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LOW BODY TOWEL WORKOUT I was 35 weeks pregnant h

Please try something for me right now. Pause. Clos

Please try something for me right now. Pause. Close your eyes. Put down your phone. Place your hands on your beating heart and thank your body for all it has done for you.

Please do it….I’ll wait…❤️

At first all I saw in this photo was loose tummy skin. But then I saw something else…a moment of recognition.

This body of mine has survived heart surgery, uterine surgery, IVF, miscarriage and created & birthed two humans.

She has hiked mountains, jumped out of planes, fought infections, nursed babies and danced across the world.

She is resilient AF. She is strength. She never stops trying to keep me safe.

And she is my home for this finite stay on our planet. So I’m going to respect her. She’s earned it.

It feels so good to say that. Try it.

What has your body DONE for you? Here’s to looking at our flesh & bones with new eyes of awe & appreciation.

That’s some powerful magic right there. ❤️

Thanks for capturing these shots @alexannesolomon 🙏

#bodylove #postpartumbody #momoftwo #looseskin #bodypositive #bodyimage #bodyacceptance #bodyafterbaby #motherhood #ivfwarrior #miscarriage #ttcjourney #ttccommunity #heartablation #svt

DEAR DAUGHTER My sweet Gabrielle, here are some

DEAR DAUGHTER

My sweet Gabrielle, here are some life lessons your mama hopes to teach you…😉

1️⃣ A foreign accent does not make him sophisticated.

2️⃣ Your hair will grow back, your eyebrows might not.

3️⃣ Other women are not your competition. Adjust each other’s crowns.

4️⃣ Always sit with the new girl in the cafeteria.

5️⃣ Never apologize for being a powerful woman.

6️⃣ Travel the world but tip like an American.

7️⃣ Visit your friend in the hospital. Bring trashy magazines.

8️⃣ Never ask a stranger to retake a photograph.

9️⃣ Don’t linger at parties, especially not in the hot tub.

🔟 Practice safe selfies. And for the love of God, wear sunscreen.

Thank you choosing me as your mama. You continue to teach me so much about unconditional love, patience, growth and did I mention patience?!

I love you my, my feisty threenager 😍
Do you have anything add in the daughter advice department? Which number speaks to you? ☝️

Taking advice for parenting a strong willed threenager!

#threenager #motherdaughter #firstborn #parentingtips #momsrising #momadvice #ivfsuccess #mygirl #parentingishard #motherhoodthroughinstagram

YOUR LAST BABY How did you know you were done ha

YOUR LAST BABY

How did you know you were done having babies?

It’s not always a straight forward answer.

As for me, the decision was made for us. We got two IVF embryos, and have been incredibly blessed with two children. I don’t want to do another egg retrieval now at almost 40.

We could conceive naturally (unlikely, but that’s another story).

The topic of “are you having more kids?” can feel loaded sometimes. I try not to ask.

If people press me, I often share that we have no more embryos. But usually I just wink and say “we’re done!” Then I offer them old baby gear that I want out of the house. 😂

What has your experience been with knowing if your family is complete?

Also - here’s a photo dump of my baby boy Hendrik. Time flies SO much faster with your last baby. This first pic was taken a year ago exactly….

#motherhoodjourney #babyboy #momlife #motherhoodmoments #lastbaby #youngestchild #parenting #mamasboy #mumlife #maman

GESTATIONAL DIABETES I “failed” my gestation

GESTATIONAL DIABETES

I “failed” my gestational diabetes test during my first pregnancy.

I remember feeling disbelief at first, then instant shame at my food choices (namely my cravings for San Pelligrino Limonata - basically Italian soda that I had been consuming with abandon).

Here’s how it went down….

I was told I didn’t need to fast before the test. I remember eating a banana right before the test as I was coming from the studio and hungry from teaching. Not smart. I digress.

The test requires you to drink Glucola - an orange flavoured beverage containing 50 g of glucose. You must drink it, and sit still in the waiting room (no walking around allowed, no drinking water) - and have your blood drawn an hour later.

I didn’t tolerate it well. Nausea, shaking, gagging, heart palpitations & general malaise for the rest of the day.

At my next appointment my OB told me I had “failed” the test and needed to go back for the 3 hour test and drink 75 g this time.

I said “Oh no! Please I cannot drink more of that.” I politely asked if she was open to any alternatives- respectfully and with a smile.

She smiled back, half rolled her eyes, and said “ok Nikki, we can do fasting plasma glucose test.”

I passed it.

Why share this story?

Because I don’t want anyone else to feel the shame I felt from “failing the test.” Failing the first test is SO common, as I have since learned.
Also, GD happens - it’s largely hormonally driven. Again, let’s not surround it with shame.

Also - you have a right to ask questions, make informed decisions and request alternatives. It’s your body.

Same goes for birth. ❤️

What was your experience with the Glucose test in pregnancy?

Note: Gestational diabetes (GD) is a condition in which women without a history of diabetes have high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. GD may increase your risk of preeclampsia, premature birth, increased birth weight, cesarean section, neonatal hypoglycemia, and fetal hyperinsulinemia. Managing GD is important and can be done!

#gestationaldiabetes #fitpregnancy #pregnancytips #glucola #pregnancylife #pregnancycravings #pregnantlife #pregnantandperfect

IVF CHANGED ME This photo was taken exactly 4 ye

IVF CHANGED ME

This photo was taken exactly 4 years ago today. On the date of our first embryo transfer. Gabrielle was born 9 months later ❤️

The truth is, IVF changed me. It broke my heart open.

Struggling to have a baby is something I never imagined. Being "healthy" has always been my identity. I take vitamins, exercise daily, eat a nutrient dense diet - I coach women everyday on how to reach their health & fitness goals.

I’m loathe to admit it, but prior to my own fertility journey I would have been the first to dish out well-meaning yet utterly obnoxious advice: Eliminate inflammatory foods, eat more healthy fats, get regular acupuncture, always keep your feet warm, stop using bleached tampons, cut out caffeine and definitely try to relax (which any woman trying to conceive will tell you is the absolute worst thing to hear, ever).

Then infertility happened to us.

It was the most shame inducing, humbling experience of my life.

The fact is, you cannot solve every fertility problem with a daily cocktail of spirulina, dandelion greens and inositol. Your meditation practice will not manifest a baby. No matter how much acupuncture you do, or how pristine your paleo/gluten/dairy-free organic diet is, or how many naturopath recommended supplements you take – infertility still happens.

Being the patient instead of the health coach was a painful journey, but it taught me so much.

1️⃣ When in the past I might have immediately offered advice to "fix" the problem, I now understand the true gift of listening. No well meaning suggestions, no assumptions, no judgement. Just listen.

2️⃣Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

3️⃣ Love is a lot like sacrifice, and never about blame.

4️⃣ Complaining usually has the opposite effect you're hoping it will have.

5️⃣ Gratitude is powerful. The most resilient people find things to be grateful for, even when their world is falling apart.

6️⃣Vulnerability is the key to human connectedness.

So that’s why I keep “IVF Mama” in my bio here. There should be no shame around our struggles - whatever they may be. ❤️

#ivf #ivfmom #embryotransfer #ttccommunity

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