Call for Birth Stories!
Birth: In Your Words
The Arizona Birth Network is planning a printable Birth Connection e-newsletter with the theme of “Birth Stories”. We’d love to have YOUR story as part of our featured newsletter.
Whether you gave birth in a hospital, birth center, at home, or in the car 
, we want to hear your powerful story and share it with our beloved community.
Send your fully-edited story to Leigh at leighasteele@gmail.com.
- Submission deadline is July 6, 2011
- Please limit your story to 1,000 words or less.
- In some circumstances, if your story is longer and you have it posted publicly on a blog or website, we may be able to link to your complete story in our newsletter.
- Photos are welcome in jpeg format. We just ask that you limit your photo submission to two of your favorite photos.
- We may do some very gentle technical editing on your story; however, you would be provided a draft copy before it is published. The editing would not alter the overall content, voice, or style of your story.
- If we are not able to use your story in our e-newsletter due to space constraints, we kindly ask that your permission be granted for us to potentially share it on our blog.
The Importance of Birth Stories
Storytelling is an ancient means of processing experiences and learning from them. It is an interactive way to pass along information from one person to the next and involves a range of colorful emotions, voices, and perspectives. Our stories hold the power to define us. Our culture’s stories about birth reveal much about how we view the rite of passage known as Birth.
Most would agree that the classic “birth horror story” is the one most told and the one most repeated. What do we learn from these stories if we don’t ask the right questions, or listen carefully? Perhaps we can begin to shift the horror stories into stories of a “Hero’s Journey”** – not by changing the story, but by changing our awareness into more conscious and introspective views of women as active adventurers vs. passive participants.
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In this upcoming edition of our e-newsletter, we hope to create a safe place you to tell birth stories full of empowerment, courage, even trial and tribulation. This doesn’t mean that you can’t share traumatic birth stories. Instead, it means that your story and your heart will be held tenderly with the knowledge that no matter the place, setting, or outcome of your birth story you were a transformed and brave woman. Here, all stories matter.
So, we invite you to tell us about the journey you walked during labor and birth.
What is your story?
(**From “Birthing from Within”: New mothers need your help to counter the Western message and initiation of birth as a “victim’s journey” into birth as a “Hero’s journey”. Learn how you can guide new mothers from their perfect beginning place of innocence, show them to see the prey and the predator and teach them how to ‘hunt’, and how to cultivate the determination and courage of their inner Love Warrior. This kind of birth preparation leads to awakening the Mother-within.)
Tips for Sharing Your Birth Story
• Can you incorporate/identify some of the elements of “The Hero’s Journey” into your unique story (i.e. how you accepted/declined the journey, your challenges and trials, your triumphs, how you returned to the ordinary world with new insights)?
• What have others’ reactions to your birth story been?
• Has the view of your birth story morphed over time, or have your insights continued to reveal themselves?
Next Post
Birth in the News
Great news on the insurance front for Vermont families choosing home births!
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“On May 18, 2011, Governor Peter Shumlin signed a law into legislation that will require insurance companies to provide coverage for families choosing a homebirth with a midwife. New Hampshire, New York and New Mexico already have similar laws in place. As of 05/18/2010 the Midwives Alliance of North America, MANA, (http://mana.org/) reports that Medicaid reimbursement is available in AK, AZ, CA, FL, NH, NM, OR, SC, VT, WA. MANA also reports that the states AL, DC, IL, IN, IA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SD are strictly prohibited from a licensed midwife even attending a home birth.
“It’s not often that we can celebrate legislation that provides benefits to Vermonters at their very first breath, but this new law really does do that,” said Cassandra Gekas, VPIRG’s Health Care Advocate.
Home birth midwives in Vermont are required to be certified as a certified professional midwife (CPM) by the North American Registry of Midwives, earned a high school degree or its equivalent as a basis for entry into the study of midwifery and has agreed to practice according to the scope and standards of practice as required by rules adopted by the Vermont Midwifery Statutes.
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Tell us your insurance-related birth stories.
- Was your home birth covered?
- Did you have to fight to get it fully or partially covered?
- Did your insurance coverage – or lack of it – play into the setting in which you chose to give birth (hospital, birth center, home)?
Mama Artist Feature: Erin Darcy Talks Mama Body Love
Today we are featuring mama and artist Erin Darcy, all the way from the fairy land of Ireland!
With her daughter Claire as her muse, Erin creates swirling and magical works of art featuring mamas, babies, and families of a kinds. Her Etsy shop is chock full of incredible watercolor originals as well as prints and greeting cards (great for expectant or new mamas!). She also creates one-of-a-kind custom pieces of art by consulting with her lovely clients.
Erin is also a talented photographer and recently sent love-waves through the world with these stunning and honest photos of her postpartum body. These photos made it into the digital pages of Glamour.com, Parenting.com, msnbc.com, and The Shape of a Mother.
Erin writes:
“i’m a mama…
my body is so imperfect and soft and sexy in a different way. in a real way… in a powerful way that- i carried life, i gave birth, and i nourish this babe. in a way that- i know i look more like you and less like airbrushed images. genuine and honest and imperfectly perfect.“
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We had a chance to chat with the endearing Erin over email and seek her wisdom in a few questions.
What inspired you to take the beautiful photos of your postpartum body that have been featured on websites such as Glamour.com, Parenting.com, The Shape of a Mother, and MSNBC.com?
– Claire was 20 weeks old, I so clearly remember reaching 20 weeks pregnant with her. My body glowing and ripe. There was so much unknown swirling around, and at 20 weeks pregnant, I finally really.. really truly felt like I could celebrate that I was pregnant and was carrying a healthy baby. That this was really real. Her magic within was so mysterious to me. Then, in a split second, there was 20 week old baby….
I wanted to capture the purity and vulnerability of my soft, saggy, stretched body with her sweet rollie pollie body. A beautiful contrast.
I wanted to forever remember this moment. I wanted to celebrate this achievement.
Tell me about your reaction to all the conversations and comments that your photos have sparked.
– The reactions have been so beyond… So intense. So big. Women finally giving themselves permission to look at their body as something else. Permission to be kind to themselves. Permission to really truly see their beauty. If only for a little moment. It’s like it gave them a way out- a gentle bow out from mainstream images of what we are ‘supposed’ to look like.
To which I feel… incredibly proud, honoured, humbled, beside myself… and also like- I’m not big enough to hold all of this space for these women. It felt like such a simple act- this picture, asking my husband to grab the camera for me since the timer was too difficult with a babe in arms… Directing him to capture what I wanted. It feels normal, you know. This is my body, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I didn’t have a statement to make- I simply was being.
In ways, it makes me sad to hear women saying ‘that’s so brave of you!’ ‘i wish i could be as brave’ because really, what’s so brave about it? and- why can’t you? It just makes me sad that that’s acceptable. That something like- normalcity- has to be congratulated, celebrated, and remind us to be kind to ourselves.
I hope that by being honest with my body, with myself, with other women- we can all move on and celebrate our own truths, our own skin… and honour the beauty within.
– I would ask women to befriend themselves. To consider themselves their best friend- would you ever say some of the negative things you say about yourself to your best friend? I doubt it… Because with your best friend- you see all of the beautiful qualities about her that she fails to see… You would remind her of how beautiful she is, how graceful her curves are, how wonderful her laugh is. You’d remind her how much you love her. It also wouldn’t matter to you what your best friend looks like- in the good times, and the bad. You love her for who she is…
I would encourage women to give themselves permission to love themselves.
There is so much weight and burden to carry around negative energy. I promise that the moment you start accepting this wonderful you in the mirror- the light and energy will shift around you… giving you more space to let the LOVE in.
anger/jealousy. depression/failure. lonely/scared
In three words, sum up your pregnancy journey.
mysterious. light. magic.
unsure. blur. delight
JOY! LIFE! LOVE!
Winner of Blog Giveaway + Fertility Resources
Congratulations to the winner of our blog giveaway for a set of CycleBeads: Goldie!
Goldie told us that the most helpful resources for becoming educated and informed on her own fertility were: “other women who chart their cycles and reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility.”
Other commentors cited Natural Family Planning, Fertility Awareness, Ecological Breastfeeding, and Charting as their main resources regarding fertility. More articles and links on fertility awareness and breastfeeding can be found on Kellymom.com.
Thanks to all who entered our giveaway and stay tuned for another great giveaway NEXT WEEK!
Feb Giveaway #1 – CycleBeads
Happy Valentine’s Day!
You ever wondered why there are so many babies born in late October and early November? Blame it on Valentine’s Day! 
So in honor of Valentine’s Day, and to help with the natural tracking of cycles and fertility, we are thrilled to offer a set of CycleBeads for the first of THREE February blog giveaways!
From the CycleBeads website:
CycleBeads® is an easy way to plan or prevent pregnancy naturally. This natural birth control option enables a woman to track her cycle and know if she is on a day when pregnancy is likely or not. CycleBeads is used by women around the world because it is:
- More than 95% Effective*
- Side-Effect Free
- Easy to Use
- Inexpensive
- Educational & Empowering
CycleBeads is a color-coded string of beads that represents the days of a woman’s cycle and helps her use a natural family planning method called the Standard Days Method®. This family planning method is designed for women with cycles between 26 and 32 days long**.
To use CycleBeads, a woman simply moves a ring over the beads to track each day of her cycle. The color of the beads lets her know whether she is on a day when pregnancy is likely or not and whether her cycle length is in the appropriate range for using this natural family planning method.
To Enter:
- Comment on this post, with your response to the question: “What books and resources have you found most helpful for becoming educated and informed on your own fertility?” The comment form will prompt you for a valid email address.
- All entries must be received by Thursday, February 17th, 2011.
- Winners will be selected randomly on Friday, February 18thF, and will be notified by email and via this blog.
Did You Know? AZBN Members are Auto-Entered into Raffles!
- AZBN members are automatically entered into each of our monthly blog giveaways? If they also leave a comment on the blog post, that doubles their chances of winning. Become an AZBN member today and NEVER miss out on the opportunity to win awesome prizes. We ♥ our members and we ♥ giving away cool stuff!
Showin’ Some ♥…and Giveaways….
So, it’s been a few months. Or more.
We are sorry.
Between babies, kids in school, jobs, the holidays, decompressing from the amazing Birth Blooms in the Desert Conference, and reveling in the truly gorgeous Arizona weather….we’ve been unable to keep this blog going on a regular basis. We are an all-volunteer Board of four members and sometimes, well, our steam just done runs out! But have no fear – our passion for this organization and our community at large is always present!
Thankfully, the winds of change are blowing in and providing bursts of energy and commitment once again.
Thank you for sticking around.
This year, we have plans for some fun community-based events that we will be sharing soon but would also love your ideas. Send your suggestions and thoughts to us!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Need Some Extra L♥VE?
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we will be kicking off the week with a blog giveaway and continue the following two weeks in February. So, THREE blog giveaways to look forward to this month. Just spreading the love we have for our community and supporters.
So, check back tomorrow for your chance to enter our first giveaway of the month.
SPECIAL AZBN MEMBER GIVEAWAY
To our valued AZBN members: a personal message coming to you soon which will include your own special giveaway to say thank you for your support of the AZBN.
We ♥ you all!
We’re Alive!
Sorry to leave you hanging for awhile…
We took a few weeks to decompress after our succesful “Birth Blooms in the Desert” Conference but we are still here and happy to be serving our community!
The Conference was packed full of informative seminars, enthusiastic local businesses and vendors, and a slew of fabulous raffle prizes. Thank you to EVERYONE who attended and participated in the conference for your support, insights, and feedback. We hope to do it bigger, better, and with even more love next year.
Coming soon: Photos, recap, and raffle prize winner list from the Conference. Hang tight!
Schedule of Seminars @ Conference
With the “Birth Blooms in the Desert” Conference only SIX more days away, we wanted to be sure we published the final schedule of seminars and events for that day. You won’t want to miss the excitement, insights, and community involvement during our first-ever conference!
Also, come prepared with a bit of change to purchase raffle tickets for our mind-blowing raffle AND to show some love to local businesses that will be respresented and/or selling their unique products.
Our Vendor Expo will include: Inspired by Finn, Naturel Baby, EcoClean, Lotus Wei, Heritage Makers, Modest Middles, Arizona Womb Service, Barefoot Books, Birthing Mothers Budding Babies, Babymoon Inn (one of our NEW birth centers!), Blossom Birth and Wellness Center, (one of our NEW birth centers!), BellaBirth Doula Services, The Women’s Birth and Wellness Center (one of our NEW birth centers!), A Natural Blessings Doula Services, Blissfull Babies LLC, Freedom & the Seed Midwifery, Imagine Wellness Chiropractic.
Note on Conference: Lunch is not provided, but a $15 box-lunch can be purchased. Light snacks and water will be provided throughout the day.
Our Raffle Prizes
Schedule of Seminars
(click HERE for bios on presenters and details of seminars)
9:00 – 9:45 AM Registration + Vendor Expo
9:45 – 10:45 AM Keynote Speaker: Dr. Wendy McCord (Phoenix Ballroom I & II)
Session 1
11:00 – 11:50 AM Flower Essences & Chocolate (Katie Hess of Lotus Wei, Phoenix Ballroom I)
11:00 – 11:50 AM Perinatal Massage (Tammy Roecker of Your Perinatal Partner, Phoenix Ballroom II)
Lunch + Extras (Phoenix Ballroom I & II)
12:15 – 12:30 PM Careprovider Award Presentation + LUNCH
12:30 – 1:00 PM Babywearing Fashion Show + LUNCH
Session 2
1:15 – 2:05 PM Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology (Kimberly Mascaro, Phoenix Ballroom I)
1:15 – 2:05 PM Babywearing Demo (Jen Bass, Susan Chanse, Rachel Dixon, Kim Knoblock, Phoenix Ballroom II)
Session 3
2:20 – 3:00PM Breastfeeding Tips (Tatiana Indrisek, Phoenix Ballroom I)
2:20 – 3:00PM Naturopathic Care (Dr. Krystal Tellier, ND, Phoenix Ballroom II)
Session 4
3:15 – 4:05 PM Cloth Diapering (Susan Chanse, Phoenix Ballroom I)
3:15 – 4:05 PM Organic Family Living (Catherine Pederson of Naturel Baby, Phoenix Ballroom II)
Session 5 (Phoenix Ballroom I & II)
4:20 – 5:10 PM Prenatal Yoga & Massage (Rebecca Fritz of SuTRA Yoga)
Closing
5:10 – 6:00: PM Closing + Raffle (Phoenix Ballroom I & II)
Raffle Prize List
…and here it is!
The official list of raffle prizes that will be offered to attendees at our “Birth Blooms in the Desert” Conference on October 23, 2010!
Each attendee will receive a free raffle ticket. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you will recieve a BONUS raffle ticket. Additional tickets may be purchased for $1 each or $5 for a six-pack at the Conference. All proceeds benefit the AZBN.
Please RSVP to this event on our Facebook page so we can get a good idea how many amazing people will be showing up!
The fine print: While we are almost certain this is our complete raffle list, as always, the list is subject to change or addition without notice. Also, featured product colors, patterns, and details may vary.
Thank you to our incredible and generous donors!
Our FAB Prizes! Click for Larger Size
- Disney Anaheim Family 4 pack (one day park-hopper)
- Tummy Tub
- Prince Lionheart Wheelie Bug
- Framed Chakra Mandala “Healing” by Vikki Reed
- Boiron Gift Basket
- Earth Mama Angel Baby Gift Basket
- Maclaren Volo Stroller
- Ergo Carrier
- Bummi’s Organic Starter Kit
- Hotslings Carrier
- AngelRox Halter Wrap Dress (reversible)
- Boppy Nursing Pillow
- Crane Frog Humidifier
- Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Deluxe Feeding Set
- Boon Potty Bench
- Zoolikins THREE Gift Baskets
- Oodelolly Originals Handcrafted Yoga Mat Carrier, Water Bottle Cozy, and Rice Therapy Pack
- Your Perinatal Partner $50 Gift Card
- Go Mama Designs Wonder Bumper Crib Set
- Andrea Trotter Photography $50 Gift Card
- Valley ChildBirth Services Bradley Method Class Voucher (Jenny David)
- Changing Hands Bookstore Gift Card + Cheesecake Factory Gift Card
Meet our Seminar Presenters + Chance to Win FREE Tickets!
What a day it will be! What day, you ask?
The day of our “Birth Blooms in the Desert” Conference (10/23), of course!
Seminars, and vendors, and prizes – oh my!
We are pleased to introduce you to our seminar presenters for the day. Each of them are active members of the local wellness and birth community. We are honored that they have agreed to participate in our conference and hope you will join us! Less than three weeks until our Conference, so hurry and get your tickets today.
FYI: During the Conference, Coffee and light snacks will be provided. The Holiday Inn has teamed up with us to offer a $15 box-lunch deal that you can pre-order upon registration (cash or check please). Lunch will include gourmet wraps or sandwiches, chips, fruit, cookie, and soda and will be ready for you to pick up during the lunch break.
Wanna win a ticket to our conference?
Re-post this link on Facebook, then leave a comment on our Facebook page saying you’ve shared the love. On Friday 10/8, in a random drawing, we will give away one ticket for every 10 re-posts of linky love. So if 50 people re-post, we’ll offer up five free tickets!
Read below to learn more about our presenters and the sessions they will be leading.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Wendy McCord
Dr. McCord is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist in California and Arizona. She has a Ph.D. in Clinical and Child Psychology. She has worked in the field of psychology and personal growth for 25 years.
She will present information on the groundbreaking “In the Womb Project”.
From Dr. McCord’s Website:
“In The Womb Project is a committee of the Gladys T. McGarey Medical Foundation, organized by Wendy McCord, PhD. We are made up of a group of women and men who have a deep appreciation and respect for mothers and babies. Each of us, in our own way has dedicated our lives to reawakening consciousness ‘in the womb’.
The focus of the In The Womb Project is to illuminate the vital and unrecognized first stage of human development- from one year before birth to the critical 24 hours after birth. (12/24) This requires a paradigm shift. When we understand and respect the importance of our origins we will be able to prevent and heal much of the pain of our humanity.”
Seminar: Breastfeeding Tips “I Wish I Knew…”
Tatiana Indrisek is a mother to three young children, two of whom were born at home, and is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) specialized in providing breastfeeding assistance to mothers and babies at all ages and stages. She is passionate about all subjects related to pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. Tatiana was inspired by her own personal birth and breastfeeding experiences to learn how to help other women and reciprocate the aid that was given to her as a new mother.
What are some of the most common myths, “booby traps,” and obstacles that women encounter when breastfeeding? We’ve all heard them, so how do we overcome or avoid them altogether? In this session we will discuss many of the common concerns that women often confront about breastfeeding beginning with the newborn period through weaning.
Seminar: Pre/Peri-Natal Massage
For over 18 years Tammy Roecker has been an Arizona State Licensed Massage Therapist, Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, with additional certifications in Pre/Peri-Natal Massage, and in Prenatal Fitness Training. Although she works with all ages and types of people, and has a wide range of continuing education in everything from Rolfing to Reiki, her favorite work is perinatal massage and helping families bond.
Tammy will be presenting information about the benefits and precautions of perinatal massage; which is a set of techniques and standards that have been established to be used when using massage therapy on a woman during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. These techniques support the physiological, structural and emotional well -being of both the mother and her child. Tammy will also go over some positional concerns, and a few key techniques that anyone can do.
Seminar: Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology
Kimberly Mascaro is a clinical psychology doctorate student at the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. Her clinical specialty is in the emerging field of prenatal and perinatal psychology. Ms. Mascaro holds a master of science in counseling psychology from Dominican University and has a decade of experience in children and young adult mental health. Currently, she is adjunct faculty at Arizona State University and at South Mountain Community College. Ms. Mascaro is a passionate advocate for mothers, babies, and young children.
Kimberly Mascaro will introduce the new field of prenatal and perinatal psychology and speak about its underlying principles. Leading-edge theory will be discussed along with practical application. This session will be a fantastic follow-up to Dr. Wendy McCord’s keynote speech.
Seminar: Benefits of Naturopathic Care
Dr. Krystal Tellier is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who received her medical degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) located in Tempe, Arizona (after earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology at ASU). Upon completion of her education at SCNM, Dr. Tellier completed a midwifery internship with Dr. Farra Swan, ND, CPM and at Casa De Nacimiento in El Paso, TX.
During this session, Dr. Tellier will explore Naturopathic Medicine and how it fits into the birth community. She will cover topics such as how Naturopathic Medicine complements midwifery care, Homeopathy and other natural treatments for pregnancy and birth, and will also touch on Naturopathic pediatrics.
Seminar: Cloth Diapering 101
Join Zoolikins (formerly Wildflower Diapers) employee Susan Chanse, as she introduces attendees in this seminar into all things cloth-diapering! Topics covered will include:
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- General information about cloth diapering, including cost comparisons, environmental concerns, and health concerns
- The different systems of cloth diapers used today
- The different fiber options for cloth diaper covers
- How to fold prefolds
- How to achieve the best fit in prefolds, fitted cloth diapers, and covers
- How to choose the best system for your family
- Washing your cloth diapers
- Good cloth diaper maintenance
Susan Chanse discovered babywearing was an essential parenting tool with the birth of her first son in 2003. Since then she has mothered two more worn little boys and assisted families in the Valley with choosing the perfect carrier for their needs. She also teaches classes on babywearing safety and positioning and has experience with all of the different types of carriers available. She is expecting a fourth worn baby early next year.
Seminar: Prenatal Yoga & Massage
Join Rebecca Fritz, owner of 3-time award winning SuTRA Midtown, to discuss the core fundamentals of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle during pregnancy and motherhood with the use of yoga and massage. Personally experience the vast physical and emotional advantages during a brief prenatal yoga class and prenatal massage demonstrations. What a wonderful, rejuvenating way to end our Conference!
Seminar: The Benefits of Flower Essences and Chocolate During Pregnancy
Experience nature’s most inspiring and fun way to incorporate more joy, peace, and love into your daily life–especially beneficial during parenthood! Discover how flower essences and dark chocolate can lead to happier babies and happier mamas and papas, throughout pregnancy, birthing, and beyond. Elevate your mind with our transformative multi-sensory approach incorporating multimedia projection, organic chocolate tasting, aromatic mists, luscious serums, and flower elixirs–learn how to use the power of flowers and chocolate to nurture yourself and your family.
As organic alchemist/founder of Lotus Wei, Katie Hess hand-collects exotic flower essences worldwide and infuses them into a variety of media that instantly enhance state of mind, and over time transform daily life into a vehicle for profound transformation. As one of the few forms of natural medicine that can be taken throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond with absolute safety (and fun), Katie loves to show how flower essences make a huge positive impact in the world.
Lisa Reinhardt, chocolatier/founder of Wei of Chocolate, delights in enhancing awareness through the ultimate chocolate experience. Using Ayurvedic and Chinese tonic herbs, spices, and flower elixirs to enhance well-being, her organic chocolate is as delicious as it is healthy. Lisa loves sharing the good news: numerous European studies have demonstrated dark chocolate to have tremendous health benefits during pregnancy and childbirth (and beyond)!
Seminar: Natural and Organic Family Living
Catherine Pedersen is co-owner of Naturel Baby Organic Boutique along with her daughter Adrienne Ketterman. Catherine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and is currently working on a Masters degree in Counseling. She is an advocate of organic and toxic-free living, with a deep concern for the environment and future generations. Catherine is a third generation Arizona native and resides in Scottsdale with her boyfriend and owner of EcoClean Gerard Windstein.
In this seminar, Catherine will explore what it means to live an eco-friendly life and how we can work towards keeping our families as toxic-free as possible. This seminar will also include an overview of everyday products with potentially adverse affects on the health of families.
Seminar: Baby Wearing
During this seminar, four local babywearing mamas will demonstrate how to carry and wear babies in a variety of carriers and wraps (borrowed from the fantastic local Zoolikins store!). Come see cute babies, happily worn on their mamas and bring all of your babywearing questions to be answered! A baby wearing fashion show will also be part of the Conference.
Jennifer Bass is a student midwife and mother of four. She has been baby- and toddler-wearing since the birth of her first child in 2002, using a wide variety of carriers. She enjoys spreading the baby-wearing love and is happy to assist parents in finding the right carrier for their needs. Jennifer’s favorite carriers are mei tais and ring slings.
Rachel Dixon is a native of the Valley and a mother of three children, ages 2, 4, and 7. She has worn all her children since birth because it just felt like the right thing to do! Her youngest still rides on mama’s back almost every day. Experienced with many different carrier types, her personal favorites are wraps and ring slings. Rachel is a co-leader of the group Babywearers of Phoenix, which can be found on Facebook.
Kim Knoblock is a stay at home mom to three boys ages 6,4 and 7 months, and a part time Prenatal Educator. She fell in love with Babywearing after the birth of her first son 6 years ago. She believes that babywearing is a necessary and a convenient way to meet a baby’s needs and keep them close. She is well versed in the usage of many different carriers, but prefers to use wraps. She loves all things related to breastfeeding, babywearing and cloth diapering. In her spare time (if she has any) she likes to knit.
Susan Chanse discovered babywearing was an essential parenting tool with the birth of her first son in 2003. Since then she has mothered two more worn little boys and assisted families in the Valley with choosing the perfect carrier for their needs. She also teaches classes on babywearing safety and positioning and has experience with all of the different types of carriers available. She is expecting a fourth worn baby early next year.
