Yoga Postures to Alleviate Pregnancy Discomforts and Prepare for Labor

There is no denying the miraculous life experience of pregnancy and childbirth, however, there can be quite a bit of discomfort and anxiety involved for the expecting mother. In fact, it is one of the most physically demanding events of a woman’s life. There are many uncontrollable factors such as the size and positioning of the baby, the intensity of the contractions, and the amount of space in the pelvic girdle. Pregnancy brings along with it many symptoms such as headaches, morning sickness, joint pain and insomnia. While these elements can be out of the woman’s control there is a way that the mother-to-be can prepare to have an enjoyable pregnancy and manageable labor. Prenatal yoga offers expectant mothers spiritual, mental and physical comfort during both pregnancy and labor, which is beneficial on this life-changing journey. This article will discuss how prenatal yoga can be incorporated into a daily regimen to achieve a happy and healthy pregnancy and childbirth.

Yoga During Pregnancy: 

Practicing yoga everyday is preferred, but if not, at least 3 times a week to receive the most benefits. It is important to find the right practice whether it’s at a studio, gym, DVD or your personal home practice.  Prenatal yoga helps to stretch the growing body, quiet the mind and help prepare for the demands of motherhood. Breathing and postures increase lung capacity, improve quality of sleep and help you to connect with your baby more deeply. While you many not want to work out during the first trimester due to morning sickness or being tired, practicing prenatal yoga can bring relief to many of the impinging symptoms that occur throughout the pregnancy. Modification of poses can be used throughout the pregnancy to adapt to the growing body.  

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga During Labor:

Prenatal yoga helps to promote body awareness by teaching the individual how to go within and listen to the needs of the body. Yoga focuses on breathing (pranayama), postures (asanas) and meditation as a way to distinguish areas where tension is being held. Awareness of these areas allows the woman to release that tightness, letting the body open up and facilitate labor. When the body is stiff and rigid, it prevents labor from progressing smoothly. In addition, the deep connection with the body allows the women to rely less on medical thinking and more on the intuitive wisdom of the human body. Prenatal yoga during pregnancy offers countless benefits when it comes to relieving pregnancy discomforts and managing pain during childbirth.

Prenatal Yoga Postures To Alleviate Common Pregnancy Symptoms: 

 

Balasana/Child’s Pose: Kneel on the floor, (use blankets as needed to support knees) touching your big toes and sitting back on your heels. Open your knees hip distance, or wider. Inhale through the nose bringing your arms over head, and during the exhale lower your torso down in between your knees and rest your forehead on the mat. Your arms are overhead resting on the floor. You also have the option to rest the head on a block, bolster or pillow for added support. Rest in this position as long as is comfortable. This pose is great for relieving headaches, morning sickness or heartburn simply by placing a bolster under the head and chest for extra support. It helps to prevent and relieve hemorrhoids and is great for preparing for a restful night sleep.  

Cat/Cow: Start on your hands and knees in tabletop pose with your knees under your hips and your wrist, elbows and shoulders all in one line with head in a neutral position. Inhale, gazing up towards the sky and raising your sit bones toward the sky and letting your belly drop towards the floor. This is a great position in the 3^rd trimester as it creates a lot of space in the womb to give some relieve to mama and baby. On the exhale press your palms into the mat, tuck your neck and pelvis and round your back just like an angry cat. Flow through these two postures for 10-20 breathes each. This combination is great for stretching out the spine, releasing back tension and helping the baby to move off the sciatic nerve. Practicing this posture daily helps to move and keep the baby in an optimal birthing position. 

Viparita Karani/Legs up the wall: This posture might take a little more effort, especially towards the end of your pregnancy, but I promise you it’s worth it! Find a spot near a wall and have a couple of folded blankets or a bolster/pillow to place under your hips. Lay on your back and swing your legs up onto the wall. You do not need to have your bottom all the way up against the wall. You can be at an angle. The important part is that your legs are elevated. This posture is useful for preventing and relieving hemorrhoids, swelling of the legs and feet and varicose veins. Practicing this posture before bed is helpful to promote restful sleep. 

Supta Baddha Konasana/Reclined Bound Angle:  Lay a bolster, or folded blanket in the middle of the mat. sit down at the end of the blanket and bring your feet to touch with your knees opening out to the side. Slowly lay back onto the bolster, or blanket making sure your head and neck is supported. Allow the pelvic region to sink into the mat, which will allow the hips to open up even more. It is beneficial to use a wall to hold your feet into place otherwise as you tend to settle into the posture your legs will begin to slide away from your body. You can also use a strap to hold the feet into place.  This nurturing and restorative posture helps to relieve heartburn and morning sickness, as well as opening up the chest and relieving back tension. This posture can be held as long as is comfortable and even be used during meditation, or visualization sessions. 

Baddha Konasana/Cobblers Pose: Sit with your legs extended out in front of you. You can sit on a block, or blankets if you have tight hips. Bend your knees, bringing the soles of the feet to touch and allowing your knees to drop out to the sides. Back is straight and you can rest your hands on your knees or you can bring your hands to prayer center. This posture is great for relieving sciatica and back pain. It stimulates the digestive system and relaxes the pelvic region. This posture should be practiced daily, especially for pregnant women who sit for long periods of time. 

Breathing Exercises: 

Breathing techniques are important to practice during pregnancy to help the body become familiar with conscious breathing when it is time for labor. During moments of stress our breathing typically becomes rapid and shallow resulting in less oxygen circulating through the body. In labor, breathing techniques calm the mind, bring fresh oxygenated blood to body/baby and provide energy. Taking the time to discipline the mind and body to breathe more efficiently is helpful in all aspects of life and improves overall well-being. 

Deep Yogic breathing is deep, even inhalations through the nose and deep even exhalations through the nose. Deep breathing involves complete expansion and contraction of your lungs. This breath is used to replenish healing qualities that are needed to maintain harmony and balance. Being conscious to completely fill and empty the lungs while also paying attention to your facial muscles, making sure the muscles around the eyes and the jaw are relaxed. We carry stress in our face, hips and shoulders, so consciously relaxing one area tends to spread relaxation to those areas as well. 

Cleansing breath follows the same principal as deep yogic breathing, but has a strong emphasis on the exhalation through the mouth instead of the nose. This breath is used to clear away tension, discomfort and negative thoughts and emotions. Bring your attention to those tense or negative feelings and imagine they are being blown away with each breath as you exhale forcefully through the mouth. Cleansing breathe helps to clear carbon dioxide from your lungs and encourages the body to relax. 

Meditation Techniques:

Relaxation and visualization play important roles during pregnancy and labor. Practicing these techniques regularly work to condition the mind and is a great way to eliminate any fears and anxiety associated with the birth process. Taking the time daily to relax and mediate helps to eliminate muscle tension and making the relaxation response easier to reach during childbirth. Bonding exercises are a great way to connect with your little one while in the womb and begin the parenting relationship. Envisioning a successful labor can bring confidence in the woman’s ability to birth without the need for medical interventions. Many of the restorative postures can be held for long periods of time and are ideal to pair with relaxation and meditation. Affirmations and mudras (hand postures) are also useful during these exercises as a way for the expecting mother to tune in with her body and her baby and trust in their ability to have a fulfilling labor experience. 

Did you use yoga during your pregnancy? If so, how did it help you and what was your favorite pose? 

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Guest Post on The Dabblist: 7 Essential Oils to Facilitate Labor Naturally

I am so excited! I did my first ever guest post over at The Dabblist! It's all about essential oils to help ease pregnancy discomforts and facilitate labor!

Checkout 7 Essential Oils to Facilitate Labor Naturally!

 

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Benefits of practicing mind body techniques to facilitate a natural labor

With so many medical interventions and use of drugs during labor it is no surprise that many woman are unfamiliar with the importance of mind body techniques and the benefits they have on labor and post-partum health. Educating women on these techniques early in pregnancy can significantly reduce unnecessary medical processes that are typically seen. For example, Cesarean and Pitocin rates are at 30%, with epidural rates at and astounding 80%. These interventions can cause complications during labor along with side effects in both mother and baby, which can result in trauma.

Pitocin is a synthetic form of Oxytocin and is released into the system via IV, delivering the drug in a steady flow instead of in secreted bursts, which is how the body releases natural Oxytocin. This results in stronger contractions, which may decrease blood flow and can cause distress to both the mother and baby increasing the likelihood of a C-section. Mind body techniques such as yoga, relaxation, imagery, and meditation offer both psychological and physiological benefits to both mother and baby. These techniques help to improve comfort during labor, and shorten the duration of the overall labor time.

Most popular mind body techniques

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise during pregnancy and combines gentle stretching, relaxation and breathing techniques. This ancient practice increases internal awareness and focus that helps create confidence and trust in your body while also bonding with your baby. It can lower blood pressure and prevents and relieves aches and pains that impinge on the body during pregnancy. Yoga builds stamina, relaxes the pelvis, and helps the baby transition into an optimal birthing position.

The relaxation response can significantly improve your overall health and well being. Research has shown that when the relaxation response is used on a daily basis it can reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, as well as improve blood pressure, immunity, and self-esteem. Relaxation helps to create endorphins, which help to decrease pain during labor, whereas fear causes the release of stress hormones and catecholamine that can increase pain and duration of labor. Meditation and imagery can be effective methods of helping to achieve complete and total relaxation.

Meditation helps to create melatonin, which is released into the bloodstream during stress inducing times. It also produces endorphins that have very powerful pain relieving effects, similar to morphine. The more dedicated the woman is to her prenatal meditation, the less afraid she will be of preconceived pain prior to the onset of labor. This will allow the woman to be less disturbed by any actual pain felt which creates feelings of joy. Frequent practice results in higher levels of endorphins during labor.

Imagery and visualization are other powerful tools for women to practice prior to labor. Envisioning a successful labor can help build confidence in the woman's ability to birth naturally without medical interventions coming into play. Tight and tense muscles can prevent the body from opening, which is essential in order for labor to progress. Practicing imagery and visualization towards the end of your pregnancy and during labor helps to condition the mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

In addition to helping make pregnancy and labor easier, these modalities also help the post-partum body recover quicker. These techniques prevent and treat post partum depression and anxiety by allowing the mother some time to herself to nurture her mind-body connection. With so many physical and hormonal changes going on during this time, it is beneficial for the mother to take some time to decompress and build awareness with her changing body to adapt to each new stage of motherhood.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.bidmc.org
http://www.bidmc.org
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17900044
http://www.birthresourcenetwork.org


Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

My Baby Girl

I cannot believe how fast the past few years have gone by. How in the world is my baby girl already 3? She is so amazing, so full of life and very VERY strong willed. She is sassy and sweet, smart and so funny. She is very social and loves being around people, she loves being silly and making jokes and is just so smart. I feel so blessed everyday for my beautiful children. I didn't start blogging till a little over a year ago and have never written down her birth story, although the events of that day are still so vivid in my mind. In honor of her birthday I wanted to share my first birth story with my readers.

It was a HOT summer, our house had no air conditioning and I felt so big and uncomfortable. The scariest thing about labor for was the fear of the unknown. I had known for years before I ever got pregnant that I wanted to have a natural, drug free labor, but during my pregnancy encountered many nay sayers who told me I was crazy and that it was basically impossible. I knew that I could do it, because I am very stubborn and had my heart set on it. Usually when I deeply set an intention I try to do anything in my power to make it happen. I was still nervous about what to expect, how it would happen and most importantly when it would happen. Would my water break out in public? Would I wake up in the middle of the night? When was it going to happen? Being a control freak I really had to relinquish control and just know that when it happened all would be good!

We had just moved into our new house on July 3rd and I was due on July 24th. During the moving process I was so anxious to get everything done before baby girl came that I would stay up late unpacking and putting things away, setting up the nursery and sometimes just lay in bed with the anticipation of how much our lives would change. I didn't know what labor felt like and was having bad braxton hicks for weeks and swore I was going into labor about 8 times in that period. On July 18th I started getting sensations that felt like period cramps and just knew deep down that I would be meeting my daughter soon. That entire day I spent in bed, the cramps were irregular, they would come and go. There was no real rhyme or reason to them and by 7pm that night they had disappeared. I woke up around 2am with the same cramps, but they were more frequent. I watched the clock and realized that they were about every 5-7 minutes. My husband was sleeping and I got up and went into the nursery and sat on the birthing ball, doing hip circles and just breathing. I tried to walk around to see if they cramping would stop like they did the day before when I was experiencing them. They stayed frequent and lasted for about a minute. Once I realized this was most likely the real deal I decided to try to get some rest to save up my energy for when things started to progress and to listen to my relaxation prompts. I went back into bed and slept on and off until about 5am. I woke up and the cramping had gotten stronger so I thought it was a good idea to call the midwife. I was so happy when the midwife on call happened to be my favorite one that I had met with over the 9 months of my pregnancy. We talked through a couple of my contractions and she told me I sounded like it was still early and to call her in an hour or so to check in. I woke up my husband around 6:30 and let him know that it was time and that I was going to go in and get checked out shortly. I called the midwife back around 7 and she told me to come in to see how far along I was. We drove to the birthing center and she opened the door. She looked at me and right away said "Honey, I can tell you have a ways to go because most women who come in here are pretty uncomfortable and hardly able to talk, and you still have a big smile on your face!" She checked me out and I was dilated to 2.5 centimeters. The birthing center wants you to be dilated to at least 4 before they check you in. They usually encourage moms to be walk around Balboa Park for awhile and come back to get checked, but it was Gay Pride Parade in Hillcrest and the last thing I wanted to do was walk around a crowded park while in labor. I told her I felt like I was going to progress really quickly and she just smiled and said that "All women hope they progress quickly, but that labor can last a long time!" She sent me home and said I could be dilated at 2 for hours or days and to call her if my water broke or if things got significantly stronger.

Home we went, I laid in bed and listened to my birth affirmation and relaxation prompts some more. My lower back was really hurting so I hopped into the shower and just put my hands up against the wall and let the hot water hit my lower back. It felt so good. It really helped to ease the discomfort. I stated to do some of the visualization and meditation techniques I learned and had two VERY strong surges in the shower, to the point I got dizzy and lightheaded. I decided at that poing to get out of the shower. At this point the contractions were intense. I felt like I had to either throw up or poo, or both! I told my husband to call the midwife and tell her I needed to come in immediately. It had only been an hour or so since we left. He thought I was crazy and told me that she said it could take hours or days. I begged him to call her. He did and she said that she doesn't think that I would be that far along since I just left, but to come in and she would ease my mind and check me again. We headed back down to the center. This time she looked at me and said, "Well, you still have a smile, but you look a bit more uncomfortable, lets check you out!" All I kept thinking was 'Dear God, Please let me be dilated till at least 7 or I don't know if I can do this!" She did and she was shocked "Oh My Gosh! You are at 10 centimeters fully effaced! If your water broke you could have had this baby on the way over here!" When I heard that I knew the worst part was over! I knew I could do this! I had always heard that the dilating part is the hardest, once you get past that the worst has passed.

We filled up the tub and that was amazing. The warm water does so much for the labor sensations. I pushed when I felt the urge, I was able to eat almonds, raspberry and sip on orange juice to keep up my energy. So different from what I heard about hospital births and I loved it. The environment was so warm and homey, the midwife and nurses were so friendly and encouraging! I pushed for two hours and not much was happening. I started to get tired and frustrated. We all knew I had to get her out and soon. During the pushing process my husband had one foot on his shoulder, my mom had the other, the nurses had a sheet with two knots, one on each end, they held one end while I held the other and pulled on it while I tried to push her out. It was crazy, it felt so archaic, like something that my ancestors had done and I loved it!

After about 20 minutes of intense pushing I was exhausted.  Everyone went to talk in the other room while I was in the tub and they all came back with solemn looks on their faces. I knew something was wrong. My husband looked at me and said that I basically had 5 minutes to deliver the baby or I was going to be taken in an ambulance to get a C-section because they thought I was too tired to be able to continue pushing and wasnt progressing much. Don't get me wrong, if I needed a Cesarean I was prepared and willing to have one, but at this point I felt that I could get her out on my own. I yelled "Alright, lets do this!" The nurses and midwife looked at me and asked if I was sure. HECK YES! LETS GO! We moved me out of the tub and to the bed. I did a couple more pushes and her head was right there. I reached down and felt her hair, they gave me a mirror to show me how close I was and I got so much energy. After two more pushes I felt a pop and her head was out. One more push and I felt her body slide out and the next thing I knew she was on my chest. I was looking at this beautiful little girl that we made! I couldn't believe it. What an amazing experience. Such a Rite of Passage into womanhood. I felt so full of life, experiencing a true love cocktail that I had read about in the natural birth books. No one's description can prepare you for how it feels to see your child for the first time. It is a day that will always be one of my favorites, and it was a very special way for my husband and I to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary! Yep, you heard right, she came 4 days early meaning that this day will always belong to two people in this world who are nearest and dearest to my heart. So while my husband and I will never get a day dedicated solely to ourselves, this day will always be cause for much celebration!

                                      

Happy Birthday my beautiful Mia! You bring us so much happiness and it is such a joy to watch you bloom into this sweet little girl. We love you more and more each day. Love~ Mommy & Daddy!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

One year ago today.......

I can't believe my baby boy is 1 year old today! It seems like just yesterday we were rushing (Literally!) to the birth center to welcome him into the world.  I loved sharing my birthing story on my blog and catch myself reading it often even though the details of the day are still so vivid in my memory. That will always be one of the most favorite days of my life! Both of my births will, and I feel so blessed to have had such amazing experiences. I always get a sense of nostalgia around my kids birthdays. This beautiful rite of passage shaped me into the woman I am today and for that I am eternally grateful.

The day I found out I was going to have a son was life changing for me. I never knew I wanted a boy. The thought of it scared me!  I grew up with two sisters and the male species has always been confusing to me. For weeks I questioned whether or not I could be fit to raise a son? When I first laid eyes on him it all made sense. I knew why God had given me this beautiful baby boy. He was perfect and every day has continued to steal my heart more and more. Watching him and his sister grow this past year has been amazing and I cannot believe how fast it flew by! Mason, my baby boy, being your mom has been such a joy. I look forward to watching you grow up into a little man and sharing laughs, hugs, kisses and no doubt a few bumps & bruises. Mommy, Daddy & Mia love you more than the sun, the moon and all the stars. Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Welcome Baby Mason!

Well less than 24 hours after my last post we welcomed our son Mason! It couldn't have been a better day. The experience was amazing, which I think is always the case when you bring new life into the world. The delivery itself was a fast, easy birth just like I had been planning since the day I found out I was pregnant.  I literally prepared almost every day, in one way or another for the big event.

The labor itself was short and FAST. I woke up at 2am with contractions that weren't totally regular, but were about 5 minutes apart.  Some were close to a minute, some 15 seconds some 30. So I got up and walked around for a bit and sat on the birthing ball and tried to see if they would go away. They didn't disappear, but they were pretty mild so I went back to sleep for a little bit. I slept on and off listening to my hypnobirthing prompts and meditating with my mala beads and woke up around 5am still with contractions so I got up again to monitor them. They were a little more regular but still not that strong so I decided I would call the midwife around 7:30 because I didn't want to wake her up when I still felt so early on. Around 6:15 they started to get a little bit stronger and I thought it was a good idea to at least give the midwives a heads up and let the know I was most likely coming in today.  I spoke to her while I was having a contraction and told her I still felt I had some time to go and she agreed by my demeanor and sound of my voice. She advised me to get something to eat to give energy to the baby and I.

So I went into the room and my husband was shuffling around in bed and I told him I was in labor and probably going to have the baby sometime today. He was shocked and not at the same time if that makes any sense. So he ran out to grab a Starbucks while I went to get some food in my belly. So I had decided that I was going to make Apple Cranberry Walnut bread and sit in the tub while it baked and then when Mia woke up she could eat some, and I can have some before we head to the center. As I was making the bread (not anything fancy, TJ's boxed mix and adding chopped walnuts and cranberries) I had a couple pretty bad contractions.  To the point where I was literally on my hands and knees on the kitchen floor breathing through a contraction and then would stand up after to hurry and get the bread in the oven so I can soak to the tub that I had started.  I had mixed some essential oils that were supposed to dull labor pains and speed up contractions and had been excited to use them for weeks!

As I was walking to the tub I got this HUGE urge to drop the kids off at the pool, if you catch my drift! Tremendous pressure down under that most women who has gone through childbirth knows what I mean. So I called my husband and told him to get home ASAP and called my mom and told her to come get Mia immediately. At this point it is shortly after 7 am. The midwife told me to check in with the next midwife on call around 8 the last time I spoke with her. I called her up and told her it felt really quick and I was having an extreme urge to push. She told me she was worried that I wouldn't make it to the center. "I think you should get in the tub, and call the paramedics and have that baby there because I don't want you to have him in the car on the way here." OMG! EXCUSE ME LADY? WHAT?! ARE YOU NUTS!?! I almost died. "I definitely don't like that option. How quickly can you get there? We can make it!" She told me she could make it there by 7:45.

My mom and husband walked in the house at almost the same time. Marcus started loading the car with our suitcase that was by the front door and my mom started packing up for Mia and I headed to the car. We had just bought our new car exactly 2 weeks before and I did not want my water breaking in the car so we put a giant old comforter on the chair as some sort of protection.  We hauled butt to the center. The hubby was driving almost 100 on the way there. I was definitely feeling closer to having him but we were so close to the center. We pulled up and the midwife pulled up right behind us. She unlocked the door and I ran to the toilet. I sat there having a contraction and as my husband walked in with the suitcase and the midwife was grabbing my chart there was a loud sound that sounded like someone threw a giant water balloon off a balcony. My water broke. My husband couldn't believe how loud it was. I got on the bed for the midwife to check me and the baby's heartbeat. Mine was good, but the baby's was very faint. I heard her tell a nurse to call the paramedics in case they need to resuscitate the baby when he was born. At first I panicked. Then I realized that I was hardly breathing on the way over so scared that I was going to have him in the car. The poor little guy didn't have much air. I started focusing on my breathing and taking deep breaths and they gave me some oxygen. Within seconds his heartbeat was strong. When the paramedics arrived they midwives sent them away since there was no longer a need. There on the bed I had about 6 pushes and he was out.  We arrived at 7:45 and he joined us on the outside at 8:19am weighing 6 lbs and measuring 19 1/4 inches.

It was the rockstar birth that him and I had been planning for weeks. We talked about it often about how I would dilate quickly, my water wouldn't break till I was at the birthing center either fully dilated or pretty close and that he would be out with a minimum amount of pushing. The only thing that didn't go according to my plan was laboring and delivering in the water. I never even stepped a toe in a tub either at home or at the center. When I had gotten the tub ready with my special oils, I already felt so close that I was scared to get into the water and strengthen the contractions and speed it up anymore! I attribute my wonderful labor to all of the yoga, walking, meditation, and visualization I had done since the beginning of my pregnancy. Obviously, there was some drama involved, but I felt that I was prepared to deal with anything unexpected that came up and everything worked out wonderfully.

It was such an incredible experience and one that I will remember for the rest of my life, just as the day Mia arrived.  I am so blessed with two very healthy, beautiful children and will forever cherish the birthing stories that we share. I hope that the information that I have learned from my birth experiences can help other women in their future deliveries and empower them to have a positive experience that they are happy to share with others.

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.