Category: Pregnancy

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy

Mother & Baby Bonding: An excerpt from Feng Shui Mommy

baileysandbabiesblog

There has never been and never again will be a child just like yours. Even though babies are born every day, the birth of your baby is sacred, unique, and extraordinary.

Connecting to this unique heart energy of your baby will be a profound experience for you, allowing your internal trapdoor of love to release. Physical nourishment aside, physically and emotionally bonding with your baby is the surest way to build a secure base that will provide your child confidence, support, love, and abundant health for the rest of her life. Developing a harmonic connection with your baby is what it’s all about.

Your relationship with your rapidly growing and changing baby is fluid and dynamic, and that you have the chance to grow and learn to be a better communicator, better partner, and better parent as you incorporate this new relationship into your family constellation. This chapter will also support you in finding that place that is so deep in yourself there are no words — only love. You have a limited number of vowels and consonants but an unlimited supply of love that will support you in forging an everlasting connection with your child.

Read more on Green Child

Career, Childbirth, Guilt & Forgiveness, Mind-Body-Spirit, Pregnancy

Entertainment Host With Softball Sized Fibroids Send Important Message to Women Everywhere

baileysandbabiesblog

While the reproductive system has the capacity for so much magic, it also has the potential to cause debilitating physical pain and emotional suffering.

A common source of this pain and suffering is uterine fibroids. According to a study done by the Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Birmingham, 20-40 percent of women will develop uterine fibroids during their reproductive years.

Erin Robinson, entertainment host at Defy Media’s Clevver brand, became part of this statistic after unknowingly growing 13 uterine fibroids, some ranging in size from golf balls to softballs, over a period of five years. She finally discovered these tumors after being rushed to the emergency room with excruciating pain.

The journey that followed is portrayed in Clevver’s new docuseries, It Got Real.

Read more on Babble

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy, Video

Live Pregnancy and Childbirth Course

baileysandbabiesblog

Hi friends!

I have so many lovely readers and potential clients all over the world, so… I’m super excited to announce that I’m now offering an online LIVE pregnancy and childbirth course! Yee haw!

For more info, click here, or down there.

Screen Shot 2017-05-18 at 7.26.42 PM

Childbirth, Parenting, Pregnancy

How to Tell Your Kids They Were Made Using Someone Else’s DNA

baileysandbabiesblog

Terry’s hand was shaking as she asked, “What if they hate me after I tell them? What if they want to move in with their father? He’s the only parent genetically related to them.” Then she started crying. I held her. We were about to tell her 4-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter that they were conceived using donor eggs.

We walked into her living room where her son was draping blankets across a web of chairs and her daughter was scrolling through her phone. As she told her children the truth about their genetics, her daughter looked bored and her son stood up half way through the talk and continued with his fort.

After she finished her delicately prepared speech we asked if they had any questions. Her daughter said, “So, was my donor famous? Can I tell my friends she’s famous? This is cool.” And her son interjected with, “Can we go get ice cream?” They seemed unfazed.

I stayed with her as we presented answers to questions that weren’t asked and when I reached for her hand I noticed she had stopped shaking—she was smiling.

I checked in two weeks later and she reported her children had asked a few more questions but seemed more interested in the egg donation than confused or upset.

Terry is a member of a growing group of moms: Today, as more and more women are focusing on advancing their careers before stepping into motherhood, the average age of conception continues to rise. Data released by the CDC shows that the number of women waiting to have children until their mid-thirties to early-forties is increasing, meaning that more women will likely require IVF (in vitro fertilization), often coupled with egg or sperm donation, as egg and sperm count and quality decrease with age.

Read more on Working Mother

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy, Self Love

Motherhood Collages

baileysandbabiesblog

preggo8

I thought a lot about motherhood yesterday – how it has changed me, how it has reinforced traits I had before pregnancy, how it confuses and astounds me.

Then, I meditated for the first time in five months because I was given the ultimate #MothersDay gift: TIME.

As I meditated, I saw myself as an outline filled with hundreds of images and it was beautiful. It blew my mind… and my body… and my spirit.

We are never just one thing. As we grow and evolve, especially through pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood, we gain new layers, slough off those that no longer serve, and live life as dynamic and complex beings.

This (and all my free time!) inspired me to create collages based on the personalities, interests, fears, and dreams of the powerful women I have worked with – and am.

You can find them all here, http://www.baileygaddis.com/motherhood-collages.html

And I’ve attached a few for your perusal.

xo Bailey

P.S. Because I’m on a “get Amazon reviews for book!” kick, I’ll send you your own custom mama collage if you leave a quick review, and then let me know 🙂

#pregnancy #motherhood #childbirth #photocollage

Childbirth, Parenting, Pregnancy

Excerpt from Feng Shui Mommy

baileysandbabiesblog

Screen Shot 2017-05-12 at 7.16.30 PM

If you like what you see… order here 🙂

**************

The most zealous of all the sperm has nuzzled into your waiting egg, and it’s all systems go. Your body (and mind, and spirit) are now pooling their reserves of building blocks to create a new human. How do you feel about that? Thrilled? Terrified? In denial? Whatever your answer is, it is perfect. Pregnancy is the epitome of change, and it’s your prerogative to completely freak out (in a good or bad way) over this development. It’s strange to have a brand-new person growing inside of you! It’s extraordinary! It is an everyday miracle in a global sense, but a cataclysmic shift in a personal sense. You are allowed to break down, whatever that looks like for you. There’s no time when it’s more socially acceptable to “lose it” than when you find out you’re pregnant. And by losing it, you just might find all of it.

Pregnancy can trigger an identity crisis. You are no longer the person you thought you were, but you are not yet the person you will become. It’s a time of awesome transition and change, which is always scary. Becoming a mother doesn’t mean you stop being yourself — your fun Self, your carefree Self, your sensual Self. What it does mean is that you have the unique opportunity to become the person you truly want to be, the person you’re meant to be: a woman who experiences herself as centered, whole, and stronger than she’s ever been before, your true Self. During this time, your feng shui, composed of the energy connecting your mind, body, and spirit, is shaken up in the great cosmic maternal martini shaker — and you don’t even get to have a drink! But once the head spinning slows, you will find that you have more resources, more resilience, and more creativity than ever before.

It’s All Connected 
Because you are a holistic being, your mind, body, and spirit are designed to work together in a state of dynamic fluidity, constantly realigning around your optimal balance point. When you bring awareness to this connectivity, you allow powerful change to happen.

Pregnancy is a profound chapter of life, for sure, but it’s not the whole story. What pregnancy offers is a chance to get your holistic house in order so you are beautifully prepared for the rest of your life. Now is the time to find your joyful and courageous core. Now is the time to connect with your authentic and best Self.

Eating fried bacon–wrapped pastries for breakfast but thinking happy thoughts won’t optimize your holistic connection. Doing an hour of yoga while focusing on the stressful tasks you have to do afterward won’t optimize your holistic connection. Removing your partner’s action figure collection from the bedroom while panicking about your future ability to breastfeed won’t optimize your holistic connection. What will optimize it is becoming grounded in your experience, learning to express your needs, and finding the right kind of support.

Read more at New World Library! Feng Shui Mommy Cover

Family Entertainment, Pregnancy, Travel

The Pregnant Woman’s Guide to June Lake, California

baileysandbabiesblog

IMG_1114

Most vacations to extreme sports destinations, while pregnant, are annoying – you can’t do much but eat, sleep and be bummed that you’re not participating in the adventure seeking. But not at June Lake – while famous for its family-friendly downhill skiing, this cozy mountain town offers plenty of ways for “with child” ladies to have an envy-worthy snow sojourn.

Just thirty minutes away from the chic resort of Mammoth, June offers a slower pace and amble amounts of relaxed rustic vibes. This isn’t a town where you need to feel pressure to have the cutest winter gear, “put on your face” to go out, or be fearful of your bank account being drained during your stay.

June Lake is just the place for you – you hardworking “baby maker” you – to recharge for the remainder of your epic journey into motherhood.

Read more on Vagabond Family!

Childbirth, Pregnancy, Self Love, Travel

Mini Guide to a Lake Tahoe Baby Moon

baileysandbabiesblog

IMG_9428Are you due this summer and looking for one last dip into relaxation before the real fun begins? I’ve had a few readers ask me for summer #babymoon ideas and I thought of one of my fave spots, Lake Tahoe, and some fun (#pregnant lady approved) activities.

Here’s your mini guide to the ultimate Lake Tahoe baby moon:

Stay: Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe

While packing a baby in my womb I like to strap a seat belt on about as much as I like to drink two gallons of water and go for a jog. So, this resort is ideal as it allows you to walk to pretty much all of the following spots and offers rooms so comfortable you’d be happy to skip the activities and enjoy your final days of pregnancy resting and binging on television and room service. 

Eat: Stillwater Pool Bar & Grill

This spot is my personal fave as it allows you to enjoy a meal while still wearing your damp bathing suit. A juicy cheese burger at this pool side eatery is just what the midwife ordered – and you already have a round belly so who cares about a bit of poolside bloat.

Explore: Sunset Catamaran Cruise

IMG_9429

Explore Lake Tahoe without having to move your legs! This sunset cruise usually includes a captain overflowing with strange yet interesting history of the area and crew members that are rich with wit and jokes that are actually funny.

Pamper: Stillwater Spa & Salon

A spa trip is obligatory if you’re preggers, and you can tell your partner I said so. Ask about the Citrine Dream treatment, Basil, Cilantro and Avocado treatment, and couples packages – and don’t skip the pomegranate mocktail.

Happy baby mooning!

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino #Pregnancy #Travel#SummerVacation

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy, Self Love, Video

Author Interview for Feng Shui Mommy

baileysandbabiesblog

Note: Because I can be a total verbal klutz I said “childcare provider” when I meant to say “medical care provider”. See if you can find the snafu! 😛

Preorder your copy now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy, Video

Birth Transformed: How to Dissolve Fear

baileysandbabiesblog

A sneak peak of the prenatal and postpartum preparation online course Taryn Longo (women’s transformation teacher and birth doula… and badass) and I are releasing Mid-May on BirthTransformed.com (website to be birthed the same days as the course!)

Childbirth, Mind-Body-Spirit, Parenting, Pregnancy, Reviews and Giveaways

“Mind/Body/Spirit Principles are finally showing up in the world of pregnancy/childbirth” – First Early Review!

baileysandbabiesblog

Feng Shui Mommy Cover

The first early review of Feng Shui Mommy is in! Many thanks Anna Jedrziewski at Retailing Insight!

“Mind/Body/Spirit principles are finally showing up in the world of pregnancy/childbirth and Gaddis is at the forefront of it. Her own pregnancy was an unexpected push in a new philosophical direction and she has made the most of it. Finding limited information to help her through the shift and making the rest up as she went along, she made careful note of not only what kept her going but also helped her to maximize the new experiences toward enlightenment (and a return to sanity). She tells readers that it begins by getting honest. The feelings are messy (beginning with the sudden blow to personal identity) but they must be faced if one is to find the buried treasures contained within the powerful experience of bringing another soul into incarnation. Gaddis used the five elements of Feng Shui, applied to three levels (physical, mental, spiritual), to anchor her perceptions and process what she was experiencing. With or without that framework, she has written a book which offers pregnant women and new mothers a way to maintain balance in all areas of their lives and always find the joy in what is an extremely stressful process.”

– Anna Jedrziewski at Retailing Insight

Pre-0rder your copy now 🙂

Childbirth, Mom Humor, Pregnancy, Reviews and Giveaways

I’m So Pregnant: An illustrated look at the ups and downs (and everything in between) of pregnancy – Review

baileysandbabiesblog

Imsopregnanct

While pregnancy is magical, transformative, and full of comfy maternity jeans, it can also be weird,  exhausting, and full of barfy moments  – we need to maintain a healthy sense of humor to make it through.

The book I’m So Pregnant, by Norwegian illustrator and animator Line Severinsen, splashes you in the face with the awkwardness of pregnancy while making you think “OK fine, I guess my play dough feet, occasional incontinence, and hormonal surges are kind of funny.”

Composed of a collection of illustrations that take you through the messy roller coaster of the three trimesters, I’m So Pregnant provides quick and effective visuals reminding you that you’re not alone (and that pooping during birth is super normal.)

So, as you’re skimming through your pregnancy and childbirth tomes (like Feng Shui Mommy! Yay!), keep this gem of humor close by to help you lighten up and feel OK (even excited!) about mucous coming out of your body – yes, it’s a thing.

Clicky here to get your copy.