My daughter's 2nd birthday is upon me and as it often happens when mothers approach their baby's birthday, I find myself dreamily reflecting back on the journey of my pregnancy with her. I was working in a midwife's office part-time, teaching my lovely Birthing From Within classes and prenatal yoga class, AND oh yes, being a mother to my son.
Each day was a lot of the same: I would wake up and kiss my little boy goodbye and head off to work. I can still see the image of him waving out the window each time. I would then hurry to work through traffic - a trip that normally took 20 minutes would always take an hour. After the work day was done, I would then either come home or head to teach a class.
Life felt SO fast. I was always GOING somewhere, DOING something - and sometimes I found myself remembering, as if an afterthought, that I was "oh yeah, pregnant!"
From very early on in my pregnancy with my daughter, I felt a strong calling, a beckoning from deep within to slow down, to pause, to practice yoga and mindfulness. And then a day, week or month would quickly pass and I'd find myself reflecting once again on how much I wished I could just SLOW time down for a minute so I could savor my pregnancy. A pregnancy and baby that we had so desperately tried so hard to have happen. But time didn't listen...it just kept going, like it does.
Then... my hubby had a wedding he was to photograph in the mountains. I thought - this is it! I knew... I knew we both needed the retreat - a short getaway before a new baby would be in our lives and getting away like that would be much more challenging for a while. So my little boy got to have a sleepover with grandma and we got a retreat in the mountains!
The mountains have been my home the majority of my life and they never cease to envelope me. And once in our hotel room overlooking a lovely quiet summer ski hill...I finally felt time slow down. I felt my breath return to a normal pace and I was more present in my body. I actually had time to talk to my growing baby girl - something that was harder to do than it had been for my first pregnancy. I was finally able to really rest.
And I didn't know how much I needed that break from my everyday life until that weekend away.
This getaway - before my baby girl arrived and life got much more busy - was the inspiration for why I created my Expecting Mother Retreat: Embracing the Mother, taking place in October.
Here are the top THREE reasons expecting mothers need THIS retreat in October:
1. You get to get away from your every day life! This retreat is truly unique. Nowhere else do you get such a beautiful, ideal setting, daily yoga and meditation that is catered to your beautiful mama body; yummy healthy good that you don't have to prepare....and community with other mothers. I often hear that expecting mothers desiring a time to connect with other mothers.
2. This is an all inclusive retreat. This is a break from the DOING and GETTING THINGS DONE. You get to receive - a yoga class, meditations, quiet time, delicious food, hiking, community and celebration. And the best part? It doesn't involve any planning on your part. You just have to get there!
3. Birth is easier when you are rested and relaxed in pregnancy. We all have things that cause us stress. And in our daily life, there are few moments where we truly get to really relax and let our bodies move from a taxed adrenal system to a calm, more peaceful place. Yet...it is exactly that relaxation of the nervous system that leads to many mothers experiencing less challenges in the birthing process. Mothers feel and do better in labor and postpartum when they arrive there in a body that is connected, relaxed and strong.
You know you need this.
This time will never come again.
Join us this October as I and 5 other AMAZING women share our gifts and love for mamas with you! You will be so grateful you did!