It all started at one of my first prenatal appointments – which was admittedly a while ago – when my doctor told me I was better off resting on the couch than working out during my pregnancy. At the time I was personal trainer and had worked in marketing for an international health club company, so fitness was a huge part of my life and my identity. The advice to effectively put my exercise schedule on hold for the next 9 months just didn’t suit – I could not believe that it would be the healthiest decision for myself, or my baby. And here’s the truth, ladies: it wasn’t!

The bigger truth was that 20 years ago no one was adequately addressing pre and postnatal fitness on a large scale, and that’s what initially brought me into this space. While pregnant with my first child I received my certification in pre and postnatal fitness instruction, and shortly after he was born I started offering classes in and around London. That business quickly expanded into training other fitness specialists in prenatal exercise, launching a fitness and wellbeing DVD, co-authoring a best-selling pregnancy book – and so much more.

Now, this all began 20 years ago, but in a world that’s ever-changing, there still wasn’t a comprehensive resource that addressed a woman’s healthy lifestyle during and after pregnancy even a few short years ago. That’s when I decided to launch Baby2Body on a global scale – a woman’s one-stop shop for content, products, and services related to her wellbeing, nutrition, fitness, and beauty during pregnancy and beyond.

Today, Baby2Body is the only motherhood and pregnancy content company that actually focuses on the mom. We’re not dishing up outdated guidance – we’re the go-to resource for the modern mama. We’re here to help women retain their sense of self and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Why? Because happier, healthier moms make for happier, healthier babies.

We’re dedicated to helping moms be fit, eat well, and stay calm while looking and feeling amazing. Of course, all moms are busy moms, so sometimes we need a bit of extra help. A good set of life hacks goes a long way to making your days a bit easier and a lot healthier – and we’ve got our top 5 life hacks to simplify and health-ify your busy mom routine!

With love,
Melinda Nicci
Founder & CEO at Baby2Body

Photo Courtesy of Baby2Body

1. Build confidence with morning mantras

Whether you recite affirmations, practice meditation, or post sticky notes with positive messages around your house, make time for confidence mantras. Starting your day with a positive thought about your own power and possibilities trains your mind to have healthier thoughts and that creates healthier actions.

2. Add greens to your breakfast

Your morning meal or light bite will be the first thing that your digestive system encounters after its nightly detoxifying session, and it sets your energy for the day. Studies suggest that people who eat healthy breakfasts are more likely to make healthier choices at later mealtimes and have a higher intake of fruit in their diet. So making that healthy breakfast choice (pop some greens and super-seeds in that smoothie!) can really pay off in the long run.

3. Take 12 minutes for music and movement midday

In a perfect world we’d hit the gym or our favorite spin class every day – but that’s not always in the cards. When you don’t have time for a proper workout, make time for 12 minutes with your favorite music and a quick resistance circuit. Pick 3 songs that you’ve been jamming to lately – we know you have some in mind – and press play. While those songs play get moving with squats, lunges, plank holds and mountain climbers; do each for 1 minute, rest and repeat until the songs are over! Bam – workout done.

4. Double time with baby products at night

What I love about a beauty routine is that it means a million different things to a million different people. It’s yours to define, and you deserve to feel your definition of beautiful. If you’ve forgotten to replenish your go-to moisturizer or are trying to keep things cost-effective, it doesn’t mean you need to side step your beauty routine. There are fantastic baby hair care products made with all clean and nourishing ingredients (including SoCozy !) and you may be surprised to find they treat your skin, hair and body so well. So go ahead, give that baby oil a go.

5. Team up for even healthier living

A recent study published in Health Psychology found that having a happy partner is associated with having better health yourself. It’s believed that there is a unique social component to health that is reinforced by relationships. Research suggests that one person’s contentedness and positive health can result in their partner feeling better as well. So team up with your partner in healthy living goals, because you’ll both be better off for it! Bonus: children with more active parents are more likely to lead active, healthy lives themselves. It’s a win-win-win.

For more healthy living tips and inspiration tailored to your pregnancy and early motherhood, check out the Baby2Body app!