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I only became a true believer in homebirths after having one myself. The fact that I delivered him in water (in a blow up bathtub in my living room) & then had soup in my bed with my dogs after attests to the utter magic of it all. I did a lot of research & prep leading up to the day. Everything from Hypnobirthing classes, daily affirmations and meditations, pregnancy chiro, reading all the Ina May Gaskin books, and finding an amazing doula and midwife team. I’d do it all over again! -Aly
6d ago
Related Recs
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We had friends over the other day and my friend said she’s paying attention to how I mother because she thinks I’m doing a great job and wants to do the same with her future kids. Everyone agreed 🥲.
We’re the only one of our friends with kids (3 y/o and almost 3 month old) and to be recognized in a role where the labor often goes unnoticed felt so good. I genuinely delight in my children and love being a mother, but it is 24/7 work. I never dreamt of being a parent but with my own healing and growth I found myself wanting to be. I spent a lot of years working on my own self regulation and studying child development (I’m a child therapist) and that has really been paying off in a way I wasn’t expecting at the time.
When someone gives birth, their brain matter changes to aid in caring for their baby. I’ve been in the thick of that for 3 years now and while I can and do think of other things, my entire being is very much entrenched in “mother,” and it can be hard to navigate identity outside of it. so to be seen and honored for that felt really special.
May 29, 2024
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I’m not sure I’d really recommend this because it’s more exhausting and permanently life-altering than almost any other thing you could imagine. But being a parent connects me to others in a way I had never experienced before having my own kid.
I love every child because I love my child. I believe every person is trying their best, is trying to be good, because I see that in him. I feel connected to the grief and suffering of other parents because I see how to love your child is necessarily to be on the knife’s edge of grief at all times. I have found parenting politically radicalizing because I cannot accept that my child deserves more than other children, that he gets to be safe and fed and surrounded by infinite possibility when most others are not.
Having a kid has not necessarily made me happier, but it has given me a deeper understanding of the human condition, and I am grateful for that.
Mar 16, 2024
🧝
• I accidentally burn my sandwich almost every time I make it. I now crave it burnt. Maybe it’s not an accident anymore.
• I’ve dancing my whole life. I dance every day. I sometimes dance very weird and wonder if that is going to affect my kids in a weird way down the line.
• I’m an external processor and talk to myself a lot, something I also wonder will mess up my kids.
• I generally do what I want and ask for permission later. I’ve been learning over the past decade with my husband that’s not the best way to be in partnership.
• Jungian therapy saved my life.
• Reconnecting with my spiritually saved my life. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something.
• Nature greatly soothes me and is my greatest teacher.
• I am grounded yet light.
• I remember the day I started self harming. I remember the day I decided to stop.
• It’s easier for me to do something for someone else than for myself, but I’ve gotten better with that.
• I am very loving. I am very forgiving. I am not naive.
• I have fun every day because I am a fun person.
• I love people. There were years I hated people. My husband has shown me how to make friendships everywhere I go.
• I stay anonymous on here because I’m scared a parent I work with will join one day and see some of my no filter suggestions, i.e. “hard nips.”
• I have 5 siblings. We weren’t close growing up. We’re close now even though we live far apart.
• The running joke from my childhood is that they never knew where I was.
• I was very surprised at the desire to get married and have kids. When we bought a house in the suburbs I had a rather large existential crisis that I became boring. Myself and my life are anything but.
• I love being active. I hate living somewhere car centric. I miss riding my bike everywhere.
• I’m sober, but not because I was an addict. I wish there was another term for being sober because you were playing out all your emotional issues with drugs and alcohol and it just isn’t appealing now that you’ve healed.
• I have a raspy voice, but it used to be raspier. I have nodules on my vocal cords. When I was 8 I was given a silver whistle to blow instead of yell. I didn’t use it. It got worse once I started smoking. My voice is much sweeter now.
Feb 28, 2025
Top Recs from @aly-and-aj
My Shih Tzu/Bichon mix is going to be 19 this year and I consider that pretty ancient. Her name is Willow and I’ve had her since I was 16. She even toured with us back in 2007. -AJ
6d ago
I’m still a baby collector when it comes to the amount of watches I have but the collection is fire (if I do say so myself) and I believe in quality over quantity. I currently have 5 that I really love but my top 2 include my 1959 AP and my Patek from 1934. Eric Wind (my watch dealer and good friend) always finds me gems. Holy grails = JLC Reverso and a Vacheron Historique American 1921 -AJ
6d ago
My Dad gave my son a radio flyer wagon for Christmas this past year and I love going on neighborhood rides with him. I fill it with pillows and blankets for extra cushioning since he’s on the little side but I’m excited for the day when he’s pulling it himself. -Aly
6d ago