Lucie’s List of what baby REALLY needs

 

This is Meg. She has two daughters, Lucie and Alice. (and she hates balloons, just like me!!)

 

When Lucie was born, she didn’t have a CLUE what she needed or what to expect in the first year, so she created her site so others could learn from my mistakes — and maybe have a laugh or two along the way.

In short, I tried to make the kind of site that I would have found useful as a new mom. You know — all the sh*! that nobody told me?? I’m telling YOU.

Check out her site and her blog: http://www.lucieslist.com/

Baby Lily

My Birth Journal

I did my postpartum visit today to see Baby C, who is growing and healthy and happy, and Mama A gave me the most precious gift!!!

 

This journal has a page a day, so I can log each birth I attend!!!

 

I love it sooo much!!!

Umenboshi for Morning Sickness

After you have tried eating small protein packed meals, crackers and hard candy another option might be this little fruit from Japan.

We called our local Asian/International grocery store to ask for “OO-meh BOH-shee”, which means ‘dried plum’. This is the container we found:

 

The sour and salt combo seems to calm the nausea. The fruit can be eaten itself or put into a scrambled egg or rice. If that is too much at first, just suck on the pit!!

Check out Dining Miss Jenna, she has really great info on Umenboshi.

Letter from a Birth Center Mama

I can think of few jobs that offer the degree of love and satisifaction that I feel when I read this letter!!!

Dear NOVA midwives , Doulas and all student midwives!

I was just another pregnant client or patient to you as you deliver babies daily.

However to me NOVA is like a dream to me.

I came back home with my new family, depressed I couldn’t go out! It felt like Baby was on my boob 24 hrs ! I couldn’t get anything done, I still didn’t understand him! But I was eager to breastfeed.

Around the time I gave birth, 5 of my other friends gave birth too.

However NO one talked about their birth with happiness and eyes glowing… Instead they said epidural, C section, inducing …..won’t have kids anymore, last one, can’t take it etc etc etc.

NOT ME.

When I talk about the birth of my son at NOVA , I talk as if I am talking about my wedding dress or my wedding !! My eyes glow and I smile every time I recall my experience! I say I would do it over and over again! All the women think I am WEIRD! And Blessed too!!!

All my friends kids are on formula. My baby is still being breastfed. I almost had lost my milk and the doctor said maybe it’s time to give formula. I was adamant to NOT give formula unless it was my last resort. I made sure I ate the right foods and pumped like crazy to the point where my breasts Blew up again. Then I realized its a mental thing. If you want to feed, you make the milk.

My baby wakes up smiling and sleeps smiling. he giggles , and such a peaceful baby. Healthy, chubby , reaching all his milestones !

Where as my friends children (boys too) are no where compared to Baby. I don’t say it because  I am his mum, I say this because all my friends say why your son is so happy and calm and etc etc… And I go back in my head and say the way he entered this world made a huge difference!

Baby loves people . My friends, you can’t hold their babies. It makes me sad. They are on strict schedules. Baby naturally fell into a routine without me being such a paranoid OCD mum. He sleeps when he wants and eats when he wants and believe it or not , on his own he somehow got an amazing schedule that suits us greatly.

I feel his birth had a huge part to do with his happiness apart from me taking care of myself.

As you all know my dad was dying and everyone was worried about how the baby would turn out emotionally.

All my friends are trying to lose weight, my weight has gone back to normal .

Intimacy for my friends is different . For me it’s better !

I’ve healed wonderfully.

I am back at the gym and yoga..

I will never forget the women who were part of his birth . You made giving birth as exciting as buying a wedding dress! And protected me and cared for me
whilst I was alone !

Baby never stops laughing !!! And giggling!!

PS. I almost thought I was pregnant again last week and my husband said, “Sweets this time I want you here beside me”.  I said, “NO. I am going
to Nova again !!!!!”

Happy new year to you all

With love,

Mama and Baby

*names were protected

20 of the Best Midwife Blogs in 2012

via Kwik Med.com 

Science and Sensibility

This blog is a research blog by Lamaze International. It is a blog about pregnancy and birth as well as containing information for after the birth too. The company itself promotes healthy pregnancy and birth practices and exists to be a support to women seeking information and advice in these areas. Everything on the site is based on the latest education and research practices.

The Feminist Breeder

This blog is self described as being ‘where edgy feminism finds modern motherhood’. The blog contains lots of articles to help inform and guide mothers to be. There are plenty of topic areas to choose from including family planning, breastfeeding and career and work information. There are other parenting specific articles on the blog from a feminist perspective as well as the opportunity to submit guest posts or contact the blogger directly.

Midwife Thinking

This blog is written from the personal perspective of an independent midwife based in the Australia. The aim of the blog is not to advise or offer guidance but to get thinking going about midwifery and childbirth issues. It is designed to share information and knowledge as well as latest research and education and views on this topic. The blog includes written articles and videos.

Village Midwife

Quite simply this is a blog containing stories regarding midwifery. It is also intended that the blog will provide critical commentary on current issues affecting pregnancy and childbirth issues. The articles are informative and cover some commonly asked questions about giving birth. Visitors are able to search previous articles as well as easily access the most recent posts.

Women in Charge

This blog is aimed at empowering women to take charge of their own ‘bodies, babies and births’. It is believed that with the right information and encouragement women have the power to control their own birth situations. The blog is a project of the Wisewoman Childbirth Traditions.

Ontario Midwives

As the title indicates this is the site for Ontario Midwives. This group receives funding from Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. As a consequence of this pregnant women get access to free midwifery services for birth at hospital or at home. This site gives and overview of the services available and outlines how to access this care. In addition there are also useful general articles regarding pregnancy and childbirth.

Citizens for Midwifery

This is a simple blog which is full of useful and insightful articles regarding midwifery. Visitors can browse previous articles as well as search for information. Previous posts include book reviews and details of midwifery events as well as links to other useful sites and resources.

Carolyn’s Blog

This is a personal midwifery blog which contains articles and commentary on midwife news and current issues. There are numerous interesting posts regarding issues that affect parents and parents to be. The blog is about midwifery and midwifery education. The blogger also encourages feedback in the form of comments on the different posts whether in agreement or not.

Bloody Show

This is the blog of a student midwife. As such the blog is mainly full of post relating to midwifery education issues rather than parenting issues or advice generally. What is interesting is that this blogger states an interest in ‘the intersections of health and race, class, sex, gender, sexuality and daisability’ so the articles and posts are varied and diverse.

Meconium Happens

This is an eclectic mixture of articles, poems, posts and musings from a student or ‘fledgling’, as she calls herself, midwife. There are personal stories, poetry and midwife stories on this blog. The blog is useful anyone wishing to find out more about becoming a midwife and all it entails. As a mother of eight children this blogger also details her credentials in terms of parenthood for the role of midwife.

Stacey Curnow

Quite apart from midwifery this site is actually aimed at women seeking to find themselves outside of motherhood. The site is designed to provide information about how best to separate home life as a mother to the rest of a woman’s life. Stacey Curnow who runs the site wants to help mothers looking to find themselves and has thus designed a ‘Midwife your Life’ package which can help do just that.

Mother Bloom

This site is promoting the midwifery services of Mother Bloom which is based in Austin, Texas. The website details the services available to parents to be seeking midwife care and it also gives information to families and also about midwifery and what it entails. The blog on the site contains personal posts from the lead midwife of Mother Bloom, Christy Tashjian.

Gloria Lemay

This is the blog of ‘childbirth activist’ Gloria Lemay. The site contains lots of detailed articles and information about midwifery and the opposition the career comes up against. Gloria promotes Birth Freedom even when this is not supported by many countries around the world. The site contains articles around home birth, breastfeeding and the holistic education of doulas and midwives amongst other information. Gloria lives in Canada but has travelled to gain information and attend events regarding midwifery in other parts of the world.

Mom’s Tin Foil Hat

This is a blog by a single mom of two boys. She is also a midwife and this blog is where she shares her experiences and expresses her thoughts. She invites comments and contact via the blog and aims to simply share her opinions with others about her life and her continued studies in obstetrics and gynecology.

 

 

 

Sarah Stewart

This is the blog of Sarah who works for the Australian College of Midwives. The articles on the blog are a variety of midwifery stories as well as those about teaching and learning. Sarah has experience as a midwife and nurse and is currently a facilitator and educator amongst other things that specialises in e-learning and social media. The blog is a personal blog but the posts are written to stimulate and interest others in these areas.

Where’s My Midwife?

This is the website of grassroots organization ‘Where’s My Midwife?’. The aim of the organization is to raise the access to midwives in hospitals, birth centers and at home. On the website is information about the cause as well as how to get involved and take action to help. There are videos and a blog with posts and information about the organization’s activity. There is also a page where people can donate cash to the organization too to help.

Safer Midwifery for Michigan

This website has been set up by families in Lansing in Michigan who support getting standards improved and made safer for midwifery practices in the state. Overall the site discusses current practices and experiences and attempts to engineer conversations regarding maternity care. The aim of the site is to improve the standards of care for all families in Michigan. Not only is the site informative about the cause but there is also the opportunity to get involved and take action to show support.

A Midwife’s Muse

This is a personal blog of a trained midwife. The articles are a mixture of professional and personal and are intended to inform rather than give advice or enable any self diagnosis. This midwife is UK based. Articles are based on general pregnancy, childbirth, newborn information and breastfeeding support. The site enables visitors to view previous posts and search for articles or topics too.

Erin Ellis Midwife

This is a blog written by a trained midwife. She is also a mother and is taking time off from midwifery. That said she is currently using this time to consider the ‘Birth Change’ movement in the US. She writes about childbirth and mothering as well as ‘political and clinical issues in maternity care’. The site contains birth videos and links to other useful websites as well as articles and resources and some commonly asked questions.

Mothers Naturally

There is all sorts on this site for mothers to be and new mothers. The site is clearly laid out and visitors can access sections regarding home birth, natural pregnancy, birth stories and frequently asked questions. There is also a due date calculator meaning visitors can estimate their baby’s due date ahead of visiting a health professional. There is the opportunity to sign up for a free newsletter and also find a midwife or at least information on having your own midwife.

Baby M Birth Story

Mama M called me at 11:00a to let me know they were headed to the hospital! Though her contractions were slow and steady, her OB wanter to check her out.
Unfortunately, she was only 1.5 cm dilated and the nurses sent her home.

Mama M beaded these moccasins by hand!!

At 5:00p, mama’s labor had picked up and they were going back to the hospital.

Now 4cm dilated and feeling intense contractions, she was in proper labor!!!

Mama was in good spirits, was able to talk and smile through contraction, so strong and positive.

At 7:00, the OB came in and started preparing Mama for a C-Section.

At 8:45, Grandma came back to tell me Baby Boy was 10lbs 1oz and 23in!!!! WOAH!!!

At 9:00 Mama, Daddy and Baby Boy were wheeled back in, radiating!!!

Everyone did so well!!!

This picture does not do these beautiful silver eyes justice!

Virginia’s Law Regarding Placentas [FORMS]

QUESTION: is the placenta the mom’s or the baby’s? I feel like it is the baby’s. For this post, I tried to keep the language general and refer to it simply as “the” or “a” placenta.

A Placenta is a remarkable organ; it is the only organ the body disposes of, after its purpose is served, and another grown when needed.

Perhaps because of its miraculousness, mothers and cultures have used the placenta for many things. American women who choose to keep the placenta; either bury it and plant something special over it, encapsulate it, or ingest it (raw and cooked!).

Dr. Rixa Freeze made a beautiful “V” shaped garden over the placenta of her second child. *click on photo for link

 

Virginia has no law or regulation concerning what happens to a placenta after birth, but hospitals (Virginia Hospital Center, I know) will tell mothers there is a law restricting them from taking it home.

Hospitals are allowed to classify the organ as medical waste and a biohazard, but moms can still take steps to get it.

1- Ask and tell everyone that you want it! Nurses, your OB, the OB who is present at birth. Tell everyone you want it and ask them to put it in your file.

2- Put it in your birth plan.

3- Bring a large zipper bags with you to bring it home in. One less reason they have for saying no. Also, bring a cooler if you can, for the same reason.

4- Bring many copies of a signed release and waiver with you, and ask it to be put into your file.

 

Here is a sample from Placenta Baby: