We often refer to the “arrival” of a baby as if this little one doesn’t yet exist or they are going to magically appear from some other place at birth. However, just because a baby is still inside the womb doesn’t mean they are not “here.” Nobody understands this better than the person sharing their body for nine months, give or take. And there are so many things…

Thanks to Instagram, I’m aware that it’s once again World Breastfeeding Week! I’m not sure if I didn’t notice because it’s been about eight years since I last breastfed, or if the current state of affairs has me completely lost as to what day it is. (Groundhog’s Day, right?) Oh yeah...it is indeed the first week of August, hence World BF Week. I’d like to give a shout out to @shishi.rose and her awesome World Breastfeeding Week post that is “not just about the baby. This is a full body experience.” Instead of the term “breastfeeding” (or “chestfeeding”), she called it “body feeding” and she was SPOT ON! My experience with breastfeeding was definitely that!

On July 17, we welcomed Tim Aagard, owner of Tiny Tots Diaper Service, to our Online Parents Group to discuss cloth diapering options. Due to a loss of their laundering supplier, Tiny Tots was recently forced to give up their cloth diapering service, but continues to offer compostable diaper service, cloth diapering products for sale, and education regarding cloth diapering. Listening to Tim invoked a trip down memory lane, and thought it would be helpful to share my family’s experience cloth diapering all three of our children.

As a Mom & Baby Yoga teacher with 15 years experience, of course I believe in the vast benefits of the practice- I wouldn’t be a teacher if I didn’t! However, I’m a bit skeptical on some of the claims. Better infant sleep? Yoga practice certainly didn’t help in this department for my babies or me! Increased brain activity? I’d like to see the research study proving that! Happier babies? Maybe it’s a false perception since the moms with fussy babies tend to stay home? (That was me with my first, who seemed to be the only baby who put up a fuss the two or three times we regretfully took the chance of going to class. If this is you, please see #7 below.) I give you my big “expert” shrug on these particular assertions. If you come to my class, I can promise you these seven benefits: