Recent Publications

This has been quite a month for me for publications!
My short article Centering for Birth was published in the International Journal of Childbirth Education (page 20)
My book review of Fathers at Birth was published in The CAPPA Quarterly (page 14).
My film review of Birth as We Know It was in The CAPPA Quarterly (page 15).
And, [...]

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Active Birth Video

Lamaze and Injoy videos have teamed up on a nice new website called Mother’s Advocate. The site has a variety of handouts and a booklet to download based on “6 Healthy Birth Practices” (which, in and of themselves form a nice little birth plan for a normal, healthy birth!). I especially enjoyed their video on [...]

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Free e-Booklets

Before birth and birth education became my primary passions in life, I was deeply connected to several other causes and wrote three booklets based on different areas (non-birth related, though one does have a section in it for doulas). I have decided to make the booklets available for download as FREE print-ready PDF files, (The [...]

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Pushing

I have previously shared some thoughts about pushing. Today, I came across a helpful resource for first time mothers that really thoroughly explores the pushing stage of birthing your baby and has all kinds of information about “how to push” (really quick answer: with your body!). The technique shared is to “breathe the baby out”—but [...]

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Birth Affirmations for Fathers

In my classes, I suggest the use of affirmations. Affirmations are short, positive statements that inspire confidence and positive feelings. I have a handout that is printed on the front side with affirmations for mothers to read to themselves and the reverse has the same affirmations worded in such a way that they can be [...]

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Birth Center

There is one freestanding birth center in Missouri. It is about 1.5 hours from Rolla in Columbia. Though it can be a challenge to ride in a car while in labor, I have had quite a few clients who have chosen to birth their babies at this wonderful birth center. My own first baby was [...]

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Recent Articles

I’ve had a fun month for publications. My Birth Lessons from a Chicken essay was in Midwifery Today and my Respecting the Birth-Breastfeeding Continuum was in International Doula.
Also, the International Journal of Childbirth Education has some of their issues available online now. The September 2008 issue has my Satisfaction with Birth article beginning on page [...]

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Breastfeeding with Comfort & Joy Book

One of my fellow birth bloggers, the fabulous Kathy of Woman-to-Woman CBE is celebrating her 100,000 hits with a giveaway. She is giving away a copy of the new book Breastfeeding with Comfort & Joy, which looks like a real treasure. I hope I get a chance to read it someday soon. Kathy also has [...]

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No Right Way + Fathers at Birth

A few weeks ago, I spoke to a mother from one of my most recent birth classes. She told me something that her husband said to her in labor that I found very profound. Staff at the hospital were becoming concerned that this mother’s labor was “not progressing” and “not normal.” She, in turn, became [...]

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Fathers at Birth Book

Today, I was extremely excited to learn about a new book called Fathers at Birth by Rose St. John. I am really looking forward to reading it and I think there is a deep need for a book like this in the birth community. I am mindful of the need to include father-specific information in [...]

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