Gimme Shelter

Help needed for pregnant & birthing women in Haiti, c/o midwife Robin Lim's organization, bumi sehat haiti. Something tangible we can do to help!
Please share...

Dear All: We are holding a tent drive for
our pregnant and birthing Mothers who are
living in rubble and need a dry shelter.
In order to make the ship that is leaving
New Orleans we need these tents shipped to
the to locations below within the next week.
We are looking for tents of all sizes that
are water proof and have a rain shield
protection. In addition, if possible include
a tarp to go with these tents for additional
rain protection. We will shrink wrap and put
these tents on a palate to get to Jacmel
via boat.

Locations to ship tents:

West Coast:Penny Tyrrell
c/o Bumi Sehat Haiti-Tent Drive 93 North Polk
Eugene, OR 97402

East Coast: Andre Gillis
c/o Bumi Sheat Haiti-Tent Drive
417 North Front Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Midwest people please mail to the East Coast.
Please share this information with as many
people as you know and provide them the
shipping information.
Thank you for your support. This drive
will continue well beyond the week time
frame so continue to send tents as they
become available.

Thank you, Heather Maurer
Director of LogisticsBumi Sehat Haiti

Doulas go to Washington

Are you a doula & free on March 11th? If so, what about a road trip?

HealthConnect One and members of its National Community-based Doula Network are heading to Washington, DC to advocate for continued funding for community-based doula programs in the FY11 federal budget.

There will be a National Doula Network reception at the DC Birth Center on Wednesday evening March 10th, and Doula Lobby Day activities on Capitol Hill, Thursday March 11th.

"HealthConnect One has reserved a block of rooms for overnight stay on Wednesday March 10th at the DoubleTree Washington, 1515 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Please call the hotel directly to make a reservation at 1-800-492-5195. When you call to book your room, please state that you are part of the HealthConnect One Network meeting, in order to take advantage of our $175/night room rate (including breakfast). The deadline for the room block rate is February 15th. You will need to provide a valid credit card number upon booking.

We will begin the Lobby Day activities by attending Senator Richard J. Durbin's constituent coffee on Thursday morning (8:30am-9:30am). We encourage you to schedule visits with your congressional delegation from 10am-noon. HealthConnect One will then host a lunch de-brief session from 1pm-4pm at the DoubleTree Washington following our morning visits on Capitol Hill.

Please let us know by Thursday, February 11, 2010 if you are able to attend!

We can assist you with making appointments with your U.S. Senators' and Representative's offices to request a visit (with your elected official or their health legislative assistant). Further information on Doula Funding talking points will also be provided when you register.

We hope that you will be able to join us for these Lobby Day activities, and that your organization can support your travel expenses. HealthConnect One has a small budget to support travel costs, so if you would like to join us, but your organization is unable to cover travel costs, please contact Mac Grambauer at mac@lmcalpine.com.

For those of you who cannot come with us to Washington, we suggest that you call your elected officials in Washington on March 10 and 11, and ask for their support to continue the funding for community-based doula programs in the FY11 budget.

snippet of motherhood

We got stood up for the last big snowstorm - only a mere dusting. There has not been a snow day all year - just the one delayed opening. So this morning I asked my middle son, age 9, if he was planning to wear his pajamas inside out and backwards tonight to help increase the chances of a snow day. His reply:

"Nope - it doesn't work. It's not magic - either it snows or it doesn't."

Jaded much? Where's that sense of childhood wonder??

Birth Trauma

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

There are women who experience all the things shown in this montage and do not feel trauma - bless you!...but there are many who do carry this trauma with them into motherhood. Many times women are told just to be grateful that they have a healthy baby, end of story. But if your joy is tempered with anger or sadness, please find someone to tell. Process your feelings so that you can move beyond them. Just like labor, these feelings might be intense or messy or not what you expected, but there you are and the only way beyond is through. Be gentle with yourself, go at your own pace, knowing that there are people who care and can help. Solace For Mothers is one such resource.

snippet of motherhood

car conversation with oldest this morning, a delayed school opening because of snow:

me: I wish school started two hours late every day

kid: me too. You should talk to B about it.

me: who is "B"

kid: um, our president?!

me: so you guys are on a first letter basis, then?

kid: yup.

(lest you think it's all chill conversation...in background is youngest kid saying - "yeah - maybe then you wouldn't freak out every morning" and me saying to him, "well, maybe, but only if you put your shoes & coat on when I ask, don't forget you backpack again & stop fighting about who took someone's socks...")