so, it snowed.

it snowed a lot. and now it's snowing again. kids off school. we're hanging in there. they better not close the schools on thursday or so help me. SO HELP ME.

i use a lot of doula-skills in my parenting. patience. compassion. creativity. strength. the ability to stay awake for insane periods of time. sense of humor.

but we haven't left the house except for a few brief trips to play in the snow (the hubbie did take the big kids out a few times -- it's too hard for me to take the three of them out solo) since 3:30pm on friday, just as the snow started. so we're on hour 101 of each other. and i'm not that good.

"Get Me Out" -- sounds like an interesting read!

This sounds like one for the library list:

Lessons from the History of Childbirth

A Q&A with Randi Hutter Epstein, MD, author of “Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank.’’

I find the history of childbirth so fascinating -- the similarities and differences to how we do things today!

Dads and Breastfeeding

Now here is a helpful list of ways Dads can bond with a breastfed baby:

Breastfeeding Tips for Dads

And I love that feeding a bottle of expressed breastmilk was only #4 on the list. Being a cheerleader for mom, bathing the baby, and skin-to-skin cuddles are fantastic ways to be a present father. From my own experience, my husband brought the infant Chim to and from bed for me to nurse -- and that probably saved me, frankly.

Hooray for dads!!!

Back to Sleep!

I think it's every parent's nightmare -- SIDS.

Researchers have found a new clue -- a serotonin imbalance, when coupled with external factors such as belly sleeping, can decrease a baby's ability to wake and move when oxygen supply is inadequate.

It's so chilling to think about it. I still check Chim and Badger every night before bed and Charlie, many many times per night. Of course that little stinker is waking up 5x a night so that's reassuring :)

Gisele Bundchen's home birth

She had the baby in the bathtub... on purpose!
http://www.star-magazine.co.uk/breakingnews/view/17591/Gisele-Bundchen-Giving-birth-was-pain-free-/

and she didn't wear maternity clothes!
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/02/02/2010-02-02_model_gisele_bundchen_didnt_need_to_wear_maternity_clothes_while_pregnant_with_s.html


OK, the only thing I really have known about her is that she's with Tom Brady, who, as a resident of the City of Pittsburgh, I am contractually obligated to loathe from the base of my soul (read your tax forms, people, it's in there!).

But that's pretty rad. I love the normalization of pregnancy, natural birth, and mothering.