• Last updated 3/11/13 by mamazee

Goji berries. Broccoli. Celery. Sea Veggies. Those are just some of the nourishing foods reputed to enhance fertility. But what you drink has an impact, too. As I type away in my home writing office, I like to sip, sip, sip from a mug throughout the day (and, when I work late, throughout the evening). Because I’m trying to conceive, I wanted to examine what I should be putting into that mug – and what I should be leaving out. Here’s a look at some beverages with advice from fertility nutritionists: Water with Healing Herbs and Spices Probably the best... read more

• Last updated 10/30/10 by Mothering Editorial

By Bethany Fitzpatrick Web Exclusive December 1, 2008 In the dream, my limbs feel heavy with sleep or the fatigue of travel. I am riding with my family in the brown Chevy van my parents once owned. The seats are plush, the floor carpeted, the windows lined with velour curtains—all the consistent, creamy brown of washed river sand. My sisters present me with a car seat holding a newborn baby. "She's a girl, and she's yours," they say, but I don't remember. I grow confused. The air inside the van grows viscous. We're traveling so quickly. I want to secure the carrier, to... read more

• Last updated 3/19/13 by mamazee

I love weddings. This weekend my friend Amy married her sweetheart Jim. Ron and I spent Saturday evening celebrating with them at a gorgeous resort in Charlotte, North Carolina. When we walked into the reception area, we saw a Wishing Tree. Guests could write little notes—thoughts, advice, wishes—that the couple would read later. I knew exactly what I wanted to say: Start trying for babies…NOW! The Wishing Tree Like Amy, I was in my 30s when I married. Ron wanted go for the honeymoon baby. Not me. I wanted to cultivate our marriage.... read more

• Last updated 9/25/10 by Mothering Editorial

We talked about the importance of omega-3 essential fatty acids to general health in the early weeks. It’s worth revisiting now because omega-3 is particularly important for pregnant women in the third trimester, and for women who are breastfeeding. These are the times when the baby’s brain is developing at an amazing rate. Babies deficient in omega-3 may have a greater risk of autism, attention deficit disorder, and depression, or adult degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Lou Gehrig’s disease.You can find omega-3 in these foods: Oily, cold-water fish, such... read more

• Last updated 3/8/13 by mamazee

Last days   Last night I was lying in bed trying to sleep but just kept thinking -Ina May Gaskin taught me how to measure fundal height!  It was like a dream-or actually it was a dream and I made it a reality.  I think about all of the lives that have been changed by coming to The Farm for a workshop.  Some women have come here thinking they wanted to be a midwife and maybe changed... read more

• Last updated 3/8/13 by mamazee

The Farm-Day 4 A surprise When we think of The Farm most of us think of Ina May.  Even if you have read Spiritual Midwifery and have met the other midwives we don’t always remember their names.  After this trip I know that I will never forget Pamela Hunt.  She was on the original caravan with Ina May and Stephen-she was one of the original midwives.  She is the epitome of everything you would imagine a midwife to be-sweet, compassionate, funny, intelligent, knowledgeable, skilled, excellent teacher, otherworldly and let’s face it the woman loves to... read more

• Last updated 3/19/13 by mamazee

# #   # # # # # # # # # #   # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # For the cover of our annual pregnancy issue, we’re featuring new mama Aine Rock, photographed by photographer Mark Segal in his Chicago studio. Check out more of Mark’s work here. # Tags: 163, Aine Rock, cover, issue 163, mark segal, September-October 2010 This... read more

• Last updated 3/8/13 by mamazee

Honorary Hippie Today was what I think a lot of us were waiting for.  Though I am quite content just to be on this legendary farm with these legendary women-some of us really came here to acquire some skills.  I had never taken blood pressure before so that was really fun and have been practicing it all day. I even learned some really great tips for my childbirth education classes-like using rubber bands to show the different stages of effacement or ways to remember how to technically described the baby’s position. Pamela Hunt named the model Fanny so... read more

• Last updated 3/8/13 by mamazee

Chiggers, Tics, & Birth All I kept hearing about from the day I received my enrollment packet to the day I arrived in the home where we would be staying on the farm was to watch out for chiggers and tics. The woman at the welcome center asked “did the midwives tell you about chiggers and tics-well we got em, oh and snakes too.” I had visions of little tiny critters waiting for me on the doorstep in the morning when I left and in the evening when I returned-I packed bug repellent (from Whole Foods of course) and purchased some farm made “bug off sulfur... read more

• Last updated 3/8/13 by mamazee

Mighty Midi-Men Being a family friendly environment most of the women who are here for the workshop brought their families.  My husband is here with my youngest son and he was hanging out at the swimming hole with two other of the attendee’s families.  One of the local guys concocted a name for them-he said “oh you must be here with the wannabe midwives-or midies as we like to call them-Hey You guys are the Mighty Midi Men!” It is funny-I had intended on writing this blog nightly and posting it right away.  This is impossible for two reasons 1. We are... read more