postpartum

Finding time to hit the gym is tough for anyone with a busy schedule — but add a baby to the mix, and it's virtually impossible. That's why we're such big fans of combining quality time with your kiddo and a workout into one manageable routine. And if you can do it at home? Well, that's even better. We caught up with Zoe Bowick Levine of The Thriving Body, who teaches a wildly popular "Work Out Baby" class for moms and their wee ones in Brooklyn, NY. Here are five of Zoe's fave at-home exercises to do with the baby:

1. Reverse Lunge and Belly Tickle: Stand tall with baby just in front of your right foot. Reach your right foot back into a lunge as you tickle baby's belly with your right hand. Bring right leg back in, stand tall, and repeat 15 times on each side.
2. Tricep Peekaboo: Lie on your belly with your head toward baby and your hands under your shoulders. Press into your hands and raise your head and chest to play peekaboo with baby. Lower down and repeat 12 times. Try to keep your back relaxed and let your arms (triceps) do the work. Keep your chin slightly tucked — the back of the neck should stay long.
3. Hip Press: Lay on your back with baby on your belly. Feet should be hip distance apart and knees should be bent. With your core engaged, press your hips up and down 20 times.

Keep reading for more exercises to do with your baby!

Two under two? Try two under one! According to new research, a postpartum woman can get pregnant again as early as three weeks after delivery, though most won't start ovulating for six weeks. Though many women hold off on getting back in the saddle until after they receive clearance from their doc, 21 percent of LilSugar readers jumped back in the sack prior to the six-week mark. The news has medical professionals warning sexually active new moms to consider their birth control options, unless they're aiming for two tots in one year!

This post comes from our group The Pregnancy Posse from member lauren.

I don't have any kids but a good friend of mine recently had her second cutie. I have a hard time resisting buying a cute outfit for the newborn but I know usually the new mom will already have enough clothes and babies grow out of everything so quickly. So rather than buying clothes, I made a delicious re-heatable dinner of chili verde with tortillas, avocados, sour cream, limes and cilantro. Of course, I couldn't resist the onesie that said "full of cuteness."

My thoughts, families need more time with their new addition, so at least one night, dinner is already ready! Did your friends bring you dinner when you had a new baby?

Want to talk pregnancy with other expectant mamas? Join The Pregnancy Posse over in our LilSugar Community and share your stories, recipes and photos! If you have a post you want to see featured on LilSugar private message me here to pitch your ideas. I can't wait to hear them.

Most women are no holds barred when giving birth — some scream, others go silent and 75 percent poop during delivery. Regardless of the antics, no one focuses on anything other than the baby making its debut. Hospitals normally offer spacious birthing rooms for expectant ladies to labor in that fit the father and anyone else the couple wants to invite to witness the arrival. But once the newborn has been welcomed into the world, the family is usually moved to smaller postpartum accommodations. In my experience, the basic quarters included a bed, a futon type piece of furniture for the dad, space to roll up the babe's bassinet, a couple of chairs and an in-suite bathroom. Though it was a tight squeeze with nurses shuffling in and out, the peace of a private room gave my husband and me time to bond with our infant and visit with relatives and friends.

Our hospital only offers single rooms so I was surprised to learn that many mommies spend their children's first days of life with roommates! I'm a big believer in the more, the merrier — except in this situation. I recall asking my husband to toss my catheter bag behind the table before guests arrived, sprinkling blood across the floor as I made my way towards the shower and having my diaper ice packs changed after enduring a pretty intense tear. While these things are part of motherhood, they made me a bit woozy and I can't imagine having to worry about my bunk mate and her baby's feelings. Would sharing a postpartum room bother you?

Got a few other secrets that you learned the hard way? Come dish with us on all the things your mama forgot to tell you in our Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me group over in our LilSugar community!

Source: Flickr User Emery Co Photo

Thanks to stars like Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow and Amanda Peet, postpartum depression (PPD) is no longer a dirty little secret. All three of the ladies have been open and honest when disclosing their battles with the disorder following the birth of their children. More than simply the "baby blues," PPD is believed to affect between 15 and 20 percent of all mothers. With that many women experiencing PPD, wouldn't it be nice if we knew what caused it so we could try to prevent it? Some Spanish researchers think they can.

A group of scientists believe they have pinpointed a number of factors that will help identify the potential for a new mama to develop the illness with an 80 percent success rate. According to them, the mother's age and her working status throughout her pregnancy can influence the onset of the disease. Older women and expectant gals who worked were found to have lower instances of depression. The study also found that a family history of psychiatric problems and the existence of specific genes in the brain could predict the onset of PPD.

Would knowing these predictors have been helpful to you or a friend who suffered from postpartum depression?