Surita Carstens from South Africa described her first baby’s birth as, “…one of the most traumatic experiences in our lives.” We published that story in 2012 and it moved many of us to tears with its senseless cruelty. At the end of it she wrote, “I hope that one day I can have a VBAC to empower me and feel…
-
-
I Am Strong {Because I Am A Mom}
I am strong because I got pregnant after being married for only a few months. I was told I would never be able to carry a baby inside my womb and it live. I am strong because I prayed for my child every night. Because I had three previous miscarriages because of my unique issues. I am strong because I stopped…
-
Feeding the Children: Memories of a Single-Mom Childhood
Several months ago, I wrote ‘Eating is a Family Affair‘, a post detailing the many ways my husband supports me in breastfeeding. I loved reading the comments readers left. There were lots of mamas tagging their partners and thanking them for their support (love!). Some comments were from moms whose partners did not support them in their breastfeeding (tears!). And…
-
Infertility, Homebirth, Tongue Tie {I Am Strong}
I am strong because after two years of marriage, my husband and I were diagnosed with infertility so severe we’re unlikely to ever conceive a child naturally. I am strong because I was told we’d need in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive a child: a costly ($10,000-$15,000) procedure that is only successful in fewer than 30% of attempts. I am strong…
-
The Best Laid Plans Often Go Astray {I Am Strong}
“The best laid plans often go astray”. Those words couldn’t be truer when it comes to the pregnancy and birth of my second son, Daxton. In October of 2012, Matt and I made a huge decision – we were going to move to Texas. Both of our families lived on the west coast, in California and Las Vegas, where we…
-
A Healing Birth {Learning To Trust My Body}
A good way to start any story is with a little background. So I will start by telling a brief story of the birth of my first and hospital experience. When I found out I was pregnant with my first, I did not know much about, well, anything! Especially not birth. I have always been more prone to go the…
-
Premature Birth at 32 Weeks {A Healthy Baby Boy!}
Janita shares this inspiring story of her son’s premature birth at 32 weeks – and her commitment to breastfeeding. “On the morning of the 22nd April at 6.30am, at exactly 32 weeks pregnant, our adventure started. I was woken by a distinct ”pop” sensation and a small amount of liquid. Since I was still half asleep I freaked out thinking…
-
A Cesarean for Breech Baby, Jaundice and PND
At our 19 week scan, the sonographer found that our son, J’s, nuchal fold was more prominent than it should be. She also found the left brain ventricle to be larger than the other. These, we discovered, were soft markers for some chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, and it may have indicated J having fluid on the brain. I…
-
Natural Hospital Birth {Support is Essential}
OK, I have to be honest. Writing this is hard for me. For some reason, I don’t want to write it. Like I’m dreading it? I think there are just too many things about it to write down so I know it’ll take me forever…? I have no idea. But here’s my attempt. I definitely want it documented. I have…