Can I Add Maid To My List?

See that pregnancy ticker over in my sidebar? Yeah, that one.

The one that says we have 9 weeks left. Nine weeks!

Have I even started to prepare? No. So in the next few weeks, I will be busy washing baby clothes, super cleaning the house, and getting after the Knight to bring up the one piece of baby furniture that we will be using.

Oh, and of course, making my list of things I really need for this baby.

You can read more about my list over at MassMoms, where today I am writing about baby registries vs. what moms really need. Would love your comments!

Can I Add Maid To My List?

Quality Level of Care

A while back I invited readers to share their birth stories to be published at Inspiring Birth Stories. One of my readers sent in her beautiful and empowering story of the birth of her second child, A.

I think what I like best about her story is that she clearly talks about the difference between the quality of care that she received from her midwife vs. her OBGYN from her first pregnancy. It really does make a difference when you are cared for by someone who sits and talks to you, who knows you personally, knows your dreams and desires for the birth. With my old OBGYN, she would come in for the last five minutes of my prenatal appointment, check my chart to make sure she had my name right, talk a little bit about numbers and procedures and tests, and then leave. The difference is astounding.

Head on over and read the birth story of A. It's a great story, very empowering.

Quality Level of Care

The History of Birth: What Every Childbirth Educator Should Know

Childbirth has a history that is filled with traditions, strong community bonds, and power. Every person who has an interest in becoming a childbirth educator should make it a priority to know the this history of women's birth. Knowing the history of birth will not only help us to continue the strive towards a more traditional way of birth, but will also help to remind us of what a powerful and live-changing event birth was once viewed as.

Childbirth was once attended primarily by community midwives: women who were experienced in childbirth and who understood the natural process of labor and birth. Birth was a community event in which women would rally around and support the new mother and infant. Community bonds were strong, and despite the fact that women were placed in the more traditional role that is now viewed as "demeaning", every woman back then experienced and knew the power of her body: the power to go through the natural labor process and bring forth life.

Read more...

The History of Birth: What Every Childbirth Educator Should Know

Choosy Moms Choose Cesareans?!?

April is Cesearean Awareness Month. So, of course, this article appeared, Choosy Moms Choose Cesarean. From the article:

Some of the rise in C-sections can certainly be attributed to women with routine pregnancies, like Chung, who make a pragmatic decision to keep their deliveries just as uneventful. Preliminary data suggest that such cases account for anywhere from 4% to 18% of the total number of caesareans. On the medical side, better anesthesia and antibiotics are making the procedure safer. Add to that the growing number of women delaying childbirth, those having twins or triplets as a result of in vitro fertilization and America's exploding obesity epidemic--all of which increase the risks of vaginal delivery. Doctors are also
becoming better at picking up the slightest signs of distress in the baby or mother and are quicker to recommend caesareans in such cases.

Yes, because there is nothing uneventful with having major abdominal surgery. And now the procedure is safer? Safer than what? Safer than what is used to be, but not safer than vaginal birth.

The best part is at the end, where the author writes:

Chung remains convinced that she made the right decision for herself and son Nathan. As our ideas about birth evolve, perhaps more women will feel less defensive about making the same choice.

Evolve to what? Evolve as far away from what nature intended possible?


Really, I have no words. Just lots of frustration and eye-rolling. I am an extremely choosy person. And I chose natural childbirth for a reason.

Choosy Moms Choose Cesareans?!?

April is Cesarean Awareness Month

What is Cesarean Awareness Month? An internationally recognized month of awareness about the impact of cesarean sections on mothers, babies, and families worldwide. It's about educating yourself to the pros and cons of major abdominal surgery and the possibilities for healthy birth afterwards as well as educating yourself for prevention of cesarean section.

Cesarean awareness is for mothers who are expecting or who might choose to be in the future. It's for daughters who don't realize what choices are being taken away from them. It's for scientists studying the effects of cesareans and how birth impacts our lives. It's for grandmothers who won't be having more children but are questioning the abdominal pains and adhesions causing damage 30 years after their cesareans.

CESAREANS are serious. There is no need for a 'catchy phrase' to tell us that this is a mainstream problem. It affects everyone. One in three American women every year have surgery to bring their babies into the world.These women have lifelong health effects, impacting the families that are helping them in their healing, impacting other families through health care costs and policies, and bringing back those same lifelong health effects to the children they bring into this world.Be aware. Read. Learn. Ask questions. Get informed consent. Be your own advocate for the information you need to know.

www.ican-online.org

April is Cesarean Awareness Month

This is Labor Without Fear.

I wish every pregnant woman out there could watch this video. I wish they could all realize that this is what labor has the potential to be like: without fear, without intervention. Just pure heart and soul.



This woman is about to give birth to her ten pound son. She is having contractions while she is singing. Amazing.

I found this video through another birthing blog, but for the life of me I can't remember which one. I haven't been sleeping much.

This is Labor Without Fear.

Prenatal Workshop

My favorite part of being a Doula? Having the ability to reach out the community.

Remember how I mentioned that a dear friend of mine and I were planning a prenatal workshop? Well, it's all set up. Now we just have to get women to sign up. So, feel free to spread the word ;o)

Presenting the Buddhaful Movements for Pregnancy and Birth Workshop Join us for a day of relaxation and movement!

· Explore techniques for deep breathing and relaxation tailored towards pregnancy.

· Experience yoga techniques proven to help you relax and relieve muscle soreness and common discomforts during your pregnancy.

· Learn positions and movements to help make your labor a shorter and smoother process.

No matter what type of birth you are planning, these techniques will help keep you relaxed, flexible, and toned throughout your pregnancy and focused during your labor. The cost for this workshop is $35.00. Light refreshments will be served.

Childbirth experts and recent research agree that positioning and movement can result in a more comfortable pregnancy. Research also agrees that positioning and movement can result in a smoother and more comfortable labor, and can even help to shorten the labor process.

For more information, feel free to email me or contact me through my website.

Prenatal Workshop

Birthing Goddess

Tuesday night a dear friend of mine went into labor and I was honored to attend the birth. This was her second baby, and her first homebirth.

I arrived and the midwives greeted me. They were so nice, so wise, and so in their element. My friend was a birthing goddess. She did so incredibly well during the labor and birth. She was not very vocal, instead she was very focused inwards on what her body was telling her.

After a while she labored in the birthing tub and pushed her baby out in the tub as well. What a Goddess she was, unaware of anything else except for what her body was doing to bring her baby into the world! The baby's arrival was met with smiles, joy, and laughter. A beautiful, healthy, baby boy!

I was so honored to be able to participate in this event. The atmosphere was of pure support, encouragement, joy, and calmness. This is the way all births should be, the mother surrounded by women who are calm and supportive. I was awed by the knowledge of the midwives and especially of my friend, who dove deep within herself and birthed her baby with ease.

Unfortunately, it was after the birth of the baby that things went slightly off track. Mom had lost a lot of blood and fainted, despite the shot of pitocin that the midwife gave her and despite the constant massaging of her uterus. The decision was made to transport Mom to the hospital. I stayed behind to watch their two year old son, who had slept through the entire birth.

Mom and baby are now doing great. Mom should be coming home from the hospital today. Dad was amazing, when the decision was made to transport I could tell he was worried and scared for Mom, but not once did he panic. He kept his cool and did what needed to be done to prepare for the ambulance's arrival.

What an amazing family!

Birthing Goddess

Birthday Celelbration, Part II

Saturday we had a combined birthday party for both girls. The Mermaid turned three on September 3rd and the Guppy will be turning one on September 26th.

The party was a hit. Although half the people didn't show up, everyone still had a blast. We rented one of those huge bouncy things, which the Mermaid got an absolute kick out of.

In the end, it was good that not everyone showed up. It took two car trips just to get all the gifts home. That's a lot of gifts! My family is so supportive of our parenting choices, and it really showed in the gifts that they brought for the girls. They knew I was concerned about the toy recalls, so they tried their best to buy wooden natural toys, clothes, and books. My MIL and FIl even got the Guppy some wooden blocks and other wooden toys that are certified as being lead free. How cool is that?

The Mermaid also got a school desk from her MIL and FIL. She loves it. I think this kid is going to be great in homeschooling ;o)
So, all in all, a great birthday for both girls this year. You'll notice that my blog header still says that I am a mommy of a two year old and a newborn. It might stay that way for a while. Hey, this is my virtual world, and if my kids won't stay little in the real world, I'll settle for this one ;o)

The past couple weeks leading up to the party have been so incredibly busy, not to mention the fact that I am working on my new home based business. Which, so far, I love doing. So those are the reasons for my lack of posts. This week I have to concentrate on my business and cleaning out all the girls' old toys to make room for the new ones! We're also house hunting right now, so if I disappear for a few days again, have no fear, I will return when things calm down a little bit! :o)

Birthday Celelbration, Part II

A Birthday Celebration in Pictures

The girls' birthday party is on Saturday, but we decided to have a special family celebration with the Mermaid on Monday. We took her to Chuck E Cheese's and she had a ball!

Driving a monster truck

Giddy up!
Yes, I let my child cheat. ;o)

Look Mommy, I'm Flying!
The Guppy had a lot of fun as well
Virtual Roller Coaster
Got it in!

Yo, what's up?
The Birthday Princess
Riding on "The Mary Poppins Ride!"
Isn't she adorable?


And my favorite....
Really not quite sure what she was doing in this picture, but it cracks me up every time I see it!

A Birthday Celebration in Pictures

They Make You Think...

I love reading blogs, especially blogs that are written in such a powerful and thought provoking way that it makes you say "wow".

Some recent posts on other blogs that I love and that have made me smile or say "Wow!"

Mama Joy over at Breasts and Belly wrote a very powerful post on informed consent concerning ALL aspects of pregnancy and birth (breastfeeding, circumcision, method of birth, etc.) Take a look at this great post, it will definitely provide you with some food for thought. While you are at it, add Mama Joy to your blog roll: writing powerful posts like this one is easy for her and her blog is a great read overall.

Paxye over at A Hippie With A MiniVan also recently wrote a powerful post on the rights of children. I agree with every word she wrote. When are parents going to realize that children are not accessories, or status symbols, or "pets" that need to be trained to adapt to the parent's lives instead of the other way around? Definitely worth a look.

Finally, Colleen over at My Baby and More shares an excellent breastfeeding resource with her readers: a website that provides breastfeeding games and activities for children. Head on over and be sure to thank Colleen for the heads up!

They Make You Think...

Wow

It's a good thing this invention never caught on....

Apparatus for Facilitating the Birth of a Child by Centrifugal Force

Definitely not my idea of a good birth experience...

Wow

Epidurals and Breastfeeding

I saw this article in the news lately that I thought was very interesting. According to the study:

epidural anesthesia was significantly associated with difficulty breastfeeding in the few days after birth and with partial breastfeeding in the first week after delivery. In addition, the 416 women who had epidurals were twice as likely to completely stop breastfeeding before six months compared with women who used no analgesia, after controlling for maternal age and education. Seventy-two percent of women who had no analgesia were breastfeeding at 24 weeks compared with 53% whoreceived pethidine or epidurals containing bupivacaine and fentanyl (an opioid).

I personally feel that they are onto something here. I chose to have a homebirth with the Guppy because I didn't like the way the epidural and other pain meds I received during the Mermaid's birth effected both her and I. The Mermaid would not wake up for the first 48 hours to eat, which the nurses told me was normal with babies whose mothers had received epidurals. When she finally would wake up to nurse, we did have some nursing problems that resulted in trouble with weight gain. Thankfully, with some perseverance and the help of LLL, we were able to overcome these issues and continue to have a successful nursing relationship. So, to those women who received an epidural during labor, do you think it affected your nursing relationship at all?

Epidurals and Breastfeeding