Monday, November 14, 2011

Capturing Our Home Birth

Just wanted to share a special thanks to Diane Rieger for her generous offer to shoot our home birth!  I think it'll be a wonderful gift, both to our family and also to the home birth community at large, to have beautiful professional visual memories of this momentous occasion.  The more we can change what our image of giving birth looks like the more we can normalize the natural and beautiful act of laboring and birthing.

Thank you Diane!

http://www.dianecaraphotography.com

Support Natural Resources a wonderful SF resource

Please see the below from the owner of Natural Resources:

Keep natural resources in your community!

Natural Resources has been serving parents of all walks of life, from pregnancy through early parenting, for almost 25 years. We've shared many joys with our customers, first smiles, first laughs, first steps, first words. We've had women stop in while in early labor so we can embrace their excitement of what is to come. We get to congratulate partners and grandparents coming in shortly after birth with lists of "Oops, we realize we also need...." Often a mother's first trip out with her baby is to Natural Resources where she knows she will be welcomed and supported while she nurses in a comfortable glider. Over the years, we've been part of so many heartwarming and memorable experiences.

Natural Resources has been feeling the effects of our challenging economic times with the last couple months proving especially difficult. All efforts to revitalize Natural Resources, whether by selling the business, finding a partner, or just simply by bringing in funding, have been unsuccessful. At this point, instead of closing our doors, we are turning to all of you to help keep us going.

If you or anyone you know has benefited from our organization, please consider helping us. If everyone on our email list donates just $10 we will reach our goal.

Your contributions will be the foundation for Natural Resources to continue to support families for many years to come. As a thank you for your contribution we are offering special perks to our supporters.

Please visit www.indiegogo.com/naturalresources
to learn more about our fundrasing efforts and to contribute to our campaign.

With hope and gratitude,
Cara Vidano and the Natural Resources Family

Friday, November 4, 2011

Pre-Sale Raffle Tickets

Pre-Sale Tickets Available Now!  Prizes drawn following Nov. 20th Craft Sale Event.
You don't need to be present to win! (but we'd still love to see your face at the event!)


# of tickets
 




RAFFLE with over $1000 in prizes...

Raffle Prizes generously brought to you by...



Ajira Darch-Sharp - Photographer
~Mini Photo Session~510-213-8715
Ajira Darch Photographer

Kristin Hoppe - Food Therapy
~Nutrition Consultation Session~
4200 18th St., Ste 204
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 407-7339
www.foodtherapysf.com/


Dr. Aidean Kinsella, DC - Verve Chiropractic
~New Patient Package~ 

3380 20th St, Ste 102
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.643.3070
www.vervechiro.com

Kiran Gaind -
Ray of Light Coaching
~New Parent Life Coash Session~
(415) 377-6791
www.rayoflightcoaching.com


Sheehan Chiropractic

~ Exam and an adjustment~
915 Irving St.
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-681-1031
http://www.laurasheehan.com/


Massage Mission - Chimene Rosales
~Pre-natal Massage~
415-370-4722
www.massagemission.com


Daniela Freda, L.Ac.
 Specializing in Women's Health and Healthy Pregnancy
~Healthy Pregnancy Consultation Appointment ($120 value)~
543 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 335-0238
http://danielafreda.com/


Ursula Xanthe Young
~Art Print~
http://ursulayoung.com/


Jen Johnson
~Necklace~
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mamasmagicstudio


Magic Curry Kart
Catering Services in 2012
Cater up to 30 guests / 2 hours - serving 2 items / Serving within SF
http://www.magiccurrykart.com

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

We made our goal!

Wow, I can't believe it, we made our goal!!!  Thank you sooooooooooooooo much for your generous support.  It has been a most awesome and inspiring experience to be loved and supported by our community.  I can't tell you enough what a great learning it has been going through this process and asking for help.

Even though we've made our goal, we're still going to try and raise more funds, because there are other hidden costs that we hadn't thought about and getting our final ducks in a row for the arrival of our little one is showing us what things we still need to prepare.

So, I still plan on hosting a jewelry/craft event on November 20th from 12:30p-3:30p at 518 Valencia St, SF 94110.  If you live in the neighborhood, please come by and do some holiday shopping while supporting us in our greatest adventure.  If you know anyone who might like to pick up some jewelry or crafty gifts for their mom, sister or favorite doula, send them our way!  We'll be raffling some great services, so keep an eye out :)

Lots of love to you all,
Lenaya & Brian

Grandma had a home birth

So I have to confess that I was a little reluctant to share my decision to have a home birth with everyone.  I was select when I firth put the word out.  I began with the home birth, doula and midwife communities.  I sort of needed to have affirmation.  And boy were we affirmed and encouraged, so we leaked it out to close friends and people a part of our day to day communities.  As word spread, I realized I would and should share our decision with everyone.  This is what it is to truly own our decision.  So I crafted a carefully worded email to send to old friends and family that I hadn't heard the news yet. 

Why was I so reluctant to share the word more broadly?  Well, because I realize not everyone has been exposed to the idea of home birth as a safe and normal place to birth a baby.  Many people have a strong fear of being anywhere else but a hospital come birth time.  And I totally get that, and for those people, I would imagine that the hospital would be the best place for them.  But I'm the one birthing this baby.  Hospitals are not places that make me feel safe.  Doctor's are not people who make me feel safe.  Doctors and hospitals are totally necessary and I'm incredibly grateful for their availability and expertise when I'm in an actual emergency or have gotten truly sick and need some serious medicine.  But for the natural processes that our bodies were meant to do, I'd rather have a friend, a partner, an experienced guide or even a spiritual leader hold my hand and support me through this natural, but admittedly "big deal" process.

Anyhoo, I was afraid I would start getting the phone calls, "what are you doing?," "are you crazy?," "are you sure it's safe?," and so on and so on.  Even though I had done my research and felt confident in my decision, I wasn't sure I would be able to ease all of the worries.  In my email I made it clear that we were close to the hospital and ready to go there in the event that a medical condition warranted it or if I came to a place where I opted for it.  Also, I assured them that our midwife was well equip with monitoring devices, emergency medication and the knowledge and experience to transfer us to a hospital if necessary.

At first I didn't hear any response.  This just made me more nervous.  Where they gathering and planning an intervention?  Would this be a reason to just stop talking to me?  But a day or two later I got an email from my dad.  Home birth is actually not a foreign concept to him.  He was born and raised in the Philippines and, duh, many births take place at home!  He said it was still common there especially in small towns like where he lived, because there aren't hospitals nearby.  I had never really thought about that.  I've been to the Philippines, so I should of thought of that.  So maybe it wouldn't actually be that difficult for my dad's side of the family to think about.

Well, the result of that email I sent out was nothing but support and I'm so touched and humbled by that.  It's a reminder to trust in people.  Whether everyone understands my decision or not they have supported me.  I am so blessed to have such amazing support!

After my dad got me thinking about what birth in the Philippines was like for them.  I didn't know the birth stories of my dad or any of his siblings.  A couple nights later after receiving donations from family that I had not expected nor solicited from, I had a dream I was at a gathering with my dad's side of the family.  I'm not sure what we were doing, but we were all hanging out in a room sitting in a circle.  I saw my Lola (who passed many years ago) sitting there.  She was a younger version of herself and wearing a formal dress suit and a hat.  I sat at her feet and she leaned over to me and said, "you know, it's going to be OK, I had a home birth with a midwife too."  I don't remember anything else from the dream, but I held on to that.  I was close to my Lola and it was so sweet that she came to me in a dream to tell me her story.

A few days later I was talking to my dad on the phone and his eldest sister, Alma, was there.  He told me that she was planning on donating to me and to look for a check in the mail.  So I asked to talk with her so I could thank her for her support.  As we were talking and I had already forgotten to ask about their births, she mentions that she was born at home.  Actually the 3 eldest sibling had been born at home!  There is something so special in knowing that.  I guess it's just a reminder how connected I am to a natural birth history.  We all area really, hospital births are relatively new in our human history.