The Business of Being Born

As many of you know, our daughter was born at our previous home in May of 2006. After having a cesarean with Cavan, I knew there had to be a better way to birth . . . and there is!!! Ladies, I am here to tell you . . . STAY HOME. ;)

Of course, I fully realize and acknowledge that homebirth is not for everyone, so many of you may be laughing out loud and/or rolling your eyes at me. I know, I know . . . I am some radical, loony, hippie mom who wants to birth her babies in her backyard. ;) However, I feel compelled to spread the news because so many women do not even realize homebirth is still an option. Unfortunately for women, two major medical associations are trying to ENSURE that it is NOT an option for women. Yep, you heard me right! The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have issued a statement against "home deliveries". (As if birthing at home is the same as getting pizza delivered to your home! I could go on about the terminology of "delivery" but I will save that for another time.) So now physicians are attempting to literally dictate where women should birth their babies. Considering maternity wards are typically the "cash cow" of hospitals, it doesn't surprise me that these physicians have taken such a strong stance on location of births. They obviously have a vested financial interest to protect (more birthing mamas = more interventions = more beds filled = more babies in the hospital = more money).

I don't mean to sound cynical. The doctors may just be feeling defensive from all the recent midwifery campaigning and homebirth media. Ricki Lake recently made a movie, "The Business of Being Born" in which she shows several women birthing at home and the differences experienced while in the hospital. I have yet to see this film but would love to do so! I know it is available on Netflix, but I heard a local video store in town is also carrying it, so it may be a family movie night soon! ;) Even though I have not viewed the film myself, I have heard rave reviews. So, if you have Netflix or some extra time on your hands, give it a shot. You may be surprised by what you see in the movie.

There is also a campaign going on across the country to legalize Direct Entry Midwives (DEMs) as Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). Many states already have licensure available for CPMs, but many do not. And of those states without licensure, there is usually some MAJOR persecution of midwives who are practicing "underground". Illinois has legislation introduced, but you know if I already pestered you last year for support, that getting a bill passed is a LONG process and ours is still in progress. You can find out more at www.thebigpushformidwives.org and for Illinois specifically, www.homebirthishealthy.org.

Now, I can sympathize with doctors. I can see why they are feeling pressure and why they feel the need to "fight back". I can also understand why many of them with solely a medical background truly believe in their heart of hearts that homebirth is not safe. I can appreciate the fact that many of them really do believe mothers and babies are being put at risk in this antiquated form of birth. But I do NOT believe that gives them the right to tell me where and how I should birth. Especially given the fabulous outcome I experienced using the medical system with Cavan. I will not subject myself or future babies to the hospital experience again, unless there is a true emergency or complication.

If I could speak to the physicians, I would remind them that statistics don't lie. Multiple studies have shown that homebirth is just as safe (often with far fewer interventions for mom and baby than their hospital counterparts) as a hospital birth when it is planned by a healthy, low-risk pregnant woman. I would invite them to attend some live homebirths and see how peaceful they can be. I would encourage them to actually speak one-to-one with some homebirth mamas and those who have had negative hospital experiences.

I realize I won't change their minds, but I do feel it is important for them to honestly look at the other side. For Ricki Lake's (and her producer's) response to the AMA and ACOG statements dismissing homebirths, go here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ricki-lake-jennifer-block-and-abby-epstein/docs-to-women-pay-no-atte_b_107845.html

It is important for us, particularly birthing women, to remember that in a healthcare system, WE are the consumers. The patients are the consumers of a product. So, take it seriously. Ask questions. Know the benefits and risks of every procedure or option. Read up on things and educate yourself. Be informed so you can truly make an educated decision. No one else is looking out for your health as much as YOU are.

Literally, just "pooped" out!

This occurred a couple of months back but Heath and I were so amazed that this happened, we had to take a picture for "proof". Apparently, Cavan was in dire need of a nap. ;)

Tired???

Just wanted to share a cute moment between Cavan and I the other day . . . .

I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the disaster that is my house. I realize all mothers feel this way from time to time and struggle with household chores. However, when it is my house that is the current aftermath of a tornado, I usually do not stop to think of the sisterhood of moms and garner energy from their cleanliness pool. Instead, I wallow in the isolation I feel, convinced that I am the only one who has a messy house and children who don't like to sleep or have predictable routines.

On this particular day last week, I sat on the steps of our stairway and put my head down in my hands. I was not crying (which would not be an unusual way for me to deal with stress, by the way) but sighed and kept my eyes buried in my palms. Cavan came over and sat next to me, putting his sweet arm around back and began rubbing. (Isn't he such a sensitive, compassionate little guy?!) Here is the conversation that followed:

Cavan: What's wrong, Mom?

Me: Well, honey . . . Mommy is tired of the house being a mess. I am tired of cleaning up all the time only to have it a mess the next day. I am just tired of it.

Cavan: Yeah . . . I am tired too. I'm tired of doin' (going) pee all da time. Every time I do (go) to sweep (sleep), I hafta det up (get up) to do (go) pee.

That moment made me laugh, which is what I needed at that point. I pray the Lord doesn't give up on me and keeps sending me these lighthearted moments with my children to remind me of all the joyful blessings that children bring (and hopefully, create some amnesia regarding all the work they bring!).

So, what are you tired of? ;)

Language Learning

A few years ago, as I began my love affair with Gregorian chant, I decided that I wanted to take some steps to learn Latin. It's an incredible language, one that has made a great impression on our own vernacular (I believe that I read that about 80 percent of English words have their etymological roots in Latin).

After about 3 years of doing some independent study of the language, I can fake my way through a lot of texts (Ecclesiastical ones; Classical Latin is another story). I can parse sentences, conjugate verbs, decline nouns, translate (poorly) . . . but one skill that I'll probably never gain: speaking it.

I recently stumbled over a system of language-learning called the Pimsleur method. Paul Pimsleur studied language acquisition, and came to the conclusion that languages are best learned not through memorizing tables and studying grammar, but by speaking it. He studied how children learned their primary language and applied these revelations to his own method.

The method is based on four principles (see the link above), which lead to a certain level of proficiency in speaking the language of choice. Though it has no Latin course (and why learn to speak a language that nearly no one else can speak), I tried the first level of his German program, and I've started the first level of his Spanish program (I became impatient waiting for the library to get the German--Second Level). And you know what: it works. I now have a small German vocabulary, though useful, which I could use to fake my way through some conversations with some native speakers (as long as I only have to ask how they are, ask for directions, or order a beer).

Here's how it works: the system is audio-based, so you listen to one 30-minute lesson a day, which consists of native speakers pronouncing words and phrases and the hearer repeating them out loud. A narrator adds helpful hints and often asks questions that the hearer is to answer in the foreign language. No further study is required; they say that the best way is to one lesson, every day, and before you know it, you're speaking and, just as important, understanding. And it's great fun! (Though annoying for my wife when I walk in the door and want to throw out a new German phrase that I just learned)

And after studying Latin, learning some German and some Spanish, I've made an important discovery: English sucks. I pity all the bazillions of people that have to learn it as a second language. Latin is so regular; you take five minutes to learn the pronunciation and you can pretty well read anything aloud . . . there's so few exceptions. English has nothing but exceptions. Try to form a rule in your head for pronouncing the English ending, -ough, then read the following:

through
though
tough
cough
etc.

(Just found this funny poem)

Can you imagine trying to explain these different pronunciations to someone who speaks a language with actual rules?!? What a shame that of all the languages in the world, English is the one most used in international relations (I'm speculating, but it seems obvious enough (ee-nuff)). I'm honestly amazed that anyone can learn English as their second language . . . and it's also funny that we as Americans refuse to learn any other languages fluently. Reminds of the joke:

What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual

Two languages? Bilingual

One language? American!


More about the Pimsleur method.

A testimonial from one of my favorite bloggers.

Civic Literacy

A local mom forwarded this on the other day.

http://www.civicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

It's a quiz to test your knowledge of important areas in American civics. I'm a bit ashamed to say that I only got 44 out of 60 correct (73%), which, though not good, was still a little better than the average of 70.9%.

This is an area which I can't say I really valued before a few years ago. I had a general interest in history, but my Poly Sci class in college bored me to tears. As much as I'd like to fill in the holes of my civic knowledge, there's only so much time in the day. Instead of books/textbooks to learn this information, I'll probably continue to use wikipedia to look up things like the "Warsaw Pact" and "Alexis de Tocqueville."

Can any of you top my score of 44? : )