motherhood

7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Find Out Your Baby’s Gender

November 1, 2018 By Ashley McKeown 32 Comments

You might be wondering, "Should I find out the gender of my baby?" I don't think so! If you want to experience the biggest and best surprise of your life, waiting until delivery to learn your baby's gender will be an incredible moment. Want some more great reasons not to find out your baby's gender? Read this post and then share if you agree or not! #pregnancy #newbaby #babysgender #surprise #keepitasurprise

We didn’t find out our baby’s gender when I was pregnant.

It took some work to convince my husband, but eventually, we got used to the idea of not knowing. It became a bright spot in my rough pregnancy.

If I have another kid, I plan to repeat the surprise ending, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone. Here’s why:

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The Worst Advice for New Moms

October 30, 2018 By Ashley McKeown 8 Comments

Whether you're a new or seasoned mom, you've probably heard a lot of parenting advice. Some of the tips for new moms can be helpful, but a lot are not, and there's one piece of advice that's the worst. This cliche offers no encouragement and can create mom guilt, especially if you're already feeling new mom anxiety. This is the worst advice for new moms #newmom #momtips #firstpregnancy #encouragementformoms #newmomadvice #motherhood #rawmotherhood

As soon as you say “I Do”, it never fails that someone you know will wonder when you’ll have a baby.

They might even ask if you’re “trying”, or offer advice about your ticking biological clock.

Then when you become pregnant, people feel the need to weigh in on everything. Being pregnant, giving birth, and having a kid means spending the rest of your life receiving unwanted, and often unhelpful advice.

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How to Use Your 5 Senses to Practice Intentional Mindfulness

October 23, 2018 By Ashley McKeown Leave a Comment

If you missed the first part of this post, pause and go read What is Intentional Mindfulness, and How Do You Practice It?

Intentional Mindfulness is really about using your 5 senses to engage in what’s around you.

These skills are always with you and can be used anywhere, and they’re often the key to calming your mind.

Whether it’s because you’re having a panic attack and need to feel grounded, or you’re feeling so angry that you want to explode, engaging your 5 senses will allow you to get out of your head and concentrate on your body.

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What is Intentional Mindfulness, and How Do You Practice It?

October 23, 2018 By Ashley McKeown 2 Comments

What is intentional mindfulness, and how do you practice it?

Well first, let me tell you that I am a terrible multitasker.

I don’t try to pretend I’m not, but I’ve always wondered why I don’t seem to have this amazing quality that so many women seem to possess. My husband’s been frustrated more than once at my inability to listen to him AND watch a movie at the same time. Cooking three things at once sends me into a complete panic, and I need complete silence to read or work. My home is always covered in never-ending to-do lists that I struggle to keep up with.

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motherhood

When you have a baby, you also begin another challenge: making ‘mom friends.’

We didn’t find out our baby’s gender when I was pregnant.

As soon as you say “I Do”, it never fails that someone you know will wonder when you’ll have a baby.

Intentional Mindfulness is really about using your 5 senses to engage in what’s around you.

What is intentional mindfulness, and how do you practice it?