In this article, we’ve asked the Founder of Pure Mama and Mama of two Lara Christie a few questions about her birth story and her babies.

What’s your baby’s full name & why did you choose that name?

I have two beautiful babies. A 3 year old, Levi Jack Henderson and a six month old, Harper Ray Henderson. Both first names were simply ones my husband and I loved and the middle names came from grandparents (one from my side and one from his).

What time did you give birth?

Funnily enough, both were born around a similar time between 9pm and 10pm in the evening. Although the labour for my first was A LOT longer!

What’s your baby’s star sign?

We have a Leo and a Taurus. A lion and a bull…should I be concerned?

What was the best thing about his birth?

The second time around I was a lot more calm and the feelings were a lot more familiar. I really took it easy in the lead up to active labour and just appreciated that time rather than getting impatient. We were so excited to meet our little girl so knowing it wasn’t far away felt like magic.

What was the biggest challenge about his birth?

Our second baby, Harper had a lot of complications around her birth (story for another day) but we ended up in NICU for 11 days and almost lost her. We were so lucky to have an incredible team of doctors around us that gave her the best possible start.

What was your first meal post birth?

A chicken sandwich made by my sister is the only one I can remember!

What is your top birth tip?

I have had two very different birthing experiences and the second one in terms of labour was a lot better. When the contractions were coming hard and fast, I actively focused on using all of my energy to really control my breathing and gently pushing through the pain, rather than squeezing someone’s hand or screaming. I followed my instinct a lot more and was conscious of what my body was trying to do. If you have no complications and your baby is coming naturally, then I highly recommend this but if it’s not going to plan (and a lot of births don’t) then just listen to advice, make informed decisions and trust that you are doing what is best for you and your baby.

Lara Christie. is the founder of Pure Mama (@puremama) & mama of two! Lara was introduced to Bodylove Mamas’ 500 + on-demand pilates workouts postpartum and wishes she knew about it sooner! She loves the variety of workouts for pregnancy, postnatal and beyond and feels like all mamas are in very safe hands with Ali through their pregnancy journey.