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Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
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Q&A with SPB: Benefits of Meditation
| Posted on February 24, 2015 at 1:51 PM |
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 Here is the video with the answer to today's question. Keep scrolling for more of the information we learned in our Bonus Class with Jennifer, and for links to on-line meditation resources! What is meditation? The practice of concentrated focus to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth. (Adapted from the definition in the Farlex Medical Dictionary) Different ways you can meditate: Focus on:
Why do we want to reduce anxiety in pregnancy? Anxiety during pregnancy may:
What are the benefits of meditation? There are three main benefits of meditation that you can access whether you are pregnant or even if you are not:
In addition, clinical evidence illustrates that meditation is highly effective in the treatment of panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, substance dependence and abuse, ulcers, colitis, chronic pain, psoriasis, and dysthymic disorder. Three main kinds of meditation that have been scientifically studied: Mindfulness Meditation This type of meditation comes out ot the traditional Buddhist meditation practices. In formal mindfulness practice, the meditator sits with eyes closed, focusing the attention on the sensations and movement of the breath fro approximately 45-60 minutes at a time, at least once a day. The essence of mindfulness meditation is not what one focuses on, but rather the quality of awareness the meditator brings to each moment. "The goal of mindfulness is for you to be more aware, more in touch with life and whatever is happening in your own body and mind at the time it is happening - that is, the present moment." (Jon Kabat-Zinn) Relaxation Response This is another kind of mental focusing. Meditators are taught to focus upon the repetition of a word, sound, prayer, phrase or movement activity (including swimming, jogging, yoga, and even knitting) for 10-20 minutes at a time, twice a day. They are taught no to pay attention to distracting thoughts and to return their focus to the original repetition. Transcendental Meditation This has its origins in the Vedic tradition of India. The meditator sits with eyes closed and concentrates on a single syllable or word (mantra) for 20 minutes at a time, twice a day. When thoughts or feelings arise, the attention is brought back to the mantra. Jennifer mentioned one of her favorite types of focus music are the kirtans by Govind Das & Radha. How to work it into your daily routine: Jennifer mentioned that it takes 14 days to get into the habit of a daily meditation practice. The really amazing difference it can make is that not only will it improve your pregnancy experience and quite probably enhance your labor and birth, you can also reap the benefits during postpartum, and beyond! All the hormones that are created (endorphins, DHEA, melatonin) are a HUGE plus for sleepy, tired parents of newborns. I hope you are now inspired to find a way to work even a minute of mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine. Our attending students received a handout that Jennifer shares with all her clients with three simple meditations that can be done in under five minutes; plus they got a nifty magnet with over a dozen affirmations that can be used as focus points. These are some online resources for free recordings that you can play if you want some guided meditations to get you started, or if you just need fresh ideas to work into your daily routine if you are already meditating: www.chopra.com www.freemindfulness.org www.relaxationresponse.org Local resources: www.meditationlearningcenter.com www.pathsofgrowth.com www.moxiemeditation.com Jennifer is a knowledgeable midwife and hypnotherapist. If you would like to be in touch with her with one or both aspects of her business, here is her contact information:  Disclaimer: It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Inside Look: Moon Dreams Music
| Posted on March 3, 2014 at 5:12 PM |
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 One of the beautiful things about the internet is making connections with other individuals who love supporting families. I had the pleasure of meeting Susan Moss through LinkedIn. I am so honored to bring you our virtual interview and to share her amazing music with our Sweet Pea students and readers through our blog and our newsletter. I hope you will be as touched by her music as I have been! Tell us a little about your company. MoonDreams Music Recording Group is an independent Record
Label specializing in lullaby music for babies and their parents. Each
song has an instrumental version to sing along to. Some of our lullaby
music is interwoven with the soothing sounds of the night and the ocean.
Our multi award winning lullaby cd, "Carousel Dreams" has helped many
babies fall asleep, and parents relax. How did you know that music was your calling? I knew that music was my calling at around age 5 or 6.
I would always sing to songs on the radio, tape myself singing as a kid, and
always knew I wanted to be a singer. I started writing poems at age 11,
and songs in my late teens. What ages do you have in mind when you create music? The lullabies we wrote are perfect for babies and toddlers,
and also relaxing for parents to listen to. The instrumental versions of
our songs are great to sing along to as well. We are currently working on
new projects, which include a children's holiday song, summer themes, and
relaxation music for all ages. What advice do you have for parents that want to share the
love of music with their children? My advice to parents is to start always playing soft music
when babies are in the womb, and then always introduce different kinds of music
as babies and toddlers. Of course, our lullabies are very soothing for
bedtime. What inspired Carousel Dreams? Carousel Dreams was created by a friend, and myself and we
were both inspired by our children. My friend had some lyrics she wrote
for her daughter, that she asked me to put music to. We then had a
repertoire of songs, including lyrics she wrote, and songs I had wrote,
and it turned into, Carousel Dreams - a Collection of Lullabies What is your dream for the families that listen to your
music? My dream for the families that listen to my music is to
create a relaxing and soothing atmosphere for bedtime, naptime, and a loving
family experience. Do you have a favorite song from that album? It's hard to pick a favorite song from that album, but some
of my favorites are Night Song, Angel Blue Eyes and Little Sleeping Angel. Rumor has it that you are in the studio again...do you have
an “EDD” for your new album? Yes, we have started recording new music, including a
holiday-themed children's song, summer themed lullabies, and relaxation music
for everyone. It has been a long time in
the making, and we will be releasing YouTube videos of the making of it, and
updates as we go along. We have already produced some YouTube Videos of our
lullabies. To hear our current music and
to get the latest news, you can subscribe to our YouTube Channel. In addition to our cd, we also offer a Product Line of
MoonDreams Music Merchandise, including collections of t-shirts, baby gifts,
fashion accessories, etc. with our original designs, logos, and Carousel Dreams
cd cover art. These products are available HERE and HERE. Thank you for getting to know Susan Moss with me...Best wishes as she continues to write and record for her next album. Enjoy this music collaboration with artist Laurie Shanholtzer, set to the music of "Night Song": Where to find MoonDreams Music Recording Group, LLC Website: www.moondreamsmusic.com To Purchase Cd and Downloads: www.cdbaby.com/cd/moondreams CafePress Store: www.cafepress.com/moondreamsmusic Zazzle Store: www.zazzle.com/moondreamsmusic*/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/MoonDreamsMusicRec Twitter: www.twitter.com/moondreamsmusic Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/moondreamsmusic Instagram: www.instagram.com/moondreamsmusic
Disclaimer:
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Dreams of the Sandman
| Posted on November 13, 2012 at 11:00 AM |
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Ahh – today’s blog post is inspired by the class on
postpartum we just taught and two of our sweet students who are going through
some sleepless nights with their daughters.
Warm thoughts and wishes for the sandman are being sent for them. 
A common suggestion when babies are sleepless is to let them cry it out, also
known as CIO. I cringe when I see those
words. I believe that babies are meant
to be with their mamas for the first nine months of their lives – you can read
more about why I believe that HERE, and the babies that inspired this post are
still under nine months of age.
As part of that MotherBaby dynamic, I believe babies cry because they want
comfort - not to manipulate. Adults in relationships like to sleep next to
their partners. It is incredible to me
that children and babies are expected to be okay sleeping alone. They are less
emotionally mature and we ask them to do things that their adult parents (assuming they all live together), supposedly fully
functioning and emotionally intact, do not do.
I want to remind sleepless parents and readers of how amazing their infant
child is. When they are first born,
literally EVERYTHING is new.
So this little person, who has so much change thrown at them in the split
second that they are born, is in the process of learning about the world around
them. They crave the warmth of their
mother’s body, or another comforting body, since they cannot regulate their
body temperature on their own yet. They
are soothed by the rhythm of a beating heart, a sound that was a permanent part
of their environment since the day they could hear in utero.
A baby who is crying is a baby who has a need that has not been met. We are all familiar with the common ones: Are
they wet? Hungry? Tired?
Then there are the reasons that we seem to have forgotten about as a culture…could
they be lonely? Scared? Seeking reassurance? Craving safety in a parent’s arms?
Growing? Teething?
These are no less important than the common reasons. It is easy to be seduced by all the toys,
sleep aids and gadgets that promise a child will sleep through the night. News flash:
babies are wired to cry when they need help…HERE are some great links to
reasons from a developmental standpoint as to why babies *should not* sleep
through the night.
So just how long does it take that little bundle of newness to be
independent? I am sure we will all have
a different answer. And along the path
to independence, there is the discomfort of teething, growth spurts, psychological
expansion from the mama as the center of the universe, to the rest of the
family and then the realization that the world really is a very BIG place. It works for some families to co-sleep, and for other families it is better to have the baby/child sleep in their crib/bed. Or, you can do a little of both, which happens to be our choice. Or...the list could go on and on. There are always lots of options for a family to explore as they find the right path for them. Here are my beliefs:
I implore you to examine your paradigm.
I suggest that our task as a parent is not to get our child to sleep
through the night from the earliest moment possible. Our task, our gift,
is to respond to a child’s needs as they need to be met so that we create
confident, loving and independent adults who are ready to meet the challenges
they face in the world and leave their world a better place. TO BE VERY CLEAR: I am not saying that all children who CIO cannot grow to be
wonderful people. To be wonderful is a
choice that we can all make. Andeach family has to choose what is RIGHT FOR THEM.
What I am suggesting is that we examine our parenting choices and make the best
choice putting our child’s developmental needs first. You will sleep again. This season shall pass and you will wonder
where your baby went, and what that rambunctious
(toddler)(child)(adolescent)(adult) did with your sweet baby. Dare I ask… How did you make it through sleepless nights with your
baby? Disclaimer:
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult
her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the
information for their own situation.
Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for
the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the
basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley
Method®. The views contained on this blog do not
necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth®.
me |
Bedtime Routines
| Posted on October 30, 2012 at 10:58 PM |
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 Every parent wonders when they are going to be able to sleep again. It comes up on message boards
everywhere: When will I sleep
again? How do I train my baby to
sleep? Can’t I just let them cry it out
(CIO)?If you know me, you probably already what my answer is…your baby was designed a certain way. Their cry is a signal that something is wrong and your attention is required to attend to your child and build that confidence between you and them. Your babies are not supposed to sleep through the night – HERE is my favorite blog post on that topic. Will you be tired? YES. Will you need to nap? YES. Does it make sense to have a routine in some families? YES. Each family needs to make the choice that is right for them. Here are some sage words from Dr. Sears:
I am not going to write anymore about sleep training today because you will see that there is already a lot of information out there from Dr. Sears and from some other mom-bloggers (see Link List below). So if you are not going to subscribe to any of the sleep training methods, what can you do to help your child establish a healthy nighttime pattern? I offer these ideas not because these are the methods to sleep train your child. I offer them to get you thinking about the long term. Eventually, your child will outgrow the developmental need
to wake at night. You need to decide if
it will be nice to already have a system in place to encourage them to get to
bed easily, and stay in and fall asleep once they are in bed.
IDEA #1 Set a bedtime that works for your family. Here are the things to consider – what time does your little one start to act sleepy – rubbing their eyes, yawning, being silly, running around so that they stay awake…and if there is more than one child in your family, is there a collective bedtime or does everyone tire in shifts? How much sleep do parents need? What time does your family need to get going in the morning? Once you know those numbers, start working backwards to figure out when you start to your bedtime routine. IDEA #2 Make a routine that works for your family. Include as many or as few of these components as works for you. I found that when Bruss was traveling, a long, drawn out bedtime routine was a nice way to end the day by myself. Now that we are all home together, we run around until we are exhausted and the parents fall into bed at night – the least tired one takes the shift with the Night Owl.
My last tip (or trick - depends how you look at it) is to mist each of the sleepers with some Lotus Wei "Inner Peace" and "Quiet Mind" flower essences. You can read more about those products HERE. I wish you all a good night and sweet dreams! What do you and your family like to do at bedtime? LINK LIST Other GREAT blog posts in regards sleep training
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Bedtime Stories
| Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:34 AM |
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 We have been
getting back into our homeschooling schedule – loving our new curriculum! I have a minute while everyone is asleep,
which fits right into the theme for today – Bedtime Stories!As the holiday
seasons approach, I start to purge the house of all the extras. I finally got to tackle our shelves of
children’s books and did some sorting that was long overdue. As stacks of books surrounded me, a pile of
bedtime books we have for our children started growing higher and higher. I had not realized how many books we have in
this genre. The books in
the Bedtime Story pile got there because they are centered on the theme of
going to bed or end with a sleeping character.
Some of them are repetitive and calming, which is great to settle and
relax a child. Some of them outline the
routine, and some of the books are all about bedtime and nighttime
adventures. Since the goal is to get
children to sleep, I like to start with one of the action or adventure books to
interest and engage our older children, and then finish with a rhyming or
repetitive word grouping book to calm everyone down. Along with our
book titles, I included books shared on a list of other bedtime stories to
explore that was in “Goodnight Giant”. I
hope you find some new treasures on this list to share with your children, or
maybe you can use this as a shopping guide for the next baby shower or birthday
party you attend. Some online
booksellers offer previews before you buy – great tool for taking a peek at the
titles from the comfort of your home! Happy Reading and Sweet Dreams! Rhyming: Fuzzy Bear's
Bedtime ~ Piggy Toes Press Goodnight Moon
~ Margaret Wise Brown I Love You All
The Time ~ J.E. Jirschman & J.E. Cole* I'll See You In
the Morning ~ Mike Jolley Is Your Momma A
Llama ~ Deborah Guarino Lasso The Moon
~ Trish Holland Song of Night:
It's time to go to bed ~ Katie Riley Nakamura The Sun's
Asleep Behind The Hill ~ Mirra Ginsburg Time For Bed ~
Mem Fox and Jane Dyer Repetitive Word Groupings: Good Night,
Arizona ~ Adam Gamble and Joe Veno Good Night,
Chicago ~ Adam Gamble and Joe Veno Good Night,
Gorilla ~ Peggy Rathmann Guess How Much
I Love You ~ Sam McBratney I Love You All
The Time ~ J.E. Jirschman & J.E. Cole* Bedtime Routine: Goodnight Giant
~ promo book published by Johnson & Johnson Maisy's Bedtime
~ Lucy Cousins Good Night,
Baby! ~ DK Publishing Song of Night:
It's time to go to bed ~ Katie Riley Nakamura Saying No (then
Yes!) to Sleep:
Clifford's Bedtime ~
Norman Bridwell Froggy Goes To
Bed ~ Jonathan London Good Night,
Sleep Tight ~ Claire Freedman** Llama Llama Red
Pajama ~ Anna Dewdney Sleep Tight
Little Mouse ~ Mary Morgan Tell Me
Something Happy Before I Go To Sleep ~ Joyce Dunbar and Debi Gliori Nighttime Adventures: Earth to Stella
~ Simon Puttock Harold and the
Purple Crayon ~ Crockett Johnson Goodnight,
Sleep Tight, Little Bunnies ~ Dawn Apperly Pelly and Mr.
Harrison Visit the Moon ~ Lindsay Ward Polar Bear
Night ~ Lauren Thompson There's
Something There! ~ Mercer Mayer three story collection*** Book Notes: *I Love You All The Time shows a working mom **Good Night, Sleep Tight has a grandmother putting child to bed ***There's Something There makes light of nightmares and monsters under the bed - the kiddos are the heroes Any favorite bedtime reads to add to the list? Disclaimer: |