The business of being born

For the last twenty years I've been curiously entertained by all things birth/ The female body and how it changes to carry a child for ten months, the way cells change at the very second of conception, the varying ways a child is born. You name it and I've probably read about it. Over time I realized that I wanted to actually do something with my curiosity and passions, but I couldn't ever really nail down what to do.


I pursued midwifery and birth doula work for a while. It was then that I learned about home birth, water birth, unassisted birth, VBACs, Ina May and The Farm, and a host of other things. A few years passed, I had Z, and then my focus shifted. More power to the women who do intense birth work while mothering young children because I learned very quickly that I didn't think it was something I could do. I now know its not something I want to do anymore either. I want to be as present and focused on my daughter as I can be and on a normal day - one without the demands of being called out to a birth - I don't do a very good job at it! I figure I better just stick with what I'm doing for now.


Fast forward to September 2011: A night out with Kelsie did this girl some good. We talked about birth stuff, like we almost always do, and throughout the course of our conversation I decided to move forward and actually make something happen! It was just the chat, the gentle push I didn't even know I was needing. 


Since September I've been researching and calling and meeting all I can to make 2012 the year of action! In the next ten months I'll start down the path to becoming certified in childbirth education, lactation counseling, and/or postpartum doula work and I. Am. Excited! Things are in the very early stages right now, but its something and to finally be moving my feet instead of just my jaw on all of this feels so great!


Earlier today I watched The Business of Being Born again, but this time I had a certain little somebody by my side watching it with me. With the exception of about twenty minutes, Zachari watched the whole thing with me and I l-o-v-e-d sharing the experience with her! Her favorite part was when a baby was actually born and she wanted to see it happen over and over, but she paid attention throughout the whole film. She asked questions, she got excited, her little sponge of a brain soaked it all up and it was fun to be a part of. She's already so much smarter and aware than I was at her age. We're in for something really amazing with this little lady, I'm sure of it!