I'm a 34 year old mom of 2 girls. One is almost 5 the other is 19mo old. Before becoming a mom I was a snowboarder, rock climber and outdoor enthusiast. I became a wife and then had our baby girl in August of 2020. I now try to navigate how to continue to be all those things with two kids.
Nearing the end of the week, I decided I wanted to camp on my days off with J since Ryan and E were headed off on their own adventure to camp and rock climb. I was waffling over finding a campground nearby or heading to Canyon Ferry Lake. I even put it out there to rally some moms and had a few takers.
Meanwhile, Ryan and I were discussing winter ski plans and cabin rentals. The Garnet Mountain Fire Lookout popped up, so I checked the calendar out of curiosity and it was almost as if fate that the exact dates I had off that week were open. I thought there’s no way that’s true this cabin was never available! I didn’t think twice and booked it. No plans other than my 19mo old and I were going to go on this trip together and maybe I could convince another mom to try it to. Again, I tried to rally a crew since it has 4 beds. Unfortunately no one felt up to the challenge or I didn’t ask the right people, so I left with just the babe.
On our way out I got notice that my Morrison Outdoors Mega Mo had made it to town. We made a stop at the post office and out went the old bag in with the Mo!! We finally left the trailhead at 12 pm after some milkies and began going up with a 36lb pack, 23lb J, bear spray, and a gun. 63 lbs of added weight. We got there by 4pm and began to settle in.
The sunset and sunrise were so killer on both nights and mornings thanks to the looming thunderstorms. We explored nearby the cabin the next day, bird watched, and ate good backpacking food. I even met a buck on my 3am pee adventure. The thunderstorms never happened but the wind picked up and it was never to hot. We played with dominoes, cards and some dice. Lounged in the sun and took naps, something I never do.
There were lots of visitors throughout the 3 days. Happy birthday to Carly, who was a boss and biked the trail from Storm Castle with her two friends. The solo lady runner who greeted us at about 7 am. Very impressive as she was probably in her 50s. Shoutout to the dirtbikers who found J’s pacifier for us and rode back up to deliver it to her on the first day. That probably saved the trip as she’s a paci queen.
Our days quickly came to an end, so we packed up, cleaned and headed out at 9:15am. We got down to the car at 10:55am with enough time for a stop at The Coffee Pot. It was just the thing we needed on the way home. J grabbed herself a delicious frosted sugar cookie and I got a quiche because I’m doing a 75 Postpartum challenge and didn’t want to cheat.
This is you sign that you can do hard things. Being spontaneous is fun and makes for the best memories even if you go without anyone else. 10/10 would recommend. I added a packing list here. Happy trails!
Been awhile since I’ve written anything. We now have a second kiddo on this journey. They are 4 (almost 5, she doesnt let you forget that) and the other little one is 19mo old now. We took a 12 day trip to Switzerland and Paris. Here’s what we did and what we learned.
We traveled from Bozeman to Chicago which is about 3hrs at 7:30a on May 10th. Once in Chicago we had a 6 hour layover. Note: don’t drink at an establishment that doesn’t have their pricing listed which many of you may know. We learned the hard way, you’re going to be over charged. We had two choices from here. Ride the train over to the international terminal and go through TSA again or take a bus that drives the tarmac over to the international terminal. We opted for the bus and got to drive around with all the taxying planes. That was very fun for the girls. It was finally time to board and begin the 9.5hr stretch of our travel day. We bought seat hammocks for the trip and a seat for both kids, toys, snacks, one ipad and sleep aids. For kid carriers we brought a GB Pockit Air, a Kelty TC 1.0 and a Kinderpack Preschool Carrier. Once we were in flight they promptly began dinner service and we gave the kids the sleep aids. Creekside Natural Therapeutic Children’s Sleep Aid for the 4yr old and Boiron Sleep Aid for the baby is what we used. They both fell asleep easily after food. We were all able to sleep awhile thankfully. It was 11am when we landed in Zurich and promptly got all our luggage before heading for customs.
5/11 to 5/14
Once we left the airport we got on a train and headed to Zermatt. That was a 4hr train ride with transfers but very manageable. When we arrived we waited to be picked up from the hotel shuttle. In Zermatt they’re only allowed to drive electric vehicles which I thought was neat. Our hotel was the Hotel Hemizeus & Iremia Spa. It was situated up on the hillside and our back deck had views of the Matterhorn (see the next photo). It was more of an apartment and had a full kitchen which helped save money. We were quite hungry at this point and the hotel was 20min walk from town. We were able to get some pizza snacks and wine from the front desk as it was shoulder season and the restaurant was closed. After snacking we took the baby and walked to town with the stroller. We found a place for burgers and beer which was $70 usd for the two of us. Switzerland is very expensive to eat out so we decided to grab food to cook at the Coop before going back. The hike was all up hill.
Our hotel included multiple kinds of saunas, a whirlpool, and a lounge room that viewed the Matterhorn. That was very relaxing and a great way to unwind from travel. Everyone went to bed smoothly that evening and the next day we were able to relax more and enjoy the scenery. It rained a bit and the clouds covered the mountains. We took a little hike and stopped at an overlook that has a sort of via ferrata trail in the river canyon that’s open only after June unfortunately for us.
The 2nd day there we were able to see the Matterhorn so we quickly got ready and took the cable car up to the Glacier Paradise which is the world’s highest cable car at 12,740ft. Children under 3 are not allowed to the top so here’s a photo below of the 4 of us at the mid-station. We traded trips to the top so the adults could at least see the views. If you come in the off season, gear for skiing must be rented in town before heading up. The skiing is open year round though and is an additional fee to the cost of the cable car.
5/14- 5/16
We headed to Lauterbrunnen. The hotel shuttle dropped us off and away we went. This leg was 3hrs with a transfer in Interlaken. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous on the train ride. We realized quickly this town had no taxis. We were traveling with my MIL who definitely needed some assistance getting around. Switzerland is very hilly and not the most disabled friendly. We hiked uphill to our hotel, Hotel Silberhorn. This room was a typical hotel room and had a view of the Staubbachfalls. The hotel served a buffet breakfast that is included with your stay. Dinner was okay at the restaurant but not for the price. The next day we took a trip up the canyon by bus and checked out the valley of water falls. Our 4yr old and I hiked all the way up the Trummelbachfalle which goes inside the side of the mountain with 10 different falls. This also has an age restriction of 3 or older and they don’t even allow kids in carriers. The rest of the crew hung out at the base and watched the paragliders.
My husbands brother returned that evening and we again ate at the restaurant to limit the hill walking for my MIL. The rain came in that evening and we decided to walk to the base of the falls while it was lit up with our oldest. She was so excited and tired.
5/16-5/18
We moved to the other side of the valley to Wengen but before checking into the Hotel Victoria-Lauberhorn we headed up the cable car to Grutschalp and then a train to Murren to another cable car that took us to Gimmelwald. Here we ate at the Mountain Hostel which had gorgeous views, a fantastic kid park and delicious food/beer. The town is also really cute and there’s no cars. From here you can go up to Schilthorn and it was to cloudy so we didn’t think we’d get the view of the Eiger and the other mountains.
Next we headed up another train to Wengen to check in. This hotel had a pool, hot tub and saunas also. Situated up on the hillside overlooking the Lauterbrunnen valley. The hotel also had a buffet included for breakfast, a decent restaurant, and a playground. It was very close to tennis courts, the Coop, and downtown. That night we got the kids to bed, left them with my MIL and headed next door to On the Rocks for some drinks. The bartender gave us a suggestion for a hike the following day and made some delicious cocktails.
The next day we set off on our hike while my BIL and MIL relaxed and explored town. The hike took us on the rim of the canyon up to Wengernalp (4.75 miles) which our oldest did all but a half a mile of. From Wengernalp we hopped on a train up to Kleine Scheidegg where we ate the best traditional Swiss food of the whole trip while at the base of the Eiger.
From here you can take a cog wheel train to Jungfraujoch the highest train station in Europe. Again, the clouds were not cooperating and we felt it would be a waste of money as those excursions aren’t cheap. While hanging out we had a cute fox pay us a visit which the girls thought was so fun. The baby so badly wanted to pet it. Finally we returned and took a much needed soak and swim.
5/18- 5/20
The next morning it was off to Luzern after breakfast. My youngest and I got up before everyone so we had breakfast together then checked out a swiss made store with the coolest Cookoo Clocks before departure. She got a fun handmade wooden puzzle set and we found some good souvenirs.
The train to Luzern meant going back to Lauterbrunnen, a transfer there, and then a transfer at Interlaken. Its a 2.5hr ride past some gorgeous lakes and mountains. Luzern we stayed at an art apartment airbnb, finally a kitchen again. We cooked meals for the next couple days and did some city stuff, like buy me a pair of Birkenstocks. This city is so cool, has a river going through it, and some great history. The art and architecture in the area is gorgeous.
On our 2nd day we took a trip up Mt. Pilatus. Be very cautious with what discounts you use for busses and other excursions. It’s very expensive if you mess up. They almost fined us for buying half fare bus tickets but took pity that I genuinely meant no harm. Apparently Euro-Rail passes don’t give a discount there. Once off the bus to Pilatus you take a gondola up to another gondola up to a cable car. You then can take a cog wheel train down and a boat back to Luzern but due to time and logistics we stuck to the gondolas. At the first station there’s a massive kids park, at the next station there’s a ropes course, a mountain coaster, and a Glider. Finally at the top which was our first stop there’s a couple hotels and food options plus hiking with gorgeous views.
We stopped on our way back down to do the Alpine Coaster and eat food. The coaster is technically 2 and up. The kids had a blast and so did the parents. The coaster was all we had time for so we didn’t get stuck walking back to town.
Once back at the airbnb we made dinner and went to bed as the next day it was off to Paris.
5/20- 5/22
This was another 4.5/5 hour travel day by train. Keeping the kids entertained was difficult at this point. We finally arrived and took a 40min taxi to the Airbnb. The driver brought a booster seat as a kid restraint. Not the most ideal situation. We were in close proximity to the Eiffel Tower which was awesome. My oldest loves the show Fancy Nancy and was the biggest motivation for going to Paris. Her face and reaction when she saw it was priceless. We walked over to it and she asked to go to the tippy top, so we did. Not worth the $80 but it was fun to say we did it. She enjoyed it and that’s what mattered most.
We then met my MIL and BIL for dinner nearby at Cafe Fleur. The service and food were phenomenal.
As 9pm approached my oldest was dying to see the tower light up so we sprinted to a better viewing place. As soon as she saw it sparkle she demanded we get as close as we can. Thankfully it sparkles for 5min. We took some photos and started back, intercepting the family on the way. We all took more photos and my oldest decided she wanted to watch it sparkle again and to show her little sister. We killed an hour walking around trying to find beer or champagne, which we never found haha. But we got to watch the sparkle again and this time the baby was up to see it. She was not as impressed. Finally it was time to go home for bed.
The next day was my birthday. We took the kids to Paris Disneyland while my MIL and BIL checked out Notre Dame. I was so excited because it was 1/2 the cost of going in California or Florida. From the Airbnb we grabbed a couple sandwiches and a box of pastries, took a metro to the RER A line and rode that all the way to Disney. It took about an hour and 15min. The first thing we did was watch a Disney characters parade. Very happy girls seeing all the princesses. From there we rode the carousel, did its a small world, then pirates of the caribbean, teacups, and ended with the cars ride. It rained on us but it was still warm so not a big deal. On our way out we got souvenirs and then hopped on the train to catch up with the family for dinner reservations at Le chalet des îles.
After a quick change and stuffing some food into the kids faces, we were in another taxi headed for dinner. Once there you have to take a short boat ride to the restaurant. Thankfully the baby passed out. The food was amazing and so were the desserts. It was a great way to turn 34.
The next morning was an early start, an hour taxi to the airport to head home. We had some hiccups with checking in due to the baby having a seat. They couldn’t find her or Ryan’s reservation. Eventually it worked out and we were able to head to security. This flight was definitely more challenging as it wasn’t a night flight. We landed in Chicago 8.5hrs later, exhausted and grumpy. This layover was 3hrs which was just enough time to declare our items, get our luggage, re-check it, take the train to the domestic terminals, go through TSA and grab a snack before boarding. We took a flight to Denver where everyone got some sleep, once there we got dinner and then boarded the plane to finally go home to Montana. We landed at 9:30pm and everyone slept okay that night. We woke up at 4am for the next few days but it was manageable.
I highly recommend taking your kids traveling. You won’t regret it.
The balance between being mom 24/7 and having some form of self identification is challenging in the first 6 months. Particularly with an Exclusively Breastfed Baby (EBF). Would I change it, no. But, I have definitely figured out how to do me while having a baby glued to me.
You want to hot spring? Go camping? It’s possible. My little one wanted to be in with us the entire time but we didn’t think that was safe so, we made her a shady spot. When she fussed, she got boob in the spring and to soak for a few minutes. Win, win. Camping obviously requires some planning but it’s not impossible. We find it easiest to bed share for warmth since she’s 6mo old. But, if that’s not your thing there’s infant sleeping bags on the market.
You’d like to go hike or maybe rock climb? All possible. We adopted the mentality that you just have to rip the band aid off and try. It gets easier every time. Back is best not only for sleep but for long hikes to. Proper clothing is huge. We are big into wool over here. Bamboo, polyester they are great but skip the cotton and layer up. Have a good idea for shade if you’re going to hang out somewhere for awhile. Single pitch crag days seem to he where it’s at these days. Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather only poor clothing choices.
Maybe you want some free time to go for a run or (insert any baby free activity). This to can be done. Plan it around a nap. If baby feeds then naps, feed then go. If baby sleeps then feeds upon waking leave after the prior feed. Get your spouse or a trusted sitter and try it out. Maybe not too far the first go just in case but feel it out. You’ll thank me later. Even if it’s 30min that’s 30min you can shut off and reset.
You CAN do anything you want to with a baby. Even if it’s as simple as taking a walk. It’s ALL possible you just have to give it a try. That’s literally the hardest part.
Before becoming a wife I was running around the Eastern Sierras trying to get on top of as many ridgelines as possible in the summers. I have a bucket list yet to be fully completed. In winter you could find me snowboarding on Mammoth Mountain or it’s side country. This exploration prompted my solo summit of Mt. Whitney and my desire to reignite my love for climbing and relearning the ropes. This was about the same time I met my husband who also loves to ski and climb.
One of our first dates was a scramble up Sherwin Ridge which led to climbing in the lower Eastern Sierras. Then we scrambled and rappelled a canyon in Death Valley, summitted and skied Mt. Shasta, climbed in Yosemite, Charlotte Dome and a bunch of other things in between. We both have a love for exploring whether on a rope or snow. Everywhere we go we always find rocks in the shape of hearts which we say is our love that’s been chasing eachother through these mountains. We wound up heading to Japan for a winter season where we learned that we were expecting.
We spent our days riding powder, eating delicious food, battling first trimester morning sickness, and finally traveling around to see the sights. One of my favorite days was a powder day on my day off that led us to the deepest fluffy powder I had ever rode. I was introduced to ice climbing as well which was an amazing experience. We immersed ourselves into the culture for a wonderful 4 months before Covid-19 shut down the borders and we headed home to the USA. We boarded a plane to Hawaii then home to California. Our adventures continued, we climbed places we’ve never been and then the more familiar until August when our baby was born.
Kyoto, Japan 2019
After her birth we were immersed in smoke from the wildfires and our days were spent inside healing and adapting to becoming parents. Eventually the smoke eased, my body healed, and we slowly started taking walks. Being who I am I desired more adventure still which led me to take her to the top of North Dome. Ryan and I did a 10 mile hike that led to nowhere and I realized that hikes only interest me if the destination is one of ridgelines or alpine lakes that kiss your skin with a bone chilling cold that for a second can take your breath away. Things look a bit different for now but soon I’ll be chasing her around these mountains and showing her the ropes. Until then, I will haul her around to the base of crags to watch us climb, go ski touring on the passes around us and hike with her to some easier summits because my selfish desire to adventure will hopefully rub off on her. Besides, what outdoorsman doesn’t dream of raising their baby wild?
As Christmas rapidly approaches I find myself not feeling happy or joyful about it. I’ve felt this feeling in my past. The reason? Not spending time with family. In the past it was from working in resort towns who refuse time off during the holidays, this year, it’s a virus. It is not traveling with a 4 month old for hours in a car and being responsible as to not be a possible vector for any sickness.
While yes, I have my own family now, a wonderful husband, and our beautiful baby, the holidays are meant for time with family. Christmas isn’t about the gifts we receive or give to others, it’s quality time with the people who have always been there for you, who showed you the magic of Christmas. Our baby won’t remember this holiday for a few years but these early memories are for us, for her grandparents and great grandparents. Being around others is important for babies development to. Seeing others expressions and hearing their words. Not just relying on mom and dad for security or comfort. Heck we all need human connection.
Many families this year have had babies, some haven’t introduced their babies to their families, some live with family, some have only seen family once or twice, and some see family regularly. There is no right or wrong answer here. What you feel is right is what is right for your family.
First Ski Day
We have chosen to stay home this holiday for a multitude of reasons. It’s not easy taking a baby on a road trip. Then you get there and can’t relax because you have to visit with everyone and repeat that process 3 separate times over the course of 7 days. All we did for the past months was travel. 2hrs one way for doctors appointments, 4hrs one way for her frenectomy, 3hrs one way to both in laws houses, 4hrs one way to my parents, it gets exhausting. We did it for Thanksgiving and we all felt a bit crummy with a minor sickness after so decided it’s just not in the cards right now.
I hope we can all find some joy in this holiday season. Maybe we could start some new traditions or something to make it more fun. But right now I am at a loss for positivity on the subject and that is okay to. Remember it is ok to feel however you are feeling and not to invalidate them.
Sometimes you just have to drop everything and tend to the baby.
Calm after the storm.
The truth is in the moment you get upset because you just want to feel normal and get whatever you are in the middle of done without having to stop in the middle of it. It’s easy in that moment to forget that this tiny person relies on you for food, for comfort, for safety and security. To change their diapers, bathe them, clothe them. Cool them down, warm them up, help them. This tiny little beings complete existence relies on you. They don’t understand that you have a pile of dishes that need cleaning, clothes that need washing, a book to read, coffee to drink, sweeping, mopping, food to eat, you get my drift. But you know what? It won’t be like this forever. One day you’ll wake up and realize that your baby isn’t a baby anymore. They don’t need you as much. So relish in this baby phase, embrace being needed. Don’t put to much emphasis on your household needs. Meet your needs, meet their needs, and the rest will get done when it gets done.
I am just a mom with a 4 month old who is exclusively breastfed (EBF) and this is just my thoughts and opinions on the subject at hand. First of all there’s so much pressure on moms regarding breastfeeding your baby. We live in a society where working moms have to return just 6 weeks after having a baby but there is no village mentality. No one talks about the limitations of breastfeeding, in fact, no one talks about life within that first year. We hear over and over that the first year is just a blur. We all are just surviving through it because there’s something in our instincts that guides us on what to do.
Let’s discuss the whole societal pressure to breastfeed your baby or not. Just 60 years ago it was normal to only give formula to a baby because breastfeeding was seen as something only poor people did to feed their child. Then someone woke up one day and said ALL mammals feed their young, it’s what is best for the child. Breastfeeding is literally what our bodies are meant to do for a baby. So now formula companies aren’t making as much money and have to compete with nature. What do they do? Pressure medical providers with money to push formula or when the going gets tough on a tired, helpless momma tell them to switch versus hiring a lactation consultant to help that momma figure out the root of the problem. So now you have a mom that was told breast is best that can’t find a good latch, had an undiagnosed lip or tongue tie, has a low supply, fast letdown, wrong position etc etc and the reaction is just switch? Only to leave that momma to feel like a failure, inadequate, and not capable.
What about the moms that have heard these stories who choose just to go straight to formula because their afraid of it happening to them? Or the ones whose moms just chose formula from the start and don’t know anything else? How about the moms who choose to breastfeed and have no idea how isolating it can feel? There is a serious lack of education on this topic for expecting and new moms. That needs to change. Not to mention most insurance companies don’t cover lactation consultant visits meaning you’re paying for that out of pocket and most families will not seek that help out because babies are costly enough. Let’s now explore the world if you chose to breastfeed.
Congratulations! You’re doing what’s best for your baby. Giving your baby the best possible start to life. Did you know that your baby gets all your antibodies while breastfeeding? They also signal your body to produce milk tailored to exactly what they need. You’ll lose that baby weight in no time since your breastfeeding the weight just falls off. This is only a fraction of the things I heard about breastfeeding.
So things are going well, you’re starting to get in the groove. Maybe you can’t figure out the pump and you read somewhere unless its ABSOLUTELY necessary don’t introduce a bottle until 8-10 weeks. So no stress on the pumping thing yet there’s time to get a back stock for those what if scenerios. You have an over supply? Try pumping to help that. Did you know pumping makes your body think its feeding 2 babies so you’re actually producing more? Making an over supply issue worse. All things I’ve heard since having a baby.
You’re returning to work soon? Then you have to pump and pump like crazy to get a back stock of milk so you have enough for your baby. Babies not taking a bottle? So now what do you do? You can’t ask for more leave or maybe you can but you won’t get paid. Maybe you didn’t get paid leave in the first place and your savings are depleting so there’s even more pressure to return. Why has society become such a kid free environment? We evolved into this 2 incomes to survive country but how does having children fit into that? Maybe with the evolution of women wanting equality we feel empowered by our jobs but now we need to figure out how children fit into that equation if staying home isn’t an option. Jobs should consider providing daycares for their employees or allowing moms to bring their babies to work. Then you have the comments regarding other people raising your child. So what is the right choice? It’s not so cookie cutter any more. There’s not a one size fits all or even most. I’m in California, USA and I can tell you that my situation is different than most other people here and completely different than someone else in another state.
My situation looks like this, a 20ft travel trailer, both parents on unemployment, my husband volunteering 32 hours a week to have our rent and utilities covered with the hopes that his volunteer position will become paid. We have a mini fridge/ freezer combo and milk can only stay good in there for 2 weeks so I literally can’t pump because we’d just be wasting all that liquid gold. I have an over supply though and I catch it with a hakaa and store what I can BUT on top of that my baby doesn’t take a bottle anymore. I to read about not introducing the bottle until 8-10 weeks so we stopped after 1 week of doing 1 bottle a day at 4 weeks old. Not to mention she also was starting to fuss more at my breast which we think was due to the nipple of the bottle being easier than my boob. So here we are at 4 months and my angel baby is quite literally EBF because she’s a boob snob that refuses the bottle. Which brings me to the point about feeling isolated.
When you are the ONLY way your baby eats you become the primary caregiver. Lucky for me I’m not returning to a job because we are in the midst of a pandemic and there’s no jobs available. But, maybe it feels unlucky for me sometimes. I do feel blessed to not have to spend money on childcare and get to raise her but on the flip side I feel trapped sometimes. I can’t leave for more than 30min because of fear she might start screaming for food nor can I go very far for that exact same reason. Literally I can’t shut off from being a mom and I know I’m not alone in this. Your partner sleeping soundly next to you with their useless nipples as you nurse the little 5am alarm clock back to sleep only to wake again at 5:45am when your husbands alarm goes off for work. If you’re like me falling back asleep at 7 or 8am when she goes down for her first nap doesn’t really work out so well.
On the flip side, because you’ve become the primary care giver, your partner now maybe lacks the confidence to take over the full control of parenting duties. You’ve got your routine and the cues dialed so they just let you handle it. Even if you could leave for a couple hours you’d stress out about whether or not things were going okay or if they were staying on schedule. Does he know the tired cues? Will he make sure they feel safe and secure? Is he just letting them cry and not calling me? What if he gets stressed? What would he do? We all know we play out literally ALL what if scenarios. The whole having a baby thing is hard between two parents with or without all the outside influences. Why doesn’t our society have a more it takes a village mentality?
With Google right at everyone’s fingertips these days there’s so much information out there. Correct or not. Why aren’t we taught to turn to our families or peers more? To look to our village for support? Where did that go? How did that get so lost? Having a baby is isolating because we are told the first year is about sleep deprivation and surviving. Babies are fragile, they need a certain temperature, and you’re recovering. We need to be taught to trust your instincts and stop relying so heavily on doctors or the internet to give you answers. TRUST yourself and put like-minded people around you who you can also trust.
My husband and I have adopted the mindset that you just have to rip the band aid off and try because if you don’t, you’ll just sit around letting that first year become the blur that everyone talks about. You’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to have hard days, and you’re going to learn lessons but, you’ll also make amazing memories, have fun and feel good about trying. It gets easier every time you do it. Postpartum looks different for everyone but even with that trust your body and trust the process. This is just the beginning and we solve the issue of how to feed our babies by doing what’s best for yourself and your family. But we should be demanding there’s more education on the topic. I challenge you to demand better from our healthcare providers. We start living with a village mindset and we start these conversations so we can figure out how to balance work and family better. We attract the lives and outcome we want.
I’ve been using this space to keep document of the climbing I have done while being pregnant. Here’s a few that I have done that wouldn’t fill an entire blog post by themselves.
5/10/20 Bottle CreekCrack Climbing and 27 weeks pregnant! This was my first ever trad lead last spring and it was amazing being able to come back and do it again while pregnant. I was thinking the whole time, “I lead this?” I just don’t have the mindset these days to feel confident in leading but my guess is that’s my bodies response to protecting the baby. Such a fun crack and finger crack to.
6/1/2020 High Planes Drifter a “5.6” 3 pitch route we did in 2 pitches and I lead pitch 2. More of a fun rock scramble but good to get out and run around on the rocks at 30 weeks pregnant.
7/17/2020 Oak Tree Flake to Bay Tree Crack, Swan Slab. 37 weeks pregnant and all I want to do is climb! So we made our way to the valley for a day of swimming and fishing before climbing. Thunderstorms loomed and we raced up these 2 pitches. I found the start of Oak Tree Flake to be a bit more difficult until I figured out that I could still foot jam this pregnant and then there was nothing stopping me. The only crux, a giant belly that was difficult to maneuver around the bush. It felt so amazing to get on the rock again and do a bit of a workout. Happy mama, happy baby.
40 weeks
8/7/2020 Our angel babies due date! We climbed Swan Slab Gully today in hopes maybe it’d kickstart my labor. Fun 2 pitch scramble to get the body moving. No such luck bringing on labor but, was happy to be in my happy place none the less.
At just 3 months old we have taken our little girl to the crag to go climbing twice so far. The first adventure I met up with a friend and her boyfriend while my husband Ryan was at work, next was Halloween with Ryan and friends.
I brought her in her carseat, had a playmat, and the diaper bag filled with snacks and water for me, diapers, toys for her. Emily began leading up pitch one of Swan Slab Gully while Jake belayed so I could feed and get her satisfied enough to let me climb. She was more interested in the rocks and trees than eating. 8 weeks postpartum and finally mostly clear skies from the fires that have raged all of August and September, I was beyond excited to get on the rocks. One pitch done, cleaning the anchor, setting up to rappel and she starts to cry. My friends tend to her as I rapidly try to get down. That was a stressful feeling! Lesson one learned, don’t be the last to climb and rappel, always be on top rope so you can lower at any moment.
Once down, I took the screaming baby and fed her while we decided what to do next. We went around the corner and Emily decided on the start of Lena’s Lieback and going right to the 5.7. The sun finally was behind the rocks so we played on the playmat while Emily crushed the route. She ran out of gear so she set a top rope at the tree and lowered. Jake entertained the baby while I scrambled up. Emily went again and finished the lead up the next section to the actual anchors. We concluded the day and went home.
The next time we climbed was on Halloween. This time my husband Ryan got to come. We left the baby at the base with friends and Ryan rope gunned for me up Oak Tree to Bay Tree Flake. Everyone was dressed in costume scrambling around on the rocks. Once down I fed the little one, who according to both Emilys, John and Ashley was an angel. She doesn’t take a bottle so leaving for to long isn’t an option yet but 2 pitches was enough to satiate my climbing desires for the day.
Chasing Ridgelines 