Category: Guest Post

Pregnancy Massage Tips

Pregnancy Massage Tips

Guest post by Seattle Massage Therapist, Meghan Devonport LMP Hi, I’m Meghan!I’m a massage therapist and mama of 2. I’ve teamed up with Om Mama Co to share some tips about pregnancy massage. Finding the right massage therapist Experience matters! Find a massage therapist with perinatal education/certification. Plan ahead and start a regular massage regimen […]

Hot Air Balloon Themed 1st Birthday Party at the Golf Club at Newcastle

Hot Air Balloon Themed 1st Birthday Party at the Golf Club at Newcastle

Guest post by Seattle Wedding Planner, BreeAnn Gale of Pink Blossom Events … With two months to plan Sahaee’s Hot Air Balloon-themed 1st Birthday I discovered finding a balloon company during fall as well as a venue that suited my client’s vision proved a challenge. Yet this October my clients stood in front of an inflated […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Low Tide Adventure Sessions with Alec Mills

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Low Tide Adventure Sessions with Alec Mills

Alec Mills of Alec Mills Photography is a Seattle Area Family and Newborn Photographer documenting the stories + textures of our every day and turning them into art. … Imagine arriving at the beach, taking your shoes off, rolling up your pant legs, and slowly walking into the easy waters of low tide. The water […]

Spirit Babies Explain “Unexplained Infertility”

Spirit Babies Explain “Unexplained Infertility”

  Guest post by OMC member, Spirit Baby Medium, Jess McKeown … You’ve been trying to get pregnant for a year…or two…or ten. You and your partner are relatively healthy, deeply desiring to start or add to your family, and yet each month you’re heartbroken at the sign of a negative pregnancy test. 💔   […]

Distance Reiki and Why it’s Important for My Healing Journey

Distance Reiki and Why it’s Important for My Healing Journey

Guest post by OMC member, Reiki Master & Energy Worker, Stephanie Hunter-Dines …   As a certified Reiki Master, I work within many healing modalities every day. Reiki is a gentle form of hands-on healing or energy work that most commonly utilizes light touch to treat the whole person and root cause of illness or […]

How to Optimize your Nutrition for Breastfeeding

How to Optimize your Nutrition for Breastfeeding

Guest post by OMC member, Nutritionist & Personal Chef Chelsea Fechtner of The Wildflower Kitchen … I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of seeing magazine covers with celebrities that offer the perfect diet to help you “bounce back” after having a baby or return to your pre-baby weight in a month. Having a […]

Nanny Taxes 101

Nanny Taxes 101

Guest post by OMC member Jillian Plank. Jillian is a CPA and founder of Nanny Files, an affordable guided DIY alternative to traditional nanny payroll services. When she’s not helping parents with their taxes, she’s hiking, cooking, or singing with her husband, three kids, and two dogs just outside of Portland, OR. … Nanny Taxes […]

#1 tip for taking a photo your baby will treasure for a lifetime

#1 tip for taking a photo your baby will treasure for a lifetime

Guest post by OMC members, Baby Notebook … I am guilty of it. I’m that person taking a million photos of my baby. I think we have about 1200+ pictures of her just sleeping or cooing in the first five months of her life. When I look back at these photos, I am generally unimpressed. […]

Benefits of 1st Trimester Prenatal Massage

Benefits of 1st Trimester Prenatal Massage

Guest post by OMC member Julianne Weatherhogge, of Vital Flow Holistic Perinatal Services … The first trimester of pregnancy is classically associated with nausea, food aversions, and stress as well as intense emotions and lots of hormonal changes.  A massage is usually the last thing on a pregnant person’s mind! I mostly thought about getting through […]

10 Ways to Increase Hope and Resiliency in Trying Times

10 Ways to Increase Hope and Resiliency in Trying Times

Guest post by OMC member Lexi Taylor of Kalon Spa Bellevue … You can increase your resiliency and feelings of hope even in these times of immense stress and life transitions by shifting your mindset and taking care of your body’s basic needs. Increasing your resiliency naturally increases your feelings of hope and your ability […]

Postpartum Prehab

Postpartum Prehab

Guest post by OMC member Nicole Bulow, Owner of Sol Fuel Wellness … Physical Therapy during pregnancy improves labor & birth and facilitates postpartum recovery. Prehab. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you haven’t. Prehab is rehabilitation (rehab) that occurs before a surgery takes place. Prehab is done to help an individual both go into […]

7 Signs of Burnout in Motherhood

7 Signs of Burnout in Motherhood

Guest post by OMC member Dr. Tara Morrison, Owner of Inner Rhythm Wellness … Cases of burnout in motherhood are becoming more and more common with 12-20% of parents experiencing burnout at some point. With the increased pressures that the COVID-19 global pandemic has put on mothers, especially those now required to do both work […]

How to Talk to Kids About Social Distancing

How to Talk to Kids About Social Distancing

Guest post by our friends and OMC members Sproutable! Sproutable is research-based social-emotional parenting support for young children. … We can’t expect young children to truly understand what social distancing looks like in public spaces. Just like any skill, we have to break it down into small steps and meet them where they are developmentally. […]

Permission to Launch Your New Business

Permission to Launch Your New Business

Guest post by OMC member Kelsey Marie Knutson, Business Coach, and Strategist … Permission I’m here to give you permission. Not that, that should be my job, but I feel like it’s time to talk about something important here. What I’m talking about is when to start. As in when to launch your new business. […]

Masks and Kids

Masks and Kids

Guest post by our friends and OMC members Sproutable! Sproutable is research-based social-emotional parenting support for young children. … We can help keep our communities stay safe and slow the spread of COVID-19 by wearing face coverings and helping our children to do this as well. Public Health recommends both parents and children to wear […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Chach Photography

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Chach Photography

Today we are featuring a gorgeous golden hour family session from Om Mama Collective member, Christina Chacharon of Chach Photography. Christina specializes in birth, newborn, and family sessions. When was the last time you had family photos taken? No, not a selfie or a self-timer shot. Or a grainy, too-dark photo taken by the first […]

Baby Sleep Tips for the Holidays

Baby Sleep Tips for the Holidays

Guest post by OMC member Desiree Baird, a certified sleep coach, and owner of Seattle Sleep Trainer! … The “Hallmark” version of holidays is that everyone laughs and has fun and there’s little to no stress. The reality? Often much different, especially if you’re a parent trying to manage your baby or toddler’s sleep during […]

The Waiting Game

The Waiting Game

Guest post by OMC member Dr. Tara Morrison, Owner of Inner Rhythm Wellness … Today marks 40 weeks pregnant + 1 day. I think the waiting game is an appropriate title for this phase of a pregnancy. The average first pregnancy lasts 41 weeks, the average second is 40 weeks +3 days. I remember this […]

An Open Letter to the World ~from a Mom of a Transgender Child

An Open Letter to the World ~from a Mom of a Transgender Child

Guest post originally shared on Sproutable supporting parents growing remarkable kids. … Dear Humanity, I am the mother of a tiny unicorn. She is funny, smart, goofy, and full of love. She is just like your child. I love her just like you love yours. However, maybe unlike your child, my child is transgender. This […]

The Value of Doula Support and 10 Questions to Ask a Prospective Doula

The Value of Doula Support and 10 Questions to Ask a Prospective Doula

Guest post by OMC member Laura Jawad, Redmond WA based personal trainer and birth doula. … When I became pregnant with my first child, I had not yet heard of doula support. I knew I preferred a physiologic birth and I was nervous about how I would handle the pain of labor. As my due […]

4 pillars of self-care as a new mom

4 pillars of self-care as a new mom

Guest post by OMC member Amy Kovner, Owner of Embodied Wellness …   Self-Care is critical for moms, especially in the postpartum period. Understandably, most new moms are completely focused on caring for a baby and have very little time and energy to take care of themselves. Being a new mom can be incredibly overwhelming […]

Be Like Jacinda Ardern ~ The First Step to Making a Difference as a Mom

Be Like Jacinda Ardern ~ The First Step to Making a Difference as a Mom

Guest post by OMC member Aga Lawrynowicz, a certified life coach {on a mission to help mothers get back time, live on purpose, and continue being a great mom along the way} and the owner of Choose Clarity. … Imagine a world where the overqualified moms abandon their invisible task list and participate in solving […]

Jewish Naming Ceremony for little Tova

Jewish Naming Ceremony for little Tova

Guest post by OMC member Alec Mills, Owner of Alec Mills Photography … As a newborn photographer in the Seattle area, I am honored to be asked to document such intimate family traditions, growth, and loss. Recently,  I was asked to document a beautiful and meaningful event for a client, and I was blown away […]

Prenatal/Postpartum Constipation: The Undertreated Perinatal Concern 

Prenatal/Postpartum Constipation: The Undertreated Perinatal Concern 

Guest Post by Om Mama Collective Member, Kelsey Cannon, of Elizabeth Rodgers PT When it comes to perinatal bowel dysfunction, mum’s the word…or, at least it was. Women are either shy to mention their bowel habits or they’ve been told ‘Oh, that’s just normal. It’s a part of the process!” We’ve come too far enough […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Erin Schedler

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Erin Schedler

Today we are featuring a gorgeous at home newborn session from Om Mama Collective member, Erin Schedler! We love how she capture the true authentic beauty of new parenthood!  This was a pretty typical newborn session for me! It happened to be my last session of 2019, before I went on break. Such a beautiful […]

Acupuncture for Fertility

Acupuncture for Fertility

I reached out to Om Mama Collective members, Dana + Brittnie of Esva Healing, to share how acupuncture can be beneficial for fertility. As Brittnie mentions in her story, according to the CDC about 10 in every 100 women in the US have difficulty becoming pregnant or staying pregnant. Acupuncture can improve many challenges associated with […]

How I came to drink decaf (and be a predominantly decaf coffee roaster)

How I came to drink decaf (and be a predominantly decaf coffee roaster)

Guest blogger Carol Blanchet is the CEO + Founder of Talking Crow Coffee Roasters, a DECAF specialty coffee roaster. Coffee is for everyone – Caffeine isn’t. Believe it or not, I haven’t always loved coffee – gasp!  I bet you wouldn’t expect that from a coffee roaster.  I began drinking coffee in college as a […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Alec Mills

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Alec Mills

Fresh 48 Session If you have been searching for Newborn Photography on the Google or Pinterest or Instagram…you may have run across the term “Fresh 48”. I know when I was pregnant and looking for new services or products, I would constantly wonder what I was signing up for…and reading “Fresh 48″… I had a […]

Decluttering + Organizing in Uncertain Times

Decluttering + Organizing in Uncertain Times

Lauren Fink Shea is a professional organizer, blogger, and founder of Organized By Heart, a Seattle based business offering home organizing services, virtual consultations, and group workshops. Her mission and greatest passion is working with moms to help them get organized at home, so they can create more time + space for what they love. […]

3 Energizing Smoothies for New Mamas

3 Energizing Smoothies for New Mamas

Om Mama Co Vendor, Chelsea Fechtner, MScN, CN shares some amazing smoothie recipes to energize new mamas. Chelsea is a nutritionist and personal chef that specializes in using food to help women feel happier and healthier in their lives. She is currently offering online training and coaching through her Facebook group, Eat Happy. Do you […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Brittany Marshall

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Brittany Marshall

By OMC Vendor Brittany Marshall of Blue Rose Pictures, Seattle Newborn Photographer This was the third time I have had the pleasure of capturing Tamara’s maternity session. The last two times were for her boys and this time for her baby girl! I really love being to capture one family’s milestones throughout the years. It […]

All Mothers are Working Mothers

All Mothers are Working Mothers

Collective member Aga Lawrynowicz, Founder of Choose Clarity is a certified life coach specializing in supporting women to balance motherhood and their personal mission. A former explosives queen — she spent over ten years working as an engineer in the oil and gas industry — now Aga is a mother of two, step-mother of two, and […]

Sleep and Our Genes

Sleep and Our Genes

Om Mama Collective member, Kelsey Alford, of Nested Sleep shares her insight on what we actually can affect (or at least understand!) in our baby’s sleep! Sleep and our genes: When it comes to nature vs nurture, what can we teach and what is biologically set?  Many parents that are poor sleepers themselves, either now […]

How Yoga Helped Me Feel Like Myself While Pregnant

How Yoga Helped Me Feel Like Myself While Pregnant

Guest post by Mama member, Jenni Gritters! Jenni is a Seattle-based freelance journalist and founder of Zest Storycraft.  She writes mostly about the science of healthy living and is a certified yoga instructor. Jenni and her husband are currently expecting! You can follow Jenni on Instagram. Learn more about Jenni here! … I took my […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Jennifer Loomis

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Jennifer Loomis

By Om Mama Collective member, Jennifer Loomis, Seattle Maternity Photographer I have worked in the field of maternity photography since 1994. Every session reaffirms my awe of the innate power of the mother. When my client J came into the studio for her pre-consultation I was immediately intrigued by her grace, beauty, and empowered sense […]

Sweet Potato, Kale, & Black Bean Patties for Babies & Toddlers : Fox & Briar

Sweet Potato, Kale, & Black Bean Patties for Babies & Toddlers : Fox & Briar

Guest post by Meghan, recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Fox and Briar. A passionate, self-taught home cook who believes that most things are better homemade and that good food doesn’t need to be complicated. These Sweet Potato, Kale and Black Bean Patties are an easy way to get picky toddlers to LOVE eating vegetables!  This […]

Weathering Developmental Leaps and Your Baby’s Sleep

Weathering Developmental Leaps and Your Baby’s Sleep

Om Mama Collective Member Tiffany Decker of Seattle Sleep Trainer shares how to weather your baby’s ever-changing sleep habits. I don’t know about you, but it seems like the minute you figure out your baby’s sleep they hit a new developmental leap and everything seems to get thrown out the window. It can be anxiety-provoking, […]

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Julia Kinnunen

Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Julia Kinnunen

By OMC Vendor Julia Kinnunen, Seattle Birth Photographer I first met Erika and Nick over four years ago when they hired me to photograph their wedding. I remember sitting in our first meeting and thinking “holy moly these people are so stinking cool why on earth would they want to hire me?!” but little did […]

Birth Un-Plan | Changing the Language Around Birth Preparation

Birth Un-Plan | Changing the Language Around Birth Preparation

By OMC collective member, Julieanne, owner of Vital Flow massage & bodywork The birth plan I remember when the nurse I was working with sat down and asked me if I had thought about making a birth plan. I think I was four months pregnant at the time. I really hadn’t but thought it would be […]

5 Top Tips for Staying Grounded, Centered, Forgiving and Aligned this Season

5 Top Tips for Staying Grounded, Centered, Forgiving and Aligned this Season

Collective member Jenny Rhodes is a certified life coach and yoga teacher who helps mammas thrive in motherhood with more emotional balance, ease, and physical strength. She offers public and private yoga classes, workshops, and retreats for healthy pregnancy and postpartum healing. Her curated life-coaching sessions help clients cultivate and sustain routines so they can […]

How To Take Maternity Leave When You’re Self-Employed

How To Take Maternity Leave When You’re Self-Employed

Guest post by Mama member, Jenni Gritters! Jenni is a Seattle-based freelance journalist and founder of Zest Storycraft.  She writes mostly about the science of healthy living and is a certified yoga instructor. Jenni and her husband are currently expecting! You can follow Jenni on Instagram. Learn more about Jenni here! When I found out […]

10 Tips for creating an organized nursery

10 Tips for creating an organized nursery

AKA: please make it easy for me to find a clean swaddle in the middle of the night in a dark room while the baby is crying and I’m covered in spit-up! By Elise Hay, owner of Organized Sanctuaries A nursery is a sacred place. It’s where your newest, most precious gift learns the fundamental […]

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins : Fox & Briar

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins : Fox & Briar

Guest post by Meghan, recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Fox and Briar. A passionate, self-taught home cook who believes that most things are better homemade and that good food doesn’t need to be complicated. These Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and packed full of healthy ingredients you can feel […]

My 15 Month Roller Coaster : Self-Care for New Moms

My 15 Month Roller Coaster : Self-Care for New Moms

“If we are happy, everybody looks up and shares our happiness.” ~ from a Yogi tea bag. Having a baby is so taxing on the mind, body, and spirit. It’s like riding one of those big roller coasters at a theme park where you are laughing and crying at the same time because it’s so […]

How to Have a Baby : A Training Guide for Every Kind of Birth Plan

How to Have a Baby : A Training Guide for Every Kind of Birth Plan

We are so excited to partner with Om Mama Collective member, Nicole, for our upcoming workshop: Training for Labor and Delivery on September 5th! 7:00-9:00pm at Nicole’s office, 4839 S. Brandon St, Seattle, WA, 98118. Free for Om Mama Members, $15 non-member pricing. Additional details, tickets & registration can be found here! Here’s how to […]

Why Exercise and Lactation go Hand in Hand

Why Exercise and Lactation go Hand in Hand

Guest post from Om Mama friend & collaborator, Christy, of Ula & Us!  Christy here to talk about exercise and lactation. Most mamas are eager to get back into a regular workout routine postpartum and I was totally in that same boat, but the other question that comes up is whether exercise impacts breastfeeding and […]

Pro Tips For Your Own Newborn Photography at Home

Pro Tips For Your Own Newborn Photography at Home

Guest post by Om Mama Collective member, Jennifer Loomis! Jennifer is an artistic photographer empowering pregnant women through photography for 20 years, specializing in larger families and large image installations. Om Mama Members get exclusive deals when working any of our curated list of business owners. Learn more about Jennifer here!  … Just had your […]

How to Get Quality Time With Your Kids When You Have a Newborn

I remember the 1st year of my youngest child’s life so vividly.  When he was born I had an almost 2-year-old toddling around hungry for attention and not quite sure about this new little cryer invading her space.  In a sleep-deprived coma, I would be nursing him while she was asking to play with me, […]

How to Challenge Food Shame : with Kristen Schweers

How to Challenge Food Shame : with Kristen Schweers

Food Shame Take a moment and think about a favorite snack food from your childhood. Think about the times you ate it, remember the colors, textures, and flavors, try to recall how eating it made you feel. For me, it’s a toss-up between Goldfish crackers, Top Ramen, and Cheetos. I was clearly into salt and […]

3 Reasons to Practice Mindfulness as a Parent

3 Reasons to Practice Mindfulness as a Parent

Guest Post by Ela Compton of ParentsPause: Ela hosts meditation playdates for parents and children in the Seattle area. Check out her full calendar & additional offerings at parentspause.com! Are you tired and overwhelmed? Are you sick of feeling like the day goes by in total chaos and you aren’t doing anything well (let alone […]

How to Baby-Proof Your Relationship

Guest post by OMC Vendor, Jessica Psenski, licensed mental health counselor specializing in couples, perinatal care & sex therapy. Find more about Jessica & our other team members in the collective here!  We are thrilled to be teaming up with Jessica for our May Workshop: Babyproofing Your Relationship on July 24th! Find out more details […]

Trusting Your Intuition : by Sarah Farris of Vibe Elevated

Trusting Your Intuition : by Sarah Farris of Vibe Elevated

Guest post by Sarah Farris of Vibe Elevated We are so excited to have Sarah lead a workshop on intuitive energy in business with our vendor collective members next week! She’ll be sharing all about how to trust your gut, build quality relationships & how all of this effects the energy in your business!  Several […]

What is Lifestyle Photography

What is Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle has become sort of a buzz word in the portrait photography industry lately, and a lot of photographers call themselves lifestyle photographers, but their styles can vary, so what does this mean for you, the client? According to Wikipedia, Lifestyle photography is a kind of photography which mainly aims to capture portrait/people in situations, real-life events or milestones […]

10 Reasons to Enroll your Child in Outdoor Preschool

10 Reasons to Enroll your Child in Outdoor Preschool

Growth of Nature-Based Preschools Helps Get Kids the Outdoor Time They Need Seattle is infamous for its weather. It may not have sunny skies all the time, but that doesn’t stop Seattleites from getting outside. It’s especially important for children to get outdoors and play, and studies show that’s just not happening enough. One study […]

How To Survive Morning Sickness

How To Survive Morning Sickness

Om Mama Collective member, Amy Kovner of Embodied Wellness, shares her tips on surviving morning sickness. Amy is a mom to 3 (including twins), certified nutritionist and licensed mental health counselor. Join us for a perinatal nutrition workshop with Amy on April 16th – details at the bottom of this post!  The past few months […]

One Woman’s Journey to Motherhood

One Woman’s Journey to Motherhood

Hi there! My name is Erica and I’m new here — new to Seattle that is. My husband and I recently relocated for his job, and I’ve been exploring the Emerald City and preparing for our first baby ever since. Still acclimating to the weather 🙂 I’m a certified personal trainer, yogi, writer/blogger, and mom-to-be […]

Kid Friendly Coffee Houses in Seattle

Kid Friendly Coffee Houses in Seattle

Om Mama Co. Member, Alexis, has pulled together some of her (and her daughter’s!) favorite family-friendly coffee shops in Seattle! Thank you for sharing with us, Alexis!! The Dane Address: 8000 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117 // Neighborhood: Crown Hill / North Ballard  The Dane is a huge space with indoor and outdoor tables. They […]

Why Postpartum Specific Training

Why Postpartum Specific Training prenatal-yoga

Guest Post: Why Postpartum Specific Training is Important by Maura Shirley, Bodies for Birth WHY IS POSTPARTUM SPECIFIC TRAINING IMPORTANT? So, you’ve had your baby. You’re feeling up to exercise, but you don’t quite know what you should and shouldn’t be doing when it comes down to it. You know certain areas of your body have […]

Teaching Gratitude to Raise Happy Kids

Teaching Gratitude to Raise Happy Kids

Want to raise happy kids? Teach gratitude Ask any parent what they want for their children and they will likely say, “I just want her to be happy.” It is what we strive for within our own lives, and what we anguish over for our children. It guides education decisions, discipline, and even shopping. Lately, […]

Self Care: Mama’s Life Blood

Guest Blog Feature: Danielle of Blue Cascade Doula shares her perspective on the importance of self care as a new mom! You can follow Danielle & her business partner, Gabby, on Instagram at @bluecascadedoula! Find more amazing doulas in our Collective here! Interested in joining the collective? Apply here! self-care is non-negotiable It’s really simple- self-care is […]

What to Wear: Fall Family Photos

What to Wear: Fall Family Photos

Guest Blog Feature: Om Mama Collective member, Jeanna Rice Photography, shares her tips for what to wear for your fall/winter family photo sessions! You can follow Jeanna on Instagram at @jeannaricephotography! Find more amazing photographers in our Collective here!  Hello fellow Mamas! Fall is the most popular time for family pictures, and with good reason […]

Sarah’s Birth Story | How to Prepare for an Intervention Free Birth

Sarah’s Birth Story | How to Prepare for an Intervention Free Birth sweet-sleeping-baby-girl

A Birth Story: Ava Sarah F. shares her birth story of bringing her baby girl, Ava, into the world! You can read more from Sarah on her blog, Nectar & Hive, and follow her on Instagram @sarahfreeman_. Interested in sharing your birth story or journey to motherhood with our readers? Every birth story is different […]

4 Things To Consider When Choosing A Maternity Fitness Program

Guest Post: 4 Things To Consider When Choosing A Maternity Fitness Program by Maura Shirley, Bodies for Birth Congratulations! You probably just found out you are going to be mom for the first (or fourth!) time. Perhaps you learned during your last pregnancy that you should have stayed more active? Perhaps you’re an athlete looking […]