Small in stature with a big personality, Natalie is about to give birth to her first baby and the second season of ‘Now With Natalie’—a docuseries interviewing the likes of Hailey Bieber (oh, no big deal) and other rad humans on their faith journeys. 

Here, this sparkling mama-to-be talks connecting with her community, raising the next generation, surrendering to her body, and living with purpose.

Pregnancy feels?

I feel great now, but the first four to five weeks were tough. Physically, I was super tired, didn’t have an appetite, and was nauseous all day. Emotionally, I felt out of sorts and a little depressed which is not like me. Of course, none of this was what I expected. For starters: morning sickness is real, and it’s not only in the morning but rather all day—who knew!

Pregnancy as a whole has been completely different than I anticipated. Once I got through the worst of it, I settled into this new season of my life and began to trust, relinquish control, and relax into the unknown.

Path to pregnancy?

My husband and I have known each other since we were kids and have been together for years. While we knew we wanted to have a family, it never felt like the “right time,” until now. Then something switched for both of us in January of 2020, we finally felt ready to become parents. In early March, we conceived the good old fashioned way just before lockdown.

Pregnant during Covid?

For me, entering this “season of new,” (pregnant, at the start of Covid-19) brought up some fear around the concept of losing control, but the reality is, control is an illusion. With change comes the unknown, and the unknown can feel scary. When I step back and look at the truth of the situation, being pregnant during Covid-19 was fine for the most part, but I don’t have anything else to compare it to. After all, this is my first time being pregnant. There has been slight disappointments, such as my husband can’t come with me to the appointments or hear her heartbeat in person. And, we aren’t able to celebrate with our community in the way that I would like, but we have found a way to make that work for us and socialize with precaution. Ultimately, these are minor in the grand scheme of life. It’s been a mental dance of doing my part through Covid-19, which means putting on the mask and washing my hands but also doing my best to enjoy this belly changing, life-changing experience. Whenever fear comes in, I remind myself what a joyous gift it is to be pregnant.

What does “season of new” mean to you?

The “new” is navigating the unchartered territory of my stomach stretching and a human growing inside me. The “new” changes day-to-day: I don’t know what I’m going to feel today. I don’t know if I’m going to be nauseous or not. I don’t know if I will feel her kick or not. The “new” is being present to following her lead and checking in with her about how we feel moment to moment.

Right now, I am learning to submit to the process and listen to what my body needs. Part of the “new” is being aware of what I’m eating from the amount of sugar I’m consuming to the protein I’m having and the iron I require daily. The “new” is walking when I need to walk, resting when I need to rest, and listening to my body—all of which I have never done before. Pre-pregnancy, I’d grab a cup of coffee when I was tired and keep going. Now, when I’m tired, I relax rather than rely on caffeine.

The anatomy of a woman’s body is spriritual; I’m in awe of us. There’s arms and legs and a stomach growing inside of me. And when she kicks, it brings tears to my eyes. No wonder they say birth is a miracle; it’s nothing but God, in my opinion.

Cravings, much?

Anything sweet: peanut butter, cookies, ice cream, you name it, I want it. However, I’ve tried to reign that in and reach for fruit rather than candy when I’m craving sweets. I didn’t love fruit or vegetables before, but I’m training my body and tastebuds to crave the things I should be consuming.

I passed my sugar test but was TERR…IFY…ED that I’d fail it because I have the biggest sweet tooth, ask anyone. After taking the test, I held my breath for days until the doctor called me. It came as a huge relief and again made me realize how much sugar I consume.

Working throughout pregnancy and Covid-19?

My pregnancy hasn’t affected my work; if anything, it’s motivated me to go a little harder, knowing that I have someone coming into this world whom I’m doing it for.

Over the past few months, I’ve been in post-production for my show, ‘Now With Natalie,’ a series of conversations with influential people about their faith journey. Season two launched a few days ago! It’s ten episodes with interesting people such as Jordyn Woods, Angela Rye, Van Lathan, Brian Welch, and more—tune in on September 19th via YouTube.

Ah-ha moment to start the show?

I have always been in the industry, first as a kid—my dad was a professional baseball player—and then as an adult—I was in fashion on the brand side, working with my brother’s line, Fear of God. After working with my brother, I wanted to do something that merged my insight into the entertainment world, fashion, and culture, with faith. I was looking to engage in authentic, unearthing conversations with influential celebrities in their day-to-day life, including their faith walk. There’s not much content that offers this perspective. I love connecting and communicating with people: asking questions, digging deep, seeing how they navigate their life, and more so how they navigate being in the spotlight and with faith as their foundation.

Maternity leave?

She comes in December, which I’m grateful for as my industry slows down around that time. I will be in a season of rest and nesting for those first few months and then plan to get back to it. What will it look like? I’m not sure, especially as we go into filming season 3. Will she come on set with me, or will my mom help out? I haven’t gotten there yet. I plan to take it day by day, month by month—a little like how we’re all living—and see how it unfolds.

Thoughts on raising your daughter?

We’re a family anchored in faith—this is where we derive our sense of purpose and peace; it’s our foundation. It’s a blessing to have conceived during this pandemic, and knowing we’re about to raise a Black daughter is a privilege, especially as so much comes to light for the Black community and women. Never mind the fact that babies being born at this time are going to be POW…ER…FUL! I genuinely believe that it will be an incredible generation of children, and can’t wait to see what they will do.

Reading or listening?

I’m reading Nurture, by Erica Chidi Cohen. It’s full of gems and has made me more aware of what’s happening in my body and conscious of the things I should or shouldn’t be doing, eating, or not eating, and so on.

One hope?

She’s confident in who she is and grows up to be a fearless and healthy human being.

Straight from our childhood dreams, Danielle and Whitney, co-founders of Sakara (only our fave plant-based meal delivery service ever), are goals. Besties since forever, these high-vibe beauties are pregnant with boys—Whitney with her first and Danielle with her second. 

From a distance (Sedona and NYC, respectively), this dynamic duo share their hopes for each other and the realities of pregnancy: feeling empowered, prioritizing (yet not always succeeding) self-care, texting constantly “Are gigantic nipples normal?”, birthing centers, nourishing everything, and eating veggies (of course).

Pregnancy feels?

Danielle: I feel good. I’ve finally found my pregnancy groove at 25 weeks. Although, with a toddler at home, I’m generally less focused on this pregnancy.

Whitney:  Emotionally it’s been a lot; this has been the craziest time any of us have lived through from a work and life perspective. But, physically I don’t have anything to complain about and have felt pretty good, especially when you hear all the stories from severe morning sickness to bed rest. It’s been a wild ride, but also terrific. I’m thankful that Danielle and I have each other plus a great team to support us.

Pregnant together, what a dream! Was it planned?

Danielle: Definitely not, but it’s beautiful that we are. Although I wish we were in the same state. Whitney has been in Sedona and I’m NYC.

Whitney: It’s been hard not to be in the same place, especially while pregnant. I think we have only seen each other for an hour in the past four to five months! I can hardly believe it.

Danielle: But, we are on Zoom together all day, every day. We’re in digital meetings for eight-plus and do our best to catch-up between sessions. The beauty is, we’ve known each other for so long that we can drop in and cover ground quickly—sometimes 5 minutes can feel like 5 hours because we can pack so much in. Since we started Sakara Life, we’ve prioritize friendship time, not just work time.

Daily conversations?

Danielle: I try not to impose my thoughts or advice on Whitney…or any new mom for that matter. If she comes to me with a specific question, then I have ideas, but otherwise, I try not to give unsolicited advice. Everyone’s path is different, and each is entitled to their unique journey.

Whitney: Except on average I send about 40 texts a day with questions like, “Is this normal?“

Danielle: Usually, the answer is “YEP! It’s normal!“

Whitney: Literally our day starts with everything from, “Is it normal that I’m not sleeping at night?” to, “Is it normal that my back is so achy?” or my recent fave, “My gigantic nipples!! Is that normal? This can’t be normal!” accompanied by a full frontal pic of my nipples with the question, “No, but really, does this look right?“

Danielle: My answer? “Yes. Normal.” Everything that can go weird, does.

Managing double maternity leave as co-founders?

Whitney: We’re building a company culture that supports being a mother and a career. Our team includes a ton of moms—in fact, we just had two new-moms return from maternity leave this week.

Danielle: Plus, we have an unlimited vacation policy and encourage pregnant team members to take personal self-care time…they deserve it! Too often, we tend to work until we give labor, and I think each woman (and baby) deserves to prepare themselves emotionally and mentally to give birth. Even if this just means taking an extra day off for yourself, it’s essential.

As for our maternity leave, the universe had it planned to a T. Not only do we have an unlimited vacation policy, but everyone is eligible for a three-month mat-leave. With that, I wanted to make sure Whitney had a proper break with her new little family wherein she wouldn’t worry that I was out too. Enter divine timing. It turns out I’m due three months to the day after her! It worked out so beautifully that each of us can take our full maternity leave stress-free.

And how are you taking care of yourself?

Danielle: Oh man, I talk a big game, but I haven’t truly been looking after myself. It’s hard enough to prioritize self-care with your first pregnancy, let alone with your second and a toddler in the mix. Thank God for Sakara Life! I don’t know what I would do without it. On the days that I don’t have my meals, I usually end up making poor food choices or not eating. As I said, I’m 25 weeks and only now feeling pregnant. Therefore I’m trying to eat well, rest, and not overdo it. I have to remind myself that pregnancy and birth are marathons, and if I don’t fill up, train, and prepare, at some point, I’ll hit a brick wall… I’d like to avoid that.

Breaking the baby news to each other?

Danielle: We were walking on Houston to the office when Whitney told me she was pregnant, but I already knew. It’s a funny thing to be so close to someone your entire life. We have spent more time together than any other human side from our moms, maybe. With that closeness comes familiarity and the ability to pick up on the smallest details from body language to energy shifts. Therefore I was excited, but not surprised.

Whitney: We went hiking in Sedona (which was basically our only time together pregnant), and Danielle told me she was pregnant on that hike. No wait, maybe it was before she came here to Sedona. Ugh, pregnancy brain!

Thoughts on raising boys?

‘Whitney: I’m mostly focused on bringing him into the world and haven’t thought as much about what it will be like to raise him. Generally speaking, regardless of gender, I want him to have strong morals, a big heart, open-mindedness, compassion and to embrace his uniqueness.

Danielle: I’ve thought about this a lot, and I’m terrified! We have a girl, and I’m very comfortable with her energy. For the most part, she is chill, wild, but chill. Whereas my friends with boys, seem to be dealing with a whole other level of output. Therefore, I’m doing my best to mentally prepare to be the mother of a completely different child and ultimately know that I will love it.

Pregnant during COVID?

Whitney: I am grateful for this forced time of slow down because I’m terrible at taking time for myself. I tend to keep working, going to social events, and living that nonstop NYC life no matter if I’m exhausted or not. This time has forced me to slow down and care for myself because there is nothing else to do. While these times have been tough for so many, I’m thankful to focus on growing this baby and being home with my mom and family, which is rare.

Danielle: The hardest part of quarantine is having a toddler at home—all you moms out there with young ones running around, I know you get it—which has made working from home near impossible. Everyday takes some logistics and planning to get out of the house to work.

Additionally, I’ve felt unsettled. While lovely, our apartment is a loft and not great for a family of four with no walls, doors, or bedrooms. We’ve recently talked about moving upstate slash everywhere in the world—name a place, and we’ve considered it—but haven’t landed on a decision. Usually, I feel aligned with a particular path, but with three months away, and still no plan, I’m feeling influx. In general, the pandemic has seemed to make everyone noncommittal, so I’m learning to surrender to whatever will be, will be. In the end, all that truly matters is that our new baby, our daughter Star, myself and my husband are all healthy. The rest will sort itself out.

Cravings, much?

Danielle: I have never eaten more croissants in my entire life than I have over the past six months!

Whitney: Specifically, the almond ones, right?

Danielle: I went back and forth. Plain, almond, you name it.

Whitney: These days, I’ve mostly been craving fruit. Although, earlier in my pregnancy, I craved weird things like frosted chocolate donuts with sprinkles, of which I can’t remember the last time I ate something like that! Nonetheless, I would have a dream about it or see it somewhere, and have to have one! So I would and then never need to have it again. One and done.

Birth Plan?

Whitney: Danielle introduced me to an intimate birthing center about an hour outside of Sedona; I love the vibe and all of the midwives there. Plus, I’ve been listening to Hypnobirthing meditations and we just hired a doula, which I’m excited about. Ultimately, my goal is to stay as relaxed as possible.

Danielle: We rented a little house in upstate NY for a few months, near a birthing center. The plan is to go there and cozy-up as a family before and after the birth. While this will be a different delivery altogether, I’m thankful to have one birth under my belt. Having done it before gives me a bit of confidence and eliminates some fear of the unknown.

Books on your nightstand?

Whitney: I just started ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering.’

Danielle: This time around, between work and a toddler, I’m not reading anything. Closer to my due date, I might try a Hypnobirthing book as a refresher.

Hope for your children and each other?

Whitney: Mostly I’m hoping for a healthy baby; that’s my sole focus. I keep repeating to myself, “healthy baby, healthy mama.”

Danielle: I wish for all mothers, everywhere, to have an empowered birth, no matter if it’s a C-section, hospital, home, or water birth, it doesn’t matter as long as you feel empowered. That’s the peak experience—empowered during labor, after labor, and through to motherhood.

Support system?

Whitney: Having people you trust that you can talk to and ask questions is so important. Sometimes you simply need someone to say, “Yes, that’s normal.”

Danielle: From my family to our community and my husband’s loving support, I don’t know what I would do without all of them.

Any advice?

Whitney: We’ve recently been talking about this concept of “living like you’re pregnant before you’re pregnant,” by creating space and giving your body what it needs as if you’re already nourishing a baby inside of you. I love the idea of taking things a little slower and being a little more gentle with yourself in preparation for pregnancy.

Danielle: I usually recommend ‘Spirit Babies,’ to anyone trying to get pregnant; it’s an incredible read that explores the concept of divine timing and connecting with your baby’s spirit. This book is a beautiful reminder that even if it’s not working right now, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you, only that it’s not yet time. We often think of babies and fertility in a very clinical way instead of thinking about the spirit we’re bringing into the world.

Also, we get a ton of questions here at Sakara Life around prenatal and pregnancy nutrition. The short answer is: any time you can get an array of organic vegetables into your diet, do it, you must. While always important, it’s especially true when you’re pregnant. I often hear women worry about what not to eat instead of what to eat and what to eat is veggies, veggies, and more veggies.