Journal
MOTHER CIRCLE BLOG
Five Differences Between A Mother Circle and A Self-Help Group
Women have gathered together for centuries. We have gathered in Circle and created our own communities. Yes, Circles are a form of self-help group but they are also different. Here are 5 differences between a Mother Circle and a self-help group: Focus: A Mother Circle...
The Transformative Power of Mother Circles: A Vision of Supported Motherhood
Imagine Fully Supported Motherhood Within Mother Circles In the journey of motherhood, filled with its peaks of joy and valleys of challenges, imagine a world where every mother has a circle. A circle that represents a safe, sacred space where mums come together to...
Why Holding Space Matters
Holding Space for Mothers in Mother Circles Holding space for mothers in Mother Circles so that they can be honest about their mothering experiences is both healing and empowering. It changes the way they view themselves and gives them permission to do motherhood...
Setting Expectations within a Mother Circle: A Guide to Creating a Supportive Space
Motherhood is a transformative journey filled with joy, challenges and countless emotions. In the midst of this transformative experience, finding a safe and supportive space to share, reflect and connect with other mothers can be invaluable. That's where Mother...
5 Essential Skills for Becoming a Mother Circle Guide
Mother Circles provide a safe and supportive space for mums to come together, share experiences and find solace in the sisterhood of motherhood. As a Mother Circle Guide, your role is crucial in creating and nurturing this empowering environment. What skills are key?...
8 ways to Mother from your empowered inner feminine
As an empowered mother, there are many ways to nurture and care for your children from a place of inner strength and femininity. This means leaning into your feminine qualities of compassion, communication and not being afraid to look after your own need. Here are...
Creating Engaging Conversations: The Power of Open-Ended Questions in Mother Circles
Mother circles provide invaluable support, connection, and empowerment for women navigating the beautiful yet sometimes challenging journey of motherhood. A crucial element of these circles is the art of conversation. By fostering meaningful conversations, Mother...
Pregnancy Yoga – All Your Questions Answered
Pregnancy Yoga - All Your Questions Answered. There are so many reasons to join a pregnancy yoga group or class. I absolutely recommend them for relaxation and as a way to prepare your body for birth and motherhood. They are also the best way to create your motherhood...
How To Prepare For Conversations With Your Midwife About Birth
How to prepare for conversations with your midwife about your baby's birth. Your midwife is here to help you. It's important that you prepare for conversations with your midwife about birth. Talking to a professional about birth, yourself and/or your baby can be hard:...
Birth Trauma and PTSD
Giving birth is experienced differently by everyone. Two women can have what looks to be the same birth, but they can feel and experience it completely differently to one another. There are so many varying factors as to why one woman may experience the birth of their...
What Are The ‘Baby Blues’?
Baby Blues is a real thing, and here’s what it's all about: You're home. You have a brand new baby in your arms and you feel overwhelmed with love and joy. Birth is over and you can be home with your new family. However, within a day or two you start to feel low,...
Why Is My Pelvic Floor So Important?
So, you find yourself pregnant for the first time; you are excited, nervous and have no idea of the journey you are about to embark on. Your body starts to do weird and wonderful things, like your boobs becoming ginormous and a lovely black line appears on your tummy....
The Superpowers Of A Birthing Ball
If you are pregnant, it may have been suggested that you get a birthing/yoga ball. But why are they so helpful? What is so awesome about them? And, what can they do for you and your baby? When pregnant, we like to slump down at the end of the day into our sofa and try...
How Pregnancy Yoga Can Help You Have A Positive Mindset For Birth
How Pregnancy Yoga Can Help You Have A Positive Mindset For Birth. Knowing you are about to give birth can be scary and daunting, especially if it's your first time. Having a positive mindset for birth makes all the difference. It can be done; gently and in a way that...
Birth Partner Stories
Supporting someone who is giving birth can be worrying, scary and confusing. Some birth partners have shared their experiences for us, share it with yours so they can see they are not alone in their worries. I’m honestly not sure what I wish I’d known (it was 6 years...
What to do if things don’t go to plan during your baby’s birth?
Birthing plans are a gift and a curse. They are recommended as they help you think about what you would want and do not want to happen during birth. I would always advise having a plan in place and you and your partner knowing what your options are. But it can also...
Fourth Trimester: Your Postnatal Care Plan
S - SUPPORT E - EAT L - LOVE F - FEARS C - CHANGE A - ASK R - REST E - EXPECTATIONS SUPPORT Think “mothering the mother”. Whilst you’re mothering your baby, you need someone to look after you. Someone perceptive enough to know what you need without you having to ask...
Why Being Honest About How You Feel As A Mum Is So Important
Childbirth is a monumental time in any person’s life. Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to bring new life into this world. However, the blessing of a new baby also comes with challenges that most of us haven't anticipated, prepared for or even been told...
Always Be Your Child’s Safe Space – Starting School Tips
I'm sending you lots of love if you have babies starting school or nursery over the next few weeks. They are much stronger than we often give them credit for and ever so brave. It is also ok to shed a few tears because things like this are big milestones. They are...
Why Mothers No Longer Have Villages Of Support But Still Need Them
This is a guest post by one of my lovely mums, Lillian. Something that has struck me time and time again is just how exhausted I feel on a Sunday evening after spending the whole weekend with my little girl. Surely, I cannot be the only one who is completely run down...
Mothering Teenagers Isn’t Easy
Mothering teenagers is really tricky. It's very different to mothering babies. I get far more time by myself than when the girls were little but when they do need me it's for high level issues such as friendships, boyfriends, exam choices/results, disappointments and...
What About Dad?
This is a guest blog from lovely Kate Sower, one of our Mother for Life mums. With Father’s Day and International Fathers’ Mental Health Day looming, I thought this would be a great topic for my next blog. A father’s role has dramatically changed over the past few...
At Least 20 Simple Ways To Feel Happier For Mums
Today I would like to gift you The Happy List. A list of things you can do to feel happier. I'm not saying that you're not happy. I really hope you are but it can be difficult to be happy all the time. In fact, we are not supposed to be always happy so please don't...
Finding Balance in Motherhood
It's Friday night: 7:40pm. I'm sitting in my car somewhere the other side of Perry Barr and it's pouring with rain. I'm cold because the engine is off. I still have 20 minutes until Neave finishes netball and I've been here for an hour. In that time I've drafted an...
Mum – Give Yourself Permission
I find that I often use the words 'give yourself permission to rest' or 'give yourself permission to let go of whatever it is that is bothering you' when I'm holding space for others. I think they let go in that moment but I bet they are back on it as soon as they...
Introducing Mother for Life
Introducing Mother for Life… As most of you already know, Blossom Yoga & Wellbeing rebranded to Mother for Life on 14th July 2020. I’ve been updating all our social pages and posts to include the new name, but have been having a bit of trouble getting the new name...
Why Self-Care Feels So Hard For Mums
I have not always had a healthy relationship with self-care. I can be a martyr which is not good for me or anyone around me. I often throw my toys out of the pram - usually when I've neglected me for a while. The whole 'self-care' isn't selfish' thing didn't sit well...
Scary Thoughts After You Have Had Your Baby
Over half of all new mums - when asked - say that they have scary thoughts. That means that the real percentage is most likely even higher. What if I drop my baby? I think my baby would be better off without me? What if something falls on him whilst he's sleeping....
Why Mums Do Not Need To Worry About A Messy House
Our house has been chaos for months now and at times it has driven us all completely mad. We've had our cellar extended, Pod built, window replaced, patio dug up, trench down the garden and now the decorators are inside. We have had people here, doing something, since...
Ten Tips for Birth Recovery
TEN TIPS TO RECOVER FROM BIRTH • Set realistic expectations. Don’t expect too much of yourself in these early days and weeks. You’ve just given birth, your body has undergone a huge physical transformation and emotionally it’s been a rollercoaster (and will continue...
Why Magnesium Levels in Pregnancy Are Important
We talked about pregnancy aches and pains in our post-class chat last night. I mentioned that magnesium is a really important mineral for muscle release and recovery and also that most of us are deficient in it. It is important to replenish your magnesium levels,...
Motherhood Imposter Syndrome
I often feel that I'm not as competent at what I do as you might think I am. I doubt myself, talk negatively to myself, convince myself that everyone else's classes must be much better than mine and lose myself down the rabbit hole of comparisonitis on Instagram every...
The Benefits of Baby Massage
Massage is one of the best ways for your baby to experience the benefit of touch. It is also a beautiful way to welcome your baby into this new world she is adjusting to. Life in the womb is warm, dark, quiet, soft and constant, with food on demand and contact at all...
Magic Mindset for Birth
We all have our own belief systems. These are based on things we've seen heard, been told and been through ourselves. The stories we read and listen to are incredibly powerful in creating this system. This means that you already have a belief system around birth even...
Uterine Surges and Oxytocin
It's normal to worry about birth being painful. It's natural to feel this way. Don't worry if this is where you are right now. You're not alone. Fear often comes from not knowing. Taking time to understand what happens during birth helps. Those intense sensations -...
Feeling Special
Are you ok? I have had a tricky week this week. If you caught my book reading on Tuesday, you will have seen that I cried so much that I had to cut my 'motivational chat' short. It was a very weird experience for me. I am an emotional soul but those tears took me by...
Is There Anybody Out There?
Sorry for the bold headline but if you don't open these emails, Mailchimp will eventually delete you from my list and you won't get them at all. Also, they are good. I pour my little soul into them each week and I believe that they make a difference. Thank you so much...
Accepting things for what they are
This week has been a week of learning to lean into acceptance for me. Acceptance that things are what they are and acceptance that I can never achieve as much in a day as I think I need to! Acceptance is a tricky subject. I talked about it in my Wellbeing Live on...
Routine and Connection
This has been a week hasn't it? I've been around the houses in my mind about so many things and then put myself firmly back in my safe circle. I hope you've been able to find clam and contentment of some sort in the middle of all of this. You are doing a fabulous job...