Breastfeeding on Facebook

Facebook has decided that pictures of women breastfeeding is obscene. This was covered on today's Dr. Phil (thanks Ruth). What are we afraid of? That more women will decide to breastfeed? That children will realize it is a natural thing to do? In Europe women openly breastfeed their children and they aren't always discrete. But no one but Americans think this is unatural.

Early Cesarean Deliveries Increase Risks for Babies

Thousands of women are putting their babies at risk at their doctor’s advice. I think one could also apply this to women who are being induced. Doctors routinely start pushing induction at 38 weeks to my students, saying "The baby is big enough." Size in not the only thing that matters, their lungs need to develop to be healthy. Years ago, I had a student who had her baby at 38 weeks because they were worried if they waited any longer the baby would get too big. The baby weighed 8lb. 8oz. but ended in the NICU where there doctor told the parents, the baby was premature. We put too much stress on planning everything: We need to know what sex the baby is, pick the day the baby is born (or at least try), that we are putting our babies at risk.  


The following article was in the L.A. Times:

Elective C-sections performed before 39 weeks of pregnancy multiply the chance of serious complications, according to an analysis of more than 13,000 births.

By Karen Kaplan 

January 8, 2009

Thousands of women put their babies at needless risk of respiratory problems, hypoglycemia and other medical ailments by scheduling cesarean deliveries too early, according to an analysis of more than 13,000 births published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Elective cesarean sections performed after 37 or 38 weeks of pregnancy had up to four times the risk of serious complications compared with procedures done after 39 weeks. Even deliveries that were just one, two or three days shy of 39 weeks carried a 21% increased risk of complications, the study found. 

Jennifer Block does it again

Jennifer Block has written an eye opener of an article in the L.A. Times, detailing the need to redo our way of having babies.  Every parent should think about the way they choose to give birth to their child and be an active part of it.

We so need to improve our quality of care, here is some food for thought from the article:

But cost hasn't translated into quality. We spend more than double per capita on childbirth than other industrialized countries, yet our rates of pre-term birth, newborn death and maternal death rank us dismally in comparison. Last month, the March of Dimes gave the country a "D" on its prematurity report card; California got a "C," but 18 other states and the District of Columbia, where 15.9% of babies are born too early, failed entirely.

Birth Survey

The volunteer group Grassroots Advocates Committee of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services has founded the Transparency in Maternity Care Project.  The are trying to ensure the public in getting access to the best information.

So if you would like to help with this project and have given birth in the last year, please take their birth survey.

 Please take the survey here:  www.thebirthsurvey.com

What a Year

So much has happened this year.  Three of my sons graduated from high school, junior high and grade school and now are doing well in college, high school and junior high.  Our oldest lived in Spain and now is home and working as a reporter, our oldest son has had things to deal with and over come, but I am sure he will find what is right for him.  Our son Eric had three friends die in a months time and had to learn at to young of an age that life really can be short.  Our youngest just keeps on getting taller and is just so bright, well all the kids are.

I have had the pleasure of teaching some of the most amazing students this year, I have learned so much from them and feel blessed to have been a part of their lives during such and important time.  I hope I can continue to grow as a teacher.

I am blessed with a wonderful family and a husband.  No matter what life throws at us we can get through it.  I know that the love I have for my husband runs so deep and makes me want to always do all I can to keep that love alive.

So may you have a wonderful New Years.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

25th Cookie Party

I am blessed with so many amazing women that surround me. I have my online friends that are truly amazing and full of wonderful information and support, and then I have my Cookie friends. Yesterday I had my 25th Cookie Party. A slightly smaller group this year, sometimes life gets in the way of coming, there are 12 of us, but most show up with their baked goods (it doesn't have to be cookies, just bring something!). I am lucky my husband takes all the kids out, though Alexa was working and couldn't go, no matter how old they get they look forward to hanging out with their dad and then coming home to goodies.

It was a busy day, as my daughter Alanna and her best friend Hannah marched in the Christmas Parade, Hannah's mom comes to the Cookie Party, so we spent our morning in the cold and wind. I rushed home an hour before my party was to start to find Lenda knocking at my door, great, help! We finished up cleaning a few things, as Liz and Rachelle showed up and they pitched in to help. Soon, Lisa, Debbi (who came from Arizona), Freda, my sister who was at my first and most since, and Holly showed up. We may not always have time to get together during the year, but really try to make the time for "our" tradition. Lisa made beautiful stockings for everyone with her cookies inside and Holly (the crafty friend) made special towels with "Dorene's 25th Annual Cookie Party" emborided on it, how thoughtful and special of her. There was a time we cared what someone brought, now we just care that we show up. Sometimes husbands wonder why all the hassle of baking goodies for every woman there, it is a time where we eat lunch and just talk and catch up on each others lives, there is nothing to buy and no one to impress, just be there and listen and talk.

I thank my "Cookie Sisters" for always making my Cookie Party special, and for keeping the tradition alive.

Giving Thanks

We like to say in our family we are "Traditionally untraditional." Years ago to get what was then the little ones out of the house my husband decided to take them on a hike, which is where the tradition started. Each year they go to the same place, take pictures, eat oranges, and write what they are thankful for and bury it in a canister, to be dug up the next year, this has been going on well over 10 years, the three youngest could hardly wait to be old enough to go on the hike, which was 5 years old. They all come back in a good mood and laughing.

My husband are thankful that we have our six children to make memories with, he with the "Thanksgiving Hike" and I with a sit down dinner for 16-30 people. We are blessed.