I don’t know about you, but when I’ve just given birth, whether it’s at home or in a hospital or birth center, the last thing I want to do is get on the phone and start rattling off my new baby’s stats. Yet,  I can’t think of how many people I’ve promised will be the first one I call when the baby comes, just so they can relax a little. A clever new service called Baby’s First Phone Call has come up with the solution to this bothersome situation, and has offered up four $50 gift certificates to be given away to 4 lucky readers!

So, you’ll want to know about the service…With Baby’s First Phone Call the expecting parents are able to enter the phone numbers of the friends and loved ones of their choice into the system via computer, before the birth, so that when the big day comes only one phone call needs to be made. Then, each person who answers the phone can listen to your personalized message, and even chose to leave a reply. Eliminating the need to make several calls without leaving others to find out from someone else before getting the call. Those who don’t answer will get the message on their voice mail.   That leaves you to rest, be with your new family, and make those other couple of calls that just have to be made in person.

Wouldn’t you love to try it? Well, the sweet folks at Baby’s First Phone Call have provided four $50 gift certificates to give away to 4 lucky readers to try out!

To Enter:

See if you can name one thing you have in common with me!

Bonus Entries:(please leave one comment per entry you earn…5 entries = 5 comments)

-for 2 extra entries subscribe to BabyLovesMother (button can be found in top corner)

-for 2 extra entries follow BabyLovesMother on Titter

-for 2 extra entries follow Baby’s First Phone Call on Twitter

-for 3 extra entries Tweet about this giveaway

-for 10 extra entries blog about this giveaway and link it back to me

Giveaway winner will be drawn on March 8th at 12 midnight! Good luck!

Tags: baby, bargains, birth, childbirth, home birth, mom baby, mother, mother baby, pregnant

While walking through the kitchen on my way out the back door to pull some diapers off the line, I asked Credence(18 months) not to play in the dog’s water bowl. I explained that the water is there for the cats and dogs to drink, not to play in. If she’d like to play, I suggested, she could come outside. She followed close behind me to see what I had in mind.

She looked up, so hopefully, after stepping off the back step to see me standing next to the sandbox, presenting it to her like Vannah White.  She reacted immediately. “Don’t fucking tell me what to play!” she screamed at me.
photo credit: Guerretto

Well, maybe not in as many words, but those high- pitch screams, clenched fists and the foot stomp to top it off, were unmistakable.  Lucky for me she soon noticed some clean laundry that needed dragging around before it could be put away, and she let that distract her. I wasn’t trying to insult her.

I need to go get her out of the dog water.

Tags: attatchment parenting, baby, mom baby, mother, mother baby

photo credit: Ivy Dawned

I decided to change the light bulb in the hallway. It’s been out for a month now, and I finally just got tired of it.
I get tired of it every day.
I’m not sure what changed…Must have been internal.

Anyway, I open the junk drawer to begin the search for a flat head screwdriver…rarely sought after in our home, as the Phillips head usually gets all the attention.

The flat head was nowhere in sight but one item stood out from the rest. It immediately gained my recognition and attention. The ever useful Phillips head screwdriver. Sitting right on top of everything else.  If I had been looking for it, I never would have found it.
No seriously, I can never find that thing!

I did find the flat head, eventually. I then rolled a  wheeled end table into the hall to discover that this type of globe doesn’t require a screwdriver to remove. It can be turned by hand. Yup, it takes me over an hour to change a light bulb.

Someone get me some orange juice, I’m gonna need a screwdriver after this one!

Tags: chicks with tools

Nihilism

I’m a nihilist…someone who believes that ultimatley, nothing matters. Life is the survival of the shrewdest. One million people commit suicide every year, 16,000 children die of starvation every day and some people have the audacity to tell me there is a caring loving god? I say they are grasping. Which is fine. I’m just glad it’s not me.

I’ve been a little consumed with my realization process lately. It’s a little like trying to imagine infinity.  Coming to understand that all is for naught. I guess it’s because of the concreteness of it all. Growing up thinking that when I was big enough I was going to be the one who reached that sacred mountain top where the wise man resides and unlocked the secret to it all.  That there had to be some sort of rhyme and reason. I’ve long since realized that there’s no secret. But, only recently have I really begun to grasp it.

Although, I certainly think we can all say that a Divine Appearance would be convincing. Until then maybe I’ll just give creationism a chance.  Six days, God created everything, seventh day he rested. No zoic eras to bother with. Keep it simple, stupid. That’s what I always tell myself.

Right now you can get a Free One Month Amazon Prime Trail! This is perfect timing for me. As much as I want to boycott Christmas, I know that money will be being spent. And, if I know myself at all, and I think I do, most of that money will be spent online. That’s why I’m so excited about the unlimited free 2-day shipping.

What’s Amazon Prime?Amazon Prime is a membership program that gives you and your family unlimited fast shipping for eligible purchases, for an annual membership fee of $79. Right now you can try it free for one month just in time for this lovely holiday season. Just cancel any time before your month is up if you do not wish to continue the service.

This offer is available to new members only.

Tags: amazon.com, bargains, deals

homebirth midwife

Originally uploaded by BabyLovesMother

Now that Credence has had her first birthday, I can’t help but think about the day she was born. She was so peaceful. She loved getting her first bath in the kitchen sink by our midwife. She just relaxed and payed attention to each feeling. She’s so different now. This is why everyone says’ “They grow up so fast.”

Credence's home birth

President Obama spoke to a group of young Americans today about healthcare reform. He said that he intends to fund healthcare reform by re-allocating money that is already invested in healthcare, and he intends to do this by eliminating wasteful spending.
Well, open your ears, Washington. If you’d like to save $9 billion per year, you must consider a reform of the way Americans view and handle labor and birth, according to a recent economic analysis. Switching to a midwifery model of care could be just what the United States needs.
Today almost one third of all women who give birth in the U.S. do so by surgical delivery. The WHO recommends a 10-15% cesarean rate for all nations. The United States is at an all time high rate. The worst part is that patients are complaining that these procedures are being done unnecessarily. C-sections are just the first of many procedures on the list, including episiotomy and labor induction.
Any idea how much all of this costs? Childbirth is the second most common reason for hospitalization in the U.S., and labor and delivery care ranks 4th in hospital expenses. More than 40% of the births that take place are paid for by Medicaid. Despite all of this, we are still know for having the worst birth outcomes. This includes preterm birth, infant mortality and maternal mortality.

The fact is, the  heavily profit driven obstetric model of care that is in place now, is simply not working, and there is a realistic, attainable solution in sight. So, why isn’t anyone talking about this?  I believe it’s the image. When a group of midwives stand up to defend themselves and the rights of women all over the country people see a group of protesting hippies and assume you’re just acting on behalf of the drugs. Just when you thought we were making progress…reality sneaks up on you. Damn the man!

Tags: birth center, healthy baby, home birth, homebirth, midwife, natural childbirth, pregnant

I ♥ You

Originally uploaded by gfpeck

This isn’t an official review. I can’t review them because I don’t actually own any of the videos. I just have a bootleg copy that I found left behind in a car I once bought.

Years ago, I used to take my babies to the public library on Tuesday mornings to watch free showings of Signing Time. Ah, the good old days, when I could still bring them in public. Prior to that, I had only accidentally happened upon the show on PBS a couple of times. It played like a wholesome, educational show with no overbearing Christian undertones or princess stuck in a castle waiting for Prince Useful to come rescue her, so I embraced it. This was before I realized that almost all of my good parenting efforts would be in vain since, I just suck as a mom no matter what my intentions are. Did I type that out-loud? Anyway…

I always liked Signing Time very much. The program feels contagious to me. Rachel’s voice is so soothing. I love her colorful, yet still cute clothes that are relatively timely yet appropriate. Don’t get me wrong, I love a little cleavage with my coffee. The songs are silly and fun, but still catchy and not too lame. I love the food song about all of the things on the pizza. It’s so creative, and it leaves plenty of room for personalization. What imaginary pizza would be complete without potty on it.

Like I said, I always liked Signing Time, but now that I actually have a hard copy to view at my (and Credence’s) leisure, I don’t just like it, love it! I’ve been studying simple baby signs here and there for as long as I’ve had kids, but I’ve picked up more signs just walking through the room occasionally when that movie is on than I have from years of Googling. I just wish I had the full set!! But, alas, Chris is only working a second job so we can catch up, not so we can learn to sign.

Tags: baby, baby signing

I took my daughter to the emergency room this evening for a recurring urinary tract infection. Her doctor couldn’t (wouldn’t) help her, and I was out of ideas. She was asking to go, so we went. For the first time ever, I’m glad we did. We were treated well, and I think we’re actually getting somewhere.

Before we left, the doctor pulled me aside and mentioned that she couldn’t help but notice the lump on my neck…..LUMP! WTF! It really caught me off guard. I’m 29 years old. I felt it with my hand and started laughing. It’s huge. She remarked, “I can’t believe you’ve never noticed it.” I mumbeled something about being busy with kids, and she commented about never looking in the mirror. It was all pretty comforting actually, like we were buddies, but then we left. And, now, here I am with this lump, and my whole family’s asleep, and I’m up writing about it at midnight.

I’ve never been to a doctor for anything real before. I don’t even have insurance. I’m going to try to eat more iodine, and see what happens. Now, I’ve gone off and Googled it, and of course, I have every symptom of anything I read. Sometimes I really hate computers…and doctors.

photo credit: somegeekintn

I’m hopelessly, painfully addicted to chocolate. Any sweet will do do when I’m in a pinch, but it’s the smooth brown stuff I crave. I’ve put on 10 lbs since loosing all of my post -pregnancy weight, and I don’t even care! My boyfriend constantly worries that I’m poisoning myself with all of the junk food I eat, but I just can’t stop.

This evening, as I impatiently ate raw Pillsbury refridgerated cookie dough from the roll while a batch was in the toaster oven, I read the most disturbing phrase on the package. It reads “chocolate chip flavored cookies.” Flavored? Turns out the chips aren’t even real chocolate anymore. They’re using chocolate “flavored” chips, which aren’t even made with cocoa butter. They’re made with palm kernel oil!  According to Joy Reid, Hershey was even trying to petition the FDA to change the definition of chocolate so they could use cheaper in gredients. This hurts to hear.

I just finished eating my last batch of refridgerated cookies and I’m going to start looking for some recipes. I’ve always wanted to get into baking, anyway.