Motherhood is a journey, pregnancy is an effort, and labor is a marathon. It only makes sense to prioritize fitness and become an active part of the process rather than a passive participant. The “range of normal” tends to be wide whenever humans are involved, and you may find major differences in your body and habits from pregnancy to pregnancy. Today, we’re going to refocus fitness, away from physical shape and form and instead look at what it really means to be fit in pregnancy and how you can stay that way from beginning to end. Continue reading

Pregnancy is a time of great miracle and great strain. Our muscles are pulling in new ways to support new weight, joints become strained, circulation changes, and it all adds up to a bundle of pregnancy pain and discomforts.

 

Staying active and taking care of your growing body will help to keep some of it at bay. The real key is to understand what’s at the heart of your pregnancy pain and discomfort so that you can best address both the cause and the symptoms. Your body will tell you what it needs -- you just need to listen a bit closer than before.

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Miscarriage is intense for your body and can leave you feeling fragile physically and emotionally. Taking care of your body, or knowing how to help someone who is trying to heal after a miscarriage, can ease some of the physical symptoms.

There are several types of miscarriage – threatened, inevitable, complete, incomplete, or missed. Knowing how to take care of yourself, physically, and emotionally are essential for recovery.  Read on to know when to seek medical care and how to heal completely as you navigate the grief process of early pregnancy loss.

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Organic Herbal pregnancy tea provides vital hydration, vitamins and minerals for your growing and changing body.  In this post, you'll learn 3 benefits of drinking herbal tea while you grow your baby and prepare your body to give birth.  You will also learn about my personal favorite herbs in Lady in Waiting Herbal Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Tea that supports your optimal health as you embrace motherhood. Continue reading

Your postpartum time with your new baby can be a magical time of bonding, snuggles, sweet baby sounds, breastfeeding, healing, and rest. It can also be exhausting, frustrating, physically uncomfortable, and challenging. Focusing on your own care means you will more easily be able to care for your newborn. For many of us, it is hard to put our own needs first - as women we often focus on what is best for the whole group, and put our individual needs behind others. However, when you have just given birth and are caring for a newborn, your needs and the baby’s needs work together in a special way. When you are taken care of, it is easier for you to take care of your baby. Now is the time to focus on what is best for you and your newborn. Continue reading

Breastfeeding nutrition does not have to be complicated. Simple, whole food, with a focus on nutrient dense ingredients, will help to give you what you need while you are healing after the birth of your baby and building your milk supply. And it can be delicious! Bon appetite to you - and your nursling! Continue reading

The first few weeks of breastfeeding can be overwhelming, frustrating, exhausting, and wonderfully sweet. Knowing what is normal and preparing yourself and your environment beforehand can help you immeasurably. Taking care of yourself and taking care of your baby are ideally your only jobs at first, and you and your baby deserve that golden time of rest, healing, and connection.

 For herbal self care and breastfeeding products, go HERE.

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Breastfeeding after a period of not lactating is possible! If you changed your mind and want to breastfeed your baby longer, or if you couldn’t breastfeed for a period of time because of illness or a needed medication - no matter the reason, you can breastfeed your baby again. Did you know that’s it is also possible to induce lactation if you have never given birth or been pregnant? Relactation is bringing your milk back after a period of not lactating. Induced lactation is making milk when you have not previously. Continue reading

Did you know that there are different kinds of doulas? A doula may focus her practice on only the prenatal and birth period. Or she could be a postpartum doula or a sibling doula. Some doulas may offer all these services, or a different combination all-together! Continue reading

Even before remedies are needed and herbs are used as medicine, healing foods are a front line of defense to keep our families healthy. Toddlers are targeted with all kinds of junk and convenience food, so we don’t always associate them with healing foods and rich nutrition. It doesn’t have to be this way.

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