Lets build other Women up Not break them down....

My Girls (loving each other) 

Someone has to tell me the deal with women bringing other women down? I don't even know if women realize they are doing it sometimes. We need to always be picking each other up and encouraging each other.

When i was in the hospital having Whitney a nurse came in, not my nurse, just a nurse that wanted to see what all the commotion was about in my room. See i had Whitney naturally (not just without medication, but also without IV's, i had very intermittent fetal heart monitoring, i was in the shower, stimulating my nipples, on the birthing ball and in tons of pain) and i guess this is not something that happens very often anymore. So she came in and i was doing great and was at 9.5cm. I was actually feeling great and managing the pain amazingly. She then tells me, wow your doing so well, don't worry you are about the freak out, or at least your body will". TIMEOUT, if you know me, you know that someone telling me i'm about to FREAKOUT is not good for my brain! I was 100% in the moment doing everything my pre natal yoga teacher taught me, and boom! She drops this bomb! What the heck! My Doula/Nurse/Best Friend (Appreciate Each Day  check her out she is amazing!!!!) immediately looks at me and says, LOOK AT ME KATIE, Katie look at me now (she already knew where my head was going) DO NOT LISTEN TO HER. Immediately after that my body "freaked out" and the pain went from manageable to unbearable.

I figured that she had no idea what she had just done (i found out later, she had 5 children naturally), but she broke my spirit and my entire mental rhythm. Now i know there are people out there that cut us women down just because they can or just because they are unhappy in there own lives. You have the bossy mom at the park who comments on how you are raising your children, or the town gossip who spreads nasty words like wildfire, or the mom that can't stop bragging about how amazing her children are, or that one friend who can never be happy for you (wait is she really a friend). The list goes on and on.

Life is hard and women have it pretty rough. We are the ones that have to hold it all together. Wouldn't it be nice to know the other women in this world are there for you all the time. Not questioning what you doing, just standing next to you and loving you. Clearly jealousy and insecurity plays a huge role in why this even happens. What would happen if women started helping others instead of hurting them. Maybe there would be a lot less insecure and jealous women out there.

I belong to a small group that have women from there late 20's to late 70's. It's amazing! To hear all the stories of all these women who have done it all before me. I feel so lifted in the group and so far ahead of where i should be. It's like they are leading the way for the next generation. Everything from marriage, to raising children, to God, to health, to where this crazy world is currently sitting and what was happening way back when. I get so much more then most of them can even imagine. There gift of being there and talking to all of us, is priceless. I feel like i am in a far more advanced place because of them. There is not jealousy or insecurities in this group. It is simply women from multi generational backgrounds getting together to lift each other up. Simply amazing.

I find myself now a days surrounding myself with people who feel the same way and want the same things i want. It feels so great, i just wish more women were on board. I wish we could all just cut out the petty stuff. This world is mean and nasty enough, don't you think us women should be sticking up for one and other instead of bringing each other down?!?!? Well i guess it could start with me, who else is down for this challenge???

The tricks to a Natural Birth

     I have had two babies, my first with Pit, Epidural, Catheter and a million other things to make you comfortable during birth. I can't say enough about how amazing my first birth was. I was interested in doing it without drugs with O, but was not at all mentally prepared. Once the pain got worse (i thought for sure i was at 10, i was only at 5) i was begging for the drugs. The birth was very calm and pain free (once i got my epidural). I was in labor for 15hrs and pushed for 1hr 38min. It was exciting, amazing and everything i ever wanted. So why would i want to do it drug free? 

     With my second i decided to try it "all natural". I started playing around with this idea at the beginning of my second trimester. I knew that if i was going to do it without any drugs i was going to need to be mentally and physically prepared. They don't call it labor for nothing:) I thought about different birthing methods and classes, but when it came down to it all i needed were different options and techniques. I also needed support. So i started talking to all my crunchy granola friends, who have studied natural birth or have gone through it themselves. I enrolled in a prenatal yoga class, and worked out every day i was pregnant. 

    The key was to stay trim and do whatever my body felt comfortable doing. I was able to do everything i could do before i got pregnant. I took spin class, weight lifting classes, ran and walked. I then started a prenatal yoga class with Tricia Sweeney. She is absolutely fabulous and just happened to be a labor and delivery nurse at Evanston a few years back. She answered question upon questions and really encouraged the natural birthing method. She showed me different methods to use while in labor like the ball, shower, and different potions to be in during contractions. Staying upright was the key. I saw her every week up until the delivery. She motivated me and reminded me that birthing is a natural process, your body knows what its doing and to concentrate on the moment. I thought about everything she told me the entire time i was in labor. I could not have done it without her encouragement and advice. I would recommend her to any of my girlfriends that are going to have a baby. You can use her even if you aren't planning on doing it naturally! She is the best. 

     Dana Merk my freshman year roommate, who has just received her masters in nursing and was recently hired as a labor and delivery nurse at Evanston was by my side.  Dana is also a Doula and has done more reading and research on natural births and the benefits behind it. She was amazing! All you lucky ladies delivering at Evanston should request her, she is gentle, incredibly smart and will for sure make you laugh! I know i could not have done it without her! 

     Last but not least my amazing husband was right by my side the whole time. I was everywhere! On the floor, the ball, the yoga mat and in the shower. He was right there to help me through the whole thing. I don't even think i yelled at him, but don't quote me on that. For the first birth he was up by my head while i was delivering, but for this one he was holding one of my legs and kissing my forehead as our beautiful little girl was being brought into this world. It was completely magical!

     Support would have to be at the top of the list of things that makes it easier to give birth naturally. Next i would say keeping upright so that the baby can move into the birth canal faster. The shower was like a narcotic for me. The pain was completely  manageable when i was in the shower. I prayed that God would give me strength A LOT, especially while i was in the last hour of labor and when i was pushing. He came through for me like he always does:) 

     Baby W came in 5 hours, start to finish! I pushed 4 times and she was out. It was the most painful, exciting, exhilarating, emotional, adrenaline fueled 5 hours of my life. I would never do it any other way. Check out the natural method of birthing your baby, you can totally do it!