21 tips to prepare your body for pregnancy – mindbodygreen.com

21 tips to prepare your body for pregnancy – mindbodygreen.com

CHCECK OUT MY LATEST ARTICLE ON MY FAVORITE WEBSITE IN THE WORLD – http://www.mindbodygreen.com

Here are a few of my top tips for getting yourself ready for pregnancy … Happy baby making xoxoxox 🙂  Lori b

This AMAZING photo was taken by this awesome photographer in Maui her name is Cadencia and her website is http://www.cadenciaphotography.com .. check her out ! LOVE her work and vibe !

 

 

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

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

 

5 super fun New years rituals you can do with your kids – My article on mind body green

5 super fun New years rituals you can do with your kids – My article on mind body green

I love doing intention rituals for the new year. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on the passing year and what it was all about for me. I create an intention for the way I want to show up for myself and others, and the things I hope to create in my life in the new year.

My new year’s rituals have gotten to be very popular with friends and I’ve started doing them with their kids. It’s really cute to hear what the kids loved and didn’t like about the past year and what they want to manifest in the coming year. When I plant little seeds of spirituality in children, I always do some kind of fun project or game; this seems to leave a more lasting impression.

Here are 5 super fun ways to create new year’s intentions with your children:

1. Make a family vision board.

Gather all your old magazines and get out the paint, glitter, stickers, markers, and any other fun art supplies. You’ll also need cardboard or big thick paper boards, and some kind of object you can pass along. (I like to use a stick or a crystal.)

How it works: Whoever holds the object gets to talk. Ask the children what they liked best about this past year. Then ask them how they want to feel or what they want to manifest in the new year.

After everyone talks, begin to cut out pictures. Draw, paint, paste pictures, or add glitter onto the board. When it’s finished, go around and have the kids explain the choices they made for their boards. Frame the finished board and hang it somewhere where you can all see it.

2. Plant new year intention seeds.

Have your kids say their new year intentions, then have them write them on a small piece of paper. Get a pot, seeds, and some soil and have your children place their intentions in their pots. Then pour in the soil and plant the seeds. Give them the pots and teach them how to water and take care of them to feed their intentions so they grow.

3. Make new year’s bracelets.

I did this last week with my friend’s 10 year-old daughter, Lili. How it works: Pick out crystal beads from your local bead shop (or you can buy them online). Ideally you’ll want to select ones that your kids are drawn to or that represent a feeling they want to embody. Some ideas include rose quartz for love, amethyst for stress relief, or blood stone to increase energy. Then you can string them or have the store string them.

Have your children hold the bracelets in their hands and say what it represents and how they want to feel, manifest, and be in the new year. Lili said she wants to feel more confident and that when she wears her magic beads, she can accomplish anything. Also, she wants to manifest a horse.

4. Do a burning ritual.

There are two ways to do this. First you can buy fly wish paper. Have your kids write down on one piece of paper what they want to let go of, and on another piece of paper what they want to manifest (for themselves, for others, and for the planet). Burn the paper and watch it fly into the universe. Another option: instead of burning wishes into the air, burn them in a fireplace. Throw in some sage when letting go of something, and maybe sprinkle on some ginger oil for bringing in the new that you wish to manifest.

5. Do a candle ritual.

You’ll need a few tall, white candles in glass, some essential oils, paint, glitter, and stickers … Have your kids write their intentions on a piece of paper and let them decorate their magical candle. Have them read their intentions and place the paper under the candle. Let them pick out the oil they like (lavender for stress, jasmine for love, orange and rose geranium for happiness) and have them add a few drops of essential oll to the candle. Light it so they can send their intention out into the world. (Be sure to let the candles burn to the end so you don’t blow out their wishes!)

 

Nesting your life to make space for great things to come

Nesting your life to make space for great things to come

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE I WROTE FOR THE FABULOUSLY COOL AND TOTALY AWESOME MIND BODY GREEN WEBSITE … THIS IS SOMETHING I DO WITH ALL MY GIRLS WHEN PREPARING THEM FOR PREGNANCY . NOTHING NEW CAN COME IN IF THERE ISNT ANY SPACE FOR IT TOO … SOOOOOOOOOOOO LETS CLEAN OUT THE OLD , RESTRUCTURE , REBALANCE AND LET GO OF WHAT’S NO LONGER SERVING BY MAKING SOME SPACE, SO THAT WE CAN BRING IN GREAT THINGS IN THE NEW YEAR !!!! BRING IT ON 2014 !!!! YEEEEHAWWWWWWW !!!!! 

 

As a doula with 13 years of experience, I’ve noticed a pattern toward the end of pregnancy: a woman goes through a “nesting period” where she has an uncontrollable urge to purge her home and her life. Once, I found one of my clients (then 8 months pregnant) in her basement, throwing away boxes of stuff, reorganizing shelves, and scrubbing them clean.

When I walked in, she saw me and burst into tears. “I can’t stop cleaning,” she said.

I explained that this is totally normal. When your life is so full of what no longer serves you, there is no space for anything new to flow into your life. Another one of my clients of mine bought a house and redecorated the whole thing by herself.

I thought about this recently, when something crazy took over me, and I purged my house of just about everything: old vitamins, spices, make up, clothes, papers, and furniture. Suddenly it dawned on me, that much like a pregnant woman, I was making space for the new. And we can all do the same to bring in the birth of a new year.

Here are some tips to help you make room for greatness:

1. Take inventory of your life.

Notice what’s working, what needs adjusting, and what needs to go. Look at the way you’ve been living and doing your life. We can’t change anything if we aren’t aware of what needs changing.

2. Detox your body.

Get rid of any toxins in your body and quit those bad habits that are preventing you from feeling good and being all that you can be. Establish healthier habits, feed your body organic nourishing whole foods, and take supplements that feed and fuel you.

3. Distance yourself from the negative.

I look at my friendships as a target. My inner circle surrounds the bullseye, and others fill the levels of circles that go further out. Ask yourself: who drains you, who brings you down, who isn’t supportive, and who is no longer a match? You don’t want people in the bullseye crowding out the folks who are supportive. Figure out who needs to be moved to the outer circle?

4. Clean house.

Clean out your closets, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, shelves, desk and whatever else is taking up space in your home. Throw away all toxic products and replace with toxin free products, scrub down your house with non toxic cleaning supplies. You will feel like you have more room to breathe.

5. Patch the energy leaks.

Notice where (or with whom) you are spending too much time, money, or energy and feeling drained. Where can you create more structure and establish better boundaries?

6. Find balance.

Are you moving your body or taking enough down time? Are you working too much and not having enough play or you time? Where can you make the shifts so you can have more of a balanced life?

http://www.rootedforlife.com  

30 natural remedies for morning sickness – Mind , body , green Website

30 natural remedies for morning sickness – Mind , body , green Website

Here is an article I wrote for the GREAT mind body green website  – 30  natural remedies for morning sickness … Enjoy and hope it helps  xo Lori B 

A fun little article I wrote for mind body green website

A fun little article I wrote for mind body green website

Obviously the main goal in the end is to conceive and birth a healthy baby ( anyone who knows me or my work knows how passionate I am about this )   that being said .. I have had a few people ask me some things they can do to increase their chances of having either a boy or girl ..  I did some research and this is what I found … 🙂