The birth of Nurtured

If this were a pregnancy, I would be at that anxious anticipation stage of the third trimester, where every twinge and odd feeling makes one pay close attention. The difference is, there is no guessing on the EDD (due date)…this baby is going to be born on the 25^th of September, ready or not!
As with many pregnancies, the first trimester of business was full of excitement, worry, planning, dreaming, and of course, risk. It was also a bit of a surprise! A space came available to us that was so perfect we had to take a chance and go for it, even though it was not quite the timing we were going for. It felt a bit like when I found out I was pregnant with our first child, after being told it would take some medical intervention to accomplish just that. Surprise! We were on our way. Growing a baby, however, requires very little in the way of sacrifice IF you were already living in such a way as to prepare for pregnancy. A business, on the other hand, requires your “all” from the start. After the excitement and dreaming and planning slows to a quiet murmur, you are left with the nausea. What have I gotten myself into?
I have always been taught that in all I do, to do my best. Through my pregnancy I took extra good care of myself, took my vitamins religiously, exercised, and prepared for the birth. As a childbirth educator, I had it all figured out. Right. After ignoring 3 hours of painless contractions coming every 2-3 minutes, convincing myself I had at least 12 more hours of this, driving by myself from Bolton to Orangeville, stopping for a sub sandwich (and trying to breath quietly through very intense contractions while eating), then driving yet again to Shelburne to pick up my bags. Thinking I would be able to make it back to Bolton for my planned homebirth with York Midwives at my sister’s house, I literally crawled into my kitchen to heat up a rice pack for my back, which I swore was in the process of breaking. Then the shower was looking like a good idea, until my water broke a few minutes later and spontaneous pushing began. Now on the phone with my midwife (who was on the phone with 911) she coached me on how to deliver my son by myself. This was not the plan!

To find "Nurtured", just look for the yellow door in the tiny alley just east of Orangeville's town hall.

Needless to say, it has been a bit like that with the birth of Nurtured except for one big difference: I am not alone this time. My amazing husband, Gabriel, has been my biggest support and financier, business coach (whether I like it or not!) and promoter. He missed his son’s birth but he is here for me every step of the way in this. I also have the most incredible team of doulas as business partners, both literally and metaphorically speaking. They are sacrificing family time, money, and reputation to be a part of this dream and see it wriggle into the light of day, our new baby business. Just like new parents we are dreaming and worrying, planning and hoping for big things in the days to come.
How did it all begin? Well, it all started with the birth of my niece, my first ever birth experience, which inspired me to become a doula. It then expanded to childbirth educator certification and group prenatal classes. The new mom and baby groups came after that and have been going steady ever since. Now you can find us doing prenatal yoga, mom and baby yoga, holistic health workshops, organic baby food workshops, Café au Lait breastfeeding drop-ins, Twoonie drop-in playtimes, and so much more! It has become a blended family as well, with Pottery Parties in the Hills, Tunes 4 Tots, Gigi Photography, Arbour Homeopathy, and all the amazing local businesses who contribute to our space and Boutique.  After 6 years of being “pregnant” with this dream, a very quick labour, Nurtured, A Better Birth Family Centre is about to be born at last!
To register or for more info info@nurtureabetterbirth.com

A Breakthrough

We had a breakthrough in our house tonight...our toddler asked that Daddy stay with him until he fell asleep INSTEAD of Mama! This has never occurred and for this bedtime battle-weary Mama it was a beautiful moment. I can see hope for a sibling for my wonderful, energetic, blessing of a first born.
For those of you who were blessed with those unusual babies who love to sleep and love their own beds, you can now go enjoy your evening as you may always do. For the rest of us with children who are less enthusiastic about sleep and being in bed by themselves, you are not alone!
We embraced the idea of co-sleeping and a family bed long before we ever talked about starting a family. So when we had our son we naturally just kept him close in our bed and strictly followed safe bed-sharing rules. (see bottom of this post) However, every Mama has their limit of breastfeeding all night long just because its there; of playtime at 3am just because they think its morning; and of waking up in a puddle of pee with your pretty much toilet trained two yr old sleeping peacefully beside you.
So into the big bed we went! A very slow and peaceful transition to his own room and bed worked nicely. However, soon came the "one more story", "a drink of water", " I have to pee...again", and " sleep here Mama". I am embarassed to say I often become frustrated very quickly at bedtime, mainly because I know how tired he is ( and how tired I am) and I really want him to be rested for the next day. Of course, he doesnt see it that way. He sees one more chance to tell me his favorite story, look at the stars on his ceiling, or try out his aim in the potty.
With all due respect to Daddy, he has offered and tried many times to take over the bedtime routine. But with inconsistant evenings for work and a Mama-lovin' little guy, it has left him gallantly trying to not feel rejected. So tonight he was a proud Daddy...good job, my hunny, you've got a new best friend!

Safe Bed-Sharing Rules!

v Push bed against one wall and place baby on the bed between mom and wall. A mesh guardrail is sufficient as well until baby is crawling.


v The best way is to simply put the mattresses on the floor

v Place baby on their back to sleep until they are able to roll over on their own

v Baby must sleep only with mom or mom and dad. Only moms have the maternal instinct to respond to their baby’s needs, dad’s do not. This is why we keep baby between mom and wall, not between mom and dad.

v Use a large bed, preferable a queen or king, or two doubles pushed together on the floor ( as long as baby cannot fall between the mattress)

v Keep bedding tightly fitted, avoiding flat sheets and heavy comforters.

v Have a separate blanket for baby

 
Do Not Co-Sleep If:




v You are under the influence of any drug, such as alcohol or pain meds, that would diminish your sensitivity to your baby’s presence

v You are extremely overweight

v You are exhausted from severe sleep deprivation

v It is not your baby. That includes immediate family member such as siblings or grandparents.

v You are breastfeeding on a soft surface such as a sofa or futon.

v You are a heavy smoker

v Avoid heavy perfumes as this can irritate baby’s airways