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Imagine placenta encapsulation as an insurance policy for your postpartum journey—a support when you need it the most. If the pills bring relief amidst the chaos, that's fantastic! And if not, they make excellent plant food. Here's why it's valuable:
When you choose placenta encapsulation, you're in for a comprehensive experience designed to make your journey smoother:
Starting at $250, this is an investment in your well-being. Ready to take the next step? Book now at www.placentadenver.com **The information on this website is not meant to diagnose any health related issues. Placenta encapsulation is not approved or regulated by the FDA. Liz Foster (Love In Motion LLC) is not a doctor or other health care professional.*
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So you want to raise an emotionally intelligent child and and you're wondering where to begin? Start with these five steps. 1. Acknowledge your child’s perspective and empathize.Even if you can't "do anything" about your child's upsets, empathize. Just being understood helps humans let go of troubling emotions. If your child's upset seems out of proportion to the situation, remember that we all store up emotions and then let ourselves experience them once we find a safe haven. Then we're free to move on.Empathizing doesn’t mean you agree, just that you see it from his side, too. He may have to do what you say, but he’s entitled to his own perspective. We all know how good it feels to have our position acknowledged; somehow it just makes it easier when we don’t get our way. “It’s hard for you to stop playing and come to dinner, and still, it’s time now.” “You wish you could have me all to yourself, don’t you?” “You’re so disappointed that it’s raining.” “You want to stay up later like the big kids, I know.” “You’re mad your tower fell!” Why this encourages emotional intelligence:
2. Allow expressionLittle ones can't differentiate between their emotions and their "selves." Accept your child’s emotions, rather than denying or minimizing them, which gives children the message that some feelings are shameful or unacceptable. Disapproving of her fear or anger won't stop her from having those feelings, but it may well force her to repress them. Unfortunately, repressed feelings don't fade away, as feelings do that have been freely expressed. They’re trapped and looking for a way out. Because they aren’t under conscious control, they pop out unmodulated, when a child socks her sister, has nightmares, or develops a nervous tic. Instead, teach that the full range of feelings is understandable and part of being human, even while some actions must be limited.
Why this encourages emotional intelligence:
Listen to your child's feelings![]() Remember, rage doesn't begin to dissipate until it feels heard. Whether your child is 6 months or sixteen, she needs you to listen to the feelings she’s expressing. Once she feels and expresses them, she’ll let them go and get on with her life. In fact, you’ll be amazed at how affectionate and cooperative she’ll be once she has a chance to show you how she feels. But to feel safe letting those feelings up and out, she needs to know you’re fully present and listening. Assured that it’s safe, children have an amazing ability to let their feelings wash over and out, leaving them relaxed and cooperative. Your job? Breathe through it, stay present, and resist the urge to make those troublesome feelings go away. Your child instinctively knows how to heal herself.
Why this encourages emotional intelligence:
Teach problem solvingEmotions are messages, not mud for wallowing. Teach your child to breathe through them, feel them, tolerate them without needing to act on them, and, once they aren’t in the grip of strong emotion, to problem-solve and act if necessary. Most of the time, once kids (and adults) feel their emotions are understood and accepted, the feelings lose their charge and begin to dissipate. This leaves an opening for problem solving. Sometimes, kids can do this themselves. Sometimes, they need your help to brainstorm. But resist the urge to rush in and handle the problem for them unless they ask you to; that gives him the message that you don't have confidence in his ability to handle it himself. “You’re so disappointed that Molly can’t come over because she’s sick. You were really looking forward to playing with her. When you’re ready, maybe we can brainstorm ideas of something else to do that sounds like fun.” “You’re pretty frustrated with Sam not giving you a turn. Sometimes you feel like not playing with him anymore. But you also really like playing with him. I wonder what you could say to Sam, so that he could hear how you feel?” Why this encourages emotional intelligence:
Play it outWhen you notice a negative pattern developing, recognize that your child has some big feelings she doesn’t know how to handle, and step in with the best medicine: Play. For instance:
For instance, maybe your four year old always wants Mommy. Instead of taking it personally, help him work through his feelings about how much he prefers Mom by playing a game where poor bumbling Dad "tries" unsuccessfully to keep him away from her. Dad gets between Mom and son, and roars “I won’t let you get to Mom….Hey, you just ran right around me!...You pushed me right over!...You are too strong!....But this time you won’t get past me!” Your four year old will giggle and boast and get a chance to prove he can ALWAYS have his mom. He'll also discharge all those pent up worries that make him demand her. Why this encourages emotional intelligence:
IntroCesarean section births can be beautiful and empowering, regardless of how we got to that decision. Not everyone wants a c-section, but for one reason or another, it is a possible option to ensure mom and baby are both healthy and safe for delivery. Here is the rundown of what you can expect in a c-section WITH doula support! Pre-SurgerySo, if it is planned, there is about 2 hours of prep time before surgery, unless it is an emergency situation. During that time, your doula can support you in many ways and keep the mood light (massage your feet, play music, keep you distracted, celebrate!). The staff will come in separately at different times to introduce themselves and explain what their role is (baby nurses, anesthesiologist, OB obviously, charge nurse, etc). Any Hypnobirthing/Hypnobabies training can come in handy throughout all of this! As a birth doula, I have some great meditations on an app on my phone to combat pre-surgery jitters and we can use any meditations/relaxing music before, during and after surgery. Your birth doula will try to ensure that they can go back there with you, but it's down to if all staff agree that it's ok for a doula to go back. Usually it comes down to the anesthesiologist. Mom and dad can help advocate in that pre-surgery space for your doula. She would greatly appreciate it! You can say, "We're not going back without our doula." If any staff also knows that they are a seasoned doula (they have worked together before), and they know where to be/not to be for a cesarean, it would be helpful. Some hospitals are just miseducated about the value of a birth doula back in the OR. Surgery TimeMom will go back first to have a spinal placed and staff will get the OR set up. During that time, dad and your doula will get ready in our "white bunny" suits, booties, caps and masks. A nurse come grab them when the staff is ready to begin. They move quickly, like a pit crew, once dad and your doula join mom in the OR. They will likely do a timeout, stating everyone's name and job in the room, including us. A blue drape will be up to establish a sterile surgical station at about mom's sternum. Once they begin the surgery, it takes roughly 5 minutes to birth the baby. There may be some uncomfortable pressure while delivering the baby, as they push on the top of mom's belly to "push" the baby out, similar to someone sitting on your chest. That's where the baby gets the squeeze to get amniotic fluid out. There may be some smells and sounds that are not delightful, so your doula can bring essential oils on Kleenex for both mom and dad. Your doula can play quiet music on anyone's phone or speaker. Sometimes, mom will experience some nausea, which can be helped with medication. I usually give dad peppermint in a Kleenex taped to his bunny suit and that seems to help. Baby is born!Once baby is born, there is an option to lower the drape to see baby immediately after the cord is cut, which is very exciting! One-minute delayed cord clamping is the standard in most hospitals now, but you may advocate until the cord is white and/or stops pulsating. Then, he/she will go to the warmer to be assessed. You may advocate for immediate skin-to-skin beforehand, so long as baby looks ok and doesn't need extra support. Dad can go to the warmer while your doula stays with mom. Dad and your doula can trade spots at the warmer, take photos/videos and bring them back to show mom (or a birth photographer can as well). They keep trading spots until you are all reunited behind the curtain, as mom gets put back together. Some ORs have the warmer within eyeshot of mom being able to see baby. Postpartum RecoveryIt takes about 45 minutes from delivery of baby for surgery to be completed. Baby and dad usually go to PACU before mom does, so it's nice to have your doula with mom for the remainder of the surgery. You may advocate to wait and go together, even having mom hold baby as you go to recovery. Mom will be wheeled into PACU (Post-Anesthia Care Unit) recovery room, where baby and dad are, ideally doing skin-to-skin. Your doula can feed mom ice chips, start breastfeeding, and keep things positive. The nurse will do fundal massages every 15 minutes for those 2 hours as well, but with the anesthesia, mom shouldn't feel it too much, just pressure. Mom and dad can equally do skin-to-skin, if desirable, as mom sometimes will have the shakes post-surgery, and it can feel difficult to hold baby comfortably. After 2 hours in the PACU, everyone will go to the postpartum room. For those first few hours, mom will likely feel pretty out of it and may forget a lot of what happened, so it's nice for photos to be taken for memories. The nurse will make sure mom is staying on top of her meds for the pain. A birth doula will stay for about 2-4 hours immediate postpartum, so once mom, dad and baby go to their postpartum room is when your doula typically leaves, but they can definitely stay for longer to make sure everyone is a bit more settled in and ready to rest. All babies typically fall into a deep sleep 2 hours after delivery. In the case of TWIN/NICU BabiesFor twins, dad usually goes with babies at some point, either to NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) or the PACU. If the baby/ies need to go to the NICU before mom is finished with surgery, your doula will stay with mom to keep her company. Dad can advocate for skin to skin in the NICU once babies are stable. Prior to going to PACU, the staff can wheel mom into the NICU before moving to the PACU or after 2 hours, before heading to the postpartum room. Some hospitals have a room-in NICU, where mom and dad can stay. While in the PACU, your doula can help mom by feeding her ice chips, expressing colostrum, showing photos of babies, and keeping things positive. If the babies are in the PACU with mom, they can do lots of skin to skin with mom and dad, and even tandem breastfeed. Surgery Recovery TipsRecovery will be substantially more intense compared to a vaginal birth, due to major surgery. Getting your baby properly latched as much as possible will ensure success in your breastfeeding/pumping journey. When pumping, look at your babies' photos, smell their clothes/hats/etc. Tips for recovery for the first few weeks: - Wear high rise undies - Wear a belly band for 8 hours/day during the daytime - Avoid heavy lifting and stairs - Be religious about taking pain meds, gas meds, and stool softeners on time! - Get an ice pack in the shape of your incision (alternate heat and cold) - Get a step stool for getting up and out of bed - Roll out of bed still, so as not to use those abdominal muscles as much as possible - Get one of those long-reach grabber tools for reaching things when breastfeeding/pumping - Have water and one-handed snacks beside you at all times, especially during breastfeeding/pumping - Place and hold firm touch to a pillow on your incision area when you need to sneeze/cough or when you laugh or cry (have it nearby!) - Have LOTS of help during those first few weeks as you recover (ask your birth doula about a postpartum doula in advance for those first few days/weeks) Cesarean Section OptionsSome things to discuss with your provider, if they are open to these options:
Final ThoughtsI completely understand that everything can be overwhelming at first, but this is for your benefit, to learn new things and grow from a new steep learning curve. Embrace the insanity of it all! Take things minute by minute, LITERALLY, as you endeavor a beautiful and new incredible adventure as your family grows.
Hope this helps! "Self-care" isn't just some catchy phrase. Self-care is a process that's all about prioritizing your mental and physical health in a way that lets you achieve your goals. If you're a busy mom with kids to care for, that may sound easier said than done. Don't stress. Here, we share some simple steps you can take to make it easier to stick to your self-care goals. Love in Motion Doula Services can help you successfully navigate birth and postpartum. Create a Space That's Conducive to Self-CareSet up a soothing space that will allow you to prioritize wellness. Start by eliminating clutter, which is proven to alleviate anxiety, and cleaning your home. Vacuum regularly to remove pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens. A Shark vacuum is easy to use. Just empty it after each use. After it's two-thirds full, it loses suction power, which means you'll have to vacuum more frequently to get the same result. Define Your Self-Care Goals and Create a PlanOnce you have a clean space, it's time to concentrate on yourself. Action for Happiness provides tips you can use to set your objectives. Once you have your goals, create a step-by-step plan to help you reach them. For example, if you want to prioritize healthy eating, you might compile healthy recipes and take a cooking class. Touch Base With Old FriendsStaying connected with old friends can help maintain long-lasting friendships, provide a sense of familiarity and support, and promote mental health and well-being. Using a search engine to find old friends in Denver can be an effective way to reconnect with people from your past. By using information such as their name, school, or location, this can be especially useful when social media or phone numbers are not available. Measure Your Progress on a Regular BasisWhen you create your step-by-step map to reaching your goals, include a timeline. For example, you might say you'll get your degree within two years and obtain your first job in three years. You can then use this timeline to check your progress, making sure that you aren't wasting time and that you're sticking to the plan you made for yourself. Hold Yourself AccountableHolding yourself accountable can be difficult, especially when you're managing a household and raising kids. Your personal wants and objectives may not always take priority. If you struggle to hold yourself accountable, this Master Class can help you improve. Tips include getting an accountability partner, recognizing signs of procrastination, asking others for feedback, and rewarding yourself for every success. Be Patient with YourselfWhen you're striving to achieve your goals, you may get impatient with yourself. It can be frustrating if you don't make progress as quickly as you'd like, for example. It's important to be gracious to yourself. Remind yourself that every step forward is progress. You can improve patience with yourself and others—a valuable trait for any mom--by practicing mindfulness techniques. This encourages you to focus on the moment. Get Help When Needed Just because you're focusing on your personal goals doesn't mean you have to do it all yourself. Find help where you can. For example, a personal trainer can help with fitness goals, while a nutritionist can help with diet goals. If you're struggling to figure out your career path, a career coach can provide the guidance you need. Prioritize Your Well-beingFinding time for self-care as a busy mom isn't easy, but it is essential to your long term happiness. The key to success is having a strategic approach. By reconnecting with old friends, creating a healthy home space, and holding yourself accountable, you can create a plan for yourself. *Article by Janice Russell*
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