I am the mother of a very active three year old boy, and I just gave birth to another baby boy in October. Prior to getting pregnant, I was going through a stressful period and had put on some weight, so I started out my pregnancy not feeling my very best. I then had fourteen weeks of intense morning sickness where my normal healthy, organic dietary habits gave way to whatever I could stomach, followed by second and third trimesters with an extreme sweet tooth that I indulged a bit too much. Suffice it to say, I put on more pregnancy weight than I had hoped to, and really felt it post-partum. Then in the first three months of nursing my new baby, I battled a terrible case of thrush that really only went away after I cut out sugar completely. I felt that this was my body screaming out to me that things were off-kilter, and I desperately needed to hit a physical reset button.

As a nursing mom, I want to system to be as clean as possible to ensure that my baby gets the best nutrition, and as a mom to two active boys I need all the energy that I can get. I wanted to do a Pressed Juicery cleanse to get my system back in balance after all that it has been through in the past year+, to boost my energy and jog my metabolism to kick off meaningful post-partum weight loss. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to focus on a bit of self-care and do something special for my body, which has been through so much recently. I really felt like the wheels were coming off and thought this would be a great chance to take a breath, rejigger my diet, and refocus on my own wellness.

High Point: All the juices are delicious...even the ones I thought I wouldn't love, I did. My energy stayed pretty level throughout the day, and I never really felt hungry. Unexpected bonus: time saved from doing meal planning, cooking and dishes allowed me to enjoy some real quality late-afternoon time with my boys.

Low Point: "Witching Hour" from 5-7pm is always challenging with little ones, and that happened to be when my energy started to flag. I was missing my usual little wine and cheese fix at that hour, but I pushed through and felt great after. Also, I got a deep chill that I couldn't shake...I was jealous of my California cleansing companions and their warm sunshine...cleansing in the dead of the New England winter is a little challenging. I took a hot, hot epsom salt bath before bed, though, and felt much better.

High Point: A feeling of light, energized clarity in the morning hours, even without my usual jolt of caffeine. It is nice to know I can actually function in the morning without coffee!

Low Point: I woke up at 5am with almost flu-like symptoms: sore throat, achy joints, a light headache. After I got up and drank a bunch of water, these all seemed to pass. And then again, the early evening hours are chaotic ones in a house with small children. I found my energy and patience waning around 5 when I really needed it the most. It was helpful to drink the protein-rich almond milk at this time. This is far and away the best almond drink I've ever had!

High Point: I started the morning feeling incredibly energetic and light. I was able to get the whole family up and out of the house without feeling sluggish or in a haze. I have to say again that I truly didn't think this was possible without coffee. I couldn't believe the vibrant energy I had with the juice, and even my husband commented on it.

Low point: My pre-schooler brought home special cookies they made in school today and didn't understand why I wouldn't share his treat. How do you explain a juice cleanse to a three-year-old?

I feel really incredible, almost like my whole body chemistry has changed! My skin feels clear and soft, my eyes look brighter, even my posture somehow seems better. I feel light and clear. I think I owe this as much to following the pre and post cleanse recommendations as I do the three days of juice. I feel I've really reversed a vicious cycle of cravings that I fell into due to stress and pregnancy that I just haven't been able to break despite my best efforts. I am so grateful to realize I can function without caffeine, and this week was an epiphany as to how many of my cravings had to much more to do with stress or worry than actual hunger. This cleanse has allowed me to reassess and recalibrate my diet completely, and this is truly priceless. Thank you so much, Pressed Juicery!