Telluride has been on my bucket list forever… so when we had the opportunity to go on a Colorado road trip, Telluride was the first place that I wanted to add to the itinerary. The word that instantly came to my mind when I first arrived to Telluride was,“grand.” Telluride has the grandest view I’ve ever seen from a main street. It is absolutely beautiful… snow capped mountains with gushing waterfalls + wildflowers everywhere. I know Telluride is most known for its winters, but I always love visiting mountain towns in the summer… aka I’m a hiker, not a skier ; )

Stay

We stayed in an Airbnb in Placerville (20 minutes outside of Telluride) + I definitely wish we would have stayed in downtown Telluride — so that we’d have much easier access to the cafes + hikes!

Eats

Sadly, I was underwhelmed by the food scene in Telluride… I thought it was going to be a lot more hip with a farm to table focus. We just missed the farmers market (we went to Telluride a week before the market opened for the summer!), so I’m curious how our food experience would have been had we been able to go to the market!

• The Coffee Cowboy: Hands down the best coffee, right next to the gondola
• Bruno: The cutest bookstore with a coffee shop inside
• The Butcher + The Baker: Decent cafe if you are looking for brunch with a large baked goods section
• Fireweed Cafe + Mercantile: In Rico, 40 minutes south of Telluride… I so wish we would have gone for a meal + hike here. This looks like my dream cafe!
• The National Telluride: According to the locals, this is the best date night restaurant
• Smuggler Union Restaurant + Brewery: If you’re looking for burger + beer after a hike
• Organic Farmers Markets: Fridays at 1030am-330pm from June 7 to October 11.

Wellness + Things To Explore

#1] All the hikes. Hiking is of course a must in the San Juan Mountains! There’s so many to choose from. Check out this map that shows all the hiking trails in Telluride. Below are the three that we did + loved:

• Jud Wiebe Trail
• Bear Creek Preserve Trail
• Telluride River Tail

#2] Take the free gondala ride: Take the (free) gondola to Mountain Village for the views + to have access to hiking + biking trails… + of course skiing in the winter!

#3] Day trip to Ouray: Ouray is another incredibly cute moutain town with grand views! Our friend who live in Colorado love the Ouray Via Ferrata. There’s also tons of hot springs in Ouray! The most kid friendly option is the Ouray Hot Springs Pool… Noah loved it!

#4] Mangala Yoga Telluride: This yoga studio looked so cute! I wish I had time to take a class!

#5] Walk down main street + pop into all the shops. My favorite were Bruno (bookstore), MiXX Projects + Atelier (art gallery), + Crossbow Telluride: Handcrafted Leather Goods + Custom Hats (hat shop).

#6] If you are traveling with kids — there’s a playground + kid’s fishing pond in the Town Park. We stumbled upon a community event where there were so many kids fishing in the pond + it was the sweetest.

#6] There’s also plenty of other outdoor summer activities depending on your interest — like: kayaking, paddle boarding, rafting, biking, camping, fishing, + more!

Pro Tips

• Drink a lot of water + electrolytes because of the high altitude… + of course put on plenty of sunscreen!
• Learn from our mistake + don’t fly into into Denver! It took us 6+ hours to drive to Telluride (after we already had to take a flight from LA to Denver)… it was very rough day of travel with two kids. I wish we would have flown into Montrose or Durango.
• Check out this website for events, festivals, + more info on things to do during your stay!

Have you been to Telluride?! What are your favorite things to do?

Love,
Elisabeth

I did not expect to fall in love with Aspen. It gave me “Soho House” in a mountain town vibe with a bit of Midwestern nostalgic (so green!) + very boujee (so many hip stores). We literally only stayed for one day on our Colorado road trip, but I’m already so excited to come back — especially in the winter! The mountains looked like rolling hills compared to Telluride’s grand snow capped mountains — but I just loved how green, green, green everything was!

Stay:

Hotel Mollie — whenever a hotel brings warm chocolate chip cookies to your hotel room at night as a night time treat, I’m immediately sold. Hotel Mollie was a beautiful boutique hotel (Japanese + Scandinavian design) that was walking distance to everything in Aspen, but in a quieter location.

The Perfect Day In Aspen, Colorado:

• Coffee at Hotel Mollie: The best coffee in Aspen, in our opinion… they use beans from LA so maybe that’s why we love it so much ; ) They also have pastries from Louis Swiss Bakery (by the airport + also a great stop if you love your pastries!).
• Yoga class at O2 Aspen: Choose from yoga, pilates, or Stretch/Meditation!
• Pastries at Felix Roasting Co: You have to Hotel Jerome simply to see a classic Aspen establishment. It was built it 1889 + was Aspen’s orginal luxury hotel. Don’t get coffee there (it tastes burnt IMO), but definitely get a pastry!
• Lunch at Bear Den Aspen: Bistro + wine bar with a very intimate, cozy vibe.
• Hike the Rio Grande Trail: 42 miles along the Roaring Fork River. It’s so gorgeous — I could have spent all day here! I loved that we were able to walk with our stroller, since it’s all paved. Smuggler Mountain Trail is another popular hiking trail in Aspen… 3 miles round trip with a beautiful view at the top!
• Walk around all the shops: Pop into every store that speaks to you!
• Dinner at Sway: Super delicious modern Thai restaurant with sharing style plates.
• *If you have more time: Take a day trip to Carbondale! Totally different vibe + so cute. Highly recommend checking out True Nature Healing Arts for a yoga class + their cafe!
• *Pro tip: We were here during the off season (first week of June), so a lot of cafes + restaurants were still closed! The farmers market is from mid June until October, so I’d recommend visiting during that time if you are going in the summer — that way hopefully everything will be open!

Did I miss any of your favorite Aspen spots? Let me know! I can’t wait to visit again during the winter — no doubt it’s a winter wonderland here!

Love,
Elisabeth

Singapore, the smallest country in Asia, is so clean, has beautiful parks (but watch out for the mosquitos!), is wildly humid, + has such an interesting mix of architecture. Its nickname, “City in a Garden,” comes to no surprise — it was incredible seeing the green urban development… there were so many trees growing on skyscrapers! We visited Singapore for 4 days on our way to Bali… + while I’m glad we visited, I would have been totally filled up with 1–2 days in Singapore as a long layover!

Stay

We stayed at The Clan, which was in a perfect area central to everything! They had a rooftop pool, which was fun for the views!

Eats

I hate to say this… but I wasn’t blown away by the food we ate in Singapore. We sadly had a lot of meh meals. I felt like most food was on opposite sides of the spectrum — either Hawker Street Food or Michelin Star Restaurants.

• Common Man Coffee Roasters — Favorite breakfast spot. + opens at 730am which was a treat for our crazy jet lag lol
• Parallel Coffee Roasters — Favorite coffee! It’s a tiny takeaway spot, but their coffee was the best we had in Singapore (+ right by our hotel!). It’s by a fun area to walk around, too.

Other coffee shops that looked good: Simple Cafe, Zerah Coffee Roaster, Snap Cafe,

• Birds Of A Feather — The only “higher end” restaurant that we went to… + it was great. The popcorn chicken (Find the Chicken in the Chillies) + the pork dumplings are a must!
• Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao — I highly recommend that you go to one Hawker for the experience, + I think this Hawker should be the one! The pan fried dumplings + spicy wontons were incredible. Be prepared for a line, but it moved pretty quickly.
• Birds Of Paradise Gelato Boutique—The flavors here! Lychee Raspberry, Macadamia Butterfly Pea, Strawberry Basil, Mint Cacao…. yum!

All of the below are on my list if we go back to Singapore. Most of them are higher end restaurants that looked amazing, I just didn’t feel comfortable bringing our two boys under two!

• The Prince — Middle Eastern cuisine
• Grain Traders — Healthy grain bowls
• Podi + Poriyal — South Indian cuisine
• Kafe Utu — African cuisine
• Burnt Ends — Barbecue $$$$
• Meta Restaurant — $$$$
• CANCHITA — Peruvian cuisine

Things To Explore

#1] Gardens By The Bay: *MUST! IMO, this is the reason you go to Singapore. It was absolutely beautiful, we went twice in our 4 days lol. Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, + Supertree Groove are all musts! You have to pay to get into the exhibits, but even just walking around Gardens By The Bay is beautiful.

#2] Marina Bay Sands: This gave me Vegas vibes, but it was fun to see. They have a free water show every night at 8pm + 9pm, right by the Louis Vuitton building.

#3] Walk around different neighbors: This is my favorite thing to do when visiting a new city! Check out Chinatown, Little India, the Arab Quarter, + Orchard Road (main shopping street). A few of my fav things to see while walking: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple + Museum, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, + Sultan Mosque.

#4] Go to the Singapore Zoo: So bummed we missed doing this. Singapore is known as one of the best zoos in the world! There’s four different parks — Bird Paradise, Night Safari, River Wonders, + Singapore Zoo! I’ve heard great thing about all of them.

#5] Botanical Gardens: *MUST. I loved walking around the Botanical Gardens! It was such a peaceful oasis. The rainforest trail was my favorite!

#6] Fort Canning Park: Grab a coffee + pastry at Tiong Bahru Bakery (near the entrance) + then walk around Fort Canning Park. It was so lush, beautiful park… but we got quite a lot of mosquito bites.

#7] Barry’s Bootcamp: I love trying my favorite workout studios around the world — there’s two Barry’s locations in Singapore!

#8] The Yoga Mandala: Super cute yoga studio I wanted to check out in Chinatown

Pro Tips

• We unknowingly went during the best month — March! We had no rain (which we later found out is extremely rare in Singapore lol… it rains all the time!). It was definitely extremely hot + humid though.
• Very expensive! It’s one of the most expensive cities in the world
• Surprisingly, it felt like a bit of a sleepier city… most of the coffee shops didn’t open until 8/9am… or even 10am. We were struggling with jet lag (as expected!) + so desperate for coffee lol.
• If you’re traveling with children, you have to go to the kids water park at Gardens By The Bay… Noah loved it!
• Singapore is so clean! Also, the public transportation was so easy + great — highly recommend using the train to get around.

Have you been to Singapore?! What else should be on the list?!

Love,
Elisabeth

As we wind down the year + await the birth of our second boy [due on Christmas!], I’m reflecting on 2023 with a tender heart. What a year!

My word for 2023 was “emerge.” 2022 was a year of so much change, + I really hoped to integrate all of the lessons that I learned from 2022 [mostly all the motherhood lessons] + fully step into this “new” version of myself that I was still very much getting to know, even though I had been a mom for 9 months. Becoming a mother was the most transformational experience of my life… + I spent a lot time after giving birth questioning, who am I now that I am a mother?

Thankfully, I found out about the word “matrescence” this year [highly recommend listening to this podcast epsiode]:

Matrescence is the physical, emotional, hormonal + social transition to becoming a mother.

In the episode, Amy Taylor-Kabbaz shares that the “becoming a mother” process can take up to 7 years… for each child. Hearing this gave me permission to simply be in the “becoming” process — allowing myself to sit in the questions + allow my journey as a mother to unfold without trying to “figure it out.” This was probably my greatest lesson from 2023. Easier said than done. Almost 2 years in, + I’m still getting to know who I am as a mother + am a lot more okay in “not knowing…” after all, I have 5 more years! 😉

#1] Learning about matresence. “Matresence is the massive identity shift we experience as we become + move through motherhood.” I’m excited to really lean into this in 2024, especially as I become a mother of two. I read Amy Taylor-Kabbaz’s book “Mama Rising” in 2 days… + I feel like I’ll be reading it at least 5 more times.

“Matrescene is like adolescence — just as we don’t wake up on our 13th birthday suddenly an adult, we have this period of transition [physical, emotional, spiritual, hormonal, social, cultural] + it’s during that period we figure out who we are… it’s an ending + a beginning until we are an adult. Motherhood is the same. When we wake up + pee on the pregnancy test, or push the baby out + see our child for the first time that is not an immediate “we are now a mother” — there’s a period of ending + beginning… of big change + we have to figure out who we are now.”

#2] My body is still processing all the changes that have happened in the past 3 years. In the past 3 years: we gave up our lease + were nomadic-ish, we got married, I got pregnant, CHAARG went totally remote, we moved to Santa Monica, I gave birth to Noah [+ had the most amazing home birth — read the story here!], Isaac ended his digital agency after 5 years, we navigated becoming parents… + then I got pregnant again! So many of these changes were absolutely amazing… but they happened so fast, that I don’t think my body had time to process everything fully. I experience this now as non-specific overwhelm. I’m working on this through trying to energetically clear my space + help my body come into present time.

#3] Slow down. Easier said than done for me as a bucketlist queen + wanting to “suck the bone marrow out of life.” I love that Isaac + I have such a zest for life + want to do all the things. However, now having a toddler [eeek], I realized that the way we were living was not sustainable… + it was also also exhausting. Life is easier when we follow Noah’s rhythms [see more below] + I’m working integrating that with slowing down + prioritizing, which is so hard for me, as “everything” feels like a priority. To be continued…

#4] (A little) less travel. Related to slowing down, the way we travel looks different now, too. I vividly remember in Sydney, Australia when Noah was 11 months old, having this moment of — “Oh, we need to cater to his schedule now.” Before when traveling, we could just bop around + he’d sleep in the carrier… not anymore. Also, going out to eat just wasn’t fun. Our favorite vacation this year was when we went to Kauai when Noah was 18 months for 4 days + we didn’t try to do anything other than play on the beach with him + eat acai bowls + takeout sushi. He was happy — therefor we were happy! I have a feeling that this will be our new norm when traveling for the foreseeable future with children.

• Speaking of travel, I compiled all of my 70 travel guides into one post this year: My Complete List Of Travel Guides

#5] Noah’s needs are constantly changing. Similar to the sentiment above on no more bopping around + expecting that he’ll sleep on the go… this also relates to playtime, spending time in the house, hiking, walking, eating, sleeping, etc. One of the most bittersweet lessons recently is that the way we’ve been hiking with him will most likely come to an end very soon… every time he’s in the carrier, he says “walk, walk, walk!” or “OUT!” We have to bribe him with food / water to stay in, + even then… it’s short lasted. I don’t blame him—I would want to walk, too!

#6] Instead of hosting in Santa Monica… plan a group vacation! We are starting to bust out of the seams in our apartment [+ will even moreso with 2 — TBD if we will be converting the guest bedroom to a nursery or if the boys will share a room]… so, who wants to go on a group vacation? : )

#7] I know I talk a lot about phone boundaries — but I think I finally found a system that actually works for me. It’s simple: I deleted instagram off my phone. When I want to post on my feed, I re-upload instagram + keep it up for 24 hours [for ease of comments / interacting], + then I delete it again! I’ll go on instagram via my computer 2–3x a week or so, but it’s way less addicting + I’m probably on for 5 minutes. I have been doing this for 6 months now + the benefits that I’ve seen for my mental health are incredible. Don’t get me wrong — I really do love instagram + the connection / education it provides, but I am in a season of my life where I simply cannot be on it like I used to.

#8] Sleep is everything. Noah starting sleeping through the night at 14 months… + oh my gosh, I didn’t realize how sleep deprived we were. Then, at 18 months he went through a sleep regression + we were in the thick of it for 1.5 months + we were so exhausted. Finally, we got through it… + he’s back to sleeping through the night [thank goodness]. We never sleep trained Noah [story for another time!] + I don’t regret it… but I am a lot more open to sleep guidance for baby #2.

#9] I don’t want to live in Australia anymore. While I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Sydney + Byron Bay, I don’t have the desire to live in Australia anymore. For 33 years of my life I thought I’d 100% live in Sydney again — since I was born there + am a dual citizen, it felt like my “duty” to myself. However, now living in LA… it feels too similar to California when we visited… yet so far away. Ps: check out my full travel guide to Australia here.

#10] I am so grateful for my journaling practice. I can’t believe I’ve been doing this practice for 7 years [!!!!!]. I love that journaling helps me process… + remember! Since becoming a mother, I’ve added a few more journals to the mix:

• Pregnancy Journal — weekly updates!
• Noah’s Journal — in the beginning, I’d write it in weekly. Now, it’s moreso monthly updates as well as documenting any “firsts” or special moments. I’m thinking about stopping this journal when he turns 2… but I’m not sure! Or, maybe I’ll do a longer cadence, like once a quarter or once a year.

#11] I LOVE phone calls for keeping in touch with friends. For the most part, I’m so over texting / voice notes [which I used to be all about lol]. In this season where so many of my friends don’t live near me, phone calls feel so much more connecting + I really value them.

#12] When in doubt — go in nature. Nature is the best medicine! My soul craves more + more nature. I feel so grateful for the ocean + all the hiking close by. We’ve been making it a ritual to go hiking every Saturday + go to the beach every Sunday… + it’s been incredible!

#13] Being pregnant with my first was a spa like experience compared to being pregnant with a toddler lol. If you know you know. If you’re pregnant with your first — cherish it! Cherish all the alone time, all the self-care, all the journaling, + all the connecting with your baby in your belly. I feel a bit sad that I haven’t had as much connection time with baby #2 in my belly, but I’m giving myself grace. This last month leading to his arrival, I’m really trying to prioritize time with him — especially through meditation / visualization.

#14] I learned Vedic Meditation this year! It was such a beautiful course + I felt so strongly pulled to really dedicate myself to the practice for 3 months — the traditional practice involves a 20 minute sit in the morning + 20 minute sit in the evening. Then, a week later… life got in the way + sitting 2x a day was just not realistic for me at the moment. However, it’s still calling to me + I hope to dedicate myself to this for 3 months in 2024. I also did a Jack Kornfield guided meditation course with Sarah — while the course wasn’t exactly what we expected, it was so nice to be able to do it together + have that accountability.

#15] Books that interested me this year = You Can Heal Your Life + How To Read The Akashic Records. How have I not read both of these before?! Isaac + I actually read You Can Heal Your Life together as a “book club” + had so many powerful conversations. Would love to read another book with Isaac in 2024... I think we are going to read Good Inside together!

#16] We finally found our YOGA STUDIO! After so many bad yoga dates + trying out tons of different yoga studios around LA, Isaac + I finally found “our” studio. Yogaview in Chicago will always be our “yoga home,” but I feel so grateful that we finally found an amazing place to practice in Santa Monica… that’s walking distance from us!

#17] More dates with Isaac! Right before Noah turned 1, I felt such a strong urge to date Isaac again. Up until then, I couldn’t imagine doing anything without Noah — he felt tethered to me in every way + I loved it. But, eventually I realized that Isaac + I needed time together just the two of us to foster our relationship as a couple [not just the relationship as a family]. Even though I realized this was needed when Noah was 1 year, our dates didn’t actually happen until 2 months before baby #2’s due date… + we were like WE NEED TO DO THIS. We started doing coffee + yoga dates on Thursday mornings + it’s been so nourishing to my soul — I’m hoping that this becomes a tradition for years to come. Also! We did our first “one night away” in a hotel without Noah when I was 37 weeks pregnant + it was absolutely incredible! In 2024, I’d love to incorporate 1x/month dinner dates with Isaac.

#18] Community takes time to build. We are finally starting to have a bit of a community here in Santa Monica after living here for almost 2 years + it feels so good. Surprisingly, it feels way easier to meet people with a baby / toddler. The hard part is actually finding the time to hang out lol.

#19] Use a different email for online ordering. How did it take me so long to do this?! Helps with reducing all the spam / marketing emails. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I’ve unsubscribed from email lists multiple times, yet I somehow end back on their list… arg.

#20] Multi-tasking is not a good idea with a toddler. More often not, I’m not my best self when I’m trying to do something while watching Noah.

#21] Waking up an hour before Noah + having quiet “me time” is such a gift. I am relishing in this, knowing that this will change drastically once I’m in the newborn phase again — but on days that I get up at 530am + have some quiet time before he wakes up to journal, write, read, etc… it feels glorious!

#22] I’m becoming more + more sensitive / easily overstimulated. I don’t know if it’s living in LA, being pregnant, or having a toddler… [or all of the above lol?], but I feel way more sensitive to my environment + can get sensory overload easily. Thankfully, I’m pretty mindful on when I’m feeling overstimulated + can make adjustments as needed… but I think that’s another reason why I am so drawn to nature lately. Nature is so soothing!

#23] Asking — “What is the life force of the food I am eating?” This was really brought to our awareness when Isaac went deer hunting this year + we had venison for many, many meals. A beautiful deer nourished our family for 20+ meals… whereas, when we eat a meal with chicken, that’s 1–2 chickens, just for that meal alone. Also, thinking about the life that the deer vs chicken had… no doubt the deer had so much more life force. Needless to say, we’ve been straying further + further away from chicken + trying to be be even more conscious of our animal intake.

#24] Constantly checking email on my phone is never a good idea — especially before bed. Since removing instagram from my phone, email became my new “go to” click on my phone. I don’t even have the gmail app! I have to go to safari to get on gmail! This sounds drastic but something that helps is literally putting my phone in a drawer in the kitchen. Out of sight, out of mind.

#25] Less podcasts. More audiobooks + books. I’m so bored of podcasts! Audiobooks / books have been speaking to my soul lately.

#26] Started working with a writing mentor. I’m writing a poetry book! As of now, I have no intention of publishing it [I will share a few poems on instagram + already have here + here] — it’s solely a book for me. However, I wanted to work with a mentor on my writing to give this piece of art everything that I got. As you may expect, it’s about motherhood + I cannot wait to have it as a keepsake for years to come. Originally, I wanted it to be finished before the end of the year… but that is not happening lol. I know I will finish it at the perfect time!

#27] Reframe that I love — whenever I’m faced with an obstacle, ask: “What lesson am I supposed to learn here?” It helps me take a deep breath + remember that we are all enrolled in the school of life ; ).

#28] Always say YES to watching the sunset. It helps that sunset is at 445pm currently haha

#29] Communicating with Noah is the BEST. I know I say this every month, but we are in an amazing stage right now [20 months]. He’s having a word explosion + it’s so fun to communicate with him + witness his language development. I’ve [started to] come to terms that I will always have such a bittersweet feeling in my heart watching Noah grow up… grief about a chapter ending, while excitement + gratitude for the current chapter we are in. Almost every day, I find myself longingly looking at him wanting to engrave a sweet moment forever in my mind.

#30] A solo weekend away does the body + mind + soul good. How did it take me 17 months to spend a weekend away from Noah?! It’s wild how 24 hours to myself felt like SO MUCH TIME. I remember thinking [after 24 hours]: Okay I can go home now… I’m recharged!

#31] Isaac + I have “Weekly Team Meetings.” How did it take us so long to do this?! We are channeling our Virgo energy + started team meetings every Sunday [with an accompanied google doc ; )] that shares what our schedule looks like for the week, Noah’s schedule + who is taking care of him, when/what we are doing for family time [mostly hikes + beach!], errands to run, menu planning for the week, etc. In the past, we would literally check in that day about taking care of Noah + many days it felt like we were passing him off like a hot potato. Everything feels so much smoother now + I’m grateful that we’ve found a system that works for us [until baby #2 arrives + we will have to adjust again!].

#32] NOAH TURNED 1. All the emotions. Becoming a mother has cracked me wide open in all the best ways. I feel so deeply grateful for this journey + for Noah for being the light of our lives. I reflected on 6 motherhood lessons from the first year here. Also, I loved honoring Noah’s “Last 40 Days [of his first year of life]” — read about it here!

#33] I was reminded yet again that 9 months is the perfect amount of time to feel all the feelings about pregnancy + ultimately, get excited for birth! Finding out that I was PREGNANT on Noah’s first birthday came with so much shock… yet, here we are in the home stretch + baby #2’s birth will be the perfect arrival time. I can’t wait for Noah to become a big brother + to have two boys 20 months apart. Besties! It’s also wild because when I was going through my 2023 journal, Isaac + I had “the conversation” in January about when to start trying for a second. Little did we know that at the end of the year, a beautiful baby boy will be in our arms. ❤

Something else that feels like it came full circle — I wrote this note in January as the main “theme” that I wanted to cultivate for 2023, way before hearing about matresence. It made me smile, knowing that while I don’t necessarily think I’m quite there yet in finding my optimal “balance,” I feel so confident that I’m on the right path + that it takes time to find my footing. I am not in any rush, + I’m surrendering to the beautiful process… I can’t wait to see who I become.

“I desire to feel fulfilled in my motherhood / work / life “balance.” Navigating this new chapter + feeling confident + content in how I’m showing up as my full self in every aspect of my life.”

Thank you 2023 for being a beautiful year. My heart is full going into 2024.

Love,
Elisabeth

The last few days, weeks, + moments of pregnancy are so wild. It’s a period of sacred transition—moving from the known + to the unknown. There’s mystery in the air, excitement, + maybe even a bit of fear. Will today be the day?

If you’re like me — you’ll ride the waves of anticipation for what’s to come, while also hoping for “one more day” of this sacred time. Even though this is my second pregnancy, I know I’ll never be fully ready. (Is anyone ever?!)

The most important aspect of this sacred transition = slow down, surrender, + trust the process. Whether this is your first pregnancy or second (or third! or fourth!), I highly encourage you to create space to both…

• #1] Enjoy + honor the ending of the familiar chapter that you are in right now
• #2] Take time for you + the belly in your belly to connect.

I wanted to share my “sacred transition” list with you. Take what resonates + leave the rest. Every mama’s journey is so unique + only you will know what is best for you. However, if you take one piece of advice from me, let it be this: Don’t rush this sacred transition. It’s easy to be so excited + eager to meet your baby, that you miss out on this potent time. Soon enough, your life will be changed forever + you will meet a little human being that’s been growing in your belly for 9+ months. But for now, honor the closing of your pregnancy chapter + step into the sacred transition.

Please note that all of these items are simply suggestions based on what I did during this transition with my second pregnancy. You don’t “have” to do anything. Create a list that feels empowering + supportive to you. Always consult your doctor/midwife before consuming products + receiving treatments.

Week 35

• Pregnancy photoshoot
• Created my birth playlist!
• Started drinking red raspberry tea every night
• Worked out: 1x hike per week, 1x prenatal pilates, 1x yoga, + 2–3x light weights or Melissa Wood Health. Ideally, walked 5–10K steps daily
• Got a few newborn clothes + items for baby! Didn’t need much because of all of Noah’s hand me downs [thank you, Noah!]. Check out: Navigating Your Baby Registry + All The Baby Links. As well as: Baby Registry: 18 Things I Didn’t Need
• Tried to meditate in the middle of the day… typically did a hypno-birthing meditation [many times I would just end up falling asleep… + that’s totally okay!]
• Talked to the baby asking him what is name was + if he could give me a sign… he gave me the clearest sign ever the day after Thanksgiving! I’ll share more later
• Stopped reading/listening to anything NOT related to birth — aka let go of pretty much all of my typical podcasts + instead, I consumed pregnancy related content! I winded down every night by reading Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth, First Forty Days, + The Zen Mamas. I haven’t had instagram on my phone in 6 months, but if I still did — I would have deleted that during this time as well!
• Date with Isaac: 2 months prior to our due date, Isaac + I were like — we need a consistent date, just the two of us to connect. We decided on yoga + coffee dates every Thursday morning. It’s been so nourishing for us. My only regret is not starting much sooner!
• Journaled = What do I still need to do to be “ready” for birth? Create a priorities list.

Week 36

• Home visit appointment with my midwife to access our birth room
• Worked out: 1x hike per week, 1x prenatal pilates, 1x yoga, + 2–3x light weights or Melissa Wood Health. Ideally, walked 5–10K steps daily
• Started taking evening primrose oil + eating dates (I honestly have been hating dates / anything sweet — so I didn’t do that as much this time around)
• Drank red raspberry tea or jujubee tea at night. Also, started drinking Calm at night… pregnancy insomnia is so real for me + I get up like 5x to go pee
• Started taking Gentle Birth Tincture 3x daily
• Started taking Epsom Salt Baths a few times a week
• Had a prenatal massage + acupuncture session!
• Read inspiring + empowering birth books at night
• Meditations / visualizations around birth
• Date with Isaac: Yoga + coffee!
• Started reading books to Noah on having a baby brother + home birth. We read: I’m A Big Brother, Welcome Home, + My Mother Is The Strongest. From the very beginning, we taught Noah that there was a baby in my belly + I totally believe that he fully grasped it. He would always kiss my belly + say “baby.” I believe that reading the books helped him understand even more, + they became his favorite books to read.
• Journaled = How do I want to step up my birth room? What do I want to wear while laboring? *If you’re doing a hospital birth, this is a good week to pack your hospital bag!

Week 37

• Prep the birth room!!!!!!!!!! At 37 weeks, I was officially cleared to have a home birth, so this was my most important “to do.” We didn’t do this until the end of Week 37, + honestly I would get anxious every day because I didn’t feel like our space was “ready.” Once the birth room was ready [Week 38], every night we cleaned the house + set intentions — if tonight was the night, we’d be ready!
• Started using a Tens Unit + it’s been glorious for relieving pain!
• Worked out: 1x hike per week, 1x prenatal pilates, 1x yoga, + 2–3x light weights or Melissa Wood Health. Ideally, walked 5–10K steps daily
• Isaac made a few recipes to freeze: Chicken Soup, Oxtail Stew, Braised Beef Soup
• Had a reflexology session, which was amazing!
• Evening primrose oil, Gentle Birth Tincture, dates, red raspberry tea. Baths! Books! Meditations!
• Meet with my doula + did a birth visualization
• Wrapped up work + set my “maternity OOO” email response. Time to fully go inward! I know this isn’t possible for everyone, but if you can take 1–3 weeks off of work prior to your due date, I would highly recommend it
• Isaac + I had our first ever one night hotel stay without Noah + it was glorious! I am so, so happy we were able to do this prior to baby #2 coming. It was so nice to connect + just be. We felt like little lovebirds! We went out to dinner at the same restaurant as our “last date night” before Noah… so we were feeling all the feels.
• Decided on food for labor = Applesauce, frozen fruit, honey sticks, bone broth, coconut water, + electrolytes
• Journaled = If I went into labor today, is there anything that I’d regret not doing? [Aka, more solo time with Noah, more going inward to meditate + journal, more connecting with myself + baby, etc]

Week 38

• Every night, made sure that everything was SET for birth!!
• Our prayer every night, “If today is the day, it’s been a really great day.” Really tried to savor, savor, savor every day!
• Worked out: 1x hike per week [did my last hike!], 1x prenatal pilates, 1x yoga, + 2–3x light weights or Melissa Wood Health. Ideally, walked 5–10K steps daily
• Started rose baths — I bought a bouquet of roses, + every night I’d take one rose + put the petals in the bath with me… it was a beautiful end of day ritual to help slow down. Many times Noah joined me + it was always a special, quality time with him
• Started drinking an herbal tea that helps with induction + all the other supplements + teas mentioned above. Books! Meditations!
• Recorded a podcast with Isaac on pregnancy
• Reviewed my birth education notes from the course I took when I was pregnant with Noah
• Acupuncture session
• Isaac + I wrote letters to each other to read on “labor day”
• Wrote out my ideal birth manifestation + labor checklist
• Made sure I had all of my “labor food/drinks” on hand
• Date with Isaac: Yoga + coffee!
• Initially, I really felt like baby was coming this week, so there were a lot of moments of “this might be our last X before baby comes” [beach day, sunset, walk, etc]. I felt a lot of grief come up… + ultimately, had to let go [see below]
• I worked on really letting go of this chapter of the “3 of us” + focused on the mantra “my heart is expanding” — I showed Noah his birth video, read my birth story with Noah, had a huge cry in the shower. I had a moment where I just laid in bed with Noah while he was napping + I was just sobbing, hugging him. I felt like my body was really starting to have a somatic release of the ending of this chapter, while making space for the beautiful chapter that is to come
• Journaled = What does my ideal First 40 Days look like? Who do I want on my postpartum care team? How do I want to approach visitors post birth?

Week 39

• Rest, rest, REST — this was a big “slowing down” week
• Every night, made sure that everything was SET for birth!!
• Made 1–3 recipes from First 40 Days to freeze
• Session with my doula
• Easy, gentle movement — 5K daily steps + Melissa Wood Health
• Evening primrose oil, Gentle Birth Tincture, dates, CALM, red raspberry tea… by the end of Week 39, my Gentle Birth Tincture was done lol.
• Had to do a lot of fear clearing this week. When I finally slowed down + everything was “prepared” for birth, so much fear started bubbling up. Fear pictures of tearing, emergency c-section, worried that I wouldn’t be able to “handle the pain,” etc. I journaled + meditated extensively on my fears. The mantra that helped so much: “I can feel fear, but I am not afraid.”
• Discovered Built To Birth on YouTube, which helped SO much with releasing fears as well… while starting to become much more empowered about birth. I absolutely loved her meditations + listened to them multiple times per day.
• Created my birth mantras:

Gratitude 💛 I am so grateful for this experience.

Trust 💛 I trust that my body + baby know exactly what to do.

Purpose 💛 The pain has a purpose. I can do anything for one minute.

Power 💛 I am so strong + capable + powerful. I can do this… I am doing this!

Open 💛 I open my heart, mind, + body to birth my baby.

Peaceful 💛 I am having a relaxed, peaceful, beautiful birthing journey.

Supported 💛 I am not alone… I call upon God [Let go, + let God], my angels, my maternal lineage, my birth team, my baby, + my highest self to help guide me.

Love 💛 I welcome my baby with so much love… I am about to meet my baby + I cannot wait to hold him in my arms!!!!

• Took a long, long, long solo walk while listening to my birth playlist + just let every single emotion pour out of me. I also started taking a lot more “solo time” the last two weeks of pregnancy to really connect with myself now that I was on maternity leave — this looked like journaling, long baths, solo walks, meditating, + other forms of self-care. I knew that soon enough I’d be tethered to a beautiful newborn, so it was important that I took this time for myself!
• Date with Isaac: Yoga + coffee!
• Went into the birth room every night to pray + journal + talk to my baby
• Journaled = What do I need to let go of? Release + let go of anything that I do not want to carry into labor + parenthood… including all the labor fears!

Week 40

• Every night, made sure that everything was SET for birth!!
• Easy, gentle movement — 5K daily steps + Melissa Wood Health
• Evening primrose oil, dates, CALM, + red raspberry tea
• Major grocery run to make sure we were stocked up on everything, knowing that baby’s arrival was imminent!
• Acupuncture session — had two “induction” sessions… the last one I had was terrible [baby was moving around like crazy + I literally thought he flipped into the breach position] + ultimately led me to decide to do no more acupuncture to try to induce… baby was going to come at the perfect time
• Built To Birth meditations multiple times per day. I loved her breath work visualizations… focusing on breathing the baby down, down, down.
• The message that I got from baby this week was to simply keep enjoying these “bonus days!” It was hard not to feel a bit anxious, particularly as it got closer to 41 weeks, but I did my best to take it one day at a time + to focus on each day as a blessing. Did fear pop up? Absolutely. But, I also knew that in the birth world towards the end of pregnancy, one week is a massive amount of time… so I had to be patient + fully trust that baby was going to make his arrival at the perfect time… + he did!
• Journal = How can I fully savor these bonus days?

Gabriel made his arrival earth side at 40 Weeks + 5 Days. It’s funny because Isaac + I were positive that he was going to come early [*at least* one week early]. We made sure everything physically was SET by Week 38… but looking back, emotionally, I was not ready.

I truly believe that Gabriel “waited” for me to be ready physically, emotionally, + spiritually. I’m so grateful that he gave me those bonus days [even though I felt a bit nervous at times!] — I had so much space to honor the closing of our chapter of 3, prepare + tend to our birth room, release all my fears related to labor/birth, take time for myself to go inward, go on dates with Isaac, + ultimately… truly feel ready to birth our baby + welcome him into my arms!

I hope this list inspired you to create your own sacred transition. I’d love to hear what you did to honor the sacred transition! 💛

Love,
Elisabeth

If you haven’t read my first trimester journey entry [+ how I found out I was pregnant], read that here. Second trimester journey is here.

Third Trimester

Third trimester was a bit of a rollercoaster in the beginning, until I found my footing towards the end… then it got a little wobbly [all the emotions + fear started popping up]… + eventually, I got to a place of peace + readiness. Third trimester started off similar to second trimester — I had two big trips planned… one for work + one for our babymoon [!]. Halfway through all the travels, my body was like — you need to slow down now. My emotions were at an all time high + I didn’t feel grounded at all. After our babymoon [30w], I made promise to myself: slow down.

I dropped all tentative plans for traveling [aka we decided to stay put for Thanksgiving!], created a priority list, + focused on tying the bow on work a couple weeks before my due date, so that I could really go inward + honor this sacred transition. Towards the very end of third trimester, I kept thinking to myself — what would I regret not doing [or doing] if I went into labor now? My answer was always — not slowing down + connecting with the baby more. As well as connecting with Isaac + Noah!

The last few weeks of pregnancy are SO meaningful, + I wanted to be fully present to it all. It’s so easy to get caught up in the nesting energy + focus on the never ending list of “to dos.” Also, I realized that at times, I was using the nesting energy to distract myself + feel a sense of “control.” Finally, towards the very end [39w] — I was able to settle into a new, slow rhythm + state of mind, + allowed myself to simply be. I’m so grateful that I was able to get to that point — the space gave me permission to take everything in, prepare my mind + body for birth, + honor the closing of this chapter of 3… while giving even more space to welcoming in our beautiful baby boy!

Third Trimester — Physical + Emotional Changes

• Cravings = All the red meat! Also craving ICE, ICE, ICE! Which made me think that my iron was low — but it was normal when I got my bloodwork back!
• Bloody nose literally every day… only in my right nostril. I feel like I have passed so many blood clots through my nose ugh
• Colostrum started coming out of my nipples! Also, my nipples started to get really tender [+ even a little bit painful] around 38 weeks
• Belly is growing, gowing, growing! I’m in my cute belly era + I LOVE it!
• So many kicks + wiggles
• My skin FINALLY cleared up. It took 5 months! Ironically [or not so ironically] it cleared up when we were on our Babymoon in Kauai… which made me think that some of my skin inflammation had to do with stress? Either way, so happy my skin is finally clear again!
• Exhausted, but energized... I literally would wake up at 5am ready to take on the day, but balanced that with taking mid day hypnobirthing meditations/naps lol. Eventually [39w], I was mostly exhausted + I could tell my body was saying — rest, rest, rest… you need to savor all of your energy to birth your baby! I would curl into bed immediately after dinner
• Nesting mode ACTIVATED. It’s easy for me be in the “doing” stage + keep crossing things off our to-do list [+ adding more things to our to-do list lol], but towards the end of pregnancy [37w], Isaac + I were like we need to stop with the doing, + focus on the being
• Had a bit of sleep insomnia for a few weeks. I could barely sleep the last couple weeks of pregnancy [literally getting up every 1.5–2 hours]… I think a lot of it had to do with nerves of the possibility of going into labor. So much anticipation!
• Slept with a pillow in between my legs, which helped. Sleeping was so uncomfortable!
• Constantly have to pee — so ready to not have to pee all the time anymore!
• Had a few moments during third trimester where I felt really light-headed + like I was going to faint. I noticed that this would mostly happen if I was standing in one spot for longer periods at a time [aka at the park, talking to someone while standing up]. I’m assuming it had to do with low blood sugar. Thankfully, I never passed out — sitting down, drinking water [+ eating a snack — if I had something on hand], + just regrouping always helped
• Week 31, I got COVID. Thankfully, I only had it for 2 days [poor Isaac had it for 3 weeks] — but it was terrible… achey, chills, headache, lots of pelvic pain, exhausted
• Week 32+, LOTS of Braxton Hicks contractions! It’s so interesting because I never got them with Noah… so I started freaking out a bit when they first started happening a lot, wondering if these were labor contractions. Nope, just Braxton Hicks! Towards the very end of pregnancy [Week 39 + 40], it definitely evolved to be moreso prodromal labor
• Week 33, started to get a bit of pelvic floor pain + even had rectum pressure — the baby was low, low, low. But then weirdly it went away after a few days! When I talked to my midwife + doula about it, they said it’s normal for the baby to move up + down. Thankfully he didn’t stay in that extremely low position for long + the pelvic floor pain went away. Week 38, pelvic floor pain came back — it mostly was activated when doing moves like donkey kicks, etc. So I stopped doing any exercise moves that felt uncomfortable + just listened to my body!
• Week 35+, stomach started getting sooooo full towards the end of the day, I could barely eat dinner. I basically ate all my meals before 2 pm lol. Week 39+, I just wanted all the soups for easy digestion. I also felt like my belly was completely expanded at its max at this point… it was rock hard + it started to get more uncomfortable moving around
• Week 38, started to feel a bit numb in my right big toe. Apparently, numbing sensation in pregnancy is normal [it has to do with the uterus expanding + pressing on nerves in your legs, toes, fingers, + hands]. It was so strange!
• Week 39, I strained my right hip + could barely walk for a couple days. I remember praying — please let me not go into labor tonight. Thankfully, it went away on its own after a few days. I think it was due to over-walking one day, resulting in round ligament pain
• Emotions at an all time high 😆 Had a huge cry in the shower Week 38 + I think that was the somatic release that I needed to get out of my head + into my body — grieving the end of this beautiful chapter as a family of 3, + creating space for our next beautiful chapter as a family of 4
• Week 39+, every night, I had a “oh my gosh what if I go into labor tonight” moment. I would get super nervous before bed. Then, in the morning I would feel amazing + the nerves would be gone + I would feel “prepared” + so confident for labor… then by night, I would get nervous again
• Physically, for the most part, I felt great. I felt strong, empowered, + so grateful for my body growing a healthy baby boy! Also, I loved watching my belly grow — I felt so feminine + I loved it!
• Changes that happened with Noah that didn’t happen this time around: I never got a pregnancy tumor in my mouth this time! [THANK GOD!]. I never got pregnancy melasma. I never got indigestion. I never had to do IUGR monitoring. I never got brain fog [to the same extent as least lol].

Third Trimester — What Helped

• Finally slowed down! If we get blessed with a third baby [which we’d love!], I will not make any travel plans after second trimester. It was just too much. Looking back, I cannot believe that we MOVED from Chicago to Santa Monica when I was 7 months pregnant… how, how, how! Granted being pregnant with a toddler is very different, so giving myself a lot of grace. Slowing down also looked like saying no to plans, resting just because, + building the “cocoon.” All the nesting!
• Movement: Light weights 1–3x per week. Hike 1x per week. Yoga 1x per week. Started pre-natal pilates 1x per week. Also, tried to get in a lot of steps [5–10K steps daily]
• Dates with Isaac: 2 months prior to our due date… Isaac + I were like, we need to prioritize each other! We set the intention of going on dates 1x/week after Noah’s first birthday… but then we never got around to it. However, knowing that we were on the precipice of our lives completely changing [again!], we FINALLY made it happen + I’m kicking ourselves for not starting sooner because it’s been so nourishing for us! Every Thursday morning we went on a yoga + coffee date!
• Removed all information/noise that wasn’t birth related: Since I had stopped scrolling during second trimester, this mostly applied to podcasts. I stopped listening to my normal podcasts, + instead listened to my birth playlist [or called a friend!] on walks. Also, I started reading birth books at night: Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth, First Forty Days, + The Zen Mamas.
• Built To Birth YouTube: Oh my goodness! I can’t believe I didn’t know about Bridget Teyler sooner! Week 39, I learned about Built to Birth on Youtube + I devoured so much of her content as quickly as I could. I loved watching her birth journey, + I listened to her pregnancy/labor meditations multiple times a day. It made me feel so empowered. Highly recommend!
• NOT having to do all the prep work that we had to do while I was pregnant with Noah: Obviously, if it’s your first pregnancy — prep work is essential! But having done this before, it was so nice to not have to buy ALL the things, go to birth education classes, create a nursery, decide on postpartum care, etc. Instead, I was able to simply focus on the spiritual side of prep work for birth + becoming a mother of 2! [Granted, I kind of wish that we would have done a second registry with baby #2… but I wasn’t really sure on the etiquette there + it ended up falling to the bottom of my list.]
• Being in nature: Hiking, beach days, sunset walks… so nourishing to my soul!
• Bodywork sessions: Went to acupuncture every other week starting at Week 32 + I feel like that really helped calm my nervous system down. Also did a few Chiro appointments!
• Baths: I should have started taking baths so much sooner! Week 38, I started to take “rose petal” baths at night, drank herbal tea, lit candles + listened to my birth playlist. It was a beautiful way to honor the day + wind down at night. A lot of times Noah was in the bath with me!
• Grieved the end of the chapter of 3: I really allowed myself to feel all the emotions that were bubbling up… particularly the end of life as I knew it as a family of 3. Lots of tears were shed. I had many moments of “this might be the last sunset as a family of 3,” “this might be our last beach day as a family of 3,” this might be my last cuddle session with Noah before he becomes a big brother” etc. I knew that my heart would expand as soon as I gave birth… but I had to honor the closing of this chapter of the 3 of us.
• Fear clearing: “I can feel fear, but I’m not afraid” became a mantra that I held onto. I had to release SO much fear the last couple weeks of pregnancy [I’ll talk more about that in my birth story]. Looking back, I do think that fear was an “intuition” about what was to come… but there was no way of knowing that at the time. I felt so scared about going through labor again — worried about tearing, not sure if I could handle the pain, forgetting how to breathe/push, emergency c-section transfer… etc. Ultimately, I had to just trust that this baby was going to come into the world perfectly.
• “The Sacred Transition Checklist” [Weeks 35–40]: Read more here!

Third Trimester Moments

#1] Week 29 — Our Babymoon! We started off in Todos Santos… but after two days, we were like, nope this isn’t the vibe we were hoping for [especially with Noah!]. We booked a last minute ticket to Kauai + it was the best decision ever. One of my favorite vacations!

#2] Week 30 — Did my last run. : ( I noticed I just wasn’t recovering fast [hip pain], so I knew it was time. Started pre-natal pilates!

#3] Week 31 — I got COVID. Isaac got it a week before me + then Noah + I got it. I was super achey, chills, exhausted, + had mild headache… thankfully it only lasted two days. Another sign to SLOW DOWN. Isaac ended up getting it for 3 weeks!

#4] Week 32 — FINALLY STARTED GOING ON WEEKLY DATES WITH ISAAC! The yoga + coffee dates mentioned above!

#5] Week 34 — Pregnancy photoshoot! Always such a fun time + I’m always blown away by Zoe’s photos. She’s the best!

#6] Week 35 — Started all the labor prep! Read: The Sacred Transition Checklist [Weeks 35–40]. Also shared more about how I was feeling during these weeks.

#7] Week 36 — NAME WAS *ALMOST* FINALIZED. Will share more later : ).

#8] Week 38 — Isaac + I did our first ever hotel night away from Noah + it was glorious! It was so nice to connect with each other, knowing that I’ll be tethered to a baby for at least a year [while breastfeeding], so we won’t be able to do something like this for awhile.

#9] Week 38 — My maternity leave started! I feel so grateful that I was able to take a couple weeks prior to the birth of baby to really go inward. If we get blessed with another pregnancy, I think I would start a bit earlier — like 36 or 37 weeks [since 37 weeks is the official benchmark for having a home birth + when you are considered “full term”!]. It’s hard to know the ideal timeline, especially because it’s such a mystery on “when” labor will actually start.

#10] Week 38 — Noah’s birth “mementos” started breaking. First it was a crystal necklace that we got during our babymoon while I was pregnant with Noah. Then it was an “N” ring that I bought a few days before Noah’s birth. A few more similar things happened to items related to Noah’s birth. I realized that these items “breaking” were telling me to release Noah’s birth. It was time to bring our baby into the world fully with fresh eyes + give him the space — physically, mentally, + emotionally — that he needs.

#11] Week 38 — Wrote out my labor intentions. Our prayer every night became, “If today is the day, it’s been a really great day.” [This ended up being our prayer for almost 3 weeks, lol]

#12] Week 39 — It got really real. I really worked on my mental state + feeling as relaxed as possible... savoring this slow time to bond with baby in my belly. Baby was going to be here SO soon + it felt quite surreal. I said my birth affirmations every day until baby made his arrival ❤:

• Gratitude 💛 I am so grateful for this experience.
• Trust 💛 I trust that my body + baby know exactly what to do.
• Purpose 💛 The pain has a purpose. I can do anything for one minute.
• Power 💛 I am so strong + capable + powerful. I can do this… I am doing this!
• Open 💛 I open my heart, mind, + body to birth my baby.
• Peaceful 💛 I am having a relaxed, peaceful, beautiful birthing journey.
• Supported 💛 I am not alone… I call upon God [Let go, + let God], my angels, my maternal lineage, my birth team, my baby, + my highest self to help guide me.
• Love 💛 I welcome my baby with so much love… I am about to meet my baby + I cannot wait to hold him in my arms!!!!

#13] Week 39 — Wrote out “commitments” to myself, to Isaac, to Noah, + to baby boy — creating vows to each individual relationship. It was such a meaningful exercise + I plan on re-visiting these commitments every year… + updating them as needed!

#14] Week 40 — Due date came + went. I called every day after Week 40, a “bonus day.” The message I got from our baby was that he is in zero rush + that he is loving this slower pace that we are finally living, + he wants us to keep enjoying it! I embraced each day as a blessing + felt super grateful for the “bonus days.” They were filled with a lot of self-care, + I felt like I was really able to tend to my soul, as well as feel a lot more empowered about my birth journey that was to come. However, as we inched closer to Week 41, I started getting a bit nervous… googling membrane sweeps, castor oil, the miles circuit, + other natural induction methods. I really wanted to go into labor as naturally as possible + hoped that I wouldn’t need to have to do a membrane sweep, etc.

#15] Week 40 + 1 Day — Had an acupuncture appointment that freaked me out. The baby was moving like crazy + I swear that he completely flipped positions + I thought he might be breached. I was terrified. I had an appointment with my midwife the next morning to make sure everything was okay, + thankfully he was in perfect positioning.

#16] Week 40 + 3 Days — Mucus plug fiiiinally started coming out!

#17] Week 40 + 4 Days — I finally felt so at peace, my fears were cleared, + I was ready to birth our baby into the world. That day I journaled…

“Gabriel, we are ready for you… I know you are coming very soon. I can feel it. I think today may be the last day or even *the* day.”

Right after journaling, I got up to go to the bathroom… + I had a BLOODY SHOW! I immediately texted my birth team. A couple hours later, I started feeling contractions. I couldn’t believe it. It was happening!

Love,
Elisabeth

If you haven’t read my first trimester journey entry [+ how I found out I was pregnant], read that here.

Second Trimester

Second trimester was glorious! I loved second trimester so much. In a way, I feel like my best version of myself during second trimester — super high energy, a social butterfly, + a constant gratitude explosion. It felt incredible to leave all the negative feelings, exhaustion, + [most of] the nausea from the first trimester behind.

Just like when I was pregnant with Noah during second trimester, we traveled like crazy this time around, too! We went to Mammoth, Boulder, Salida, Albuquerque, Northern Michigan, Chicago, Point Reyes, Oregon Road Trip, Bend, + Ojai. We celebrated weddings + birthdays, saw both of our families + lots of friends, AND, I took my first solo trip ever since Noah’s been born to Esalen.

I felt so lit up about life in every way. I’m not sure if it’s the hormones of pregnancy or it’s the baby’s energy — but my energy was through the roof. Even Isaac was like,“I can’t keep up with you!” I’m so excited to see what this baby’s birth chart is! If every pregnancy felt like second trimester the entire time, I’d do it over + over + over again. Towards the end, my energy started to shift from social butterfly to nesting mode… but I’ll talk about that in the third trimester recap. 🥰

Second Trimester — Physical + Emotional Changes

• New craving = sour gummies! I was obsessed with sour ice breakers lol. Also, all the meat, meat, meat! + sauerkraut!
• Coffee started smelling + sounding good at 15w, so I gave it a try. + pretty instantly, I was back on the coffee train. While it was nice to have a coffee detox… I gotta say — having coffee every morning just makes me so happy! It made me feel so much more like “myself” too. What can I say, coffee is part of my identity lol
• Still so hungry in the morning — I needed to eat a massive breakfast right away or else I’d feel nauseous. Every morning, Noah + I would share 4 eggs + bread [until I eliminated eggs… see below]
• Bad, bad, bad rash on my face. I developed a small rash around my nose + mouth at the very end of first trimester + it got absolutely terrible during second trimester. It spread all around my eyes, above my eyebrows, on my cheeks, all around my mouth. I saw a dermatologist + he thought it was a yeast overgrowth + gave me a cream to use for 4 weeks that was supposed to fully clear it up… it cleared it up a little, but not too much. Eventually, at the very end of second trimester, I ended up eliminated eggs, dairy, + gluten [for the most part] + eventually — after 3 weeks of giving up those foods [5 months in total of having awful skin breakouts], it FINALLY got better. It was so bad! I still have no clue what it was from… other than, pregnancy hormones!

• Still had to pee constantly… including 3–5x in the middle of the night
• Started getting a tiny baby bump that got bigger as the day went on. By 20w, my stomach felt so much more expanded + I felt like I really “popped”. It honestly felt like I was 7 months pregnant, since I didn’t really “show” with Noah until way later on… but I know that is totally normal with second time pregnancies. Your body just knows what to do!
• My vagina had a bit of a weird smell to it from like Week 16–22. It finally went away [I did nothing to treat it], but it was so odd! Again… hormones? [Sorry, probably TMI… but I want to be real with you!].
• A lot more mucus in my mouth
• So energetic, inspired, + excited about life!
• My body felt so good + strong
• BABY IS SUCH A KICKER — kicks way more than Noah! I think it also has to do with my placenta being in a different positioning this time around, so I feel all the movements a lot more
• Towards the end of second trimester, sleeping started getting uncomfortable [especially because of the baby’s kicks!]. Lots of twisting + turning to try to find a comfortable position + sleeping with a pillow in between my legs!
• Week 25, started to get emotional about all the things. Lots of big feelings!!!!
• I feel like I’ve been pregnant forever! People talk about pregnancy going by so fast + that doesn’t feel like the case at all for me.
• Changes that happened with Noah that didn’t happen this time around: I didn’t really have a stuffy nose… just lots of mucus in my mouth. I didn’t have any nosebleeds second trimester [but those came in third trimester lol]. I never had super dry lips. I never had an itchy chest or body. I never had cotton mouth. I never got pregnancy melasma. I never got the line on my belly.

Second Trimester — What Helped

• Maternity clothes: I got maternity jean shorts this time around [Week 20] + I’m so glad I did! I also got loose fitting rompers + a pair of OVERALLS, which I love. I wrote a whole roundup of my fav clothes to wear during pregnancy. IMO you don’t need a lot, but it’s nice to have a few staple items!
• Movement: So, so grateful for movement! I worked out very similar to pre-pregnancy in second trimester — I ran, lifted weights, did yoga, etc.
• To clear up my skin: Eliminating eggs, dairy, gluten… + stress helped. Also the cream the dermatologist gave me helped [a little]. Ultimately, I had to ride it out + eventually my skin was back to normal — after 5 months lol
• Removed instagram from my phone: This has been one of the BEST things that I did for myself second trimester… that I hope to incorporate, forever! I was so sick of numbing/distracting myself on instagram + just so over it. I decided to see what it would feel like to completely delete it on my phone. If there was something I wanted to post, I would re-download instagram + leave it up for 24 hours to be able to comment/etc. I still looked at instagram on my computer, but it’s just way less addicting! I probably look at it 2–3x a week + that’s plenty!
• Leaving space for big feelings: The emotions started to set back in at the end of second trimester… as I wondered what it will look like to end this familiar chapter of 3 + welcome the unknown chapter of 4. It felt sad to me thinking about not giving Noah our everything, as we are able to give him right now. He’s the center of our world! But Isaac made a great point — he compared transitioning from 3 to 4, similar to how we transitioned from 2 to 3. Even though Isaac + I’s relationship looks so different [aka date nights are non-existent, we pass out immediately when Noah goes to bed, + it’s hard to go deep into conversation when a little toddler is on the move + has things to say!], our relationship has grown + blossomed as we moved into a more family centered dynamic. While we won’t be able to have an abundance of one-on-one moments with Noah anymore, we will soon be able to witness the beautiful bond between two brothers!
• WHAT IS OUR BABY’S NAME?! With Noah, his name was so clear to us immediately! Literally Week 5! This time around, we have had names floating around, but nothing feels like a resounding YES. I talked to a clariyovant about it + he encouraged me to write all the names down, look at the meanings of each one, + know that the our baby is revealing different qualities about himself through these names. He is still deciding his name!

Finding Out The Gender! [Accidentally]

Isaac + I were still in conversation if/when we were going to find out the gender. I very much wanted to know immediately… Isaac on the other hand really wanted to be suprised. We decided that we’d find out the gender in the genetic testing, but that we’d give the results to our midwife to share with us in an envelope… to open whenever we were ready. Well… the baby had other plans ; )

We were at our first ultrasound at 13w [side note: I didn’t even know you could see the gender via the ultrasound that early on!] + Noah start started to get antsy… so Isaac took him for a walk. The doctor did not say a WORD for the entire appointment… + I was honestly freaking out a bit internally, wondering if everything was okay. Finally, after an hour + a half, he said we were done. I asked to see the photos, + he shared how I could download them to my phone. He asked, “Have you found out the gender?” I said no. Before I could say, “We don’t want to find out yet!” [especially because Isaac wasn’t even in the room!]— he pointed at the screen. I asked, “Is that a penis?” He said — “Yep! You are having a boy! You make great boys. Congrats.”

Instantly I had a huge smile on my face + could NOT believe that I just found out without Isaac! I was shocked. I did not expect that to come out of the doctor’s mouth… but I guess our baby wanted us to know! As I headed out of the office, I saw Isaac + Noah on a bench…“Well, I know the gender.” Isaac looked confused,“What, for real?” “We’re having a boy!” Isaac exclaimed,“I knew it!” I wish I could freeze that moment in time. I had butterflies in my stomach. I smiled at Noah + said, “You’re going to have a baby brother!” He smiled right back.

As soon as it really sank in that we were having a boy — it started to feel so right. This is eactly how it was supposed to be. I felt so, so excited to have two boys. BOY ENERGY!!!

Second Trimester Moments

#1] Week 15 — For the first time this pregnancy, I forgot that I was pregnant. This actually happened often in second trimester

#2] Week 20 — Confirmed our doula + photographer! So, so grateful for my birth team

#3] Week 20 — Feeling lots of kicks! I’m not sure exactly when I started feeling kicks… it happened a lot more gradually this time around

#4] Week 20 — We had just come home after traveling for 2 weeks + there was something about the way that our house smelled that reminded me of the early postpartum days. It was the first time that I felt so excited [even giddy!] to go back “in it.” The newborn bubble is truly such a sacred time. I felt so excited to embrace all the changes + meet our baby boy — it really started feeling like everything was happening at the most perfect, divine time

#5] Week 22 —A random stranger asked, “When are you due?” I was actually taken aback because I didn’t think I looked that pregnant lol…

#6] Week 23 — ON MY BIRTHDAY… a new name came to me! It felt like such a divine sign, but Isaac didn’t fully resonate with it… he liked it, but not a “hell yes.” However, the meaning of the name definitely resonates with qualities I feel like he embodies. The quest for his name continues…

#7] Week 26 — First solo trip! I went to Esalen with my friend Melissa [due with a baby boy two weeks before me!]. I can’t believe it took me 17 months to be away from Noah for the first time! It felt like the ultimate self-care treat. Connecting with myself + our baby growing in my belly, surrounded by beautiful nature + one of my best friends… it was so nourishing to my soul.

Second trimester, you were a blast!

Love,
Elisabeth

April 18, 2023. Noah’s first birthday! We had planned a day of “Noah’s favorite things” — blueberry pancakes, park date, play at the beach, kettlebell workout, + of course lots of [attempted] cuddles. What I did not expect to be a part of “Noah’s favorite things” is getting a baby BROTHER. Quite possibly the best birthday gift I could have ever given him? lol.

Let’s back up a bit. Call me crazy, but I wanted to be pregnant again *as soon as* Noah came into the world. I had the most incredible birth experience [read: Positive Home Birth Story: The Birth Of Noah Sol], + couldn’t wait to birth another baby again. That, paired with the feeling of nostalgia of Noah getting older… I was “missing the baby stage” while having a baby.

I started taking pregnancy tests at 4 months + genuinely thought I was pregnant multiple times. My period hadn’t come back yet because I was exclusively breastfeeding, so everything felt a little mysterious. When my period finally came back at 11 months — I had a huge emotional release. I felt excited, scared, not ready, ready… just a lot of swirling feelings. It felt a lot more “real” that it was actually a possibility that we could conceive [even though I know it’s possible to conceive before you get your first period back!].

Surprisingly, as soon as it became more “real” at 11 months, my desire to be pregnant again shifted drastically. OF COURSE, I wanted to have more kids eventually, but I recognized how much I loved this stage of the 3 of us, + I wanted to hold onto it a little longer. I also stopped feeling nostalgic about Noah growing up, + instead — felt really present in this chapter that we were in. Also, I’m not going to lie… things started feeling really hard! Everyone talks about it “getting easier” [with a baby] — but I felt like things were getting harder as Noah was approaching one year old. We were in hard phase of teething, little sleep, screaming, + lots of energy. I also internally felt a shift to “find myself again” — I had been in a motherhood cocoon for so, so long, giving my everything to Noah… I felt excited to give myself space + love: go on a solo trip, date Isaac again, find a yoga studio I loved, + make friends in Santa Monica.

Isaac + I had always imagined having kids relatively close in age. Him + his sisters are all 2 years apart, + they grew up being such good friends. We had a conversation about when to start “trying,” + while both of us said that we were open, we wanted to have a larger conversation about a few other things before deciding on the *when.* In my mind, I was thinking when Noah was 1.5–2 years old. Definitely AT LEAST, until after summer because we had a lot of fun travel plans + I remembered how hard first trimester was last time [spoiler alert: first trimester was even harder this time around]. I tracked my period that month + paid attention to when I was ovulating to make sure we weren’t having sex during that time.

For those few days of ovulation, while we didn’t have sex, I felt such a strong presence to a little spirit baby girl. Crazy enough — I felt such a strong pull to a spirit baby girl before Noah was conceived… but then pretty soon after conceiving Noah, I was like… nope, this is a boy.

One or two days into my luteal phase, it was our last day in Byron Bay [one of our favorite places in the world] + I remember thinking, well… this would be an amazing place to conceive. However, I knew that we were outside the ovulation window, so I was like — it most likely won’t happen. I asked Isaac if he thought we should try + he was like — why not. Lying in bed afterwards, Isaac asked: “Do you think this was it?” + I said: “I don’t know.” With Noah, it was so obvious immediately after conceiving that I was pregnant. I just knew it in my bones. This time around, I didn’t get “that feeling” at all. In the moment, or even days/weeks later. I genuinely didn’t even think about it, because I totally wrote it off.

Fast forward a month later — it was around the time I was supposed to get my second period postpartum. Pre-pregnancy I always had a very regular 30 day cycle. So when 32 days rolled around, I was like hmm… I guess I should take a pregnancy test? I took a pregnancy test, + as expected — it was negative. 37 days passed, + I still hadn’t gotten my period. I texted my friends who have babies similar to Noah’s age about their periods postpartum… both of them assured me that longer cycles were totally normal + that sometimes they would even miss a period if they breastfeed a lot that month. I was still nursing, so that made a lot of sense.

It was the day before Noah’s first birthday, + Isaac + I recorded a podcast on our first year of parenthood. We talked about our lessons + learnings from the first year, as well as our excitement for this “new chapter” we were entering. We no longer felt like “new parents” anymore + we were excited to start prioritizing each other — I was ready to date Isaac again! We also talked about what we wanted our careers to look/feel like, as well as solo adventures, travel plans, our parenthood flow, etc. It felt very exciting + special. Well… “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans.”

The next day, Noah’s 1st birthday, started out exactly as expected — we were ready for a day of adventure + soaking in this beautiful milestone. As the late afternoon rolled around, Isaac went on a walk, while I hung out with Noah in our apartment. Somehow taking another pregnancy test popped into my mind. It had been 38 days since my last period, + even though I was sure that I wasn’t pregnant… I sat on the toilet + peed on the stick. Two dark red lines instantly appeared. I couldn’t believe it. I remember just looking at it, so shocked. Soon after, tears streamed down my face + I ran to grab Noah to hold him tight. I hugged him + said over + over again, “I’m not ready, I’m not ready.” There’s a video on my phone [that I still haven’t watched] that documents this moment. As soon as Isaac got home from his walk, + I hugged him + burst into tears again. “I’m pregnant,” I cried. “That’s amazing!” He was so happy. “I’m not ready to go through the transformation again.” Isaac’s happiness turned into empathy as I shared with him why I felt scared.

Becoming a mother has been an such a catalyst for growth, an overflow of love, + truly has given my life so much depth + meaning — not to mention seeing Noah smiling back at me every day is the best gift I could ever ask for. But, the sheer amount of change: physically, mentally, emotionally, hormonally, + socially that were experienced as I brought a human being into the world + navigated what motherhood meant to me… it was a lot. It’s life-altering in every way. The way I tried to describe it to him — I felt like at the 1 year mark of motherhood, I had finally moved through this massive “transformation tunnel” + was barely emerging out of it… before being thrown back into the tunnel again.

Isaac held me in his arms while I shared all of this with him. Even though I was scared + felt “not ready,” I also felt so much gratitude for this little being who chose us as parents + I knew in my heart that this was all happening at the perfect, divine time. I reminded myself that 9 months is the perfect amount of time to feel all the feelings + ultimately be ready + excited to give birth again. This baby clearly wanted to come through, + I had to TRUST. Well, now writing this at 37 weeks pregnant, + I can say with full confidence: He is coming at the perfect time. While I still have some grief surrounding the end of this chapter as a family of 3 [which I think is very normal — regardless of how far apart the kids are in age!], there’s even more excitement around becoming a family of 4 + on the precipice of witnessing our family grow in a beautiful way.

First Trimester

First trimester was terrible. Like AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL. I thought my first trimester with Noah was bad, but this time around it was so much worse. I felt very depressed, + there were some days that I could barely get out of bed. I knew that it was temporary, but still — it felt so discouraging not feeling like myself. On top of all the hormonal changes that first trimester brings [aka — SO nauseous all day], it was also extremely gloomy in Santa Monica… we saw the sun 3x in May + June… yes, I counted. So seasonal depression really kicked in. PLUS, I decided to wean Noah after 1.5 months of finding out I was pregnant because I was so depleted + exhausted + hoped that weaning would help a bit… well, little did I know that post weaning depression is a thing — so that set it for a couple weeks, too. It was so brutal. BUT, just like with Noah, as soon as second trimester hit, I turned a corner physically [+ emotionally]. Thank goodness!

First Trimester — Physical + Emotional Changes

• Symptoms were similar to first trimester Noah — but heightened. Everyone I talked to said that first trimester was way worst with their second, so maybe this is common?
• Extremely nauseous — the nausea would come in waves + I had to make sure that there was something in my stomach at all times or else I would feel sick
• Very depressed + not myself at all… there were a few days that I couldn’t even get out of bed. The best way to describe my mood was that I just had zero zest for life — apathetic + lethargic. I would say the worst of my mood + nausea were from 5.5–10 weeks.
• Threw up 5x — finally I had a “lightbulb” moment + realized that there was a correlation between eating fruit on an empty stomach + throwing up. So I stopped eating fruit first thing in the morning, + haven’t had an issue since!
• SO HUNGRY — appetite sky rocketed [especially weeks 5–6]. Literally, woke up every morning ravenous + immediately would have to eat food. I would eat so much during the first half of the day, + then by the second half I wouldn’t be very hungry. The interesting part — food never “sounded” good… however, whenever I ate something, I typically liked it
• SO THIRSTY — I constantly felt dehyrated, even though I felt like I was drinking so much water
• Would pee at least 3x in the middle of the night
• Skin started breaking out towards the end of the first trimester [particularly around nose / mouth]… it got bad. Will talk more about it in the second trimester recap!
• Sensitive nose — changing poopy diapers was rough lol. But, I will say my sensitivity wasn’t nearly as bad as first trimester with Noah
• My body temperature fluctuated a lot. For the most part I felt really cold + wanted to be in big sweaters + blankets + slippers… but then there were times [particularly eating dinner] when I would feel SO hot
• Excess saliva in my mouth
• Shortness of breath… especially noticeable while hiking
• My milk supply dropped — ultimately, I ended up weaning Noah at the start of second trimester

Changes that happened with Noah that didn’t happen this time around: #1] My boobs never ended up hurting. They also didn’t have a massive growth at all that I experienced almost immediately upon finding outI was pregnant with Noah. This may have had to do with the fact that I was still breastfeeding during first trimester. I’m not sure! The only thing that I noticed that changed was that my nipples + areolas got bigger.

#2] I never felt constipated… instead, I felt like my bowel movements were amazing lol TMI.

#3] I didn’t feel “as” exhausted. Sure, I was tired — but not to the same extent as first trimester with Noah. I think I’m just used to sleep deprivation now? lol.

First Trimester — What Helped

• Even though I knew this season was so temporary, even moreso this time around since I was going through this a second time — I was still in a very bad mental place. I knew there were a lot of factors at play that were making my hormones all over the place, so I tried to give myself as much grace as I could to just take it easy + be kind to myself + countdown the days until second trimester!
• Laying in bed with the lights out
• Food cravings: Bread, bread, bread, + more bread. I loved bread with cottage cheese + tomato + basil… + bread with butter + tomato + garlic salt. Breakfast burritos, string cheese, Chipotle, + anything with lots of hot sauce. All the savory things [nothing sweet!].

4/24 — “You know your pregnant when you eat a cheddar + mustard + pickle sandwich for lunch” lol

• Eating every 2–3 hours helped with nausea. Also, eating literally within 5 minutes of waking up helped, too!
• HYDRATION!
• HATED coffee. The thought of it made me gag. Instead, I drank iced black tea with a little bit of lemonade… + Celsius when I really needed a pick me up. My caffeine consumption dropped drastically + I was literally going through caffeine withdrawal on top of first trimester symptoms, seasonal depression, + post-weaning depression. Yikes. However, by the end of first trimester, I ended up totally detoxing from caffeine, which was a nice perk. Until I brought it back in second trimester… lol
• Joe Dispenza mediations [+ meditations in general]
• Wore a nausea wristband… I don’t know if it really worked though
• Tried to move every other day. Even when I didn’t want to, I encourage myself to move when I feel the slightest bit “good” — mostly that looked like slow running. I was so happy that I could still run, because with Noah first trimester my growing boobs would NOT let me run — I was in so much pain!
• The days that I was able to get outside first thing in the morning + take a walk always helped my mood
• Prenatal gummies… yes, gummies lol. I like SmartyPants prenatals
• Spa treatment! I wish I did more of these— I had a gentle, pregnancy safe spa treatment towards the end of first trimester + it felt absolutely glorious
• Used social media to numb, escape, + avoid my feelings. I wanted it to distract me, although I also felt icky after I was on it. I craved watching YouTube channels or documentaries that I resonated with... I just wanted to be entertained + forget about how was physically feeling.

First Trimester Moments

#1] I swore I’d tell people earlier this time around to be able to have more support… however, when the time came — I didn’t want to tell anyone, + instead, I just wanted to process everything on my own. I also avoided talking about pregnancy with Isaac in the beginning — acting like nothing was different. He was definitely hurt + confused by it, but I just didn’t know how to cope + I started feeling mentally/physically off almost as soon as we found out. He wanted to talk to a therapist about it, but I said no. In hindsight, I should have absolutely said yes + I should have worked with a therapist individually as well. It was a rough month + a half. We did end up telling our families earlier, since we were visiting them for my sister’s graduation + I was not myself at all — which ended up feeling good to be able to share with others. Slowly, we ended up telling people when it felt right.

#2] A week or so after finding out that I was pregnant, I had a fear dream of an emergency c-section. I had an amazing home birth experience with Noah, + I had to unpack if this was an intuitive hit or if this was a fear picture. Ultimately, I think it was fear. However, I knew that I had to be open to however this baby wanted to come into the world — knowing that while it’s my journey, it’s also his journey.

#3] Speaking of gender — I had no intuition this time around! With Noah, it was so clear his gender + name immediately [literally, Week 5!]. I would say I felt 60/40 girl. Isaac was probably 60/40 boy. We found out the gender [accidentally] in second trimester… will share the story in my second trimester recap!

#4] At 8 weeks, I had my first big cry — just feeling so low + sad + sick + wanting to let everything out. Crying is so cathartic + I remember it feeling like such a release that I needed.

#5] At 9/10 weeks, we had our first home birth appointment with Abby — the midwife we worked with last time. She used her ultrasound + doppler, + while she was able to see the baby + an expanded uterus, she wasn’t able to see or hear any cardiac activity. She said I would need another ultrasound — since she only had the ability to do it trans-abdominally, rather than trans-vaginally. As expected, we left the appointment feeling very down. We tried not to jump to conclusions, but it was hard not to… that night I had a lot of fear dreams on a miscarriage, DNC procedure, surgery, etc. I woke up terrified. Thankfully, I only had 24 hours in the unknown. Dr. Phab [our back up OBGYN with Noah] came over to our apartment + was super confident that we’d see a beating heart baby… + sure enough, we did! She said the baby was perfect. I felt so relieved that everything looked good + it was another reminder for me to TRUST the process. The one thing she said that was surprising, was that based on my measurements… I was earlier than I thought. Originally, I thought my due date was December 16 [based on my last period], but she said the due date is actually CHRISTMAS!

#6] At 10 weeks, I finally found glimmers of joy again + started feeling like myself. I felt excited about life + started feeling gratitude + wonderment + joy around Noah again. I still remember the first moment I felt “joy” after 1.5 months of being in such a dark place… I started crying out of gratitude. It’s hard to admit this, but I barely felt joy around Noah for those 1.5 months — it was absolutely awful. I felt like such a bad mom because I was so low + couldn’t be there for him in the ways that I usually was.

#7] Nature heals! I felt so drawn to trees throughout all of this pregnancy + anytime I’d be in nature, I would feel a little bit more like myself. The aura of this baby is definitely forest green + FOREST was the first name that I was immediately drawn to as a first or middle name, whether the baby was a girl or boy. I very much had this knowing that this baby is going to be very earthy + love the forest, just like his dad.

#8] I had the strongest urge to cook! I literally cooked my first solo dinner in at least 3 years. Also it’s the first time I touched raw chicken in probably 10 years lol. Maybe this baby is a chef? It felt so exciting to be able to use my hands + be off my phone, doing something creative. It felt empowering + amazing. Have I cooked since then? No. lol, BUT — once we are out of the newborn stage, I think I would like to cook dinner 1x/week. To be continued…

#9] Finding out that 5 of my friends have a due date within 2 weeks of me was the sweetest surprise! I’m especially excited to be able to go through the newborn phase with them.

#10] I felt so bored of our apartment + wanted to completely change the vibe, wanted a whole new wardrobe, + hated living in Santa Monica. Did I do anything about these things? No… + thank God I didn’t lol. It was interesting because I talked to a clairvoyant about this + he reminded me that I have another baby’s soul inside of me right now… so I may be feeling their preferences! He encouraged me to not attach to any strong feelings right now [positive or negative] + instead to just let it ride out + see how I’m feeling later in pregnancy. All of those feeling subsided + I feel amazing in our apartment + in Santa Monica. A new wardrobe does sound nice though… lol.

#11] Being pregnant while having a toddler is… very different. I listened to a podcast + they talked about how being pregnant with your first is a “spa like experience” compared to your second + I can relate to this deeply. Going through first trimester with a toddler especially… oh my goodness. I feel so deeply grateful for Isaac that he showed up for Noah in such a big way when I couldn’t, while also caring for me. I cannot imagine doing this without him. Thank you Isaac ❤

When I read my journal entries from the first trimester [+ even reflecting/writing this now], this chapter feels like such an out of body experience. It truly doesn’t even feel like me… + I question, was it really that hard? Thankfully, I have Isaac to ground + tell me — yes, it was. If you’re going through the thick of first trimeter, know that you are not alone. You can feel so grateful to be pregnant AND feel so sick… + sick of being sick! Have lots of grace, kindness, + compassion for yourself. You got this, mama.

Love,
Elisabeth

I am by zero means a “fashionista,” but I will say that I have found a few maternity gems this pregnancy. IMO, less is more + you really don’t need that much. The most important aspect — COMFORT! + of course, embracing your cute bump era!

#1] Maternity Jeans: I bought Hudson maternity jean shorts this time around [comes in 3 colors!] + I’m so happy I did!

#2] Loose Fitting Rompers: Yes, yes, yes. I bought these rompers on Amazon per a friend’s recommendation + it was my go-to, especially in the summer. Comes in a million colors. I prefer the shorts romper [I got it in black + green!], but I also got the long pants romper in red. I also really like this Beyond Yoga jumpsuit.

#3] Overalls: What is it about pregnant women + overalls that is just so cute?! I love my Ali Golden overall jumper in indigo — also comes in green, brown, black + white! Check them out here.

#4] Cami + Cardigan: My favorite combo while pregnant when the weather gets colder. I love the Mate The Label camis [I sized up] + Free People cardigans.

#5] Pregnancy Workout Tank: This Beyond Yoga maternity tank is the only actual “maternity” item I got [+ the maternity jean shorts!]. I love how it hugs my belly.

#6] High Waisted Shorts + Leggings: Lululemon align high rise shorts + Beyond Yoga spacedye shorts are my fav. As well as Lululemon align high rise leggings. I tried out Beyond Yoga’s maternity leggings + I really hated them [they kept falling down!]. What I found worked best for me was simply ordering a size up in “non-maternity” high waisted shorts + leggings, especially in Lululemon.

#7] Comfy Big Tees: This may be obvious to most people — but I surprisingly had no big tees pre-pregnancy…. most of my tees are cropped [which still looks very cute pregnant!]. I ordered a few basic tees from Mate The Label + love them!

#8] Joggers: Love the Beyond Yoga spacedye midi jogger [this one is especially nice for hugging your belly!] + Vuori performance jogger [so cozy!]. I got my normal size for both + they work perfectly!

#9] Dresses: Especially if you are pregnant in the summer, dresses are THE ABSOLUTE BEST! Easy, comfortable, + so cute!

#10] Cozy Sleep: Highly recommend getting yourself a new pair of pjs that you love [I love Eberjey!], cozy socks, + slippers. Sleep can get so uncomfortable while pregnant, so trying to get as cozy as you can is key.

#11] Bras: Chances are, your boobs will get a lot bigger in pregnancy! I had to get all new bras [both sports bras + “normal” bras]. I wanted to try things on in person to get my sizing right — so I went to Lululemon + Nordstroms [love wireless bras from Skims] to figure out my favorite fits! Postpartum bras are a whole different story… I share more about that here.

#12] Renting Clothes: I haven’t done this, but especially if you are going to a wedding [or just want more “trendy” clothes] — check out the maternity section on Nuuly. You can rent up to 6 items every month!

If you have fav pregnancy outfit recommendations, I’d love to hear! Let me know!

Love,
Elisabeth

Babies + the outdoors just might be my favorite combo ever. We went on our first backpacking trip with Noah at 3 months at Redwoods National Park. While we had gone on many hikes with him prior [our first hike was at 6 weeks old!], we knew that backpacking with a baby would definitely be a challenge. To our surprise, it went *relatively* smoothly… + best of all, our hearts were bursting after the trip. We felt so grateful to be able to be immersed in nature with our son.

Chances are, if you’re reading this — you are already into backpacking. So, if you’re considering backpacking with your baby: GO FOR IT!

Disclaimer: Always, always consult your pediatrician with questions + concerns when it comes to hiking/backpacking with a baby. Especially when it comes to elevation + temperature + length of hike. I’d recommend asking their advice based on your baby’s age + their lung capacity + overall development. Every baby is different, so it’s important for you to get all the necessary information on your baby, so that you can make the best decision for your family!

10 Tips For Backpacking With A Baby:

#1] Consider the trail elements: Elevation? Temperature? Length? How many days? We loved backpacking Redwoods National Park because it was mostly flat, totally shaded, + it was an “out + back” trail — so we could choose our length. We ended up walking in 4–5 miles to set up camp for both nights, + then just did longer day trips with Noah! The temperature was between 55–75 degrees the entire time, which is perfect for backpacking, especially with a baby.

#2] Start small: We did a 2 night + 3 day backpacking trip [which was perfect for us!]… but start with 1 night + 2 day if that will help you feel more confident! Do plenty of day hikes with your baby prior to committing to a backpacking trip, too. We had originally wanted our first backpacking trip to be Rae Lakes Loop since Isaac is on the board of Sequoia National Parks… but after looking at the elevation + length of the trip, we knew that had the potential to be too much for Noah [+ us lol]. We would rather have an enjoyable, easier backpacking trip, than risking discomfort.

#3] Feeding your baby: We wanted to backpack when I was still exclusively breastfeeding + we hadn’t introduced solids yet. I know that won’t be everyone’s experience… but that was ours! Now that he eats solids, it’s awesome because a lot the camp meals we like [oatmeal + Patagonia Provisions] are very much baby friendly. Lots of dehydrated fruit, too!

#4] Front carrier vs backpack carrier? Since Noah was only 3 months old, we used a front carrier for Noah. We really like the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Free for hiking. It was also nice having him in the front, because then both Isaac + I could carry packs on our back. Now that Noah is 9 months old + can comfortably use a backpack carrier — we will have one person carry Noah + the other carry a very large backpack [aka Isaac ; )].

#5] Wee Woolies is THE BEST baby/kid’s apparel for backpacking. Seriously, look no further.

#6] Sleeping in the tent: We co-sleep at home, so we are used to sleeping with our baby. Noah slept in my sleeping bag. However, I know that they have separate sleeping bags for kids — we’ll go that route once he’s a bit bigger. I’d recommend doing what you are used to at home… if they wear a sleep sack, go that route! Just be aware of the temperate drop at night of course.

• What did we do for naps? At 3 months old, Noah simply slept in the carrier while we hiked — which was so nice + easy! Now that he’s older + rarely sleeps on the go, we would need to take him back to the campsite + nap in the tent.

#7] If you breastfeed, be cognizant of what *you* eat. As I’m sure you know, baby’s digestive systems can be very sensitive! I learned this the hard way eating broccolini when Noah was 2 weeks old ; ). I eliminated all beans + cruciferous vegetables postpartum. It had been so long since Noah was fussy after something I ate, so it totally slipped my mind… *until* Noah was so upset after dinner one night. I was so confused + wondered what was wrong. Then I realized — omg, our dinner had CHICKPEAS in it! The poor guy was uncomfortable all night + we learned our lesson!

#8] How many diapers to bring? If you are a cloth diaper family, you’re amazing + you definitely have an advantage in this department. For everyone else, you’ll be packing out the diapers of course — so we were more mindful on less frequent changes. We brought 6 per day + used the brand Coterie — which have always been super absorbent for us. We’ve heard about people actually drying out diapers [since they can get SO heavy with pee] + we’d definitely try this out for future backpacking trips. Since his poop is also way more “formed” now, we’d bury it. At 3 months old, we didn’t do either — we just carried the diapers out!

#9] Nature is unpredictable. Be prepared! Prior to having Noah with us, we’d “wing it” a lot more on trips. Bring a first aid kid + make sure to protect your baby from sun. Noah wasn’t using sunscreen at the time, so he always wore full arm + leg outfits, as well as a hat! Redwoods National Park was also shaded most of the time, which was a huge perk.

#10] Savor every second watching your baby experience nature. I will never ever forgot the moment Noah saw stars for the first time. Since it got pretty cold, we went to bed early when the sky was still a bit light out. When we got up in the middle of the night to breastfeed, it was pitch black with a night full of stars. His eyes opened up wide + he could tell something was different… he kept moving his neck back + forth over + over again, looking at the sky. It was one of my favorite experiences with him to date. Nature truly is the best… it’s so grounding + peaceful + magical — good for mama + dada, + good for baby!

ALSO: This probably goes without saying, but — if you’ve never backpacked before, we would not recommend backpacking with your baby solo. There are plenty of guided/group backpacking trips where you’ll have an expert leading you. Check out your local REI store, as they are always putting on backpacking trips! Once you’ve done a few guided trips, you’ll feel comfortable going with your baby solo.

Not Into Backpacking, But Want To Hike?

Check out this post: Hiking With A Baby Or Toddler: All The Gear!

Happy outdoor adventures!

Love,
Elisabeth