2 year old toddler bedtime routine
Wanted to share an update on our current bedtime routine. I am going to call this the 1.5 – 2 year old routine since we have been doing this for quite some time now. But we are really in a good rhythm now with it. What I want to say is that while this is a schedule, it’s never followed to the minute. I think what we have learned most going through parenthood is that you need to have flexible schedules and be able to go with the flow. That makes for both happy kids and happy parents. Our structure is pretty simple: DINNER / BATH / MILK + MOVIE / TIMER / BEDROOM / DIAPER / BRUSH TEETH / SLEEP DIAPER / SLEEP SACK / BOOKS / SING / BED. Ok maybe that doesn’t seem simple when I type it all out but it’s what we do. There are nights we skip bath time, or nights that our timing get’s WAY off. Our main goal is to have him in his crib as close to 8pm as we can. 2 year old toddler bedtime routine5:30 – Dinner Sometimes this pushes later to 6 but we try our best to do an earlier dinner. This usually sets the pace of the whole night. 6:00/6:15 – Bath time! We do baths most nights but not every. For instance if dinner runs much later and we haven’t had a messy day, we can skip bath. On days where we do bath time, Otis runs to his room in excitement and we wash and play and then get changed into pajamas. 6:45 – Milk + Movie Some days Otis goes straight to his toys after bath and we let him play before we give him his milk. By 7:00pm we are settled onto the couch to “snuggle” as he says with a milk and one of our fav movies on rotation: Frozen 2, Frozen 1, Trolls + Trolls World Tour, Cars 1 + 3, Nemo, Coco, Moana, Monsters Inc, Monsters University, or Grinch. We use the Oxo tot transitions cup. We never watch a whole movie, we watch bits and pieces. It’s a nice time I get to snuggle with Otis under a blanket, turn the lights down and relax while he enjoys his milk. Some days he’s really mellow, sits the whole time, other days he gets up to dance to his favorite songs in the movie. It’s time to drink his milk however he feels that day. It’s one of my absolute favorite parts of the day. 7:30 – Set the timer! A relatively new thing we have been doing for the past 2 months is setting timers when we want to transition from activities. Especially when ending the activity might be unwanted. We set our google home timer for 5 minutes (could easily do this on your phone also) and then verbally tell Otis that when the timer goes off in 5 minutes we are going to his room. It’s surprising how some days he now grabs his lovey when the timer goes off and marches down the hall to his room. It’s been a really great structural element (or tool for that matter) to add into our routines and give him a warning that we are going to his room soon. I feel like this is a great one to start early because sooner or later it will click as part of their routine. 7:35 – Otis bedtime routine This part can always be chaotic because he always seems to have a second wind when we get to his room. Ha! We change him into his sleep diaper, put on his sleep sack, and pick some books to read. We sit in his chair, brush his teeth, read books and then sing the books away song. Otis turns on his hatch rest plus sound machine, Blake kisses him goodnight and then I hold him and offer a snuggle in the chair before bedtime. Then we usually sing a song. Current favs are twinkle twinkle or Itsy Bitsy Spider and ABCs. I make it interactive and let him pick which song he wants to sing and participate. Then we walk to crib, he throws lovey in, we kiss and hug and I put him in the crib. Since he has been throwing his lovey out, I always explain that if he throws his lovey that lovey is going to sleep on the carpet. I say my night nights and Love you and leave the room. If he throws his lovey, we wait till he’s deep asleep and we will stealth throw it in without waking him. This way, he doesn’t expect us to come right back in if he has thrown it. We use the Nanit plus camera to monitor Otis and we are still using the breathwear (until he grows out of it) which monitors his breathing. This all pretty much sums up most nights in our house. Always remember that every night isn’t picture perfect and we move and flow as the day needs. Feel free to leave any other questions about our routines below. Clover baby + Kids PJS (use code: OTIS for 20% off most items shop our bedtime routine essentials: The post 2 year old toddler bedtime routine appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/09/2-year-old-toddler-bedtime-routine.html September 16, 2020 at 04:13PM
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Failed Frozen Embryo Transfer #3 – Failed IVF
As I type, the words are blurry from the tears. My heart is broken. And it’s in moments like these that hope seems impossible. The waves of grief, loss, and utter despair hit like a Mac truck. I am not ok. I feel like I am living the worst kind of ground hogs day since we just recently shared our last failed embryo transfer. On August 20th, I had my second frozen embryo transfer and 11 days later we found out that it failed. I never fully understood the pain of those trying for their second child. I always thought how the pain must have been 10x harder for those without having any children. But the chill reality for myself is having a sweet taste of motherhood and knowing that in every fiber of my body that is the role I was meant to have. And the utter heartbreak of knowing that joy and love and not being able to give it to more than one child. It’s something I have thought about a lot and something I now deeply understand. As I sit in this numb fog, the irony is that my butt is literally still numb from the progesterone injections and I still have permanent marker circles drawn on my butt cheeks from where I would have continued my shots if I had gotten pregnant. It all stings. Literally and figuratively. Why I am deciding to share this so soon after our failed transfer is that I can’t just pretend things are normal because they aren’t. So much is going on in the world that I care so passionately about, but I have been secretly struggling through our fertility as the world simultaneously is hurting and the pressures of having a platform and showing up for others can feel daunting when your own life is consumed with its own fight. I just want to say, to always be kind to others because you NEVER know the struggles they are fighting in their lives. Especially in this Covid world where many people have lost their jobs, lost loved ones, and so many other pieces of life can be turned upside down. That being said, I try to carry on and move forward because it is what needs to happen in life. But now you know what has and is going on in the background. I have preached so many times about hope, and strength and courage, and I don’t want this first piece of this story to throw you off. While I sit in a deep dark cave, even if I don’t see the light, I know it’s there. I have had that hope in the past and while it might be wavering now, I know it’s there. So let me explain what happened this cycle. Frozen Embryo PrepThis being the 3rd time we prepped for Frozen Embryo Transfer in the last 5 months… you could say we were already running in the swing of things at the start of this one. This one also seemed to fly by. Each week, each new medication, the process just seemed faster likely because I was going through the motions, and getting things done and in such a rhythm from the past cycles. Everything went smoothly with medications for the most part. The only different thing this time was that the progesterone in oil shots (aka the butt shots) started to hurt way sooner this time around. I think because I still had scar tissue from the last round of FET, the discomfort from the injections started almost instantly. Insult to injury am I right?? Also the injection area became numb because of the nerves in the area so that was freaky and not fun at all either. And to be clear, the actual injections are not bad at all in my opinion. I guess that is also coming from someone that now has an intimate relationship with shots so don’t quote me on anything. It’s not the needle that hurts, the aftermath of the progesterone lumps in my butt that hurt and sting. I do the whole massage thing, have used heat, but none of it really helps. You just grit down and get through it. I just think of each shot getting me closer to the baby. For the most part though, it was a swift and smooth process to get ready for transfer day. I was at my last appointment getting ready, when I double checked to be sure that Blake could come with me this time. We had planned to have Otis spend the night at my sisters so that Blake could take me and it could be a more loving experience for me since last time we checked, partners were allowed to join for the procedure. Unfortunately, I got the news that because of the recent covid spike in Southern California, partners were no longer allowed to come for procedures. My heart sank. It’s so hard not to get frustrated in these moments because infertility in the time of covid makes you walk more alone than you would normally. But, protocol is protocol and it was not something to be obsessed and linger on. But it was part of my plan that was now shifted. But, like anything else, you need to just readjust and keep moving forward. That all being said, if you are going through infertility for your first time during covid-19 having to go to appointments alone, procedures alone, my heart just reaches out to yours because I know how scary it can be at first to navigate. Just know your army of women are here. And we are all marching into those appointments with courage. Transfer DayBlake and Otis drove me to my procedure on embryo transfer day. 30 minutes prior to my appointment per usual and I gave them both a kiss, popped my valium and headed upstairs. Before you go back to the room, you need to fill out a ton of paperwork verifying your info etc and as I was filling out my sheets, I came across someone else’s sheet mixed in with my forms. THANK GOD I had taken the valium already or I might have had a full blown meltdown. I went back to the front desk and I think the woman felt HORRIBLE for mixing up a paper. When I dropped my papers off to her I said, “ I don’t have to worry about getting my own embryo right?!” Kind of half joking… but also, dead serious. It is in moments like this you really just need to step back and think that nothing in life is perfect and mistakes happen and not to let it ruin the vibe of transfer day. I WAS ZEN and nothing was going to change that. I then went to my procedure room and met with the embryologist who went through all my information and that instantly calmed my nerves. Then my doctor came in to review everything and we were ready to get the show on the road! They always take a photo of my embryo for me before we start which is so special. My little baby, sitting in its little embryo station. SCIENCE IS BEAUTIFUL. Even though last transfer I videoed Blake and it was chaotic, I decided to video him in again as just a bit of support. It did feel good to have him there somehow. He put himself on mute so he could hear (maybe?) what was going on. My doctor first takes a quick measurement of my lining to make sure everything is looking good and it was a little bit lower than expected. It was more like 7.6 or 7.8 overall which we normally aim for 8 but she said she saw a thicker portion in a certain spot she would aim for. Not something you love to hear before shoveling your embryo in… but not every cycle is the same and if the doctor was happy, I was happy. A few minutes later and our beautiful little embryo was happily inside my uterus. I laid down for 20-30 minutes after and listened to some of my favorite chill tunes until it was time to get up and go. This was it. And now that wait continued. 2 Week WaitDuring our two week wait, 2WW, we had A LOT going on. My transfer was on a Thursday and I was on bedrest from Thursday through all day Saturday. I called it my “momcation” lol. Blake took time off from work and was on Otis duty 24/7. I stayed in bed for everything except a potty run or getting my injections. I watched a ton of movies but the first one I always watch when I get home is Father of the Bride Part 2. LOVE THAT MOVIE and it always gives me those good feeling vibes. This time, I made sure to plan all our meals ahead of time so I was enjoying all my favorite things. I always cut all caffeine as recommended by my doctor so I sip my hot water with lemon with all my meals. I facetimed Otis for all my meals which made me feel like part of the family and so sweet to see his little face. I have some of the sweetest photos of him laughing and eating pasta with me on facetime. Every night Blake would bring him in after his bath to give me a kiss and try to have a little snuggle while Blake watched him to make sure he wouldn’t jump on me or anything. Hard with an active toddler but at night, he loves those milk and movie snuggles so glad I could get some mini snuggle time with him. Toward Saturday, being in bed starts to get boring even for a mom that REALLY needed some time to rest. By Sunday I was slowly getting back into the swing of things and suddenly in full party prep mode for Otis! So Sunday I was off bedrest and his birthday was on Tuesday. Blake was able to take off work on Monday and Tuesday so he could help prepare for Otis’ birthday. This was so helpful and amazing because now, I couldn’t’ lift Otis at all, so he was able to really help out more so with him as I eased back into my normal routines. Even though party planning has its own stress involved, it was EPIC to have something to focus my attention on during the TTW. And even luckier that we also planned a drive by birthday for Otis’ friends to come on Saturday so we had a lot to work on and distract us during the week. On the eve of my blood work, A peaceful calm fell over me. Maybe I was still smiling from celebrating Otis and his birthday. Maybe it was because I was scrolling through photos of him dancing but I just couldn’t help smiling. How lucky was I??? A mom of a 2 year old person that continues to bring me so much joy every day. This is the hope you hold out for. This is what every injection is meant for. This is why time after time you pick yourself up and get back up. And that day, my heart smiled. Knowing that I had that chance to find out I was pregnant the next day. This was going to be my chance where I got lucky to do this again. Bloodwork DayI woke up feeling so good. Calm. Relaxed. It was shocking. My plan was to wake up, pee in a cup, and have Blake do a HPT (home pregnancy test) when I left the house for my blood work. My mindset here is that I never want to get a blind call from the doctor with negative news and I DON’T want to know before I have to go see people in a doctors office so always leave the pee and make Blake test it. My relationship with the “devil sticks” as I call it… well, it ain’t good so I am thankful that Blake takes on the HPT duty. I headed to my doctor’s appointment and one of my favorite nurses was there to take my blood. We chatted, and honestly, I was feeling good. Feeling so confident in the weirdest of ways. I had had some light cramping the past days so I figured that was a positive sign. I headed quickly back to my car to test Blake to give me the results. He first text back and asked how blood work went before I quickly and boldly asked WHAT THE RESULTS WERE. “Negative.” He said. A pit sank in my stomach, and the tears started to stream as I sat in the parking lot. Flashbacks to our last failed transfer and negative HPT. It had failed… AGAIN. At this point it was 8:45 and I needed to head home right away to get back on Mom duty to watch Otis since Blake had to go to work. I had to try to dry my tears up so I could drive home safely. I did my best to focus and get myself home. The waves of grief continually tug at my heart. EVERY. DAMN. SECOND. I walked inside and Otis smiled at me screaming “MAMA!!!” as he always does when I enter a room. I had to smile. But it almost made my heart break twice knowing I didn’t make him a baby sibling. I cried most of the day. On and off. Without warning. But what I talked about before is mourning this loss as a mother is so difficult. I didn’t want to be hysterically crying in front of Otis all day. He needs a mother that is happy and making him smile. But it’s not easy. Blake came out at lunch and I lost it. Trying to cover my face in front of Otis so he couldn’t’ see my tears. The frustration of just having to FIGHT and STRUGGLE for so long, all of it just feels so unfair. I sobbed as I told him I just wish it was easy like everyone else. It was just so hard. Today, I am still not ok. And to be honest I won’t be ok for a while. I know this isn’t the story you want to be reading and trust me when I say it’s not the story I thought I would be typing. But it’s the cruel reality of infertility that there are no guarantees. What makes this failure even more devastating is that we only have 1 more embryo left. So talk about pressure and your whole freaking family life flashing before your eyes. Your heart on the chopping block. Every time I think about it breaks me into pieces. I have been in that situation before, and sadly, we did not have a happy ending. Everything about this process will give you PTSD or at least it did for me. When you talk about being hopeful, it’s likely one of the hardest things you can achieve while going through treatment. But in the end, hope is what we all have. Faith that we can put our best hopeful heart forward and do everything in our power to put one foot in front of the other. I don’t know what our future holds right now, but I know I will have the courage to move forward. My mission in writing these blog posts about our infertility journey is shed some light on the realities of fertility treatment. It’s important to know the good, the bad and the ugly and to know that though times can be very dark, the rewards can be life’s sweetest. Blake turned to me yesterday and said, “WOW. Can you believe just how special a miracle that Otis is???” And he is so right. Bless our little rainbow baby for bringing so much love and light into our life especially in these current hard times. To my friends out there struggling, I wish I could wrap my arms around you. So many parts of this process are now done alone because of this Covid world but know you are not walking alone. We all walk together. You are not alone. I wrote a few posts on infertility and IVF and you can find them below: Prepping for FET (frozen embryo transfer) Preparing for IVF egg retrieval How to support a friend going through IVF Covid-19 Cancelled My Embryo Transfer Failed IVF Frozen Embryo Transfer The post Failed Frozen Embryo Transfer #3 – Failed IVF appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/09/failed-frozen-embryo-transfer-3-failed.html September 01, 2020 at 05:13PM
Otis’ 2nd Birthday – Trolls Themed Birthday Ideas
We celebrated Otis’ 2nd birthday yesterday and I still have a smile plasters across my face!! It was the best day ever. I don’t think I have slept so well as I did after our day of festivities. It was so important to me that despite our current pandemic world, that I create a beautiful day for Otis to enjoy. I decided to do a Trolls themed birthday since that movie has been on repeat in this house. Not only that, rainbows are extra meaningful for our family given that Otis is our rainbow baby after years of IVF. Even 2 years later, my level of gratitude for him in our family can never be expressed. The main decor was a rainbow and cloud balloon arch made of balloons, streamers, and hung on a photo backdrop stand. Blake was the one that created the balloon clouds by tying bunches of balloons together and then attached with fishing line when needed and connecting that to the pole. For the streamers, they are just strung over the pole at the top. We also blew up some loose balloons for the ground and lined some streamers in the doorway for his entrance in the morning. I also ordered the cutest Happy Birthday Otis custom sign on etsy. Another thing I ordered to customize for our theme was two kinds of Trolls wrapping paper. When we walked in, we made sure to have the Trolls soundtrack blast and of course, had a dance party. For sweet treats, I ordered our favorite donuts from Sidecar and got these cute gold candles for it. I also got this cake mix from Flour shop + Williams Sonoma which I baked for Otis to enjoy later in the day along with this cake stand and Trolls figurines lined up on the cake stand (instead of IN the cake so it would make for easier cleanup!) Otis basically ran around with all the streamers for hours. So if you need to entertain a toddler, throw some streamers on the floor. YOU’RE WELCOME. HA! But in all seriously we had the best day celebrating our 2 year old!!! I will be creating a separate blog post with Otis’ 2 year old presents ideas so stay tuned. See all party details below! Otis pajamas: clover baby & kids (use code “OTIS” for 20% most items) Otis tank + shorts: childhoods clothing / shoes: native / hat: reytoz (“EATSLEEPWEAR10” for 10%) Otis Toys: Moderno Kids ride-on car / custom license plate shop Trolls Theme Birthday supplies: The post Otis’ 2nd Birthday – Trolls Themed Birthday Ideas appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/08/otis-2nd-birthday-trolls-themed.html August 26, 2020 at 05:13PM
Best Toys For Toddlers Ages 1-2
I wanted to share with you all of the most used items for Otis at this age. He’s currently 23 months (OMG!!!!!!) but I started writing this at 22. But basically most of this stuff we have been using over the last year till now. Sharing a variety of things from toys, feeding, to home stuff. Hope you enjoy this break down! INDOOR TOYSDisney Pixar Cars Mini Racers Mack Transporter: Otis already had these mini cars and one day Blake came home with this truck. It stores the little cars and also makes for a big fun toy to push around. IKEA 20 piece basic train set: My sister gave us some hand me down IKEA train set pieces and Otis LOVES to put these together himself. It’s been a great toy for independent play and we plan to get more for his birthday. Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Clear Colors Set: These are epic! They were great for when Otis was closer to 1 because they were easier for him to grab and pick up. Obviously you need to monitor your play because of the magnets but this is something he has loved especially during quarantine. We have a metal coffee table so he uses it to stick the magnets too. Or the fridge. Or the garage door. Basically anything metal he will put them on. LEGO DUPLO My First Number Train: For his first birthday he actually got this set and he has become OBSESSED with Duplo legos. It’s been a great toy for independent play and I love how creative he gets with them. toy dyson vacuum: This was another first birthday toy that he still loves to this day. Every time I get out my adult sized dyson, he runs and grabs his and “helps” me clean the house. Mega Bloks First Builders Classic Big Building Bag 80-Piece Set: This was another first birthday present that keeps on giving. I keep these with the Duplo legos and he plays with both. These are better for smaller kiddos and easier to put together closer to age 1. Playskool Explore ‘N Grow Busy Gears: We bought this after watching him play with something similar at his Oma and Opa’s house. The gears move when you push the button so this is a good toy to keep them occupied. Plan Toys Baby Walker: This was actually a first birthday gift from Oompa Toys and I am telling you he still loves it and he is almost 2. It’s pricey but its a 2-in-1 toy. Both a push car and you have all the blocks. Otis moves this from room to room and then plays with the blocks either inside or takes them out. He’s going to be using this for a while. He loves to build. Tegu 24 Piece Set: These blocks are fun and different take on a magnets toy. LEGO DUPLO Disney Frozen Toy Featuring Elsa and Olaf’s Tea Party: You know how obsessed Otis is with Frozen so we had to buy him Frozen Duplo lego set. Magformers 30-pc. Rainbow Set: These magnets have also been a very popular quarantine toy for Otis. He uses them on our metal surfaces but also lines them up on the carpet. Again, we monitor closely because of the magnets but this is a MUST have toy. Buckle Toys Buster Square: We call this toy, “Mr Buckles” HA! When we were actually going places, we would bring this in our diaper bag or in the car. I sometimes bring it on our walks so he can play with it. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Count & Rumble Piggy Bank: He has recently rediscovered this toy and it’s so cute. Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet, 8″ HD display: This has been a recent game changer. Since Otis is now into screen time, it’s been fun to let him play on his own kid friendly tablet. What I love is that he can literally click anything in kid mode and he’s all in approved kid content that we load on there. A fun feature of this tablet is you can also use it in adult mode if you want to tap into apps like netflix etc. This one also comes with a great warranty incase you kid chucks this down the stairs and it breaks. I also love this case with it. OUTDOOR TOYSEvenflo Versatile Playspace Indoor/Outdoor Gate: This gate has been incredible. We actually bought 2 so it can stretch across our garage and have our garage door open and use our garage as a playroom. We have also used it in the backyard as a barrier for some social distance hang out during quarantine. It’s awesome because it modular so you can always buy more pieces or make it as big as you need it. HEDGBOBO Music Bubble Lawn Mower Electronic Bubble Blowing Mover: This was a gift from a friend and I am telling you Otis is obsessed with this thing. He walks down the sidewalk with this little lawn mower and love that the bubbles can be turned on or off. You can take the handle off so it’s easy to store. Fisher-Price® Lil’ Snoopy: We use this toy every day. Since Otis always wants to walk Lola and that is not always very productive… we put a regular dog lease on this toy and let him “walk his puppy” down the street and it allows him to have his own responsibility and gives him something to do so we can also successfully walk Lola to do her business. Love this toy so much. Step 2 Up & Down Indoor Outdoor Roller Coaster Toy w/ Car: We got this for Otis’ first birthday and now, he’s really enjoying this for independent play time. He pushed the car up, pushes himself down. Slides down on his stomach… you know. The normal ways of using it. HA! SUCH a great bigger gift idea. These are hard to come by in stock. Mickey Mouse Glowing Bubble Wand: We actually bought our bubble wand at Disney On Ice but this one looks identical. It has both lights and bubbles for when the bubble inevitably run out. Lol. Anything Disney can go no wrong. Veer Cruiser: I often get asked if this wagon is really worth the hype. My honest answer is that yes it’s VERY expensive but we have gotten incredible use out of it. It has very rugged wheels which allows us to easily bring to the park, on grass, and even in the sand. Yes it’s still hard to pull on sand but the rugged wheels make it easier. A plus is there are so many really unique attachment options. We recently got the additional storage bucket to add on. If you are looking for something splurge worthy, I 100% cosign this. Another thing that is great is you can add adapters to add a car seat. So if you are in a two kid family, that could come in handy. It folds down super flat too so we easily stow it in our trunk. We love it! Also the snack tray is EPIC. Little Tikes Toy Sports T-Ball Set: This is a newer toy because obviously we love baseball in this house and this is a bigger boy toy. He has been having fun and it doesn’t take up that much storage space. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Kids Pretend Play Fun Grocery Store Shopping Cart: I bought this at the beginning of quarantine and it’s an epic toy for walking around the neighborhood. It’s nice to give Otis a task when we are walking to keep him focused and moving in the direction I want him too. Toddler problems am I right!??! It’s great because he can throw another toy or two inside and it’s big enough if he abandons it, I can easily just pull it with one hand. Step2 Whisper Ride II Kids Blue Ride On Push Car: One of daily used toys. Each day we take a walk together. He loves to ride in it and we have used it since he was 1 and will get even more use after 2. BEDTIMEHalo Sleep sack: We have tried many sleep sacks and this is still our favorite. We have ones in different materials for different seasons but since we have A/C we like to use the fleece one since it’s nice and cool in the house. We put it on him backwards which at least helps a little in terms of him not taking it off. It’s been the best one we have found. They are just hard to find in the larger sizes. He is in the biggest size right now. Slumberkins Sloth Snuggler: This is Otis’ prized possession. He calls his sloth his “love love” and he sleeps with it everynight. We introduced this when he was an infant for car seat rides etc before he started sleeping with it. I can’t say enough good things because they wash in the washing machine so well and I let them air dry and they are good as new. My recommendation is to buy 3 of any lovey you want to get for your child. So if you lose one you aren’t screwed. HA! Also keep cycling them so you can wear them evenly. I did not do this. Learn from my mistakes Playskool Sesame Street Cookie Monster 10” Mini Plush: Cookie Monster is one of his loves in bed with him. This one is nice because its small. Jellycat Bashful Turtle Stuffed Animal, Small: Otis loves his little turtle. The jellycat toys are so soft and I got him the tiny size since it’s easier to carry around and snuggle. Hatch Rest + Sound Machine: By far one of my must haves from the newborn phase till now. I love this thing so much I have 3 of them in my house. 1 in his room, 1 outside of his room in the hallway to drown out any noise in the house, and 1 in our bedroom on my night stand because I got so used to the sounds when Otis was in his bassinet in our room. This newer version is pricer than the older but what is EPIC about it is that is has some reserve battery in it. So for instance, if the power goes out, the sound machine will stay on. EPIC. I have convinced many people to buy this including my sister. I had forgotten it at her house and her sons borrowed it and loved it so much she bought them. It also has time to wake functionality which we have not used yet but hope to in the future. EATINGSkiphop Zoo 11 oz. Insulated Food Jar: Love these insulated food jars when toting around lunch or dinner for Otis. Summer Infant Pop ‘N Sit Portable Infant Booster Seat: This is a must have item! We have gotten so much use out of this portable high chair even just in our own house. We use it for outdoor picnics and the detachable tray makes it great to kind of contain them in one place when you don’t have your highchair etc. It’s easily washable and it also can be attached to another big chair to serve as highchair height at a table. I have a slightly different version but buy this if you like it it’s been sold out. Skiphop Zoo 7.5 oz. Snack Cup: These snack cups are like gold in our house. I constantly have at least 2 filled with goodies for Otis and love that they have a cap that closes so things are leaking out everywhere. Inglesina Fast Table Chair: This is our current fav high chair. I LOVED my large high chair from stokke but one day Otis started fighting us to sit in ANYTHING. We were able to eventually get him to sit in this clip on chair so now we have two. One on our kitchen island and one on our dining room table. The best thing is that while the instructions don’t recommend it being machine washable, I was reading a couple blogs of people that put theirs in the washing machine. I tried it and holy crap it looks like new after! I just let it hang and air dry. We also used to take this to restaurants when Otis was too young to sit in their highchairs as well as taken to hotels etc. Inglesina Fast Table Dining Tray: You NEED to get this tray if you buy the chair. Keeps clean up easier so food doesn’t cake under the handles. It’s easy to loosen and clean under but this helps prevent that as well as being something we can easily remove when mealtime is over. Otis tends to want to rip his plate up when he is saying he is all done so its easy to just remove this tray and get it out of the way. UNICOO- Bamboo Height Adjustable Kids Learning Stool: I always get asked about this kitchen stool and the white is sold out right now but here is the wood version. What I love about it is that it is pretty compact because we have a pretty small kitchen. It’s been epic for Otis to be at the counter and help prep meals, have a snack, help make my morning coffee etc. It also allows him to be a menace and mess with literally everything but I love this tower so much. No regrets! OXO Tot Transitions Straw Cup: We tried a bunch of sippy cups and this is the one we have used and loved when we transitioned him off the bottle to a sippy straw cup. It’s relatively easy to clean. But let’s be honest, any straw is annoying to clean. They do leak if there is milk in the straw but it’s the best option we have found so far. Lollaland® Lollacup 10 oz. Sippy Cup: This is our #1 water cup. With the handles it’s easy for Otis to grab one handed when he is filthy eating dinner. Lollaland makes such great kids feeding stuff and we own quite a few of their products. This is by far my fav and most used water cup. Bumkins Disney Silicone Grip Dish, Suction Plate: I love all the bumkins suction plates. They REALLY stick. You know we are Disney obsessed so this Mickey plate is in heavy rotation. Bumkins Baby Fork and Spoon Set: These are the forks and spoons we are using for Otis right now. They are short enough to make it easy for him to eat. Shop toddler favorites below: The post Best Toys For Toddlers Ages 1-2 appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/07/best-toys-for-toddlers-ages-1-2.html July 29, 2020 at 04:13PM
Failed IVF Frozen Embryo Transfer
If you want to know if I am alright. I am not. You don’t think it’s possible to have your heart broken as many times as you do going through IVF. It breaks into a million pieces and slowly, you piece them back together just in time for your heart to shatter again. I am still picking up those pieces today. I recently shared that my Embryo Transfer got cancelled because of Covid-19 and was patiently waiting for my fertility clinic to open back up. When I finally got the call that they were opening, I scheduled to start treatment ASAP. I quietly prepped the whole last month and a half for a Frozen Embryo Transfer on June 8th. After the most excruciating 10 day wait, it’s with a heavy heart that I tell you our transfer didn’t work. Not pregnant. Let me rewind to give you a little insight into this FET cycle. Frozen Embryo Transfer PrepThe process was relatively easy considering I had just completed the majority of it with my cancelled FET cycle. I knew what to expect. I was in the groove. I had my eye on the prize. I think the scariest moment of prep is always the day I start progesterone injections. That scary long needle that gets injected into your butt. But like anything, after “pulling off the bandaid” and just getting through the first night, it all just becomes part of your routine again. I will say the injections aren’t even that bad compared to how your butt starts to feel after a few days. I remember telling Blake it’s like I have two bruises on my butt the size of tennis balls. Sitting is uncomfortable. I was doing them once in the morning and once at night. But regardless of any unpleasantness, you grit through because that precious progesterone is for your baby. So it’s all worth it. Once I started the progesterone, we were locked into a embryo transfer date. It was on. Embryo Transfer DayGiven the state of the world, our transfer looked alot different this time. While Blake was allowed to come with me to the procedure, he could not because he had to be in the car with Otis since we are still fully quarantined at home. Since I have been doing my medical treatments, it was important to me and our family that we continue to be as safe as possible to protect my health as well as that of Blake and Otis. Since we are without childcare help and we aren’t having contact with anyone to watch Otis, he had to support me from the car instead of in the room. I am so lucky to have gone through a transfer experience before in normal times so I could at least know what to expect. I can’t imagine other woman having to go through this process alone. It weighs heavy on me thinking how hard the process can be for everyone. Blake gave me a kiss, I kissed Otis on the forehead and I headed into the facility. I wore a mask, had my temperature checked, and answered a slew of questions pertaining to Covid-19. Besides the obvious precautions, everything was just as I remember. I met with my embryologist who went over my info, talked to me about my embryo and got everything set up to go. My doctor came in and I was able to ask to video in Blake during the procedure. But of course, with Blake watching a wild toddler in a car seat that didn’t want to be in his car seat, he had to mute his own audio and he ended up not really knowing what was happening as I tried to communicate with him, wearing my mask and giving hand signals. I think in a way, But, regardless we did our best to create our own sense of normal. I had my music playing and just like that, we were done. It’s a super quick procedure and after I lay down for 30 minutes before I am allowed to go home. It’s also to note, they give me valium before so I am SUPER relaxed but do need to be driven home because of it. We drove home and I got ready for my 3 days of bedrest. I queued up my favorite rom coms, wore my coziest pajamas, and had more time to myself than I remember in a long time. The hardest part about the bed rest was not really being able to hang out with Otis. I missed him terribly. My little buddy We tried to have him come into bed when he was in a relaxed mood or it was time for his milk before bed and a lot of time, it would be a little complicated because he’s a toddler that wants to be on the move and I need to be very careful and not have any pressure on my stomach. That was the toughest thing. Not getting many cuddles and hang time with Otis. But luckily he had a great time with Dad and I cherished the time I did get to spend with him. 2 Week WaitI thought the 2 week wait (or 2WW) would be easier this time around because I have been through it twice before so I should basically be an expert. WRONG. There is so much PTSD when it comes to infertility and IVF treatment. I feel the 2WW was even worse this time around. Day 2 I was already off to doctor google looking up implantation signs, symptoms, you name it. I knew it was bad. I knew I shouldn’t read, but damn guys. You ALWAYS READ IT. The first couple days were rough. Especially with the state of the world, I tried to disconnect myself from all social media as much as I could but it was also a time I could NOT look away. I think in hindsight I blame myself… maybe I should have truly disconnected more. Maybe I caused myself stress when I should have been more positive and focused on myself. Once I got to day 6, I started feeling better about being closer to blood test day. I was leaning into the “I’m pregnant” mentality and doing my best to be as positive as possible. Fast forward to the night before my blood work. I have not been that anxious in a LONG time. I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned all night. I had a million things going on in my mind. Blake was trying to get me to take an at home pregnancy test from day 7 but I held out. I didn’t want to torture myself with any false positive or false negative results. I was going to hold on until blood work day. Blood Work DayI tossed and turned all night before my blood work. My eyes were awake scrolling my phone before my alarm went off at 6am to get up, shower and head to the doctors office for my blood work. Anxious. Nervous. Excited. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a solo cup to save my morning pee to test it with an HPT (at home pregnancy test), did my business, and showered to get ready. It was a misty June morning, softly raining and eerily quiet drive. A huge pit in my stomach. I did my quick blood drawl and I was back in the car on the way home. Luckily it was Thursday, TRASH DAY, so I could distract myself with chasing trucks with Otis. Before I left on my routine walk, I had Blake go in and do my pregnancy tests with my saved urine. Did I tell you how much I love Blake and how he is the freaking best partner in the world? The idea of doing a HPT and seeing a negative result would destroy me so Blake was on duty. My last successful FET (which I wrote about here) I did a HPT after my phone call with the nurse to find out it was positive. My hopes were high. Until Blake came out, “All 3 are negative.” I could see it all over his face. The look I have seen before. Devastation. My heart sunk. But then just like that, I had to bring Otis to go see the trash trucks. Going through fertility treatment with a toddler is a very different experience. Less time to process. More distraction. Just different. We talked as I strapped Otis into his blue car that I pushed him out for our walks. “I’m going to pray that my beta comes back positive. Maybe it’s too early for my home test. There is still a chance.” I left for my walk, where I always meet my friend down the block to take a socially distanced walk with our toddlers. With every step I took, it became alarming clear that, fuck. This might not have worked. I continued on with our convos focused on Otis and our kids and just hoped that she wouldn’t bring up whether I went in for my blood work. I could feel the tears just creeping up in my throat. It was my most heart wrenching trash day. A day I always look forward to. Now riddled with worry. It’s a blessing sharing our process with friends and loved ones, but when things are bad… they become epically worse when you need to report bad news. Thankfully our convos were light and I headed home. To continue to wait. Since the negative HPT, the knot in my throat, and the tears just swelled but never poured out. I needed to know the truth and wait for the blood work results. But Blake and I had pretty much come to the realization that… this didn’t work. And here we were again. HOW DID WE GET HERE. I sat at my desk sitting next to Blake. I was NOT going to answer my phone. I knew I would break down and Blake needed to be the one to field the call from our doctor. I felt like throwing up. The wait was excruciating. The Phone CallMy phone rang and Blake picked up. I could hear my doctor’s voice and instantly knew… it was bad news. Our hearts were broken. She explained that she was so sorry to have to share this news with us. And that I didn’t even have a bio chemical pregnancy, it was nothing. I am thankful for that at home pregnancy test. To be able to diffuse our initial shock, and make me more lucid for that phone call than I would have been going in blind. It’s the unfortunate thing about IVF. While it’s this wildly incredible beautiful thing, it’s not 100%. Nothing is. Everything was perfect. My lining was AMAZING and probably the thickest it’s been at transfer at a 9.2. Everything went perfectly. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. After 10 days going to sleep staring at my photo of my embryo and the ultrasound showing the transfer, our precious embaby was gone. Processing Our lossI was pretty open with family and close friends, and some of my fellow fertility warriors about our FET. The joy that comes along with sharing my experience and being able to connect with people during such a hard time also turns extra hard when you are left fielding texts from people who know you had a transfer wanting to know what happened. I talked about how to support a friend dealing with infertility and IVF and I think the hardest thing is that people just truly want to support you and don’t know the pain that comes behind some of their interactions. While innocent, those convos are still a bitter pill to swallow when you are dealing with mourning a loss. There is no perfect way to reach out. But let me tell you… those conversations were many. I basically had to go through my head and think about who I told and who I wanted to cut off from sending me that inquisitive message. I just couldn’t take that. I texted a lot of my friends my bad news, and politely let them know I did not want to talk about it. But to be honest, today is Tuesday, nearly 6 days later, I am still fielding texts or dms from friends who are checking in. In those first few days… it was unbearable. And I will be the first to say, I know all of these messages from friends come out of love. I know that. So if anyone reading this is feeling awful for reaching out to me, please don’t. I sincerely appreciate every message, everyone checking in. Because in the end, it’s more important you be there imperfectly than not at all. I think that in the current state of the world, that statement holds true in so many ways. I think that next time around, we will tell way less people because the repercussions of having to live through this experience of failure is more easily mourned without having to do damage control for my own sanity. If that makes sense? Damn infertility is fucking hard guys. Really fucking hard. And when you are down, you are really down. I knew I was committed in sharing our story with you all but it doesn’t make it easier sharing these huge dark times in such an open forum. But I do this because it’s important to see all sides of this journey. The good, the bad and the ugly. I blamed myself a lot. Wondering if it was my fault for not creating a positive enough environment for my embryo. Was the state of the world creating more stress and worry and keeping me from being the warm receptive place for new life? I think it’s hard as a woman going through this process. You blame your body. You blame yourself for the things you just aren’t able to do. Those moments are hard. The fact that while people everywhere around you are seemingly sneezing and getting pregnant. Without a fleeting thought about it other than they were ready to start their families. The joy it must be to be blissfully unaware of these struggles… but sadly that will never be me. My path has been much different. The pressure you put on yourself. That strain is unfair. You have to remind yourself that you did the best you could to create a loving welcome environment and there is so much out of our control. But the guilt is always there. One of the hardest things after finding out I was not pregnant was not being able to mourn properly. What i mean by this, is that being a mother of a toddler, I can’t just drop my role as a mother just to mourn our loss. Motherhood goes on, and in this pandemic world, we are still just Blake, Otis and I. I can’t just stop to be sad, and cry my eyes out. I have a tiny person to love and care for and the last thing I want is for my sadness to make him sad. 3 days after the news, I was sitting eating breakfast with Otis in the kitchen and I started hysterically crying. Hand up to my face as the tears streamed down. I didn’t want Otis to look me in the eyes and see the pain. Otis put his tiny hand on my arm and with the saddest whimper in his voice, I could just feel how confused and concerned he was that I was so sad. I wiped my tears on my shirt and wrapped my arms around him. “Mommy is going to be ok Otis.” I think that has been the strangest part of my mourning process is that you don’t just get a break from motherhood when things get tough. So it’s been a much different process altogether. I know everyone experiences these things different and we don’t have to be so strong all the time. I read something recently and it resonated so much. You don’t need strength. You need courage. Courage to keep fighting. Courage to be vulnerable. Courage to grow. And courage to look a sad situation in the eye and see the hope behind it. You never forget these losses. I still think often about our first embryo transfer that failed. It’s something that you live with. And something you hold in your heart forever. So what is next for us? I will tell you what, WE KEEP FIGHTING. I am so thankful to say we have 2 precious embryos left. We fought hard for those precious embabies and when the time is right to try again, we will try again. Blake and I are both committed to not forgetting our past or what we have been through, but to fully put our hope and love into our next chance. To see Otis’ face everyday this past week (and really everyday) is a constant reminder of the beautiful miracle of IVF, what comes from never giving up, and just how sweet life has become with him in it. To all of my fellow IVF ladies (and partners) out there, I know just how dark some of these days may be, but please don’t give up. Otis has changed our lives forever. My biggest joy is being his mother. And each moment in the day is made better because of him. I know this fight seems isolating, especially in this pandemic world, but you are not alone. There is an army of women behind you just like me. While my heart is still picking up the piece, it’s here with you. Still filled with hope. To our future family, I will be patiently waiting for you. I wrote a few posts on infertility and IVF and you can find them below: Prepping for FET (frozen embryo transfer) Preparing for IVF egg retrieval How to support a friend going through IVF Photo taken by my dear friend Alison Conklin a few months ago The post Failed IVF Frozen Embryo Transfer appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/06/failed-ivf-frozen-embryo-transfer.html June 24, 2020 at 12:13PM
15 Black Owned Businesses For Kids Shopping
As a mother, my priority is to raise a son who practices love, kindness and respect for all humans. This week has only magnified how much we need to work on as a society to support our Black friends, businesses, and communities. Everyone should be outraged. No one should have to fear death just for being in their own skin. In an effort to share some actionable ways to help support the Black Lives Matter cause as well as support justice for George Floyd and so many others whom have lost their lives I wanted to start by sharing some Black owned businesses for kids shopping that we can support now. I plan to always continue to work on being better, continuing to educate myself, and growing a kinder safer world for all of us. This list below is only a small start. But it’s a start. I will be actively sharing resources to this BLM highlight on my instagram account where I can amplify other Black voices in the community and other helpful resources. These businesses have a mix of baby and toddler goodies both for boys and girls. Will share some of the pieces I ordered when they arrive. Kido chicago photos are all pulled from shops instagram accounts The post 15 Black Owned Businesses For Kids Shopping appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/06/15-black-owned-businesses-for-kids.html June 03, 2020 at 10:13PM
5 Ways Meditation Makes Us Better at Yoga
Meditation. Yoga. The two go together like Batman & Robin (though with less capes… usually). As spiritual health practices that have both found popularity in the West over the past 50 years, we tend to lump yoga and meditation together. Whenever we read of one, the other usually isn’t far behind. And when we’re shopping for yoga pants it’s no surprise to see a meditation mala in the vicinity. Yet despite the obvious correlation between yoga and meditation, there are still countless people who do one or the other and not both. Big mistake. Yoga makes you better at meditation because it creates a relaxed body that is conducive to a relaxed mind. Not to mention, it also makes it far easier to get into lotus position without feeling like your legs are going to snap in two. And meditation makes us better at yoga in five key ways. Let’s take a look. How meditation makes us better at yoga1. Meditation helps us focus on asanas When we’re practicing yoga, we are, of course, exercising the body. But we ought to be exercising the mind at the same time. Every time we place the body in an asana (pose), we should be focusing on that pose. By focusing the mind on the body while in a pose, we experience the asana in full. Yoga asanas offer many mental health benefits, but in order to glean those benefits, we have to actually focus on what we are doing. Sadly, many people don’t leave their thoughts and distractions at the yoga studio door. And so they are not able to focus on the yoga. Meditation is well known to improve focus and concentration. And because of this, it makes it easier to focus the mind on the body when we enter a yoga pose. The result is complete mind-body immersion in the asana. 2. Meditation lowers oxygen consumption One of the lesser-known benefits of meditation is that it changes the way the body uses oxygen. Scientific research shows that meditation lowers oxygen consumption rate by 10%. This means that we are more able to control the breath during and after meditation. This is a game-changer for anyone who gets short of breath when practicing yoga. If that’s you, try meditating before doing yoga, and during your yoga session, take a few moments here and there to practice mindful breathing. This will help regulate the breath. Not only does this help us practice yoga for longer, it also gives us more control of pranayama. 3. Meditation helps you to discover the philosophical aspects of yoga While most yoga studios these days are more concerned with physical exercise than philosophy, historically yoga has been about both. If you want to truly embrace the yogic lifestyle, you have to get in touch with the philosophical side. Meditation can help. The yogic system itself includes many meditations, such as Trataka (Still Gazing), chakra meditations, mantras, and sound meditations (Nada Yoga). Not only do these meditation techniques help train the mind, they also prepare the mind-body for more advanced stages of yoga. After all, it’s hard to truly experience Pungu Mayurasana (Wounded Peacock Posture) while you’re worrying about that business meeting. 4. Get too sweaty doing hot yoga? Meditation will help Anyone who practices Bikram (hot yoga) knows what it’s like to sweat a little too much. But meditation can change that. We get sweaty when our body temperature rises. But meditation reduces heart rate and blood pressure, and this cools down the body and thereby reduces sweating. So if you’re worried you might be a little hot, sweaty and, yes, smelly when you’re doing hot yoga, try meditating. 5. Meditation improves balance Feel a little wobbly in Warrior III? Meditation will change that, at least according to one scientific study. Ying Kee, PhD, and his colleagues at the Nanyang Technological University’s National Institute of Education took 32 men and split them into two groups. Kee made both groups stand on one leg while holding a basin of water. While they were doing this, Kee asked one group to be mindful of their hands, while the other group were allowed to think of anything they liked. Kee then tested the balance of members of both groups. The results showed that being mindful of the body increases balance, where thinking about something other than what we’re doing will actually lower our balance. So, if you want to stay in an asana for longer, be mindful of your body while you’re in the pose. Anyone who is serious about getting better at yoga should embrace both the physical and the mental exercises. And of the latter, meditation is the most important. By practicing meditation not only do we embrace more of the yogic lifestyle, we also prepare the mind for success in the yoga studio. The benefits of meditation are significant, and they are invaluable when it comes to improving our yoga practice. If you’ve been doing the physical side of yoga without practicing meditation, perhaps it’s time for that to change. ——————- Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Paul Harrison, a meditation teacher based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He has 20 years of experience and has spent more than 2,000 hours meditating. He also works as a freelance journalist. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/06/5-ways-meditation-makes-us-better-at.html June 01, 2020 at 05:13PM
BEST MAI TAI RECIPE + MOCKTAIL
Best Mai Tai RecipeRecipe by eat.sleep.wear.Course: DrinksCuisine: Other world cuisineDifficulty: Easy
Servings
1 servings
Prep time
5 minutes
Calories
260 kcalThe best Mai Tai recipe I have used that combines the perfect amount of sweetness and deliciousness! Ingredients
Directions
Recipe Card plugin by WPZOOM The post BEST MAI TAI RECIPE + MOCKTAIL appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/05/best-mai-tai-recipe-mocktail.html May 27, 2020 at 02:13PM
BEST MAI TAI + MOCKTAIL
MAI TAI + MOCKTAILserving size for 1 cocktail Ingredients
Instructions
*FOR MOCKTAIL: Replace light rum with orange juice. Replace dark rum with sparkling lemon water. Replace Cointreau with fresh lemon juice. Follow instructions above with the ingredient modifications* Pour that cocktail, play some Hawaiian tunes, and get in the island vibe. I am usually not a sweet drink person but this cocktail has the perfect amount of sweetness and I think the almond syrup is the secret ingredient. I also never knew you could buy pebbled ice from Sonic and called my local shop and bought it in the drive through for $2 bucks! Feel like the ice really elevates the cocktail and makes me feel like I am having a drink out at my favorite resort. Other quick and easy recipes: The post BEST MAI TAI + MOCKTAIL appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/05/best-mai-tai-mocktail.html May 26, 2020 at 05:13PM
How to Support Your Student’s Wellbeing During COVID-19
Approximately 1 in 4 people (in the UK) suffer from a mental health condition. Couple this with recent research suggesting that 300 million people practise yoga worldwide, and it is reasonable to assume that someone in your yoga class has experienced, is experiencing or will experience an episode of poor mental health. Given our current circumstances, this likelihood is significantly higher, as mental health charities have reported an increase in cases of anxiety, OCD and depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet for all this, yoga teachers are not therapists, nor should they be dealt with the responsibility of counselling their students. Mental health is a delicate matter that requires a unique sensitivity and education, knowledge not obtained in a foundation teacher training. What yoga teachers can do is take steps to ensure their students feel safe and supported in class. Below are some suggestions on how to do so. “How are you, really?”Ask your students how they are. It is a simple question, and yet one that is charged with meaning. These four words create an opportunity for your student to open up, to put into words thoughts or feelings that may have felt incommunicable. Contrary to what you may expect, you do not need to provide life-changing advice, the mere act of taking an interest and listening to your students is enough to show your support. In a yoga class, we often ask students to check in with themselves or pay attention to our thoughts and feelings. For some, this introspection can stimulate an emotional response. While guiding a class through the physical practice, it is important we are sensitive to the emotional reactions. Checking in with your students at the end of a class allows them the space to verbalize their experience, and in doing so, perhaps identify something that needs exploring/greater attention. Pay AttentionUnlike the stark cast signalling a broken arm, mental health conditions are not so evidently visible. Because of this, it is all the harder to approach/address. In absence of crutches, a shoulder sling or bandage, it is all the more important to pick up on subtle signs: missing a regular yoga class, entering the class late, seeming distracted or leaving a class immediately. It is well established that physical activity is good for mental health, as is keeping up a regular routine. Of course, you cannot force your students to attend weekly yoga classes, however beneficial it may be to their wellbeing. However, you can make doing so more accessible. Monthly packages encourage a sense of accountability and commitment to showing up each week, even if that is so not to lose out financially! Create a CommunityIn lockdown we have a heightened awareness for the importance of connection, but community and social support has always been crucial/fundamental to our sense of wellbeing. As yoga teachers we have the opportunity to connect like-minded individuals, whether that be through weekly “challenges” to build group spirit/solidarity, or separate means of communication through Facebook or WhatsApp groups. Being part of a group can combat feelings of isolation that so often arise in those struggling with their mental health. While we are not able to physically attend classes, virtual groups serve to foster this element of belonging and community. Direct Them to ResourcesAs mentioned above, yoga teachers are not counsellors. It is a distinction that is often blurred by those working in the industry, their career choice motivated by a desire to help others. Yet, while it may be tempting to share personal experiences and guidance, such advice can be misconstrued or even damaging by those in a vulnerable position. It is, therefore, more prudent and helpful to guide your students toward professional support. Here is a list of several organizations your students can turn to: SANE: http://www.sane.org.uk Understandably, it is not easy to drop the above into a casual conversation. If possible, it is worth posting these helplines on the studio’s notice board or desk so that anyone interested can access help discreetly. Alternatively, you may want to add these as resources to your website or social media page as a signal of the help available. ————- Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Melissa Albarran from Yoga Alliance Professionals. She is a practicing yogi, dedicated runner, and avid writer. Via Wellness http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kurtxwarren.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-to-support-your-students-wellbeing.html May 25, 2020 at 11:13AM |