Bio-technology means that crops, animals and the food we eat can be manipulated by scientists for a number of different reasons. Those for Genetically Modified food say that it can aid in world hunger and food production while those against it say there hasn’t been enough research and not enough stringent measures surrounding its use.
Check out this BBC special where the pros and cons of GMO’s are investigated
Beach Belly with mala beads by Story & Myth. Photo by Sabriya Simon
Beauty-full, Bounty-full Belly-full…
My favourite part about being pregnant was probably watching my belly grow and getting all the “special treatment”.
“Let the baby- mother have the seat!” “Aright baby-mother go ahead of me in line.”
I was quite active during my pregnancy. I practised Ashtanga Yoga 3 times a week up to 7 1/2 months and was still working on events up to eight months. So my hips opened up nicely and I had to adopt a quick preggo-waddle.
During the latter part of my third trimester I developed PUPPs so my stretch marks took on a new design around my poked out navel (it looked like my navel was ablaze). I accepted this as my badge of motherhood and embraced it, after all I am known as NataBlaze in my close group of friends.
Watching my belly grow I thought how can I make memories and keepsakes of this Bounty-full Belly-full I was blessed with? I decide on a few things and shared with my husband and my sister-circle.
Here are my Top Five Favourite things to do to Beautify the Beauty-filled Belly.
1. Do a Belly photo shoot.
You can do this with your partner, your sister circle or even by yourself. Lots of people do pics of their bellies evolving through each trimester by taking the pics in the same outfit, so you can see the growth. I opted to do mine by the sea with my husband and I now have some wonderful memories thanks to my sister-friend & documenter Sabriya.
2. Document your Pregnancy & Birth
I used to look at pictures of my pregnant mother and wonder about what they were going through when they had me; a lot of us probably wonder. So I shared this thought with my husband and we decided we wanted to document the pregnancy so that our child would have his story captured, as much as possible. In sharing with Sabriya our wish to have photos done we also asked if she would be present at the home birth. We have photos and video of before the baby, during delivery and after.
Once you document your pregnancy you can choose from the many on-line methods to share with friends and family, like Facebook or even setting up a private website. This is something you will have to share with you baby as he/she grows up in the digital age.
3. Belly Cast
You can have your belly til the end of time by making a bellycast!
We did this as a sister circle and it was pretty easy and quick too. On my son’s first birthday we plan to paint it as an activity on that day. If your dollars are super strong you can also get your cast personalized and done into a belly bowl by bronzing it. Apparently the sound is different based on the size you cast it at.
Belly cast done at 33 weeks by my sister circle. Photo by Sabriya Simon
4. Paint your belly
This is also a fun activity and can be done for a photo shoot or even at a baby shower. You can also do a Henna design for your belly in the third trimester. It is believed that the images used on the belly protect mama and baby during delivery.
5. Belly beads
Before I got pregnant I wanted to get my waist beads done to honour my sacred womb and temple. However Life happened and I ended up getting the beads during my pregnancy. Many women across many cultures wear waist beads as protection/ healing, as a rite of passage or even for seduction. In choosing colours & stones for your beads go for ones that honour the goddess within and the life you are carrying. You can choose birth stones for you, your partner and your baby. You can also choose stones that are good for fertility and will provide good energy during delivery.
And for some Brawta (Little extra)
6. Belly-Rub-a-dub
You can use shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil/olive oil infused with your favourite baby safe essential oil and rub your belly.I rubbed my belly daily with shea butter(that is full of vitamin E and good for elasticity of skin) mixed with some essential oils like lavender & patchouli. So not only will you smell good but you will feel good and relaxed and so will baby inside(you might even feel a kick of joy!). If you get tired of rubbing get your partner to slather on the belly goodness all over your belly in soft circular strokes. This will probably lead to some more loving strokes or as we call it in Jamaica belly-rub-a-dub…
No matter what you choose to do for your beauty-full belly just ensure that you are giving it lots of love, because your baby will pick up on your energy. So sun your belly, water your belly, talk to the life in your belly.
Just do what feels good and enjoy the belly-full.
Love& Light
Holistic midwifery is something I love ever since I met one of my best friend at St Andrew High School- Kingston, Jamaica in 1999 and got to know her family. Her mother is a well renowned midwife who delivered many babies, my baby and now has started a Natural Birth trend in Jamaica amongst naturalist young women.
The first birth I ever went to was with her in Brooklyn, NY about 5 yrs ago. In fact she’s been at every birth I’ve attended 🙂 At this first one she asked me if I wanted to come along and be her “doula”. You know I’m taking on this new experience right?!
The Rastafarian family who welcomed us into their apartment already had children and so the patient Mama was (surprisingly to me) relaxed waiting for her new baby. As the doula, I made sure Mama had something to drink when she needed, I gave her support when she wanted to hold on, sway or moan through a contraction. I also remember massaging her lower back and my most vivid memory of that birth is sitting in the kitchen reading with the younger children while their sibling was being birthed in a room close by. The event was surrounded by love. When the door opened and they saw their little brother it all left an imprint on my life forever too.
Even though I did not see when the baby emerged I recognized a birth for the intimate experience it was and how it could be as pleasant as possible to the expanding family. A doula is there to make sure all the comforts are there. I’m ready to take on this task.
After a crashed laptop and missing wifi ITAL MAMA is back online for any and everyone looking for healthy tips to add to their daily running around. The show must go on so look for a few posts a week again.
Things happen so quickly around us, in an instant our whole lives change while time keeps on ticking day in day out as we seem to get into the lull of routine life.
Break out and be free. Stay motivated to your cause and make time to make yourself good. Do what you love even if it costs ya sometimes because what you gain from happiness, money can’t buy. Stop making excuses for not being your best. Just be your best and done.
Stay tagged to this blog for health tips, birth stories, womens issues, natural baby and natural beauty tips… everything about the modern roots mama.
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