Let’s start at the beginning.
On the 14th February 2012, two things happened to me. First, I puked cocoa pops through my nose. Second, I found out that I was pregnant. Admittedly, the sudden realisation that I was creating another life got me thinking a whole lot of crazy stuff, but once I sifted through ten or so pregnancy tests, tamed the waves of nausea and all sorts of doubts, my mind cleared and it all began to make sense. In creating a life and growing a child, I suddenly realised that I needed to take the best care of myself, mentally, physically and spiritually to make sure that I delivered this baby safely and as healthily as possibly.
It seemed unthinkable to me to do anything that would prevent this baby from being born as pure and as healthy as can be. So, I stopped with the junk food, alcohol, artificial sugars, fatty foods and caffeine. I started listening to my body. Resting and sleeping when I needed to (something we do not do enough) and connecting with myself and the little baby growing inside me.
Everyone has their epiphany in their own way. Mine came to me with the knowledge that I had another life to take care of. It’s a shame that I didn’t always have the same regard for my own well-being so that I could have started this process long before I was pregnant but I’m glad either way that I got here in the end.
Once my son was born, my thoughts on natural living extended beyond him, beyond myself and my body, to our whole way of living. His pureness was and is my inspiration to make ourselves as healthy and natural as we can be, not just with what we eat, but what we utilise in and out of our home, the way we furnish our home and how we interact with each other and the rest of the complex world. There is much that we didn’t and haven’t achieved but much that we have and will achieve in the future.
We didn’t use cloth nappies nor natural wipes or cleaning cloths – this is still a goal, perhaps for baby number two (if there is one!) But I did breastfeed exclusively for four months until my milk supply wasn’t enough and we supplemented it with formula.
When he started solids, we made our own healthy and nutritious meals for him and we use natural almond oil on his hair and skin. He has more love and more of our time than he has toys. He has more books than he has gadgets and most of his clothes have been presents, donations and hand-me-downs.
I am a busy, self-employed, mum. My husband is a busy, self-employed dad. Choosing to live naturally does not come easily to us. But we are trying. Day by day, month by month, a little at a time. If we can be, we are. When we can be, we do. This is what we are choosing to do and we absolutely do not judge those who don’t. Nor do we think our way is right, but we do think it is right for us.
We are a work in progress (there have been lapses and convenience often wins). We are a journey far from over but at least we know where we are going.
Are you on a similar journey to us? I would love to hear from you and how your efforts to live naturally are going. Inspire me please.
Trying to live naturally... 