Episode 16: Having a traumatic birth to becoming a “Renegade Mama”. Handmade motherhood affirmation cards with Lauren Tannehill and Shayna Sharke
Episode Description
After experiencing a traumatic emergency birth transfer from home to the hospital with her first daughter, Lauren Tannehill of the Renegade Mama decided she needed something to help her face her next two births, because of the emotional and physical pain that ensued afterwards. As an artist and a mama, she came up with the idea for motherhood affirmation cards used to help women feel more empowered during childbirth or postpartum.
Along with her business partner and creative mama of two, Shayna Sharke, these ladies have taken the idea of wanting to help mommies feel less alone to the next level. They created the “The Renegade Mama” affirmation cards and their kids deck to help empower mommies to recognize their amazing contributions and follow the fire within.
Not only are these hand drawn cards made by hand by both of these amazing mamas, they also contain messages that can literally affect the chemical make-up of our bodies and minds. How does this work? Positive affirmations are said to change the brain on a cellular level, especially if repeated over and over. The negative, or self-doubting thoughts that we sometimes carry with us for years and years, can really take a toll on our mental well-being without us ever knowing. So in honor of reframing our thoughts, especially in those vulnerable stages of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood in general, these ladies came up with affirmations to help inspire mamas.
Some examples of their affirmations include “My birth will be amazing and pleasurable” and “laundry and dishes can wait, today I am being a mama”. Both women are innately creative and self reflective and their opposite personalities and similar vision have made them a good business match. Shayna has always had an interest in empowering mamas and child development and although she is more of an introvert than Lauren, she feels the two compliment each other perfectly.
These mamas currently live in San Clemente California with their families and love camping, surfing, yoga, and being outdoors. They have been featured on a variety of platforms including Channel 5 news in California. They hope to continue to inspire with their handcrafted artwork and heartfelt messages.
Episode Take Aways:
5:39: Lauren shares about her journey to begin creating the affirmation cards. She experienced a traumatic and disappointing birth story with her first, and had anxiety again after her third and wanted to create something tactical to support other mamas.
6:59: Lauren speaks of the profound emotions that go along with a disappointing birth story and how mamas should always be given space to share their own.
8:11: Shayna talks about how her birth story was far different than Lauren’s and how she felt disempowered as a mama in a different way, for being uneducated about childbirth. She thought going to a hospital and getting an epidural was really her only choice.
11:56: An affirmation is a positive empowering statement that helps reprogram negative or fearful thinking in the brain.
15:59: These ladies want mamas to feel like they “see” themselves in these pieces of art, so they can feel less alone.
21:27: Lauren speaks about “perfection” can never exist, and it is important for our little one’s to strive towards being “real” rather than perfect.
32:09: Shayna takes “soul mama” time to herself by getting up early to practice yoga and she believes this is very important to do as mamas.
43:08: Both mamas want their children to grow up knowing how to look within and be comfortable in their own skin.
47:11: Empowering women and mamas is what keeps these ladies going. They want to create a sense of mama hood community through these affirmation cards
