A little thank you

I was reminded of some words from Elena Brower today: “when stuff happens I think about how I can teach this, I par it down to one sentence and refine it. Then I ask how can this be of service to others and I teach that”.

I’d forgotten these words and I’m so happy that I was reminded of them. Life deals some curve balls, stuff we didn’t expect, stuff with think is unjust, stuff which just makes you angry at the world. These words reminded me of two specific things that I’m profoundly grateful for.

Number one: that somehow I have access to this great mass of yoga philosophy through some truly phenomenal teachers. It’s like having my own personal satnav to help me find where to go when things gets really tough. Somehow my brain clicked right into it and I remember it, that’s how I know it’s serving me. I’m so grateful for that.

Number two: that I get to teach people yoga. That I get to take my experience and offer it back out into the world in a way which might just help someone, or at least that’s my intention when I teach. That in a small way have to look at my own response and work really hard to find the lesson, the nugget of gold. I’m so grateful for that.

Thanks Elena.

Celebrate good times!

It's been a brilliant couple of weeks, whole montage of human endeavour and emotion which the whole nation has got behind and supported. It's been an absolute pleasure.

Now we get to hit the pause button and just celebrate a little bit. It's so often that we don't allow ourself a moment to enjoy. Hands up who's skipped out of Savasana early? Yep, me too.

So I declare this week at week to simply bask, rest on your laurels and hang out in your favourite restorative pose for as long as you please! Enjoy, there's the rest of your life for working!

How a Doula Can Help a New Mother after Birth

I'm delighted to introduce this guest post from Katie Moore on how a doula can help a new mother...

When an expecting mother is nearing the end of her term, the benefit of having a doula, or labor coach present during the birth of a child becomes clear. With her experience, a doula can bring to the forefront the personal and individual aspects of childbirth, which can help enrich a mother’s overall birthing experience.

Likewise, a post-partum doula can help enhance a mother and newborn’s experience after birth. It may surprise some expectant mothers to know that the knowledge and skills of a doula can help them well beyond the occasion of birth itself. A doula's scope extends to the whole of the child-bearing experience, not just on what to expect during delivery and for assistance in make decisions on options available, like pain management methods, umbilical cord blood banking, immunizations and circumcision.  Indeed, a doula's greatest gift can come after birth in fostering a bond between a new mother and her child.

After giving birth, it is inevitable that a woman feel tired and overwhelmed. The experience of labor will have left a mother exhausted. Babies often need more attention than their exhausted mothers can afford to give right away. New mothers themselves require help with things they could ordinarily manage on their own. In these circumstances, a doula can provide the helpful knowledge that can allow a new mother to bond with her infant, and to insure that both mother and child are comfortable and well.

A post-partum doula can be a new mother's best source of information about baby care. Unlike baby nurses or nannies, doulas are trained to care for both new mothers and infants, and they are familiar with the problems and questions that can arise just after birth. A doula can help get a mother through the difficult post-birth period with less worry than she might experience on her own. With the knowledge and the skills the doula shares, the mother becomes more confident in caring for her baby. The transition becomes a smooth and a joyful one.

Confidence in her own ability to care for her new baby may be most important gift a mother receives from a doula. A woman in the care of a doula in the time after giving birth is in a position of learning from a sensitive teacher what her child needs from her. More than that, a doula's care can put a mother at her ease, making her a more relaxed, more receptive parent. When her mission is successfully accomplished, the doula has prepared the mother for her new role as a capable and happy parent.

Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.