Today is our 3rd year wedding anniversary. We had two of our three children at our wedding. Maddie was 2yrs and Sammie was 1 yr. It added different pressures to the day but it meant the world to us to have them there with us on the day. Andrew is not a big social media person so doesn’t feature often but he’s always here, in the background doing everything he can for us. . Check out my stories for more throwback wedding pictures. . Did you have your child at your wedding?
I had different worries and anxieties with each of my newborn babies in their 4th trimesters, (the first 3 months after a baby is born). The 4th trimester can be a fragile time. With my first baby I was scared of falling asleep with her in my arms. I used to breastfeed her in our bed through the nights and then put her in her bassinet right beside me. Two to three times a night I would wake up and find myself crazily searching for her in my bed, thinking I’d fallen asleep with her in my arms. This would often wake my partner who would tell me to look in the bassinet - and there she would be, sleeping soundly, untouched and unharmed. I remember (and so does my husband - vividly) one night he was woken by me cradling his head😂, rocking back and forth. This eventually stopped as I trained myself into the habit of turning on the light each time I woke and checking the bassinet before the panic set in. I hadn’t heard too much about the 4th trimester until all of my babies were past this stage. I'd been told what I needed to do - but hadn't heard the term. It is a time to heal, hibernate, bond and adjust. Whether she is facing the 4th trimester with one child or multiple children, it is vitally important that a mother is nurtured, cared for, protected and loved as much as her newborn baby. I truly cannot stress this enough. Look after your new mum-friends, and look after yourself. If your pregnant friend or new mum hasn’t heard about the concept of the 4th trimester, please inform her. You never know how much this may help her. Gemma TMP.
It’s just been us since you made me a mama. My other half, my sweetest little friend. Come here my baby, and be my only, for just one moment more. This expanding will build us. Make us fuller I know. But when I see you again, you won’t feel as little. So just lay with me, let me rock you slow. Let me thank you my baby, for being the best teacher a mama could know. . . Via the beautiful - @snuggle_me_organic Words @mia_carr_ Pic @crownedphotography @nikki_colquitt
💖 Some of the reviews we’ve received for The Village. It’s been going now for nearly 5 months now. Link in bio to find out more. Changes coming at the end of this month, so if you want to be a part of it join through the link in our bio for just $20 a month. Cancel anytime x Over 45 workouts, 60 nutritional recipes, 20 meditations, 40 personal development and more by a nutritionist, psychologist, meditation practitioner and physiotherapist/fitness coach. ✨ To follow our amazing Village team you can find them below: @nutritionbyginarose - Gina @mamasinmind - Lineé @pilateschb - Jen . . . . . . #parents #fitness #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising #nzmum #nzbusiness #meditation #momlife #momsofinstagram #motherhoodsimplified #empowerment #parenting #parenthood #psychologist #nz #momblogger #pregnant #ig_motherhood #womenempoweringwomen #writer #pnd #clickinmoms #nutrition #empoweringwomen #honestmotherhood #realtalk #mother #4thtrimester #postpartum
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. TRIGGER: Miscarriage. One of our beautiful mums sent us this heartfelt piece. ‘’Your baby doesn’t have a heartbeat” Words that break you. Words that shape you. The tears fall & your still beating heart breaks. The internal blame game starts. I shouldn’t have...what if I’d…why didn’t I…what is wrong with me? You lie in bed with a pillow under your hips begging baby not to go. The cramps get worse. You resign yourself that a trip to the toilet is inevitable. There is a lot of blood. There is something else too. You reach down. A tiny but perfect baby. No one warned you. You are not prepared. You hold your much loved baby in your hand & sob like you never have before. You stare at perfection. In utter disbelief that you have to say goodbye before you even said hello. Now what? You put your baby in a container. This is doesn’t feel real. Now what? You hold the container close to you. It’s getting really warm. Now what? You put the container in the fridge. Your baby is in the fridge. Weeks & weeks ago you saw two lines. Two lines that let you hope, dream and LOVE. Today, your baby is in the fridge. You go numb. Numb is better. The feelings are too big and consuming. You can’t take it anymore. In autopilot you attend follow up appointments. You hand the container with your baby in it to stranger. Now you have to un-tell the people you’ve told that you were pregnant. Some say nothing. Some say stupid things. Things that would break your heart if it wasn’t smashed already. Your husband doesn’t seem like he’s grieving. You resent it. Coming out of the fog you realise he was trying to be strong while you were a write-off. Little do you know the heartbreak that still lies before you. That this happens again & again before you get to be a mother of a baby who stays. This changes your inner most workings. For good & for bad. That part you’ll figure out later. Years on the grief can still catch you by surprise. It’s different now. The brutal edges have softened. It’s familiar & warm. You now see the grief for what it is. The love of a mother for her baby. Locked up tight. Beautifully written by Sarah Rameka. Image @spiritysol
💗There is so much noise happening around us, sometimes we forget to look within. Trust yourself mama. Gem x
I’m sick of feeling bad as a mother. You name it I’ve felt bad about it… The big things are plentiful, when my daughter broke her arm, that was a goodie, it even put me into labour. When my other daughter got terribly sick as an infant I piled on the guilt for years. but it’s also the little things I catch myself feeling bad about that really needs to stop. The times I serve them pizza instead of vegetables or the times I put on a movie instead of reading them a book, or the time I didn’t breastfeed my son as long as I breastfed my daughters, or the times I get a babysitter to go for a drive for myself and do something on my own. It always tends to hit me around bedtime. The wheels start turning and I start reflecting on the day. Was I enough today? Was I present enough? Did I spend too much on my phone? Did they eat healthy enough? Did they drink enough water? Did I hug them enough and tell them I love them? Did they have enough time outside? Did I listen to their stories and validate their feelings enough? I’m really just sick of feeling bad, because the thing is… I’m a good mother, I am enough. I’m learning every day, and I’m relatively new at this gig that I’m not going to get it all right, but I’m also not going to get it all wrong, and there are plenty of reasons to feel good. When they wrap their arms and legs around you, when you read them the same book over and over, when they go to bed with full bellies and full hearts. When they look you in the eye and tell you they love you. I did my best today. Here’s to focusing more on these moments for the rest of our lives. . . . . . . . . #stopcensoringmotherhood #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising #nzmum #nzbusiness #blogger #newbornphotography #momlife #momsofinstagram #motherhoodsimplified #empowerment #parenting #parenthood #parent #letthembelittle #nz #momblogger #pregnant #toddler #pregnancy #womenempoweringwomen #pnd #thehappynow #clickinmoms #storytellingmama #empoweringwomen #mindfulness #meditation #honestmotherhood
Whether it lasted an hour, a day, or weeks on end many of us can relate to feeling like this at some point. Stigma makes it hard for people to ask for help, we can all be a part of changing this and make people feel accepted, supported and valued. Whether you are sleep deprived, struggling with your home life, relationship, work or just struggling in general, reach out to the people around you for help, whether it is your doctor, health professional, mum, partner or best friend. Whether it’s a bad day, week or month, our mental health is just as (or even more) important that our physical health. Look after your mama friends and look after yourself. There is immense strength in vulnerability. . ✨World Mental Health Awareness Day✨ #mentalhealthawareness #channelmumvillage