Trusting Tuesday: A Baby Story

Do you trust these shows? Do you watch these shows?

I tend to encourage my patients to NOT watch these shows. I feel that they fill expecting mothers with fear and anxiety for their upcoming births. They are shows that are made to entertain. They need a story, drama, and some way to continue to have people watch the show. Have you ever watched a perfectly normal healthy birth on A Baby Story? I have... BUT... it was full of the narrator pausing for dramatic effects, flashing LARGE words on the screen like UNMEDICATED or RISK OF CESAREAN, and constant pictures of the large clock on the wall ticking. All of these things are put on the show because it can increase ratings because of the suspense but it also teaches mothers that these are things they should be afraid of. Time passes in labor, but in most healthy women there should not be a deadline.

Every women will labor differently.

Some women labor for 24 hours and everyone is perfectly healthy and happy. Some women labor for 3 hours and everyone is perfectly healthy and happy. Was the 24 hour labor more dangerous than the 3 hour labor? Not necessarily. If a mother stays hydrated, gets rest, the baby is moving well, and everyone is in good spirits then a 24 hour labor can be a wonderful thing. A woman who has a three hour labor might have a baby with a lot of bruising or with stress but just because it was 3 hours doesn't make it better or more safe. I have seen my share of women having 3 hour labors because they were high on meth and having an abruption... that turns the tide a little bit. Shorter labors do not mean safer! So why does A Baby Story focus on the clock??

Another flaw in the Baby Story idea is that it encourages women to share their birth with the world. There is no more of the parents quietly going to the hospital and the next morning calling their families and letting them know that the baby was born. We tweet our first contraction, we facebook status update when we leave for the hospital, our doula gives a play by play to the world, and then if you don't update your status every 10 minutes you start getting text messages and phone calls. Families want webcams, skype updates, and pictures instantly.

I am not saying all of this social media is bad when it comes to pregnancy, labor and birth; I am just saying find out what is right for YOUR birth. Don't feel like you have to share one of the most intimate moments of your life with the world unless you want to.

My first birth had about 20 people in the room. It was wonderful and memorable, but a little chaotic. My second birth was my parents (did I mention my dad is an OBGYN? Totally not weird in my situation), my husband, midwife, and doula. Much more intimate than my first birth. I did post on facebook that I "hoped" these contractions were real. My husband made some updates, but I was not focusing on updating my status, I was focused on birthing my baby. This is what was right for me and my birth. A Baby Story would not have been right for my birth.

New Episodes Premiere Weekdays at 2/1c

About the Show A Baby Story takes viewers on an intimate and emotional journey by profiling couples' experiences from the final weeks of pregnancy through the first weeks of a new life. Go inside the delivery room for a voyeuristic peek at the drama of labor and the sheer joy and relief of the unforgettable birth moment. Share in the experience and all the emotions parents feel when they first greet their newborn. A Baby Story would not have been right for my birth.Enough of my ranting about the show- I don't trust it. You may if you wish., just please keep your eyes open and educate yourself- Watching A Baby Story should not replace childbirth classes!!

Mommy Monday: Taking Away Rewards

Are you against rewarding your children?

I am not talking about rewarding with praise and hugs, but with prizes, treats, toys, and more?

I am not. I am not above "rewards" or bribes. :)

In order to potty train my daughter she got M&Ms. For months she got M&Ms. She doesn't get M&Ms anymore, she is finally expected to go on her own.

The past 2 nights she has kept her diaper dry the entire night.

My 4 year old still gets up every night to go to the bathroom, she can't hold her bladder that long.... anyway, back to my story...

My little Cara kept her diaper dry for 2 days so I told her I would let her pick out a prize. We walked around and around the store and she picked out a $1 pack of princess markers. She doesn't have any of her own markers and she was soooo excited to get these.

She held tight to them the entire shopping trip. She barely let the cashier scan them so we could pay for them. She was not letting these markers go.

When we got in the car she was happy as can be. A few minutes later I hear the 4 year old saying, "uh oh mommy, look at Cara."

Thats right, I ended up taking away her freshly earned reward. I hate when I have to do this.

We will try tomorrow to let her play with them again. This time I will supervise and give her paper to color on. Thankfully they are washable!

Special Guest Sunday: Run Lucas Run

Did anyone notice the cute updated blog background?

Oh, you did? Thank you for noticing. It is quite lovely.

Who do we credit our new design to?

The wonderful Lindsay at Run Lucas Run

Not only is her blog simple, beautifully designed, and creative, she can help you design yours!
Go on over and take a look at her blog and comment.
Let her know how impressed you are with the way our blog makeover turned out!

Fashion Friday: EcoMaternity

I am branching out---- leaving Etsy searches this week and I have moved over to Big Cartel? Heard of it? Yeah, I am slow to the game too.

I found this cute little store called EcoMaternity. They have some cute t-shirts for sale now.

http://ecomaternity.bigcartel.com/

My favorite shirt they have is this one, "Sing for Joy" shirt. Very simple and cute and it reminds us to cherish the sweet moments of pregnancy.

Wild Wednesday: Rubber Duck

No joke- A representative from the county health department dropped this Rubber Duck off at my office.

This cute rubber duck just smiling, just reminding you that "syphilis happens.
As if we really forget to test our patient's for syphilis... But I guess if I did before, I wouldn't now.

Trusting Tuesday: "I have to PUSH!"

This week is National Nurses Week.

Most of the people reading this blog have or plan to have their baby born in a hospital. If you are having your baby in the hospital in the United States you are going to hope for an excellent labor and delivery nurse.

My labor nurses were AMAZING! It did help that they were close friend's who I previously worked with when I was working at the hospital. My darling nurse April, missed my birth with Cara. I called her when I was on my way to the hospital. She got in her car at the same time and she came in a few minutes after I had welcomed my sweet girl earthside.

Fortunately I had another wonderful nurse, Amy, who was there to help me out. She was quiet, she let me labor, she respected my wishes for a natural childbirth, free of an IV or pitocin, and guess what else? SHE TRUSTED ME! She knew I was prepared, she knew I knew what I wanted and she listened when I said, "I have to push!!"

Ask any nurse, when you hear the words, "I HAVE TO PUSH" your ears perk up. Labor and delivery is very unpredictable business. A first time mom, barely having contractions, who has been in labor for 3 hours... if she says "I HAVE TO PUSH!" you go running. Even though every part of your mind is screaming saying, "No way is that possible!" It has happened to every one of us.

So please thank your nurses during this Nurses week. The work long hours, they work hard, they keep you safe, and they trust you when you yell, "I have to PUSH!"

Mommy Monday: No Mommy is Perfect

This cute tidbit was taken from

Boon's Facebook page

I think it is quite comical and made me think about all the times I was NOT a perfect mother.

© 2010 www.modernkidsphoto.com | Sarah Wert

Thanks to all the Boonies that submitted their "No Mommy is Perfect" stories. Here are our top 5 picks - now you get to vote for your favorite! The winner will receive a $200 Spa Gift Certificate. Congrats and good luck to the finalists.

1. On a rainy day, I had to rush out of the house with my two boys in tow. I fumbled out of the front door, toting my plump two month old in his carrier and my two year old by the hand, I tried to race down the walkway to the car. My toddler seemed resistant and focused more on dragging his feet than scurrying to the car. I reminded him that we need to move quickly in the rain and wondered out loud why he kept looking down. Once I got him in the carseat, I realized why. My poor little guy was wearing nothing but soggy socks on his feet! I managed to put his dress him in a hat and coat but forgot his shoes!
2. After my daughter was born as all new moms know, it’s VERY hard to get a good night sleep. One night during a diaper change, I must have been so tired that I was half asleep while changing her diaper. When I woke up in the morning I remember feeling the sheets and they were damp. Then I looked at my hands and there was crap on it! Yes “number 2”!! I put her diaper on inside out so all of her “number 1” and “number 2” came out the side, on the sheets and on my pajamas! I couldn’t help but to laugh and run the both of us into the tub.
3. In the past almost 9 years I have had plenty of Mommy moments, but one in particular stands out. In the wee early morning hours of Christmas Day, 2005 I went into labor with my second second daughter, Meghan. We were very surprised since I wasn’t due until January. My then 3 year old, Tara, was home in bed expecting the next morning to be Christmas- complete with Santa and presents. We had called my Mom to come and stay with her at our house while my husband and I went to the hospital. My husband and I decided that when Tara woke up, we would have my Mom explain to her that we were at the hospital having the baby and that it wasn’t Christmas yet. When she woke up she was shocked to find my Mom at the house without us. When she said Merry Christmas to my Mom my Mom told her it wasn’t Christmas yet- thankfully, she was just confused and said, but Nana I had the strangest, really, real dream that today was Christmas and Santa came! Biggest lie ever. And it came from her parents.
4. Back in January, our family was under a lot of stress (death in the family, a miscarriage & changing jobs). I was trying to handle it, along with my husband, as best as possible. He was working late one night, and that left me at home for one of the first times in awhile with all three of our children. The night started out okay- with our not-so-healthy dinner from the freezer section of Trader Joe’s, and hanging out. Then, my 6 year old daughter fell and cut her head- while trying to handle the wound (and blood pouring out), I hadn’t realized our 1 year old had gotten my sleep-aromatherapy spray off my night stand. I noticed as she was holding it, spray nozzle popped off & attempting to drink it. As quick as I could, snagged it way, took her to the sink to wash her mouth while calling poison control. If calling poison control, handling a wound and juggling still trying to hold it all together wasn’t enough… my 9 year old son interrupts to say he broke his TV. At that point, I couldn’t do anything else, except cry & laugh at the same time. I’m not perfect… I don’t always keep it together emotionally, but I try to be as good as a mama as possible. Luckily, my husband was able to come home shortly after and all was fine. No trips to the ER…(from the wound or aromatherapy spray!!) and the TV was able to be fixed.
5. I’d spent my day dropping my daughter off at school, taking my son to a zoo playdate, having a meeting, and doing errands. I had a volunteer meeting that evening, after feeding and bathing the kids and putting them to bed. I was tired but satisfied because I thought I had the two kids thing down, finally. I brushed my hair back and realized that there was a lollipop stuck in it. We’d had lollipops at the zoo, which meant that it had been there all day and no one had mentioned it. Such a mommy moment.

To place your vote:

Select the story you liked best (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) and vote via the poll question posted on the Boon Facebook wall.