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Feng Shui Mommy: Creating Balance and Harmony for Blissful Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood
Impending motherhood serves up a confusing cocktail of heroic strength and terrifying vulnerability. Our culture has seized on the “vulnerability” part of this experience and tends to reinforce a pregnant woman’s insecurities instead of encouraging her to embrace this most natural time and trust her body, her intuition, and her own mind. Feng Shui Mommy takes a different approach, helping the expecting mother build her own unique, epic journey to motherhood. It’s about supporting her while she shores up her mind-body-spirit alignment so she can best handle the cosmic kick in the uterus and juicy kiss on the soul that pregnancy is. Bailey Gaddis guides women through the experience, providing specific suggestions for mind, body, and spirit for each trimester (including the “fourth,” after birth), leading to birth preparation designed for each mother and baby, and culminating in strong mother-child bonding. She includes detailed and practical information about prenatal exercise and nutrition, birth preferences and birthing positions, breath work, breastfeeding, and much more. Her advice allows mothers to welcome delight and curiosity into the journey while taking each phase with purpose and calm — and even a sense of fun. This comprehensive guide makes challenge and change joyful, allowing new life to be as incomparably wonder-filled as it is meant to be.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2017
62 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Bailey Gaddis
4 books30 followersBailey Gaddis is a mother, author, childbirth preparation educator, birth doula, hypnotherapist and contributor to Working Mother, Pregnancy and Newborn, Disney’s Babble, The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Expectful, Elephant Journal, Scary Mommy, and other publications that are into her style of weaving words. She continuously finds inspiration for her writing via the stream of consciousness flowing out of her son’s mouth, and the insane shenanigans she witnesses during births (and at the park before nap time).
Her work as a birth professional, and past egg donor and surrogacy coordinator, allows her to support, and be inspired by, rockstar pregnant women and their gorgeous offspring
every day. She’s fairly certain “new baby smell” is the most enticing aroma on Earth.
Bailey lives every day in complete awe of the creation, birth, and nurturing of new life, and considers the mother-baby bond the pinnacle of magic, which is why she’s thinking about beginning to think about Baby Number Two.
For a list of Bailey’s online courses, visit BaileyGaddis.com.
Her work as a birth professional, and past egg donor and surrogacy coordinator, allows her to support, and be inspired by, rockstar pregnant women and their gorgeous offspring
every day. She’s fairly certain “new baby smell” is the most enticing aroma on Earth.
Bailey lives every day in complete awe of the creation, birth, and nurturing of new life, and considers the mother-baby bond the pinnacle of magic, which is why she’s thinking about beginning to think about Baby Number Two.
For a list of Bailey’s online courses, visit BaileyGaddis.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 26, 2017
I wasn't entirely sure about this book. I'm not really into Feng Shui or Eastern mysticism. I honestly had the expectation that this book would be about decluttering your house and living in minimalism with children. But what I found is that this book is more about decluttering your mind and less about what is under your bed. (Though it does touch on that a bit, too.)
Bailey is hilarious. She is a Mommy friend you would want to have. Yet even in her honesty about the awkward and uncomfortable aspects of pregnancy and birth and motherhood, she doesn't let that be a source of fear. It isn't a warning about changing bodies and losing yourself to another. She still holds that this is a life changing event in a positive way. While saying, "Pregnancy is the epitome of change..." she still holds that this change can be good, making you a better version of you. It is a much needed shift in the way we talk about pregnancy and motherhood. Yes, there will be hemorrhoids. But there will also be creativity and love and strength you didn't know you had getting stronger through the experience.
Feng Shui Mommy is a little bit of hypnobirthing, with free downloadable relaxation tracks at the end of each chapter, mixed with Birthing from Within, though without all the interesting art projects. Most of the book is about decluttering yourself, your mind, your soul. There is also great information of pregnancy nutrition, exercise, making a birth plan, breathing, breastfeeding, and postpartum care. Lots of different techniques on letting go of fear and allowing the change of pregnancy, of motherhood, to come and to accept it instead of fight it.
For many, these things will come across as very "woo" (hippie, granola). You might feel silly trying some of the activities, like tapping, shaking, or meditating. But what have you really got to loose? And what do you have to gain?
As a Christian mom, some of the book wasn't my language. I'm in tune with nature to the extent that I feel it is God's creative work and show me something about Him. But Christians do meditate. Some of the language, I just had to mentally change to adapt to my worldview. Even with the religious aspects being different, I still found the tone, wisdom, and helps in this book to be valuable. This is an excellent resource for pregnant women.
Bailey is hilarious. She is a Mommy friend you would want to have. Yet even in her honesty about the awkward and uncomfortable aspects of pregnancy and birth and motherhood, she doesn't let that be a source of fear. It isn't a warning about changing bodies and losing yourself to another. She still holds that this is a life changing event in a positive way. While saying, "Pregnancy is the epitome of change..." she still holds that this change can be good, making you a better version of you. It is a much needed shift in the way we talk about pregnancy and motherhood. Yes, there will be hemorrhoids. But there will also be creativity and love and strength you didn't know you had getting stronger through the experience.
Feng Shui Mommy is a little bit of hypnobirthing, with free downloadable relaxation tracks at the end of each chapter, mixed with Birthing from Within, though without all the interesting art projects. Most of the book is about decluttering yourself, your mind, your soul. There is also great information of pregnancy nutrition, exercise, making a birth plan, breathing, breastfeeding, and postpartum care. Lots of different techniques on letting go of fear and allowing the change of pregnancy, of motherhood, to come and to accept it instead of fight it.
For many, these things will come across as very "woo" (hippie, granola). You might feel silly trying some of the activities, like tapping, shaking, or meditating. But what have you really got to loose? And what do you have to gain?
As a Christian mom, some of the book wasn't my language. I'm in tune with nature to the extent that I feel it is God's creative work and show me something about Him. But Christians do meditate. Some of the language, I just had to mentally change to adapt to my worldview. Even with the religious aspects being different, I still found the tone, wisdom, and helps in this book to be valuable. This is an excellent resource for pregnant women.
June 27, 2017
Interesting perspective. I won it in a contest and it was a good read.
July 31, 2017
Great book. Helpful in a lot of lovely ways. Would definitely recommend.
August 19, 2017
I'm not pregnant, just weirdly fascinated with reading and learning about pregnancy/childbirth.
This book had a lot of good information, but tried to cover too many topics. I was a bit dizzy by the end. I think it could have been more organized and focused.
This book had a lot of good information, but tried to cover too many topics. I was a bit dizzy by the end. I think it could have been more organized and focused.
July 16, 2020
I first came across Bailey Gaddis on YouTube when I searched for "hypnobirthing" and she came up. I loved her YouTube video so much and immediately started following her on social media. I was pregnant with my third child then and found Bailey to be super helpful, knowledgable, empowering, and up-lifting on social media. I came across this book on her Instagram account months after giving birth. Even though I was not pregnant while reading it (in fact my third baby was already a year old), I was intrigued by what she had to say in it since I already loved her content on social media.
As a woman and mother who searches for calm and ways to reduce stress and anxieties, I found this book to provide a lot of tools and ways to shift my thinking in order to achieve that. Her book was well-organized, had some humor, was simple and authentic. Easy, enjoyable read. I really appreciated her exercises on breathing at the beginning of each chapter and her words throughout the book on how to trust (your body and the universe really) and stay calm. I really appreciated how she emphasized being in the present moment.
Two things Bailey said that have resonated with me deeply from her book. "My identity is not changing, it is expanding." (page 17) As a mom, sometimes I feel like I have lost my former identity before kids. I had never thought about it this way. I love how she said that. My identity as a mom is not lost, it is expanding. What a blessing that we get as mothers to expand our identities! What a unique way to look at it.
The other thing Bailey said that resonated with me is, "Those insecurities and regrets come up for a reason, and they often offer tremendous opportunities for growth if the parent is able to acknowledge and explore them." (page 116) I appreciate how Bailey encourages us to feel our emotions without the guilty card, acknowledge them, explore them, honor them, and then move on. It was another testimony that our trials are opportunities for growth and learning. It's ok to feel regret, anger, etc. Feeling those feelings then allows space to feel gratitude and opportunities for growth (page 142).
Overall, I loved her book even though I am not her typical audience. I imagine this book is most useful for pregnant mommies, especially first time mommies. However, I found a lot of content in it that I could use as a mother of three boys. I will recommend this book to many of my friends who may become pregnant. This book will also be a great resource for me too, as I am someone who might want to be a hypnotherapist someday. I was uplifted by this book and am grateful for a lot of her words that have changed my thinking and helped me to find calm in my life and better at breathing and meditation.
Thanks Bailey!
As a woman and mother who searches for calm and ways to reduce stress and anxieties, I found this book to provide a lot of tools and ways to shift my thinking in order to achieve that. Her book was well-organized, had some humor, was simple and authentic. Easy, enjoyable read. I really appreciated her exercises on breathing at the beginning of each chapter and her words throughout the book on how to trust (your body and the universe really) and stay calm. I really appreciated how she emphasized being in the present moment.
Two things Bailey said that have resonated with me deeply from her book. "My identity is not changing, it is expanding." (page 17) As a mom, sometimes I feel like I have lost my former identity before kids. I had never thought about it this way. I love how she said that. My identity as a mom is not lost, it is expanding. What a blessing that we get as mothers to expand our identities! What a unique way to look at it.
The other thing Bailey said that resonated with me is, "Those insecurities and regrets come up for a reason, and they often offer tremendous opportunities for growth if the parent is able to acknowledge and explore them." (page 116) I appreciate how Bailey encourages us to feel our emotions without the guilty card, acknowledge them, explore them, honor them, and then move on. It was another testimony that our trials are opportunities for growth and learning. It's ok to feel regret, anger, etc. Feeling those feelings then allows space to feel gratitude and opportunities for growth (page 142).
Overall, I loved her book even though I am not her typical audience. I imagine this book is most useful for pregnant mommies, especially first time mommies. However, I found a lot of content in it that I could use as a mother of three boys. I will recommend this book to many of my friends who may become pregnant. This book will also be a great resource for me too, as I am someone who might want to be a hypnotherapist someday. I was uplifted by this book and am grateful for a lot of her words that have changed my thinking and helped me to find calm in my life and better at breathing and meditation.
Thanks Bailey!
October 31, 2024
A great resource for new mamas-to-be! I was not sure what to expect when I accidentally found this book, but I decided to give it a try. Judging from the title and book description, I thought this book would be very "new agey" (worried it might even be maybe too "new agey"???), and I was unsure what I would get from the text. However I was pleasantly surprised to discover it covered traditional Western medicine and also Eastern medicine methods and philosophy surrounding labor and birth. She included tons of free resources for mamas who may have a C-Section and for those who do not. The author also covers the 4th trimester (postpartum care for mama, and also an entire chapter on miscellaneous questions about baby care), which was very insightful. The author is very funny and writes well. I felt like I was having a warm conversation with a friend instead of just reading a "textbook" on childbirth or speaking to a "cold" practitioner. I learned a lot from this book and it put a lot of my fears about childbirth and motherhood to rest. The author made me feel a lot better about what to expect for my pregnancy, delivery, and 4th trimester. I'm very glad I found this book and recommend it to others.
March 27, 2022
This is by far one of the best pregnancy books I’ve read - it’s not a textbook by any means and it’s not a super technical snooze! This book has style, voice, and lots of character! I’m so glad that I came upon this book PRIOR to becoming pregnant, because I feel so much better prepared. This book is informative and helpful to Moms who may not want to do things the “cookie-cutter” way - it’s nice to see alternatives to the norm. This includes a wide variety of techniques and methods of thriving through each season of the pregnancy — there’s meditations, jokes (!!!), mystical knowledge, and just so many wonderful tools within this one piece of literature. I would recommend this book to anyone who marches to the beat of her own drum and who is looking to work past the limiting beliefs society puts upon women in regards to childbirth and the labor experience!!
September 16, 2017
I received a free copy of this book as a Goodreads giveaway
Had I not received a free copy, I would probably have never even given this book a second glace. However, even though I was initially sceptical of my chances of ever making it past the first chapter, in a strange kind of mesmerising way, instead I found myself reading on, eager to find out more.
There were times when it was a bit of a struggle, but overall I felt it was a genuine attempt to shine light into the darker corners of the subject and seek to provide some reasoned alternative thinking and for that it should be commended. I was however quite pleased to get to the end and move on, but that's more to do with my not being in the target demongraphic for the book, I'm sure.
Had I not received a free copy, I would probably have never even given this book a second glace. However, even though I was initially sceptical of my chances of ever making it past the first chapter, in a strange kind of mesmerising way, instead I found myself reading on, eager to find out more.
There were times when it was a bit of a struggle, but overall I felt it was a genuine attempt to shine light into the darker corners of the subject and seek to provide some reasoned alternative thinking and for that it should be commended. I was however quite pleased to get to the end and move on, but that's more to do with my not being in the target demongraphic for the book, I'm sure.
January 17, 2024
What to Expect walked so books like this could run. This was my favorite pregnancy book yet because it showcases a holistic side of motherhood without talking about all the nitty gritty things that could go wrong. It’s also not babying you, but talking to you as if you were a friend. I had the pleasure of meeting the author on a book tour and her down to earth personality shines through the book with a rare warmth. You’d expect a Feng Shui motherhood book to be fruity and froofroo and it IS at times, but also makes fun of itself and reminds the reader frequently to toss out whatever isn’t vibing for them. Recommend.
January 26, 2018
I found this book to be great at letting mommy know how to deal with pregnancy for her own state of mind. Most pregnancy books have the focus on baby and pregnancy itself, which is great, but I’ve heard from many mothers how they lost their sense of self with the birth of their children. Gaddis sets you up during pregnancy as well as after in how to add motherhood to your sense of self, and not lose yourself in the the process. Of course she gives tips and knowledge about pregnancy itself, but if your looking for that info, I think there are better options.
March 25, 2024
This book made me not so nervous about being a mom! I’m only 22 years old & had my daughter tho past November. Now my pregnancy experiences makes much more sense & also gives me a peace of mind for what’s ahead.
June 16, 2017
I have found some good tips in here, but find the blip and informal language distracting.
March 10, 2018
Good info on mindfulness and meditation for prenatal and post partum. I found the info about taking care of yourself and your newborn the most helpful. All about attachment!
February 6, 2019
هذا الكتا�� يربطكِ بتجربة حملكِ روحيًا وجسديًا ومعنويًا
بشكل عمليّ وواقعي وقابل للتطبيق.
أوصي به،
في حملكِ الأول كنتِ أو الثالث!
بشكل عمليّ وواقعي وقابل للتطبيق.
أوصي به،
في حملكِ الأول كنتِ أو الثالث!
Read
March 25, 2020A fun book on pregnancy that made me laugh.
January 3, 2023
I enjoyed this book I felt a lot of calmness reading it but I marked it down a star because I felt like the author would seriously judge me if she walked in on me eating a piece of cake.
July 5, 2023
Really enjoyed this!! Easy and uplifting.
April 26, 2017
Endorsements:
“Excellent ideas to make your birth experience the best it can be.”
— Kristi Schoeld, MD
“Bailey Gaddis brings a fresh new approach to holistic prenatal preparation in this uplifting and reassuring book.”
— Pam England, coauthor of Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation
“With wisdom, wit, and honesty, Bailey Gaddis offers mothers heartfelt advice that is as fresh as it is insightful. Bailey leads readers through a new, wonderful journey toward motherhood. If you’re pregnant, ‘just breathe,’ and read this book!”
— Robin Gerber, author of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage
“In this book Bailey teaches women how to care for themselves on all levels, and she allows them to easily and effectively step into the enormous sea of transformation of pregnancy and motherhood. This book is like having a trusted and wise sister to hold your hand and tell you everything you need to know as you embark on this journey.”
— Taryn Longo, transformational teacher for women and founder and director of Wild Heart Mama
“Practical yet profound, ever-reassuring, often hilarious, and absolutely indispensable pregnancy and birthing wisdom. . .This delightful, inspiring book had my ovaries popping, my oxytocin pumping, and my heart champing at the bit to embark on the awesome, miraculous magic carpet ride of mommyhood all over again!”
— Jessica Cauffiel, actor, writer, producer, shaman
“A great tool for mamas who want to be empowered, Feng Shui Mommy can lead them to have a more magical birth than they thought possible.”
— Rebecca and Josh Tickell, Sundance Award–winning filmmakers and founders of Big Picture Ranch
“Meet Bailey Gaddis, the fresh-voiced, bright-eyed, fully engaged mama mystic whose knowledge and passion for helping mothers find their bliss before, during, and after pregnancy are truly inspiring. Brimming with fabulous resources, humor, and beautiful reflections.”
— Zhena Muzyka, author of Life by the Cup: Ingredients for a Purpose-filled Life of Bottomless Happiness and Limitless Success and publisher of Enliven Books
“Mind/Body/Spirit principles are finally showing up in the world of pregnancy/childbirth and Gaddis is at the forefront of it.”
— Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight
“Excellent ideas to make your birth experience the best it can be.”
— Kristi Schoeld, MD
“Bailey Gaddis brings a fresh new approach to holistic prenatal preparation in this uplifting and reassuring book.”
— Pam England, coauthor of Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation
“With wisdom, wit, and honesty, Bailey Gaddis offers mothers heartfelt advice that is as fresh as it is insightful. Bailey leads readers through a new, wonderful journey toward motherhood. If you’re pregnant, ‘just breathe,’ and read this book!”
— Robin Gerber, author of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage
“In this book Bailey teaches women how to care for themselves on all levels, and she allows them to easily and effectively step into the enormous sea of transformation of pregnancy and motherhood. This book is like having a trusted and wise sister to hold your hand and tell you everything you need to know as you embark on this journey.”
— Taryn Longo, transformational teacher for women and founder and director of Wild Heart Mama
“Practical yet profound, ever-reassuring, often hilarious, and absolutely indispensable pregnancy and birthing wisdom. . .This delightful, inspiring book had my ovaries popping, my oxytocin pumping, and my heart champing at the bit to embark on the awesome, miraculous magic carpet ride of mommyhood all over again!”
— Jessica Cauffiel, actor, writer, producer, shaman
“A great tool for mamas who want to be empowered, Feng Shui Mommy can lead them to have a more magical birth than they thought possible.”
— Rebecca and Josh Tickell, Sundance Award–winning filmmakers and founders of Big Picture Ranch
“Meet Bailey Gaddis, the fresh-voiced, bright-eyed, fully engaged mama mystic whose knowledge and passion for helping mothers find their bliss before, during, and after pregnancy are truly inspiring. Brimming with fabulous resources, humor, and beautiful reflections.”
— Zhena Muzyka, author of Life by the Cup: Ingredients for a Purpose-filled Life of Bottomless Happiness and Limitless Success and publisher of Enliven Books
“Mind/Body/Spirit principles are finally showing up in the world of pregnancy/childbirth and Gaddis is at the forefront of it.”
— Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight
October 6, 2019
Excellent and unique
At once spiritual and practical, this one proved a refreshing read during my breastfeeding moments. What a lovely outlook the author has. Made me feel the new journey I am undertaking has a lot of potential, peace and purity in it. Thanks.
At once spiritual and practical, this one proved a refreshing read during my breastfeeding moments. What a lovely outlook the author has. Made me feel the new journey I am undertaking has a lot of potential, peace and purity in it. Thanks.
October 10, 2022
i was wondering why there were two chapters on hypnosis and then saw that the author is a hypnotherapist. the tone of the whole book was annoying.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews