​I am so often humbled by this work. The intensity of it, the raw emotion of it, bearing witness to one of life’s most incredible events... and sometimes it’s greatest tragedies. There have been many moments of overwhelming joy, sweet relief and deep painful sorrow and through it all it’s always felt like I am in the right place. There are times when it’s so much to carry inside that for a second, the thought of continuing to do this work scares the shit out of me. And then out of nowhere I’ll run into a past client and see them flourishing as a Mother and my heart soars, or I read a text that includes a picture of a positive pregnancy test accompanied by “so what are you up to in 8 months time?!” and I can’t stop smiling for days thinking of that precious secret. And just like any job that one loves, it’s become very clear to me that once in awhile, taking time off to recharge and refuel is what I need to do to be a better birth worker. And so, I would encourage you, Moms, to take some time today to do something for yourself. However big or small it is, you need to take time to recharge yourself, no one functions better when they are depleted.

What you do EVERY DAY for your family makes a huge difference in their lives. You are always ENOUGH. I will continue to strive to do what I can to support families in this community and if that means taking an occasional time out to reset, I’m ok with that. I too, am enough. I am beyond grateful to all the families who have allowed me to grow beside them, connecting in this precious life if only for a small time. Lucky me, what a gift.

​I mention "self-care" a lot when I'm speaking with new Mothers. There are a ton of reasons for putting it off but at the end of the day, if you're not taking care of yourself, eventually, you will become depleted. I urge you to take the time to nourish yourself, you're important and you're quite likely the "project manager" of your home so treat yourself to some tender loving care.
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​You are worth it.

Here are some ideas to get you started, this list is not exhaustive but rather a starting point to help shift your focus towards what fuels you.

• Take a bath or a long hot shower, alone.
• Get outside, reconnecting with nature is a great way to reset perspectives.
• Play, ride your bike, go swimming, do something physical to get your heart pumping.
• Eat well, nourish your body, mind and soul with healthy tasty foods.
• Connect with friends or join a peer group, Squamish has a ton of them! (check out the Resources page) 
• Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and sip it while it's still warm.
• Find your own rhythm, it takes time to develop new routines.

​Be gentle with yourself new Mothers, this is a big transition!