This is a video I made for my daughter so she could see her Mama's journey through pregnancy and birth.
Here is the link : http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=91901ff542382524a7cf38

This is amazing - natural birth is getting more and more publicity.

check this out  

 dooce.com/2009/07/13/labor-story-part-one 

So, Firefox 3.5 is pretty bangin'. But it does one thing that thoroughly pisses me off. Ctrl-W'ing the last open tab closes the whole application, as opposed to simply closing the current tab and replacing it with a blank one. Not anymore!

about:config
New > Boolean
browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab
FALSE

Any advice for a first time mom with only 10 weeks to go? It seems like the time has just flown by and I have been blessed to have a beautiful pregnancy. Any suggestions for how to prepare for the delivery, things you wish you would have done/prepared, etc?


Also, I know that fundal measurements generally don't mean anything, but how many of you were measuring ahead of schedule and ended up delivering early? I was right on track and am now measuring 3 ahead. I know when my last period was, when I ovulated, when we had sex, etc so know that my body is just adjusting at it's own pace, but was curious if this meant anything for you. Honestly, I will miss being pregnant, I love it!

For those of you who couldn't read/see my friend's recent VBAC story on her blog, it's fixed now! Here's the link again: Cyprus Que's birth story.

An interesting article about electronic fetal monitoring:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/health/07brod.html?ref=health

( For those who don't like links... )

Anyone know if WHITE raspberry leaf is as good as RED raspberry leaf?

And how would you go about preparing it fresh? Making a tea from the leaves. Should i dry them out in a dehydrater, boil them fresh?

My mom grows both red and white raspberries. The white plants are MUCH healthier then the red, so i wanted to see if anyone knows if they are effective like reds are, before i go and strip her raspberry plants.

The plants have NOT berried yet so i assume they are stronger. I know that many plants put all their energies into producing berrys/flowers and are better if you pick before they produce their "seeds". Raspberries the same?

And would it be as effective if i mixed the fresh leaves with actual berries, but frozen ones from last seasons harvest. Just for flavor.

Thanks :D

Hi all. Some of you may have seen me lurking around pregnant. I am not yet pregnant, but my fiance and I are actively TTC. I'm very interested in giving birth naturally, going into labor whenever baby is ready and avoiding a medical induction at all costs. I'm afraid I'll have a difficult time convincing my fiance that a natural birth is the best way to go; he's kind of got that mentality of why be in pain if you don't have to? I think if I can present him with enough facts, and throw in my deep desire to go drug free, then he'll be supportive in that decision.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi, and I look forward to reading all of your posts, and hopefully I'll join the ranks of pregnant ladies soon. :)

Ok, I went ahead and started the community I was hoping someone else would form ... winter2009_10 is a community for folks expecting sometime this winter (Dec '09 - Feb '10) who are interested in a natural pregnancy, birth and lifestyle. I'm still working on tags, interests, etc., but I hope interested folks will join up and start doing introductions!

x-posted a bit

Take a look

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/luminitaslittleladies

Will also add clothing, shoes, accessories, re-ment and furniture.

I need to know what is going to happen after delivery with a baby who's momma has GD. She's determined to BF and she's having a VBAC. Baby is "already measuring" at 6lbs at 36 weeks. She's going to my OB who is a natural friendly OB. She also is going to a "baby friendly" hospital, where I had both mine and they're very BF friendly (rooming in, etc). She also has one of the most knowledgeable doulas in the area.

What does she need to know about BF and the sugar testing and the push for formula/sugar water etc.? I'm not putting this as a protected entry so I can send it to her.

Thanks in advance!

xposted to NB and BF

has anyone out there in friendslist land seen "public enemies" yet?  as much as i would like to see johnny depp and batman christian bale, i am concerned that the movie will be too violent for me.  i don't deal well with shootings or sad endings, so i'm assuming i should stay away?

and i'll update you all later about the mailing tubes thing -- hitting the post office shortly.

I have decided to let go of a few of my girls. I got both of them off of Yahoo Japan and Goldie came in especially rough condition, I am really only a newbie blythe collector and am in way over my head with these girls ^^; .  Please understand I bought them as is. I have no idea what to ask for either girl and was hoping for some help with pricing ^^;

( Blythe info )

I realize I am asking this question to a community with a bias towards natural birthing and no interventions when/if possible. But that is okay, because I guess I just want to be reassured and know what you think.
My question is about the necessity of the strep B test. Did you take it? Is it recommendable? I am in Mexico and here it is apparently not standard procedure and my OBGYN (he is totally natural birth friendly- there are no midwives here) will not be prescribing it to me. He told me they don't do it here, but if I wanted to I could. He told me a story about a French couple he had that demanded an amnio-blah blah blah (a screening where they test the amniotic fluid) because they said that was standard procedure in France (I don't know if it truly is, but that's what he said they said). Of course, that sounded absolutely ridiculous to me to have that test done, and so I thought maybe the strep B could be unnecessary as well.
I have one American friend that also gave birth this past year here in Mexico. She told me the reason why the Strep B Test isn't standard procedure is because Mexican women are a lot less prone to having it compared to U.S. women. She vouched for the test and went to a lab to get it done. Of course, she also vouched for an episiotimy and I know that is unnecessary and for me, completly unwanted. So I'd appreciate more opinions on the matter to have or not to have the strep B test done.
Thanks for the help.

My husband and I were just sort of talking about this last night and he asked whether or not it would be a problem, of course I had no idea, so I figured I would ask around and see if anyone knew.

Up until I got pregnant, I had either a very short vaginal canal or a really low cervix. I've always been able to feel my cervix easily with one finger (And I have stubby fingers!). When we first got together, my husband wanted to know what he was hitting when we had sex. Apparently he'd never encountered a cervix before.

Now that I am 13 weeks along, my cervix seems to have retracted and I really can't feel it any more. I assume this is normal and the protect it.

So, I'm really just curious as to whether or not my vaginal length/typically low cervix could cause me any problems later in pregnancy or with labor/delivery?

I totally just bought this :http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=17544076

She has some really great stuff. I REALLY like the lactating one. I'm going to convince my boob loving hubby to get it for me =]

dear lj brain trust:

can i mail something overseas (by airmail or whatver the cheaper-than-EMS-for-small-packages) using a (small) mailing tube?  both the post office nearest my house and the one nearest my work are worthy of SNL skits in terms of incompetence, arbitrariness, and line length so i'd rather figure this out before i get there if at all possible.  i can just imagine them either rejecting it outright or hitting me with some weird surcharge for non-rectangularity.