The Sweet Spot

“If you were looking for a sign here it is.” 😌🤍

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We’re already at 32 weeks, (33 by the time of this post!).

I’m working with two Mommas due in March; my baby sister is one of them. 🥰🙏🏾

I’m the oldest of 3 girls. Between the 3 of us, we’ve given birth to 8 girls and 5 boys.

I’ve been at almost every one of their births, but at the time didn’t realize that I’d been embodying the rawest meaning of the word ‘doula’ for my sisters and they for me.

‘A non medical support person who focuses on caring for the birthing person emotionally and physically while keeping them informed and empowered. She is committed to providing excellent care so the birthing person can feel pampered, supported and nurtured.’

So. Again, I’m my sisters doula. For her and other mom’s I’ve worked with, I always feel so honored to be invited to participate in someone’s birth experience.

To forever be a part of a birth story, and one of the first to help welcome a little person into the world.

This past weekend, my sister and I met to go over her birth plan and get in some practice with the birth ball (fun!), and go over comfort measures with her, her partner and my nieces.

But what exactly IS a birth plan?

I thought others may benefit from me talking a little about it and how you might benefit from having one :).

Swipe to see a beautiful ‘coming soon’ photo and to find out a little more about how a birth plan can help you and your birth story.

Happy Tuesday to you!
Have a gorgeous day. ☺️🤍✨

The new year is a powerful time for intention setting. ✨

With 2023 just a day away, let’s set an intention to make our well-being a priority. ☺️🙌🏾

Below are 5 ways we can do just that this year.

1. Sleep! This is a work in progress for me too! I'm currently reading "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, PhD. If you’re like me, you can feel the difference great rest makes. This book unlocks the science behind that on an entirely different level in an easily digestible way. "There does not seem to be one major organ in the body, or process within the brain, that isn't optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don't get enough)."

2. Eat the rainbow. If the majority of your diet consists of processed and/or fast foods, try replacing one meal with a fresh food dish. DM me if you'd like ideas for quick, minimal ingredient dishes. I got you! ;).

If you're already incorporating fresh foods or you eat the rainbow daily...YAY!

3. Get outside. Sunlight is a superfood for our bodies. It helps to strengthen our immune system, boosts mood, improves sleep, combats Vitamin D deficiency, among many other benefits. It's essential to our wellbeing.

4. Return to your spiritual practices or create one. There's no wrong way to cultivate a connection with Spirit. Return to yours, add to it, experiment with different paths, combine them, create it. Set the intention then set aside a few moments each day to connect.

5. Move your body! Movement is a way to connect with the body, release endorphins and relieve stress. Movement helps move emotions through the body, boosts mood, and is great for our hearts too!

Comment Yes! 🙌🏾 if any of the above resonate and you’ll set an intention to take care of you this year. 🥰🙏🏾

Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

A resource and reflection on the purpose and impact of last weeks focus on Black birthing people. 🤍🌱

Check it out for beautiful reminders, live links to resources to learn more, and ways you can get involved. 🤗

Did you catch that??

Your mind was wandering back to the past and then forward to the future again. 😌

If you scrolled across this post, it’s you’re loving reminder to be here now. 🤍

How? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Here are 3 quick ways I love to use to ground myself and come back to the present.

🌱 When moving from one activity to the next, take a 2 or 3 deep breaths. Really pay attention to them. It brings the mind back to this moment, creates calm in the body, and helps to focus.

🌱 Ask yourself ‘where are my feet right now?’ You’ll find when answering your focus is in the present.

🌱 Physical grounding. Place your hands on any safe surface near you. Notice how it feels. Is it cool or warm? Hard or soft? Smooth or textured? Taking a few seconds to notice the answers places the mind in the present moment.

When I began practicing mindfulness (and it is a practice for sure!) it could be frustrating to hear advice to ´be present’. I understood in a logical sense but not really understanding how to have my brain cooperate. If that’s where you are too, I hope this helps!

Right now is where all of our power is.

I hope your Thursday feels good to you!

Have a gorgeous day. 🤍

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I gave birth to 5 children over the course of 18 years.

Despite medical advancements during that time, and healthy pregnancies (textbook according to medical professionals) each of my children were induced.

I was told my body simply would not go into labor on its own and it would be dangerous for the babies to wait.

I accepted this reasoning at the time and all 5 were born just before their due dates and according to the schedule my doctor and I set.

If I knew then what I know now, there’s a good chance my birth stories would be very different.

I am blessed to have had 4 healthy children and healthy postpartum periods after giving birth. But so many women I know have similar or at times much more traumatic birth stories.

Statistics show Black mothers are 3x as likely to die in childbirth and infant mortality is 2x as high in black communities.

These are just a few of the many reasons I am passionate about birth work and being a birth worker. As a birth doula I have the honor of helping to empower, support and be a resource for birthing people to birth in their way and in their power.

Thanks to Black Mamas Matter Alliance , April 11-April 17 is BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK. 🤎🖤❤️

On its 5th anniversary we commit to strengthening black maternal health, eradicating racial disparities in child birth and ensuring black and brown birthing people have access to the resources and care they deserve to ensure safe pregnancies and postpartum care. 🌺

P.S. 🙋🏽‍♀️ April is also National Minority Health Month. Let’s commit to one thing we can do this month to improve our health and show gratitude to our bodies. 🌱

Remember the power of your words, of your voice. Speak love, joy, happiness, health and whatever success means to you over your life. 🤍✨