Newest REUNION delivery....baby boy......aahhhhh

We are very proud to announce the newest Reunion baby boy! And thanks to JeniHendricksPhotography we had some very wonderful early moments of his life with his mommy and daddy caught on film.

I would wish for all families to have someone there to capture these precious moments.....they touch your heart like no other thing. The photo of the dad hands cradling his newborn son....as if to say I will protect you, boy....you can count on me. I got it all under control. Wow.

I don't even remember when the dad did that, but our great photographer captured it. Beautiful....irreplaceable......priceless. LOVE.

For now, Janet

No Distractions........In Labor....

When I look at this picture I am reminded of the feelings one gets when you stand high on a mountain and gaze out.....calm, peaceful, serene, small, gladness at being alive and a tiny part of this world.

To really achieve a true calm, almost hypnotic state during labor a woman must have an environment that feeds that state. People bustling in and out, a muriad of questions regarding such unimportant things as "When did you last take your prenatal vitamin?" are stealers of this calm. I believe that in the right environment any woman can achieve an almost hypnotic state during labor. I have seen it many times.....I have seen women doze off for a quick 2 minute snore during contractions at 7, 8, 9 centimeters dilated. Especially when relaxing in the tub of warm water. It is truly amazing to witness.

Our bodies work under the direct control of many hormones.......not just the "hormones" that most people think of....estrogen, testosterone.....ya know the "sex" hormones. We have a glorious array of hormones that when allowed to be released really can put moms in a relaxed state which helps her body open up and lets the baby "flow" out. Really. I'm serious. These hormones are hendered when stress and tension are highest......when we're scared, when we don't feel safe, loved or cared for. Ina May Gaskin, the mother of midwifery states that when a woman feels cared for and is able to feel a sense of gratefulness to her caregivers that her body benefits in labor because of that. Imagine that, all the technology we have, all the drugs, all the bells and whistles, and all we really need is love, attention, gentleness and guideness from a competent, compassionate soul.

Recently, I was admitting a mom into the birth center in labor. I had checked her cervix as soon as she arrived because this was her second baby and she was pretty "vocal" in the car when she arrived. I needed to make sure this babe was not about to pop out before I was ready for her....Well she was about 4 cm and hurting with these contractions. Her bag of water had already released at home....As I was getting a few things together she was on all fours really moaning with the contractions. I got up next to her and started rubbing her back as she breathed through the next contraction, she immediately said...."Oh, that makes such a difference..." You see, to have the loving touch of her midwife was like a drug, but better. It says what no drug can....it says to moms...

1. You are loved

2. You are not alone

3. I am here for you

4. Let me help

5. You are doing so well

6. I understand

7. You will be so glad you did this

8. Keep going

9. You are strong

10. We are here for you as you are about to do this most amazing thing ever.....

No drug can relay this to you, none that I have ever seen......

The touch of another human whom you feel completely comfortable with and who you know cares about you and your babyand is there to help you push your baby out......Priceless.

For now, Janet

The Joy and Triumph!..........



I "stole" this photo from the internet...not one of our moms...but she could be and her smile and joy represents the sheer empowerment and feelings of pushing your baby out all under your body's own power and beauty........



What is so amazing about pushing your baby out at a birth center or home is the wonderful way you feel so shortly after giving birth. You are energized, joyful, relieved ( your work of labor is done), hungry, proud, tired all at once and life is good!

I wish more women would take the time to really explore all their options. I wish that the thought that crosses peoples minds when they think of "natural birth" would not be the short time that women had to labor in the bed at the hospital before they received their epidural.......

Beautiful, wonderful women.....that is not "natural birth". Yes, birth is painful. Yes, birth is scary. Yes, birth is the hardest, most challenging event in a woman's glorious life.

But, believe me when I say...."natural birth" in the right environment, surrounded by your most treasured loved ones, guided by someone whose passion and committment not only to birthing women but to your safety and security is above reproach can be the most amazing, empowering, life-changing, fun, tender, miraculous time. The pain of labor is tempered by your body's amazing hormones that are designed to calm you, make your uterine muscle work like a well-oiled machine that, together with your baby performs a beautiful "dance" with slow twists and turns and ends in the finale, you and you alone finishing the job by pusing your baby out into the world and smack-dab into your arms!

It's so natural...it is what women had been doing for years and years many years ago. Your'e born to birth....God designed this like nothing else. When your body is allowed to take control and do what it instinctively knows how to do, it's like magic! I have witnessed so many completely amazing births and women! What a blessing it is to be there, sometimes silently standing by while the woman and her man work together....loving this baby out.
That will be in another topic soon, how dads are marginalized in the hospitalized room, religated to standing at the head of the bed.....usually feeling helpless and vunerable.)

Birth, it's natural.........For now, Janet

The Waiting.......

The Waiting can be unbearable for some mommies to be.......particularly in our times of inductions of labor on due dates or before. Most women don't have a real reference point to relate to because all their friends are done before this time.....many begin to think that "something is wrong with them" "Due date" should actually be a "due range" with the emphasis on a "end of pregnancy time", not just one particular day.....we get so wrapped up in that that when moms go beyond it seems to be so discouraging....even tho' we speak to them about going beyond and that most moms, especially first-timers, go past this date.

If we can get moms to change the angle from which they are viewing this time and see it differently....not only will their dissapointment lessen, they will be so surprised the day the baby comes.......!

Maybe this part of the big plan....I mean God has created so many wonderful and perfectly perfect things that maybe his intention of the "tension" of waiting for baby day is to instill in moms the deep desire and need to meet this babe and give love that the pain and power of birth is tempered some. Does that make sense? (The hardest part about blogging is to have an idea in your heart and head, but putting in clearly for all to read....):)

I initially placed this beautiful sunset pic on this blog because I was practicing adding an image and on my new laptop it is a stock pic and all I have so far. But, when I started thinking about it I thought, ya know, we have to wait in anticipation of all great things in life. Our first love,

growing up, Christmas, summer vacation, from a bud to a rose, the cookies to bake, spectacular sunsets. And we wait for that beautiful delicious baby to come.......

So, mommies, this time of waiting is the time to take good care of yourself, unselfishly.

1. Soak your feet,

2. Eat a bowl of ice cream ( really, it's okay :),

3. Watch great movies,

4. Put your (probably swollen) feet up,

5. Try a new, delicious/easy recipe preferably with cheese or chocolate in it...

6. Put some great music on (UP LOUD) and rejoice,

7. Sip tea,

8. Take your dog for a walk,

9. If your neighbors might object to the loud music, put your Ipod on,

10. Massage your dog, or cat (it will lower your blood pressure...),

11. Sleep, nap,

12. Soak in the tub,

13. Float in the pool.........ahhhhh........you will feel weightless.....

14. Dance ( with the music up LOUD),

An know you are not alone, somewhere on this earth there is another woman, surely, who is waiting......

For now, Janet

we had another wonderful birth early Wednesday morning..........a beautiful baby boy! 7#120z.....mama did amazing job.



We are always so blessed when we can help moms achieve the birth they desire. Especially when their past birth experience was either traumatic or just plain lousy......:( We always work hard to assure a "better birth" at Reunion, but when we are armed with the knowledge that a mom had a bad experience in the past, we really feel the need to help her experience be one that will make us all feel good....



I am always amazed at the strength and calm of women. Kind of sounds like those two words wouldnt work so well together....sometimes we think "STRENGTH" is hard, loud, intrusive, overbearing, etc. But birthing women, especially those whose strength is encouraged to shine, have such a beautiful inner strength which flows from them and blankets all who are around. Their strength encourages my strength. Energy abounds in that birthing room. Between the rush of contractions moms can become so calm and serene...and absolutely stunningly beautiful. Polly and I are always commenting to each other and of course to our moms how beautiful they look. It must have something to do with the power and energy and love and ...can't forget those "love hormones" Dr. Odent speaks about that are free to flow during the natural birth process!



It must be something like falling in love....ya know ladies how radiant we look and feel. How everything in the universe is so "right". It must be similar when your body and mind iare locked into the job of birthing....you know something great is about to happen...the anticipation, the excitement and the LOVE. Powerful, fearless love. What a gift we have been given in the body of our child.



I would wish for all women that they could experience this "birth". Also, to expereince the reverance and the respect for what they are doing....sometimes women are robbed us this and their "love hormones" take the toll.