Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to everyone.  We hope you have a safe, happy and healthy Christmas.

xx

Stillness

I am absolutely loving being a Mummy, but how quickly the time is flying by.  Elijah will be 4 weeks old tomorrow, wow!!  He is growing rather quickly too, out of his new born clothes and into 0-3, so sweet in his little cheeky monkey outfit!

I am suffering with sleep deprivation today.  We had an action packed weekend, swimming in the sea at Petit Bot on Saturday and at Saints yesterday, Elijah all snug in his car seat on the beach (above high tide mark of course, Ewan's idea in case something should happen to us while we are swimming and he is left all alone, wouldn't have even crossed my mind to be honest!!).  Shopping around the Island for Christmas presents on Saturday, in and out of shops, breast feeding and changing in Costa, all good fun, and then a swim at Grande Mare Saturday evening while the grandparents happily looked after Elijah for an hour.

Sunday and post swim we went over to Herm again with both sets of parents and enjoyed a picnic in the sun on the common at Shell Beach.  Outdoors December breast feeding and change this time, poor little thing, I was frozen by the time we made it back to the boat, Elijah was all snug in his bear outfit!  We then visited friends and enjoyed a cup of tea and Elijah had a few cuddles from Julie and Michelle, dressed as he was in his hippie suit from Uncle Ross and Aunite Star in hippie Byron - thank you guys!

Usually he sleeps well, but strangely yesterday we were talking to a couple whose baby did not sleep so well and they were saying that you feel as if you have constant jet lag.  Well last night Elijah did not sleep well, he was wired when he should have been sleepy and today I do indeed feel as if I am jetlagged.  Fortunately I can justify the copious amounts of 85% pure dark chocolate for my iron deficiency, even if I am eating it merely as a way to survive the day.  It is so beautiful outside with the sun shining that it seems wrong to sit on the sofa all day!

In fact today is probably my first day on my own.  This morning the doctor signed me off to drive again, hoorah, freedom, I had to do a few star jumps to prove to her that I am ok, not a problem given I have been practicing Yoga for a while now.  It has helped, that and the homeopathic remedies I have been taking to help with the healing, and of course the iron rich foods.

Talking of which I was reading a fascinating article in the Sunday Times Style Magazine yesterday, which was about feeling exhausted and it said that on average 25% of women in Britain do not get enough iron.  While the iron tablets have horrible side effects, I am intrigued to see how much stronger and more energised I feel when my iron levels are up in the normal range.  Only trouble is I will no doubt expel that energy fitting in yet more things to the day.  The article in the Style magazine touches on this a little, about the "crazy busy" nature of our lives, I can certainly relate to this, not something to be proud of necessarily.

In fact I am more aware of it than ever with Elijah in my life, and am shocked how ingrained the need to be busy is, and how challenging to be still without feeling guilty for being still.  This is perhaps the reason I love sea swimming and Yoga so much, as both encourage present moment awareness and with that a stillness.  Elijah too - I am certainly present with him, unless it is the middle of the night and I awake myself by nodding off while breast feeding!!  I guess there is always further work to be done!!

On that note, time to be with the little fella and make the most of this glorious weather.

With gratitude.

xx

The healing power of good nutrition

My Mum is an angel.  Eighteen days after giving  birth to Elijah and I managed to fulfil my intention of taking Elijah to Herm yesterday as part of Ewan's annual birthday celebration tradition.  Admittedly I didn't make it all the way to Belvoir Bay and I didn't manage to swim in the sea, but that is because I messed up the boat tickets rather than lacking in energy.

So it seems that a combination of iron tablets and an iron rich diet really does work.  Eighteen days after the birth and it is like a switch has been flicked.  Not to say that I am fully back to my usual energy levels, but at least I have the energy to gently exercise again and - apparently - have much more colour in my face.  Hooray!

Mum has been preparing all our meals since the birth, a real joy because not only have I had zero energy nor time for cooking, but because my Mum is a champion cook and has been producing some wonderfully healing meals. In fact I do believe E is dreading me cooking again as he feels it has been like eating in a restaurant every night with such variety and quality dishes.  I am more concerned that I won't continue healing as much as I have done this past few weeks. Thank you Mum.

I am sure there is a little further to go, but it is quite incredible what one can achieve through diet, rest and water alone.  Iron rich foods mean lots of pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, spinach, quality dark 85-90% chocolate, quality red meat, eggs, pulses, watercress and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  Plus some nettle tea!

As for Elijah, well we are both learning together.  He is putting on weight and almost making up for lost time as he is munching on my breasts very regularly now.  We are still getting sleep - anything between 4 to 7 hours a night - but there is a lot more regular feeding happening in between.

I love it, this being a mummy malarkey.  It is simply wonderful.  And I have finally slowed down and accepted that life has indeed changed and I can't rush around quite as much as I may have done in the past. And that is fine - as I was reminded by the angel card I pulled earlier - because you are more likely to notice the every day miracles if you slow down.  So already Elijah has taught me so much. 

I am practicing Yoga where I can to help to strengthen the pelvic floor and generally help with healing and keeping the energy and spirits high.  There have been a few emotional outbursts these last few weeks but generally that has arisen as I have been unintentionally battling with what is, rather than accepting it and making peace.

Last weekend we took Elijah to the beach for the first time and while we left him snuggly on the beach, E and I immersed ourselves in the sea.  Gosh it was cold.  I figured it would be good fir the scar although annoyingly it was still too early on in the recovery process to swim.

Last week was frustrating as I started to get sick of being in the house all the time, or simply going to the shop during the day. Friday that changed and I got to go and talk yoga and pregnancy with the wonderful JKT on Radio Guernsey.  Thank you Jen, a pleasure as always.

And then of course yesterday we took Elijah to Herm for his first outing off Island.  Aside from feeding - first time public feeding in a rather packed Mermaid, Elijah got shy first! - he slept for most of the trip, so refreshing to get some fresh air, go walking and spending time with our friends.  Hoorah for the healing power of nature and laughter with friends,

So these really are very blessed times.  Such an opportunity to learn so much about myself and the patterns which no longer serve, and of course to understand and experience this concept of unconditional love for one's child and the way the world reflects back at you with new eyes.  Thank you dear Elijah, my teacher indeed.

Off to try a swim and indulge in some quality dark chocolate - any excuse huh!

With much gratitude

x