tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13225941557004190462024-02-20T08:30:05.940-07:00Birth~A Fusion of Birth Stories, Tidbits for Doulas, Expectant Parent Resources and Writings about the Strength and Miracle of Women~Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-50905489660933110512010-05-28T23:12:00.002-06:002010-05-28T23:18:50.915-06:00A Beautiful Birth Story from Kim<div class="entry"> <div class="snap_preview"><div> <div><strong>Ellie Michelle’s Birth Day<br /><br /></strong></div> <div>Monday, Nov. 30th at 10:30 p.m.</div> <div>After almost a week of practice pressure waves that were keeping me up at night, things started getting a little more intense. My pressure waves were 4-5 minutes apart and lasted close to a minute long. I got through them on my own for a couple hours, using the relaxation techniques (“Peace,” “Relax,” my special place and deep breathing) I learned in my Hypnobabies classes until I felt like I needed a little extra help. I woke Clay (my husband) up around midnight and he applied pressure to my back and talked me through the pressure waves, using relax cues and reminding me to feel only pressure and use my natural anasthesia. I took a bath and listened to my Hypnobabies recordings (Birthing Day Affirmations and Visualize Your Birth) to stay positive and pain-free.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>3 a.m.</div> <div>We decided it was time to call my doula, Melissa Chappell. She helped me through each pressure wave by applying pressure to just the right spot on my back, sometimes on my hips, and by helping me try lots of different positions to ease the intensity of each pressure wave. She brought her essential oils (lavender, orange and lemon) and put them in my candle warmer to permeate the air with their calming/energizing smells. I was already very tired at this point from not sleeping much the past week, so I tried to take a little nap … I wasn’t really able to take a real nap, but I did doze off for the few minutes in between pressure waves. When the sun came up, I put on my upbeat music mix. Melissa recommended making a few different playlists for my labor day, so I made 4: upbeat, calm, Christmas and church. Studies have shown that women who listen to music during their birthing time report feeling less pain, so I highly recommend making playlists! Melissa made Clay and I some omelets and fruit salad for breakfast, (I also highly recommend doulas, obviously!) then we went on a walk. It was such a beautiful day outside so it was perfect. Perfect, but pretty hilarious for the standers-by to see a bundled up, exhausted pregnant lady randomly collapse into her husband’s arms every few minutes while another lady pressed on her back. We sure got some funny looks, but I didn’t really care at this point! The walk actually made my pressure waves a little easier for some reason. After a smoothie (thanks, Melissa), more pressure waves in different positions like on my birthing ball, (by far most effective for me) side-lying, etc. I felt that the pressure waves were getting more and more intense. At 6 p.m., after 19 and 1/2 hours of pressure waves at home, we all thought it was time to go to the hospital.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>I got checked in an American Fork Hospital triage room. I was completely effaced and dilated at a 3+, but they wouldn’t admit me until I was a solid 4. We decided to walk the halls of the hospital for two hours and get checked again. Still a 3+. The midwife gave us 3 options: go home, hang out in the triage room until I could be admitted, or take a shot of morphene so I could get some sleep. But the problem with the morphene, she said, was that it may or may not work for me. It could work for 20 minutes, or up to 6 hours. Everyone left to give us privacy to think our options over. I’m not going to lie — it was really a moment of despair for Clay and I. We did not want to go home. Not because we were too anxious for Ellie to come — we knew she was already on her way. The desperation was that I was completely exhausted physically and emotionally. I really didn’t know if I could continue. The tears came. My sweet husband, who told me later how worried he was about me despite the reassuring smile on his face, asked me what I wanted to do. Then, he said one of the most heartfelt, pleading prayers I have ever heard.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>Then I told him I wanted that morphene.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>And it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Of all possible answers to the prayers in my life, I never thought a shot of MORPHENE in the bum would be one of them — but it sure was. My doula was really happy I decided to take it because she knew how exhausted I was and wasn’t sure if I could have the birth I wanted without getting at least a little bit of a break. The morphene started working immediately. Maybe since I never take medicine, it is incredibly effective when I do! We decided to go to my mom’s house in Draper because her beds are so comfortable. When we got there, Clay basically carried me to the bed and I zonked out for four hours. It was a-maze-ing. When it wore off, I woke up at 2:30 a.m. and the pressure waves picked right up where they left off. I called for Clay and he sent in Melanie, a doula-in-training/angel from heaven who came to help while Melissa went home and rested. Melanie was incredible. So sweet and motherly. She helped me through the pressure waves for a couple of hours and Melissa came back. I stayed at home until 8:30 a.m.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>When I started feeling slight urges to push during pressure waves, we thought it would be a good idea to head to the hospital again, crossing our fingers that I was far enough along this time.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>When we got to the triage room, I heard some serious screaming and moaning. I tried to convince myself it was just a fussy kid that just <em>sounded</em> like a woman in labor. Then the nurse said, “Oh, that lady is doing an unmedicated birth – thus the screams!” It was kind of funny. I hoped I wouldn’t be screaming like that! When the nurse checked me, I was dilated 8 centimeters – I was SO happy. I was admitted to a room, got into the tub, and things moved really quickly. I was at a 9.5 then a 10 in under 2 hours. I was surprised at how little I cared about privacy at this point. The only thing I cared about was remaining calm during my pressure waves and getting my baby out! I was also pleasantly surprised that even though I was fully dilated, the pressure waves didn’t seem much (if at all) more intense than the ones I had been feeling for the past several hours. I’ll credit Hypnobabies for that one! The pushing urges started getting stronger, so I went to the bed and got into a side-lying position, had Clay turn on my “church music” playlist and I started seriously pushing. I was excited to be at the pushing stage because I knew I was so close to the end and would meet our baby girl so soon. It was nice to get kind of a break from contractions and do something “more productive.” I compare the pushing to when you are violently ill with the stomach flu and your whole body tenses up as you can’t help but throw up. I didn’t feel any nausea or anything … but the urge to push was really strong and draining. The midwife didn’t do any coaching — she just let me push when I felt like I wanted to – I felt like I was in control of my birthing experience, which I loved. The staff kept commenting on how amazed they were that I was about to have a baby because I was so calm and relaxed during pressure waves. I always hoped (and more importantly – visualized) that would be the response I’d get.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>The midwife asked me if I wanted her to break my water. I asked what the risks/benefits were and she said there wasn’t much risk at this point and it would just speed things up. But I remembered seeing the hook they use to break water in my Hypnobabies class – it looks like an extra long knitting needle. Having my water broken did not sound very comfortable, and I already had enough discomfort, so as much as I wanted my baby out, I didn’t want to have my water broken. Before I had a chance to answer my midwife, another pushing urge came and my water broke like a balloon. Nice timing, huh? Everyone said they <em>heard</em> it! I just felt it.</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>The church music wasn’t doing it for me, so I had Clay put on my upbeat mix. I was just pushing along when everyone excitedly said they could see Ellie’s head. My mom said, “She has dark curly hair just like you had!” That little sneak peek gave me some extra motivation to push. I got her head out, and then the rest of her body slipped out like a jellyfish – all to the tune of Weezer’s “Island in the Sun.” I was later told that I pushed for 40 minutes, but it really only felt like 10 or 15. In fact, my entire labor – although it was 36 hours, did not feel that long. Thanks again, Hypnobabies!</div> <div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div> <div>My midwife handed Ellie to me right away and I said “I did it!” I felt SO relieved. And ecstatic — both that Ellie was here and that I actually made it through the undmedicated childbirth I had wanted so badly. I did tear a little and bleed a lot, so there were stitches and shots to be reckoned with, but they didn’t phase me much because I felt like I could do anything at that point. I was completely awake and energized the entire day. My Hypnobabies course did wonders for me. It helped me turn my fears and doubts into confidence and preparation long before my birthing time began. It taught me how to effectively relax and only feel pressure through all of my pressure waves. It helped my husband be an incredible, calm support to me throughout the entire birthing process. It helped me visualize and create the kind of birth I wanted to badly. Unmedicated childbirth is not as crazy or as impossible as people sometimes make it sound. Women are much stronger than they give themselves credit for — definitely when it comes to giving birth. Anyone who <strong>wants</strong> to have an unmedicated chilbirth and <strong>prepares</strong> for it can do it and even have a good experience — no doubt about it.</div> </div> </div> </div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-53332544236445224622010-02-12T21:15:00.005-07:002010-02-12T21:25:50.221-07:00Highlights From My Last Doula Training<span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Check these girls out. They had a great time. It was another wonderful doula training with lots of tears and laughter and joy. Please join us for the next one on June 3-5, 2010. You'd be a great doula!</span></span></span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbyzwXoYV8LIRPYvukS7V9XZvDD_3omeSXwV7nevSZtPLe9abuGPRnrtdTnRh6Gs4IxTCD9eTuf_66jT8WkQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-73954785640335476152010-01-17T18:30:00.008-07:002010-01-17T18:40:47.520-07:00A Birth Story from Cassie and Jake<object width="299" height="224"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8639759&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=1&color=ff0179&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8639759&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=1&color=ff0179&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="299" height="224"></embed></object>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-14600280018068968812009-12-04T13:20:00.023-07:002009-12-04T23:38:42.497-07:00A Handful of the Babes Whose Mommies I've Worked With<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmO0oIU_pAb30ct_nYIP0-i86vZB3JMdv4y-VaCRUkhLXAIrzXuBAID0dHLV5JvuvF5Mnhy5zSLB_xT2a4ndQ6Ljnv8IONExkwkl7C5vaob79xIy1MJfVZ5u2CrRz9KvldYlkGYKvH07w/s1600-h/IMG_1031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; 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float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZZC6A-DNWWG4GTf43Dzf3Bx_8vJOrDw0bjNAeadfD1UXjxRGEAofln53x5cRhph_lnnkY1AitYmgKHaGIsO3RRAi5YoPt8Z8IhGuie8TBwrd3Ib4hI-n0NbgFNGbvIxBXsisMQLivSc/s200/photo(42)-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411510253761933986" border="0" /></a>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-78462889529309714372009-09-11T21:14:00.007-06:002009-09-21T22:45:09.630-06:00Easier Labor and Birth? Yes!<span style="font-family:georgia;color:#3333ff;">When I tell people what I do, some people still say, "You're a what?" But when I started, 14 years ago, almost no one knew what a doula was. In the years since, pregnancy magazines, birth books, blogs and doctors offices have touted doulas as the greatest new help for laboring mamas.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#3333ff;">Birth doulas accompany women and their partners in labor, providing emotional support and physical comfort. They facilitate communication with caregivers to keep clients fully informed, provide reassurance and perspective and help with pain management, relaxation, positioning and other labor support techniques.<br /><br />The word doula comes from the Greek word meaning "a woman who serves." Studies have shown that a doula’s presence at births results in shorter labors with less complications, fewer requests for pain medications and/or epidurals and a reduction in labor-enhancing drugs (Pitocin), forceps, vacuum extraction and cesareans. Doula care has also been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of postpartum depression.<br /><br />I started on the path of childbirth professional in 1994 when I had my first baby. I had a very difficult yet empowering and ultimately very good experience because I had been so well educated by an amazing childbirth educator. Soon after, I myself became certified as a childbirth educator. I was thrilled to be working with pregnant women and two years later became a certified doula. I've since worked with hundreds of pregnant and birthing women and their partners. In 2002 I became an approved doula trainer with DONA International, and have been privileged to train many, many women in the art of "doula-ing."<br /><br />As a doula, I typically do a prenatal visit with my client one to two months before her due date. Here we discuss what kind of birth she wants, what comfort measures she likes, how involved her partner wants to be and how I can facilitate that role, and many other things. I attend the entire labor and birth, beginning when she needs me, applying the tools and techniques mentioned above, and stay one to two hours postpartum to make sure she's comfortable and that breastfeeding is going well.<br /><br />I always do free consultations so you can meet me, ask me questions, and decide if I'm the right fit for you. Please contact me if you're interested in a consultation or if you have any questions.<br /><br />Blessings in Birth!<br /></span><a href="mailto:melissa@rawmelissa.com"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#3333ff;">melissa@rawmelissa.com</span></a>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-83852247689772917742009-07-27T11:14:00.002-06:002009-07-27T11:17:24.736-06:00Speaking at the Mom's Who Make It ConferenceI got to speak at the Mom's Who Make It Conference the other day. It was WONDERFUL! If you're a mama, or a woman, you need to come next year. Check it out. It made the news, and although they didn't do it justice, you'll get an idea of what it was all about.<br /><br />Peace and love, M<br /><br /><p style="margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; outline: 0;" id="kslvid7279093"></p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pandora.bonnint.net/video/embed-p.php?id=7279093"></script><p style="margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; outline: 0; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: .75em; text-align: center; width: 424px;">Video Courtesy of <a href="http://www.ksl.com">KSL.com</a></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-67929082892846159622009-06-25T20:51:00.005-06:002009-06-25T21:07:33.414-06:00Moms Who Make It Conference<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1UsdN-5MQ0rpWXoL5dEmQFv_DOgFe5-jzb2exHlOCifTSUj-yEC-mGS2Yp2vFNtvCVrMann8vwsiogQ6CaZ5sFkVOFp7fdo8sren2lnijURlbW4kv58dOm3n2GaM6ehlpigPttisK1w/s1600-h/MWMIspeakerbutton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1UsdN-5MQ0rpWXoL5dEmQFv_DOgFe5-jzb2exHlOCifTSUj-yEC-mGS2Yp2vFNtvCVrMann8vwsiogQ6CaZ5sFkVOFp7fdo8sren2lnijURlbW4kv58dOm3n2GaM6ehlpigPttisK1w/s400/MWMIspeakerbutton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351467229059361170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255); font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >Speaking of women, you all need to go this </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);" href="http://www.momswhomakeit.com/">conference</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255); font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >. It is bound to be one of the </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);" href="http://www.momswhomakeit.com/">best conferences for women this year!</a> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255); font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >There will be several women speakers who have continued to be creative and stay true to themselves, despite the sometimes difficult years of selflessness that women give.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255); font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >Are you tired? Are you feeling uninspired? Do you want to be around other women who understand those feelings? Need a day to feel INSPIRED and REJUVENATED? Come join us!</span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-590989995442834712009-06-12T20:54:00.021-06:002009-06-12T22:28:16.971-06:00Pics from the latest Amazing Doula Training!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5HVGE8dASukXacw97szd73sjWNIHHFLqTp23OgxfowO6VJt2yun6vzrm-j999n6BNjx4jQx1oxErMSMJBDboaY9NvYT5_p346xJtu-naYzhziaHH44fISRvSmyxSI8pU8hdiO8O5igc/s1600-h/IMG_0648.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5HVGE8dASukXacw97szd73sjWNIHHFLqTp23OgxfowO6VJt2yun6vzrm-j999n6BNjx4jQx1oxErMSMJBDboaY9NvYT5_p346xJtu-naYzhziaHH44fISRvSmyxSI8pU8hdiO8O5igc/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346654835892435442" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo5epS0ghcmUUIGAHMyUqOGZ_IjdKTaudQBxItTYXU4OHVnlybpHeSot5w8Yl-XhKGxiTF-VsiuklSDZRtyDIXqUA9EgHR9vHrg0BX_md38MvbGOFyxcWiZaUyYjto4PmZRDxNrF3Byc/s1600-h/IMG_0641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo5epS0ghcmUUIGAHMyUqOGZ_IjdKTaudQBxItTYXU4OHVnlybpHeSot5w8Yl-XhKGxiTF-VsiuklSDZRtyDIXqUA9EgHR9vHrg0BX_md38MvbGOFyxcWiZaUyYjto4PmZRDxNrF3Byc/s200/IMG_0641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346655064002298594" border="0" /></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0HtdylbPwmdzk798m15JweAguEkxkhNIv6eccD-Mrf4a6872tWCJkWV8AFmawN5cKQqlv_CE7QRy61ZXuVpXjFJSe8iAifD9l8KX8CPMSqtTLKyG3GNPZ_TfkR2OKQpmKUCpX9nhe6E/s1600-h/IMG_0658.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0HtdylbPwmdzk798m15JweAguEkxkhNIv6eccD-Mrf4a6872tWCJkWV8AFmawN5cKQqlv_CE7QRy61ZXuVpXjFJSe8iAifD9l8KX8CPMSqtTLKyG3GNPZ_TfkR2OKQpmKUCpX9nhe6E/s200/IMG_0658.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346655607979160738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GgBLUR7x7y8XTY7RhBJGbAg3COt7MZjVIu1b2AlNfQrc8-jrSHlxTkX3nCcVGjCiLyTSX6H61GXkB6wV9jCh8xnTZsGDTukzY4x5OQk8cYDky21V7GuV7QnLjz58NR60Imd2OY8Lnpg/s1600-h/IMG_0654.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GgBLUR7x7y8XTY7RhBJGbAg3COt7MZjVIu1b2AlNfQrc8-jrSHlxTkX3nCcVGjCiLyTSX6H61GXkB6wV9jCh8xnTZsGDTukzY4x5OQk8cYDky21V7GuV7QnLjz58NR60Imd2OY8Lnpg/s200/IMG_0654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346655445560210802" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Here are</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > so</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >me pictures from the </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Dou</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >la Trai</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >ning Workshop I taught last week. It </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >was a great group of women</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >, (as usual) but I have to say that these ladies were hilariously punchy at the end of the training - a little more than the </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >other groups I've had. It was as if we were coming to the </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >end of a three-day sleepover and the last two hours of </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >he train</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >ing, the gigg</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >les, and the teary goodbye</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >s, just wouldn't </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >st</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >op. It was beautiful! Everyone</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > of us we</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >re j</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >us</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >t being wo</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >men, being who w</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >e are, feeling safe and loved. Hope you can join us for our next </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >training in November!<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT75Uv8i6WA80jDModJ0wivAtQaHKNFDDsZzvIFYwOs9cFs6mXzLKhcBbcNc26gMJTENt89-fEU5Ovj_wtp-1vS6mdDkf_mZKnQR-gSe4stXP_T4oRvgXYm-IE2gZA5JLvtAscX724oQ/s1600-h/IMG_0645.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT75Uv8i6WA80jDModJ0wivAtQaHKNFDDsZzvIFYwOs9cFs6mXzLKhcBbcNc26gMJTENt89-fEU5Ovj_wtp-1vS6mdDkf_mZKnQR-gSe4stXP_T4oRvgXYm-IE2gZA5JLvtAscX724oQ/s200/IMG_0645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346663761493423762" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZQW9FCnxIjXPkHpkxczlxttYn8dEv175LZ7g7ZhYvshs9OIT25FGq2pLQphgMd66-CkLg8vP4SG6_vunV7NNOJgIcoOOlV1QNLyqZItyZJdLF5Ev-ynAUSGZGD0KxICTr-VHTrl2jbQ/s1600-h/IMG_0661.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZQW9FCnxIjXPkHpkxczlxttYn8dEv175LZ7g7ZhYvshs9OIT25FGq2pLQphgMd66-CkLg8vP4SG6_vunV7NNOJgIcoOOlV1QNLyqZItyZJdLF5Ev-ynAUSGZGD0KxICTr-VHTrl2jbQ/s400/IMG_0661.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346655741342832082" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >This gorgeous black and white photo is of a</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >ll my ladies except one (see her at the top) giving the V sign, not for Victory, not for Peace, but for Vagina! Own it girls!</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-64187382002990761742009-05-06T21:57:00.003-06:002009-05-06T22:01:24.540-06:00World Art Dedicated to Mothers Lost in Childbirth<a href="http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/exhibit/default.cfm"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:130%;" >http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/exhibit/default.cfm</span></a>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-62768949008283718262009-04-10T14:30:00.009-06:002009-05-01T10:39:15.362-06:00Another Beautiful Birth Story<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I've been acquainted with Alicia for about two years. I first met her at a </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://startupprincess.com/wordpress/">Start Up Princess</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > Women in Business Meeting where I was on a panel of speakers. Being the secret networker that I am, I had brought a DONA International Doula bag with me to carry all of my handouts and biz cards and folders and such. It was a good thing, too, because Alicia spotted it from across the conference room and made a beeline to me. She told me that she had wanted to be a doula and was looking for a training. I said, "Well guess what? I'm a trainer and I have a training coming up next month!" She verbally signed up on the spot and a month later spent three intensive days with me and several other women in a training, learing to be a doula.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I generally stayed in contact with her, but more in the relationship of post trainee/trainer than friends, although I had really connected with her at the training. A couple months ago, I got a text from her asking if I was available to be her doula in March. I texted her right back and said, "OF COURSE!!"</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I met with her soon after and it turns out that she had sought out four other doulas because she thought I would be booked, but in the end, they had each not been able to take her for various reasons. She finally took a stab at me and guess what? It was surely meant to be because it all worked out perfectly.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia has written her own story out </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://hopefulsurrogatemom.blogspot.com/2009/04/archers-birthday-story.html">here</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > so I won't write out the whole thing again in this post. But there are a couple of things I want to highlight:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia had expected that labor would be challenging because she had had two babies already and knew the drill, but she didn't e</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aXCe2evRRNjZbQkW8L63Ilhe-t7knC41edsd03nKfgTEhIF0Y5oQb_J0RIyFpZfKr2ExsG6Is4j5sp1M508I_ZkinYURGyFWds08wGE0AM72pewSo5dxfWdTXjKliUnG9Ar-8ZAOoOM/s1600-h/Archer+049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aXCe2evRRNjZbQkW8L63Ilhe-t7knC41edsd03nKfgTEhIF0Y5oQb_J0RIyFpZfKr2ExsG6Is4j5sp1M508I_ZkinYURGyFWds08wGE0AM72pewSo5dxfWdTXjKliUnG9Ar-8ZAOoOM/s320/Archer+049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323163481158019826" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >xpect that she would suffer. This enabled her to have fun, to ride right over the top of her contractions and to ultimately trust her body.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia chose to give birth at a birthing suite (see the gorgeous facility in the pictures beneath) with a midwife that she trusted to be competent and capable.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia knew instinctually and intellectual that being active in her birth, moving around, walking and using different positions, are the ingredients for a timely and manageable labor.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia knew what people she would need around her to help her carry out her desired experience, and made sure to get that team in place long before labor even started.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia chose to percieve labor and birth as challenging, not sufferable; positive, not negative; normal, not pathological. She chose to see labor as a sign of health. If her body could get pregnant with a baby, carry it to term and then go into labor, she was and is a healthy and strong person and the contractions were a sign of that. Surely if she could create this intensity, she could manage this intensity.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgswz9OjEOEkPMfu3sZTKUaVZYUwd8p1vhIz09VngvCUY3nxPFhyphenhyphenZrrqB0b0TIKguQqUOjovs__NdWdh2xqgcobVcEbSdkqCFbF5Tn8bn_yoxoXBwAP-i6_tJWrquEaBIgpYSbqN59DjQ/s1600-h/Archer+046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgswz9OjEOEkPMfu3sZTKUaVZYUwd8p1vhIz09VngvCUY3nxPFhyphenhyphenZrrqB0b0TIKguQqUOjovs__NdWdh2xqgcobVcEbSdkqCFbF5Tn8bn_yoxoXBwAP-i6_tJWrquEaBIgpYSbqN59DjQ/s320/Archer+046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323163580117308610" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Some less serious points:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia's adorable midwife, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://www.greatexpectationsbc.com/">Rebecca</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >, made us cinnamon rolls and popcorn throughout the labor. It was a real treat that kept Alicia happy and upbeat.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >At one point, I gave Alicia a pedicure and painted her toenails. I think she was about 5 or 6 centimeters in the picture below. Yes, that is active labor. She stopped to breath and relax during each contraction and then afterward, went on smiling between each, all the way until the end.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Alicia and I have finally realized that we are meant to be good friends forever. We've talked about working together and see each other often and I will forever be grateful to her for making me a part of her birth team and her life.</span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-27917850181186245892009-03-26T23:09:00.009-06:002009-04-10T14:29:49.506-06:00Birth Movie Screening Event<span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">So, guess what? You know how I wanted to try to do a screening of Orgasmic Birth? Well, not only did I secure <a href="http://www.orgasmicbirth.com/">Orgasmic Birth</a> for a screening, but I also secured the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6569030">movie's producer</a> AND we'll also be screening <a href="http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/">The Business of Being Born</a> and <a href="http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/">Pregnant in America!</a> It's sure to be an amazing event. We haven't even started putting out the official advertisement yet and we're already getting inquiries! I hope, hope, hope that you can join us for this extraordinary day! Below is the information. I'll update the blog with new information as the event gets closer. (The flier is hard to read here, see text beneath it)<br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/User/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/User/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/User/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VTU3DS5_1jJpZ2ylL8dEGBukukIa_0Dj263OT0Rs4_VA278MACivrdnLClHW62B4hFYvPPdwavFP_0j9MnX5V6RYCVEP0Dh6UNuFoT8T8iqxKkmW6uP8dPpSXgQa7cgoTnoa-u8Wu6E/s1600-h/postcard+proof-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VTU3DS5_1jJpZ2ylL8dEGBukukIa_0Dj263OT0Rs4_VA278MACivrdnLClHW62B4hFYvPPdwavFP_0j9MnX5V6RYCVEP0Dh6UNuFoT8T8iqxKkmW6uP8dPpSXgQa7cgoTnoa-u8Wu6E/s400/postcard+proof-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317742797575462226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">All registrants are entered in drawings to win free<br />DVD's, Books, and Chocolate from Raw Melissa</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">!!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Details in a nutshell:</span><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Date: June 13, 2009</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Location: Towne Cinema Theaters in American Fork, UT</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Cost: $25</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >What: Screening of Orgasmic Birth, Pregnant in America, The Business of Being Born, Special Guest Speaker, Debra Pascali-Bonaro</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Email: moviescreening@rawmelissa.com if you have questions<br /><br />Email us if you would like to have postcards mailed to you to hand out.<br /></span></span></span></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-15602767655817244842009-03-25T21:13:00.008-06:002009-03-25T23:02:36.243-06:00What are we Teaching Our Daughters?<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" >I've been thinking a lot about that question lately. Are we teaching them that their bodies are strong, or are we teaching them that they need to hand their bodies over to the the authorities: plastic surgeons, diet centers, medicine, hospitals?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" >I have a twelve-year old. She was present at the birth of her brother when she was three. I was laboring in a nice sized labor tub, leaning toward my partner, my head on his shoulder, when she stripped to her underwear and got in with us. She wrapped one arm around her father's neck, and one around mine and leaned her head into both of us. She didn't say a word, just "held the space" as if to tell both of us that it wasn't so long ago she made the same journey and it was going to be all right.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" >A couple weeks ago, I attended a birth where the mom's five-year old little girl, Violet, was present. The birth took place in a birth center, so to Violet, it just felt like a home-away-from-home. I was fascinated as I watched her get glasses of water for her mom, lay her head on her mom's shoulder, and generally encourage her throughout the event without a hint of fear. Toward the end, just before her mama started pushing in the labor tub, she took turns with me dipping a large cup into the tub and slowly pouring the water over her moms contracting belly.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" >My daughter has been present for about six of the doula workshops I've taught. She's a pro at the techniques we use in labor to ease pain and facilitate progress. She's practically memorized the birth videos I show. I'd dare say she knows more about labor and birth and the female body than most adult women. At my last doula training, (which I taught in my home) I caught her and her friend sneaking peaks at the participants and the birth videos. On one of our lunch breaks, we watched them leave the house with balloons stuffed in their shirts to simulate pregnant bellies. Just after the training was over, I took this picture of them giving each other hand massages with the massage oil I had used.</span><a style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoVr-gb21qrwlGGJlUd5C5DJdqqoKL3gxxhTNaANF6QHM3rE6sEVd391uAYDAN7ZZ6pqcbtJJopo3Zgfq6g2IGuINOEJvtIHek2ioNVzECdlY4p7PGGu-sdpoqoGraGGqYEP9Lq2unfI/s1600-h/IMG_0086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoVr-gb21qrwlGGJlUd5C5DJdqqoKL3gxxhTNaANF6QHM3rE6sEVd391uAYDAN7ZZ6pqcbtJJopo3Zgfq6g2IGuINOEJvtIHek2ioNVzECdlY4p7PGGu-sdpoqoGraGGqYEP9Lq2unfI/s320/IMG_0086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317345386832864754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" ></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-family:georgia;" >In her memoir, </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://www.cmmidwifery.com/"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Labor of Love</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" ><a href="http://www.cmmidwifery.com/">, Cara Muhlhahn</a>, <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">the midwife featured in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Business of Being Born</span>, has this to say:</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" ><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">"Many midwives recognize the value of the psychological inheritance that is the result of a birthing mother's own mom having birthed successfully. Story after story reveals that daughters of women who gave birth vaginally or breastfed bring a certain inner confidence to childbirth that is handed down from their mother's experience."<br /><br />And what of sons? Today my nine-year old son took one of my business cards, put it in his wallet and said, "Mama, I'm going to keep this wallet until I get married so that I can give my wife your business card and you can help her have her baby."<br /><br />What are you teaching your kids about the normal physiological process we call birth?<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" ></span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-28943948813701428912009-03-07T16:33:00.007-07:002009-03-07T22:30:11.560-07:00How to Give a Great Hand Massage to a Laboring Woman (or anyone else)<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Before you start: Grab some olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, or massage lotion and lather some on your hands and the mama's hand.</span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn4UIa3aeuK29euwxk0Al_CZDvYPIGrDIJ3g6mj2WWrVn2ZpEBzcJpjOzgt_TuVtBt36Q-1x6H4-NzFUiLm6NYqnJYk1V73KadCvB2po9-Iwvku10ipRFY9dyOaqnR_HEaKyfez7jNKE/s1600-h/IMG_0068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn4UIa3aeuK29euwxk0Al_CZDvYPIGrDIJ3g6mj2WWrVn2ZpEBzcJpjOzgt_TuVtBt36Q-1x6H4-NzFUiLm6NYqnJYk1V73KadCvB2po9-Iwvku10ipRFY9dyOaqnR_HEaKyfez7jNKE/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310604086380737170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Step One: Place your pinky fingers on either side of the laboring woman's middle finger.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvovB181B7In8_iH-tWZPaylOEQq1fmTyBXF07nXTexNumO0LfCJRrFonPLQGjFRFLtMNbHeWln2aimAmZ6u5yM1p_bTBmbYsd05Yi6PpYHu3_5YBz_UmnzwktaabPfa8Yx6UQQQU6YQ/s1600-h/IMG_0069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvovB181B7In8_iH-tWZPaylOEQq1fmTyBXF07nXTexNumO0LfCJRrFonPLQGjFRFLtMNbHeWln2aimAmZ6u5yM1p_bTBmbYsd05Yi6PpYHu3_5YBz_UmnzwktaabPfa8Yx6UQQQU6YQ/s320/IMG_0069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310604475435510834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Step Two: Interlace the rest of your fingers with hers.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhE3wp0aNSm-Aksp0-EJBkrfrIeW130DY6D8_8YazKls1PlUHHjJbMC7mYqulAViluKNt4J7k0ZbLdNXmAkcKx2Uo7wntNV6VIkZ1WFIKFUASP9w5GuivypVFD2ZnZgt2D0SsNXJNwcPY/s1600-h/IMG_0071.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhE3wp0aNSm-Aksp0-EJBkrfrIeW130DY6D8_8YazKls1PlUHHjJbMC7mYqulAViluKNt4J7k0ZbLdNXmAkcKx2Uo7wntNV6VIkZ1WFIKFUASP9w5GuivypVFD2ZnZgt2D0SsNXJNwcPY/s320/IMG_0071.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310604812185419922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Step Three: Grasp her hand and move in circle or stroking motions over the palm of the hand while pushing upward from the bottom to create a good stretching of the laboring woman's hand.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Why this works: Stretching is one of the most readily recognized stimuli in the body. The brain recognizes the stretching sensation almost before it recognizes pain. We do this (and many other techniques) to flood the pathways to the brain. In a sense, we're blocking some of the pain messages, or at the very least, lessening them significantly.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">OH, and it feels great, thus inducing relaxation! :)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Try it on someone you love today!</span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-50884394208569271862009-02-18T21:52:00.008-07:002009-02-18T23:33:23.243-07:00Another Great Doula Training!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3dLHER_iR7pICusYb55MZsOk8mgPC802ptxjxPviePGYJl2T_0iOljVMcVAE8k_fxkfLqMhJgaTreVLPRr0CpPjvaf598p0d4n4fNeRwMvvjg8dGdM4YIRApQUolPDtlFswNRapRWSU/s1600-h/IMG_0084.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3dLHER_iR7pICusYb55MZsOk8mgPC802ptxjxPviePGYJl2T_0iOljVMcVAE8k_fxkfLqMhJgaTreVLPRr0CpPjvaf598p0d4n4fNeRwMvvjg8dGdM4YIRApQUolPDtlFswNRapRWSU/s320/IMG_0084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304391711346875570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlezAHMAAKzNQD5_uOFGnOVVpjEOqt1wc9wHIi05UbOUsrul6WErIuoShcxFCxJEgq3hjRScgEMBJdvn4kw4a4yudF26Z3pPzzyv9NLVm08AnffExbLdLK9APE6bwnboowA56cXdAw7o/s1600-h/IMG_0077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlezAHMAAKzNQD5_uOFGnOVVpjEOqt1wc9wHIi05UbOUsrul6WErIuoShcxFCxJEgq3hjRScgEMBJdvn4kw4a4yudF26Z3pPzzyv9NLVm08AnffExbLdLK9APE6bwnboowA56cXdAw7o/s200/IMG_0077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304389866051419842" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">We had such a great training! By the seco</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">nd day, I knew that the five participants were meant to be in this workshop together.<br /><br />Even though I was the instructor, we all learned so </span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYHIV8SYclvmp-DJVS2w1y7fHTqXwSlV57KQ6tLlQQUXoKP_tn0aGpVK9hJVV4IDXVqSocXUs5LkwXKu5iukkgFy6lJI8pX1TlKwYhzng1gyv1OYnXCC0dLABdd_yCSmNvElXbkKLGag/s1600-h/IMG_0082.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYHIV8SYclvmp-DJVS2w1y7fHTqXwSlV57KQ6tLlQQUXoKP_tn0aGpVK9hJVV4IDXVqSocXUs5LkwXKu5iukkgFy6lJI8pX1TlKwYhzng1gyv1OYnXCC0dLABdd_yCSmNvElXbkKLGag/s200/IMG_0082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304390261530174402" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">much from the sharing of lif</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">e experiences, p</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">articularly </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">those we had had with our own births and those of our families an</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">d friends. How wond</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">erful it is to learn from your studen</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ts!<br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaxob2Yp8jgIb4KfjHF5LslX1WDG14WYqg19ALLTS2F7WTQZcQuL-Li5mP87DLM1m1FhMo1Dp9Zkx1CNQQAQ39hR51WhkF69nPeWfdIG6HmAs-8cji2RVWWPrlT32Gadv8Ys7gqcHcJw/s1600-h/wall+knee+press.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaxob2Yp8jgIb4KfjHF5LslX1WDG14WYqg19ALLTS2F7WTQZcQuL-Li5mP87DLM1m1FhMo1Dp9Zkx1CNQQAQ39hR51WhkF69nPeWfdIG6HmAs-8cji2RVWWPrlT32Gadv8Ys7gqcHcJw/s200/wall+knee+press.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304391426208503394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here are s</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ome pictures of us learning some of the techniques for labor, specifically back labor, although I find that almost every woman, whether experiencing back labor or not, enjoys counterpressure on the </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">back and hips at some point during labor.<br /><br />Come join us for our next training! We'd love to have you! June 4-6, 2009.<br /></span></span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-24867225638414169742009-02-17T20:47:00.008-07:002009-02-18T00:07:05.481-07:00Charlotte's Birth<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">When Charlotte called me about providing doula services, I was in a store, shopping for picture frames. I said that I would answer as many of her questions as I could, but that my phone was dying and I wasn't near my charger so in the event she was in the middle of asking me a really important question and my phone cut off, she'd have to call me back. We were able to finish our conver</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">sation and she ended with, "Anyhoo, I'd like to meet with </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqT01IbZ7pibultTNWtKXtLwBS3TDQUUiDkpSFu5Yu0fs4BWAUyV98mroY_HnJXnfiNpMI90i-aNmjmJ5V9o-9lLsLO0TgQdLrXgx4-ZKiIowJWNWPoFeQbMqvyx7XoLRhy5UGGPJKyg/s1600-h/charlotte+one.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqT01IbZ7pibultTNWtKXtLwBS3TDQUUiDkpSFu5Yu0fs4BWAUyV98mroY_HnJXnfiNpMI90i-aNmjmJ5V9o-9lLsLO0TgQdLrXgx4-ZKiIowJWNWPoFeQbMqvyx7XoLRhy5UGGPJKyg/s200/charlotte+one.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304019922801273906" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">you, if possible." I guessed that</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> her use of the word, "anyhoo" and her desire to meet me, meant the conversation had gone well, despite my dying phone.<br /><br />I met with Charlotte on a very cold Friday in January. She wanted to meet me in person since I had encouraged her to meet with several doulas to find the one that was best for her. By the end of our meeting, though, she was ready to hire me. Since she was due so soon, we ended up doing our prenatal visit right then and there and Charlotte let me know two important things: her husband wouldn't be there because he was in the army and her last labor was very long. We decided that another doula would be a good idea so that she would have at least two support people, so I asked Kelsey, my apprenctice, to att</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">end the birth also.<br /><br />Charlotte was due on February 7th. I told her I was holding a doula training that weekend but if she went into labor while I was teaching, we would make sure to have a back-up doula present. I was crossing my fingers that she would have her baby before or after the training because I was so excited to attend her birth.<br /><br />Because of her previous experience, she had planned for a long, drawn out labor. What she hadn't rea</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">lized, was that there were many medical interventions that contributed to this. When she called, on the afternoon of the 24th of January, she let me know she was having consistent contracti</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">ons about 5 minutes apart, but was "sure it wasn't anything," as this was the same thing that happened in her last labor when she still had hours to go. I received another call from her a couple hours later and she had to stop several times in our conversation to concentrate and breathe through contractions. I asked her if she wanted me to come help her now, but she said she was fine and would call me when things got a little more difficult for her to handle alone. About four hours later, she called and said that she would like me to come to her house. I called Kelsey and grabbed the bag I had packed earlier with food, Charlotte's file and various other necessities. When I arrived, at about 8:30pm, Charlotte was on her knees, lying over the seat of a rocking chair, breathing slowly and not making a noise. When the contraction was over, she looked up at me and cheerfully said, "Hi." I smiled at her joyfulness, despite the challenging event she was experiencing. She t</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">old me she wanted to go to her friend's house to labor now, since it was close to the hospital. Kelsey and I grabbed her bags and helped her into her coat and shoes. We stepped out onto the porch and another contraction began. I wrapped my arms under her arms and she layed her head on me and sank into the contraction, gently swaying and breathin</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">g. When it was over, we walked to the car, taking one more contraction on the way before we got everyone settled. As I drove, Charlotte talked to me about and old apartment she and her husband had lived in when they were first married, how she had such good memories of the place and how she still really missed the neighborhood. Whenever she had a contraction, she just closed her eyes and breathed deeply and slowly. When the contractions were over, we continued with the conversation, as if it were just another day. As we got closer to her friend's house, I noticed that the contractions were coming closer now and told Charlotte that I was sure it wouldn't be too early to go to the</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> hospital, but that it was of course, her decision. She said she preferred to go to her friend's house so we continued on. When we arrived I parked and asked her if she wanted me to leave her bags or bring them. She told me to bring them because she was probably going to end up spending the night. I had to chuckle a little at her denial of how far in labor she really was. We grabbed all the bags an</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">d proceeded to walk to the doorstep. It took a while, as we ended up doing many of the slow dancing contractions on our way there. Her friends were very gracious as they let us in. Charlotte was glad to have a couch to resume her favorite position of being on her knees and leaning over. After the second contraction in this position, she looked up and said, "Something just happened. I think my water broke." She quickly walked in to the bathroom where she confirmed that indeed her water had broken. I went in with her and helped her with some contractions that were now quite a bit more intense. Charlotte started using a deep moaning along with her breathing that really seemed to help. She decided it was time to go to the hospital so we lugged everything b</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">ack into the car and again took several more slow dancing contractions on our way there. It only took us about 10 mintues to make the drive, but Charlotte's contractions were coming hard and fast, now. She used lots of deep moaning, but it was hard for her to sit in the seat in the car and as I drove, I talked her through while also trying to call the midwife to let her know we were on our way! When we were about half-way there, I heard a "catch" in Char</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">lotte's voice as she was moaning. Every dou</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">la and midwife knows that the catch can be a sign that the mom's just about ready to push. In fact, that's precisely why there's a catch: her body is already beginning to start the pushing process and the strong surge can cause a pause in an otherwise smooth moan. I decided to abandon the phone call to the midwife and just drove. I told Charlotte that if she was pushing, I was pulling the car over. She said, "I'm not pushing!" astounded that I would say something so absurd. Later we would laugh at this. By the time we drove into the hospital parking lot, her contractions were practically right on top of one another. I made the decision to drive right up to the door and not park. Kelsey had parked and ran toward us as we slowly made our way through the doors. Three large security gaurds were standing there looking at us and I quickly blurted, "This woman is having a baby and I'm leaving my car there!" I jabbed my finger at the closing doors. One of the gaurds ran for a wheel chair, pushed the elevator button and called labor and delivery all while the other two look</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">ed on with their mouths open. Charlotte leaned against the counter there, while the gaurd with the wheel cha</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">ir kept saying, "Sit down, sit down." Finally Kelsey said, "Thank you. She'll sit just as soon as she's done with this contraction." Now, just a note: we doulas hate it when people treat birth as an illness so we usually shun wheel chairs - the moms are strong enough to walk, and it's good for them, thank-you-very-much, but Charlotte's baby would have been born in the elevator if we didn't have wheels under her so we rushed her to the waiting elevator, pushed the button and waited until the slow contraption reached the third floor. The doors opened, we zoomed out and they buzzed us in. We drove straight past the check-in station and a sweet nurse led us into a room. Charlotte climbed out of the chair and onto the bed so the</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> nurse could check her and proceeded to throw the hospital gown on the floor in the process. She chose to we</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5usG24E8kd5Cwp16uesJp_cYpVZPAsW-iSZ-QITvFPqXZhlZUBCfgKkfmHEIZDaJoS8kARvgH9FoAvZfh3VTgmv6LVvJjMKOoNoP-6GZSZENbIJhtBAgR1hsbSUaqwV2wEOKW8xRJXyM/s1600-h/charlotte+two.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5usG24E8kd5Cwp16uesJp_cYpVZPAsW-iSZ-QITvFPqXZhlZUBCfgKkfmHEIZDaJoS8kARvgH9FoAvZfh3VTgmv6LVvJjMKOoNoP-6GZSZENbIJhtBAgR1hsbSUaqwV2wEOKW8xRJXyM/s200/charlotte+two.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304019994545281490" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">ar one of her husband's T-shirts. The n</span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">urse announced that she was six centimeters and Charlotte let out a frustrated groan and said, "I can't do it anymore! I can't do it, I can't do it!" I squatted down next to the bed and looked into her eyes and said, "Charlotte, you are progressing much faster than you think you are. Stick with it. Stay with me. Breathe with me. Look at me." Just then she started pushing and the nurse said, "Don't push, your cervix isn't complete yet!" Charlotte screamed, "I can't stop. It's doing it on it's own!" (A common phrase among mothers who have overwhelming urges to push). The nurse checked her, announced that she was at 8 centimeters, and ran to find someone to catch the baby. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">About two seconds later, they announced her at a 10 and the charge nurse came in with gloves on, ready to catch. A couple pushes later, and an unwrapping of the cord from around his neck - twice! - and sweet little Jack was born. The nurse guided him up onto Charlotte's bare chest and everyone took a collective sigh of relief. He was out!</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_ctnwED1EjVEN-K6V91T5pLkEMq3G3rT2q-1wGlkLW8eHUXndPUr-5WVBYraWHH7wHcso8yttUxcBXI0K21MvFU1GgxPfgzVVXGnQ_CQmYs654Ql9EoL4ArKa8EAfDKLZgOF8QEQdkY/s1600-h/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_ctnwED1EjVEN-K6V91T5pLkEMq3G3rT2q-1wGlkLW8eHUXndPUr-5WVBYraWHH7wHcso8yttUxcBXI0K21MvFU1GgxPfgzVVXGnQ_CQmYs654Ql9EoL4ArKa8EAfDKLZgOF8QEQdkY/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304020328883583554" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">All told, from the time we came through the doors of the hospital until the baby was out, was TEN MINUTES! Charlotte beamed and proceeded to talk to us for the next two hours as if we were at a garden party, using lots of "anyhoos" and other ecstatic language. We texted pictures to her happy husband and they talked for some time of the swiftness of events. She was full of energy, full of life and FULL of endorphins. She had used deep focus and relaxation, low moaning and deep breathing and had created, if not the birth she had envisioned, one that she felt was the very best for her and her baby.<br /></span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-33634943195197652262009-01-03T18:35:00.003-07:002009-01-03T18:40:35.612-07:00Can't wait to see this movie!<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I am working on putting together a screening of the movie, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Orgasmic Birth.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Please contact me at melissa[at]rawmelissa.com if you're interested in helping promote it or you'd like to be part of the audience!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zG_6IVmXvr0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zG_6IVmXvr0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-35965805244531865842008-11-01T19:48:00.002-06:002008-11-01T19:54:32.287-06:00Life<span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >Hello beautiful people. Well, life has been happening at speeds of about 140mph around here. As some of you know, in my other life, I'm the business owner of <a href="http://www.rawmelissa.com">Raw Melissa</a> and we just took on a HUGE <a href="http://www.rawmelissamenus.blogspot.com">new project</a> that has set me back a bit. So - Childbirth classes are actually starting in January, and the Doula Training has been rescheduled for November 13-15. Hope to see you there!</span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-68631682090176402192008-10-10T17:15:00.006-06:002008-10-10T18:55:31.293-06:00Childbirth Classes Starting Soon!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-7sQmqd-DkJfAkK-2xrLFUX7BD8_qzIvymve59izj78_hhc9oU46TP_Y-E-9PVRc1UMnhzzIOs2CWWeV8TAohTK4-JVZKkxHT446vXBHbc0tlx4yuISbwzSA98NzFjAfmJXnXn5Fmts/s1600-h/scan0014-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-7sQmqd-DkJfAkK-2xrLFUX7BD8_qzIvymve59izj78_hhc9oU46TP_Y-E-9PVRc1UMnhzzIOs2CWWeV8TAohTK4-JVZKkxHT446vXBHbc0tlx4yuISbwzSA98NzFjAfmJXnXn5Fmts/s320/scan0014-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255690362684747170" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">I taught childbirth classes for ten years, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">every</span> Saturday morning. About four years ago I got burned out and decided I would LOVE to have my Saturday mornings back! Well, after a four-year break, here I am again, teaching classes. I'm teaching a brief, but very comprehensive four-week series and will start in November. The cost is just $40, a fraction of the cost of other childbirth classes (I know because my four-year-ago classes were a deal at $80!). I'm wanting those who are eager to learn and be more prepared for the miracle of birth, to have a program to attend that's worth their time and money. So here it is! Watch for further updates on the time, location and other details.<br /><br />Here I am with one of my first students. She is now one of my very best friends in the world!<br /></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-91446789811303046782008-09-05T15:48:00.003-06:002008-09-05T16:07:12.437-06:00A Snippet from Cheralyn<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0); font-family: lucida grande;">I got a call last night from my friend Cheralyn who is studying to be a doula and will be in our fall training at the beginning of November. She told me of a book she's reading, the timeless birth classic, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Childbirth-without-Fear-Principles-Practice/dp/0953096467">Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick Read</a>. She said it's a wordy book with a lot of deep insights; not necessarily an easy read, but she's finding she can hardly put it down. She told me it made her realize that <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> is what she is supposed to do: birth. I smiled and said, "All of us in this work feel the same way. We know we're supposed to be here. Welcome to the club."<br /><br />She also shared with me a very cute story which I asked her to send to me so I could post it. Enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">When I was in labor with my baby who is now 8 months old, as the contractions got harder towards the end of labor I found it very helpful in my controlled breathing to moan deeply as I breathed out, working with the contractions. Today my husband, who is a massage therapist, was doing some trigger point therapy on some muscle knots in my neck. As a coping technique I practiced my controlled breathing, moaning deeply with my expelled breaths. Our little baby girl was sitting on the floor in front of me, and as soon as she heard my moans she looked up at me and smiled a big beautiful smile. I said to my husband "Do you think she remembers her birth?" and he replied, "Well, it was a momentous occasion for her!" She seemed truly happy to hear the sounds she must have heard while in the womb preparing to be born!</span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-78876888687274077832008-08-20T21:18:00.004-06:002008-08-20T22:19:54.128-06:00The Business of Being Born<span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:georgia;" >You HAV</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:georgia;" >E to see this movie. Here's a description from the imdb website:<br /><br />"Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruited filmmaker Abby Epstein to explore the maternity care system in America. Focusing on New York City, the film reveals that there is much to distrust behind hospital doors and follows several couples who decide to give birth on their own terms. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:georgia;" >...Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emerg</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="font-family:georgia;">ency?"</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;" class="sidebarPicTop"><a href="http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.thebigpushformidwives.org/images/being.born.jpg" style="width: 121px; height: 179px;" alt="The Business of Being Born" border="0" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: georgia;">Click on this blog entry's title to be directed to the official site for the movie and click on this link </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: georgia;">to hear a ver</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: georgia;">y short interview with the film's executive producer, Ricki Lake:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);"><br /></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m2HJZPKAJJVZ8W:mU434FE9LT5M0">http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m2HJZPKAJJVZ8W:mU434FE9LT5M0</a></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);"></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322594155700419046.post-88488109348428467032008-08-13T21:42:00.000-06:002008-08-15T01:04:09.083-06:00Miss Edie and Paolo<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >I was part owner o</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >f a small health food store for a couple months last year. One day I was there working, when the most hip-looking pregnant mama came walking in with two little ones tugging at her arms for s</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >omething to drink. The sight </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >of her beautiful baby-swollen belly launched me into a million questions: When is the baby coming? Where are you giving birth? What kind of birth do you want? How are you feeling? She smiled, answering</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > everything, then asked a couple questions of her own. She had heard of a doula and just happened to be looking for one! Looking back, I'm sure her </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >random vis</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >it to my store wasn't actually random at all, but definitely meant to be. She ended up hiring me and we set up our first pren</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >atal.<br /><br />I parked on the street in</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YfA64uPibeQIDQ4UlL2wWyNq2UGi7UO_TeTrS4mHn7drEeoQ4_HtHhWglpHan9yJLqfRbgeaVBAWY95jllCvJtWmfCv8j5a_vPVjfXK-lkHmmTy3d8MHvPcSzb1ilMaQdqde4kOwG8g/s1600-h/paolo+045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YfA64uPibeQIDQ4UlL2wWyNq2UGi7UO_TeTrS4mHn7drEeoQ4_HtHhWglpHan9yJLqfRbgeaVBAWY95jllCvJtWmfCv8j5a_vPVjfXK-lkHmmTy3d8MHvPcSzb1ilMaQdqde4kOwG8g/s200/paolo+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234585385231253058" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > front of her house for the meeting and was welcomed into a beautiful historical home. The prenatal visit went</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > well, and as I was leaving, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >I stopped to admire the art on the walls. Next to one of the framed DaVinci prints, I noticed a photo. Edie told me this was her brother who'd died a couple years earlier. In the pren</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >atal she'd said she wanted to do this birth without medical interventions, because she longed to feel a closeness with her brother again and felt that the vulnerable and meditative state of labor and birt</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >h would enable her to do just that.<br /><br />On the day of her birth, she called and said she was in labor but wasn't sure how far she was or how she was doing since she hadn't had an unmedicated birth before. I asked her to give me some details about how her body was feeling and how she was coping. She said she was feeling great. She was on the physical therapy ball (birth ball) and was using the yoga breathing she had been practicing throughout her pregnancy. I told her it sounded like she was in active labor and doing perfectly an</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >d that if she felt good, she could </span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">continue in this way. </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">A couple hours later, she called again, saying she still felt<span style="font-style: italic;"> so </span>good and was managing <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> well, she was sure labor couldn't have possibly progressed much farther. She was pleasantly surprised, but a little he</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">sitant. I thought it might be a good time to go to the hospital so she could stop worrying about the trip and get settled.<br /><br />I arrived in the parking lot just as Edie and her husband were getting out of the car. I noticed Edie was walking slowly and tentatively and assumed she must be having a contraction. I jumped out of the car and ran to catch up to her. I put my hand on her back and started stroking without saying anything. When the contraction was over, I greeted she and her husband and told her she was doing beautifully. We walked int</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">o t</span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PR_xmHZ2mJ6rfImhKNkqN_q3XSGYXAcG-bU73XTVFUVutmrvn4jgjeW3TWAmM4FjcL2hL_EFJLPtEzNxFnU2E-ol2WENDwByGISs7CdSCwOxIqwWn8gtmUoFCJzITSjckoCpWWaukWo/s1600-h/paolo+052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PR_xmHZ2mJ6rfImhKNkqN_q3XSGYXAcG-bU73XTVFUVutmrvn4jgjeW3TWAmM4FjcL2hL_EFJLPtEzNxFnU2E-ol2WENDwByGISs7CdSCwOxIqwWn8gtmUoFCJzITSjckoCpWWaukWo/s200/paolo+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234636638643940130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">he hospital and after some confusion, they put us into an observation room (</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">To make sure she was really in labor. I always chuckle a little about this rule). We thought she was probably in good active labor, maybe at about 4 or 5 centimeters dilation. The nurse took her time. Edie was coping so well that the nurse wasn't too worried. When she finally finished with everything but the vaginal exam, she asked Edie to lay on the bed (she had been sitting next to the bed because that felt best). Edie lay down and the nurse proceeded to check her. The surprise gasp and worried look on the nurse's face made me smile discreetly. Edie was nine centimeters! They </span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">rushed her into a room and, despite the chaos, she continued laboring confidently and resolutely. I periodically touched her arm, her back, her hand, and talked in a low, soothing voice to remind her to drop her shoulders, relax her eyebrows and sink into the bed. Soon she was fully dilated and pushing. Since she had birthed three child</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">ren before, she pushed this baby out like a wise woman will. The room was filled with Edie's very close family: her older son, her two younger children, her sweet husband, her mother, father and sister and even a nephew, all there to welcome the newest member of the family tree, Paolo. </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /><br />I was only there for about two-hours and after Edie was settled in and breastfeeding that sweet little boy, I left just in time to attend <span style="font-style: italic;">my own father's</span> birthday. As I drove I reflected on that beautiful experience. I felt I hadn't done much because I hadn't needed to do much. Edie was surrounded with an abundant family love, she had gained enough faith throughout this pregnancy to trust the intrinsic ability of her body to give birth, and she was surrounded with birth professionals who supported and encouraged her. </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">But the most importan</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">t thing besides having her little Paolo in her arms, she told me later, was that she had felt her brother near her during this uniquely spiritual life experience of intense challenge and immense joy.<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyVEvFymaM_gTrO0_bkeu0RVecwIJSKgCS-lF-STyfyE8ioAVIKCI1V0nhqk5vG2UdWy74V5jHBo3yIpXt6SEIB-Q_uvQREBXOuso7YUtFXL0m6ZCY3FfX5GWK83hFLsOLSPOw9MRzJw/s1600-h/paolo+125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyVEvFymaM_gTrO0_bkeu0RVecwIJSKgCS-lF-STyfyE8ioAVIKCI1V0nhqk5vG2UdWy74V5jHBo3yIpXt6SEIB-Q_uvQREBXOuso7YUtFXL0m6ZCY3FfX5GWK83hFLsOLSPOw9MRzJw/s200/paolo+125.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234585816316333202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08347492891469698205noreply@blogger.com1