Meet Kacie! She’s been coming to Haumea since October 2019 when I started with Mom Baby Yoga when my baby was about 8 weeks old. I live in Madison with my husband Harry, our baby Ruby, our dogs Lucy and Larry, and our cat Mike. Aside from yoga I love reading, going for epic walks, and trying new restaurants.
What are you most proud of? Right now, I am most proud of Ruby. She is such a perfect little baby, but I also feel I can’t take credit for it as she is just inherently perfect. Before Ruby arrived, I was most proud of earning my MBA. I worked really hard to earn that degree while continuing to work full time!
When in life have you felt most alone? When I was pregnant, I became very isolated. I was super tired, nauseous and sick most of the nine months, so I never wanted to leave the house, and when I did, I usually had to come home early because of feeling so sick. I also gained a lot of weight my last trimester so I couldn’t walk or move without pain which was further isolating.
Once Ruby arrived, I’m so grateful for my family and friends that came to see me, even though I had been a hermit for the previous nine months. I also am so happy I found Haumea and the community there. It felt so liberating to be able to do yoga and move my body around again after my hibernation, and it was even better that I got to share that experience with my new baby
If you could hold on to one memory from your life forever, what would that be? My wedding day was the best day ever. I remember smiling and laughing the entire time, and I’ve never been so purely happy as that day marrying my husband.
How has your life been different than what you’d imagined? I am enjoying being a mom much more than I ever expected! My husband I met when we were older, so we both had our own lives and careers. We both know what we want and are happy, and I truly thought we would be fine if we never have kids. Once we made the decision to start trying, we were fortunate to get pregnant right away, but I then I was just terrified how our life would be different. I tend to take a darker outlook onto life, and my pregnancy was just so miserable I wasn’t sure what would happen when the baby arrived.
But it has all worked out so well! I never expected to have so much fun and feel so happy being a mom. Ruby brings such joy to my life, and now I could never imagine my life would be complete without her.
What do you like best about being a mama? What is the hardest thing? I love hanging out with Ruby! It is so fun to smile at each other and play or read stories together. She is six months old now, and it’s so fun to see her interact more and look for me when I start to leave or come into a room. The best is when I come in her room in the morning and have to turn on the light. She shuts her eyes because of the brightness, but still has a big smile on her face because I’m there.
The hardest thing is breastfeeding. I really didn’t have any goals for breastfeeding coming into it, because I just had no idea! I am a planner and had everything prepared for Ruby’s arrival, but I just did not have the slightest idea of the mental, physical, and emotional toll that breastfeeding took on me. The feeding every 2-3 hours around the clock the first few weeks was so draining and exhausting, and I felt I was never going to be able to heal from an unscheduled c-section. Now she is six months old, and I’m in the process of weaning, but every feeding I give up to a bottle is another emotional rollercoaster for me!
What are your hopes for what the future holds for Ruby? I hope she grows up in a world that is kind and accepting of all people. I hope she has all the resources she needs to grow into her full potential. I hope she grows up to be a kind, independent, and courageous person. I hope she continues to always have fun and be happy. I hope she always knows how much her family loves her.
