Easing Into Parenting – There’s an App for that!

When you’re pregnant, it seems like so much of your planning is for the birth. But have you though about what comes next? What do you need to plan for parenting. You’ve stoked up on diapers, you’ve decorated the nursery, you’ve washed all the baby clothes and assembled the crib. But what else might you need?

Consider downloading the Health & Parenting Baby+ App. Sometimes those early days are all a blur – the feedings, diapering, self-care (the brief moments you have for that!), sleep deprivation. The Baby+ App can help you keep track of it all.

Feedings: Newborns eat often. And while you think you’ll remember when baby ate last, you may find yourself thinking “was that the last feeding? Maybe that was yesterday?” Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, you can note the time and amount of the last meal for your baby. And when your baby is ready for solids, there’s space for that, too.

Diaper changes: Diaper changes are as frequent as feedings, if not more so! If you’re tracking the number of wet and dirty diapers each day to be sure your baby is getting enough to eat, the App is a convenient place to note it.

Sleep: Along with lots of diapers and feedings, babies sleep plenty. It’s just not consolidated into one long stretch like most adults. Is your baby sleeping regularly? When was his last nap? How long was it? Is he sleeping too long and missing feedings? How many times did he wake last night? The App allows you to note all this so you can look back when you’re not so sleep deprived! The sleep chart gives you a quick snapshot of when your baby is typically sleeping – so it’s easy to know when you can run to the store without interrupting a regular naptime!

Development: First smiles, rolling, sitting, holding a toy, babbling then talking … so many changes happen so fast. The App’s convenient timelines give you an idea of what to expect each week. And the daily guides will provide even more details about what to expect each week of your baby’s first year.

First smiles: The Face-a-Day feature allows you to take a picture of your baby each and every day, while the diary and memories are a baby book at your fingertips!

Other features include:

  • a white noise generator and a collection of lullabies – in case you’ve got a baby who won’t settle into sleep and you need a little extra help,
  • breastfeeding tips and videos,
  • logs for vaccinations, medications and doctor visits, and
  • tips for your own postpartum recovery.

The App is designed to continue where the Pregnacny+ App left off – at the birth of your new baby. You can continue to track baby’s progress up to his first birthday. The App can be used for more than one child – giving you a handy place to check how often your firstborn fed when you’re trying to figure out if your second born is eating often enough.

Have you tried the Health & Parenting Baby+ App yet? What are your favorite features?

Written by Michelle, writer, editor, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

I Swore I’d Never …

One day, I caught myself yelling, “If you lick your sister one more time ….” Did I really utter those words? And, loud enough that the neighbors likely heard me? Sometimes, I hear my own mother’s voice when I say, “cut it out” – cut what out, my kids probably think, or more likely, where are the scissors? Apart from things I say, I know there are things I do that I never would have imagined before having kids.

Here are 20 things I’ve heard parents swear they would never do but can’t help doing now that they have small children:

  1. I’d never eat food dropped on the floor. (OK – well maybe only at home.)
  2. I would never let my kids eat that. (whether “that” is candy, chocolate, dog food … I mean, it happens ….)
  3. I’d never hold a fussy baby for the entire day – she’s going to spoil that baby!
  4. My child would never throw a tantrum like that in public.
  5. I’d never offer my toddler M&Ms as a reward for pottying.
  6. I’d never let my baby (toddler? preschooler?) sleep in my bed.
  7. My children will all sleep through the night.
  8. I’m never having another baby. (This goes along with “We are never having sex again.”)
  9. I would never let my toddler have a pacifier once he’s walking.
  10. I’d never let my baby use me as a pacifier.
  11. I’d never breastfeed a baby who has teeth.
  12. I’d never breastfeed a child who can talk and ask for it.
  13. I’ll never let my kids watch [fill in the blank] on television (or even watch TV at all).
  14. I will never say, “because I said so” to my children.
  15. I will never say, “when I was your age” to my kids.
  16. I would never go out of the house looking like that.
  17. I will never wear mom jeans (or yoga pants or sweatpants).
  18. I’d never let my child dress that way.
  19. I would never change my plans because of my kids.
  20. I would never let my kids rule me that way.

Next time you catch yourself in one of these statements, step back and think about your own biases and actions. Then give the parents – or yourself – a break. Parenting is hard enough without the judgment of others. All parents need support – you’re all in the same boat.

What about you – what are you doing that you swore you’d never do?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Inspiration for Mothering

When it’s going well, mothering is fun, rewarding, joyous, awe-inspiring. But there are times when moms need a little inspiration to keep going – to feel like we’re making a difference in the world and that all of our efforts are worth it. Affirmations help us put the power of positive thinking to work in our own lives.

Take the following affirmations and put them around your house – on your bathroom mirror, your dresser, the changing table, the fridge, inside a kitchen cabinet door. When you feel the need for connection with other mothers or a pick-me-up when your day’s not going well, read one quote and keep it in mind throughout your day. Repeat the affirmations to yourself as a prayer to get through your more challenging days.

  1. My mothering is helping my baby grow and thrive.
  2. I can handle any problem I face. Adversity makes me a stronger mother.
  3. I am slowing down to be present with my baby throughout the day.
  4. I am not afraid to ask for help if I need it.
  5. I love my baby.
  6. A fussy baby is not a reflection on my mothering.
  7. I give love freely to my baby, and freely accept my baby’s love and trust.
  8. I am learning to parent with confidence.
  9. Each day, I am a better mother.
  10. I trust my intuition.
  11. I am a calm island for my baby in a stormy world.
  12. I am in harmony with my baby.
  13. No mother is perfect. Each day I am learning something new.
  14. Mothering my baby is joyful and filled with wonderful surprises.
  15. I appreciate my baby and my life each day.
  16. My baby is unique, and my mothering is tailored to meet his or her needs.
  17. My baby accepts my flaws without judgment, helping me accept them, too.
  18. I am strong, and grow stronger in my mothering each day.
  19. I believe in myself as a mother.
  20. I am a good mother.

What are your favorite mothering mantras? What can you add to the list?

 

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Mothers are Priceless

You know you work hard all day – childcare, housekeeping, and maybe even paid employment on top of it all. It’s not easy, and it’s often thankless. While motherhood does come with its own rewards, what if you were rewarded in terms of a paycheck?

Here’s the median annual salary (in 2014 US dollars) for a number of jobs moms routinely perform (taken from a recent survey by salary.com):

  • CEO     $167,900
  • Psychologist     $81,000
  • Facilities Manager     $65,800
  • IT / Computer Tech     $34,200
  • Cook     $29,200
  • Van Driver     $28,400
  • Day Care Teacher     $26,700
  • Housekeeper     $21,200
  • Janitor     $21,100
  • Laundry Operator     $21,000

If you calculate the number of hours at each of these jobs during a regular work week (including overtime pay), stay-at-home moms would earn an average of US$118,000 annually, and working moms would earn an average of US$70,000 annually in addition to their pay from their out-of-home employment. Add to that other family jobs you might do – nurse, accountant, administrative assistant, logistics supervisor – and you would probably make even more!

Studies about how moms work have found that stay-at-home moms work about 90 hours each week, mainly doing the tasks for the jobs listed above. For moms who are employed outside the home, 50 hours per week is still devoted to their “mom jobs” in addition to their paid employment.

In the US, 70% of women with children work outside the home, and many of these women are the main breadwinners for their families. While partners are doing more, a disproportionate share of the housekeeping and childcare still falls on moms.

While the pay scale may be different around the world, the fact that moms put in many hours of skilled labor without a paycheck is true nearly everywhere. Take a moment to appreciate yourself and all the work you do. Remind other moms that they are doing a great job, and call your own mom to thank her for the time she put in at all the odd jobs without pay.

Then, remind yourself of the rewards you do get – watching your children learn and grow is sometimes payment enough.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Mommy Mush Brain

Do you find yourself walking into a room and completely forgetting why you’re there? Are you not remembering to do things unless they’re on your “to-do” list? Do you look down at your baby and think, “When was the last time I fed you? Did I just change you? Was it yesterday or the day before that you had a bath?” You’re not losing your mind – you just have mommy mush brain.

While your forgetfulness may seem like a liability, the changes your brain undergoes when you have a baby are amazing adaptations to becoming a mother, and may be necessary for time investment and caretaking behaviors toward your baby.

Your emotions are all over the place.
Your hormones change during pregnancy, and experience a huge shift again at birth and throughout the postpartum period. Oxytocin is the main hormone; and, the more involved you are in caring for your baby, the higher the levels. Other hormones, like prolactin, adrenaline, nor-adrenaline and estrogen are also active in mom’s body. This hormone cocktail is what causes you to cry at sappy commercials or simply when thinking about your baby in the days after birth.

Your brain grows.
Amazingly, your brain actually increases in volume after your baby is born. The parts of your brain controlling empathy, pleasure, anxiety and sociability increase in activity and size when you have a baby (even during pregnancy). These changes are led by hormones – the same ones that give you the tiger mother protectiveness toward your newborn, the same ones that make you a nervous wreck when you think of all the bad things that could happen, and the same ones that make you love your offspring unconditionally.

Your mothering behavior is fueled by the pleasure centers of the brain.
Oxytocin, the hormone of love, surges at birth, and is present throughout breastfeeding. It’s the hormone released when you hold someone’s hand, stroke your baby’s skin, cuddle your baby close, share a meal with a friend. Oxytocin makes us feel good – and this lights up the parts of the brain associated with pleasure. While you may doubt that waking 10 times a night to settle a baby is pleasurable, the release of oxytocin ensures that you will keep caring for your baby – you are addicted to your baby in a good way.

Some changes are temporary, while others last a lifetime.
The forgetfulness new moms experience seems to be a temporary change – so you can look forward to restored memory capability! But researchers are just starting to determine what changes permanently alter a woman’s brain. They believe it’s likely that your brain never quite returns to the way it was before having a baby – new connections and pathways are established that may change your brain forever (usually in a positive way!). Another strange change that researchers aren’t sure what to make of is that they have found male chromosomes in the brains of moms who have given birth to boys.

Breastfeeding causes changes, too.
A breastfeeding mom and baby are called a dyad for a reason – their interdependence and linked systems work together and both change as a result. The milk-making neurological pathways of your brain are continually reinforced and enlarged each time your baby eats. Again, it’s oxytocin mainly at play. Not only is oxytocin released (ensuring loving maternal behaviors) but new receptors are created, increasing your sensitivity to the hormone. Breastfeeding also lowers the response to stress hormones – which could save the brain from the damaging effects of anxiety over the long-term.

Research about how women’s brains change in pregnancy and motherhood can inform future medical treatments for individual women. Therapies that may work on a never-pregnant woman might not be effective for women who have given birth. In addition, researchers are mapping the way the brain works during mothering to help those who have postpartum mood disorders.

So, next time you lose your phone or misplace the car keys, instead of worrying that you’re going crazy, embrace the changes and know that you’re officially part of the new mom’s club.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

10 Ways to Improve the Family Diet

We’ve all heard that to eat healthy you should limit this and add that to your diet. Paleo, clean eating, high protein, low protein, low carb, low fat, sugar free. And on and on and on. With having a new baby, you may notice that you’re a little more conscious of what you’re eating. And when your baby starts eating solid foods, you may really start to focus on what goes in that little body. You may even find that as time goes by, your overall family diet has improved.

The earlier you start to shape your child’s eating habits, the easier it is to eat well as a family. Some parents, though, need help themselves to change the way they eat. If you’re struggling, here are some ideas to get you on the right path:

Always have a family dinner. Have at least one meal each day where everyone sits together. This gets difficult as your children get older and more involved in school and extracurricular activities. Even for working parents this may be a challenge. But it’s one of the easiest ways to reconnect as a family on a daily basis. Family meals help children learn social skills along with healthy eating habits. Research shows that when kids eat a family meal, they are less likely to have behavioral problems and more likely to excel academically.

You’re in control of what you buy. Spend your money on healthy foods, and limit (or avoid spending money on) processed, sugary, high fat foods. Increase the number and variety of fruits and vegetables you eat. Eat across the rainbow – include foods with lots of different colors, which will help you increase the diversity of nutrients you get. Aim for fresh ingredients and limit the number of ready-made processed foods you purchase.

Make a healthy snack list. This is especially helpful as your kids get older, but adults can definitely benefit from this, too. Healthy eating doesn’t mean you need to completely forgo all dessert or treats – but they should be just that … something special you eat only occasionally and in moderation. Snacking can help to keep your blood sugar regular which will keep you feeling better. But come up with a list of healthy choices

Avoid the clean plate rule. Stop eating when you’re no longer hungry, even if there’s food left on the plate. Keep this rule in mind with your children, too – allow them to determine when they’ve had enough, and trust what they say. If they’re hungry soon after a meal, having only healthy snack choices (especially fruits and vegetables) make it easier to feel good about frequent eating.

Plan your menu. Having a set list when you enter the grocery store will help you to avoid impulse purchases while you’re there. As your child gets older, include him in meal planning. Have your child help you shop. Learning to connect meals with food selection teaches a lifelong skill. In fact, planting a garden at home can help your child understand even more about where his food comes from.

Cook together. Even toddlers can help to prep foods. You can teach safe kitchen skills, and make meals together with healthy, fresh ingredients. Just the act of contributing to the preparation makes it more likely you child will at least try the food.

Picky eaters make it much harder. When trying new foods or meals, include at least one food your child likes (this is true for adults, too, if you’re trying to change the way you eat). Don’t give in to making separate meals when your child fusses and refuses food. It’s your job to provide healthy food choices, and it’s your child’s decision whether or not to eat it.

Look at a whole day or a whole week rather than worrying over every meal. You can get caught up in a battle when you’re feeling stressed over every bit you or your child take. If you want to eat healthier overall, take a look at one week at a time. What positive changes did you make, and what do you still want to do differently?

Drink more water. Ditch the juice and soda. No need to make sugary kids’ drink mix. Offer water as the beverage of choice from the very start and your children will grow up not knowing any different.

Start slowly. You don’t need to drastically overhaul the way you and your family eat. Make it a one-week experiment. Or try changing one small thing (adding a vegetable to every meal, for example) for a set amount of time, then reassess. It’s a myth that it takes 21 days of doing something to make it a habit – it can take 2 months, one year, a lifetime to change the way you eat. But for your children, it’s much easier to instill good habits from the start than to break bad habits later.

What changes have you made toward healthy family eating?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

The Mindful Mama

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is bringing ones full attention to the present moment. Mindfulness in parenting means paying close attention to what’s happening here and now rather than thinking about down-the-road outcomes. While it doesn’t mean you are allowing your child to run free without consequences, it does mean that you are recognizing moment-to-moment thoughts and feelings without judging yourself or your child. Once you see the actions for what they are, you can move to more authentically resolving any problems.

Practicing mindfulness allows you to truly focus on your child’s unique needs, rather than getting caught up in reacting to behaviors. You are then able to let go of the way things should be and instead accept the way things are.

What are the benefits?

Mindfulness has been shown to alleviate anxiety, lessen depression, decrease substance abuse, and reduce reactivity to stress. When mothers use mindfulness in their interactions with their children, they feel empowered as parents and emotionally connected with their kids. They are less troubled by developmentally appropriate behaviors, and are less stressed overall.

Children learn from their parents’ behaviors, and those who are parented mindfully tend to learn mindfulness easily. Mindfulness decreases behavioral problems and substance use, as well as increases a sense of self-control and well-being.

How to be more mindful:

Mindfulness takes practice, and nobody is perfect all the time. As long as you are striving to improve your reactions and interactions, you are winning at the mindfulness game.

  • Learn more about it: There are books, web pages, workbooks, blogs, Twitter feeds, etc. all geared toward mindful living. In addition to learning what mindfulness is, take time to practice every single day – even if it’s just for 5 minutes. There are loads of ways to teach kids to tune in – they are probably better at it than us (have you ever tried to get a toddler to stop focusing on playing when it’s time to go?).
  • Tune in to your self talk: We are often our own worst critics. Accepting yourself is the first step in accepting your children as individuals. Tune in to your thinking about yourself and others. Are you constantly judging? Practice sitting quietly and thinking of nothing. As soon as you start to judge something, set the thought aside and once again focus on your breath, your present moment, what is happening in the immediate world around you. Over time, this practice will help you stop judging yourself and others, and allow you instead to forge strong relationships. When our children see us being kind to ourselves and others, they can’t help but learn.
  • Reacting vs. responding: Do you find yourself reacting to your child’s behavior because of preconceived notions of the way things should be? Who sets those rules? Are they true for everyone and every family? By responding to your child in ways that are appropriate to his own unique personality and needs, you will create a relationship based on understanding and learning rather than fear of punishment.
  • Un-schedule: Have some downtime every day – for you and for your child. When we’re always running from one activity to the next, we lose sight of whether or not those activities are enriching us or draining us.
  • Practice stress management: Learn how to actively lower your stress level when you’re feeling the strain of parenting or just of life. Two helpful tools:
    • STOP: Stop what you’re doing, Take a breath, Observe how you feel and what is happening (without judgment), and Proceed to action but much more attuned and mindful.
    • HALT: Am I Hungry? Am I Angry? Am I Lonely? Am I Tired? Just stopping what you’re doing and tuning in to what you’re feeling without judging it right or wrong will help you move on with thoughtfulness. This little phrase is helpful when you’re child is having a meltdown, too. Simply assess your child’s emotions and basic needs to make sure his tank is full.
  • Be good enough – Let go of being the ‘the perfect mom’ and instead be a mom whose imperfections are accepted. When your children see that failures are only temporary setbacks and are not a sign of bad character, they learn that it’s OK to be imperfect.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

No Sick Days For Moms

You wake feeling a little nauseous. As the day goes on, you feel fatigued. You’re pretty sure you’ve got a fever, but haven’t been able to stop and take your temperature. By the afternoon, it’s the inevitable truth – you’re sick. Now what?

While we’d like to imagine equality in our own families, the truth for most moms is that they do the disproportionate share of childcare and housework. So when mom gets sick, the whole family unravels a little.

But when you’re sick, you need to take care of yourself, and make some temporary changes until you’re feeling better.

  • Rest! Fatigue makes mothering next to impossible. If you have a baby or toddler who is still napping, sleep when they sleep. If your baby is young enough, you may get away with spending the entire day in bed napping and nursing. If he or she is home, let your partner care for the children while you rest. Your body needs to heal, and sleep is one of the best ways to do so.
  • Try home remedies: Saline nose drops, chicken soup, a humidifier … try whatever you have on hand that doesn’t take too much work.
  • Stay hydrated and eat what you can: Dehydration and hunger make fatigue even worse. Sip broths or electrolyte replenishing drinks (especially if you’ve been vomiting) and nibble on bland foods (remember the BRAT diet for illness: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).
  • Use caution with medications if you’re breastfeeding: Depending on the severity of your symptoms and the type of illness, you may want to take over the counter medications, or your doctor may prescribe medications to treat your illness. Check with a lactation consultant or your baby’s doctor to make sure any drugs you take (including herbs) are safe for a breastfeeding baby. Even if you’re not breastfeeding, you’ll want to know if a medication is going to make you sleepy – which could really impact your childcare abilities.
  • Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to call for reinforcements. If your partner can take the day off from work, great. Or ask family or friends to substitute for you for a day.
  • Do the bare minimum to get through the day: Spend the day on the couch, and let the kids play or watch TV nearby. Gate them into the same room if you need to.
  • Let it go: Whether it’s the housekeeping, the amount of time your children are spending in front of a screen, or the complete lack of nutritional balance in their meals, let it all go for a day until you’re feeling better.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, you may wonder if it’s acceptable to nurse your baby when you’re sick. If you’re up to it, then by all means keep breastfeeding. Your body started making antibodies to the illness likely before you even realized you were sick. And these immunities are passed to your baby through breastmilk. Sometimes the nursing baby is the only one in the family who doesn’t get sick! Sometimes when a mom is very ill, her milk supply drops. With frequent nursing after you’re feeling better, your milk supply should rebound.

Cover your cough, no kissing your baby, and be sure to wash your hands often to avoid spreading germs to your children or your partner.

What tips do you have for getting through an illness when you’re trying to care for others?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

You Are a Goddess, Mom!

Many cultures around the world and across the ages have woman-centered creation myths. These might be stories of a goddess birthing culture, or tales about how the world itself was created. Often pregnancy, birth and motherhood themselves have the protection of a goddess or saint.

The Earth Mother is a common theme among these creation stories. She is a fertile goddess embodying the fertile earth. She is typically the mother of other gods and goddesses, and is seen as protector of motherhood. One creation story in Chinese culture, for instance, is that the earth mother, Nu Wa, who created humans from mud until she tired of the work and gave humans the job of procreating themselves.

Many creation stories pair an earth mother with a sky father to give birth to a society or culture. For instance, the Greek earth mother, Gaia, gave birth to the sky god, Uranus, and they produced the first generation of Greek gods and goddesses. Among the Maori, the creation myth pairs the earth mother, Papa, with the sky father, Ranji. They were locked in an eternal embrace until their child, Tane, separated them by pushing his father up to become the sky and his mother down to become the earth. Once this was accomplished, the rest of the nature gods could be born.

Goddesses and earth mothers tend to be tied to the unknown aspects of creation, giving them power but also making them both awed and feared. The connection of fertility, birth and death is seen in many cultures.

  • The Morrigan, a Celtic goddess, controlled life, death and sexuality.
  • Juno, the ancient Roman goddess, is the guardian of women and childbirth. Hera is her Greek counterpart. In Celtic cultures, this goddess is Brigit.
  • Egyptians believed the goddess, Meskhenet, presided over birth and arranged each baby’s destiny. Meshkenet’s symbol was often found on the birthing tile over which Egyptian mothers squatted when giving birth.
  • Also in Egyptian mythology, Isis is the protector of mother, child and family.
  • While not a goddess, the Theotokos, or Mary, Mother of God, serves as the Christian saint with a connection to birth. Being the Virgin Mary, she is the spiritual mother of all Christianity.

The story of the creation of the Milky Way is another great connection to womankind. One version of the Greek legend of how the Milky Way was formed claims that Zeus decided to let his infant son, Heracles, nurse from his divine wife Hera (and not Heracles’s mother) while she was sleeping to give the baby godlike qualities since his mother was mortal. When Hera woke up and realized that she was breastfeeding an unknown infant, she pushed him away and the spurting milk became the many stars of the Milky Way.

Creation myths and earth mothers are a way for cultures to explain the unknown. But they can also be a way for modern mothers to feel more connected with creation. Now that you are a mother, you are a goddess! Allow yourself to feel that kinship with other women now and in the past. Feel connected to creation. Know you are part of the cycle of life, no matter what culture or religion you belong to.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.