Milk & Wine

Category: wellness

  • Maternity leave thoughts

    When I had my first kid, I did not know what was up or down. It was a doozy lol. I feel like I truly did not have the capacity to think about anything but how to get my new little baby to please please please sleep a little. Which I recognize (now) is totally normal and makes so much sense. Now that I’ve had my second kid, I have a tiny bit more experience which has led me down this path of really contemplating how I want to use my parental leave.

    Caveat: I do recognize that everyone’s situation is unique. If you are perhaps reading this out of curiosity or research or for any other purpose – welcome! Please feel free to take what you like and leave what you don’t.

    During my first postpartum period and maternity leave, I ended up doing pelvic floor physical therapy as a means to an end (I wanted to be able to go snowboarding lol). Early postpartum, I

    1. Threw my back out
    2. Had a super week core (obviously)
    3. Had insanely tight glutes (still do)

    But I wanted to go do this sport that I really love. I made an appointment to make sure I was doing the right things so I could safely snowboard. I quickly learned pelvic PT is crucial just in general. It helped with SO much (back pain, core strength, posture, how to pick up my baby, etc).

    Did I immediately sign up for it once I had my second kid? No. Lol.

    But, through conversations with my husband and therapist and others, a really crucial ideology started to seep in. Besides making sure my baby is fed, clean, diapered, and loved – I have to make sure I’m caring for myself, too. So I am back in PT. I’m trying acupuncture. I’m going to therapy once a week. I’m trying to not stress about cleaning the house or laundry or whatever else. And I’m trying to rest and do nothing a little bit more often.

    Would I be fine if I didn’t? Sure. But it feels really, really good for me to at least have this stuff on my radar and implement more.

  • New year rituals

    I love the energy of a new year. We’re cozy. And we’re reflecting, planning, and dreaming up new goals. Here’s what I like to think about as we approach a new year.

    Mantra: I like to pick a word/phrase/theme for the year ahead. A couple years ago my mantra was focused on being intentional. Last year my phrase was “everything is always working out for me”. This year, it’s “everything expands when I let go”. I love doing this because it’s a gentle reminder throughout the year – but it reverberates into everything.

    Podcasts: The podcast episode I repeat at least once a year is the “We are supported by… Oprah Winfrey” episode on Armchair Expert. Just listen to it. It’s great. There is so much goodness about intention, people pleasing, etc.

    Vision board: I go on Pinterest. I search for the words aligned with my mantra and goals. I take some screenshots. I use adobe or paint or something and put all those screenshots in the same place. I think you can even do this natively in Pinterest now. Then make that my phone/laptop/ipad background. Boom. Done.

    ChatGPT: I recently asked ChatGPT “What to think about when doing new years goal planning” and it gave me sooo much to think about and respond to. Love.

    What are your new year rituals?!

  • A Milk & Wine 24 hour day

    A Milk & Wine 24 hour day

    Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share things I genuinely use and love.

    I have two kids (2 year old and 4 month old). I work a 9-5 corporate job. I need 8 hours of sleep. I like to workout. I want to better my meditation practice. I look forward to my evening glass of wine. And I want to watch my Real Housewives. I could probably use to read more. Oh and I need to walk my dog.

    I’m still on maternity leave but going back to work soon. Here’s how I’m planning to try to fit it all in. I know it will never happen like this 100% of the time, but it’s a practice and something I can keep coming back to.

    6:00 am – Wake up, drink water, check baby monitor, get some coffee, check my phone (would like to be better at not doing that but alas)

    6:05 am – All the things

    • 5 – 15 mins: Guided meditation with Insight Timer & red light panel (I use the Hooga HG300)
    • 5-10 mins: Journal
    • 1 min: Read the day’s meditation from “Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much” by Anne Wilson Schaef.
    • 30 secs: Coffee refill!
    • 5-10 mins: Stretch (can combo this with reading or scrolling on phone)
    • Remaining time ideas: Walk on my walking pad, unload the dishwasher, do nothing

    6:50 am – Get myself ready (workout clothes, brush teeth, wash face)

    7:00 am – Get girls up

    7:40 am – Girls go to school with dad, I go to gym

    9:00 am – Work

    5:00 pm – If I am not picking up the girls from school, I’ll walk the dog

    5:30 pm – Wine, dinner, play, clean up

    6:30 pm – Girls’ bath time & night time routine

    7:00 pm – Girls’ bed time

    7:05 pm – Tidy up

    7:15 pm – Shower & skin care

    7:45 pm – Vitamins, tea, and Real Housewives

    9:00 pm – Brush teeth

    9:02 pm – Get in bed and read

    9:30 pm – Sleep

  • Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much

    “How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.” – Spanish Proverb.

    Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaeff

    I’ve been loving ‘Meditations For Women Who Do Too Much’ by Anne Wilson Schaef. It is a cute little book with one meditation for each day of the year. I originally found it in my therapist’s office, but quickly bought a copy for myself lol. Gooooood daily reminders and a great add to the morning routine.

  • Welcome to Milk & Wine

    Milk & Wine was born from this idea that I wanted to keep exploring.. Wanting to dig into the mix of being a mom (the milk part) while staying connected to all the things that make me me (the wine part).

    I know it’s not possible to “do it all,” but I’m trying to find that sweet spot – aiming for balance without burning out. I love being a mom, and I also love working on myself – whether that’s moving my body, making small swaps in my closet, or giving myself permission to be instead of just powering through the to-do list.

    I definitely don’t have it all figured out, but this is where I’ll share what I’m learning about motherhood, wellness, and balance.

    Pour yourself a glass and chill ✨