It’s pretty hard to escape the news nowadays, even our youngest ones are often exposed to it in some form or other, as much as we try to shield them from it. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: I personally feel that my parents helped grow my empathy through my exposure to the world and in how they explained events to me. But it’s important to talk to kids about events in a way that they not only understand it, but also provides them with the ability to process it correctly. Amongst the uptick of mass shootings and now compulsory lockdown training in all schools, it’s hard for parents to find the middle ground between shielding kids from violence and risking traumatizing them. One of my children has already been diagnosed with anxiety at an early age, and these type of conversations are very tough for us. This is why I have put together some guidelines on how to address traumatic events like mass shootings with our kids.

Idaho has finally passed a Bill in their state House to protect breastfeeding mothers. Prior to the unanimous vote Idaho was the ONLY state without legislation to protect moms who chose to breastfeeding publicly. 

(Photo courtesy of: Chelsea Jackson Villines)

Hey ladies! So... what about postpartum sex?!? No matter how many weeks postpartum you are, postpartum sex can feel like an exciting prospect (no baby belly in the way) or it can feel daunting considering your body isn’t the same after birth. I always laugh when people say that your body can pop back into shape after birth. It’s just not true. That’s not to say that you can’t find a happy medium and invest in your health and wellness to create the postpartum body that you love, because you can, but if you’ve had a vaginal birth no matter how “quick” your tissues heal they have taken a beating and need time to repair.

Their lives are so public but I love how Kylie completely controlled when the world would find out. This video is simply beautiful. Congrats to Kylie and Travis!

Calling all mamas that are C-section skittish! First of all I want to say: mama, don’t feel alone. Second I want to say: mama, release the guilt. Maybe you’ve done everything that you can think of to avoid a C-section. You hired the doula, you chose a midwifery practice, you took hypnobirthing classes and yet, despite all your efforts it’s looking like a scheduled Cesarean birth is in your future.

A year ago I was about 20 weeks pregnant with my third child and painting t-shirts for the initial Women’s March that took place on January 21st. I painted t-shirts for my sister, for my friends, for my two little girls, and for myself, trying to infuse as much love and power into each brush stroke and each word that I painted. We would be marching together, strong, raising our voices as one. We marched over here in Sacramento with thousands and thousands of women, men, and children, carrying banners for truth, equality, love, and justice. It kicked off what I now see as a year of hope, a year of despair, a year of strength, and a year of rebuilding. 2017 was a transition year, where the population began to question everything again. 2017 was a year of sinking deep to climb up higher, a year of profound reflection.

During pregnancy, women experience many changes with their body. I recently posted a question on my social media website and received so many answers on the changes women received during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Here are the answers:

Sexual harassment in the worplace has exploded in Hollywood. Over a couple of months both women and men came out about being sexually harassed by their bosses and colleagues. Instead of just outcry over 300 popular actors, producers, directors, entertainment executives and more took action into their own hands to stop what has become a systemic norm in their industry. BUT realizing it's happening everywhere.

Over the past nine months or so, I've gone through an entrepreneurial adventure that, oddly enough, has taught me just how little I know about parenting.