Ashling Drew, Author at Joyful Messes

4 Simple Solutions for Packing Nourishing and Easy Snacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PublixWinWinSnacks #CollectiveBias Fall and winter sports always bring super fun days, but also very long days for the whole family. Especially if you have multiple children in weekend sports to shuttle from game to game. I’ve found that packing snacks appropriately is really important to keeping everyone (including myself!) happy and enthusiastic. Melt downs can quickly happen if kids are bored, hungry or tired. I try to pack nourishing snacks to keep my little ones from getting hungry, and also to keep them busy. Little snacks keep them occupied, while also keeping them from getting too hungry. I put together some of my best tips for packing snacks and powering up on long sports days. Even if it isn’t a sport day, it could be a zoo day, park day or some other…

The Best Whey Protein Powder for Breastfeeding Mamas

This post is sponsored by WOW MOMS, where I received the product to try, and I was blown away with the quality and taste, so here are the details! Of course, as always, all opinions are my own. Whey protein powder can be very safe and beneficial for breastfeeding mamas. Protein is essential for postpartum mamas to heal properly, as well as produce breast milk. Breastfeeding mamas need protein, and whey protein powder can be a great choice to help you consume enough protein, as well as make some delicious recipes. How is whey protein powder beneficial for breastfeeding mamas? Whey protein is a complete amino acid protein because it comes from animals. Our bodies do not create protein, we need to consume it for our muscles, hair, skin, cells and for baby. Protein is going to help with cell growth, and the amino acids pass through to baby, who…

Healthy Eggnog Protein Shake

A healthy eggnog protein shake that is perfect to celebrate the holidays, while sticking to your holiday fitness goals. This is so good. Like creamy, yummy, festive and super healthy. You aren’t consuming loads of sugar and fat all all with this protein shake recipe. This recipe is created with WOW MOMS vanilla protein shake. This is one of my top protein powders for breastfeeding mamas, and it is really good. It is the top whey protein powder I suggest if you are breastfeeding. It is a very clean protein powder, made from grass-fed whey, which is very important!! Because this protein powder is so clean, it is a great way for breastfeeding mamas to get enough protein. If you can’t do dairy, this is my favorite plant-based protein powder that blends really well. Because this protein powder is naturally sweet, it helps with sweet cravings, and it fills you…

5 Hidden Reasons You’re Gaining Weight While Breastfeeding

There are hidden reasons why you might be gaining weight while breastfeeding, which is of course disappointing and very frustrating. Especially when you are eating healthy, exercising, and breastfeeding. Then, you see all these women proclaiming their easy-peasy weight loss, and it makes for one giant stress ball. These stress hormone cortisol levels are working against you trying to lose that baby weight. Gaining weight while breastfeeding is more common than you feel, and understanding the hidden reasons behind the weight gain, or lack of weight loss, can help you feel less stressed. As a Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist, and founder of a very popular breastfeeding diet and fitness program, The Postpartum Cure, I have lots of experience helping mamas tweak their diets and mindset to be able to lose weight without losing their milk supply, the healthy way. In desperation, many new moms will skip meals, starve, and work out like…

5 Steps To Drop 10 Lbs While Breastfeeding

Most women have a goal to lose at least 10 pounds while they are breastfeeding their new baby. Some women want to lose more than 10 pounds, depending on how much was gained during pregnancy, but I think 10 lbs is a realistic goal for breastfeeding mamas. Katie Pickett, a certified Pre/Post Natal Fitness Specialist, has listened to the concerns and struggles breastfeeding mamas are enduring and has created this breastfeeding-specific diet program. I am very passionate about helping mamas lose weight while breastfeeding because I’ve been able to do it. Let’s go over these 5 steps you can take to lose 10 lbs while breastfeeding. If these don’t work, feel free to see what other mamas have said about the program. Here’s a quick list of the 5 tips for losing 10 lbs while breastfeeding, then I will go into detail on each one: Switching to a Nutrient-Dense Diet…

The Best Lactation Protein Shake On Earth that Will Pump Up Your Milk Fast

Meet guest poster, Katie Pickett, a seasoned entrepreneur and mom of three who has shared her wisdom in crafting this blog post. At joyfulmesses.com, we’re committed to providing you with the latest parenting insights and tips, thanks to contributors like Katie. Stay tuned for expert advice, as we continue to update our blog to support moms like you on your journey. Love, Ashling! Lactation protein shakes are my secret weapon for postpartum weight loss and milk supply. Keeping up your milk supply as a busy mama can cause lots of anxiety as a new mama, but there are some amazing nutrients and herbs out there that can really help. I created an awesome protein shake recipe that will help you pump up your milk fast because it is full of milk-boosting, lactation-causing, and galactagogue ingredients! Scroll to the bottom to see my full, video review of the taste and the lactation bites!…

How Much Protein Do You Need While Breastfeeding

Protein while breastfeeding is super important to maintaining a healthy milk supply, maintaining muscle and healing postpartum. Eating protein isn’t always the hard part. It is knowing how much protein to eat while eating. Other questions come in like, “what type of protein is the best?” or “does it have to be organic?” We are fortunate to have a plethora of food options in our country, but sometimes more options can be more complicated. How Much Protein Does a Breastfeeding Woman Need? The first step is to understand how much protein you need while breastfeeding. Protein isn’t directly linked to milk supply, that we know of yet, but it is very important for your body to function properly and thrive. A body full of nutrients is a body that will produce a healthy milk supply, so they go hand-in-hand in my mind. That being said, medical officials say that breastfeeding…

Protein Smoothie Challenge For Breastfeeding Moms To Increase Milk Supply + Lose Weight

Breastfeeding and losing weight is a difficult task for almost every mama. The goal is to keep up your milk supply, while also losing the extra baby weight gained during pregnancy. This is exactly what your body is supposed to do after having a baby: use stored fat to help produce a healthy supply of breast milk. START THE CHALLENGE NOW! But, with all the processed and yummy treats available today, it is so easy to survive off a less-than-nutritious diet. We fill our plates with foods and dishes that are created for flavor and comfort, rather than nourishment. This is where breastfeeding mamas can have some issues because if your body is in a nutrient-deprived state, it won’t want to let go of fat as easily. You can force it to do so by eating too few calories, so it has to burn fat cells, but you can also…

How I Lost the Baby Weight Fast (25 lbs!) Without Losing My Milk

After three babies, I’ve learned how to lose the baby weight fast, without compromising my milk supply in any way, and in fact, I was able to keep up a healthy milk supply while dropping the baby weight quickly. The fastest way to lose the baby weight isn’t a strict, low-calorie diet or lots and lots of intensive exercise. The fastest way to lose the baby weight is to focus on a few very important things that will help you with losing the baby weight and protecting your milk supply. I developed a program and app that walks mamas through eating correctly to lose the baby weight, while also ensuring you are eating enough nutrients to support a healthy milk supply. I also put together an Ab Rehab and Pelvic Floor Restore Program that heals your body after baby, in addition to amazing, quick workouts to burn calories and tone…

How To Manage and Balance All The Things In Postpartum Life: 6 Gems of Advice

This post is sponsored by AZO and SheKnows Media. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Balancing postpartum life can seem completely impossible in the first few months. Between the bleeding, diaper blowouts, leakages, lack of sleep and completely interrupted activities, it can feel LIKE you’re suffocating. When you’re in the moment, it feels like slow motion as the hours tick by, but then, before you know it, your little one is talking and turning two. Let’s go over some of the things that happen postpartum, and how to balance and manage them all! Healing from either c-section or vaginal birth is shocking in itself. I was terrified to even consider looking at the aftermath of my first birth. Managing your healing process involves consistent care and attention. This is one of the major things that will consume your mind and attention (besides baby) postpartum. If you manage your health…

Ashling Drew