Are you over-working yourself?
The thing about being a mother, is, you have to do it all. Everything. All the time. Your job starts at 7 or 8 every morning and ends at 8 or 9pm, every day, weekdays, weekends, and holidays, and you are on call 24/7. I acquired a sinus infection a few days ago and it occurred to me that I was working too hard.
When I had mastitis when my son was just 10 days old, my midwife told me that the main culprit of getting it was doing too much and putting strain on your body. Since mastitis is just an infection of the breast, could it be that mastitis, along with sinus infections, are caused by stress? Yes. According to LiveStrong, "chronic stress can make an individual susceptible to several infections, including those of the sinuses"
Let me tell you, I totally didn't feel very feminine! In fact, I didn't want to do much at all. Our bodies are very smart... when we need to rest and choose not to, our bodies will make us rest. Every time I deal with something like this, I have been exerting too much on my body. Usually caused by a number of things, like lack of sleep, trying to move, trying to throw a big party, etc.
Having this infection reminds me yet again that I am over-doing it. I have the right to take it easy and slow down a bit! Just because I am a woman, doesn't mean that I have to hurt myself in the process.
Meditating helps relieve some of the stress, but the best thing to do, is to avoid it completely. Know your limits! If your child needs you, and dinner needs to be done, if you're feeling overwhelmed, take it easy!!! Grab a handful of almonds and some fruit and call it a mini-snack (for whoever needs dinner, you, kids, hubby, etc) while you sit with the little one and breathe! Being a Mom is hard enough without the added problems of stress-creating sickness.
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It is OK to relax when you need to, and occasionally skip the dishes to opt for more sleep. It is OK to read a book instead of scrubbing the baseboards. It is OK to feel feminine instead of sick!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
"I am BEAUTIFUL!"
There's a beauty with the balance of feminine and masculine within our bodies. If the chemicals aren't balanced correctly, we might feel "out of sorts" or not beautiful. An easy way of balancing those chemicals in the brain and in our bodies is to pay yourself a compliment. Another simple way is to accept a compliment.
Simple, yes. Easy? Most likely not. When was the last time you stood in front of a mirror, and said, "You are beautiful," "You look amazing," "You are a wonderful and caring person," or something along those lines? When was the last time you said, "Thank you very much!" when someone said something nice to you?
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Every time a person compliments you, how do you respond? Do you accept the compliment graciously, or do you brush them off? Did you know that someone paying a compliment actually means it? They are telling us the truth. I promise.
Think of it this way: I walk up to someone and tell them that the sky is blue, and they brush me off, saying something along the same lines as we usually do about it not being true (oh, I had a bad hair day, or I don't look beautiful because I was running late, or my nose is too crooked, how can I be beautiful?) and they walk away. I am hurt because they didn't believe me that the sky is blue.
Next time someone pays you a compliment, don't brush them off, because it is self defeating and it hurts their feelings. Say, "Thank you very much for the compliment! It makes me feel beautiful (nice, happy, etc)!" and MEAN it! They wouldn't say it if they didn't!
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Something I'd like you to do, right now, is go stand in front of a reflective surface of some sort, and tell yourself something wonderful. That seems easy enough, right? Do you actually compliment yourself or do you notice yourself criticizing your flaws (my eyebrows need plucked, I have a zit, my nose is crooked, etc)? I want you to go in front of that mirror and notice all the beauty on your body (I have great cheekbones, my eyes are a stunning color, when I smile my eyes light up, my hair looks beautiful today, etc), without saying anything negative about what you see. Count 10 or more things that you LOVE about yourself. Say them out loud. Every time you think of something negative, add 3 more positives to your list to counter it. Go on, what are you still sitting here for?!?!?
Simple, yes. Easy? Most likely not. When was the last time you stood in front of a mirror, and said, "You are beautiful," "You look amazing," "You are a wonderful and caring person," or something along those lines? When was the last time you said, "Thank you very much!" when someone said something nice to you?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Every time a person compliments you, how do you respond? Do you accept the compliment graciously, or do you brush them off? Did you know that someone paying a compliment actually means it? They are telling us the truth. I promise.
Think of it this way: I walk up to someone and tell them that the sky is blue, and they brush me off, saying something along the same lines as we usually do about it not being true (oh, I had a bad hair day, or I don't look beautiful because I was running late, or my nose is too crooked, how can I be beautiful?) and they walk away. I am hurt because they didn't believe me that the sky is blue.
Next time someone pays you a compliment, don't brush them off, because it is self defeating and it hurts their feelings. Say, "Thank you very much for the compliment! It makes me feel beautiful (nice, happy, etc)!" and MEAN it! They wouldn't say it if they didn't!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Something I'd like you to do, right now, is go stand in front of a reflective surface of some sort, and tell yourself something wonderful. That seems easy enough, right? Do you actually compliment yourself or do you notice yourself criticizing your flaws (my eyebrows need plucked, I have a zit, my nose is crooked, etc)? I want you to go in front of that mirror and notice all the beauty on your body (I have great cheekbones, my eyes are a stunning color, when I smile my eyes light up, my hair looks beautiful today, etc), without saying anything negative about what you see. Count 10 or more things that you LOVE about yourself. Say them out loud. Every time you think of something negative, add 3 more positives to your list to counter it. Go on, what are you still sitting here for?!?!?
Thursday, September 13, 2012
You are sexy, and... Nursing?
Whether you choose to wear dresses and heels or tees and sneakers, you are feminine. You are a feminine mother.
The most feminine thing you can do with your body do womanly things. You have the ability to love and nurture, to nourish and protect, to give life and happiness.
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What I want to discuss today, is nursing. Because I know that there are a ton of women who feel nursing is not sexy, I'd like to show you that despite popular belief, it is possible to feel sexy while lactating and nursing a child.
It is completely natural to nurse a baby. With my first, I was ashamed to nurse in public, or even in my own home with visitors, because of what people might say or think. I was afraid of my ability to have confidence and conviction in what I was doing, and that made me feel self-conscious.
Here are a few tips to feel comfortable nursing your child:
*Grab or make an easy nursing cover with a super cute fabric. Remember that it is hot in the summer, so something very very light (sheer or opaque might be great, because if someone can see through it, they're staring too much!)
*Wear a sexy print or lace nursing bra instead of the frumpy shapeless ones. This one is on target.com (you can hardly tell it's a nursing bra, huh?! but look at the clips!):
*Skip the shapeless nursing shirts with huge holes in the front and go for comfortable and forming knit tops. Lift the bottom hem up over the bra, and the baby covers your tummy! I recommend not wearing shirts that easily wrinkle though.
*If you are a leaker, there is nothing that feels more unsexy than having wet spots on your shirt. Nursing pads can get expensive, or the outline sometimes shows through, or they could be inconvenient. When you are shopping for a nursing bra, find one that has a durable cup, and the leaking stays contained! Yes, you have to wash it more often, but if you are like me, it's worth it! Alternatively, learn when your leaking happens. If you notice that your breasts cramp right before you leak, you can use your palm (your fingertips or forearms work too!) to press in your nipple area and it will prevent leaking!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Remember, that although nursing is not sexual, you can still feel like a woman instead of a human milk factory.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most feminine thing you can do with your body do womanly things. You have the ability to love and nurture, to nourish and protect, to give life and happiness.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
What I want to discuss today, is nursing. Because I know that there are a ton of women who feel nursing is not sexy, I'd like to show you that despite popular belief, it is possible to feel sexy while lactating and nursing a child.
It is completely natural to nurse a baby. With my first, I was ashamed to nurse in public, or even in my own home with visitors, because of what people might say or think. I was afraid of my ability to have confidence and conviction in what I was doing, and that made me feel self-conscious.
Here are a few tips to feel comfortable nursing your child:
*Grab or make an easy nursing cover with a super cute fabric. Remember that it is hot in the summer, so something very very light (sheer or opaque might be great, because if someone can see through it, they're staring too much!)
*Wear a sexy print or lace nursing bra instead of the frumpy shapeless ones. This one is on target.com (you can hardly tell it's a nursing bra, huh?! but look at the clips!):
*If you are a leaker, there is nothing that feels more unsexy than having wet spots on your shirt. Nursing pads can get expensive, or the outline sometimes shows through, or they could be inconvenient. When you are shopping for a nursing bra, find one that has a durable cup, and the leaking stays contained! Yes, you have to wash it more often, but if you are like me, it's worth it! Alternatively, learn when your leaking happens. If you notice that your breasts cramp right before you leak, you can use your palm (your fingertips or forearms work too!) to press in your nipple area and it will prevent leaking!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Remember, that although nursing is not sexual, you can still feel like a woman instead of a human milk factory.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
But I Don't Have Time!
All I have time to do is throw on some clothes and toss my hair in a pony tail! I don't have time for all that girly mumbo-jumbo! What can I do to make it easier?
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Let's take a look at a few simple ways to change it up.
When you get out of the shower in the morning, what do you do to your hair?
Towel dry it, brush it, then wrap a band around it?
An easy alternative is towel dry it, brush a part in the side, and put a little clip or something on the side without the part to hold your bangs back:
Another alternative is after you've wrapped the band around your pony tail, stick your fingers in the middle of it and flip the hair through itself:
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Quick, simple, and relatively painless. :)
Enjoy, Mama!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Let's take a look at a few simple ways to change it up.
When you get out of the shower in the morning, what do you do to your hair?
Towel dry it, brush it, then wrap a band around it?
An easy alternative is towel dry it, brush a part in the side, and put a little clip or something on the side without the part to hold your bangs back:
Another alternative is after you've wrapped the band around your pony tail, stick your fingers in the middle of it and flip the hair through itself:
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Quick, simple, and relatively painless. :)
Enjoy, Mama!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Where did your femininity go?
As I sit here drinking my morning coffee, my 6 month old baby boy is sleeping peacefully. My first child slept wonderfully at night, all night, from the age of 6 weeks old, and she always had a problem sleeping for naps during the day. My second child wakes up anywhere from 2-4 times at night, every night. I am realizing, as I type this, that some days I have absolutely no energy to do the daily duties of motherhood, let alone be feminine. Hopefully this can be a learning curve for us all.
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I used to be a jeans-and-tee kinda girl, until just a few years ago. After I met my husband, I noticed that he responded better to me when I'd dress up, or put on makeup, or fix my hair. Now, see, me changing for him wasn't what I had in mind when we got married. After all, I was an adult! I could choose how I wanted to look and dress. So I only dressed up for special occasions, and he continued to love me for myself and was patient with me.
When our daughter turned 3, she started to tell me that she liked me better in dresses and heels. Still, I continued on the same path. I find jeans and tee shirts extremely comfortable. The bigger the shirt, the more comfortable! So, why was I so resistant to wearing cute and feminine clothes? Was it because I was truly comfortable in the androgynous clothes, or because I was uncomfortable or ashamed with myself?
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What I ask you today, is to start with what is happening inside. Ask yourself questions to find out why you aren't feminine, or why you don't take pride in yourself or your body. You might be surprised to find out!
Here's a list of questions to get you started:
*When was the last time I felt feminine?
*What was my personality like?
*Did a life-changing event happen to me?
*Am I willing to try my hand at being feminine?
*What things in my life can improve by me embracing my femininity?
*Do I feel like I will lose anything?
*What am I scared of?
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This post was written to challenge ourselves to look at whatever happened. Little girls love dressing up and putting on makeup. They enjoy being a girl. I am not asking you to start right now, unless you want to, but what I am asking is:
Are you using motherhood as an excuse to not take pride in yourself, or is there an underlying issue?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I used to be a jeans-and-tee kinda girl, until just a few years ago. After I met my husband, I noticed that he responded better to me when I'd dress up, or put on makeup, or fix my hair. Now, see, me changing for him wasn't what I had in mind when we got married. After all, I was an adult! I could choose how I wanted to look and dress. So I only dressed up for special occasions, and he continued to love me for myself and was patient with me.
When our daughter turned 3, she started to tell me that she liked me better in dresses and heels. Still, I continued on the same path. I find jeans and tee shirts extremely comfortable. The bigger the shirt, the more comfortable! So, why was I so resistant to wearing cute and feminine clothes? Was it because I was truly comfortable in the androgynous clothes, or because I was uncomfortable or ashamed with myself?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
What I ask you today, is to start with what is happening inside. Ask yourself questions to find out why you aren't feminine, or why you don't take pride in yourself or your body. You might be surprised to find out!
Here's a list of questions to get you started:
*When was the last time I felt feminine?
*What was my personality like?
*Did a life-changing event happen to me?
*Am I willing to try my hand at being feminine?
*What things in my life can improve by me embracing my femininity?
*Do I feel like I will lose anything?
*What am I scared of?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This post was written to challenge ourselves to look at whatever happened. Little girls love dressing up and putting on makeup. They enjoy being a girl. I am not asking you to start right now, unless you want to, but what I am asking is:
Are you using motherhood as an excuse to not take pride in yourself, or is there an underlying issue?
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