maybe you’re in the wrong garden. maybe you’re roots aren’t yet deep enough. maybe you need pruning from people, places, habits, things, thoughts. ~ The flowers don’t worry, and say, “oh no I haven’t bloomed yet!?” they just keep growing until it is their time. ~ be like the flower and bloom in your season, not for a moment worrying when or where that will be. ~ #notestomyself

Happy #midwiferyweek 💕 . (save this post if you are pregnant or thinking about having children in the future!). midwifery care is associated with; improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, cost effectiveness, and less interventions. # Solving the issues that we are currently facing in birth (maternal and infant death, high rates of c-sections, lack of evidence based care) can be mitigated/improved via midwifery, true midwifery. # But in order to see more midwives make more change it has to be desired by the people. Supply and demand if you will. But many people still believe that midwives aren’t as knowledgeable or as safe as working with an ob/gyn. Changing the cultural ideals and understanding of midwives can lead to people utilizing them more which statistically would better birth outcomes. So let’s talk about midwifery. # WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MIDWIVES?

#herhonesthour . the other day zara said to me. “I don’t wanna be happy, and I don’t wanna be sad. I just wanna be me.”. # I felt it right in my heart. She held up a mirror to me. Anger. Happiness. Sadness. Frustration. Joy. # all these emotions are valid and don’t need to be policed yet my ego wants nothin but happiness from my child. when I really dig deep I think i want my children to be happy [in part] because in some ways that validates that i’ve done a “good job”. It validates me and my insecurity of being a good mother. It’s core is well intentioned but it’s wrapped up in insecurity. And of course I don’t want my child to experience pain or suffering but it would be a disservice to make her feel like she can only express certain emotions around me. then were will she turn when she has big uncomfortable emotions that she can’t handle all alone? # My new mantra when she’s dealing with anger, frustration etc is:. don’t go there with her, be there for her. # note to self: my child’s emotions are not there to validate me and should not be manipulated to make me feel like a “good mama”. # have you experienced anything like this as a mother?

our brains are smart. sometimes too smart. # and so we find ourselves initiating our fight/flight response just from thinking certain thoughts or feeling certain emotions. # this stress can go undetected when we have adjusted to living under pressure. but our bodies clue us in. # where do you feel tightness, pain, discomfort? I feel it in my chest. I know that means I’m worried or overthinking. I’m consciously choosing to release that tension because I know: # I am safe. I am loved. I am protected. # sometimes we amplify our fears and the reality is we are okay. WHERE ARE YOU HOLDING STRESS TODAY?

I’m recording a “what I eat in a day” Video. # Head over to my stories to ask me ANYTHING about my 🥬🍇🍌🥑🍋dietary choices, being plant-based, or any other questions about food. # I’ve been plant based for a while now but don’t share as much about it so let’s 🗣talk about it! #plantbased #veganish #holistichealth #plantbasedmom

#honesthour # Sometimes I project negative emotions on to my partner. 😔 It’s something I wasn’t really aware of until recently. # After years of sleep deprivation, breastfeeding, stay at home mothering, working, moving around, I’ve found myself angry. Because... My body changed, not his. My schedule was affected, not his. My social life came to a stop, not his. # For a while, I blamed him for some of the things that motherhood brought and bitterness built up within me. But in truth I was projecting a lot of my emotions onto him to keep myself away from the fact that I am the only one who can dictate my personal happiness. # My mindset. My perspective. My thoughts. # Sometimes the hardest part of healing is realizing that YOU are the one creating the very pain you are trying so hard to avoid. # Be honest, have you ever blamed your partner for emotions that were too big for you to take responsibility for?

Oniyah is almost two years old!😩 I need birthday ideas. How do y’all celebrate birthdays???👇🏽drop me some ideas

Google it. Search it. Read the book. Analyze the study. That’s how we prove it’s okay right? NO. Many of us started our journeys into “holistic health” by learning information that changed our perspective (i.e. documentaries, books, videos, podcasts). From there we are grafted into the collective idea that if we can prove it with facts then we can justify it. And we move forward telling friends and convincing family that our lifestyle, diet style, spiritual style, is okay because look 👉🏽💻 I can prove it. Well what about the undeniable truths within me? What do they count for? A turning point happens when you begin to realize that your journey of healthy living is guided by an inner compass not a search engine and that whatever you can find without you can most certainly obtain from within. Including validation. Put down the computer, drop into your own database. #messagetomyself

Today! I’ll be joining other birth workers on a panel to talk about birth, maternal health etc.🦋 Location: 520 W St NW, Washington, DC 20059 Room: B5 #doula #doulalife #birthworker

Wether you are going to the hospital or staying at home there are many different things you can use to help ease labor discomfort. You do not have to just “suffer” through it. Before you have your baby take time to learn about ways to reduce pain, YOU HAVE OPTIONS! # Mamas what did you use during labor that helped you make it thru? # My answer in the comments! Amazing Picture From: 💕@mountainmamayyc 💕