Ready Set Grow

A Love Poem for My Georgie Girl

My favorite thing to do after nursing you to sleep,
which often soothes you too
whenever you stir,
is to hold your tiny hand
and put my forehead right against yours,
feeling your soft skin against mine,
smelling the sweet and sour smell of your breath,
made of the milk that flowed from my body into yours
and back into mine as I inhale your every exhale,
hearing the quiet snoring and soft sighs while you slumber peacefully in my arms,
safe, close, comforted, and soothed
by the same biological connection that soothes my mama heart.

A full sensory experience,
I take it all in
knowing this closeness,
this intimacy,
this intense and unique connection,
is fleeting
and is only ours
and will soon be gone.

I of course, take all the pictures too, attempting to capture this feeling,
and I will look back at them fondly
just as I do the similar pictures of your brother and sister.

But this.
This connection.
This sweet and tender assault on my senses.
I’ll savor it until it’s gone.
My last child.
My last baby.
I love you my Georgie girl.

xo, Daniele

⁣
Postpartum is such an intense time...⁣
of healing,⁣
adjustment,⁣
exhaustion, ⁣
and of discovering your new identity. ⁣
⁣
It’s a time filled with learning and loving this new person... ⁣
the one you birthed,⁣
and the one you are becoming.⁣

It’s a combination of changes that are simultaneously too fast ⁣
and achingly slow. ⁣
⁣
It’s disorienting in a way that is matched by no other.⁣

And it can feel really, really hard.⁣

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬, 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞!

Click our link in bio for all updated classes, workshops and events!

📷

This picture was a surprise (just like the baby in it). ⁣
⁣
As I went into the photo album to try to find something black & white (to maintain my barely noticeable, unnecessary except it makes me happy, photo grid pattern), I came across this picture the photographer had snapped with an apology and a shrug. It was a brief moment she decided to capture and frankly I’d forgotten all about it. ⁣
⁣
I was looking for a beautiful, IG perfect pic of my baby. ⁣
This isn’t it. ⁣
I wasn’t getting my picture taken that day. ⁣
I was un-showered, my hair (and probably my teeth) un-brushed. ⁣
The photographer and I are good friends so I wasn’t even wearing clothes, walking around in a robe, and taking a quick minute to “top my baby off” so she’d be happy and cooperative for the session. ⁣
⁣
Why she included this pic in the gallery I have no idea. ⁣
Or maybe I do. ⁣
Maybe she knew I’d love this completely unposed picture. This realistic view of early postpartum.
That I’d want to remember the double chin, the greasy hair, the hairy legs, the tired eyes, and the utter adoration on my face as I gaze at my new baby. ⁣
⁣It’s hard, it’s exhausting, and I’ll miss it when it’s over. I won’t even know it’s ending until it’s gone.

📷

We’re often asked when is a good time to start doing yoga. ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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T𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞! Whether you're 6 weeks or 36 weeks there is so much you can get out of pregnancy focused movement classes:⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫 ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 & 𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐬⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It’s a big list!⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Before and after baby arrives, we want to see you taking care of yourself! ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤? ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We know life can get chaotic while preparing for a new baby so we offer recordings of every class if you can’t make it last minute, need to leave early, etc. ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Plus we have an On-Dmand library with over 130 videos to choose from where you can search by teacher or class type. ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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𝗪𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫. ⁣⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⁣⁣⁣For more info on all classes and schedules, check out the link in our bio!

Today is 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
AND⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
July is 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 for Portland!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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We’re celebrating today by sharing one of our favorite images by one of our favorite q***r affirming artists and powerful voices in the fight for equity for all parents and people. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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We want to continue to honor and hold space for all of the strong families who continue to fight for their intersectional rights in this society. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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We send our love and support and hope to continue to be part of the process in healing and empowerment.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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This image is permanently displayed in our studio along with other powerful and beautiful images by ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Hey! Did you know there are 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥 and 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 classes
every 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲
with 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬 Goetz at the ⁣
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 studio?

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 (𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞!): 𝟏𝟏-𝟏𝟐:𝟏𝟓𝐩𝐦
and
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 & 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 + 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩: 𝟏𝟐:𝟑𝟎-𝟏:𝟒𝟓𝐩𝐦⁣
⁣
Prenatal yoga can help with so many things like,⁣
•𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬⁣
•𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡⁣
•𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣
•𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧)⁣
•𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 (there is not nearly enough focus on this in our systems/culture but that’s for another post)⁣
•𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 (partly applies to the above)⁣

Postpartum yoga can help with
• 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡
• 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲
• 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬
• 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
• 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲
• 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠
• 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
• 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
• 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
⁣
..and so much more (but I only get so many characters and I can go on and on about this topic, as some of you know)⁣
⁣
𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐚, 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐰𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧).⁣
⁣
You can 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐮𝐩 for her class at the 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨!

-Daniele and the RSG fam ⁣

Kid's + Family Yoga, Dance, & Movement Classes at RSG!

We LOVE having the sounds and sights of our littlest members in the studio,
• exploring their world
• finding joy and calm
• socializing with other kids
• bonding with caregivers & siblings
• nurturing creativity
• learning emotional regulation tools
• exercising their bodies and brains

all while having
SO. MUCH. FUN!

Here are some of our kid-friendly, baby-friendly, and family-friendly classes!

𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 & 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟗:𝟑𝟎-𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟎𝐚𝐦

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 - 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 (𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 - 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞): 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟏-𝟐:𝟏𝟓𝐩𝐦

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 (𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞!):
𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟏𝟏-𝟏𝟐:𝟏𝟓𝐩𝐦, 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟐-𝟑:𝟏𝟓𝐩𝐦 & 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟐-𝟑:𝟏𝟓𝐩𝐦

𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬! 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟐:𝟑𝟎-𝟑:𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟎-𝟏𝟐𝐩𝐦

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟏-𝟐𝐩𝐦 & 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟏:𝟑𝟎-𝟐:𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦

***𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐧: 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞!

Ready Set GROW!!

Today I heard someone say, “This is how you get your body back after birth.” I threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Can we just stop with this harmful narrative about birthing bodies and bodies that menstruate?!? That some other version of this body is better or more worthy of love and care?!?! This body - THIS BODY HERE AND NOW - is beautiful, is worthy, is enough.

Let go of the past: There is no going back to my previous body.

Embrace the now: This is the body I have.

Hope for the future: Care for this body so it will serve my daily movements as long as possible.

I’m actively doing this work for myself so that my children might have a chance to opt out this stupid cycle of self-hatred and not-enoughness. Don’t talk about dieting in front of my kids. Don’t talk negatively about your body in front of my kids. I’m working so hard to give them a foundation of love and appreciation for their bodies. Every night I sing, “You are so big, so strong and so mighty! There’s nothing that you cannot do!” I had better live like this is the truth for ME too.

“Love your hands! Love them. Raise them up and kiss them. Touch others with them, pat them together, stroke them on your face… Love your mouth… This is flesh… Flesh that needs to be loved. Feet that need to rest and to dance; backs that need support; shoulders that need arms, strong arms… Love your neck; put a hand on it, grace it, stroke it and hold it up. And all your inside parts that they’d just as soon slop for hogs, you got to love them. The dark, dark liver — love it, love it, and the beat and beating heart, love that too. More than eyes or feet. More than lungs that have yet to draw free air. More than your life-holding womb and your life-giving private parts… love your heart. For this is the prize.” Toni Morrison, Beloved