By lil omm
,
In
prenatal
,
5:53 PM
Hello Mr. Milo,
I know you are in there because I feel you every day. You are a very very curious and interesting little boy, and you MUST know that your sister is dying to meet you. We have 3 days until your "due" date.. and it's been quite an adventure with you. What will you be like on the outside? There's one thing I know for sure, your sister is ANXIOUSLY awaiting your arrival. You, my sweet boy, need to come and give her some company. I think she's ready to have a partner in crime. Look at her fantastic feet and little tattooed hands. This little princess has been such a good care taker already, while you have been causing my some trouble.. she rubs my head and face with these hands and tells me "it's okay, mommy".
Mr. Milo- you are the luckiest little boy b/c you have the most amazing sister. Both Daddy and I are only children and don't know what it's like to play, tease, create adventures with and share your childhood with another child. How amazed I am by the growth of our family.
Last 4th of July, we were marching proud as the lil omm community, it was one of the happiest days I remember in a long time. This year, as we are in limbo waiting for your arrival AND for the final word on our new lil omm space.. it's a different feeling in the air, and one which I bow down and honor. Life Lessons to pass on to you and your sister about the joys and the sorrows, the highs and the lows of life. Take it all in stride, moment to moment. That's all we really have, anyway.
So, as 3 become 4 and these cramps/ contractions eventually turn into your arrival.. I will wait. I will honor this moment and hold her hand tight.
By lil omm
,
In
prenatal
,
5:40 PM
Here's one to enjoy- for your home prenatal practice.
This is how you could incorporate various versions of vinyasa.
http://gallery.me.com/pleasance#100099
By lil omm
,
3:34 PM
I'm not the shower type. We didn't have a wedding shower, engagement shower or girly baby shower. So, when it came to baby #2.. I decided to throw myself a Blessingway. What is that? A Native American Ritual to honor and bless the upcoming labor, birth, baby and delivery.
It's a girl fest, a spiritual way for women to pass on their love and knowledge to the mom and baby.
I didn't follow a TRADITIONAL Blessingway Ceremony.. instead I did my own thing.
Gathered 20 something of the most amazing women I knew.. sat in a circle, shared stories of friendship and blessings for Baby Milo, read quotes and poems to inspire. One of the most special elements of the Blessingway was that everyone brought a bead to put together on my birthing necklace ( see above). There were some amazing stories told about the beads, and some are VERY creative ( check out the placenta bead! and the lil omm bead!) Oh it's amazing.
We ate yummy food.. ( see above.. yes, that's a M for Milo in the center of the pie, surrounded by hearts, thanks KATE) , got to see a beautiful modern dance from Tami ( ha ha) and just enjoyed being together and celebrating this little boy who will be arriving at some point soon...
I didn't leave with piles of stuff. I left with a book of quotes and poems, a heart full of love , a big old amazing necklace to be treasured, and so much gratitude for all these women who are in my life.
By lil omm
,
In
community
,
11:31 AM
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By lil omm
,
In
community
,
11:17 AM
Thought some of our families would be interested in this.
Contact : riggalison@yahoo.com
Hello!
I am a member of the Mclean Gardens Babysitting Cooperative. We are looking for new members to join. Members live in Glover Park and north, as well as furthe east towards Connecticut Ave.
It is a great way to build local relationships for both parents and kids. Babysitting is paid for with credits earned from performing adminstrative functions as well as babysitting other members' childrens. There are monthly business meetings and quarterly (i think!) social meetings.
Please let me know if you are interested in joining. It would be great to get a few members in the neighborhood- living close makes the process a lot easier.
Thanks,
Alison
By lil omm
,
In
birth story
,
community events
,
5:48 PM
This past week I have told a number of students and friends what my thoughts/experience on OB/GYN care vs. Midwifery care has bee...
a little background.. Saylor was born with an OB/GYN ( who was fabulous, Dr. Deena Kleinerman) at Sibley. It was a medicated birth and pretty typical as far as first labor and delivery goes. As for my prenatal care, I would say, it was good. We had our appointments, she knew my name and we had a somewhat personal relationship. She answered questions that I had and was a pro in the delivery room. Giving me lots of time( 3 hours!) to push lil Saylor out.
When I was pregnant with my 2nd, the first person I told was Whitney Pinger, midfwife extraordinaire. I was 2 weeks pregnant, and knew she probably already had a wait list for my due date! I was introduced to Whitney first by my prenatal students in Gtown. I had many students who chose Whitney to deliver their babies. As time passed, Whitney joined forces when we started the Holistic Moms Network DC Chapter, and became a supporter of lil omm, just as I became a supporter of her newly formed WISDOM midwifery community/outreach group . A fabulous community of moms who had delivered with her and her midwives , promoting midwifery care. When Whitney moved to GW a year ago, I seriously considered delivering with her and as soon as I confirmed that I was pregnant , that's when I placed the call. It's pretty amazing to be in the hands of such a birthing power house in DC, and to learn from her. She has so much knowledge, confidence and experience as a mother of 5 herself. Her spirit and energy is all her own, and I adore her.
In my experience thus far, I'll write more ( birth story) once Milo is actually on the outside of me.. but regardless, a midwife is more like a family member, an auntie, that experienced elder who guides you through tough times. This pregnancy, I have had my fair share of ups and downs and the whole time she will hold my hand, rub my baby, talk to him, look at me in the eyes and ask how I am. She talks to me about what I am eating, ask how I am being supported, and engages with me as a WHOLE person, and not just as a short term patient. This model works well for me, as this pregnancy has seen ups and down in my personal and professional and pregnancy life, all things I have wanted to share with my midwife.
For those who don't know- this group of midwives at GW see women in DC for well visits - so if you are interested in this type of care for all your womanly needs.. you can see them without being pregnant. It's also my tip to any of my friends who WANT to have children.. is to get in with them now when you are not pregnant, and that can give you a better chance of delivering with them once you are pregnant. ( Current patients get priority ) I know that Whitney and this practice generally have a 9-10 month "wait list" meaning they are full as soon as people know they are pregnant. So I suggest you go to a meet the midwife at the hospital if you are considering having children and see if this feels right to you!
More to come on this topic after he arrives..
By lil omm
,
5:15 PM
Why Yoga?
When riding the waves of life, yoga practice is the foundation to ground me. It's no doubt that the past few weeks have thrown some unexpected curve balls my way. And daily, I say and think, "thank goodness I practice." I am so overwhelmed with FAITH that all will be good, and that our community and our changes will be better for everyone overall. In times of transition, change, unknowing, there's this space that resides for optimal expansion. That is where I am living. day by day, moment to moment and breath to breath. There are no better lessons to teach Saylor, my daughter than TO BE HERE NOW. Be awake to what is and let the flow of this amazing, spacious life take us on an unknown journey.
And , since I am 38 weeks pregnant.. if her brother is born before we find the EXACT and SPECIFIC home for lil omm, then so it is. It will be okay. It's all good. I'm working on having that not happen, looking at spaces, meeting people daily, and finding us the best lil omm home!
When I feel tension rising in my chest, or knots in my stomach. I try to stop and notice the physical effects on my body and my baby. That is yoga.
When I feel overwhelmed with emotion or hormones, I stop and close my eyes and re -center myself. I have tools to come into this day, this challenge, or this tremendous joy and see what is clear, real and present. That is yoga.
When I am so swollen at the end of the day and my 3 year old is crying b/c she's overtired and I crawl to the mat , so tired from the added weight, and heat and stress.. and I get 10 minutes of cat/cow and squats and hip openers .. that is yoga.
So you don't have to go to 90 minutes of hot -sweaty- detoxing- yoga to "practice yoga" and you certainly don't have to touch your toes.
By lil omm
,
In
community events
,
10:48 AM
Dearest WISDOM Women,
Wanted to remind you that it is the One Year Anniversary of moving our practice to GW!
We are having a party to celebrate our first year and our first 100 births at GW!
Friday, June 17 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Courtyard of The George Washington Medical Faculty Associates
(on 22nd Street between Pennsylvania and I, a block from the Foggy Bottom Metro)
See Invitation attached and bring your friends and babies!
We will hang out, have some cake and lemonade, and I will be able to introduce you to the people at GW who have made this happen. I will be giving WISDOM Awards to several of them. I hope you can join us. Also let me know if you have time Friday am to help set up for the party.
Here is a reminder about our next event after this:
4th of July Midwifery Float
We are planning to have a Midwifery Float and March in the 4th of July Palisades Parade. The parade is a great time for the families of DC.
More info below and here: http://www.palisadesdc.org/parade.htm
I am hoping that one or several of you will help me organize the WISDOM Women for this fun event. Let me know if you are interested in helping.
WISDOM blog
Follow events related to our practice on our blog:
http://wisdomwhc.blogspot.com
And let me know if you are interested in writing a post or birth story for the blog.
Blessings,
Whitney
------
About our 4th of July Midwifery Float
The DC Affiliate of ACNM is hosting a float in the Palisades Community July 4th Parade.
http://www.palisadesdc.org/parade.htm
The theme is "WHERE'S MY MIDWIFE?" We are hoping that every practice in the area will be represented by its staff and clients. We will meet at the start of the parade and march together, with our pregnant ladies! We have a truck (thank you to Erika Sawyer) at our disposal to house an eye-catching centerpiece. What about a Pregnant statue of Liberty? What about holding a sign that says A Midwife is my right! Belly Casts draped over the truck sides? Other Ideas are welcome! Some posters will be available from the Affiliate but we hope that people will be creative in producing their own. "MY MIDWIFE IS AT GW" "MY MIDWIFE IS AT HOME" "MY MIDWIFE IS AT THE FAMILY HEALTH AND BIRTH CENTER" etc.
The Palisades July 4th Parade is well-known in the city and attended by many more than those who live in the neighborhood. City officials attend as well as families from all over the city. This should prove to be a very fun way to promote each of our practices and midwifery care in general in the city.
WISDOM Midwifery Information Email
The George Washington University
Medical Faculty Associates
By lil omm
,
4:26 AM
Full term! Full term! In this big old belly, is Baby Milo.. My dear friend Michelle wrote to me Last night" I was thinking about Milo and wanted to know if you realized that Milo is like My L.O. or my lil omm. I thought that was so cool...and in two ways, especially....the one, obvious for my lil omm, like the studio, but also in that he really is your lil omm. the entire universe inside you and your biggest teacher (besides Say, of course!) Just some yummy food for thought! "
I never thought of that... all this time I thought it was Saylor who was "lil omm" but here it is.. Milo man is the true spirit and teacher of all things I want to embrace.. being present with what is. acceptance, non judgment, awareness, going with the flow, and taking each glorious day for what it is.
By lil omm
,
In
community
,
6:39 PM
"When we move with the flow, rather than resisting it, we are riding on the universal current that allows us to flow with life. "
I would never have guessed that the past week would have panned out this way. I am curious and interested as to why this particular time in my life is so full of change and transition, but it is. I also know that something bigger is happening, something so great on the path is about to unfold.
Tomorrow, 37 weeks, full term with Mr. Milo. And the day will be looking for a new lil omm home, and putting the pieces of our lost lease together, figuring out where lil omm belongs, where baby Milo and I belong. Yes, it's a lot.
"The flow is always taking you where you need to go. It' s just a matter of deciding whether you plan on taking the ride or dragging your feet."
I am going to take the ride on this one... I am going to CHOOSE to believe in our community that we CAN and will find each other on the other side and that in life we are only given what we can handle. I know that in this moment, in this time I can panic and freak out and be sad, ( which I did do and Kate and Meredith had to witness..) or I can focus on all that we do have, the 7 weeks on V St, the 3 weeks? until the baby comes, and I can just live in this moment.
"Many people live their lives struggling against this current. They try to use force or resistance to will their lives into happening the way they think it should. Others move with this flow like a sailor using the wind, trusting that the universe is taking them exactly where they need to be at all times."
I have faced many challenges in my life and looking back I know how important change and challenge is to growth and expansion. I am excited about what's the come, because I know it's going to teach me something I have yet to learn... here's to the journey.
By lil omm
,
In
community
,
5:50 PM
" I just wanted to drop you a note of thanks and let you know how much lil omm has
meant to me this last year. I was sad to read the news yesterday that the studio
is moving, but was also inspired to read your note about how community is more
than a physical space. I want you to know that I will continue to support lil
omm where ever you relocate. It has been such a wonderful place for me and now
for my baby -- I can't imagine life without it!
It was just about a year ago that I first entered lil omm for the
mindfulness-based stress reduction class. To say that course changed my life
would be an understatement, and Lil Omm, in my mind, is connected to that
transformation. It was in your studio that I finally heard some of the quiet
voices inside me that wanted to be expressed, and it was in your studio that I
really started thinking about how I wanted to live my life going forward. Even
going to the bathroom was an inspiration (seriously -- I love the cards on the
walls!) and an occasion for reflection. Lil Omm continued to be a refuge and a
source of inspiration during my pregnancy (I credit my smooth, natural birth
with many of the things I learned in class). And now, it's a place to have fun
with my baby. Sometimes, I look around the room, at the omm on the wall and am
amazed at all that has happened and changed within me in one year.
I say all this to say thank you, and to let you know that the studio will have
my support wherever you move. "
-KM, student
By Mama Bear
,
In
workshops
,
12:33 PM
Cristina shares her personal yin/yang experience and inspiration for her upcoming workshop, Yin/Yang Yoga: A Complimentary Practice. 6/11 from 3:30 - 5pm. ($30 if you enroll by Saturday, June 4, $35 anytime after).
"The practice of yin/yang yoga helps us learn about stillness in movement and the flow in stillness." - Sarah Powers
I came to yoga as many people do, through an active vinyasa practice focusing on fitness. I found that as challenging asanas grew easier, the simpler ones were growing more difficult. Easy Seat was a pain in the lower back and hips. Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold? Forget about the folding bit; just wide legged was enough for me. In my effort to achieve balance, I had only become further out of balance as I strengthened muscles without giving attention to my joints. As the years passed, it only worsened. Then I discovered Yin Yoga. By taking my muscles out of the equation and focusing on the energy within my connective tissues and fascia, I discovered opening and flow within my joints I had never imagined. They became juicer and I could feel my Prana was better able to access and heal not only my joints, but also my other organs.
Inspired, I dug deeper and learned that Yin(passive) and Yang(active) practices complement each other. Energy, Prana, or Chi flows through channels throughout our body so we need to be juicy everywhere, hence the beauty of a Yin/Yang practice. Yin is practiced first to keep the muscles out of the equation. Yin takes you deeper into where you are, not only physically, but also mentally. Through longer holding of 3-5 minute floor postures, you learn what your edge is and how to be there without fighting it. When practiced following a Yin session, a Yang session requires less effort and the mind is at peace with wherever you are. You are able to safely express yourself energetically in your vinyasa practice as injuries are less likely; you find you don't push past your edge since you have already discovered it. Please join me on June 11 to explore this balance of surrender and effort and discover how it effects you and your practice!
By lil omm
,
5:30 PM
Namaste Dear Mothers, Expectant Mothers and Teachers,
Do you know the three windows of opportunity in a woman's life to completely rebuild her body for optimal health and wellness?
They are: menarche (beginning of mestruation), menopause and the postpartum period. Ayurveda, the ancient system of natural holistic health from India offers practices to help facilitate a healthy pregnancy and make the most of this important opportunity to create and maintain health on the physical, mental and spiritual levels.
To learn about how to apply the nourishing practices of Ayurveda, please attend one of our upcoming sessions including: Introduction to Ayurveda, Ayurveda for Pregnancy and Ayurveda for Mothers.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ayurveda Basics and Information Session
Thursday June 9, 7-8:30pm
A free introduction to Ayurveda for new students or those looking for a refresher. This is a prerequisite for the other Ayurveda classes including Ayurveda in Pregnancy and Ayurveda for Mothers.
Includes: What does Ayurveda offer for family wellness? Defining good health. The Health Process. The Disease Process. Determining your constitutional type. Please bring paper and a set of markers, crayons or colored pencils.
There is no charge lecture for this lecture, but please RSVP directly to Gayatri (Brigid) at yogamamadc@gmail.com or 312-593-6904
-------------------------------------------
Ayurveda for Pregnancy Weekend Intensive:
June 24-26
Incorporate natural holistic health practices for a comfortable, safe, and healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery and to care for yourself and your newborn child during the critical post-partum period.
Topics covered include:
Blissful mother for a blissful baby
Prescription for relaxation and happiness
Diet and preparing ayurvedic foods
Abhyanga and Infant Massage
Ayurvedic Routine for Optimal Well-being
Delivering Your Baby
Practices for Postpartum Recovery
Ayurveda and Baby Care
(Note: Students who have not completed Ayurveda at Home for Mothers need to attend the Ayurveda Basics lecture on 6/9 as a prerequisite)
Text: For a Blissful Baby by Kamuda Reddy
Optional reading: Education Begins Before Birth by Omraam Mikael Aivanhov, The Continuum Concept by Jean Leidloff
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Ayurveda at Home for Mothers
This is a series of six classes, meeting every other week for two hours. The bi-weekly days and times are TBD and will be scheduled as convenient for students.
Topics covered include:
Deepening understanding of the doshas for self- and family-care
Preventive Health Care through Daily Routine, Calming Moods, and Home Therapies
Baby/Child Massage and Abhyanga (self) massage
Home Remedies and Seeing an Ayurvedic Physician
Ayurvedic Diet and Seasonal Cleansing
Ayurvedic Food Preparation
Mindfulness in Everyday Life: Meditation, Walking Meditation and Mindful Eating
Ayurveda for the Female Cycle
Required reading: Ayurveda, Science of Self Healing by Vasant Lad, The Ayurvedic Cookbook by Amadea Morning Star and Urmila Desai
Optional reading: Education Begins Before Birth by Omraam Mikael Aivanhov, The Continuum Concept by Jean Leidloff
Classes will be scheduled as formed. If you are interested, please email yogamamadc@gmail.com or call Brigid at 312-593-6904.
Classes are held at the Shanti Yoga Ashram and are eligible for CEU's with Yoga Alliance. For directions to the center please see the website or call 301-654-4899.
Hello Mr. Milo,
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