This week we asked you to share sibling bonding with us. Read more about preparing for pregnancy, birth, and parenting on our resource page. Link up, too!  Read More…

6 Comments | Posted in Attachment Parenting, Birth, Family Structure, Pregnancy, Preparing for Parenting, Wordless Wednesday

How one mother came to terms with her planned cesarean and bonded with her son on her own terms.  Read More…

4 Comments | Posted in Birth, Breastfeeding, Feeding With Love, Preparing for Parenting

A big congratulations to the winner of the Autographed Birth Matters by Ina May Gaskin sponsored by Lauren of Hobo Mama — #85! Christina Christina says: “I’ve never had a midwife, but I hope to with my next pregnancy. I like how midwives spend more time with moms, give them personalized care, and support the natural birthing process.” The winner was …  Read More…

Leave a comment | Posted in Birth, Natural Parenting Products, Pregnancy, Preparing for Parenting, Reviews and Giveaways

I had the joy of hearing midwife Ina May Gaskin speak in Seattle and would like to offer my Ina May-signed copy of Birth Matters to one reader who wasn’t lucky enough to have seen her in person!  Read More…

99 Comments | Posted in Birth, Natural Parenting Products, Pregnancy, Preparing for Parenting, Reviews and Giveaways

How the ritual of dedication can help establish and affirm your parenting choices.  Read More…

4 Comments | Posted in Balance, Belief, Birth, Parenting Philosophies, Preparing for Parenting

IMITATION Cloth diapers, EC, bedsharing, breastfeeding, low-tech living, home schooling, natural and unassisted childbirth, hand-me-downs, sunshine, cuddles. You know where I’m going with this, right? Yes, aside from circumcision, Jesus and Mary were really a pretty crunchy pair. Alright, we don’t know for sure about the bedsharing,1 cloth diapers,2 or home schooling,3 but about the natural birth and breastfeeding we …  Read More…

9 Comments | Posted in Balance, Belief, Birth, Breastfeeding, Circumcision, Cloth Diapers, Cosleeping, Ecological Responsibility, Elimination Communication, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Holistic Health, Homeschooling, Natural Learning, Preparing for Parenting, Safe Sleep

You looked up and in to my eyes And in that moment My whole world changed Time stood still, And sped up I saw your first steps, words, bruise I saw your first day of school Your first kiss, tears, disappointment Your first love, graduation, wedding I saw your first home away from ours And your first baby. I saw …  Read More…

2 Comments | Posted in Birth, Preparing for Parenting

Last week’s theme was Natural Birth, but we know not every parent chooses to or gets to have a natural birth. Here our readers share their birth pictures and stories that involved interventions — some planned and some not — with a range of how they felt about the interventions.  Read More…

12 Comments | Posted in Birth, Preparing for Parenting

Everyone’s experience of childbirth differs, and whether fortunate or unfortunate, there is no one-size-fits-all, step by step guide to having the “perfect” birthing experience. That said, however, I’ll never forget the midwife who said to me that the best births she had ever attended were those of mothers who were well researched. I completely understand where she’s coming from – …  Read More…

3 Comments | Posted in Birth, Pregnancy, Preparing for Parenting

This week we asked: What does natural birth look like? Read more about natural birth on our resource page titled Prepare for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting, and enjoy this week’s articles on the theme. Natural birth is a gentle and organic birth with low interventions, as was originally the norm, and we think it can be a beautiful thing, as you’ll see in the pictures below.  Read More…

27 Comments | Posted in Birth, Preparing for Parenting, Wordless Wednesday