Adoptive mother Davney Nowak shares the birth story of her first biological daughter – an inspiring natural childbirth at a birth center. I married my high school sweetheart. Every life choice we made was made with our future children in mind. We got married at 22, and immediately started to try to start our family. I had always been birth- and baby-obsessed. I…
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I Am Strong – I Continued to Live
I am strong because at 36 weeks, I gave birth to a baby who I knew would not be with me very long. I am strong because at my 20 week ultrasound, there were a few “little things” that looked off and a possibility for Trisomy 21. Even though I am 31 years old and had less than a 1%…
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The Kowalli Joey Jacket {Review}
We recently had the pleasure of checking out this brand new jacket designed specifically for all stages of motherhood. What we discovered is the Kowalli Joey Jacket does have some unique features unlike other pieces of outerwear you may have tried or looked into. You are able to wear it starting in pregnancy as a maternity jacket. It then converts to…
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I Am Strong – Overcoming Abuse and Addiction for Motherhood
I am strong because I fell pregnant with my first son at 14 from sexual abuse. After being physically abused and pushed down a flight of stairs I lost my son at 17 weeks gestation, I was torn. I went off the rails and off the grid, developing a drug addiction and experiencing the worst drop in my mental health yet. I…
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5 Benefits of Having a High-Needs Baby {Not a Joke}
June 2011 ~ She was soft-spoken and smiling, in the coffee shop on Avenue de Gaspé on a summer morning in Montréal. It was the kind of cafe I would have once loved – a little crocheted hanging seat in the corner, lots of glass, a communal table. Coffee boiling in beakers. And she was the kind of woman I…
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I Am Strong – Becoming a Mom at 15
I was 15. I had just had my last day of freshman year. Summer was starting. Little did I know that night, I became a Mother. That night a little baby started growing inside of me. 17 weeks passed. I was partying still. Not having any symptoms. I was still having periods and only threw up twice, so I just…
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Next Time I Will Call the Shots – VBAC Home Water Birth {With Pictures}
With my first child I was forced into a c-section and never given the opportunity to labor! The story is that I was 39 weeks, and was told at 40 weeks we would have an ultrasound, schedule an induction, and go from there. Well it turned out my OB NEVER scheduled the induction but rather scheduled a c-section. We went in thinking I…
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I Am Strong – Enduring 30-Plus Hours of Full Blown Labor
I am strong because when I was in labor, I was in back labor for nine hours and wasn’t progressing so I had to go home. I am strong because after laboring another 10 hours at home I went to the doctor to get checked and was in full blown labor but only dilated to 3 cm. I am strong because I…
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Brand New Home Birth Baby Book by My Homegrown Baby
As many of you know, we have six children. Baby books are adorable and we started one with our first baby. As you may imagine where this is going, we didn’t continue this with our subsequent children. With child number two and three I had major mom guilt. By child four I got over it. They were loved, fed, clothed…