How small steps can make a huge difference...

    Oprah has created a contest for people to get their own TV show on her new network. Kerry Tuschhoff , a childbirth educator of over 20 years and Founder/Director of Hypnobabies LLC has entered the contest with a video titled "Every Mother, Every Baby!" Her idea for a show is about teaching expectant parents about "taking responsibility for their own decisions and care during pregnancy, birth and baby care".  She urges on the informational section for this video... 

"We need a fun and interesting show about "healing the earth through birth", teaching expectant families in fun ways how to have a safer pregnancy and easier childbirth, take responsibility for their own healthcare during pregnancy(just like Dr. Oz says!) There are over 4 million babies born every year in the U.S. and their moms are just crying out for representation and ways to make pregnancy easier! Let's do it!"

   What a fantastic idea! It would be an amazing way for ALL mother's to gain valuable knowledge about pregnancy and birth! Knowledge they would not receive otherwise. Knowledge is power! This could help expectant families make INFORMED choices! We can cause change to this current birth crisis that our culture has acquired! It is small steps like this that each one of us can do to help!

Please go HERE and VOTE for her video!!

How everything comes together...

   Life is good. I don't share that enough. But really it is. I get to spend the days with my baby and do my studies at night while he is sleeping, cuddle with my hubby and catch as many play dates as I can.' It's all good' as one would say.
   Currently I am studying the communication portion for school and I am enjoying it much more that I assumed. I am very intrigued by the impact certain things make in a conversation.
  The biggest lesson so far has been that of learning to empathize over sympathize. It seems easy enough, but it comes with great struggle to most. I have been practicing and I am reaping great benefits from utilizing this. It is always good for one to take a step back and examine how their words are being used and interpreted. I hope I can find the right words to say to help and support my future clients.
  There is such a need to revert back to ones own experiences when challenged with another persons', however it is more effective to focus on how they feel rather then how you would. Am I rambling or am I making sense? It makes sense in my mind.  For some however the biggest challenge is excepting another decisions. I too will struggle with this. I will remind myself that I am supporting women in *their* choices and not my own. All you can do is put the information and facts out there to ensure they can make informed and educated decisions. Something that is right for you, might not be right for another.
   Anyway, I didn't imagine I could learn so much within this topic. My next challenge is completely the extensive paper I need to complete. This will be a challenge, mostly from having to reflect on my birth which I found traumatic and such.
  I recently bought a Mei Tai style baby carrier (Kozy brand) and I love it dearly. I have many different types of slings and baby carriers and this one is my favorite and by far the most comfortable I have ever worn. Ceaghan seems to like it as well. I cannot wait to have a reason to use it for an extended period of time!  That will most likely be at next weeks Health Fair. Here is a photo of him in it...

 

How to provide the best thing possible for your baby...

    I have been thinking lately about the benefits of breastfeeding compared to those of bottle/baby formula feeding. Personally, I do not see how breastfeeding could be so "inconvenient" to some mothers.First of all, my babies food is ALWAYS: made, warmed, the perfect amount, sterile and contains everything he needs to thrive. I cannot imagine how irritating it must be to have to wake up, make a bottle, warm it up and then sit there while feeding your baby. I would have never gotten sleep if I didn't practice safe co-sleeping and side-lying nursing.

   One of the best things about breastfeeding is that it is FREE. Yes, you heard me right, you do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on bottles, nipples, warmers, bottle brushes, formula...etc. And when you factor in the benefits to baby and mom, there really is NO comparison.

Here are a few (not even close to all) of the benefits of breastfeeding:

For Baby:

• Babies receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
• Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
• Reduced risk of childhood diabetes
• Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning), 
• Protection against allergies,   asthma, eczema, and severity of allergic disease
• Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed.
• Breastfed infants develop higher IQ's, and have improved brain and nervous system development
• Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual  development of babies 
• Breastfed babies enjoy a special warm bonding and emotional relationship with their mothers 
• Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
• Decreased risk for acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, pyloric stenosis
• There are factors in human milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus....and many others
• Less risk of childhood obesity. 
• I could add 100 more things...

For Mom:

• Reduced risk of breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers
• Reduced risk of anemia
• Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life
• Helps delay return of fertility and to space subsequent pregnancies
• Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child
• Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing health care costs to family in Doctor office visits, prescriptions, over the counter medicine purchases, and hospitalizations
• Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding
• Breastfeeding saves moms about 7 hours a week off their feet.
• It's the only time you can ever lose weight without dieting or exercise!
• Breastfed babies smell great....spit ups don't stain, or smell, and poopie diapers are not offensive...(until solids are introduced)
• The strong bond developed with nursing is much more intense.
• Breastfeeding requires the use of only one arm....you can do other things while breastfeeding, (except cooking and driving)
• Many, many more benefits, too much to list!

  I realize that breastfeeding can be difficult at first, and it really is something that mom and baby must take time to learn to do. But when you read these benefits, don't you agree that it is worth it? In our society, women are misled everyday to believe that formula is a reasonable replacement for breast milk. When in reality, it could never measure up. So please, give breastfeeding everything you've got. Call for help. There are many many wonderful friends, Doulas, Lactation consultants and more that are more than willing to help you! Come get support at your local La Leche League meeting. Not to mention the plethora of information here on the internet. 

KellyMom is a great source.
Breastfeeding.com
La Leche League International
Breastfeeding Basics

You and your baby both deserve the best.

(Some of this was pulled from this source . Thank you so much!)

And then my blog was born...

This is my first blog and soon this will be rather obvious to you. Lets learn together as I make spelling and grammatical errors, babble on forever and talk freely about my opinions as if they were fact.
What's with the title? Well it pretty much describes me, even if there is more crunch than class. I am a wife, a mother, an aspiring Doula, a future breastfeeding counselor, birth and lactation activist, and general birth, baby and all things natural obsessed individual. We are vegetarians and attachment parents. We planned our pregnancy after we got married. I don't drink or do drugs and I am the strongest willed and most optimistic person I know.
Oh and I happen to be 19 years old. Shocked? Most are. Who knew that a "teen" could be as mature and responsible as most 30 year olds'.
All of this said, this is my life and who I am. I don't claim to be anything else. I will write down any thoughts that I wish and hope deep back in the edges of my mind that someone else out there might someday take a glimpse at it and enjoy or learn from something I have written.
Here is to a blog about my life, my career, and doing it all with nothing less than crunch and class.