Thursday, September 23, 2010

huge sale at sckoon organics!













i cannot tell you how many pairs of the above flared organic cotton knit pants we have purchased since my son's birth 2 years ago...4? 5?  we even bought some for him to grow into.  they are so adorable on! anywhoo, sckoon organics makes 'em ($10 right now!), and the site has a great sale going on....up to 65% off!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

womb to world workshop with anna verwaal in los angeles




















we had 2 incredible doulas at our son's homebirth.  and they are both involved in this once-in-a-lifetime workshop!  danielle marie gutshall is hosting and organizing anna verwaal's workshop.  this is like anna's seminar that my husband went to 2 years ago (it was specifically for dads that day), and he called at the end saying, "we're having a homebirth!  done deal."

a little info:

Who are the workshops for? 
This profoundly transformational and highly informative course is designed for birth 
professionals, midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, birth related body workers and 
healers, prenatal yoga instructors, couples planning to conceive or currently pregnant 
and anyone seeking to understand, prevent and heal from birth imprints & trauma 
How are the workshop presented? 
Audio-visual Power-Point presentations containing text and photographic 
  documentation of Anna’s clients and their babies experiencing all kind of birth 
  scenarios. (All stories told and photos used with permission) 
Various current DVD’s on birth, breastfeeding and bonding. 
Do I have to attend all three days or can I just take one? 
Each separate workshop is about a different aspect to do with birth and can be taken by 
it self. How ever the workshop series is created to take the participant on a journey, 
from the past, through the present into the future. This will lead to an understanding of 
how all aspects of birth affect the journey. Where we are in our consciousness, 
emotionally and spiritually greatly influences and shapes the physicality and outcome of 
the birth journey whether you are a doula, midwife, or parent-to-be. 
Who presents the workshops? 
Anna Verwaal, RN, CLE, born and educated in the Netherlands is a Maternal-Child 
Health Nurse, Conscious Conception & Birth Consultant, Labor- & Post Partum Doula, 
UCLA Certified Lactation Educator and Birth Photographer. 
Anna lectures internationally and teaches workshops about the cellular memory of the 
birth experience, the physiological & hormonal blueprint for birth & bonding as well as 
the deeply psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of giving birth. Her experience 
is based on working for more than 25 years in various countries as a nurse and doula 
along side perinatologists, obstetricians as well as (indigenous) midwives attending 
hospital, birth center, home, lotus- and nature-births. Currently Anna lives in Santa Fe 
and is working on a photo book of birth. 

Workshop location and directions 
Bini Birth Loft, 5355 Cartwright Ave. Unit 313, North Hollywood, CA91601 
www.binibirth.com 
Workshop Dates & Times 
October 9, 2010 from 9-30 AM until 5.30 PM 


photo from anna's website.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

birth rape




















"birth rape"....an interesting and controversial term, no doubt.  a recent article out of sydney, australia discusses:

"We have previously discussed studies linking difficult births with post-traumatic stress disorder and post-natal depression, the result of which has left some women reluctant to consider pregnancy and childbirth again.
But couple a horror birth with a doctor, midwife or healthcare professional who has little regard for the labouring woman and penetrates or examines her without consent, using instruments or his/her hand, and the controversial notion of “birth rape” is born.
Examples of birth rape include internal vaginal examinations without consent, breaking membranes without consent and inserting of forceps and other instruments into the vagina against the mother’s wishes.
Some women who claim to have experienced birth rape describe incidents where doctors or midwives made belittling and degrading comments when they could not birth fast enough, stitching lacerations without anaesthetic and inserting catheters without warning."

what's really interesting to me is how, in the comments section below the article, the aussie women are beside themselves at how "ridiculous" this all is.  while in the american women here can really relate.

photo via here.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

"amazon mom" new discount club on amazon












ok, here's what i understand this brand-new moms club to be:

*not just for moms, but any caretaker
*30% off diapers and wipes that you have signed up for as a  scheduled delivery
*free 2-day shipping for the first 3 months.  it continues like this : for  every $25 you spend in the baby department, you earn a month more  of free 2-day shipping.
*emails from amazon about discounts and helpful product  recommendations.

i loooove this since i am already buying nature babycare diapers off of amazon, so it's aaaallll gooood!

your flu shot this year contains the swine flu vaccine




















the vaccines are not separate like last year.  major health problems for people of all ages, and some deaths, are arising all over the world from the h1n1 vaccine.  to avoid the flu, you must try to maintain a healthy immune system that can fight off bad bacteria and viruses.  be sure to stay on top of your vitamin d3 intake (10,000 iu/daily).    more on d3 here.

for most of us, any flu is worth a crummy couple days in bed compared to the mysterious harm of vaccines.

read more here.

photo via here.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

happy birthday to us!! baby manual is all grown up....

baby manual was born one year ago today, on labor day 2009!  are we walking yet?  are we sleeping through the night? are we still on the boob?....who cares?!

it's been a fun run with 207 posts and counting!  thank you so much for the loving and wonderful support of our amazing readers all over the world.  please keep sharing and continuing to help us build a community for conscious, crunchy parenting from the heart....

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

not sure i can ever get a dog from a breeder again...
















what in the heck does that have to do with what i normally post about?

well, a friend recently got 2 sibling puppies from a breeder.  she was talking about how they cried all night the first couple of nights, and it made me realize something that i had never really thought about before.

puppies are taken away from their mothers usually around 6-10 weeks of age.  they are removed from their frolicking pack of siblings, sometimes a present father, and a mother who nurses and keeps them warm.   their new human family typically puts them in a cage, feeds them dry, unhealthy dog food, and leaves them alone for long periods of time.

this goes against everything i now believe as a mother.   don't you think if people choose to breed their dogs, or buy from a breeder, they should consider how traumatic this separation is?

photo via here.