Spicy Momma

What Witchcraft Really Is!

2011-10-25T17:38:00.001-07:00

Witchcraft may be one of the faster growing spiritual belief systems in the world today, but there are still a lot of misconceptions and prejudices surrounding it. Some have been generated by modern films, books and TV programmes; these portray the Craft as anything from glamorous and fun, to a satanic devil worship of the worst kind. Other prejudices, and even fears, have a deeper origin in the propaganda of the Church of Rome which sought to superimpose its faith, along with taxation and political control, on the beliefs of rest of the world. As a result the perception of many people is confused, to say the least. The following is a brief introduction to Witchcraft, as it really is, and as it is practised by millions of people in the world today. Witchcraft is one of a number of belief systems whose roots pre-date Christianity and which come under the 'umbrella' heading of Pagan. Indeed, Witchcraft has roots which go back to Palaeolithic times, as illustrated by the cave paintings of our ancient ancestors. Having said that, the Craft is a living religion and has as much relevance to us today as it had to its practitioners in the past. We still seek healing of our bodies and minds, strength to deal with our daily lives, understanding and compassion to help us relate to those around us, and to develop ourselves.

So what do Witches believe and how do they express their beliefs? First, you have to understand that, unlike the more 'orthodox' religions, the Craft has no paid or formal priesthood; in the Craft we are each out own Priest of Priestess and therefore make our own decisions as to the expression of our beliefs. As a result there is no 'one true way' to being a Witch. This gives rise to a great diversity in our daily practices, and indeed enables the Craft to grow and adapt to the real world in a way that other paths find difficult because of their interpreted doctrine. Having sad that, there are many beliefs and practices that most Witches hold in common.

-From "The Real Witches Garden" by Kate West.

Homemade Shampoo -Day 1

2011-10-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered that there are questionable ingredients in shampoo, and that got me thinking, and reading my shampoo bottles. Why are there about 30 ingredients in shampoo, and why can't I pronounce many of them?

Commercial shampoos are so good at cleaning our scalps of it's natural oil our bodies start to overproduce to make up for washed away oil. That is why we get greasy hair after going 2 days without washing. Our bodies are trying to do us a favour and make up for lost natural oils. When starting to use a natural homemade shampoo, you hair has to go through a detox, so it can find it's balance of oils again. This detox can take anywhere from 2weeks to 2months, so stick with it for about 2 months and see if you notice a difference.

So here is my recipe.

1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of Castille soap (I got the unscented Baby kind)
1/2 tsp of a light oil (sunflower oil, jojoba oil, etc) I used sunflower oil, but think I will get some jojoba
5 drops of tea tree oil (kills bacteria, and if you work with small kids and lice is a problem this will kill them)
15drops of peppermint (i just love the smell of peppermint)

Mix it all together in a squirt bottle and use like regular shampoo. I am still using a commercial conditioner, but only because I haven't gone to the store to buy some ingredients for a homemade conditioner.

_______________________
Day 1-

So today was my first day using this, and my hair feels different. When I was rinsing it out, my hair felt "waxy". Not like it is coated in wax but it wasn't silky, and slippery when wet like it is with a regular shampoo. Which could be because other shampoos have ingredients that coat your hair to make it shinier.

My hair is also frizzy, for the first time in my life, I have frizzy hair but, it is also the first time my hair has had volume. I have thick, fine and limp, so this is kind of a nice change. My hair is dry now, and it feels ok, and it looks ok (apart from being slightly frizzy)I will keep you all up to date on how my hair is doing, and when I add the homemade conditioner.

Much Love

Marissa

Homemade Deodorant! (Yes, it works!)

2011-10-15T17:01:00.001-07:00

Every since I gave birth to my first child, my body has not been the same. Of course, I have the same issues most women have, stretch marks, extra belly skin, and bags under my eyes from loss of sleep. One thing no one thought to mention was how the hormone changes might affect other things, like body odour. Yep, apparently a fluctuation in hormones can make you sweat more and stink more.

I was very embarrassed by this lovely little change, I was loading on tons of deodorant to try and combat it. It wasn't working and I started to become increasingly worried about the chemicals in it. I have heard that what is in deodorant can go into my body and cause problems, then I started to worry if it could be affecting my breast milk and hurting my babies. So I took the plunge and made a simple, cost effective, deodorant.

Recipe:

1/4 cup of Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch - this is a thickening agent.
1/4 cup of Baking Soda
and 6Tbsp of Coconut oil (you may need more and they don't have to be perfect, just spoon it out)

Directions:

Mix your dry ingredients together in a bowl, then start adding the Coconut oil. Mash it together after each spoonful of Coconut oil until you get the right consistency. The easiest way is to use a spoon and literally mash it around, or if you have a Pestle and Mortar that would work perfectly. You want it to start to stick together, like a stick of regular deodorant would. You want it to become mold-able and caked together.

Once it is caking together nicely, you can add some Essential oils. I used Tea Tree Oil, it is a natural anti-bacterial. It is perfect for this, as bacteria is what causes our sweat to smell. I also added another essential oil for smell.

Add about 5 drops of Tea Tree Oil (it is very strong, you only need a little bit)
Add about 15-20 drops of an Essential Oil of your choice. I used Peppermint, so I smell like a candy cane.

Put your mixture into a small container with a lid and you can apply it with your finger in the morning, or you can put it in an old deodorant tube.

I have to keep mine in the fridge, or else it gets to soft and almost melts. I just turn the knob on the tube so the deodorant sticks up and place in the fridge, then apply like any other deodorant in the morning and I am good to go.

Hope it works well for all of you.

Much Love

Marissa

I Am Back With A New Look

2011-10-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

It has been about a year since my last post, and life has changed. I have decided to change the look of this blog and it's purpose to envelop those changes.

Since I posted last I have had another baby, I had a boy, and he just turned 1 last month. He was born at home, in water, and weighed a whopping 10lbs 2oz. His birth was harder to stay on top of but was still really amazing and enjoyable for me.

As I said, this blog is taking on a new look and meaning, as I have grown this blog has needed to morph (plus, I am way to lazy to make a whole new blog) into what I need it to be. My life has changed so much in the past year since my son's birth, and as a family we are always trying to find new ways to live.

I am quite the crafty momma, and as such, I have been trying to find creative ways to make our life simpler and be more environmentally friendly. We are taking baby steps, but it is happening more and more every week.

Hope you all enjoy watching us on our journey, and I will enjoy keeping you up to date as best as I can.

Much Love

Marissa

It Used to Take a Village!

2010-01-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Let's go back to when our Grandmothers were little girls. They grew up in a home, with usually several other siblings. They would help their mother with chores around the house, were taught how to make beautiful meals, how to keep the floor clean, how to wash clothing (by hand) hang them to dry, starch them and iron. They may have missed out on some childhood, but children, usually only went to school until they were about 15 years old, then they worked or stayed home with Mom to help her with the younger siblings. Then you would get married and start a home of their own, and the transition wasn't a huge deal, because of the knowledge that had been passed from Mother to Daughter, and the help of female family members while she settled into her new life.

Now, most Moms still teach their children how to do those things, but here is where the difference comes into play. While the Father was at work, it was very common for Sisters, Aunts, Mother, Grandmothers, and your female neighbours to come over and help you with your chores, especially if you had a new baby in the home. They would do your dishes or help with laundry, and bring you a meal.

When you had a baby (even though the medicine surrounding obstetrics at the time was barbaric) you were in the hospital (if that is where you birthed) for 10 days afterward. In that time a nurse taught you how breastfeed your baby, how to change her, dress him, bathe her, and care for yourself. Then when you got home, you would find that someone had taken care of your other children, made sure they were cleaned, fed, dressed and attended school, and someone had prepared some meals for you.

I am not saying that is the greatest life, but at least the transition into becoming a wife and a mother was a little easier.

Lets take a look at today.

Today, we are in school for years and years. And, yes education is very important and I am by no means saying to leave school early. I was born in the late 1980's and in school I was taught and had it hammered into me that getting a career was the most important thing. I was taught math, science, history, politics, literature, writing, art, and other things. But I was never taught how to run a home, budget for bills and food, what it is like to have a child, how to stay organised, how to shop for a home, and many other things that make up living a normal life in Western Society.

When you get married now, you have to learn your role. I had no idea what it meant to be a wife, and I still don't and am learning everday. I was never taught or spoken too about how to live with another adult, how to budget together, and mesh our lives together. I was just expected to figure out how to do it on my own, when my grandmothers had been taught and given the tools for being a homemaker throughout their lives.

When you have a baby nowadays, most women do go to the hospital (I am not one of those women) and they are sent home with little knowledge of how to change a diaper, bathe a baby or how to breastfeed successfully. They are usually sent home after 12 to 36 hours, longer if needed for medical reasons. I personally wouldn't want to spend 10 days at the hospital but I would like to go home feeling confident and I don't think most women do. You go home and are expected to just rest a few days and then find a "normal" and do everything on your own.

Some family may come and stay with you, but mostly to see the baby. Some families are great and will do all your chores, and let you rest with your baby but those families are becoming far and few. If you want good help you will likely have to pay for it, a Postpartum Doula will do all the things that a village or family used to do after a new baby arrives.

All in all, I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as mothers to have a clean house, presentable children, and have dinner made for our husbands or partners the minute they walk through the door. But without the help of a village anymore this seemingly simple task, becomes nearly impossible.

So I am asking, if you know someone who has just had a baby, or seems tired and is missing sleep because of a sick, teething or cranky child. Offer some help, it may seem like a small task to fold a basket of laundry, or make her a frozen meal but for her it could really help relieve some stress from her life and give her a few minutes to spend relaxing or tending to her child.

It still takes a village, we just need to remember to help out.

Much Love
Marissa

DIY Placenta Encapsulation

2010-01-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

How to Dehydrate and Encapsulate a Placenta

Things you will need:

Tongs
A spray bottle
A veggie steaming basket
cutting board
knife (needs to be sharp)
a bucket (an ice cream bucket works well)
gloves (make sure no one has a latex allergy, I used gloves for handling food)
wash rags
soap
garbage bags
capsules
foil or parchment paper
something to grind the placenta
1 lemon
1 piece of ginger (about an inch)
1 hot pepper
A dehydrator is handy but if you don't have one put the slices of placenta on a foil covered baking sheet in the oven on the lowest possible setting.
Make sure all of your equipment is sanitized, this can easily be done using a water/bleach solution. To sanitize your equipment, wash in hot soapy water, then rinse thoroughly in warm clean water, then submerge in a sink with water that has a capful or two of bleach added to it for 30secs. Also fill your spray bottle with clean water and add half a capful of bleach and use to spray down and santize any surfaces where the placenta may touch or has already touched.

Once you have done all that, it is time to start.

Fetal Side

1. Take the placenta and put it in a bucket and rinse it off. You want to remove as much excess blood as you can and remove all blood clots. You can put them down the sink, it will be sanitized after you are done.

2. Cut off the umbilical cord and the amniotic sac. Do this on your cutting board. Throw out the amniotic sac, but save the cord as a keepsake (you will see what i mean)

3. Use a pot that the mother has (or you can get your own, up to you) and put some water in the bottom and the steaming basket in. You are going to steam it the same way you would some vegetables. With the placenta in the pot, put in half a lemon(sliced), your piece of ginger (sliced), and the pepper. It will be steamed for 15 minutes on each side. Watch it closely so that it doesn't boil over, I put the lid on the pot and simmered the water on very low setting, it is a bit messy when it boils over, trust me.

Steamed Placenta (smells like ground beef)

4. Once it is steamed, toss the lemon, ginger and pepper. Take the placenta out and put it on the cutting board (that you have washed sinced cutting off the cord) and slice into 1/8 inch thick slices. Try and slice it has thinnly as possible so it dehydrate faster.

5.a) For the dehydrator, cover with your parchment paper and put your slices on. Do the same if using the oven, just cover a baking sheet with foil and put on the lowest setting. It can take a long time, so check it at 5 hours, then every hour or so after ward.

Ready for dehydration process

b)Take the umbilical cord and if it is long enough find the center, double it up and twist it together. Then place on sheet or tray and shape it like a heart. Of course if it isn't long enough, just make a single heart. (this the keepsake)

Dehydrated and ready to be ground up. See the heart keepsake

6. Once dehydrated, take out and grind it with your blender, coffee grinder or by hand with a Mortar and Pestle (that will take a long time, but some people prefer it) until it looks like coffee grinds. Then encasulate it by hand or with a machine. I did it by hand and it didn't take very long. You will get about 60-150 capsules(caps size '00')

7. Put your filled capsules in a ziploc or jar, then pop in the freezer. The mother can take it immediately as long as she has no fever, or sign of illness. The properties of the placenta can make an infection go deeper. She can take 2 capsules 3x a day, or just as she feels is needed.

**Please note, this is informational only, consume your placenta at your own risk.

Much love,

Marissa

ps. Send me any questions you need answered, i loved doing this for my friend. I will post information soon on the benefits of Placental consumption.

My New Pink Button!

2010-01-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty interesting topic, if I do say so myself. My New Pink Button, is a new product for women but you will never guess what it is for. Ok, I will tell you! It is dye for your labia, that is right, your labia!

I never thought much about the colour of my labia, I know it is darker since pregnancy and looks different since birth but never really thought about it in a negative way. It is just different now, like the rest of my body. But, aparently some women are concerned with the appearance of their labia so someone thought to make a dye for this "issue".

I checked out the website for "My New Pink Button"http://www.mynewpinkbutton.com/category/29754061681/1/Beauty-Product.htm and all the ingredients are FDA approved "individually" not as a whole. There is also no indication as to whether it is safe for long term use, safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding (since it can be used on nipples aswell). Also can be used on penises, but whether it is safe to enter the vagina also isn't mentioned on the site.

I am quite sad that someone is preying on the insecurities of women but it does make for good profit.

All in all, this is the most hilarious, and ridiculous product I have ever heard of. And I can only imagine the awfully painful, "rip-roaring", infections women and men are going to experience.

Much Love,
Marissa

JUST WOW!

2010-01-01T17:26:00.001-08:00

I have to share this article. It really is written so well, please read it.

http://womanuncensored.blogspot.com/2009/12/just-let-her-cry.html

Much Love
Marissa

Mother and Baby Come Back to Life After Dying in Birth

2009-12-31T18:55:00.000-08:00

I am sure many of you have heard this story. A mother went to the hospital with contractions at 33 weeks gestation, and during her labour she died and after no success at reviving her, the doctors performed a C-section right in the birthing room. Her son was born limp, with a very low,and weak heart beat. Her heart had been stopped for approximately 4 minutes when she came around and was taken to the OR to finish the surgery. Her son became stronger while his father held his little body.

This story sounds very frightening and stories like this frighten women out of childbirth. The truth is though, this incident was caused by the interventions that are commonly placed upon pregnant women and their babies.

After the original news article about this scary incident, new information has come out. The woman has had 2 previous births, both natural with no medications of any sort. This birth however was handled differently. She went into the hospital with contractions at 33 weeks gestation (several weeks too early), for some reason the doctors gave her artificial oxytocin (pitocin in the US, syntocinon in Canada) a drug used to make contractions stronger and longer and meant to make labour quicker. Then she was given an epidural for the pain caused by the induced contractions. As soon as she received the epidural, she stopped breathing, we know this because it has been reported that the anesthesiologist was the one performing CPR on the woman.

What bothers me most about this is that the hospital has stated that they don't know what caused her heart to stop and that tests have been inconclusive. But to anyone who knows about natural childbirth, it is pretty obvious what happened. This woman had an adverse reaction to the epidural. It isn't common but it does happen, it is just one of the many things that we don't hear about. Learn more about epidurals and their risks here http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm#medical_risks_epidurals_rates

Stories like this should remind us that childbirth is a normal, natural part of life and needs to be treated that way. It isn't something that needs to be controlled or managed, it is a special part of human life that needs to be respected. I hope that this family can move on from this and have a wonderful life, raising their beautiful children.

Much Love,
Marissa

Link to first new article http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/msnbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=23164083

Unexpected Support

2009-12-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

(First meal)

Since my daughter was born in May 2008 I have been very lucky to have a ton of great support. Support comes in all shapes and sizes, and from all different walks of life. My family, being from England and Scotland, are used to homebirths and were wonderfully supportive (my dad is a worry-wart, but he warmed up the idea quickly), and my Grandmother instilled in me how birthing (and placentas) are completely natural and not "gross". I would have to say though, that one of my biggest, and most unexpected support, has come from my husband's Grandparents on his father's side.

They are typical Grandparents, with great stories to tell, and even if you have heard it before, you just want to make sure you don't miss a single word. Grandpa has been struck by lightning twice in his life (seems to run in the family, his father was struck aswell), and Grandma raised 7 children with only 12 cloth diapers, a borrowed crib and without an electric washing machine for years. Not to mention she had to walk 6 blocks to the hospital to give birth to one of her babies, but 20 minutes later she had a baby in her arms.

After my daughter was born, we went over to their house for the first visit with her Great-Grandparents, she was almost a week old. I remember sitting in Grandpa's lazyboy chair trying to nurse my little baby. We had a very hard time breastfeeding at first, she wouldn't latch properly and my nipples were awfully sore and bruised. I really needed to make sure I could see what I was doing, so there were no blankets to cover her or me, but no one seemed to care. His Grandma just kept talking to me about her experieces as a mother while I tried to feed my little one. After a little while, once I had her latched, my husband's Grandpa came over and said to me " I know this may sound wierd. But how is she nursing? Has your milk come it?" and then he proceded to tell me "this is the best thing for her, it is so good for her". It was so comforting to hear that. Having someone being so supportive of something I really wanted to do, but was really struggling with. And to know that his Grandma had gone through the same pain as me but assured me it would get better.

I love going over to their house, because I feel comfortable feeding my daughter there and I don't have to worry about negative remarks or looks or being avoided. They always sit with me when I nurse, and look me in the eyes, or watch my daughter nurse.They also always seem to have a story to tell me about a woman they saw on TV who was treated poorly for feeding her baby in public and think people should just look the other way if they don't like what they see. Today, Grandpa said "If they don't like it, why are they looking? This is how babies are fed". I feel safe and comfortable nursing my baby there.

As my daughter gets older and I am continuing to nurse her, it is getting harder to find good support. I have started going to Le Leche League meetings to find some extra support. Many people feel she is "too old" to be nursing at 19 months but I was happy to find out today, while visiting, that my husband's Grandparents are still very supportive of my choice to continue breastfeeding.

Support comes in all shapes, sizes and ages. The most supportive in my life have been my Grandmother, and my husband's Grandparents. They understand that babies need milk to survive thrive and in their time the only milk for baby came from the mother. I want to thank them for all the support they have given me and continue to give, it has really made a huge difference in my life. Thank you all so much.

Much Love
Marissa

Some Help Please!

2009-12-05T18:40:00.000-08:00

I know tons and tons and tons of information on breastfeeding and breast milk and the benefits. I am trying to make a pamphlet that will be passed out to expectant parents or parents who are having a second, third or forth (...) and want to get some more information about how to be successful with breastfeeding.

What I need from you readers is help. I have no idea what to put in there. There are hundreds of benefits to breastfeeding, literally, don't believe me check this out.http://www.promom.org
Click on the "101" at the top and just start reading.

As new parents or if you are planning to breastfeed or helping someone who is breastfeeding, what kind of quick tips do you want to know about breastfeeding?

Thanks for your help everyone.

Marissa

Letter from AHS

2009-12-02T09:01:00.001-08:00

After posting information about the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, and realizing even though the facilities in my city have the sign posted in their birthing units that we come no where near reaching the requirements, I sent a letter to the Alberta Health Services to enquire about just one part of the requirements, a Breastfeeding Policy.

As of right now there is no policy, and I am hoping to get the ball moving so they can be close to achieving a breastfeeding policy. Having this policy in place can make sure that all their staff is knowledgeable in current breastfeeding practices, the importance of breastfeeding, importance of keeping the mother and baby(ies) together and if possible skin-to-skin immediately after birth, and is able to fully educate a woman on the importance of breast milk for the baby(ies) and for herself. Just by having all staff members that will be in contact with new mothers and babies will help increase the rate of breastfeeding in our city.

Here in the letter I sent them.

I was wondering what your policies were for breastfeeding. If you have a policy, what is it and is it communicated to your staff regularly?

Are all staff members that are in contact with mothers and their newborns skilled and trained in breastfeeding and lactation?

Thank you for your time.

Letter from AHS(don't be surprised that they didn't answer all the questions I asked);

Dear Ms. Dean,

Thank you for writing to Alberta Health Services on November 26, 2009 regarding breastfeeding.

Alberta Health Services does not have a policy on breastfeeding, however a policy usually offers guiding principles and may not deal with something that specific.

If you can let us know more about why you are asking your questions, we can provide information that better matches your need. For example, are you planning to have a child and are enquiring on your own behalf? Have you got a particular concern about breastfeeding?

Again, thank you for contacting Alberta Health Services.

So, as of right now our hospitals have no Breastfeeding policy to help our new parents, and we are not sure if the staff who are in direct contact of these women and their newborns are even trained, skilled or knowledgeable about breastfeeding and lactation. That isn't good enough for this city.

I have sent them an email in response and asked them to either start moving towards meeting the requirements of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiatve and the Baby-Friendly Initiative or to remove all their signs from their birthing facilities. So now we have to wait and see what happens.

CHANGE IS COMING!

Much Love
Marissa

Ultrasound Dangers!

2009-11-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

There has been a bit of debate recently (well not just recently) about whether or not ultrasound use in pregnancy poses any risks to the baby. Many doctors still believe it is extremely safe, to the point that they do it regularily to their family members, and usually come back with the statement "If it wasn't safe, I wouldn't recommend it" or "There are more forms of radiation in our everyday lives that are worse than ultrasounds". Well the fact is, studies are proving them wrong. And directly applying the ultrasound or doppler to the womans body to "check" on the baby is the strongest form of radiation an unborn baby will ever experience.

Recent studies on pregnant rodents and non-human primates have shown that exposing the unborn babies to ultrasound waves, have very distinct behavioural issues, such as social withdrawal. On a physical level, these babies were born with lower birth weights and poor muscle tone. One study, using Guinea pigs saw an increase of temperature in the brain tissue near the bone by up to 5.1 degrees Celcius. Routine scans are performed on healthy women, with normal pregnancies at around 18 weeks gestation, imagine if the baby's brain tissue is increasing in temperature by that much during such an important part of development, that baby could have damage to the brain tissue that is irreversible, such as neurological disorders.

Ultrasounds are being used to detect abnormalities in the baby, but with a possible +5000 chromosomal abnormalities, only a few can be detected. Before just sending a woman for scan I think it is important to know what she will do with the information. If she isn't going to abort the pregnancy, no matter what the scan says, then why bother sending her. And if there is a complication, mulitiple scans could be putting that baby at an increased risk.

The bottom line is, if there is a complication, an ultrasound can't fix it, and it probably won't even catch it. So is it worth the risk for everyone.

Much Love
Marissa

ps. here are several links to some articles and studies on the effects of ultrasound.
http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/articles/ultrasound-scans.htm
http://www.aims.org.uk/Journal/Vol11No4/ultra2.htm
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasound.asp
http://www.greenhealthwatch.com/newsstories/newslatest/latest0701/ultrasound-hurt.html

check them out.

Hospitals Lying to Pregnant Women

2009-11-21T08:35:00.001-08:00

You remember last week when I posted about this sign that is in a hospital where women birth in Utah? Well, this sign is pretty awful, but at least these care providers have the guts to be upfront and honest about how they view birth and want to take control of the situation. Here in my city, we have a similar problem, an out right, blatant lie, posted in our Labour and Delivery Wards. A sign saying they are part of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, when they definatley aren't even close.

So, I ask you, what is worse? Posting a sign saying your facility will respect a mother, and allow her to birth the way nature intended and has an Cesarean rate of 15% or less, when the acutal C-section rate is at 30%? or, a sign as crude and awful, but at least honest, as the one in Utah?

I personally think lying to pregnant women to gain their trust in the facility is far worse. Women think they are making a good decision based on this knowledge just to find out while in the throws of their own birthing experience that their hospital of choice doesn't even come close to matching the requirements of the MFCI.

It is time for a change. If you want to write to the Alberta Health Services, here is their link to their contact information.http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/contact.asp

Much Love

Marissa

10 Steps of the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

2009-11-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

A Mother-Friendly hospital, birth centre or home birth service:

Offers all birthing women:

Unrestricted access to birth companions of her choice, including fathers, partners, children, family members, and friends;
Unrestricted access to continuous emotional and physical support from a skilled woman- for example, a doula, or labour support professional;
Access to professional midwifery care

2. Provides accurate descriptive and statistical information to the public about its practices and procedures for birth care, including measures of interventions and outcomes.

3. Provides culturally competent care - that is, care that is sensitive and responsive to the specific beliefs, values and customs of the mother's ethnicity and religion.

4. Provides women with the freedom to walk, move about, and assume the positions of her choice during labour and birth (unless a restriction is specifically required to correct a complication), and discourages the use of the lithotomy(flat on back with legs elevated)position.

5. Has clearly defined policies and procedures for:

collaborating and consulting throughout the perinatal period with other maternity services, including communicating with the original caregiver when transfer from one birth site to another is necessary;
linking mother and baby to appropriate community resources, including prenatal and post-discharge follow-up and breastfeeding support.

6. Does not routinely employ practices and procedures that are unsupported by scientific evidence, including but not limited to the following:

shaving;
enemas;
IVs (intravenous drip)
witholding nourishment or water;
early rupture of membranes;
electronic fetal monitoring;

other interventions are limited as follows:

Has an induction rate of 10% or less;
Has an episiotomy rate of 20% or less, with a goal of 5% or less;
Has a total cesarean rate of 10% or less in community hospitals, and 15% or less in tertiary care (high-risk) hospitals'
Has a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rate of 60% or more with a goal of 75% or more

7. Educates staff in non-drug methods of pain relief, and does not promote the use of analgesic or anesthetic drugs not specifically required to correct a complication.

8. Encourages all mothers and families, including those with sick or premature newborns and infants with congenital problems, to touch, hold, breastfeed, and care for their babies to the extent compatible with their conditions.

9. Discourages non-religious circumcision of the newborn.

10. Strives to acheive the WHO-UNICEF "Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative" to promote successful breastfeeding:

Have a written breastfeeding policy this is routinely communicated to all health care staff;
Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy;
Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding;
Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth;
Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be seperated from their infants;
Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated;
Practice rooming in: allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day;
Encourage breastfeeding on demand (or cue feeding);
Give no artificial teat or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers)to breastfeeding infants;
Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from hospital or clinics.

This and more information can be viewed on their webiste.http://www.motherfriendly.org/mfci.php

Much Love,

Marissa

My Journey Through Pregnancy: Part 1

2009-11-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

September 1st, 2007, I was working at Community Natural Foods and Strep throat was going around, since I was feeling a little sick and had a sore throat I called in and they asked me to get tested to see if I had it too. So off to the walk-in clinic I went. I was there for several hours, and I hadn't eaten yet that day and I was hungry. Turns out, the doctor had to go home because she was ill and I had to wait for the next doctor to come in. So 3 hours later, I get in to see her and I tell her my throat hurts and Strep is going around, then I told that I needed a pregnancy test because Tylor and I had been trying and I wasn't comfortable taking antibiotics while pregnant. Then after I pee in the cup, she comes in and starts asking me about my menstrual cycles. I was so confused, "Why do you need to know that?" I asked. She then nonchalantly said "Because you are pregnant". I was totally taken off guard, although this is what I wanted, I didn't believe her at all. I think I said "Really?" with a confused expression plastered on my face. I remember walking out of the clinic, with my From Here Through Maternity book clutched in my arms, and as soon as I looked up at the sky, there was lightning, a crack of thunder and it started to rain. It was just perfect.

I then called Tylor to tell him. I simply said "Congratulations, Daddy!" and he raced to come and pick me up and gave me the biggest hug. We promptly went over to my parents house and told them. She has a picture of when we found out. You should see the look on Tylor's face, proudest man alive. That night, I went online and emailed every midwife in Calgary. I was quickly answered and told to read the biographies of the midwives and see who I would like to meet with. We read them together and made our decision on who we thought would be the best fit for us. We chose Moonstone Midwives, Jane Bake and Nadine Mitchell, later Sivan Bar Sever, who practice with Birthpartnership Midwives in Calgary.

Then it came time to tell Tylor's parents. That was a little scary, I was 20, he was 25 and they didn't know we had been trying for the past 9 months to get pregnant. So we ventured out to Brooks for a visit, by this time I was 6 weeks and I was very nervous about this meeting. We went out there primarily so Tylor could re-shingle his parents roof. It was Saturday (don't ask the date, I can't remember) and I asked Tylor when he planned on telling his parents. Well, he came in for lunch, sat down at the table, looked at his parents and said "So, How do you feel about being Grandparents?". Aparently the look on my face was classic, as if I was just finding out I was pregnant. Well, I believe his Mother said "Oh, No!", but Tylor explained that this wasn't a mistake and we were planning this and were very happy. His Father didn't say anything really, not to me anyway, not sure if he spoke with Tylor.

That weekend was interesting. After that, Tylor had to go back out onto the roof and leave me inside with his parents. Soon after that came the horror stories from my dear Mother-in-law, and she showed me her stretch marks, I am sure as a tactic to scare me. There was also her C-section stories that came after we told her we were planning to birth with midwives either at home or in the birth center. It was short lived as I told her, I am ok with stretch marks and I know birth is normal and natural. She also bugged me about what I was eating, I am sure out of concern because I was craving bean sprouts, fried in soy sauce (I have been told that is a very Asian craving, but it was so good).

My first trimester went by without much to talk about. We met the midwives for our first appointment at around 6 weeks and were given all their information so I could call them at any time. I had told my mother before pregnancy that I wouldn't have morning sickness, because not all women do. She gave me that look like "We will see!" look. Well, I am way to stubborn to follow the status quo, even in pregnancy, so I had no morning sickness. I was a little nauseated at times but it was because I needed to get in the habit of eating breakfast, something I didn't usually do. Other than that, nothing truly remarkable to speak of, other than the fact that I was carrying a little life.

My Journey to Pregnancy

2009-11-15T18:22:00.000-08:00

I was 19 and just started dating Tylor, we had a pregnancy scare, where we were certain we were pregnant. It was scary, I wanted to be a midwife but was absolutely terrified of being pregnant at 19. We found out that we weren't pregnant and we surprised at how sad we felt, and so began our path towards parenthood.

Shortly after that experience, I went off the birth control pill and we started trying to conceive. It was an exciting time for us, and it was also filled with sadness every month we found out we weren't pregnant. It took my body a long time find its natural groove, I had been on the pill since I was 15 and my body wasn't sure how to manage the hormones on its own. It was hard, and I was very moody but Tylor was very supportive and doesn't want me to ever put anything like that into my system again.

After the first couple months of trying with no luck, I decided to learn how to track my cycles. I was surprised at how much I didn't know about my body. I think tracking your cycles should be something taught in Sexual Education in school, because having to look it up the internet is sad. I learned though, how i can take my temperature first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, using a Basal Thermometer to figure out when I was ovulating. I also learned how different types of vaginal secretions mean when you are your most fertile. Our bodies are quite amazing.

I was certain that once I had started this we would get pregnant right away, WRONG! My body was still very out of whack due to the birth control pill. It turns out my luteal phase (the time from ovulation to menstruation)wasn't long enough to support a fertilized ovum. It needed to be about 10 days or more and I was sitting at 9 or 10. When this happens it means that your progesterone levels aren't high enough. Thankfully I started working at Community Natural Foods in the section with all the vitamins and herbs and natural remedies and was able to look up what I could do to help my body. I decided that making a tea of Damiana and Chaste Berry (Vitex) was my best bet. It helped me so much, that month I became pregnant.

It was such an exciting thing to learn about my body and was able to help it return to it's own version of normal and not the normal that science has deemed appropriate for me. For women and girls who are on birth control, when you come off remember it can take a long time find your natural rhythm but don't lose hope and you can find ways to help it.

Much love,
Marissa

My Dream of Being a Midwife

2009-11-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was 11 years old (or so) I have been completely enthralled with pregnancy and birth. It was something no one really talked about around kids, so I made sure I asked the women in my family about their experiences with birth, and I learned a lot and was so amazed by how our bodies could do this. This is where my journey began but it didn't pick up speed to know that being a midwife was for me until I was about 16 or 17. My dear friend Greg asked me what I wanted to do after high school, I had no idea. He then changed the question, "what interests you the most?". It took me a few days to really ponder this question, when I called him and left a very enthusiastic message with my answer of Pregnancy and Birth and I was going to be a Midwife.

I had chosen my path and made sure I got the required courses to attend a University to take the course, but knew I wouldn't be going right out of high school. Then after high school I came across something I thought would be great while I waited to go to University, Doulas or Birth Companions. I was pretty excited to try this out, especially after being given the honour of attending my best friend's first birth. And I loved it, being a part of such a sacred moment, and seeing the look on the parents faces when they meet their newborn for the first time, just made me realise that this is where I belonged.

I took a course for doula training and attended a few births, but I soon became pregnant with my first and was just unable to attend births, since I was just so tired. So my certification expired and I don't think I am going to certify anyway. I believe a woman holds the wisdom of birth inside her body, even if it is subconscious it is there. If a woman chooses to birth at home alone I don't see why I can't support that. Anyway, so I didn't get certified, and feel I don't need it and have found a few great supports, other Doulas, who aren't certified for the same reasons as I. Even though I am still going to attend the odd birth here and there, I think it is really hard to be neutral. I can't say anything to the doctors at the hospital and was once yelled at by a doctor when I mentioned that I was a doula. I just know there is a better way, a healthier way and I feel trapped in a place where I am helping the birthing family but if anything is said I just have to hope I have given my clients enough information to make an informed decision.

I have come to the conclusion that being a Midwife is the best option for me. It is going to be the best way to help change they way we view and treat birth now. I will be able to give great information to my birthing families, and keep them as safe as I can from the mostly unnecessary procedures and interventions that are routinely being pushed upon women and their unborn babies. So wish me luck as I venture on this journey to protecting women, babies and the natural way of birthing.

Much Love,
Marissa

2009-11-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

So this sign is in a Women's Care Center in Utah. I can't even begin to tell you how many things are wrong with this sign. Not only is it not based on anything scientific, but it completely undermines the participation of the mother and partner, but it shows that the doctors at this facility want their patients to lay back and let them do whatever they feel is "best" for the baby, without your input or knowledge.

Now, I do have to give these caregivers some credit. At least they are being totally upfront and honest. I know of some caregivers, who will be very supportive throughout the whole pregnancy, then when you get to a stage where they know you will most likely not find a new caregiver that they actually aren't supportive of that, or worse, they don't say anything until you are in labour and start bombarding you with things you have clearly stated that you are not ok with and know aren't necessary.

Even though these Doctors and Nurses have "balls" for putting this in their Women's Center, it is still wrong. To completely expect mothers to just walk it, spread her legs and let someone, who she probably doesn't even know to just take over, a completely natural process. I honestly hope that this sign being sent around the internet creates enough attention to pressure this Centre to change thier policy and promote participation from the parents during the birthing.

As a side note. There is a wonderful blog call the Unnecesarean, she posted this picture a little while ago and made a contest to see who could make a better version. The contest is over and it is up on her blog.http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/11/4/photoshop-contest-the-anti-doula-sign-in-the-utah-obstetrici.html

Much Love
Marissa

Attitudes Towards Yourself When Pregnant!

2009-11-12T13:26:00.000-08:00

So this has been on my mind for the past few days. I have quite a few friends on my Facebook page who are pregnant and I love them all dearly but I am so upsetted by how they speak about themselves and their pregnancies. Pregnancy, is the time when a woman should feel the most beautiful and radiant, not to say there aren't discomforts but compared to the knowledge that you are growing your child in your womb they don't seem too much to endure. I think what we need to do is change the way we speak about pregnancy and birth, and change the language surrounding it.

When someone has been trying to get pregnant for months, and finally sees that little plus sign and their heart just fills with joy, excitment and love, the next thing we here from them is "I feel awful, I can't wait for this to be over." Yes, I have been there and it can be pretty uncomfortable but you are pregnant and that is what you wanted, why not do your best to enjoy and remember ever aspect, even if you are hanging over the edge of the toilet bowl?

Now, usually the second trimester we don't hear too many complaints. Many womyn in our society though have a huge issue with gaining weight and this is when the scale starts to go up. Some of these women start with the, what seems to be forever, complaining about how fat they are. Well you aren't fat, not even a little bit, you are carrying your child (or children) and a baby bump is one of the most beautiful things on this Earth.

Ok, so now we are at the third trimester, the biggest complaint here is. "I am done. I don't want to be pregnant and fat." And caregivers don't alleviate this at all, by counting down to your "due date" or as I call it, your "Estimated Day of Birthing". No one can predict when your baby is going to come, and forcing a labour isn't a good idea, sometimes it is necessary but that is a truly rarely need.

We have the most common complaints during pregnancy, and we hear them endlessly. Very rarely do we hear a woman speaking highly and positively to and about herself during pregnancy and that is worrisome to me. While your baby is in your body she/he can feel every emotion you are feeling and can hear everything you are saying. You should really focus on being positive and loving. It can be hard, when you have gained 30lbs and have had to work, but it even makes you feel better to acknowledge all the positive aspects of your life. Instead of focusing on your discomforts, take a moment to yourself and remember you are carrying a life. A beautiful, budding, capable of loving, little life, who is very excited to come and meet you.

I think what I am trying to say is, you are pregnant and yes, it can be uncomfortable at times, believe me I know. But what womyn and young girls need to hear is all the positive aspects of being pregnant and you, yourself needs to hear those things aswell. Even if it doens't make you feel better physically, it can greatly increase how you will later regard your pregnancy experience and I know you little life, fluttering about inside your body will definately benefit from the love it feels when you speak positively about having him/her within you.

Much Love, and remember being pregnant is a sacred time, treasure every moment.

Marissa

About Me!

2009-11-12T13:12:00.001-08:00

So I decided that since I can't get my head to shut up with all the crazy (and not so crazy) thoughts racing in my head, I needed to vent somewhere and what better place than in a blog. I tried the blog thing once, but my daughter was so young at the time I didn't have a chance to follow up much, but now she is quite happy to entertain herself so I get some (small amount) of time to myself.

My name is Marissa Dean, I am 22 years old, the mother of one awesome little girl who is 18 months old and married to quite the man, whom I love dearly and can't imagine my life without. Now, before I became pregnant with my DD I was certifying to become a Birth Doula, well since the birth of my daughter and the demands of being a mother and a wife, I have had to put that on hold for now, along with my dream of being a midwife. But it is all worth it.

I still have many opinions and thoughts on maternity care and newborn care that I need to express. I can't be a doula at the moment but I still want to be an active member of the birthing community until I am ready to embark on my own journey into midwifery.

So here is my blog. I will be adding posts every few days and am hoping to talk to some wonderful Womyn and Men.

Much love
Marissa Dean