Motherhood Unfiltered Part II: Feeding

Fast Forward to delivery – I really believe in holistic ways of life but I also know that modern western medicine is a significant reason people live beyond 30 years old and are less likely to die during childbirth!

I had a vision of delivering my son in a bathtub in my living room but my husband/ neurotic-ism quickly burst that bubble! I am sure it is wonderful to deliver a baby sans drugs in a portable pool in the comfort of your own home but I also think delivering your baby in a hospital with an epidural is just as magical and probably a lot less stressful for everyone who loves you. As soon as I walked into Mount Sinai and checked in, I requested the big E – epidural. That doesn’t mean I had a fake or painless delivery.

MAJOR PET PEEVE ALERT When women say they had a natural delivery, meaning they pushed their child out of their vagina with no painkillers, drives me bananas.  – Natural delivery is just getting the baby out – People with c-sections or vaginal deliveries with drugs don’t deserve to feel they had unnatural deliveries, do they? Motherhood is hard enough. Can we at least be supportive???

The best is yet to come -- it truly is magical bringing home that little nugget you cooked for 9 months but it is also one of the hardest experiences physically and emotionally. Seeing my son and hearing him cry for the first time was probably one of the most beautiful moments of my life but minutes later when the nurse shoved him on my breast, I was overwhelmed with a sense of “holy crap I am responsible for feeding, nurturing and taking care of this little human forever.”

As humans and mothers, we can have opposing feelings simultaneously and that doesn’t mean we are bad moms. I can be over flooded with joy and sheer panic at the same time!

I am also really excited to share my breastfeeding journey because it was hard as hell and after making the decision based on my health, supply and sanity to stop, I was riddled with guilt and felt as though I was a selfish bad mom who was poisoning my son with organic formula even when I know the amount of love I give my child surpasses inattentive moms’ breast milk.

As a new mother I had no idea how personal and challenging feeding your newborn would be. I thought I would seamlessly breastfeed for a year and never have to worry about buying a box of formula. I am so grateful to the Honest Company for reaching out and asking me to be a part of their Feeding Story campaign in the hopes to inspire other mamas to become more comfortable and confident in how they choose to feed their babies.

I cannot stress this enough– BREASTFEEDING IS REALLY HARD FOR MANY WOMEN...and STOPPING DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A BAD MOM. Or NEVER breastfeeding and having n0 guilt about it also DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A BAD MOM! 

Please from this moment onward, if you know someone who recently had a baby, try to not judge how moms are feeding their child and don’t brag about the magic of breast milk and downfalls of formula. As I said before, motherhood is hard enough– can we just all be supportive? I stopped breastfeeding at around 2 ½ months (I know it doesn’t matter because I didn’t hit the 3 month mark), but by writing this blog I am giving myself permission to let go! Again, thank you to the Honest Company for starting this extremely pertinent and necessary conversation about how we nourish our little ones!

Stay tuned for more of my unfiltered journey as a mom!

I'm back– Motherhood Unfiltered Part I!

After taking 6 months to adjust to motherhood and nurture my little guy I am finally back to blogging (as consistently as I can). I am truly excited to share my new perspective as a mom and hope my anecdotes and experiences thus far will help you all! 

In today’s world, as women we are expected to be superheroes, supermodels, CEO’s, super moms, and super wives, which shouldn’t be a big deal right? With tremendous pressure to be the BEST at everything–

I believe we are setting ourselves up for waves of guilt, shame, and dissatisfaction when we fail to meet unrealistic expectations.

Life really is a journey and no one has the manual. For me, honesty is the best policy and with so much “everything is perfect” on the internet, I feel it’s my duty to authentically share my pregnancy, postpartum and new motherhood experiences!

I would love to start with guilt! The moment you take a positive pregnancy test, you become struck with what I like to call “mama pain” aka EXTREME GUILT.... Everything you will do from that second onward in your mind will have a direct correlation with the success of your child and anything not perfect you do going forward may result in an overload of “mama pain.” I really tried to abide by an organic/natural lifestyle during my pregnancy but I also really tried to be easy on myself. I avoided alcohol, unpasteurized cheeses, undercooked/raw foods and so on but I also indulged in a highly delicious diet, which included carbs with a side of carbs :). I did acupuncture, prenatal yoga and spent many evenings on my couch choosing Bravo over the gym.

Pregnancy is not only a period to nurture your growing baby but it really is a time to nurture yourself.

I felt waves of anxiety throughout the 9 months and never really experienced the glow. As much as I could not wait to be a mother, I was also extremely on edge because every feeling was new and it was difficult to for me to be calm! In order to overcome guilt based on certain decisions I made (future blogs) I spoke to different experts who helped me realize my guilt was really just an expression of tremendous love and care wanting everything to go perfectly for my son. One of the most most profound people I spoke to was a holistic pediatrician Dr. Cowan, who said "we learn through trial and error, we do not learn through perfection." He also said "always remember to forgive yourself for being human." I play these jewels of information on repeat whenever I feel a pang of guilt.  

Yummy DIY Summer Popsicles

Who doesn’t want a fresh, fruity, frozen treat to cool them down in this hot city summer?  I’ve tried out a couple of popsicle recipes so you don’t have to! For simple and delicious summer goodness, see below!

MANGO COCONUT POPSICLES

Simple to make, zero mess, delicious and creamy!

Ingredients: 1 Banana, 1 Mango, 5tbsp Coconut Milk, 1tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Peel and cut up your banana and mango into chunks

2. Place your fruits in a blender with the coconut milk and maple syrup

3. Blend until smooth and creamy

4. Pour mixture into a popsicle mold and freeze for 4-6 hours

5. ENJOY!

Watermelon Lime Popsicles

Simple to make, juicy and refreshing!

Ingredients: Watermelon, Lime, Honey (optional)

1. Slice up about 2 cups of watermelon (it can get pretty juicy, if anyone finds a non-messy way of cutting up watermelon, please tell me) I recommend cutting the watermelon into pretty small pieces.  I did not do this and my blender would not blend my large chunks, so I had to go at it with a fork!

2. Put your watermelon in your blender

3. Squeeze about 1/2 tsp of lime juice in (approx. 1/2 a lime) or to taste

4. Put in 1/2 tsp of honey or to taste

5. Blend until liquid

6. Pour your juice into a popsicle maker and freeze for 4-6 hours

7. ENJOY!

Both recipes make about 3 popsicles, however this is all dependent on the size of your popsicle mold.

6 Tips From My 6 Months of Pregnancy: Tip #4- Gain Balance

In addition to treating your body with prenatal massages from a certified masseuse, acupuncture is another way to prepare your body for its journey. My acupuncturist Aimee Ruapp was able to answer all of my questions through her professional as well as personal experience with acupuncture and pregnancy. Aimee is a best selling author, a women's health and fertility expert, acupuncturist, and Chinese Herbalist. 

Why is acupuncture so important during pregnancy? What are the benefits?

It is a great way to generally improve circulation and blood flow. During pregnancy, acupuncture more specifically assists the body in keeping hormones balanced, helps the mother to be manage stress and feel more supported, and maintains healthy blood flow to the growing embryo so that it can thrive.

How often should women get acupuncture during pregnancy?

I typically like to see my patients once a week through the first trimester. After the first trimester, I recommend once every 4-6 weeks until week 35 of the pregnancy, where I recommend resuming to once weekly treatments to help mother to be and her body prepare for labor and delivery.

What is one piece of advice you would give a mother to be?

Treat your body well as all that you take in influences your growing child.

Are there any other wellness regimens or practices you recommend during pregnancy?

Meditation- particularly focused on sending loving energy to your growing child.

What was your least favorite part of pregnancy?

I didn't always like the heartburn that I experienced towards the end of my pregnancy.

And your favorite?

I loved radiating life. There is nothing like growing a child in your womb, it is insanely surreal and magnificent.

For more from Aimee Ruapp, have a look at her website and read her books, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant and Chill Out & Get Healthy.

6 Tips From My 6 Months of Pregnancy: Tip #3- Treat Your Body!

As your belly grows so does your need to take care of your aching new physique. Whether it be a prenatal massage or just taking the time to apply body butter, in these 9 months, self care is a must! A massage is wonderful for you and your growing baby. It boosts circulation, decreases muscle tension, and of course relaxes the mommy to be!

It’s very important that your masseuse is certified to work with prenatal clients and is also well aware of trigger points to avoid. Also be sure to avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot baths while pregnant. 

In addition to muscle aches, our new expanding bellies and breasts can result in discomfort and lovely stretch marks. In order to avoid or to at least minimize the lasting effects of stretch marks, I advise you to use creams and oils twice, daily.

MY TWO FAVORITE STRETCH MARK REDUCERS:

•Mama Mia

Tubby Rub Oil and Butter & Boob Tube

•Erbaviva

Stretch Mark Cream, Stretch Mark Oil, & Organic Belly Butter

6 Tips From My 6 Months of Pregnancy: Tip #2- Eat Up!

Today pregnancy comes with a multitude of rules and regulations. My grandma, who smoked while pregnant, would find these "do’s and don't’s" highly amusing. Guidelines for what pregnant women are supposed to eat are high up on the list of what you should be paying attention to while creating your little human. I want to preface this post with a reminder that we are all human- we are all imperfect! Especially during pregnancy, we have indulgent cravings for things like ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and that’s perfectly okay!

When you are in the mood and your food aversions allow you to eat something healthy, here are my top 5 pregnancy foods:

1. Mangos

Mangos are magical fruits that contain a ton of vitamin A and C-both wonderful for growing a healthy little he or she! 

2. Avocados 

Avocados are rich in beneficial minerals and good fats. Eating healthy fat is extremely important for your unborn baby! 

3. Wild Salmon

Protein and Omega-3 fatty acids are wonderful for your little one’s brain development. 

4. Eggs

Cage free, certified humane, antibiotic-free eggs are a great source of lean protein and the egg yolk contains the good fat needed for your little one.

5. Bone Broth 

This is such a great way to get protein without having to eat animal meat if you’re simply not in the mood. Warm foods are wonderful for the womb and bone broth is just divine for that! 

For delicious, protein-rich bone broth check out Brodo in the Lower East Side!

For more tips to help you through your pregnancy journey, stay tuned. Tell me about your pregnancy journey!  Tag me at @healthiswellth on Instagram.

I am excited to hear your feelings!

6 Tips From My 6 Months of Pregnancy: Tip #1- Surrender

Imagine you are a well versed equestrian who has been riding the same horse for 28 years. You know what spooks him, you are aware of his weaknesses and when you need to rein him in, you know how to. For me the first 6 months of pregnancy was akin to waking up and realizing someone swapped your horse for a new pony and you have to re-learn his strengths and weaknesses. You must reconfigure how to rein him in.

Losing control - one of the first and hardest things about pregnancy is learning to surrender - this is an experience where nature truly has to run its course. For me, my body, mind and emotions made their own path and put me on what felt like the wackiest yet amazing roller coaster that I have ever had to endure. From gaining weight in areas you didn’t even know were possible to feeling euphoria one second and having a melt down the next - pregnancy has been a unique process to the say the least. 

It’s perfectly normal to feel all of the feelings I listed above and still be beyond excited to be a mom. I want women out there to understand that pregnancy comes in all shapes and sizes (literally) and that it’s perfectly okay to feel a little nervous! You are creating a human being!

While pregnancy can seem to be frightening territory with multiple unknowns, we live in a time where we can find out a multitude of information rather quickly. This, for some reason, rather than calms us, can give us too much to think about. 

It is very important to see pregnancy as a journey where you trust the natural process of life, of your body and of what you know is meant to be.

Tell me about your pregnancy journey!  Tag me at @healthiswellth on Instagram.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Keep Calm And Caroline On

Join me on B-Line! B-Line is a magazine where activewear brand and workout studio, BANDIER, teams up with health experts to provide overall health and wellness tips. Each month you can find me on B-Line where I will discuss methods of making you your best you! Here's an excerpt from my first post:

Hello Bandier Community!

I am Caroline Leventhal, a health coach who strives to help you find balance in order for you to live your definition of success (healthfully)!

I am born and bred in New York City and absolutely love inspiring communities. In my opinion, being healthy isn’t about being skinny, drinking kale or obsessively working out, it’s about finding a happy point in all aspects of your life. In order to be or get healthy, it’s important to look at a myriad of elements in your life: physical activity, career, spirituality, relationships and of course your eating habits! Everybody has their own set of ingredients that leave them with their best cocktail aka the best version of yourself. Each month on B-Line I plan on providing you with tips to help get you healthy in each category I mentioned above. We are going to talk about how to eat for your blood type as well as keys to maintaining and building healthy relationships. BANDIER is a perfect union of fun, fitness, fashion and practicality!

As Spring begins, I love...okay I have learned to love...cleaning out my apartment and doing my own version of Spring Cleaning. Getting rid of items we don’t need not only gives us more mental clarity in our homes but it also leaves some room for fab new BANDIER gear. I have no doubt that a messy apartment equals a cluttered life but with that said, it’s still hard to muster up the confidence to begin the purge. If you feel like you need a little fuel, you must get Marie Kondo’s “ The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” You can start now by simply eliminating 1 item per day — spring cleaning does not have to be a huge task if you don’t want it to be! I promise you, after a big purge and re-organization, you will feel as though you lost 10 pounds. According to Kondo, at the end of practicing her method, everyone is “surrounded only by the things they love.”

To follow my Bandier blog and see my BANDIER spring picks, click here!