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Gréthe Botes | mama | chef | wellness guide | healing

@grethe.botes

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Learning through motherhood.
personal chef • integrative nutrition guide • sometimes I sing 🌀 also @mise_en_mama

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To our darling daughter, thank you for making me a mama. You’ve taught me so much about myself in such a short period - how to slow down, that embracing the chaos is easier than trying to control it, to be more present and you’ve allowed me the chance to experience a love I’ve only ever dreamed about. You are my biggest dream come true.

Always always always here for you my baby, you can count on me 🤍 by @grethe.botes

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5 months ago

A late night love letter 💌 to my postpartum body. 🤍 by @grethe.botes

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3 months ago

In light of Mother’s Day this Sunday, I can’t help but reminisce on the biggest, most extraordinary day of my life. The day I birthed our daughter, at home, surrounded by love and support. The day “The Mother” in me was finally here.

I love having photos to remind me and show her one day … candid moments of me in the depths of active labour the hours before she was born, that acknowledge the immense bliss, intensity, and utter exhaustion and power that is childbirth (and motherhood)✨

thank you for capturing a time I can’t put into words @sides_official by @grethe.botes

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5 months ago

9 months in, 9 months out.

For 9 months you grew in me my sweet child.
And for 9 months we’ve locked eyes with every sunrise.

Today we honour this magical milestone.
We gave my placenta to the earth and planted flowers as thanks.

I was able to see where you were housed for all those months in me…

I am just in awe, the miracle of life. 🌀 by @grethe.botes

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a month ago

Sorry I’ve been busy slowing down 🌾🌱 by @grethe.botes

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2 months ago

My birthday, the day my mother birthed me into the world. And the day I chose to arrive.

Only now, after giving birth myself, do I understand how special a day it is for her too, probably one of the most special days of HER life.

Happy BIRTH day to my mama, it’s her day too. 🤍

( & what a sweet moment for this midwife in slide two - I was the first baby she assisted to deliver, look at the proud smile! And my bother holding me for the first time 🤍 ) by @grethe.botes

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2 months ago

This one is for all the mamas who tried but chose differently in the end. 🤍

I come from a maternal line of women who all battled to bf. I chose to try my best & not bring this narrative or belief into my bf journey, I tried to be the change, more than anything I wanted to EBF. It was harder than pregnancy & childbirth. Waaaaay harder IYKYK. Hardest thing I’ve ever done.

At 7 weeks I called it and started hybrid feeding ( which is doing bottles of formula and still BF )

*My reasons to supplement don’t need to be validated here*

but that is what I chose to do, and I can tell you now it’s NOT an easy choice for any mama who truly wants to EBF. ( also happy to share why it didn’t work out privately, as it’s too personal for IG )

Now, from a mother who EBF’s point of view - who also battled with pain/mastitis/low supply in the beginning and eventually it all evened out will say “well you didn’t try hard enough, you didn’t push through a little longer, you weren’t truly willing to endure the pain, you didn’t truly get initiated” - is probably the meanest thing to say to another mother. Bc I know how it feels to read posts that shame mothers for not trying harder. bc I fkn did & I have a village of proof. I have scars, bloody clothes, old pain medication, invoices from lactation consultants, a pantry full of lactation herbs, BF supplements, old pump parts, a course on BF to prove it.

I stand for the women who tried. I SEE YOU. And I see why you made the decision to feed your baby differently.

I’ve sat amongst women who’ve expressed their deepest desires but have had to make a call to supplement, and there is deep sadness in their eyes. I’ve too cried many, many, many times.

BUT I am so proud to say that I still breastfeed my baby for almost every nap/ and still every night to sleep despite having little milk to provide. 🤍

And to all the EBF mamas - you are literal super women! Greatest gift for a child, giving them the absolute best start to life. 🤍 by @grethe.botes

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2 months ago

In a world where early separation is pushed and even encouraged, I push back.

It’s our physical & emotional PRESENCE and connection that is the root of independence, the root of emotional safety, the root of a child’s confidence in the world.

Being there. And yet being there seems to be a lot for the majority of modern day parents, it’s too much, too exhausting, too demanding.

but parenthood IS a lot. It’s the most demanding experience a person will ever go through yet society/social media/modern world paints this skewed picture that it can be so convenient and easy. Just get the gadgets and outsource other people to parent your child. Send them off. Separate yourself and that’s what makes it easy.

News flash, parenthood was never meant to be easy. It’s meant to be the greatest sacrifice and dedication and hard - fkn - work. it’s not for the faint hearted, choosing continuous presence. but it’s also the greatest gift you will EVER give to your child 🤍 by @grethe.botes

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3 months ago

Rise & shine time 💅 Where all my Leo’s at 😉✨ by @grethe.botes

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3 months ago

Feeling like this photo deserves a spot.

This is me, hunched over our couch, in and out of realms, meeting the depths of an infinitely vast black hole, over and over and over again. trying so hard to remind myself that I am not dying (or was i in a way ) , walking across my own internal war zone, trying to remember to breathe, trying to stay steady … and there’s my husband, looking at me with a gentle loving gaze. I have photos as evidence. Of how he continued to look at me with only love. Hours on end..

Afterwards I asked him “did you ever feel sorry for me?” And he said “not at all. bc I knew you were just working hard to birth our baby.”

A part of me wanted empathy. But perhaps empathy would have led me down the road of feeling “I need to be saved”. there was no saving. Only way out was through baby.

To you @sides_official , for keeping your cool, keeping your steady, keeping your faith in my ability. Trusting me. Trusting the team. And being a loving anchor, the pillar to hang my heavy body onto, the physical person to grip.

I hope you inspire other dads.
I hope this photo is seen by fathers to show them that all a woman needs in labour is to be witnessed , with admiration and love. ❤️

P.s photos like these are missed without having a precious and supportive doula @relax_into_birth , thank you for this photo. Thank you for capturing moments I’ll forever be able to reflect on. by @grethe.botes

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3 months ago

Some reflections 6 months into the wild journey of motherhood 🤍

#motherhood #motherhoodreflections #firsttimemama by @grethe.botes

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4 months ago

Our children are our greatest teachers.🙏 by @grethe.botes

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4 months ago