Simple & Sage | Niagara, ON | Contact Me

both were breastfed both were formula fed one

both were breastfed

both were formula fed

one was the hardest experience of my entire life

one was picture perfect

but, most importantly, both were fed and both are healthy

it’s #worldbreastfeedingweek and I truly think there’s a missing piece in the story we’re told as new mothers.

Us. WE matter. We matter more than how we feed our babies.

I am grateful I was able to breastfeed but what I didn’t know as a new mother was that it was OKAY to prioritize my own health the same way I prioritized theirs

The pain I experienced physically nursing Amelia was awful and I let it go on for months because the emotional pain I was experiencing was so much worse.

It reinforced my belief that I was inherently a bad mother and that I was selfish.

Amelia was gaining weight so choosing to stop breastfeeding meant that I was selfish because I was choosing myself over her needs.

But I mattered. I should have stopped because I was a priority. My mental health mattered.

When Theo was born I knew better. I knew if my experience was the same I would stop and give him formula. When his blood sugar tanked I didn’t question giving him formula. When at 6 months he stopped gaining weight I switched to formula.

I refuse to let another woman believe that their health matters less than their child.

If you breastfed and hated it, if you breastfed and needed to supplement, if you breastfed and it was too painful, if you breastfed and your mental health suffered YOU matter.

we are all healthy - and happy

remember when I said I was making some commitments

here’s the truth about motherhood your heart w

here’s the truth about motherhood

your heart will ache constantly

ache for how you possibly made something so amazing

ache from being terrifying it is to be responsible for raising a human being

ache for how incredibly beautiful this little person is and how you hope they will always know their beauty is the least important thing about them

ache knowing the older they get the less you can shield them from how complex the world around them is and hope that you’ll have the right words when they ask big questions

ache remembering how tiny they once were and for any moment you wished away

ache with pride as they grow and learn

ache when you think about the fact that one day they might have their heart broken

ache thinking about what their future holds and a sense of excitement that’s unmatched

for her it was ice cream with her mama at the same place her parents were married

for her mama it was an indescribable ache; for how much she’s grown and with pride

motherhood is the best and worst ache you’d trade for nothing

in need of some TLC are you feeling the burnout o

in need of some TLC

are you feeling the burnout of the past few months? Check in with your body. It will let you know.

I haven’t been feeling well for awhile and the physical burnout has been hard. Headaches, low energy, hella fatigue, achy body. I’ve been frustrated with myself.

One day this week I acknowledged my stress eating, put the kids in the stroller, and turned on the @joyoushealth podcast about managing anxiety. It gave me perspective.

Joy shared how now more than ever we need to take care of ourselves. I’m guilty of having stress derail my wellness, and I see more and more how in times of high stress staying in touch with my body and what it needs is crucial.

I’ve been working with my naturopath to get me back to feeling my best through diet, supplements, and lifestyle.

One non-negotiable is making time for self care. I soaked in a detox bath tonight with Epsom salts, baking soda, and geranium essential oil. If you haven’t taken a detox bath, you need to!

I’m also committing to a morning routine that sets me up to feel my best all day

Drop a ☀️ if you want to follow along and learn more about my morning routine, my progress, and ideas for your own life

mind blown ⠀ ⠀ when I learned about @the_ateli

mind blown ⠀
⠀
when I learned about @the_atelier_collective Digital 2020 I thought of how inspired I’ve felt in the past by the speakers and this year I needed that inspiration more than ever ⠀
⠀
I remember listening to @elizabeth_gilbert_writer speak and it was like the ultimate lightbulb turn on when she talked about how hard we are on ourselves as women and that we cannot hold ourselves to standards we’d never expect of others: we needed to drop the knives we’ve been holding to our own throat⠀
⠀
I’ve always had high, honestly unattainable, expectations of myself and wonder why I’ve never felt successful. ⠀
⠀
Those words have been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve found myself super depleted, likely from months of juggling it all like so many of you. ⠀
⠀
I thought of how I have criticized myself when I sleep more, or get angry at myself when I lose my cool, or thinking I should throw in the towel before I fall flat on my face. Talk about holding the knife to my own throat. ⠀
⠀
So lately I’ve been consciously reflecting on my thoughts throughout the day. When I sleep in, did I feel guilty? why did I feel guilty? What would I tell another woman if it weren’t me. ⠀
⠀
As I’ve become more aware of how I talk to myself I have been letting go of the restrictive beliefs I’ve had and making space for compassion and appreciation. ⠀
⠀
Are you holding the knife to your throat? ⠀
⠀
It’s exhausting. And it holds us back from greatness. ⠀
⠀
If you see yourself in my criticism of myself I’m reminding you to drop the knife ⠀
⠀

tired just doesn’t begin to describe how I’m f

tired just doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling

but I hear you.

I’m listening to my body and knowing the energy will come if I do so

Are you a go, go, go kinda person?

I used to be, but now I need time to recoup

Admittedly I have been frustrated with myself in by past but piling guilt on top doesn’t attract more energy

so tonight I’m slowly folding laundry with a cup of tea watching reruns of greys anatomy and an early bedtime to give myself the space I need to recoup

If you’re in need of rest give yourself that time, the energy will follow

also ... how is it only Tuesday?!

🥴

GIVEAWAY 🥳⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I'm so excited to partn

GIVEAWAY 🥳⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'm so excited to partner up with Jamie from @runwildplaykits to give one of you a $25 shop credit to purchase a play kit or sensory bin for your littles⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Millie and Theo love playing with their playdough kits and I love watching them use their imagination and senses. The playdough is homemade with natural ingredients and scented with essential oils if you choose.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Jamie is mama to a sweet boy named Harrison and, like me, started Run Wild Play Kits out of a need for a creative outlet when she experienced postpartum depression. She chose play kits because they provides an alternative to screen time, encourages serve and return between the child and caregiver and supports the all around development of the child. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
HOW TO ENTER⁠⠀
➡️ FOLLOW @simplysagemandy and @runwildplaykits⁠⠀
➡️ LIKE and SAVE this photo⁠⠀
➡️ TAG your friends in separate comments - each comment is one entry ⁠⠀
➡️ BONUS: share and tag us in your stories ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway will run until Wednesday at 11:59 PM - winner will be announced Thursday evening. ⁠⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀⁠⠀
Open to all Canadian and US residents. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.⁠⠀⠀
⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀

a little #tbt to this beach babe in her element

a little #tbt to this beach babe in her element

the pure joy on her face when she’s around the water melts me (and terrifies me because she has NO fear)

Pretty sure my body is still playing catch up and needing a whole lot of extra sleep

Anyone else need a vacation after their getaway, just me?

I don’t want to jinx it but this transition to d

I don’t want to jinx it but this transition to daycare is going SO freakin well

They are having a ball playing and have come home in the best moods (despite a cool 45 minute nap)

I forgot how special bath time was when I’m away from them all day. When I went back to work after maternity leave with Amelia I would watch her play in the bath and decompress (and cry a little sometimes). Now I watch them giggle together and I swear they look bigger every day. It’s still grounds me.

The transition this time around has been easier for me - I think because they have each other and I know now that daycare is a good choice for them, not me choosing work over them. Yep, that was my mentality as a first time mom healing on my own - that I had chosen a career over motherhood and she would feel abandoned. I call b*llshit.

As I work to heal myself I call out the lies I would let creep in to my mind often. Instead I know I don’t have to choose one or the other - I can be great at both. Now I see the opportunity they have going to school and after 4 months of balancing it all I am happy I don’t have to spread myself so thin. Tonight I could enjoy watching them play in the bath instead of counting down minutes until bedtime.

On another note, can we talk about how he used to be this small - cue the waterworks 👉

Food
- Kid Approved
House & Home
Life
Printables

Food
- Kid Approved
House & Home
Life
Printables

Motherhood | the good, the bad, and the ordinary

Food
- Kid Approved
House & Home
Life
Printables

Like this:

Like Loading...

instagram

Follow @simplysagemandy

both were breastfed both were formula fed one

both were breastfed

both were formula fed

one was the hardest experience of my entire life

one was picture perfect

but, most importantly, both were fed and both are healthy

it’s #worldbreastfeedingweek and I truly think there’s a missing piece in the story we’re told as new mothers.

Us. WE matter. We matter more than how we feed our babies.

I am grateful I was able to breastfeed but what I didn’t know as a new mother was that it was OKAY to prioritize my own health the same way I prioritized theirs

The pain I experienced physically nursing Amelia was awful and I let it go on for months because the emotional pain I was experiencing was so much worse.

It reinforced my belief that I was inherently a bad mother and that I was selfish.

Amelia was gaining weight so choosing to stop breastfeeding meant that I was selfish because I was choosing myself over her needs.

But I mattered. I should have stopped because I was a priority. My mental health mattered.

When Theo was born I knew better. I knew if my experience was the same I would stop and give him formula. When his blood sugar tanked I didn’t question giving him formula. When at 6 months he stopped gaining weight I switched to formula.

I refuse to let another woman believe that their health matters less than their child.

If you breastfed and hated it, if you breastfed and needed to supplement, if you breastfed and it was too painful, if you breastfed and your mental health suffered YOU matter.

we are all healthy - and happy

remember when I said I was making some commitments

here’s the truth about motherhood your heart w

here’s the truth about motherhood

your heart will ache constantly

ache for how you possibly made something so amazing

ache from being terrifying it is to be responsible for raising a human being

ache for how incredibly beautiful this little person is and how you hope they will always know their beauty is the least important thing about them

ache knowing the older they get the less you can shield them from how complex the world around them is and hope that you’ll have the right words when they ask big questions

ache remembering how tiny they once were and for any moment you wished away

ache with pride as they grow and learn

ache when you think about the fact that one day they might have their heart broken

ache thinking about what their future holds and a sense of excitement that’s unmatched

for her it was ice cream with her mama at the same place her parents were married

for her mama it was an indescribable ache; for how much she’s grown and with pride

motherhood is the best and worst ache you’d trade for nothing

in need of some TLC are you feeling the burnout o

in need of some TLC

are you feeling the burnout of the past few months? Check in with your body. It will let you know.

I haven’t been feeling well for awhile and the physical burnout has been hard. Headaches, low energy, hella fatigue, achy body. I’ve been frustrated with myself.

One day this week I acknowledged my stress eating, put the kids in the stroller, and turned on the @joyoushealth podcast about managing anxiety. It gave me perspective.

Joy shared how now more than ever we need to take care of ourselves. I’m guilty of having stress derail my wellness, and I see more and more how in times of high stress staying in touch with my body and what it needs is crucial.

I’ve been working with my naturopath to get me back to feeling my best through diet, supplements, and lifestyle.

One non-negotiable is making time for self care. I soaked in a detox bath tonight with Epsom salts, baking soda, and geranium essential oil. If you haven’t taken a detox bath, you need to!

I’m also committing to a morning routine that sets me up to feel my best all day

Drop a ☀️ if you want to follow along and learn more about my morning routine, my progress, and ideas for your own life

mind blown ⠀ ⠀ when I learned about @the_ateli

mind blown ⠀
⠀
when I learned about @the_atelier_collective Digital 2020 I thought of how inspired I’ve felt in the past by the speakers and this year I needed that inspiration more than ever ⠀
⠀
I remember listening to @elizabeth_gilbert_writer speak and it was like the ultimate lightbulb turn on when she talked about how hard we are on ourselves as women and that we cannot hold ourselves to standards we’d never expect of others: we needed to drop the knives we’ve been holding to our own throat⠀
⠀
I’ve always had high, honestly unattainable, expectations of myself and wonder why I’ve never felt successful. ⠀
⠀
Those words have been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve found myself super depleted, likely from months of juggling it all like so many of you. ⠀
⠀
I thought of how I have criticized myself when I sleep more, or get angry at myself when I lose my cool, or thinking I should throw in the towel before I fall flat on my face. Talk about holding the knife to my own throat. ⠀
⠀
So lately I’ve been consciously reflecting on my thoughts throughout the day. When I sleep in, did I feel guilty? why did I feel guilty? What would I tell another woman if it weren’t me. ⠀
⠀
As I’ve become more aware of how I talk to myself I have been letting go of the restrictive beliefs I’ve had and making space for compassion and appreciation. ⠀
⠀
Are you holding the knife to your throat? ⠀
⠀
It’s exhausting. And it holds us back from greatness. ⠀
⠀
If you see yourself in my criticism of myself I’m reminding you to drop the knife ⠀
⠀

tired just doesn’t begin to describe how I’m f

tired just doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling

but I hear you.

I’m listening to my body and knowing the energy will come if I do so

Are you a go, go, go kinda person?

I used to be, but now I need time to recoup

Admittedly I have been frustrated with myself in by past but piling guilt on top doesn’t attract more energy

so tonight I’m slowly folding laundry with a cup of tea watching reruns of greys anatomy and an early bedtime to give myself the space I need to recoup

If you’re in need of rest give yourself that time, the energy will follow

also ... how is it only Tuesday?!

🥴

GIVEAWAY 🥳⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I'm so excited to partn

GIVEAWAY 🥳⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'm so excited to partner up with Jamie from @runwildplaykits to give one of you a $25 shop credit to purchase a play kit or sensory bin for your littles⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Millie and Theo love playing with their playdough kits and I love watching them use their imagination and senses. The playdough is homemade with natural ingredients and scented with essential oils if you choose.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Jamie is mama to a sweet boy named Harrison and, like me, started Run Wild Play Kits out of a need for a creative outlet when she experienced postpartum depression. She chose play kits because they provides an alternative to screen time, encourages serve and return between the child and caregiver and supports the all around development of the child. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
HOW TO ENTER⁠⠀
➡️ FOLLOW @simplysagemandy and @runwildplaykits⁠⠀
➡️ LIKE and SAVE this photo⁠⠀
➡️ TAG your friends in separate comments - each comment is one entry ⁠⠀
➡️ BONUS: share and tag us in your stories ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway will run until Wednesday at 11:59 PM - winner will be announced Thursday evening. ⁠⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀⁠⠀
Open to all Canadian and US residents. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.⁠⠀⠀
⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀

a little #tbt to this beach babe in her element

a little #tbt to this beach babe in her element

the pure joy on her face when she’s around the water melts me (and terrifies me because she has NO fear)

Pretty sure my body is still playing catch up and needing a whole lot of extra sleep

Anyone else need a vacation after their getaway, just me?

I don’t want to jinx it but this transition to d

I don’t want to jinx it but this transition to daycare is going SO freakin well

They are having a ball playing and have come home in the best moods (despite a cool 45 minute nap)

I forgot how special bath time was when I’m away from them all day. When I went back to work after maternity leave with Amelia I would watch her play in the bath and decompress (and cry a little sometimes). Now I watch them giggle together and I swear they look bigger every day. It’s still grounds me.

The transition this time around has been easier for me - I think because they have each other and I know now that daycare is a good choice for them, not me choosing work over them. Yep, that was my mentality as a first time mom healing on my own - that I had chosen a career over motherhood and she would feel abandoned. I call b*llshit.

As I work to heal myself I call out the lies I would let creep in to my mind often. Instead I know I don’t have to choose one or the other - I can be great at both. Now I see the opportunity they have going to school and after 4 months of balancing it all I am happy I don’t have to spread myself so thin. Tonight I could enjoy watching them play in the bath instead of counting down minutes until bedtime.

On another note, can we talk about how he used to be this small - cue the waterworks 👉

this weekend I watched Amelia be comfortable playi

this weekend I watched Amelia be comfortable playing alone, express herself, and make friends with ease ⁠
⁠
I was proud of her ⁠
⁠
we were walking to the bathroom together and talking about her first day back to school when she said to me:⁠
⁠
“What if no one wants to be my friend”⁠
⁠
my. heart.⁠
⁠
I feel the tears collecting just thinking back on her little voice asking me this big question ⁠
⁠
I told her it was ok to be nervous and when she felt that way to take a deep breath and then introduce herself - I didn’t really answer the question, I wasn’t sure how ⁠
⁠
I know she didn’t need a complicated answer right there but rather little reminders every day about how special she is.

I think that’s true of all of us as women and as mothers

The lessons we learn day to day, the choices we make, it’s easy to forgot the little victories⁠
⁠
Yesterday was her first day of school and she told us about how she introduced herself. She was proud of herself. I was just as proud then as I was watching her this weekend. ⁠

⁠
What do you do to build yourself or your little ones up day to day?

Work with Me

About Mandy
Work with Me
Contact

Stay up to Date

First Name E-Mail Address

On the Blog

Food
- Kid Approved
House & Home
Life
Printables

Copyright © 2020 Simple & Sage · Theme by 17th Avenue

%d bloggers like this: