3 Kids and Us

Dealing with Backpain After Childbirth

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If giving birth wasn’t painful enough, you then have to deal with a host of other problems. In fact, it probably feels as if your body is never going to be the same again!

Celebrity mums seem to snap back into shape the moment their baby arrives. For the rest of us, life isn’t so kind. Unfortunately, it is very common for new moms to suffer from a backache in the days and weeks post-birth. Your body has been through an awful lot, with a host of physical changes to contend with.

You probably gained a few extra pounds when you were pregnant, on top of the extra baby weight you had to lug around for nine months. This extra weight will have put a lot of extra stress on your pelvic region, including your lower back. And, to make matters worse, ligaments will have softened and joints loosened, all thanks to pregnancy hormones. There is also the issue of poor posture. After all, who can stand up straight when their belly is huge?

Backache post-pregnancy is very common. Many moms associate back pain with pregnancy, but like those extra few pounds, back pain is one annoying problem that doesn’t always melt away when the baby arrives.

Why Your Back Hurts

The human body is a wonderful thing, but it needs time to recover from the rigors of childbirth. You have to give yourself a break and try not to do too much. Instead of rushing around cooking, cleaning, and taking care of a newborn baby, rest, recuperate, and let other people do the heavy lifting for a few weeks. It is important that you give your body a chance to heal. Rest is a great healer, especially if your back is sore after the birth.

Being overweight is another factor. The more weight you are carrying, the more strain it places on your back. As discussed already, your back and core muscles are likely to be weaker than normal post-birth, so carrying extra weight won’t help.

Dealing with Back Pain

Where possible, stick to a healthy eating plan and breastfeed your baby, as breastfeeding is great for post-partum weight loss.  Try and include gentle exercise in your daily routine. You might not feel like going out, but a bit of fresh air will be good for you and your baby. It strengthens your muscles and may help the baby get to sleep.

Be careful when feeding your baby. Poor posture is a trigger for back pain. Many new mums hunch over when feeding their baby. Try to sit back when encouraging your baby latch on or take the bottle.

Long-Term Strategies

Once you feel more energetic, consider joining a fitness class for new moms. Yoga or Pilates are very useful for helping ease back pain. If this doesn’t help, consult an echiro practor or ask your doctor to refer you to a physio.

Back pain is mostly nothing serious, but if you experience any other worrying symptoms or the pain isn’t helped by over-the-counter painkillers, speak to your doctor for advice.

5 Ways to Enjoy a Weekend Away from the Kids

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When you’re a parent, your life revolves around your children. You spend a huge amount of your time caring for them, worrying about them, and doing things for them, that it can be easy to forget about yourself. However, it’s important that you maintain your social life –– if for no other reason than to keep your sanity! That’s why you should plan for the occasional weekend away from the kids. And to that end, here are the five best ways to get the most enjoyment out of a big weekend on your own:

Arrange a Trustworthy Babysitter

If you’re a parent looking to reduce your stress, the last thing you want to do on your weekend excursion is fret about your kids. So before you do anything else, make sure to line up a sound babysitter to look after your kids. Friends or family are preferred in this instance, but if you have to use a stranger make sure to vet their credentials beforehand. Otherwise you’ll constantly be checking in on the situation back at your house, and not living it up.

Diversify

A truly delightful weekend is a combination of high and low-energy activities. Don’t make the mistake of staying out all night, only to plan a rock-climbing excursion the next morning. Plus, adding a wide array of different events will help to keep all of your friends engaged.

Find the Right Spot

If possible, spending the weekend out of town can be a great way to blow of steam for a few days. The key here is to identify a destination that is close enough to reach quickly, but far enough away to offer you a chance for new experiences. When in doubt though, don’t travel too much. Since you only have a few days available, make sure to dedicate them to relaxation –– not travel.

Hit an Old Haunt

Sometimes rather than experiencing a new city, the best way to have a blast on your free weekend is to rediscover an old restaurant or bar. Going back to an old haunt can help you keep in touch with friends or well-wishers you may not have seen in years.

Party Down

Ultimately, your weekend away form the kids is all about you. Go out there and party, relax, and enjoy yourself while it lasts. Also, if you coordinate your plans with a group you should consider a party bus rental to provide a safe ride and fun atmosphere for everyone involved. At the end of the day you should return to “normal” life on Monday and be all the more refreshed for your exploits.

Say So Long Fare Well to the Norm – Go on a Solo Holiday

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Trying to find someone who will enjoy the sort of holiday you do is not always easy. It can be a huge let down when you expect to go on an exhilarating holiday with someone, only for them to pull out last minute. A solo holiday can combat this; it’s an opportunity to take on your desired adventures without any restrictions.

Whether you like action packed holidays filled with activities that leave you buzzing and bouncing, or if you prefer more of a relaxed holiday where you can sink your toes into golden sand and drink cocktails in the sun; whatever type of holiday you like, you can choose to embark on it, and mingle with like-minded people that will make the journey even more of an exciting and worthwhile experience. Here are just a few of the many benefits of being a solo traveller. Go abroad on a solo holiday and experience these delights.

It’s in Your Favour

You don’t have to compromise your desires, you don’t have to cash out on a holiday that you’re half-hearted about because someone else is going, and you just want to get away too. This is the one time that you can be selfish, and pick a holiday that suits you completely. A solo holiday is one that you can truly appreciate because it takes you to the places you want to be. Whatever Landmarks you want to be lured by, activities you want to act upon, luxuries you want to fall in love with, you can holiday to your hearts content.

Don’t let the mundane activities of life keep you suffocated. A solo holiday offers freedom and gives you the opportunity to find you. Life can leave you rapidly going in circles; missing out on who you really are and what you really do, but with this type of trip you can find yourself, and become aware of all that you would like to accomplish in life. Relax, unwind and fill your days with ‘me time.’

It Cuts Cost

Bringing family and friends along can be a costly choice because there are restraining decisions and dear dates that can leave a bit of a hole in the pocket. Taking a solo holiday can eliminate these issues because you can decide on where you want to eat and what you want to do in order to stick within your budget. You can also choose what you want to use your money on, so that you invest in the things that you really enjoy. There are also other considerations like single accommodation, travel and food that will be a lot cheaper if it’s just you.

Learn the Lingo

Experiencing different cultures will help you to develop your language skills. Journeying alone to different countries takes you out of the comfort zone of only conversing in your native tongue. Embrace the various colourful countries on a solo holiday of your choice and embrace various qualities that will not only be good on your resume but in how you interact on a whole.

Fun Times In Florida – Things You Need To Catch On Your Trip

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Road trips can be some of the most fun you will ever have in a summer, fall or spring. Winter road trips can be great but they’re usually reserved more for the summertime – roof down, cold drinks on the go and the tape deck blasting out the best tunes of your teenage years. So if this sounds like the trip to end all trips, where should you go? What spot has a great amount of things to see and do while having it all accessible by great stretches of road for miles and miles? Check out these great stops to make in one of the best states for road trips – Florida!

The Parks

One of the main reasons many people come to this part of the United States is mainly to see the numerous amazing amusement parks on offer. You can head to Disney World Florida for cheaper by booking tickets online and in advance or you can check out other great parks like Universal Studios, where your favourite films come to life in amusement park rides and fun houses. Check out Sea World – one of the world’s biggest and best parks for spotting your favourite marine life, but if you want to spend the day in the water yourself you can visit one of the numerous great water parks like Buccaneer Bay or Typhoon Lagoon!

Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Centre

A seriously great day out for anyone in your party that likes astronomy and space travel, the Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Centre really lets your imagination fly. Visit the Cape and plan your trip to coincide with a rocket launch if possible and then head to the Space Centre to explore the history of mankind’s space exploration including some of the old pieces of Saturn V rockets that were used to shuttle the astronauts to the moon and back. Explore the whole story in the museum which is dedicated to bringing space exploration to life for the everyday person. Be sure not to miss the real moon suit worn on the moon’s surface!

The Keys

Probably the best for sun, sea and sand seekers, this part of the state is awash with gorgeous islands that sometimes feature secluded beaches where you won’t see another soul for hours! Not only that but this is a great option for those looking for a road trip with a difference. By taking the Overseas Highway, you can literally drive to all the islands and back to the mainland again which means this is probably one of the best ways to see some truly gorgeous islands without needing to fly anywhere! So which stops will you make on this great island hopping adventure?

There we have a couple of great suggestions on things to see in Florida on your next amazing road trip! So what are you waiting for? Grab a friend, some awesome snacks, great tunes and hit the open road for a trip through Florida you won’t soon forget!

4 Reasons You Should Spend More Time Laughing

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Most of us don’t readily associate laughter with doing something productive or constructive. To the contrary, many people justify their disregard of humor by convincing themselves that they “don’t have time for it.” After all, if you want to “go somewhere in life” you’ve got to be serious about things, right? Well, not all the time. Studies indicate that squeezing in a good laugh here and there is actually much more than fun and games, as it can actually have measurable beneficial effects on your health and wellbeing. With that said, here are four major reasons why everyone should try to spend more time laughing:

1. Reduces Stress

Research has indisputably proven that stress is linked to a heightened chance of developing a wide range of disorders, as people who lead stressful lives are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses of all kinds. Science has proven that laughter directly reduces the level of “stress hormones” in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of developing new diseases while also improving the prognosis of existing conditions. In fact, surveys have shown that people who regularly browse humor sites like LOL Hit have better responses to stress than those who rarely enjoy comedy.

2. Enhances Mood and Memory

Did you know that even a fake smile or forced laugh has the ability to stimulate the feeling of happiness? Thus, just by making an effort to smile and laugh more you’re taking control over your moods in a positive manner. Furthermore, when you’re in a good mood you’re more likely to make healthy food choices versus when you’re in a depressed, junk food eating state of mind. In addition, learning new things while experiencing a strong emotion is the best way to retain information, so laughter has the ability to strengthen memories that are formed during or around the time of laughter.

3. Boosts Immunity and Fights Cancer

The stimulatory effect that laughing has on the respiratory, cardiac, and hormonal systems all combine to increase the development of T-cells and antibodies. By increasing the number of pathogen-fighting cells in the body, laughing provides a direct and immediate boost to the immune system. As if the benefits never end, you’d be surprised to learn that laughter also increases the level of interferon-gamma (IFN), which in turn stimulates NK cells, B-cells, and immunoglobulin – all of which play a crucial role in the body’s natural defenses against cancer and other degenerative diseases.

4. Enjoyable Exercise

Many people dread the idea of going to the gym or enduring a home fitness regimen, but laughing is so fun and easy that it doesn’t even feel like a workout, and yet it provides an excellent exercise for the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, back, shoulders, and even legs. If you’ve ever burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, then you know just how physically demanding it can be when you’re struggling to pull yourself together.

Heightened Creativity and a Better Social Life

Aside from the measurable medical benefits of laughter, it goes without saying that sharing a good laugh is a great way to improve your social life and spur bouts of creativity. People with a strong sense of humor are not only more likely to have plenty of friends, they’re also typically more creative than people who don’t rate humor as one of their best attributes.