Welcome to this week’s ✨ Group Chat 💬 , where we spill what’s happening behind the scenes. From everyday chaos to the things we can’t stop talking about, consider this your front-row seat to the sister thread. Here’s what was on our minds (and in our texts) this past week…
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What’s been on our minds (and hearts) lately…
Graceful postpartum transition. Carly has noticed that her little girl is already going longer between nursing sessions, and honestly, it feels like the natural weaning process has quietly begun. She’s eating so much more real food lately, so it all makes sense. Carly’s goal has always been to reach 12 months of breastfeeding, but to be fully weaned by the time she has knee surgery. With that timeline in mind, the weaning chapter is officially opening. Night feeds will be the hardest to shake, and they’ll be the first ones to go.
What’s wild is that Carly felt the mental shift before she even consciously decided to start weaning. When her daughter goes longer between feeds and nurses for less time, her milk starts regulating down, and her hormones come along for the ride. She has noticed some insomnia, anxiety, and little waves of sadness or weepiness popping up. All very real, very normal signs of weaning.
Right now, her anchors look like this:
Keeping her blood sugar steady
Deeply nourishing her body
Hydrating like it’s her job
Intentionally adding in oxytocin-producing moments. This means art with her toddler, long heart-to-heart hugs, snuggling her dog, laughing at a comedy show, and choosing softness wherever she can find it.
This phase deserves just as much care as every other one. As Carly walks through it, she’s already compiling what’s actually helping so she can eventually turn it into a gentle, honest weaning guide for other moms, when the time feels right. It’s just a phase… and Carly is letting it unfold with a lot of grace and patience, taking things slow every step of the way!
How we are nourishing ourselves…
Chocolate mint dreams. Postpartum life (and breastfeeding!) has us all absolutely ravenous, and staying fueled and hydrated is more important than ever. That’s why this has been our go-to protein lately. It’s clean, as PURE as can be (just a few ingredients, with grass-fed beef as the main protein source, say less!), and tastes next level. Don’t let the beef fact fool you, it straight-up tastes like dessert!
Each scoop packs 21g of bioavailable complete protein, which is key for supporting hormone production and regulation, keeping you full, and stabilizing blood sugar…. Basically everything a postpartum body needs. The amino acids in beef protein are literally the building blocks for our cells and tissues.
We’ve recently been loving the Chocolate Mint flavor, which LITERALLY tastes like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie - so nostalgic! It’s also insanely versatile for baking and cooking. And when we say we add it to everything, we mean everything: waffles, pancakes, overnight oats, oatmeal, yogurt, or chia pudding. A simple scoop in water or milk also makes the perfect quick snack when life gets hectic and we are running around chasing littles. (code: BALANCEDBEYARS)
Reigniting creativity. All three of us have been using these watercolor books lately as a calm, creative outlet. As women - especially when postpartum, TTC, or navigating our cycles - we NEED creative outlets more than ever. We spend so much time in our heads, on our phones, in go-mode, problem-solving, and rushing around… and our bodies aren’t meant to live there constantly!
Adding even a little bit of creative time shifts our energy, mood, and regulation. Creating slows us down, helps us enter flow, and supports our nervous system, hormones, fertility, and overall well-being. Different cycle phases (and seasons like postpartum) are meant to be softer, intuitive, and inward… CREATIVITY gives us a space to channel that energy instead of pushing through or suppressing it.
Women are literally built for creation… Not just babies, but ideas, art, expression, and beauty. Even 10 minutes of creative work can signal safety to the body, lower stress, and reconnect us to our feminine, receptive energy.
We love these watercolor books because they make creating so accessible. The sketches give you structure (even for us non-art girls!), while still letting you flow and experiment. It’s such a simple but powerful reminder: create more, scroll less, and slow the F down.
Postpartum supplementation. Even though all three of us are postpartum, we haven’t stopped taking our prenatals, because we’ve found the one that truly nourishes us through postpartum transitions, hormonal rebalancing, breastfeeding, and beyond.
It’s designed to support your entire journey - from pre-pregnancy, TCC, pregnancy, to postpartum - so no matter where you are in your fertility or parenting journey, you’re covered. The formulas are optimized for couples, meaning both sides of the pregnancy equation get the nutrients they need. Each blend contains carefully selected, bioavailable nutrients that provide the building blocks for healthy outcomes at every stage. Plus, each subscription kit comes with a beautiful, refillable glass jar (looks good on the counter, rawwwwwr) and a travel vial, with monthly refills shipped in a convenient, recycled-material pouch to reduce packaging waste.
PS: They also just launched a protein powder, which is basically the prenatal blend + bioavailable protein, which comes especially clutch in those early pregnancy days when it can be hard to get down anything!
What we’re shopping…
Weekly faves. Coming at you with all the goodies we are shopping this week! A few call-outs below:
These sleep bags, which our kids have been absolutely loving and getting the best naps in (which means we, as moms, love them too lol).
This red light therapy box all three of us have been lovin’!
They are having a HUGE sale right now, use code BALANCEDBEYARS to save up to $260!
Julie discovered these hooded towels, which are soooo cutsie and functional! Plus, they come in a 4-pack, so perfect to stock up or share with your friends/sisters :)
Julie just ordered this European Leather Western belt, which feels very convertible no matter the season
Carly has been loving her Italian leather laptop bag! It's so cute & perfect for when she takes her work to a coffee shop or needs to go to an appointment. Fashionable and functional, plus amazing quality.
This washable rug, complete with grippers to keep it in place AND 15% off right now. Alaina traveled for her husband’s hockey career for so long that they used to rent out their home each winter while they moved away for his season. Now that he’s retired, she’s ready to add more character to their home, making it less generic and renter-friendly, and more warm, fun, and lived-in.
Sometimes it’s the smallest thing - a phrase, a laugh, a reminder - that shifts the whole week. Here’s to noticing those little sparks when they show up and letting them carry you into the rest of your week.
Wishing you rest, joy, or whatever you need most right now.
Talk soon 💌
Alaina, Carly and Julie
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