In some ways, breastfeeding is an instinctual art, but in other ways, it is a learned skill that takes time and space to master. Have you ever looked in a breastfeeding book and the images looked blissful? Well those women have mastered breastfeeding. It takes time and lots of practice to master something. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Have you ever looked at a yoga book and thought that the poses looked easy? What happened when you tried the poses for the first time? Did you wobble and topple over? Right! We all do. The woman doing yoga has mastered the poses. She practiced and practiced for months and maybe years before she got the confidence up to have someone photograph her for the book.

 

It’s the same with breastfeeding. It looks natural and easy, but it is a learned skill that requires perfect practice to master. This type of mastery requires patience and persistence.

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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

The blessingway ceremony is the perfect opportunity for the pregnant woman to connect with their community as they prepare for birth. It is so important to honor each family as they embark on this incredible life-changing journey through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. I encourage you to take some of these ideas and get creative to come up with your own ways to plan your blessingway.

Our Soothing Herb Bath and our Postpartum Herb Bath are perfect gifts for an expectant mother.

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Breastfeeding after a caesarean birth, in many ways, is the same as breastfeeding after a vaginal birth. However, there are a few things you will want to be aware of, and perhaps a few things you may be concerned about. It is always best to prepare ahead of time, make sure you have the support that you need, and get all your resources in place so that you can be successful breastfeeding.

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Spring is blooming and the urge to create, be productive and generative is potent. Some of us want to create a new life for ourselves, a new identity, some of us are making art, reinventing our business or careers, some of us are growing gardens, others are making babies. Continue reading

While there is nothing inherently wrong with appreciating the beauty of a woman’s body, this single focus can make things confusing when a woman breastfeeds. When you have only experienced your breasts as sexual, breastfeeding can lead to some conflicting feelings. 

 

There is a wide range of what is normal in terms of your sexuality after you have a baby. Some women do not feel the return of sexual desire for many months or even years after childbirth. Some women wait impatiently for their caregiver to give them the go-ahead to engage sexually again. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, sexuality will most likely become part of your life. If you and your partner have enjoyed your breasts as part of your sexual experience in the past, incorporating your lactating breasts into your sex life is a new experience that requires patience, clear communication, and a sense of humor.

 

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A daily ritual of brewing medicinal, herbal tea is more than just steeping a cup of leaves. It becomes a promise to ourselves to take a moment to focus inward. To brew a cup of tea is to invite the four elements—fire, water, earth, and air—into our bodies. Continue reading

Here we are in December, the darkest, most Yin time of year.   Nature is asking us to slow down and reflect on the past so we can move gracefully into the future.  Preparing myself for the Solstice and the New Year, I felt compelled to share with you how I process this pivotal and transformative time of the year. 

Let's clear space, remember our ancestors, celebrate our victories, release our painful lessons, and step more fully into who we are becoming.

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A Safe Place to Land

Now that you are on the other side of your experience. Now that it's over. Now that you're done. You can move on and get back to normal life just like it never happened. You can go back to work on Monday. At least that is what the vast majority of women are trying to do. Women are going on with their lives as if nothing happened. Yet the feelings of grief, fear, acceptance, regret, relief, keep surfacing, and women keep shoving the feelings back down so no one can see them as they smile and go back to normal life.

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Balance is not about being perfect all the time, nor that your life is exactly rationed into equal parts. Instead, being in balance means you are in the right season for things to unfold and flourish in their appropriate time.  Learn how to find your center and stay balanced with qigong and nourishing herbal infusions

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