The Pregnancy and Postnatal Podcast

In this episode we are talking to sleep consultant Annika. We discuss when you can start to implement a sleep routine, how to elongate naps, what is the best sleep environment for babies, and when to seek help from sleep consultants.

Annika is an incredibly talented person - originally a UK registered nurse, she is also a Baby massage instructor, Certified sleep consultant, holds a child nutrition diploma, Baby sign instructor, First Aid instructor and Postnatal doula.

If you want to have a consultation with Annika, you can find her at belovedbumps.sg, and contact her on [email protected].

Dr Dheeraj, from The Iron Suites in Singapore, speaks to us about the importance of iron in your pregnancy and in the postnatal period.

We cover topics such as:

What are the symptoms of iron deficiency

What an IV iron infusion involves and how it compares to supplements

Why iron is so important for your baby and birth

Really interesting, and something which i think needs more awareness!

The Iron Suites are located in Singapore, and you can find them here: www.theironsuites.com

In this weeks episode, I am talking to Dr Narys Lapsys (bio below).

I had no idea the role in which diet and supplements play whilst being pregnant (and even before!) and once baby is born too. I picked his brains about what we should be eating to optimise pregnancy and postpartum, what supplements he would recommend for both, and how on earth to choose a supplement! We delve into different nutrients and why they are important, as well as asking him what a visit to the dietitian would look like and what his top tips would be for a pregnant or postnatal mum.

I learnt so much just from this conversation, and i could have asked him a million more questions! But i hope you find it as useful as i did.

You can follow Dr Naras on:

Instagram: livehealthierlonger

Facebook: @drnaraslapsys

LinkedIn: Dr Naras Lapsys

Or visit his website: www.drnaraslapsys.com.sg

Enjoy the episode!

About Dr Naras Lapsys:

After 10 years of post-doctoral research, Dr Lapsys left academia, obtained a Masters’ degree in nutrition and dietetics, and opened his first nutrition consultancy. As both an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Sports Dietitian, he applied his science-based approach to a vast span of health and performance issues.

Seeing the destructive effects of preventable diseases first-hand, Dr Lapsys developed an interest in longevity, and the profound role that nutrition and lifestyle can play on disease prevention, healthy aging and lifespan. He undertook additional formal education and become Board certified in both Australia and USA in regenerative and anti-aging medicine.

In 2018, Dr Lapsys relocated to Singapore and by combining his years of research, experience gained from thousands of clients and continued education, he opened his new nutrition and longevity consultancy in Wheelock Place.

Living healthier, longer, is Dr Lapsys’ goal for himself and his family, and he values helping others to do the same.

In this episode, I am talking to a good friend of mine Sasha - Sasha is the MD and Employee Experience lead at wrkflow, a digital employee experience design agency based in Singapore. Before relocating to Singapore from the UK, Sasha spent 10 years working in HR leadership and HR technology consulting roles with brands like Samsung, Capgemini and ServiceNow. Most recently, Sasha led the ServiceNow alliance and Powered HR Transformation offering at KPMG for the ASPAC region before launching her own business in 2020. She’s a certified human-centred design practitioner, a HR Tech Advisor at HerCapital and holds an MBA from the University of Aberdeen.

We talk about how to prepare for your maternity leave when you are pregnant, how to manage your work and managers when you are on maternity leave, what a great return to work experience looks like, and why it is important, and also how to make returning to work that little bit easier. It was hugely thought provoking and is a topic that both Sasha and I are hugely passionate about. Sasha and I co teach on our 'Return to Work' course, which helps to prepare and empower those returning to the workplace following maternity leave.

Sasha's recommendations during the podcast are books: The fifth trimester by Lauren Smith Brody (https://www.amazon.sg/Fifth-Trimester-Working-Sanity-Success/dp/0385541414/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+fifth+trimester&qid=1622106567&sr=8-1), and Work. Pump. Repeat by Jessica Shortall (https://www.amazon.sg/Work-Pump-Repeat-Survival-Breastfeeding/dp/1419718703).

She also mentions this link: https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/news/articles/fewer-than-one-in-five-women-confident-return-maternity-leave#gref

She can be found at www.wrkflow.tech and @wrkflowofficial

As ever, if you have found this useful, please share, like and review!

Preet is a Women's Health Physiotherapist and this weeks guest.

Before i moved to Singapore i had never really worked with or knew of a Women's Health Physiotherapist, but since moving here i have seen many women under their care, and have seen how vital this is for pregnant and postnatal mums.

They are so specialist in what they do, and i would highly recommend seeing one in your pregnancy, and definitely after birth too - we talk about why in this episode, as well as common things that they see and how they can help.

We also talk about:

Your pelvic floor muscles

Preparing for birth

Diastasis recti

Sex after birth

Jamu wraps/ compression belts post birth

Really worth a listen if you are pregnant or have had a baby!

Preet can be found at Embrace Physiotherapy: https://www.embracephysio.sg/

And check out her informative blog here: https://www.embracephysio.sg/blog

And follow her on instagram here: embrace.physiotherapy.sg