How did I miss this!

I’ve always been a creature of habit and someone who likes some predictability about her day. At the very least, I crave the ability to organize my day or week and have some idea on how it will unfold. Even though my schedule is really never the same day-to-day, or week to-week... I do have some routine built in. It keeps me grounded.

I’ve been struggling since Day 1 with baby to get a routine in place for me. I have been feeling at the whim of this precious small little guy who eats, sleeps and demands my attention at all hours of the day. I’ve been able to strategically sneak in eating, laundry, yoga (at home) and work when HE decides to sleep. It hadn’t dawned on me until this week that like us.. He needs a routine too and that we, as parents, are supposed to lead this for him. Where had I been? How did I miss this?

I’ve been diligently doing all my requisite reading but somehow this didn’t sink in ... Or perhaps I didn’t’ think we were at this point already. All of sudden I realized “if I get him on a schedule… TAAA DAAAA… I get my schedule back!” I nearly cried at the idea of having more time to get my projects done and to feel better about what I can accomplish in a day. In reading about sleep training, I realized poor Finn is probably as sleep deprived as I am. He doesn’t really nap much and he’s been going to bed between 9-10pm with several nighttime feedings. That was all fine and dandy for a newborn but he’s now 3 and ½ months and that just won’t do!

As I continue with the 40 days program, this week’s focus is on Equanimity – the idea of meeting life as it meets you in a calm, non-reactive fashion. From a yoga perspective it means staying in a pose even when you’re mind is telling you to quit. This concept of keeping my cool will do me well as we begin to put Finn to bed at 7pm this week. I’m sure the tears will flow (probably from both of us) but staying firm yet calm will get us through. Wish all of us luck.

Balancing Baby & Business - Can it be done? Part 1

Well this blog entry is LONGGGGG overdue.

I’ve been busy with a new baby and all that entails. You really can never be fully prepared for life with a newborn, no matter what people tell you or what you read. I had visions (more like delusions) that I could easily have a few hours a day to address emails, touch in with patients, market my practice, write up health tidbits on facebook and twitter, blog, beef up on new medical research… Well let me tell you. When they say new moms barely have time to shower or brush their teeth. That is NO JOKE! Quickly, any thought of work was long in the past. And when I did have to address things, I would have to jot a note down to address it when I had a free moment. I’m one of those diligent people who respond to emails quickly, look up things as soon as they enter my mind, jump up at a moment’s notice when inspiration hits… now I am forced to keep a notebook within arm’s distance that holds a running list of things to do. Basic simple things like “look up how to make blackberry salad dressing”, call “so-and-so” back, respond to emails, remember to pay rent, etc.

The long and short of it is… LIFE HAS CHANGED.

And as a result, I have a changed along with it. Patience, which has always eluded me, has been forcefully demanding of me. And the independence that I once enjoyed has now been replaced with careful planning and thoughtful logistics.

But… I couldn’t be happier.

The fine balance of having a child and running a business is one I’m beginning to maneuver. I’m 3 months into mommyhood and I’m finally lifting my head up and wanting to re-enter the world outside one filled with breastfeeding, dirty diaper, and speaking in new “parent-ese” tones.

What has always amazed me about life is that things and people enter just when you need it. I attended a weekend-long chakra-clearing/meditating class for my continue education units for my acupuncture license. It wasn’t a class I would have normally signed up for and the timing wasn’t great (hadn’t started bottle feeding my baby) but I was scurrying around to fulfill units to renew my license. It was AMAZING and allowed this scattered, unfocused new momma a chance to reconnect with myself. Meditating for hours on end will force you to do that! It couldn’t have come at a better time. I felt renewed and ready to re-enter my life.

Another amazing thing happened… I’m doing 40-days to Personal Revolution – a program that includes daily meditation, yoga, nutritional changes and journal writing. I’m actually helping to facilitate this program from a Chinese Nutritional perspective and our group decided to go through it together to work out any ‘bugs’, to refine the program and to connect to each other as a group. Again, it wasn’t planned but something we decided to do at the last minute when one of our virtual programs had low enrollment. Again. Hadn’t planned for it but what a gift. After just 4 days, I’ve begun to feel better physically and have addressed some outstanding issues in my relationship that came up when I was journaling. I also feel more grounded and better able to roll with the day-to-day demands (and lack of sleep).

I’ll write more on my experiences as a new mom doing the 40 days in follow-up blog entries… I think it may be something that could benefit a lot of new mommies who are at home, feeling out of sorts with themselves, looking to connect to others and hoping to regain a bit of their old body and spirit. Can’t wait to share…

Jenn