When I met my dear friend Lori Bregman at a dinner a few years ago in Venice, it was instant love.  She sparkles, you can feel her across a room and sitting right next to her, we talked all night.

She’s a doula – helping mothers bring healthy babies and more love into the world- but she’s also a life doula.  She births genius.

She sat across from me and talked about infinite possibility.  “Women in some countries aren’t told that they can’t have babies after a certain age so they easily get preganant in their 40’s and 50’s.”

Which made so much sense, and made me realize just how much we are conditioned into what is and isn’t possible.

Lori is a miracle-maker and force of transformation.  She’s introduced me to immense life changing stuff.  And, today, I couldn’t be more excited to share her brilliance!

If you are an expecting mom, grab her book The Mindful Mom-To- Be immediately.  It’s a handbook you won’t want to be without.   If you are hoping to be a mom, you need this book.  

And even if you have no kids, and none to come, you’ll fall in love with Lori and her ways of creating sacred space in life for more love, creativity and everything you want.

Mindfulness is a deep necessity for every mother and every person on the planet!

Lori and I talked about becoming mindful in the modern world and she shared invaluable strategies for moms – and all of us!- to become more present and rooted in the amazingness of life.

me: I am excited about everything expanding in life right now, so much creativity, and even the idea of having a baby one day! 

Lori: Every time we reach a new level in life we’re birthing the new.  There’s a reorganization to do when you get to a new level.  Becoming a mom is a huge new level of expansion in life.

me: You work with so many expecting moms and women who are preparing for pregnancy. What do you see as the big challenges to getting present and staying mindful in the process? 

Lori: Being present in our modern world isn’t always easy.  Everybody’s busy- we all have lots of obligations- and lots of work for many people.  A pregnanacy can go by so fast.  So many women are focused on the end- the birth and beyond- that it’s not easy to remember to take in the magic that’s going on inside your body during the preganacy itself.

I sometimes suggest women download a pregnancy app to see what their amazing body is creating every step of the way.

me: The journey is as important as the destination!  Yes!  That’s brilliant.  When I got my copy of The Mindful Mom-to-Be I immediately got into the chapter on creating an environment at home that supports preganancy and birth…and really all of healthy life.  Your recipies for home care and your suggestions are super-feng-shui-amazing. Why did you highlight the home as part of the mindfulness process? 

Lori: There are so many chemicals and toxins in the world that we can’t control, but you can control what goes on in your own home. I like to start with simple switches at home like choosing to eat organic and GMO-free and switching from plastics to glass containers. Simple ways to eliminate toxins make us more mindful.

When you are pregnant, the better you take care of yourself the more ready you are to parent the baby that’s inside of you that’s a part of you.  Everything you do becomes a part of the baby that’s part of you.  This idea alone will make you more mindful.

me: I can see how that’s true of all of life.  It’s amazing how these lessons are so profound and universal.  You also give advice to people to find their personal best way to connect to life. That’s a big part of feng shui- finding your own way to connect to life.  You have great wisdom to share here…

Lori: Yes, there’s no one “right way” to do anything.  There’s only a right way for you.  In my work I pride myself on only paying attention to the person in front of me.  Every woman is different, every pregnancy is different, every relationship is different, every baby is different.   I help people find the ways that work best for them.

It’s really important to stop comparing yourself to others.  If you find yourself looking at examples of other people and their experiences, bring the attention back to yourself.  Don’t compare- comparison really is the thief of joy!

me: Lori you are the best! I’m not even pregnant right now and I am so inspired to create more space for mindfulness and birthing great things in life!!!  The world is so lucky to have your gifts!!!

You can get your copy of The Mindful Mom-to-Be right HERE.

xoxo Dana