There are so many things I thought I'd need for after birth that really ended up not mattering very much at all, and then there have been some things that have been absolute game changers.
I could go on and on about this but thought I’d share just a few that I have found so helpful!
First of all, get yourself a good set of hair clips, and thank me later. Yup, that’s a thing, and it's pretty critical believe it or not. When it comes to bed-sharing or a handsy infant, having something to hold your hair up (without the constant slipping down and the need to redo) is really important!
I have A LOT of hair and I have continually struggled to find clips that hold it up well, but not anymore! These ones from @mykitsch are amazing and hold alllllll my hair.
Second is this sweatshirt My friend @katieospina shared in her Instagram stories. I knew right away I had to have it! With the AC on, I am someone who always needs to be covered with long sleeves to keep warm, especially at night.
I thought throughout my breastfeeding journey I was going to be confined to sweatshirts with an open chest and then I’d be freezing, but nope! This sweatshirt came to my rescue!
I’m not saying it’s the best, most perfectly organic material, but I needed it and have been so thankful for this soft, warm top making it so convenient to feed my little munchkin.
While creating my registry I had every plan to not put my munchkin in a lot of confined baby chairs or bouncy things etc. but I thought I’d get at least one in case we needed it from time to time. On someone else’s registry, I found this one and decided to put it on my registry as well.
I am so so so beyond glad I did because the times I can count where has come in handy, wow!!!! I mostly wear my baby, but while I’m cooking or sometimes while we’re out to eat this little chair has been an absolute game-changer!
I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2AM google search! It's packed with recipes, links to my favorite products (like these) and more to encourage and support you. Grab it here!
Way back when we spent a lot more time 'on the land' or integrated with the Earth we knew the cycle of the days, whether that was related to how we were planting our food or when we might start a migration pattern. These days we're often a lot less aware of the cycles, other than - it's fall time, what cute sweaters and boots can I wear?! (to be fair, I miss the Fall season living in Florida and absolutely still lean into and enjoy wearing cute fall outfits when I go North 😄) but there's also a deeper layer to it.
The Fall equinox can mean different things to different people, it's generally looked at as when the days become shorter than the nights and on the equinox (literally meaning equal night in latin) the day and the night are roughly the same.
It's also a season when many people begin to take time for self-reflection, as it's the season of harvest we can look around at what we might have gained over the last months and what we might be shedding, as we also see the trees shed their leaves (well in the North, not so much in Florida 😜).
This time of year is also the Jewish New Year, which is a time for closing out the year and rebirthing into the next.
To me each day is a way to shed a layer surrounding yourself and what it means to be a mother vs a maiden. Watching my baby grow (literally each day he looks a little different!), hearing his new sounds, watching him try new things, makes me pause and relish in the moments, the same way sitting among the trees and watching their leaves fall once did.
What does fall mean to you?🍂
Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action.
When you're a mother, stress can show up in many different ways, and sometimes not always in the negative, however, it can cause your body to react in some not so favorable ways.
Many women experience the hormonal ups and downs after birth which can be compounded by stress and even cause an autoimmune to flare up or show up.
It's okay to admit that you get stressed sometimes! It's normal and you're not alone. I am a work from home mom with two jobs (my 9-5 and my own business!) with a baby; I totally get it. Being that I have an autoimmune as well, I've had to learn how to manage my stress level because it can really impact my body.
I have to be super mindful of daily stressors because it can trigger a negative response in my body. With that being said, whether or not you have an autoimmune preventing stress on the body is definitely favorable!
So here are a few tips that help me!
✨Laugh and Have Fun: The easiest way to do this, is to laugh with your baby! or I've definetly put on a comedian in the background while working- like Ali Woong who has two Netflix specials - a lot of which talk about motherhood! Sometimes you just need a good low-key laugh sesh to lighten your mood.
✨Stay Connected: Having friends with babies or children has been the absolute best helper for me and being able to chat with others who just 'get it' is so huge!
Stress is a part of life and it’s going to happen, but it’s important to not live in a constant state of stress and find ways that you can cope and overcome on the hard days!
Before we found out we were expecting, I knew there were certain products I didn't want to use because I had learned so much about them and what was in them. Being someone who has an autoimmune, it's so important to me to put good products in my body and I wanted the same for my baby!
I choose to use Young Living products for our family because I've done a lot research and I trust this company and what they create (I have even been to a few of their farms). Their products are free of fragrances and other harmful chemicals that can cause more irritation and issues with baby.
Here are a just a few products I don’t use and why!
✨Water Wipes
You’d think they'd just have water in them right, nope they have several ingredients including, FRAGRANCE! We avoid "fragrance" because it's how companies can put harmful ingredients in their product and not have to disclose what it actually is.
✨Desitin
This is definitely something we didn't know wasn't so hot to use when we were growing up, but in fact, it's not really the best at all! It has petrolatum (petroleum, which studies suggest that exposure to PAHs are associated with cancer), dimethicone (dries out skin and it's the main ingredient in the endocrine disruptor known as siloxane, a synthetic silicone-oxygen hybrid), and PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate (its starting materials are highly toxic to humans and are known to have carcinogenic properties). So no thanks.
✨Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo
The amount of things I could say about J&Js 'baby' products and just how toxic they are, without even going into the cancer lawsuits they have going for their baby powder, but I won't or we'd be here all day. Just know that it's full of harmful ingredients and we refuse to use all of the products created by them.
The #1 recommendation I can make is to just be mindful of what's in the products you use! The #1 thing I look at is the ingredients list and if I see the word fragrance, it’s a no.
Being a mama brings a whole new perspective on self care. I’ve learned very quickly how important it is to take care of yourself after having a baby. After birthing my little one I still do agree that taking care of yourself is important, but I have an entirely new appreciation for even just the mindset around it! The only thing I really care about is making sure my baby is doing awesome, how can I care about myself? But then I take a moment and think, wait if I don't care for myself, I literally cannot care for him either!
It definitely looks different after having baby, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. As a mom who's breastfeeding, it's so important that I take care of myself so I'm able to care for him. The #1 thing about self care after having a baby is recognizing that it looks different and isn’t as involved, but it’s even more important.
The days are busy and it can be overwhelming, but I want to share some easy ways to take care of you throughout the day! Honestly, one of the easiest ways is to drink your water to stay hydrated. This does wonders for your health and your breastfeeding journey. Buy a big tumbler and keep it with you all day!
When it comes to working out, we love going for walks and getting in the sunshine. If I have the time, I’ll get in an arm workout, but I’m focusing on doing things that serve my body in this phase and help me feel good. Do whatever makes you happy and doesn’t overwhelm you or stress you out. We aren’t here to “bounce back;” we’re here to be healthy for our babies.
The last thing I love to focus on is gratitude. Every morning or night before bed, write 10 things you’re grateful for! Even if you aren’t postpartum, these are great practices to do daily!
