Sorry for the hold up! I've been working like crazy, and I have the flu on top of that! I've since also read "Pushed" by Jennifer Block, and I'll write it up later.
I've had so much respect for Ina May for a long time. I mean, how many midwives have a maneuver named after them that has been used by countless doctors?! Not many. For some time now, I've been absolutely dying to take a workshop down at The Farm. That's another day's story though.
Naturally, her book was wonderful. I mean, it's Ina May Gaskin, what else would it be? The only thing I didn't like was how she mentioned vitamin K shots and eye gunk in a positive manner, which I obviously don't agree with. However, I digress. For those of you who have not read it, the book is divided into two parts. The first half consists of birth stories, complete with pictures. After growing up with the Americanized view of birth, it was very, very informative and almost shocking to read. None of those women used words like painful, unbearable, unnatural, bad, etc. Instead, the stories showed birth as intense, empowering, and for a surprising amount of the women, minimally painful, or even painless. Talk about culture shock, since we live in the world of hospitals, sections, drugs, and women screaming their heads off!
Something that surprised me was that The Farm doesn't necessarly stick with just safe pregnancies. They've done VBACs...all except two delivered vaginally. They've done 19 twin births with only two transfers, all born vaginally. They've had no maternal deaths, and their infant death rates are far below national averages. They've even done breech babies, something unheard of in today's lawauit-happy world. The births stories were by far my favorite part of the book, though the second half was extremely informative and interesting.
In the second half, there are a few things that Ina May repeats over and over, so I'll focus on those. The first is the mind body connection, which makes sense to me, but apparantly doesn't for a lot of people. Essentially, short of rare cases, your body can have your baby with no medications and no problems, and if you expect it to be painful and unbearable, it will be. Another thing is relaxation. Giving birth puts you in a vulernable situation. The cervix is a sphincter, and if you are not in a position where you trust those around you and you are not comfortable, there will be problems. She also stresses good nutrition. Thanks to the healthy diets she reccomends for her clients, there have been no cases in 3,028 births of pre-eclampsia. Gaskin also focuses on the perineum. Episiotomy is a nasty procedure, very unnecessary, and causes far more problems than it suppossedly fixes.
All in all, I would suggest it to anyone, even if you're several years from even thinking about having kids, such as myself. Knowledge is power, and if you wait until you're 25 and pregnant to research anything, you'll run out of time to learn all there is to learn and chances are, you'll have regrets. I know it's not common for 19 year olds to want to be midwives, or know what I know, but someday when I can sit back and enjoy my pregnancy because I already know what I need to know, it'll be well worth it!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Homophobia
I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.
I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.
I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.
I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am a male.
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.
I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I did not have to always deal with society hating me.
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.
I am the person who is afraid of telling his loving Christian parents he loves another male.
Re-post this if you believe homophobia is wrong. Please do your part to end it.
I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.
I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.
I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am a male.
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.
I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I did not have to always deal with society hating me.
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.
I am the person who is afraid of telling his loving Christian parents he loves another male.
Re-post this if you believe homophobia is wrong. Please do your part to end it.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Almost done...
I'm almost done with Ina May's book, "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth." It's incredible, so look for a review soon :)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Check it out!
I added a blog that will be about my personal life apart from midwifery and various causes. I guess to prove that I really am a normal girl with a normal life :)
http://snowandsurf.blogspot.com/
http://snowandsurf.blogspot.com/
You mean some babies actually SLEEP in their cribs?
Since a lot of what I plan to post is full of statistics, research, etc I thought it'd be nice to post something completely free of anything other than my personal experience. So here goes.
A little background is needed first. My parents are (now retired) military. They met, got married, and both got out. Then, alas, my mother found out in December 1988 she was knocked up. My dad, who was doing such glamorous work as driving beer trucks, re-enlisted and within two weeks was shipped to Korea for a year. My mom moved back home with her parents, so that she wouldn't be alone. My dad, who got a month's leave, made it home the morning of August 17th and went straight to the hospital, where my mom was in labor with me. Later that day, I arrived, almost 3 weeks early but perfectly healthy.
I might add my mother is exceptionally paranoid, especially with her children. When I was 7, she called the police when I was gone at the playground an hour longer than I was supposed to be. SIDS was her biggest fear. My dad spent his month home spending the whole night rocking me. When he left, my mother knew me sleeping in my crib would probably give her a nervous breakdown. So, right into bed with her I went. Despite doctors, friends, everyone else telling her that she was out of her mind, she was convinced that I wouldn't stop breathing because she was next to me, reminding me to breathe. Lo and behold, turns out today that is proven true.
As the months went on, she'd try to put me in my crib, but neither of us would have it. The crib was simply used for the occasional nap. When my dad came home, when I was 7 months old, in the bed I stayed. My mom was jealous because now I just liked to snuggle with him. So in the middle I went. Both of my parents LOVED having a family bed. We all slept our best. Finally, when I was four I moved into my own bed. I was starting school and only a few months away from a new baby sister, so it seemed a good time. When my sister was born, there was many a night I'd sneak in and all four of us would be snuggling, but I mostly slept in my room.
When I was 5 and my sister was 1, she had a series of seizures and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital. It was traumatizing for me, so I went back into my parent's bed with whichever parent wasn't spending the night in the hospital. A few months later when everyone was home and my sister was healthy, I was back in my own room full time, short of the occasional bad dream or when I was sick.
Both of my parents will adamantly tell you that our family closeness is because of co-sleeping. Now I am 19 and my sister is 15. Us girls and my mom still pile in bed and watch tv and talk. When I have a bad dream, I run straight up to my sister's room so I'm not alone. I was an exceptionally independent child, and have never questioned my parent's love. I've always been extremely secure. To this day, it still seems odd and unnatural for babies to sleep in different rooms in cribs. Why the push for independence? They're babies! I can't fathom the thought of not co-sleeping when I have kids someday. I still have that 5 year old mentality..."What do you mean mommy, some babies sleep in cribs? Why don't they sleep with their parents?" I'm not saying any of this to bash crib sleepers, but when something that's not mainstream is how you were raised, it's hard to understand.
A little background is needed first. My parents are (now retired) military. They met, got married, and both got out. Then, alas, my mother found out in December 1988 she was knocked up. My dad, who was doing such glamorous work as driving beer trucks, re-enlisted and within two weeks was shipped to Korea for a year. My mom moved back home with her parents, so that she wouldn't be alone. My dad, who got a month's leave, made it home the morning of August 17th and went straight to the hospital, where my mom was in labor with me. Later that day, I arrived, almost 3 weeks early but perfectly healthy.
I might add my mother is exceptionally paranoid, especially with her children. When I was 7, she called the police when I was gone at the playground an hour longer than I was supposed to be. SIDS was her biggest fear. My dad spent his month home spending the whole night rocking me. When he left, my mother knew me sleeping in my crib would probably give her a nervous breakdown. So, right into bed with her I went. Despite doctors, friends, everyone else telling her that she was out of her mind, she was convinced that I wouldn't stop breathing because she was next to me, reminding me to breathe. Lo and behold, turns out today that is proven true.
As the months went on, she'd try to put me in my crib, but neither of us would have it. The crib was simply used for the occasional nap. When my dad came home, when I was 7 months old, in the bed I stayed. My mom was jealous because now I just liked to snuggle with him. So in the middle I went. Both of my parents LOVED having a family bed. We all slept our best. Finally, when I was four I moved into my own bed. I was starting school and only a few months away from a new baby sister, so it seemed a good time. When my sister was born, there was many a night I'd sneak in and all four of us would be snuggling, but I mostly slept in my room.
When I was 5 and my sister was 1, she had a series of seizures and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital. It was traumatizing for me, so I went back into my parent's bed with whichever parent wasn't spending the night in the hospital. A few months later when everyone was home and my sister was healthy, I was back in my own room full time, short of the occasional bad dream or when I was sick.
Both of my parents will adamantly tell you that our family closeness is because of co-sleeping. Now I am 19 and my sister is 15. Us girls and my mom still pile in bed and watch tv and talk. When I have a bad dream, I run straight up to my sister's room so I'm not alone. I was an exceptionally independent child, and have never questioned my parent's love. I've always been extremely secure. To this day, it still seems odd and unnatural for babies to sleep in different rooms in cribs. Why the push for independence? They're babies! I can't fathom the thought of not co-sleeping when I have kids someday. I still have that 5 year old mentality..."What do you mean mommy, some babies sleep in cribs? Why don't they sleep with their parents?" I'm not saying any of this to bash crib sleepers, but when something that's not mainstream is how you were raised, it's hard to understand.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Good news and some ink :)
My Ina May book arrived today! I'm just about to crack it open. Look for a review within the next few days, followed by my promised post on donation. I'm crazy busy, but it's coming along :)
Meanwhile, check out the new tattoo. It's on my left ankle.
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Journey Begins
I officially ordered "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin last night! I also ordered "Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care" by Jennifer Block. Ina May's book is on the DONA required reading list, so slowly but surely I am starting my doula certification. I'm hoping to go to a workshop sometime within the next 4 or 5 months.
Look for a happy, upbeat post soon. Likely on blood and organ donation!
xoxo
Look for a happy, upbeat post soon. Likely on blood and organ donation!
xoxo
Friday, January 2, 2009
Suggestions?
I'd like to know if anyone has any requests/suggestions for future posts? I want to touch on a large variety of issues, and I'm always up for learning more! Here's a list of things I am hoping to touch on, I'd appreciate some additional ideas!
-blood donation
-organ donation
-dangers of hormonal birth control
-cloth diapers/pads
-organic
-dangers of formula feeding
-benefits of extended breastfeeding
-benefits of home birth
-questioning vaccines
-recycling!
thoughts?
-blood donation
-organ donation
-dangers of hormonal birth control
-cloth diapers/pads
-organic
-dangers of formula feeding
-benefits of extended breastfeeding
-benefits of home birth
-questioning vaccines
-recycling!
thoughts?
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