Tender Roots Midwifery

05/18/2015

Gosh, this is a tough post. A lot of thought and prayer and seeking has gone into it.
I am going to be taking a break from midwifery.
I have been a working mom for the whole lives of all three of my kids, and while it has been wonderful it has also been stressful, tiring, and ultimately rough on my kids. They have been so supportive, but it has meant giving up a lot of what they would like to do (and what I would like to do for and with them).
Midwifery is my calling, caring for families is my passion. I'm sure I'll be back.
In the mean time, I am really looking forward to giving myself over to motherhood, at least mostly :). I will still be teaching midwifery students next fall. I can't bring myself to give it *all* up!
But most days you will find me knee deep in googly eyes, dirt, paint, books, pipe cleaners, cooking projects... as I dig deep into homeschooling my older two children while the littlest plays along. We are going to have a pretty nice time, I think. :)

10/19/2014

Swtiching to electronic charting is stretching my Luddite brain, but I think I am getting it together! I did not become a midwife because I get along with technology, I'm just sayin'. :)

10/14/2014

I have been thinking about postpartum support from care providers again lately. It is one of the things that I feel sets midwifery care (and particularly out-of-hospital care) apart. I am so grateful that I am able to see families so often after baby comes! Day 1 - to see how everyone is settling in and resting. Day 3 - how is nursing going with your milk coming in? One week - are you coping ok with a new baby? Two weeks - are you eating well, drinking enough, and getting enough help? Four weeks - how is the new routine feeling as you get used to this new person? Six weeks - is this staring to feel more natural? Eight weeks - wow, you are such a pro now! :) It is a blessing to watch it all unfold and be there to offer support and sometimes a little guidance, but mostly just lots of encouragement.

10/02/2014

I get asked often about older children at births. This article describes what my experience with my own births and those of my clients have been like, by and large. Siblings can be such a sweet part of a new baby's welcome.
http://www.mothering.com/articles/beauty-children-birth/

A home birth mother and filmmaker talks about the beauty and normality of having her older child present at the birth of his sibling.

09/28/2014

We had such a nice time at the zoo! Cupcakes were consumed, animals were seen and appreciated, children got dirty and sticky.
Definitely an event to be repeated. :)

09/24/2014

Did you nurse any of your babies for more than a year? These folks want to know what kind of support you had for your decision. If you have a few minutes, take the survey. I did it and it is pretty painless. Thanks!
www.breastfeedingtoddlers.org

09/24/2014

Thank you all so much for the new likes on here. Such a warm fuzzy feeling! Stick around and we'll talk about babies, birth, women's health, parenting... and who knows what else. :)

09/22/2014

You are coming on Saturday right? :)
Oregon Zoo, come check out the critters and meet us at 12pm on the grass for cupcakes (gluten, nut, soy, dairy free no less!) We are celebrating a year and a half of Tender Roots and my littlest boy's second birthday. Join us!

09/22/2014

We have been up to great things over here... We have a website! It is still a little rough and will obviously be bigger over time, but you can get an idea where we are headed. Go check it out! (I'd love to know what you think. :) )
http://tenderrootsmidwifery.com

We believe in BIRTH! The birth of a child is a transformative experience, not just for mom but for the whole family. It is the birth a baby, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, grandparents... Birth is a natural process that unfolds in many different forms. At Tender Roots we walk through the p…

08/23/2014

Alright, zoo date is going to reschedule for the 27th of September, and in the new plan there will be cupcakes! (Gluten free :) )