Bell Family Company is thrilled to announce the launch of two services: Companion Care and Mom Mentors!
Do you have parents in need of socialization, a mental health check or any type of care? BFC’s Companion Care service helps families post pandemic to keep elderly or adults who are recovering from other life occurrences healthy, safe and happy.
Next, is BFC’s Mom Mentors service, which provides the much needed guidance and support moms look for post partum so they can remain safe, happy and comfortable at home. Everyone thinks about caring for baby (which is important of course!), but what about mom? She needs love, care and guidance too during this recovery and transitional time.
For more information on both the Companion Care & Mom Mentors services, click here!
Getting started:
In person, ad hoc Companion Care Provider or Mom Mentor rates are currently being offered for $30 per hour for one adult.
Virtual options are also available and check-ins can be arranged daily, weekly or vary depending on your schedule to help keep you healthy, happy and hydrated. Virtual Companion Providers and Mom Mentors are $23 per hour for one adult.
If you’d like to hire a consistent full time, part time or temporary Companion Care Provider or Mom Mentor, rates are negotiated between Family and Companion Provider or Mom Mentor. All families need to become a Member Family in order to start using BFC services. For a full list of membership options, click here.
Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!
One thing that never goes out of style … manners. In an article published by Dana’s Kids, they talk about how building manners is like building muscles. The more you use them, the more they grow.
So how do parents instill manners in their children? The article goes on to explore four different methods:
Model. Model. Model. It doesn’t matter how much you nag your child about remembering to use respectful language, nothing will ever replace modeling. Your child hearing you say “please” and “thank you” will be the cornerstone of their learning to do the same.
Set them up for success. This conversation will look different depending on your child’s age, but you can help your children think about what to do in a variety of scenarios where manners matter prior to that event. Heading to an outdoor holiday event? On the way, talk to you child about three good rules to remember when being with family or receiving a gift.
Allow for variation. Depending on your child’s age, developmental ability and temperament, verbal manners may be more challenging. Think together about other ways to acknowledge people around you. A high five (or elbow bump these days), wave, or a thumbs up and big smile might be a starting point for your child.
Repetition. Building manners is like building muscles. The more you use them, the more they grow.
For the full article from Dana’s Kids, click here.
Inspiration can come in so many different forms. It can be a song lyric, an inspirational quote, a meaningful picture, an interesting podcast, the stories of our peers, or simply hearing “you’ve got this,” “you’re doing awesome” or “you’re a great mom!” When we are inspired, we move from our worries to a place of empowerment. It’s amazing how powerful great inspiration can be.
Every woman wonders how they will be as a mom, we often set ourselves up with expectations and dreams of an idolized motherhood. So, why do we aspire for perfection? Instead of expecting perfection, we need powerful inspiration that reminds us just how perfect our individual methods can be. With motherhood, we always seem to be told that it will be a natural or instant transformation. But, is it? Is every woman made to be a mother on Day 1? Is it learned, or do we grow into the role? Let’s address this.
The combination of societal pressures and our own beliefs create patterns that we repeat and leave us feeling less than or failures at mothering. Look at how Society portrays mothers. There are generally 2 types. The overbearing, control seeking, perfectionist type or the hot mess, overwhelmed guilt-driven types. You either fall into one or the other and they set us to disapprove of each other. We see these archetypes portrayed in movies, books, or TV series. These stereotypes are ingrained in us and we step into these roles with little or no awareness then wonder why we feel lost.
It’s possible that if we realize motherhood is not a job, we can take the pressure of perfection off the table. When a mother can stand up and say… “Hey, I’m not the motherly type,” while still being a GREAT mom. This attitude exudes self-respect and confidence. This woman didn’t grow up babysitting or have hours of practice holding a baby (this is more common than you think!), but she still loves her child completely. She doesn’t pretend to know it all or pretend to be someone she’s not. Instead, she does what she can do: outsource to get help and stay as true to herself as possible.
To the moms that wear motherhood as a crown we can cheer them on as well. These are the moms that played house and babysat all through their teenage years. They bake for bake sales not to “show off” but because they truly enjoy being in the kitchen and nourishing others. This woman exudes self-confidence and confidence just like the first mom. The problem is that society plays us against each other instead of allowing us to celebrate our unique approaches.
Allowing mothers to see each other as inspiration and resources instead of reflections that we are not would allow mothers to grow. Imagine mothers working together instead of judging each other? By offering new role models that inspire and support these ideals we could effect positive changes in how society portrays us.
We are all human. Let’s all acknowledge this. I’m human and I make mistakes. Staying humble about our humanity teaches our children life lessons such as give and take. Mothers are there to be the guide, supporter, and mentor instead of an easy best friend. With that kind of guidance, children develop into whole, interesting beings capable of critical thinking and creativity. With that said, not every mother is born with all this insight. These goals come easily for some, but for most it is a transition. It is hard and it is something we work at every single day.
Maybe we need to hear “choose you” more often. It may be that simple.
Another lesson in motherly self-care is related to the vast world of Social Media. Let’s talk about a Social Media FAST. Basic human psychology tells us that when we start to compare ourselves to others, it’s time to take a break and choose the healthier option. Comparison is truly the thief of joy, so don’t let yourself get sucked into a destructive and judgmental cycle. There are some really positive things about social media; feeling connected to a group, reading inspirational quotes, seeing a funny video to makes you laugh, etc. But, if you aren’t feeling good about it, get off for awhile and then invite yourself back when you are ready. Delete toxic people or groups and surround yourself with inspiration and motivation! Sometimes, nothing is more empowering than saying “No” to looking at social media that doesn’t inspire you.
We are living through an incredibly isolating time. Our daily lives are being challenged in totally new ways both big and small. Let the power of positive thinking come over you in the hardest times and realize that inspiration is the key to getting through the thick of it. Find that inspiration in whatever moves you and remember to take care of you! Your children will never know all your tricks, but they’ll benefit from the positive energy!
This article was written by Mary McConville, Founder of Growupbrite and Lindsay Bell, Founder of Bell Family Company. Follow us for inspirational and motivational podcasts, articles, virtual retreats and more!
Photo provided by Growupbrite
Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!
Who isn’t going to remember 2020 as the year of firsts? Mama’s everywhere were forced to put their creativity caps on and think of ways to entertain their child(ren) at home – myself included! Take a look at some of the awesome ways mama’s made staying home the cool thing to do.
My neighbor has kept all of her kids home since March due to COVID, and as a result, she completely transformed her home office into a classroom. She built cubbies to make the kid’s lockers (like they would have had at school), ABC’s are hanging on the wall, there is an art center and library with hundreds of books. It’s truly amazing!
Another mama who is keeping her 7-year-old twin’s home from school for the first semester, put together a deal with Grandma to offer a two-day-a-week ‘boarding school.’ The twins packed their bags and spent the night at Grandma’s house for two days, and completed all virtual learning at her house. New face, environment, relief for mama and a fun trip!
Two other moms put together a regular playdate where their toddler boys switch off homes and hang out for two hours twice per week. This helped to get some socialization for the boys and some time away for mama. The kids hang out upstairs with a regular babysitter in a fully stocked playroom filled with games, books and activities.
Mama’s are struggling as we hit the end of the year, but killing it at the same time. Their hard work to make their child’s lives as ‘normal’ as possible during the pandemic is the reason why 2021 needs to be the year of the mama. We have a light at the end of the tunnel, but if you need support, motivation or guidance, please reach out to us for childcare help.
Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!
Breastfeeding is natural and beautiful. It’s also physically exhausting, mentally grueling and at times pretty uncomfortable. But while it may not be a breeze, there’s a lot you can do to make breastfeeding easier on yourself. These self-care tips help new moms get through the first weeks of breastfeeding successfully.
At the Hospital
You’re eager to welcome your new arrival, but have you thought about your first breastfeeding session? Breastfeeding for the first time is intimidating – this is new for both of you and there’s a lot of pressure to get it right ‑ but there are a few things that help it go smoothly.
Dress for success: Hospital gowns aren’t the most comfortable garment. Pack a comfy change of clothes in your hospital bag, including slippers, a robe, and a soft labor and delivery gown to replace the scratchy ones the hospital gives you. Look for a gown that offers easy access for nursing and skin-to-skin contact as well as the functionality your doctors and nurses need for postpartum monitoring.
Let your baby take the lead: When given skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible after birth, most babies will breast crawl and root in order to latch. However, some babies are too sleepy to latch right after birth and others may not be interested in eating much at all the first day. Don’t worry if your newborn doesn’t breastfeed right away. Instead, focus on providing as much skin-to-skin as possible and let your newborn nurse when ready.
Askfor a lactation consultant: If your newborn still hasn’t latched after the first day, talk to a lactation consultant. There are a variety of reasons babies may not latch right away, from position to prematurity, and most hospitals have lactation consultants on staff for this very reason.
The First Two Weeks
The first weeks at home are a blur of sleeping and feeding as new mothers recover from birth and get acquainted with their baby. During this time, your newborn will feed practically non-stop thanks to a teeny tiny stomach. Use these tips to keep your breastfeeding routine manageable and your baby well-fed.
Create a cozy nursing spot: Breastfeeding is easier when everyone is comfortable. Set up a nursing area with seating, a nursing pillow, breastfeeding essentials, and snacks and entertainment for yourself. Experiment with breastfeeding positions to find what’s most comfortable for yourself and baby.
Keep your baby accessible: Putting a newborn down to nap in the nursery every time will have you running back and forth all day. A bassinet or mini-crib in your home’s living space makes frequent nursing less of a hassle. At only 38 inches long, mini-cribs are significantly smaller than standard cribs, making it easy to squeeze one in wherever you need it.
Use a sling to free up your hands: If you’re feeling captive to your nursing newborn due to cluster feeding, use a sling or baby carrier that lets you nurse while multitasking. While it takes practice to get the right position, learning to nurse while babywearing is a great skill for breastfeeding mamas to master.
Relieve breast pain: It’s normal for breasts to become heavy and tender when milk comes in. This usually goes down within a day or two, but some women’s breasts may become engorged. In addition to a supportive, well-fitted nursing bra, warm and cold compresses relieve engorged breast pain. Use a warm, moist compress before nursing to increase milk flow and cold compresses after nursing to reduce swelling and inflammation. Some women even use cabbage leaves for relief!
Breastfeeding is incredibly beneficial for babies, but it takes a lot out of new mothers, especially in the first weeks after birth. If you’re struggling to take care of yourself while breastfeeding your new addition, let a baby nurse or night nurse from Bell Family Company lend a hand. A night nurse can help you get the rest you need while caring for your newborn so your breastfeeding journey gets off on the right foot.
Photo from Unsplash.com
Written by guest blog writer, Leslie Campos, Well Parents
While doulas are becoming a more common addition to an expectant
families birth or postpartum plan, many still aren’t quite sure what a doula
actually does. Below is a brief overview of the ways Birth and
Postpartum Doulas help the families they work with.
Birth Doulas
We recommend families start interviewing Birth Doulas during the second trimester of pregnancy. It can take a few weeks to line up interviews to find the perfect doula fit. Once hired, your doula is available to you for any questions you may have over email, phone or text. You can also expect:
Pre-birth: during the third trimester, your doula will schedule prenatal meetings. These are valuable sessions to help plan for the day of birth. Your doula will review any childbirth education classes you may have taken and answer any questions you might have. She’ll also help you make a few logistical plans for the day of birth. We never know exactly how labor will unfold, however having a few different plans for how labor may start can be particularly helpful.
Your doula will also help you practice different comfort
measures for labor. This may be a combination of movements, breathing
techniques, guided imagery, hypnosis, massage techniques and more. She’ll help
your partner be prepared for when labor starts, with some guidance on helping
you during early labor when contractions are mild.
Day of: on the day of your birth your doula will be on call and ready to meet you when you need support. She can meet you either at your home or hospital, whichever works best depending on how your labor is progressing. Your doula is your guide – she’ll help you manage contractions by coaching you through breathing and comfort techniques. She’ll encourage you every step of the way. For your partner, she’ll help normalize the experience and be a reassuring presence.
At the hospital, your doula will help you settle in and be as
comfortable as possible. She’ll help you dialog with medical staff and make
sure you have all the information you need to make decisions should they arise.
If an epidural is requested, doulas have lots of techniques to help clients
rest in different positions to help facilitate the baby’s decent into the birth
canal.
Every step of the way during your labor, your doula is there for
you and your partner, whether it’s gathering supplies, getting you a drink of
water, or offering a massage.
Following the birth of your baby, your doula will help you with
the first latch, get you settled in with a high protein snack, take some family
photos if you’d like, and help you be as comfortable as possible for those
early bonding hours.
Postpartum: after you’re settled in at home, your Birth Doula
will return within the first one to two weeks after the birth to have a
postpartum check in session. This is a wonderful time to recap the birth
experience together. This is also a good time to trouble shoot any lactation,
newborn care or postpartum healing questions that may have come up. Your doula
will be able to direct you to community resources if they’re needed.
Postpartum Doulas
Preparing for the postpartum period, aka “the fourth trimester”
is incredibly important for the whole family unit. You’ll never regret setting
yourself up with help so you can rest and focus on feeding your baby during
those early weeks and months.
Postpartum Doulas are available to assist families either during
the day or overnight. Daytime doulas spend a lot of their time focusing on
guidance and education for the new family. This might include assisting with
breastfeeding and latching, teaching newborn care such as bathing, swaddling,
and soothing techniques.
In addition to baby care, the postpartum doula can also run
errands, prepare meals, tidy up the home, and attend to things that help the
day move forward for the household. Your postpartum doula is your guide- she’ll
help you develop and strengthen your parenting confidence so that when she’s
not there, you feel secure with your baby.
Overnight doulas are typically hired so new parents can get as
much sleep as possible. For moms who are breastfeeding, the postpartum doula
can provide support during nighttime feedings if needed. Although mom will need
to wake to breastfeed, the doula handles all the diaper changes, swaddling and
soothing so mom can get some much needed rest in between feeds. She can also
make you a middle of the night snack, and have breakfast ready for you in the
morning.
Postpartum doulas typically work with families anywhere from the
first 2-3 weeks following the birth, all the way up to the first 5-6 months
depending on the family’s needs. We recommend families interview postpartum
doulas in the third trimester of pregnancy, though many clients hire postpartum
help after the baby is born.
If you’d like to learn more about birth and postpartum doula services, or have questions about your particular situation, feel free to reach out to Baby Caravan: [email protected] or @babycaravan on Instagram.
3 months
About Baby Caravan
Baby
Caravan provides holistic support for families, from pregnancy through
returning to work postpartum. Founded in 2014, Baby Caravan’s mission is to
provide families in New York City with exceptional birth and postpartum
knowledge, guidance and resources through our network of professional Birth
& Postpartum Doulas. We connect families with vetted doulas, to best meet
their needs during this special, yet challenging time. In addition to doula
services, Baby Caravan coaches moms returning to work following maternity leave
to help smooth the transition back to work.
Written by our guest blog partner Jennifer Mayer, Founder Baby Caravan
Expecting moms and dads often need one common thing – support. The Parent Collective provides just that by helping to establish connections with other expecting parents through classes that minimize stress, and ultimately, make people feel like they are in this together.
We had the opportunity to partner with Jessica Hill, one of the Co-Founders of The Parent Collective, to learn a little bit more about her, her company, and what makes TPC so special. Q: What inspired or influenced you to create The Parent Collective?
A: I decided to start TPC back in 2016 after hearing from countless friends that they spent their early months and years with their baby feeling lonely and isolated. Because I was lucky enough to have my boys in the UK and benefit from the NCT, my experience was wildly different, and I wanted to give a similar feeling of support through education to others. Quite simply – I don’t know how I would have gotten through the early months of my first baby without my village of NCT moms who got me out of the house, listened to me vent when I was struggling, swap strategies for dealing with the latest feeding/sleeping/illness issues that crop up, and filled countless afternoons with conversation and companionship. Everyone needs that support and I hope that TPC will fill this need. Q: What are the variety of classes that you offer and what can parents expect to learn in each of them?
A: We offer a prenatal class series for expectant parents and after babies arrive, we offer CPR & First Aid classes, postpartum support groups as well as a wide range of workshops and online content developed in response to participant questions.
Our prenatal class, which is our core offering, is a 4-week series and in it, participants will discuss:
Session 1: What to expect in labor and delivery
Session 2: Relaxation techniques to help you through the early stages of labor, options for pain management and C-sections
Session 3: Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding information and advice, including latching on, pumping, milk storage, getting on a feeding schedule, and how to manage problems that may arise
Session 4: Newborn care
Q: How are your classes unique to the classes at my local hospital?
A: The Parent Collective offers a new style of prenatal class which is designed to provide evidence-based information, foster open, judgment-free discussion and establish friendships among couples living in close proximity and due at the same time. We see ourselves as an alternative to other childbirth education classes and hope that couples taking the series will develop a social network through participation, gather playmates for the little ones on the way and of course, provide that crucial support system that parents so need.
I am always banging on about how important it is to have friends with babies the same age as yours. I absolutely realize that it is hard to make friends as adults but with pregnancy as the common thread, it can sometimes be easier. Mom and dad friends at every stage of the parenthood journey are super helpful, but friends who have kids the same age as yours are essential. No one can fully appreciate the daily trials of a newborn like your friend who is also navigating life with a newborn. From spilling preciously pumped milk to dealing with an explosive poo in-transit. When you are in it, these feel like total disasters. However, these stories will not elicit a visceral “gasp!” from a new parent, but rather a breath of relief as you realize another real person has experienced something similar – like, yesterday.
Parents need this camaraderie so you can enjoy/survive the early days (and hopefully beyond) together. Our classes allow parents to solidify these relationships before babies arrive, so you don’t have to work so hard once they do. You can already be texting from the hospital about the terrible food and a love you never thought possible. Q: Who are some of the facilitators that women can expect to meet in your classes (background, experience, mission etc.)?
A: All of our facilitators are nurses and midwives who can offer our expectant parents an accurate picture of what to expect in the hospital. Most are also mothers who can provide that additional layer of support having experienced first-hand what a world-rocking experience having a baby can be. Here is the background of one of our facilitators as an example but you can view all of them here. Allegra Gatti Zemel, RN, IBCLC Allegra is a registered nurse, Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and mother of three. She holds a BA in English from UC Berkeley in California as well as a BS in Nursing from Columbia University in New York City. Allegra has 13 years of experience in hospitals, classrooms, and in-home care and instruction around Maternal/Child Health and specifically breastfeeding. Allegra works to help each person feel equipped and ready for the wonder, transitions, and joy of a new baby with special attention to feeding and bonding. Q: Where are your locations and how can someone sign-up to learn more about The Parent Collective or join a class?
A: We currently host regular classes in Fairfield County, CT, Manhattan, Long Island, NY, Bergen County, NJ and we will very soon be launching in Westchester NY.
TPC will also soon be launching our prenatal series as a webinar. Watch this space!
To learn more, visit our website and sign-up for our newsletter, which offers information for expectant and new parents, as well as the opportunity to connect with parents who live local to you and have kids the same age. Jessica Hill, Co-Founder of The Parent Collective Written by Taylor Bell, Marketing & Social Media
We want to introduce you to our friends at Village Obstetrics™ and the wonderful support and care that they provide their patients. We partnered up with them for a Q&A to give our readers an opportunity to learn more about their impressive work. Q: A big part of Village Obstetrics™ mission is to follow a minimally invasive approach. Why is practicing this important to your mission, and what have you seen as benefits for your patients with this approach?
A: We see newly pregnant couples who are concerned about interventions meddling in the natural process of pregnancy and birth. And it’s true that the medical profession has become concerned about the high rate of unnecessary c-sections. So, our approach is one that respects the natural process but uses modern medicine and technology to check and see how the natural process is unfolding. If everything looks good, our job is to stay out of nature’s way, but if there’s a storm brewing our job is to figure out together with our mom what the best course of action is. Minimally invasive obstetrics is doing the least necessary to get the job done and it yields low rates of c-section with well-informed satisfied moms. Q: What are the benefits of unmedicated v medicated birth or c-section? Is there a time in the birthing process where its too late to get an epidural?
A: Birth has lots of variables – the size of the baby, the individual pain tolerance, the length of the labor, the strength of the contraction, head position and on and on. So, it’s fair to say that keeping an open mind is especially important as you approach birth. In general, for first time labor we have seen great benefits from trying to get as deep into labor as possible before getting medications for pain relief. At that stage if you want an unmedicated birth we see how much further you have to go and if its not too far, you typically will make it without medication. Alternatively, if you are at the end of what you can manage and you still have a long way to go, or if you plan on an epidural, that’s a great time to go ahead and get relief.
After you’ve already had a vaginal birth and you are in labor with the next baby, then you need to decide sooner if you want an epidural or not. Probably when your pain is still manageable but now starting to get your attention (say a 6 out of 10 on the pain scale) then it’s time to either get the epidural or commit to finishing it as an unmedicated delivery. The last part of labor could be very fast with second or third babies and there might not be enough time to get an epidural if you wait until pain is an 8 or more out of 10. With the first vaginal birth however, its almost never too late to get an epidural because the progress of labor is much slower usually. Many of our moms now also consider using Nitrous Oxide which is available at our hospital as an alternative to epidural or to maintain control until getting the epidural later. Q: New patients have lots of questions both pre- and post-birth. How do you help new moms and dads with the transition of becoming parents?
A: One great new addition to the information for new moms and dads is Dr. Worth’s new book, “The New Rules of Pregnancy: What to eat, do, think about, and let go of while your body is making a baby”. We are so proud of her! So many of the existing guide books are so packed full of information that they can be overwhelming and even scary. We needed an expert to sift through those big books and pull out the key information and present it in a format where you can take in a little information at a time while keeping it positive and with beautiful uplifting illustrations that provoke imagination and calm. Dr Worth made that happen and we hope you give it a read. Beyond that we intentionally structured our practice for only pregnancy and birth care. We unapologetically exclusively devote all our time and talents to this important field of obtetrics. Not doing gynecology and well woman care allows us the time to really get into questions and controversies in our office visits. We also hold our own free of charge birth class for our clients that we call our “Pregnancy Chit Chat” – it’s a group Q&A with their doctors. We also reply to our clients e-mails and we try and provide continuing community education speaking, blogging and posting whenever we are invited to by groups involved in pregnancy and birth care.
To learn more about Village Obstetrics,™ click here. Written by Taylor Bell, Marketing & Social Media
This week we present a guest blog writer, Jolynn Jaekel, who tells her story about becoming a mom, and her journey of balancing life and motherhood. Read her relatable and impressive story below!
Our mom was home with us while our dad went to work until I was in high school and even then, we had our grandmother to take care of us when mom went back to work. I grew up thinking that’s how it was done, but not certain that’s what I’d choose. Nothing about my path was traditional.
Here’s the Cliff’s Notes version… graduated college with a journalism degree; moved to Los Angeles and became an entertainment publicist; loathed LA; moved home to New Mexico; moved to New York City for a PR stint and confirmed I didn’t love PR but I did love New York; moved back to New Mexico to “figure it out;” rediscovered my love of acting; and then moved back to New York and became a professional sometimes working actor who taught fitness for survival. Whew!
So, when I finally got married and pregnant, I was hustling hard and knew no other way. BUT the second I looked into my daughter’s baby blues, everything changed. And it kept changing.
Before she arrived, I “knew” I’d be a better mommy if I was working out of the house. But then she came, and I realized I “knew” nothing. When I returned to work after my eight weeks of unpaid maternity leave, I couldn’t stand being away. I raced home as soon as I could, eliminating all non-parenting activities. It took both my husband and I plus two part time childcare providers to cover our crazy schedules with no family around for support. So, we moved to just outside of Washington, D.C., where one of my sisters lives.
We decided that initially, I would be home with our daughter. This was what I had been longing for, to be present for every single moment. At first, I reveled in the stay at home mom culture. We were busy with playdates, story time at the library, exploring every museum, farm, nature center and kids’ music performance, and finally making the crafts I’d pinned long ago. I got to be with my baby girl all the time. I was also alone with my baby girl a lot of the time. My husband’s hours had always been long, but now I was keenly aware of how long. My husband was receiving well deserved accolades at work but at home no one cheers you on for doing a great job cleaning a dirty diaper or gives you a promotion for keeping your child alive and well fed. It is the hardest job you’ll ever love. And I LOVED it, but I had no balance. I had cut myself off from everything I had known before motherhood and I began to notice.
I also began to realize it was time to go back to work because living on one salary in a city just as expensive as New York would not cut it, but where to begin and how to make it work? Fitness seemed like the most flexible place to start. I developed a mommy & me fitness program that let me teach a few classes with my daughter by my side. I eventually became a group fitness director at a local boutique gym which had on-site child care. It felt good to be back in the workforce without compromising my time with her. Then the gym eliminated child care. Time for Plan B.
We needed an additional income and I needed something of my own. I took a leap of faith with something I knew nothing about and previously had no interest in trying; a home-based sales business. Turns out, what I had prejudged as totally wrong for me, was the perfect solution to my complicated equation. It gives me the flexibility to maintain our mommy & me adventures, while I get to flex my atrophied mental muscles AND bring in a salary. It’s given me something else I realized I desperately needed, a community of like-minded women who are courageous, smart, inspiring and supportive of my journey no matter how many twists and turns it takes.
Here’s what I know for sure. I AM happier when I have something to focus on that inspires me outside of the incredible gift of our daughter. I AM a better mommy when I have balance. I DO love my job as her mommy and am so grateful to not have to miss a moment, but I’m glad I’ve found a way to have some moments of my own too. Written by our guest blog partner, Jolynn Jaekel Photo taken by Shauri Dewey
We all know the cold and dreary winter days will soon be upon us, and finding motivation to get out the door gets more and more challenging. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding the right activity to give you that extra push, and for me, that activity is yoga.
Meet Allegra McBane-Sanchez, a certified yoga teacher in the Greenwich, CT area who specializes in prenatal, postpartum and mommy and me yoga, as well as vinyasa and gentle practices for moms and non-moms alike. She teaches group and private sessions at various local studios, and partnered with us to share her yoga-knowledge through the Q&A below. Q: Yoga is a great resource for moms and soon-to-be moms to stay healthy throughout their pregnancy. What are some benefits of prenatal yoga for soon-to-be moms?
A: Pre-natal yoga can be a highly beneficial part of pregnancy. The physical benefits of practicing poses that offer a supported way to open up, to stretch, and also to strengthen can help your body more comfortably grow for your developing baby. The mental benefits of connecting deeply to your body and to your breath can help you to more peacefully navigate pregnancy, birth and new motherhood. In prenatal yoga, we focus a lot of awareness on breath work as a tool for expectant mothers to stay present in their bodies throughout their pregnancy and as an integral tool in the labor and birth experience. Q: Why is it important to continue to practice yoga post-birth?
A: A postpartum yoga practice can help reconnect new moms to the changes they have experienced in their bodies through pregnancy and birth. A thoughtful postpartum yoga practice can help moms regain strength in their cores, pelvic floors, and throughout their bodies; it can reconnect them to their breath and to their own innate strength; and, it is also an opportunity for a new mom to check in with her body, mind and breath as she adjusts to the demands of new motherhood. Q: How does mommy and me yoga help bond mom and new baby?
A: Mommy and me yoga is one of the most rewarding classes to teach. Offering a space for moms to be with their little ones while also caring for themselves is a very beautiful thing to witness. Babies enjoy the touch of their moms as they gently massage and stretch the babies, and moms enjoy incorporating their babies into movement and poses that benefit their physical and mental health. The babies respond positively to calm breath and gentle movements – it brings them a sense of calm as well. It’s also a really nice opportunity to meet other new moms and find a community while doing something good for yourself and your baby. Q: What are some things you’ve learned from practicing yoga?
A: This is hard to answer because, really, yoga has changed my life. It has changed the way I view my own body, my own relationship to my child and the way I interact with others. I have had a yoga practice for nearly 20 years but it was only after I gave birth to my son, that yoga became something more than a chance to stretch and strengthen. The challenges that many new mothers face: hormonal changes that impact our mental health, physical changes that impact our ability to do what we previously did, and the profound shift when we become responsible for another person’s life, can take its toll. I turned to yoga as I navigated the transition to new motherhood and not only did it provide me with more physical strength and flexibility than I have ever had before, but the focus on breath work and the practice of being present in my body in the moment that I am experiencing has taught me how to be a more engaged and conscious parent and has taught me how to view my life through a lens of gratitude and patience. Written by our Marketing & Social Media Consultant, Taylor Bell
