nature needs no help, just no interference.

Outside of Chiropractic, another passion of mine is birth. I am a birth keeper or doula, however you’d like to label it. I’m really just a woman supporting another woman during one of the most transformational moments in her life—birth.

Recently, I had the honor of supporting a client and friend during her freebirth. What is a freebirth? Well, it really is just a woman giving birth like all women did prior to birth being medicalized in the mid 1900s— undisturbed, and without interference. The way birth is designed to be. Women are innately designed to create and birth humans into this world. Birth is very, very rarely ever a true emergency and in need of medical intervention. We’ve shifted away from birthing at home because our systems instill fear instead of trust in the body, and convince women that they are not capable of birthing unattended. This friend had a clear vision of her birth and full trust in both her body and her baby. My role was to hold space, to love, and to witness as she brought her baby into this world with such power and grace.

Throughout her pregnancy my friend and I would continue to see the number 222, almost daily. I saw it on the clocks, receipts, gas station prices, lengths of voice notes, literally everywhere. We both were being divinely reminded. Her husband called me just after 1 am on the day of her birth letting me know it was happening and she was ready for me to be there. When I pulled into their driveway I looked at the time, and smiled because it was 2:22 am. I knew in that moment it was going to be nothing less than beautiful.

I walked into the most intimate birth setting I had ever been to—dark, quiet, candle lit bedroom. She was in the warm bath moving through the waves of contractions, feeling into her body and talking to her baby. It brought tears to my eyes instantly. She went from sitting to standing to kneeling to leaning to laying to squatting, shifting her body intuitively as the intensity arose. I sat on the ground next to the tub with her husband, and we took turns supporting her without speaking or interrupting her flow. She leaned into each contraction, fully embodied and present. The intensity climbed until she wept and said she didn’t want to do it anymore. In that moment we locked eyes and I reminded her that she was doing it and she was so close to meeting her baby. She held her belly and said “come on baby, we got this, we can do this” and on the next surge she caught her baby. I will never forget this sacred moment. The way her husband sat in complete reverence for her as she scooped their baby onto her chest and tears of love streamed down her face.

Her other two boys happened to wake up and made their way into the bathroom just after baby was born. They got to see their mom in a vulnerable, yet beautiful state, and curiously asked questions about the whole process. After the placenta was birthed we moved mom, baby, placenta and dad to their bed to rest, while the boys and I made breakfast as the sun came up. Once everyone’s belly’s were full and baby kisses and cuddles were had, they went back to sleep, and I made my way out.

Mom didn’t endure any tearing or excess bleeding, and baby didn’t need to be suctioned or vigorously patted in order to take his first breath. It was peaceful and healing for all. There wasn’t one moment during the birth experience where I felt worry, fear or doubt. I knew she was mentally, emotionally, and physically ready for this freebirth, and she knew it too. She didn’t have anyone telling her what her cervix was dilated to, what body position to get into or how to properly “push” her baby out, and yet she still had her baby. A wild concept for many to understand.

This was the most beautiful and raw experience I’ve been a part of. It was healing for my friend, for her family, for me, for women. I am so grateful to have witnessed it. Nature needs no help, just no interference.

we don’t need to be saved, we need to be loved

I didn’t really understand the importance of having a solid tribe of supportive humans until I was in a place where I couldn’t see the light. And once I was brought back to my light, I fully knew how absolutely crucial it was to have people to sit with you in your darkness. We don’t need to be saved from the hurt or our ‘problems’, we need to be loved. We need to be heard and held and loved, with no agenda. The only person who can save us is ourself.

Depression and anxiety run in my maternal lineage, and neither are something I tread lightly with . In fact I feel that my experience with these states of being were an absolutely crucial part of my growth and healing; it cracked me wide open, put me in the most vulnerable state, and ultimately filled me with more love and compassion. I chose to be in the depths of the valleys without medication, talk therapy or psychiatry, not because I think less of those avenues of support, but because it didn’t feel like it was the right path for me. My path was to sit in the pain and emptiness until it no longer became scary or overwhelming. I felt through it until it came to an end, and it does in fact end. Had I not experienced the valley, I’m not sure I would understand the beauty of the mountain top. I hold honor, reverence and gratitude for that experience.

To be alive and to be human means to experience a full spectrum of emotions. We were designed to be sentient beings, but we often shy away from or aren’t able to hold the space for the emotions that aren’t in the realm of happiness. This leaves people feeling isolated when the “negative emotions” come up. There is no such thing as a negative emotion, it just is. We need to create more of a space where we can share what we are feeling without judgement or labeling so that we can be guided to the support we need.

Whether it be a traumatic event, an ongoing stressor or the lack of co-regulation during our neurodevelopment, anxiety and depression are results of a dysregulation in the nervous system and can cause us to be disembodied. Anxiety is rooted in uncertainty about the future, while depression is rooted in something that happened in the past. According to the polyvagal theory, we need to activate neuro-regulation through a somatic experience. When we are embodied there is a decrease in the activation of the amygdala (fear response), an increase in the activation of the insula (internal regulation), and an increase in the activation of the hippocampus (memory). These changes in the brain lead to decreased hyper-vigilance, emotional outburst, and dissociation, and increased feelings of safety, relaxation and the ability to cope with "negative” emotions. Vitalistic Chiropractic care is an incredible support to achieve embodiment.

When we feel love, appreciation, and acknowledgment, neurotransmitters called serotonin and dopamine are released from the brain, increasing our mood. Decreased serotonin and dopamine levels are correlated with depression and anxiety. In America’s society we’re often labeled with a diagnosis, told to take a pill and go on with our lives. Most people who are taking SSRI’s (antidepressants) report that they don’t have a reliable social, emotional support network; hence the isolation mentioned above. I am not anti-medicine, but I feel we as a society are overprescribed and under-acknowledged. We have shifted away from communal living in many ways, but especially during these hard times.

I have so much gratitude for my tribe who continues to consistently provide me with so much support, listens and truly hears me, reminds me of my beautiful qualities, laughs with me, goes on adventures with me, and LOVES me. These are my earth angels, and they know who they are because I remind them as often as I can how important they are to me. Find your tribe and be a part of someone else’s tribe because we need each other, and we are not meant to do this life alone.

Singing, humming, and chanting are all ways to increase vagal tone, helping us regulate during times of stress or feeling big emotions. Krishna Das is my favorite to listen and sing along with.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5V1XAce8nFtkyd1186uAIF?si=fd1fa5feaf634c9b

you are loved <3

prepping for motherhood <3

We do not talk enough about the transition from maiden to mother and preparing physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I cannot wait to be pregnant, to birth my future babies and to be a mother. Over the last two years I have shifted many things in my life in preparation for motherhood. Those who know me might be thinking ‘well you have to find a partner/husband first’, which is true, and I’m confident that the father of my future babies will step into my life when the time is right. <3 Until then, I will continue to live and act as though I will be getting pregnant tomorrow. I know nothing can truly prepare me for the expansive, transformative and unveiling period that motherhood will be, but I can focus on being the most vital being I can be before I create and birth a human into this world.

Here is what I have been focusing on:

1. Foundations of vitality: **you must start here!!**

When I started to prioritize these, my life drastically changed. I have more energy, I am more connected, I have beautiful relationships, I can observe, feel and move through my emotions.

• Sunlight- daily, preferably morning—I try to bask in the sun post breakfast and do a walk in the afternoon

*vitamin D is essential for immune health and mitochondrial activity (energy)

• Sleep- 8 to 10 hours per night —sleep is not only for the body to rest but also to detox, repair and rejuvenate. Women require more sleep than men.

  *yoga Nidra or meditation to help, and minimize blue light exposure when sun goes down

• Nourishment- at least 3 well-balanced, nutrient dense meals per day; ingredients matter. For me this means eating whole foods and prioritizing animal protein/fat in every meal.

*proper nutrient intake is crucial for hormone regulation

• Hydration/minerals- drink mineralized water or add minerals to water

*hydration also comes from fruit, veggies, and bone broth

• Movement- minimum of 1 mile walk daily, 2 strength training per week, 2-3 days of low impact exercise per week

*connecting with breath during movement—our breath is our life force and power!

• Nervous system regulation- regular vitalistic chiropractic adjustments

*non-negotiable

• Nature- daily (sun, moon, trees and grass count!)

*I travel out of Dallas at least every other month to recharge in nature

• Love-operate from the heart space

*life is a balance between the intuitive heart and the thinking mind

2. Connecting with my feminine:

I am learning and leaning into more play, dance, laughter, flow, love, as well as creating and receiving. I’ve ditched the strict routines and alarms (when I can), and minimized my daily to-do lists. I’m fully embracing vulnerability, feeling and expressing my emotions as they come up and allowing them to move through me.

I’ve focused on connecting with my body, touching my body, loving my body, and honoring my body. I use practices like dry brushing, gua sha, and yoni steaming to deepen that connection

I have cultivated solid female friendships/sisterhoods with women who I know would support me during any phase of the perinatal period. These are women who I would have full trust in with my babies. It takes a village to raise a mother and I’m so grateful for the village that encircles me.

3. Ditching/minimizing toxins:

Our bodies are already working hard to detox our toxic environment so let’s not make it work any harder. The big toxins that we can control in our life are fragrance, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, food dyes and preservatives, synthetic additives to makeup/skin care, and plastics!

Fragrance is the number one hormone disrupter, so I literally just got rid of it. It’s in cleaning products, laundry products, skincare, body wash, makeup, lotions, hand soaps, perfumes, room sprays, candles, hair care and probably more.

I also stopped drinking alcohol and feel so much more alive. Alcohol is a toxin, circadian disruptor and emotional depressant.

I try to buy organic produce, consume quality animal products, and I read almost every label to avoid the major additives, dyes and preservatives. I also make 95% of my meals at home. I ditched all the plastic containers (even lids) and use only glass for food storage and stainless steel for cooking.

4. Connecting with my menstrual cycle

I am understanding and getting to know my cycle, without a device or app telling me whats happening; truly connecting with my body. I try to live according to my cycle and honor its natural rhythms. I free bleed and use period underwear instead of toxic tampons, pads or cups. I pay attention to my cervical mucous and know when I ovulate. I have worked on pelvic floor opening and softening through movement and breath.

5. Tapping into my intuition

Intuition is not developed it is just blocked. I’ve worked to silence and rid the external noise so I can hear my truth. I feel into my body when making big decisions, or any decision rather. I start and end my days in silence and gratitude. I lean in and listen when my body is speaking to me through symptoms or anxiety. I connect with source, god, universe.

6. Clearing out

I’ve looked at my relationships (friends, family, colleagues), and shed and set boundaries. If someone doesn’t make me feel loved, seen, heard, or respected then they don’t belong in my circle.

I’m on a continual journey of decluttering and purging, making energetic space for my future family. This is actually something I’ve done intuitively my whole life; little Madison knew the environment mattered (I’m a reflector for those who are into human design).

Getting rid of the noise. Anything that was keeping me from hearing my inner voice needed to go. I’ve been rewriting my internal dialogue and ridding any self-limiting beliefs or behaviors. I also cleaned up my social media following. We are what we consume.

7. No more living in fear

Fear is said to be the root of all dis-ease. When I started trusting everything, I started fearing nothing. I trust in my body’s innate ability to heal, thrive and grow. I trust in the timing of my life. I trust that I am already on the path and open to all of the potential. I trust that I am divinely protected.