This poem isn’t supposed to be about me. I’m not supposed to be announcing a pregnancy and cancer at the same time. Gary and I are supposed to be lying in bed at night talking about baby names, not analyzing research on chemotherapy treatments in pregnancy. I’m supposed to get a nice, private pregnancy where […]
I haven’t been publicly updating folks often about my pregnancy and coinciding breast cancer, and it is for a variety of reasons (previous post here if you haven’t read it). One is, I keep wanting to go back and tell the whole story from the beginning. I have lots to share, have learned so much, and chronologically seems […]
Photo: Kristie Robin, kristierobin.com I breathe a sigh of relief today as I sit drain-tube-free, surgery complete, and finally on what feels like a “break” from treatments from now until after birth. Still bandaged up and sore but feeling a version of finished-for-now… the relief I think everyone expected me to feel after my final […]
She’s here! For those of you who haven’t heard, Kaedra Margaret Kaur Rooprai joined us January 9th, after a fast and furious and unexpected labour at 35 weeks plus 4 days. Birth story to come, but suffice to say that birth was as wild, powerful, incredible, and strong as I had thought it would be, […]
Deepen your practice and become even more inspired to make a difference in your community with MORE WISE. Click HERE for 2019 Schedule Available Topics: Advanced Comfort Measures – 8 hours Ramp up your comfort skills in this three part class. We will cover: Rebozo-type and Positional Support with a WISE perspective on use Water Birth […]
By popular demand, I’ll be doing some more posts and videos on the postpartum period, primarily with my sister, Jen Reddish, Jen is a therapist who focuses on mental well-being in the perinatal period. Our last video, Postpartum Rage, was a huge hit, and several of my clients messaged me saying, “Your sister is amazing! […]
Like birth, the unexpected or planned end of a pregnancy can greatly benefit from in-person comfort and reassurance during the process. Many people after having a miscarriage or abortion will say afterwards “I wish I had someone with me!”. Without support, clients having a medication abortion or miscarriage at home can often feel concerned about […]
There are so many posts in my mind left unwritten. My detailed birth story for one, more on postpartum life and falling in love with my new baby. But life is moving faster than I can write about while soaking up every minute with my sweet new baby, now almost 5 months old! Kaedra just […]
Mentorship is one of the best ways to grow your knowledge, skills, and effectiveness as a birth worker and is traditionally how birth attendants trained. I know first hand that having a mentor can exponentially increase your confidence and how quickly you expand your wisdom, insight, and ability to contribute to your clients. Your doula […]
I had my final round of chemotherapy today and I have to say I am overjoyed to know I will never have to see this red medicine (the doxorubicin part of the doxorubin/cyclophosphamide treatment I was on) being pumped through my veins ever again. This is partially because after 6 rounds, I’ve reached my lifetime […]
Childbirth: Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, Sarah Buckley Childbirth Without Fear, Grantley Dick Read The Thinking Woman’s Guide To A Better Birth, Henci Goer Rediscovering Birth, Sheila Kitzinger Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth Breastfeeding: Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding Newborn and Parenting The Baby Book, Dr. William Sears The Newborn […]
Guest post from a student who took my Miscarriage & Abortion workshop: Last Friday, a friend texted me asking if she could chat about something. She said she was on her way to a clinic. My daughter was at my mum’s for the day leaving me totally available so I offered to meet her at […]
If there is one phrase I’d like to get rid of in birth, it’s “have to”. There are no “have tos” in birth, there are only medical recommendations and a birthing woman’s informed choice. There is no such thing as “My baby is breech so I have to have a hospital birth.” There is no […]
I had SO MUCH fun in this chat with Free Birth Society founder Emilee Saldaya recently. We shared what we believe should be common knowledge about the fertile cycle and signs of the various stages of fertility and infertility during the menstrual cycle. We also dug a bit into our exasperation with how uncommon this […]
