Hi ,

I hope you are having a good week and doing well!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how full-on parenting is.

Whether you have a baby, a toddler, or are navigating the pre-teen era (currently me, send help!), we are continually being stretched to the max of our growth edges.

In the early months after having my daughter (many moons ago), I remember how exhausted I felt, trying to motivate myself to cook a meal. I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to chop onions or garlic anymore!

It was such a small thing but somehow this tiny time-saving thing made me feel like I was taking back a bit of my time and energy. Enter garlic and onion powder, which I swapped out for the fresh versions. I don't think I chopped an onion again for several years. I hated it!

Maybe it seems ridiculous, but suffice it to say, I have zero judgement around anyone else's parenting hacks.

Looking back, this was the beginning of small changes that led to bigger and more important ones down the road.

As a doula, I celebrate the decisions my clients make that support their wellbeing. Maybe it's changing how they are feeding their babies, re-distributing parenting responsibilities, outsourcing tasks, or reaching out to ask for help (who else isn't good at this?!). Or maybe it's letting some of the less crucial items of the to-do list slide for the day because the night was tough.

So much energy and attention goes to the baby after birth. But YOU are equally as important. You and your needs matter. Supporting your capacity is something your children will benefit from.

When it comes to parenting, we're playing the looonng game!

If you feel overwhelmed and like you can't keep up, you aren't failing at parenting. This is how we internalize living in a society where the majority of parents are under-supported and under-resourced, especially during our child-raising years.

Know anyone struggling through their postpartum and early parenting journey? I'm here to help. Please feel free to share my contact information.

Looking for some easy meals for your tired mom life? Read on below:

1) Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies HERE

2) Creamy, Garlicky Shrimp Skillet HERE (I've subbed out the shrimp for chicken and the red peppers for spinach)

3) Skillet Frittata HERE

Please share with me any favourites that you have. I'm bored of my current weekly meal rotation!

Warmly,

PS - If you would like to book a complementary consult to chat about birth or postpartum doula services, click here to fill out the form!