In Sidney, Montana: seeking open-minded, open-hearted natural family mamas, gentle birth...

[CynthiaJD]

Hi, My name is Cynthia, and I'm looking for local attachment parenting mamas, advocates and activists for gentle birth, doulas, and midwives to connect with and befriend in Sidney, Montana (it's NE Montana on the North Dakota border). Anybody out there?

I'd like to meet you and receive encouragement that I'm not alone as a progressive, gentle, spirited, loving, educated, subversive mama (and doula) who is conscientiously raising our daughter and who wants our second baby's birth to be as ecstatic and peaceful as our first's! (I'm not even pregnant again yet, but I've begun searching the landscape out here for local, homebirth midwives, or any alternative to the high-intervention local hospital that has only three male OB's, and it's not pretty!). So if you have any ideas, resources, or ways to connect, I'd love to hear them. Even if you live far from Montana but know of birth advocacy groups or midwife support groups I could join in one way or another, I'd appreciate that too.

My family (my husband, myself, and our delightfully spirited 22 month old daughter) recently moved here from beautiful, progressive Bozeman, MT for my husband's job. I confess that although we are making some connections in Sidney and trying to make the best of it here, I can get lonely and feel isolated in this small, conservative, friendly prairie town, 400 miles away from our welcoming church, midwife, doula friends, etc. who are back in Bozeman, and even further away from my family in the Seattle area. With the cold temps., lingering snow, gray sky, and the fact that my two new friends have to stay away to take care of their sick kids, I got really lonely today.

It was a triumph for me to finally get certified as the first DONA-certified postpartum doula in Montana earlier this spring and to begin working part-time with our wonderful midwife and her clients in Bozeman. It was a joy to companion new parents as they welcomed, nurtured, and got to know their new babies. And then we moved. Once we get settled and I get my equilibrium back, and I find part-time child care for a few hours a week, I'd like to get out there as a doula again and introduce this town to a new model of loving postpartum support.

Very few people here have any idea what a postpartum doula is (or even a birth doula), and it seems to be unquestioned that birth will be done in the hospital as it's always been done. I'd love to learn about an alternative birth and parenting community here, and what your resources are.

Although I've been a Mothering magazine subscriber for almost five years, I finally decided it's time for me to reach out online because I need some support. Thanks and blessings, and I hope I get this posted in the right way (since it's my first time) so I can hear back from you.

[elanorh]

Hi!

Welcome to Mothering (MDC)! 

You may want to double-post this onto the "Finding Your Tribe" board for the MT area - you may find a mom near you that way too.  I'm in WY but my family has been in MT since the 1860's. 

It took me a long time to meet some like-minded moms here where I live - I found a great friend via MDC, and then have happened upon a few other great moms too.  But they're out there!!  Even in Sidney.  :)  I'm sure of it. 

Here's a link to the MT section of the "Finding Your Tribe" area here:

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/list/90

And, in the interim, go through the other forums - the ones I post in most often are

Lactivism

Birth & Beyond

Books, Music, and other Media (great book/music etc. discussions there)

Arts & Crafts

Talk Amongst Yourselves - random conversations about all sorts of things, a good way to get to know other MDC moms.

But there's a forum for almost anything here, and the community here is great when you're working on building your own community support where you are.  :)  

Welcome, again, to MDC - from another Western Mothering mama!  (I was in Bozeman from '98-01 as a hall director at MSU too, it's a great place to live!) 

[CynthiaJD]

Thanks so much for writing back--it was exciting and a real lift for my spirit this morning to see that someone had replied to my post about yearning for mama and birth support in Sidney, MT. I took your advice and posted to the Finding Your Tribe thread; thrilled to know there is a forum for us to meet in the Mountain West. I'll be back to it often! Blessings, Cynthia

[FrugalGranolaMom]

Welcome!

You will find a lot of encouragement and support here at MDC and I'm sure you will have plenty to offer as well!

[proudmomof4]

Hello and welcome to MDC!

[Irishmommy]

Welcome to Mothering!

[Kidzaplenty]

Welcome to MDC!

[mare7979]

Hi there!  I just wandered upon your post while surfing around for birthing options in the Sidney area for my sister.  She moved to Sidney last fall, and is due with her first baby in January.  I know she is feeling a little isolated out there, and has been looking around for other birth choices and supports.  I'm a huge proponent of natural childbirth and attachment parenting, and I want her to be able to have the options to get the support and care she needs during this important and special time.  Are you still in the area? Any resources or support you could throw her way?  Much appreciated! 

[CynthiaJD]

Hi, yes, it's Cynthia writing back, and I'm still in Sidney. I would love to meet your sister who is looking for natural birth options here in Sidney. I've been on the hunt for that too; not pregnant yet but trying to conceive. Your sister can email me privately if she wants so we can connect.

You should check out the discussion thread that I started (with this same email/title) in the "Finding Your Tribe" section (32 posts total). It's been a really great source of hope and a few resources. Through that discussion thread, I've connected with two new birth doulas who live in Williston, ND (45 miles away), as well as two midwives who are willing to travel to eastern MT. Well, actually, Ollie Hamilton from Great Falls is willing to travel and stay at your house before the home birth (or in her trailer), and Pat Schwaiger (sp?) from Billings might be willing to come out this way (but she has more clients than Ollie) and recommends Ollie for those of us way out here. Both are very experienced and sound wonderful.

I'm curious about the new female OB coming to Sidney Health Center in August; I don't want her for the birth, but might need her for some prenatal care. We'll have to see how that would work out if I walk into an OB's office and say that I have a traveling home birth midwife all lined up, and I only want caring, evidence-based care and just a few basic tests and one 20 week ultrasound!

Blessings,

Cynthia