Soon after the birth of my first child, my friend Marie-Ange showed up on my doorstep with her arms full of diapers and gripe water.  Even more importantly, she came with the words of encouragement that I so desperately needed after a traumatic birth.  I had been in and out of the hospital for weeks leading up to Lily’s birth culminating with pre-eclampsia and a third degree tear. Exhaustion had settled in and I wondered if I really was cut out for this motherhood gig.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but that conversation with Marie-Ange was my first step on the path to healing. After a miscarriage and a harrowing hospital experience, I needed to know that birth could be something better, something empowering and sacred.  I started following Marie-Ange’s blog where she shared birth stories and her experiences as a doula.

What stood out to me the most was the tone of the birth stories on her blog (and this definitely carries over into her recently released book, The Sacred Gift of Childbirth: Empowered Choices for You and Your Baby).

While Marie-Ange is well-versed on the technical aspects of childbirth, her gift lies in combining facts with faith in an empowering manner that every couple needs to hear for themselves. Bridging the societal and traditional gulfs of what we are told to do, what we would like to do, and what we are innately born to do, Marie-Ange clearly guides the reader on her path to a sacred birth facilitated by inspired choices. Reading her book is like having all of the individual child-birth conversations I had with Marie and her twin-sister tied up with a bow in chapters I can reread whenever I need them.  I hope that you will feel as if you are learning from a trusted friend as you read as well.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful to you? My own journey to an empowered birth seemed like a long one. You can read more about it here.  I wish that I had a book like Marie-Ange’s available to me when I had my first baby. It’s a game changer and it perfectly combines the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual aspects of childbirth. When I read the book, it was like connecting the dots of everything I had learned over my three births. That knowledge is priceless for moving forward.

One feature of the book that I love is the worksheet that follows each chapter. It is an invitation to dig deeper and really apply what you have learned and felt. Another valuable feature is the real-life anecdotes in each chapter drawn from Marie-Ange’s own experiences as well as others. This is a woman who has experiences the highs and lows of birth and every plateau in between. Her relateability is refreshing and needed in childbirth circles.

Equally important is her Husband’s Guide chapter. A must-read for Dad’s to be. I know my husband was just as traumatized, if not more so, than I was during our difficult birth experiences.  I can see how reading this book as a couple would help to ease some of those birth fears.  Having a doula who supported and encouraged my husband as well made all the difference in my last birth.

I would love to place this book in the hands of every expecting mother and give her a glimpse of what could be. Even in high-risk circumstances, we can make inspired choices and empower ourselves as we bring these beautiful babies into the world. Whether you are a first-time mom or a mom of six, there is so much to be gained from reading this book.

What book influenced you the most while preparing for childbirth?

What childbirth tips were most helpful for you? 

I am so grateful that Cedar Fort Publishing provided me with Marie-Ange’s book to review. Thank you!

The post The Sacred Gift of Childbirth – Book Review appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Call me crazy, the brussel sprout is one of my favorite vegetables. Not just any brussel sprouts, brussel sprouts roasted in coconut oil and sea salt. I pop these yummy morsels in my mouth like candy. I seriously hesitate to share with my children and my husband’s fingers better move fast if he wants any.

When I was asked to try out Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, I just knew it was perfect for my favorite brussel sprouts recipe. The Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is certified organic and traditionally made. The taste is pure and delicious!

Ready to try out the infamous brussel sprouts? They are beyond easy to make. Most of the time, I guesstimate my ingredients for this recipe according to taste, but I’ve written out some estimations just for you. My sister in law shared this recipe with me and I’ve been a fan ever since!

Roasted Coconut Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussell Sprouts – a bowlful

Sea Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

Tropical Traditions Organic Virgin Coconut Oil – 2 tablespoons

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet or pan with foil (all about avoiding messes!) Cut the stem off of each brussel sprout and then cut in half vertically. Gently rinse brussel sprouts. Place brussel sprouts with melted coconut oil and sea salt in a sealed plastic bag and shake. Pour onto baking sheet. Roast approximately 30-45 minutes. Be sure to check on them often during the last minutes to make sure they don’t burn! I love mine with just a little crisp!

Tropical Traditions has kindly agreed to give one of my readers their own 1 quart jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. I hope you love it as much as I do. You can find out more about the product in this video or at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6eycjf29M

My family has been using coconut oil for about three years. It’s a fantastic addition to our pantry and has so many uses! You can check out more ways to use coconut oil here.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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I received a KLUTCHmom box to review for this post. I was not compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links for the products I love! All opinions are mine.

As a mom, I am always looking for simple, easy ways to keep my little family healthy. Thank goodness for the Internet! I’m a big fan of on-line shopping. Should I have something shipped to my door or should I take my three little crazies to the store with me? Doorstep, please!

Lately I’ve been loving subscription companies like Kiwi Crate, Citrus Lane, and KLUTCHclub. This month I  had fun checking out the KLUTCHmom Box – love that it meets my mommy needs! Each month KLUTCHmom (don’t worry, they have boxes for just men and women, too!) sends out boxes full of supplements, nutritional bars, healthy snacks and beverages, personal care products, fitness DVDs or online memberships, and gift cards for fitness apparel and accessories that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Each box guarantees at least $50 worth of value for less than $18 per month. Love me a bargain that comes straight to my doorstep!

My box included:

• Queasy Pop Kids! – Will be trying these out as soon as the kiddos get sick … hopefully not any time soon!
• Kirk’s Original Coco Castile Soap. The soap came with a recipe so that I could make my own laundry soap – way cool!
• Doc Holder – This is perfect for in my shower! Keeps my razor out of the reach of little hands. Love it!
• Ola! Vanilla Almond 100% Natural Handbaked Granola. My breakfast typically consists of greek yogurt + granola + fruit. This granola was delicious. Loved the full size almonds. Yum!

• Smarty Pants Gummy Vitamins for Kids (2) – Both my six year old and my three year old love these vitamins and were begging for more. 
• Smarty Pants Gummy Vitamins for Adults (2) My husband and I were a fan of the taste of these vitamins.
• 3 months free unlimited access to Yoga Vibes – I haven’t tried this yet, but I love yoga so I can’t wait! It is a $60 value.
• Nature’s Bakery Whole Wheat Fig Bar – This was our favorite item from the box!
• Just Chill Tropical Drink. This refreshing drink helped me survive my gigantic coupon shopping trip Saturday morning!
• 

The star of the box for my family was the Nature’s Bakery Whole Wheat Fig Bar. My three year old has a refined (aka picky) palate and sometime it is tricky encouraging him to try new things. I dread buying an entire package of something at the store only to discover that no one in the family really likes the taste of it. Cortland loved the whole wheat fig bars! You better believe they were on my shopping list and I picked up another box of them at Smith’s  last week. Cort has already finished off that box and we will definitely get more! Healthy snack score! Sorry, no pictures because my little buddy scarfed them down too fast!

The KLUTCHmom box was a perfect fit for my family. There was something for everyone and we have a need for every item in the box. We found some new favorite projects that we are very excited about!

Be sure to KLUTCHclub out on facebook and twitter, too!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

What are your favorite fitness products?
Do you have any fun monthly subscriptions?

The post Family friendly fitness & foods! KLUTCHmom Review appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

My mom and I are on a mission to get healthy this year. We workout together at least once a week and we are always on the lookout for healthy, but still yummy, food and beverages. We are both down about 10 pounds each since the beginning of the year. Slowly, but surely, we are replacing some of our unhealthier habits for better ones! For the holiday weekend we decided to incorporate some healthier activities into our commemorating.

I was so excited to try Sambazon’s Açaí+Blueberry+Pomegranate Organic Superfood Juice on Memorial Day. Our family has lots of little ones so we spent the morning at the park playing dodge ball, doing a geo cache treasure hunt, and then cooling off in the water. The Sambazon juice drink was perfect for this outing. I needed something refreshing and healthy to give me the energy to chase after my cute kiddos! I loved the taste and I always feel better knowing that what I am putting into my body is organic. My five year old kept sneaking sips as well so I know they have her stamp of approval.

I can’t wait to try more of their smoothies and juices! Headed to Wal-mart this week to pick up some more.  Here are the different kinds available:

• Açaí/Antioxidant: This Original Amazon superfood juice is bursting with powerful antioxidants and healthy omegas. It’s a delicious way to combat free radicals and comes in two flavors: Original or Açaí+Blueberry+Pomegranate.

• Energy: This potent blend of Açaí berries, Yerba Mate, and Guarana delivers a whole food experience that boosts the body and mind the way nature intended. Energy is available in two flavors: A rich berry superfood juice blend with 50mg of organic caffeine per bottle, and a new Mocha Java superfood smoothie with 80mg of organic caffeine from fair trade coffee beans, plus a hint of chocolate.

• Protein: These indulgent smoothies are packed with 10g of organic vegan whole food protein per bottle (which helps to build lean muscle) and healthy omegas to keep you full longer. It comes in three yummy flavors: Açaí berry + Vanilla; Açaí berry + Chocolate; Chocolate + Almond + Coconut milk. I think this one will be perfect for my post workout drink!

• Supergreens with Kale + Ginger: This is a potent blend of Açaí berries, a powerful new blend of six varieties, plus a hint of ginger. It delivers around two servings of whole fruits and veggies, without added sugar. Kale is one of my new favorite greens so this juice is definitely on my shopping list.

• Blended Breakfast: This is the first beverage to combine whole fruit with ancient grains (like quinoa and amaranth), chia, and Organic/Non-GMO verified soymilk for a smoothie that sustains and nourishes. This delicious strawberry-banana blend is also a good source of fiber (7g per bottle). Can’t wait to try this one – love quinoa!

Sounds yummy, right? Sambazon is giving a $45 prize pack to one of my readers! Check out the Rafflecopter widget below!

Be sure to check out Sambazon’s site and facebook page. I just did and learned something awesome – they are now available at COSTCO! Woohoo! This mama’s life just got easier.

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Let me preface this by saying that I am DEEPLY GRATEFUL for each one of my children, no matter how they got here. I know that I am so lucky to be their mother and that they are worth every second of pregnancy and labor/delivery. I have learned positive things from each of my pregnancies. I am grateful for technology, doctors, nurses, and doulas for their help in my journey!

The post Kyler’s Birth Story Part 1 – Why I decided to go natural appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.