Update on Mr. double vision...

Sorry it took me so long to post - someone went and had a baby today! If you want to know how to get someone to have a baby, be sure to schedule a whole bunch of doctor appointments that you really can't miss. That ALWAYS does it. I was on my way to appointment #2 of the day yesterday when my phone rang - it was my client saying her OB had sent her into labor and delivery and she was going to be induced. Fortunately, L&D works really slow when it comes to inductions, so I made it to Keith's appointment AND managed to get a full night of sleep in before she needed me. Baby girl was born early this afternoon! Keith's neurologist said that everything looked fine except that his eyes weren't perfectly lined up - they'd track together just fine, but one eye seemed off a tiny tiny bit. So that could be causing the double vision - she said it might be the start of near sightedness or something. He has an appointment with an eye doctor on Monday, so we'll know then if he needs glasses or something. But, all in all, he's fine! Thanks for the thoughts!!! I'll update as I learn more!

Hey! I'm cool!

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Seven Cool Careers You've Never Heard Of

The Business of Being Born

I thought I had posted about this, but all I can find is a mention of the screening that the Birth Fund put on back in November. So, I guess I DIDN'T really post about it! Go figure. Anyways. If you're pregnant, thinking about becoming pregnant, have a wife/girlfriend/daughter who is pregnant, you need to watch this movie. It's the documentary by Ricki Lake which just came out on DVD not too long ago. If you're in the area, I know someone you could borrow it from (hint hint). Or, if you are one of the unfortunate people who do not have a Mac, you can watch it on demand or whatever they call it on Netflix. Or add it to your Netflix queue. Anyways, my point is, WATCH IT!!!! It's not just a movie trying to convince people to have their babies at home. It's a movie about the sad state of maternity care in the US. And trust me, it is one sad state.

I had a baby!

HA! Did I scare you? Well, *I* didn't have a baby, actually - one of my doula clients did. Born at 3:15 this morning, two hours after I got there. Wonderful, calm homebirth. After attending (and having!) homebirths, I don't understand why healthy women with healthy pregnancies choose to have their babies in the hospital. Anyways, bright and early this morning my last baby was born - I'm not on call anymore! I am free to relax, turn my cell phone off, not have gas in my tank... you name it. And wait. For a couple more months until I REALLY have a baby.

And back to the ranting and raving

Well, I'm actually not going to rant and rave, at least not *TOO* much. I just have a question - if you were going to spend $10,000 on something, would you want the person you were paying to listen to you and respect your wishes? Or would you rather they just said "you hired me, I'm the expert, it's my way or the highway"? Really, I'm curious. Give me your perspective - I'm sure you can guess as to what my answer would be, but I know I'm a bit different from everyone else in the world! So, thoughts? Anyone?

My soon to be office

I got to take some pictures of our new house and what will soon be my new office and classroom today. So, here's some pictures of my office space (Adam still has his recording stuff in here, so you'll have to use your imagination a bit) -

Looking in from the doorway:



The current seating area, which I think I'll make into a classroom area:



Adam's current recording stuff area, where I'll put my desk etc:



And the other room, which I don't quite know what I'm going to do with. Adam might keep his drums in there, but he's not sure:

Do they really believe THAT?!?

So I had a few babies over the past week. I've been busy - Henry was in the hospital, then a client had a baby, then I came home, got some rest, packed a bit, and another client called and had a baby a couple of days later. Busy busy! But, I'm done for now. I have one client left before my own kiddo arrives, and she's not due until June. And, she's having a homebirth, so it's a whole different ball game than the hospital births I've been at lately. Which brings me to my question.

What's with the OBs? Are they really taught misinformation? If not, where do they come up with this stuff? And why do they tell their patients stuff which is flat out WRONG? I really hope it's that they are misinformed, as bad as that is, because the only other explanation I can come up with is that they're lying, and that's worse in my opinion. For example - over the past couple of births I've heard the following:

Cytotec is DEFINITELY safer than a foley bulb induction.

There is no increased risk of infection associated with vaginal exams every two hours following spontaneous rupture of the membranes.

Cord traction is not considered active management of the third stage of labor.

We see a lot of cord prolapses.

I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of them at the moment. I just wonder what is going on with these OBs. Where are they getting their info? Do they even READ the current research? Do they even think that maybe the evidence has changed how they should be doing things? What's up?!?

And for more information on the sad state of affairs with regards to our current maternity system, go to Netflix and add The Business of Being Born to your queue. And watch it. Or, of course, you could just watch some Monty Python:

Wow... there IS hope....

There is hope for the members of my family! Check out my cousin's blog. They've hired a doula! How cool is that! I really worry when people want a natural hospital birth and don't have someone there to support them, because it's pretty difficult with all those bells and whistles they have in those hospitals. And those epidurals.... so so so easy to get.... and no one's there telling you - hey, you're asking for an epidural - you're practically done! Don't do it! You're doing fine! Don't get me started on the epidurals. Or the bells and whistles. Really, you don't want me started. Maybe I'll save it for another post.

The Borrelli's

That's us, the Borrellis. Me, Ed the husband, Keith the 4 year old, and Henry the baby. Keith also thinks he is Spiderman, which is what he's doing with his hands in this picture - shooting webs. He shoots a lot of webs. Actually, though, he's currently Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Or Ningin Turtle as he insists. No lack of imagination in this household, nosireebob. Ed's a truck driver for McGovern's, and I'm a doula. A doo what you say? A DOULA. Otherwise known as a labor assistant. I help women having babies. No, I'm not a doctor or a midwife, nor do I play one on tv. I just give them emotional and physical support during labor. And I get to see a lot of cute little babies!

Me!

Yup that's me! With one of my doula babies! Isn't she just a cutie? I'm talking about the baby :)