I'm a Natural Parent - BUT...

Welcome to the "I'm a Natural Parent - BUT..." Carnival

This post was written for inclusion in the carnival hosted by The Artful Mama and Natural Parents Network. During this carnival our participants have focused on the many different forms and shapes Natural Parenting can take in our community.

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Hours old and never out of our sight.

 I have written before that I hate labels, mostly because they are limiting. No matter what the label is people have certain ideals that they think are inclusive of that label. I believe this to be true for just about all labels; political, racial, social and of course parenting labels. My parenting style is very much in line with principles of Natural Parenting but there are no rules as to exactly how that is carried out. What does that say about my parenting?

To me natural parenting is doing what feels natural to us as a family. It is about parenting with love, gentleness, care, and consideration. If I don't follow all the stereotypes that are considered to be a part of natural parenting, am I less natural as a parent?

Sunday Surf - Mixing It Up

Barbie and McDonald’s Happy Meal Disaster

PhD in Parenting shares how Barbie and McDonald's are sending some is sending some pretty nasty messages to girls. 

Speaking Up For Those Who Can't

Up, Down & Natural Shares how she took a stand for a Breastfeeding mom. 

I have to say she's pretty great!

The Perfect Placenta 

Job Description: Mommy shares so awesome info on the placenta. 
Not to mention some pretty cool pics.

Things To Prepare For A Homebirth

Dairy of a First Child shares some tips preparing for a homebirth. 

Someday I will have a Homebirth.  :)

Labor, Birth, and Babies Sunday Surf

Positions For Labour And Childbirth

An awesome post by Diary of a First Child, it makes me wish I  had pushed for a natural birth even more, it rocks. The pictures are by Joni Rae of Tales of a Kitchen Witch, they are so amazing, they should seriously be in a birthing book! (hint, hint to anyone writing a birthing book)

Trusting My Body: Ailia’s Birth Story

A beautiful birth story by Code Name: Mama.  An unexpected, unassisted, home birth.
(My dream birth)

Alrik's birth story: Sweet surprise unassisted home water birth 

Hobo Mama shares an awesome home water birth. 

(Another dream birth)

I did not Birth a Syndrome

Momma Jorge has a beautiful post on how she overcame the idea of birthing a syndrome rather then a beautiful baby.  I love how she inspires me to look beyond the physical and really look inward.

Natural Birthing Celebrities

For the next few Friday's I will be featuring Celebrities that have helped bring back Natural Parenting in one form or another. It all starts at birth. See who has had a Natural Childbirth and their thoughts on it.  

Cesarean rates in the United States have reached an all time high of 35% and this number is climbing. This may be why there was a 20% increase in the number of home-birth in the United States over the last five years, this number is climbing as well.  Home-births may still only count for 1-2% of the births in the United States, but this increase shows that women are becoming more educated about their birthing choices. Realizing that it is possible to have an intervention free birth at home, or in water, or even at a birthing center.

Ricki Lake "BBB"

Ricki Lake has definitely become one of the Hollywood faces advocating natural birth. Her documentary, "The Business of Being Born" (BBB) gives a look inside hospital births, how they are setup to go a certain way and it can be very difficult to brake that cycle.  She also shared her home water-birth of her second son. The four part series “More Business of Being Born” also includes “Celebrity Mother’s Talk Straight Birth”.  Against popular opinion, not all of Hollywood wants a scheduled designer birth followed by a tummy tuck. 

Take a look at who in Hollywood have had a natural birth, home-birth, water-birth, and even some unassisted births. See what they have say about there amazing experience. I was sure to included some of the proud celebrity dads who have supported the wives!

Jessica Alba

Actress Jessica Alba and husband Cash had a Hypno-Birth. She told Us Weekly about the delivery of her daughter Honor saying, "I didn't scream. It was really Zen. The labor was more like a meditation. I did yoga breathing."

Pamela Anderson

 Actress Pamela Anderson with then husband Musician Tom Lee Jones, said on Larry King “I gave birth at home both times natural with a midwife, in water with nothing. Not even Tylenol."

Erykah Badu

Singer Erykah Badu, had all three of her children at home. She says. “Maybe to some it’s scary, but preparation is the whole key. When a mother has found out she’s going to have a baby, her whole life — her diet, her mood, her energy — should kind of prepare her. After she prepares herself, fear is never a part of it. I expected success and health, so I made sure I surrounded myself with it. By the time I had my third baby, childbirth seemed a very natural part of life to me.” Erykah, now works as a Doula and is training to be a Midwife, she says her clients refer to her as “Erykah Ba-Doula”.

~B's~ Birth Story!

So it's been a crazy Fall and Winter and I haven't Blogged at all... :(  I want to change that from this point forward I really want remember these days because time is just flying by way to quickly...  I have been lucky to be able to stay home with my son this first year of his life... It truly has been the most rewarding and best year... Before I know it my son will be turning 1 year old in May and I wanted to write his birth story before I forget all the details...


I had some difficulties getting pregnant, which included me having to have surgery. Two months later I was pregnant... I had always wanted a natural childbirth (my mother had four natural childbirths and I see that as awe-inspiring, I wanted to be able to do that)... I loved the idea of a home-birth, but due to the previous surgery, I was considered high risk for uterine rupture... I decided to go with a birthing center that was separate from a hospital, but after meeting with them I was told that I was to high risk and they recommended a birthing center within the hospital with a midwife. I went and saw them and I was told that I really should be followed by OB... After much disappointment I chose to stay with my OB (who I loved... but I just wanted it to be very natural)... So I explained to my OB what I wanted... Natural with no intervention... She was fine with that, but she was going to consult with the specialist who did my surgery just a few months earlier...Well knowing that this is what all the other birthing professionals had done previously, I had a bad feeling about this... After a meeting and reviewing my medical record it was decided that the best way to proceed was with a c-section... I was high risk for uterine rupture and that was life threatening...