Genevieve aka MamaNatural

I’m a big fan of Mama Natural!

Are you?

Chances are you may have seen one of Mama Natural’s videos making it’s way ’round the web.

Her crazy awesome video, Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say, went viral with well over 450,000 views (the sequel, Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say Part 2, was equally as brilliant).

The woman behind the curtain is Genevieve, woman and mother, new-ager and wellness uplifter.

One thing I love about Genevieve, even more than her tips for getting the stink of out cloth diapers and other natural home remedies, is her uncanny ability to infuse facts with humor.

She does a brilliant job in this hit video, Circumcision Facts & Myths, blending a bit of humor and clearing up a lot of misconceptions about this very personal topic.

The information she provides is unbiased – it’s evidence based and I love that.

One big thing we agree on: natural birth rocks, no matter where it takes place. But Genevieve is also a home birth advocate. Whoo!

We also see eye to eye on good nutrition, breastfeeding, saving the world, and much more.

Learn more about the dynamic duo in this short video Genevieve and her husband Mike, (her husband and “special sauce” behind the MamaNatural website) put together, 10 Facts about Genevieve & Mike.

Then take a gander at MamaNatural’s YouTube channel. Block off a good portion of your day, because I bet you’ll be watching for awhile. Genevieve puts out two videos per week! Here’s the link to her website as well: Mama Natural.

So why I am ranting and raving about MamaNatural?

Because Genevieve will be a guest on Bring Birth Home TV, this  May 30th at 9:30 PM EST.

Save the date!

That special hour long episode is going to rock.

BBH TV will be taking a hiatus until then.

Sad, I know. But I’m working on something BIGGER. It’s taking up all my focus.

To take it’s place, Bring Birth Home will be posting NEW home birth stories every Wednesday night, and adding a new HBAC section to the birth stories pages. Yipee!

More Business of Being Born, from Executive Producer Ricki Lake and Filmmaker Abby Epstein, will be released on November 8th, 2011.

This four disc set follows their landmark
documentary, The Business of Being Born, continuing their provocative and entertaining exploration of the modern maternity care system.

More Business of Being Born offers a practical look at birthing options as well as poignant celebrity birth stories from stars including Alanis Morissette, Gisele Bundchen, Christy Turlington-Burns, Cindy Crawford, Molly Ringwald, Laila Ali, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Melissa Joan Hart.

About More Business of Being Born

DVD #1  Down on The Farm: Conversations with Legendary Midwife Ina May Gaskin

Follow Executive Producer Ricki Lake and Director Abby Epstein to The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee, where pioneer midwife Ina May Gaskin talks candidly about the latest birth trends and the art of midwifery. Gaskin, who was featured in the original The Business of Being Born, sparked Lake’s initial interest in natural birth and has continued to inspire the filmmaking duo’s advocacy efforts. Also on the journey is pregnant actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who has enlisted a midwife to attend the birth of her second child and joins the filmmakers in meeting The Farm’s famous midwives and touring the picturesque birth cabins in the woods. In the poignant final sequence, Gaskin exhibits her Safe Motherhood Quilt and calls for a deeper examination into the rising maternal mortality rate in the US.
(Running Time: 55 min)

DVD #2 Special Deliveries: Celebrity Mothers Talk Straight on Birth

Featuring celebrity moms Laila Ali, Gisele Bundchen, Cindy Crawford, Alyson Hannigan, Melissa Joan Hart, Kellie Martin, Alanis Morissette, Christy Turlington-Burns and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Special Deliveries is a collection of intimate birth stories from a diverse group of mothers. Whether they chose to deliver at a hospital, home or birthing center, these heartfelt and humorous testimonies speak to the lasting power of the birth experience. True inspiration for any mother-to-be, this group of women trusted their bodies and intuitions, taking responsibility for their birth decisions even when things didn’t go according to plan. None of these courageous women has ever spoken on the record in such compelling detail, and, on this DVD, the filmmakers weave together their passionate narratives as a celebration of the journey to motherhood that will leave viewers with a renewed sense of amazement about the power of women.
(Running Time: 74 min)

DVD # 3 Explore Your Options: Doulas, Birth Centers & C-Sections

The most comprehensive and educational DVD in the series, Explore Your Options offers birth-planning guidance around key topics such as the role of doulas (labor support specialists,) the advantages of birth centers and the alarming escalation of cesarean sections in the United States and Brazil. Epstein and Lake talk to doulas about why their profession is currently booming and uncover why having a good doula can make-or-break the entire birth experience. They look at the ever-growing rates of inductions and c-sections, which have reached 50% in many US hospitals and more than 99% in some private hospitals in Brazil. How “safe” are these cesarean surgeries, and what are the health implications for the mothers and babies? Explore Your Options examines the pros and cons of birth centers, described as a perfect middle ground between home and hospital. Special features include Alanis Morissette and Alyson Hannigan on the advantages of doulas, Christy Turlington Burns on her unexpected complications at a birth center, Molly Ringwald on how she avoided a cesarean birth with her twins and Gisele Bundchen and Michelle Alves on the cesarean epidemic in their native Brazil.
(Running Time: 102 min)

DVD #4 The VBAC Dilemma: What Your Options Really Are

The VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) has become a hot-button issue in the modern maternity care system, as one in three new mothers will give birth via cesarean section. Are all of these mothers then forced to undergo a repeat cesarean the next time around? Epstein and Lake posed that question to dozens of experts, determining the surprising truth about VBACs. They also follow several women’s stories – both those who succeed and fail at attempting a VBAC – including that of filmmaker Abby Epstein, whose first c-section delivery was depicted in the dramatic, final moments of The Business of Being Born.
(Running Time: 51 min)

Watch the More Business of Being Born trailer.

Enter to Win a Copy of More Business of Being Born

How to enter the giveaway:

Step 1: “like” The Business of Being Born on Facebook

Step 2: leave a comment below letting us know why you would like to win a copy of More Business of Being Born

The giveaway will run from Tuesday, November 1st – Wednesday, November 7th at midnight. One winner will be choosen at random and announced Thursday morning, November 8th at the Bring Birth Home Facebook page.

In the coming week you’ll hear directly from seven guests as they describe how The Business of Being Born affect their lives by impacting their journey to childbirth.

• November 1st: “How The Business of Being Born Impacted My Life,” by Kaitlin Rose of BBH
• November 2nd: “Thumbprint,” by Tiffany Gray
• November 3rd: “Illustrating the Need For Change,” by Lesley Everest
• November 4th: “A Film That Touches Lives,” by Jessica English
• November 5th: “A Cause Close to My Heart,” by Pascale
• November 6th: “The Business of Being Born Opens Doors,” by Kate Jaggard Tyo
• November 7th: “The Gift That Changed My Life,” by Melody Aylestock
• November 8th: “BOBB Inspires Physician to Birth At Home,” by Jeremy Dyen

The United States would be a better place for women to give birth if every town had a Birth Kalamazoo.

As a natural birth advocate, how many times have you run into situations where you wish you could direct an expecting friend to a safe, informative place to gain knowledge about birth?

In Southwest Michigan, that place is Birth Kalamazoo.

Allow me to set the scene:

Say you’re in Ohio and your best friend lives in California. She asks for resources.

Such as How to find a doula.

You could tell her to look at bulletin boards and suggest books, movies and an independent childbirth class. But that would be the extent of your reach. She’s ultimately left to her own devises, the opinions of those who live closer, and her care provider.

That is why every town needs a Birth Kalamazoo.

Birth Kalamazoo is…

“Offers natural childbirth & breastfeeding classes, birth doulas, postpartum doulas and lactation consults. Birth and early parenting is such a precious time, we help make the journey as smooth and centered as possible.

Birth Kalamazoo connects families with birth doulas, natural childbirth and breastfeeding classes, post-partum doulas and lactation consultants.

We believe that birth is transformative, and that mothers and new families deserve caring, knowledgeable support for that journey. While we have a special love for natural birth, we honor the birthing process for every family, wherever it begins and ends.”

The doulas of Birth Kalamazoo have created a community for women in Kalamazoo, Michigan and surrounding areas.

Since early Spring of 2011, Birth Kalamazoo has been the host of a new monthly series of meetings called Birth Matters (click the link to learn more about the July meeting, “Whatza Doula?”).

“Birth Matters is a FREE group for pregnant moms, those with little ones and women who plan to soon begin a family. Come and gain insight and understanding of the amazing journey of pregnancy, labor, delivery and the postpartum period with other experienced moms in a fun and casual atmosphere! The group is sponsored by Birth Kalamazoo and co-led by doulas Beth Hawver, Jody Swank and Jessica English.”

Each month, as word spreads, the group gets larger. Women have driven as far as an hour to attend.

I am grateful for the information and support I have received from the Birth Kalamazoo doulas.

When I was pregnant and looking for a doula, I soon became familiar with post cards and business cards distributed by Birth Kalamazoo at local coffee shop and natural grocery store bulletin boards. It was a blessing being able to access the kind of information I was looking for so readily.

This kind of marketing has been key to Birth Kalamazoo’s success, along with word of mouth.

I picked up a post card and emailed Jessica English, birth doula, childbirth instructor and owner of Birth Kalamazoo.

She was so helpful and kind, suggesting events for Eric and I to attend and giving me information about her upcoming natural childbirth class, which we ended up taking. After a few classes, we decided to hire Jessica to be our birth doula for our home birth. She was terrific!

Our relationship has continued to blossom and I had the pleasure of interviewing her last July during Bring Birth Home’s webinar series featuring Birth Kalamazoo.

Eric and I have hired Jessica to be our birth doula again for our second (quickly approaching!) home birth. I honestly can’t imagine birthing without her!

Imagine if every town in the United States had a Birth Kalamazoo.

I could rest easy at night knowing that women all over our country had the same kind of access to natural birth information and support as I do in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

If you are a childbirth educator or doula who feels inspired by this blog post, follow suit! Make doing what you love a full-time job if it isn’t already, and start a Birth Denver, or Birth Cincinnati!

Gather other doulas in the area and create a safe place for women. It doesn’t have to be huge. Start small. You don’t even need your own building.

“Like” Birth Kalamazoo on Facebook today and learn from them!

And here is the official website of Birth Kalamazoo: http://birthkalamazoo.com/home.html

book review by Cindy Lerner

If there was one single book that I wish I had read before having my first child it would be The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

Not only does this book cover
breastfeeding, it will guide expecting moms in how to prepare for breastfeeding, how to…

get the proper support, what role birth plays in your breastfeeding relationship, what to expect in each stage of the baby’s development, sleeping, weaning, solid foods, solutions for working moms, pumping, and special situations (multiples, preemies, etc).

Overall, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding can be described as:

a comprehensive guide to being a mother while supporting each mother’s individual choices and encouraging her to continue with breastfeeding in all circumstances.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (La Leche League International Book) is so much more than a book about how, when or why one should breastfeed.

It holds the encouraging words that every mother needs to read over and over again.

Whether you get ideas and information from our book, from research, or from talking to other mothers, you know yourself, your baby and your family better than anyone else. Just as mothers always have.

Bring Birth Home is looking for guest blogging mamas!

Are you interested in sharing
your passion for home birth, breastfeeding, baby-wearing or other attachment parenting issues on Bring Birth Home?

This is your chance to become a part of the BBH guest blogging team is here.

What we’d like to see at BBH:

• Inspirational, educational home birth information – if it’s pro-home birth, it’s a go.
• Babywearing posts - this can be your personal experience wearing your baby and/or your favorite baby carriers and slings. Story or review.
• Book reviews – share your favorite pregnancy and/or childbirth preparation book with an audience of captivated mothers to be. They’re looking for first hand experience!
• Home Birth After Cesarean – how empowering! Tell us your story!
• Breastfeeding – do you love breastfeeding? Are you practicing extended breastfeeding? What have been your challenges? Favorite memories? Tips for new moms?
• From hospital to home – did you have a hospital birth before a home birth? Share your story with us and describe how you made the decision to birth at home. Please feel free to compare your experiences.
• Bed-sharing - do you share your bed with your child(ren)? Was this planned or did it just happen? How do you practice safe bed-sharing?
• Home birth transfer stories – you were planning a home birth but transferred to the hospital. It happens. There are women out there wanting to connect with other women who have transferred from home to hospital. Sharing your story can be very healing.
• Gentle parenting – how are you raising your children in a non-disciplinary way? What resources have you found to expand communication and cooperation within your family in a peaceful way?
• Elimination Communication – what has been your experience? We want to know!
• Vaccinations – what is your stance? No vacc, selective or different schedule?

If this sounds like fun, Bring Birth Home would love to have you on board.

You don’t have to have your own blog when you can use Bring Birth Home as your platform!

Please email Kaitlin at KaitlinRose@BringBirthHome.com for a nice conversation and further instruction.

Today I received a complementary copy of We’re Having a Home Birth by Kelly Mochel.

I was so excited to get this book and read it to Ella. She sat through the whole thing, patiently looking over each picture.

We’re Having a Home Birth is narrated by a little girl.

Her mommy is having a home birth and she is proud and interested to be a part of the process.

Kelly takes us on a journey of what the process of  home birth might look like to a young child in an easy to understand manner. The book speaks well to youngsters through a child’s perspective.

We’re Having a Home Birth paints home birth, and natural birth, in a very normal light.

There is no emergency during this relaxed home birth.

The young girl says when her mommy is ready to have the baby, she will say, “it is time.” And indeed mommy does.

The midwife, Jenny, arrives and gives mommy “sweet back rubs” and encouraging words. She also takes time to talk to her and daddy about how they can help mommy.

Mommy labors naturally on the back of a chair, swivels her hips and relaxes in a bath.

After baby is born, the family waits to cut the cord until the placenta is delivered. The next page shows mom breastfeeding.

I would definitely recommend this book! It’s a great starting point and conversation starter when introducing your children to home birth.

Pick up your copy of We’re Having a Homebirth! today!