effects of not being on a set routine! He got used to staying up late, doing whatever, whenever and not eating the best. Now that we are trying to get back into that routine we are also dealing with more teeth popping up! My poor little guy was miserable yesterday. He barely ate anything and was fussy!

After some coaxing, I put frozen (thawed a bit) Chobani blueberry yogurt on a frozen teething ring. Not only did he realize “oh this is yummy” but he also realized that the frozen teething ring felt good on his mouth!

What are some of your tricks and tips with kiddos teething?