In January, I started hosting monthly potlucks at my home. The last Friday of each month, from 11 to 2pm, about 15 to 20 women gather with their children.
I did this for two reasons: to help build community in my relatively conservative city and to visit with families that have officially left my care after birth.
Those who know me well realize that I'm quite an introvert. Unlike my girlfriend, I do not draw energy and strength from being around others...in fact, the reverse is likely to happen with me. I nurture myself by staying in my home: cleaning, crafting, reading, napping.
So when this introvert plans something like this, it is hard. I don't look forward to the potlucks. I look forward to seeing the women, of course! I look forward to meeting new women and families! These go without saying.
It's just the cleaning and opening of my home for such an event is tiresome. I don't get to visit with clients one on one well, my attention is scattered. I find it difficult.
Why do it at all, you ask?
Really, it is for bringing women together - but there are other avenues that likeminded women can pursue in my community (there is an awesome email group that could get together in person for small playdates). I suppose I feel it is my responsibility somehow to make all this come together. But it's not. Not my responsibility at all.
I used to do group prenatals, which was awesome. I love group prenatals because they offer a chance for women to see in person other women that are planning homebirths. They provide an intimate setting for women to ask questions, process their concerns, or share their wisdom with other mothers. Once a month, we'd get about 6-8 women together for these group prenatals. We'd have a topic or two of discussion (cloth diapering, babywearing, placenta wisdom, waterbirth, etc) and then pair two women up together. These women would learn to palpate another woman's belly, measure the fundal height, listen to their babies.
I really like group prenatals.
My issue with doing them now is my office space is small. The best time to do them is on the weekend so that children may be easily looked after while their moms attend the group prenatal alone. I usually do prenatal appointments on Saturdays and I find that I would need to use thge upstairs (my house) for these group gatherings. But that would mean kicking my girlfriend and our three girls out of the house for two to three hours. I suppose I could only do four clients at a time in the office I have, rather than twice as many like we used to do. Perhaps get women with similar due dates?
For some reason the group prenatals didn't seem as daunting as the monthly potlucks. Perhaps it was because there weren't kids around, the energy was more private and supportive and the information I learned about my clients was valuable.
Anyway, I'm just writing all this out because I can't seem to decide where I'm headed. I'd love to do monthly talks on a topic for couples to attend. I like the idea of a more quarterly of half yearly potluck (maybe one in the summer at a park?) and group prenatals. But where to have them? Evenings seem to be an option - but not always a good time for sitting and talking for a couple hours.
Ideas? Am I being crazy?
I did this for two reasons: to help build community in my relatively conservative city and to visit with families that have officially left my care after birth.
Those who know me well realize that I'm quite an introvert. Unlike my girlfriend, I do not draw energy and strength from being around others...in fact, the reverse is likely to happen with me. I nurture myself by staying in my home: cleaning, crafting, reading, napping.
So when this introvert plans something like this, it is hard. I don't look forward to the potlucks. I look forward to seeing the women, of course! I look forward to meeting new women and families! These go without saying.
It's just the cleaning and opening of my home for such an event is tiresome. I don't get to visit with clients one on one well, my attention is scattered. I find it difficult.
Why do it at all, you ask?
Really, it is for bringing women together - but there are other avenues that likeminded women can pursue in my community (there is an awesome email group that could get together in person for small playdates). I suppose I feel it is my responsibility somehow to make all this come together. But it's not. Not my responsibility at all.
I used to do group prenatals, which was awesome. I love group prenatals because they offer a chance for women to see in person other women that are planning homebirths. They provide an intimate setting for women to ask questions, process their concerns, or share their wisdom with other mothers. Once a month, we'd get about 6-8 women together for these group prenatals. We'd have a topic or two of discussion (cloth diapering, babywearing, placenta wisdom, waterbirth, etc) and then pair two women up together. These women would learn to palpate another woman's belly, measure the fundal height, listen to their babies.
I really like group prenatals.
My issue with doing them now is my office space is small. The best time to do them is on the weekend so that children may be easily looked after while their moms attend the group prenatal alone. I usually do prenatal appointments on Saturdays and I find that I would need to use thge upstairs (my house) for these group gatherings. But that would mean kicking my girlfriend and our three girls out of the house for two to three hours. I suppose I could only do four clients at a time in the office I have, rather than twice as many like we used to do. Perhaps get women with similar due dates?
For some reason the group prenatals didn't seem as daunting as the monthly potlucks. Perhaps it was because there weren't kids around, the energy was more private and supportive and the information I learned about my clients was valuable.
Anyway, I'm just writing all this out because I can't seem to decide where I'm headed. I'd love to do monthly talks on a topic for couples to attend. I like the idea of a more quarterly of half yearly potluck (maybe one in the summer at a park?) and group prenatals. But where to have them? Evenings seem to be an option - but not always a good time for sitting and talking for a couple hours.
Ideas? Am I being crazy?
:
It's so wonderful that you're willing to do it, because you want it done, but if it's draining you, you aren't going to be able to keep it up, and that isn't going to help anyone.
