Birth in the Spirit of Curiousity…
Welcome!
Welcome to the blog that will broaden your prenatal, birth and postpartum perspective! In this blog you’ll find postings and articles that reflect a variety of opinons and resources; some that you may resonate with, some that you may not agree with.
As you know or are beginning to find out, birth and parenting is a profoundly personal experience. What the ‘right’ choice is for each person will be different and will be influenced by one’s entire life experience up until the moment they are ‘called’ to make a decision regarding birth.
It is because of this that you are the only one who can know what is truly right for you.
I believe that birthing naturally means birthing in the way that comes naturally for you. Whether that be at home or the hospital, with a midwife or doctor, with or without pain medication, vaginally or by cesarean; there are many ways to birth out there. Birth is unpredictable and it’s hard to know what you’ll feel or experience for your own birth, even if you’ve had children before.
It is in the spirit of entering the unknown of birth and parenting with curiousity and an open mind that I will make this blog a gathering place for birth information, experiences and insights from all perspectives. To build a community that truly and deeply supports the personal process of new parents, it is essential that we open our minds to the experiences of others.
I look forward to sharing these perspectives with you and hearing about your owne unique experience of birth!
In the doula spirit!
~Amanda
From the blog
Self Identity After Baby
May. 8, 2012 No Comments
It’s mother’s day coming up next weekend. It’s a day to celebrate you as a mother, but do you know who that is? Many women don’t immediately feel like a mother once their child is born, and instead gradually learn to see themselves in ways that fit with the identity of “mother.” In the meantime, the self she has previously known herself to be feels completely out of reach as her daily activities, capabilities and expectations have shifted so dramatically.
I myself spend a great deal of time apologizing to strangers for myself, my bag, my stroller and my child; I am mortified when my three year old son behaves like a three year old in public. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that I am just as entitled to be on the bus, in the restaurant or walking along the sidewalk as anyone else. It’s just that I’m not sure my fellow TTC companions, café patrons or pedestrians feel the same way and there is plenty of evidence to back up that fear.
While many people know about postpartum depression and prepare a strong network of support in an effort to prevent or minimize it’s impact, less people think about the possibility of prenatal depression. While it’s important to treat prenatal depression when it occurs, there is a balance to consider when medication is the form of treatment discussed. SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) which are often used to treat prenatal depression and other mental health issues in pregnancy can have an impact on the baby.
Childcare Choices in Toronto
Jan. 31, 2012 2 Comments
Do you really have to put your child on a wait list for daycare before it’s even been born! Since most daycares only take children above 2 years of age, what do you do before then? What is the difference between a public and private daycare in terms of cost, care, provisions, availability? How would a nanny service work and would it be worth it?
Sandy and Jason’s Birth Story
Sep. 24, 2011 No Comments
*Posted with permission of both parents* Jason’s story is in italics, Sandy’s in normal font To view the story with photos click “Jason and Sandy’s Birth Story” on our Homepage Sandy and I would like to announce that we are the very proud, very happy parents of our new baby girl! It has been a [...]
It’s not often that an academic conference is open and free to the public, let alone the topic of said conference to be about birth and mothering! So I’m especially excited for this one coming up as I can imagine every other birth fanatic will be once they hear about it! Read on to hear [...]
