yoga with fawn: 2013

Gorgeous Mama Pregnancy Guide Part II

beauty+self care+comfort

It can be challenging to feel gorgeous while pregnant and afterward, so here are some ideas to take care of mama.

vintage bandana dress with wedding band around my neck.

1. massage/acupuncture/facial/pedicure treatments monthly: for the locals try LMT Brigitte Kranabitl who unlike other practitioners props you from underneath for a belly-down treatment, rather than the lame side-lying position that only gets one side of your body; Zenana Spa for a non-toxic pedicure or an amazing facial with Sarah; Alma Midwifery for education and resources from childbirth to infant CPR.

2. coconut oil: not only for cooking french toast! Use for dry skin, and for every baby rash imaginable. Wonderful for cradle cap and baby acne too.

3. dresses- I am a firm believer that cute dresses can change your outlook from crappy to sunny, especially true during pregnancy. Vintage empire waists work well, American Apparel stretchy ones in a larger size, H&M Maternity is trendy and cheap; check out Hatch and Boob for chic maternity and nursing clothing.

4. slightly larger shoes- men's sneakers are nice and wide, invest in comfy sandals, and casual but supportive flip-flops.

5. skincare: your complexion might be redder than usual, so if you're a makeup wearer invest in a pro concealer or Hauska's tinted moisturizer.

help/support

1. seek counsel: make dates with other mama's to hear their perspective; find a therapist for one-on-one support; take a birthing class; interview practitioners and explore with them all possible outcomes during labor and delivery; make sure you have a few resources for the postpartum period. In Portland Wendy Foster is the postpartum fitness guru, so put a gift certificate on your registry for classes with her!

2. bond with your partner: you know what works better than I. Do those things. Especially sex.

3. watch videos and read books of births: online repository of various types of labor and delivery, read anything by Ida May Gaskin.

4. research practitioners for whole family wellness. So many great practitioners in Portland!

5. Home Support: A diaper service is totally recommended for the 1st 6 months: locally owned/operated Tidee Didee has been in business forever; Honest Company is a low-impact, disposable option. A housecleaner is great, whether it be a relative or a Doula. In case you get home, want to breastfeed, and have a problem Meg Stalnaker will come over and spend time with your family before giving recommendations. Make a food registry/meal plan for 90 days (at minimum). We used MealBaby.com.

For more tips, see Part Un... and stay tuned for Part troi! xoxo

Gorgeous Mama Pregnancy Guide Part I

Hello Dear Readers!

I am still living every day through the lens of yoga, now as a mom, and am excited to share what I learned while pregnant last year. This is my guide to being pregnant in the summertime-- or any season really. While I could just as easily recommend epsom salts and coconut oil only, despite my yogini status I am admittedly a consumer and avid internet research enthusiast.

I hope you find some helpful gems in Part I of my Gorgeous Mama Pregnancy Guide.

Here I am in labor.

Activity

Being pregnant requires more effort than usual, but staying physically active helps relieve common symptoms like swelling, back pain, and moodiness.

1. walks: daily! they lower your blood pressure, lift your mood, and improve your lung capacity.

2. squats: try them against the wall, on a block (or two), or hold onto a door by the handles. squats strengthen and tone the pelvic floor, and alleviate low back pain.

3. cat/cow movement: the simple motion of tilting your pelvis back and forth can relieve bloating, gas, pain, and help baby into optimal positioning for the big event. try cat/cow variations seated, on all fours, on your back (through 2nd trimester), or in standing.

4. swim and soak: take trips to your favorite river, local pool, or buy a kiddie pool. cool water kicks swelling in the butt. bonus: add epsom salts to your bath-- it's a natural muscle relaxant!

5. find a yoga class with a knowledgeable instructor (like my Balanced Prenatal: Yoga for the Pregnant Body every Thursday at Alma).

intake

Eating well not only makes a positive impact througout your life, in pregnancy it can keep you from developing gestational diabetes, and aside from that it is a wonderful practice to pass on to your kids. The tough part is while being pregnant a number of symptoms might make it difficult for you to eat enough good stuff. Supplements can be helpful if this is the case for you.

1. watermelon juice: puree ripe watermelon with water and fresh lime. a simple and delicious way to feel refreshed!

2. frozen fruit: for smoothies, and as cooling snacks.

3. protein shakes: in my 1st trimester I learned from my ND that a lack of protein in your diet is one of the main causes of nausea. so if you're to sick to eat, just suck down a protein shake.

4. boiled eggs: more protein- if you can stomach cooking eggs, they are fast, easy sources of protein.

5. iron: it is super common to be a bit anemic in pregnancy, and it can contribute to feelings of lethargy. I recommend Iron Extra by Vitanica because they are gentle on your system.

6. prenatal vitamins: lots of great options but I loved the whole-food Perfect Prenatal by New Chapter and Basic Prenatal by Thorne.

7. cal/mag supplements: for leg cramps or insomnia, drink Cal-Mag Citrate powder by Thorne before bed.

8. protein bars: I tried tons of flavors and my absolute favorite are the Honey Pretzel by Luna. Stock up and place in the car, in your bag, in your desk at work.

Stay tuned for the rest of my Summer Pregnancy Guide...

xo,

Food is political.

A new post has been long overdue!

When I first started writing back in '09, I was a super busy yoga teacher/frustrated artist. Now I am a new mom who manages a yoga studio, and is just getting back into teaching after a few months off.

In the beginning I tried hard to stay apolitical about food. It seemed everyone had an opinion about good eating habits (trying to lose weight/gain muscle, vegan, vegetarian, organic, local, small-batch, no red meat, paleo, gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, macrobiotic, etc). Gone are the days of being diplomatic.

My mom decided we would become vegan when I was about 4, and I started kindergarten with a lunch bag full of weird food. The ingredients for our new lifestyle weren't as readily available as they are now, and were definitely homemade. Love my mother, but she was still learning the art of cooking. The best meals I had during this period of my childhood were at our neighbors' and friends' house the Benfords. Joanne cooked everything from scratch, but was a total master. She excelled at Indian food, made chapatis, all kinds of bread, and her garden was huge compared to ours. Especially impressive since gardening in Vermont is its own special challenge due to the short growing season.

I loved toasted pitas with butter, peanut butter or hummus, and had no qualms about lentil burgers, yet my system craved fat and probably protein-- so much so that my friend and fellow vegan Jody and I would sneak to the store, buy a box of eclairs and eat them behind the Grand Union. I think I was 7.

As an adult the only strict diet I have tried was an anti-inflammatory diet, prescribed by Naturopathic Doctors Margaux French & Jenny Tufenkian. It felt so good! What started out as a pain in the ass expensive 3-week restricted diet ended up being an entire year of nightshade/gluten/wheat/dairy free livin'. Despite how great I felt, when I look back at myself in photographs that year I straddled the line of being way too skinny. The long-term effects were that I could (still can) enjoy dairy and grain again in low doses because with less inflammation my digestive system functioned better. Yay for that, but I still needed more fat in my diet. And instead of binging on pastries, I graduated to expensive cheese.

In the yoga world, vegetarianism is flagrant because eating animals is considered an act of violence. For many it's a spiritual and political choice to not eat meat. For others, meat is just gross.

Most Naturopaths I know are not vegetarian, and recommend eating local, organic, grass-fed meat as part of a balanced diet which leads me to wonder:
Are trendy diets and political eating are simply a mask for disordered eating?

As a breastfeeding mom, food is what gets me through the day without falling asleep. Good fats help me function. I still struggle with eating enough healthy food all the time, but have great motivation in the form of an adorable human who relies on me for everything. Also my ND says she doubts I would have gotten pregnant on the anti-inflammatory diet...


two kinds of cabbage is my favorite kind of meal.