I’m excited to share that I will be a guest speaker at the “Becoming a Mother” 6 week  small group series for mama’s to be. I will be talking about ways to nurture yourself and your relationships as you transition into motherhood. Our time together will be experiential and you will walk away with tools you can use to help keep you grounded, feel safe in your body and access your intuition. We will also explore some strategies to help keep your relationship strong after baby. In fact, you can start practicing them now. Here’s a few tips….

Create Rituals: Before you run out the door to work create a ritual for saying goodbye and upon returning home, a hug or a kiss or a special phrase. Eat meals together without the distraction of social media or television and ask questions about your partners day with sincere interest. Be creative! Come up with a daily ritual that has meaning for you.

Nurture Yourself:  The key to nurturing your relationship after baby? Nurture yourself. Self care has to take on a new meaning after baby, a  yoga class and a mani/pedi are hard to come by as you have less time for yourself. So, you’ll need to help each other and ideally, you will have access to friends/family/doula who are dedicated to supporting your well being. Taking a soothing bath while someone watches the baby or sitting in nature for 5 minutes are beautiful ways to reconnect with your body and your self. Many new parents have questions and concerns about re-introducing intimacy after baby, “When can we have sex again?” or “I can’t even think about sex with my partner right now, I’m touched out!” Before jumping back into intimacy practice non-sexual touch; a long hug, a foot rub or head massage. If you’re feeling extra spicy you can try a 6 second kiss without the expectation of it leading to sex. Relationship expert, Dr.John Gottman, calls the 6 second kiss “a kiss with potential”. Loving touch releases oxytocin (the feel good hormone) which reduces stress and can increase relationship satisfaction.

We’ll explore this and more at the Becoming a Mother workshop! This lovely offering is presented by Sara of @shefloatsonoats, you can read more about the event below. I hope to see you there!

xo,

Gina

Becoming a Mother is a six-week small group series to grow your community and prepare for life after birth

heart + body + mind + home

Your birth preferences are polished, your registry is live, but do you have the resources you need to heal & thrive once that sweet baby of yours is in arms? We live in a culture that prizes pregnancy, birth, and “must haves” for baby, but offers little support to birthing women for perhaps the biggest transformation they’ll have in this lifetime ~ becoming a mother. Many new moms are ashamed and confused by their experience of early motherhood when their realities of depletion don’t match the more common narrative of elation & bliss. This series aims to soften your transition by connecting you through candid conversation with women who’ve been there as well as local perinatal health specialists that will serve as an invaluable resource in your fourth trimester and beyond. You’ll be guided through the creation of a personalized post-birth support plan that ensures you’re well cared for during this influential season of life.

Gather weekly with fellow expecting mamas as you:

● Explore how you want to feel your first year post-birth and identify your personal needs for a healthy beginning

● Establish a “Postpartum Support Plan” full of practical systems + resources that create space for rest and bonding with your new family

● Learn the “what I wish I’d knowns” from maternal health specialists on important topics like breastfeeding, emotional + physical recovery, relationship shifts, & healing postpartum nutrition

● Share in meaningful conversation about your hopes, fears, and anticipations surrounding birth and motherhood

● Practice and receive care in the form of gentle movement + meditation, nourishing bites, space, and solidarity

The most essential ingredient to your health as a new mother is COMMUNITY, which is why we cap this group at twelve to encourage authentic, lasting connections that lift you up in motherhood.