 Diapers, and wipes, and change pads — oh my! We mamas never leave home without them, but have you ever wondered what other goodies your Yoga Mama friends always have on hand? In our weekly blog series for April, “What’s In My (Diaper) Bag”, we’ve asked three Mamas to share their top 5 diaper bag must-haves. Kaitlyn is a Leslieville local, with an active 8 month old. We asked Kaitlyn to share a bit about herself in this fun Q&A, and to reveal the products she and Baby Avery take on the go: Our favourite family activity is...walking around our fantastic neighbourhood, Leslieville, and enjoying all of the lovely restaurants and coffee shops. My day is not complete without…A kiss from Avery and a coffee. Since joining Yoga Mamas…I have something to look forward to by doing yoga or pilates with Avery. I also get to spend time on myself by doing classes in the evening while my husband looks after Avery. Besides being a woman, my super power is…Being a fashionable Mom! Most people don't know that I…was a competitive figure skater until the age of 18. Kaitlyn’s Top 5 Diaper Bag Items: 1. The Over
2. The Hidrate Spark Smart Water Bottle
3. The Paci-Pod by Jujube
4. Johnson and Johnson face and hand wipes
5. The Neckerchew
Curious about what your Yoga Mama friends are toting for their tots? We certainly were, and we can’t wait to show you more! Every week until the end of the month we’ll be featuring a new Mama and her top 5 diaper bag items; the ones that help them care for their Littles and make it through the day in one piece. Up next is jet setter, Alyssa Lioutas to tell us what she keeps on hand for her 9 month old.
See what practical, not to mention beautiful, baby essentials our Yoga Mamas team added to our customized bag at the beginning of the “What’s In My (Diaper) Bag” series!  Yoga Mamas has partnered with Ally Tripkovic, creator of Sunny Rhino Designs, to design a set of Baby Milestones Cards exclusively for Yoga Mamas. Baby Milestone Cards are the perfect way to mark your newborn baby's growth with photos you will have forever. The 16 card pack starts on the very first day, marking the first four weeks and then month after month until your newborn turns 1! To learn more about these beautiful prints, we sat down with Ally to discuss the inspiration and upcoming direction of Sunny Rhino Designs. What is the inspiration behind Sunny Rhino Designs?Ally: Sunny Rhino Designs first came to be when I went looking for a modern family tree for my kids. I love celebrating family and I wanted to teach my kids about past generations. So as a graphic designer, when I couldn’t find a fresh and modern design – I just created it. From that point, I was inspired to keep creating more pieces and there was a natural progression to design prints and baby milestone cards. Sunny Rhino Designs is my dream job. How do you hope your customers will feel when they purchase one of your prints?Ally: You know that feeling when you’ve purchased something for your home and you can’t wait to put it in its place? THAT feeling! It honestly makes my day when clients tell me that their kids love their new art – it’s incredibly sweet to hear.  When collaborating with Yoga Mamas to create the beautiful Milestones Cards, how did you fuse your vision with the YM brand?Ally: Working with Yoga Mamas was such a fun collaboration! My design style is normally bold and graphic, so I had to really soften my approach and focus on the calmer/lighter aesthetic of the YM brand. I think the results are lovely - it's a perfect balance of sweet and modern, so fitting for the YM space. What's next for Sunny Rhino Designs?Ally: I'm currently working on a fun new product with a Toronto based children’s retailer. We are still in the early stages so I can’t share the details just yet – I’m looking forward to the big reveal soon. I know at some point I would love to do more textile and surface design – it’s always been a passion of mine. This is just the beginning for Sunny Rhino…fun things to come! Baby Milestones Card GiveawayTo enter our Baby Milestones Cards giveaway, please visit our instagram account @torontoyogamamas. Winners will be announced April 13th, 2017 at 5pm.
 In Traditional Chinese Medicine a lot of attention is paid to health of the new parent in the postpartum period. In postpartum acupuncture treatments, we take a holistic approach to care by incorporating acupuncture, diet and recipes suggestions, as well as lifestyle advice to help get you back to feeling like yourself again. 1. Mother Warming with Moxa:One of the simplest and nicest treatments postpartum acupuncture we do, or teach support people of our clients to do, in the days following labour is called Mother Warming. In this treatment the lower abdomen is gently warmed with moxibustion, a therapeutic herb that is burned a few inches from the surface of the body, to help the uterus contract back to it’s pre-pregnancy size, reduce blood loss and boost energy. This treatment can also aid in invigorating the organs responsible for building milk supply for people who are planning to breastfeed or pump. And it feels sooooo nice! 2. Lactation Support:A lot of people don't know how effective postpartum acupuncture treatments can be for supporting breastfeeding. We use points on the body to help with milk let-down; increase milk supply; reduce inflammation in the case of blocked ducts or mastitis; as well as offer simple dietary suggestions to build milk supply. If you need to bring your little one into your treatment with you, we can make special adjustments so that you can safely and comfortably hold your baby during your treatment if you need to feed. 3. Aches and Pains:During the postpartum period you may find that you still have some of the aches and pains you had in pregnancy, as well as upper back pain and arm pain from holding your new baby. Postpartum acupuncture is great at treating muscular pain and a couple of treatments can go a long way to helping your body adjust to its new demands. 4. Sleep:When your baby is born we start to look at improving quality of sleep vs quantity of sleep. Postpartum acupuncture treatments can help to calm the mind and relieve stress so that when your slumber is interrupted by your new baby you can get back to sleep quickly and easily. Quality sleep is so essential at this time as it effects not only your energy but your mood. Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to get the sleep you need. 5. Anxiety/depression:There are many factors that can contribute to the blues in the postpartum period. Postpartum acupuncture can offer calming treatments as well as treatments to compliment other kinds of support you may be using for anxiety and depression during this time. Some research suggests that acupuncture treatments can be as effective as medications for managing postpartum depression and anxiety.
 Babies may be tiny, but they sure come with a lot of gear! Wherever you are along your postnatal journey, be it 6 weeks or 2 years, you’ll agree that there’s one thing you never leave home without (other than baby that is) — and that’s the all important diaper bag. From lip balm to wet wipes, that bag holds it all! Just add a few granola bars and your surrogate purse is now a ‘Mama survival kit’! This month we’re sharing a special sneak peek into the diaper bags of your fellow Yoga Mamas in a fun weekly series. We’ll be featuring a new Mama every week, so stay tuned! To get the series started, our team has customized a diaper bag with practical, not to mention beautiful, baby essentials. Here are the 5 items we couldn’t live without… 1. Lulujo Luxe Muslin Blanket
2. Sapling Organic Heart Pants
3. Charlotte's Bum Butter
4. Doterra Essential Oil: Lemon
5. BKR Glass Water Bottle
Yoga Mamas Diaper Bag: |
 | Beautiful and spacious, our Aqua Geo Beach Tote is perfect for carrying all of your diaper bag essentials-and more! |
Curious about what your Yoga Mama friends are toting for their tots? We certainly were, and we can’t wait to show you! Every week until the end of the month we’ll be featuring a new Mama and her top 5 diaper bag items; the ones that help them care for their Littles and make it through the day in one piece. Up next is the lovely (and might we add fashionable!) Kaitlyn Leeb to tell us what she keeps on hand for her 8 month old.
