Grace and Gratitude Life

Mother’s Day is around the corner and @doterra special is here! These are some of my FAVORITE eo’s and they are the best combo for supporting mamahood. Calming, energizing, and balancing. This is a special only while supplies last and I’ve got an ADDED BONUS for free wholesale membership ($35 value) if you purchase this kit! It’s the gift that gives all year. DM me with questions of click the link in bio to buy xx#doterra #morhersday #selfcare #selflove #treatyourself

I can’t believe I am getting ready to send a survey out closing my first round of my pilot doula mentorship program! cue:BIG emotions. * * * * *... #graceandgratitudelife #postpartumdoula #birthdoula #doula #virtualdoula #doulasupport #doulalove #doulatraining #birthworker #birthworkers #empowering #empoweringothers #loveyourjob #bossbabe See more

When will I feel like myself? That 6-week checkup rolls around and you're still exhausted, hurting, and wondering when the heck your body will be feeling back up to par again. For some mamas, they're feeling great by then, but for many others, the path to healing can take much longer. To help, I'm laying out a roadmap of common milestones you can expect to hit while healing postpartum: - Days 1-10: Significant weight loss, exhaustion, heavy bleeding, discomfort, and moodiness.... This stretch of time is usually a blur. Days and nights are easily mixed up and your hormones are working hard. Give yourself the most love you can during this time especially. - Days 11-20: Lighter bleeding, exhaustion, and healing for bigger tears and C-section. This stretch of time is a tad easier but still tough. Go easy on yourself and get as much rest and nutrients as you can. - Weeks 4-6: Still some pain and discomfort. By this point, you've made it through those first weeks! Time to pat yourself on the back! But continue to give self-care and go easy. It's easy to want to jump back into exercise and normal routines, but your body may not be ready. Go easy and be sure to talk with your medical professional. My advice? 1thing a day! Until you feel ready for more. Try to space daily activities like errands out, or ask for help. - Weeks 6-8: Energy should be returning around this time. If cleared by a medical professional, this is the time you'll be able to slowly restart an exercise routine. - Months 2-3: If you're feeling okay, work to slowly add some light cardio into your routine. A short walk around the block and floor yoga are great places to start. - Month 4-6: All should be *mostly* back to your new normal, but keep in mind that no two pregnancies or postpartum journeys look the same. Healing can take 9+ months but if you’re not feeling like you’re making progress, then start seeking appropriate professional help. Listen to your body, and lean in slowly toward healing. Slow, steady, and with grace + gratitude. * * * * * #graceandgratitudelife #fourthtrimester #postpartum #postpartumcare #breastfeeding #nursing #birtheducation #postpartumhealing #postpartumlove

Second-night syndrome: Who's heard of it? Who's experienced it For new mamas, the first night after birth is typically pretty calm compared to the second night. How come? By the second night, baby has realized they're not in the womb anymore. They're not hearing your heartbeat or lungs directly anymore. When in utero, they used their hands as a comfort measure. Now they're tucked in mittens and swaddled. And they're seeking comfort through nursing All The Time through tha...t second night. For mama, this can cause a lot of questions to pop up. How can they still be hungry? Am I not providing enough milk? Are they okay? Know that this is totally normal behavior. And frequent nursing can have a few surprising perks for baby including fewer problems with jaundice by lowering and better weight gain. But that second night is still incredibly tough to get through. My top tip? Sneak in a mid-afternoon (or early evening or whenever) nap. Getting some much-needed ZZZs will help your body get through that second night. And have your birth partner help. If baby wakes while you're taking a snooze, have your birth partner rock and cuddle baby. And if you have any concerns or questions, be sure to check in with your doula or healthcare provider. They'll be right there with you and helping get through that second night. * * * * * #graceandgratitudelife #birthingtime #birtheducation #birth #thirdtrimester #mamatribe #birthkeeper #doula #secondnightsyndrome #breastfeeding #colostrum #newborn

Be kind to yourself. Breathe in grace. Breathe out inability. Breathe in gratitude. Breathe out powerlessness. Breathwork is an amazing tool that helps calm, relax, and most importantly, empower during those incredibly hard contractions. Breathing exercises are a gift to both mama and baby by delivering more oxygen to during labor. It becomes an automatic response to pain, and helps you focus and realign your thoughts from "can't" to "can". And it helps baby through those to...ugh moments by keeping you focused and calm. Want to give it a try? This exercise is great for all, but especially beneficial to expecting mamas during Braxton Hicks and the real deal. Gather blankets or bolters and sit cross-legged on the floor. Support your pelvic floor with a bit of lift from the blankets or bolster. Sit up straight and place one hand on your heart and one to support your belly. Close your eyes and settle your mind. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose. Focus on following your breath on a journey from your lips down to your core. Feel your hands move as your breath creates space inside you. Relish on cleansing your insides and supporting baby with an intentional meditative breath. Continue breathing in slowly until you've reached your limit, then slowly breathe out through your lips. Focus on your breath's journey as it moves upward. Thank your body for this moment and repeat often. And if you've done patterned breathing during labor, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear about your experience. Photo credit: @meredithmunn * * * * * #graceandgratitudelife #patternedbreathing #contractionbreathwork #breathwork #prenatalselfcare #thirdtrimester #mamatribe #birthkeeper #doula

Constantly humbled by my work #worlddoulaweek

Hellooooo! Calling all friends high and low - this deal is NOT TO BE MISSED check out my stories for details and DM me to get signed up. Deal lasts while supply lasts #doterra #doterrabogo #oilymama #wellness #mondaymotivation

I am the luckiest for my life. When clients become friends a d friends become family. I am always honored to share in the journey and to be a doula to all these amazing babies and mamas.

Post call ~ Post Birth Bliss Grateful for messy backyards to provide safe space for my littles to explore. Grateful for January babies coming early (and late) so that I can have a few days ‘off call’ for extra snuggles and presence before my round of February doula babies begin. Grateful for my new EMPOWERED Prenatal Yoga series beginning tonight with an amazing group of mamas letting me guide them. Grateful for warm January days that feel like summer. Just grateful righ...t now. #doulasareessential #doula #oncalllife #ladoula #ocdoula #dona #donadoula #virtualdoula #messykids #1000hoursoutside #letthembelittle #homeschool See more

Today while I was meeting with a #birthdoula client in a Prenatal Meeting, I was asked about my own birth experiences. This wasn't the first time (and doubt will be the last), but it had been a while since I had been asked. Anyone who has kids who are older, and I think birth professionals especially, end up telling just the "story" that is told - something a bit rote from memory and perhaps detached - what you read on my website. This is a survival mechanism to protect our... inner hearts - because birth is INTIMATE. Today, the questions caught me off guard a bit, and I was able to walk down memory lane with my client to share in the POWER that comes from birth. My birth experiences weren't perfect - but they were perfect for ME. It isn't about following the plan, or getting or not getting things, but the journey you walk on becoming a mother -that time of transcending what we think we are capable to, to reach deeper within ourselves and our relationships, to achieve what can be so unreachable - the birth of our baby. The preparation, the education, the support, all led to an amazing, powerful, empowering experience which set the tone for my postpartum period.... #birthstory #birth #birthed #birthquote #birthday #birthdoula #doulalove #empoweringbirth #trusting #intuition #journey #transcending #becomingmama #newborn #rebirth #ladoula #southbaylife See more

I was talking with one of my doula #mentors in our monthly one on one coaching calls and we got ont he topic of #stresscleaning. (Anyone else? ) Anyway...there’s been a lot of catch up with client meetings post-holidays and some behind the scene stuff I’m working on and well, there’s the rest of the world too. I came out to my kitchen and really decided my kettle needed some help so here you go! I don’t usually use my @doterra ongaurd cleaning full strength, but that thing was really grimy and I wanted the satisfaction of bringing back to sparkling white! I love my non-toxic cleaners! Now - onto my tea. #doterra #healthylifestyle #nontoxicliving #kitchen #tea #teatime #reels #wannabereel #newyear #stresscleaning

Starting a week from this evening, join me on a 6 week journey of self through a very special prenatal yoga series! I’m really excited about this new, expanded series. Each week we will cover a topic helping you to feel EMPOWERED In your pregnancy and preparing you for your birthing time We will chat and create community to support you on this journey and we will also practice breath-work, asana (physical yoga practice) AND meditation? Are you ready to prepare your mind, body, and heart for this sacred journey? Link in bio for more info and registration! Space is limited. #prenatalyoga #pregnancyfitness #birtheducation #ittakesavillage #birthprep #kula #zoomyoga #community #hypnobirthing #meditation

The magical promise of the new year... While we might all be holding our breath (just a little) for what 2021 might (or might not) bring, I can't help but look back at this year with a whole heck of a lot of gratitude. I'm grateful for the families I got to work alongside I'm grateful for adapting to Zoom yoga (and having you adapt to it too!) I am grateful the stability of my home and family... I am grateful for my homeschooling journey and ALLLLLL the time with my family. I am grateful for living here which equated to all the beach time, hikes, slow days at the park this year As we shift into 2021, may we continue to extend grace to ourselves and be patient with ourselves. But as we do that, I wanna know - what are YOU grateful for from 2020? #newyears #2020 #2021 #grace #gratitude #graceandgratitudelife #resolutions #bekind #eckharttolle #instagood

What do you know about labor? The birth? Have you stopped to think about what it takes so you’re no longer pregnant?! Join me on 1/13 at 7pm PST for my Birth for Beginners class. We cover a lot of ground in this evening intensive course including but not limited to envisioning your birth birth anatomy stages of labor the placenta... the epidural CONSENT simple coping techniques Link’s in bio $45 self investment per family. Hosted on @zoom Already had your baby? What was the most surprising thing you learned in the process? #zoom #birth #birthvideo #birtheducation #pregnant #pregnancy #waterbirth #hospitalbirth #obs #midwives #understanding #education #empoweringbirth See more

Struggling with the burn out? Me too. Let's end our weekend and prepare for the week ahead together! - with a short and sweet breath work and meditation class. Grounding to the earth + grounding to our body is so, so necessary. We will connect to our breath, body, and minds in a short mix of pranayama, movement, and meditation. #linkinbio #breathework #meditation # mindfulness #community #weekend #weekstart #woke #mamahood #life #zoommeditation #zoomyoga #zoombreathework #letsdothis #2021

There's a lot of emotion behind this one... I am excited to share with you a BRAND NEW program designed for my fellow birth workers. After many virtual (and a few socially distances) coffee chats in 2020, I feel like we needed this Doula Mentorship Program. In a year where we have never been more #disconnected with each other, come join me in 2021, to CONNECT to your work. All birth workers feel CALLED to our work, and I want to support you on your journey of supporting oth...ers. In our mentorship, we will have 1 on 1 coaching meetings and doula support circles. I'll doula-the-doula with on call support, share client referrals, and so much more. Click the link in bio to read more on website. Application are open until 12/21 for this pilot program! #doula #LAdoula #LBdoula #OCdoula #doulathedoula #doulamentorship #doulamentor #zoomdoula #virtualdoula See more

First Monday on December and the feelings are just running HIGH. Anyone else? Whether you’re just trying to get through today, processing CA new stay-at-home orders, or thinking ahead to the rest of the holidays, and you(aka ME) take a deep breathe? We will get thru this, just like everything else, with a bit of grace, a lot of gratitude, and a whole heck of a lot of LOVE Mama - we’ve got this. #grace #gratitude #graceandgratitudelife #mamahood #coping #kindnessmatters #mondaymotivation

On the fifth day of Christmas @fit4momlosalamitoslakewood & @graceandgratitude gave to me 4 weeks of postpartum yoga! Join ME for a 4 week series of Postpartum Yoga starting in January! An incredible way to take care of you and your mind and body postpartum.... It’s easy to enter! Follow @graceandgratitude & @fit4momlosalamitoslakewood. Tag at least two friends in the comments ON @fit4momlosalamitoslakewood post. Bonus entries: share in your stories!!! Make sure to tag @fit4momlosalamitoslakewood in your stories so we see it! Winner will be announced tomorrow. Reposts on private accounts will not be seen or counted Giveaway accounts will not be counted Per Instagram rules, giveaway is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram inc. By entering, entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release instagram of responsibility, and agree to instagram terms of use. No purchase necessary. See more

And the first placenta of the new year is complete! Have you ever thought about placenta pills to support you postpartum? Among the possible benefits are: increased energy levels increase milk supply increase iron levels ... mood boosting If you’re interested din learning more, check out my website for how I prepare and why I started offering this service. This month marks 2 years as a Placenta Specialist! (none of this is intended as medical advice) #postpartum #postpartumeducation #placenta #placentapills #placentaspecialist #love #umbilicalcord #birth #birthkeeper #midwives #ocdoula #birthcenter See more

Meet the new Postpartum Yoga Series! Our Baby+me yoga series re-imaged as we continue on zoom for classes. ,This series is really open to any stage of postpartum - from non-crawling babies to walking + beyond! This is a monthly series designed to help mamas postpartum (re)discover their pelvic floor, core, and strength! There will be time at the start of each class to build community and get to know each mama + share about our babies before we connect to our breathe work an...d then move through our yoga-based movements. $44 self-investment for 4 weeks. SPECIAL Pay $120 before 12/31 and get 3 MONTHS of this class! That’s January, February, + March at 2020 prices. :) Click thru to register and send full payment with added note in the note section! Tag a friend and let’s start 2021 together! #babyandmeyoga #babyandme #postpartumyoga #postpartum #postnatal #postnatalyoga #postpartumfitness #postpartumjourney #mamahood #motherhood #zoomyoga #onlineyogaclasses

I had to borrow a baby to get some true baby snuggles in....#nosetonose #babysnuggles #lovethemhard #postpartumdoula #doulababy #graceandgratitudelife #believeinyourself #strongasamother

A new monthly offering for expecting mamas! This Prenatal Yoga class is designed for mamas to get the most out of their hour of me time. A bit of connection and community, a bit of breath + movement, and most importantly, time for themselves. Class recordings will be available in a private Facebook group during the month. Class runs Mondays from 5:30-6:30 PM PST. January 4-25th. ... Self-investment of $44 for the month. *If you took or interested in my 6 week prenatal series from 2020, I’ll be launching a new EMPOWERED prenatal series that is moving from Wednesday to Thursday in 2021. Stay tuned for more of check out website! #prenatal #prenatalyoga #pregnancy #pregnancyyoga #fitpregnancy #findyourtribe #prenatalfitness #layoga #zoomyoga #onlineyoga See more

Discover a little self-care in the midst of the Holiday hustle + bustle. It's so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of gifts, events (hello Zoom!), cooking, crafting, cards, photo sessions, and everything in between. But this season, what if we tried to carve out a few minutes each day to relax and rejuvenate? What if we invested in and worked on being our best selves? That's why I created special @doterra Holiday bundles. Each bundle comes with two specially-chosen rollers focused on helping you relax + soothe, calm your thoughts, and sleep well. Let's remember that a little self-care can go a long way. Link in bio for more info! Want them 25% off? DM me to order. Must be placed by 12/1 at 9 PM pst. #graceandgratitudelife #selfcare #selfcarelove #doterra #doterralove #doterramom #christmas2020countdown