Aida is TWO!!

Nope, I still cannot believe that I am the mother of a two-year old. Just like every other parent out there, I'm continually amazed at how fast these babies grow and change into little people with very distinct and sometimes very large personalities. Every second of everyday they are growing!

Every month for the last 2 years my husband and I have been recording our little lady's growth alongside Alfie (a childhood toy of Curran's). I thought it was pretty interesting so I decided to share it with you all. 

We had a very nice birthday day with Aida. The hubby took the day off and we spent it with our lady.

 

 

 Thank you for being such an awesome person Aida. We love you more than anything else! We are so lucky to call you ours. Happy Birthday my little lady!

PS: Happy Summer!!! And in case you were wondering, my 30 day yoga challenge went swimmingly. I accomplished 34 yoga classes in 30 days! I feel great and most definitely rejuvenated. It was a great experience but I am ready to slow it down a bit. The hardest part of this challenge was feeling like I was constantly rushing off and missing out on lots of family time. I have taken a week off of yoga since the end of the challenge which has allowed me to spend some much-needed time with my favorite people but has not been the best for my body. I love yoga and I am going to continue practicing 3-4 times a week, which I hope will bring the right balance into my life. Thanks again to my family for being so patient during the last month and encouraging me to take care of myself. Love love love! 

Detoxifying My Mind and Body into Spring

Like most everyone else right now I am feeling pretty done with this winter. I keep hoping for spring to show it's messy, wet, mucky self but it seems to be rather shy this year. Try as I might, I cannot coax it from winter's grasp. I begin to feel this way every year, but lately my desire for warmer weather seems particularly huge. This winter has been a tough one by bringing a never ending onslaught of frustration for us. Seemingly non-stop colds and flus piled on top of a teething, non-sleeping toddler mixed in with breaking appliances, cars, roofs, ceilings, phones, and wallets all rolled into a cluster cuss of bad luck. I was also handed my first ever traffic ticket, which I will say on record was complete BS and I did not actually violate any road rules. Non-the-less I still got the ticket. Having a toddler that needs to run and play outside and who easily becomes stir crazy doesn't help much either. We just want to be able to go outside without the mitts, the jacket, the tuque, the boots, the icy sidewalks and piles of snow that have taken up all the space everywhere. Its time for grass and sun and picnics and parks and evening drinks outside with friends and family.

The snow is making us all crazy!

But we are doing our best to make the most of it!

The past months have been weighing heavily on both my mind and body. I have fallen into the terrible circular habits of poor eating and little exercise that cause me to feel sluggish and put my mind into an unhealthy state. I decided that I needed a change. I needed to jump-start my body and my spirit out of this slump and ready myself for the spring. I need to un-fog my mind and re-discover the beauty in the calm, the simplicity, the humor, the frustrations, the happiness, the crazy that is everyday life.

One week ago today I challenged myself to do a minimum of 30 yoga classes in 30 days. I have practiced yoga on and off for about 8 years and through that time I have found that my yoga passion lies in Moksha. For those who don't know, Moksha yoga is practiced in a room kept at about 40 degrees Celsius and fairly high humidity. It is definitely not everyone's cup of tea but I love it. I love the heat and I love the sweat! When I leave each class I can literally wring the sweat from my clothes, and as grossed out as you probably are right now, it makes me smile every time. Sweating allows your body to rid itself of toxins that build up and are stored in your tissues. When I am sweating to the point of a steady stream flowing off the end of my nose I can't help but think of all the nasty stuff leaving my body and it makes me feel great. I find the heat makes the practice much more challenging and because of this my mind has no option but to focus on the task at hand. For the hour or hour and a half of each practice my mind is shut off from the outside world. I don't think about my day or what I am going to make for dinner or when I am going to have time to finish this project or that, or anything else. I just am. I am able to be solely in the moment and this is so rejuvenating. All my thoughts melt away and the constant background chatter of my mind dissolves into nothing.

Aida's version of Downward Facing Dog

Yoga feeds both my mind and body. By allowing my thoughts to turn inward and focus only on my breath and the postures, I come away feeling rested, calm and in good spirits. The physical aspects of  yoga stretch and strengthen my muscles while detoxifying my body. Since having Aida I have discovered muscles I didn't know I had and discomforts I had never experienced before. The physical toll your body can take simply from nursing a child really blows my mind. I have neck and back issues I have never had to deal with before. And try as I might to carry my daughter evenly with my left and right side I still become unaligned and muscles on one side become tighter than the other. Yoga has REALLY helped me begin to correct these problems and I feel better and better with each class.

Also, for all those mamas-to-be out there, Yoga is a fantastic way to stay comfortable and healthy throughout your pregnancy. Many women begin to experience discomfort and pain at some point in their pregnancy. Often, this discomfort is caused by the much needed hormone called Relaxin that begins to course through your body almost immediately following conception. This hormone functions to soften the joints that will need to stretch and alter for delivery. Unfortunately, Relaxin doesn't specifically target the pelvic area and many women experience lose joints all over their body which, as you can imagine, can become quite uncomfortable and even painful. I personally began to feel the effects of this hormone almost immediately. My hips and pubic bone got more and more painful throughout each day. I started taking prenatal yoga when I was just 8 weeks pregnant and continued until just days before Aida was born. I also regularly visited a chiropractor who specialized in pregnancy. The combination of these two things kept me extremely comfortable and pain-free through my entire pregnancy. As soon as I began yoga and chiropractic care, I felt completely normal. No pain, no achy joints, no stiffness, nothing. I had the best pregnancy one could ask for and I attribute much of that to the yoga that kept me strong to balance my lose joints and opened my pelvis with ease and control.

So, the challenge. I will do my absolute best to attend at least 30 yoga classes in 30 days. It has been exactly one week that I began my challenge and so far (by the end of today) I will have done 10 classes in 7 days! Big thanks to my hubby for encouraging me to do this and taking on more so I can take this time to care for myself!   

I will let you know how things are going as I progress through this month. Wish me luck!



    



   

The Mama's Story of My Very First Birth

One of the most amazing birth experiences I have had as a doula was my very first one. I was so incredibly honoured to be invited into this birth. I was ecstatic that I was going to be able to work alongside a midwife, for in my mind, they are truly magical beings. When I first spoke to Sila on the phone I was nervous that she might not want me present since it would be my first birth, but instead she welcomed me and wanted to help me learn and gain experience. Also, purely by chance, the doula whom I ended up working alongside was the very one who guided me through my birth with Aida. That alone was very special to me.

It was a long but incredibly beautiful birth. I surprised myself at how calm and not nervous I was. It felt completely natural to me, like I was exactly where I belong - next to a powerful labouring mama. I loved every minute of it. Sila is a woman with such strength and beauty, inside and out, and was nothing less than wonderful to be with. We spent a lot of time chatting and laughing and bonding and when it came to the more difficult parts of her labour we worked so well together. I could feel the absolute trust she had in me and it fed my drive to do everything I could to help her have the beautiful birth she wanted and deserved. 

I witnessed for the first time the birth of a tiny, gorgeous human being and I was filled with such happiness for the mom and her new baby that I could not contain my tears. The emergence of this new baby triggered a rush of so many emotions in me along with the memories of my own birth and I was so thankful to feel these again. It was nothing short of amazing. I will forever be great full to this mama for the wonderful birth I ended up experiencing by her side.

Sila, who is back home in Kenya, sent me her birth story to share with you all. I hope you enjoy reading it! Thank you Sila for sharing with me and those who read this blog and thank you again for being an all around wonderful woman.  
   

"When I was in my early 20’s I remember wondering if a magic genie came to me and said I could only have one thing in my life but not both – a true love or to be a mother – which would I choose. In my head I always chose to be a mother. If I couldn't have both then that was the one I’d choose. In 2011, I was pregnant at 31 and in a troubled relationship. I was advised, "You need a doula to be with you through it!" and yes, you guessed it I googled it first and later decided I did need a doula! After asking my friends about doula services in Winnipeg, a friend recommended her friend friends' wife, who happened to be Bree. I later learnt that it would be her first birth! As a new mum-to-be, I was a little bit apprehensive but if there is something you will learn about Bree is that she can calm a storm. We met shortly after I reached out to Bree and she explained the package she will be providing me - but since she was still in training she will be shadowing a certified doula. I registered for a pro-bono doula with another well known doula service in Winnipeg. Bree was a great support for me 3 months leading to my birth. And when Barbara Harper was in town for a talk on water births - we made a date to attend the event. She kept me informed and also advised me on what/how I should prepare. The fact that Bree was a mother too made her a good birthing 'companion' for me. We talked about how I felt, how to improve my energy levels (I was pretty tired) and how I was coping with everything. 

On Nov 21st I started laboring at 4:30am and my midwife confirmed that I was indeed going to have my baby today. I called my doula's Jessica and Bree - Bree was to shadow another certified doula for her practicum to be validated. Bree was the first to arrive by my side and she brought me some homemade pasta sauce and a pack of sanitary towel that remained from her last birth. Bree kept me distracted from the pain as I crotchet my baby a sweater in between my contraction. Bree truly felt like a sister at that moment. At 9pm (yes, 17 hours later) my midwife suggested we go to the hospital since I was 6cm dilated.  Bree checked my bag to confirm I carried everything and helped me finish my packing. We arrived the hospital and thank fully I got my own huge room. I got settled in as my bath was prepared. Bree excused herself to pump milk for her daughter and I remember she had mentioned that she often pumps at work as well. Now, I had never heard the weird sound of a breast pump before and when she started pumping, I thought it was the funniest thing I have heard ever! Of course it wasn't so funny after I started pumping but at that time I laughed so hard I teared up. It was hilarious! 

After Midnight, my pain intensified and Bree stepped-up and made sure I was breathing right and when the pressure was too much for me, she walked me though techniques to ease the pressure. At 7:25am I was ready to push -- Bree was there to cheer me on as she snapped pictures from her phone. The photos she took are the only once I have of Mariela's birth. Pictures that I shared with my family who were back home in Kenya. Mariela was born at 7:45am on November 22nd 2011 and I asked Bree to cut the umbilical cord. 

Bree was my star during my 25 hour labour. One thing that I love about Bree is that she loves what she does as a doula and because she is so passionate about her work, she is also so great at it too! I remember my midwife telling Bree that she will make an incredible midwife some day. She is just not a doula, she is a phenomenal doula. 

Thank you Bree."

Thank you again Sila! And thanks to you all for taking the time to visit my blog. 

Have a great day!

Interview

I was recently interviewed about being a doula by Jennifer for her blog, Regular Everyday People. Her blog is one of inspiration. The entire concept of her blog is captured perfectly in her tag line "Finding magic in ordinary life, because that's where it is." You should take a bit of time, grab yourself a cup of coffee and dig in to the richness of the everyday people she interviews. It's worth it, I promise. At least read my interview:) Enjoy!

Who Doesn't Love Fresh Juice?

My daughter and I are both fighting colds at the moment so it has been juice mania around here. Juicing is a great way to pack your body full of the vitamins and nutrients it needs, especially when trying to overcome illness. Juicing separates the juice from the fiber of the fruits and veggies which allows your body to easily absorb their nutrients. Releasing the vitamin filled liquid from the fiber before ingesting it means that your body doesn't have to work as hard to digest it, allowing that energy be used for other things like fighting off colds.

Juicing has saved my sanity lately as my daughter has decided to go on a vegetable strike. I have been amazed at the lengths she will go to avoid consuming the vegetables I put in her food. She has mastered the art of separating the foods in her mouth and spitting the vegetables back onto her plate. She has not always been this way and I know it is just a stage, but it makes me feel better knowing she is getting most of the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables through their tasty juices. Making juice has become a daily event that my daughter gets excited about. She pulls a chair up to the counter and clambers up to help as soon as I mention juice time. She loves to help in the kitchen so once I get everything prepped I let her put it all into the feed tube of the juicer. We have definitely had some spills to clean up but letting her be a part of her own healthy food preparation is worth all the beet juice pooling on the counter top and running down our white cabinets.

I wish I had hopped on the juice train much earlier, especially when I was pregnant. One of the hardest things I encountered through my pregnancy was my inability to eat lots of fresh veggies. Just like most pregnant women, I experienced the most painful bloating and gas whenever I would eat uncooked vegetables. It was awful! I hear this complaint a lot from my clients too. Pregnancy can be such a catch-22; the very foods that contain so many vital nutrients for growing a baby can be so unforgiving to your digestive system while trying to do just that. Pregnancy changes everything in your body including hormones and the way your major systems function. One of these major changes is the speed at which your digestive system moves. Since your body is trying to capture every morsel of nutrient for that growing baby, your digestive system slows to a near halt. This is why so many pregnant women complain of bloating, gas and for some, the feeling of constantly being full. Although fiber in your diet is essential to avoiding constipation, a consumption of too much fiber can contribute to even slower digestion causing more gas and discomfort. So, the question is, if we are supposed to eat so many of these fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain a health pregnancy, but these foods put us in a state of constant discomfort, what is there to do? One solution would be to JUICE! Juicing would cut down on your intake of fiber without cutting out all those important nutrients that both you and your wee baby need. Remember though, fiber IS important to proper digestive functions so DON'T cut it out completely.

Have a happy healthy day!     

"The concept of a 'due' date is something that is very abstract in many cultures. If, like in Uganda, you count a pregnancy by the moons, you end up having a 'due month' and baby comes when she is perfectly ripe without causing mama lots of anxiety."

"The very talented artist who created this beautiful illustration is Itaiana Battoni - Desenho Artístico."

I saw this on the Mother Health International Facebook page today and think it is such a great message. We are not supposed to be the ones deciding when it is time for baby to be born. Our society needs to re-learn patience and realize that the baby will begin the process of birth when they are ready. It is so incredibly rare that this natural process will not happen on it's own, and it breaks my heart every time I see or hear about unnecessary interventions that try to force a woman's body into labour. 

Here's to patience! You're going to need it as a parent anyways...you might as well practice it before you become one.

One Powerful Mama

A while back I attended the birth of a friend of mine who was having her second baby. It was an amazing experience for me. I felt so completely honoured to be present during this beautiful and fast birth. It was a home birth, a first for me. It was such a wonderful and relaxed setting. Surrounded by all the people she wanted, in the place she felt most warm, secure and comfortable, Heather laboured like a champ! It was fast, very fast. I was there less than an hour before she birthed her beautiful baby girl. But a crazy hour it was! Everything happened so fast. I new her first was a fairly quick labour and that this was going to be even faster, but I was even shocked at how quickly things were moving. The way Heather laboured was completely inspiring! She is so incredibly powerful and makes it look so easy.

Heather's photographer was not able to make it in time for the birth so I tried my best to fill both roles: the doula and the photographer. I am by NO accounts a professional photographer but I tried to capture this amazing event as best I could. It was a challenge to go from taking pictures to massaging to pictures to climbing over furniture to providing counter pressure to pictures to assisting getting in and out of the tub to pictures and all over again, but such a FUN challenge! You can read Heather's birth story here and see some of the pictures I took during her labour (she created a very nice slideshow at the end of the post). While your at it, check out the rest of this mama's great blog, careful tho, you might just lose a few hours of your day getting lost in all its inspiring glory.

Since Heather's birth I have had the great honour of being a doula for another wonderful friend of mine. Having these experiences has been too amazing to put into words. I have been witness to the birth of two children who will grow alongside my own daughter, who will pay together, learn together and journey through life together. I will know these souls from birth until forever and that fills me with such joy.   

Happy Tuesday to you all!