Climbing stairs in Labor #labortip

Labor tip : Try Climbing a few stairs to help your baby descend and speed up your labor .Climbing stairs works with gravity and helps get baby rotated into a good position for birth . It also opens the pelvis and  helps with mobility .

http://www.rootedforlife.com – Building a solid foundation for both you and your baby to grow from

Eggplant parmesan to induce labor – Recipe people swear by

I am doing research today on all things labor and I found this recipe on ABC news about this labor inducing eggplant parmesan recipe that claims when pregnant women eat it they go into labor with in 48 hours … Worth a try !! Worse thing that can happen you have a super yummy meal 😉

“Nearly 300 baby pictures decorate Scalini’s old-fashioned Italian restaurant in Cobb County, Ga.
All of the babies pictured on the Italian restaurant wall were born after their mothers ate the Scalini’s eggplant parmigiana. The $9.95 plate of breaded eggplant smothered in cheese and thick marinara sauce is “guaranteed” to induce labor, the restaurant claims.
The eggplant legend began not long after the restaurant opened 23 years ago .
To date, more than 300 of the pregnant women customers who ordered the eggplant have given birth within 48 hours, and the restaurant dubs them the “eggplant babies.” – Good morning America

Eggplant labor inducing parmasen
Ingredients
3 medium sized eggplants
1 cup flour
6 eggs, beaten
4 cups fine Italian bread crumbs (seasoned)
Olive oil, for sautéing
8 cups marinara sauce (recipe below)
1/2 cup Romano cheese (grated)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 cups ricotta cheese
Scalini’s Marinara Sauce
2 Tablespoons garlic, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
8 cups tomatoes (fresh or canned), chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 cup fresh sweet basil, chopped
Pinch thyme
Pinch rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Directions
After you wash the eggplant, slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. You may choose to peel the eggplant before you slice it. However, you may want to leave the skin on since it contains a lot of vitamins.
Place the eggplant slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt, then cover with another layer of paper towels and hold it down with something heavy to drain the excess moisture. Let them sit for about an hour.
Working with one slice of eggplant at a time, dust with flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat well with breadcrumbs. Sauté in preheated olive oil on both sides until golden brown.
In baking dish, alternate layers of marinara sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta, parmesan and Romano cheeses, until you fill the baking dish, about 1/8 inch from the top. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Scalini’s Marinara Sauce
Lightly sauté the onions in olive oil in large pot for a few minutes.
Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add tomatoes and bring sauce to a boil, then turn heat low. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and let simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Recipe courtesy of John Bogino, Scalini’s Italian Restaurant, Smyrna, Ga. (scalinis.com)

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A different way to check and see how dilated you are in labor

 Besides wanting to find out how how far along you might be , nobody likes getting their cervix examined during labor !!! Well girls you all might want to start looking at your butt crack instead ! Yup .. Apparently during labor there is a red, purple or dark line that shows up in 76% of laboring women that goes up the woman’s butt crack . kind of like a thermometer for accessing cervical dilation . It is caused from increased pressure from baby’s head on the veins around the sacrum area . 

 

http://www.rootedforlife.com – Building a solid foundation for both you and your child to grow from 

Ladies let go of control and let that wild women out in birth !

I found this picture and immediately thought of the book ” Women who run with the wolves – myths and stories of the wild women archetype ” – By Clarissa Pinkola Este’s .. which by the way if you haven’t read I highly suggest !

All of us women have this inner strength , power and force. I it see constantly in labor . When the birthing mama is birthing her babe she is also giving birth to this other part of herself she becomes a mother . The more she is able to let go of control , surrender to the process and release her inhibitions during birth this primal wild thing will take over and get it done with a vengeance . Let go and let her out !!

http://www.rootedforlife.com – Building a solid and healthy foundation for both you and your child to grow from

A great article on newborn baby smell and bonding

A great article on newborn baby smell and bonding

I am VERY big into imprinting with your baby post birth .. I have written about skin to skin , looking your baby in their eyes , talking to them in a soft loving voice , kissing and stroking them and even about the bonding pheromones the top of their head releases … Click on the link above and see why holding that newborn in your arms is so addicting !!! http://www.rootedforlife.com

my AWESOME sister in law and my adorable nephew Oliver … #lovefest

Photo by: “Philadelphia Newborn Photographer,  Lucy Baber Photography” http://www.lucybaberphotography.com

KEEP CALM AND TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS !!!!

ATTENTION ALL MOMS AND MOMS TO BE .. BEST PREGNANCY, BIRTHING AND PARENTING ADVICE EVER !!!!!! Your baby has grown , developed and has lived inside of you for 9 full months …. just as you know when something feels off or not right with you , your baby is part of you and you will sense the same in and for them . Remember this when you get bombarded with tons of advise and projections from others . A mother knows best ! Especially when she is in a calm , centered , grounded , peaceful and in a mindful state. When one can get in this space she will to be able to hear her own voice and truth of what FEELS is right .

“You’ve always had the power, my dear. You’ve had it all along” – Glinda, the Good Witch

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

BABY SHOWER CANDLE RITUAL

Yesterday I was at a beautiful baby shower for one of my fabulous clients . She had read a few of my blogs about shower rituals I wrote and loved the idea of doing rituals instead of games ..She asked if I would lead everyone through a few of them … Here is one of ones we did. I LOVE this !!

When everyone first comes in make sure they write their email down on a piece of paper

Each of the guests gets a beautifully wrapped candle to bring home with them .

On the day / night of when the soon to be mother goes into labor everyone at the shower will get an email letting them know she is in labor and to light their candle and say a prayer -sending lots of love , positive energy and well wishes for a healthy delivery and easy peaceful transition for the baby to come into this world.

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KEEP CALM !!! BIRTH IS NORMAL.

TRUST YOURSELF AND YOUR BODY !!!! AS A WOMAN YOUR BODY WAS MADE TO GIVE BIRTH AND YOU CAN DO IT !!!!! YOUR STRONGER THAN YOU THINK !!! #EMPOWERMENT #BIRTH #GIRLPOWER

7 tips to navigate the postpartum transition time

7 tips to navigate the postpartum transition time

check out this article I wrote on Mind Body Green ! xoxo 

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of pregnant woman from all walks of life and no two have had the same pregnancy or birth experience. Some have an easier time with the transition into motherhood than others. It doesn’t mean that they love their child any more or less. It just means that transitions are different for different people. 

 

Many women are embarrassed to talk about this. In private sessions, they tell me they’ve had shame and guilt about their feelings. And so, I wanted to take the time to write this so all those women know that they aren’t alone. Here are some things I’ve found to be helpful when assisting someone through the postpartum/emerging mother phase. 

 

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. 

 

We all have different levels of coping, and different gifts to share. Just because so-and-so lost her weight in a month, or your friend’s baby was sleeping through the night, or your sister had the easiest time with breastfeeding, doesn’t mean that will be your experience. When you realize you’re comparing yourself and your baby to others, simply become aware that you’re doing it and pull your energy back to you. Stay focused on who you are and on getting to know your baby. 

 

2. Surender to the process. 

 

Post-pregnancy is a time of integrating this new you and new baby into your life. You’re finding your way, and you can’t rush it. You need to allow it to unfold naturally. When you rush, you can push things to happen way before they are ready, rather than allowing them to authentically unfold at the right time. For some, this process can last a month while for others it takes a year. When you allow yourself the time and space to figure it all out, you’ll come out on new territory a lot more ready and prepared. 

 

3. It’s just temporary. 

 

Every thing right now is in-between what was and what will be. Your body is in-between pregnancy, what is was and will be. Your hormones are all over the place, your baby is here as well as in-between worlds, and yourrelationship with you partner is shifting as you learn how to integrate this little miracle that you both created into your life. And to top it off, your sleep is sporadic. Good news: this is all just temporary and not how your life is going to be. It’s just how it is right now, which is all part of the transition. 

 

4. Let go of how you thought it would be. 

 

Some of the biggest disappointments in life come from how we think things should be. It’s healthy to have hopes, desires, and dreams, but when we cling to tightly to them it leaves little room for what actually is. It’s also limiting because things might unfold for you better then you ever thought possible. So have your hopes and wishes and then trust that all is unfolding just as it should be. 

 

5. There is no such thing as perfect. 

 

There is no prefect person or way of doing anything, however there is a perfect way for you. Use this time again to find what FEELS right for you, your family and child. Read books, talk to people you respect, try different things, and create your own authentic style of doing parenthood that supports who you and your partner are and who this child of yours is. 

 

6. Get support. 

 

This is key! Surround yourself with positive people who nurture you and are supportive. Sign up for a Mommy and Me group where you’re around like-minded people. Ask for help! People love to help and by allowing them to, you’re actually giving them the gift of being of service. 

 

7. Rest and recharge. 

 

I know: how can I rest and recharge when I have an new baby? I love using the metaphor of when you’re on an airplane and they tell you to first put on the oxygen mask so you can better assist your children. Your new baby is 100% dependent on you. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have anything to give. Nap when your baby naps, delegate chores by allowing others help you, limit your visitors and set boundaries. Put an outgoing message on your phone and emails, saying you just had a baby and it might take you some time to get back to them. Eat healthy, nurturing foods like oatmeal, salmon, and steamed vegetables, as well as easy-to-digest stews and soups.  

 

http://www.rootedforlife.com