The Daily Bloom

Laura Erlich: LAc, FABORM is a Holistic Fertility and Obstetric Specialist who began her career in holistic wellness after studying Traditional Chinese Medicine with an emphasis on fertility and obstetric care. After graduating summa cum laude from Emperor’s college, she founded Mother Nurture Wellness, a Los Angeles based women’s health practice specializing in fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care.

As an integrative health professional for over 20 years, Laura has helped thousands of families grow by creating a custom roadmap that targets each individual's needs — from nutrition, supplementation, herbal medicine, acupuncture, meditation and beyond.

In 2015, Laura co-authored Feed Your Fertility: Your Guide to Cultivating a Healthy Pregnancy with Chinese Medicine, Real Food and Healthy Living.

Visit her at www.mothernurturela.com or on Instagram at @mothernuturewellness.

What is the self-care practice you do to maintain balance?

I have two practices I can’t live without. One is taking my dogs for an afternoon walk, which is a kind of walking meditation for me and helps me transition from work mode to home/mom mode. The other is long baths. I am fortunate to have a big tub and bought myself an amazing flotation neck pillow and bolster, with some waterproof earbuds. I love to float in the tub by candlelight while immersing myself in binaural beats or a guided meditation.

What is the one lesson you’ve learned that you’ll pass along to your children?

Life is unpredictable, save your money.

What excites you most about being a mother?

My son is a teenager now, and I always thought I’d hold my nose and just get through this part. Much to my surprise, I really love parenting a teen! Of course he has his teen-moments, but all-in-all it’s a joy to watch him blossom into a young adult. I’m so proud of who he is and who he is becoming, and I’m astounded by how enjoyable this phase has been — so far, at least!

Tell us about your child’s name… is there a special meaning behind it?

His name is Sebastian and my husband's name is Sean. Sebastian is a nod to my favorite Shakespeare play, and a name I’ve always loved. After we named him, I realized the first two letters of his name and the last two letters of his name spelled Sean! I like to think that it means his dad always has his arms around him… because he does.

What was your pregnancy journey like and what surprised you the most?

My pregnancy journey was overall pretty good, though I did have some pretty significant sciatica for most of it, which was no joke. I chose midwifery care and a home birth, which really made me feel like I had incredible support and care for my whole self and the baby. And while birth itself was not for the faint of heart, I wouldn’t trade my home birth experience for anything.

How has life changed for you since becoming a mother?

At this point, I’ve been a mom for a pretty long time and life has had countless iterations since this gig started!

What are some examples of how you are different or similar to your own mother?

My mom passed away when I was 17, so it’s taken time to see the similarities without her here to make active comparisons. The older I get, the more I can see how much of a positive influence she had on me, even if it was only for a (way too) small part of my life. I try to honor her memory by being the best mom I can be and by remembering her core values and passing them on to my family.

What is the most useful piece of advice you’ve received about motherhood, and how have you incorporated it into your life?

Years before I became a mother, a friend with two small kids told me that it was “her job to work herself out of the job.” That always stuck with me, and it’s formed the basis of much of my parenting. My husband and I frequently remind each other that we are raising an adult, and we do our best to help him continually take responsibility for himself from a place of knowing that we are always here if he needs us. I feel confident that my son is well on his way to being an upstanding, self-sufficient, and kind person, which I will consider my greatest success in this life.

Have you ever been mom-shamed? How did you handle it?

As the mother of an only child, I have been shamed periodically for not “giving him a sibling.” But I never really let that get to me; it was the right choice for us and he’s a well-adjusted human. Mom shaming is really upsetting to me — everyone is doing their best.

What are you eating these days?

These days I’ve been obsessed with my pressure cooker/air fryer combo. In our house, we eat a lot of warming foods, especially in the winter months. Things I love to make from scratch that my whole family loves include chili, chicken vegetable soup, shepherd's pie, and stir fries. I alway try to source the best quality ingredients and make nutrient dense meals made with whole foods.

What’s your all-time favorite recipe?

I often roast a chicken, which has become known as the “Magic Chicken” because it’s so delicious and easy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole organic pasture raised chicken (about 4 lbs)
• Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme
• 4 large carrots
• 4 red potatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. | Preheat the oven to 450*. Pat the chicken dry with a kitchen towel. Rub a tablespoon of salt all over the chicken, following with a generous amount of garlic and onion powder. Rub into the chicken until it makes a thin crust. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh pepper and a teaspoon of thyme.
2. | Cut the vegetables into 1 inch pieces and place on a high-rimmed baking sheet. Coat lightly with avocado oil or another cooking oil, but do not season. Move the veggies to the perimeter of the baking sheet and place the chicken in the center, breast side down.
3. | Cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring the vegetables about halfway through, then remove the chicken from the oven and flip it over to breast side up. Stir the veggies and incorporate the chicken drippings. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes more. Check that the temperature is at 165* and remove from the oven. Let it rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving with the roasted vegetables. Magic!

 

Photo credit: Kate Hauschka

Mom Talk with Chef and Mom-to-Be Tara Sowlaty Lehrer

Tara Sowlaty Lehrer is a chef, nutritionist, journalist, designer, and creative director -- and one half of the duo behind the wellness site, How You Glow. Regularly sharing her tips on motherhood, fitness, and lifestyle, she is a one-stop-source for wellness that many LA moms have come to count on. We recently caught up with the entrepreneur to ask her a few questions about mamahood...

How do you practice self-care?

I try to weave in self-care all throughout the day. I always start my day with meditation and reading in bed. From there I do my morning routine of brushing my teeth, washing my face, and body brushing. I try to move throughout the day, daily walks outside, eat nourishing foods, and drink water. And I always find time to be cozy and disconnect with my husband and dog.

What is the one lesson that you'll teach to your kids?

I hope to teach our kids self-love and self-confidence, that empathy is the root of all love, and to always lead with kindness.

What excites you most about motherhood?

I’m so excited to experience the expansion of the heart, and see my heart outside my body in my child.

What has surprised you most about pregnancy?

It really is a magical experience! But it’s a lot at once. I didn’t expect to feel so nauseous to be honest, and I didn’t expect to have so many food aversions! As someone who is obsessed with food it was a very weird and challenging experience to dislike food! Luckily that has passed and I’m back to my food-loving self.

Do you have any mom icons?

My mom hands down is my number one mom icon. She is literally superwoman, who is a beyond attentive mom, full time boss and CEO, who handles a million things a day. She is the most loving, generous, supportive mother in the world, and I am constantly in awe of all that she does for others on a daily basis. I can just hope to be half of what she is, and I know that with her by my side I can do anything. She inspires me to be the best version of myself and the best mom I can be.

What are you eating these days?

I’m focusing on healthy fats, proteins, good carbs, fresh fruits, leafy greens, and yummy vegetables. I eat a lot of nuts, good quality dairy, and fermented foods as well. I’m nourishing myself and the baby as much as I can, but still indulging in some of my favorite treats every now and then as well.

What will be your go-to meal for your children?

My cozy roast chicken! I know they will love it. It’s so simple and full of flavor and is the ultimate nourishing meal, made with love.

Nothing can prepare you for becoming a mother.

As someone who has always been extremely career oriented, I candidly used to look down on women who chose to prioritize their families over their career. I was not born with natural smarts and had to work incredibly hard for my career advancements. I assumed when my daughter was born, nothing would change for me professionally... but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

When my daughter Rowan was born three years ago, everything shifted overnight. While I was so grateful to have her in my life, I remember those early days as some of the most isolating and lonely. Establishing myself as a new mother and building a new support community felt like completely starting over. I wanted to be present in my daughter’s life, but was unsure how to manage that with an all-consuming career. No amount of professional success can prepare you for how to be a mother and balance it all. I began to question what “success” really looked like.

After deep soul searching, I ultimately decided not to return to work. While I do not take this option for granted, it was an extremely difficult time as I looked to carve out my new identity.

As I was working to rebuild my community, I met many similar, like-minded women. Women who were looking to redefine themselves and wanted to balance their careers with raising a family. These women were incredibly talented, but struggled to find careers that afforded them flexibility and the ability to prioritize their families. I wanted to help solve this issue.

At the same time, I experienced a change in something I had always seen as a defining characteristic: my personal style. I ultimately decided to start my own company, Kilte Collection, to help solve this problem and give me the flexibility I needed to raise a family. While some people might say the worst time to start a company is after having a child, I found that it was the gift of having a child that enabled me to pursue my dream.

Kilte is that little bit of something extra that makes you feel like you can do anything (because you can). We offer luxury knitwear designed and built to go with you from morning routines to evenings out, and everywhere in-between. At Kilte, luxury lives in the quality construction, thought, and consideration that goes into each piece. All of our pieces feature easy, open sizing and are designed in Los Angeles.

Kilte is committed to creating flexible work opportunities for women. We are inspired by women who create their own destinies, and we support them actively -- because there’s no tomorrow like today for getting sh*t done and feeling extra fabulous while you do it.

While COVID-19 has presented a number of challenges for everyone, but one that I find particularly hostile is the impact it has had on women. The pandemic has taken such a toll on women trying to juggle it all: careers, children, family. With children at home, the overwhelming burden of unpaid labor on women is more present than ever. I sincerely hope that in this difficult time we can come together to recognize this fault and take steps towards reducing this gender gap. I also hope that women, in whatever small way, can take time for self-care and can find a moment amongst all this go-go-go to practice self-compassion.

We are all doing our best and that is more than enough.