Goodbye 2012

Posted on January 7, 2013 by juliebyers

I like stats.

Firsts in 2012:

  • First dad to leave me in the dust on the drive to the hospital.  You know who you are, J.S.
  • First missed births.  I missed one due to dengue fever and one because I was away for the weekend (she birthed early).  I’m ever indebted to Angie and Laura for doula-ing in my place.
  • First time supporting back-to-back births.
  • First hospital waterbirth.
  • First time driving 1000 miles for a birth (which I missed, so that’s three missed births this year.  Painful.).

I am excited to see what 2013 has in store for me!  My doula availability is booking quickly and my first Hypnobabies class is filled to maximum capacity.  And how could it not be an amazing year with this adorable pumpkin as the first baby I snuggled in the new year?  He also peed on me three times.  I’m sure it is a sign of good things to come.

IMG_0915

I have only one resolution.  I will not miss any births.

2 Comments

Posted in Birth, Doula and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

January/February parents-to-be class

Posted on January 5, 2013 by juliebyers

I’m beginning another series of classes for new and expectant parents for Natural Baby.  I love teaching these six classes.  We focus on the physiology of infants and mothers; learning the biology of postpartum and development rather than a checklist of tasks.  Click the link to rsvp on facebook or you can email me (j_byers@bellsouth.net).

Classes are 20.00/student or you may register for the entire series for 80.00/student.  If attending with your partner, you will still only pay for one space.  Babies are welcome in class.

Class 1 (Jan. 22, 6pm-7:30pm):  Try to See It My Way:  “Why is my baby crying? Is this normal? I don’t understand what she is trying to say!”  Come learn about infant communication and cues. We’ll also discuss birth bonding, attachment theory, soothing skills, and finding balance. Plus lots of tricks for calm parenting. Babywearing and swaddling lessons included!  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and new parents with babies less than 6 months old.

Class 2 (Jan. 29, 6pm-7:30pm):  Breastfeeding:  In our breastfeeding class, we’ll learn about the biology of breastfeeding. We’ll discuss common issues, finding help through community resources, and returning to work.  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and new parents with babies less than 3 months old.

Class 3 (Feb. 5, 6pm-7:30pm):  Now What?  Parenting the First Six Weeks:  The first six weeks can feel like a whirlwind of emotions and the learning curve may seem steep. Learn what to expect during the postpartum. For mom, we’ll discuss physical changes, healing from birth, and creating a postpartum plan. For baby, we’ll look at common issues such as jaundice and gastric changes. And we’ll learn about baby care basics, newborn procedures at the hospital, and vaccine choices.  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and new parents with babies less than six weeks old.

Class 4 (Feb. 12, 6pm-7:30pm):  Sleeping Like A Baby:  *Yawn* Who came up with the phrase “sleeping like a baby” anyway? Learn about the physiology of infant sleep. We’ll talk about naps and nighttime parenting. And, of course, tips and tricks for getting restful nights for the whole family.  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and parents of babies less than 9 months old.

Class 5 (Feb. 19, 6pm-7:30pm):  Having A Baby Without Breaking the Bank:  Having a baby does not have to put a giant hole in your wallet! Learn practical tips for DIY, saving money, and what is safe to buy used. In fact, saving money can also be a sustainable and non-toxic choice. We’ll talk about creating a lean and green baby registry.   What do you really need to raise a baby?  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and parents of babies less than six months old.

Class 6 (Feb. 26, 6pm-7:30pm):  Parenting the First Year:  Parents have many decisions to make the first year. This class will discuss solid-feeding, safety, teething, discipline, learning through play, and infant development.  This class is most appropriate for expectant families and parents of babies less than 1 year old.

1 Comment

Posted in Parenting, Pregnancy and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Blooper #12 and #13

Posted on December 21, 2012 by juliebyers

I added two new bloopers.

12)  At a homebirth, the mom was deep in her hypnosis.  I was pressing a warm rice sock on her lower back.  I looked down to see rice spilling all over the carpet.  It seems my stitches were less than precise.  I had to use two ponytail holders to twist up the split seam.  Thankfully, I remembered to remove the ponytail holders with their metal attachments before microwaving the sock.  Otherwise, this blooper would be more serious.  If I’m going to continue sewing my own rice socks, perhaps I should add a sewing kit to my doula bag.

13)  In my Hypnobabies class, we were discussing perineal counter-pressure.  At the end of the class, I reminded them of the birth rehearsal we would be doing the next week.  I mentioned we would practice positions, techniques, and counter-pressure.  Never noticing their uncomfortable faces, I continued on until a doula who was auditing my class (and had taken Hypnobabies for her own birth) interrupted, “What Julie means is we’ll practice counter-pressure on your lower BACK; not your perineum.”  There was a collective, “Whew!”  Right.  Different counter-pressure altogether.

At some point, I need to wonder if it is a savvy business move to admit to these blunders.

1 Comment

Posted in Doula and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Courage, or “I can’t believe I’m writing this post”

Posted on December 17, 2012 by juliebyers

Alternately titled:

  • “For girls only”
  • “The gift I gave my husband that turned out to be a gift to me”
  • “A big step toward loving my body”

My dear husband is often frustrated that I’m self-conscious and negative about my body.  We women have had years to perfect the art of criticizing our bodies.  So for his birthday this year, I decided to gift him with boudoir pictures.

Boudoir pictures.

And I still can’t believe I’m writing this post.

Here’s the thing:  I thought I was giving him something special.  And I was.  But it turned out, I got a gift, too.

Let me back up.

I’m not into maintenance.  I don’t go to spas or salons very often.  I buy 1 tube of lipstick and mascara every year or so.  I get my hair cut maybe once a year.  I’m really happy if I get a shower every day.  Heck, I don’t even use shampoo.  Those things aren’t bad and I think it is great to spend time on looking good.  I just don’t take time for it.  I used to.

When I decided to do boudoir pictures, I went online for ideas.  Bad idea.  Those women were so polished!  I panicked.  I booked a spa day.  And while I felt like an old car going in for repair, I left feeling wonderful.  Spoiled.  As shallow as that sounds.

Of course, I wouldn’t do boudoir pictures with anyone except Tracie Birch.  The first question she asked me as we planned this together back in August was “What do you want from this?  What is your goal?”  She made me think beyond the obvious.  I told her I wanted my husband to see me feeling confident about my body.  I admitted I didn’t know how to make that happen.  I broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about the execution of these pictures!  She was incredible to work with and captured exactly what I wanted.  Tracie also made me feel beautiful and powerful.  I was surprised to find I was having a ton of fun during the shoot!  Really.  I had FUN!  Even when she made me lie naked on a fallen tree.  Even when she picked a leaf out of my derriere.  We’re pretty close now, Tracie and me.

Why am I sharing this intimate information on my blog?  I’m taking a risk that one or two women who are reading would, like me, benefit from such a daring gift.  It is a no-brainer that your partner will be over the moon.  My bets are that you will be thrilled, too.

I put Scott’s collection into a leather-bound photo book.  It won’t be placed on the coffee table, mind you.  This book is for his eyes only and will live in his nightstand.  For the shoot, I used his favorite business shirt, one of his sweaters, his work gloves and woodworking apron, etc.  I don’t think he’ll ever use those work gloves without thinking of his wife.

I’m sharing a few of the cropped and tame images so you can see how incredible Tracie is. She is a photography ninja when it comes to catching light.

IMG_c9613 IMG_c9696

IMG_c9721

I still partly feel this blog post is a big mistake!  I might delete it tomorrow.

But girls, tuck this idea away.

(And maybe do an indoor shoot so Tracie won’t make you get cozy with a tree).

18 Comments

Posted in Marriage and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Gift Idea

Posted on December 16, 2012 by juliebyers

Today is my husband’s birthday!  I think he’s dreamy.

His daughters think he’s dreamy, too.

For his birthday, they made fragrance bundles for his woodstove.

My husband loves his woodstove in his workshop.

It was a simple and inexpensive project that the girls were able to do without much help from me.  And the best part?  All the materials were already growing in our yard or sitting in the kitchen.

photo-5

I dried the fruit a few days in advance and gathered spices, herbs, cinnamon sticks, coffee beans, and essential oils.  The whole project took less than an hour.  I labeled each bundle after the girls rolled them.  We had some fun creations like “apple pie” and “Christmas punch.”

photo-6

He’s already burned a few and they smelled lovely!

*Up next, the gift I gave Scott.  I’m promising it here so I won’t change my mind.

2 Comments

Posted in Family and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

The Birthday Girl

Posted on December 12, 2012 by juliebyers

This introvert mama is thankful for a Wednesday with NOTHING on the calendar.  I’ve checked the fridge calendar at least five times this morning to make sure I’m not missing something.

Norah turned 7 on Sunday.  Seven.

63752_10100664152579828_473408581_n

She’s a cutie-patootie.  Full of creativity and questions.  She wants to be a “dolphin-trainer, architect, inventor” when she grows up.

My favorite gift was built by her daddy.  First, let me show you why he built it.  This is Norah’s bed:

photo-3

I’m not sure where she sleeps.  And since she’s on the top bunk, I jump out of my skin when something falls out at night.  It echoes through the entire house.  Scott saved the day with this beauty:

photo-4

Hooks to hang her headlamp, drawers for all those itsy things, and shelves!

I love it!

1 Comment

Posted in Family. Bookmark the permalink.

When you pass through the waters

Posted on December 6, 2012 by juliebyers

I’m reading Michel Odent’s book, Water and Sexuality.  If you aren’t familiar with Odent, he is a French surgeon who began to explore birth as a midwife.  He noticed women were drawn to and influenced by water during birth.  You don’t need to be around birth long before you notice that phenomenon.

He is also incredibly provocative.

He tosses about Japanese tradition, Greek mythology, sexual theory, and futuristic aquatic adaptation.  In the same chapter.

Like I said, provocative.

IMG_2686In terms of waterbirth, he describes how women are drawn to the water and will sometimes enter the tub before it is barely filled.  In Odent’s observations, the presence of water “releases the brakes” on birth; inhibitions melt and the neo-cortex turns off.

I started thinking about a question I ask all my clients:  If you could birth your baby anywhere in the world, without worrying about logistics or safety, where would your fantasy birth take place?

I knew many women included water in their answer but I decided to find out how many.  I pulled my last 50 client files and went through each one of them.

38 out of 50 said they wanted to birth either in water or near water.

Some of the answers were creative and specific.  Here are a few:

  • A cottage by the ocean in a rain storm
  • Floating on a bamboo raft in Hawaii
  • In a tree house over the ocean in Fiji
  • By Bull Sluice on the Chattooga River in the daytime
  • On a blanket at the ocean in Italy
  • In a Swiss Alps cottage with the sound of water

Three women mentioned dolphins and four mentioned mangoes.  Is there some symbolism in those images?

My favorite was a woman who would birth at a coral reef at night.  Probably the scariest place I could imagine but for her it was a peaceful, safe haven.

Only 12 did not involve water.  So what did those 12 answer?

  1. At home in bed near a fire.  Dim lights.
  2. At home with candles
  3. At home in the living room.
  4. Home
  5. At home in bed.
  6. At home beside the fireplace.
  7. Somewhere comfortable and private
  8. Hospital (interesting, at her birth she spent much of her time in the hospital shower)
  9. Mountain top
  10. Outside
  11. and 12.  No answer

I don’t have a big revelation in these numbers.  I’m not surprised by them.  Personally, it’s difficult for me to imagine having a “land birth.”  At my first birth, when the midwife said the tub was ready, I stripped my clothes off in a room full of people and almost dove headfirst into the aquadoula.  The tub created a boundary around me, it gave a physical space that was mine.

Not everyone wants to immerse in water, certainly.  Still, ocean sounds, waterfalls, and thunderstorms resonate in many of these fantasy births.  We grow our babies in water, we dream vividly of it in pregnancy, and it may release the brakes in our births.

IMG_0790

2 Comments

Posted in Birth, Doula and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Uncommon Thanks #4

Posted on November 22, 2012 by juliebyers

1)  After many attempts, I have finally found a green smoothie that Norah loves.  She asks for it everyday.  It isn’t anything special but the combination was right for her:  hemp powder, frozen peaches, 1 banana, 1tbsp chlorophyll, 2 cups spinach, and water.  Who knew?

2)  My husband is a creature of habit and, like Norah with her smoothie, wants to eat the same thing everyday for lunch.  Bonus:  it’s healthy and simple to make.

3)  Thrift stores.  It is like a treasure hunt and I’m always surprised with something.

4)   This nifty contraption my husband made.  I smile every time I use it.  It is a latch that holds up our homeschool table.   The original latch was prone to break and the table would crash down.  Not to mention the wood came from my dear friend Abby in Vermont.

5)  Freshly-made cranberry sauce.

1 Comment

Posted in Family, Food. Bookmark the permalink.

Uncommon Thanks #3

Posted on November 19, 2012 by juliebyers

#1:  That this guy,

turned into this guy,

#2:  Eating at The Lazy Goat with girlfriends!  I finally tasted brussel sprouts I like.  Butter and bacon are important.

#3:  The Dark Mint Chocolate bar from Night Own Chocolate.

#4:  Time for myself.  At a SPA!  Made possible by my amazing friend, Erin, who kept my children.

#5:  Norah’s diverse fashion style.  Some days, she dresses conservatively in a long skirt, head scarf, and cardigan.   And other days, she rocks out a 70’s style romper and tie-dyed thigh-high leggings.

Leave a comment

Posted in Food, Friends, Parenting. Bookmark the permalink.

The House Gnomes, or The Hals Noms

Posted on November 19, 2012 by juliebyers

Remember in this post when I mentioned that I sold the girls’ play kitchen?  Well, they finally noticed.

Norah:  “Mom, where is the kitchen?”

Me:  (shocked) “What kitchen?”

Norah:  “Our play kitchen!  It’s gone!”

Me:  “Gone?  What do you mean gone?”

Norah:  “Ugh!!!  That house gnome took it!”

Me:  (Cheshire cat grin)

So what did the indignant Norah do?  She immediately went to her desk and penned a letter to the house gnome.

Please keep in mind that Norah is very new to writing letters.  In fact, this month marks the beginning of her willingness to try.  Before, she was too worried about mistakes.  I told her (back when Barbie disappeared) that gnomes read by sounding out letters.  They didn’t know “correct” spelling.  Suddenly, she was writing letters and even a few books!  Yeah, one of my finer ideas.  I’ll post the three-page letter and then I’ll post the translation under each page.

Dear gnomes,

I was

wondering

where is the toy

kitchen?

I am very

curious.

 Signed Norah.

And

Do you have

anything

to do

with it

because

I need

it.

Please give

a note

back.

Hope

you are

happy

with our

house.

 

2 Comments

Posted in Learning at Home, Parenting. Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →