Tag Archives: pregnancy

the halo effect (and a giveaway)

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I’ve sat here trying to find the right words for this post, and everything has got slowly repeatedly deleted. Why am I finding it so difficult to put in to words what is sitting so comfortably in my heart?

I’ll try to explain…

Last week I went to a screening of Face of Birth. A documentary on pregnancy, childbirth, choices and where Australia currently sits with those choices. I’d been looking forward to seeing it for a long time, and the premiere week was finally here.

It was wonderful. AB.SO.LUTE.LY wonderful.

Yet sitting here now with my decaf coffee, my newborn sleeping peacefully near by, and my fingers paused over keyboard… I still hesitate to find the right words. Partly due to a mushy baby brain and partly due to the fact I have so many thoughts and emotions racing around my head that they seem to be tripping over themselves.

Tripping aside, what I do know is that birth is important, it’s so incredibly important and this documentary is an absolutely beautiful look at why it is. The film looks at a number of different women and their choices, along with experts in the field (Ina May Gaskin, Michel Odent, Dr Andrew Bisits) and their thoughts on how things are in the birthing world at the moment. This is a film for teen girls yet to even contemplate pregnancy, young women not having given birth before, pregnant mamas, partners, mums to one, mums to many, fathers, grandparents… anyone who thinks choice is important.

Nearly four weeks ago I birthed my third babe. A waterbirth at home, my third baby, but my first homebirth.

It was the most exhilarating, joyous, empowering, truly magical experience of my life, and I would choose to do it again in a heart beat. I’m so very thankful that I was given that option of midwife led care while pregnant. The whole experience is the founding block of something wonderful. What that is I’m yet to find out but I know that it sits there, and it can never be taken from me.

While my words for this post still sit tripping over themselves, I’m still going to press publish. As if I don’t, it could be quite some time before I find the right structure to really convey how I feel in a coherent way. Time doesn’t wait and now is the time to see this wonderful film.

If you would like to see it I have one to give away. Just leave a message in the comments below and I will draw a winner on Monday the 26th of March. (Or you can buy your own copies here.)

* The picture above was of a ice sun ring, or 22 degree halo effect I saw during the week. For two weeks after I gave birth I was blessed with a magical babymoon period. The wonderful hormone oxytocin was running high, and I felt well and truly surrounded by a bubble of love. Just like this ice sun ring, there was an almost halo effect here at home surrounding us as we all got to know our little girl.

 

** Congratulations to Kari @ Bite Sized Thoughts on winning the dvd.**

making and getting ready

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Making…

A happy crocheted mobile. It’s colourful, I made it and it didn’t come in plastic packaging. Now, just waiting for little toes to gently kick it.

“Scrappy and Scoot”, my first soft toys. Definitely not the most sophisticated of efforts, but they were made from scraps of fabric, I did it, and there isn’t a made in China tag on them… I’m happy with that.

Celebration pom poms. Reusuable and decorative. You can’t help but smile every time they go up.

Getting ready…

There is a different energy round these parts. A shift, a change…expectancy is hanging in the air.

Tomorrow Monkey Boy starts a new school year. A new lunch box, a new class, a new teacher…he’s excited. I’m nervous. Will his teacher be as wonderful as last year?

A change for Little Monkey as well. No more big brother at home to play with during the day.

Expectancy also circulates me. With a belly now so big, waiting…

Excited… It could be weeks off, but waiting for those beginnings of labour to start.

growing

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He’s growing up…

discovering new exciting things

independence and pride

and a smile that is infectious

The blueberry is growing…

every where

up down and all around

a spurt of warm weather is making for a very happy potted blueberry bush

I’m growing out…

ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes

slowly getting nurtured in a warm womb

radiating love out and radiating love in,

 a whole beautiful bundle of it.

pregnant bellies

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There are four pregnant bellies in my life at the moment. All with beautiful rounded baby bellies and all due within 10 weeks of each other.

Seeing one of my friends recently, and it’s hard to keep my hands to myself. That swollen belly seems to radiate all that is good in the world.

My hands draw nearer, it’s like there is a magnetic force pulling them. There is an energy that seems to surround her swollen tummy. An unseen aura whispering “I’m here, I’m here..’ I try to hold back but my hands draw closer, willing and wanting to connect with the still growing life force within my beautiful friend’s belly.

She indulges me. One gentle double hand placed on her growing belly.

Pregnancy does funny things to taste buds. Odd things you may never have eaten before become an item of ‘must have now’, only to be replaced by something completely different just a few hours later.

Mr Chocolate learnt very quickly to act on these impulses if it was something he liked as well. Mountainous burger with chips and caramelised onions on the side?

Quick for the love of god, quick!

If he was at work, and the taste for a burger was indicated through a text message from me. He would most assuredly be greeted by me on the couch with a bowl of cereal, by the time he had hurriedly made it home through peak city traffic.

Sorry babe, window period closed.

A soft sigh would be heard, shoulders would slump and perhaps a few mutterings of maybe next time, could be heard.

Lobster pasta with Lemon Meringue Pie could be turned in to a white bread and cheese sandwich, (followed by a bowl of cereal) in the matter of minutes.

You had to be quick, as the taste buds set the pace. Dictating what to eat and what not to eat at a frantic pace.

For any men who are reading this and are yet to experience this hormonal taste bud dictatorship, just go with the flow. Your blossoming partner will be back with regular taste buds in no time.

So my advice. Go get that peanut butter covered wagyu burger while you can.