Comments on Hobo Mama: May Carnival of Natural Parenting: Role model

Loved this story! With me, the seed was planted by...

2011-02-22T11:53:12.124-08:00

Loved this story! With me, the seed was planted by my high school English teacher, an amazing woman who I really admired (and still do, though we've lost touch). She had a baby part way through my senior year. When she came back from maternity leave, she proudly showed us pictures of her daughter and mentioned that she had been born at home, and that it had been a beautiful experience. I remember thinking she must be insane and that I would definitely be having an epidural if *I* ever had a baby! But the fact that someone I so respected was so openly in favor of homebirth and breastfeeding really stuck with me. Ten years later, when it came time for me to research my options regarding childbirth, I was much more open to the idea of natural childbirth thanks to my teacher's wise words. Bet my 18-year-old self would never have guessed I'd wind up breastfeeding a toddler who was born at home in a birthing pool! ;-)

What is it about accountants? Ha ha, another accou...

2011-02-21T09:06:29.362-08:00

What is it about accountants? Ha ha, another accountant who planned home birth, here. One of my labor mantras was "so many people do this more than once on purpose that it can't be that bad" and it wasn't. I figure sharing how and why I did it can't hurt anyone and could help, especially people who know me and know there's nothing extraordinary about me.

Okay - baby's asleep - so here's the long ...

2010-05-15T09:15:18.773-07:00

Okay - baby's asleep - so here's the long awaited comment. I loved your post. I was nodding all the way through, and I felt like I was talking to a kindred spirit. After reading it, I wished I could run across the road and give you a big hug. (I'm not a stalker, promise!) It is so amazing to hear that I'm not alone in these thougths and experience (i.e. the negativity towards homebirth from the family- although they have now all changed their minds after an amazing & successful experience). I had a friend email me just this morning following my 'upstream parenting' post to say that she wanted me to know that I am a big influence and I have led her to think differently about things. She said that she is finding motherhood so much easier this time round, doing things the more natural way and that the most recent thing I opened her eyes to is baby led weaning. It is amazing to me that I could be having such a tangable impact on someone's life. I relate so well to the thoughts and feelings this post conveys.

Secondly, and possibly most importantly, it is phenomenal to me to find another naturally parenting parent who is also a Christian. My choices seem to be main stream, blind and Christian, or raising their children in the same way as me, but Pagan. I find that really hard to deal with sometimes. I am all for teaching my daughter about nature and natural healing, but because God created them, not because of the earth goddess or whatever. It is amazing to hear a sister soul speaking words that make me feel less of a social outcast. So yeah. Thank you for that.

I love this post. I like to think I'm planting...

2010-05-12T21:23:53.528-07:00

I love this post. I like to think I'm planting seeds in other people's minds. I know how there have been many things that I used to disagree with that I now embrace. When you finally have that ah-ha! moment, it's hard not to think that you've discovered the best way...unless you are good about being humble!

First, a big thanks to all of YOU for being so ins...

2010-05-12T15:45:01.863-07:00

First, a big thanks to all of YOU for being so inspiring to me! Thank you for writing, reading, commenting, and showing me what natural parenting looks like.

mamapoekie: I've totally wondered the same thing! What would Past Me think about Present Me, and what would Future Me say??

Dionna: Your post where you referenced me is one of many open in my browser that I am meaning to comment on! :) And I am so looking forward to meeting you, too. Hope it all comes together!

The Grumbles: That's inspiring in itself, to go from creeped out to an advocate! It makes a difference when it's no longer abstract, doesn't it? I felt weird about breastfeeding for approximately two awkward seconds after my son was born while everyone was watching us latch and then — it was just normal from there on out.

Recovering Procrastinator: That's a great parallel, and I love the idea of mentioning things "as if I were mentioning the fact that I eat pizza." I will try to track the woman down. I know where I can reach her husband, so I figure he can pass a message along to her! :)

Jessica: Your poor sister! THREE days?? Aren't midwives wonderful? I have trouble breaking through barriers that they're not hippy-dippy non-medical practitioners. I remember my dad saying that he wouldn't have believed Mikko's super-high birth weight if the midwives had weighed Mikko instead of the hospital. And I'm thinking, Um, the midwives use a digital scale (just like the hospital's). I'm picturing his imagination on this front like so: The midwife hefts the baby in one hand and says, "I can feel by his aura that he weighs approximately eleven river rocks and thirteen sparrows." (Not that there's anything wrong with being hippy-dippy! Ha ha!)

Marilyn: Wow! That must have been some emergency if you were completely out. I'm glad you all came through it OK.

Thank you all for your compliments! You know I eat 'em up like sugar. (And, yes, I've been known to eat sugar straight up.) Love you all!

You never know how what you say will inspire other...

2010-05-11T22:00:33.252-07:00

You never know how what you say will inspire others. I know that there are people who inspired me, and probably have no idea that they did so. I like to think that I may have done the same thing for someone else. I may never know, but all the same I will just keep living my life and setting the best example I can, and hoping that I'm sowing seeds in the process.

Wow, you're an incredible writer! Glad I found...

2010-05-11T20:20:16.297-07:00

Wow, you're an incredible writer! Glad I found you :)

A beautiful detailed story. With your wealth of k...

2010-05-11T18:15:35.603-07:00

A beautiful detailed story. With your wealth of knowlege and conviction, it's amazing to me that you didn't come out of the womb knowing this was the way to go. Thank you for allowing us to see your development and sharing how this has lit the torch for others coming down the road. As always, incredibly rich writing.

This post really made me smile. It's so famili...

2010-05-11T17:20:24.458-07:00

This post really made me smile. It's so familiar somehow that pre-mom knowing so many of us have. I loved reading your story.

Wow, going from thinking hypnobabies hypnotizes th...

2010-05-11T17:20:05.794-07:00

Wow, going from thinking hypnobabies hypnotizes the baby (LOL!) to a homebirth - that is so wonderful. I always find great inspiration at your blog Lauren and you and Dionna have fostered a wonderful community of bloggers!

What a really great story. I had two kids by very ...

2010-05-11T15:47:56.372-07:00

What a really great story. I had two kids by very unnatural means (one was even born when I was completely knocked out on general anesthetic) but if it had been possible for us, I think it's the way to go.

I had a planned homebirth, but ended up in the hos...

2010-05-11T13:45:37.227-07:00

I had a planned homebirth, but ended up in the hospital, too and there was definitely a mourning period. But try as I might, I couldn't convince my sister to even entertain the idea of a homebirth (or even a doula). I'm still flummoxed on that one: she saw the amazing care that I received from my midwife and how much I trusted her and my body... in that one respect, I wish I'd had a world of influence because she ended up laboring for THREE days, with two THREE trips to the hospital to only finally being admitted the third time. I still wish so badly that she had had a doula with her to help her...

Anyway, I digress - my point is that I am so happy for you that you were able to positively affect one family's, one woman's birthing experience. It's an amazing, powerful thing.

That's how I live my faith life and I never th...

2010-05-11T11:01:55.407-07:00

That's how I live my faith life and I never thought about it in terms of natural parenting but I guess I do it there too.

I don't evangelize to people about the wonders of cloth diapers of cosleeping unless they ask. I make it known that I do these things by mentioning them in passing as if I were mentioning the fact that I eat pizza.

Maybe making these choices a non-issue is the best way to plant the seeds.

I think you should try to find that woman who inspired you. I know I would love to hear from someone if they had a similar experience with me.

Ditto to what Dionna said. Beautiful story. I hope...

2010-05-11T09:34:47.584-07:00

Ditto to what Dionna said. Beautiful story. I hope you feel super proud of how you have inspired your friend and all the people that read your blog cuz we ARE inspired by you!

What a wonderful story! It’s amazing to think that...

2010-05-11T08:26:09.422-07:00

What a wonderful story! It’s amazing to think that just living your life will have an influence on many. And your blogging about natural parenting just adds that much more inspiration!

oh! wonderful! i love the idea that we don't h...

2010-05-11T06:14:10.742-07:00

oh! wonderful! i love the idea that we don't have to mow people down with our ideas to get the point across. just be ourselves, live our lives, and be a positive example.

i was, in just the months before jude's birth, totally creeped out by breastfeeding. WOW the 180° i've done on THAT issue! sometimes you just don't know better until you've been there.

Your story is exactly what I wanted to convey toda...

2010-05-11T05:27:12.677-07:00

Your story is exactly what I wanted to convey today: that our actions, no matter how small or unplanned or inconspicuous, can *plant a seed.* And really, that's all that is often needed. I do love the full circle aspect of this story. Yet another example of the ripple effect I've seen in many of our other writers' stories today. We are the seeds of change, my friend!
And you are an inspiration for me, too. I talked about you and your amazing writing in yesterday's post. I really lucked out finding and partnering with you! :) (p.s. we're still working on that vacay your direction this late summer/early fall - I cannot tell you how giddy with excitement I am that we could meet in person!)

This is all kinds of awesome.

2010-05-11T04:49:12.148-07:00

This is all kinds of awesome.

Very beautiful. Isn't it funny how we can chan...

2010-05-11T03:56:57.990-07:00

Very beautiful.
Isn't it funny how we can change so much in so little time. Huz often says he would like to meet us as we were four years ago. How different we are now. What would us then think of us now and vice versa. I think we almost went 180 since then. And I so agree... it's the small things that change minds, not the big shouting

You made me cry. That was SUCH a powerful story; t...

2010-05-11T02:01:19.539-07:00

You made me cry. That was SUCH a powerful story; thank you so much for your open, honest sharing. For being true to yourself and being so humble with everything you have done. You ARE an inspiration through all you share on your wonderful site.

Big (((HUGS)) to you mama :)