I know you love your baby just as much as I love mine. Parenting is about sacrifice, doing the right thing when you really don’t want to, and the responsibility of taking care of their health. Being a good parent (I didn’t say perfect haha) starts when that stick has a positive. I know today is a special day, 11-11-11. I know it’s good luck for the beginning of something, including life. Is it worth risking your health and your baby’s to force labor (or even worse, cesarean surgery)? There are women who have birthed via surgery just to say their baby was born today. I find it very sad really. As a parent, our focus should be what is best for our child, not what our selfish desires want. I know sometimes it is important to give to yourself, that’s not what I’m saying. Buying my new purse doesn’t compromise my child’s health or well being. If I chose for my child to be born before they were ready, that is endangering their health and well being.
11-11-11
Unless it endangers the baby or the mama, why can’t we just let the baby decide when they are ready? It is amazing all the biological processes that happen to signal, “I’m done”. Pretty please, trust your body and your baby!
Happy Birthday to all the wee ones who joined earth today, planned and unplanned!
There is something amazing you want to accomplish in your life. You know it will take work and sacrifice of some kind. Having a baby is hard work. It takes time, it is painful, and uncertainty is scary. Yet, we know on the other end is this amazing life we have waited so many months to meet. You know anything worth having will have moments of difficulty when we start to doubt if we can do it. This is where affirmations can get us through to the other side of significant accomplishment and the immense joy when you hear your baby’s first cry.
This is a great, short video on childbirth affirmations. Watch it, ponder it, then create and memorize your own. It may even help to have them on cue cards for your partner during labor. What affirmations have/do you use?
This particular picture disturbed me. I am a Facebook junkie (just ask my hubby). I am a fan of a Doula service in Pennsylvania. She always posts such great articles she comes across. Apparently the doctors who run this joint don’t do much research. I can understand how some doctors are weary of doulas. Some of them can be pushy, however, most are not. HOWEVER, the Bradley Method? Really?! I used this method with my 2 natural births without even knowing it and have done some research on it. Docs should be encouraging it to make their job easier. Here’s the pic, you decide……..
As Dr. John Kennell, a pioneer in the field of perinatal health care said, “If a doula were a drug, it would be malpractice not to use it.” I have personally used one and that experience inspired me to become a birth and postpartum doula myself.
When I say the word doula to most people, all I get back is a blank stare. I then have to explain what exactly I do. Are you one of those? Here is a great explanation I have created.
BIRTH DOULA
The professional birth assistant is a woman who tends to the birthing family from early labor until a little after the baby is born. She is trained to deliver continuity of care from home to hospital, be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating physician schedules; serve as advocate, labor coach, and support partner, and above all, help manage the fears of both parents. If it is a home birth, she is trained to take over tasks so the partner can be 100% present. A doula’s presence does not make a birth partner’s presence unnecessary. To the contrary, her presence frees the partner from certain aspects of concern and allows the partner to interact more closely with the birthing woman. The goal is to give the parents-to-be the freedom to focus inward and increase the intimacy of the experience for both the mother and her partner as they meet the challenges and rewards of their unique birthing experience, thereby leaving her with a sense of empowerment and a beautiful and positive birth memory.
POSTPARTUM DOULA
A postpartum doula is a non-judgmental woman with a quiet presence in the home. Most postpartum doulas are mothers themselves who have their own children and enjoy motherhood. By giving emotional and breastfeeding support along with practical newborn care tips and taking care of necessary household tasks such as: grocery shopping; meal preparation; doing the dishes, laundry or tending to the older children, postpartum Doulas help ease the transition into motherhood.
Unlike a baby nurse who focuses her care solely on the newborn, a postpartum doula encourages and teaches parents how to care for their newborn, to interpret their baby’s cues, and to trust their instincts in responding to their baby’s needs, infusing the parents with the confidence and support they need to develop their own parenting style.
I caught the first half of Oprah today. I know, I know, sounds like the typical housewife huh? Jenny McCarthy was on talking about her new book, Mother Warriors. She introduced us to Monica. After going through a painful divorce, she never thought she would find love again. In walks Tony, they date and become engaged. Monica gives birth to their daughter, Monica’s second baby. She also had a then 9 year old. After giving birth, she somehow obtained a flesh eating bacteria. She lost some of her organs and eventually both legs and arms. This is the most inspiring woman! She never had a pity party, and never whined. She began rehab and said she wanted to double whatever time they required. Instead of 2 hours, she worked for 4 hours. She just wanted to get back to her girls and fiancé. While in the hospital going through her 37 surgeries and 4 months of rehab, she and Tony got married. In a blue gown, in her hospital bed next to him, they said their vows. She has learned to care for her girls, husband, and run the household with no arms and legs. You really need to read the rest of the story! She is certainly one of the most inspiring mothers I have ever come across!
When shopping for breastfeeding wear, I am usually pretty disappointed by the options. Why can’t there be pretty bras? Womama has the cutest and sexiest nursing bras. They also carry the only organic birthing wrap in the world. It is incredible! You can wear it during pregnancy as a wrap, then wear it while giving birth. You can even wear it after as a nightie or a wrap after the baby is born. This would be such a great gift for the pregnant mama who isn’t all that excited about wearing the very chic hospital gowns. I might have to get one for my next baby so i can be the chicest mama in the maternity ward. Womama also has nursing singlets. These are tank tops which unhook at the strap. You can still be modestly covered while the baby is feeding. No one has to see that post baby belly we are usually really concious of. It is certainly for that mama who wants some ingenious, fun, and funky maternity/breastfeeding wear.Womama has so many really cool products, you really need to just go to their site and check it out!
Our family was home all day Saturday and we had the Olympics on. Running seemed to be the theme for awhile. It is the only sport my athletic loving 5 year old watched completely enthralled. It makes this running lover mama super proud! Anyways, my hubby and i were watching the Olympic Marathon that evening. He kept asking, “How long is it again?”. Tomescu from Romania, was spectacular! The last leg was once around the track inside the Bird’s Nest. The crowd was screaming and cheering. While being astonished by how fast she was, i began to get the chills and a little teary eyed. All i could say over and over again, “WOW!”. Can you imagine that feeling? You have been training and training for the pinnacle of your sport. Your training pays off, you get the gold, and you get the cheering of thousands and thousands of people to get you through that last little bit. WHEW! How amazing!!
Many doctors equate giving birth to a marathon. After 2 natural births (my third was a C-section because of a rare condition neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia), i get that. In my opinion, giving birth is the pinnacle of womanhood. Woman have been given the special gift of bearing children. i know it’s a little old fashion and perhaps controversial. Isn’t it organic though? It’s what our bodies were created to do. Don’t get me wrong, i do believe very much in birth control. Without that, i would have a mass of children, a gynormous food bill, and have to dye my gray hair every month. If this is going to be such an intense experience, wouldn’t we want a little training? Instead of struggling at the end like Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain who wasn’t able to finish the 2004 Olympics, with training, you can be at the front of the race and have a more enjoyable experience. Imagine as your partner is asking “How much longer?”, the nurses and doctors are cheering you on to get you through that last little bit. i know how busy life can be (oh do i know). Birthing Classes may be put on the hold until all of a sudden you find yourself in the hospital in labor. Go to Birthright and sign up for the virtual childbirth classes. Now you can be prepared to enjoy those whoops and hollers when you are on the home stretch and your baby is about to make his/her appearance.
Birthrightoffers four different options depending on your personality. You can choose the 12 week, 7 week, or self-paced course. If you prefer a paperback version, that is also available. You will have unlimited access to Study Womb which has numerous tools to help you. Also, there is a private forum to be able to ask your questions to a childbirth educator. The creators of Birthright believe so much in their course, they provide a 100% money back gauruntee within 8 weeks. You have no reason not to try this innovative new approach to childbirth classes.
Please send me your stories and experiences with these childbirth classes. i want to feature them in a later post.
