why I homebirth

I had this published in a local paper today.  I could have gone into SO much depth, but with a 300 word limit I had to keep it simple.  It is very complex, women's reasons for choosing alternative birthing, and the whole aspect of pregnancy & birth, motherhood, feminine power, spirituality, all of that deserves an honest and thorough, and sometimes harsh, look as we question and see that sometimes many times, we as women have been sold an absolute bill of goods.  I need to cogitate on this more, it's been brewing for awhile, and I will be writing an essay.

6 Reasons why I homebirth
Contrary to the popular saying that “all that matters is a healthy baby,” I believe that women matter too.
After 2 hospital births, I sought out the amazing alternative of homebirth. Here are 6 reasons why.

1. I knew I needed my own time and space to go within myself, free from time constraints and hospital protocols to conform to. I didn’t want to be ‘on the clock.’

2. I didn’t want to subject myself to the typical hospital interventions, not to mention the much increased risk of a c-section (about 1 in 3 hospital births on average end in cesarean).

3. I wanted to feel the power of birth and know that we, we, did it ourselves. I wanted a gentle, welcoming entry to the world for my baby, who would be surrounded by people who loved him or her.

4. I believe birth is for families, and I wanted my older children to be participants if they chose.

5. Every story I’d read of homebirth was beautiful and empowering for the woman and her family. I wanted to experience that.

6. I knew homebirth was safe and that by empowering myself and taking responsibility for pregnancy and birth, by choosing my attendants and by consciously releasing the societal conditioning of fear of the birth process, I had done everything I could to ensure a happy and healthy birth.

If you are intrigued by homebirth, read more about it. Knowledge is power, and when we open our minds and learn about alternatives to the norm we can only benefit from that knowledge. So seek it out! Some resources I recommend are The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block, and the documentary The Business of Being Born by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein.
Krista Bocko is a self professed birth junkie. Two of her children were born gently at home. She and her husband and four children live in ‘Old Town’ Noblesville in a historic home. She can be reached at kbocko@sbcglobal.net or via her blog: www.cachet-cachet.blogspot.com.

'i'm not a dirty hippie' and no-sugar cookies

So I made deodorant last summer using the recipe from here and heck yeah!  it works and is cheap and doesn't freak me out to use.  Plus I have half of it still left!  The environmental impact is a plus too.  How many sticks of deodorant would I have gone through in the time it takes to use up a jar of this?  10-12?

And here is a blog post with how to make all kinds of cleaners/soaps.  Anytime I can make my own whatever-it-is and not rely on commercial products, I love it. 

And Lil and I made these yummy oatmeal choc chip flaxseed cookies today from here and were thrilled to bring them to 2 new mamas, one with a 4 day old and one with a one month old.  I love new babies!  Of course, we enjoyed plenty of cookies ourselves!  mmm.

Centering, Affirmations, Candles...

I had an amazing weekend.  Really, really amazing.  Thursday I was completely miserable, with a head that felt like it was stuffed with cotton, runny nose, sneezy...you get the idea.  i was behind in planning the blessingway that my friend and I were hosting for our pregnant friend, had a zillion and one things planned for the weekend, and collapsed into bed that night hoping and praying I would feel better in the morning.  And guess what?  I did.  Amazingly, I did.  And I could carry on with reading the blessingway book Mother Rising and planning for the ceremony.  The ceremony was touching and special, a wonderful gathering of women and young daughters.  And I felt this powerful connection between us and between all women throughout time.  We constructed an altar for the ceremony, and I felt compelled to construct one in my sanctuary of my bedroom, so that I can visit it at any time to find my center and call on Spirit.  All of the objects on it hold special meaning for me, which is important.  The circle I made with the marbles (left over from the blessingway) reminds me of the powerful circle of women that are woven into my life.

Sunday I enjoyed a beautiful homebirth reunion picnic and again made more connections and founded more friendships.  Brandi had just come home from Asheville, NC where she got to attend a drum circle.  A drum circle!  I soooo want to experience that.  I'm working on finding one around here...

We're instituting choosing one affirmation per day per child, and carrying that thought through the day.

And working on some new mealtime blessings.  We're also into lighting candles around here, so we do that too.  Fire + Lily is a scary combo.  (I should make an affirmation that says 'I am careful with fire.')

Grace's amazing and cool dragon script.  I love this.  Jessie mailed Grace a letter over the summer that was sealed with wax.  Wax!!  Jessie is awesome.