We want that pregnant belly to shine in your maternity photos. The ideal timeframe to capture your beautiful bump is between 32-36 weeks. During this time in your pregnancy, you’ll look amazing and still have the energy to have photos taken. As you can see, we have a relatively short window to capture your maternity photos, so let’s answer the question of when you should book your maternity photos. ​

New Beginnings Chiropractic is a chiropractic team right here in Windsor, CO off of Main St. You will find their office very comforting and accepting of new parents, or parents of all walks of life. With the main area for kids to play, so you do not have to find a sitter for your appointment. Everything is kid-friendly in the office. The NBC team specializes in pregnant moms and newborns and is fully certified in the Webster Technique for those expectant moms. This doesn't mean dads and grandparents aren't welcome! They welcome everyone and accept anyone that needs an adjustment. 

Photo credit: ​Kristopher Lindsay Photography

This chiropractic team is made up of two doctors. Dr. Tiffany and Dr. Toni. Together they have 14 years of chiropractic experience. 

Dr. Tiffany started chiropractic schooling as a result of a sports injury she incurred when she was 13 years old. She had tried everything to get back to playing sports, but nothing seemed to be working. Then she tried a chiropractor and not only did it help her, but it also gave her hope that one day she would be able to play again. From then on, she wanted to be a chiropractor and help others get back to good health. Though she had originally wanted to do sports chiropractic, she changed her mind during schooling when a few of her fellow students went to some break-out sessions that dealt with maternity and babies. Listening to the speaker had her wanting to completely change her direction. She learned that she would have to do extra schooling to be able to work on expectant mothers and newborns. She decided to take on some extra courses at the same time to get all of the certifications needed. 

Dr. Toni is also a specialized pediatric and prenatal chiropractor at New Beginnings. Her chiropractic journey started at an office in Manassas, Virginia where she fell in love with chiropractic, movement and helping others live their lives fully! Dr. Toni believes that “movement is medicine. Everyone deserves to be able to have the ability to do the things they love free of pain and discomfort. The goal of chiropractic care is to guide patients on their wellness journey to functioning better in all realms of health. It is not the doctor that heals the patient, but the patient that heals the body.

Did you know that seeing a chiropractor as an expectant mother can significantly lower the risk of needing extra help during labor? Yes, it's supposed to help lower the need for intervention. Studies have shown that it also helps to make labor shorter. Seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy can also lead to more comfort as you are holding all that extra weight. At New Beginnings Chiropractic they also provide pregnancy taping and teach you how to also do it at home! The best time to schedule a chiropractic appointment would be as soon as possible before you get into crisis mode. 

Birth itself can be a traumatic experience for the body for both mom and baby. They can help with your postpartum recovery. For the newborns, they also go through some stress being born into this world. Having chiropractic care can help with newborn sleep, constipation/gut issues, torticollis, and even latch/breastfeeding help. They tell expectant moms to make sure and book their new babies ahead of time since they like to see them 2 weeks after birth. They do always try to accommodate babies as soon as they are born. 

It is important to take note that whomever you book for your pregnancy, that they have been certified in the Webster technique to be able to properly work with you. 

Monster Mash Yoga : Parents Grab your kiddos a ticket for Monster Mash Yoga at New Beginnings on Friday October 21st! Come enjoy a Halloween themed yoga class just for kids!! Your littles are encouraged to come dressed in their costumes Spots are limited, so grab your ticket soon! You can register on their FB page.

​During the winter of 2019 I shared that we were expecting our third and last baby and I was so excited to book my first ever maternity and newborn photography package. Then it was April 2020. The month that never seemed to end for most of us, but for me it was speeding by. I was getting closer and closer to the baby’s due date and the unknowns of delivering a baby during a pandemic.
 
I had purchased the maternity dress for my photo shoot months ago. As I grew large with child I wondered if that beautiful dress would even still fit. I knew that our early April photo shoot date had to be canceled. There were just so many unknowns back then. Information was still quickly coming and changing. But I couldn’t let go of my wish to have this one last opportunity to document my pregnant body and I shared my feelings publicly with the Northern Colorado Moms Blog. Thanks to the encouragement of the women in my circle and my precious photographer a new date was set for May for an outdoor shoot.
 
I got dressed, did my hair and put on makeup for the first time in months. And then a fierce rainstorm blew in and persisted until the light was almost gone. I could have taken it as a sign that this was not meant to be, but instead I stood in front of our pond in our backyard and had my husband capture a few shoots with wet feet and fading light. Amber graciously offered to edit the photos my husband captured as we organized a new date yet again.
 
When the new date came, I got to dress up, do my hair and makeup again. I felt beautiful. I got in my car to drive to the scenic spot and everything felt new. This was my first ever maternity photo shoot. It was my first time driving in weeks. And it was one of the first times I remembered to take with me my now trusty face mask. New and different.
 
The whole experience was lovely and so memorable. The location Amber picked out was perfect. The light was beautiful. The water glistened. Amber helped to ease all my awkwardness with guidance on how to pose. The conversation was so needed and comforting that even if we were six feet apart, I felt close and seen.
 
When I got back in my car, I didn’t want to go home. I had been home for almost three months at that point outside of a grocery pickup here and there. I looked back at the water where I had been made to feel like a queen and I took three deep breaths. Amber did more than document my third and last pregnancy for me that day. She gave me space to breathe.

No matter how grateful we may be, new or experienced, strongly supported or strongly solo, pregnancy is hard. Here’s the good news, self-care is trending. It’s no longer shunned to follow the airline rules in everyday life of putting your oxygen mask on first before helping others. But how does that translate when the other is growing inside of your very own body?

Learning from past pregnancies

I’m currently pregnant with our third child. It was unplanned, but let’s get real, so was our first and we kinda love her to the moon and back. So after the hardest first trimester I’ve ever experienced, I’m ready to show myself and this sweet growing bump some serious loving care.

First
During my first pregnancy I was so busy with my career in New York; I do remember having fun dressing my growing body, highlighting the miracle that is motherhood, but I also remember being so focused on work that I didn’t really pay much attention to my body until my back pain was so bad it became a challenge to walk.

Second
I definitely learned from this and during my second pregnancy, now as a stay at home mom, I took my daily exercise time seriously and prioritized it like a champion. Also during that time I was adjusting to moving cross-country, starting an early intervention journey with my first child and buying a home. So, no, no stress at all. I know I could have managed that stress better.

Third
So, what’s on my wish list this time around? All the self-care and love practices! However, after 36 years I thankful have learned to be a bit more practical and move out of the all-or-nothing mindset. So, here are the top five must-do’s to show myself love during this pregnancy. Because if I can count my must-list items on just one hand, they are more likely to happen.

Keep yourself glowing while you’re growing

1. Move your body, eat well. You’ll hear this plenty from your health-care providers, but it really makes a difference in your mental and physical health when you focus on your diet and exercise during pregnancy.  Strive to move your body daily, meaning breaking a sweat every now and then. Think of your nutrition as fueling your whole health. This could be as simple as daily dance parties to your favorite tunes or a 10-minute prenatal yoga session at home with YouTube. Remember when it comes to eating mindfully your most important utensil is your table and chair.
2. Treat yo’self monthly. As your body changes, so do your needs and wants. And this is happening rapidly. Every few weeks or so brings on growth, change and new symptoms of pregnancy. Budget in monthly treats to honor your strength through all of this change. See a prenatal chiropractic, book a prenatal massage, change up your hair style, get a mani-pedi, maybe even invest in a monthly BumpBoxes subscription. Whatever speaks to you, make it a priority to treat yourself at least once a month.
3. Sweet dreams sleep. So, this one was a lot easier to sneak in during my first pregnancy when I didn’t have little ones waking me up early in the morning and refusing their naps in the afternoon. I’ve also found myself with major pregnancy insomnia this time around. Once my mind gets going, there’s just no going back to sleep or napping. So, I’ve learned to fiercely protect my sleep by going to bed early when I’m tiered, asking for help so I can sneak in a nap when I’m sleepy midday and practicing bedtime rituals just as I would with my kids. But instead of bath, book, bed, it may look like aromatherapy, tea, Epsom-salt baths, meditations and journaling.
4. Dress up and celebrate. Put those date nights on the calendar and treat them like a doctor’s appointment. This is the time to celebrate more often with your partner and friends. Not sure what to wear? Don’t worry because your mom tribe has got your back. Because this pregnancy was unplanned, I had already donated all my past maternity clothes. A simple ask on my local mom’s Facebook group turned up tons of cute, new-to-me maternity clothes. In fact, I go so much of an abundance I was able to donate four boxes of clothes to our local charity, Stork Support of Northern Colorado.
5. Book a maternity photo session. I didn’t invest in a maternity photo session during my first two pregnancies and I so wish I had. Each pregnancy has been so different and I really wish I had those special memories made everlasting with a professional photo shoot. Sure I took the monthly bump shots from home and I do enjoy looking back at those photos. But let’s be honest, the lighting is terrible, my clothes are whatever and the focus is just on the growing belly. I really want to celebrate my whole body and capture something special. So, this time around I was thrilled to find Amber Sullivan Photography and grab up not just a maternity session, but also a newborn session while I was at it. I’m so excited and I look forward to sharing with you all the beautiful photos that I know will result. 
   

What are your favorite self-care practices while pregnant? Let us know in the comments.