Support the One Million Campaign

We blog about things that we are passionate about, and I'm definately passionate about the benefits of breastfeeding. In particular the urgent need for there to be more support for women to breastfeed and stronger legislation regarding the promotion of artificial baby milk substitutes.
I'm not going to spend my time making yet another case for 'breast is best'. Theres no arguement to be had there. We all know its the natural way to feed babies and that anything else is inferior.
I'd just like to see this truth reflected in world-wide legislation and support for women, children and families.

PLEASE CONSIDER SIGNING THE PETITION AND BEING ONE OF THE ONE MILLION WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SAME.

www.onemillioncampaign.org

Reclaiming childbirth-can most women even be bothered?!

OK, major apologies right now, right from the start, for what is going to be an almighty, pregnancy hormone induced rant.
I'm 33 weeks pregnant, a tad uncomfortable but that's OK, because pretty soon I will get to once again experience that overwhelmingly beautiful and powerful thing called childbirth.
I'm probably considered by many to be more than a little weird because... I can wait. I am soooo excited that its impossible to describe and, to the boredom of others probably, my every waking moment seems to be consumed with thoughts about how things are going to go this time.
My birth plan has been written for many weeks. Its OK, I'm no fool-I know that should things go tits up at the time then the plan, or certain sections of it, will have to go out of the window. But I find the whole process of reading, researching and really reflecting on how I would like the experience to pan out is so important. This is a life-changing, miraculous event-it deserves a lot of thought and introspection.

And its my experience, my birth, my body, my baby.

Which is why one of my biggest bug-bears is hearing/reading women utter phrases like:

' They (referring to consultants/midwives) wont let me do such and such'.

'If I go so many days over my due date they have told me they will induce me'. '

I wont be allowed to try for a VBAC'.

'They wont let me have a home birth'

Hearing apparently intelligent women come out with this nonsense makes me want to slap them hard across the face, shake them soundly and yell, 'FFS sweetheart, this is your body, your baby, your birth experience! Grow some fucking balls!!'

Why do some pregnant women suddenly lose the capacity to think for themselves and then turn into blithering, obliging idiots when faced with someone in a white coat or a uniform?True, they are the apparent 'experts' in their field but no-one knows a woman's body better then the woman herself and the decisions and expectations surrounding pregnancy and childbirth are too important for women to simply, and unthinkingly, pass the buck onto someone who really just wants to get another round of golf in or get home for tea early ;(
By all means, listen to their advice. But never forget that that's exactly what it is...advice. Not an order that has to be followed. You're grown women, not little girls.

Educate yourself about your choices. You've got 10 months FGS, enough time to read about childbirth until you cant read any more.

And don't forget, the language you use about childbirth and pregnancy can have a big effect on how you experience it. Continuing to use words such as 'they wont allow me' does nothing to empower and ready you for the most amazing experience of your life.

Let's get this straight.

Lifes priorities-have you got yours figured out yet?
Mine seem to change every couple of years, but I always seem to have the same priotities and just shuffle them around in order of importance. Money, career, lifestyle, relationship, children. Not necessarily in that order, in fact that's probably the only order they've never been in.
Right now, I'm sitting on the beach, looking out to sea with the suns warmth upon me and I know that I'm in the midst of another change.
For the last 2 and a half years the top priorities in my life have been career and money, and do you know what? It has made me thoroughly miserable. I've missed my kids so much. I've missed the feeling of relaxation and peace that I feel right here and now when I look out to sea and hear the waves break the shore. I've missed going to bed at night knowing that I'd spent the day doing what makes both my children and I happy. I've missed my friends. I can't do it any more. So I've resigned.
Ok, there's also the fact that I've been diagnosed bi-polar to take into consideration. That and the fact that my symptoms are a tad out of control at the moment. Another good reason for sitting back and taking stock of life and what I want and need from it.
What I want and need is to know that when I close my eyes for the last time, I can be content in the knowledge that I've done my best. That I've done my best by my children and importantly, that I've done my best for myself. That I've savored and cherished life and its sensations and experiences.
So I'm changing my priorities and right at the top come my family and myself. The career can take a nose-dive and I'll happily wave to it as it passes me by. And we'll sort the money out as we always do. And next time I sit here my children can sit next to me and look out to sea and I'll know -i've got my priorities right.
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