As a cloth diapering mom for the majority of the past three and a half years, I am always excited to try a new diaper on my kids. When Bummis asked for a review of their Duo Brite All-In-2 Deluxe Pack, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this brand that somehow I had never used before. The “fluffy mail”…
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In Pursuit of Perfection
Let me start this post by saying, “I’m a perfectionist.” Yep. I’m a perfectionist, always have been. And I am about to admit to you that I AM NOT PERFECT. I’m learning to live with it. Society in general is pretty obsessed with perfection. We want perfect bodies, perfect jobs, perfect houses, perfect lives. Messy relationships, screaming kids, stretch marks,…
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Maternal Death and the United States {Birth Without Fear}
Maternal Death – the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. (WHO) This is a subject no one really wants to talk about. Mothers…
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Why Mothers Measure In Months
So often, I see memes like this: And you know what, they bug me. A LOT. Normally these are posted by people who are not to the point of having children yet, which makes it even more annoying. Basically any mother will tell you that from one month to the next, our children learn and change drastically. During the first…
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Prepping for Your Home Birth Without Fear {The Ultimate List}
One of the most common questions about homebirth from those considering it is, “What do you need?” While the list of supplies varies from midwife to midwife, there are some basic things that almost everyone is going to need to gather in preparation for the birth. There will also be things you will (probably) want to do for your comfort…
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VBAC: What ACOG Really Says {Birth Without Fear}
VBAC – Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. The term and action is wrought with political and emotional meaning in the birth world. Can you have a VBAC? Does your doctor or hospital “allow” a VBAC? Under what conditions can you have a VBAC? Should it be called a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean)? What sort of prior birth history is…
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Breastfeeding Rights: On Being Asked to ‘Cover Up’ By a Home Depot Employee
I noticed how polished she was. Flirting with a guy who was loitering around the taco truck and asking her again when she got off work. She said, “Nine.” I considered complimenting her on her perfect ankle boots. I sat down on the gray wooden box that probably holds pylons or road salt (but wait – it’s California – no…
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Grief And Guilt {The Birth Trauma Experience}
Trauma after the birth of a baby is a ‘special’ kind of trauma. It’s a bittersweet kind of trauma. It’s a silent kind of trauma. It’s an invisible kind of trauma. And if your baby is healthy, it is usually considered an unjustified kind of trauma. I suffered from birth trauma. It was agonising, painful, and heartbreaking. I was alone,…
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Circumcision Doesn’t Beget Circumcision {One of These Things is Not Like the Other}
Yes, you read that right, we’re going to talk AGAIN about circumcision, but this post is a little different. I’m not writing this to try to tell you what to do. In fact, this post is actually going to start off with a confession; the day after my first baby was born I had him circumcised. Whew. Okay. We got…