The before, during, and after of motherhood, especially for a first time mother is a whole new world.  Besides our family and friends, we are inundated with videos, movies, shows, and the internet, and it gets so overwhelming, it is hard to know where to being, and who to learn from.  My expertise is health and wellness  before pregnancy, during pregnancy, labor and birth, and fitness post partum, but not the mom and baby part.  Above I have posted an amazing resource for new moms, or any moms that want to be part of a group that specifically focuses on newborn and mom of newborn, which is so important.  There are so many places for help with baby, but the mom also needs support, especially a new mom, it is all new territory, with hormones and no sleep.  There is also a two hour workshop coming up on Thursday, December 10, by Dr. Alyssa Berlin, also focusing on planning after the birth, http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-afterbirthtm-plan-for-expecting-parents-tickets-19214124965 

I have been running across articles that I have been sharing about how eyedrops are not necessary in newborns anymore, and especially for first time moms to realize that a cesarean section is for emergencies only, and due dates are just estimates.  There is research based evidence on why the body works as it does, and in a low risk pregnancy, better to stay calm, make sure everything is fine with the western approach, but ultimately listen to your gut, do research, and get informed on your options for labor and birth.

http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Pregnancy-Birth/estimating-the-estimated-due-date.html

No matter where you have your baby, some of the points mentioned in this article are worth thinking about,

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2015/06/10-reasons-to-have-your-baby-at-a-birth-center.html

I am so grateful for the work I do as a Yoga teacher and a Doula, I love that it is in an intimate, genuine, just be yourself environment, that is the only way I know how to operate.  One of my Prenatal Yoga students just had her baby and told me that all the positions that we learned in the class really helped her in her birth.  It made me so happy to hear that I made an impact on one woman, because her experience was beautiful, and it makes me proud and grateful that I was part of her journey. Of course I would love to have a successful business affecting everyone in the world, but on the other hand I love to get to know each person and customize, and bring a vision and clarity to each person, on a small scale.  Maybe the large scale is in my future, but for now, I feel appreciated, and that my purpose and gifts are being utilized.

In the aftermath of the shooting, whether it is terrorism, or something else, it is so sad that he on a small scale has taken lives of innocent people.  We can affect lives with our actions, it really is a choice to blend in yet stay strong in your roots, or the extreme hatred and planning with all those weapons that happened yesterday.

I choose to bring truth, hope, acceptance, knowledge, love, and communication,

What do you choose?

Coach Yulia