My partner and I took a long road trip to visit friends in the south of Chile last week. They live in the country surrounded by dairy farms and sprouting fields. We visited one of the farms to buy some of their great cheese and enjoyed the fields filled with pasturing cows. Apparently as part…read more >
Birth Articles
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Post-Birth Body Image: Celebrating Self Acceptance, Daring for Self-Love
Every woman comes to pregnancy with a body that is uniquely her own, and with a mind and personal history all her own. Some women come into pregnancy with a body that they love being in. Some begin with something a little less than love; maybe with a strong like for your legs, or another…read more >
What is a Blessingway Birth Ritual Celebration?
Not sure what a Blessingway is? Imagine being in your final weeks of pregnancy surrounded by the women you love – fellow moms, sisters, friends (I decided to have my two daughters attend mine). They are gathered to celebrate you and encourage you on your journey to motherhood. As opposed to a shower where the…read more >
Need a Positive Birthing Boost? Sing Out!
One of my favorite YouTube homebirth videos features a laboring woman singing. You can see on her face when she’s having contractions and it’s beautifully clear that her song is helping her work through the tension. I find this video wonderfully calming. It’s an affirmation in itself. The birth process can be full of faith,…read more >
10 Positive Affirmations for Homebirth and Unassisted Birth
Making the decision to have your baby at home isn’t as radical as it was 15 years ago but there will still be a few people who cock their heads and look at you like you’ve lost your mind. If you’ve ever seen a birth reenactment or portray on television, it’s not hard to understand…read more >
Pregnancy and the Nutrition of Our Experiences
When we are pregnant, it is easy to think of feeding our bodies a diet rich in clean, healthy foods. We try to avoid processed foods for the most part, instead choosing whole foods to keep our own bodies strong and healthy, and to keep our absorption and digestion functioning well. The quality of water,…read more >
Top Five Gentle Parenting Baby Shower Wish List
At sixteen weeks pregnant to date, I’m feeling my baby move a bit and getting a little more horizontal in the belly region. We’ve interviewed a great doula, are considering midwife-assisted vs. unassisted birth, and starting to talk about the stuff we might need before the baby arrives. In pondering baby shower registries and requests…read more >
Natural Birth With Multiples: Yes You Can Do It!
When I found out I was pregnant with twins six years ago, my first emotion was happiness but the second was fear. How would I manage a natural birth and practice attachment parenting with two babies at once?! Having a natural birth with multiples is absolutely possible despite the lack of support from mainstream media.…read more >
Five Things You Need for Your Unassisted Birth
One of my favorite YouTube videos features birth advocate Laura Shanley speaking to Bob Berkowitz and Donna Barnes about unassisted birth. She speaks about the flight or fight fear response that makes birth so painful and difficult for women around the world, and surprisingly, it seems as if the newscasters start to see where she’s…read more >
Best of the Web: Mom Tries to “Get it (Labor) Started” With Funky Dance
Both of my children were “overdue” – my first by 10 days, while my second waited 9 extra days to greet me face to face. I no longer believe in due dates and think that babies come when they’re ready. I’m not a big fan of the scare tactics that are used to pressure women…read more >
