(This post contains affiliate links. My disclosure page is really boring but you can find it here.)
Ahhh, springtime is finally here! The days are getting longer, the sun is out and I want to be spending as much time as I can doing things that matter most to me. Like spending time with my husband and kids.
But I have to grocery shop, meal plan, and cook dinner for my family! Ugh, there is just never enough time. As a working mom (I’m an ER nurse) I already have a hard time coordinating everything I have on my do-to list.
That is one of the many reasons Sun Basket meal delivery has been such a blessing for us.
My husband and I started using Sun Basket three years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter. Since then I have introduced the meal delivery system to several other families who have found the same value in it that we have.
Admittedly, I do not enjoy meal planning. And I have never thought of myself as a very good cook. Fortunately, with Sun Basket meal delivery I get simple recipes, organic nutrition, and an easy way to prepare a healthy meal in 3o minutes or less.
Sun Basket is a healthy meal kit service that delivers organic produce, clean ingredients and easy, delicious recipes for cooking at home. We have it delivered to our doorstep once a week and has completely revolutionized dinner at our house.
I have almost zero extra time (isn’t that every Mom’s dilemma?). Bottom line: Sun Basket meal delivery has made it so much easier for me as a Mom to ensure that my family eats a healthy diet. In fact, I don’t know how I could feed my family this well without it.
How does Sun Basket work?
You sign up online and pick the recipe option to your liking (vegetarian, paleo, gluten free, family options). You can also select exactly which meals you want delivered. Then a box is delivered to your doorstep with every pre measured ingredient you need along with a detailed recipe. Simple and easy, just the way I like, er, need it!
I have tried nearly every meal delivery system, yet I always come back to Sun Basket.
I wont say which ones we have tried but you have probably heard of them. I stopped using them because on several occasions there was at least one ingredient that had already gone bad. Yuck!
I just didn’t feel that I was getting the same quality that I did with Sun Basket.
Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review By A Mom, RN
Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review: 9 Reasons Sun Basket Brings Great Value To Our Family
1. Nutrition
Healthy nutrition is so important to me. As a registered nurse I have spent a lot of time taking care of patients with preventable chronic illnesses. I am constantly trying to teach my patients how to take better care of themselves by eating well and getting enough physical activity.
It is well documented that eating a nutrient rich diet is vital for good health, well being and even prevents many chronic illnesses from occurring in the first place. Good food provides our bodies with the energy, vitamins, fats and protein we need to thrive.
We need to take more responsibility for their own health and well-being. The best way to prevent chronic illnesses and most cancers is to not get sick in the first place!
Sun Basket helps me provide good nutrition for my family because:
It keeps me from ordering take-out, which is usually not very healthy, &
It keeps me from making something fast and less healthy at home, like a frozen pizza (don’t judge, life gets busy, yo!)
2. Time savings
Sun Basket delivers of ALL of the ingredients I need to make 3 dinners per week. That means I don’t have to spend time hauling my kids to the grocery store to buy food for those meals.
I also love that our meals are already pre planned so I don’t have to figure out what I’m going to cook that night.
Most importantly though, Sun Basket meals take 30 minutes or less to prepare with easy to follow recipes. Which means I get to spend more quality time doing things that I love, like playing with my little ones.
Since I am getting only the meal ingredients I need, I don’t have to buy an entire block of Parmesan cheese (for example). Plus, ordering take-out or eating out can start to add up over time.
4. The greens are often fresher then at the grocery store
I am a big fan of fresh, organic produce. I can even taste the difference between organic and conventional produce a lot of the time. That is why I appreciate that Sun Basket ingredients come directly from the source. There is nothing I hate worse then buying spinach from the grocery store and having it turn bad the next day!
5. I want my family to eat as organically as possible
100% of Sun Basket’s produce is organic and they only use responsibly raised meats free of antibiotics and added hormones.
Also, Sun Basket uses sustainably sourced seafood that is listed as “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay aquarium’s seafood watch program.
6. I get to cook meals that I never would have made otherwise
Last week I made Havana shrimp mojo tostadas with cabbage slaw. This meal was so good, I couldn’t believe I actually cooked it myself! The recipe was super easy to follow and looked, dare I say… fancy? Like, restaurant style fancy. I used to steer clear from seafood because I never felt comfortable cooking it. Now I make a different seafood recipe at least once or twice a week!
7. Good customer service
There have been two times that our delivery was shipped 1 day late due to traffic issues in Los Angeles. Both times we were notified immediately and offered a credit if we decided not to accept the box. Not a deal breaker for me as the shipments did arrive fresh. LA traffic truly is off-the-charts insane so unfortunately its par for the course here. Other then those minor inconveniences the service has been exceptional.
8. Sun Basket makes it easier for us to have quality family time
The most important benefit for us that has come out of using Sun Basket is that it allows us to sit down as a family for our meals, no excuses! Dinner is my favorite part of the day and I love that it gives my husband and I a chance to reconnect and talk about whats going on in our lives. It keeps us connected. Its like having a date night in.
9. Sun Basket has helped me become a much better cook (And I am teaching my daughter too!)
Sadly, for my husband and children, I am not a culinary genius. I’m not horrible in the kitchen, so long as the recipes are simple and easy. My specialties usually involve a Nutri bullet and just mixing ingredients in a bowl (what can I say, I like to keep things really simple!).
Cooking has become a family experience for us. My daughter helps out by tearing greens, mixing dry ingredients in bowls, mashing veggies, and even dashing our meals with salt and other spices. It is a real treat to watch her get excited to cook! She is learning the value of cooking with healthy ingredients and we have a great opportunity to teach her where her food comes from (so she knows that food isn’t created in a grocery store).
I am constantly learning about new ingredients and cooking techniques. And looking like an expert chef to boot!
Tonight we are having lemon-pepper salmon over Greek salad with artichokes and olives. My recipe says it will take 20 minutes to prepare and I know I have every ingredient I need, so I am not stressed about it.
Its Saturday evening and I am looking forward to enjoying a wonderful, nutritious meal with my family on the back porch… with a nice glass of wine of course. Join us for dinner anytime!
(This post about newborn baby exhaustion may contain affiliate links. You can find my disclosure page here.)
Newborn baby exhaustion is no joke!
Our beautiful baby boy was born this January. To say I was awestruck with my adorable little man would be a huge understatement. I was in love!
But with my husband back at work within one week of his birth, and no family living locally, I was been pushed back into the depths of newborn baby exhaustion head first. Only this time I had a two-year-old to take care of as well.
I was reminded today of how hard the newborn baby exhaustion phase was with my daughter two years ago. It’s funny how you forget about the minuscule amount of sleep you got during the first few months with a newborn.
Surprisingly, however, I was slightly less exhausted this time with two babies then I was with only one. I think that may be because I’ve ironed out some of the kinks that come with having a newborn. Also, baby #2 was full term and 2x the size of our daughter (who was born prematurely) so I wasn’t quite as worried about him.
You will survive Mama!
Here are 7 helpful ways to help cope with newborn baby exhaustion:
#1. Try to shower and brush your teeth first thing in the morning.
The first thing I do in the morning after climbing out of bed is spend 10 minutes to pull myself together. I take a quick shower, brush my teeth and put on something besides my pajamas. It is so easy to think you will have time later, but with a newborn time seems to slip through your fingers like sand. And then it’s 5 PM and you’re still sitting in your pajamas! Just the act of showering and cleaning up helps to trick my brain into thinking that I haven’t been up in 1 to 2-hour increments all night long.
It’s like how the airlines tell you to put the mask on yourself before you put one on your child. You NEED to take care of yourself first before you try to take care of others. If you don’t, you will struggle so much more through the newborn baby exhaustion phase, I promise!
#2. Work as a team.
Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork! Divide and conquer tasks with your spouse. Take turns with daily to-do’s. If one of you is feeding the baby, the other can help care for the other children. A new baby means all hands on deck!
Good communication is so important. Newborn baby exhaustion is no reason to take out your frustrations on your spouse. Kindness can go a long way, especially when it feels like you haven’t slept in ages.
#3. Except help from others.
Excepting help from others is something I have always had a hard time with. But as a mom with no family living locally I decided it was time to change my attitude.
My local Mom’s club has a meal program where you can sign up to bring a new mom home a home-cooked meal (several members can sign up for a different night over a 2 week period).
At first, I felt really guilty about having other busy moms cook meals for us (even though they did it for all the new moms). But it was so helpful and kind! There is nothing like a home-cooked meal to make you feel more like a human again when you are exhausted with a newborn.
Since then I have cooked meals for 2 other families with new babies and I am so happy to do it! (Added bonus: I have met so many new moms!)
#4. Try to squeeze in a catnap.
You can spot a new parent from a mile away: the dazed look and bloodshot eyes are a total give way. Although you love your new bundle of joy, you probably don’t love their sleep schedule (or that they sometimes think that its daytime when it’s midnight!)
You may feel compelled to do chores when your baby takes a nap during the day. Don’t do it! Take the opportunity to sleep when you can, even if it’s for just 15 minutes. Studies show that naps are extremely beneficial to overall wellness, especially when you are awake every 1-3 hours at night.
Sleep deprivation is taxing on your immune system, increases your risk of chronic illness and heart disease and increases your risk of postpartum depression. You are going to be tired when you have a newborn, so treat yourself to a nap every chance you get!
Pssst!: A sleep mask is helpful for daytime snoozing.
#5. Give up perfectionism.
It is impossible to keep your house immaculate when you have a newborn. It’s totally OK, you will survive I promise!
A newborn takes so much energy and the time will be gone before you know it. Give yourself permission to let the house get a little messy. Eventually, you will find your groove again and can clean to your heart’s desire. In the meantime, get comfortable and snuggle with that adorable baby!
#6. Swaddle.
To swaddle is to snugly wrap your baby in a thin blanket for comfort and security. It helps keep your baby from disturbing themselves with their own startle reflex (your baby can actually startle themselves awake!). When the baby sleeps longer then parents have the opportunity to sleep longer. Its a win for everyone!
Self-compassion is a valuable parenting skill. If you take care of yourself you will be happier taking care of others. (You can read more about self-care for moms here).
It is also important to make sure your expectations are realistic. You aren’t going to fit into your pregnancy jeans this week. You may forget to brush your teeth some mornings or even keep your pj’s on for a few consecutive days (in which case deodorant is your friend!).
Eventually, this time will pass and you will find yourself again. In the meantime be malleable with yourself. Be present with your tiny human(s). You can do everything, you just can’t do everything at the exact same time. So be kind to yourself.
#8. Have gratitude.
New babies are perhaps the sweetest, most terrifying and most unconditionally loving people in our lives. With their precious chubby cheeks, perfect teeny fingers and toes, and smooth baby skin it is impossible for parent(s) not to fall in love. Even though the responsibility of newborn care is overwhelming, you are so lucky to have this incredible experience.
Thank the universe for the wonderful blessing that is your new baby. There is simply no greater gift in the world.
Do you have (or are you expecting) a new baby and are wondering how you are going to make it through the newborn baby exhaustion stage? I would love you hear your thoughts!
The celebration of Mother’s Day serves as a good reminder to give a little extra thanks and acknowledgment for all the extraordinary work Moms do.
Unfortunately, it’s only one day out of a whopping 365 days in the whole year. So, what about the rest of the time?
Sadly, many of my mama friends don’t include a little self-love and tenderness into their lives on a regular basis.
As a Mama and registered nurse, I have to confess I am guilty of working myself to the core without giving it a second thought. Besides, aren’t Moms (and nurses) supposed to be selfless creatures who put the needs of all others before their own?
Well, no obviously (that was a rhetorical question, duh). But many of us have that false belief etched inside of our brains.
Sometimes as an RN I feel like a Mom to many of my patients. I’m putting their needs before my own for 12 straight hours. I endlessly hold my pee (I actually gave myself a bladder infection about a month ago). Often I work to a point of angry hunger. My heels are usually burning at the end of my shift.
Then when I’m at home, I want to spend all of my time with my daughter, despite sheer exhaustion from my workdays. What is a Mom supposed to do when there is not a lot of opportunity for self-care?
I don’t like getting childcare unless I have to be at work or my husband and I have a date night. Not because I feel guilty or can’t afford it, but because I really don’t want to.
I love being Mom. My little lady has the most contagious giggle… the most excited expressions every time she sees a “doggie”… the loudest, ear-piercing scream when she’s gone past her tired threshold (OK, so I don’t love that part, but I do love the bear hugs she gives when she’s getting sleepy, they are the best!).
My point is, being a Mom means giving more of myself than I ever thought I could ever give another human. Motherhood forces me to face fears I never even knew existed (some pretty crazy things run through my mind at times).
Moms need to make self care a priority.
But I, like all Moms, am grateful to do it, even on the hardest of days.
But… and there and there is a BIG but…
Who’s supposed to take care of Mom?
Well… Mom does.
That the thing about being a Mom. The person who knows best how to take care of Mom is Mom.
The only person who can really make sure all your needs are being met is YOU, Mom.
The only person who can know that a bubble bath and a cup of tea (or wine) is exactly what you need after a long day of managing to keep tiny humans safe and alive, is… yes you guessed it.. Mom!
That’s because we are wise, multitasking superheros, capable of managing our own and other’s needs. We are the most magnificent, intelligent, masters of life! (maybe a wee bit of an exaggeration, but it’s Mother’s Day so humor me!).
If we don’t give self-care to ourselves, then it’s impossible to be what our kiddos need us to be.
That is the greatest part! We have the absolute best reason to give ourselves all the care and love we need. Because our children benefit from the mature, wise decision we make as Moms to care for ourselves so we can continue to keep the earth rotating around the sun. Also because when Mom is out of commission, things fall apart.
The Mom guide to self-care 365 days a year:
1. Keep moving.
I am a fierce lover of my yoga practice. Unfortunately, since my daughter’s birth it has become increasingly more and more difficult to get to my favorite yoga studio in Manhattan Beach, The Green Yogi.
After months of agonizing frustration due to not making it to classes, I finally arrived at the perfect solution: The Green Yogi Online! My studio offers dozens of yoga practices online for only 15$ a month. This way I can practice yoga at home at any time of the day for as long or short as I want with my favorite instructors.
Sometimes it may only 10 be minutes of Zen yoga. But any amount is better than nothing!
Seriously whoever came up with this idea is a freaking genius. I have no more excuses because I literally have my yoga practice at my fingertips. Its a lifesaver, I tell you.
2. Sleep, Sister.
Sleep is essential for life. That extra episode of television is not worth the agony of next day exhaustion. Browsing through a cell phone before bed will actually make it harder to fall asleep and will disrupt the quality of your sleep. Without sleep, you go completely insane. There is a reason sleep deprivation is used as a torture method.
I try to get into bed around 9 pm and be asleep by 9:30-9:45. It doesn’t always work out that way, but I feel so much better when it does.
3. Take a relaxing bath.
For me, taking a bath is like flipping an internal switch from action Mom to Zen Mom. No matter how crazy the day is I can turn it off with a bath. I add a few essentials oils and bath salts and voila! It’s a makeshift spa session. If I can do this 1 time per week after I per my daughter down, it helps a lot.
4. Nourish your temple.
Eat whole, organic foods, including many plants. There is no secret diet menu, what the billion-dollar diet industry is telling you.
I try to make a hot, antioxidant-rich turmeric tea every day if I can. You can read more about the health benefits of turmeric and find my recipe here:
I have a 95-5 rule. If I am really good to myself 95% of the time (i.e. exercise, eat healthy, meditate, do yoga) then I can relax and not worry about it the other 5% of the time (have some wine, yummy dessert, chill). Some weeks it’s closer to a 90-10 rule, and less frequently a special occasion may be closer to an 85-15 rule (Mom needs to have a little fun sometimes too!).
My point: The occasional indulgence is a nice thing so long as you treat your body good on the regular!
We can’t expect our kids to eat well if we don’t. We are responsible for teaching our children healthy habits from a young age so that they grow up with the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and be amazing humans.
Stop comparing your life to others. By decreasing your use of social media you will be left with significantly less distraction and be more present in more important daily activities.
Social media is not a real representation of what is going on in people’s lives. It is a magnification of what people want you to see: slivers of primarily positive information that appears flawless, effortless and often like never-ending, spontaneous fun (don’t we all want to project the best parts of ourselves). Its also full of marketing, branding and sales gimmicks nowadays too.
Take the time that social media is stealing from you and apply it directly into being engaged in the most important stuff. Like spending uninterrupted time with your family.
6. Just say no.
Give yourself permission to prioritize the things that are most important to you. Mom’s needs come before getting every little chore completed. The laundry can wait until tomorrow if needed. The toys aren’t doing any permanent damage by laying on the floor a little longer. No one is going to die.
Sometimes when I put my daughter down for a nap I have the intention of getting several chores out of the way. But I end of taking a nap myself instead. Guess what, I feel so much better!
It’s impossible to do every little thing. At some point we just have to say no. No apologies, just no.
7. Meditate and have gratitude.
I found a resource that has completely revolutionized my meditation practice. It’s called Headspace and it is an app that helps to make meditation more attainable for busy people. Read more about my experience with this app here.
Headspace has dozens of different meditations each lasting from 10 minutes to 1 hour. So I really don’t have an excuse that I don’t have time, because 10 minutes is all I need. This app is genius.
My experiences as a nurse have taught me that having good health makes you the richest person in the world. On another hand, being ill makes life seem poor even if you are monetarily wealthy. It’s too bad you can’t buy your way out of an illness.
I deplore being sick. For me, illness goes something like this:
One day I’m feeling great! Then the next I wake up feeling achy and lethargic. A scratchy, sore throats kicks in and swallowing makes my throat feel like sandpaper. Everything hurts. I feel like dying. Life sucks. The end.
Just kidding. I’m not that dramatic. I’m just trying to make a point, but for the record I personally do not handle being sick well. Luckily, I rarely get sick (knock on wood!).
Recently, I received news that I was selected to ‘master in’ as a Resource Nurse in the Emergency Room. It is a 3 month in-unit training program that includes an additional 50 hours of classroom training and testing. After completion of the program I will officially be an ER nurse. Yay!
I am ecstatic about the opportunity for emergency and critical care training as it will build my skill set and hopefully make me a better nurse. Additionally, I will have to be trained in pediatrics which is a whole new specialty for me. I am excited about that too, but the Mom in me is a little nervous about seeing kids in pain or any kind of suffering.
As part of my preparation for training this week I completed a Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification course and shadowed a Pediatric nurse for a 12-hour shift. While I am still very far from being competent in Pediatric nursing, it was an informative opportunity to be exposed to the kinds of things Pediatric nurses do on a day to day basis.
There is one overwhelming thought that has stayed with me since my experience working on a Pediatric Unit:
I am so grateful that my child is healthy.
We are lucky to live in a world where there are so many medical professionals who dedicate their lives towards helping sick children (and all people of course, but for the purpose of this post I am talking about Pediatrics). Working with very ill or injured children is challenging and emotionally draining. Yet the nurses I shadowed on the Pediatric unit are happy to be there. Most importantly, they are competent and knowledgeable.
Pediatric nurse training reinforced my gratitude for having a healthy child.
Up until now my nursing career has involved working with adult patients 18 and older. The shifts can be exhausting to say the least. At the end of my 12 hours I am often too tired and emotionally drained to even think about talking about many of the sad and difficult situations that unfortunately occur. Its often easier just to block it out of my head and move on.
Soon the ER will be my new place of work and my new job description will include children and even babies. There will be situations that are critical and possibly catastrophic. As a Mom (and obsessive lover of small humans) I will have a lot of adjusting to do in this new area.
Practicing gratitude is so important (especially for the gift of healthy children!)
When life gets busy it is easy to take a child’s health for granted. You assume they will be healthy because they have always been healthy.
Gratitude for the opportunity to be a Mama.
Between all the cooking, cleaning, working, errands, play dates, and (fill in the space here) time slips away and it is so easy to forget to focus on the magnificent joy of having a child who is free from illness or injury. The only time people often think about health is when it is no longer there.
Gratitude is just a way parents can pay attention to the gift of good health today. No one can predict what will happen tomorrow so you might as well live in the moment!
Imagine that your child was sick and had to be in the hospital for an extended period of time. Or worse, if they were in an accident or received a devastating life threatening prognosis.
I have never experienced any of these scenarios myself. But I imagine they would probably be the hardest thing I would ever have to deal with as a parent. In my years as a nurse, I have seen a lot of families at the hospital in similar situations. I’m not sure where they find their strength and I’m sure in those moments they take nothing for granted.
Gratitude keeps us grounded and in the present moment.
Gratitude allows for positive energy to permeate in the NOW and not stuck in an annoying situation that has passed.
It’s important to understand the difference between normal difficult life situations and the kind of catastrophic situations that occur when your child is sick or injured. 99% of the negativity in our daily lives as parents isn’t really as bad as we make in in our minds if you really think how many good things are happening.
Hanging out with other Moms is like therapy for me. Venting to an extend is important. We get to talk about frustrations and experiences while surrounding ourselves with like-minded people who have the same interests: our children.
I have gratitude for a healthy baby.
But too often gratitude is not present in many of these conversations and they can easily turn into a pessimistic venting session of who has it worse. I have heard many conversations with parents comparing their gloomy situations with other parents. Negativity is contagious. Next thing you know you are hyper-focused on the negative and completely overlooking the awesomeness of being a parent in the first place!
Gratitude puts child-rearing challenges and perceived annoyances into perspective.
Not everyone gets to have a healthy child, or even a child at all for that matter. Being a parent is a privilege.
There are parents who practically live at the hospital for weeks, months even years at a time because their child is sick. A ‘normal’ crazy busy day with their child at home would be the best gift in the world.
So when a child is being difficult it is important to remember that we are lucky enough to have healthy children to discipline in the first place. Not everyone gets that opportunity.
Here are a few ways to practice gratitude for continued good health!
1. Keep a gratitude journal
Intentionally choose gratitude. Writing down what you are grateful for consciously reminds you that even though parenthood is frustrating at times, the good stuff far outweighs the bad. It keeps you aligned with the positive aspects of parenthood that we should keep our energy focused on (like watching my kid have fun watching and playing with other kids).
2. Watch the language (internally and externally)
What you say and think becomes reality. In other words, if you think life sucks, then it does. That becomes your truth. Gratitude can also become your truth if you make it a habit.
Kids are sensitive and pick up on attitudes and the words coming out of their parents mouths. Fortunately, gratitude is also contagious!
3. Pray
Or meditate or have a positive mantra, whatever works for you. The point is to essentially say “thank you” and bring awareness to the positive aspects of parenthood. Meditation is my thing and it works for me every time. Especially as my daughter, Zoe becomes more independent and adorably (and sometimes frustratingly) sassy.
4. Take care of yourself!
Its hard to practice gratitude when you are too exhausted all the time. You know how when you are on an airplane and they say in an emergency that you need to put the mask on yourself first, then assist your children? Its pretty much the same thing here.
When your basic needs are being met it is so much easier to be grateful for the other miracles in your life. So be nice to yourself.
Parenthood is a glorious, overwhelming and at times maddening thing and I am glad I’m in the thick of it. Zoe brings 1000 new levels of joy that I never knew existed prior to parenthood. I am so lucky that I can bask in gratitude that right now my child is healthy and happy and her parents are too.
Hi, I’m Sarah and its lovely to meet you. I am happy that you are joining me on my first blog post!
This is my maiden voyage out in the blog writing ocean. I have so many things I want to talk about, and I am craving a creative outlet by which to share my interests: motherhood, life as an RN, healthcare prevention, babies, kid safety, superfoods, my love of yoga and pretty much anything else related to healthcare. Not a very narrow niche. So, for now, I’m just going to start writing and see where my heart leads me.
A little about me:
Christmas circa 2016, Roseville, CA.
Way, way back in the day at Chico State I majored in Journalism and was a budding writer with a weekly column at our student newspaper, The Orion. Shortly after graduation, I decided that newspaper writing was not for me. So I completely changed my plans and entered the field of medical device sales.
I worked for nine crazy, intense years observing various surgeries and hustling medical equipment to operating rooms up and down the west coast. Weekly travel was the norm. I probably spent the equivalent of a few years living in hotel rooms during that period of my life.
Over time this left me massively burned out and desperate for a change. My resume, however, said that I was a salesperson and limited my opportunities.
I made a drastic career change-up from corporate sales exec to BSN student.
This was taken during my pediatric rotation at Kaiser West Los Angeles. I was such a newbie nurse!
A longing for greater clinical medical knowledge and the desire to be a better human lead me to go back to college and earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. To stay this was a challenge is an understatement. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my entire life!
Leaving a high-paying job to go back to school for three years to come out with a lower-paying job is not the most financially wise choice. However, it did make me a lot happier in the long run. Following my passion for healthcare has been one of the greatest life changes I have ever made.
I began my new career as a registered nurse.
I began the RN residency program at UCLA Medical Center on the Neuroscience and Stroke unit shortly after graduation. A few years later, I passed Stroke Certified Registered Nurse Certification and began training other new graduates in my unit.
In 2015, I completed the Yoga Works Urban Zen Practitioner Program at UCLA. The program was designed to help nurses care for patients in a more holistic way by combining the benefits of eastern and western care. I got to learn more about some of my favorite things: yoga and in-bed yoga movements, guided meditation, essential oils, and Reiki. It was an incredible learning experience, and it ultimately changed how I give care to my patients.
In early 2017, I was accepted into an RN training program in the Emergency Room. It is intense, challenging, and exhausting, and I love it! Definitely not for the faint of heart. My skills have been pushed to the limit, and I can officially say I am fantastic at difficult IV starts. I guess that’s what happens when you start five or more IV’s in a day!
Being a nurse means that I never stop learning.
I dabbled in the medspa industry for about eight months as a side gig because I thought it was a career I was interested in. I became certified to use various lasers (IPL, hair removal) and also got certified to give injectables (Botox, Juvederm, ect..). It was fun for a while, but I ultimately decided to stay full time at the hospital because I am way more passionate about the clinical side of nursing.
There were “perks” to being in the medspa industry that I liked, like free injectables and free skincare products. Eventually, though, I realized that wasn’t a good enough reason to leave the hospital, and I didn’t love the work.
Healthcare and wellness have always been a passion of mine.
Nursing school helped me foster this passion and gave me a solid foundation for understanding health and the human body. I do my best to stay up to date on current healthcare and nutritional studies, and I try to be a good educational resource for my patients and family.
The stress of my first career lead me to search for ways to better care for myself. I started practicing yoga and meditation regularly, and it has remained a happy habit for over a decade. Now I incorporate it into my daily life and don’t know where I would be without it. There are a lot of things I practice at home to keep myself and my family healthy that I am excited to share on this blog.
My newest job title is Mommy (and I couldn’t be prouder!).
On Halloween morning in 2015, my husband and I welcomed our daughter, Zoe, into the world. She is a spunky, sweet, and smart little lady who has changed our lives for the better. I apologize in advance for the ridiculous amount of baby photos that I am sure I will post in the future. I can’t help it, I’m a proud Mama!
Zoe made her arrival seven weeks early due to a very rare and dangerous condition I got when I was 33 weeks pregnant called a placental abruption. In short, the placenta (lifeline from mom to baby) that was giving Zoe blood, oxygen, and nutrients suddenly disconnected from my uterus. This caused me to hemorrhage internally instead of delivering blood to where it should have been going- to Zoe!
Luckily right as it was happening, I was feeling terrible, and my husband had taken me to the hospital to get checked out. I was lucky to be there in the nick of time to have an emergency c-section. My doctors informed me that babies don’t usually survive placental abruptions, and we are forever grateful.
Zoe is our miracle baby, and we thank our lucky stars for her every single day. There is no better gift than the gift of a healthy baby!
My current gigs are:
Mom of two toddlers
Wife to an amazing husband
Registered Nurse
Freelance writer and blogger about preventative health, nutrition, self-wellness, life as an RN, family, motherly interests, and other topics I think are cool
Our very early days as new parents.
I have a few goals in this writing journey: explore the awesomeness and insanity of motherhood while trying to balance a career as a nurse, nurture a happy marriage, foster friendships, and continue to learn and share healthcare information—basically, all the lifestyle things I love.
