With my due date quickly approaching in just a month, I thought it would be fun to share some advice from moms that I admire and look up to! Each of these ladies have played an important role in my life, especially during this difficult pregnancy, and I know you will love their encouraging and refreshing approach to motherhood.
Natural Motherhood & Birth Advice
Bethany McDaniel
Founder of Primally Pure
Bethany and I first met after I complained on Instagram about not being able to find a natural deodorant that worked (thankfully her deodorant works!) and we instantly became friends. She and her sweet family were our first guests here in Spain and I am so thankful for her friendship. She is one of the few people I feel like I can share my true heart with!
Connect with Bethany on Instagram | @primallypure
Bethany’s best advice for birth & motherhood
Don’t compare yourself to other moms. There are so many different ways to do motherhood, and one way isn’t necessarily better or worse than the other. Throughout my pregnancy and well into my daughter’s first few months out of the womb, I spent so much time analyzing what others were doing. I was so set in my ways of doing certain things like natural childbirth, breastfeeding, having my baby sleep in the same bed as my husband and I, etc. and wondered why everyone else wasn’t doing things the exact same way—which is crazy, especially given the fact that I was a new mom and had no idea what I was doing! On the flip side, I would see moms doing other things I had never thought to do and would ask myself, “Should I be doing that?” I spent way too much time analyzing others and not enough time being confident in what was working for us. Somewhere along the way, I got rid of that way of thinking and feel much better off for it!
Favorite natural baby find:
The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care was and still is immensely helpful in navigating how to handle so many aspects of raising a child in a healthful way. My husband and I have chosen to raise our daughter in the most natural way possible (in terms of food, products, environment, etc.) and have gotten so much valuable information from this book that has translated to a super happy + healthy baby (now toddler)!
Other favorite natural products:
- Primally Pure all natural Baby Balm for sure! Our multi-purpose + velvety smooth baby is made with tallow from grass-fed cows, emu oil, extra virgin olive oil infused with calendula and marshmallow root, and beeswax. It helps to soothe/diminish diaper rash, heal cracked/chapped nipples, prevent stretch marks on growing bellies and so much more. I created it after my daughter was born with her delicate skin in mind, and the response form other moms across the world who have used it on their babes has been incredibly positive.
Kylie Martin
Founder of Kylie Martin Photography
Kylie photographed me way back in Hawaii and we bonded over our love of Jesus, champagne and having husbands in the Navy. We don’t get to see each other often, but we always pick up right where we left off. She is one of the most genuine, honest and loyal humans I know and I am so thankful for her and her realistic approach to life, business and motherhood.
Connect with Kylie on Instagram | @kyliemartinphotography
Kylie’s best advice for birth & motherhood
Oh goodness, where to start? I think the main thing I have learned from being a parent is that everyone (well, most people) are trying their best and we are all just trying to raise strong, loving, independent children. It’s so easy to compare everything you do and every decision you make to what everyone else is doing and it really ends up robbing you of your own journey and joy. So my motherhood advice would be to understand that your child is different, your story is different, your pregnancy is different and your journey to motherhood may be different too and that’s okay. I firmly believe that we are given the children we need and that need us, and once you stop comparing you really discover so much beauty in the process of being a mother.
Advice on giving birth: I found it really useful to do a hospital tour so that I knew what to expect and what kind of information I needed to research prior to Hadley being born regarding decisions that would be made at the hospital. I was fortunate enough to have my amazing sister-in-law present who is basically an unofficial doula and I would have her at every birth if it was possible. It was so nice to have someone to guide me through what was happening and to help with everything going on. My birth story didn’t go as planned (welcome to being a parent haha!) but it happened how it was supposed to. It was how our Hadley was supposed to come into the world and I think having a plan is great but not being overly emotionally attached to that plan is really necessary. It doesn’t mean you have failed it just means this is how your baby was meant to arrive.
Favorite natural baby find:
Oh you guys, I am SO crunchy now haha, I use to judge crunchy moms and now I am one. Funny how life is that way. Never say never 😉 I swear by cloth diapers (I know, ew) but it’s really not bad. It just means a little extra laundry. It’s chemical free and it has saved us so much money on diapering. Some of my favorite brands are Bumgenius (the Elemental Organic all in one) and Nora’s Nursery (they have the cutest prints and last forever).
Other favorite natural products:
- I cannot live with out Primally Pure’s Baby Powder and Baby Balm
Allison Evans
co-founder of Branch Basics
Allison and I first connected when recording her podcast episode and ever since I think we email back and forth weekly!! She has been a huge source of encouragement to me during my difficult pregnancy and she brings such joy and light to this world.
Connect with Allison on Instagram | @branchbasics & @almevans
Allison’s best advice for birth & motherhood
Listen to and follow your instincts, do your research, and be strong in your beliefs, because you are your and your baby’s best advocate. There is no person that loves and knows and can vouch for you two like you. Everyone from friends to doctors are quick to give advice, but I am SO glad I stood strong when it came to my birth plan, co-sleeping, (still!) nursing on demand, etc. Say no to negative thoughts and respectfully disengage from conversations about horror birth stories. While perhaps well-meaning, they only fuel fear and your friend’s mother-in-law’s niece’s story is not yours. By no means should you be rash, but remember that your body knows best and is the smartest doctor in the room!
Favorite natural baby find:
NaturalMat organic baby mattress—conventional mattresses are a primary source of toxic chemicals in a baby’s first few years of life, so to me, ensuring baby’s sleep is toxin-free is a no-brainer investment.
Other favorite natural products:
- Branch Basics all natural cleaning supplies
- WaterWipes
Dr Meghan Birt
Chiropractor and founder of Just Enjoy Health
Meghan and I connected a few years back on Instagram and I was refreshed by how she gracefully dealt with a birth outcome that wasn’t her ideal! She has encouraged me tremendously during my pregnancy and her approach to motherhood and nutrition graceful and individual.
Connect with Meghan on Instagram | @drmeghanbirt
Meghan’s best advice for birth & motherhood
Prepare for labor and birth—educate yourself really well so that you can know what birth is going to be like. We had a change in our birth plan due to a breech baby (read our birth story here ) and because of all of my research we were able to find an amazing OB who listened to my concerns, answered my questions, and made me feel respected. We planned for a cesarean birth and I was able to go into labor and have a gentle and family centered cesarean. Her birth wasn’t what I expected, but it was beautiful and I knew all that was going to happen.
And remember the 4th trimester! There’s no rush to get back into real life. Rest, heal, get to know your baby, and enjoy all of the baby snuggles. You won’t regret it and your body will be so much stronger because of it. Our home-birth midwives really pushed rest and checked in to make sure I wasn’t pushing myself for the first 6 weeks. I was so grateful!
Favorite natural baby find:
Our cosleeper—we kept Ottava in our room for 6.5 months and she slept right next to me for almost 5 months in the cosleeper until she outgrew it. I loved that she was close and I could hear her noises and she was near for middle of the night nursing. We all slept better having her there.
Other favorite natural products:
So much good advice! Thank you for putting this together