Redeeming Childbirth/Leaving a Legacy With Your Children

  I am currently reading one of the most amazing pregnancy/childbirth books ever written...Redeeming Childbirth!

  My spiritual mother, the midwife who trained me and is now such a huge part of my families life, often recommends a book, or we have a read challenge if we are both interested in a certain book. This was one of them, and I am so very glad she did. You can purchase Redeeming Childbirth HERE
 I am only about a third through this book and am so impressed with Angie Tolpin and her writing. It has truly got me thinking about so many different things. She has a website HERE, it is more of a blog styled website. I am subscribed to her emails. She sent out an email asking "What Legacy Are You Leaving Your Children With, On The Subject of  Pregnancy and Childbirth?"
  Well, being a midwife and currently expecting our 8th child, I thought certainly I would be instilling in all of my children, son included, how wonderful children are and what a blessing they are. This they have grasped. I also thought they would realize that pregnancy is not an illness, and a completely natural part of life. Childbirth, being an exciting part, the last leg of the race to be celebrated. However, I don't think I am showing them this as much as I should be. Pregnancy being natural, yes they get that. I think my being a Midwife has shown this. They know that homebirth's are what they want (currently, who knows when they are adults) and they know that pregnancy is a gift from God.
 Again though, they are a few of our children who seem to be focused on the fact that you can be very tired and very sick during a pregnancy. Rather then my teaching them that this can just be a part of it, and despite the difficulty that this seems to be, it is still normal and well worth the outcome of having a new healthy baby at the end of all of this. Angie talks on how this can also help bring you closer to God (leaning on Him during a difficult time) I love that she talked about this in such a positive light.
 Lately my 14 yr.old son, has made snide little remarks about boys/mens strengths over women/girls. This is upsetting to me, because I am big on "do not act better then one another". So, me, in my infinite wisdom, HA. I thought now is the perfect time to put him in his place. I have been stressing about the pain women endure during childbirth and the fact men just couldn't handle it. There I go, acting as though I were better then he. Boy I sure can be an idiot sometimes. So not only and I being a hypocrite, I am now teaching my daughters, who have been a part of a few of my labors, that childbirth is a horrible painful thing. So not what I want my daughters focused on! Even after all of these children of ours, I am still making massive mistakes. Thanks to Angie Toplin for bringing them to my attention.
 As a woman, as a mother, and as a mother of daughters, as a Midwife, I need to be leaving a Legacy with my children that I am proud of. I need my children to know, yes there are things about pregnancy & childbirth, but we need not to focus on them. Our eyes need to be on the heavens. Our eyes, need to be on the prize at the end of this journey. My children love to watch the baby move in my tummy, or feel it move. My three year old love to rub & kiss my tummy. These are the things they need to be reminded of. Pregnancy & childbirth is something God has blessed only women the ability to experience, with His help we are able to bring forth life. You can not get more "special" then that if you ask me. They need to be reminded of that. I think whether we have a simple and enjoyable pregnancy, or are struggling with a difficult pregnancy, we need to be careful on what we are showing our children with our actions and words. I love being pregnant, yes I have experienced most of the common discomforts, but none the less, I love being pregnant. I am not one of those women who are so impatient to be done. I do get impatient, but it is more to have the baby in my arms, looking at her/him, kissing her precious cheeks. These are the things I need to be teaching my children. Not that they do not need to know, what to expect, difficulties and all, however I need, we all need to remember, to focus on the positives not the negatives when we are teaching our children about pregnancy & childbirth.
  I would love to sit here and tell you all about the book, how it is reminding me to enjoy every second of this pregnancy, the ups & downs. How it is reminding me to praise God each and every day for the blessing He is bestowing on us. However I am sure I would be stepping on some infringement rights, so all I can say is buy Redeeming Childbirth, you will be so thankful you did. I know that I am.

I purchased this book on my own, I am recommending it, purely because every women needs this book. I am not getting anything from recommending this book, just the satisfaction of knowing God will be Praised!

Essential Oils, I am Falling in Love

  I have heard about essential oils for years, but more for fragrant uses. I didn't know much about them, and figured that I didn't need to. After all, I am not big on smells, even if they are nice.
  I kind of heard last year that a friend had been using them, even putting them in her drinking water (YUCK I thought). But again I had no real interest so I never asked about them. Then several months later, another dear midwife motherly figure, friend mentioned she had attended a class on them and was very excited, and wanted to tell me all about it. More out of respect (and just wanting to see her, I went) She sparked my interest, after all they sounded wonderful. I had even gotten a postcard in one of our home schooling packets on this company. But I went home and got busy and never followed up much. About a month later, that same dear friend, invited me to a class, she and another friend were holding at her house. And again, more out of wanting to visit, I went. I had no idea what I was in store for...
  I was amazed at what I was hearing! See, we no longer vaccinate, we try to stay away from ALL over the counter meds and prescription meds. The midwife friend was the one who lead my way in most of my "natural" education. So when she said that was and our other (very natural) friend had been turning to essential oils over our typical herbal remedies I was all the more interested. The class was extremely informative. I had no idea that essential oils could be used in such ways. The fact that God had ordained the use of oils (mentioned several times in the bible) I knew there must be truth in what I was hearing.
  I heard how most all essential oils, despite the fact they claim to be pure, are not. Most use chemicals to retrieve the oil or keep the oil, therefore it is changed. We all  got the chance to smell 7 different oils, from the Young Living Everyday Oils Kit

 Some smelled very nice to me, including Lavender, which was a huge surprise, because I couldn't stand lavender products. I was informed it was due to the fact that Young Living Oils were pure, they often say from seed to seal. They grow them, distill them and seal them all themselves. I was given a cheat sheet for these 7 oils, and how they can pretty much replace your whole medicine cabinet, again impressed.
 Several stories were shared, on the healing benefits of Yong Living Oils, from the founder Gary Young (who was in a terrible logging accident and was left paralyzed, who of course can walk again praise God) to more personal stories, of the women who was teaching, how she had been working with a man who had had several back surgeries and was ready to give up and wanted to die. After one raindrop session, he stood up straight and walked without a limp. Now, he does have to come back weekly, but he is living a much more normal life with minimal pain, if any pain at all. Miracles! Young Living recommends praying over your oils before their use which as a Christian, means so much to me. You are inviting God's healing power into those oils, when doing so. I personally know of our Fathers healing abilities (Gala's cancer healing from laying of hands)
  I have now purchased the Essential Oils Desk Reference, which is a huge help in finding the proper oils to go along with any ailment you can think of, and I am trying to learn more.

                       
 I know that, essential oils can be expensive (I myself have not bought more then what I absolutely need at this time), but what more of an investment can you make then your own body! I of course have a busy life as is already, with our kids, another almost here, homeschooling, my own courses, keeping up the house. However I have been sold on Essential Oils.
  I know not everyone is going to choose Young Living, and that's OK. Just know that you get what you pay for, and not all essential oil companies are made the same, nor do they retrieve their oils the same. I, myself have tried another company, but for now I am sticking with Young Living.

Please contact me, or leave a comment, if you are interested in becoming a distributor yourself (no you don't have to sell it, you just get great discount) right now you get a free $40 voucher when you sign up.  Or even if you would just like more information, or to purchase (to try) some of Young Livings Essential Oils.
  

Having a Homebirth, what I like to have on hand

 When we had our first homebirth, I had no idea what to have on hand. The midwife gave me a sheet of supplies (which I got it all) and sold me a basic birth kit, items I normally would not have on hand. Such as gloves, cord clamp, nasal syringe, a paper bed sheet, paper measuring tape, baby hat, OB pads (a mama diaper) and chucks pads. I wanted a waterbirth so I ordered a kids swimming pool, the construction kind of plastic, some old sheets to line the floor and an emergency blanket to cover the top of the pool to keep the warmth inside.
  Now that I have everything I need on hand, including a real Birth Pool, I know what I will actually need and what is just "extra". I know that i am several weeks out, but I am a prepper, so I have most things, sorted, bagged and several tagged. Just because I am expecting my husband to be the one grabbing it, and if he is, he will need some help ;-) I have it all in the trunk at the foot of our bed.

 Yes, because it is my stuff, I put in the extras, who could blame me. I have things such as extra sheets for on the bed (in case they get messy) a heating pad, for baby towels to stay warm (however we have never had time to mess with this) I have the  scale and sling to weigh the baby and the sterile scissors and all of the disposable items in the garbage bag. I know that we will not use half of these things. But again I like to be prepared. I plan to leave the Birth Pool in the basement until a couple of weeks before I am due. I figure if anything happens sooner I will either use the bathtub, or it would be to early, therefore I would have to go to the hospital. Of course we are praying that doesn't happen.

I also have a smaller bag, hanging up with the absolute necessities, just in case it is an emergency, like super fast. It just has a mama diaper (in case I have to move, so that I don't make a mess) the bathing suit top I have birthed all my homebirth babies in, a few baby towels and a cord clamp (Never cut before the cord STOPS pulsing) scissors and a nasal aspirator (no need to suck, if baby is fine)

We are hoping for another fast, easy labor, so I like to be prepared for it ahead of time. And laabeling most everything helps hubby find it all without fussing. As much as I love my "spiritual mother" my midwife (who trained me) and my family (including my kids) I am hoping for another birth like my second homebirth. It was just me, my husband and the Lord. It went extremely fast, therefore it was extremely hard, but it was so intimate and beautiful. It only lasted about an hour and a half, but it was the most pleasurable, yes birth can be pleasureable, if you allow it to be and give God the ability to be a part of it. My midwife made it here, in time to clean up, do the paperwork and examine the baby (however hubby also got to weigh the baby).

I know that homebirths are not for every women, but I am certainly thankful that it is whats best for our family.

 

  

WInners of The Pampered Preggie Giveaway Event

                                   A
              HUGE CONGRATULATIONS 
                       to the Winners of
  The Pampered Preggie Giveaway Event


JAMIE WEISS- Prize Pack 1

ALIX ST.AMANT- Prize Pack 2

VERONICA DEPRATO- Prize Pack 3

Thank you to all who entered, and to all of the sponsers who made this giveaway possible! Happy Pregnancy and Mothering.

Boba Air Baby Carrier Review and Giveaway

 I love Boba! I began using Boba 3G some time ago and it is a wonderful carrier. I have tried other carriers as well. However they were all missing one thing...Some sort of carrier for the carrier. Also, I often forget, after cleaning the van out, to put my carrier back into the vehicle and end up at the store, or the library,

(big sister is always disappointed when she isn't the one in the carrier :-))

with no means to carry my little one, other then on my hip. Also there always seem to be a time when my kiddo's come to the age, where they want to be carried, then walk, then carried, then walk. I hate putting on and taking off my carrier in the stores, or even worse, placing them into the cart. Boba has once again impressed with their ingenious NEW carrier, The Boba Air!
  The Boba Air is a Soft Structured Carrier that is intended for children between 15-45lbs. The Boba Air is extremely light, weighing less then a pound, and one of the best parts about it, it folds up into itself for easy storage! It can fit into a diaper bag, a purse

                (fits easily in my Thirty~One inside out bag)or even just set in the vehicle and you don't have to worry about the actually carrier being dirty. However if it does get dirty it is made of 100% nylon, so it is very easy to wipe up and get clean. The fact it is Nylon, is why it can fold up into itself as well.
Like the Boba 3G, the Boba Air has a sleeping hood, so you can protect little one from the sun or rain or wind, or simply help hold up his/her head while napping. Also like the Boba 3G, the Boba Air can be worn on the front or back. It also has all of the same great features such as the military grade buckles, and the elastic to hold the straps, to keep them from flapping around.

Another feature I love about the Boba Air, is even while 31 weeks pregnant I can still wear my little one, without the need of an extension belt. It is plenty comfortable. I will add though, my husband asked my 3 and a half year old if her legs were getting a little sore after being worn for over an hour. She said yes (not really sure if they truly were or not, because she didn't want to be put down) however if her legs were being held snug, it might have something to do with the big bowling ball ** on my frontside, could be causing a slight discomfort. But again, she didn't want to get out, so I am not completely sure if she was uncomfortable.

(my 3 year old (me 30 weeks pregnant) nice and comfy and close, I just am more comfortable, if I place her right under my belly and she curves up around it to lean in close)
When I first saw that the Boba Air had no real padding on the straps, I wondered how long I would be able to comfortably carry my little ones, esp. the older, bigger one. But I have not had any issues what so ever with discomfort. If I was planning a big hike or an all day zoo trip or something of that sort, I would recommend the Boba 3G, but for shopping trips, library trips & those types of errands, holidays at relatives, I would highly recommend this inexpensive way to conveniently wear your little one! The Boba Air is a must have for any and all diaper bags!




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I have received The Boba Air free for reviewing purposes. All of my statements are honest and my own as always.