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“In the midst of Winter, I found that there was within me, an invincible Summer."
Albert Camus
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Hello sweet beings,
On this dark moon night, two days following the longest night of the year, I bring you the most luminous news of my life - I'm pregnant!
Come the Summer Solstice, my husband and I will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of our wild sweet babe. I am truly cherishing my journey from maiden to mother. As someone who works so intimately with the body, I am profoundly in awe of my own body on a daily basis as I move through my pregnancy. This is certainly my biggest creative endeavor yet, and without a doubt, the most rewarding. I can't believe how much I already love this little being I have yet to see, or even feel moving inside of me.
I announced my pregnancy on the Winter Solstice this past Wednesday, so many of you already know of this news. No longer my little secret, I am excited to share my journey with others as a form of inspiration and education. I'll be doing most of that personal/educational sharing on Instagram, but I'm sure sprinklings of it will also show up in Letters over the next 6 months.
I've always felt called to work with and help women through all phases of life, and in more recent years, have delved deep into supporting women's hormonal health, specifically during the reproductive years. From my own struggles with being on birth control pills and IUD's, to navigating the ins and outs of Sympto-Thermal Fertility Awareness Based Method as a successful means of natural birth control for 7 years (and later to help me get pregnant), plus consciously working to elevate my overall health for 2+ years in preparation for trying to conceive, I have had many years of personal experience studying women's health through a holistically minded, ancestrally informed lens that aims to bridge the gap between ancient wisdoms and cutting edge, progressive methodologies.
I'm not a doctor, but I do have a ton of real world experience and a true hunger for learning that has led me to be able to support other women in a myriad of ways when it comes to women's health. Now that I am continuing my education along the spectrum of women's health by being pregnant myself (and learning so much along the way), this embodiment will allow me to better support other pregnant women in their own unique needs, specifically when it comes to movement during pregnancy.
There is SO MUCH misguided information out there around how pregnant women should or should not move during pregnancy. It can be hard to discern what's actually sound advice and what's fear-based advice, which is why I've chosen to study under some incredibly well-informed women and mothers who understand the unique physiological, biomechanical, and psychological needs of pregnant women and their rapidly changing bodies. I was listening to Brianna Battles, a badass woman who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to weightlifting during pregnancy and postpartum, on her podcast a couple weeks back, and something she said really resonated with me: "I became the person that I needed when I was pregnant."
By equipping myself with in-depth knowledge around movement (and general healthful living) during pregnancy, I strive to be this person, not only for myself, but ultimately for others. I'm not sure how much I'm going to "niche out" in the future, and I'm keeping the portal wide open for motherhood to transform my offerings in ways I can't even begin to imagine, but I do know helping women move confidently and feel better throughout their pregnancy is something I am wholly interested in from here on out.
If you know a woman who wants to get off the pill, desires guidance in tracking her fifth vital sign (menstrual cycle), is trying to consciously conceive, or is ready to thrive in her pregnancy, I would absolutely love to support them, wherever they are in their journey. Please share this Letter with them, or simply send over my website.
I am available for one time consultations and ongoing support in an online setting, as well as in-home visits for those located in the Columbia River Gorge and Portland Metro areas.
Additionally, I will be teaching two Prenatal Yoga series this Winter and Spring in Hood River for those seeking a more communal movement experience throughout pregnancy...more on that below.
And lastly, for all bodies local to the Gorge, I am now teaching several movement classes at Flow Studio in Hood River: Tempo Flow (dance fitness/body conditioning), Flow (Hatha-Vinyasa yoga), and Candlelight Restorative. Those in the Gorge, be sure to check out my class calendar for my updated teaching schedule.
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May you be warmed by the hearth of the holiday season.
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