Wyld Birth & Postpartum

Tomorrow is our last day on Instagram for the foreseeable future We’ll be sending out our weekly newsletter + blogging all things Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, + Parenthood over on our websiteIf you need us, we’ll be doula-ing & fundraising for BIPOC clients to have quality Doula support, all IRL, if you will Email us to schedule a complimentary consult for doula support or lactation support!Stay connected w us!!! DM us your email or subscribe on our website it’s been fun interacting here w you for the past 3 yrs...here’s to more deep connections irl . . : @aliciakingphoto

This is one of our favorite adaptations of a Hypnobabies affirmation. We use it regularly on ourselves + w our clients. Today feels like as good a time as any to remind our pregnant + newly postpartum friends to remain focused on your Peace. You have a critical responsibility to build a home, internally, + literally, for your babe(s) & part of that is staying safe, in all the ways. Other people’s negative thoughts- despicable terrorism- heartbreaking news- any & all sludge cannot touch you in your Bubble of Peace. Repeat it as often as you need. I protect myself in my bubble of peace. Other people’s negative thoughts are their own.

One of the hardest parts of parenthood is becoming a parent- and realizing that you can’t go back. No matter how many times people tell you beforehand, how much you *think* you know going into it, or how happy you are to make the change, it’s just a reality. You can’t go back in time.And we lean into the shifts- grieve them, mourn them, celebrate them even! We are born into parents as our babies are born earthside. We are changed completely- wearing the transformation across our bodies + souls. My what a brave new world it is We’re leaving this Instagram bubble at the end of the week DM us your email or subscribe on our website for our weekly newsletter to stay connected! We’ll continue sharing all things Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, & Parenthood over there! . . : @kashafierceeee

You’ve never been pregnant during a pandemic. Birthed during a pandemic. Parented during a pandemic before. You’re doing the absolute best you can w the knowledge + ability you have.You are doing enough & YOU ARE ENOUGH. (More than enough, actually.) Please be kind to yourself today DM us your email or subscribe on our website to our weekly newsletter- we’re leaving the ‘gram soon + we want to stay connected w YOU!! . . : @isabellsteinertfotografie via @shiphrahbirthinghome

Hello Postpartum Body! My how different you look + feel from life before pregnancy. We’ve been through a lot together. I’ve watched you grow + swell, stretch + tear, sweat + bleed. Remember all those sleepless nights when you ached until sunrise? And then felt heavy-wobbly-loose until sundown? Thank you for being a home to this tiny human. And birthing them the way you could. I know it was a tall order... I promise I’ll take care of you + love you in the best way I can. ...It may not always feel easy but I will never stop working at it. Let’s be friends. . . : @ownitbabe See more

We are SO much more than who + what we post on IG! We do incredible + mundane things, think phenomenal + boring thoughts, have intricate + unique relationships, and live full lives IRL that don’t need to rely on validation or views from the ethers! When we do something, anything, that we would typically be inclined to share on IG, first, we’ll tell ourselves lovingly + confidently, I am so proud of myself. Try this internal validation practice as a form of self-care/self love regardless of your social media practices! Try praising yourself for even the smallest accomplishment today, before anyone else witnesses or validates. Savor the Sweet!DM us your email or subscribe on our website to receive our weekly newsletter for all things Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, & Parenthood!

The notion that at any given moment, there are other people giving birth at the same time you are, can offer a sense of connection, community, + collective strength. We love to remind people that they are never alone in the patchwork quilt of Childbirth. We’re all part of the tapestry- a link in the chain, if you will At the very same time you are swaying through an intense surge, someone, anyone, anywhere else, is swaying along side you. Can you tap into the collective Childbirth consciousness? Maybe your Doula can help

First Latch Not everyone chooses to Breastfeed, or can Breastfeed, or has a choice at all. Some people Chestfeed, Bodyfeed, Induce Lactation, Suppress Lactation, Pump, Power Pump, mix formula, choose formula, have no-choice-in-the-matter-formula. We sit alone in the night sobbing, hiring all the support, talking to friends & family. Feeling stress, dread, anxiety, alone, pain, failure, celebration, triumph, joy, ease, delight. There is space for all of the feelings + exp...eriences on the Feeding Path. We see you all. Raising babies is f*cking hard and you’re doing an excellent job . . : @fitchickscook See more

Sign up for Restorative Yoga w Claireto get your Zoom link! Open to all bodies, all levels. Great way to start your week! See you tomorrow (Monday) night on Zoom!

Have you marked your calendars for our Solstice Eve Circle this Sunday 7-8:30pm?! We’re a part of the 13 Nights of Witchmas by @thatwitchlizz & we’re honored to share this offering w you! If you’re looking for a night of release + connection, please join us. Either way, please join us We’d love to see you! P.S. Pregnant people are considered High Risk for Covid. And regardless, wear a mask

Need we say more? FOR REAL though, it’s a sensitive subject for many people. We are conditioned to keep bathroom talk in the bathroom! The idea that we would poop in front of a bunch of people, let alone talk about it so freely, can cause a lot of anxiety! Here’s the truth so you can manage anxiety + expectations: You will poop You may not notice! A nurse, midwife asst, or your provider will wipe it away *immediately* If you get to the Pushing stage of childbirth ... you will likely experience pooping. If you have a Belly Birth you probably won’t! Poop tell us you’re likely pushing correctly!Pushing uses the same muscles as making a bowel movement so it’s bound to happen! We can assure you that your provider + your doula want you to feel dignified, safe, + comfortable during Childbirth. And you will poop. And both are true Wanna share any Birth/Poop stories?! We’re all ears! Leave it in the comments! See more

Pregnant in a PandemicWe see you growing humans in quarantine. We see you fighting nausea morning + night, scrolling virtual pregnancy groups looking for camaraderie, yearning to spend time w friends to answer ALL the questions about your pregnancy, pleading to spend time w your family so they can watch you transform from child to parent, caring for toddlers w/out childcare while exhausted, masked up at midwife/OB appts, inhaling every news story about vaccines, leaning on v...irtual support for mental & physical health, etc etc etc.We see you feeling lonely, isolated, sad, & anxious.You can be joyful + grateful that you’re pregnant, and sad + mournful that it’s during a pandemic. Both things are true. We read that a small study showed that anxiety rates in pregnant people rose from 29% pre-Covid, to 72%. That’s a 148% increase! All the questions + concerns, weighing out risks, isolating from friends + family, protecting yourself + your growing babe, conflicting opinions, reports, precautions. It could drive. you. mad. And finally- there’s this secret we always tell our clients. Often it comes up when birth plans go off course. Here it is- are you listening? It’s ok to grieve a plan that didn’t go the way you hoped or expected. Its not ‘overreacting’ or ‘too much’. It’s ok to grieve that your pregnancy journey doesn’t look or feel the way you always fantasized or dreamed. It’s ok to mourn the loss of all the experiences you pictured during pregnancy. And, your grief can be paired w love + excitement. Both can be true. We see you . . : @katehessin Other credits tagged in photos! See more

Have you had the opportunity to labor or birth w your family pet(s)?!We know from both our personal + professional experience that animals sense pregnancy right away. They are tender & protective, loving & fierce. Did your pup stay by your side as long as you were home?Did your kitty knead your pregnant belly?Did your pet take to the babe at first sight?Or maybe your pet was an anxious wreck?!Share your pregnancy/birth pet experience in the comments ! . . All photos tagged w credits!

Is it safe? Are you curious? Are you craving? Are you even in the mood? Did you know blood volume increases ~45+% in a pregnant body?Lots of that blood flow goes to the Breasts + Vulva resulting in easier arousal, higher sensitivity, & more intense orgasms than pre-pregnancy You may also find that the higher levels of Estrogen during pregnancy your sex drive, or you may feel that exhaustion, nausea, body changes, or physical discomfort decrease sex drive a little...or... completely.And as you travel through the weeks & months, things are bound to change, day by day, week by week, in either direction! There is NO pressure to engage in physical intimacy a/o Intercourse during pregnancy!! If you’re curious about Pregnant Sex, there are some benefits!: Having physically intimate relations is shown to lower blood pressure Orgasms trigger a release of Oxytocin which can help ease body aches or other pregnancy-related physical discomfort The release of Oxytocin can also improve your mood and help you sleep better! There are scenarios where Pregnant Intercourse is not a safe choice. Please discuss w your provider if you have a high risk pregnancy or have any doubts or questions! Did you find that you were extra aroused during parts of your pregnancy? Or extra ‘couldn’t be LESS interested if I tried’ during parts of your pregnancy?! Maybe you are/were interested but something is holding you back? There’s no right or wrong here. Share your thoughts, questions, & experiences w Pregnant Sex in the comments! See more

Unshaven Unshrunk but not unseen. The body of a goddess The shape of a queen.... In all of the realness I’m building my self esteem And who would have thought That a place like IG With the beautiful, the artsy, the curated feeds, Could work to create a new sense of self love and belief. I’m seven months postpartum, The second time, And I look 5 months pregnant Every night. Now I could show you my figure, wrapped in clothes, And I could twist this way and that, to find the perfect pose, But I’d rather strip down, And get real with myself, And tell you, that for the sake of our (collective) mental health, The BS about ‘snap back’ is a belief to be dropped, It’s rarely realistic and it needs to stop Our minds are overflowing with all of this chatter, These thoughts are imposed on us from all around = Inception. When we act on beliefs that are not our own = deception... depression. This here’s something to think about. A question: the way we look, why does it realllllly matter? . . & words: @chaneensaliee

Do you talk to yourself? Also known as Self Talk... it has a nice ring to it Though we’re here for you 24/7 (yes you read that right!) we also know that your inner voice is one of the more powerful tools in pregnancy, childbirth, + postpartum. What you tell yourself, about your abilities, your limits, your needs, and really everything else, becomes your script! Practicing being kind, encouraging, tender, + strong to yourself is a great idea during pregnancy. And during childbirth, we’ll be there right along side you reminding you of the same thing you know + tell yourself already: You Got This

What will it feel like to meet my baby? You feel those sweet flutters + kicks inside, you know those hiccups like clockwork, you feel those feet & elbows jabbing your ribs + sides but what will it feel like to see them?? To meet them?? To look into their eyes?? To kiss their forehead?? Oh if only we could bottle up that feeling and give you a taste of it now. Wherever + however you birth your baby, the face-to-face reunion is sure to be nothing short of miraculous . . : @neophotographyuy

:::Mark Your Calendar::: We are hosting a virtual Solstice Eve Circleon Sunday 12/20 at 7:30pm as part of the 13 Nights of Witchmas!!!We are joined by 12 powerful witches who are facilitating workshops each night of Witchmas, starting TONIGHT!You can buy a pass that gives you access to the entire fest or a single drop in. Swipe to see the schedule! Follow @thatwitchlizz to find ticket info in bio or go to thatwitchlizz.com Cannot wait to be back in circle w Y O U.

Though we wish we had a crystal ball to tell us the future, we do have a #birthaffirmation that tells us EXACTLY when your baby will be born! ON THEIR BIRTHDAY!! This notion falls in line w most of our musings on pregnancy + childbirth...like trusting your body, trusting your baby, listening to your intuition, etc etc. This idea that your baby will be born on their birthday can help alleviate that feeling of anticipation + anxiety when you’re either 38/39 weeks & exhausted/uncomfortable or 41/42 weeks & ready to pull that thing out yourself!! We also love to use this affirmation for our preemie warriors- as a way to process the unexpected timeline. We trust in the process + we honor & celebrate the Birth Day of your babe