January and Brandon are discussing setting boundaries with family and friends, and how it applies during the ramped-up, stressed-out holiday season! January discusses some of the things she’s done to set boundaries, and Brandon explains why it can be such a precarious tightrope act for your emotional well-being in the beginning. And Brandon relates the Birth Without Fear motto of…
-
-
Our Story {Cleft Palate & Hypoplasia}
Before my husband and I had even started trying to get pregnant, I assumed I had it all figured out. I’d have a home birth. I’d breastfeed. And we’d have a perfect beginning bringing our perfect little baby into the world. You know what they say about assuming… My pregnancy was pretty much picture-perfect. It took us no time to…
-
Eating is a Family Affair: How to Support a Breastfeeding Mother
I had always expected to breastfeed my babies. I was breastfed until I was two (or four, depending on which parent you ask) and it just seemed normal. But I had never considered how important it was to have a partner who supported me in breastfeeding. Like a dreamy adolescent girl who has already chosen the colours for her wedding,…
-
Why Should I Write My Birth Story?
I am daily compelled by the siren call of birth stories. I read them late at night when I can’t sleep because I’m pregnant. I read them early in the morning when I need inspiration because I’m pregnant and my toddler’s favourite co-sleeping position is ‘H is for Hell’. I recount them to my husband, my friends, my colleagues, and…
-
Waiting; Not Inducing
Mr. BWF had to call his boss to tell him I haven’t birthed yet and to keep him off the schedule for next week (told him that would happen). His boss asked, “So, is she getting induced?!” Mr. BWF said, “No, we do things naturally and let her body and baby go into labor on their own.” His boss wasn’t…