Kim Belanger-Mills in the Media
For Expecting Parents!
I adore children. I think it’s because I’ve always really enjoyed playing. As an adult “playing” is frowned upon because we’re supposed to be…well grown up. Whether I was babysitting as a teenager or just playing with some of my younger cousins, I remember having a blast. Getting down on the ground and being silly with this little curious person whose expressions were always so priceless and innocent would make me feel great. So when I get asked what to you like to photograph the most I have to say babies and children!
Today I celebrate my daughter’s 7 month birthday. Granted the celebration includes the normal routine of bottles, playtime and naps – with no difference to her – but I know today is special!
So in honour of her, my little powerhouse of personality and independence, I wanted to give some suggestions for expecting parents! Of course, most are from my own experiences but isn’t that the best teacher?
1. Yoga
I did Pilates for many years however when I became pregnant I had to take it down a few notches simply because my body did not bend the way it used to anymore! I started looking into other ways to stay healthy and fit while with baby. I started taking daily evening walks and I came across prenatal yoga. It was so relaxing and I kept a lot of flexibility while pregnant. I found it was a great way to stretch all the important muscles and it taught me to pay close attention to my breathing which also helped with those crazy contractions!
I took classes with Kim Belanger-Mills of Patchoulimoon Holistics in her home studio. She’s a great teacher and I used to lay in bed after class , still hearing her calm voice in my head. I think Savanna loved her voice too because in class she would be bouncing around in my stomach. So Mom’s to be (and hey, even dad’s) let some yoga into your life: http://www.patchoulimoon.com/
2. Read about baby
I loved doing this with my fiancé. We’d read about how the baby was growing at a certain point in the pregnancy or about where baby would be in the coming months. I read so many books on birth that I lost count. But I found it so reassuring and comforting to have an idea what my body was doing and what it was going to do. I knew that I wanted a calm and natural birth if possible so I read lots of positive books. This put me in the right mind frame and it help ease a lot of the fear once labor had started. Birth has happened since the beginning of time, in every creature to walk to earth…how much natural can you get?! Sure I was still nervous and scared, but it could have been worse had I not prepared myself with knowledge. Read up!
3. Lots of Downtime
I’m a doer. I don’t sit still, ever. However with a human being created inside of you it’s a good time to learn how to stop. I did a lot of relaxing walking when I was pregnant with a good friend. This made me stop and take time to focus on me. I was able to just stroll outdoors, enjoy the surroundings, views, and conversation. I also did a lot of reading and watching movies. My body got to rest and I came to appreciate the downtime. It was nice not to scramble about or to listen to my mind run a mile a minute.
4. Pampering
I was always an active person even as a kid. I loved sports and I rarely ever spent all that much time on pampering myself. When I was pregnant I was awed at the changes in my body. I didn’t think it could do half of the things it was doing! So I found that while I was pregnant getting my nails done and my hair done kept me feeling great. It felt good to have someone take care of me and to know that even though I can’t see them my toes look awesome!
5. Memories
I really loved my pregnancy. It was smooth and it was a very emotional time for me. It is something I always want to remember. I want to remember how she used to do somersaults in my belly just as I climbed in bed for the night. I want to remember how round my belly was and how it felt to wrap my arms around it. We captured all of that in beautiful maternity photos that I still look at today. It is a wonderful memory to have a keepsake of. And now I am proud to offer maternity photos shoots to those who wish to remember it as well!
With one-year-old Willow on her lap, Kim Belanger-Mills demonstrates how to do yoga with a toddler in tow.
Sometimes, her daughter sits on her abdomen as she does stretches. At other times, the little girl sits between her mom's legs as she does a modified position.
Belanger-Mills wanted to incorporate her daughter into her yoga classes -- and now offers classes to moms with babies.
The idea to teach yoga classes has been a dream for the 35- year-old for many years. But when she was left her mother's house near Frankford, she decided to do something about it. She and husband Chris moved to her mother's house and she opened the yoga studio in the basement, Patchoulimoon Holistics.
She began by selling all-natural products -- including shampoos and cleansers, and now sells natural products for babies and adults, incense, yoga supplies and other products.
She had been doing yoga for about 10 years when she decided to become a teacher. While she was taking a teachers' training course at Still Point Retreat in Northport, she found out she was pregnant.
"I had to do lots of research to be sure I didn't do anything to harm my changing body or my baby."
After the birth of Willow in October 2007, she experienced first-hand what it was like to do yoga with her recovering body, "and with a baby, which brought me to Mom & Baby Yoga."
She said she never felt so strong as she did when she was teaching the first mom and baby yoga class last spring.
"The babies act as a weight for the moms but the babies benefit as well."
She now teaches mom and baby yoga and prenatal yoga at her studio in Frankford and at the Belleville Integrated
"I love both classes -- getting to see the moms' growing bellies week to week and then with mom and baby yoga, getting to see the babies change.
"They are both a lot of fun for me as well as them."
As well as mom and baby and prenatal yoga, she has taught other types of yoga as well, including yoga for relaxation, family yoga, yoga for teens and private one-on-one sessions.
One couple even used her yoga class as a date night.
"He used yoga as an end to their date night. He had done yoga before, but it was new to her. At the end of the meditation, they ended up holding hands," she said with a smile.
She said yoga is good for anyone -- whether it's a baby or a senior.
"I tell everyone at every class to only do the poses that give you joy."
The prenatal classes a challenge as the pregnant woman may have balance issues and a growing belly.
"You have to be safe because the joints are more flexible -- you have to be more careful."
Prenatal yoga focuses on relaxation and breathing, which will help women practice for labour.
"And the more relaxed the mom is, the more relaxed the baby will be."
Stress relief is one of the biggest benefits of yoga, said Belanger-Mills.
"It's a opportunity to relax," she explained. "I do yoga most days, even if it's just for a couple of minutes.
Belanger-Mills got her business name, Patchoulimoon Holistics, after first smelling Patchouli oil burning under a full moon.
"It was the first time I had ever done anything outdoors specifically because of the full moon. The combination was life changing -- it seems as I felt I was in a meditative state for three days afterwards. "
Belanger-Mills said teaching yoga has been a dream come true.
"Who gets to quit their job and roll around the floor and get paid for it?" she added with a grin.
The prenatal and mom and baby yoga classes are available at the Belleville Integrated Health Centre. Call 613-966- 9500 for more information.
For information on her studio near Frankford, call 613- 398-0028 or visit her website, www.patchoulimoon.com.