Summer Newsletter

Hello amazing Mothers & Mothers-to-be!

I’d love to say welcome to Summer - but where is the Summer?

I did learn a new word this week though - ‘Pluviophile’. It means a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days. I think we all maybe need to move closer to being a pluviophile right now!

I’m writing this newsletter manically before my children break up for the Summer holidays - after that I know that time to think (let alone write stuff) will be pretty impossible!! If you are in a similar position of juggling work and children over the Summer, then I’ve just written a little article over on my website you might like here.

I hope as always that this newsletter will provide you with some things to help you take a little pocket of time for yourself - to be inspired, to bring some joy and to help you support yourself with simple self-care. Something all mothers need more of!

Scroll down for a simple summer recipe, 2 minute self-care practice, a lovely guided Summer meditation/relaxation, a poem to ponder, a summer playlist and some inspiration too.

There’s also some events to come along too. Including the Summer Social & Picnic on Thursday 27th July (thi week!) - everyone welcome, an Active Birth Workshop and new Slow Sunday Mini Retreat dates for September onwards. Scroll down for all of this!

Wishing you a wonderful Summer and hope to see you soon (don’t forget no classes or courses in August).

Looking forward to seeing you soon

Susan x

PS Don’t forget you can also join me on my Instagram and Facebook pages too:

 
 
 

A simple monthly recipe

Tahini Banana ice cream

A super yummy, super easy, plant-based ice cream, and with only 4 ingredients and no churning required. This is also brilliant for using up over ripe bananas - slice them and freeze them ready to make this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sliced frozen ripe bananas (around 3 bananas)

  • 2 tablespoons tahini

  • 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons maple or agave syrup - to taste. You may not need any at all if you’re bananas are super ripe and sweet.

How to make it:

  • Put the frozen bananas slices to a food processor or high speed blender. Whizz until you get a creamy "soft serve" texture. Keep scraping the mixture down sides as needed (3-5 minutes).

  • Add the tahini, cacao/cocoa powder and blend to combine.

  • Then taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding your sweetener as much you need. Mix again

  • You can then serve straight away or pop into the freezer in a tub or bowl thicken a little

  • You can sprinkle over some toasted chopped nuts, sesame seeds or a drizzle of maple syrup too as toppings if you like.

  • Best eaten fresh, you can keep in the freezer for a week (if you have any leftovers!). Leave to soften if you do freeze it.

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Some things I’m loving right now & you might like too…

This month my inspiration to click on, I hope you enjoy them too.

  • A book that I’ve been recommending in both my Pregnancy and my Mum & Baby classes this week about the mental load of parenthood and sharing the responsibilities fairly. Yes!

  • I cannot wait to head to Manchester to see this amazing art installation over the summer

  • Fancy a swim outdoors ? Then this is a fab local place to connect with nature.

  • If you see the news and end up feeling constantly despondent, this is a great antidote to the constant bad news

  • And if you head to London over the Summer then the newly revamped NPG is supposed to be amazing

2 minute self-care.

A METTA prActice

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When you notice your mind being self-critical or criticising others, repeat the following phrase to yourself. When done regularly, this metta meditation which sends loving kindness to you and others can help minimise negative emotions toward yourself and others.

“May I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with ease and in peace” (repeat 3 times)

Then bring to mind someone close to you, a family member or friend and repeat:

“May you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease and in peace.” (repeat 3 times)

Finally imagine the loving-kindness spreading out from you and your close family member / friend and out throughout your neighborhood, country and across the world to all living things. Repeat the following phrase three times:

“May we all be healthy, may we all be happy, may we all live with ease and in peace.” (repeat 3 times)

A poem

Words can be powerful and inspiring, and help you feel less alone. So here’s my second monthly poem share:

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One of my favourite poems. Simple, beautiful, inspirational.

Ten Thousand Flowers in Spring by Wu-Men

Ten thousand flowers in spring,

the moon in autumn,

a cool breeze in summer,

snow in winter.

If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,

this is the best season of your life.

Summer mixtape

Here’s a Summer mixtape for the delight of your ears!

A Summer guided relaxation

A long guided ‘yoga nidra’ relaxation, for you to get some rest and calm into your life. This one is especially for the summer. Find a comfortable spot, lie down and take a listen here:

Books to read…

Lots of people ask me for book recommendations, and over the summer holidays can be a great time to read more. So I’ve curated a selection of books over on Bookshop.org. Books that I think you’ll find supportive, interesting and a good read. From pregnancy, to Matrescence, to perimenopause, to nature, creativity, art and poetry - all things I am passionate about!

By buying books from Bookshop.org you are supporting local bookshops to stay in business (rather than giving your money to multinational organisations like Amazon).



Lets Come Together…

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Lots of things coming up - I hope you can join me.

Summer Social & Picnic!

Come and have a relaxed afternoon. Chat, chill, and meet other lovely local mums, parents, and mums-to-be.

Our summer gathering for ALL folks who have ever been to, or currently attending, any of my pregnancy/baby classes and courses (pregnancy yoga, mum & baby yoga, hypnobirthing & antenatal courses, baby massage, creative journaling for mothers). Everyone welcome!

It will be so lovely to see as many of you and your small people / bumps as possible. Of course feel free to bring older children and partners too. More the merrier!

Bring a blanket to sit on, your lunch or some snacks to eat.

Active Birth Special - book here

Come and learn how you can use different positions, shapes and movement in your body during labour to help you have an 'active birth'.  Being active in labour and birth has so many benefits. It can:

  • help position your baby into the positions they need to be in to move down through the pelvis.

  • help you create the most space in your pelvis to allow baby to move down through the pelvis in labour

  • help you feel less discomfort and pain in labour

  • shorten the length of labour

  • minimise the chance of your needing an assisted birth (forceps or ventouse) 

  • help you feel more empowered during labour and birth
    This is important stuff that all pregnant folks need to know about!

Come and find some time and space for yourself. Slowing down, taking some real me-time is so very important for your health and wellbeing.

My Slow Sunday Mini Retreats are time and space for you to press the pause button on the stress and busyness of modern life and modern motherhood.

They are simple yet deeply effective way of calming your nervous system, helping your body release deeply held tension, and giving your mind a break from that frazzled feeling that’s so common in us mothers (and all humans in general!)

Come and join me on these dates: 24th September, 15th October, 26th November. For a gorgeous afternoon of rest, relaxation and self-care.

More info on my Slow Sundays here.

This is my absolute FAVOURITE class of the week! For ALL mothers with any age of child, and for pregnant folk too. My Creative Space For Mothers is a relaxed, fun, creative escape each Tuesday afternoon. We chat, drink tea, eat chocolate and do some simple and fun doodling, collaging, drawing or colouring in. Everything is provided for you and I set an inspiring activity each week - all you need to do it show up. It’s super supportive and open to everyone (you don’t have to be ‘good at art’ or think of yourself as ‘creative’ to really love this class)

More about these classes here Come and join us.

Here’s my September & October full schedule of classes & events too:

 

My online programs & courses

Did you know I have a whole range of online courses and programs you can access from the comfort of you own home, or anywhere in the world! I have all of this I have created for you …

~ The Online Pregnancy Yoga Program™

~ The Truth About Early Motherhood

~ Calm & Empowered Motherhood. A complete Mothers self-care toolkit to help you find calmness and strength, as you traverse the ups and downs of motherhood. Yoga, meditation, guided relaxations and more

~ What Nobody Tells You About Your Pelvic Floor

~ Meditation for Modern Life

~ ‘Blank Page’ - Journalling For Wellbeing Course. 12 different types of journalling to explore.

See them all and purchase here.

Have a brilliant Summer, I am looking forward to seeing lots of you at the Summer Social & Picnic tomorrow

Susan x

PS Do drop me an email with any feedback on this new Newsletter, or any suggestions. It’s always lovely to hear from you.

Other things you might find supportive…

For Modern Mothers Podcast

You can also now listen to my podcast. This is a podcast to help mothers and mothers-to-be you thrive physically, mentally and emotionally in the modern world.

You’ll find no BS talks about all aspects of modern motherhood & wellbeing - physical, mental and emotional health, self-care, mindset, pregnancy, work, relationships, birth, cyclical living. This is a podcast to support, inform and empower you to find your own unique way through motherhood. Episodes include:

~ The Truth About Baby Sleep

~ Postnatal Bodies

~ Breastfeeding Myths

~ Self-Care For Mothers

~ Reconnecting with your Menstrual Cycle

Plus there are some guided meditations on there too. Use the link below or simply search for 'for modern mothers' on your preferred podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google, Spotify, Stitcher etc). ttps://www.formodernmothers.com/podcast

For Modern Mothers blog

Over 60 no-BS, evidence based articles on pregnancy, birth, babies and motherhood. You can read the articles I’ve written here on my website

 
 

Join me on instagram…

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