Ashling Drew, Author at Joyful Messes

How I Survived Morning (All-Day) Sickness With Toddlers: 6 Awesome Tricks

Morning sickness, or all-day sickness is my least favorite experience being pregnant. I had to develop some awesome tricks to survive the icky, terrible headachy hang over that would start hitting me soon after breakfast, and slam into me by evening. I remember laying on the couch, sick and pregnant with my second, not even able to celebrate my first son’s first birthday. The intense fatigue that literally pulls you into a coma is impossible to fight at times, yet with two toddlers (3.5 and 2), I couldn’t just fall asleep whenever I felt like it. With my first, I’d fall asleep in the car on my lunch break. Adding toddlers to the mix is a completely different world, and here are the tricks that helped me survive the 20 weeks it took me to feel better again. Protein at Breakfast: I became obsessed with Starbucks Egg White and Feta…

How I Eat Carbs and Still Lose The Baby Weight

Carbs are a huge part of my life postpartum, even while losing the baby weight. With the keto-craze happening right now, it seems to me that everyone is scared of carbs. Carbs are amazing, and you can totally eat carbs and still lose weight. I am a carb-eater, and with breastfeeding and running, I need them to function. If I switch to low carb, I want to die and scream for days. If this is you, DON’T WORRY! You can eat carbs. Your body might like to run off of carbs, and feel terrible in ketosis, so don’t force it. Let’s go over how to eat carbs and still lose the baby weight. Carbs actually help with weight loss, especially after baby. Carbohydrates are an essential macro nutrient our bodies need, even when losing weight. Eliminating carbohydrates does work for some people, but not everyone needs to eliminate carbohydrates to…

6 Things You Have To Grab in Your Last Trimester To Make Breastfeeding a Breeze

Breastfeeding was a huge priority for me with my first baby, and I was fortunate enough to be able to breastfeed successfully, with a healthy supply, all my babies. I am still breastfeeding my 16-month-old, more because it’s easier than necessity. I even started working on my milk supply in my last few weeks of pregnancy. There were just a few items I really suggest to help you with your milk supply and breastfeeding, that you should have ready to go. If you are thinking about having a natural birth, but unsure, check out this class! If I had this class, I think I would’ve been much more prepared for my unexpected natural births! I was not ready when the epidural didn’t work and my second and third babies came so fast. My friend and labor nurse put it together, and she is amazing. Moving into the 6 most important…

Man-Approved Gluten Free Sandwhich (they’ll never know it’s gluten free!)

This post is sponsored by Udi’s Gluten Free. All comments and opinions are my own. I’m so excited to share this recipe because I myself, am gluten free most of the time. My husband, on the other hand, runs away from anything even insinuating organic or gluten free. BUT, this recipe, this sandwich, is so good, he has no clue I make it on my gluten free bread! He loves this recipe, and he will eat it multiple days in a row. Gluten free is a lifestyle I’ve had for years now, which started when I developed some gut issues, which I’ve talked about a few times now on the blog. It took some diet changes, as well as seeing a naturopath for the right enzymes and supplements to really get better. Back to the sandwich. I make a few and leave them made, wrapped in foil in the fridge…

How to Train for a 5K with A Stroller

I finally started consistently running again, after being pregnant or nursing for over 5 years. I had three babies in just over three years, and I am just finishing nursing my third baby now. It is really hard to get into a fitness routine once you have kids. I struggled the most after my first baby, and I really didn’t get back into a fitness routine much. With my second I was a little better, and now I am finally back to running again. I can actually say I’m a runner, and it makes me so happy! I run with my stroller, with two of my kids most the time (the hubby takes one), but sometimes I pile all three in, and rarely I go with one or by myself! If you follow me on Instagram, you will see all my running adventure stories. Sometimes it’s the baby and the…

5 Quick Steps for Cleaner Living For the Whole Family

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Purina. All opinions are mine alone. #WhatFuelsRight #CollectiveBias Spring cleaning is just around the corner, and I’ve been attempting to either buy or make more natural products to use. My nose has even adjusted to chemical smells. where I like the “clean” smell. After doing some research, and making one trip to the store, I was able to make 5 simple changes in our lives, that bring cleaner living to all of us, even our new puppy, Theodore. With three kiddos, it’s easy to leave him out, but the most important way I can keep him living a cleaner, more natural life is by the food I offer him. What goes in your body is so important, both for humans and dogs! I talk a lot about nutrition and eating healthy here, and it is just as important for your…

The 6 Cutest Easter Basket Theme Ideas Ever for Toddlers

Easter is just around the corner, and I am on the hunt to create some fabulous Easter baskets this year! Last year we were traveling, so we did Church events and egg hunts. This year, I am ready to add the baskets! I’ve been searching for some cute ideas because I don’t want to just fill it with candy. I’m sure my boys would die for a basket full of Skittles, but let’s be honest, that will just cause a huge, sugar-induced disaster. So, I wanted to find fun ideas that incorporated gardening tools (because of spring planting!), learning activities, faith-based books, and more. I thought you all might be looking for similar ideas, so here’s my list of inspo to get you all started on your Easter baskets! The First Idea is a Little Gardner’s Theme: I love this because my little boys love to dig in the dirt.…

8 Amazing Protein Powder Recipes For Milk Supply and Losing The Baby Weight

As a breastfeeding mama, who’s gained and lost the baby weight (over 25lbs) three times now, I can vouch for the importance of protein to help you lose the weight, but also keep your milk supply up. I actually have a hard time eating a lot of protein. I just prefer carbs, and I don’t like meat much. Now, carbs get a bad rap these days with the Keto diet craze. I think if that works best for you, do it, but if you love carbs like I do, you can totally achieve your goals by eating carbs. The thing is, our bodies are designed to either use carbs (first choice) or fat (second choice) as fuel. I’ll go into more detail on this in another post, but no matter how you are eating, protein is necessary. If you are like me, you need some quick, tasty protein. That’s where…

5 Fast Ways To Eat More Protein For Postpartum Weight Loss and Milk Supply

Protein is essential for losing the baby weight while breastfeeding, yet sometimes it’s hard to make sure you are eating enough because of all the carb cravings. I would much rather have some chocolate chip, milk-boosting cookies, rather than chicken. That’s just the way my taste-buds are. But, there are some great ways you can get more protein in, which is essential for helping you to lose weight and keep your milk supply up. I talk a lot about protein on this blog because it is so important to maintain your muscles, keep you full, fuel your brain and ultimately aid in your weight loss and fitness efforts. So, let’s talk about how you can get more protein in once baby arrives. The goal is to lose the weight and keep your milk supply up. I have lots more tips on that in this post, which you will want to…

The 5 Best Milk Supply Boosters for Richer Milk

Breast milk production is so important because as a breastfeeding mama, that’s how your baby is surviving! We worry about the amount they are getting, the nutrients we are providing, and if we are producing enough to keep them full and happy. With my first baby, I researched everything on milk production, and I even started working on my milk supply before my baby arrived. I found so much information, as well as some products that actually work really well, I decided to write the ultimate guide to milk boosters. The one I wish I could’ve read when I was 9 months pregnant and obsessing about breastfeeding. I also WISH I would’ve found this gem of a resource! SO MUCH HELPFUL INFORMATION! I also stumbled upon this guide for pumping, if you are struggling like I did. I hated pumping, and I avoided it at all costs in the beginning.…

Ashling Drew