self-care — Mum's The Word (Writing)

What is Cluster Feeding?

For Amberlee, from Australia, breastfeeding came quite naturally. The first time her son was put on her breast he started feeding right away. But she soon discovered that he was a cluster feeder which means that he would feed every 45 minutes. Because of this she was always breastfeeding. Cluster feeding is often a physiological problem with the milk not fully coming in or the woman not being able to produce enough milk or sometimes it indicates a growth spurt for the child. For many women, this is remedied in a few days or a couple of weeks when her milk supplies comes in fully. However, many women experience it longer than a couple of weeks and for some women, it is not only a physiological issue but it is both a physiological and a psychological issue. It took about 6 months for Amberlee to break that cycle and in the process, she learned so much about herself.

She learned that her child was constantly reading her energy and that he was seeking comfort through her breast. Energetically, Amberlee was processing the end of her old life. She didn’t want to surrender her old life. She thought she could still live the life that she wanted, but she couldn’t. It seemed impossible. She struggled internally. Emotionally and physically she felt off.

Easy Ways for Moms To Beat Overwhelm

Hi Ladies!

It seems that everyone who I have been connecting with lately is feeling overwhelm and it seems that moms who are about to give birth even if it’s not their first birth are experiencing a new kind of overwhelm. Many places in the world are still not allowing husbands into the delivery room due to the Coronavirus, many are afraid of contracting the Coronavirus at the hospital, and one woman I know is overwhelmed because she is not allowed off the military base and she doesn’t want to give birth in a military hospital again.

What do we do to release this overwhelm that we are feeling?

Yesterday, in my private Facebook Group, Empowered Joyful Empaths, I discussed this topic and let everyone know that they are not alone if they are feeling overwhelm. I also provided some coping skills to help at this time. You can watch the video in the group or read some of my suggestions here.

Try these coping skills. Pick the ones that are best for you. You do not need to practice all of them.

Meditate. (This can be listening to music, breathing deeply or following a recorded creative visualization.)
Spend time in nature. (Soak up the sun. Be surrounded by green and peace. Let nature support you.)

Advice from Mothers About Postpartum Illnesses

HI Everyone! It is the end of National Maternal Depression Awareness Month. On a previous blog, I shared a little of Carey’s story with her struggles with postpartum psychosis. Today I would like to continue the discussion of maternal depression awareness.

One recent study found that 1 in 5 women may suffer from maternal mental health disorders and 1 in 7 women may experience Postpartum Depression (PPD) in the year after giving birth. With approximately 4 million live births occurring each year in the United States, this equates to almost 600,000 postpartum depression diagnoses. Sadly, it is believed that postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety are much more common than these statistics reveal. Some medical experts believe that the rate of postpartum depression could be at least twice as much than what is actually reported and diagnosed. It is believed that while there are many diagnosed cases of postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, only a limited number of women actually receive treatment, often because many women do not know they have postpartum depression/anxiety since they are simply adjusting to being a new mom.

Pioneer Women in Childbirth

Maria De Los Ángeles Chero and Ariela Waltzer pictured above are the first doulas of Peru. Dr. Angela Brocker is a doctor and a midwife in Peru who learned about doulas from living in Germany (where she is from originally) and decided to bring this tradition to Peru. In Lima, Peru, of all births in the private sector, the c-section rate is 85-90%, which is much higher than the national average of 35 to 40%. As a doctor in Peru, Dr. Angela Brocker witnessed a lot of obstetric violence and was even encouraged during her training to do practices against women that she did not agree with. In 2005, Dr. Brocker created a doula training program in Lima; Maria and Ariela were some of the first ladies to learn this tradition from Dr. Brocker at her birthing center, Pakarii. Both ladies continue to be doulas today and love it.

Ariela admits that in Peru doulas are not popular (compared to other countries) and that many women still do not know what a doula is, however, over the past fifteen years, more and more women are becoming aware of obstetric violence. She is happy to be one of the pioneers to support women.

How To Be Supported During Childbirth

Are you a new mother? Are you familiar with all the birth professionals who assist mothers during labor? If you are planning to give birth it is very important that you are aware of your options so that you can pick what is best for you. Keep in mind, every country does not have the same options. There are birth attendants, doulas, midwives, and OBGYNS. In some countries, midwives deliver most of the babies (such as in Europe, Australia, and African countries) and OBGYNS only deliver babies if there is an emergency which requires surgery. In other countries, (such as the U.S.) OBGYNs are considered more prestigious than midwives. But in truth, OBGYNs are not more prestigious, but are more common in the United States. While in other countries (such as Kazakhstan) women are still not allowed to have their husbands or birth attendants present during the birth of their child or doulas present (such as in public hospitals in Peru) .

Empower Yourself, Hire A Doula

It’s International Doula Month! This month we celebrate all the hardworking doulas around the world who assist mothers before birth, during birth, and postpartum. Through their love and attention, they help to improve the health of mothers and infants.

For my book about childbirth around the world, I interviewed Maria De Los Ángeles Chero, a well-known midwife in Lima, Peru. Maria was one of the first doulas in Lima. She is a pioneer in Peru helping women to have an empowered childbirth experience. Unfortunately, Lima, Peru is a place with a very high c-section rate. Some say the c-section rate in the city is 80 to 90%. Thankfully with Maria’s calming, empathic nature, she is able to assuage many women’s fears and help them to feel supported at this vulnerable time.

Happy Mother's Day! Treat yourself like royalty!

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! Mother’s Day is celebrated in most countries around the world today. Treat yourself like a queen today!

Treat yourself to:

a bubble bath,

a walk in the sunshine,

or a day where you don’t have to do anything.

Put your feet up.

Watch a movie.

Allow your partner to make meals for you.

Take a nap!

Let yourself be pampered.

Do whatever makes you happy!

Self-care and rejuvenation is so important.

In this blog, I will be introducing the courageous women that I interviewed for my two book series on holistic childbirth around the world. Mothers from Canada, the United Kingdom (Ireland, Scotland, and England), the United States, France, Spain, Austria, Australia, Germany, Peru, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Israel, the Netherlands, India, Japan, and Uganda were interviewed.

Help for Infertile Couples

It is the last day of National Infertility Awareness Week and National Infertility Month. Did you know that one in eight couples experiences the pain of infertility, often in silence? That is a large number. Even though infertility has become common in the U.S. and other parts of the world, many mothers experience shame when it happens. National Infertility Week/Month raises awareness of infertility, helps couples cope with infertility, and encourages couples to “come out” with their friends and family without shame or embarrassment. We heal by expressing our truth, not suppressing it.

When I was in Lima, Peru, I interviewed Dr. Angela Brocker, a well-respected general practitioner and midwife in Peru. I asked her the difficult question, “Why is infertility so common today and how can it be remedied?”

How To Teach Your Children To Be Peaceful

Hi Ladies!

In my last post, I gave you some tips to return to balance. This is especially important as we are going through the Coronavirus, but of course, maintaining balance is always important. In today’s post, I want to focus on steps we can teach children to be peaceful. Our children may not understand what is going on right now, but we can teach them to find peace even if their schedules have changed, even if they are emotional, even if they cannot express their emotions as eloquently as we can.

Many people think that children are too young to learn meditation or mindfulness, but actually it is the best time. If we teach our children while they are young, they can incorporate these tools into their lives for a lifetime, have more peace, and return to balance quicker.

Today I am going to give you tools that you can teach very young children.

The first meditation was taught to me by spiritual teacher, Gabby Bernstein. She gave this example to a woman who wanted to teach her daughter to meditate.
Sit with your child and ask her (or him) to repeat the phrase: Peace begins with me. Then instruct her to tap her fingers softly starting with the thumb and forefinger as she repeats “Peace”, then her thumb and middle finger as she says “begins”, then her thumb and ring finger as she says“with”, and then her thumb and ring finger as she says “me.” Do the exercise with her, using your hand and say the words aloud for each finger.

How To Balance Yourself (During The Coronavirus)

Hi Ladies!

These are difficult times with the Coronavirus, but there are always steps we can do to empower ourselves and bring us back to balance.

One way to raise our vibes, clear our minds, release stress, and fear is to meditate.

Meditation can be easy. It can be as simple as breathing deeply. Inhaling and exhaling longer for several minutes. Or if can be listening to music, putting on headphones and simply listening to music that makes you feel relaxed. (If you can close your eyes and focus on your third eye chakra (in the center of your forehead) while you sit cross legged, breathe deeply, and listen to music, even better!)

Meditation can be as simple as watching water boil in a pan, to be fully focused on the bubbles coming to the surface, and not to be multi-tasking. Meditation does not have to long; It can be for 2 to 5 minutes or it can be for 15 to 20 minutes, if you have more time.

We should always meditate when we feel out of balance. Many people have the misconception that one has to completely clear one’s mind for it to be useful or that it requires a lot of time, but as I mentioned it can be as simply as breathing deeper, listening to music with your eyes closed, or focusing on an object and not thinking about anything else but that one object.