Welcome to Soul sugar. I'm your host carry rad. You might know me from my videos on YouTube. I love to chat about all things self-care self-love living our very best lives and finding our inner magic Soul. Sugar is a community of blooming Soul Seekers like sugar for your soul. Hello everyone. Welcome back to To an all new episode of Soul sugar podcast. I am feeling very excited today because I have a dear friend on today Kristen from Hopscotch the globe Kristen. I am so excited to have you here her and her husband see a create content on YouTube. She has one of the top travel channels on YouTube they talk about living in an Airstream and traveling the world with their little one Kai who is so freaking cute that I cannot. Wait to meet they give tons of travel tips and advice over on their YouTube on their Instagram and they also have their blog over on Hopscotch the globe. Hi Kristen. Hi. Thanks for having me. Thank you for being here. I'm so excited to have you first off just because you're so cool and even see ya just traveling the world in your Air Stream and just like all of your tips and advice and your little pup Atlas and and Hi, and it's just like you guys have the cutest little family doing the coolest stuff and I'm excited to have you here to ask you lots of questions about being a new mom and traveling with Kai and just what it's been like being a new mom and traveling the world. Yeah. I mean it's definitely different but that Dev different doesn't mean bad means just different and it's been quite the experience and a lot of learning and it's been it's been wonderful overall. I think it's so Important what you're doing because you're not only talking about. Okay. I have a new child and I'm you know traveling at the same time your top you talk about the challenges and you're very raw about giving birth and you're very raw about the experiences and you post about the ins and outs of everything and I think that that's one of the main reasons why I wanted to have you on as well because I think it's so easy for society to make us Feel like we have to do everything perfectly as mother's like I'm not a mom, but I know that I see that pressure and in the future I Look to people like you for inspiration when it's like okay. Well when I become a new mom, I want to know the truth. I want to know what it's going to be like and so I find you know, the things that you speak about really important and I'm really excited to have you on here to go through those. Stuff and like tell us tell us about what it's really like and the struggles and challenges but also the Beautiful Moments that come along with that and a lot about like the self-care of being a mother and how you kind of connect and connect back to yourself and stay present and and kind of get through it. So thank you for being here. Yeah. Thanks for having me. So my first question for you and it has a lot to do with what we talked about in our DM sort of where this podcast. God was born I have listeners who are new moms, and I'm hoping that you can help us kind of learn more about self care as a mother and a new mom and in this episode. I want to focus on that but I also want to focus on traveling as a mother and we'll get into the travel stuff later on first off to bring it back to where this episode was born. You sent me a DM chatting about postnatal depletion, and I don't know much about that, but I know it's an important. In thing to talk about can you tell me more about that experience? Yeah, so I didn't even I had never ever heard of postnatal depletion before getting pregnant even after having my daughter. I had never heard about it. No one because no one was talking about it and none of my friends have liked talked about it because I don't even think they knew what it was. The funny thing is like when you're pregnant so many people are like how you feeling. How you doing? And then right when you have the baby For a couple weeks people are still asking like, how are you like, how's it going but then a couple weeks passed and then that's it. Then it's all about the baby. How's the baby doing has a baby doing but you go through so much as a mother who has grown a human and given birth and because there's so much of yourself that goes into making a baby making the placenta birthing the baby then if you're breastfeeding, there's just so much you're giving to this child. And a lot of things can happen to your body motion and emotionally physically everything and I've felt felt it all I feel so because I couldn't no one was talking about it specifically on social media. You just see all this all the positive sides, which it is mostly positive, but when it comes to things like posting oil depletion, no one's talking about it. So I started just like kind of Googling what a how I was feeling and a couple articles came up by this one Doctor Who covers snail depletion. He has a whole book on it. So I I got the book and I'm almost done it and I was just like wow, I I finally feel like I can completely relate and how I'm feeling is normal and I just felt more comfort and how I was feeling because this this doctor was able to describe everything I was feeling and and help me learn how to deal with it going forward because it's real and it's It's it's really hard to go through for a new mom. What does it exactly feel like like how what are signs for a new mom that might be dealing with post natal depletion? Yeah. So I guess to clarify post-meal depletion basically is again when you're growing a like a baby and then afterwards I just even giving birth and then if you're breastfeeding the baby is taking a lot like your nutrients and if you're not getting if you're not eating healthy and getting everything that you need You need then your babies like getting it from your bones and like like everything everything basically that it taking everything from you. And if you're not getting the right diet, then it's you're going to feel depleted and and on top of that you need extra nutrients and extra vitamins when you are breastfeeding if you aren't eating right and if you're not resting specifically and the the North American culture when it's like you have the baby and then it's like back to work and back to normal life and you're supposed to feel great. You don't Time to rest properly and sleep deprivation and all this stuff adds up and that is what postnatal depletion is all about. So you have to first of all give yourself time understand the symptoms and there's various symptoms when it comes to postnatal depletion. It's not just like one thing and learning how to deal with those specific symptoms. You are feeling maybe early you're lacking iron or a lack in getting like enough sleep and You have to catch up and finding a support system that's going to help you deal with everything that you're going through. Yeah, I mean, I can't even imagine how that would feel after first off spending nine months giving your baby everything from you, you know, everything that all of this nutrition is going from you to your baby and then, you know, once the baby's there then you're being depleted. Right. So it that is such an interesting point that when you're pregnant people are constantly asking how you are and obviously at that moment in time. It's only you there that they can speak to and pay attention to and ask questions like that. But then you're right when the baby comes into the picture. It's like oh she's so cute. Like how is she doing? Is she sleeping? What does she like eating? Like, how is she responding to this? But it's like then when you're there as the mom just like depleting literally and it's like she's great. Am I? Okay and I think that it's so great that you looked into that to find out. Okay, like what am I feeling because honestly, I have never heard of postnatal depletion. I'm not a mom. So that might be part of it. But I've never even heard like my friends that are mothers who are really raw and honest about things with me ever talk about that. So it's a really interesting thing. To bring up and I think that it's so important. So if you know of a new moms listening to this feeling that way they can kind of look into it and figure out exactly what's going on with them. Yeah, I think also the feeling of being tired or we'll just that alone the feeling of being tired. It's played on as being normal. Oh, yeah, that's normal. That's normal. Of course. You're a new mom, but it comes to a point where it's not it's not normal like you should start to feel more alive again. And in the reason is again postnatal depletion and people because everything is so normalize all your feeling that ass and that's normal because you're a new mom. It goes on for years and years and people can mothers continue to feel crappy because they're convinced that it's normal to feel that way and it's not it's similar to our periods in the sense of we're told that normal to feel all of these things revolving around our period when it comes to like really terrible cramps or like super intense PMs and all of these things and obviously like that's the norm among women, but it's also like we're told it's normal and it's something that we just have to deal with but at the end of the day, these are things that we can kind of figure out the best practices to and habits to like get through that Stuff like do we need to change our diet here? Do we need more nutrition here or whatever it might be. So I think that that's such an important thing to remember as a woman is like we're told over and over again that these things that we feel are normal. We're supposed to just deal with it because we're women and that's just what we do, but you're right. It's like wait wait, wait a second. Like why do we have to feel this? We shouldn't be tired this long or be hurting this longer feeling this to pre depleted for such a long amount of time. So, what are your Practices that you do to connect with yourself when you're going through this new mom Journey like how how do you practice self-care and in particular? How do you connect with yourself? Because I know having a new baby. You're just so overwhelmed by this new being and like obviously can't get enough and Chi is the cutest thing on the planet. So I totally get that. How do you how do you kind of like connect? Get back with yourself. Oh, man, that's been a challenge and I'm still learning but I definitely have noticed a difference in the last I'd say even a month in a good way. I think ever since I took a trip without the baby and without my husband it was for work, but I went to Guatemala on a group trip that I had with my some of my subscribers and I didn't even want to go I was like, Do not want to go I do not want to leave. I'm breastfeeding like I don't want to hurt it to come back and she doesn't take my boob and I just don't want to leave her. She's too young, but it was fine. She's with her dad. He is amazing with her I can pump and come back and like I deep down. I knew this was important for the both of us for her and me and it was I came back. She didn't take the boob right away, but she did take it and everything was fine and it gave me a chance to really just Kind of tune in and have some space to myself and allowed her and her dad to bond and it was all positive and since then I find myself creating more space for moments like that whereas before I was just so tuned in to her. I would literally no matter where I was. I just be staring at her because they are memorized mesmerizing like you just want to watch every move but I noticed that I was spacing out of like everything else and now I'm realizing more of my surroundings. Things and taking time for myself and even if that's just like at the end of the day having a bath and watching Netflix while I take a bath for like a half an hour just having these little moments to myself are really important and other ways I'm doing that too is I started to journal or taking 10 to 20 minutes to read a book getting up in the morning and having a coffee to myself before baby wakes up. So just finding little moments throughout the day has been really really really positive essentially being able to do the things that you loved before even if it's like a smaller amount of time like you loved to travel by yourself before and like the fact that you had the strength to go out and do that. Anyways, you know, I love that it connected you back to her even more so because I think that like, that's what it seems when I talk to you. Arms, and that's what my mom has told me to like once you become a mom at you. Stop thinking about what you need to do. And what kind of what you loved to do before I think new moms also have too many expectations for themselves when it comes to like doing too much in a day and you have to realize that even if you have a two tasks on your to-do list, like don't don't be hard on yourself. If you don't get them done, it's like the little moments that that you have throughout the day that you really just like kind of your present within like even if your baby's taking a nap for 20 minutes because sometimes they are that short and I'm able to answer one email and have a like and make it t like that that is an accomplishment for the day until I really be proud of yourself for those moments and not just like overwhelm yourself with doing so many things especially doing all the things you were doing before you had a baby because because Your priorities and everything do change but it but that's okay and and it's and it's good to be you have to be good with that. Yeah, it's funny because sometimes I get comments on my channel of people who are like, yeah carry nice morning routine that you have right now. Wait till you have a child one day. I'm like, yeah, I'm sure to look very differently because I'm like I wake up I meditate I have my coffee then I had journal and then they're like no it's gonna be very different when you have a totally that's not a Badly, either because you know what people tell me to or have been telling me Oh once you have a baby, you're not gonna be able to travel anymore. It's like yeah, I am traveling. Of course. I'm going to travel if it's something I want to do. I'm going to do it. Is it different? Yeah, does that mean it's bad? No, just like your morning routine. Will it change? Yeah, does it mean all of a sudden it's not going to be as good anymore. Absolutely not it's going to be exactly it's going to be exactly what you need. And and you're going to make it work. It might be different, but that's okay. Yeah, and I think what's cool about It is it'll be different in a way that the it's going to be not so much about what everything that I need. And I think that that's really something that's so beautiful about motherhood is that you get to take some of the love that you've given to yourself and the time and attention that you've put into yourself and you get to give it to something else that needs you and there's like this beautiful balance that comes in where it's like, okay, like I'm going to give some of this love to something else. Absolutely. And another thing that happens is I have been able to accomplish so much after having her in terms of like running my business like things are getting done even more things than before having a baby and opportunities even more opportunities are coming in we're able to like like take on new projects and even more projects than before and it's because All the stuff that I was like giving my time to that war wasn't as important before Kai. It's like I can't do that now. So I'll just sudden you're prioritizing differently and you're only doing things that a hundred like that really matter because you don't have as much time in the day. So it's also allowed me to slow down to and see what's what's the most important. We will get back into the episode in just a moment. But first I want to tell you guys about today's sponsor away thoughtful luggage for modern travel. I have been using away. Honestly since the company first came out. It is my go to travel companion and I recommend it to everyone for real when I have my luggage at the airport. Sometimes people stop me and ask how I like it and I'm immediately like you have to get one. I personally have the carry. One and the bigger carry on I am a carry-on only kind of girl. So I love switching these out whether I'm going on a weekend trip or if it's a longer trip. I'll go for the bigger carry on for someone who travels very regularly. I can truly say that away is the best luggage I've ever used. 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I think you're a super just comes from a place where they saw what was needed so they created it. It's just that simple the world needs simple and easy ways to get our A proper nutrition and I love your super for creating this also side note your super has tons of creative ways to add the superfood mix has to your daily meals on their site get the cleanest superfood and plant protein mixes at your super.com. That's why oh, you are super.com get 15% off your order when you use sugar at checkout. Just go to your super.com and don't forget to get An off with the promo code sugar at checkout, that's your super.com and use the promo code sugar at checkout for 15% off. Now, let's get back into the conversation. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It's almost like also batching you're like batching a bunch of work together at a certain time and then devoting. It's like an attention thing like how much attention can I give to this is this worth? With my attention because I have you know, I need to balance all of this out that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, exactly you travel for work and you would have brought CHI with you to many different places. I watch your stories and your Instagram to see like where Kai has been what she's doing where you guys are and so I want to know first off. I think it's so cool that you bring her with you to some places because first off what a beautiful Thing for her to experience. I think you're right A lot of people do say. Oh, what are you going to do when you have your baby? Like you're not going to be able to travel anymore and obviously you've blown those assumptions out of the water and you have done it. And so I want to know what is your best pieces of advice for a new mom that loves to travel and wants to be able to bring their baby with them. I would say first of all if someone's at anyone tells you that you can't do it don't listen. Listen to that because I am living proof along with many other moms and dads around the world. We're traveling with their children. I ever since I started traveling I would see parents with their young children like traveling the world and one of my favorite travel memories was when I was living in Ghana and seeing this little blond boy running on the beach with the local Canadian boy just having so much fun. They didn't they didn't look at each other and say weird. Right work from different places. They were just two young boys from different worlds coming together and having a blast and no care in the world and the parents are just on the beach just watching and it was just so beautiful and I'm like one day I want to do that and he's like here I am I'm doing it and it's when it comes to like things like what to pack and the preparation like and creating an itinerary. Maybe those aren't things that you were doing before like I did a lot more spontaneous travel. Before and now I have to plan a bit more not entirely like they're still spontaneity but preparing ahead of time when I will need specifically for my daughter besides that it's pretty much the same and and slowing down a bit which I actually love because instead of going boom. Boom. Boom. Boom destination to destination and just like on the go go go go. I have now slow down my travels and really taking My environment and the experience in a lot more slowly and really being in the moment and she's allowed me to do that because we have to we have to be slower when we travel with her and also experiencing the world through her eyes is so beautiful. So even doing the exact same thing I did years ago and doing it again with her. I'm experiencing it again for the first time because it's a whole different experience. It's been so beautiful and she grows every time we go to somewhere I knew she develops her like her personality shines so much. She's such a people person. She loves all people. She waves them she wants to be picked up by them and it's because of travel it's because we started doing it young with her. She's great on airplanes. She was asleep right away. Like she does not cry. So exposing them young is important and knowing that it is possible. It's more than possible. Do you have a favorite memory? You can think of of chi traveling with you guys. Like is there something that stands out that you were like? Oh that was really interesting to see her like respond to that that way or like anything in particular or is there a travel moment? That was like, oh my gosh. I'm glad we just got through that. There's been quite a few really beautiful moments that come to mind when traveling with Chi and one of them is was just on the airplane flight. Tend to walk by and Kai their big smile wave to them and put her hands out and was like pick me up and he was just like it just made his day and he picked her up and was like walking down the aisle with her and showing a different things on the airplane and it's just so cool to see her be so friendly and smile at every stranger. I want to be friends with them because she's been exposed to so many different people all the time in different environments. Another really great moment is just I was just like walking down the street in Malta and just like from the corner of my eye seeing her stare at every single thing just like really taking everything in especially like as I've gotten older. I find that it's a lot harder to be present as I'm sure many people can relate to just like watch this new human be completely present and absorb all her surroundings and not Think about what's coming up next or what happened yesterday and just like being present just like it taught me to like take a moment, you know, and and really soak in the experiences as well for myself. So I'm learning from her all the time. And another another moment is just walking through nature with her. I think we were in Mexico and anytime that we walk through a forest or by trees. I always hug hug them in front of her because I'm totally a treehugger love it and she's been doing it now. So I remember her in Mexico reaching out to a palm tree wanting to hug it and she just like gloves touched touching it and like looking up all the way see how tall it is and just really enjoying being in nature. It's been beautiful. That is so sweet because I know that about you the tree I think your photos of you hugging trees and I love that. She's just like following in your Footsteps in that and I think that It's so sweet when the the idea of being able to see the world through your baby's eyes, you know, that's such a neat thing and I think that that is one of the most beautiful things about motherhood because even just like seeing a baby. I like went through I'd say like a couple years ago. I was like going like down a hole on YouTube of babies trying lemons for the first time. Yeah and like their faces like even just something as simple as that you're like, this is so freaking hilarious. Hilarious to see happened and I can imagine just on such a larger scale in like traveling the world and like having your child just experience all these things and it's such a beautiful way for a child to understand that the world is so far beyond their their little world where they live, you know, and I think that had like giving that knowledge and experience to a child that young. from such an early age like just hearing you say that she's like picking me up to the flight attendant that such a trusting beautiful thing and you're right like she loves people because she's traveling the world and meeting all these different people and that shows in in human beings as they age, you know, they're going to be trusting and loving and loyal and understanding two different types of people because they've been able to experience it from such a young age and I just love that so much and I think that it's so inspiring because I do think that as somebody who hasn't had a child yet. I do think about the things because I do want to be a mother one day and I do think life's going to really slow down like I'm going to be home and like I have those thoughts but then I but then I remember oh, wait a minute. No, that's not going to happen first off because my fiance Future Husband future baby. Daddy is Travelers. Well, so he's you know, we're still going to do those. Bangs and that makes me feel good. And I'm so glad that I have someone like you to be like what the heck do I do kind of look to you to you know for that guidance because it's it's going to be a scary thing to have that first experience, but I think it's so important. So I love that, you know, you're here talking about kind of how to do it and that it can be done. So thanks for that and I want to know from you besides. Ravel like just putting travel aside. What what would you say is your biggest number one tip, like if like let's say I was either I was pregnant or one of your best friends a family member came up to you somebody listening to the podcast just found out that she's going to be a new mom. What would be your biggest tip of advice? First of all, congratulations because being pregnant is so awesome. I loved it. I would say first of all it's soak that up. Because it is quite the experience to grow a human and feel all of that feel the baby moving here. It's heartbeat get to see like ultrasounds of it growing and just like connecting being able to connect to it because the father's don't get to do that. So like you develop a relationship with this baby right from the number one day like as you start as it starts to grow inside of you. So soak that in and take time for yourself. tough to really absorb the experience of like make your way into motherhood and also as a single woman to write because like you're kind of like in the in between your yes, you're pregnant you are with child, but this is also a time to really have time to yourself before the baby comes because when the baby comes of course things do change and it is harder to find time for yourself, especially at the beginning which is Okay. Yeah, that's that would definitely be my number one advice to really appreciate the pregnancy tune into yourself and take time for yourself before the baby comes I am going to have Kristen lead our soul sugar moment today Christians. Very Zen. She's just as n being anyway, so I'm very excited about this. This'll sugar moment. So Kristin take it away my love. Okay. Well, I want to challenge you the listener. Whether you are a mom to be or you're not this this is just for all of you. I challenge you to go into nature and hug a tree and maybe that just made you laugh because it sounds very hippie. But it is extremely powerful to just Go find a tree wrap your arms around it and just like really try to feel its energy because it exists scientifically proven trees have so much energy and when you connect with them, you really can feel it and every time that I do it it just it feels like a breath of fresh air. I just feel like a new person. I feel calm. I feel relax. My mind is clear. I'm able to be completely present in that moment and I always leave. Like I walk away with a huge smile on my face. So it's a great way to start your day. It's a great way to end your day. If you need that little moment of because you're feeling overwhelmed and the middle of the day I challenge you to do this and I guarantee guarantee whether you are hippie or not. You will feel different. So go out there hug a tree I will say I've tried it it is true. It is like this moment of connection to you know, just mother nature and this energy that is it just makes you happy you're hugging a tree and please send us photos of you hugging trees if you can get one. If not, that's okay. But if you if you're in a place where you can you can just like set a timer and do it. This pictures and tag us because I would love to see pictures of you guys hugging me too. And so that leads me to also where can people find you Kristen they can find me. We have our blog Hopscotch the globe.com or you can find my husband and I and cayenne Atlas our dog on YouTube Instagram Hopscotch the globe as well. So yeah on all the social media. Yay. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. Been amazing and I can't wait to see you in. Yes, and he kind for me too. Can't wait. Thank you all so much for tuning in to today's episode. I hope that you enjoyed it while you're waiting for our next episode come chat with us over on the Instagram. It's at Soul sugarcoat. That's at Esso you LS, u-- G AR see. Oh we give you a daily dose of inspiration over there. Also. It is the best place for us to communicate together and I love hearing feedback and advice from you. Is over there as well? So definitely come on over and let's be friends there. Is over there as well? So definitely come on over and let's be friends there.
In this episode of Soul Sugar — we are joined by Kristen of Hopscotch the Globe! Carrie and Kristen chat all things related to motherhood and travel. Traveling the world with a young child and embracing life as a new mom. They also dive into Postnatal Depletion — What is it? What are the symptoms? How does a new mom navigate through it? Kristen will share her story with postnatal depletion and how she handles the day to day. Find Kristen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopscotchtheglobe/ Find Kristen and Siya on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hopscotchtheglobe ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Away Luggage — For $20 off a suitcase, visit awaytravel.com/soulsugar and use promo code 'soulsugar' during checkout! Your Super — For 15% off your order, go to YourSuper.com and use promo code 'SUGAR' at checkout. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Welcome to Soul Sugar. I’m your host Carrie Rad! You might know me from my videos on YouTube. I love to chat about all things self care, self love, living our very best lives, and finding our inner magic. Soul Sugar is a community of blooming soul seekers. Like sugar for your soul. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ CONTACT SOUL SUGAR — ➭ If you are a listener, you can get in touch with us here: soulsugarpodcast@gmail.com ➭ If you are a business, you can get in touch with us here: soulsugarco@gmail.com ➭ Follow Soul Sugar on Instagram @soulsugarco https://www.instagram.com/soulsugarco/ FOLLOW CARRIE RAD — ➭ Follow Carrie Rad on Instagram @carrierad https://www.instagram.com/carrierad/ ➭ Follow Carrie Rad on YouTube: Carrie Rad https://www.youtube.com/user/CarrieRad/featured ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Production Manager — Samantha Belgarde https://www.instagram.com/samclementebelgarde/ If you enjoy listening to Soul Sugar Podcast — please rate and review the podcast! 