Contact - Georgie Stephen Naturopath

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@georgiestephen_

So often I see tiredness in mums blamed solely on

So often I see tiredness in mums blamed solely on sleep deprivation. Now, don’t get me wrong, chronic broken sleep is *no joke* and without question a major contributor to maternal exhaustion. But it’s also not uncommon for me to see mums who also have some of these other factors going on at the same time, only adding to the load of their fatigue.⁣
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I know lots of mamas who want to go with the flow of their baby’s natural sleep needs, but are finding the sleep deprivation really challenging.⁣
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So if your parenting values are saying ‘keep going,’ but your body is saying it needs help, perhaps it’s worth looking into some of these other areas to make sure you’re not being weighed down unnecessarily.⁣
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#postnataldepletion #postpartumdepression #postpartumanxiety #postpartumrecovery #melbournenaturopath #tiredmama #normalinfantsleep

These days and nights are tough, mama. Really toug

These days and nights are tough, mama. Really tough. Nurturing your own health as much as you are nurturing your baby’s growth and development is so important to keep you feeling resilient and up to the job.⁣
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While you can’t control much about your wakeful nights, you can take steps to support yourself by eating foods that will provide the right nutrients to help you through this intense phase.⁣
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When I’m working with all new mums, but especially those who have wakeful babies, nutritional repletion is something I’m always looking out for and assessing. It’s common to see nutritional deficiencies in the first year after birth (and beyond) and replenishing these levels, whether through food or supplements, makes a big difference to the way these mums feel, think, and function in the face on ongoing broken sleep.⁣
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A good prenatal supplement will give you many of these essential nutrients (just remember that not all prenatals are created equally), while a nourishing diet and select additional supplements can support your the rest of the way.

Some days, I feel that being a working mum is like

Some days, I feel that being a working mum is like having the best of both worlds - I get to go out and do what I love, make a contribution beyond my role as mother, and be my own woman for a few hours at a time. And after that, I get to come back and spend time with my daughter, who helps me to cherish the little things, to balance work and life, to be present in the moment.⁣
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I get to have my cake and eat it too.⁣
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Then, at other times, I miss the gift of being with her all the time. Of knowing her every move, of being the keeper of all the knowledge, of sharing every milestone big and small. I miss the slowness of this way of life deeply.⁣
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And I wonder if I’ve made the right choice.⁣
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I’m not happier one way or the other, both roles bring me fulfilment, both have challenges. The pace of life nowadays is, at time, scarily fast. But on the days that I’m somehow keeping all the balls in the air, I feel invincible; like I could do anything, like I could conquer the world.⁣
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Of course, not all the days are this gratifying. Many are exhausting. Some crushingly so - after which I crave the simplicity and slowness of life before.⁣
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I want to wrap this all up in a happy little bow, to declare that I’ve come to a realisation about the better way of life. But I’m on the fence. I could go either way.⁣
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One final reflection I do have is that this new way has brought unforeseen gifts to us all. It’s made space for new roles to flourish and new bonds to build, giving her yet another lens through which to look at life. And it’s made room in my own heart for a yearning that simply didn’t exist in our closeness before.

It’s no secret that I’m an advocate for coslee

It’s no secret that I’m an advocate for cosleeping, most specifically bedsharing. This doesn’t mean that I believe that every family should do it, quite the opposite actually. Instead, I believe that all parents should have access to the full story about safe infant sleep so they can make a *truly* informed decision about what is right for their family based on their preferences, family values, and the safety or risks in their home.⁣
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Although I’ve been very open on here about our family bedsharing, I wasn’t always so sure of myself.⁣
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As a new mother, in those first days after birth, I was simultaneously confident in following my intuition to sleep with my baby whilst also scared by the conflicting advice I was receiving from health professionals about the safety of my decision.⁣
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Bedsharing felt like the most natural and easy thing to do, yet also like I was doing something wrong, especially when I was told time and time again that ‘it’s not safe and it’s not recommended.’⁣
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No one gave me any information about how to do it safely (despite repeatedly asking). It was so black and white. Bassinet good. Bedsharing bad.⁣
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I was left to my own devices to find answers.⁣
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In fact, in the first week of my daughters life, I had her sleeping in a baby nest in between two adults, swaddled snugly - what I quickly learned was a huge no-no for safe bedsharing. But at the time it seemed like the better option because I thought the biggest risk was me rolling on her.⁣
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Hmmmm.⁣
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Had I been given the information when I asked, I wouldn’t have put my baby in this risky position.⁣
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By denying new parents this information we are denying them the right to make an informed decision.⁣
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So, for these reasons and more, nowadays I feel a duty to pass on this information to other new mamas coming up the ranks.⁣
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Bedsharing can be done safely.⁣
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There is solid research on this topic.⁣
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We need to make this information the baseline.⁣
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Support is available if you want it and there are millions of mothers safely bedsharing around the world every night.

Got a burning question about your health? A pesky

Got a burning question about your health? A pesky symptom that’s been bothering you for a while? Or maybe something long-standing, a concern you want to get on top of once and for all?⁣
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I’m excited to share that we are now offering complimentary wellbeing checks at @radius.health.clinic
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These obligation free 20 minutes checks are the perfect opportunity to get some advice on that thing that’s been on your mind.⁣
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We’ll chat about your concern, talk diet and lifestyle, and then I’ll give you a few key pieces of advice and make some supplement recommendations to help get you feeling better.⁣
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Essentially, it’s a mini naturopathic consult, for free.⁣
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These wellbeing checks are a way that we - the team at Radius Health, can be of service to you, especially in light of the current circumstance we are all in.⁣
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It’s also a great way to dip your toe into the waters of working with me. You can try it on for size and see if we’re a good fit.⁣
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I’m available on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for these checks, DM me to book a time or call our beautiful reception team at Radius on 03 7064 5222.

It’s just her and I,⁣ in the dark of the night

It’s just her and I,⁣
in the dark of the night.⁣
The hour is late.⁣
Or is it early?⁣
My wrist turns for the time,⁣
so many times,⁣
please not another time.⁣
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Every night another marathon begins,⁣
my endurance wearing thin.⁣
Stuck on a loop,⁣
a race with no finish line.⁣
Where nights roll into days roll into nights⁣
in a perpetual cycle of unrest.⁣
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Silently I plead to an earless god,⁣
please just a little bit longer,⁣
anything for just one more minute.⁣
I’ve lost count of how many times it’s been.⁣
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Nothing but her and I,⁣
no sense is awake⁣
but for the faint lump of anguish in my throat⁣
as I wonder,⁣
will I ever sleep again?⁣
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She nuzzles in and drifts off.⁣
It’s simple,⁣
so brief and painless.⁣
But still it hurts somewhere deep inside⁣
and I can’t reach the ache to make it stop.⁣
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With every stir the hours slip away.⁣
Reluctantly, I wave farewell to the night⁣
while wearily accepting the morning rise.⁣
See you again at nightfall, hopeful slumber.⁣
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Then, once more, it’s her and I⁣
and the bitter loneliness of the night.⁣
Breathless as the walls close in,⁣
collapsing to the bottom.⁣
Erupting with unknown rage,⁣
I concede,⁣
I can’t take it anymore.⁣
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But there is no giving up,⁣
no nights off,⁣
no one else who can take my place.⁣
From down here I must pick myself up⁣
and continue on for her.⁣
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And so I’m taken by a gentle resignation⁣
for what awaits me in the dark,⁣
as I realise⁣
my suffering exists not in the night,⁣
my suffering is inside me.⁣
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Nothing left but letting go⁣
of my heavy expectations⁣
and false hope.⁣
For there is nothing here to worry about,⁣
no problem that needs to be fixed.⁣
No longer longing for what could be.⁣
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And then I see,⁣
this is what they’re talking about,⁣
the surrendering of motherhood.⁣
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So let go⁣
and just be,⁣
the night whispers in my ear.⁣
These nights are numbered⁣
and your future will look back wistfully.⁣
She’s growing up so fast,⁣
which sleepless night will be the last?⁣
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Until finally,⁣
it’s just her and I⁣
in this moment,⁣
since that’s all we ever have anyway.⁣
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__________⁣
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Repost for any mama out there in the depths of broken sleep 🤍⁣
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#gentleparenting #babyledsleep #tiredmama

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