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Pregnant In Vancouver: Where I went for my pre and postnatal care

March 9, 2020
alicia fashionista, south community birthing program, acumamas, uphoria yoga, the cheerful pelvis, vancouver prenatal

From prenatal classes to massage and even yoga. These are the places in Vancouver that I went to during my pregnancy and postpartum.

They say it takes a village and I believe that starts even while you’re growing that little baby. There are so many ups and downs during pregnancy emotionally, but also physically. It’s important to take care of yourself as you grow a little human! I carried very low, which meant I faced a lot of pelvic pain and had to seek help to manage it. A happy tradeoff though, as I didn’t have much heartburn or kicks to the ribs with her settling so low for so long.

I had such great experiences throughout my pregnancy, I wanted to share where I went for a midwife, prenatal classes, massage, acupuncture, prenatal yoga, pelvic floor physio, and labour/delivery. In terms of postnatal care, please note that I am only a few weeks postpartum and will likely have more to add to this list as time goes on!

I live in East Vancouver, so I will say that most of the places mentioned are on this side of the city. I hope you still find this list helpful and if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below or shoot me an email.

Midwife Group Care at South Community Birth Program

The South Community Birth Program came to us highly recommended by many friends. Adam and I already see a Doctor at South Hill Family Health Centre, which is attached to SCBP, so it was really a no-brainer for us. We loved how medical-based the Midwife group is and we opted for their group care option. That included attending a monthly (and later on, bi-weekly) prenatal group/checkup with other couples who were due within a few weeks of us from 20 weeks onward.

I’ll admit that I was skeptical as things began about the group and sometimes wondered what was “so great” about it. Now that I’ve had a baby in the program, I can honestly say that they are the best of the best. The care and attention we received during labour and the support they offered us afterward is incredible. I love that they always have a midwife on rotation at the hospital, I knew we were in good and familiar hands as soon as we arrived. There was a nurse from SCBP at our place the first morning we got home to check on Lucy and I, and we’ve since been to a handful of appointments, so I have confidence that Lucy is doing well. I also love that they have lactation consultants readily available and you can book in as much as you need to! I’ve felt completely supported by the SCBP from the moment we arrived at the hospital, which has helped my mental health immensely.

The prenatal classes were informative enough, learning the science behind childbirth helped ease some anxiety, but I see now that it’s the connection with those people in the room that is far more important. We started a What’s App group chat with everyone, as well as a separate one for just the Mamas and as babies began to arrive, the chat became so important. You realize that we’re all in this newborn haze together and people are asking great questions and/or sharing helpful advice. I love that we can all be breastfeeding in the middle of the night and messaging, you just feel less alone. I appreciate everyone in the group so much and I don’t know what I would do without them!

They also offer a Doula program, where they match you with an amazing local Doula and we honestly couldn’t have done it without our Doula Shania. She knew what I needed even when I didn’t and was a calming presence while I laboured. She was friendly but very professional and I absolutely have her to thank for coaching me through pushing and for being a large part of how I was able to have the birth experience I’d hoped for.

Acupuncture at Acumamas in Olympic Village

Acumamas came highly recommended by the local women on Instagram. I was nervous, having never tried acupuncture, but Renee made me feel very comfortable. She also did some cervical softening acupuncture points at my last appointment and that, combined with walking and my sweep is definitely what I think jumpstarted my labour!

Prenatal Yoga at Uphoria Yoga

The timing couldn’t have been better, with Uphoria Yoga opening so close to me while I was pregnant. They largely focus on yoga for the family, including pre/postnatal, childcare, kids yoga, etc. The prenatal yoga instructor, Brenlie, is simply amazing! Her classes are incredibly insightful and give you a real sense of community with fellow expecting women in the neighbourhood. It was the perfect place to meet up with fellow pregnant friends from our SCBP class and beyond as well!

I have to say, Brenlie of Nurture Natal was actually extremely influential in my birthing experience. She always weaves in lessons and topics to do with childbirth into her classes, as well as faux contraction work, pelvic floor exercises, and plenty of helpful yoga poses. While I was in the throes of contractions, her teachings and mantras were repeating on a loop in my head and I was desperately hanging onto them like a lifeline. Her words gave me hope and comfort while I survived contraction to contraction. She always says that her goal is for women to have an empowered birth and it was definitely the case for me!

RMT Massage at Healing Tree and Acumamas

I already went to Healing Tree for RMT treatments, so it was an easy transition for me to get some prenatal massages there as well. I went for a slew of appointments at the end of 2019 to use up my health benefits and it was a real treat. Unfortunately for me, I needed some more appointments at the very end of my pregnancy because I was so sore those last weeks and was kicking myself for not pre-booking a bunch of appointments in anticipation of that. Hot tip for any pregnant ladies out there, book massage appointments the month leading up to your due date. You can always cancel if baby arrives early!

Luckily, Acumamas, where I already went for my acupuncture, offers specialized prenatal massage therapy. I was able to put myself on a waitlist and got an appointment before it was go-time. I desperately needed that massage and Cassidy was a very talented RMT!

Pelvic Floor Physico at The Cheerful Pelvis

I am SO glad I began my pelvic floor work while I was pregnant and that I consulted with Rachelle at The Cheerful Pelvis. She assessed me (I didn’t do an internal assessment, we’ll see how my recovery goes over the next month and where I’m at 6 weeks pp) and gave me really helpful exercises to help minimize my pelvic pain. I only had a few appointments beforehand, but she did provide me with information and a helpful document about perineal massage and what to expect postpartum and I look forward to our follow up next month.

For additional pelvic floor and postpartum work I love following Kim the Vagina Coach on Instagram. She has lots of great exercises, pelvic floor and pp advice, as well as fun pelvic floor challenges!

Labour and Delivery at Women’s Hospital

I also have to give a shoutout to Women’s in general. Every single nurse and staff member we interacted with at BC Women’s Hospital was incredible. Even when they were short-staffed and the admitting nurse was scrambling, she made sure to stop by, provide me with a bouncy ball and heat pack, and reassured us that we’d get a room soon.

We opted to stay over for a night and all the nurses who checked on us throughout the night and into the next day were incredibly helpful. My friend advised me to enlist as much help with breastfeeding as possible while in their care and I’m so glad I did! Every time I would demonstrate a feeding, each nurse had different tips and tricks and combined, Lucy and I learned what a good latch was and got some really solid practice. She eats like such a champ now!

What do you think, any places I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below if you have something to add!

Featured Health Life

9 Things That Have Helped My Anxiety

June 27, 2018

alicia fashionista, coping with anxiety, mental health blogger canada

Within the last few years, I have finally come to terms with the fact that I have anxiety.  Here is how I’ve been helping ease the anxious mind.

Honestly, I didn’t realize how bad my anxiety was until I started treating it.  It’s one of those things that you somehow live with and as it gets worse and worse that just becomes your new normal until you can’t remember what life was like before you were operating at maximum distress.  Fear was ruling my life and stopping me from doing regular, everyday things that should be a non-issue.  I was over analyzing every single thing I did or even thought about doing.

Things that cause me extreme anxiety, in no particular order: driving, my email inbox, hanging out in large groups, posting to social media, plane travel, visiting the doctor, work deadlines, group chats, grocery shopping.  Things that were once joyful or mundane were suddenly a burden.  I was in a constant state of overwhelm.  It was exhausting.

Once I started feeling better, I realized how much physical and mental anguish I’d been experiencing, day in and day out.  I lived with chronic neck and back pain for, gosh, at least the last 6 years.  When I wouldn’t answer texts, people deemed me flaky and unreliable, but really, it was just that I couldn’t deal most days.  I had terrible insomnia and had the toughest time waking up in the mornings.  I was also an avoider, so there were tons of important responsibilities I didn’t do, which created a lot of guilt and shame.  Again, I can’t believe I lived like that for my entire adult life.  It didn’t need to be so tough.

There are so many different kinds of anxiety, so what anguishes me, might not be something that resonates with you.  For example, I don’t really have anxiety attacks.  I have had a few on airplanes before, but that was many years ago.  My anxiety also didn’t really turn into any kind of social anxiety until the last 3 or 4 years ago.  Mine thrives when coupled with a bout of depression, which has happened a few times in my life.  Mental health, I tell ya!

I just left my doctor’s office inquiring about unrelated fatigue (no, I’m not pregnant, please don’t suggest that like everyone else lol) and she had me go through a quiz about anxiety and depression.  My anxiety results were unbelievable, she said that it was totally in check!  Her words were “You don’t have anxiety” which isn’t true, but it proves that I haven’t felt anxious at all lately, and that is CRAZY progress.  She also validated everything I’ve done for my mental and physical health, saying that she’d have recommended exactly what I’ve been doing, even down to the vitamins I’ve been taking.  And so, I feel like I can publish this post with the confidence that these things have ABSOLUTELY helped me and I hope that some of my fellow anxiety warriors can benefit from adding some of these things to your life (only if you don’t already do them, of course).

Here are some of the basic things I’ve done to help cope with anxiety:

Therapy

I wrote a post about my first sessions, and I’ve now been doing talk therapy consistently since January.   Counselling is an investment in myself and has helped me in every aspect of my life.  Just having a neutral party as built-in emotional support has done incredible things for my journey toward a healthier mind.  It helped ease my anxiety almost instantaneously, and she has given me lots of exercises and tools to help cope outside of our sessions.  If you’re considering therapy, just flipping go!  Do it!

Yoga

The beauty of a practice like yoga is that it encompasses everything that I’ve been focusing on to live wholeheartedly.  It encourages compassion towards yourself and others, gratitude, staying grounded and focused, mind/body awareness, and strength in general.  I honestly haven’t felt this good in my skin since I was a kid.  Being open to change and discomfort on the mat can only lead you to greatness and strength that you didn’t know you had!

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Featured Health Life

7 Ways To Boost Your Energy This Winter

January 24, 2018

Because a lot of us are in need of a #winterwakeup!

Disclaimer – I am not a nurse, doctor, naturopath, wellness coach or an expert in energy of any kind.  I am just a gal who feels a bit sluggish in the winter months and the following suggestions are things that have been helpful in my own experience.  If you are suffering from extreme lethargy or possible Seasonal Affective Disorder, you should go see a healthcare professional for reals.

In a bit of a rut?  Feeling kind of low energy lately?  I am too!  Which, I hate admitting because I feel like saying phrases like “I’m tired” out loud just feeds the exhaustion and manifests laziness.  The truth is though, that winter is such a natural season of rest (I mean, bears are just like NOPE and straight up sleep through these months.  I relate, bears, I relate).  After the Holiday chaos, this time of year is meant for a slower pace of life.  Which, if you’re like me and usually go-go-go, it’s an adjustment.

In an effort to use this time wisely and embrace what January has to offer all of us, I have been making testing some ways to combat the winter blahs and jotting them down the past month.  And sure, I can tire a bit easier, and still fight to fully wake up some mornings, but in general, I feel so energized and healthy!  I’ve compiled a list as a reminder to myself about what’s worked, and thought I’d share it here with you as well.

Hope this is useful to you.  If I can help you infuse a bit more motivation and energy into these shorter days, then my work here is done!

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Featured Health Life

Meal Prep: Make Ahead Smoothies

August 9, 2017

how to smoothie prep, freezing smoothie ingredients, alicia fashionista, vancouver lifestyle blogger

Don’t worry, this is not a post about What The Health.

I have always wanted to be a smoothie person.  The one that shows up to a morning meeting with a delicious homemade green smoothie.  This dream is a bit tough to achieve for someone who lacks energy in the a.m. (and truthfully, never has morning meetings) because I really think you have to be a morning person to be a true smoothie person…or do you?  In my efforts to infuse more routine into my life and eat more whole foods, I have been trying out some meal prepping and it has been a massive help!  The fact that even I can be eating three meals a day, homemade, and full of nutrients is impressive for someone inherently lazy like myself.

I just can’t believe that I didn’t try freezing smoothie ingredients sooner!  It’s such a perfect way to enjoy a breakfast or lunch that nourishes your body and gives you energy for the day.  I finally feel like I’m on the way to be a smoothie person, and damn, it feels great!  The concept is very simple, and really, nothing revolutionary, but I’ve included some helpful notes below in case you want to try it out too.

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Health Home

Avocado Mango Salsa

July 30, 2016

avocado mango salsa, summer side dishes, best appetizer ideas, mango avocado salsa, simple mango recipe

Avocado?  Love!  Mango?  Good!  Salsa?  The best!  Which, is exactly why I went crazy for this Avocado Mango Salsa the first time I tried it.  A recipe from my sister in law, Kat, this summer side is a crowd favourite served as an appetizer with some tortilla chips.  It also pairs really well with grilled summer vegetables, or a main like tuna (I don’t eat meat or seafood, this is Kat’s recommendation).   Prep time is minimal, and it can be served right away or chilled in the fridge for a short period of time.  Hope you enjoy it!

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Health

Not A Fitness Model

July 6, 2016

alicia fashionista, vancouver lifestyle blogger, canadian fashion blog, workout outfits, public myth clothing

I know, I know, you’re like hey, is that a Sports Illustrated bikini model?!  No, silly, it’s just me!  Someone who always thought that because I wasn’t 5’9″ and size minus 4 that there was NO way I could look nice in workout gear.  The QUEEN of oversized tees and multipack leggings, I have learned over the last few years that it actually IS possible to look good/feel good even while you’re exercising!  Cannot do anything about sweaty red face though, that hot mess look just means that you’re working hard.

As soon as I prioritized health and included fitness as a part of my life (attempted, anyway), I started discovering that there’s a ton of stinkin’ cute workout wear!  Take this Public Myth outfit for example.  I’m wearing a sports bra…in public…that doesn’t scream grandma!  There’s mesh cutouts on my legs and that doesn’t even scare me!  All this from the girl who rocked a human repelling silk corset “sports bra” for too long, and who JUST threw out my Lulu yoga flares from 15 years ago.  I feel like a new woman.  I feel like I am only now discovering why everyday fitness wear is an epidemic here on the West Coast!

So, how can you step up your workout wear?  My biggest tip is that comfort and functionality are still most important.  I like to buy updated pieces that are still basic (not quite at the point of bright printed leggings, ya know?) but throw in a standout and/or trendy piece or two.  If you’ve got a similar shape, I recommend starting at a pair of high waisted black leggings and build from there.  They’ll help hide sins and *hopefully* won’t slide down mid-run.  When choosing athletic pieces, I would suggest quality over quantity.  I have probably 3 mix and match outfits that I rock all the time and I just remix and wash those as needed.  As for summer workouts, I’ve been loving outdoor running, yoga in the park, Body Balance classes, and tennis.  I’m all about getting outside (for FREE, thank you Mother Nature) and then strengthening at the gym or in the classroom.

What do you like to do to work up a sweat in the summertime?  Would love to hear in the comments below!

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Health Life

What I’ve Learned On My Wellness Journey (So Far)

April 20, 2016

Alicia_8

Photo by Lindsay Henwood

I’ve been trying to journal on a more consistent basis and it really is helping me sort out my thoughts on this process towards a healthier mind and body.  I thought I’d start a dialogue with you, as I know that we all have times of struggle in our lives and I wanted to share mine.  I eluded to some of this in this blog post, but here is the story behind it.

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Health Life

5 Ways To Improve Your Mood

January 20, 2016

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There weren’t any new years resolutions or intentions for me this year.  Instead, I’ve simply scheduled in a complete life overhaul.  Reinventing yourself is easy, right?  Okay, good, because I’m right in the middle of establishing a new and improved, happier me.

I don’t even know if ‘mood’ is the right terminology to use here, but that’s what I ended up with so let’s go with it.  So far, I’ve realized that as much as we’ve come leaps and bounds in our efforts to talk about mental illness, there’s still a lot of discomfort around depression.  There are different types of depression and varying degrees in which you can be lost in the fog.  Regardless of why you’re feeling a bit down, happiness and self love are essential ingredients for mental clarity.  Keep in mind that the following 5 points aren’t a cure to anything, but we’re all aiming for good days, aren’t we?  Accomplishing even just ONE item on this list is a huge step in the right direction.  Remember that small changes add up to make all the difference!  Now, let’s get started with these simple ways to help boost spirits and keep that stress in check.

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Health

5 Ways To Makeover Your Morning Routine

February 12, 2014

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If you were to look up ‘morning person’ in the dictionary, you would be like hmm…that sounds like THE opposite of Alicia.  I’m barely even human before 9.  I sleep through alarms, am the queen of the snooze, and have been called one or two mean names by people who have tried to wake me.  It’s just not my best quality.  Something I’ve been working on lately (and really, just like my whole life) is changing up my morning routine.  And not only to make the process of emerging from my slumber a slightly more enjoyable experience, it’s also to better the rest of my day.  After a little research, I have narrowed it down to a few simple ways we can
all give our mornings a mini makeover without over complicating things.  Currently testing them all out and so far, so good!
Take Your Time
I don’t know about you, but I always feel like I’m rushing in the a.m.  To try and reduce this unnecessary extra morning stress, try waking up just a few minutes earlier than you normally would.  Think about how much of a difference even 15 minutes would make?  AND you can use the extra mins for some of the below suggestions. 
Hydrate
Sometimes Adam calls me in the middle of the day to ask how many glasses of water I’ve consumed so far and sadly, that number is often zero.  This is just another shameful quality (what is this, confessional?!).  I recently learned that a big glass of lemon water or hot
water with lemon first thing in the morning helps your digestive system. I’ve tried it and it honestly makes a big difference.  It’s a must before your begin caffeinating and gets your daily H2O count off to a solid start!
Back To Basics
The first thing I do after pressing snooze as many times as humanly possible (my neighbours really love me…) is scroll Instagram.  Then, it’s straight to the computer.  All this screen time isn’t really great for the spirit, ya know?  I’m now trying to take the time to sit and set goals and plan the day before even look at a computer.  Plus, it’s a bonus that you get to cross off completed tasks as the day wears on.
Work It
Begin with some exercise.  It’s not a revolutionary concept, and yet it can be such an internal struggle.  I find getting out to the gym is good, or a little yoga at home if I’m strapped for time.  Even a nice morning stroll is lovely.  Either way, you get your work out over with before your day has even begun and you really set a positive tone for the remainder of it.
Nourish
I’m so bad for convincing myself that a cup of coffee is “breakfast”.  We all know that it’s not and missing out on the most important meal of the day has its consequences.  No skipping this one or getting a
Starbucks banana bread on-the-go (come on, we’ve all done it).  Actually eat a breakfast packed with energy and protein so you can start the day strong!

Now, these all don’t necessarily have to be done at the same time.  One or two of the above goes a long way!  Do you have any methods of re-energizing your a.m. routine?  Please do share.  Oh, and all the power to you, my fellow night owls!