Pregnancy is normal. Birth is safe in any setting. Discover your choices.
Poem by Dawn Urbont my belly grows round like the globe on Matthew's desk and i watch from above small tremors and quakes on the West Coast, waves and bulges in the Caspian Sea. he flutters and kicks, bucking bronco, tiny yogi quiet little drummer in a pool of amniotic fluid. i am his Mother Earth. i am his world, and soon he will be my sea, my shores, my coral reef. Read more poems read more
Embracing and Nurturing your Overwhelmed Self Post-Partum and Beyond by Katharina Sandizell When I had my first child, I spent a lot of time thinking about and preparing for the birth. When the baby finally came, I was mildly depressed and out of sorts for a while, at the same time feeling guilty that I wasn’t overflowing with an abundance of selfless love and joy. I realized that every second of what had been plenty of personal space was now taken over by a baby that would require all of my attention and more. These overwhelmed and depressed... read more
I am a single mother by choice. No, I am not crazy. Yes, it is a lot of work. No, I have no regrets. Yes, I’m totally and madly in love with my son. I had thought about having a child on my own since my early thirties. It's not how I imagined I would have a family when I was younger but my reality is that I’m just not relationship girl, and I never have been. I have dated over the years but nothing ever stuck. And so I found myself staring at 40 on the horizon with my ovaries persistently reminding me that they were there and they would like to be put into service,... read more
About The Heart in the Womb: An Exploration into the Roots of Human Love and Social Cohesion Modern-day life and our highly stressed, “risk-averse” society has led to a medicalised, fearful model of childbirth, one that has stripped the process of its wondrous magic. In this groundbreaking book, consultant obstetrician Dr Amali Lokugamage discusses ways in which every woman can aim to give birth in the most natural, supportive way possible, and looks at the wider implications for society at large. This book includes a foreword by Dr Luke Zander, founder of... read more
Mothers, some of the most potent parental influence you will have on your child takes place while he or she is still in your womb -- so let's hope that most of your days while pregnant are Happy Mother's Days! While you are pregnant, your baby’s organs and tissues develop in direct response to lessons they receive about the world. These lessons come from your diet, your behavior and your state of mind -- thereby hinting at the function of joy in pregnancy. If there is chronic stress in pregnancy, if a pregnant mother’s thoughts and emotions are persistently... read more
By Cathe Olson My rule for pregnant women is that each meal or snack have protein, fat, and complex carbs. This should help your blood sugar to stay constant, slow down the digestion of the foods, and give you energy. Here's a list of snack ideas I have compiled: -Whole grain toast with tahini or cream cheese and banana slices -Toasted English muffins with cottage cheese and fresh fruit slices -Whole grain bagel with almond butter, mashed avocado, or cream cheese -Crackers with nut/seed butter or cheese -Hard-boiled egg with crackers or... read more
Optimizing comfort during labor and birth can be achieved in many different ways: Environment: -- dim lights -- peaceful surroundings -- privacy -- music -- familiar objects Physical: -- walking -- pelvic rocking -- positioning pillows for comfort -- slow dancing with partner -- sitting on birth ball and swaying -- lifting up the abdomen -- "rebozo" sifting -- support from birth partner(s) Touch: -- massage -- stroking -- cuddling -- counterpressure against lower back -- acupressure Heat: -- deep tub bath -- shower -- heated rice... read more
Aqua Baby: Birthing at Home Following the wonderful advice of a friend, I went to visit a midwife for my pregnancy. Her office walls were covered with a multitude of photos of babies she'd helped to deliver. I knew I had made the right choice. Feature Articles Candles Not Required I am not the product of hippie parents and I don't consider myself righteous. Yet my child was born at home. Intentionally. Preparing the House for... read more
By Megan Leary Out of all of my hippie ways, I surprisingly get the fewest inquiries as to why I decided to birth from home. My theory is that people have already decided that homebirth is a bad thing and do not want to broach the topic in order to avoid awkwardness. However, if you are one of these people I want you, most of all, to ask me about my decision. If you have a hard time understanding why a mother might choose to homebirth, it is likely you are drawing conclusions about birthing at home from assumptions that are simply not true. The most... read more
Mothering staffers gathered yesterday for a baby shower for Simone Snyder (who among other crucial things manages ad traffic for us), due in a couple of weeks. We’ll be posting a slide show of the shower on Mothering.com soon, but in the meantime, that’s us in Marketing Director Elizabeth Carovillano’s back yard. Left to right, back row: Jennifer Bartlit, Lally McMahon, Simone Snyder, Peggy O’Mara, Kristina Morris-Heredia. Kneeling: Elizabeth Carovillano, Melyssa Holik, me. Tags: baby shower, elizabeth carovillano,... read more
