Comments on: Levi’s Birth, First Draft http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/ Written and photographed by Jessica Monte Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:35:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rachel http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-3201 Rachel Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:16:14 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-3201 I love your story, it is wonderful to write down these memories as soon as possible. I did not write down my birth story, my doula made a timeline for me, but 10 months later I know I've forgotten all of the details I wish I had written down. I didn't understand why when my doula told me I should write a story, I didn't know why I would care to have it, but now I understand. Next time... http://www.greenbabiesblog.org/breastfeeding/natural-childbirth/ Here I wrote a short summery, but not the whole story. I love your story, it is wonderful to write down these memories as soon as possible. I did not write down my birth story, my doula made a timeline for me, but 10 months later I know I’ve forgotten all of the details I wish I had written down. I didn’t understand why when my doula told me I should write a story, I didn’t know why I would care to have it, but now I understand. Next time…
http://www.greenbabiesblog.org/breastfeeding/natural-childbirth/
Here I wrote a short summery, but not the whole story.

]]> By: sunnymama http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2943 sunnymama Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:40:03 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2943 What a beautiful birth story! I am so happy for you and your family :) What a beautiful birth story! I am so happy for you and your family :)

]]> By: Green Mamma http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2940 Green Mamma Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:53:20 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2940 Thank you everyone, :-) I am finding so much power in honesty and it was also cathartic to simply share the story of a birth that I wanted for my baby, myself, and my family. I believe every woman should have the right to decide how and where she would like to birth; while there are many proponents for home birth, there are some, like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) who would like to make home birth impossible for mothers, their babies, and their families. I received the following message from a fellow home birth advocate regarding actions being taken against home birth by the ACOG; read on to learn more about how you and other home birth parents may participate in an effort to show the beauty and safety of home birth and to help make home birth a possibility for all birthing mothers and their families: ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) has a new database to collect anonymous data on "unsuccessful home births.” Let's derail their plans and flood the database with entries on SUCCESSFUL home births! It will take less than five minutes, but having even 25 people do it will send a loud and clear message and may force them to take it down due to bad data. At the very least we can force it into the members-only area, where far fewer OBs will bother to fill it out. Go to http://www.acog.org/survey/hdComplications.cfm Below is information about how to fill out the categories—you have to check each one except for the very last or the form won’t go through. Please base the information on your most recent home birth (although you will be limited to checking June, July or August of 2009 for the birth date because of how the database is set up). State Choose a month (June, July or August) for your baby's delivery and 2009 for the year Gravida (# of times you’ve been pregnant) Para (# babies you’ve had who were born after 20 weeks) Maternal Age Gestational Age (number of weeks pregnant you were when your baby was born) Problem – Please check OTHER and type in: Healthy baby born at HOME! Fetal Outcome: Please check: Successful delivery! Pre-Arrival length of labor – give the overall length of your labor (you can't leave it blank or it kicks you back) Home Attendant – Please check: CPM even if you had a DEM (the only other choice is “untrained”). Thank you everyone, :-) I am finding so much power in honesty and it was also cathartic to simply share the story of a birth that I wanted for my baby, myself, and my family. I believe every woman should have the right to decide how and where she would like to birth; while there are many proponents for home birth, there are some, like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) who would like to make home birth impossible for mothers, their babies, and their families. I received the following message from a fellow home birth advocate regarding actions being taken against home birth by the ACOG; read on to learn more about how you and other home birth parents may participate in an effort to show the beauty and safety of home birth and to help make home birth a possibility for all birthing mothers and their families:

ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) has a new database to collect anonymous data on “unsuccessful home births.” Let’s derail their plans and flood the database with entries on SUCCESSFUL home births!

It will take less than five minutes, but having even 25 people do it will send a loud and clear message and may force them to take it down due to bad data. At the very least we can force it into the members-only area, where far fewer OBs will bother to fill it out.

Go to http://www.acog.org/survey/hdComplications.cfm

Below is information about how to fill out the categories—you have to check each one except for the very last or the form won’t go through. Please base the information on your most recent home birth (although you will be limited to checking June, July or August of 2009 for the birth date because of how the database is set up).

State
Choose a month (June, July or August) for your baby’s delivery and 2009 for the year
Gravida (# of times you’ve been pregnant)
Para (# babies you’ve had who were born after 20 weeks)
Maternal Age
Gestational Age (number of weeks pregnant you were when your baby was born)
Problem – Please check OTHER and type in: Healthy baby born at HOME!
Fetal Outcome: Please check: Successful delivery!
Pre-Arrival length of labor – give the overall length of your labor (you can’t leave it blank or it kicks you back)
Home Attendant – Please check: CPM even if you had a DEM (the only other choice is “untrained”).

]]> By: Ruth http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2939 Ruth Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:25:32 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2939 Jessica, Thank you for sharing your very personal, inspiring, beautiful story with the whole world! You have a perfect baby boy born into a perfect family in the perfect way that you wanted! I can't believe all the WALKING you did in the intense heat of this summer, but I'm sure that helped everything progress. You should feel so proud, accomplished, and peaceful now. As mothers, we always second-guess ourselves at times, don't you think? No need for that anymore, you know your body, your children, and your instincts are right on! You are WOMAN, HEAR YOU ROAR! Oh, guys could just never do this, poor souls. I'm sure Matt has a newfound appreciation for the woman in his life. ENJOY!!! Jessica,

Thank you for sharing your very personal, inspiring, beautiful story with the whole world!

You have a perfect baby boy born into a perfect family in the perfect way that you wanted! I can’t believe all the WALKING you did in the intense heat of this summer, but I’m sure that helped everything progress. You should feel so proud, accomplished, and peaceful now.

As mothers, we always second-guess ourselves at times, don’t you think? No need for that anymore, you know your body, your children, and your instincts are right on! You are WOMAN, HEAR YOU ROAR! Oh, guys could just never do this, poor souls. I’m sure Matt has a newfound appreciation for the woman in his life. ENJOY!!!

]]> By: Danielle http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2917 Danielle Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:57:21 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2917 Jess, this was absolutely beautiful. Congratulations! You did a great job, I am so proud of you! Welcome to the world baby Levi. Jess, this was absolutely beautiful. Congratulations! You did a great job, I am so proud of you! Welcome to the world baby Levi.

]]> By: Melody http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2910 Melody Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:00:30 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2910 What a beautiful birth story, I'm so glad you had the birth that you wanted :). What a beautiful birth story, I’m so glad you had the birth that you wanted :).

]]> By: Prasanna http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2909 Prasanna Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:59:32 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2909 Wow Jessica! Thank you for writing this for us. Wow Jessica! Thank you for writing this for us.

]]> By: Shelly http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2908 Shelly Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:55:17 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2908 Beautiful!! What a "warm fuzzy". Almost makes me want to do it again ... almost. Beautiful!! What a “warm fuzzy”. Almost makes me want to do it again … almost.

]]> By: mamasapplecores http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2906 mamasapplecores Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:48:49 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2906 What a wonderful birth story!! Thank you for sharing! What a wonderful birth story!! Thank you for sharing!

]]> By: Amber http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/2009/08/26/levis-birth-first-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-2905 Amber Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:12:17 +0000 http://www.greenmamma.org/blog/?p=2964#comment-2905 What a great birth story! I laughed a bit at your story because I can relate to parts of it so much. I have been in total denial with both of my labours. My husband had to call the midwives, because I was sure I was imagining things and would just be bothering them. It's hard to really trust and believe that you are having your baby. The whole thing is really sort of unbelievable on some level. I'm so glad you were able to get through it all and have the birth you wanted. Congratulations! What a great birth story!

I laughed a bit at your story because I can relate to parts of it so much. I have been in total denial with both of my labours. My husband had to call the midwives, because I was sure I was imagining things and would just be bothering them. It’s hard to really trust and believe that you are having your baby. The whole thing is really sort of unbelievable on some level.

I’m so glad you were able to get through it all and have the birth you wanted. Congratulations!

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