Celebrating Women's History Month with the Journey of Motherhood
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Time to Read: 6 min
The Journey of Motherhood
I am a mother and a physician. This month, in honor of women's history month, I wanted to share a poem I wrote called The Sled. I wrote it after coming in from a winter walk with my family. We had been having a trying day and as I wrote in the poem, my kids insisted they didn’t need the sled. I was so tired from the battles of the day that I couldn’t imagine another struggle with them, or carrying them when they got tired (which was inevitable.) That is motherhood - some days are easy and some days are exhausting. But no matter what, we Mamas pull the sled with love.
About Ahimsa
Founded by a pediatrician and mom of three
Stainless steel is the only kid-friendly material recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Sled
I WENT FOR A WALK IN THE SNOW THE OTHER DAY, AND BEHIND ME I PULLED A SLED.
My children were insistent they could walk, that they didn’t need the sled, however I pulled it anyway.
And initially, they had boundless energy. They ran through the snow and laughed and chased each other and their laughter was musical.
And even though they didn’t seem to need it, I still pulled the sled.
It felt light and it wasn’t that hard to pull.
After we walked a bit longer, one of my girls tripped and fell. She didn’t hurt herself, but she was upset. She climbed in the sled for a minute and I kept pulling.
But she didn’t need it for long, and she hopped back out.
I was happy I’d brought the sled to help her when she needed a break.
We explored the field and forest, learned about trees and talked about the river, and whether the fish were frozen inside. We hit the snow off the tree boughs and they laughed and made snow angels.
And all along, I pulled the sled.
By the later part of our walk, they grew tired. With the fatigue came the emotions and the meltdowns began.
Do you want to climb in the sled? I asked.
They both did.
And I pulled them.
And sometimes we went downhill and it felt easy.
And sometimes we went up hills and it was heavy and hard, and I was sweating and feeling tired.
And when I was sweating and feeling tired, almost resentful about the weight of them, I would stop, pause and breathe.
And sometimes they climbed out, feeling that they didn’t need the sled again, and would walk a little bit more, explore a bit further.
But they always returned to the sled.
And I always kept pulling it.
THIS IS WHAT MOTHERHOOD IS.
We keep pulling the sled of support.
Even when they don’t need it, we are there to help them keep going. When they do need it, we pull them through. We do this to carry them when they can’t carry themselves, to support them when they’re feeling tired and emotional.
There are some days it feels light and all downhill, and pulling them, supporting them feels easy.
There are days it is all uphill and pulling them is so hard, and so exhausting.
When we’re tired from their weight and from our own fatigue, we pull them.
So Mama, if your sled feels heavy today, pause and take a breath.
You are working hard. This job isn’t easy.
There will be days when they won’t need you to pull them, and it will get easier.
You just have to keep pulling the sled.
Dr. Carly Crewe is a mom to twin toddlers, a modern day nomad and MD Psychotherapist specializing in women's mental health. She believes that when women are well, they have the power to heal and change the world. Her mission is to revolutionize women’s mental health care, from fragmented and haphazard to a holistic, comprehensive and integrated approach that meets every woman where she is and addresses the multidimensional reality of mental health.
Dr. Crewe is the founder of Eunoia Medical, a speciality mental health clinic for women in pursuit of a well mind. Carly runs a revolutionary mental health membership for women, The Eunoia Collective. She is the host of the Mind Over Motherhood Podcast and is an Amazon best-selling author. Her newest book You Are Not Your Anxiety: How to Stop Being An Anxious, People-Pleasing Mess will be launching for presale on International Women’s Day March 8th, 2021.
The Sled has been shared over 1.5 million times on social media and other platforms. It is available for purchase as a beautiful illustrated hardcover gift book in time for Mother’s Day here.
Mealtime Essentials for Your Little Ones
About Ahimsa Founder Dr. Manasa Mantravadi
Dr. Manasa Mantravadi is a board-certified pediatrician whose dedication to children’s health drove her to launch Ahimsa, the world's first colorful stainless steel dishes for kids. She was motivated by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ findings on harmful chemicals in plastic affecting children's well-being. Ahimsa has gained widespread recognition and been featured in media outlets such as Parents Magazine, the Today Show, The Oprah Magazine, and more.
Dr. Mantravadi received the esteemed “Physician Mentor of the Year” award at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2019. She was also named a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur in 2021, with her inspiring story showcased on Good Morning America. She serves on the Council for Environmental Health and Climate Change and the Council for School Health at The American Academy of Pediatrics. She represents Ahimsa as a U.S. industry stakeholder on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Global Plastics Treaty, led by the United Nations Environment Program. Dr. Mantravadi leads Ahimsa's social impact program, The Conscious Cafeteria Project, to reduce carbon emissions and safeguard student health as part of a national pilot of the Clinton Global Initiative.
She is dedicated to educating and empowering people to make healthier, more environmentally friendly choices at mealtime. Her mission remains to advocate for the health of all children and the one planet we will leave behind for them through real policy change within our food system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I use stainless steel instead of plastic? Is stainless steel better for health?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a report in July 2018 suggesting ways that families can limit exposure to certain chemicals at mealtime, including “the use of alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible.” The report explained that “…some additives are put directly in foods, while “indirect” additives may include chemicals from plastic, glues, dyes, paper, cardboard”. Further, “Children are more sensitive to chemical exposures because they eat and drink more, relative to body weight, than adults do, and are still growing and developing.” While stainless steel items meet the recommendation to avoid plastic products in children, Ahimsa® products have the obvious advantage of not breaking like glass.
Is stainless steel better for the environment than plastic?
According to the Steel Recycling Institute, steel can be recycled over and over and over again without losing its integrity and requires less energy to recycle than to make anew. Most plastic unfortunately ends up in landfills and it is estimated to take 700 years to decompose. Our special coloring process that allows Ahimsa® products to be fully metal is environmentally friendly, so it does not produce toxic run-off into the ecosystem.
Will Ahimsa products break or peel?
No. Our steel is durable, so it won’t break or shatter with everyday use, like glass. And it won’t peel, like other colored stainless steel products you’ve seen. We use a special process that allows the colors to naturally occur in the metal.
Which Ahimsa products are best for my little one(s)?
Our products are meant to last, you can use Ahimsa at ages 1, 8 and 18! We thoughtfully design our products to be safe for little ones and our planet while reducing consumption. Once your child outgrows the Starting Solids Set and can use regular cups and utensils, the training cup is the perfect size rinse cup in the bathroom, the infant spoon doubles as a tea stirrer and the bowl is great for snacks or as an additional compartment to our modular divided plate. Our plates are great for any age as they encourage choosing a variety of healthy foods at each meal and help visualize portion sizes easily. It’s the lasting beauty of stainless steel - grows with your child and reduces waste.
