Friday, September 19, 2008

Dr. Phil Looking for Home Birth Horror Stories for his show.

Dr. Phil has a page on his website asking for people to share their stories of having a home birth and regretting it.
Please click here to add your POSITIVE story. Maybe he'll be flooded with stories of good outcomes and have no material for the story of regret he's looking for.



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Home Birth Under Attack in America


ABC News reports that the American Medical Association is supporting proposed legislation that would effectively ban home births. Resolution 205 supports the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' position that home births are not safe.
Read the story...



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Savvy Mom Baby Shower Gift Guide


Our Baby Bath Box was chosen as a SavvyMom Pick for the Dream Baby Shower Gift Guide. If you live in the Greater Toronto area you can enter to win all of the items in the guide. And if you live elsewhere, you can pick up one of our Baby Bath Boxes in the SHOP for the next baby shower you have to attend!

The Baby Bath Kit is 100% natural just like your baby. Everything you need to keep your baby clean, sweet smelling and cozy. All products are natural or organic.

Contents:
  • 1 Bamboo hooded towel
  • 5 Bamboo washcloths
  • 1 Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash - 160mL
  • 1 Angel Baby massage oil - 30 mL

Why Bamboo? Find out the benefits of bamboo.

Find out why you should choose natural skin care products.



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Until next year...

We had a great time at Birth Fest this year. There were even more vendors, great music and storytellers for the kids and lots of prizes! It sure is exciting to see how much local talent we have in Vancouver.

Thought I'd share the photos of our display for those who didn't make it.


Click to Enlarge




Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Midwives Now

Some vocal Pomegranate midwifery clients from the Sea-to-Sky Corridor are demanding that midwives become integrated into the maternity care services there. They have put together a website for their cause: www.midwivesnow.com. On the site there is a letter they have written to send to their MLA as well as some prominent members of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to expedite the integration of midwives. Please sign this letter in their support.

Pomegranate has been accepting patients from communities such as Squamish and Pemberton since they opened their doors two years ago, and many of these woman have to drive long hours and traverse natural obstacles to get the care that they rightfully deserve to have close to home. There are midwives who are eager to set up their life in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and offer comprehensive maternity care to women and families.

Please forward the weblink to others who agree that solving the maternity care crisis in BC includes integrating midwives across the province.



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Friday, February 22, 2008

We'll See You at BirthFest!


We are exhibiting at BirthFest again this year. The second annual celebration of bellies, birth and babies is co-sponsored by Birth Lounge, Britannia Community Centre and Eastside Family Place. This free event is for the whole family – live music, local maternity care services, local vendors and more.

Last year we had so much fun. The gym was packed despite the downpour outside. Kids were dancing, parents were chatting, prizes were won and there were great vendors showcasing their wares. We are really looking forward to being a part of it again this year.

Britannia Community Centre
Gym D
March 8th from 10am – 3pm.


For more information visit www.birthlounge.com



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Voices: What Story is Your Birth Story Really Telling?

I recently had the opportunity to share the story of my son’s birth with a university class on Child Development during Infancy (conception-3 years). The students are in their early twenties and many had never seen a birth before nor had any prior exposure to the basics of childbirth.

As I wrote out my story, I became increasingly aware that I couldn’t just tell it the way I remembered it. I had to bear in mind that the students would be forming impressions about childbirth from my words. I had an opportunity to cut through the noise of birth as pain and talk about what else it can be, beyond just a physical experience. I realized that to be taken seriously I would need to acknowledge that birth IS painful but I also decided to focus on the experience itself: preparations, perceptions, emotions. I spoke about why I chose to have a homebirth in a rational way so that my words would not be brushed aside as those of someone “brave” or “radical.”

I had to make very calculated decisions about what to say and what not to say and I got to thinking about the stories our birth stories really tell. Is it a story of fear, pain, control, joy, courage, triumph, peace, dignity, sorrow? Do the details we give and the words we use convey what we intend? Are we aware of our audience when we casually explain about the day we gave birth? Do we pay attention to the fact that there might be a young pre-teen girl there who is soaking it up? What do we want listeners to take away from our tales?

In a culture where birth is a medical event, we owe it to future families to tell a positive empowering story if we can. Young women today are bombarded with stories on tv and in the media of childbirth as being so painful and dangerous that the only way they will get through it is by putting their trust in the authorities, giving up the power in their bodies and taking the multitude of drugs offered to manage their birth safely. We can help shape future mothers’ perceptions of birth by carefully choosing our words when we talk about ours. Regardless of the circumstances—whether it was a blissed out waterbirth or a cesarean for breech presentation—we are the ones who tell our stories. We can choose to be positive and inspiring or to instill fear and dread. It’s your story.


If you are interested, you can read my story here.



Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!