New Year's Contest!

Wishing You a Happy 2007 from The Birth Ecology Project!

I hope you and your families have all had a wonderful holiday season, and that this new year brings great health, happiness, and peace to families all across the Earth.

To celebrate 2007, the Birth Ecology Project is giving away one copy of Journey Into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth an anthology of birth stories by Sheri Menelli. The diverse selection of stories in this book highlight the transformative nature of birth for women, and include homebirths, unassisted births, births attended by midwives, obstetricians, and doulas, hospital births, outdoor births, and births with siblings present. The heart of this collection come from the mother's voices of real experiences, and Sheri weaves each story together with helpful information on how to choose and prepare for the birth experience that is right for you and your baby. The journal entry previous to this one features an inspiration natural birth story from this collection.

Here are the rules to enter:

• Leave a comment on this entry telling your best/favorite/most important new years resolution. 
  
• The winner will be randomly chosen on January 12th and announced in the Journal.
  
• Entertaining and meaningful resolutions related to birth, breastfeeding, and mothering are enjoyed.
  

Comments

[Mary Siever]

Well, so this is where we enter the contest? Let's see, I don't make many resolutions, but there is one I have for this year. I am the unassisted birthing mother of three. All my babies were birthed unassisted (their stories can be found here : http://www.siever.ca/children/ under Sinéad, Regan and Aisling. Anyway...we hope to get pregnant early this year and so my goal is to have another wonderful, empowering unassisted birth as all the others were, and to improve on them as well, by eliminating afterbirth pains! :) Actually there is something else I have as a goal. Before I became pregnant with my now 15 month old, I began running. I continued running throughout my pregnancy (and ran..albeit for 3 minutes only...the day she was born) and THIS year I would like to add being able to prepare for and complete a half marathon. But if we DO get pregnant this year, I will transfer that particular goal for next year. In the meantime, I will plan and prepare for both! Interesting note, the date you have for completion of this is the day my first unassisted baby was born, 8 years ago.

[Robin Barbier]

In 2007, I hope to empower as many women as possible to take the power of birth back. I hope each woman that I teach leaves my class knowing that she is fully capable of birthing her baby. I also hope that each woman that takes one of my classes will feel generally more empowered.

[Kimberley F.]

For 2007, I intend to build my Doula business so I can afford to do more volunteer births. I've seen so many cases so far where women who can't afford a doula, end up birthing alone, or in a hospital where they don't understand what is happening to them. I hope to be able to help more women in 2007 give birth in a peaceful and wonderful way, with love and support.

K.

[Nicole D]

I am resolved to womanhood!

I am resolved to enjoy the position of parent - to delight in my children. I am committed to romping with them, getting on the floor and rolling around with them, taking them on walks to pick flowers, seek out earthworms, cloud gaze, and grass roll. I am persistent in enjoying every mignight feeding with my babe, taking the time to trace his chubby cheeks with my fingertips, smell his newborn scent, and cherish his warm body against mine - understanding too well that it will pass too soon. I am resolved to view my children as a blessing!

I am resolved to help every woman to be fully trusting and knowledgable in her bodies ability to birth and the risks that the medical model of care can introduce. I am committed to loving the woman, regardless of her choices in childbirth, knowing that she will feel the impact of her decisions and need permission to grieve if her choice is in err. I am persistent in spreading advocacy and informed consent, even at the detriment to my pocketbook. I am resolved to love women!

I am resolved to love my body.My breasts are not as perky, they have a slight sag, because I have nourished my children from my body. My midsection is slightly softer because it has carried life within it and my babies were born at healthy weights. My arms are sore because I hug too tight, carry too long, and massage too much. My feet are flat because I pace their rooms at night praying over them and because we take long walks in the fields wondering over the beauty and perfection of nature. My hair is loosing its luster because of the few silver hairs that have been threaded into my crown of glory - all because of my blessings. I am resolved to love my beautiful body.

I am resolved to get callouses on my hands for kneeding laboring women's backs, pressing on busy coccyx', and massaging swollen appendages. I am committed to serving the rite of passage to motherhood as a bond-slave, tirelessly pressing forward and inward, loving women through birth. I am dedicated to standing up for her body and her baby when she is humbled into silence at the awe of her creation. I am resolved to serve!

I am resolved to love my husband - knowing that I was created to perfectly fit his innermost needs - I am his opus in life's performance. I am committed to making his house a castle, and giving him a place of refuge and revitalization in my arms. I will rise first in the mornings and lastly at night, looking well to the household so that he can be called blessed. I will put his needs firstly above my own, so that he does not worry about himself, but is freed to fulfill all my needs! I am resolved to my marriage!

2007 will see my children a little older, my marrige a little stronger, my body a little more gracious, my heart a little larger, and my doulaed births a little lovelier. I am resolved to womanhood!

[Joleen Streit]

My New Year's Resolution for 2007 is to introduce more pregnant couples to the wonder of HypnoBirthing. In doing this I feel that new Moms will connect with the inate power within themselves and thus be strong, positive influences in their children's lives.

[Myra DeLuca]

I usually do not do New Year's Resolutions...but I have made one this year. I have resolved to "Talk Less." I feel like wise women listen more than they talk. And, that wisdom is best when is is sought after and shared sparingly. So, my resolution is to use my words sparringly. :) Different, I know... :)

[Janet Barton]

I don't normally do resolutions either, but I do hope to grow my birthing business through more Bradley students and doula clients. I also resolve not to either pull all my hair out or kill one of my five children under four! :0) (For those trying to do the math, I have two sets of twins.)

[Kara]

I am so inspired by all of you! Thank you for sharing your dreams.

[Sally]

I have resolved myself to being dedicated to my family. For 3 years I have worked my (non-birth related) business, and pushed my family to a far #2. I have found in the birth of my third child that my family is not to be a distant second. I want to spend more time with THEM, not my computer!

[Shelley Lyne]

My new years resolution is to everything in my power to ensure that all women have the opportunity to birth with respect and dignity. It is my vision that all women be fully informed of all of their options for their own unique birth journey. Blessings in Birth, Shelley. Mum of 6 boys,granma of 2 boys and 1 girl. Doula and lotus birth advocate.

[Stacy Ashley]

My new year resolution is to slow down and enjoy everyday. Also to work on my patience.