Cool water birth video

Alfalfa tablets are good for many pregnancy ailments

 

 The past month I have been researching remedies for all kinds of pregnancy ailments ,thats when I stumbled upon Alfalfa . Not only is it inexpensive but it helps with EVERYTHING !!! 

– Helps ease morning sickness 

– Heart burn 

– Constipation 

– Anemia 

Reduces post partum bleeding 

– Increases breast milk 

Start with 1 tab a day and gradually increase ( to recommended dose on bottle) * Back off if stools become loose and do not take if you are taking blood thinners as its  high in vitamin K . 

http://www.rootedforlife.com 

 

Birth Photography – Shoots and giggles – My new birth must do !!! I’m obsessed with her !!!

 Last week I helped my VBAC superstar Robin birth her son Peter Sebastian . 56 hour of labor later my little rockstar got it done !!! I am soooooooooo beyond proud of her !!!! 

During the pushing phase she hired an amazing birth photographer to come in . I was totally blown away by her work !! Briana ( the owner and photographer of shoots and Giggles ) has a way of capturing not only the most amazing images but you can literally feel the emotions radiating off the photos she takes . When Robin sent me the sideshow last week I literally started crying as I re-lived the whole birth of her son through the pictures . Briana’s energy is awesome !!!! She is a pleasure to be around  ,work with and you barely know she is in the room .. I totally LOVE her !!!!!

Your birth of your child will be one of the most special days of your life . In labor you are in the “birth zone ” often  in your own inner world …. Sometimes is super cool to have some amazing photographs to remind you of that special day and see the birth of your child through  the eyes of another. I highly recommend Shoots and Giggles for all births !!! She totally ROCKS !!!!!

For more info check out the shoots and giggles website or call : ( There are tons more  fantastic photos on her site )

t: (310) 929-7725

www.shootsandgiggles.com

More photos from the beyond talented shoots and giggles ( Seriously she blows me away )

puppy dog pose – for pregnancy back and round ligament pain , stress relief , relaxation and insomnia

Has your back bothering you during your pregnancy  ???  If so then you must try this yummy little gem of a stretch . Puppy dog is one of my favs for pregnancy .

Start on your hands and knees. Separate your knees a little wider than your hips to make room for your baby bump . Begin to walk your hands forward , rest your forehead on the floor , Press your palms down into the floor while keeping your rear end up towards the sky.

Stay here breathing slowly and deeply into the upper and lower back , healing your spine with your breath by sending it oxygen and blood flow . Hold  for 30 – 60 seconds .

http://www.rootedforlife.com

Benefits – 

Helps ease round ligament pain 

calms the mind 

combats insomnia 

stress relief 

Improves flexibility of the spine 

stretches the spine , chest and shoulders ( great for back pain due to  breastfeeding ) 

* I like doing this pose with a bolster under my chest this makes it more restorative and relaxing

*if your knees are uncomfortable place a blanket for extra padding under your knees .

molly sims ( my angel ) on my pregnancy smoothie

http://www.mollysims.com/blog/post/waiting-for-baby-try-this-smoothie/ 

WAITING FOR BABY? TRY THIS SMOOTHIE

 

 

Because I know so, so, so many of you found my Fertility Smoothie recipe so helpful, I wanted to bring back Lori Bregman, my go-to resource for anything and everything related to pregnancy. She created another smoothie for all the mommies out there who are currently pregnant. So whether you’re trying to create a baby or you’re growing a little boy or girl, Lori’s got you covered when it comes to nutrients needed.

Pregnancy Smoothie

• 10 oz  of hemp milk
• 1 level scoop of Garden Of Life or Sun warrior vanilla raw protein powder
• 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of almond butter
• 1 cup of raw spinach
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 2 soaked date ( to soften )
• 1 tablespoon of powdered spirulina
• 1-2 handfuls of ice

There are an absolute ton of AH-mazing ingredients in this smoothie, but here’s a quick breakdown of why it works and how.

Spirulina – A highly digestible protein source which helps build your baby’s tissues and muscles. It is also rich in essential fatty acids which are important for cardiovascular  and eye health and nourishes the brain of both you and your growing baby. It’s a valuable source of vitamin B-12 which aids in healthy growth, provides you with energy and helps you with your mental state by stabilizing your emotions. Spirulina is also high in antioxidants as well as high in the anti inflammatory fatty acid GLA.It is also rich in chlorophyll which makes it an awesome blood builder , helping to prevent anemia.

Coconut oil – High in fatty acids which supports the pregnancy health of the mother by reducing toxemia , pre- eclampsia , preterm labor and postpartum depression.

Dates – According to a new study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Women who ate dates daily for their entire pregnancy were more dilated when labor began ,  less likely to need medication to get labor going and their labor tended to be an average of 7 hours shorter then the non date eaters . The study found a compound in the dates that imitates oxytocin (which helps with labor) they are also high in iron, a natural energy booster and great for relieving constipation.

Bananas – Help your nerves and muscles function properly, rich in iron, improves mood, relaxes the mind and regulates moodiness, good for morning sickness,  high in fiber which helps battle constipation and diarrhea, natural source of energy, good for heartburn and helps maintain a proper balance of electrolytes.

Almonds –  Nourish the nervous system, build strong bones and teeth, provides good brain function and boosts brain activity and helps stabilize blood sugar . A recent study found that pregnant women who ate nuts daily were about 30% less likely to have children who develop nut allergies.

Spinach –  Helps prevent birth defects from the high content of foliate, protects against cell mutation, calcium and magnesium  which helps build strong bones and teeth and lowers blood pressure,  has a laxative effect and is great for easing constipation. cleanses the body of toxins, and is a blood builder.

http://www.rootedforlife.com  

 

stop comparing to others

Everyone is different and unique

Transitioning into mommyhood –

Hey there !!! check out this video I did for mommy’s bliss .. xoxoxo Lori b

BIRTH AFFIRMATIONS – For a positive more empowered birth experience

Birth isn’t just a physical journey but a mental and emotional one as well .  The mind is a mighty powerful thing !! In labor  it can be your greatest warrior and support or it can sabotage your wishes , desires and intentions, taking you down within the blink of an eye . Not everyone can afford  or wants a doula by their side 24/7 throughout the birth process . When you have a doula by your side she will be your greatest cheerleader one who lives , breathes and speaks  positive affirmations to you through the course of your labor .

I saw this photo on Facebook and went crazy over it !!! I LOVE this idea and am going to start having all my girls make their own positive birth affirmations to hang  up  in the birth room as part of the sacred space I help create for them . During labor you may go through all kinds of emotional , mental , spiritual and physical twists and turns , highs and lows . Birth Affirmations will help support , ground and focus your energy  to help you have the birth you desire  .

There are 2 ways to do this – For both ways always use bright colors .. ( They tend to uplift the spirit , lighten the mood and are more playful and happy to look at )

1. Do it as a baby shower ritual – On all the tables have a large sheet of blank paper at each table setting , each table gets a basket of colorful markers or crayons . Have everyone there write out an positive birth affirmation for your birth .

2. Make your own – You can write out a list of your fears and turn those fears into a positive . An example -” I am afraid I won’t be able to do this”. Changed too, ” My body is made and designed to do this “or “I am strong and capable and trust my body to birth my baby with ease”.  I ask my girls when prepping them for birth ,” What are some things I can say that motivate you to give you more confidence and strength ? If you are really creative you can even draw out your birth intention , a picture , words or feelings that inspires you .

Pack some tape with you in your birth bag and hang your affirmations all over the walls and windows .

Here are a few sample affirmations to use or get ideas from –

I am powerful

There is no need for us to hurry

I trust my labor process

My body was made to do this

I have all the time and patience I need

I trust my body to birth my baby

I let go and relax

I surrender with confidence

I am safe

I trust my intuition

I trust my instincts

There are 300,000 other women giving birth in the world with me today .

I am strong and capable of birthing my baby

Every contraction brings me closer to meeting my baby

The more i can relax and let go the easier time my baby will have making their way into the world

I am a great mother

I can do this I am committed

No negative thoughts or thinking  allowed in this room

I breathe in relaxation , I exhale out any tension

I breathe in love , peace and joy into my baby and exhale thru my mouth any fear , tension or anxiety as my body relaxes

I inhale oxygen and life force into my baby as I exhale my whole body relaxes as my baby drops and cervix dilates

Breathe in LET exhale GO

This present moment is all there really is , I am fully here in the now , the past is gone and the future hasn’t happened yet . What I do in this moment is building the way to my future .

You got this girl !!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHING EVERYONE !!!! 🙂

http://www.rootedforlife.com

Annie Murphy paul – TED talk on What we learn before we are born

Letting out your emotions at birth – Why that cry the moment after birth is so important

Well this has been one very super busy and exciting week for my family !! On Feb 3rd my fabulous sister in law Kate and my brother Brett gave birth to my  adorable nephew Oliver William bregman

And just a few days later on Feb 8th  ( this am ) my sister Alli and her husband Justin gave birth to my gorgeous niece Fiona or Emerson ( they are still trying to figure out the name )

I am one proud auntie !!!!

My brother and his family are in Philadelphia and my sister is living abroad in of all places Abu Dhabi . I wasn’t with them as I am in LA and on call for a birth here at the moment , but I was my sisters semi virtual doula on and off for the past 24 hours …

I just got off the phone with her and I felt compelled to write a post on how normal and important it is to cry at birth . After laboring for 24 hours and pushing for 3 of them when my niece was born my sister let out a cry , a VERY normal reaction at birth . There are so many emotions a woman goes thru during the birth process ( excitement , fear , exhaustion , joy , sadness , worry , doubt , happiness , love , anticipation , confusion  ……. ) that crying is a natural release of energy   !! The reason I am saying this is because they told her not to cry so she doesn’t get depressed .. I was like huh ???? What kind of backwards ass thinking is this ????  Of course I went TOTALLY bananas and told her, ” Please cry and let that emotion out !!!  Holding it in will give you depression not releasing the tears of joy , relief in seeing your baby for the first time and knowing she is healthy , exhaustion , hormones …. it all need to come out “. I had her walk me through the birth and what it was like to see her baby and she started to cry , I assured her it was ok to just allow this pure emotion to come out … I had her tell me what it was like when she saw her husband Justin holding their daughter ( I know thats a tear jerker every time seeing your partner with your child for the first time ) and she really started crying … THANK GOD !!! Please people don’t hold in your emotions in at birth , its not healthy ….  Let them out …  Heck , even I cry at birth and I see babies born all the time !!

http://www.rootedforlife.com