birth

I'm taking Bradley Method birthing classes. My husband was not too excited about this plan to begin with, but after sitting through the first few sessions, he's into it. I'm finding out that my birth plan doesn't fit with what our town has to offer for births. I'm not quite comfortable with having a home birth, but the hospital isn't going to allow me to do a few of the things I'd like.

I'd like to have as little medical intervention as possible. It seems like all the procedures done at the hospital interrupt and distract from smooth labor. Of course, there is a need for these procedures sometimes, but mostly things become complicated unnecessarily. So, home birth would seem like a good option, but it makes me nervous to have medical attention so far away.

After my first son's birth, medical attention was necessary. But, I was induced, so who knows how natural labor would have gone for us.

What I would prefer is a birthing center, but our area doesn't offer that. Even after TWO new hospitals have been built in this town, they have not made any progress on giving women in our area more birthing options! They didn't even include birthing tubs!

So, we will see what happens. I plan to labor at home as long as I feel comfortable, and if things move quickly, maybe we will do a home birth.

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too confused to blog ...

Up and Up

Things are falling into place very nicely lately. I'm convinced that new babies bring harmony to your life. When Jackson was on the way, good things just kept happening for us. The same is happening now with the new babe. I love it!

Good news ... I am only working 20 hours a week until the end of my pregnancy! My back has been killing me from sitting 8 hours a day, so I've decided to cut back on that. That extra time will be much needed to get this new business going, and also, this is a good transition to being a stay at home mom.

I am starting to get really excited about being home. I will be in charge of my day, instead of someone else. Of course, my kids will definitely have something to do with how the day goes, but ultimately, we will all have the choice to be as productive or un-productive as we want to be.

Other good news ... I attended the first CHOICES meeting. It's a group that meets once a month and has a topic for each meeting. We will have various speakers and professionals available for advice and information on our parenting choices. The topics range from cloth diapering, baby wearing, attachment parenting, breast feeding, vaccines, and toxin free toys. We've got doulas, midwives, chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, and many other professionals lined up to speak at these meetings. This is a first for our area to have all of this information for parents readily available! It's nice to meet other parents that have similar values, and also that have kids! Play dates are going to have to be in order once both of the kids are home. I'm sure we'd all go crazy without them.

green shower

I'm now 6 months pregnant with our new son. Which means, I've got to start thinking about a baby shower. I'm having my mother-in-law host it, but I will probably take care of the invites and such. In preparation for the new baby I've been thinking much more in depth than my first baby shower about what I want for my new little one. What I'm beginning to see in myself is a big green snob! I'm wanting to go with all natural and eco friendly gear for my baby this time. I'm going to do cloth diapering, I'm going to use glass bottles (if bottles even get introduced), and I'd prefer to have all of my baby's toys be non-toxic. To me, this all makes sense. I really can't go back to the crap you generally find in the stores after all the information I've absorbed about the safety and environmental benefits of the products I've chosen to use.

So, all this "pickiness" has to be relayed to the people attending my shower if I want to get stuff that I will actually use. Some of the people will be totally receptive to my requests, but others may not be. I really want to avoid sounding like a demanding snob. I've listened to advice, and read articles that give you tips on how to tactfully get the point across, but it all still sounds a bit stuck up to me. Plus, most of the things I want aren't found at the local Walmart or Target. I just feel like I'm asking a lot.

Who knows, maybe everyone is on the same page with me. Or, maybe I will awaken someone's eyes to what is good for their own children. I'll just have to wait and see.

new life

This week I've been learning about (or trying to learn about) the world of cloth diapers. It's a pretty large amount of information to take in, and I'm still confused. I'm leaning towards the traditional pre-fold cloth diapers with a water proof cover. That seems to be an easy and cheap option.

I've learned quite a bit. Disposable diapers have whatever material it was that caused women to develop Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) from tampons in them still! The reasoning for this is the diapers are not used internally. I thought it was common knowledge that the skin absorbs anything that it comes in contact with. Apparently not! Also, studies are now linking fertility problems to disposable diapers. So, I think I'm convinced. I'd much rather deal with a few more loads of laundry to keep my baby healthy. Plus, there's the whole environmental issue. It takes over 100 years for the disposable diapers to even begin to decompose.

After all this enlightenment, I don't think I can go back to regular diapering. (I say this before I've had the chance to even try cloth diapers, ha) I also feel good about the money I will be spending on these cloth diapers--which is substantially less than what I spent on the disposables for my first son. I plan to buy from a company that was started by a mother, and now employs mothers that are able to work at their own pace from their homes. Wonderful!!

should i stay or should i go

So, I've decided that it might be cool to be a stay at home mom. This is something I thought I would never have a desire for. Circumstances are much different from that last time I considered doing this, though. Back then I was new at the mother thing, as well as the whole wife, home-owner, responsible adult bit. Now, I am experienced with all these things. And, after lots of ups and downs, I think I love being all these things. I love being a mother, I love being settled with someone I dearly love, I love caring for a home, and caring for all other parts of life that make me the (I assume) responsible and sensible adult I have become.

With all of this, I've got a lot of inspiration around me. My son, and son on the way have helped me discover my desire to learn about natural health. Every choice you make as a parent is so important, and the choice to keep my family healthy has become a huge priority for me. With this I am learning something new everyday about nutrition, body care, household cleaners, the environment, etc. All the knowledge I am gaining has led me to find the entrepreneur inside. All the products I have decided to use for my family could be a source of income for us! And this income could possibly allow me to stay home with my new son on the way.

So, my husband and I are slowly piecing together what we know will be a successful business. I just hope I can find a good balance for work, housework, and family. I am sure with time I'll figure it out.