A Fascinating Birth Story

This is one of the most fascinating birth stories I have read.  Twins, VBAC,water birth, many fears, many hours between babies, and in a different culture than mine.  Part one and part two.

It's Free!

You can now watch "The Business of Being Born" online for free.  Check it out!

Beautiful Nativity

Follow this link to see the painting that inspired the thoughts below much larger.  I love it.

A Christmas Birth

On September 15th, 2010 I gave birth to my sixth baby, my fifth boy. I have kept this birth in a quiet place. It has had a different impression. I feel a reverence for this baby’s arrival. I am a simple woman who was able to deliver a miracle. I was supported by my husband who was concerned for me and the baby, but believed in my body’s ability to birth. I was attended by two gifted women who are blessed with the ability to anchor a mother through labor and birth. I also feel there were angels attending and watching over. Angels who were fully invested in the events. Angels who love my family and I. I gave birth in simple circumstances, and love that. After the birth, I felt an overwhelming responsibility for the new person in my arms. Who is this tiny boy?

It is Christmas time. Pondering the birth of the Savior of the world, the world he created, brought similar feelings as my son’s birth. I am sure Mary had to succumb to the power of her body. She brought forth a true miracle. Joseph was her protector. What were his thoughts as he supported her and the imminent arrival of the babe? I imagine there were women there. Women allowing her to birth the way she needed, providing only what women can do for other women, and bringing a feeling of calmness and safety. I know that angels watched, protected, and rejoiced. The heavens were opened. The Christ child was delivered to the earth in the simplest circumstances. I wonder if Mary was overcome with her calling as a mother. I wonder if she felt a reverence for all that she had experienced. I assume she did as the scriptures tell us that, “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Birth is a powerful miracle. The birth of our Savior was so much more! As I reflect on these two births with their differences and similarities, I am overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed by the feelings I experienced at my own baby’s birth and still now in retrospect. How much more, then, it must have been for our Savior’s birth.

Reflections from a Mother

Here are some thoughts from a mother thinking back to her first home birth, fifth delivery (sixth baby).  Have you ever wondered how home births are different from hospital births?

What I Wish I'd Known

What happens when you get a room full of women who have given birth, some several times? Experience. Considering each labor and delivery were unique and different, there was a lot learned in those experiences. We opened the question up, “What do you wish you had known before labor and birth?”

Here is a list of the ideas shared:

• I can do it! With the first baby especially, many expecting moms are told they cannot give birth without an epidural.

• I can keep my baby with me.

• Listen to my inner voice, my intuition.

• Don’t fight labor.

• Hire a doula.

• Surround myself with good support during pregnancy .

• Don’t listen to the horror stories.

• Make plans, make a birth plan (review it with doctor).

• I can switch providers mid pregnancy

• It is pain of hard work. It has a purpose.

• The feeling of desperation means my baby will soon be in my arms.

• Skin to skin will keep baby’s temperature up.

• Babies don’t have to cry after birth.

• Due date is a month

We also asked to the moms-to-be what they would like to know before labor.

• Good pregnancy and birth books

• Good classes to take

If you have any other ideas, leave them in the comments. I can add them to the list. Thanks to everyone who came and shared!

Summer Social!!

Friday, June 18th

6:00 pm

Anjie's house

Bring: your family, a potluck, and whatever you want grilled!

Hope you can come!

April Powerful Birth Group Gathering

April 15th is tax day! Yuck! But if you want something fun to look forward to that day you need to come to the Powerful Birth Group gathering! It is at 10:00am.

April is Cesarean Awarness month and we will have Pam Udy leading our discussion. She will talk about preventing unnessasary cesareans, preparing for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), and support.

Pam has been a member of ICAN’s (International Cesarean Awarness Network) Board of Directors since 1999, and served as president. Pam has experience supporting, educating, and encouraging moms; those who are seeking to avoid a cesarean, those recovering from cesarean, and those who are searching a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Pam is a personal experience expert, having had two cesareans followed by three vaginal births. She believes women have the right to divine inspiration regarding their pregnancies and births.

Pam is well published and has been quoted in national newspapers. She have been interviewed on radio programs. She has done presentations all over the country. People pay money to listen to what she has to offer them. This is a GREAT opportunity to sit with her in my living room for free and hear her words inspire and help you to achieve a normal, vaginal birth. I am so excited!

Please tell your friends! Comment if you have an idea of numbers that are coming so I can be prepared. Comment, also, if you have a question you would like answered. Thanks!

This story had me balling. Having given birth to a special needs child, the mother's thoughts echoed many I had had. A place few understand. I honestly could not read every word. The pictures are profound.

Meeting at the Department of Health / Health Committee Meeting

Today I attended a meeting at the Health Department. I was late but I can assure you, not late enough!

The meeting was to discuss the one room exemption for birth suites. Some licensed midwives, two certified nurse midwives and some direct entry midwives have opened natalocs based on the exemption.

The "State" (health committee) is worried about the reason that women would choose this option for giving birth and are concerned about the "blood on their hands" because women may believe these centers are state regulated. One of the committee members said, "Maybe it is as easy as, we simply make you have a sign stating the centers are not state regulated". Many public members said, "Yes, Yes, Let's do that!"

The woman presenting the information to the committee on the behalf of the State was very anti-midwifery, home birth and VBAC, especially in an unregulated setting. While producing her own presentation she left out a lot of information showing statistical information on the safety and the precedence of care in out of hospital settings. She also incorrectly implied that LDEM's where only licensed to practice in the home, when it clearly states that they are out of hospital providers in the LDEM laws.

She also presented information on Suzanne Smith's website and pointed out that her website was very professionally created and that professionalism translates into competency and therefor is problematic. (Because being competent is a problem...for who? The State or the hospital's competing for a buck? Because it's not a problem for mothers, right?!)

All in all, it was blood pressure rising and grossly misrepresentation of qualified woman caring for their clients in the setting most comfortable for the woman. The biggest problem we face is the lack of understanding that midwives are "with women" where they need to be on their terms and in the environment they deem most comfortable to them. We support women in any position they want, we check them when they ask, or not at all if they never ask. We hold the role of support and guardian and we help sustain the measure of safety as best we can. We also understand and as do our clients that birth is as safe as life gets. There are no guarantees, We are careful cautious and we listen to our mothers. Our mothers are the ones with the most information about themselves and their babies and that is why we offer the best care available.

Medical care is so clinical and so disconnected from the woman and that is a difference that no hospital no matter how cute the paint can compete with and it isn't a model of care that fits with the medical machine.

Sadly, it looks like once again, we are headed to the state legislature. To protect the practice and lively hoods of midwives and to stop trade infringement. We need to make sure these centers can remain open and protect the midwives so they may offer their clients options for their birthing needs.

Baby Spring Fling

If you live in East Idaho, this might interest you. If you don't live in East Idaho this still might interest you. It is a Baby Spring Fling.

You can advertise an online business, or other services.
You can have a booth to promote your business.
You can attend!

Check it out and contact them for more information.