3 of my favorite midwives: Ellen, Joan, & Aki
If you haven't already, send your midwife an email thanking her for the work she does. She'll appreciate it. Promise.
]]>3 of my favorite midwives: Ellen, Joan, & Aki
If you haven't already, send your midwife an email thanking her for the work she does. She'll appreciate it. Promise.
]]>"Like virtually all medical therapies and procedures, these interventions entail some risk for the mother, and there is no evidence in this study that they benefit the baby," said Christopher Glantz, M.D., M.P.H., study author and professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "In my mind, if you are getting the same outcome with high and low rates of intervention, I say 'Do no harm' and go with fewer interventions."
The moral of the story? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
]]>Following is an excerpt of a testimonial she wrote on my behalf.
Since this was my first birth and I wanted to do it as naturally as possible in a birth center, I wanted to make sure that I covered all of my bases. When, at the end of my pregnancy, it looked like our birth plans were going the opposite way that we'd hoped for, Jo was instrumental in being a sounding board for our decision-making process. In addition, Jo provided a kind shoulder to cry/complain to about the lateness of the birth (I ended up being induced at 42 weeks). Her light massage touch, gentle coaching and encouragement eased the pain of my labor tremendously. She also knew when to ease off and hang back.
Her advice and availability for questions throughout the pregnancy and afterwards was wonderful. I believe that without her coaching, guidance and support, I would not have such positive feelings about my birth.
You can read the rest of her kind words on my profile at DoulaMatch.net.
]]>The two best pieces of advice were:
We did both of these things and, as I don't think we would've survived otherwise, I readily share this same advice with any soon-to-be mama who asks.
In the nearly year and a half since she was born, we still find #2 to be a family lifesaver. Yes, we have more time now than we did in those early weeks postpartum (duh) and we certainly have more independence now that she can entertain herself for short bursts of time, but we also both have jobs. And hobbies. And extracurricular commitments. And, frankly, don't like spending our little free time together as a trio in the kitchen. At least not every night.
So every couple of weeks, we dedicate a several hour chunk of time to cooking and get our freezer stuffed full of deliciousness.
Last night, my partner hit the kitchen to whip up one of our favorites -- Ethiopian Spicy Tomato Lentil Stew from Post-Punk Kitchen. I don't remember how we came across this recipe, but am I glad we did! Healthy, super hearty, and with just the right amount of flavor and kick, this is a great freezer food. Served over rice* or (even better!) quinoa, this will fill you up and make your family happy. Add some pita or naan on the side and you'll want to thank me later. Promise.
By the way, this dish is totally vegan, but it passes the omnivore test with flying colors. When my dad was visiting the week our kiddo was born, we served it to him -- a diehard, Midwestern meat-eater -- and he raved about how great it was. There is no better endorsement, really, as he generally considers our diet mostly "rabbit food."
Happy eating!
* Another quick-fix tip: Make your rice in large batches, then divide it out and wrap individual portions in cling wrap and freeze. The next time you're cooking (or rushing to work and looking for lunch), you can just pull one packet of rice and one tub of stew out of the freezer and run. We love making grains in advance!
]]>With some inspiration from a friend, I landed on SquareSpace and it was love at first sight. Ridiculously easy to use and fully customizable, I made the decision quickly and here I am.
Take a look around and let me know what you think in the comments. Are there things missing? Things I could be doing better? I want to know!
In other news, my doula life is going well. I'm on the road to certification and hoping to (finally!) be official in coming months. If you know any pregnant women in NYC looking for affordable doula services, please send 'em my way!
<3
]]>Here is an excerpt of a testimonial they wrote on my behalf:
Not only did we need a doula, we needed Jo. Our pregnancy turned out to be a 2-day marathon of induction steps, starting with a variety natural methods and ending with a c-section. Granted, we would have preferred a vaginal birth, but we trusted our doctors, who happen to have the lowest c-section rate in the city, and trusted Jo as well. As we went through all the steps to perform a vaginal birth, she was there. Spending nearly 40 hours with us, she proved to be invaluable with getting us through the whole process.
During labor Jo did most of the lower back massaging, which she was really good at, and helped with the breathing exercises. Her focus on Sarah allowed me the time to confer with our doctors and the staff about next steps. Sarah was never alone, and thanks to Jo, we have positive memories of the experience.
You can see their full piece on my profile at DoulaMatch.
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I was recently invited to become a provisional member of the NYC Doula Co-op.
When I had major difficulties with breastfeeding, I reached out to Jo and found her supportive and levelheaded advice the most helpful. She knows how to find the balance between giving you the information you need and not making you feel judged if you choose a path that’s different from her own. Thanks to the support of Jo and my husband, my baby and I made it through latching problems, breast infections, and mastitis. We just celebrated my son’s first birthday and a year of successful breastfeeding!
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Jo has been a great resource throughout my pregnancy, as well as after the birth of my son, Jasper. She helped me sort through the maze of information out there about choosing health care providers, deciding on birthing options, babywearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping… you name it. Besides having experiences of her own to draw from, Jo is probably the most thorough researcher I know when it comes to anything pregnancy- or baby-related. So whether it was explaining the difference between a Moby and a mei tai, or why pocket diapers might be better than “all in ones,” she was the person I trusted to help figure things out.
However, the thing about Jo that I value beyond her knowledge of products and practices, is her ability to remind you that you are taking an amazing journey as a woman when you enter motherhood. She reminded me to trust myself and my body throughout my pregnancy and in preparation for my son’s birth. Through sharing her own birthing experience, as well as those of other women, Jo helped me to accept this exciting process as a really normal part of life, and to realize that I could face my fears about childbirth and overcome them. Through our discussions, she helped me realize that what I was most comfortable with was to deliver Jasper at home. My birth experience was wonderful, and I can honestly credit much of that to Jo. Without her, I do not know if I would have had the confidence that I found to get through the birthing experience so smoothly. She was an amazing support!