Today, Mama Lana had a lovely chit chat with Christie Artis, the fantastic product maven from our Council of Experts. We adored her honesty, humor, and wisdom as she reflected on the wild and wonderful ride that is pregnancy and new motherhood.
ML: How did you feel when you first discovered you were pregnant?
CA: I felt like I had just won the lottery. Seriously, shocked, so many thoughts racing through my mind about how life would be evolving, wondering what this special person would be like, so many questions, so much excitement. I felt elated.
ML: If you could look back in time and give advice to your pregnancy self, what would it be?
CA: Don’t worry as much about how you look, how you’ll bounce back after, etc. Just focus on eating healthy, staying active at the new pace your body allows, and everything will fall into place after your munchkin arrives. Live in the moment, don’t over think.
ML: What was your go-to preggo product?
CA: Tights, dresses, vanilla ice cream. (lol)
ML: What was your favorite part about pregnancy?
CA: Feeling and seeing Coen (my son) move around. What a miracle that there could be a little person breathing, moving, hiccupping and kicking inside of me. At the end of my pregnancy I put a video camera on my belly and recorded his ninja moves from the outside.
ML: What was the toughest part about pregnancy?
CA: Not being able to do the things I had always done in the way I had done them. I was a month pregnant when I did my last triathlon, and although I exercised throughout pregnancy I missed the intensity of my pre-preggo life. It was the start of my biggest parenting lesson, the importance of ‘adapting to transitions’. Not only is becoming a parent all about transitions...but simultaneously your child is constantly in transition too. Being patient with them as well as yourself is the key to happiness.
ML: What's the first funny memory that comes to mind about your pregnancy?
CA: Flying at 8 months pregnant and getting nervous looks form your fellow passengers.
ML: What are two ways that motherhood has changed you?
CA: First - I plan way less, go with the flow more. Second - I am more kind to myself. My goal is to treat myself as well as I treat my son. So I give myself more breaks, expect less ‘perfection’, I just do the best I can. Motherhood has taught me that my best guide are my instincts, it’s up to me to use them and learn what I can for next time.
ML: What's something unexpected about motherhood?
CA: How much I would change…for the better. Before becoming a parent it’s easy to focus on all the things you would give up becoming a parent, I knew being a mother would be wonderful but I had no idea how much I would gain as an individual.
ML: Thanks so much for being on our Council of Experts! What do you love most about Mama Lana?
CA: It feels like a monthly celebration! Every month of pregnancy brings new changes to your body, your baby, new discoveries about pregnancy...I love the idea of getting a gift each month to celebrate that. The best part of the package is that it's full of all the things you may need or want, but might not know to ask for or get for yourself. It symbolizes what the moms in my life do for each other all the time, give each other things they don't even know to ask for. Love, friendship, advice, product tips, childcare tips, validation, reassurance, laughter, sisterhood.
