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{📷 via @thepouf } 〰️ Sending you all virtua

{📷 via @thepouf } 〰️ Sending you all virtual care packages filled with cute kittens, handwritten notes, fresh-baked cookies, warm hugs, hot dumplings, a babysitter for the night and all the other things that would feel like love for you right now. We all could use some.

Tag a thoughtful friend in the comments, and see the whole convo on Stories 💕.
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #momgroup #momcommunity #momfriends #friendship #momssupportingmoms #bestfriends #newmom #womensupportingwomen #empathy #postpartum #motherhood #mom

{📷 via @bstereo } 〰️ While we fiercely love

{📷 via @bstereo } 〰️ While we fiercely love our babies, we don’t always love our births. The birth can set the tone for the first months to years, and it can be a source of much emotional upheaval and questioning. Practitioners often further these blame-and-shame stories when feeding challenges arise — which only adds to our suffering.

And then come the self-interrogations: Was the epidural the right choice? Why didn’t I advocate more? Why did we decide to do it that way? As usual, it seems the impetus is always on mothers to untangle these knots and it’s often through complicated one-sided conversations in our own minds.

“But now you have your babyyyy,” others try remind us. Yes, now we do. But that doesn’t negate our often very complex feelings about what our bodies did, or didn’t do, or how we were treated, and what we felt like in the process. It’s the beginning of a common thread in motherhood: do the ends matter more than the means? Do we get to feel our feelings, or should we just plaster over them with gratitude and smiles?

Processing our birth experiences is as important as planning them. There are sections of book stores dedicated to the time leading up to birth itself but only slim shelf space about what happens next. In community, we can sit with the after. Talking about our births isn’t just natural, it’s vital. And Mom Group came through with some suggested resources and ways of helping move through this processing period. Here are a few:

- “Transformed by Birth” by @brittabushnellphd
- “Writing to Heal” by James W. Pennebaker
- “Heal Your Birth Story” by Maureen Campion
- “Rebounding from Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery” by Lynn Madsen
- EMDR therapy
- Postpartum doula support

We’re talking about this on Stories, now. Add to the convo on Stories anonymously or drop a comment below. 👇
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #birthstories #postpartum #newmom #birthtrauma #fourthtrimester #thefifthtrimester #postpartumanxiety #ppd #postpartumdepression #cesarean #epidural #postpartumbodies

{📷 via @crazyheadcomics } 〰️ Let’s talk a

{📷 via @crazyheadcomics } 〰️ Let’s talk about toxic positivity and the wellness industry. When someone shares their reality openly with us, and our response is a peppy graphic about gratitude, exhaling love, or telling them to buy something — what are we really saying? That their problems make us uncomfortable? That we don’t want to acknowledge there may not be a marketable solution to their pain?⁠
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Listen, Karen, your essential oils/meditation course/yoga class geared toward affluent white women isn’t addressing the issues facing Black and brown, disabled, queer, and otherwise marginalized voices. In fact, not only is that supplement or oil not helpful, it’s ignoring real discrimination and trauma. There are no shortcuts to healing even if pretty pink memes claim to have the roadmap. This toxic positivity discounts and undermines the human experience, and places the blame and responsibility on those who need real support, not love and light.⁠
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We need to amplify more diverse voices in wellness if we want our communities to truly heal. We’re not claiming to be the voice needed in this space but we do want to help uplift those voices that need to be heard. Rebekah Borucki founded Row House Publishing which, along with many other commitments towards equity and diversity, aims to do just that, to “Raise the Volume on Voices That Matter.”⁠
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If you believe this is important, please do this:⁠
✔ Share this post⁠
✔ Follow @bexlife and @rowhousepub on Instagram⁠
✔ Visit SupportRowHouse.com to grab more content to share on social media⁠
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#nsfmg #rowhouse #brownbooksarelit #publishingpaidme #ownvoices #weneeddiversebooks #blackbookstagram #diversebooks #authorsofinstagram #diversereads #readlatinx #diversekidlit #authorssupportingauthors #authorsofcolor #queerreads #supportblackauthors #ownvoiceschildrensbooks #blackliterature #blackwriters #ownvoicesbooks #socialjustice #blacklivesmatter #ownvoicesauthors #lgbtqbooks #blackauthors #blackbooksmatter #blackauthorsmatter #booksofinstagram #diversespines #representationmatters⁠

We don’t talk enough about the pain and physical

We don’t talk enough about the pain and physicality of motherhood. The part that has nothing to do with the immediate postpartum period or pregnancy. Postpartum is painful, raw and deeply physical — but it doesn’t end there. It extends far beyond the first year. The slow, grinding down of our bodies as we weather the effects of the constant give, give, give without enough time or space for nourishment of self. And yet; we know we are worthy. We know we are doing amazing things: Growing actual humans! Keeping them alive! We know that even the soil that feeds the flowers get replenished, but even though we are the soil, we somehow feel that it’s ok when we run dry.

We are both the superheroes and the ones who deserve saving. But no one is rescuing the moms so we’re going to have to find a way to do it ourselves.

We’re talking about this on Stories now. Add to the convo on Stories anonymously or drop a comment below 👇.
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #momgroup #momcommunity #talkingcircles #postpartumempath #postpartum #fourthtrimester #fifthtrimester #newmom #overwhelm #supermom #maternalmentalhealth #pmads #momssupportingmoms #workingmoms #motherhoodunfiltered #rawmotherhood

{📷 via @max164 } 〰️ “Even though I’m we

{📷 via @max164 } 〰️ “Even though I’m wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt most of the time, I’ll put something on other than full bum underwear and let him see a peek . . .” — D.

Just do it, Ma. Hope everyone has a spicy 🌶 weekend. Read our whole convo on how to make a long-term partnership not-boring on Stories now.
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #momsanonymous #momgroup #momcommunity #justdoit #heymomgroup #brooklynmom #nycmom #momssupportingmoms #motherhoodispolitical #motherhoodunfiltered
#realmotherhood #realmomlife #rawmotherhood #momshelpingmoms #talkingcircles #empathy #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodunfiltered #nikewomen

{📷 via @playtusu } 〰️ “Hey Mom Group: A t

{📷 via @playtusu } 〰️ “Hey Mom Group: A thing has been happening to me lately after nearly 20 years with the same person. We are happy and tbh our sex life is pretty darn good right now. I think it’s actually a fantasy about having control over my body? And not being taken for granted. Ain’t nobody trying to woo me in this house. Nothing is ever slow or unsure. No curious shyness. I’m realizing that the thing that I miss is that tension. First kisses and the tentative way that a new partner will explore you. I don’t have any interest in finding an actual new partner. I like mine. So I’m wondering how we get that back? Is the newness just gone and something I’ll have to mourn? Or have other mamas had this experience and found a way to restart that part of the relationship? Looking for pointers.” - Anon.

How do you get the “new” back when you’ve been with the same person for so long? Or, when staring at the same and only person without a break for the past (pandemic) year takes its toll? Taking pointers 👇 and comments below. Share your thoughts anonymously on Stories.
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #momgroup #momcommunity #momfriends #libido #sexdrive #sexandmotherhood #milf #marriedwithkids #monogamy #momssupportingmoms #motherly

{📷 via @nicholas.fols } 〰️ Covid Brain Fog

{📷 via @nicholas.fols } 〰️ Covid Brain Fog is a thing. And though that may not be the clinical term for what @jessgrosewrites is describing in her @nytparenting piece, “Why Your Brain Feels Broken,” it sounds close to the thing I’ve been trying to tell folks I’ve been feeling except lately...I’ve forgotten the words.

As a writer, not knowing words is a pretty frightening pandemic side effect. And this isn’t just limited to the written word. I’m finding it hard to communicate with folks verbally as well, which makes me feel super disconnected from my people and my world — pretty crushing for someone who considers themselves a “community builder.”

As each wretched day passes, I feel more like the Hal 9000 computer in Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Pretty soon I’ll be falling apart in a corner somewhere, singing at an absurdly inaudible pitch, “Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do.”

We’re sharing our memorable lost words (lol! We like to do hard things here at (nsfmg)) on Stories. Check them out, and add your own. Check out @totumwomen ‘s stories too, and their feed post on this topic!
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #memory #pandemic #covidbrain #brainfog #mombrain #postpartumjourney #motherhoodstories

{📷 via @shanaleehampton } 〰️ So here is whe

{📷 via @shanaleehampton } 〰️ So here is where I've landed on this Seussical the Racist Book Musical conversation. When we receive news like this -- news about a once-beloved author for example -- there often is a collective tendency towards being reactive, because we want to do the “right” thing. But can we take this further?

What do we do when we see our institutions behaving in a way that does not align with our antiracist/ inclusive/ no-hate-lives-here beliefs? Are we willing to have tough conversations, and to speak truth to the places that are helping to shape our children's minds?

How can we go beyond our visceral reactions to take action on behalf of our children’s educations? Choosing what we do with the physical books themselves is one part of the equation — but so is what comes next. If there's no conversation, or thought, or action, then honestly what's the point?

You can visit this whole convo on highlights shortly, and on Stories now 🙀.
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #theconsciouskid #teachforthechange #antiracistbooks #kidlit #drseuss #socialjustice #antiracism

{📷 via @cupofcreative.co and ➡️ via @teachf

{📷 via @cupofcreative.co and ➡️ via @teachforthechange} 〰️ "Hey Mom Group: Have you all covered Dr. Seuss before? Now that my daughter is in daycare, I’m trying to figure out how to approach them about it. I found out that March is "Dr.Seuss Month" at the school, and knowing the now well-documented racist portrayals in his books, and his refusal to change them later in life, this makes me very uncomfortable. I want to use this as an opportunity to start a conversation with the teachers, but I am afraid. I moved to a very rural area where my family already stands out bc we are Jewish. The daycare thought I would want all the Christmas books removed from the classroom back in December. It was so strange. Anyway, I want to approach them and use this as an opportunity to start a productive dialogue. I don’t want to accuse or have it be met with defensiveness and have them just shut me down. I feel like I need a template but I know no matter what I will say something." — S.

The overt and explicit racism both against BIPOC and Japanese-Americans is as shocking as it is evident in these works.
@theconsciouskid’s recent post covers the many ways in which the Seuss books -- and Ted Geisel (the author) himself were racist (if you need a primer). If you go to @teachforthechange’s link in bio, they have created a template/bookmark *for purchase* if you would like to use your Seuss books as opportunities for reflection and learning. We've included slides from @teachforthechange 's account -- where they recommend title alternatives to Seuss books.

For those who have learned about Ted Geisel's AKA Dr. Seuss’s racism, what have you decided to do with the Seuss books in your homes? In your schools? How does knowing more about Geisel and (other racist kids book authors) make you feel about these once-treasured books?
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#notsafeformomgroup #nsfmg #heymomgroup #kidsbooks #kidlit #seuss #drseuss #theconsciouskid

“At what point is America going to stop expectin

“At what point is America going to stop expecting the people to fundraise over natural crises? We can’t gofundme our way out of capitalism. We can’t gofundme our way out of climate crisis . . . We absolutely must continue to build up our infrastructures. But so long as we are here paying into these services people should expect to be safe, and warm.” -- transcribed from @janayathefuture 's IG live, "What Happened in Texas?" Head to their page for the full listen.⁠
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It is a pretty big red flag when every time there is a natural disaster, and people aren’t able to recover financially, it is up to private citizens to raise each other up because our government doesn’t. It can also be true that until there is a better system, we still need to take care of each other. How have you been showing up for our friends in Texas? Would love to hear about accounts you're following for inspiration on places to give, or donate to; charities you're giving to, actions you're taking. Drop them in comments, below.⁠
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Here are some that we are inspired by:⁠
@austinmutualaid⁠
@northtexasfoodbank⁠
@feedthepeopledallas⁠
@genesiswomensshelter⁠
@funkytownfridge⁠
@mutualaidhou⁠
@canidaecollective⁠
@latinxdallas⁠
@foodbankrgv⁠
@notmysondfw⁠
@trinitymutualaid⁠
@rgvmutualaid⁠
@4dwn_project⁠
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Click link in bio for additional sites and resources.⁠
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#notsafeformomgroup #heymomgroup #momsanonymous #momgroup #nsfmg #helptexas #dallas #austin #sanantonio #northtexasfoodbank #fortworth #texassnow2021 #texasstrong #staystrongtexas #helptexas #dallas #austin #sanantonio #northtexasfoodbank #fortworth #texassnow2021 #texasstrong #staystrongtexas⁠