I could use some help over here!

My thought for the day as I plan to attend another damn Board of Education meeting tonight and make plans to go to hearings over the summer about two great teachers denied tenure, oh and try to help people have the births they want to have whenever possible:

History is filled with situations where most people shrugged their shoulders and said, "what can we do? it is the way it is" about any number of things...while others persevered on pushing the proverbial boulder up the damn hill...and eventually things changed.

If each of us is not willing to stand up and speak out when we see something we don't like being done by a power structure, then nothing will ever change.

I think it's getting to be about time for some "Speak truth to power" and "Power to the people"

I am Sisyphus - are you? 'cause this boulder is too heavy to move it by myself. ;-)  Join me - it will even be fun - I'll bring the iced coffee.

Crossing the divide

While watching tightrope walker Nik Wallenda walking over Niagara Falls tonight, I had a kind of funny thought: that tightrope is 5cm wide...half as wide as a woman needs to open up for her baby to be born...and she doesn't get a safety harness.  When I was in transition with my first baby, I remember having this very vivid image that I had to cross a Grand Canyon-like gorge on a shoddy, swinging rope bridge - everyone waiting for me on the other side, cheering me on, but I had to cross on my own.   Congratulations to Nik Wallenda and to every fierce woman making that journey to her baby tonight and every night, all around the world.

are you due during birthin' season?

NPR reblogged this from nevver/UTNE Reader...
Mating season leads to birthing season, I guess.

midwives rock: we knew this already, but nice to have the study

 ACNM Releases Research Showing Significant Midwifery Care Benefits

Key findings confirm women cared for by CNMs/CMs experience optimal health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. 

See more here

 ..."In addition to improved health outcomes, midwives’ high-touch, low-tech approach to care is associated with lower costs for clients and insurers. Midwives’ judicious, evidence-based use of technology results in a reduced likelihood of unnecessary interventions, including cesareans – a practice in the United States that dramatically increased in less than 40 years from 5 to 33 percent.[ii]..."

Mothers are powerful! happy Mother's Day, y'all

passing this along...


Together, Mothers Are Powerful. 

Last month’s furor over the remarks of political pundits and candidate’s wives launched a flurry of conversation among mothers.

Mothers have a voice of their own to add to the discussion. Authors, activists and others have been writing and identifying the issues raised this political season for decades, and women have been listening, again and again.

It’s time for mothers’ own voices to be heard.

We are a bi-partisan coalition of women’s organizations, experts, and writers who have diligently worked on bringing mother’s issues into the mainstream political discussion.

Some of us are advocates, and some are community organizations. Many of us are authors and experts about mothers’ lives as well.  All of us recognize the value of a mother's contribution to her family, both the paid and unpaid work that women do.

Our message is simple: all mothers need more support.

This Mother’s Day we want to get the word out about our ideas, our work, and our priorities. We offer the following list to provide resources for real information and places for women to gather for intelligent discourse on the many problems — and solutions — to the issues facing mothers and families.

We offer this list as an alternative to the tired and cliched coverage of mothers in the mainstream media.

Please join your voice with ours this Mother's Day. Together, Mothers are powerful.

* * * * *

ANN CRITTENDEN
Author, The Price of Motherhood
Co-founder “MOTHER: Mothers Ought to Have Equal Rights”

DEBRA LEVY
Past President, Mothers & More

The Wild Things are still where they always were

                             Wild Thing Gabe


Rest in peace, Maurice Sendak... Wild Things are within us all.

National Teacher Day - who helped shape you?

Coincidentally, I was in my middle son's 5th grade class this morning to help the kids thank their wonderful teacher - the kids were thrilled to show him what they had made and I think the teacher was truly touched...they all have some great memories so far this year. 

On National Teacher Day, I'd like to thank just some of the important teachers I've been blessed to have:
my parents, Cindy & Denny Collins, k-3 (home schooled); Mrs. Bramlett, 4th grade; Mrs. Flemming, 6th grade; Mrs. Snead, 7th grade; Polly Field, 10th grade; Janet Schneider, 11th/12th, Goeffrey Reeves, undergrad; Debra Pascali-Bonaro, DONA certification and beyond; Deborah Flowers & Ina May Gaskin, midwifery assistant program at The Farm.   And my kids, every day, whether I like it or not!

What about you - who would you thank if you could?

artwork above

La Leche League meeting this Thursday, 5/10

La Leche League of West Essex 

Series Meetings are held monthly on the second Thursday morning from
9:30-11:00 am. Please note our new meeting day!
Meetings are ALWAYS FREE of charge. Moms, Moms-to-be, babies and children are all welcome. Although we have a monthly topic, all questions and issues will be addressed. One-on-one assistance with a Leader is available in the half hour following the meeting. 

Series Meeting Dates & Topics: 
May 10 Advantages of Breastfeeding
June 14 The Baby Arrives: The Family & the Breastfed Baby
July 12 The Art of Breastfeeding & Avoiding Difficulties
August 9 Nutrition & Weaning

new meeting location for 2012!

We are excited to meet in our new home for 2012: 271 N. Livingston Ave., Livingston, NJ 07039. This is the home office of Dr. Drew Spergel, husband to our longtime member Heather Spergel. There is parking available inside the property and also on the street. Please call Andrea or Miriam for directions. 

Questions between meetings? Call or email a Leader!
Aleksandra (973) 744-2971 Andrea (908) 810-5645 Emily (973) 218-1122 Miriam (973) 533-6887

Email: westessexlaleche@yahoo.com  

Website: www.lllusa.org/web/westessexnj.html

Free LLL Magazine New Beginnings
http://www.lllusa.org/lllusanewbeginnings.php
Free LLL Magazine Breastfeeding Today
http://www.llli.org/breastfeedingtoday

blissed out baby

So lovely - this must be what it's like in the womb. I wish every newborn could be lovingly cared for like this. I love the S-L-O-W pace at which she moves with the babies.

W.H.A.L.E: We Have A Little Emergency

A discussion about making sure your kids have contact info on them in case they get lost made me remember  this program...I used it when my kids were littler and in car seats...it was both horrible to think about the need to use the information and also comforting to know the information was there if needed.

I always write my cell in their backpacks, jackets, lunch boxes etc. rather than their name and address/home phone for obvious reasons...

As for ideas about arming your little kids with your contact information when they are too young to remember it and will be out and about in big, public places (like field trips, travel...), here are some of the suggestions I heard:

• get dog tags made up with parents' names and cells, to be worn under shirt and shown only to another mom or person in uniform if lost
• put your business card in their pocket/sock etc.
• write on their belly
• get personalized temporary tattoos made up for special outings

Another suggestion I picked up: when they are getting to the point of being old enough to be able to remember a phone number, teach them to sing it...they may recall it more easily that way.

missive from Mount Washmore...

It's laundry time again...but when is it not?

I was just cheered by a devious thought: I could declare unmatched SOCK BANKRUPTCY...just toss them all away or donate them to some worthy sock puppet maker and be done with it.

But first, some questions:
How do my children get so many holes in their socks?
And that age-old conundrum, where the hell do all the missing socks go? Maybe they are all under couches and kid beds from hasty room clean ups after I've yelled and threatened?

I usually put my own socks (just my own, alas) in a bag so they don't get lost. But I slacked on this lately and have paid the price...I'm missing two favorites. sigh. I hate laundry and I hate missing socks.

I just keep reminding myself how freaking easy I have it since I don't have to haul all our dirty clothes and linens to a laundromat or hand wash them in a river of questionable cleanliness or whatever.

But back to sock bankruptcy...is everyone else already doing this except me? Anyone willing to join me?


*I didn't make this sock puppet

telling on yourself

Lucky for me, my oldest son has a "tell"...he does something with his face when he's not being, shall we say, completely honest. I've told him this but not what the sign is...I'm not stupid! Interestingly, my husband gets almost the same expression when he's being a bit dishonest.

If you would like to know some of the signs that your kid, or anyone, may be hiding something, check out 10 Physical Signs a Child is Lying to You


*for info on the Pinnochio image above, look here

memories come when you least expect them

I started a sewing class tonight and brought my trusty machine bought for me when I was a little kid. I was interested in making all sorts of projects - I made "rugs" and cut up an awful lot of pillow cases once to make a "lab coat" for the science lab I was making in my closet (oy!). In high school I was queen of modifying my clothes - think unflattering peg leg jeans...

Sewing on the machine tonight made me think of my mom fondly. Sure, she made me a few hideous outfits on that machine (I recall, in particular, a polyester coulott jumpsuit which thankfully got caught in the chain of my bike) , but also some cool stuff - lots of Barbie clothes which must have been super hard to make.

Anyway, I think it was a cool gift for her to have given me...I miss her.

WWIMD?

;-) order yours here at the Midwives' Assoc. of Washington State

spring has sprung and life renews

rest in peace, Eric Gorodetzky, 44. Sick for nine months - that can't be coincidence!...you were brave and funny and smart and loved by many. You talked about the important stuff and faced LIFE in the shadow of death - a lesson for us all. Here's to what's next!

birth of an elephant

NJ La Leche League conference info

FYI

registration for the 2012 Conference for LLL of the Garden State is now open. The conference is April 20-22. Please visit www.lllgardenstate.com to download the 2012 Conference Registration Booklet and Registration Form. A fantastic weekend is planned and we hope to see you there!

Of course, babies and children are welcome at all of our meetings. Refreshments are served and free informational reprints are available. As a mother to mother support group, meetings are a wonderful place to ask questions to other moms who have "been there & done that".

Membership: While a mom does NOT need to be a member to come to a meeting and receive the support she needs, we ask moms to consider membership if they feel they are benefitting from the group. We are a volunteer nonprofit Group and all membership fees go directly to helping moms and babies. Membership is $40 per year and includes access to our lending library and discounts for conferences.

If you have any questions about the meeting or individual questions about breastfeeding, please call one of the Leaders; Aleksandra: (973) 744-2971, Andrea: (908) 810-5645, Emily: (973) 218-1122, or Miriam (973) 533-6887.

ICAN meetings, Essex Cty NJ

ICAN of Greater Essex County Meeting dates
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Held @ Seton Hall University, South Orange
Arts & Science Building, Room 208A, 6:30 pm

This is shaping up to be an exciting year for ICAN of Greater Essex County!
We will be hosting our first meeting of 2012 on Tuesday, February 28 @ 6:30 p.m. Trish DeTura*, RN, CNM, MS will presenting on Mayan Abdominal Massage and about how it can help moms recovering from birth, particularly our moms who have had c-sections! Not to be missed!
We will be celebrating our first anniversary this March.
Elaine Diegmann, ND, CNM, Director of the Nurse-Midwifery Program at UMDNJ will be presenting in April. She will speak about the work happening at Newark Beth Israel to reduce their c-section rate and to move from Worst to First! Trish DeTura will also give an encore presentation for those who could not make the February 28th meeting. So excited to see the transformation in our community! If you plan to attend any of the meetings, please RSVP either by email or on our Facebook page, under events. Looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting!

* Trish is amazing - you owe it to yourself to get in to see her!

we all need to hear this: Mr. Rogers' farewell

"I like you just the way you are"

a lovely, UPbeat look at Down's

Do yourself a favor and check out Ups and Down's Syndrome with sabrina bean photography. I bet it will change you in some way...I found this very touching, for I was once the doula in a very similar situation and that baby is surpassing all expectations now, just like this little girl...happy birthday to her.
The poem from their doula, which could apply to anyone's birth story:

“When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.