Getting To Know Your Baby (And Yourself) Through Intuition and Intention

My mission is to welcome babies into the world using the power of intention, intuition, and individuality. I whole-heartedly believe that every baby is unique. I’ve found that, oftentimes parents get discouraged if a certain method or schedule that has worked for other children isn’t working for the new baby, or if they have a friend or family member who has a baby that is reaching milestones earlier. I really don’t compare babies in that way, and I work with new parents to help them understand their baby’s specific needs. There are general milestones and schedules that fit most babies, but I consider those guidelines, not the letter of the law.

When I’m working with a new baby, the first part of my process is always to focus on observation and intuition. It takes a while to get to know anyone—especially a baby, because their communication is through their own intuitive behavior, rather than words. I take notes on the baby’s mood, schedule, sleep and hunger cues. Babies obviously can’t talk, but this is how they communicate and how you learn their language. After a few days, I’ll start to see patterns and rhythms, and what works or doesn’t work. These observations are how I build a schedule, or adjust a routine. At that point, I am able to guide parents to read the signs so they can adapt to the baby’s needs. Babies are constantly changing and developing, so the more in tune you are with your baby, the easier it is to adapt to the new milestones or implement a change or adjustment.

The intention part of my mission relates to having clarity in your parenting goals. When I think of an intention for a new baby, I think about looking ahead and envisioning what kind of human I want to raise in the world. What are the fundamental principles I want to instill in a child who will eventually become an adult, and a citizen in the world? If I’m speaking as an expectant parent, I personally would want to instill kindness, generosity, responsibility, humility, individuality, vulnerability, respect, self-respect, self-awareness, and so forth. Instilling and reinforcing these behaviors from day one is so important because babies soak up everything from their environment—facial expressions, tone of voice, energy—they are incredibly smart and aware. Mirroring is huge, so I want to think about how I start mirroring those things from the beginning. I show my baby love, but I also show myself love. I want to teach respect, well that involves boundaries, what do boundaries look like for a baby? How do I model good boundaries? I find these types of questions so important.

I honestly can’t remember a time that I didn’t love taking care of babies, children, and people. It’s definitely innate. I also have a deep love of cooking, so feeding anyone is a love language for me. Is there anything more comforting than having someone feed you? In addition, for anyone that is familiar with astrology, I have a Cancer moon which is extremely nurturing, the “mother” of the zodiac so to speak. I truly believe I was born to do this.

The benefit of talking to a professional when you start getting curious about becoming a parent is immeasurable. I believe it’s really important to have a realistic view of what becoming a parent looks like, what’s involved, all the options available for childcare, the expenses, the developmental phases, and so much more. When I speak with someone who is curious about parenthood, I ask about their lifestyle, how they envision their lifestyle with a baby, what their professional life looks like with a baby. Once we’ve discussed their ideas, we talk about what they envision in relation to the real down-to-earth factors. We also talk about how you might create and plan for that vision. I don’t think you have to plan out every detail or plan the ‘perfect’ time to conceive, but there are often things you wouldn’t know to think about if you don’t know much about babies—including how much they cost, and what exactly is involved in raising one.

I think preparedness, relating to most anything in life, saves us money in the long run. When it comes to babies, it’s no secret they can get expensive! But if you plan ahead and get educated on the things that you most need, and prioritize the things that are important to you, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For example, if you know that having postpartum or newborn care is a priority for you, then that’s a great thing to plan ahead for and start saving for as soon as you can.

I find that a lot of people romanticize the idea of having a baby, and it can be challenging for new parents when they’re in the middle of the newborn stage and don’t understand why it’s not as pretty and perfect as it looks in Hollywood or on Instagram—or how they imagined it being. Babies are such a blessing, but they are also hard work, and are completely life-changing. I think getting educated early on in the curiosity phase sets the tone for how you want to embark on your parenthood journey. There may be things you’d like to do or accomplish before you jump in, and that’s good information to have.

Feeling comfortable enough to ask for help and, being able to find help when you need it is one of the most important things that any mom can do for herself, and her family—from the birth phase, through the first year, and beyond. There are so many professionals in the postpartum, newborn, and childcare field these days, you can almost always find someone who specializes in your unique needs. In terms of specialty services, acupuncture, pregnancy massage or postpartum treatments are really wonderful. In Los Angeles there’s a place called Surya Spa that has an array of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and trimester, and postpartum treatments for Mother and baby that are very popular. Placenta encapsulation is also becoming more common. Some women find that the placenta capsules help with postpartum recovery and milk supply. Other things as simple as looking ahead at what meal planning looks like postpartum is also very helpful. I’ve seen mealtimes become a point of stress for a lot of families right after the baby comes home from the hospital, so assistance in that department always seems to be welcomed. Whether it’s filling your freezer with meals you’ve made ahead of time, or setting up a meal service with good quality and healthy foods to be delivered—these seemingly little things, can really be game-changing when it really matters. By the way, Methodology is an amazing food delivery service I love to recommend for new moms in the California, Portland, and Seattle areas.

Building a supportive and nurturing “team” for you and your baby is paramount. This can include close friends and family members, postpartum and baby- or child-care professionals, or even a few people you follow and find authentic, inspiring, and expansive on social media. Also, self-care can’t be emphasized enough. It’s so important to continue prioritizing yourself and making time for activities that feed your soul—while honoring the power of intention, intuition and individuality. What’s good for mom, is also good for baby!