Sharing and Caring

This blog is an opportunity to share and read birth stories, share ideas, get helpful suggestions, or just read what others are thinking and caring about regarding pregnancy, birth, parenting and life.  We will be looking for families to share their stories and photos, their thoughts and concerns, their moments of clarity and wisdom.  We all have much to share and much to learn.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A birth story including thoughts about post partum depression experience

Due date: January 29, 2017 Arrival date: February 5, 2017 This was my first pregnancy and delivery and let me tell you, it did not go as expected in every aspect. I always heard not to get too hung up on the due date, so I went into the week I was due with an open mind that Kolby could potentially not make his appearance when we expected. But each day that passed after my due date felt like months - I was ready to meet our baby boy! I didn’t have any signs of labor either. I never felt Kolby drop, my mucus plug never came out, and my water never broke. I thought I was going to be pregnant forever. On February 3rd , my friend and I decided to take a Costco trip so that I could get some walking in. As we were walking, I felt some sensation in my stomach that I hadn’t felt before. It wasn’t painful, but it was definitely uncomfortable and something I had never experienced before throughout my pregnancy. My stomach was so rock hard, you could have probably bounced a quarter off it....
Read more

The Art of Storytelling

The Art of Storytelling A blog post by Erika Seirup The act of storytelling is a primal, natural phenomenon for humans. We are cultural beings, and storytelling has been a way for us to pass on traditions and learn from others. It is through storytelling that we gain empathy and connection. There is no time in our lives more vital to share our stories than when we are giving birth. Birth stories weave generations of mothers around the world together with each word and will continue to do so for generations to come.  Preserve the Memories When we tell our birth story, it tends to make it feel more real. It isn’t as though the birth was make-believe prior to being shared. No, you cannot mistake the power you felt as you pushed your baby down and out. But sharing your story helps bring the experience from a memory that may feel abstract to a solid, concrete moment that seems tangible. As time goes on, your memories of the birth may fade some. They may even change a litt...
Read more

My​ ​First​ ​Birth​ ​--​ ​Story​ ​and​ ​Photos Michelle​ ​Onaka

Image
My First Birth -- Story and Photos Michelle Onaka Due date: Wednesday, November 8th, 2017 (I was hoping baby would wait until about the 15th though, as we were hoping to get our house more ready after extensive renovations). Sex: Surprise! I thought it would be a girl and was hoping for a girl. Birth plan: Birth center with certified nurse midwives, a doula, and a birth photographer. Ideally a water birth. __________________________________________________________________ I had been feeling crampy off and on for several days and asked about it during my 39 week appointment (Thursday, November 2nd), but of course it didn’t really tell us anything besides that my body was preparing. At that appointment, Angie (one of the midwives) did note that the head was lower down in my pelvis, which hadn’t been the case at the 38 week appointment. They don’t do vaginal checks until 40 weeks, so that’s all the info I had. I had not seen my mucus plug at all. On Saturday, November 4th...
Read more