LUNA Mother Co

⪡ DEAR MAMA ⪢
People will tell you to “cherish every moment.” They will tell you that “one day you’ll miss this.” Perhaps you will. But right now it might feel hard. Maybe your child is testing their willpower. Maybe they’re teething and waking up every half an hour all night long. Maybe you’re tired because you haven’t had a solid night’s sleep in what feels like forever, and your patience is running low. Maybe the endless whining is getting the better of you. Or maybe you just don’t enjoy hours of imaginary play. And that’s OK! There is no hard and fast rule that you have to enjoy every moment of motherhood.
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Let’s be real. Motherhood is hard. It will test you and your patience. It will wear you down at times. It can feel exhausting. And yet, motherhood is beautiful. Motherhood is filled with heart bursting, smile producing, love filled magical moments. There is nothing else that measures up to a parent’s love for their children. Nothing that makes you feel more pride than seeing your child feel proud. No one that can pull at your heart strings the way your children do. You can love being a mama and not always enjoy it at the same time. It doesn’t make you a bad mom, it just means you’re a human being with real feelings and thoughts and emotions. So in those moments when it feels hard, just remember that you’re doing an amazing job, and in your children’s eyes you are the world’s greatest mother. To them, you are home. You are enough. And that is all that matters. 💕

⪡ DEAR MAMA ⪢
People will tell you to “cherish every moment.” They will tell you that “one day you’ll miss this.” Perhaps you will. But right now it might feel hard. Maybe your child is testing their willpower. Maybe they’re teething and waking up every half an hour all night long. Maybe you’re tired because you haven’t had a solid night’s sleep in what feels like forever, and your patience is running low. Maybe the endless whining is getting the better of you. Or maybe you just don’t enjoy hours of imaginary play. And that’s OK! There is no hard and fast rule that you have to enjoy every moment of motherhood.
〰️
Let’s be real. Motherhood is hard. It will test you and your patience. It will wear you down at times. It can feel exhausting. And yet, motherhood is beautiful. Motherhood is filled with heart bursting, smile producing, love filled magical moments. There is nothing else that measures up to a parent’s love for their children. Nothing that makes you feel more pride than seeing your child feel proud. No one that can pull at your heart strings the way your children do. You can love being a mama and not always enjoy it at the same time. It doesn’t make you a bad mom, it just means you’re a human being with real feelings and thoughts and emotions. So in those moments when it feels hard, just remember that you’re doing an amazing job, and in your children’s eyes you are the world’s greatest mother. To them, you are home. You are enough. And that is all that matters.

⪡ STRONG MOM LINA ⪢
Meet our next STRONG MOM of the summer, Lina! Prior to the pandemic, Lina was a group fitness instructor for 3 years at a LGBTQIA++ gym in Oakland, CA where classes were for all abled bodies. The gym’s motto is “fit is not a body type” and we at LUNA fully agree with this mindset! Now in her 34th week of pregnancy, Lina is focusing on honoring her body and mind in the best way possible through movement and rest!
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Q: What are you most excited for this summer?
A: Preparing for birth and meeting my son for the first time.
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Q: Personal attribute you are most proud of?
A: I am a very caring, thoughtful and supportive person. It is important that the available skills and resources that I have is able to help and encourage others. I also try to always lead with kindness, compassion, and sensibility when connecting with myself and others.
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Q: Sometimes struggles with or embarrassing/funny mom moment:
A: I most often struggle with accepting things that are not in my control. Especially during this time, it has been a humbling transformation to accept that my mind has a different mind than of my body and surrendering to it, to allow all the changes to happen.
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Q: Words to live by:
A: “ráng đi” is a Vietnamese phrase that I grew up hearing my mom say, which translates to “stay encouraged”. I carry these words in everything that I do, remembering that I can expand myself, my capacity, and knowledge. It has also been my mantra at Luna Mother, just when I’m ready to give up on those last 10 seconds of pulsing squats and lunges, I remember that I am capable of doing more. 😁 and my most current words to live by : Pregnancy is not a body type! -
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⪡ THE POWER OF CONTRACTIONS ⪢
Did you know that the muscles of the uterus undergo an incredible metamorphosis by the end of pregnancy? The uterus is made up of several layers of muscles that run longitudinal, circular and oblique (diagonal) pattern. During early labor the contractions of these muscles pull on the cervix to assist in dilation while also applying pressure to help move baby downward.
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The uterus is an incredibly dynamic powerhouse that (much like mothers) performs multiple jobs ranging from loving nurturer to major ejection apparatus. The switch between these two pivotal roles takes place in just a few days and demands rapid physiological changes dominantly within the uterine muscles known as the myometrium. These contractions (as we all know) can be intense, but there are a number of ways to naturally reduce the intensity of pain, one of the most common being water submersion. This does not necessarily entail a water birth, many women find that just having a bath or shower in the beginning stages of labor can be soothing and very helpful with pain management. A few other things that can help include::
⌓ Massage & reflexology
⌓ Acupuncture & acupressure
⌓ TENS device - this device is used to inhibit pain signals as they travel toward the brain through Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
⌓ Essential oils
⌓ Movement & shifting positions
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Trust in your body, mama. You are strong, resilient and capable! ✨
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