From the very start of my pregnancy, I knew that my little one would come before her due date, maybe a week or two early.

Never in my wildest imaginings did I think she would be ELEVEN weeks early!

It was Tuesday, March 3, 2009. I woke up with the most intensive heartburn I had ever felt in my life and I got sick as soon as I made it to the bathroom. I had experienced some pretty bad morning sickness, but nothing like this.

Continue reading "Eleven weeks early and a fighter from the start" →

From the age twelve years I have been told I would never carry a child to term. There were days of depression, fears of never having my own children, feeling like an oddity that I didn't menstruate like my friends and all around not feeling like a "real" woman.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that this did not mean that I would never be a mother – there was ALWAYS adoption and that life was just giving me a different path.

Then on November 7th, 2007 I went in for a routine lady visit and everything was going like normal when my doctor asked me to take a urine test to check for an UTI. Didn't seem too out of the ordinary until the doctor came back in and told me that my urine sample showed that I was pregnant.

Continue reading "Miracle baby proves there's no such thing as a 100% diagnosis" →

You have mentioned the necessity of finding a health practitioner you trust and feel a connection with. Do you have any tips for how to go about this? Are there particular questions you recommend asking to help "screen" potential midwives and doctors? Any responses that should trigger a warning?

The very first step is to take some time to read and talk with your partner and others so as to clarify what is most important to you about your birth experience. For example, if you feel strongly that you want to give birth in the hospital, a birth center, or at home, if you want a woman or a man as a birth attendant, if you would like pain-relieving medication as an option or not, if you feel safer with high-tech medical care close at hand or as far away as possible.

Continue reading "How to find the perfect midwife or OBGYN for your birth" →

Our baby, Jasper (Puna'ikaika Curtis Mayfield Kavanaugh-um yes, there are four middle names), was born on 27 March 2009 in Portland, Oregon. My husband and I moved to Portland in December of 2008, and I hooked up with the nurse midwives at OHSU for our birth shortly thereafter.

Before going into his birth story, let me preface this by saying that my husband, Sean, and I were planning a very relaxed (as relaxed as birthing can be, I guess) experience. First of all, we were going to take the water birth with a midwife, dim lights and music playing approach. Second, we attempted to choose a birthing center in Portland, but insurance wouldn't cover it.

Finally, we in no way anticipated that our baby would come two months early, thus necessitating a switch from the midwives to the OBs in the hospital, have a rare platelet disorder, and spend a month in the NICU.

Continue reading "Surviving the NICU" →

A lot of women I know talk about having the perfect pregnancy, the perfect birth, the perfect baby. I was one of them.

In the beginning of my pregnancy, everything WAS perfect. I was healthy, my growing baby boy was healthy, my hubby, Devin, was amazing, our families were thrilled, friends were ecstatic, life couldn't have been better.

Continue reading "I had a horrible pregnancy, and I can't wait to try again!" →

Looking for a unique and special BlessingWay gift or a way to show appreciation for your dedicated Midwife or Doula? Maybe you yourself need a talisman in the birth room to give you strength to push that baby out.

When I was preparing for the birth of my daughter, I wore one of these beautiful pendants to remind me that in recent history, approximately 6.5 billion other births had taken place and that I could do it too. I bought one for my Doula also.

If a squatting, crowning woman is a little TMI for you, there are also pendants for Lactivists, C-Section Awareness, and the life giving Placenta. I like that they come in different skin tones and unique patterns and bright colors too.

Go browse the collection and look! Even world-famous midwife and author, Ina May Gaskin has one: