In case you missed Birth Without Fear on Instagram this past week… What a gorgeous belly and henna! Did you do this? Tag #birthwithoutfear in your photos! _ Also, we recently opened a #findyourvillage in Calgary (sold out), Ottawa, Indianapolis, and Stillwater Oklahoma! This weekend is D.C. and New Jersey! All have limited space. ✨ _ As well as three…
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Pulled Over by a Cop, the Panicky Security Guard, & a Speedy Birth
A contraction woke me up shortly before 1am. I had been waking up to painful contractions for weeks, but this one felt different – deeper and more intense. I tried to ignore it and had almost drifted back to sleep when the next one came, strong enough I decided I’d better start timing. They were coming at 7 minutes apart,…
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Surrender to the Ocean’s Tide: a Water Birth Story
I had begun having Braxton Hicks contractions at regular intervals starting at 36 weeks. Every day I would contract at 5 minutes apart and end the day at 3 minutes apart. So on May 4th, 2017, which happened to be my due date, I didn’t think too much of my contractions, which now felt stronger. After picking up my daughter…
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The Role of Marijuana During Pregnancy
Marijuana. Cannabis. Weed. Pot. Whatever name you refer to it by (there are dozens more), legalized marijuana is a very prominent topic in our nation. Currently there are four states where you can legally buy weed if you’re 21, with California joining the mix in 2018. You can legally possess and smoke weed in eight states and Washington, DC. 29 states have…
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Supported and Respected and Encouraged: Wiley’s Birth
My due date was Sunday January 22nd 2017 and on Thursday January 19th I woke up with a feeling that it may be my last day at work before maternity leave. My mucus plug fell out throughout the day and I was feeling different than I had during the rest of the pregnancy, but I didn’t want to get myself…
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Labor in the Shower, Babywearing, & Anxiety is a Liar
In case you missed our Instagram this past week… Oh my goodness, this moment is everything! Mama emotions, her baby on his way to her chest, her best friend (behind) and her husband (to the right) celebrating. Wow. ❤ Incredible moment captured by @zuralagardebirth. _ P.S. if you didn’t see: @findyourvillage Calgary, Ottawa, Indianapolis, New Jersey, and Stillwater Oklahoma are…
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Harry Potter, Zumba, & a Home Water Birth
In December, I got to shoot my very first birth session. Let me start by saying—nothing in the world can prepare you for something like that! The birth was set up to be an at-home, water birth. And, boy, I did my research. I read articles on what to expect when birthing at home, the process of having a water…
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A Fight for a Twin VBA2C Birth in the Hospital!
I had my first son at age 18 and he was delivered by an old school OB who told me I wasn’t trying hard enough to push him out. He didn’t exactly offer a forceps or vacuum extraction because he told me these interventions were not designed to do 100% of the work. After a total of twelve hours in…
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Victoria Azarenka Returns to Tennis at 7 Months Postpartum
Belarusian tennis star and former world number one Victoria Azarenka has announced she will return to the tennis court at this year’s Wimbledon on July 3rd, only seven months after giving birth to her baby boy Leo. Her last tournament was the French Open in May 2016, where she was in her first trimester of pregnancy, an impressive feat to say…