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Mini Peek: Disney On Ice “Follow Your Heart”
GMA’s Ginger Zee Dropping Some Mama Wisdom
Social Media Moms Conference Mini-Recap! (I was geeking out!!)
Feeling Like Crap? Me too! Here’s Something We Can Try to Feel Better
A Collection of the Best 82 Tips for Traveling With Children
*I did not write this entire piece but contributed many of the tips. Happy travels!
You never know how easy solo travel is until you have kids. Family travel numbers are lower than you would expect considering all the great benefits to traveling with children. The top reasons why families aren’t traveling with their children are the cost and not feeling comfortable and confident. This collection of 82 tips will help travelers be prepared and confident to take their children on a vacation regardless of their age.
But traveling with kids doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as you’re imagining right now, and travel can be extremely beneficialfor your kids. In fact, there are families — with kids as young as infants and as old as grumpy teenagers — traveling around the world every day. These 82 tips are compiled from travel bloggers and parents that have become experts on the topic of traveling with children, and they’re guaranteed to improve your family travel experience.
The New Product That’s Changing the Landscape of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding can really suck- but it doesn’t have to (well, at least not in the emotional sense.) Much of the anxiety that comes with breastfeeding is birthed from the mother’s uncertainty regarding how much milk her baby is consuming. Sure, we can keep a tally of soiled diapers, but if a baby still seems like she’s hollering for more, many new mamas panic and switch to formula- even if their body is pumping out plenty of milk.
What to do?
Enter Momsense, a new product designed to record and report how much baby is actually consuming by using a tiny sensor placed behind baby’s ear that captures the sounds of baby’s swallowing to determine how much milk is being gulped down- the information is then sent to a program in mom’s smartphone (on Airplane mode) that allows her to keep track of how much baby receives during each meal. Cool!
9 Ways Parenting on a Caribbean Island is Different from the U.S.
Remembering the sandy-bodied, messy-haired, laughing kids (and mommas!) of Roatan, the Honduran island I used to live on in the Caribbean, gives me an itch to hightail it back there, or a similar beach community in Nicaragua, with my partner and toddler in tow. The livin’ was easy and parents reeked of relaxation versus fatigue and stress.
While I love parenting in the small town of Ojai, California, I can’t help but fantasize what it would be like to return to the slow pace, easy smiles, and lush surroundings of island life.
As I contemplate the decision to move my young family out of the United States, I’ve been recalling these key differences between parenting in the U.S. and Central America (some make me want to go, some make me want to stay) …
1. Grooming is super easy-going.
Interview With the Creator of My New Favorite Baby Shower Gift- Stockpile
#MomConfession I dreaded the mountain of ribboned tissue paper and bags at my baby shower. I was grateful, but. So. Much. Stuff. I was already having trouble fitting the essentials into my tiny living space and didn’t know how the stuffed animals galore would be integrated.
I get it- stuff is what you get and give during a baby shower. But, what if there was another option? A great gift that would create lasting value for the baby, and wouldn’t give the mother an additional thing to find a home for? Enter Stockpile, a gift card you can purchase and load with stock from a company of your choice.
I was able to interview the mind behind Stockpile, Avi Lele, and he didn’t disappoint.
Bailey: What was your background before becoming the CEO of Stockpile?
Avi: I started out as an engineering major at MIT, got a law degree at Harvard, and practiced law for 16 years before founding Stockpile. My specialty was patent litigation, and our cases involved complicated, cutting-edge technology. But technology can be intimidating to many people, so every time we went to court, we had to find a way to make the technology accessible – easy to understand and even entertaining – so lay judges and juries had the information they needed to decide the case.
How to Take Your Camping Cuisine to The Next Level
Food prep has always been the metaphorical poison oak rubbing on my leg when I go camping- my main criteria being “what will be the least fussy food to make?” After spending half a day using my mad-Tetris skills packing my car with half my house, I have no desire to be a short order cook of crappy food when I get to the camp site.
But, what if campfire food could be both easy and delicious? (I would go camping more.)
I spoke with Shane Hammett, avid camper and chef de cuisine at the Lone Eagle Grille in the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, to get the (beefed-up) skinny on how to make campout eating a (easy) fine dining experience- albeit fine dining a la fold out chairs, dust and bug spray.
Here’s how to jazz up your campfire cuisine without having to skip the hike because you need to clean up after lunch and start prepping dinner.
1. Build the Right Kind of Fire.
Trying to cook on a campfire without the right kind of fire is like trying to scale a mountain trail in heels- you can do it, but it will take a long time- and it will suck.
Change Your Life With the Power of Death- Course Review
“Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent.” Gabriel Dee’s Daily Om course, Change Your Life With the Power of Death opens with this powerful quote from Steve Jobs then goes on to lighten all your fears by supporting you in releasing the ultimate fear- the fear of death.
Death is a topic rooted deep in my mind that I never let out to play- my breathing becomes shallow, my thoughts darken and my hope falters when I ruminate on the idea of death, or allow myself to re-feel the emotions attached to a loved one passing away. This course flipped my script of death- shining light on how it can be used to enhance life, versus elicit fear and avoidance.
As Gabriel writes in the course, “If you are a spiritual seeker, I highly advise you to follow these teachers on the road to death. Because the road to death eventually leads to enlightenment. The path of darkness leads to light.” How lovely does that sound? To gain the ability to see the light in the darkness of death, to even pull a potent form of love, hope and joy from the acceptance of it?
This course doesn’t paint a picture that “someday you will be gone and that’s it- deal with it”- it offers the possibility that by accepting and honoring the knowing that one day your body will die you step into your immortality. You step beyond the physical aspects of death to explore what it means on a spiritual level, and what it can mean for your current life- how it can inform your thoughts and actions for the better.
In addition, this course offers valuable lessons for parents hoping to raise a unique individual, while facing the barrier of unconsciously conditioning the child to become a copy of themselves. (Guilty!) The course doesn’t admonish this behavior, but supports us in examining this phenomenon and creating space to make different decisions in how we raise our children. It also provides a powerful lesson in how to begin raising the unique child within us all who was affected by our parent’s desires to mold us into a version of themselves.
This course will serve to liberate you from the restrictions you currently have between your current self, and your best self by helping you find peace with the idea of death. As Gabriel writes in the course, “It kills fear because it faces you with the source of all fears, the fear of death. It kills procrastination because it takes away the illusion of time. And finally, it kills your mind because it helps you find who you really are beyond your ideas.”
If you choose to explore this course, you’ll dive deep into the following teachings over the course of eight lessons and
How to develop lasting motivation effortlessly without willpower.
How to prioritize between important and meaningless activities.
How to live an authentic and meaningful life instead of just surviving.
How to eradicate all of your fears and find courage.
How to find your true purpose and start creating it.
How to stop procrastination and develop a sense of urgency
How to really achieve your dreams and live up to your potential?
How to make sure that you really live, love and matter.
If you want the motivation to step into your full power to change your world, take this course.
Review of ‘Utilizing Ancient Birthing Wisdom’ Course
One of my Daily Om courses was reviewed! Yee haw! Here it is 🙂
Childbirth and an entry into motherhood, especially for the first time for an expecting woman, can be a nerve wracking experience both from a mental and physical standpoint. While bringing a new child into the world is truly a unique and exciting experience for both parents that brings a great amount of joy, and happiness into their lives, the experience can be draining. Having the access to the knowledge that has been proven to work with childbirths throughout hundreds of years can be invaluable to a mother and couple going through a pregnancy. Instead of searching for answers to every potential issue that may arise during the pregnancy, and being forced to be more reactive than proactive during the process, there is a great solution to mothers, of all types, that will help provide them with the opportunity to experience only the joys of childbirth and few of the downsides.
Official Website: http://dailyom.com
DailyOM’s Utilizing Ancient Birthing Wisdom course, designed by Bailey Gaddis, is truly a must have and its price is something that hardly anyone else can match in terms of the value you get for the money you pay. Bailey Gaddis, the course’s founder is a mother, educator on the subject of HypnoBirthing, she is certified as a birth Doula as well as a certified Hypnotherapist. Gaddis is also the founder of the Ojai Valley Birth collective. As a mother who experienced various challenges on her way to motherhood, Gaddis devoted her life and career to helping empower other women in the hope she can help inspire them to rise above the fear of childbirth and live feeling empowered, courageous and blissful.
Read more here! Or purchase it here! (Pay $10, $25, or $45- your choice!)
How to Have An Epic Family Vacation In Nicaragua
Mother nature has planted a special kiss on Nicaragua, blessing it with balmy oceans, lush vegetation, affordable food, drink and accommodations, and smiling people ready to enhance your vacation with kindness and a reminder to relax and move slow.
My family has fallen so deeply in love with Nicaragua we’ve decided to purchase a property on the Pacific coast, ensuring we have the opportunity to infuse our lives with the uplifting vibes of this vibrant country on the regular.
If you and your family plan to explore this hidden jewel of Central America, fertile with adventure and chances for enlightenment, follow these suggestions to help ensure your trip is a success.
1. Hire a Chef.
Parents spend a hearty amount of time preparing meals and cleaning up after meals- then rinsing and repeating. If you’ll be renting a house, make it a true vacation by hiring a chef to prepare your breakfasts, lunches or dinners (or all of them!) Chef services in Nicaragua are inexpensive, and you can request they do all the shopping for you! In addition, you’ll be supporting the local economy and gaining a chance to get to know someone who is likely a native of the country.
The Pros and Cons of Freezing Your Eggs
Confession: I’m afraid my eggs will poop out on me before I’m done having kids. But the thing is, I’m not ready to have more children just yet — I want to buy a house, write a few books, travel with only one small human, sleep … so what’s a girl to do?
Freeze my eggs?
Egg freezing is the hot (or cold?) fertility trend of procuring eggs from a woman’s uterus, freezing them, and re-implanting them when she’s ready to introduce the egg to a sperm. This practice became a viable option in 2012 when breakthroughs in freezing and thawing techniques helped prevent eggs from being ruined by ice crystals forming in the eggs.
I’ve been privileged to gain an insider’s view to this wild baby-making world by my mother, who was an IVF nurse for over 15 years and now owns an egg donor agency that is partnering with an egg freezing bank. My mama’s been my fertility Yoda as I navigate this world, helping me dig beneath the surface pros and cons I find on the Internet, giving me the scoop on what the experts find to be the real benefits and risks of sticking lady eggs in a freezer.
Why You Should Create a Cesarean Birth Plan- Even If You’re Planning For a Vaginal Birth
Loss of control is a primary fear many women feel when considering the possibility of a cesarean birth. “I’ll have to give up my power to the surgeon. I’ll have no say over how the birth unfolds. I’ll feel like a piece of meat on an operating table.” But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You can reclaim your right to empowerment throughout your baby’s birth by creating a cesarean birth plan — even if you’re planning for a vaginal birth.
Creating this plan doesn’t set the intention that you’ll have a cesarean birth, it sets the intention that you’ll be prepared, regardless of any unforeseen circumstances that may pop up in your birth journey.
Below are preferences you can use to create a simple one-page cesarean birth plan (that you’ll create in addition to your vaginal birth plan), which you will present to your care provider around the beginning of your third trimester. I recommend discussing each preference with your care provider to determine if they, or the facility you would be having the surgery in, would put up resistance to any of the preferences. If so, discuss why there would be resistance, and what can be done about it.
5 Of The Craziest Birth Stories You’ll Ever Read
Childbirth is about as predictable as a cranky toddler with a full glass of juice — it can get messy. When the new-human-delivery process is allowed to naturally unfold, it rarely fits into a sterilized box. Nope, it often spills out, splashes onto your favorite shoes, and demands you step into your ability to roll with it — even if “it” laughs in the face of your birth plan.
I recently attended a gathering for maternal health care workers and many of their clients, where I heard hundreds of birth stories — some of them, completely insane. I received permission to share a handful of the most intense stories (some women wishing to remain anonymous), in the hopes that you can take comfort in knowing that even if your birth goes sideways, rolls down a hill, and falls into a murky pond — you can handle it, and will come out of it a stronger (totally badass!) mom.
Here’s a glimpse of the stories from five women I find far superior to any superhero …
5 Lessons to Learn from “Motherhood in Focus”
Mothers are the ghosts in many family albums- the facilitator of the photos but never the star.
Photographer Ahna Tessler, who began freezing the beauty of moments with her camera after the birth of her twins, was inspired to create the Motherhood In Focus project after photos of herself became such a scarce commodity she was compelled to superimpose herself into family photos.
After seeing how moved families (that had hired her) were when viewing the photos she had captured, she decided Motherhood In Focus should focus on single mothers who couldn’t afford her services. With the support of Babble, she grabbed her camera and spent five months stepping into the un-posed lives of 23 families, immortalizing equal parts silly and poignant moments.
Ahna eloquently explained why she selected the families of low-income single mothers as her subjects, saying, “In their fight to provide a better life for their children, there is certainly no room in the budget to hire a photographer. There is no proof, no tangible memories, and simply no photos of them with their children.”
Trusting Your Whole-Being During Childbirth (And BIG News!)
Hi friends!
I haven’t been blogging much because… I’ve been busy writing the Feng Shui Mommy book- eek! (Insert embarrassingly spastic happy dance here.) Being published by New World Library Spring 2017.
Besides that little announcement, I’m keeping today’s written message short and leaning on the spoken word (many of them.)
This relaxation recording was created for pregnant women, but can be utilized by any individual wishing to have more trust in their whole (mind-body-spirit) being.
Send me your thoughts and questions 🙂
xo
Bailey
Ringling Brothers Took It Out of This World
Holy acrobats-light show-unicycles y’all- Ringling Brothers brought it. And now, they’re bringing it to you. “It” being their new show, Out of This World. I went to Florida (to the 580,000 square foot complex that houses the Ringling Brothers family!) to preview a few of the acts, and the opening of the show – oh my wow. I thought I was going to see some hoops, a bit of flying trapeze shenanigans and popcorn- but saw so much more.
I left this experience totally star-struck by these obscenely talented people. I’m not even sure they’re people- they’re so skilled they may actually be from someplace out of this world. (I also left with videos of me jumping rope and unicycling with the Saint Charles Troupe- and when I say “unicycling” I mean “me being held up on a unicycle and pushed around by two strong men.”)
9 Ways Dads Can Emotionally Prep For Childbirth
Hey dudes — your modus operandi during baby’s birth can consist of more than shelling out ice chips, taking the occasional photo, and having the life squeezed out of your hand. The vibes you put off directly affect your baby’s and lady’s journey through birth. Exuding a calm, confident, and prepared demeanor (even if you’re faking it!) will help your birthing honey assume more of a goddess essence than a “What have we done?!” shrill.
Here’s how to clear then bolster your emotional state before The Big Day, and infuse traditional childbirth preparation methods with deeper meaning.
1. Fear release exercise
Sometimes, releasing negative emotions via talking and journaling isn’t enough — that junk may need to be worked out via physical exertion. Make a list of any and all fears you have surrounding the birth of your child, and all areas of your life the birth will affect (which is everything). Every day, or every other day, choose one fear from the list and exercise it out. As you run (or bike, or engage in any other exercise of choice) envision the fear being released via your sweat.
Bailey Gaddis Blog 