Everything a first-time mum-to-be needs to know….

There’s a reason we don’t often do Pregnancy & Baby Expos with our maternity collection by sorella organics. They are quite simply too overwhelming, too busy, too noisy, and (in my opinion) consist of just an unbearable amount of information for any one person to take in.

With so many brands, in one HUGE venue, it must be so hard to make choices and decisions of what’s best for mum and her family? In fact, I wonder if some mums come out MORE confused than she was when she went in?!!

There’s only one Pregnancy Event we are currently a part of, and the reason is simple – it’s a small, beautiful, stress-free event – full of great information and advice so first-time mums don’t have to spend their entire pregnancy sifting through an overload of information and decisions – or fight for a carpark at an Expo.

They can instead spend their time enjoying their pregnancy and focus on more important things – like preparing for baby’s safe arrival.

So, we are thrilled to announce sorella organics will be attending the The Baby Workshop, hosted by The Baby Consultant again this year.

The first of its kind, the exclusive workshop brings together first time mums to mingle, enjoy afternoon tea, & see everything they need for their new baby lifestyle.

If you can’t cope with my unhelpful-help, perhaps buy a headscarf?

You’ve read them too right? Those blog posts/articles/rants that do the rounds from someone on their high horse with their List of Things You Should Not Say To Them When They are in X Situation?

I hate those lists. 

• 25 things not to say to a woman who is struggling to fall pregnant
• 174 things not to say to a woman over 30 going through a break up
• 4062798 things not to say to someone with depression

I really really hate those lists.

If we all get around stifled with fear for saying the wrong thing, that means nothing will be said at all. And if nothing is said it all, surely we’d end up wondering why the bloody-hell no one cares?

I get it. Sometimes when you are in the shit, you just want your friend to get down in the hole with you, sit down, shut the f*** up, and give you a hug {+ maybe a little “Everything will be ok” or “I’m here if you need me” on the side too}.

Hashtag Fever #YesAllWomen

You have probably seen the hashtag #YesAllWomen pop up in one or all of your social media feeds recently? Perhaps you have even participated?

A quick take for those that haven’t – The hashtag stemmed from the murders in Santa Barbara earlier this week by a 22 year old man, allegedly with mental health issues, and openly motivated by sexual hatred. 6 people died and 13 were injured. In a self-recorded video prior to the killings he communicated why his plan was necessary. His day of retribution was to blame women for the failures in his own life. It has been reported as an act of violent hate fuelled by mental instability.

Apart from providing a forum for people to share their sadness and confusion over the incident, the hashtag organically gained momentum and provided a space for women (and men) to share their voice, their experience, and their outrage on the issue of misogyny.

Experiences of sexual violence, sexual harassment, and sexual fear have been shared across the world for days.

It has come in many forms and at varying degrees of pain, but the important fact to note is that it was in its millions.

3 very obvious but helpful tips for that elusive little bugger: sleep

I recently had one of those nights where I was totally screwed-up-scratch-your-eyes-out exhausted – but for the life of me I just couldn’t sleep.

And we all know that lack of sleep is the evil-cousin of psychotic behaviour for the rest of the next day (or sometimes few days). I have enough crazy-old-lady-hormones to mange let alone being a lunatic from no zzzzz’s added to the mix.

Although the other night was hopefully a one-off event, I’ve actually had bouts of insomnia on and off for about 12 months now (due in part to this: The Day I got into the shower and looked down – and realised I had a big problem). And whenever I did manage to get some sleep, I’d be greeted with some pretty hairy nightmares. So I actually began to loath going to bed altogether.

I invested in a dream catcher from an Native American dude who was convinced it would work for me… And given I’m an open-minded kind of gal, I decided to give it a whirl – Nightmares be gone or I’ll stick my feathers up ya!

For whatever reason, the Festival of Nightmares pretty much stopped earlier this year. No farewell party – they just slipped off into the night and only come back to say hi every few weeks.

A lifetime supply of pjs? Who would say no to that!

You may have noticed I’ve been MIA from the sorella-hood since Christmas. Sorry. And thank you to those people who lovingly asked “Where have you been?! When’s your next post?!” Delightful to know you enjoy catching up with us each week in our random silliness!

My hiatus from writing probably stemmed from the start of summer (sun, beach, cocktails). I think I must have embraced the week off at Chrissy a little more than I realised. Time to take a little breath. Some stillness. A few stunning sunrises…

Sunrise on Christmas morning at Mudjimba beach – Sunshine coast, Queensland

Resting was fabulous. {If you are a regular in the ‘hood you’ll know I managed to get a little burnt out last year… a follow up post on how I managed getting myself out of that mess is to come – a clue… I haven’t}.

It was sunrises-a-plenty when before I knew it 2014 was slapping me in the face telling me to put down the cocktail and my mum’s hedgehog and get on with things – and it’s hard to believe almost 3 months has passed since it did.

So what’s been happening? How have you been?

We’ve enjoyed welcoming many new lovers of sorella including lots of blokes! The mens collection was a big hit for Christmas gifts and continues to sell out as soon as we get stock back in (did you see the lovely people Peppermint Magazine did a review?). And I dare say (at high risk of offending him) the very fact that my Uncle has been back for his second pair of shorts in as many months is good proof they are bloody good shorts. He is very fussy you see.

“Mens loungewear doesn’t have to mean ancient, baggy, pilly tracksuit pants. It can actually be stylish, made from organic fabric and so comfortable that the transition from yoga to yard work to sleepwear is seamless.”
Damn straight Peppermint Magazine!! The women of the world agree!

And of course, as you might already know we have a new addition to our family. Alisha welcomed her daughter Estelle into the world on December 30 (and we have been gushing over her ever since).

I confess. I find it hard to get completely nude.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you walk into the ground floors of major department stores, don’t you think?

Dazzling lights. Floor to ceiling images of photoshopped glamazons with ethereal skin staring with judgement at your dull epidermis. Their faces represent the health I crave.

I want that frigging glow dammit.

So you find yourself pulled into the beauty vortex, the assistant with her hands inappropriately all over your face.  Your phobia of abused personal space is pushed to its limits. She’s talking AT you as if you are some sort of recluse given your lack of knowledge on the importance of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.

And you leave, feeling slightly inadequate and definitely overwhelmed, but somewhat hopeful armed with a stash of samples containing that scientific-blah-blah-skin amazaballs-technology that the assistant seemed so convinced would leave you with the skin of Cate Blanchette. (Can I get that promise in writing please?)

It’s a good day for getting mental

We often think of our improving health solely with a ‘physical’ approach, that is, doing anything that requires perspiration, grunting, and lycra.  And while this is of course a very important approach for achieving optimal health, it’s easy to forget that our mind also needs love, care and strengthening.

How true is it that our minds – as important as they are – get the left over scraps when it comes to TLC?  I had an alert on my phone for 18 months that would go off every day at midday saying “Anna! Stop! Meditate!’. I was asking myself to commit to just 5 minutes away from whatever was consuming me at that time and give my mind some dedicated ‘exercise’.

Just 5 minutes.

How many times do you think I stopped to mediate over that 18 month period? It’s embarrassing to say. I can count them on one hand.

Four. Just four times.

Bookie Wookie

A little weekend trip to country Victoria recently found me at a small independent bookstore.

I know – a real-life bookstore. Prehistoric.

And this place had all the trimmings of an old-school bookstore that real bookworms love – a quiet, private, all-consuming space of fresh pages ripe for the picking, moderately supervised by a softly spoken bookie who is more enthused about which best-selling author has just released their next piece than actually taking your money.

I totally get the love of a bookstore. But I am not a bookie.

I have tried. Often after a really good juicy novel that’s taken me away to another time and place I get so excited to find something else to devour. I love the sense of achievement at the end as you turn the last page, and that the characters stay with you for a while afterwards. Always a sign of a good-en.

But EVERYTIME after an all-absorbing successful read, I end up back in the bookstore in a cold-sweat and an overwhelming sense of pressure to choose another high-quality (if not more brilliant) page-turner.

I develop the symptoms of: bad-book-phobia.

I have so much trouble choosing just one off the shelves of thousands and commit my life (or at the very least my nights and occasional tram trip) to it. Not that I am reading world-changers. You’d be excused for thinking you were standing in the World Politics section of the most boring library in the world if you looked at my husband’s book collection. Mine however reveals someone happy with a bit more trash. There is always room for trash isn’t there?

My husbands books… snooze-fest.

The day I got into the shower and looked down – and realised I had a big problem.

It’s one of those things we usually do quite mindlessly. Without effort. Without ceremony.  Yet on this occasion, stepping into the shower pieced together a chain of events and associative symptoms that has led me to where I am now – sitting here sharing this, a little burnt at the edges.

One night last week, I took my regular evening shower. I stepped in and took the relief of the hot water streaming over me.  I was finding showers particularly comforting lately. Like a big warm hug they not only cleansed me of my day, they made me feel a little loved. A little worthwhile of the precious thing that is my council water.

But on this occasion, something felt weird. Something wasn’t right…

I came out of my drenched-with-water-love state and looked down.

Confused, I gasped!

Improving Australian children’s health – 1 step at a time!

If you’ve been a follower of sorella & me for a while, you will already know we value the work of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute works towards “finding preventions and treatments for hundreds of common and rare childhood illnesses, so that kids everywhere can have a healthy future”.

Such critical work requires community support and donations. So we want to make sure you know all about their latest fundraiser: Step-a-thon!