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Category: motherhood

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Postpartum life series: The Birth & early days with Blaise Ignatius

I want to share a series of mini reflections on postpartum life–or, what’s really going on behind all those cute baby milestone photos we love to smile at. Sometimes it’s hard to peel back the layers–to let others in to this truly intense, often emotional, exhausting, time–it can feel that we’re in the eye of a hurricane–quiet but with huge forces of change all around us.

The reality of postpartum is that of a truly transforming existence for mother and child; as they learn to be apart (after the womb life), and learn to be together, in new ways, and in the world. Each week is unique and oh-so-meaningful, and I know, for myself, I want to remember all of it.

I truly believe that postpartum is a time when both baby and momma are meant to thrive. This has been my mission in coaching many women over the past years, and having this focus myself has helped me tremendously in the past years when #postpartumlife was my ever-present reality.

I’m immensely grateful for my tribe of mommas over in the FB postpartum community; they have been incredible in this phase, and I know if you’re not in there already, you’ll be very welcome indeed–whether you’re about to have a baby, or had a baby 6 years ago…

I’m finally ready to write and process some of the beautiful incredible things that made up the first weeks of postpartum life with Blaise. I know this will be part one of a series, because postpartum life is far from over–but there’s something so incredible, so special about the first 40 days, or 6 weeks, when momma is resting and healing and taking time to focus on bonding with babe…and then, the several weeks following that which are a process of unpacking and beginning to take strides to a new normal–new daily rhythms that work well for all–we’re perhaps just now beginning to find these.

Knowing (as this is my 4th) that this phase is both beautiful, intense and oh-so-short…but that postpartum life is more of a marathon not a sprint I wanted to honor and deeply dive into the first 40 days, soaking it all up with intention rather than having it pass like a blur.

*To the first time momma: it’s impossible to have perspective. I remember so clearly wondering: will I ever sleep again? Will my body ever feel normal again? Will this little human being ever stop needing me so much? The answer to all of these is yes, but in the midst of it all you struggle to feel that anything is as it should be*

NOW, knowing what I know, I decided to just truly bask in the first few weeks, to document everything (sooo many pics of the 4th child, he can’t hold that over us)…and to be still, to be offline much of the time, when I needed a mental break, to be quiet with these changes, to watch my family accept and welcome this new life, and to let the big ripples of this major life change, turn into smaller and smaller ripples as everyone breathes and leans into it, and grows. There is plenty of time to start exercising, to be “productive”, to do errands with baby (spoiled me, I didn’t set foot in a grocery store for 6 weeks around Blaise’ birth), and to look the part. (Yes, I do love new clothes in postpartum, but not because there’s a certain goal size waistline or pressure to bounce back).

There’s no going “back” We’re only going forward to new, better levels of ourselves.

Mother fills a distinct role during this time. She needs to be supported to focus on that; her own healing and re-balancing/recovery as a primary need, and with this, the ability to nourish her child as she nourishes and strengthens herself. Anyone who’s been through it can tell you the deep vulnerability and fragility that is felt, and why it’s crucial that she has a strong and supportive community around her, so she can keep her nervous system at peace.

The realization that postpartum life needs to be paced (and this is just my first post in a series, because there are many distinct phases & topics of postpartum)…is something that’s come to me over the years, and helped inspire a group of us to come together to take back conversations about postpartum life, just how different moms’ needs, goals and habits should be during that period, and to honor it as a time to thrive. This requires a tremendous family and community support to do well–mom must be allowed to re-focus her precious energies without guilt.

A short (mini) birth story

Yes, all postpartum experiences begin with the birth. This wasn’t meant to be the focus of this post/series, but I will share a bit about this beautiful birth experience we had with Blaise.

We waited 10 long days from Blaise’ due date to when he was ready to arrive. My patience grows thin during those times, and it becomes harder to care for the kids and do everything as my body preps for birth. I’m no stranger to post-date babies, but this time, with my hypno-birthing meditations each night, I was able to get perspective and embrace/welcome the natural process of things even as my overly planning/impatient mind couldn’t compute it all sometimes. I called on all the help for school pickups, etc, and rested alot, nested more, and stayed in during some of the coldest days of the winter.

The midwives finally did encourage me (when I was mentally done–and spent the morning both crying/swaying on the birthing ball, and bouncing on my kids trampoline!) that it was time to try castor oil. We did that on a thursday morning (Jan 24th) and my husband stayed home from work, and we arranged to go to the hospital by that evening, no matter where things were, because we knew we didn’t want it dragging on. The castor oil was a totally positive experience for me, not at all icky or hard to manage (I snacked alot and drank tons of hydrate/elecytrolytes)…the contractions were consistent all day, not picking up in pace, but remaining, and when we left the kids peacefully and went in to the hospital and met the midwives and team, I was 3cm along, and contracting well but they were ready to get me into a better pattern and prepare to break my water. I was given a little bit of Pit, and then once my water broke, things progressed quickly. I used my hypnobirthing meditations and then went into the tub to labor once a few contractions felt stronger than I was managing well. Once in the tub, I was only there 5 minutes before I told Joel–I need to get out and push. This was 1.5 hours into my active labor. He was used to two over 24 hour labors (Corinne and Ambrose) so he was seriously skeptical, and tried to convince me to stay in the tub just a bit longer, but somehow husbands wisely know not to argue with their laboring wife…sure enough, I was on the table and pushed Blaise out in 3 pushes, before they had time to even finish wheeling in all the materials, and the midwives laughed at me as I held my 9lb 7oz babe with the biggest grin on my face. He spent so little time in the birth canal and I felt AMAZING as soon as he was out. Such a dream labor and delivery–beyond anything I could have hoped for (though I had been visualizing my perfect birth for weeks, so maybe it’s not a coincidence).

Last pregnant picture–this is it!

Born right after 2am January 25th, our little perfect chunky gift of a baby, to start out 2019 with a bang.

I LOVE the hospital for their “baby friendly” policies and he didn’t leave my room once as we recovered. I had the kids visit and then was ready to go home with my parents who drove up the following day. Getting away from it all and being in a different (short) bubble helps me focus in on the important bonding and early postpartum moments, before life, home and kids come rushing at me. Grateful for the right place to make that transition, and wonderful, wise caregivers.

We loved introducing him to the siblings. He was an immediate hit, and slept through all their pokes, snuggles and “kisses”–for weeks, literally 😉

Intentional & restful postpartum

As I talked about before his birth, I had found myself rushing through the other postpartums with the other kids–if I felt great physically, I would push myself too early, take on too much (or travel alot, etc) and end up frazzled and mentally fried. Even if my body could handle it, it was taking a toll on my nervous system, and felt like more of a blur.

This time around, I RESTED. So much. Way more than is normal for me. I don’t consider myself a very restful person 😉 And it was good.

I napped every day for the first 4 weeks–during the first 2, it was hugely important and I craved that break; my mom would drive Ambrose to pick up the girls from school and I would curl up with Blaise and get at least an hour of lying flat rest. The rest of the time I was totally curled up on the couch with meals being brought to me, teas, broths, I literally didn’t cook a single meal or unload my dishwasher for the first 2 weeks. SO so grateful for my mom stepping in and doing everything. The kids loved it, Joel and I even got out on some date nights when my parents were around the first few weekends, and life felt so different and hugely calm, and like a little bubble of love surrounding us, and it was just perfect. The cold evenings we all hung out by our fire, and took turns cuddling this chub. I had imagined it would be fun to hibernate with a baby, and it has suited me so well (ie, needing a major excuse to stay in and enjoy it, rather than itching to get out, and being stir crazy in winter).

I had a no visitor policy for the first 2 weeks (anyone I would have to get dressed to welcome;)). This was challenging only in a few moments with folks wanting to come by, but they did understand, and it gave me permission to focus entirely on babe, nourishing and resting. I’m an extrovert and love hosting, but I like to have things tidy and at a certain level, so this way, the focus was entirely on my own kiddos and those directly supporting. Having family around to socialize with was wonderful—I could chat as long as I had energy, and hide upstairs when I was done (and know that the kids were in the best of hands).

I will look back on and treasure those moments for a long time—I could feel my body recovering well each day, and while I often am high energy and motivated to do things by day 4-5 postpartum, it’s not that wise for me (and I would regret it) so this time I just did less than I thought I could, and was able to get my sleep into good patterns, my hormones and stress levels were balancing, I held baby all the time, whenever I wanted to, and I didn’t experience any deep exhaustion that way; it made it all more balanced and joyful. I didn’t do anything around the house or much kid management at all–since Joel and my mom were both eager to help with that. I did fold some laundry but that’s because I enjoy doing it and insisted 😉 My mom staying here was a huge gift, and having others doing driving of the kids to and from school, etc, made my restful routines at home possible.

As anyone who’s met him will tell you, Blaise is just a chill, fun kid. He’s the dream baby (that I’ve earned:)) who sleeps like a king…and his little lazy self, just drifting into naps whenever he felt like it–on me or anyone holding him, has been inspiring me in a big way, to take my commitment to sleep/napping more seriously. We could all use a little more lazy Blaisey in our life, right?

Postpartum as a time of transformation

I really embraced this experience of postpartum as a cocoon metaphor; we were in an intense and brief period of transformation, and to do so well, we needed to be away from it all//resting//welcoming support in all forms, and really just being quiet and present to the transformation. I journaled (as I always do) daily, and found that to be a hugely beneficial way to process all that I was experiencing and feeling—not always wanting to talk it out, but mothers always have things that need to be processed, and the right supportive helping team provides this for her too. This quiet/inner work went well with the natural hibernating patterns of Jan/Feb up here, and I knew that soon enough, right about when the warm weather came, we’d be ready for adventures, but to enjoy this brief moment fully–not rushing any bit of it.

When possible, I enjoyed moments of getting dressed and getting out—new moms need this too! Staying in pjs all the time is a recipe for losing sanity a bit ;)—but always followed it up with a nap, and we never tried any crazy outings without extra hands to wrangle the toddler–for the first 4 weeks, to make it enjoyable for all.

This level of rest & welcoming help was huge for me, and of course all my nutrition tools–which I’ve had for the past 2 recoveries which made them so good. You can’t underestimate the effects of post-natal depletion–it’s real, and it’s not good. Our bodies have given SO much to create and birth these human beings, and we have to give time and high quality nourishment and rest to re-balance and come out stronger on the other side. It’s possible, but it takes some serious effort and focus. Energized postpartum starts with a strong baseline for the mother, who’s both nourishing/re-balancing herself and giving alot through feeding her baby.

(to check out these tools for your personalized needs, start here—or message me for a quick health consult if you’re in postpartum).

Having been no stranger to some signs of adrenal fatigue in prior postpartums, I can tell you that it’s something that you can’t mess with–pushing to the edge of your physical or mental capacity. Both you and baby need you at your best, so take that extra time and care. That’s been our focus and why we set things up the way we did for this period of time, and especially since I was so clear that I wanted to come out of this postpartum mentally strong and able to exercise (I have a spring race in the calendar), and ready for some exciting things on the business front…so the more rest and rebuilding that I allowed myself in the first 40 days, the more I could be present and ready for the beautiful next phases as they came.

Some other tools in my toolkit for thriving postpartum:

*The Early reclaim program by every mother. It helped me resolve my diastisis in pregnancy and provided an amazing baseline for core recovery and gentle movement in the first 6 weeks.

*Reflexology; I’m a huge fan of Pippa and I had a session right at the end of my 40 day quiet period, to re-balance my nervous system, energy levels and hormones. Such a gift to find someone who truly knows how the body is meant to heal and re-balance itself. I highly recommend this for postpartum if you haven’t tried, and want an optimal recovery.

*Pelvic & core PT: this has become my go-to for staying active/being an athlete and having babies. Melissa is a wonder worker and I went to her at 3 weeks pp, and schedule to go every 3-4 weeks up through my first running races and getting fully back to a new, better level of fitness. Every mother needs this in their life after birth.

As you may know, I’m a huge fan of the book “The first 40 days, the art of nourishing the new mother“–it completely changed my perspective on postpartum life when I read it after Ambrose, and I embraced many of the healing foods of the book this time around, especially broths and all the focus on hormone-balancing foods and snacks, and they helped me so much.

My dream postpartum breakfast: steaming bone broth with a heaping helping of local ice-cream topped with local granola.
Breakfasts cooked every day for me for weeks–a true gift, and so that I could focus on serving breakfast to Blaise:)

I also experienced it as a time of clarity about what mattered—-it’s humbling and beautiful to strip life down to the most essentials, not leaving the house, not cooking meals, barely moving from the couch, and reflecting on–what do I want to add back in to my life? Of course laundry and carpooling are non-negotiables (though outsourcing is wise and I’ll reflect more on that in future posts)…but I mean, beyond, what do we want life to look like? How can we create a new balance that includes this new human beautifully and well? I’m so grateful I was able to lean into these reflections and really consider it all without stress or apprehension. It was instead a perfect moment of “creating space”–the term I focus a lot on in coaching and in my new life design course–that of being willing to add blank space to our schedule—letting go of being busy and instead being free to welcome the memorable, surprising, beautiful elements of life that can sneak up on us when we make room in our planners & hearts.

My 3 words for the year of 2019: First is integration–focused on integrating well as a family of 6, and integrating new routines, etc with baby as a focal point. Another word is intention…and living with the highest level of purposefulness that we can. Life with an infant brings this into sharp focus. My 3rd word for 2019 is impact–and already we’ve shifted things to make this possible in new, smarter ways. Blaise is a huge part of the expanded vision and focus I have, and it’s so exciting to know that family goals can accompany our larger life vision. These weeks really allowed us to delve into these themes and make them real in so many ways.

Thank you for taking time to share in this beautiful, unforgettable chapter of life with us. All the lovely notes, gifts, meals brought, helping hands and beautiful reach-outs just made it all the more special as we enjoyed welcoming and falling in love with our new guy.

The series will continue with posts on topics like: postpartum fitness (lots to say there, as I’m smack in the midst of it all), postpartum and work, postpartum & mental health, and much more. If you have topics you’d like to see discussed–reach out and email me. It’s so important to me to emphasize the beautiful layers of postpartum, and to build a culture that helps moms and babies thrive during this time.

If you’re not on my email list yet–you can hop on at the top of the page to catch the rest of the series in the coming weeks.

And here’s some other related posts:

And our postpartum community where many of these discussions happen in real time with other amazing mommas.

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Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup–and life with 4 littles

Welcome to our first guest post of the coming months! So grateful to my lifelong friend Monica for taking time out of her busy life with 4 littles to share this amazing recipe, and some beautiful reflections that all us moms can take to heart.

Congratulations on the entire Pidel family on the beautiful new addition to the family! There is nothing more beautiful than a loving family. I know your newest little angel is going to be so well taken care of by all his siblings!

When I added my fourth child to our tribe this past spring, I received an inspiring piece of advice that, while simple in declaration, has proven to be rather challenging in execution. A nurse at the hospital who was tending to me post-delivery, advised me to be sure to give each one of my children 20 minutes a day of my undivided attention. We could do anything we want during those twenty minutes as long as the focus is entirely on them so that they feel cherished and special. Thinking that was a wonderful idea, I have made that a priority over the past months and at first it seemed an easy enough task to fulfill each day. But then, the days grew shorter, the school year started up again, our schedules became quite hectic, and the baby started becoming more mobile and less content to sit in a bouncy chair or play pen while I tended to his siblings.

I began to notice that my eldest received his 20 minutes of attention fairly easily – he simply demanded it. He never stops talking and will not be silent until he finishes telling me what is on his mind, as well as ever juicy piece of gossip he learned at school that day. He also requires a bit of help with homework on a daily basis, so I always devote some amount of personal time to him in that regard.

My third child, Lucia, is home with me still during the day and I am able to find precious moments here and there to play a game with her, do a craft, or read a book. Lately, she has been enjoying schooling me in Candy Land and I have no idea how she does it because I’m almost completely certain that game is entirely based on luck. But, regardless, she makes it to the magical, sugary Promised Land before me every single time. She easily gets in her 20 minutes of attention.

And baby Daniel, please…he is practically an extra appendage, always hanging off of me similar to a baby orangutan at the zoo. He gets lots of mommy time.

Then there is my second child, Emma. The child who is the most independent, the most dependable, and the most capable of getting all her work done without much fuss or reminding. Emma is very good about entertaining herself, often disappearing to our basement after school to make paper flowers, crowns, or other little creations in solitude. I love her independence, but an unfortunate result of that is she is often the one who gets skipped having special time with me each day.

So, I began inviting Emma to sit at the counter and draw, read, and chat as I make dinner each night. She has never been very enthusiastic about helping me in the kitchen, both Matthew and Lucy are much more willing to lend a hand with cooking, but she has jumped at the opportunity to just be with me as I cook away each and every evening. She is a funny little thing and I so enjoy listening to her perspective on the world – it certainly beats any podcast I would otherwise be tuning into! And she just visibly brightens after having some attention from me and goes to bed at night happier and content. Even though she does not ask for or demand my attention, I have to ensure that I do not skip making some time for her – and all of my children. Even if the dishes are dirty and the laundry is piled high, nothing is more important than being a mother to these precious little ones. I can have a spotless home later in life, but my children are little right now and right now they just want me to be with them.

On that sentimental note, I wish to share with you a recipe for a nourishing, rich, and filling soup, one that soothes the soul while feeding the body. Not everyone loves mushroom, but I have found that even mushroom skeptics – like my husband – think this soup to be delectable. It’s creamy, delicately flavored, and filling while not weighing you down too much. I love the rich mushroom flavor in the broth, the heartiness from the wild rice and the bright finish from the lemon zest. It’s a perfect winter soup, simple enough for weeknight meals but not quite too humble to serve for guests.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

adapted slightly from America’s Test Kitchen

¼ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed

4 ¼ cups water

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, peeled, plus 4 cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup wild rice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 onion, chopped fine

1 teaspoon tomato paste

2/3 cup dry sherry

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

¼ cup cornstarch

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup minced chives

¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grind shiitake mushrooms in spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle until finely ground – you should have about 3 tablespoons.

Bring 4 cups of water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic clove, ¾ teaspoon salt, and baking soda to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice and return to boil. Cover saucepan, transfer to oven, and bake until rice is tender, 35 to 50 minutes. Strain rice through fine-mesh strainer set in 4-cup liquid measuring cup; discard thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Add enough water to reserved cooking liquid to measure 3 cups.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add cremini mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and dark fond develops on bottom of pot, 15 minutes. Add sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced and pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes. Add ground shiitake mushrooms, reserved rice cooking liquid, broth and soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until onion and mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes.

Whisk cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup water in small bowl. Stir cornstarch slurry into soup, return to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, and lemon zest. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley, and serve!

More about Monica of A Beautiful Mess

Monica is the cook, baker, and primary administrator of the blog A Beautiful Mess. She initially began the blog at the urging of her husband and sister-in-law as a way to share photographs, stories, and recipes with our families. An avid lover of bread in any form, Monica has had to demonstrate major restraint to not post only carbohydrate-centered recipes. She has successfully convinced her husband that a salad can be a sufficient main dish and vegetables are his friends. When she is not blogging or cooking, Monica enjoys chasing after her kiddos, running, pilates, drinking copious amounts of coffee, scrapbooking, and relaxing with a good book while listening to a selection from her collection of vintage vinyl records. However, her absolute favorite pastime is probably poking fun at her husband.

You can find her at her blog: A Beautiful Mess

On Facebook at her page A beautiful Mess

or on Instagram under the username @monica_abeautifulmess

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Stocking the postpartum freezer and pantry

8.5 years ago, when prepping for my first postpartum (and maternity leave from work)…I had not a clue what life would be like, and I also didn’t feel like many of the mothering resources or moms I knew really got into details after the pregnancy and birth. Except for the idea that you won’t sleep as much, I didn’t have any insight into what recovering from birth would be like. I thought it would be like my best ever 8 week vacation, with a cute babe snuggling in my arms…

I remember distinctly after my first was born, about the blurry 2 week mark, when a dear relative gave me the best gift a postpartum mom might ask for…she brought a huge basket of food (already prepared snacks/etc), and held my fussy baby, while sending me down the street (we lived in Brooklyn) to a deep tissue massage. With everything physically and mentally feeling upside down, even just stepping out into the September air, by myself, and having that healing treatment before rushing home to my babe, was such a gift.

And, being a go-getter and priding myself on bouncing back fast (and having relatively easy recoveries, in my 20’s as I like to say;)—I went back to work after my two girls (part-time) at 8 weeks (and 7 weeks), took a several week road trip when Corinne was 3 weeks old (ok, it was to my moms and MIL, and then a work conf). No regrets, just not the smartest for my overall well being;) And with Ambrose, even though I needed to give myself more recovery time after an intense labor, I was running around town as if life was normal after 5 days…but really, it wasn’t, and I realized the hard way, just how much rest and true recovery time is needed after baby. It’s not selfish, lazy, or anything other than wise to rest for 2 full weeks postpartum (doing very little) or more, depending on the kind of birth you had, and there’s something especially important about the first 40 days, or the 6 week mark, that needs to be honored and given to moms and babies. I read this book: The First 40 days: the Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother

while postpartum with Ambrose, and it changed my perspective on postpartum entirely. Obviously, nerding out on the incredible nutrition and recipes related to just what the mother’s body needs to heal, but also how, culturally, we’ve lost a sense of what a sacred and important time this really is for a mother. So….I’m aiming to do things quite differently this time, and while I won’t drop offline or do absolutely nothing for 40 days, I will be treasuring the ability to create a cocoon of care, quiet, warmth, nourishment, and support during those weeks, which conveniently coincide with a cold CT winter…hibernation and babies just might be the thing that works for someone like me (my first 2 were summer girlies, and I struggled to stay home and quiet during that amazing season!).

There’s a lot at stake here for mothers, notably, a large rise in PPD and PPA in recent years, which can be connected to so many things, but especially can be quickly triggered (even with all the hormone and other things that are in flux) by a lack of proper rest, care for mom as well as babe, and giving her permission to get off the fast track life, or for others, perhaps isolation with baby, being alone too much during those first weeks can augment it. It’s a delicate balance of people being able to help, but in the ways that she needs, and not having to play hostess and simply show off the babe in rotation, without thought for her. In any regard, these recipes are focused in on the essential nourishment of mom–body, mind and spirit–and therefore babe…and I enjoyed creating a few of them from my experience/what I already know I usually crave after babies, and a few are straight from the postpartum cookbook, which you’re going to want to get for all the new moms in your life, as a tremendous gift. We’ll take back the culture around a truly restful postpartum experience, and help moms everywhere thrive, with their babies right there with them.

For me, I know I’ll want to keep my head in the game a bit, and that’s the beauty of this work/business that we’ve been able to create…but you’ll see more guest blog posts here, which is super exciting, prepare for some great ones! Postpartum is a terrific moment to just be willing to ask for help, and for some of us, that can be harder than others…but it’s always beautiful to see the response from our community (and create one intentionally, that will support you putting baby and momma needs first).

If you are on maternity leave and feeling that pressure that real life will come rushing at you all too quickly, I get it (been there)—definitely savor these weeks and fight off pressure to do anything except the stuff that matters for yourself and babe.


This book when I discovered it in my postpartum with Ambrose (it had just come out)–spoke directly to my wearied heart—moms in all cultures and times have been given a sacred space and time and had rituals surrounding postpartum rest–often with family members coming and living with them, daily massages with oils, not being allowed to entertain/host “guests” etc…but to simply rest…and this current culture of idolizing the “bounce back”–whatever that means–is perverse and not helpful for women or their babies, from what I’ve seen, especially with working with many women from a health coach perspective in their postpartum stages. Her perspective is unique and valuable, as a high-powered career focused woman in LA who expected popping out babies is just a blip in the radar, who yet as 2nd generation chinese American, had a tie to the past cultural norms and support that we now have no concept of, and it led her to start the company called Motherbees to precisely address this need she perfectly expresses in this book, and which resonates so much with me and those I share it with. 

You will want to grab this (it’s linked above through amazon) to send to any new moms in your life, just about to enter this stage, or even better, grab it and prep some of the meals for the new moms in your life–and bring them over with some of the awareness of what moms need from their “guests” that the book addresses–like the willingness to clean her sink or hold the babe while she naps, while you’re there.

Postpartum bars for energy and hormone balancing

These ingredients were languishing in my pantry so I mixed this up for complete hormone balancing via yummy snacking–if you’ve never heard of seed cycling, it’s a fascinating and natural approach to balancing hormones and cycles with various types of seeds, and this recipes uses all of those super-seeds.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup almond or peanut butter

1/2 c maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup flax seeds

1 cup pepitas

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 1/2 cup organic coconut flakes (unsweetened)

1/4 cup organic chia seeds

1/4 cup organic maca powder

Directions:

Melt coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla together in a medium saucepan on med-low heat, until fully combined.

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour in and mix in the saucepan ingredients in slowly, stirring well to fully combine, using a spatula, scoop it into a 9×13 pan with freezer paper or parchment paper lining it, and then pop it into the freezer for min of an hour. I love how they taste cold and right out of the freezer, so you can store them there for a month. Or you can also keep at room temp. They are super tasting and pack an amazing hormone balancing and energizing (maca powder) punch.

My goto for preventing PPD (along the topic of hormone balancing) is this fantastic GLA complex that I start taking in 3rd trimester daily, and it really seems to do o the trick for warding off PPD tendencies  in the first weeks following birth. There’s now so much more research and focus being put into natural methods that can help moms–this article shares some encouraging ideas, and I hope that these ideas of prepping and eating well, as well as all the holistic care for postpartum focused on of the art of nourishing in the new mother in the book mentioned above will give support to anyone who’s looking to navigate that season with support and good resources.

Here’s a peek into my postpartum freezer–some of my go-to soups, snacks and more.

Last week I got busy making some soups that I knew I’d want to have at the ready when baby is here. In the First Forty days book, she goes into detail on why it’s important to start with soups for momma, no matter what the season—slowed digestion after birth, and needing to replenish vital nutrients quickly and easily are some of the main reasons. I’m a soup fanatic anyway, and this winter baby/hibernation agrees with what I’m naturally craving, so it works out. I did 2 bone broth based soups, and 2 vegetarian ones. There’s a good reason why it’s great to focus on bone broth for replacing essential amino acids and healing/supporting the mother’s gut while nourishing her back to strength…a classic healing tool, but it will be best combined with other warming spices that increase her circulation, and vitality, even as she continues to release blood after birth. I didn’t include this Weston Price recipe for a postpartum soup in my freezer, but if you can stomach pigs feet, it’s a good concept 😉

Soups

*Split Pea Soup (made in my crock-pot from my new year’s ham bone, and a whole foods split pea soup mix–super easy, and I added onion and garlic)

*Chicken, Red dates and ginger soup (from the first 40 days cookbook)

*Curried chickpea and lentil daal (vegan)

*Celery/veggie stock vegetarian puree (recipe below)

*Stock some containers of homemade bone broth as well–I use organic rotisserie chickens, as this saves me a step. You can drink this straight, or have your support folks whip up easy soups for you.

Vegetarian postpartum healing stock/soup
*5 celery stocks, chopped
*5 carrots, chopped
*1 head cauliflower, cut, and roasted for 20 min at 425 with EVOO/salt/pepper
*9 cups water
*3-5 cups of spinach
*Garlic–1-2 cloves
*Salt, pepper

Cook celery, carrots and water together, simmering an hour until soft. Roast cauliflower (I prefer that flavor), and then dump into the pot as well. After 2 hours, toss in spinach to cook for the final stretch (15 min or so is fine), then let the soup cool. When cooled, pour it into vitamix in batches to blend into a puree. Then put into mason jars and freeze!

Other Freezer foods

Chicken pot pie—this is a cross-over of something I know I’ll crave in postpartum (I loved it after Emma), but will also feed the family in a pinch. Use any recipe (I don’t even follow one exactly at this point, it’s so 2nd nature to me–sorry!), I just recommend making your own broth, as that’s the key nourishing element, along with the veggies and chicken.

Quiche–with ham and brussel sprouts. Another super easy-to-freeze meal that’s hearty, will check off many of the boxes of what moms need postpartum (protein! veggies!) but also will satisfy other tastes in the house. Yum! Again, make whatever your go-to quiche recipe is, and be picky about the crust–either make your own or get an organic/whole wheat one if that matters to you.

Voila
Also, decaf & organic local coffee (see if you can avoid caffeine as a new mom, it can affect baby’s sleeping cycles, your own, as well as contribute to adrenal fatigue which I totally have had to face in postpartum, not fun)
And a GF waffle option which are super quick and easy and I LOVE them with almond butter…some shortcuts are valuable to protect mom’s postpartum focus.

The postpartum pantry

Yes, it’s true, the combination of new years energy/focus, plus nesting, and my love of #konmari after living a #sparkjoy lifestyle for 3 years, means every space in my house is absolutely de-cluttered and sparking joy–much to my husband’s teasing–though secretly he’s the same way and loves it (And I’ll have to be ok if that slips a bit in the months following babe, because the simplified life still serves us)

L-R, on bottom: dates, quinoa, sunflower seeds, trail mix, chia seeds, coconut flakes, rice, and behind: seeds, organic honey, coconut oil and molasses, nutritional yeast. The spices are all going to be found in the soups and are known for their ayurvedic warming properties–helpful for re-balancing the postpartum body.

Not too much to say here about my pantry staples, except, if you ask any new mom, the effort involved in cooking a simple meal can feel insurmountable at times…so having things prepared but also easy to reach for (rather than calling take-out, though that’s a great option occasionally too;))…will help not only me, but also my support team, to be able to easily whip things up.

Some of my favorite postpartum snacks etc that I’ll make with these ingredients are below, and the First Forty days cookbook has a killer ginger fried rice recipe (eggs, scallions, bacon, broth based) that I’m already dying for someone to make for me. You want to avoid going crazy with grains in the first few weeks (or if you’re grain free or GF like me), plan for alternatives while your digestion kicks back into gear…though never underestimate a nice beer for lactation needs, and alot of my recipes do include oats, which is a nice compromise for me. Nutritional yeast is awesome to have on hand to add to things (b vitamins!), as are the chia seeds (fiber and protein packed super seeds), and I make my favorite postpartum natural energy drink with them (energy tea, hydrate and chia seeds, so good!).

Postpartum healthy snacking

All these can be made ahead and stored in freezer for up to a month, or in your fridge for a week. So delicious and check off all the boxes of what your body needs in these early days, especially when establishing BF-ing habits, the oats and protein and healthy fats are key.

*Hormone balancing snack bars (recipe above)

*Energizing protein bites–pictured above–I ALWAYS have these stocked for myself, and my kids. Clean, delicious snacking #FTW.

*Date/oat/maca energy bars

*Banana/oat/choc/coconut cookies

Postpartum Nutritional tools—key to recovery, energy, rest and balancing hormones.

I couldn’t omit these from this post–the game-changing nutritional tools that I didn’t have after my first birth and postpartum experience. I felt SO depleted and low energy and not myself–for over a year. With these tools that I’ve used in the past 2 postpartums, I am always amazed and grateful at how much energy I have, how “easy” some of the recovery aspects are—in terms of muscle soreness, establishing rest, handling post-birth constipation/digestion issues, and reducing inflammation, setting up well for a great milk-supply and breastfeeding experience (the alfalfa is everything), and then, with the life shake, easily and gently losing the baby weight and feeling great. Of course, it’s the rest of life and the transitions that’s the challenging part, but for momma to feel her best is KEY, especially as baby’s thriving is so tied up with that in the first weeks and months.

So, here ya go.

Alfalfa: Not only does this prevent water retention/bloating for me in the 3rd trimester (say what!?) it also helps a ton with post-birth relief and reducing water retention in the early days following birth, when your body naturally begins to release it. ALSO, game changer for consistent, great milk supply. Without it, I always cycled between over supply and under-supply, and this seems to balance mine out wonderfully. If clogged ducts or any issues in that realm appear, lecithin helps miraculously.

Herblax: a gentle, very effective herbal laxative, so helpful for so many moms I know–hemorroids are common after birth and some of my friends say their’s were more painful than birth itself! Thanks to this, you can avoid all of that (and check out reflexology and pelvic postpartum care to further handle any issues in that area)

Vitalizer: the worlds best pre and post-natal supplement. Helps tremendously with replenishing iron stores post birth, probiotic is key for digestion, and the many Bs are super key for mommas who need their balanced energy with less sleep on the agenda. Also has iodine for thyroid support, and a weak/sluggish thyroid is typical for postpartum so it needs all the support we can give it.

Recover PM. So this is a tart cherry supplement used by athletes, and if birth isn’t an athletic event, I don’t know what it is. I LOVE this for my post-long run muscle recoveries, and as a natural form of melatonin, it helps with deeper sleeper cycles, so yes, a key one to have around.

GLA. This is the stuff I swear by for mood balancing and bringing the hormones back into balance. Start taking it a few per day in 3rd trimester, and you’ll notice a world of difference. I had one postpartum without it (my first) and while I didn’t have a strong case of PPD, just felt so much more moody, and with this my most recent postpartums have been a breeze in that regard. So grateful.

Cal-Mag is key for restful nights sleep and reducing feelings of anxiety/anxiousness. I’ll do epsom salt baths regularly in postpartum too, but supplementing with magnesium in the evenings (and needing calcium since I don’t do dairy) helps me get a great night sleep–and hopefully babe too:)

Pomegranate Energizing tea. If you can only get one of these amazing tools, this would be my suggestion–such a wonderful natural pick-me-up (without caffeine, just B vits and amino acids)–so many moms I’ve shared it with just swear by it for afternoon energy and a non-jittery option. Tastes amazing, pomegranate flav—with seltzer, or my fav combo, with chia seeds and the hydrate drink for a powerful nutrient punch.

Finally, Vivix. LOVE this stuff for postpartum–it’s reduces inflammation and helps with overall healing in all parts of the post-partum body–contains the anti-inflammatory benefits of a special type of grape that makes 1 serving more potent (anti-oxidant wise) than 50 glasses of red wine!! (Though you can enjoy a few of those too;))

Since I had hoped to have this freezer and pantry stocked before babe, and sharing this post is the icing on the cake, now I just can’t wait to make use of all these things to help the first few weeks flow smoothly. I hope this supports all the mommas out there–if you know someone who’s prepping for birth and would enjoy seeing these ideas, share away.

If you have recipes you swear by for post-partum, I’d love it if you could share links below in comments or email me!

xx

maddy

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Life Lessons from My Kids, 2018 Edition

I wrote a similar post a year ago, and when I sat to write this, I enjoyed going back to it, remembering them (how little they seem now) and that special phase, that still somewhat felt like a blur, since we were still settling in after a big move—entering a new school and community, finding good rhythms in our new place we call home. 

Some things I remember now (from that time)–Ambrose just under 1 and he was still waking a lot at night to feed, my brain and nervous system still felt in that postpartum fog a bit (any other mommas out there relate?)…and the girls were just young and BUSY. Not a bad thing, I just remember being wiped out each and every day, and welcoming my babysitter breaks and realizing I needed to uplevel my self-care game and my mental and home management habits & flow so that I wouldn’t feel on the edge so often, but could rather enjoy it more!

I began looking into ways to rest/reset more deeply and effectively (discovered reflexology , healed my adrenals during this time, so huge), and some exploring of new habits that led to many new, better rhythms for myself and our family by the spring. This deserves another post–coming soon…  

Well, if you’d told me at that moment–that this time next year we’d be happily prepping to welcome #4, I would have said you were CRAZY:)

It wasn’t until the spring of 2018 that I turned and said to Joel one day… “I think we’re starting to really get the hang of this 3 kids thing”…ha. And now we’re preparing to have our worlds rocked, once again, and the beauty of it is that I truly can’t imagine it any other way. 

A Year of Finding Balance, With and Through My Children

My word of the year for 2018 was Balance. How appropriate that we sought and found some new family rhythms to give us a beautiful sense of balance, and now in early 2019 we’ll adjust and shift and build on what we’ve learned. God’s timing is truly incredible, and I smile just knowing how much better life gets when I don’t try so hard to control the future, the timing of things, and everything in between. Anyone else working on that lesson (again, and again)?

I see how well the kids are maturing and adjusting and doing more for themselves and in their lives, even as the balance shifts again and my focus starts to be on prepping for the next one. I never cease to be amazed at how much kids are hard-wired to THRIVE–to seek out, grab, hold onto, to create the experiences, stimulation, relationships, etc., that most help them become themselves, and to be challenged and remain curious about their world…it’s a quality we all wish we had more of or held on to better as adults!

Photo by Laurie Wright Photography, 2018

Learning about Gentleness and Creative Introspection from Emma

So, diving into the 2018 Fall edition, I’ll start with Emma Lucia, my eldest. She turned 8 in August, and is thriving and being stretched by life in 3rd grade. Oh Emma, what a special spirit she is. I honestly pause at least once a day and marvel that she’s my daughter. Her heart is so sensitive and clued into the needs of others–when she was younger, she was more melancholic, but as she’s grown, she looks outside of herself and cares so deeply about what others are experiencing and going through.

She’s 8, which means fierce friendships and a growing sense of independence–she thrills when I give her responsibilities that stretch and challenge her (though better that we don’t call them chores:)), and at school I see her growing in leaps and bounds with the environment, academic challenges, and the tight knit (tiny class) social circle that she loves. She teaches me so much about seeing the world with wide eyed imagination, gentleness, thinking outside the box, caring deeply for others and always looking for that creative outlet.

She’s a great (gentle) ring leader of the other two, coming up with creative games that keep the younger two entertained, and playing elaborate lego and character games on her own. I don’t ever want her to grow up where she’s too old for that. She has a good sense of what it means to be having another baby coming soon, and she’s very excited and aware of how it will change things in the family.

I’m so grateful she’s in a lovely school– and has a pace of life and friendships–that are encouraging her to stay little, soak up these golden years of imaginative childhood…they really are so beautiful to watch through the eyes of a mother. And she challenges me to always leave room for imagination, creativity and gentle connectedness to others, as keys to beautiful days.

Learning about the Power of Grace and Passion from Corinne

Corinne–my firecracker. She’s the one who has given me the most gray hairs, the most “what am I doing wrong as a mother” moments, and yet our bond is fierce, and I see so much of myself in her (and a bunch of other traits), that I have to laugh as I’m learning to parent her–I’m hearing echoes of what I need to be told daily as well: “Lighten up, Corinne. Not everything can go just your way” and “Don’t get frustrated that it’s not perfect. Try again, embrace the process, and imperfection”…and so much more.

She’s 5, in kindergarten, and is just on top of the world. She’s the one who needed school (that wonderful stimulation) badly–and while we wondered how she would do transitioning to full days this year, she’s absolutely thriving, the center of her class social scene, adores her fun young teacher (who’s fashionable, which is very important to Corinne) and is just ready to explode with all the things she’s excited to be learning about and bringing home to show and tell me. She’s just beginning to unwrap the magical world of reading…with fierce pride in herself.

I will never ever tire of seeing her attack a playground, and jump, swing, flip, twirl, and use every aspect of it to her heart’s delight. That’s my 5 year old Corinne! She’s been doing a gymnastics class, and it’s the perfect environment for her to push herself physically, and have fun…it reminds me a lot about why I love running, and yoga, and fitness in general…that sheer focus and her determination to do better than she did yesterday (not competing against others–yet–but against her own definition of where she wants to be).

I learn from her (and she from me) about how to channel our energies, engage them well (think leadership, as opposed to bossiness, and gymnastics, as opposed to tearing up my home ;)). She’s the one that is the most surprisingly tender to me even in the midst of her whirlwind energy, and is always thinking of sweet things for me “and the baby.” We have the sweetest conversations when I put her to bed, and her mind is just exploding with the possibilities of life and her place in it. 

I want to say she’s changed the most in the past year, but I think it’s really just about coming into her own: she’s embracing the best parts of who she wants to be, and leaving behind some of the dangerously obstinate habits of toddler-hood. “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” I want her to retain that always, in pursuit of the good, true and beautiful.

Photo by Laurie Wright Photography, 2018

Learning about Curiosity and Playfulness from Ambrose

Ambrose–-oh my lover boy. The one who made me a blessed and happy boy mom (now getting ready to welcome another boy). His tenderness to me, his silliness and sense of humor, how he’s navigating all the big changes of his little life, I’m just marveling at it daily, and loving every minute with him. He teaches me so much about approaching all aspects of life with enthusiasm and a grin.

The other night when we are scurrying around doing bedtime things with Corinne, I see him grab his little board book and jump into my bed next to Emma who’s doing her reading there. He cuddles up and then yells out to me in the hallway—“I’m happy!!” That sums him up pretty well, just that sunny good natured guy who brings out all the doting qualities from all of us.

The year between 1 and 2 is really when so much happens for them, they go from being little babies needing so much, to super independent, and this guy handled it with grace and agility.

Much more than my other girls were (that I remember), he’s super inquisitive and always asking “What’s that” “Where are we?”, “Why…?” His brain is hardwired to connect the dots between things and that, along with his very tidy habits (my pride and joy–-he’s always cleaning up his messes without prompting, using his mini cleaning set, or picking up after he’s done, etc.) makes me think he could have a future as an engineer (like his grandfather) or something that requires attention to detail/organization, and lots of asking “why does this work this way?”

He’s my nature lover boy, who’s always trying to play with bugs, run outside with his boots on, and just explore…and on hikes, he fiercely keeps up with rigorous climbs and will go for a mile or more just powering away, excited about what’s up ahead. I’ve LOVED these fall days with him, as a special transition moment, knowing that in the new year, things will shift again, and he’ll give up his position as youngest…but he’ll always be my baby boy, and he has his dad wrapped around his finger, which is wonderful to watch.

He teaches me so much about loving life and taking things as they come. He reminds me how important it is to just PLAY, and use our energy on things that make us happy.

Photo by Laurie Wright Photography, 2018

Learning about Trust and the Unique Gift of Each Life from My Sneaky Pete

My little bump dweller, “Sneaky Pete,” as we like to call him, rounding us out to 2 girls, 2 boys. This guy sure has taught me A LOT so far, for being so little, but it’s been quite an exciting journey with him, and I’d say primarily it’s about trust in God, joy and gratitude for the lives we get to connect with, touch, and bring into this world. There’s some very very special reason that he’s here, that he exists–so I’m eager to witness and see just what that could be.

And he’s been SO good and easy on his momma so far (let’s keep that up), and I just marvel at it all, all over again (but more deeply perhaps). I’ve been really intentionally journaling almost daily with this pregnancy, and really letting this little guy and our experiences together shape my thoughts, my work, what I’m focused on, there’s so much richness there, in terms of lessons and learning to really become aware of the process, of how much these weeks, each week, changes us.

Maybe you’ve heard it said that every child a woman carries leaves some of their own DNA in her? We as mothers are literally, and in so many facets, never ever going to be the same, thanks to the babies we carry or have carried.

Now that we’re at the point (34 weeks) that he could survive outside the womb just fine (though let’s not get any ideas of coming early) it’s just mind blowing to me, just how much development takes place in these early weeks, and how lucky we are to be witnesses to it, as parents, from day 1. It still feels surreal, but amazing, that in 6 weeks we’ll have another little one fully part of our home and family.

I have no doubt I’ll be writing more updates soon on this little one, but so far, he’s as go with the flow as they come, and genuinely brings such an edge of joy to my life and awareness, he’s reminding me just how much ALL in life is gift, sometimes God’s ways are much better than our ways (well, always!), and how good things lead to more and more and more good things–abundance of blessings follows when we trust and relinquish control.

His presence also reminds me, yet again, how important self-care is as mothers–caring for self and caring for other are the same/inextricably linked in this beautiful phase, and I am grateful some of these lessons have sunk in over the past 8 years, even as I learn new ones, that are appropriate for this season.

Photo by Laurie Wright Photography, 2018

So that’s it, the 2018 recap on life-lessons from my kids…

I love their spirit and this moment above, it captures perfectly their wild and free hearts, ready to take on adventure and risk as it comes to them—alive to the world, to life and it’s blessings, just committed to thriving. We all have so much to learn from the children in our lives–our own, and others!

And here’s the recap from last year to enjoy/compare. I LOVE seeing the growth, as much in my perspective, as in each of them.

Life lessons my children are teaching me right now

How are your kids leading to your growth, and changing you during this season of life? I’d love to hear.

 

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4 quick (make-ahead) breakfasts for school mornings

I don’t know about you mommas, but the breakfast and prepping for school rush has been a big learning curve for us. I used to idealize cozy long (early) mornings with the girls getting up to eat steaming bowls of oatmeal with me, or kale and egg scrambles (my personal fav), before heading out. But, reality is something all together different. Usually the girls prefer sleep and lingering over getting dressed/morning activities to sitting and eating at home. If we do gather together it’s on the couch for some praying and journaling time, and then I’m focused on lunch prep….so…

I’ve come up with some compromise breakfast options that I feel really good about sending them out the door with for a strong start to their day. My girls are lucky enough to drive with their dad every day (about 15-20 min) so they have time to eat in the car, and they enjoy chatting with dad, listening to their spotify playlists, or books on tape, and easing into their day that way…

We’ve all heard it—breakfast is in many ways the most important meal of the day–and sometimes the hardest to make time for. I know that giving them this habit and making sure to mix it up, we’re setting them up for a life of enjoying breakfast, and making sure they’ve planned ahead for it.

I love the idea of making some of these in batches as the week kicks off, and having them around to really simplify things–so much easier to heat up overnight oats quickly, or egg/zucchini bites, rather than doing scrambles and hot meals from scratch. What have you found that you love and that works for your kids/husbands/selves for those rushed mornings that still require nutritious starts?

1) Hard Boiled eggs. I discovered (remembered) recently that my daughter Corinne and my husband Joel are crazy about hard-boiled eggs. She won’t really eat them the other ways we prepare them, but in this form she’ll eat 3-4 in one sitting–I love seeing her hold them and happily scarf them down after peeling them. Emma will eat only the egg whites so that’s not ideal, but we make it work. These are great to make a dozen at a time and store for up to a week (if they last that long)…I always try to sneak some fruit in with it…clementines are a year round winner–for ease as well as taste.

2) Apple Cinnamon coconut overnight oats (Recipe below). So I have been slow to jump on the overnight oats bandwagon, wondering how my kids would do with them. With these, you can add a plant protein powder (optional), but they are nutritious and dense and yummy even without. I would suggest putting them in small (mini) mason jars, as the normal serving size is too big for little kiddos to finish off. Can be heated up on these current chilly mornings.

3) Zucchini tots (recipe below)—These are awesome to make ahead, in batches in muffin tins. I had them help me grate the zucchinis from our local farm, and they enjoyed seeing them being made, so it was less of a shock when I offered them the next day for breakfast. You can also, in a pinch, use powdered organic greens–sometimes more practical in winter months in terms of getting the good greens into them.

  1. Pumpkin spice coconut raisin breakfast cookies–what a delicious mouthful to say 🙂 (recipe below). These are made with plant protein powder instead of the flour, so they are dense, hearty, don’t cause a sugar crash, and are super yummy. I don’t know about you, but I love a good filling cookie, and this one fits the bill for breakfast–you can choose different mix ins like nuts you may have (walnuts, cranberries, etc). The pumpkin spice base is subtle and delicious and allows for various pairings.

Even with these 4 meals that require a bit of extra foresight/shopping for ingredients (gotta love a Sunday night prep session to make the mornings go well)–it’s also great to have super quick and easy grab-and-go options. For us, that’s clementines, apples, sometimes mini bagels and cream cheese (better carb to protein ratio than a normal size bagel), and Vans gluten free blueberry waffles (so easy and a big hit). This way, there’s never a day you’re too busy to throw something together that will fuel their brains & warm their hearts.

And of course, I always send them out the door chomping on their incredivites or chewable Vit C (or drinking the vitalized immunity if they have complained of a tickly throat, etc). More on my passion for supplementing well with littles and our story here.

Cheers to finishing out these final (cooler) weeks of the year with nourishing starts to our day. Our little ones see what we do and model us, so I make a peanut butter/banana/chocolate shake for their dad to take with him daily (he loves how full he stays until lunch time) and I model for them that I’m reaching for the same things–nourishing foods (rather than just caffeine) to start the day right!

Hop on my healthy kids back to school VIP email list for more holistic offerings, tips, tools and giveaways. We can make this our healthiest & most peaceful school year, yet.

What are your top fav meals to prep for busy mornings, and what other tips do you have for making these precious first minutes/hours of the day run smoothly and peacefully?:)  Share away!

-Maddy

RECIPES:

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

(from That Clean Life)

Serves: 4
Time: 8 hours (overnight)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups Oats
  • 1.5 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 2 tbsps Chia Seeds
  • 1 tbsps Honey (or Maple Syrup)
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1 Apple (cored and diced)
  • 1 cup Walnuts (chopped)

Directions:

  1. Combine oats, almond milk, chia seeds, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and water in a large glass container. Stir well to evenly mix. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.
  2. Remove from fridge. Use single-serving size jars (250 mL or 500 mL in size) and place a few spoonfuls of the oat mixture in the bottom of each. Then add a layer of diced apple followed by a layer of chopped walnuts. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
  3. Store in the fridge up to 4 days or until ready to eat. Add an extra splash of almond milk and/or a drizzle of honey (optional).

Suggestions:

Warm It Up – Heat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds before eating

Vegan – Use maple syrup instead of honey

More Protein – Add 1 small scoop plant protein, hemp seeds or a spoonful of nut butter

Zucchini Tots

Adapted from the blog Mess for Less

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 medium zucchini (aiming for 2 cups of shredded zucchini once water has been squeezed out).
    • Can use broccoli instead if your kids prefer that flavor palate, or powdered greens. 
  • 1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or mozzarella depending on what your kids like.
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400. Grease a regular muffin pan (or we used some fun leftover cupcake fillers that made them excited).

Shred one zucchini and wrap in cheese cloth. Squeeze out excess water from the zucchini.

In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup shredded zucchini, eggs bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper.

Using a spoon, scoop the mixture into a greased mini muffin pan. The mixture will make 12 zucchini tots.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees until tops start to crisp.

Fall Flavors Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup raw organic sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour (almond flour for GF, or Einkorn for less gluten, white whole wheat is what I would tend to grab)
  • 1 cup vanilla plant potein
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (the one time of year we get to go overboard with this spice)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 cups coconut
  • 1 cup raisin]
  • 2 cups oats

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, and gently fold in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together well, and then add to kitchen-aid, blend until well mixed. Can add coconut, raisins and optional nuts in for an even denser texture (and more goodness snuck in).

When dividing them up and placing on the cookie sheet, be sure to flatten them a bit, as they are dense and won’t move much into a final “cookie shape”. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Serve warm with tea for after school snacks, or send them packing in the mornings!

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3rd Trimester! Things I’m loving these days.

“Pregnancy is a process, that invites you to surrender to the unseen force behind all life”

Well, it’s here–we’re in the homestretch. It happened fast, and now I know the final weeks may fly by even more. I’m really trying to enjoy all the moments, and live this pregnancy intentionally—so much about it has been a total gift, surprise, journey in trust, and I can’t even begin to tell you how my heart has been transforming. It’s the miracle that every time, love multiples. And stretches us, yes, beyond our comfort zones, but it’s there that we truly begin to live.

I’m journaling a lot, enjoying getting to know baby as he kicks his way into my life more and more each day 🙂 Taking time to slow down and be still and marvel at all of it…which pregnancy brings out of me (surprisingly enough!). The holidays are looming, but I know this year will be simpler and more cozy, combined with the nesting, and I’m just really pumped about what the next 12 weeks will bring, for me, and for all of us.

The fact that it’s my easiest pregnancy by far (so far) is helpful, but I also know that I have some practice in doing what’s needed to make sure baby and I are happy and healthy…and I wanted to share a few of my current favorites, knowing that many wonderful moms I know are due sometime right after me, in spring of 2019.

I hope this is a helpful roundup–and feel free to share with a pregnant friend if you think she’d like it.

As a mom of 4, one of the most important aspects of this time is maintaining my energy levels and using my energy on the right things! As any mom will tell you, we can get laser focused on nesting and a bunch of projects related to prepping for baby, and in this case, it’s been a lot of setting up my business structures and flow (and hopefully this space) to work well during my time focusing on baby, and that’s been an exciting and welcome endeavor. Thank goodness for my amazing husband, support crew, and team. And my kids, for putting up with my tidying impulses (neat freak is tied to hormones for me)…our home is feeling cozy, and we’re ready for a winter welcoming the next one into the mix.

People often ask me: so how do you stay so energized in pregnancy?

Answer…like most things in life, it’s not just any one thing. And having a life and balance that you love (in terms of work/life/family/rhythms etc) certainly helps in bringing that joy and energy to everyday.

Anyway, sharing a few things that I’m loving right now, and that are helping me stay strong, energized and happy as we enter the final stage of this beautiful thing called pregnancy.

Daily Habits

Some of you have seen my daily routines/morning flow videos and posts on IG-TV, and others haven’t. Some of the habits I decided to embrace this pregnancy and that have been serving me well:

*Decaf lifestyle…with the exception of this killer cinnamon tea that I’m linking below for you…MUST get. I’ve been trying to avoid full caffeine drinks, and that means decaf coffee, some lighter caffeinated tea, etc. But let me tell you, sleep is one of the most important things for feeling good and powering through a pregnancy (especially with other small kids around) so cutting the caffeine cycle can really help, as hard as it might feel. It won’t serve you that much in postpartum anyway, so now’s a good time to cut back. I instead drink and SWEAR by this super energizing tea, in pomegranate, often mixed with seltzer. It’s a powerful midday boost, with amino acids for brain power, and I’ve gotten other pregnant mommas hooked on it, they tell me it helps them so much. Cheers!!

*Daily stretching/yoga…aiming for 20 minutes in the morning, after tea and prayer time and toddler snuggles…but even 10 minutes helps my body and my mind so much. In the evening, I’ll aim for another 15 but often it’s just restorative stuff–whatever needs to be stretched, child’s pose, legs up the wall, pigeon pose and other ones that help counter-act the effects of the busy days. Maybe I’ll do another post with my favorites if there’s interest (comment if you’d like to see that);) If you’re new to pre-natal yoga, and want to start…I like these.

*Daily walks. I walk 2 miles per day about 4-5/week. The other days I am either hiking with the family (for weekend movement), or at the gym doing weights and treadmill or elliptical. Moving every day is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for pregnancy. I notice the difference in even just 1-2 days if I don’t do a long walk, I’m stiffer, more sore, everything feels tight, and there’s so many reasons to believe that walking and natural movement help us in staying strong and preparing for a wonderful delivery and recovery. In my experience coaching moms, the biggest things moms can do for their mindset, their confidence, stamina, and their ability to jump into a postpartum fitness routine, and even preventing some of the mood challenges of the 3rd trimester and postpartum (PPD), staying fit in pregnancy is of top priority. See more about my thoughts on running while pregnant here…and share your thoughts about your favorite types of workouts to do while pregnant! I also love barre for another low impact but high results pregnancy workout, and of course, plyometrics and yoga and other things, with the approval of your doctor.

*Every Mother. I LOVE the prepare program. 3 words, Mommas: There’s. An. App. (No excuses). She taught me how to move properly, preventing injury and healing a core strained from big babies, and with the help of my physical therapist, I’ve had an entirely different experience of core strength and posture and balance in this pregnancy than with my other ones…it’s been a game changer. So many women suffer from Diasistis Recti, and even moms who don’t may feel like their core will never feel balanced and strong in the same way again— and I believe that with this program, DR and core injury can be prevented the majority of the time from ever occurring (and we prefer prevention right?:)) And Leah’s recovery program is fantastic as well, so you’re ready to go with that as soon as you’re cleared after birth. I’m not affiliated with them in any way yet (I’m considering being a coach in future), this is just my fan review (and you can read my featured member story soon on their site).

Books I’m loving:

I needed this book. It’s like Ina May, but for Catholics. Just inspirational, wise, not over bearing or judgmental, just some helpful reflections to really enter the right state of mind for welcoming and appreciating labor for what it is. I have to say, wish I’d had it around to read with my first…but here it is and you can enjoy it too if it looks valuable.

AND, since I’m heading into sons, plural, I’m reading this one that my mom gave me…yay mom.

And I’m always reading something inspirational/non-fiction for my coaching life, so currently, finishing the year strong with my influencers book club with this one.

SO GOOD. What we read in the final trimester (and watch) can really affect us–so think about it, this may not be the moment to start that intense tear-jerker fiction series or to watch a bunch of intense movies/TV. Your brain and everything is being re-wired to be a protective, nurturing (and nurtured) space for babe. Understanding that has helped me immensely in the final weeks. Same goes for birth stories….maybe lots of folks will want to share their “horror stories” or “best ever birth” stories—honor your intuition and if you don’t think those will help you right now, politely explain so.

Styling the bump.

At this point, you’ve probably all seen how much I LOVE, live in, and rave about Blanqi. These support tanks and leggings came into my life in my 2nd pregnancy and were a game changer. The tanks work great styled under piece (at the time, it was office clothes, now it’s good ol’ maternity jeans). They allowed me to comfortably run and workout feeling support until 38 weeks pregnant with my Corinne…and I’ve used them ever since. This year,  #blanqigirls came out with a sport specific legging, and I’m obsessed. It’s designed with momma’s body and health in mind, compression in the lower legs/calves, more relaxed up above, a super sleek and supportive belly band, it’s just juicy, I wear it to the gym, on runs, daily walks, and just about everywhere else. It’s fun that I know the amazing mommas who started the brand too–they are super inspiring #bossbabes who’ve created a powerful brand–it’s awesome to support them while (literally) supporting our backs and bumps!

And Stitch Fix! Nothing like not wanting to go shopping while pregnant–but finding that every week, things fit differently and new stylish pieces are an absolute must, especially in the final trimester, to continue feeling good and enjoying rocking pregnancy 😉 You’re a posterboard for motherhood, and hopefully a joyful one at that, so might as well look the part! That’s my realization, after years of not wanting to buy new things for pregnancy, it’s just so good to have a few new pieces and things that fit well and are flattering. So, the way it works is, they send you a box, and you get to decide what to keep and what to send back. And believe me, the ease of having a personal stylist do it for you is welcome always, but especially appreciated in pregnancy and postpartum. Effortless, and very little risk. Check it out here with my referral code for $25 off your first box–do it. You won’t regret it 🙂  I’m wearing a reversible vest and maroon sweater from stitch in the top photo 😉

Note about final trimester–definitely shoe shop. Get some that are super comfy, supportive for arches, FLAT, natural if possible, TOMS are great, but shop a size up, just embracing the fact that for the moment, your feet might be running a bit bigger/wider. There is nothing worse than trying to squeeze pregnant feet into shoes that are our normal size. Nothing about us is normal right now…and it’s good to know that you’ll be back in those soon, but get something super helpful that you enjoy moving and walking in daily in the final weeks. For me, that’s TOMS, and this year, my super comfy fur lined boots that are a bit big on me, sized up for boot socks. My last pregnancy, I got some super stylish grey sneakers for the final trimester that I’ve ended up wearing SO much, in all seasons, and they were one of the best purchases from that time. Feeling good is not a luxury, it’s important right now.

Self-care things I’m enjoying:

Epsom salt/magnesium baths–2-3 times per week. These are SO good for our nervous system, balancing out hormones, promoting deep sleep and rest/recovery for aching muscles, and so much more. Our magnesium needs go through the roof in pregnancy, and while I also take a nightly Cal-Mag supplement that I swear by, this is another great way to absorb the magnesium in the skin. Make sure the bath isn’t too steamy, and enjoy with candles, tea, a good book, and some quiet time.

Belly rubs: In addition to pre-natal massage–which I LOVE, doing nightly belly rubs with a shea butter like this one (and supplementing vitamin E) can greatly reduce chances of stretch marks on the belly. I’m 3 for 3 with avoiding those (oh, and eating lots of avocados and nuts helps too!)–and hoping that I can keep it that way for a 4th 😉 Feels so good at the end of a long day, and as part of my yoga/stretching and night time rituals. Grab your shea butter spa cream here. It’s 100% clean guarantee, like the rest of our youth skincare line–no parabens or any of that icky stuff to worry about for you and baby–as part of your total non-toxic lifestyle upgrade. Or get your partner to do a full body massage with this stuff–you’ll be in heaven. The smell and texture is just perfect, my body/hands crave it in the winter.

Nightly legs up the wall/restorative yoga pose. This could very well change your late pregnancy (and a few of the tools below) if you decide to try it. I discovered it with my first, and it’s such a perfect combination of rest, and healing/restoring/undoing the day (literally, by removing the excess blood flow/fluid built up by days on our feet, running around). I do it most evenings, and that, combined with the mag baths, is the perfect transition from the busy-ness of the day, to the tranquility and peaceful state that I aim for in the evenings (when 2 out of the 3 at least are sleeping ;)) You just need a wall, and a comfy pillow to support your head/spine if needed. Enjoy, and feel the difference!

And…extra but oh-so-essential for a thriving pregnancy.

Physical Therapy for Pelvis/Back. I love Melissa, I’ve been going to her for years (how amazing that she’s located in my midwives’ office–talk about caring for moms holistically!), she makes me feel amazing and keeps me active at high levels in pregnancy and postpartum. Everyone needs to find themselves a good pelvic physical therapist (different from chiropractor, which are great, but less able to really work these areas that mommas need most).

Reflexology–this is my absolute treat evening (just had one tonight)–sneaking away to tea and reflexology with Pippa who’s become a dear friend over a year of caring for me–reflexology reminds us of just how deeply mind, body, and spirit are connected–when we begin healing one aspect, the other ones are healed as well…it’s an incredible thing, and awesome for reducing nausea in early and late pregnancy, prepping for a quick and smooth delivery, and much more. She also balanced my hormones very effectively in postpartum and to prepare/conceive this little guy–such an amazing lady–search around and find a true healer (acupuncture is also amazing, and I’ve loved that in past pregnancies).

Prenatal Massage (a sometimes splurge in the final weeks/months)…have you heard of myscofascial release? Well with my 3rd, I had some life changing massage experiences with Suzu, who’s trained to treat mommas, and boy is she good. She teaches us to do self-massage that’s healing for the uterus and all internal organs, helps so much in the final weeks and in prepping for birth. I imagine there’s someone great at this in your area…this could be a game changer for you too!

Caring for self deeply is caring for baby, as our thriving is intertwined in these final weeks. It’s a beautiful thing.

Nutrition Tools for 3rd Trimester/Home Stretch

You all know this is my jam. I’ve made a business and lifestyle out of health coaching, nutrition partnership and LOVE seeing mommas rock pregnancy, postpartum and all things family life with these tools. Here’s some of my favorites that I’m using/can’t imagine life without right now.

This tea. Well this tea is awesome, I’ll start drinking it daily around week 32, and it’s got red raspberry leaf, nettles, chamomile and rosehips. Great for toning the uterus and preparing for labor. I’ll also start EPO (Evening Primrose oil) around 34 weeks and go crazy with that for prepping cervix to soften and dilate.

Dates. You might have seen my recent post on pregnancy snacking, with a super yummy dates and almond butter combo, that’s to die for.  I’ll have a handful of dates every day for the final weeks; they are known for their properties of making labor easier—how they can prove this is fascinating and beyond my scope, but it’s been studied and seems to hold up. Pretty amazing, the power of nutrition when harnessed to our specific needs.

And, of course, you’ve heard me swear by the pre-natal strip (never too late to start taking it, if you feel this might be the moment)…the link here includes many testimonials from midwives (rave reviews) and other moms who’ve used it for super healthy pregnancies, deliveries and babies. I have always gotten complimented on my gorgeous placentas (abnormally huge and healthy, “textbook” I’ve been told)–with the 2 pregnancies I had using these supports. We all want the best we can do for our babies in the womb, and this little strip just might be it. Plus, the probiotic helps mommas so much (no acid reflux please), and it’s helped several of my anemic friends to resolve their iron deficiencies in pregnancy too!

This GLA complex is for hormonal balance. Helps me tremendously in the final weeks, when our hormones can send moods through the wringer, and balancing out appetite, nausea, etc. I also find that building it up in my system before birth is helpful and key for a smoother postpartum, with less mood swings, and no signs of PPD (which I had bouts of with my first, before I discovered this). It’s something every momma will want to have around for those days after birth.

Vitamin E. Miracle working for avoiding varicose veins, and keeping skin healthy supple and strong. Take it orally, it works wonders.

Alfalfa. This, plus the yoga pose mentioned earlier, are my 2 favorite antidotes to the inevitable 3rd trimester ankle swelling/bloating/water retention. Believe me, with alfalfa in your 3rd trimester, you can eliminate that discomfort almost completely (And staying hydrated of course!) and bonus that it helps with preparing for lactation, and a balanced and fantastic milk supply (think, no engorgement, no lack of milk, just balanced, has been my experience). If you do one thing differently in pregnancy–try this for your 3rd trimester…!

Pineapple—pineapple is known for toning the uterus/cervix and helping with a smooth labor and delivery. I adore snacking on it, so I’ll have lots of it in the coming weeks.

And of course, dark chocolate;) Continuing to eat intuitively, locally, colorfully and enjoying all the moments. This little guy has been so good to me, and I’m just about ready to meet him…after we enjoy our beautiful last holiday season as a family of 5!

Hugs to all the pregnant mommas reading this. You’re amazing and deserve to have a fantastic pregnancy experience. I’m here to support in anyway I can. Reach out!💋

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Yoga with kids: Prepare to get flexible ;)

Over 8 years of having kids, and having fitness as a priority in that process, yoga has shaped my experience of motherhood. Starting with my first prenatal yoga class that I went to weekly on Thursday nights—leaving my stressful workplace early with a grin and rushing on the subway from Manhattan to a YMCA in Brooklyn—my experience of yoga has also been shaped by mothering.

It is as a mother that I have experienced how yoga fits into my everyday and adds value to it.

We All Need a Combination of High Impact and Low Impact Activities

I’ve always been more of an intense athlete—soccer my whole life, competitive swimming and tennis in high school, and more recently, HIIT workouts and distance running as my go-to exercise methods.

But, the reality of life and especially mothering, is that our bodies need a combination of high and low impact activities to be at their best. For every mile that I run, stretching and restorative/muscle relaxing and rebuilding becomes important. And for overall stress relief, low impact workouts have been proven to be more effective at lowering cortisol levels, preventing adrenal fatigue and failure (the real, very present BURNOUT that I see so many moms on the verge of, and have personal experience with navigating).

Add to that the changes that each pregnancy works on the body, the natural recovery and rebuilding time in postpartum, and I’ve found that I need to have a fitness practice that I can keep with me for all of those moments and seasons of life, providing consistency and routine.

For all these reasons, I am continually led back to yoga (I mean this loosely as in the postures I’ve learned as well as stretching of all kinds) as a positive and important part of my daily routines and overall lifestyle. It’s sort of one of my secret weapons for getting through the long days in an energized, calm and grounded fashion (no, I’m by no means perfect…)….and some days my kids at 6pm will hear me saying—“I’m going out to my yoga porch for a moment” (And yes they often follow me out there)–which is my way of coping and giving myself the permission to re-center and come back into their midst closer to my best self…

But yoga has not just been my routine, it has become a natural part of our family life and kid life as well.

How Yoga/mindful movement Practice Has Shaped My Kids

When having kids and encouraging them to build fitness habits and bodily awareness and appreciation, we’ve done a lot of the typical things: swimming, ballet, gymnastics, running (love family race events!) and dabbled in soccer (the girls haven’t taken to it but something tells me that it may be Ambrose’ sport of choice).

However, since they also see me, often, at home, building in time for my own workouts, if I can’t make it to the gym—-and I DO love showing them that the habits can begin at home, yoga has become a natural fit for something playful, relaxing, that we can do together and stretch ourselves in, without being rushed through a workout.

I remember when Corinne was an infant and I’d be doing lots of HIIT videos and pilates/barre videos, she’d want to hang on me, and be part of it all, and I’d do almost half the workout holding her in various positions or incorporating her in. It got more challenging the heftier she got. Can any other moms relate?

When she was a toddler and able to follow along, she’d boss me if I wasn’t going hard or fast enough, and participate…my mini-me was hard-wired to love movement, and to need it—as I do—for her daily mood and behavior/attitude.

Just ask my husband (and why he always makes sure I get time to work-out during the weekend, as needed): I’m a grouchier me if I’m not able to stay physically active, in some form.  And yes for kids, it’s built into a lot of their play and playground time, which I’m a huge fan of, but it also may need to be channeled more directly and specifically with certain kids, as we’ve found we need to do with Corinne.

Using Movement to Help with the Tough Developmental Phases

With Corinne, over the past 2 years—as we’ve navigated with her the challenging developmental phases of a BIG, strong personality going through toddler years, pre-school, and up until now—giving her stretching, playful movement tools and opportunities has actually helped our mother-daughter relationship, and these challenging growing phases, immensely.

Sometimes when we’re in a heated power struggle about something, for example, putting on shoes or what’s for the next meal (I’m not making this up), I’ll turn to yoga as an calming outlet for both of us. Or if she’s mad at me and trying to calm down, I’ll suggest, “Hey, let’s go do some yoga together,” and her frown will turn upside down. I know right away that she’s going to guide me through the poses and coach me, making sure I’m doing it the right way…(Oh, I can’t express to you how much she reminds me of myself :0).

We’ll have reconnecting or “make-up” yoga sessions, where she will literally (as she always has)—-want to climb on top of me, do poses on my back, wrestle and be playful, and she’s such a physical kid that this is part of her love language—quality physical time together.

So over the past 2+ years, following these cues from my mini-me, I’ve made it more of a habit to incorporate the kids into my yoga practice, as a great way for them to get time with me, to learn new things, move their bodies, and for me to benefit from the session as well (in whatever ways I can: if I need my own alone time for restorative/uninterrupted flow,  I’ll make sure I get that too with another yoga session at another time of day).

You’re going to have to embrace a flexible mindset when it comes to your workout “goals” and what the kids will want to actually do, but I find when it’s playful, experimental, and you’re encouraging them to just try new things and challenge their own physical awareness and movement, the benefits will be innumerable, and you’ll enjoy knowing that every day will look a little different, but you’ll see their grins throughout the process.

So…How Early Can They Start?

In terms of how early you can start kids with yoga, I’ve been doing yoga with them in my bellies, and by 9-10 months they are usually able to enjoy the aerial poses with you (but sometimes in the early days I just do it during baby naps for simplicity and focus on the toddler).

By one and a half, Ambrose was very aware of being part of my yoga practice and would be yelling “mommy yoga” when he saw me preparing for it, just like he cheered me on and welcomed me home with appreciation after “mommy run!” (followed by, “mommy, sweaty…!” when I hug him).

By this age, he was doing active poses with me, one-legged downward dog being his favorite (go-to) pose of choice. By two or three years old, they can really follow some of the book prompts that teach them to do simple flows from one basic pose to the next. Corinne loves these (linked below).

And last month, after doing a lot of yoga in the summer out in the yard on blankets, we set up our yoga porch, which allows us to have this dedicated space that encourages the habit, and allows us to make sure we’re inspired to do something daily—both myself and the kids. When I got them their own mats, they were thrilled, because frankly those aren’t super easy to share, and it gave them a sense of involvement they hadn’t had before.

Now, they will bring their friends out to the yoga porch and lead sessions on rainy afternoons (and by lead, I mean, Corinne will yell at her class to try these challenging wheel poses, etc and get mad at them if they don’t do them…so we do need to work on her teacher finesse, and class management skills).

Keeping it fun, forming healthy habits

It made my heart so happy in that moment, to see that she understands this as something she loves, is good at, and it’s good for her (and others)…and I hope that these habits continue to serve all my kids, throughout life. Any serious athlete will tell you the importance of stretching/limberness and healing the body through mindful movement—connecting mind and body.

Kids, like all of us, face a lot of stress and fast-paced days, and I love knowing that a yoga practice can help set them up to be aware of their breath and heart-beat, to spend time in gratitude for their healthy bodies, minds and spirits, and even lead them into prayer, as it does for me.

For those of you looking for a more directly religious/Christian based stretching/workout regimen, check out Soul Core and Pietra Fitness.

This fall, I’ve solidified a morning routine that works for this phase, and that I love. We get the girls fed, lunches made, chat with them, and they’re out the door to school with dad as the first thing, since they have to be out early. I don’t push myself with early wake up times when I’m pregnant (if it happens by accident, great), and then from 8-9 am, I give myself (and Ambrose) time for a leisurely tea, prayer time, yoga and stretching session—sometimes following a yoga flow, and other times just doing my own practice that fits with the needs of my ever-changing pregnant body. This is my key self-care time before I go into business owner momma mode, and the juggling of texts/social/emails/kids/lovely outings, and all that goes into the day. Needless to say, I’ve started to get very protective of this (unplugged), calm morning time, and find that it sets up the tone for the rest of the day and how I can bring my best self to the table–with a spirit of service and joy. 

I always do my prayer and journaling for the day along with this (and affirmations/gratitude practice), and they flow together beautifully. For me, discovering a daily yoga practice is my way of giving thanks for my body, and LIVING gratitude for it with movement that is also calming, grounding and prayerful.

Ambrose loves doing his yoga poses alongside me for a few minutes, then he will often let his interest wander to his trucks, or his driveway toys, and he’s off and running. But those moments of connection, and on rainy mornings he’s bouncing around the yoga porch, and beautiful and meaningful for me, even as I feel his little brother stretching and kicking within me as we do a “happy baby” pose together or he climbs on my back when I’m in pigeon or down dog pose.

COMING SOON: Another More Complete Morning Routines Post (see my IG TV episode on it for starters, and to share your thoughts on ideal mornings–I’d LOVE your input)

Resources for Starting Out Doing YOGA With Your Kids

Some tips and resources:

*Find a good time of day that is a time when they maybe need a grounding experience, but also are calm enough to focus well. For some families, mornings might work well. I’m going to try to start a mini session with them before the rush for school.

Sometimes, at 5pm—our witching hour around here after school, is when we go out to our yoga porch together and I show them a pose or 2, nothing crazy, but bringing new things into their awareness is very fun for them.

*Grab these kids mats from GAIM yoga. I love the thickness and durability of their adult mats, and while the toddler size mats are a little thinner, they are excellent quality and fun designs. I have gotten the kids size mats and stayed away from the true toddler size, as they will outgrow those faster, but either way, your little one will love having their mat rolled up next to yours, or laid out ready for them at any moment.

*Pick the right environment, minimize distractions. In the dead of winter, the living room is the best spot, so we put the mats out there (once it’s tidied) and light candles or do something to help them focus in on it. In the summer, a yard or garden could lend itself to the right mood, and chances are kids will want to be outside with you, anyway.

*There are some great videos for yoga with kids, although I would also suggest keeping it flexible, my kids don’t always want to watch a video/focus their attention there when we’re already setting up the poses and having a good connection—I think it’s about reading into their needs and trying different things. I’ve had better success with cute yoga books for kids, that we can have with us and reference, pose by pose, for inspiration, but that isn’t taking their attention or causing a distraction.

Cosmic Kids Yoga is a great starting point if you want to use videos to gain confidence and get the little ones into a routine with it. I just encourage you to do yoga outside/in fresh air, and unplugged as much as possible, as it will change their experience of it (and yours) dramatically.

Here’s some of the books I recommend–can get at the library or on amazon.

Yoga Bear: simple animal poses (and related books in the series)

Yoga Frog

The yoga zoo adventure

*For your adolescent, or teen, it might serve you well to do yoga for beginner videos with them, and let them gain confidence following someone else’ lead. A great resource, one that I personally use most often, is www.yogawithadriene.com…she has TONS of free yoga flows on you tube, for everything from 15 min morning flow, to hour long practices based on certain needs—like relaxation, anxiety, weight loss, low back pain, etc.

That’s it folks, enjoy this bonus content/reflections on how stretching and yoga fits in well with a balanced life (just one of my many tangents that my editor aka sister puts up with from me here:)—and what a gift to give that awareness to your kids early on in life.

Additionally, if you want to learn more about what we do with our other healthy kids practices, check out the snacks and recipes on the blog, and our tips for building a strong nutritional foundation for these little bodies and their many needs.

I’d love to hear: did this inspire you in your practice, or beginning yoga with kids? What are your stories and experiences from your own homes and families? I love the conversations that develop from this.

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9/23 Race Recap, and Reflections on Running while pregnant

This shouldn’t have to be said, but please keep in mind this is not to be construed as medical advice, and your doctor must be consulted before starting or changing a fitness routine while pregnant. There are certain cases like placenta previa where running can be very harmful to baby, so keep that in mind when evaluating–each of us and our unique pregnancies—what will be best for you.

So, this is a race recap, but more than that, an overview of my experiences and philosophy about running and pregnancy, honed over 8 years of enjoying both—and often at the same time 🙂

Quick race recap: we cheered on the kids in their fun run, and 2 of the kids in our group actually came away with prizes! They were so proud and so were we. When we took them to a nearby playground with some wonderful young babysitter friends, we realized that most likely the playground was on the course and we’d see them–that made me very happy.

It was a nice small race, based out of the town center of Wilton, and raising money for cancer research for children via Circle of Care. It was moving to start the race with a few words from the father of a local girl battling a brain tumor. It helps shift all of it into perspective, and there was a moving sign on the course while we ran — Cancer is Hard, Running is Easy.

I have to say that in our group we had some great races–2 PRs, and a 2nd place win overall from my friend Samantha. I had put a small bug in her ear that she had a good chance of winning, but coming off of an injury, we didn’t know how things would go, and for both of us, and the others running with us (3 couples in total) it was all about having fun, doing our best, and not injuring ourselves:)

I loved running with my buddy Mary. We’ve done runs together for going on 9 years, in Brooklyn, pushing jogging strollers, while pregnant and more…one of my brags about her running while pregnant is below. The miles passed quickly and at the very end before the turnaround, we passed our kids playing at the playground with their babysitters…seeing them jumping up and down with excitement, cheering for us, and these race days as truly family event where everyone can participate, is always one of my favorite parts about running.

I know I always talk to my girls and try to model for them, the joy and importance of moving, and challenging ourselves in these settings…and they certainly have caught the running bug. One of the girls, my friend’s daughter, came out of the playground and ran the last ⅓ mile with us! I know that next year, our older ones can probably run a full 5k with us, with some training/prep, so that’s a super fun thought, to have a sport we will all continue to love. I ran faster than I had thought I would,without pushing myself, and felt great–which is the main goal. It was an overall amazing day: a fun small race, thoughtfully coordinated, and committed friends just made it a fantastic experience.

I actually didn’t run my first pregnancy…and I somewhat wish I had seen a post like this or some experienced runner momma friends to turn to at the time for perspective. See, I had been a somewhat regular jogger, pretty casual (we loved running the 3 mile Prospect Park loop in Brooklyn, which was right across the street from our apartment).

I remember trying to run at like 8 weeks pregnant or so with Emma. I got less than 1/2 a mile and was so sure I was going to throw up. I walked, and my stomach settled. I walked miles and miles and miles that pregnancy, but I didn’t really get up the courage to run again. I wish someone might have told me–it gets easier in the 2nd trimester…and to try again…but in any case, I found myself completely in a pre-natal yoga groove instead for the 2nd half of the pregnancy, and that was wonderful to balance out my 60 hour stress filled work weeks at the time…and to continue falling in love with my pregnant body and my little growing daughter.

As anyone can tell you, the first pregnancy is such a mix of daily emotions and the full range of feelings as you experience your body literally creating space and making room to healthily grow another, and you’re wondering what is “normal.” Iit turns out there’s a wide range to experiences of normal in pregnancy!

In my postpartum period with Emma, again, I was still fitting in miles of walking per day thanks to our city life, but my body wasn’t really in the running groove (I hadn’t run in over a year by the time she was 9 months). My energy levels were whacky, stress levels were high, with a demanding job and juggling the mothering learning curve.

Right at this tough point in my health journey is when I found (by lucky accident), my brand partner and began a lifestyle upgrade, which within 30 days led me to feel this surge of energy and desire to exercise! I added pilates back in and got stronger. I got out my running shoes and was back at it.

By the time Emma was 1.5 years old, and my life had begun changing dramatically (more here), I set a goal…to run my first half marathon. This was in July. I had just started a new job and life was crazy but sometimes those are the moments to just carve out a goal and find the time. In October I ran my first half, in DC, a beautiful course right along the Potomac river, and a crummy day–cold and rainy…but the finish line was there waiting for me, and it felt SOOO good to accomplish that.

Later that month, Corinne was conceived and this time, I decided since I was in decent shape, to keep running in the equation during my pregnancy. The exhaustion and evening sickness of the first 8 weeks kept me from running, but after that (maybe 10 weeks) I was back at it. I’d get stares and the occasional whistle as I passed people in the evenings with a growing bump in the 2nd trimester, running that same loop of Prospect Park. I knew I had the right nutritional foundation, and extra training support tools, to make this positive for baby and I, and I will never forget the runner’s high accompanied with–“I’m doing this with a little buddy!” excitement–that went with those runs.

I managed to keep that up (at least once a week) until about 34 weeks, then the ligament pressure and enormous weight of my sweet, darling almost 10 lb baby were just too much for me. Instead, I went to the gym, started biking and hired a personal trainer for the final 6 weeks (yes, he thought I was nuts, but it was fun). Turns out I was carrying an enormous baby (on my small frame), so that certainly did a number on my ligaments and pelvis, not to mention the birth…but oh how we love our kids all the more for it.

Well, the difference with postpartum running was huge with Corinne. Because I’d been in the habit all through the pregnancy, it just felt right to lace on my shoes at 10 weeks postpartum and run a few miles in the park, with Corinne in the jogger, and while Joel had Emma at the playground. So for those of you who feel that the postpartum fitness habits are hard, I think paving the way with a strong pre-natal fitness plan makes a huge difference–your muscles remember and are prepared for diving back in, even if there’s a 12 week break between week 34 of pregnancy, and your 6 week postpartum exercise approval appt.

Of course, all this must be read in the context of your own individual needs, pregnancy history, and your fitness level before pregnancy.

I do believe, with a doctor’s approval, anyone, even somewhat beginner runners, benefit from getting out there and giving it a go just to experience it. You know what, you may end up loving it! Or at least keeping it as part of your pregnancy fitness plan, along with yoga, stretching, light strength training, low impact workouts like the elliptical, and core work (you’re going to want to do more of that to ensure you’re not injuring your core while running), and when necessary, chiropractic, pelvic/core PT and good pre-natal massage (oh yes, so necessary).

If you want more information about healthy pre-natal and postpartum life, I highly recommend this amazing resource, Every Mother. I so wish I had known about it in my first 3 pregnancies, it’s helped me tons with postpartum and I’m modifying it for this pregnancy, in conjunction with my amazing and life-changing PT, Melissa. Some folks swear by chiropractic, and prenatal mysofascial massage can be hugely helpful, just embrace the fact that you’re going to need that extra support team, and to know where to turn when things just don’t feel right. I don’t believe that low back pain, poor core and pelvic function are just part of the equation of motherhood. Absolutely not. It’s true that we need stellar supplementation, wise hydration and prep, lots of stretching/yoga and these extra tools mentioned above when staying active in pregnancy, but it’s just so worth it, in so many ways.

With my 3rd pregnancy, Ambrose, I didn’t run much the first trimester, but with the surge of energy and focus in 2nd Tri, set a goal to run a race. I did a 5 mile (8K) in Wildwood in late Spring, and had a blast. I didn’t push myself, and the distance was a comfortable one for me, but at least got me out training and having something to look forward to! Crossing the finish line, I knew I had all the support in the world from up above, and from my little guy, we did it and it was such an experience of “teamwork.”

I have amazing runner momma friends–I have to brag on them, and give you that context that I wish someone had given me. I have one friend who completed a half marathon 6 months pregnant (her standard distance was marathon, but she kept her time pretty fast and just cruised through), and another friend who’d set a big goal of the Chicago marathon but then found out she was expecting, and kept her goal–she trained smart and safe, never overly pushed herself, and completed the Chi town marathon when she was in her 2nd trimester. How incredible is that??

Here’s some other reasons why it’s such a great idea to incorporate running into your prenatal health plan.

They’ve done research on baby’s brain development, and shown that increased blood flow from momma, such as what happens in light and moderate exercise, stimulates and improves baby’s brain development!

Additionally, so much of the mood disorders we hear about, PPD and PPA and the like, can actually begin to surface in the final trimester of pregnancy. Hormones are whacky and there are so many things at play, but regular exercise is one the ways momma can combat these mood swings, and to bring some good ol’ exercise-induced oxytocin into her system, for her sake as well as baby’s.

Of course, low impact workouts and walking up to several miles daily can also bring in some of these benefits, so do what works for you. As mentioned before, it can help with body image challenges in pregnancy, and in preparing for a strong birth, a healthy recovery, and a strong postpartum routine.

When postpartum with Ambrose (my 3rd), I set an ambitious goal of running a half marathon 6 months after he was born. Getting out to run in those early days was a delicate balance of timing around his naps, hoping that I wasn’t too tired, and being smart about my pacing and core recovery. I will never forget how much I loved feeling like MYSELF again on those runs, even when I was just slowly plodding along, embracing the process as the miles got easier, being out in the fresh air (of the early new year), and having that mental space to myself.

It was a total game changer for those often challenging first months of postpartum life..I know it helped with preventing some of the natural baby blues that can come into play for me combined with inactivity and being stuck in the house–and it was made possible because I had kept up the habit until about 34 weeks in that pregnancy as well.

And here’s a fun secret, that athletes know. When you build your muscles through running with the extra weight, and then you lose 30-40 lbs quickly due to birth and the following restabilization of your body weight, you put your body at a great advantage of increasing performance. Your lung capacity, your stamina, all of it is greater, post-pregnancy. Some of my fastest miles ever have been in those postpartum cycles…and it’s been so rewarding to be able to complete half marathon training cycles between each pregnancy, knowing that the baseline of fitness/endurance I’m building is serving me and my little one well for a healthy, strong and balanced pregnancy.

SO if you’re thinking that maybe pregnant running, or postpartum running, are for you, I hope this little glimpse into my experience has helped you to reflect on what you want. And yes, some folks will judge and question it, but if you and your doctor/midwife are confident in it, go for it! And enjoy #runningfor2

This little guy has been my best running buddy so far. I never felt off or funky when running in my first trimester (moderate amounts for me–2-3 miles, several times per week), and to be honest, I think he was several days in existence when I ran my spring half marathon, so this fall fun-run would actually be his second race…but this time it’s also the latest I’ve raced (23 weeks) and I’m just so grateful…for the support–literal support from Blanqi (GAMECHANGER, ladies!), from my husband who ran with me even though he doesn’t enjoy running that much, and my friends who came from all over to run with us on this gorgeous fall day. I plan to run until 30 weeks (to give my ligaments a break and focus on yoga and good positioning for this babe, we already do, and will continue to do tons of walking), but we’ll take it one week at a time, and that’s a great way to approach things.

It may be a little while before I’m “racing” again, but I’ll enjoy my pregnancy runs as long as it feels good, and continue loving the process of growing and welcoming this little guy into the world. Someday, at his sporting events, I’ll embarrass him by telling him he was competing with me before he was born 🙂

Thanks for reading to the end–share your own stories of pregnancy running or fitness habits, I’d love to hear! There’s so many beautiful ways to celebrate the strength and endurance that we build in motherhood, and I think pregnancy is a wonderful phase to look at as an opportunity to try new things and remain flexible and strong, rather than as a handicap or physical disability.

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After school snacking–simple and fun.

Don’t you think we should bring those words back into our vocabulary for this school year, mommas?

I don’t really love the phrase “hack” it feels like something is getting cut off or is missing…this is all about what we’re gaining when we keep things simple and enjoy the process. I’d like to go back to good old fashioned life—simplified. And fun. Because life with littles can and should be. Especially when momma’s been getting her breaks and her own self-care (I’m speaking from experience, can you tell?:))

Since my girls are in school full days, and Corinne has just transitioned to kindergarten, I’m enjoying making the afternoons low-key, and coming home for rest, playing outside (yay, cooler fall weather),  and of course, after-school snacks.

I am not a big believer in over-scheduled kids (which seems to be the norm nowadays). They need to relax and play.

Now I’m not sitting at home baking for them all day (though occasionally I can, and that’s fun)…so I like quick and easy, make ahead or ready made snacks for us to grab.

Here’s the thing moms–there should be no guilt involved if we’re able to find shortcuts and make things healthy and yummy–so you’ll see some included here. Not every day needs to be pinterest worthy or be hours of blood-and-sweat from scratch, amiright? We need to have memories of ENJOYING it, and so do they. Rant over.

As shared before, some of our favorites are Guac and chips (organic guac), hummus or ranch and raw veggies for them to dip it in, grapes, apples and peanut butter, and occasionally something sweeter.

And this is our September 2018 seasonal snacking roundup for you. Some are straight out of a bag. Healthy. #winning. Others are out of a box with modifications, to make it seasonal and healthier…also winning…and some are from scratch but the kids do the work for their own healthy snack, and it becomes an after-school activity–messy, yes, but less-so than finger painting (anyone else ban that? Ok. great). We’ll call these all #momwins.

Yes, this video is our fun behind the scenes time lapse. It’s a really good thing you can’t see too much of what’s going on (Ambrose eating everything he touched, or the girls doing a talk show and pretending to be “youtube stars”–whatever those are?…so yes…enjoy it!)

So, for the Apple dippers, here’s the general idea. Grab some apples (preferably local, in season), and some greek yogurt (I love the thickest kind, like siggis)…and some dipping items–coconut, cocoa nibs, crushed almonds, cinnamon (my kids went nuts with it)…and arrange everything in bowls with a foil wrapped tray ready to catch the goodies. Then, if kids are allowed to use knives, help them cut the apples. We did strawberries too (not in season), and left the greens on, it’s your call what kind of fruits you want to try this with. Probably not too soft is ideal.

Then show the little ones how to take the slices, dip in yogurt and then in coconut and other toppings. They get the hang quickly, and you’ll have to let them just be free to take it from there. It’s all about enjoying the process as they make their own snacks!

Then, when everything is used up, throw the trays of fruit in the freezer for 10 min or so to harden…don’t forget about them, as you don’t want them too crunchy (we may have had to let our strawberries soften back up)…and voila! Fun, easy and healthy snack…I hope you’ll let us know if you make them… and post pics:)

Somehow they like the taste of them more when they’ve had to do the work…Ambrose was so proud of his plate of apples that he brought over to Emma.

For the pumpkin cookies, I grabbed a box of Gluten free chocolate chip cookie mix and a can of pumpkin puree. I love the GF mixes, there are some great ones out there, that use less sugar (this one had brown sugar only) and would meet our approval in terms of ingredients. Of course we’d all love to make cookies from scratch all the time, but let’s be real, I’d rather that they get done, and I’m still smiling 🙂 This recipe called for egg and butter and vanilla and I replaced the first 2 with the can of pumpkin puree, so that made them GF and vegan, but more importantly, easy and yummy, and my house smelled like fall!

When the kids came back downstairs Emma said “hey, were did these come from?!” and Corinne asked me to save 3 cookies in baggies for her and her 2 favorite classmates for tomm, so I’ll count the whole experience as a win. Ambrose helped me with the kitchenaid (he loves to turn it on), and he happily licked the beater for me!

Finally, I threw out a bowl of Terra chips–sweet potatoes, blue potatoes and beets, in crunchy delicious form…I’d rather they enjoy their veggies and satisfy their crunch seasonally, than just be clamoring for chips of another less healthy kind–and these were on sale at Whole foods so it was a no-brainer to stock up.

I hope that you have beautiful fall afternoons with your kids–may there be more love, laughter and mess than there is tantruming, and I hope that you all enjoy these simple and fun snacks, together.

Cheers,

Maddy and her sous chefs–aka–you tube stars.

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Pregnancy Snacking–a guide ;)

*Obviously nothing in this post should be construed as medical advice–check with your doctor before making dietary or fitness changes while pregnant* 🙂

So…what do pregnant ladies snack on? Inquiring minds want to know.

Husbands will tell you: pickles and icecream, especially the exotic and expensive kind (sought after at 10pm at night, of course. Oh, true love.)

As I’m smack in the middle of my 4th pregnancy, I do have some experience in these things…I remember the intensity of cravings with my first child…and living in ethnic take-out food central in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with literally 3 markets/stores on our block, made it easy to chase the cravings.

Every pregnancy is different, and everyone eats differently. It’s a beautiful example of #intuitiveeating (which I embrace as a philosophy for myself and my coaching clients), that we’ve normalized as society for pregnancy–trust your instincts, eat what you’re craving–even if that means sugar, the “bad stuff”, salty things, or extra calories. Your body knows what it needs, and with proper maintenance and balance (including regular whole foods cleansing especially to keep sugar and carb addictions at bay and promote a super healthy gut)…will make the right choices, over a given day or week. I want to explore this in another full post, because I’ve found that for myself, and many of us with body-image challenges before kids/pregnancy, this time can be both singularly challenging/opening old cans of worms–and beautifully healing–leading us away from a shameful or resentful attitude towards food and body, towards mindful fueling, appreciating all that it is capable of–creating and sustaining a new life. Motherhood truly and literally changed my experience of self-image, self-acceptance and love–and I’ll be forever grateful. If you want another post fully on that topic (it’s in the works but lower on the list)–I’d love to hear in the comments…and your thoughts as well.

So, back to snacking. I decided to give a roundup of some of my favorite pregnancy snacks–it’s obviously on my mind, and I do get questions alot about how best to manage protein intake, cravings, potentially restricted diets, blood sugar (yikes, as someone with a history of borderline Gestational diabetes in my first pregnancy, this one is important!), and more.

So, here’s a few tried and true favorites. And back to the pickles and ice-cream, yes, it’s a good idea to keep them stocked–olives are another one that are commonly craved because of the intensity of saltiness/vinegar etc. And sometimes, we’ll crave sugar or sweet things, and I like to have small bites of ice-cream, and dark chocolate—the good stuff, in moderation, is good. Our bodies are working hard to metabolize for and feed another human, so if a little extra sodium or sugar is needed, so be it.

I also included in this pic above, a few of my other go-tos, to have around. Kombucha is a fun treat–I will have it 1-2 times per week. More than that, the health benefits of it can backfire…better to stick with a good probiotic.

The vitalizer strip–maximal energy, digestion support, B vitamins, 80 bio-optimized nutrients. I rave more about it here. 6 years in, it’s been my daily pre-natal and post-natal for now 3 pregnancies, and I can’t imagine life without it–they just keep getting easier, and I feel healthier (and my blood markers show I’m healthier) than when I started having kids 8 years ago. This is the opposite of post-natal depletion which is so common…and I’m just so grateful and can’t keep my mouth shut about it:)

Finally, the pomegranate energizing tea. Any other pregnant mommas need a daily pick me up around 2pm? If I don’t take a quick power nap then (or even if I do)–I swear by this tea–I also mix it with my hydrate drink for pregnancy workout perfection. It has less caffeine than a cup of tea, and less sugar than…an apple (well, it’s sweetened slightly with stevia). The good stuff, my friends. If you mix it with seltzer water it’s like a refreshing pomegranate soda.

Now, on to the snacks.

This is a current favorite: any one else love baba ghannouj? It’s the lesser known “cousin” of hummus–made from eggplant, and often chickpeas are included, along with tahini, lemon juice, garlic. This is a locally sourced one, and you want to be selective–not all pre-made brands taste the same. You can also make your own if you have the patience. It’s just so tasty. I eat it with veggies—peppers usually, and sometimes corn chips–these are a special tequila variation from whole foods–since I can’t have my tequila in liquid form, I guess that’s what sounded good…

Did you know eggplants contain folic acid, iron, potassium and other key minerals? It’s a great source of dietary fiber and Vitamin E, A and C. A word: you don’t want to consume large amounts of this food until close to the time of birth–supposedly eggplant can help stimulate uterine contractions when consumed in larger amounts…keep that in mind for when you’re at 40 weeks:)

Pineapple. Easy, tasty snack. Great for kids/toddlers if you have any of those around, and I find myself loving and craving this during pregnancy. Great news about pineapple–it’s an alkalanizing food, chock full of nutrients, and is actually known to be especially important and helpful for toning and strengthening the uterus! Because it contains an enzyme called Bromelain. Sounds like a pregnancy winner. I have a friend who swears by pineapple shakes every day for the last month of pregnancy–her uterus was so toned she gave birth to their baby at home before they could even make it out the door to the hospital…how’s that for a testimony?:) This also makes it a key postpartum/recovery fruit to have around as well, when the uterus needs more…toning.

Almond butter and dates, sprinkled with cinnamon. This is a sure-fire snack hitting alot of the common needs of 2nd and 3rd trimester–protein (almond butter), something slightly sweet that doesn’t spike blood sugar but gives energy (dates), they also help with keeping us regular, and the cinnamon on top is known for balancing blood sugar. Super satisfying…and you may have your little ones begging for them too. Dates can also help with labor effectiveness when the time comes–who doesn’t want that?

 

I don’t know about you–but my main cravings in the first 2 trimesters involve protein. Baby needs SO much of it every day, and if you’re under dietary limitations, or are dairy free (me!) that takes cheese, yogurt milk and lots of other high protein foods out of the equation. I have an awesome Calcium and magnesium supplement to cover my calcium needs…I’m also a semi-vegetarian, meaning I only eat meat when I crave it (lots of fish and lots of bone broth for mineral benefits)…so daily shakes in pregnancy really help me not only have great nutrition on the go (read–quick shake brought in the car to school pick up, or a before dinner snack to ward off hunger/nausea), but also to get me up to that desirable 75g of protein per day for mom and baby needs! A single shake has 20 grams of non-GMO, high quality plant protein (with 1g or less of sugar!) before adding in any additions like PB, milk, chia seeds, etc. Luckily, this baby loves shakes too, I crave them often and they keep me full at those odd times of day when perhaps you don’t want to be having other snacks (or late at night in place of ice-cream!).

Finally, these protein balls are more of the same: super protein packed, plus tons of healthy fats, and you can make them with different mix-ins to always keep things interesting. If you’re like me, the faster the snack is to grab, the better!

Cheers pregnant mommas, happy snacking! Share your favorites below, and we’ll keep right on hoarding our pickles, olives, and ice-cream. Just because we can. YOLO.