I’ve always been a water baby. I learned to swim when I was just over a year old and i’m super excited about sharing the love of water with Luna. We put in a very small dipping pool and at 11 weeks old, got her in the water. She loved it! 
All posts by hollybeck27
Hands Free Baby Wearing
I vowed to follow attachment parenting and baby wearing. At first it was so easy. I never wanted to put my little one down. But by the second month, too many things had piled up that I just couldn’t do one-handed. Once Luna could hold her head up, she was happy to come along on whatever mission I was tackling, but as she gets heavier, it’s hard to hold her and feed the dogs, or fold the laundry, etc. Continue reading Hands Free Baby Wearing
Introducing Luna to the Ocean
5 weeks after having my little girl, I started surfing again. It was really awkward at first. After three months out of the water I was out of rhythm with the ocean. My paddling muscles were weak.
Luna is 10 weeks old now and I’m starting to get back to normal. On this day last week I caught a few waves and then came in when my husband signaled that she was awake. I fed her and then took her for a walk along the water’s edge. She was a little fussy and I was adjusting my carry hold when I decided to dip her toes in the water. She instantly quieted, staring at the water, mesmerized. She loved it!
Luna Suli 9 Weeks Old
Goofing around with little Luna the other night.
Back in the Water after 3 months
After three months without paddling out, i’m finally back in the water. When Luna was about 3 weeks old I started taking her on beach walks with the dogs in the mornings. I wrapped her up in a sling, covered her head with a little hat and we’d walk down to the ocean with the dogs and look at the waves. It seemed impossible to leave her on the beach and out of my arms for any length of time, but day by day I got more and more eager to catch a wave.
Luna’s First Youtube Dance Video
Ok, she’s not really dancing, and maybe no one but me will find this entertaining, but I think it’s hilarious! I’m having lots of fun with the little one!
We spend all day and night together. She has a portacrib that i’ll use sometimes during the day if she’s fallen asleep and I want to get a few things done, but 98% of the time she’s on my lap, asleep on my chest, or in my arms. I love it and so does she.
I did finally get back in the water a few days ago for a very short surf session. We walked down with Dad, a beach umbrella, and just one surfboard. She was asleep and I passed her off, grabbed the board, and ran out for about 30 minutes. It was the first time i’d surfed in three months and I felt stiff and out of shape both physically and mentally. I was looking towards the beach every 2 minutes to make sure they were ok, but I was able to catch a few fun waves and that felt amazing!
Soon I realized she was awake and probably hungry. I caught a wave in, ran up the beach, and lightly rinsed myself off with a bottle of water. I smelled like the ocean and my lycra rashguard and she didn’t seem sure it was me. It took a few minutes for her to latch on and still she seemed suspicious that something wasn’t quite right. “You better get used to it,” I told her, “you’re going to be smelling this a lot starting now!”
Luna Suli’s Birth Story
On September 14th at 4:55am I clutched a new little creature to my chest after 33 hours of labor. She seemed so foreign. It was so strange that just moments before she’d been inside me, faceless. Then that little face lit up! She opened her eyes, she cried, she latched onto my breast and as cliche as it sounds, I fell totally in love. Continue reading Luna Suli’s Birth Story
To Vaccinate or Not
Whether or not to vaccinate has been a tough decision. For “off the grid”, natural, alternative lifestyle folk like ourselves the trend is to avoid vaccines. I subscribe to natural news websites that post articles claiming vaccines are dangerous, untested, cause autism, can bring on seizures, etc. Their arguments are convincing. Here’s one titled “You are being lied to” that does a good job of summarizing this field of thought.
Continue reading To Vaccinate or Not
Welcome Luna Suli Obermeyer
On Septermber 14th, 2014 (her dad’s birthday), Luna Suli came out of the womb and into our family. Over the past 11 days I’ve fallen head over heels in love. Luckily my husband has been doing the cooking, allowing me to pass the time just holding, kissing, smelling, smiling, cuddling, and nursing her. So far she sleeps great (just waking up a couple of times in the night to feed then sliding back into sleep) nestled by my side. Since she’s always touching me and I can put her on a boob at the slightest hint that she’s hungry, she hardly ever cries. Continue reading Welcome Luna Suli Obermeyer
Beautiful Home Water Birth Video
I’m now less than a month away from my due date and the whole thing seems a lot more real now than it did a few months ago. I’m actually going to have a baby!
I’m really looking forward to the experience. Of course, there’s that little bit of nervousness. That little wondering of “what if something goes wrong?” But, I trust that everything will be fine. I trust that my body and baby know what to do. I know that my husband is amazingly supportive and will be right there for me. I have a great friend going through the same thing who will also be there and a very experienced midwife. I’ve read multiple books by midwives and studied Hypnobirthing. It’s going to be awesome.
My friend just sent me this video of a gorgeous home water birth that had me shedding a few tears. It’s so beautiful. Other than having many fewer spectators, this is what we’re planning.
Salt Water Mama 