Update 3/1/21: Good news that this decision has been reversed and my class couple have been reinstated into the midwives care. Woot, woot! Original post: I try not to be cynical. Or feel overly despondent at the forces that loom in our midst much larger than any one individual that impact our birth experiences and our initiation into new parenthood. I know from experience that I can help new parents have awareness, skills, and some control over the decision-making processes t

During my second pregnancy I used a phrase I found attributed to Tich Naht Hanh as a mantra for my relaxation practice (I call these Anchor Thoughts in my childbirth classes), which I subsequently recited for much of my labor (you know, until I hit transition, when I was just hanging on for the ride!) So, when I came upon an interview with him I took some time to listen. The best part of the interview came at the end, when Oprah asks him about healing the world and cultivatin

The first time my husband and daughters took me out on the John Muir Trail to experience Nevada Falls, they assured me it was the easy path. They are really good hikers. They've hiked to and up Half Dome - twice. The first time they set out on this adventure, I took an art class in Yosemite Valley and milled around Happy Isles while they hiked from dawn until almost dusk. That was a lot more my speed. We go to Yosemite for a week most summers. Hiking to Nevada Falls is a trad

Birth is the bridge that takes you to the other side. It is not the other side itself, but it connects the two. Birth is the space between the spiritual and physical planes. In it you are literally suspended between two worlds, calling your baby's soul to you. I see the bridge connecting the unconscious and spirit to the manifestation of the physical. How that crossing goes affects our perceptions as we reach the other side. Did we feel supported and safe so that as we step o

If you are wanting a natural childbirth, are you wondering how you are going to make this happen? When I read Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way two decades ago, the idea of a natural birth just resonated with me. It felt right. A natural birth was what I wanted for my beloved baby. My gynecologist didn’t deliver babies, so when I realized I was pregnant I needed to choose a health care provider for the birth. Ideally this would have been done before I got pregnant, but my fi

Happy 4th of July, dear reader! Today is the day we celebrate the birth of our country, the United States of America. We honor our forefathers and foremothers who risked their lives envisioning and creating a whole new way to run government, creating a new society. To this end, we were promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With freedom comes responsibility. The responsibility for making choices to ensure this privilege of life and liberty, as well as our abili