10 tips to make motherhood easier

Having raised four kids, our founder Anna van den Bogert shares her advice on making motherhood easier.

1. Always remember that you and only you know what’s best for you and your baby
Learn to tune into your emotions and listen to what feels good for you. Emotions provide essential information about yourself and should be celebrated more. We are prone to suppress them, but they offer a way to get closer to yourself. When they are pushed away, you’ll grow more and more distant from yourself. If you feel what you feel and learn to talk about your emotions, you’ll get closer to yourself and achieve natural flow.

2. The only thing required to bond with your baby is you and your baby. It’s that simple
Don’t be fooled into thinking you need technology or artificial inventions to form the bond between you and your child.

3. You don’t always have to solve everything for your baby, as long as you are simply there
Remember that feelings of despair or frustration are also what drives you to take such good care of your baby.

4. Sometimes, don’t be afraid to put your own needs before your child’s
To be able to take care of your baby, don’t be ashamed to first take care of yourself. If taking a shower in the morning is important to you, go ahead and do it, even though your baby is crying. Taking care of your own needs first may seem to be at the expense of your baby, but in the long term I believe it’s beneficial for them to learn that you’re not always servicing them and that you take your own needs seriously. Balance is key!

5. To facilitate bonding with your child, don’t look at the clock
Especially in the first six months, feeding your baby on request and letting your baby sleep on request instead of looking at the clock will make you and your baby find your own unique rhythm.

6. What works, works
Don’t be afraid to break ‘the rules’ if your intuition tells you otherwise. Why do we put all these motherhood matters outside of ourselves? You get to decide what’s good for you and your baby.

7. If you want to be intimate with your partner, don’t feel bad about it
Don’t forget about nurturing the relationship with your partner.

8. Allow friends and family to help taking care of your child and feel less isolated
We’re all going through the same. You don’t have to do everything by yourself. Learn to ask for help. We’ve all become so isolated in motherhood, but I’ve experienced such relief when the burden of childcare is shared. It takes a village to raise a child. Build a village.

9. You don’t need to always entertain your child. It’s completely ok to not enjoy the playground, or jigsaw puzzles
Keep your energy up by being present but not constantly servicing your child. Children learn by imitating, not by being entertained.

10. Parenting is calculated risk-taking. Sometimes they fall, that’s how they learn
Learning to avoid all risks won’t help them discover their boundaries. We are all here to grow, experience and learn. Risk-taking is an essential part of that, because only then do children learn their boundaries. However scary it may seem, if you always hold their hand, they won’t learn to their best ability.

Astrological Forecast July 2022

Artwork by @_kallenmikel

By astrologer Christiano Greve Ormeño.

Looking within, we all long for connection. Connection with ourselves, with others, and with our surroundings. Every once in a while, the cosmic energy offers us the possibility to strengthen that connection. The month of July 2022 is such a moment. If we can harness this energy, inner peace will flow as our desires become fulfilled. However, if we ignore our intuition, this energy may cause chaos and emotional distress. Many of us will experience a sense of being “called upon” over the coming weeks to follow our inner light. It is important to be aware of this call from our subconscious, and to honor it. Setting boundaries becomes essential. What feels right and what doesn’t? What suits me and what doesn’t? As many will not recognize this strong emotional energy, they might risk projecting it onto others. The question “what is truthful for me and what is not?” could help prevent this. Together we can create harmonious and prosperous timelines if we dare to establish a true connection with ourselves, others, and our surroundings.

Important date:
13 July Full Moon in Capricorn.

Important planets:
Pluto, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune.

Jane Goodall x Artipoppe

We are proud to announce an exclusive partnership with the iconic Dr. Jane Goodall who has created a special Zeitgeist Baby Carrier supporting the Jane Goodall Institute. The Jane Goodall x Artipoppe Zeitgeist comes in a natural linen and organic cotton blend and is airy and light yet strong and durable, to be passed on from generation to generation. Inspired by Jane’s ‘Africa’ necklace, the embroidered emblem on the waist belt represents Africa and the location of Gombe National Park. A small cargo pocket on the waist belt can be used for change, a love letter or a cell phone. 10% of all worldwide sales will be donated to the Jane Goodall Institute, founded in 1977 to ensure her vision and life’s work continue to mobilize the collective power of individual action to protect the natural world we all share. Your support helps us advance her vision and our ongoing global work for the benefit of all.

Read more about Dr. Jane Goodall’s lifelong work with the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park and order the exclusive Zeitgeist Jane Goodall x Artipoppe here.

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