Reflection

As we tip-toe closer to the end of our time here we need to start making choices about what our future holds for us. Making plans has alway been a habit of mine, the plans are incredibly fluid and prone to change but in my little notebook there will always be an extensive plan outlining our goals and thoughts for the next few years. These plans were usually quite ambitious but always a little way in the future, but now, after our somewhat sudden upheaval, everything has been brought to the present, without our things we no longer have the ties that we were hiding behind, the reasons not to do the adventurous things, the exciting things we dreamt of. 

But, I realise now how torn I am, how much I miss the comfort of our day to day existence, the friends, the activities, the joy of a warm house. I know when our time here has come to an end how heavy my heart will be, how much being close to my family has meant to me, the opportunity for my family to get to know Bean and Little Bit a bit better, the chance to reconnect with old friends. I know tomorrow is full of adventure and excitement, the golden suns and splashing waves that my heart is yearning for on these blustery grey days but no blue sky or warm breeze will take away our need for those we love, for our friends and our families. 

We want so much to learn and explore but are  coming to realise that we will also still need roots, a home in-between wanderings, and that roots need to be planted somewhere, but the question is where? How can we marry our conflicting wants and needs? So we are trying to answer these questions and paint a vision of our future that makes our hearts sing. I am hoping soon that we will be able to share it with you. For now we will sit in the present, drinking in the things that make this moment special before our world changes again.

This week I am grateful for...

• Nights where we are all in-sync
• Ice cream and catch ups
• Good friends
• Sharing a weathered smile
• Moments alone with Bean
• Smooth skin and button noses
• Knowing that even on bad days the love is still there
• Moments of laughter on days filled with tears
• A rare blue sky

Finding new priorities

We have finally taken some time to sit down together and discuss what direction we are heading in together. In some ways it was a hard conversation, to admit that our original plans were perhaps a little to ambitious and that I am, in fact, not super woman. We came to a wonderful realisation that for us the only thing that truly matters is that we can be together and to enjoy our time together in as stress free and relaxed way as possible. So for now our plans have changed (about 3 times so far this week) but we're getting a clearer vision about what it is that we want, not just for this year but for our families future, we now can start to see what our long term goals are.

This week I am grateful for...

• Bean starting to feel better
• Having M around
• Snuggly evenings in front of the fire
• Soft, snuffly sleepy breathes
• The freedom to choose
• Quality time with my sister
• Friends in far away places
• A good nights sleep

How to make: Placenta encapsulation

Sliced placenta

Steamed placenta

Dried placenta

Finely ground placenta

After a particularly stressful week I have never been so thankful for the hormonal support my placenta has been giving me. There was a small lapse in timing in-between finishing my course of smoothies and starting taking my placenta pills and, gosh, did I feel it. I was a hormonal mess for about a day and a half, but lo and behold as soon as I started taking my placenta pills I have been feeling calmer and centred again.

We made two different types of placenta pill, raw and steamed. The raw ones have more of a kick to them but the steamed ones keep better.

Instructions

(By M)

Raw:

• Wash the placenta, removing any bloodclots along with the membrane (a bit like removing the skin from a chicken breast)
• Finely slice the placenta – the finer the slices the faster it will dehydrate.
• Place on a foil-lined baking tray and pop in the oven on its lowest heat until fully dried (50C / 110F. You may have to prop the oven door open if it gets too hot – you're drying it, not cooking it). That means no pink bits, the pieces of placenta should snap when folded, not tear! This can take up to 8 hours, turn halfway through.
• Remove from the foil (some might take some persuading) and put in your pestle and mortar. You could probably use a coffee grinder, but traditional Chinese medicine says this creates too much energy (?) apparently. Besides, grinding it by hand is much more satisfying.

Steamed:

• See stage 1 of 'Raw' above.
• Place the placenta in a steamer above a pan of boiling water. Only fill with water to a couple of inches depth as you don't want it boiling over. Steam the placenta with some lemon, ginger and chilli.
• As for 'Raw' above, place in the oven on the lowest possible heat.
• Grind it!

Now to encapsulate your placenta powder… You can buy a specialist encapsulator but I used a folded piece of card to fill the capsules (think refilling a pot of glitter). It's a bit fiddly, but oddly therapeutic.

Yield-wise we got roughly 30 steamed and 40 raw. We did previously remove five thumbsize pieces for smoothies and a walnut sized piece for a tincture so you may well get more, dependant on placenta size of course. Keep refrigerated in a lidded jar and take 1-2 daily.

A lesson in letting go

I have never been the calmest or easiest of people, the storms that once raged inside me have subsided and no longer control me but I am still not what you would call laid back. At the beginning of the year I made an intention to let go of expectations and this week has been an exercise in testing that. Our new neighbours have been doing some 'building work, nothing much' (ahem) which constitutes pneumatic drilling for six hours a day for a week so far, although it is now looking like it will be at least a few extra days if not a week. So we have been out of the house by 9.30 every morning looking for a place to roam, not exactly the relaxing 40 days of bedding in I had fantasised about. Luckily I have happy (placenta) pills to take the edge off but I am using this as a catalyst to work on my ability to let go of expectations and face the world with a calm smile. Something I am feeling more and more able to do. I think the more I look on our lives with eyes of gratitude the easier it becomes to look past the parts that are less than perfect and see how very much we have to be thankful for. So we will be using this extra push to get us out of the house and interacting more with the world around us, to explore, connect and adventure.

This week I am grateful for...

• Having my parents to retreat to
• Meditation
• Restarting my yoga practice
• Sleeping at the weekends 
• Crisp winter blue skies
• One of my all time best roasts
• Kisses and cuddles
• Raw chocolate
• Surprise packages from friends

A new start

This week has been a life changing one. We now find ourselves the parents of two perfect little girls and all the joys and challenges that brings.  We have found ourselves trying to adjust to a new balance within the family, not just Bean adjusting to having a sibling, but for M and I learning to readjust our roles. I had had an idea that I would rest and recuperate for a long period of time after the birth but I had no idea how much I would struggle letting go, having been so used to keeping on top of everything, how much of a spare part taking a back seat would make me feel. So we are taking it slowly, finding a new rhythm and facing the challenges of everyday as it comes. It is not always easy but we know that together as a family we can work through anything and are just eternally grateful for the opportunity to have the time to do so.

This week I am grateful for...

• Having the time to find ourselves as a family
• My breath being taken away by how supportive my family have been
• Placenta (my days without it were a hormonal mess)
• Hot cocoa after walks in the rain
• Bean's shrieks of laughter echoing around us
• Placenta (my days without it were a hormonal mess)
• Hot cocoa after walks in the rain
• The smell of Little Bit's soft, smooshie face
• Blissful snuggles

How to make: Placenta smoothies

In the animal kingdom it is common for mammals to consume their placentas after birth. Placentas are incredibly powerful and are instrumental in healing a post birth body. Some of the reported benefits include:

• Significantly reduced blood loss
• Helping to beat the 'baby blues' when the milk comes in
• Helps the body heal internal wounds
• Increases milk production, with milk 'coming in' a day or two earlier
• The hormones help boost mood and energy

To get the most benefit the placenta is consumed raw (not as yucky as it sounds I promise!) and as soon as after birth as is possible.

We decided to have a course of placenta smoothies (as well as other goodies) to help my body heal quicker after the birth. After cleaning, removing blood clots and membrane we cut and set aside 5 thumb size pieces of placenta and kept them in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Chopped and ready placenta looking a bit like raspberry coulis 

All smoothies (and the placenta) were prepared by my very lovely and helpful husband M (Thank you!!). These are the recipes for the smoothies but are not precise, add more of less of things to taste.

Day 1

Berry Smoothie

1 teaspoon raw honey
3 tablespoons of organic live yogurt
200 ml coconut water
A pinch of true cinnamon (not cassia)
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 Banana
A handful of frozen blueberries
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 2

Cacao, Banana and Peanut Butter

1 teaspoon raw cacao powder
3 tablespoons of organic live yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar free peanut butter
1 banana
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
200 ml coconut water
A pinch of true cinnamon
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 3

Green smoothie

A couple of handfuls of kale
A couple of sprigs of mint
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 tablespoon organic live yogurt
200 ml coconut water
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 banana
A handful of frozen blueberries
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 4 

Raspberry Ripple Smoothie

A larger handful of frozen raspberries
1/2 teaspoon good quality vanilla essence
4 tablespoons organic live yogurt
1 banana
200ml coconut water
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 5

Cacao, Banana and Peanut butter

(Again because it was so delicious!)

See Day 2

Results

Firstly, you cannot taste the placenta! They simply taste like very yummy smoothies yet make an incredible difference to the way I have felt after Arlo's birth. I have felt massively less emotional and stressed; I have been feeling much more able to take things in my stride and as of yet have not weeped since the birth! I have a lot more energy (although still feeling rather sleep deprived) and able to concentrate. The post-partum bleeding has been noticeably less compared to Bean's birth. My milk came in properly on day two without any real emotional excess, just a few instances of me being a wee bit tetchy. As is common with number 2, the after pains have been pretty intense but my body has changed insanely in just a few days, my bump's almost completely gone and my body is beginning to feel strong again.

The number of positive benefits have far outlived my expectations and would do it again in a heartbeat, should we ever decide to do it again.

Did you do anything with your placenta? Have you tried placenta smoothies? What was your experience?

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A look back on the year past

We have so very much to be grateful for looking back over the past year. We have met many new and wonderful people, strengthened bonds with the incredible people we already have in our lives and had exotic adventures. So much has changed and 2013 looks to have been the gateway to many new and exciting adventures in the coming year.

I am thankful for 2013...

A truly beautiful family escape to the shores of Sri Lanka that opened our eyes to the possibilities and dreams we held close
Discovering my love of turtles
Learning to forgive
Watching old friends find new joy
Building heartfelt and true friendships
The safe arrival of our tiny treasure Little Bit
Daring to dream bigger
Realising how loved and treasured we are
Finding out that long held assumptions are wrong
Long, laughter filled family days
Early morning kisses and cuddles
Beautiful new places ready to be explored
Endless possibilties

Next year is set to be an exciting and transitional year. I am setting intentions to make it beautiful and magical in every way that I can

In 2014 I will...

Treasure the people in our lives for who they truly are
Let go of expectations
Dare to live my dreams
Be true to myself
Try to find the good in every situation and person
Heal old wounds
Be thankful for how truly blessed we are
Not waste a drop

What about this last year has made you grateful? Have you set any intentions for the coming year?

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