Lifes Simple Things

Found Facebook...

2009-08-21T00:57:00.000-07:00

I found facebook and that has been where I have been spending my time. Just writing little status updates here and there. Not that I am ready to give up Lifes Simple Things... my thoughts here remain the same and I am glad I wrote them down. (I mean posted them)

Be Well...

Bringing In The May

2008-05-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

I just found this interesting little tid-bit:

http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/may06/may.html

Although there were not many April showers, we do have beautiful May flowers here...

Enjoy your Spring!

Postpartum Warmline

2007-09-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the WarmLine for SOLACE : 877~SOLACE4

I truly believe that this will prove to be an invaluable resource for our birthing families...

Take a few minutes and see what SOLACE (Support to Overcome Labor and Childbearing Experiences) is all about. Maybe you or someone you know will need to phone sometime in the future...

Why we need an organization like SOLACE

Our Vision:
(copied from the website: www.solace-southbay.org)

We envision an organization that will provide multi-faceted support for women who have experienced challenging or traumatic deliveries through:

~support, education and a non-judgmental connection via a telephone “warm line” staffed by volunteers trained in normal childbirth as well as supportive listening skills;

~group support meetings to facilitate community connections among women seeking to share about, understand, and master their challenging childbearing experiences;

~practical training for mental health and birth professionals to expand their skills to support the unique demands of transforming birth trauma into healthy attachment and motherhood.

Upcoming Conference!

2007-09-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce this conference!

October 6-7, 2007

"When Childbirth Becomes Traumatic"

Featuring Penny Simkin PT and Phyllis Klaus CSW, MFT ~ 2 of the founders of DONA International and authors of "When Survivors Give Birth" along with Sharon Storton MA, CHT, LMFT and founder of SOLACE...

Hosted by:

SOLACE (Support in Overcoming Labor and Childbearing Experiences)
BABI (Bay Area Birth Information)

Los Gatos Lodge
50 Los Gatos/Saratoga Road
Los Gatos, Ca 95032
(800) 231.8676 • (408) 354-3300

Spoiling Is When...

2007-03-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

Spoiling Is When You Leave Something On The Shelf To Rot...

Not when you tend to your baby before she gets too upset.

Not when you offer your baby skin-to-skin care as often as you can.

Not when you take him to be with you every night, after trying every trick in the book to MAKE him more independent.

Not when you realize that you can even fall asleep together and after a time you realize you both are much happier this way.

Not when you feed her when she would like to eat. (Just like you and I do!)

Not when you use a sling to carry him out and about instead of a baby bucket.

Babies are very social little things and the way they are made up requires them to have constant interaction with their parents.

Babies, as smart as they are, just do not get why they do not have mom and dad close for hours every day.

Actually, they do get it.

And they try with all their little might to let us know what they need and require to thrive in this world.

Sometimes we just need to listen...

A Weekend 5 Minutes Away...

2007-03-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Ahhh... there is nothing like a weekend away with the girls.

We laughed together, ate together, sang together and just simply enjoyed being with each other.

There is something magical about "Retreating" if just for a couple of days.

This year I ended up in a room where the linens were supplied. A little hotel room, if you will. (Must remember to request same accommodation's again next year)

And, the fact that it was 5 minutes away was pretty nice too!

Thoughts

2007-02-17T23:25:00.000-08:00

Misc. things on my mind today...

Slowly, parents are starting to realize that they can get the support they need and deserve when they bring home their little ones...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wonder why some people make the decisions that they do.
Do they really have honest intentions?
Do they have the best interest of those around them in mind?
Do we have to just follow blindly and accept someone’s else’s decisions because they are "the powers that be"?

Well, not the ultimate powers that be... That is where I can lay my heart down to heal- with the Ultimate Power That Is

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As much fun as basketball season was for Jane this year, I am glad it's over. There is so much pressure on our kids. And, I admit, I am a bit guilty of that from time-to-time... For example: Jane decided to join the track team when she finished with basketball. Thursday was the last BB game. Friday afternoon I was a bit surprised when she walked through the door as I assumed she would have gone to the field to join the team. As she was relaxing on the couch, doing not much of anything, I impatiently asked "Why are you home and not with your track team? Ever so patiently, she asks "Mama, can't I just have one afternoon with nothing to do?"

That's my girl...

I'm usually so protective of our time and not schedule too many outside commitments. Downtime is highly under-rated. Especially play time for our kids. I was so caught up in the scheduling of it all that I forgot about downtime!

Thank You Jane for bringing in all into prospective (again!)

Simple Miracle

2007-02-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

www.millinersdream.blogspot.com/ - 02/01/07

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?

2007-01-18T15:58:00.000-08:00

This week a new friend of mine, Melanie Bowden, has started her own story at: http://Motherhood.BookLocker.com Author of "Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me? True Stories of New Motherhood" She is also a certified postpartum doula, and mother... :)

Melanie has written what I believe we all wish we could share with our new families.

I hope you take a moment and stop by...

Confident Parents = Happy Babies!

2007-01-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

Happy 2007!

Please forgive me for being gone so long. Life's simple things got the best of me!

We had a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends which kept us busy the past few weeks. It was nice to catch up with everyone and we enjoyed all the Christmas carol Sing-Alongs by the piano. Finally we have babies again! It's been over 10 years since we've had little ones around...

A special Thank You to Thousand Hills Coffee! I gave a bag to each of our family and friends and they were thrilled to get such fantastic tasting coffee and honored to be a part of supporting the girls school.

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, one of the things I do as a postpartum doula is to show parents how to read their babies. I so enjoy observing these little guys. I think they are a lot smarter then we know! So, with that thought in mind I've ordered the "Dunstan Baby Language" dvd. I'm so excited about it as I was already aware of some of the cries and what they meant, I was just not sure why I knew it!

So between Happiest Baby and Dunstan Baby we should have some very happy babies and confident parents!

I truly hope to bring parents an understanding of their babies. To be able to replace the uncertainty they feel with understanding and connection with their little ones will be beautiful.

I believe our new parents know how to care for and what their babies need, sometimes they just need a little coaching to believe in themselves...

Birth....Simple?

2006-10-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

Birth…

It just swoops down and meets us where we are at in life....

Some of us are ready for it. We are ready to wear the “My Body Rocks!” tee shirt.

Some of us dread it. The fear of the unknown is just too overwhelming and we need to gain back some sense of control.

And, some of us want a child, but do not want to give birth…

Fortunately, we live in a birthing culture that offers choices. The choice to wear the tee shirt, or to give ourselves over to the medical community. Most, I would say, fall somewhere in between.

I think of my ladies in Rwanda, who travel miles to have the safest birth possible. For them that means giving their control over to the medical doctors, because they feel the risk of doing this on their own is just to great. Their goal is to have their babies in their arms as safely as possible.

Others have a goal of listening and respecting their bodies to do what they were designed to do. They surround themselves with like-minded souls for support and guidance and are in the comfort of their own home. And, most importantly, there is the reassurance that if something unfortunate happens, they have a hospital just a drive away…

That is the difference between the two worlds… I would imagine that if there was a local midwife or hospital my Rwandan sisters would follow their instincts and labor as naturally as possible. They just do not have that choice...

Simply Amazing Coffee...

2006-09-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me, know that unless it's a decaf mocha frappachino with whipped cream, I'm not really a coffee drinker...

That is until I had my first cup of Rwandan Arabica Coffee.

Perhaps it was because I love the Rwandan people and wanted to share in having a cup of their coffee with them each morning this past summer, I am now able to understand what all the fuss is about.

I am happy to say, here in America, you too can enjoy the most amazing cup of coffee you'll ever have...
www.ThousandHillsCoffee.com

What I appreciate about Thousand Hills is their vision they have for the children:

From their Website:

"...Thousand Hills Coffee Company, LLC was formed to supply the United States with quality Arabica coffee from Rwanda and to help subsidize and promote the Rwanda Middle School Project sponsored by the Paraclete Foundation of South Boston, Massachusetts

The vision of a new private, tuition-free middle school for girls is providing new hope in rural area of Nyamata, Rwanda where educational resources are limited.

Women have taken on a significant role in all sectors of the nation since the genocide of 1994 yet enrollment of girls in school, particularly at the secondary level, lags behind that of boys.

The new middle school’s aim is to prepare girls for higher education and to develop leaders. Students of all faiths will be educated to be intellectually prepared and morally inspired to lead and serve with distinction.

For more information visit the website at paraclete.org..."

I've spent time in Nyamata, I'll be changed forever because of my experiences there.

I try and remember everything about my time in Rwanda. The people, the music and songs, the relationships made and healed.

These are some of my most treasured memories... More later...

Simple Babies...

2006-09-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

When you welcome a new baby into your home there are really only two things that you need to know. The same two things they want from you... They need your love and care and of course to to be fed properly.

As a postpartum doula, my main focus in getting the new little family settled and comfortable, so then they can start to get to know one another. One of the ways I've chosen to do this is by showing parents how to read their little ones and respond accordingly. After the diaper change, after the feeding, after all the burps, newborns sometimes just don't settle. This could be quite traumatic for the first time parents. It's a terrible feeling not knowing how to stop the crying and fussiness. I remember that feeling!

At my fabulous postpartum doula certification workshop we learned about "Happiest Baby on the Block" Calming techniques taught by Harvy Karp MD. It's not that it is this new and exciting thing to try, it's just bringing all the little things our grandmothers have been doing for years together in a few easy steps.

I truly believe that this is something any parent can use, get results immediately and gain not only a calm and content baby but confidence in their parenting as well. There is certification for those of us who want to fully teach this. I happy to say I've sent in my paperwork and hope to hear back in a couple of weeks that I am certified and can begin teaching The 5 "S's"

And, I might even add to my studies by becoming a lacation counsler. Still thinking about this one...

Here you are with love: One full, happy, sleepy baby- just for you!

Simple days...

2006-09-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

My days have been very simple as of late.

I suppose that is the way I like it. Not to be confused with boring. Boring is not ok. Sometimes life does get boring and that is when I know to take the time and enjoy the simplicity of it all... (a change is coming...?)

Some of my simple ideas involve just the day to day goings on of a household with a couple of animals thrown in for fun. I'm thinking I will chat with you about that, as we all have a household. Some of them involving a spouse, children, dishes, laundry etc...

I may even throw in some profound thoughts I've been mulling over.

Let's see where this takes us...

Welcome!

2006-09-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Lifes Simple Things....