A HUGE congrats to Jess and Russell on the birth of their twin boys this week! Such a joyful and positive couple. We wish you and your family the very best.
Sometimes, in Life, we have to make decisions where neither option sounds all that great. Or maybe it’s a decision where you honestly don’t know which one to pick- both sound equally good! Whether you are pregnant or not, decision-making is a learned skill that actually takes practice, patience, and some self-realization. These are all skills and attributes that we craft as we age. I know my decision-making process is waaaay better now in my 30s than when I was 21!
In Pregnancy and Childbirth, we are constantly bombarded with options:
- OB or Midwife
- Hospital or Birthing Center/Home
- Bradley or Hypnobirthing
- Cloth or disposable
- All vaccines or selective/none
- Breastfeed or Formula
- Boppy or My Breast Friend (the silliest name EVER! But a damn good BF pillow)
- Stay home or Work
- Co-sleep or Bassinet
You get my drift. And those are only the tip of the iceberg. I had a meeting with a newly pregnant BirthFit client yesterday who said , “I have no clue what my birthing philosophy is!” I reassured her that it’s perfectly fine and normal, at 7 weeks, to not know. But that it’s time to start thinking about it and just letting it gel in her brain and see what resonates with her.
See, there’s no right or wrong answers. Birth is not at TEST. You don’t pass or fail. But it’s important for you to make decisions that resonate with YOU and your philosophy about Life, Health, Wellness, Doctors, etc. and not just use the same OB as your friend or because of a good Yelp review. I’ll use myself as an example:
I believe that the human body is an amazing machine. Like any machine, it needs to be kept in tip top condition- lots of water, high quality food, movement, mobility, and lots of rest. I believe that in those conditions, the Body will perform optimally and efficiently and that illness will be kept at bay. This has been true for my own life as well as my kids’.
Having said that, we only go to the Dr. if we are very sick. I have done tons of research over the years about various supplements and alternative medicines and modalities, so I try those first. I also have an awesome Chiropractor that I use for myself and my children. I get regular acupuncture also. If the kids or myself show signs that antibiotics are needed, we see our regular doc and we get the treatment we need. I think we saw him three times in 2013 and once was because my fingernail fell off!
My beliefs about Childbirth are very similar. I believe the body, when in a low risk situation, will do exactly what it’s meant to do: nurture and deliver a baby, on its own time frame, with little or no intervention. Women are made to do this and have been doing so for thousands of years. I believe the medical system can be overly cautious to the point of unnecessary interventions and procedures and cause a lot of needless worry and stress for parents. Therefore, because I have had 2 normal, low risk, easy deliveries with no problems at all, I would deliver outside the hospital if I were to have another baby.
BUT THAT’S JUST ME.
And part of our philosophy at BirthFit is that we don’t judge. Period. What’s good for me or Lindsey is not necessarily what’s good for you. This is YOUR journey. This is YOUR baby’s journey. And you have to do what feels right FOR YOU.
So to end this super lengthy post, your mission for the weekend is to write. Begin to formulate your Birth Philosophy. If you aren’t pregnant, what is your Health and Wellness Philosophy? If you don’t have a clue what to write about, just start writing. It’ll come.
And if you feel so inclined, we’d LOVE to hear what you come up with. Have a safe and happy weekend!
Kat Grosshaupt
WORKOUT
10 Rounds:
20 Double Unders or 40 Single Unders
10 Pistols (5R/5L)
5 Power Cleans
1 Farmers Carry- 50ft. down and back
MODIFICATIONS
Rest between each round as needed.
May sub 200m walk/jog instead of jumping rope
Power clean weight should be on the medium to heavy side. You should be able to do 2 before resting. If your form is not impeccable, switch to dual KB or DB
Farmers Carry can be done with KBs, DBs, Farmers Handles, or even jugs of water. Remember to keep your shoulders up and back.
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This is a general strength and conditioning program for women in all seasons and cycles of life. You receive four workouts each week with options for those with limited equipment and variations on movements.
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Slow is Fast when you heal your core and pelvic floor from the inside out by starting with breath work, natural movement patterns, and continue to progressively build upon a solid foundation. The number one referral for doctors and midwives.
Are you open to conception? Join us in B! Community training. A general strength and conditioning for women that train while honoring their menstrual cycle. Everyone is in a different part of their journey, we support you where you are.
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