Saturday, May 25, 2013

Tell Our Daughters

Last night I had one of the best experiences of my life because my awesome friend Steph invited me to be her "doula" for the birth of her second baby. "Doula" comes from the Ancient Greek, meaning a "woman who serves" and I did my best to fill that role. Very different from being the birthing mother, I was the watchful observer, chearleader and overall supporter. It was a privilege to witness Stephane centered in her power, affirmations, self-knowledge and strength. She had to be strong for many hours, and she was up to it!

Maybe because I stayed up all night, today has felt surreal, and I am walking through dreams of new life and awe of the female body.

I thank my first midwife, wise-wise Margaret Strickhouser (now founding Atlanta's first birth center), for encouraging me to educate myself. She gave me a reading list at my first prenatal appointment. This list introduced me to a community and more resources that opened my eyes about our past and present childbirth culture.

I have the power!
Four babies and 8 years later, I've collected a bit of knowledge that I'm going to share here. I'm not trying to convert anyone. You likely already guess that my bias is to trust natural processes over technical interventions.

I would like to see women educated and prepared for childbirth so that they can create the birthing experience they want. I have heard many emotional stories of medical interventions with painful outcomes from mothers who felt pressured by the "experts." I wish that by the time my daughters are having babies if they so choose, they are doing so in a new culture. One that knows and honors the woman's power and competence to birth. Where scores of wise-women doulas and midwives gently guide and encourage our daughters to do what their bodies are designed to do. Of course, there are exceptions, times to thank God for our medical advances, but I am wary of those exceptions becoming the rule today.

For more on any of the points below, check out the Resources list at this post's end.

 

I want to tell our daughters...


1. Prepare Your Body! Train for birth like the marathon it can be. Find prenatal yoga led by a doula where they practice relaxation techniques, teach postures for positioning baby during pregnancy and while in labor, breathing and vocalization techniques for pain management. In my favorite classes, we read birth stories from prior class participants and discussed our questions at the class' end. Find a Birthing From Within childbirth preparation class that familiarizes you with the entire birthing process, multiple pain coping techniques including visualization, and trains your partner or coach to give you the kind of help you want.

2. More important than writing out your dream birth plan is choosing your healthcare practitioner and birthing facility. If you are a low-risk, healthy pregnant woman, the greatest determining factor of whether or not you will have a Caesarean is based on your practitioner's rate. And studies have shown that simply having a woman experienced in childbirth calmly watching over your labor will improve your experience and outcome. Choose healthcare practitioners and labor room guests who will remind you of your competence as you labor, make you feel comfortable and respected.

3. Your baby actually sets off the chemicals that start your labor. Trust that baby will come when she is ready. Remember that predictions about babies too large to birth are often wrong because ultrasound weight predictions can be off by 2 pounds.

4. If you have a breech baby, you can still give birth naturally. Find a chiropractor that practices the painless Webster method (my second born turned head-down within 5 days of treatment, in my ninth month).

5. With every medical intervention, the statistical likelihood for more interventions increases. Examples of interventions:  Cervidil/pitocin for inducing or quickening labor; epidural anesthesia or narcotics for pain; vacuum/forceps/episiotomy to quickly extract the baby; Caesarean section major abdominal surgery to remove baby.

6. With every Caesarean, the statistical likelihood for repeat Caesareans and related complications increases exponentially.

7. The World Health Organization recommends Caesarean rates be under 10-15% because beyond this point, maternal and neonatal complication rates rise. Many OB/GYN practices and hospitals in the United States have Caesarean rates of over 50%. To give some perspective about the medical necessity of these surgeries, the Caesarean rate at Ina May Gaskin's midwifery center in Tennessee is less than 2%.

8. When you think you can't, you can (and you might almost be done - many times the urge to give up climaxes right before you are ready to push out your baby!). Your body is strong and knows what to do. During natural birth, your body will adjust your hormones to give you more relief as your contractions grow stronger. And your baby works with you as you labor, reflexively pushing against your cervix as you contract. Work together! Talk to your baby, call to your baby, see yourself holding and nursing your baby. What you believe about yourself will prove true, so decide to know that you are strong.

Resources

- Birth without Violence by Frederick Leboyer
- Birthing from Within by Pam England
- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
- Prenatal Parenting by Frederick Wirth
- Choosing Waterbirth by Lakshmi Bertram
- Rediscovering Birth by Sheila Kitzinger
- Birth as an American Rite of Passage by Robbie Davis-Floyd
- Immaculate Deception II by Suzanne Arms
- The Business of Being Born

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Homemade Paper Pouches for Teacher Gifts, Party Favors

Thank you Sarah of Sheek Shindigs for sharing this idea on Pinterest.

If you know me, you know this mother loved spending her Mother's Day watching my children safely roam through a pesticide-free strawberry field at Grantville, GA's Lone Oak Farms. To turn our harvest into end-of-year teacher gifts, we just needed to create containers for the berries before they lost their freshness. These paper pouches were quick and fun to create.

I used scrapbook paper and parchment paper, but later in the week our kids in Ecology Club reused paper grocery bags for popcorn pouches. You could also reuse gift wrapping paper, gift bag paper or newspaper. The parchment paper is not necessary, just a bonus if you are using the pouches for something damp like fruit.

Here's how simple:

Step One:  Fold your paper over to create a triangle, long side about the length of a ruler, fine to eyeball it. If you are using parchment paper or another liner for effect, fold over and cut out slightly smaller triangle.
Step Two (Optional): Fully insert and center parchment paper or whatever you are using a a liner inside larger paper triangle.
Step Three:  Fold bottom right corner up and across, touching midpoint of opposite edge, crease.

 Step Four: Repeat by bringing opposite bottom left corner across, crease.

 
Step Five: Fold one side of the paper and parchment liner down, crease.
Step Six:  Flip piece over and fold down remaining tips, crease. Then press pouch open.

  Step Seven:  Flatten bottom by pushing up, and bending up bottom corners.
Et voilĂ ! Fruit paper pouches, popcorn pouches, pouches for collecting treasures or making festive party favors. We added a sticker to ours that said, "If we could have chosen who would take care of our kids at school this year, we would have picked you!" Haha.

I like the idea of making these from reused materials rather than making a trip to the dollar store when you need a small container or gift bag. One more way to alter the ending of our nation's Story of Stuff.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Eco-Friendly Baby Shower

The invitation read,
"We love Stephane, and Stephane loves the Earth! So we’re throwing her an eco-friendly shower, where we’ll have reused, recycled and shopped local in honor of Steph’s desire to reduce her family’s carbon footprint. Steph welcomes gently loved or handmade gifts. [She had registered at a local kids consignment store.] Recycled or reusable wrapping is a plus!"
The party was yummy and fun, and you're free to use any of the following ideas to throw your own eco-conscious shindig.

Decorations, Game Prizes and Favors

Rather than buying new, I hunted through local flea market My Favorite Place (5596 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Chamblee, GA 3034) for invitations and game prizes. I think the favorite prize was a bright red faux leather Bath & Body Works travel duffel. I filled a pair of ceramic pots with thyme and basil bought at a local community garden during the Wylde Center's Plant Sale. Other finds were pottery cannister, ceramic napkin rings, travel jewelry case and ceramic measuring cups.

For centerpieces, I pulled together the following from around the house: 2 old beer growlers + scrap fabric + 6 safety pins + cereal box and recycling bin cardstock. Neighbor Suzanne Conreaux, owner of local florist shop, Blooms of Dunwoody, donated the lovely flower arrangements that pulled the look together.

The kids helped string up our toilet-paper-rolls-cum-garland (thank you Allison from a Glimpse Inside via Pinterest for her tutorial -- note: I skipped painting the insides of the rolls and stapled rather than hot glued the petals together). Think it came out lovely all the same - see below:
Cloth linens, china, glassware and silverware made for a waste-free table setting. For favors, I made egg candles using local eggs for the shells and beeswax from Georgia's Hidden Springs Farm (available at several outdoor farmers markets throughout Atlanta). The labels were printed on the back of a Trader Joe's grocery bag, and I sectioned the egg cartons to create take-home holders.

Games and Menu

I repurposed an old baby photo cube by filling it on 3 sides with cross-stitched baby animals, leaving the fourth side open for a "Blessings for Baby" sign (to be replaced with a baby pic after baby arrives). Guests were asked to write wishes for baby on cards made from sections of cereal boxes and a baby gift bag, sewn back-to-back to conceal the cereal box design (use a 16 gauge needle and hand-knot the end threads to finish).

As we sipped on Cherry Raspberry Ginger Tea Punch and Mango Swiss Chard Smoothies (mango, banana, dates, ice and swiss chard from our deck garden), guests tested their sustainability awareness at Eco Baby Trivia with questions like,
1. Name the children’s book (recently adapted to film) written by Dr. Seuss that includes the quote:  “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” (Email me for a copy of the complete list with answers).

Then it was time to mangia!
 Displayed on the backside of a sectioned pasta box, our menu was:
  • Minted Sweet Pea Dip (thank you Pamela Salzman - love the way you cook!) with fresh mint from the guest of honor's garden, and watermelon radishes for dipping, from local Crystal Organic Farm at Morningside Farmers Market
  • Baba Ghanouj (awesome made from scratch at local Cafe Sababa)
  • Black-Eyed Pea Salad (email me for recipe)
  • Pasta Primavera with Chicken (email me for recipe)
  • Arugula Brie Sandwiches (made with the most delicious organic kalamata olive bread from Magnolia Bakery at Morningside Farmers Market - email me for recipe)
We played a second game of "Name the Baby Fruits and Veggies" by asking guests to label 12 seeds displayed in egg cartons. When we were done playing, we gave the seeds away to spur some home gardening.

Then we moved into the living room for gifts, several of which were handmade and sported reused wrapping paper. Some of the guests really got into the theme, creating newspaper gift bags, regifting their children's old books, and writing messages as inscriptions in books instead of using cards.

Finally it was time for some tea and Carrot Mango Cake with Cream Cheese Icing (email me for recipe). The cake was a hit -- there wasn't a crumb left. Everyone picked out an egg candle favor and we called it a day!

I really enjoyed dreaming up every aspect of this party. It was fun brainstorming ways to solve the puzzle of how to incorporate local eating, patronizing local businesses, reusing and reducing waste into a classy, pretty and delicious shower. I think it came together wonderfully and I'm so glad, because I love my friend dearly, and I wanted this afternoon to make her a lovely memory.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

"Hungry for Change" Online Screening FREE Until Sunday

Love the way life flows together. While our Wellness Team at the kids' elementary school prepares to launch a second Farm to School health lesson plan during all P.E. classes, "First Eat Real, Second Read Labels," and an accompanying Parent Nutrition Night next week, the makers of "Hungry for Change" offer a free screening of a film that speaks to the same material. LOVE IT!

It's not very long, about 90 minutes, only free until Easter, so please take advantage, check it out, and pass it on. Here's what their blurb says they cover:
  • The real truth behind "DIET", "SUGAR-FREE" and "FAT-FREE" products
  • How to overcome food addictions and cravings
  • How to navigate your supermarket - what to buy and what to avoid
  • Why fad diets don't work
  • What food additives to avoid and how to read labels
  • The most effective detox and cleansing strategies, and
  • How to eat for clear eyes, glowing skin and healthy hair

While we're on the subject, anyone for some K-5 Interactive Farm to School (F2S) Nutrition/Health Lesson Plans?
Anyone interested is welcome to use our K-5 Farm to School nutrition lesson plans, which we cobbled together from nationwide sources, and matched to National Health Education Standards. Contact me for the lesson plan, supplementary materials, or with any questions.

"Tasting a Rainbow of Plants"
Students will be able to:
- Identify the six plant parts we eat and give examples
- Identify the nutritional contributions of plants by color
- Taste fruits and vegetables of various colors

"First Eat Real, Second Read Labels"
- Students will be able to:
- Differentiate whole foods from processed foods
- Classify foods along a spectrum of nutrient-dense to high-sugar/low-nutrient
- Gain awareness of how marketing affects their choices
- “Spot the Block” to use a Nutrition Facts Label to analyze their food/drink choices
- Measure their added sugar intake against the AHA’s recommended 12g daily maximum for children