Posts by jakesask

I'd recommend readings credits, for sure, in terms of coursework. Depending on how laid-back (and sympathetic) your advisor is, you can get away with doing virtually nothing for a readings class. Of course, it depends entirely on the...

I think doulas exist to help women who want/need their help. You not wanting a doula doesn't mean that there aren't still lots of women who DO want doulas, and it doesn't mean that you don't believe in the value of your own services. ...

If you feel comfortable doing so, ask your doctor what usually happens when someone refuses this stuff. I know that where I am you just say NO and they give you a dirty look and make you sign a waiver form and that's that. Check out...

I think I'd use the misspelling as an excuse to email everyone -- I'm obsessive about names being spelled correctly and no one would be surprised to see me sending out a correction! -- and I'd just throw in that the birth was peaceful...

I find it disturbing . . . adding some sort of weird commercialization element to the birth process. I just want the baby -- NOW -- before anyone does anything to him or her.

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No, it's certainly not wrong to want to be alone. There's even evidence that being alone is conducive to the best and most efficient kind of labor, because you aren't distracted and your hormones (especially adrenalin and oxytocin)...

You could make the argument, Michel Odent-style, that having people around you during labor raises your adrenalin levels and suppresses your oxytocin levels, and leads to a less efficient and less successful labor. It wouldn't be...

It might just be that it's a touch early to pick it up. My midwife never used her pinard horn until 24 weeks. I let her check me once with the doppler before that -- at 20 weeks. At 20 weeks she said she probably wouldn't be able to...

I think I say things like that when I'm not comfortable saying what I really want to say, or I feel bad about asking for help, or I'm trying to get out of doing something I should do. I'd rather let the listener figure it out, and...