Blog

Curried Quinoa Salad

Written up on May 14th, 2013

We made this salad a couple weeks ago and it's in the line up for dinner this week as well.   Flavorful and really easy.  A great meal for a nursing mom, as the quinoa is a complete protein in and of itself -- not to mention full of magnesium, calcium, fiber and iron.  I cook our quinoa in the rice cooker, making it even easier to pull together in a pinch.  Recipe is from epicurious with a few minor changes.


Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Read more »

In defense of yoga pants

Written up on February 27th, 2013

--originally posted on my personal blog--

As a birth doula I get a lot of questions postpartum...

When will this squishy belly disappear?
I haven't showered in 8 days... is that ok?
When can I work out again?
What am I supposed to do with this thing (baby) all day?

You get the idea.  I've read all the books and searched all the blogs for the latest and the greatest advice for postpartum moms.  But most of what I've found is complete rubbish.   And they all seem to say the same thing... Read more »

Filed under:

Books

Written up on February 5th, 2013

People are often asking if I have book recommendations for everything from pregnancy to postpartum.  There are so many books out there and it's hard to know what to choose!  These are my top picks but it's certainly not an exhaustive list and these might not be your cup of tea.   If you've got a favorite that you'd recommend, please comment and join the conversation... Read more »

Filed under:

The Myth of the Perfect Birth

Written up on January 14th, 2013

--adapted from a post on my personal blog a few months ago--

What is "the perfect birth"?  Does it exist?  Within the the doula-ing (not a real word) community and in Seattle and even amongst friends in other cities, there seems to be a hierarchy of birth stories.  Certain ones are better than others.  In some ways it's unspoken but we certainly all know what it is.   You know what I'm going to say, right?  The best birth is the all-natural birth.  The birth without any interference.  The birth where you just went with the flow, trusted your body and the birth process, and it was empowering and euphoric and transcendent.  Yes?   Still with me?  And, if, for whatever reason, you did not have the above experience, you feel... what?   Guilty?  The need to explain why you didn't have that experience?  Weak for getting an epidural?  Like a failure for needing a C-section or unable to have that VBAC?  The need to justify the choices you made?

Jason and I on the day I gave birth to Gryffin, 2008 

Read more »
Filed under:

high expectations

Written up on December 3rd, 2012

I often find myself chatting with clients after their baby has arrived about how hard it all is.  How nobody tells you how difficult it can be to figure out breastfeeding, swaddling, sleeping, self-care, mobying (is that a word?),  leaving the house, showering, eating, dressing, remembering to talk to your spouse, remember that you have a spouse, and on and on and on.   It's true.  It's hard.  And people don't tell you.  Or they DO tell you but you don't understand it.  Don't really get it.  It doesn't sound all that hard, after all.  

    
Think it looks like this?                       Nope.  It's more like this. Read more »

Filed under:

Quinoa Edamame

Written up on November 20th, 2012

This is to make up for last week's post.  Sorry 'bout all the sugar!  Here's a meal that I made last week and I was sort of dubious but it turned out really tasty.  Unlike last week's recipe, this one is full of healthy goodness.  Protein, Iron, Fiber, Healthy Fats, etc etc.  Recipe and photo from These Peas are Hollow.  

Read more »

Filed under:

Meal Monday

Written up on November 12th, 2012

So this isn't actually a meal.  And it's definitely not one of my "you're breastfeeding and this is a great, easy, healthy, nutrient-rich, organic, hippy dippy dish" recipes.  It's more like a "hey, it's the holiday season and I'm craving sweet carbs" kind of recipe.  Stay tuned if you so desire.  

Read more »

Filed under:

Election Day

Written up on November 6th, 2012

It's election day and I'm seeing SO many posts on Facebook about voting that I'm starting to get a little tired of it.  And it's not even noon!  I already voted, btw - don't get nervous.  But when I saw this story, I thought it only fitting to post it here.    A Chicago woman in labor, with her water broken and contractions only 5 minutes apart, stopped at the polls on the way to the hospital to cast her vote!   Pretty amazing, don't you think?   

Galicia Malone (credit: Cook County Clerk's Office)

Filed under:

Reading Nook Inspiration

Written up on November 5th, 2012

I've had an idea spinning around in my head for a few months about creating a reading nook in the boys' closet.  Nothing major but we have ample closet space for the first time in our life and all of the boys' clothes fit in their dresser.  So there is nothing in their closet and I got the inspiration from pinterest (where else, right?) and I'm sorting out what I want it to look like and what supplies I'm going to need.   I like the curtain rod idea to make it seem like a fort.    Cool lighting, books, lots of pillows and blankets.  I might use Isaiah's old crib mattress if it will fit.   

 

And then I found this page on the MPMK website from last year.  It has a whole bunch of inspiration for making a book nook for your kids.  Take a look and see which ones you like.  

Filed under:

Funny

Written up on October 17th, 2012

I saw this on a friend's Facebook feed and thought it was pretty great.  You know those last weeks of pregnancy when you're unbearably uncomfortable, you haven't slept in weeks, your feet look like hamburger patties, folks feel nervous that you might go into labor on their couch, and EVERYONE is emailing, calling, texting, tweeting and messaging, asking if you've had the baby yet?  Well, now you can just direct them here.  


For the record, yes, that's me.  And no, that's not a real martini.

Filed under:
Syndicate content