GOOD MORNING!!
How are you? How was your week? Or is it already too much of a blur? I get it. Some days are just so hard and I feel like the world is crashing in. Other days, I’m rocking it! Or at least I feel like I am….though my kids might say otherwise. LOL.
I’m a member of many online moms’ groups and it’s nice to know I’m not alone. I don’t think anyone has it easy. And we may think someone’s got it together, but when you talk to them, they don’t think so!! My heart goes out to all of you who are having a hard time. Parenting is not an easy job. Ever.
Community is Important
This brings me to community. What communities do you belong to that uplift you and replenish your soul? Who do you have in your life that can help you when in need? When you just want a short break? Sports? Choir? Church? Mom Groups? Whatever it is, I urge you to use your community to its fullest!
Don’t be afraid to reach out to others. Ask for help. Demand time for yourself. Create a community if you don’t have one or if yours just isn’t cutting it anymore.
Motherhood is forever, and forever is too long to not feel supported!
Speaking of community, join our Mommy and Baby Group that meets every 2 weeks at Equilibrium Yoga from 10-12. Next get-together is this week! It’s a drop-in group, so come when you can.
Sylvia
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What a week it’s been! Here’s what our team’s been up to:
Podcast of the week:
Jenny: We’re listening to the Peace Out – Relaxation and mindfulness stories for kids podcast. These short stories help children calm down and relax with guided visualization and breathing exercises. My kids love them!
What we’re reading:
Mika is reading: Wild Feminine – Finding Power, Spirit & Joy in the Female Body by Tami Lynn Kent.
Wild Feminine uses stories, visualizations, and creative exercises to lead women through a journey to the root of her own womanhood and reveals the amazing potential of the female body.
Favourite Birthing Tool
Heather: Battery-powered tea light candles to help create a more calming ambiance in hospital rooms. You’d be surprised – or not – just how bad the lighting in hospital rooms can be! The big neon lights do absolutely nothing to help you birth. Instead, place these ‘candles’ around the room, or when you’re in the bath, to help you relax and enter your zone. Feels like you’re at the spa!
What we’re watching
Ayda: There is a great online birth summit, The Yes To Birth Experience, that delivers great content about pregnancy and birth! Many well-known personalities in the birth world were interviewed and you can access their talks for FREE!! To register: www.https://www.theexperience.yestobirth.com
Quote of the week
“This is a wonderful day. I have never seen it before.” – Maya Angelou
Best Gadget
Sylvia: I just love the Nosefrida Snotsucker!! Or any similar snot suckers for that matter. There is no better way to get the boogers out of baby’s nose. They won’t like you for it, but it does the trick!!
Favourite recipe for the new mother
Heather: Oatstraw infusion. Love, love, love. Grounding, nourishing, tasty (slightly sweet), full of nutrients in an easily absorbable form, can help with lactation, can help you sleep, can ease anxiety.
You want to make a strong brew, like this:
Scoop one cup of dried oatstraw (you can buy some at the natural food store) into a 1-litre mason jar. Pour boiling water over the herb. Stir it up, put the lid on, and let it steep overnight (or at least four hours). Strain out the oatstraw, and enjoy several cups of the liquid per day. It keeps in the fridge for about three days, but hopefully you will have drunk it all long before then. I like to bring it to room temperature or gently warm it up if it’s been refrigerated, because cold liquids aren’t ideal during the postpartum period.
What we’re working on
An online prenatal class series!!
What prenatal classes did you take, if any? Were they in person, online, intensive or over several evenings? We’re interested in getting your feedback about the classes you took!
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Well, that’s been our week!
We’d love to hear from you. Any particular item you enjoyed? If you have any anecdotes or mom and baby gear to share with us, we’d love to feature you in an upcoming episode!
Have a happy Sunday,
The RTC Doulas
P.S. Did you catch our latest episode of our Facebook Live Show, Doula Dialogues, Episode 5? Lauren and I chatted about fertility, infertility and how a FERTILITY DOULA can you help when trying to conceive. A great show!!
