Today’s I am a Twin Cities Family feature is all about Ariel Ewefada!
“I’m a wife, mom of 4 this May, a birth doula, lactation counselor, placenta encapsulation specialist and I’m in the middle of my training to become a cranial sacral therapist! I’m an enneagram 3 wing 2! My biggest passions lie within the intersections of birth, racial justice, maternal/infant health, lactation, faith, intuitive living/parenting, legacy building and multicultural families. Everything is deeply connected and intertwined.”
[Photo credit: Jennifer Floyd]
[Photo credit: What do you love about calling the Twin Cities home?
I lived out of state before getting married brought me back permanently in 2012. My husband and I always chatted about moving elsewhere but then we started having kids and realized the Twin Cities has our favorite people. I love my community of friends and family here and I can’t imagine raising my little ones anywhere else.
If we peeked in your purse right now, what would we find?
I pretty much carry an over sized wallet/clutch purse now so I can’t fit a ton. Lip stick. A bunch of cards. Receipts. A few coins. Bobby pins. I’m kinda boring I guess.
How do you prioritize friendships and connections with other women?
I have my core friends that I message throughout the day or week. Naturally, it’s been hard to do a lot of in person gatherings but the inside jokes and memes help! Since I’m about to have baby #4, I am on break from attending births as a doula but I do find that I am able to build connections with other women when I do lactation visits. Now that it’s spring, I keep thinking I need to start an outdoor COVID/people conscious moms group to keep deepening these connections. Navigating motherhood can be so lonely and there is such a need for community and human connection. It’s helpful to see how other moms are winging it just like you!
Being a mom is no easy task. How do you relax and take care of you?
I definitely need to get better at this. Right now it looks like regular chiropractic adjustments, occasional epsom salt baths, splurging on coffee and when I’m really desperate, dropping my toddler off at the Y childcare so I can have 90 minutes to myself. Let’s be honest, I try to do the last one at least a few times a week.
What’s been your greatest joy in motherhood?
Seeing my brilliant children be incredible human beings. I honestly don’t know how else to answer this but they are amazing. My older two have so much depth, empathy and creativity and my youngest (soon to be second youngest) is straight hilarious. They all have a degree of shadiness/sass that is balanced with sweetness. I’m one blessed mama.
What have you found most challenging in your motherhood journey?
There’s no instruction manual! Infants and older kids come naturally to me, but toddlers are a whole different game that is constantly challenging and humbling me. My goodness.
How do you hope your life influences and/or inspires other women?
I hope women are inspired to trust themselves and their intuition. Give yourself grace, learn to find your voice, have a growth mindset but also recognize that you need “your people” around you to do the highs AND lows of life with.
Twin Cities Favorites
Date Night Restaurant: Baldamar in Roseville has been a recent favorite!
Best place to hang out and have some fun: My backyard with great music, food and people.
Local Boutique: Cake Plus Size Resale
Local Coffee Shop: Wherever there is drive thru so my preggo self and toddler don’t have to leave the car.
Locally based online business: A Spoonful of Faith. Jena Holliday is so talented and wonderful. She actually created my logo and branding for my business, Birth Twin Cities!
You can find and follow Ariel on her website and on Instagram @arielewefada.
We love having the opportunity to share the personal sides of local Moms of the Twin Cities! If you would like to recommend another local Mom you think should be featured in our I Am a Twin Cities Family series, please email us at info@twincitiesfamily.com.
