THE FIRST ONE THOUSAND DAYS
MOVEMENTS & MOMENTS
Nourishing Ourselves through
the Beginnings of Motherhood
At Movement Halo sometimes we have the opportunity to present special edition workshops, in October I have been blessed the chance to collaborate with local nutritionist and fertility educator, Angelica Hazel; we have long been working in parallel fields and this is the first time our schedules have aligned to collaborate on a new project equally together.
Many years ago we met Angelica Hazel as a student of our studio when she was pregnant with her first child, at the time she was developing a beautiful line of bespoke teas ~ and we continue to stock these at the studio for our students to enjoy before classes.
Angelica Hazel currently specialises as a clinical nutritionist & fertility educator; this is an area that I am personally passionate about ~ especially since the birth of my second child and I can safely say, Angelica Hazel feels the same. As mothers we know first-hand that nutrition and vitality is paramount to having the energy to raise children, while also running multiple business or projects daily.
Together we created The Aerial Project ~ Mama Edition as a 2hr immersive workshop focusing on fertility, pre- and post-natal health. We both have felt the direct experience of the benefits of nourishment during the pre and post natal journey. Often this is more evident with a second child and the opportunity to learn from the first experience of both birth and post natal burn-out.
Recently Angelica Hazel and I sat down to unravel our vision for the MAMA EDITION workshop, and why we feel called to serving mothers ~
Zoe Zephyr: “What are some of the reasons you want to educate new mothers?”
Angelica Hazel: “Motherhood is one of the most amazing experiences that anyone can have but it can also be confusing, emotional, challenging and ever changing. We all want the absolute best for our children and because of this yearning we tend to search for information to better equip us, and gone are the days when we can rely on the support of a ‘village’ to (help us) raise our children. We are forced to be all things for everyone, and we are left with the huge task of raising a healthy and happy baby whilst living in this crazy busy world that expects so much of us. What I am hoping to provide is evidence-based knowledge in a practical setting so that our participants can leave with knowledge on how to nourish themselves and their babies.”
ZZ: “Absolutely, our lives are so busy and there a myriad of information ~ especially for mothers. But there’s also a lack of practical resources that help create down-to-earth strategies for movement and nutrition. Can you talk a little bit about this concept of the first 1000 days?”
AH: “Yes. The ‘first thousand days’ refers to conception to age two. The first 1000 days are a time of tremendous potential and enormous vulnerability. How well or how poorly mothers and children are nourished and cared for during this time has a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn and thrive.”
ZZ: ‘Wow, that seems like a really crucial time. But I know for myself the exhaustion and hustle of motherhood is relentless, sometimes the thought of doing more for ourselves is pretty overwhelming.”
AH: “Literally this might seem like a lot of pressure to put on the mother-to-be, or new mothers and couples. But I really like to reframe it away from ‘a time period when lots of shit can wrong’ to really a time period that provides us with an amazing opportunity to shape our child’s health.”
ZZ: “Yes, I love that. And for me, the motivation to look after myself is so very strong now. After I birthed my son I felt driven to recover better and nourish myself completely. But its evident that this concept still triggers a western cultural idea that we should sacrifice ourselves for our children, or that we shouldn’t prioritise ourselves over babies.”
AH: “Postpartum nourishment is often an area that is neglected. Regardless of the birth story it is important to acknowledge what your body has just gone through and produced and to nourish yourself. Also, during the postpartum period you are sleep deprived, adjusting to your new role as a mother and often so busy with the new life you have created so it can be challenging to prioritise your own health; society tells us its normal to feel exhausted as a mother and this doesn’t have to be the whole truth. I also really encourage engaging with other health practitioners such as a pelvic floor physio, counsellor or psychologist and Chinese medicine practitioners ~ as they can really make a difference to overall health and how you feel within yourself.”
ZZ: “100 percent true. Investing in the mother is vital for the health of the whole family. My contribution to this workshop is to encourage mothers to rest the nervous system. And of course I am an advocate of cardio and other styles of exercise and movement during the pre and post natal phases ~ but the nervous system of mothers is so often overlooked. As caregivers we skim over the notion of deep rest, and as you mentioned the body (and mind) have gone through a massive transformation while creating and birthing a new life. As we transition (to motherhood) we have the responsibility of keeping the baby, then child, alive/fulfilled/nurtured and we are so regularly living in a flight or fight mode of worry and overachievement ~ and then often a cycle of overwhelm and collapse. The movement inside the Aerial Hammock supports the mama body to rest and recharge. Because without deeply nurturing ourselves there’s no way we can serve from an empty cup.”
AH: “Ah, I love that too. I’m really excited to be presenting this offering together.”