Congratulations! You’re pregnant! Now what? Suddenly everyone from your mother-in-law to your neighbor to the random lady in the grocery store has some advice (or wacky anecdote) to share with you. How do you get the information you need to make the decisions and choices that are right for your family? Childbirth education is, I … Continue reading “Childbirth Education: Finding a good fit for you”
Blog
10 Reasons NOT to Circumcise
The “circumcision decision” is really no decision at all. Circumcision is a painful and risky surgery that deprives over a million boys each year of healthy, functional tissue, while wasting health care dollars that could be spent on medically necessary services. Read these “Ten reasons NOT to circumcise your baby” courtesy of Intact America, and … Continue reading “10 Reasons NOT to Circumcise”
Birth Story: Levi Edward
{planned home VBAC turned CBAC} January 4, 2012 {Valerie & Jason welcome their second son, Levi} Our second little boy arrived just like his older brother! We’d planned a home birth, and ended up with a swollen cervix, and c-section. But thank God my babies came out big, healthy, and perfect! The labor may not … Continue reading “Birth Story: Levi Edward”
A Dream Sleeper
A doula client gave me this sleeper as a gift and I loved it so much, I want to tell you about it! I didn’t have one of these with my first three babies, but I wish I had. We are co-sleepers so we don’t have a crib for our little one and although I … Continue reading “A Dream Sleeper”
The Things People Say
I’ve had my share of random unsolicited comments along the way, as I’m sure we all have. I have to say, none has upset me yet, I’m more bemused that people actually say these things, often to complete strangers. So I’m sharing some of the gems I’ve experienced here with you in the hopes that … Continue reading “The Things People Say”
Local Food Sources
Excellent nutrition is the key foundation for a healthy pregnancy – and beyond! Fortunately for us, fresh and local produce, eggs and meat from family farms and co-ops are abundant in our area and it’s a wonderful way to provide yourself and your family with better nutrition! Not only that, but they often offer great … Continue reading “Local Food Sources”
Birth Story: Rayne Leigh
August 7, 2011 {Brandy & Mike welcome their daughter, Rayne} Let me start by saying that in the beginning, I never dreamed I’d be having a cesarean section to have my child. I wanted no drugs, no painkillers, all natural birthing. However, things change and you have to adapt to whatever life throws at you. … Continue reading “Birth Story: Rayne Leigh”
Birth Story: Athena Rajah
August 6, 2011 {Christy & Ed: A beautiful baby girl waterborn and caught by dad.} Friday evening, I started having contractions that were more intense than normal, but very irregular. Although they went away when I went to bed, I had a feeling labor was coming soon. Saturday, they started again as soon as I … Continue reading “Birth Story: Athena Rajah”
Birth Story: Rhiannon Amerentia
June 21, 2011 {Chantal & Andrew: 4th homebirth, on the summer solstice} Our fourth baby was due around June 13, 2011, but I fully expected this baby to be a week or so late like the sister and brothers before her. Maybe this would be a Father’s Day baby on June 19th? Or a summer … Continue reading “Birth Story: Rhiannon Amerentia”
Birth Story: Brycen Anthony
May 28, 2011 {Brittany & Frank: A big baby boy born at the birth center while his father serves in the military.} I was sitting outside when my father said “Let’s have a father-daughter day since your mother is ill.” So I went out to Publix to grab us some shrimp steaks and some veggies. … Continue reading “Birth Story: Brycen Anthony”
Birth Story: Tessa Rose
May 26, 2011 {Diana & Ben: A beautiful waterbirth to welcome this precious baby girl.} Be sure to check out the beautiful slideshow of this birth here: Tessa Rose Being pregnant for nine whole months always seems to feel like a year, but when you go an extra week past your due date, it seems … Continue reading “Birth Story: Tessa Rose”
Birth Story: Emersyn Mae
May 17, 2011 {Brittny & Jason: A sweet baby girl born in the water at the birth center.} Jason and I found out we were pregnant on August 27, 2010. From that day on we decided that we did not want to find out the sex of our baby. I began my morning sickness at … Continue reading “Birth Story: Emersyn Mae”
Birth Story: Christopher Lee
March 21, 2011 {Jen & Mike: This gorgeous little one had a rare face-first presentation.} We experienced the best of both worlds. Christopher’s birth didn’t turn out as we planned but we wouldn’t have done anything differently. I’ll try to make this short…. I listened to hypnobirth CDs during my last trimester. I think they … Continue reading “Birth Story: Christopher Lee”
Birth Story: Lorelei Jane
March 16, 2011 {Nyssa & Rob welcome their third child} At 3:00am, on March 16th, a strong contraction pulled me out of sleep. I lay in the dark, tried to go back to sleep, when another hit. I decided to get up. I got a drink of water, and took some of my labor prep … Continue reading “Birth Story: Lorelei Jane”
Birth Story: Lucas Bradford
{birth center turned to hospital transfer and cesarean} March 4, 2011 {Elizabeth & Bryan welcome their son.} So Lucas’s Birthday Weekend was such an amazing, unplanned journey. I went for a long walk with my good friend and neighbor, Jennifer Cook. We walked a good hour and a half and then we came home… I … Continue reading “Birth Story: Lucas Bradford”
Birth Story: Ephraim Brydon
{planned birth center birth turned hospital transfer and cesarean} January 21, 2011 It’s hard to imagine now how slow time passed the few weeks before you were born. I sat with nothing to do wondering when you were going to come, wishing it was now. A true test of my patience, I wandered around the … Continue reading “Birth Story: Ephraim Brydon”