Ep 67: Life Updates: Parenting, Business, and Self-care with Dr. Shannon and Doula Rachael

We love talking about all things pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum but today we are having a conversation about what has been happening with us behind the scenes with parenting, business, and self-care.  We share about what we experienced this summer, what’s gone well and what we’ve struggled with, how things are going 4 weeks into the school year, and we share a few things that are saving us right now.

This podcast was created from a desire to share conversations and interviews about topics from pregnancy and birth to motherhood and the importance of a healthy body and mind through it all.  Our goal is to bring you fun, interesting, and helpful conversations that excite you and make you want to learn more.  We hope what we share will make an impact and help someone else along their journey.  We believe that when you are aligned in body, mind, and your intuition, you can conquer anything!  If you like what you are hearing and you don’t want to miss our newest episodes, be sure and tap subscribe. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Aligned Birth

www.instagram.com/aligned_birth

Dr. Shannon

www.instagram.com/sunrise_chiropractic_wellness

Doula Rachael

www.instagram.com/northatlantabirth

Check out our individual websites:

Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness - www.sunrisechiropracticandwellness.com

North Atlanta Birth Services - www.northatlantabirth.com

Disclaimer

The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating.  Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.  This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or c

Transcript

0:05

Hello and welcome to the aligned birth podcast doula Rachel here and today I'm chatting with Dr. Shane and the other co hosts of the life West podcast. And you know we have on and have these like pre conversations before we move forward. And we're always like, we should record that and share it with our listeners because it is like real life stuff. And so, today we decided to do that with you. We spend that time with Jeff about like, what's going on with each other so we wanted to share with you are some life updates like what's been happening with us and also what is saving us right now. I love that like phrase. And it's like because, you know, life keeps happening but what are those like little things throughout the these experiences that are helping us feel safe? So we're going to share those with you and we hope you enjoy today's

1:03

conversation Hello, and welcome to the Allied Earth podcast. We are so glad you're here. I'm Dr. Sandy, a prenatal chiropractic.

1:15

And I'm Rachel a birth educator and we are the team behind the lines.

1:22

Between us we have experienced

1:23

as a Syrian birth a VBAC hospital births. Our personal experiences led us to where we are today,

1:30

we share a lot in common.

1:32

We are friends from high school who reconnected through our work. We both changed career paths after the children we lived off when talking about health and birth and we are both

1:43

doing this podcast was created to share conversations and interviews about topics pregnancy and motherhood and the importance of a healthy body and mind. Our goal is to bring fun, interesting and helpful conversations that excite you and make you want to learn more.

2:00

We believe that when you are alive in body, mind and your intuition you can conquer anything. We hope you enjoyed the episode Hey, I know life has definitely been happening in a relative

2:27

which is good, but you know, it can also be it can also be

2:32

overwhelming because we

2:41

so based in Georgia and we start small like

2:46

you even like God just now starting school I'm saying, you know, I'm like wait, what do we just

2:57

let this go this point we are going into the

3:02

school year.

3:04

So you want to talk a little bit about what happened with this summer and then what happened the school year is going on which are gone on

3:12

so this summer was the summer was interesting because I ended up taking three weeks off, and I know it was really good, but I also like when I looked at my calendar, and I need to I need to prepare for this. Like, you know, I

3:35

can't just go into this blindly, you know, so maybe that saved me a little bit but I Yeah, so we were we would like we got out of school. We were there we go number gone a week and then home week and then I was gone a week at a camp with the kids helping and then we're back and then we're gone again. And then we went back and then next thing you know, summer over. So that was all well and good. But towards the end of summer I did have a Google Health. Go on and oh my goodness, I try to be at the lines of okay, you know, like pain and symptoms. These are things that are they're trying to communicate to you about what's going on right with the body. So it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just like, I try to look at it as like okay, what is this trying to tell me and of course I take those things personally because I just feel that I don't know like, if I'm doing all these things to take care of myself and then and I'm preaching this like health and wellness lifestyle, and then it's like, and then I still suffer from things but I think that that I talk about this in the opposite because I tried to be like real with people like you know, you can do all of these things and like stuff can still happen. So I like to think that okay, yes, I was more better able to adapt to some of that. But yeah, so I do I did a really good job of like taking it personally. Feeling like I feel like I'm personally attacked that by the summer

5:08

teaching you how to be flexible as to yeah adapt and I love that and I think that helps us be better you be a better you know, practitioner. Yeah. It's it helps you empathize

5:20

because I want to be like, you know, yeah, we can do all of these things. And sometimes

5:25

there's no way and that will happen. Like ever. Like there's no I don't know if there's anyone that doesn't have challenges, right? I understand like, feel like yeah, like I was like a feeling that way. Yeah. So what was going on? But you know,

5:40

well just like some auto immune things and just weaknesses in my immune system, and it was really crazy. And I was like, I don't, I just, it was very shocking. And I was like, wow, I wasn't aware of that I also to got out of my routine of all the things I was doing, like I was still exercising, but I wasn't doing I kind of like missed all the vitamins stuff like I just wasn't and I wasn't eating as well because we were gone so much, you know, and so all of those little things wasn't sleeping as well because you're in like, you know, different places every other week. And then I wasn't getting up and doing like my normal like routine because I like to get up before everybody else in the house, like alone time and whatnot. And like I like to do like devotionals and like my journaling and I like I didn't do anything. I didn't call my calendar, like I didn't do anything. And I thought that that was part of it was very eye opening, that I kind of let that go. But how important that was to myself. So

6:49

yeah, what happened? Yeah, it makes sense. Because you were so like, even though those things were fun things you were so like, out of your routine, and that's what I was thinking when you were talking because I know when we travel or do anything that takes me out of my routine. I feel it, I notice it. And then I can be like okay, I know why I'm feeling this way and that's because XYZ so at least you're able to reflect and go oh, that does make sense. And it's understandable with the summer busy summer you have that some of those things are gonna fall off. And I think that's okay, because I kind of had a similar summer that knocked me off of my routine too. And I think what I learned is that I know why I wasn't feeling is good, but also it's okay. Like yeah, I will be okay. I will say that I used to be so so rigid that I would like I'm so critical and so hard on myself and I'm coming here we might come out on Oh, I am you very good at being part of it. Yeah. And I would be like you know, if I don't do XY and Z, it's going to be so detrimental. I feel like what I learned this summer is that I didn't do the X, Y and Z. I didn't do all the things and I noticed it, but I was aware of it. And then when I was able in this place and space to return to my routine I did and then I felt like he felt better. Yeah, just a little bit of grace.

8:03

Well, and that was I wrote that down because of why of other things going on now. Talk about where I'm like I need to be graceful with myself because I I typically pretty self critical you know, we're like our own worst enemy. So

8:18

what else is going on? But

8:20

well, I just I keep forgetting everything. There's my thing. I saw my car so for now my car needed some work done to it. And so and of course there's like issues with parts or whatever now and so I was without my car for over a week. And I ended up like luckily with my husband's schedule, because I work when he's at home and then vice versa. So like we managed with one car for a bit. It did take a lot of planning on the front end as far as like okay. I have to go to the grocery store today because we can't go again for like a week because I'm gonna be gone and you're gonna be gone. And so you know, we did have to do that. So it's a little bit like extra brainpower but like, my car is gone. So then I drove my husband's car I had I took my neighbor's car one day because it was Yeah, so and that was even thinking about and then I drove my father in law's car. So I drove three different cars in a matter of a week and literally every single day. I would like one day I forgot my computer. One day I forgot my attorney

9:30

but like I just cut that one day anyway things out of your normal it disrupts everything like we don't put our kids back in the same spot.

9:38

I left my keys because on my keychain thing, so I got all the way to work and I was like, oh my god, I have to go back again. And I was just like,

9:48

like, if I don't do the same order of events leaving the house I feel like I forget something like if I don't grab my purse at the same Yeah, like on my way out. Like if I go get my shoes first. I end up forgetting my purse or my water. It's like

9:59

pre Julia.

10:00

I know. It was like a very, I guess it was like a good exercise. And it was Yeah, but this is what I meant. I was like I just have to be graceful with myself. What about my freaking car back and then I still forgot something yesterday and I just I told my daughter what half of my brain. I told him I was like when my car was gonna like half my brain is in my car. It's like it's in my car but like, oh goodness, but that's where I was trying to be a little bit graceful with myself or I think too I just it was it was like doing too many things. You know, I feel like as a mom too. There's like always things in my head because it's not just about me, you know? It's not just about that. It's like okay,

10:48

the kids have to go here this time. I have this I got this thing over here. What? I need to clean this like I feel like sometimes I just I think my brain was like maxed out with trying to remember all the things

11:03

Yeah. No, I can

11:06

get like that. So

11:10

So yeah, that that's that was fun. That sounds stressful. Like I depend on my car. My husband i We got two cars as well. We depend on our car and I think whenever I'm without it it just makes me appreciate like having that ability to just go get in my car and go and have to have my car how I want it like if there's ever a time when Jason will you take my car I'll take the van. I'm always like I not that I don't want to take his car or like it. I'm just like it's not my car, right? I know. I'm so used to all the things and

11:40

I've had my car for forever. Like I love her. I talked to her her name is Vicki and she was like I really felt like so but but I did when I got back Vicki is back I text my husband like he's back and she's doing I like saying that in a car and it's a manual I love my little automatic right like are my manual cars is just you know, I just missed some of those little things but all the other cars I drove or SUVs and I drive I have a Jetta and that got in it and I was like well this thing is low to the ground. I it was like little things that I had forgotten to but yeah, any new I'm doing better there. What's what's the what's something that's going on with you

12:29

now? Well now is different than the summer so I'm going to share what's with the SAR we had we had a big summer. So we had our kitchen we had a major kitchen renovation. So back in May, which now feels like an eternity forever. Again, our dishwasher have a little little baby leak that we weren't aware of for a little bit of time. It wasn't like a leak. There was like a dash and a flood. It was like a leak like a drip drip. I'm not going to show you I'm happening kind of leak. It was like over the course of like a week which isn't a terribly long time but in the world of water damage. It is and so it it was it was like almost like a comedy situation what felt like a comedy situation, but terrible at the same time. We had our contractor come over because of how did it go down? It was a we called our plants that we have like a neighbor, a guy in our neighborhood who knew several times of clients that we trust him. Mr. Plants guide please come we've got our dishwashers not working. He comes and he looks and he's like well this and this happened. You're gonna need a new dishwasher and we're like okay, cool. We were expecting that it's fine. And he goes but before you getting that new dishwasher I think we got some water damage under here. We might want to have a conference that's never good. Okay, fine, Mr. Contractor man. Thank you are Mr. Miles man so we call Mr. Contractor man is actually our neighbor and friend. And thankfully we have people to trust in this world because it can be so stressful. So he comes over and he's like, Yeah, I see some water damage. We can just pull out the dishwasher and I can drive those boards underneath there should be no problem. Next day comes out, pulls out the dishwasher. Looks at the boards and it's like huh I think that goes further than I thought and so without is just going to pull out the dishwasher and fix the area under it. And then it just turned out it had gone way further had gone like all the way down the one side of the cabinets and then to the other side and then out underneath the hardwood floors like in our kitchen they had actually started to buckle but it was subtle, like we didn't notice it. And so he starts tearing out the cabinets and he's and then he would tear out one and then he would be like, oh gosh, it goes under the next one. tore out that cabinet. And it kept going and I came back and like half my kitchen was gone. And I was like what happened? What happened here was going on. It was just obviously bigger than we thought and so he stopped he was like there's more but I wanted to keep your kitchen like operational because he needed to get underneath my sink because it was wet under there too. And you pick up the same kind of a kitchen and it makes it useless. So he was able to kind of keep us operational but like half the kitchen cabinets were gone. So we kind of had to move everything out. And then he's like, Okay, you're this is going to you're going to need to get insurance involved. So then we you know, got in, got an adjuster out and that started we learned okay, we need to replace x, y, z and kind of got the project going and we just it turned into a much much much much bigger project than we anticipated. So after the adjuster came, we decided to go ahead and just redo the whole kitchen because half of it was going to be replaced. And we have a 20 plus year old kitchen, which isn't like super super old but it's like we were going to spend a lot of money or the insurance company was asking a lot of money to replace the kitchen to be exactly like it was before which seems silly. And we had actually been talking recently about redoing our kitchen but it was like a five year plan. Yeah, not a now plan now. Anyway, so we started the process of redoing our whole kitchen. But part of that was me redoing the floors because there was water damage in the kitchen and we have hardwood floors on our home first main on our first floor and it's like continuous and anytime you get floors, there's water damage and they need to replace those actual boards. They put down new boards so they're never going to match like where it was stained before so they ended up sanding and staining everywhere of the hardwood floors. And that's our whole first floor. So we had to move out. We had to pack up our whole fourth floor like we were moving and going to Home Depot getting packing boxes, like you know, both boys are home from school during this time. And we ended up moving out we get a rental place and we moved out in the moving off about three weeks because it was like they had to get the kitchen and then they had to dry they didn't do more drying and then do the floors and then you really want the floors to be dry and care before you move back. And so we decided to just I'm like we're gonna get a rental and we're just, we're just gonna move all the way

17:17

because how do you survive in that like that?

17:19

Yeah, it's a part of that kitchen and I mean both for summer, I worked from home, like it would have been really doable, yes, but not optimal. Yeah. And so moving out was great. But again, it also made us appreciate our home we were very eager to and I'll go ahead and add the other big life update is during that time we got a puppy so just add a puppy to the mix. We were able to we got we had the puppy come home like a week before we got to move out so he was home with us for a week and then he moved with us everyone moved. I got two dogs, two kids, two jobs, the whole thing everything just went to the rental.

18:03

And how's the puppy now?

18:05

He's wonderful. He's four months old 16 weeks and growing. He's over 30 pounds and so sweet. I mean, he's out of there like wake up in the middle of the night. Which is nice, but he still wakes up real early. He wakes up about like 30 minutes before my alarm every night and I do I'm responsible for the morning so I get up with him and and He's great. He's really sweet. He's wonderful with the boys. He's smart. You know, he's, he's going to be a great addition to our family but having a puppy is like, it's not like a newborn. I'm not gonna say that but they're me. But yeah, you know, and and then like, it's adjusted like our lifestyle and we knew it would but you're kind of like, How long am I going to be gone? Because I'm like with our older dog he can be less like if we go off for the weekend or something like he's fine. Where's the puppy like, I don't get can't be gone longer than three hours or two hours or like you know who's gonna let the dog out and he's got to go potty and he can't be like left free in the house yet he's still like training and so it's just like a lot of a lot of meaning. He needs a lot but he's this lady. It was just a lot in the midst of getting the kitchen done and you know, I just people who like do like their whole house or stuff like are these big remodels. I mean, the kitchen was such an undertaking and so many and I'm not okay, I'm not saying I'm complaining. It's just a lot. Yes, there's a lot of decisions and a lot of logistics. We had a great contract. Oh my goodness, teammate everything like run smoothly. as smoothly as possible. But you know, being this and then we moved back and like before it was all the way done. So it was like we were working in our laundry room kitchen or laundry room scene is just

19:56

Yeah, I mean that's out of sorts, and that throws you out of those.

19:59

Oh, yeah. And that was part of what I shared earlier. It was way way off the team. But all in the end all really wonderful things. I have a beautiful, beautiful, new kitchen and everything is good. Now I just have like posttraumatic stress about things leaking.

20:19

Oh yeah, you will.

20:21

Is that fish? Oh yeah. You had was it your dishwasher or your It was no it was the laundry

20:24

Oh, and it drops you down the sidewalk because our laundry is on the upper floor and I came downstairs one day and I came from the stairs on to the floor and then it was we had hardwoods and that went squish and although honor and came up underneath it and I was like oh my god. Yeah, that was

20:47

well yeah. And now I'm like all the things that have water source. I'm like, is that leaking? Is that Oh, yeah.

20:52

That's to everything. Everything is a leak. Yeah, now like I hear water or water somewhere.

20:59

Yeah, it's nerve racking. So but you know,

21:05

how did you get how did you did you get back to your routine? What kind of saved you

21:14

Yeah, well coming back. Going like kind of just easing back into the routine and because we've got that we move back right before school started. So it was just nice because school was starting and I was back home so I was able to like return to my time of workout and I was sleeping better. You know, the having the kids entertained, you know, being taken care of at school allowed me to be able to focus on work. So yeah, I think during that time I was there my husband saved me. Sources of Yes. You know, he's just steady Eddie. He's just like, nothing really gets him to, to stressed out and so death about things. Yeah, he can't eat and he has poured so much into our new puppy. Like, he took the reins on like working on training and like leading the way and I'm like, I'll do what you tell me to do. But he that he took all the energy like learning all the ways that tips and tricks for like, training him and like all the things the dog needed and like he was just like, taking care of it all. Yeah, and just helping with when I'm at birth, and he's needed to pick up the slack when I'm out of pocket for an extended amount of time. And you know, after school activities, and, you know, when he just plugs in wherever he's needed and he's amazing, and he's saved me through this whole process of folks show. Well, like Yay, I got lots of things that are saving me but that's one of them. What about you?

22:54

Um,

22:56

let's see, I you know, even over the summer I wanted very much to I knew it was going to be busy. And so I was like let's stay present like be present, you know, like not too far ahead. Because knowing that it is going to be busy, and then kind of trying to stay in the moment so thankful of those things because I will say so with the kids. We did have them in soccer. And so as it was winding down last season, we'd already pulled my oldest out earlier and that was just a lot of like mental health issues. So he's 12 and it was middle school and really intense soccer schedule, and just a loose

23:46

you know, and I think I've talked about this before and one of our updates but like where do you kind of plug into that grit aspect of pushing through or when do you step back and say, Okay, this really isn't serving us or serving him well, and so we went ahead and just with some coaching things, it came down to it and, and it was kind of when my husband was like, Okay, well I'm done. I was like, Okay, well, if you're done, I've done so pull him out, but we kept the youngest one in and so really I'm here to stay I was able to stay in the middle of that because I knew this is coming in. We're gonna go back to that program again. And so it was very that was very, I don't know, it was really sad. I felt like until we were going to do a different soccer program and then of course that fell through and so like to be busy and have sports, but it's been kind of sad because in the stupid Facebook memories pop up and now all I see is all the soccer games that we were at and I was like, ah, like, it makes me miss it. I stayed in the moment as much as I could, but I miss watching them play so much. Yeah, it's been kind of hard so we're not really like doing any sports now which is really odd to me.

25:06

It'd be an adjustment. No,

25:08

I you know it's I do like it it's nicer I will say they have a lot more downtime. So then it's a lot of like, boy, that's why I'm like I do love sports and that aspect of like, you're you've got something to do but it is kind of nice not necessarily being

25:25

so maybe so structured

25:29

in that aspect of things and just taking it easy now I will say we've started them I don't know if we're gonna continue with it or anything but they my oldest had mentioned wanting to do karate. And so we have started in with like, oh,

25:43

stuff Oh, we love taekwondo.

25:45

They are really liking that. So we just started that in the past, like week or so. So it's a different routine. It's

25:55

different. You know, but that's been interesting with the kids and just bouncing I don't know balancing my thoughts and emotions because they

26:06

they haven't been so much like I really miss soccer like no one has said that it's me being like I miss watching you play like I'm have do the effort but spotting right and recognizing that

26:17

they might Yeah, and it's

26:20

it's good and it was it was too much honestly because it was that Academy level and I do love a variety in sports for kids just because like just yeah element and we we just did not have that chance. Also to it's hard because I played a single writer, the firefighters I play single parent every third day. And it's the logistics of getting everywhere. When there's only one parent in the evening. I just got buried somewhere it was like I can't and then when I work I work late and so he's um, so he's in the same position as far as like trying to get everybody everywhere. So I don't know maybe that's just our, you know, our family issues as far as wanting to be active in sports, but it's been interesting. So they're good. We're transitioning well into this school year,

27:12

which is good and so what grades tell us what grade,

27:16

seventh grade and then fourth grade so middle school middle school, I will say this year is a lot better than last year. So sixth grade was the first year for middle school for my for my oldest

27:30

is a year under his belt.

27:32

He does and I can see a little bit of that competence. I see a little bit of him kind of coming back. He's off as well. I had a mom that came in yesterday. She her her oldest just turned 18 And so we were talking about that and I think she has a 12 year old and she was talking to me about she goes I saw this woman one day at the airport and she had all these boys and she goes and my kids were young and she goes I go up to her and I asked her you know what, what is the one thing you would tell me now that like I wouldn't be expecting and she was like oh the hormones with the boys. And so she and I had that, you know conversation because it's I mean, you hear about it with like, Have you got girls but like, Yeah, boy, it's interesting, too. It's it's it's interesting. So you know, I'm on the cusp of him being you know a teenager and just want him to hang out with me still and I'm trying to hang on to those moments but seeing him in seventh grade like he's, he's really rocking it so it was great big shift from last year, which is good. So and my fourth grader is having maybe he has developed my forgetting ability because he's like, he's got all these like little classes now whatever. He goes to this room for this and this room over here. And so every day comes somebody like

28:54

oh, I left that here and I don't have

28:57

that and I'm like, oh, so I feel like I'm constantly saying all right, well, we gotta get together like everyone's gonna get together. So

29:03

that is that's our fitness journey now, I suppose. But yeah, so there so much. You're doing great.

29:11

Yeah, yeah. So just trying to stay in that present moment. You know, I feel like it's so difficult and even with motherhood you so you know, like even when they're babies so my husband has I got the baby stays like give him a bottle, you know, Nurse birth, change their diaper. All these things I'm like, I don't know emotions and hormones. So, new territory it is new territory.

29:39

As always, getting annoying and always changing in one degree or another. I think you know, from newborn to middle school to high school to college to you know, when friends girlfriends like events I have any friendships. I mean, I don't I don't think it ever gets like there's no like, Oh, when I get to this point.

0:01

We are the Aussies are a puppy. You know, we've got to go on potty breaks a lot. And it takes me outside. And I'm like these are these little moments and I try and you know the boys come with me in their home. And they're these little tiny moments throughout my day where I get to be outside I take a big deep breath. I look at the sky you know are there clouds like last night the sky was just like stunning it because there was clouds and the sun was going down. It was just like so cool. And it was super brief moment but I was like I'm gonna be present in this moment. I'm gonna feel it. I'm gonna seared into my brain, you know, and try not to be on my phone or something. And so trying to take that present and limit that choice to be present and to say, okay, what are these increments in my, in my day, where can I find them? And that helps me

0:46

know and I think I do that too. You know, where it's like, you know, if they're talking I'm like, Okay, I am putting my phone down and look at saying yeah, yeah, and I'm like, Okay, I want to hear the story. We've started doing it. I think something else that they were like is high low buffalo. So I want you guys to tell me a low and then they do you know Buffalo and it's really hilarious to hear what they come up with, you know, so

1:11

it's a fun way to kind of get something out of their day, versus just the How was your day is your

1:16

day because they never it's always good. You know, that sort of thing. So I've definitely started doing that. We did with my oldest two it's very it is that staying present and like trying to navigate knowing when he needs a little bit more and then giving him that space but now I'm also trying to look at okay, I don't necessarily need to fix all of his problems, you know, like that's a picture step away areas. So I really love that. It's called Big life journal. And and I think I've mentioned it before and so I that's where I incorporated that high, low buffalo. That's where I've kind of said, Okay, I don't necessarily have to fix these problems here. I guess I just have to get out of that sometimes with that, that work mode aspect of things, but that's been saving me as far as like, Okay, this this person needs me right now. I can do this. I can pause. I can take that deep breath and I can be in this moment. So yeah, and just those little, those little ones.

2:19

Yeah, so something else that Sandy means that's new that I started doing when we started back to school. Is I started using Instacart for my grocery shopping. Oh, yay. Yeah, so like, I'm doing my orders on Saturday and they're getting delivered on Sunday evening and I've been ordering from Aldi so it's twofold. It's one convenient and it's two I'm trying to say groceries have gotten so wildly expensive as I typically shop at Publix, it's down the street, it's convenient, has all the things I want need. And so going through Instacart you pay more for the whole experience but using Aldi, it's the overall week after week, I'm spending about $50 Less so that's, that's a reasonable Yeah. And so it's just nice. And as I do it, like it builds my list and I can just sort of like add everything to the cart and then I edit it based on you know, what I need and so part of that is getting used to a all day doesn't always have things that I want and just letting that go and saying okay, well I guess I'm I mean that this week or just choosing something else. It's just helped me be a little bit more flexible with that whole with the whole groceries shopping situation and then it just frees up my Sunday afternoon. I used to always go the grocery store on Sundays at Sunday afternoons and you know, so that's been I don't know for forever and ever but it's I like it right now. And that's been making our weekends a little bit easier picking one thing off the plate.

3:47

Oh, that but that's good as far as like, Where can I kind of save some time? I know. That's really good. I've done that before too with you know, ordering. I think I would order like from Kroger as well. And so I did that for a bit. But then I got into the habit. I'm like, Man, I can't even think like a day ahead. I'm like, I don't know what we're doing for dinner. I don't even know we're doing right. I gotta come up with something. So but I that keeps you on a good schedule and routine though as far as like okay, planning ahead. This is what we're going to eat and that will save you money. Yeah, but well

4:25

some some Yeah. Yeah. Do you have anything else?

4:31

I don't think so. I mean, just crazy schedules. You know, office has been really good just influx of, of moms and families and babies, which is, you know, always good. It was funny. I thought of you the other day because we come in and they have a little one. And I don't even know it was just so many things going on. They were asking me questions, and every question. I was like, I don't know. I mean, literally, I was like everything you're asked me today. I was like y'all, I'm kind of sucking today. I was like, I literally have nothing. I have no answers to any of these things. And it was just like, it's like, oh my gosh, but they were like No, but you you know the people that do and so Oh, I thought of you as far as like that networking aspect. I was like can do what I do because I was like no, I don't know this but I can't ask this person had something out and I was like, No, I don't know this but I'm gonna ask this person and I did I reached out and everything was you know, it was nice because it was very reminder Yeah, it was like some health aspects with like healing and postpartum healing and pelvic floor and I was like, No, I'm gonna ask Dr. Brandy, we're gonna check over there and then she had questions about she like dental fillings that needed to be done, but she was nursing and wasn't sure how to get a lactation consultant. And just get the answers but I don't know just a little bit of that like using that referral source. Been.

5:58

That's a gift and that's an art too. It's okay to not know all the things I feel like I'm when I'm first starting out as a doula I feel like it was my job to know all the things. I know it's my job to know about like, you know, most things giving birth and all of that, but not all all the things I always like, that's what my cell is like a benefit of working with a doula just like a benefit of working with you is access and ability to kind of find those resources easily and quickly. And share

6:22

them good ol referral network. I know. Yeah. What about you anything else going on or anything exciting?

6:30

Oh, well. The other thing I want to share is, you know, my kids are obviously back in school, August 1, and or fourth and first. And I have not ever been the room, mom. Whatever that means, and so until I accidentally signed up to be a room mom, I thought I was finding that to be like dentists like if you need help. That's how they get you. I will help and then like no one else did that. So she was like, Oh, you could to be rude mom. And I wasn't going to be like, Oh no, that's not what I intended. I was like, Well, this is I'm just gonna roll with this because obviously no one else had expressed any interest. And so I was like, Okay, I'll do it. I was like, but I've always been like the one I'll send in the things I just, I don't know, but then I took it as like, this is a good opportunity. I'm gonna try something new. I'm going to stretch my comfort zone. I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna lean in to this and do the best I can but also do it in the way that I will do it. I'm not going to try and be at see Pinterest. Yes, exceptional room. Mom. I'm going to be every moment the way that I feel like I can be overwhelming. It's supporting the teacher supporting the kids supporting parents. I'm going to find out I'm gonna find my one of my group and figuring it out. So far so good, but it is just this funny like totally new experience. I now I'm like part of math. And like, you know, it's the world and martial but when I told martial because it's my youngest, was so excited. He was so happy to have me is that and then ever it was a little bit sad because I have never done it and he's in fourth grade. And yeah, you know, he had kind of figured that that was just going back and resetting average and he was like, oh, okay, well I guess I don't get you to be my real mom. And I was like, I could have done both but that would have been a super overachiever. So I'm just Yes. So I'm really enjoying it. It helps me feel like I have a beat almost going on in the classroom. But it's it's also one more thing on the list and I part of me sharing about this is I wanted to bring up a little bit of a pet peeve of mine with this whole thing and I'd love your feedback because I'm super curious about what how you feel about this and there's no wrong answer. But on the farm, so when we in the room you go in on night before school starts. It's like a meet and greet and there's a bunch of forms on their little desk and you got to like fill stuff out and on the form for the room parents stuff was it says room mom sign up for like room mom. And it's like, do you want to be room mom give and then you put your information down and then the whole group for the whole school is like it's called room moms. And I'm wondering, why can't it be a room parent and this is not like a conversation about pronouns. I'm not trying to say that because we're moms I own being a mom and a mother. But there are for a lot of us there's two hopefully there's two people involved. Why can it say room parent and try and get some dads involved? I bet I can see some some dads being like Well, no, it's asking for room moms. So you're the mom to do that. Yeah. And my dad and then for the whole school. I mean, there's not one damn that's a room here that who wants to be around guys. We're gonna call the whole group for the whole school. This is the room monitor. Like we have a room mom meeting for the whole school. And I came home and I ranted to change. I was just like I mean I get it. I totally Yeah, but I'm gonna know and our neighbor is a teacher and she has two children who have two dads for parents. Yeah, what's how do they feel about this? Because one of them might want to participate. I don't know. I'm was just like I think we shouldn't feel like this is eliminating some potential of dads who want to participate who want to help, can or purpose perfectly capable and able and there's lots of different dynamics in different households where maybe the dads more variable than the mom and he wants to be a room parent. I don't know.

10:46

But yeah, maybe yeah. Get grandparents involved. Maybe they want to help. I know.

10:57

We need to open up participation to all because maybe you're limiting the amount of people who are willing to help moms and I love being a mom and I love the term mom and mother. This is not about taking away the term.

11:11

It's about what it says including the dad

11:14

don't have to assume that moms are the only ones I mean, I'm we're the same number of hours as my husband like, yeah, I work and I have children and I do a lot of the the things that are so does he like we're a household word like Yeah, we all participate. He's very involved. But anyways,

11:35

well At our school we have it's called the FBI and so on. Fridays they have it and it's Father's being involved and they they direct the traffic for and do the carpool line in the morning. So and I think they do that every Friday and they got their little vest on they take their little picture and they're part of the FBI. I don't know. So yeah, there's that

12:13

okay, not quite right. You're like No, no, because I'm like, I think many moms are direct traffic. Parent their moms. It's like we have to give it a name like dad's been involved. Why don't we call a moms being involved for being a parent? Dads being involved? Yes, they are involved. There's like a default. This is like that whole conversation about like dads like taking care of the kids. Are they babysitting? Are they like in jail, but I'm just being a dad. I'm just seeing dad. Yeah, I'm participating. Like you participate. This isn't like yeah, okay. I started with centers for for this conversation that was all over the place. But these are these are the things

13:05

that are going on. Yeah, this is the things going on in our world and the little things that we are doing. Yeah, so kinda save ourselves a bit. You know? I've gotten back to my routines which is which has been nice and how are you feeling? I feel so much better like I was even out of my adjusting routine because I was gone. So I see Dr. Tiana and like she and I just I mean we just lost it over. I know the craziness this summer. So I do feel good and have things on the horizon. I'm going to be part of a retreat that's coming up. Well, I don't know what Tober so yeah, and yeah, so I get to speak there. So just kind of planning you know, planting the seeds, planting things but not getting too far ahead of myself as well.

14:00

Yeah. Being present. Busy and then Friday intervention. Uh huh.

14:06

So getting yeah, getting back to that. But again, my word of the year is awareness. And so I think this summer kind of showed shed some light on some of that awareness of things where I was doing those things that did and they were actually helping me, you know, like helping me adapt to the stressors because we know the stressors are going to come but again, can we adapt?

14:32

Yeah, I think awareness. Yeah, that's beautiful. I think that's part of the process.

14:37

I stuck with that word. So yeah. But all good things. Just things. Truly,

14:45

it is like and that's the thing, and that's why we wanted to have do but kind of shared this, these this conversation as part of our normal. You know, our normal podcast episodes are all about pregnancy and childbirth and postpartum and chiropractic care and doulas and all of that, but it's like, you know, as we've been doing this now over a year, there's a lot that's behind the scenes and a lot that influences our conversations when we're doing them on topic. And I just I love talking to you and I like them. decided to record this because we don't always get to catch up in this way. As much as we would want to. Anytime we get to, you know, we went on a hike recently and we chatted for the whole time and then one that just fills my cup and so I'm just glad we took this moment to kind of, you know, share life and I know there's more I know there's probably lots more is always going on, but these are just just kids and life and home life and school life and it's a lot but you're doing a great job.

15:50

You too. I know these things these conversations Fill my cup here. So you're learning like these tools and these beings. Having conversations and finding those people, you know, can that you can share life with are super helpful as well. So

16:07

getting an app I agree so much this has been

16:14

Yes, I agree to I agree with you. Always a fun time talking to you my friend.

16:21

Thank you guys for listening and tune in next week for a brand new episode.

16:30

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