Your questions, in my words

supporting Lumi’s transition on earth has looked like breastfeeding pretty much all day everyday, co-sleeping, contact naps, constant skin-to-skin, lots of kisses & cuddles

it can feel challenging at times to feel nap “trapped” and for someone like me it can feel like I did “nothing” all day but I know nourishing a whole human, building up their immune system, soothing them, regulating their nervous system & body temperature (and so much more) is no small feat

this is mom brain in action.. not a deficiency just different priorities the ultimate decision of a baby wearing mother is once baby is asleep and you’ve completed the tasks around the house.. do you put them down or contact nap with them? I ask myself this many times a day lol

pros of putting her down: my body to myself!! I can stretch! I can do whatever I want!! A dream for productivity

cons: I risk her waking up as soon as I put her down or the nap might only last 10 mins (every time so far) while contact napping usually lasts over an hour

I cry almost every other night because of how hard the frequent wakings to feed can be but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s hard but it’s worth it. Every time.

I wouldn’t categorize the majority of my birth as painful until that last hour or two. Lots of intensity but no “pain” until baby started descending into my pelvis. When babies are born head first, their little heads can mold and yield to the pelvic bones.. but this lil girl descended with her butt & hips first (look up “complete breech”) which has a wider diameter and less molding to the hip bones.. so that last hour was GNARLY and I went fully primal, but it made her emergence & meeting her that much more epic Recovery has been pretty smooth! Owe it all to rest and nourishing foods (thankful for my partner for food prepping & holding down the house chores). The hardest part has been more mental since I’m usually a more active person who doesn’t like asking for help

I wouldn’t be able to give so much of myself to my baby if I wasn’t constantly being fed warm and nutritious foods, have someone to hand baby over when I need to nap, shower, or even go journal for 10 minutes. We aren’t meant to do it alone!!

In the 24 hour span of my labor I let my body guide me.

At first the surges felt like cramping and then intensified at night, calmed down a bit that afternoon, and then really picked up in the evening until baby was born.

I rested as much as possible at night, took baths, sang along to emotional music, went for a walk, prayed, changed positions constantly, and had amazing people around me for physical and emotional support when I needed it

around 24 hours with cramping a day or two before

value your privacy - time alone in certain moments of labor can be so supportive for you to fully feel your emotions and not feel so “watched”

intensity is how we meet our babies.. it’s natural to tense up or dread those surges once they pick up, but welcoming them and softening through them is how we meet our babies

there’s no place like home!! even if you’re planning a hospital or birth center birth, home is where we naturally feel our most comfortable so enjoy your personal space as long as you can to support your birth hormones before heading out!

yes both my midwife and doula (also student midwife) have breech training

a great topic of conversation to have with your birth team!

the other amazing thing about labor that not many people consider is that the majority of labor is REST! labor is usually characterized by “painful contractions” but the majority of labor is actually spent resting in between the intensity. so as the surges come, i always suggest to welcome them knowing that this is exactly how you’re going to meet your baby (one surge closer!) and when they fade away… thank your body for the opportunity to rest <3 what i’ve noticed about the perception of pain during labor is that it truly depends on the whole picture. did you take time to honor and process your fears during pregnancy? do you trust your body enough to surrender to it & let it take you on an intense yet biologically natural journey? have you had enough sleep in the past couple days leading up to labor? are you nourishing your body so it doesn’t feel depleted after hours of hard work? are you feeling supported by your care team or do you feel rushed? does your environment feel safe and cozy or are people coming in and out of the room disrupting your flow? have you been moving your body during pregnancy to help sustain certain labor positions that feel amazing during surges?

during diaper change: literally 2 mins added to spray your solution onto the cloth wipe vs using a premade disposable wipe and then folding the cloth diaper & putting the outer cover on top to prevent leaking

after change: instead of throwing diaper wipe into the trash pail, you throw it into laundry pail

laundry: every 2-3 days .. just a simple heavy duty load and throw into dryer (if there’s no elastics) and then you fold! maybe 30 minutes added per week in terms of laundry

this all depends on the kind of cloth departing system you use.. for example wool diaper covers (pictured here) require a bit more loving

for wipes we use small dry cloth squares and spray the solution onto the cloth instead of pre-soaking it in a container to prevent bacteria or mold build up

you can even make these yourself with shirts or flannels you don’t use at home!