Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness
Fitness
April 22, 2015
Are you ready for Summer? We sure are...our friend Heidi Powell recently used our Performance Ventus Carrier to show us some moves you can do with baby. Head over to Heidi's blog to see the full workout you can do with your little one in tow!
Please use caution when attempting any of the carries, exercise or activities highlighted on this blog, social media or any other content channels. Please use common sense and caution when using a baby carrier. You should consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program. For more information, see our Disclaimer.
Health & Wellness
Matrescence
March 26, 2015
Clockwise: @ashleyanielson // @marylauren // @firstimefarmers // @kauilife
Here's a round up of some of our favorite mamas to follow on Instagram. We'll be doing this feature once a month and hope to share some of the inspiring women who fill our feed with beauty each day in the spirit of sharing the love in this wonderful community. We hope you enjoy! xo Dani
Health & Wellness
January 14, 2015
Everyone is always concerned with baby and their positioning while they are in an ergonomic baby carrier, and justifiably so. However, as parents we always forget about ourselves. What about our position, our posture? All too often we are slumped over, just trying to get through the day. Parenting can be hard and is definitely time consuming, so is it any wonder we forget to pay ourselves some attention. Did you know that by doing a few simple exercises you will not only improve your posture but your energy and mood! It’s true, and easy! Below are a few exercises that will leave you feeling tall, strong, and ready to tackle parenthood again.
Wall Angels
Health & Wellness
Mental Health
November 17, 2014
The good things about holidays include extended family, lots of rich food/drinks, and a break from the routine. The bad news is that they also include extended family, lots of rich food/drinks, and a break from the routine. With a lot of everything going on, many of us, especially new parents, may be more vulnerable to stress, anxiety and depression. Here are my top tips to prevent stress and depression during the holidays and stay balanced.
1. Take time to check in with yourself.
Amidst the chaos of full houses and family gatherings, the “noise” can make it hard to hear your own needs and feelings. Find an excuse to take 15 minutes by yourself. Practice whatever helps you clear your mind, such as deep breaths, stretching and yoga, a mindfulness meditation, a bubble bath, music,
Health & Wellness
Sleep
October 13, 2014
I love teaching Infant Massage. It's such a wonderful way to introduce new parents to the concept of mindfulness, being fully present with your baby and learning their uniqueness. Many parents don't realize until they are learning the strokes, that their infants (some as young as 4-6 weeks) have been communicating their personalities and preferences from the moment of birth! We teach parents to ask for permission before they start the massage by rubbing their hands together to warm up the oil, show the baby their hands and say "May I massage your legs and feet?" Some parents chuckle, thinking this is a little silly, that a baby can't possibly understand, but after massaging their babies for only a few days, they start to observe their baby's cues...do they look them in the eyes with interest? Give them a smile? Maybe show excitement by kicking their feet? Or do they turn away, yawn, or even pout or cry? This early respectful interchange is wiring our baby's brain for the capacity for
Health & Wellness
Fitness
September 02, 2014
Whether it’s your first venture into motherhood or you’ve walked this journey before, bringing a life into the world is a task unlike any other. From having your days filled with diaper duty and sleepless nights to getting in as much cuddle time as possible and being lost in your little love’s eyes, the one thing we can all agree on as new moms is that we’re much shorter on time for ourselves than we used to be. You are your best self when you take some quality time. And because we know how hard that is to come by for the first few months, Ergobaby and I have teamed up to create yoga sequences for you that allow you to incorporate your babe right into your practice, safely nestled into your Ergobaby Wrap.
We’ll be offering a practice for each quarter of the first year, to take you through the newborn phase all the way up until your little one has their first birthday. You can do the practice pose
Health & Wellness
Matrescence
May 27, 2014
My husband and I can’t help but laugh over all the things we never thought we’d say as parents that pop out of our mouths (“What did I just tell you?” “Listen to your mother.”) We love our kids to bits, but man, is being a parent tough sometimes! In the new book All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior digs deep into this push-pull conundrum, looking at how parenting has changed over the last half century. She talked with me about some of the fascinating things she learned.
In All Joy and No Fun, you explore how, as parents today, we feel that the overall job of parenting is incredibly satisfying and fulfilling—all joy—but the day-to-day stuff completely wears us out—no fun. But you also discovered that that’s in great part because modern parents demand so much of themselves, right?
We do demand so much of ourselves! And
Health & Wellness
Matrescence
April 30, 2014
In the United States, the speed with which a mother recovers from birth and “gets her body back” is measured in weeks, not months. Magazines flaunt celebrities who lost the baby weight in just 2 weeks, dashed back to work after a mere month, while effortlessly bouncing a baby on their hip. Women are expected to return to work 6 weeks after giving birth, just as if nothing had happened. We are one of the only cultures that does not value the importance of slowing down and asking for support in the postpartum year. I would like to help change that. Here are ten tips for how you can enhance your physical, emotional and mental health in the first year after giving birth – whether this is your first or fifth baby.
Stay in Bed
As long as you can! Take all the help you can get in the first year after your baby/babies are born, and don’t feel guilty about it. A midwife I know has this rule of thumb: 1st week – in the bed, 2nd week -‐ around the bed, 3rd week around the house, 4th
Health & Wellness
Matrescence
April 03, 2014
We are honored and thrilled that three of our favorite designing mamas agreed to submit designs for our latest Design Contest! All three mamas have amazing style, taste and love of life! We're so proud to be working with them. Take a moment to get to know the lovely ladies behind the designs.
Kristina meltzer of 100 Layer Cakelet
Kristina's blog 100 Layer Cake and it's latest incarnation for families, 100 Layer Cakelet are the go-to spots for beautiful and inspiring ideas for weddings, kids' parties and family fun. This multi-talented mama is a freelance graphic designer, backyard farmer, cookbook reader, project starter, and has two gorgeous little boys. We look forward to her daily dose of beauty in everyday things and her easy, lovely California style.
We love working
Health & Wellness
February 12, 2014
We're still deep in cold & flu season and it's still important to stay healthy during this season of sniffles and seemingly constant coughs. Are you overwhelmed by the amount of Tylenol and antibiotics you take every year? Read on for some holistic tips on thriving through cold and flu season…
1. Wear a scarf
Grandma was right! It is crucial to cover your neck, especially the back of your neck and the occipital ridge. There is a saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine, “wind is the leader of a thousand diseases.” Cover your neck (and head too, when it’s really cold) so the wind doesn’t whisk pathogens into the body via the acupuncture points along the back of the neck and head. Even during summer, it’s important to keep our necks covered and away from drafts when we are constantly in and out of air conditioning.
2. Get Acupuncture
It is especially important to get acupuncture at the change