Featured Mama: Sarah S

Our journeys to and through motherhood are so completely unique and thereā€™s much to be gained from sharing our stories. Ā With the Featured Mama Edition of our blog, we aim to highlight the power, strength and wisdom within our very own community! We are strong mamas, we are smart mamas! Ā Letā€™s embrace one another with love and support. INTRODUCING, SARAH …

PREPARING FOR LABOR AND DELIVERY: ALLIā€™S BIRTH STORY

An original post from the blog, Mom Smart Not Hard.Ā  Thank you for sharing with the Bodies for Birth community! N was born on a Monday evening in late summer. Like many mothers, getting to the amazing moment of holding her in my arms for the first time was a long process, and quite different than I had envisioned.Ā Letā€™s start …

Tara J’s Birth Story: Welcome, Conrad!

Tara J’s Birth Story: Again, my due date came and went.Ā  I was eight days late with my daughter, so tried to keep up my normal routine.Ā  I had finished my last day of work, so “normal” was entertaining my ever growing toddler and trying to get some exercise each day. Three days past my due date I began bleeding.Ā  …

Why Parenting is Yoga for the Soul (and the Title I Didnā€™t Choose)

I had initially entitled this article ā€œWhy Parenting is the Ultimate…Mind-F#@!ā€ Ā but it felt too harsh. Ā It felt angry and maybe even a little sad. Ā  Iā€™m neither of those things, but I am changed from and changing through parenthood. Ā And, this article is an attempt to capture the always present dichotomies of life as a parent, which in the …

Julia O’s Birth Story: Welcome, Elizabeth!

Julia Oā€™s Birth Story: Elizabeth Rebecca Orme was born Saturday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m. Ā I canā€™t thank you enough for helping me prepare for labor, and hereā€™s why. AtĀ 4:30 a.m.Ā on my due date, I started bleeding lightly and shortly thereafter having contractions 8 minutes apart for an hour. Throughout that day, I bled consistently and had contractions varying from …

Diaphragmatic Breathing in Pregnancy & Postpartum

“Damn it!Ā  What?!” I exclaimed, exasperated as my little one called for me for what felt like the 80th time in five minutes.Ā  I again went to his side imploring, “I am right here, Honey, I’m just trying to cook dinner and I need to write a blog post about deep breathing tonight!” I immediately started laughing at the irony …

Snowflakes and Labor

Kind of like snowflakes, no two labors are exactly alike. And despite months and hours of preparation, there will be surprises. Now, I am certain that this is the ONLY guarantee! Here are a few of my unlikely surprises. Things I didn’t think would happen or could never have known I would do during labor: 1.) Call out for the …

The Unkempt, Delirious Days of Motherhood

I will admit it. I was one of those pregnant women who didn’t waste any time planning for all things related to baby. Right away, I chose a theme for the nursery, scoured Craigslist for rocking chairs, bookshelves, Peter Rabbit rugs and curtains. The nursery items were just the beginning. Ā The list was long–baby registry, birth classes, birth plan, pregnancy …

A Revolution!

Thank you for visiting Bodies for Birth!Ā  I am so glad you found us.Ā  I am on a mission to inspire, to build confidence and to lead a birth and fitness revolution!Ā  Check, check, check…it’s all in a day’s work, right?!Ā  I know it will take time to build this community, but I am determined to do so–one mom and …