Monday, January 14, 2008
Goodbye to diapers?
One certain not-yet-2.5-year-old refused to put on a diaper at bedtime tonight. FLAT OUT REFUSED. Hmmm... She's very well trained during the day. We're working on naptime, and she doesn't wear a diaper then anymore (but still has accidents maybe 50% of the time). But this was a first at night. I didn't think we'd tackle night training for a while. We'll have to see how this works out. I'm fairly certain she's going to be soaked at some point in the middle of the night, and again in the morning if she still refuses a diaper after getting changes. But maybe she'll surprise me.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Hysterectomy and cesareans
More bad news about cesareans: moms who've been cut are more likely to lose their wombs in future pregnancies. Ouch!
With all the negative outcomes that research has recently linked to cesareans, I just can't fathom HOW the cesarean rate continues to climb. The liability argument just doesn't fly for me anymore if the surgery just increases all these risks.
Thanks to Doulicia for pointing out this new information.
With all the negative outcomes that research has recently linked to cesareans, I just can't fathom HOW the cesarean rate continues to climb. The liability argument just doesn't fly for me anymore if the surgery just increases all these risks.
Thanks to Doulicia for pointing out this new information.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Happy Birthday to me!
Today I turn 32. It has been a low key day really. I slept moderately last night. This morning I took the kids to daycare, as usual. Then I went to the gym. I was bummed I didn't get on my favorite machine, but it felt good to move my body regardless. Then I came home, played some Scrabulous, and took a loooooong shower. Then I got Keith for a lunch date. We enjoyed pizza slices from a new restaurant here in Corvallis that has the closest thing I've tasted to REAL New York pizza. We also dropped in a framing shop to get a painting framed that used to hang in my aunt's home (the one who died 2 months ago). Getting the painting professionaly framed is my birthday present (plus the awesome massage that I got yesterday). Then I took Keith back to work and went to a movie. BY MYSELF. I've never done that before, and it was pretty awesome. I love going to the movies. I need to do that more often. I saw I AM LEGEND and boy...it was spooky. As someone trained in the biological sciences, the concept of a super-virus (that we engineered, no less) wiping out the human population is pretty terrifying. And now, I'm home and relaxing with the kids. I'm going to pick something yummy for Keith to pick-up for dinner (Indian maybe?) and then I'm going to start baking my birthday cake, which will be shared this weekend when some friends come over to celebrate.
Yeah, it has been a pretty nice day. 32 feels a little different than 31 because I can vididly remember when my Mom was 32 (I was 10) and she seemed old. Guess I'm getting up there.
Yeah, it has been a pretty nice day. 32 feels a little different than 31 because I can vididly remember when my Mom was 32 (I was 10) and she seemed old. Guess I'm getting up there.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Waterbirth International needs to stay alive!
Please help Barbara Harper keep waterbirth alive
Waterbirth International may close doors. Here is a note from Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International
Barbara Harper wrote: I cannot yet imagine a world without the voice and work of Waterbirth International - we get calls and emails every day from women who need help convincing one hospital or another to let them labor or birth in water. If we die - a big part of the movement dies. Waterbirth has shown us all that women know how to give birth and babies know how to be born. Waterbirth gave us "hands-off", sit back and let the baby out. I see waterbirth mentioned on Blogs every single day, not to mention Baby Story on the TV. I took Waterbirth International to ACOG two years in a row - and was the ONLY booth showing birth films to obstetricians and especially to student physicians. There were tears, laughter and outrage - just the thing to stir up those young crop of doctors. I am finally realizing a life's dream. But now I am faced with letting this dream go. Perhaps I have done enough. Perhaps it is time to quit.
About 18 years ago, maybe it was longer, when Mothering Magazine was facing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers to consider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or $1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that I couldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gave one to my obstetrician's office. How can you help us stay open to take the next phone call? - to convince the next obstetrician to incorporate waterbirth into his/her practice - to work with the nurse midwives to install pools in their facilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowing women freedom of movement in the water. How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the norm in the US, like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few more years to make that happen. Do women really want waterbirth to be an available choice in every hospital? I think so.
Can you help us by getting the word out on blogs and lists? I had to let go of all of the staff except one person to process orders. Miraculously, we made payroll today, but we can't hang on much longer. We need a miracle. If I need to call every single waterbirth parent personally, I will. I don't want 25 years of work to end over a measly $200,000. The work that we have done the last few years has been phenomenal. How God arranged for me to teach in hospitals and medical schools around the planet - Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Holland, Portugal, China, Trinidad, Croatia - I'll never figure that out. I laugh out loud sometimes when I get up in front of an audience of physicians in a medical school overseas - who all want to hear about waterbirth and the incorporation of Gentle Birth practices and principles into their routines. Think about what you can do and call me if you want to chat or if you have some great ideas on how we can quickly move into the black and keep waterbirth alive and thriving. We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. The waterbirth/gentlebirth movement needs your help.
Blessings,
Barbara
Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCE Founder/Director Waterbirth International
www.waterbirth.org
503-673-0026 - office (out of US or in Portland)
800-641-2229 - toll free
503-710-7975 - cell phone
We LOVE helping women get into Hot Water!! And have been doing it for 24 years!!
Waterbirth International may close doors. Here is a note from Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International
Barbara Harper wrote: I cannot yet imagine a world without the voice and work of Waterbirth International - we get calls and emails every day from women who need help convincing one hospital or another to let them labor or birth in water. If we die - a big part of the movement dies. Waterbirth has shown us all that women know how to give birth and babies know how to be born. Waterbirth gave us "hands-off", sit back and let the baby out. I see waterbirth mentioned on Blogs every single day, not to mention Baby Story on the TV. I took Waterbirth International to ACOG two years in a row - and was the ONLY booth showing birth films to obstetricians and especially to student physicians. There were tears, laughter and outrage - just the thing to stir up those young crop of doctors. I am finally realizing a life's dream. But now I am faced with letting this dream go. Perhaps I have done enough. Perhaps it is time to quit.
About 18 years ago, maybe it was longer, when Mothering Magazine was facing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers to consider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or $1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that I couldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gave one to my obstetrician's office. How can you help us stay open to take the next phone call? - to convince the next obstetrician to incorporate waterbirth into his/her practice - to work with the nurse midwives to install pools in their facilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowing women freedom of movement in the water. How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the norm in the US, like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few more years to make that happen. Do women really want waterbirth to be an available choice in every hospital? I think so.
Can you help us by getting the word out on blogs and lists? I had to let go of all of the staff except one person to process orders. Miraculously, we made payroll today, but we can't hang on much longer. We need a miracle. If I need to call every single waterbirth parent personally, I will. I don't want 25 years of work to end over a measly $200,000. The work that we have done the last few years has been phenomenal. How God arranged for me to teach in hospitals and medical schools around the planet - Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Holland, Portugal, China, Trinidad, Croatia - I'll never figure that out. I laugh out loud sometimes when I get up in front of an audience of physicians in a medical school overseas - who all want to hear about waterbirth and the incorporation of Gentle Birth practices and principles into their routines. Think about what you can do and call me if you want to chat or if you have some great ideas on how we can quickly move into the black and keep waterbirth alive and thriving. We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. The waterbirth/gentlebirth movement needs your help.
Blessings,
Barbara
Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCE Founder/Director Waterbirth International
www.waterbirth.org
503-673-0026 - office (out of US or in Portland)
800-641-2229 - toll free
503-710-7975 - cell phone
We LOVE helping women get into Hot Water!! And have been doing it for 24 years!!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Mama!
Alder's first word: Mama. He's not even 8 months old, but it is crystal clear that he is trying to talk to me. It sounds more like mamamamammaamammama, but he ONLY does it when he WANTS me and it is really obvious he's trying to get me to come pick him up. If Keith picks him up instead, he continues to say mamamamama. I just love it. Ava wasn't identifyably saying mama until like 12-14 months, so this just really speaks to my heart.
Yep, Alder is a mama's boy.
Yep, Alder is a mama's boy.
"I don't want to!"
This is how my 2.5-year old says NO. We rarely ever hear the word NO around here. Is that weird? A toddler-near-preschooler who doesn't say NO? "I don't want to!" I absolutely love the way she says this. It sounds so polite, so mature (at least compared to screaming NO!). Ask her if she wants toast for dinner and she says, "I don't want to." I have no clue how we grew a child who doesn't say NO, but I love it and hope Alder follows in her footsteps.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Year in review
My buddy Amanda did a year in review like this, and I like the idea so much I'm stealing it for myself.
2008 In Review
January - I was 4-5 months pregnant and I turned 31. Keith and I rented a yurt for the weekend to celebrate and went there ALONE. As in, Ava stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa. It was a first, and it went really well. We also (on my birthday) learned that we were going to be having a little boy. And, though a strange twist of fate involving the death of a friend's dog, we realized this little boy would be named Alder.
February - One of my very dear friends committed suicide. This was a hard blow and to this day, I still see her ghost ALL OVER campus. We were workout buddies so her presence is especially strong in the gym. I missed her memorial service because we (the family) flew to Virginia to visit my folks during this time. We all got extremely sick the second we stepped off the plane, so the entire week-long visit was spent just trying to survive. Ava met my Grandmother for the first (and probably last) time, though she was in a feverish haze and probably had no idea what was going on.
March - Sinus infection hell for me. I finally give in to antiobiotics - something I prefer to avoid when pregnant (well, I prefer to avoid them at all times actually). I finished my final term as a full-time student (because it was the last term I had an assistantship for). I attended an awesome birth for a dear friend.
April - I'm writing writing writing and trying to finish as much of my dissertation as possible before the baby comes. This is the final month we have Ava in daycare as well. The house gets rearranged in prep for the new baby. Keith turns 35 and I throw him a party, despite feeling like a giant whale with my growing belly. We decide to tile the backsplash in the kitchen as one list big project before life gets crazier.
May - We spend Cinco de Mayo in a yurt on the coast when I am 36 weeks pregnant. It is not the most comfortable experience of my life. Ava loves the beach, as always. My Blessingway happens on Mother's Day at 37 weeks pregnant. Five days later, Alder comes blasting into the world. It was a fantastic birth and is the highlight of the year.
June - My parents come visit to meet their new grandson. It is wonderful to have them here to help with the kids. Most of the month passes in a blur as we adjust to living as a family of four.
July - Ava potty trains at just under two years old. We brave the wilds on a camping trip WITH BOTH KIDS to Sunset Bay. It was tiring, but fun. Ava looooooooves camping. Ava turns two at the end of the month and bawls at the candle smoking on her cake.
August - I get myself back at school more frequently now, back on the track to finishing. My wonderfully generous in-laws agree to watch both kids for half-days three times a week. Wow. I attend a surprise premature birth on the very same night Alder sleeps straight through for the first time, so he didn't even know I was gone. I am struck by a terrible case of tendonitis in my right foot and can only limp short distances. I We brave another camping trip, this time down a looooong and nearly impassable (for Honda Civics anyway) primitive road at Olallie Lake. It was another great trip.
September - We cram in one more camping trip before the weather turns fowl, this time to Ice Cap Creek. We've got camping down to a science now, so this is the most enjoyable one of the summer. We actually get to relax a little. At the end of the month, Keith and I celebrate our 3rd anniversary with a nice dinner out ALONE. I attend a really awesome midwife assistant's training. And as always, I'm working hard at school.
October - We head out to the Wallowa Mountains for a "deluxe" cabin trip. It is glorious out there, and since it is late in the season, almost no one is around. On the drive out, I get a call from my brother that my aunt and godmother is dieing. Our vacation is cut short so I can fly out to Virginia to be with her. On Sunday, October 14th, after four days of providing hospice care alongside my mother and brother, I hold my aunt's hand as she passes away. At the age of 58, she died of liver and kidney failure after decades of depression and alcoholism. I brought Alder with me on the trip, so she got to meet him before she died. We return to Oregon and proceed to do nothing for the next several weeks as I process this loss.
November - Back at school, trudging along. I finish my dissertation (a draft anyway). I attend another amazing birth for a good friend. Alder turns six months old and gets his first taste of food, which coincides exactly with him starting to sleep through the night almost all the time. And I finally admit to both an eating disorder (and I'm not ready to say anything more about that right now) and long-standing depression. I find myself a good shrink.
December - Constant work on the dissertation. I'm very near the end now. Just revising based on comments I've gotten on the final chapter. But it is still a slow process. Both kids start attending daycare two days a week again, and the in-laws drop their care down to two days a week. So now I have four days to work. We spend a little holiday time up at a cabin in the snowy mountains. Ava loooooves to dig in the snow. We all get sick this month, for pretty much the entire month. Ava gets croup, Alder gets an ear infection that bursts. I have a sinus infection. Keith gets food poisoning. And when those things weren't happening, we all had colds. I ring in the new year with just Keith as company, as our guests for the evening left before the ball dropped.
2008 In Review
January - I was 4-5 months pregnant and I turned 31. Keith and I rented a yurt for the weekend to celebrate and went there ALONE. As in, Ava stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa. It was a first, and it went really well. We also (on my birthday) learned that we were going to be having a little boy. And, though a strange twist of fate involving the death of a friend's dog, we realized this little boy would be named Alder.
February - One of my very dear friends committed suicide. This was a hard blow and to this day, I still see her ghost ALL OVER campus. We were workout buddies so her presence is especially strong in the gym. I missed her memorial service because we (the family) flew to Virginia to visit my folks during this time. We all got extremely sick the second we stepped off the plane, so the entire week-long visit was spent just trying to survive. Ava met my Grandmother for the first (and probably last) time, though she was in a feverish haze and probably had no idea what was going on.
March - Sinus infection hell for me. I finally give in to antiobiotics - something I prefer to avoid when pregnant (well, I prefer to avoid them at all times actually). I finished my final term as a full-time student (because it was the last term I had an assistantship for). I attended an awesome birth for a dear friend.
April - I'm writing writing writing and trying to finish as much of my dissertation as possible before the baby comes. This is the final month we have Ava in daycare as well. The house gets rearranged in prep for the new baby. Keith turns 35 and I throw him a party, despite feeling like a giant whale with my growing belly. We decide to tile the backsplash in the kitchen as one list big project before life gets crazier.
May - We spend Cinco de Mayo in a yurt on the coast when I am 36 weeks pregnant. It is not the most comfortable experience of my life. Ava loves the beach, as always. My Blessingway happens on Mother's Day at 37 weeks pregnant. Five days later, Alder comes blasting into the world. It was a fantastic birth and is the highlight of the year.
June - My parents come visit to meet their new grandson. It is wonderful to have them here to help with the kids. Most of the month passes in a blur as we adjust to living as a family of four.
July - Ava potty trains at just under two years old. We brave the wilds on a camping trip WITH BOTH KIDS to Sunset Bay. It was tiring, but fun. Ava looooooooves camping. Ava turns two at the end of the month and bawls at the candle smoking on her cake.
August - I get myself back at school more frequently now, back on the track to finishing. My wonderfully generous in-laws agree to watch both kids for half-days three times a week. Wow. I attend a surprise premature birth on the very same night Alder sleeps straight through for the first time, so he didn't even know I was gone. I am struck by a terrible case of tendonitis in my right foot and can only limp short distances. I We brave another camping trip, this time down a looooong and nearly impassable (for Honda Civics anyway) primitive road at Olallie Lake. It was another great trip.
September - We cram in one more camping trip before the weather turns fowl, this time to Ice Cap Creek. We've got camping down to a science now, so this is the most enjoyable one of the summer. We actually get to relax a little. At the end of the month, Keith and I celebrate our 3rd anniversary with a nice dinner out ALONE. I attend a really awesome midwife assistant's training. And as always, I'm working hard at school.
October - We head out to the Wallowa Mountains for a "deluxe" cabin trip. It is glorious out there, and since it is late in the season, almost no one is around. On the drive out, I get a call from my brother that my aunt and godmother is dieing. Our vacation is cut short so I can fly out to Virginia to be with her. On Sunday, October 14th, after four days of providing hospice care alongside my mother and brother, I hold my aunt's hand as she passes away. At the age of 58, she died of liver and kidney failure after decades of depression and alcoholism. I brought Alder with me on the trip, so she got to meet him before she died. We return to Oregon and proceed to do nothing for the next several weeks as I process this loss.
November - Back at school, trudging along. I finish my dissertation (a draft anyway). I attend another amazing birth for a good friend. Alder turns six months old and gets his first taste of food, which coincides exactly with him starting to sleep through the night almost all the time. And I finally admit to both an eating disorder (and I'm not ready to say anything more about that right now) and long-standing depression. I find myself a good shrink.
December - Constant work on the dissertation. I'm very near the end now. Just revising based on comments I've gotten on the final chapter. But it is still a slow process. Both kids start attending daycare two days a week again, and the in-laws drop their care down to two days a week. So now I have four days to work. We spend a little holiday time up at a cabin in the snowy mountains. Ava loooooves to dig in the snow. We all get sick this month, for pretty much the entire month. Ava gets croup, Alder gets an ear infection that bursts. I have a sinus infection. Keith gets food poisoning. And when those things weren't happening, we all had colds. I ring in the new year with just Keith as company, as our guests for the evening left before the ball dropped.
Midwife gift
It is customary to give your midwife a gift if you have appreciated your services after a homebirth. I always knew I wanted to give my midwife something handmade. After Ava's birth, we hoped I would have time to make some stained glass, or that Keith would have time to do some pottery. But that didn't happen, so her gift ended up being a check (which is always welcome, as homebirth midwifery does not make you rich!). But this time I really wanted to find the time to make a special gift. And somehow, even though I've got two kids and am finishing my PhD and work as a birth doula, I managed to make it happen. The piece above was actually quite easy to make compared to my previous pieces. There were far less curves to grind out on this one. The lead came and solder are silver in color, though you can't tell from the picture. I like this pattern quite a bit. I think I'll be making another one for myself.Oh, and the really cool thing about this - the week before I gave my midwife this piece, she was at my house for the Blessingway of another expectant mommy and she commented on the large fish and turtle glass piece I have in my bathroom window. She said it was really gorgeous and remembered that I used to do glass work and was glad to see I'd gotten back to it. :) I didn't tell her at the time I had this gift for her, because it wasn't finished yet. But it made me feel really good to know she was going to appreciate my gift. And she did.
Peas
I know it is normal for kids to be picky eaters at times. But what about an infant that doesn't want to eat anything but peas? Alder is just nuts about peas. He won't touch fruit. He is not a fan of cereal. He doesn't even like sweet potatoes. But peas? He'll chow 3 jars for every meal. (no, we don't give him 3 jars of peas for every meal) I'm hoping this phase passes soon, or else my kid is going to turn into a pea.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Diaper bag giveaway
Anybody interested in a chance to win a cool Lands' End diaperbag? Visit Marketing Mommy and read up on how to enter. I'm throwing my name in.
Franny
I'm just twiddling my thumbs here...waiting...waiting to hear tomorrow if the Mizz will have a brother or a sister. :)
Insomnia
I haven't felt this AWAKE in a long time, and it is 1:30 in the morning. And darnit if I wasn't reeeeeally tired earlier today. I have a baby that is going to wake up soon and I can't get to sleep! Ack! This stinks.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008
Welcome to a new year! I'm really glad 2007 is finally over. While there was some good things that happened in 2007 (Alder was born, and that was awesome!), it was a very hard year. I had a very good friend commit suicide, and then my aunt died too in what was essentially a very long, drawn-out suicide. I thought I was going to finish school, but with delay after delay, it didn't happen. I slipped into another depression and gained some weight (source of eternal difficulties for me). I can't say I'm feeling especially optimistic about 2008, but at least it is a fresh start. I should DEFINITELY finish school this year (probably by March). I'm working on the depression issue. I'll probably start getting PAID again, so our family financial situation will improve. We might even have another baby by the end of the year (nothing to announce right now though). We'll see.
As for last night, we celebrated the evening with two other couples here at our house. One couple has a 5-month old, who went down for the evening on our bed. The other couple is 37.5 weeks pregnant with their first baby. Both of the women were present at my birth with Alder, so we are all quite good friends. We enjoyed pizza, beer, sparkling cidar, and some ice cream. We talked and laughed and joked around. And then everyone got tired so they bailed early, but actually didn't walk out the door until 11:45 pm. I thought that was funny. So Keith and I popped on the tv and watched the ball drop, then hit the hay. One of these years I'd like to attend a real NYE party again.
Back to work tomorrow. We've now had 3 weeks of extra-long weekends. I think next week with 5 days of work will be really hard to handle.
As for last night, we celebrated the evening with two other couples here at our house. One couple has a 5-month old, who went down for the evening on our bed. The other couple is 37.5 weeks pregnant with their first baby. Both of the women were present at my birth with Alder, so we are all quite good friends. We enjoyed pizza, beer, sparkling cidar, and some ice cream. We talked and laughed and joked around. And then everyone got tired so they bailed early, but actually didn't walk out the door until 11:45 pm. I thought that was funny. So Keith and I popped on the tv and watched the ball drop, then hit the hay. One of these years I'd like to attend a real NYE party again.
Back to work tomorrow. We've now had 3 weeks of extra-long weekends. I think next week with 5 days of work will be really hard to handle.
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