On mothering and natural living.
Becoming a mother was something I always wanted. Not long after I got married, baby fever set in, and I spent a lot of time reading and dreaming about all things baby and birth-related. When I found out I was pregnant, I was ecstatic!
After much reading and research and thinking, I went from being clueless about birth, to wanting to have a natural birth at the hospital with a doula for support, to choosing homebirth. I am so happy I made that choice.
As a result of my own experience of birth and talking to many women friends about their experiences, I am a strong advocate of homebirth. I also understand that not every woman will choose homebirth, and that’s okay. I support every woman’s right to make an informed choice about where and how to give birth.
(I am also passionate about good postpartum care. I feel like our culture does too little to mother the mother after the birth of a child.)
Before I gave birth, I discovered cloth diapering online. After doing my research, realized how smart it was, money-wise, to use cloth. I started cloth diapering in order to save money, and I kept doing it for so many reasons: they’re so cute, they’re better for the environment, they don’t have that weird smell, they’re fun for guilt-free shopping…
While pregnant I read about all the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding, from the incomparable nutritional benefits for baby to the convenience and simplicity for mama, and the fact that it was totally natural, made the choice to breastfeed an obvious one.
However, when baby came, I realized that just because it was natural didn’t mean it was easy or automatic. It took eight weeks for us to really get breastfeeding going well. Having difficulties breastfeeding is such a difficult and frustrating experience.
Thankfully we did stick with it, and breastfeeding finally became easy, and it was a rewarding, wonderful experience. I did extended breastfeeding with both of my babies.
I want to share also that I had postpartum depression, but I didn’t realize it until over a year (!) after baby was born. I just thought that it was that hard for everyone. In some ways it was a relief to find out that what I went through wasn’t normal, and I wish I’d been prepared for that possibility. I was barely aware of its existence, and certainly didn’t think it would happen to me.
When I became pregnant the second time, I was determined to try to avoid, and if not avoid, be prepared for having postpartum depression again. I took all sorts of steps to be prepared, just in case, but thankfully I didn’t have it the second time around. Thank goodness!!
When my babies were younger and lighter, I enjoyed babywearing to make my life a little easier. Plus, slings and baby carriers are so cute! My babies were big though, so there came a point much too soon when my back just couldn’t take it, and I loved my strollers for long walks around my neighborhood.
I had been into health and nutrition for a long time, but being pregnant and having midwives who were passionate about good nutrition during pregnancy encouraged my interest in herbs and eating more organic fruits and vegetables. I gave up the herbs, but I am considering starting them again because I think they really enhanced my health.
I love to read and think and talk about parenting, and my parenting style is very positive. A while back I started the process to become a certified positive discipline parenting educator, and I may start working on that again soon. I am also a fan of Simplicity Parenting, a la Kim John Payne. Some of my other favorite parenting books are by Maslow and Fabish, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, and Siblings Without Rivalry. A recent favorite is Whole Brain Child by Dan Siegel.
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I’m so happy you’ve found me! Most of all, remember, you deserve happiness, and you are loved.