This Summer was crazy busy...

For the few of you who follow this blog...you have seen I haven't posted anything for a few months. Now it is fall and the leaves are changing. It was a very full summer with lots of births and babies. I am adding in pics trying to play catch up. Enjoy:)

Jack was born 6.25.09!

Jack was born on June 25, 2009 at 1:52pm. He weighed 7lbs, 15 oz. He is almost three months old now, and he weighs 14lbs--breastfeeding is amazing! Thanks to Tara for her wonderful support before, during, and after a very difficult delivery that ended in a c-section. We recommend her highly!

A postpartum doula client!

Tara Kenny is a veritable Pied Piper of babies! She showed me tricks for soothing our newborn that worked like a charm. I have no idea how I would have survived the first weeks after my c-section without Tara’s help. By caring for the baby and me, as well as our household, Tara facilitated my early recovery from surgery and gave our family some much-needed space to learn the ropes of parenting a newborn. During those joyful and challenging weeks, I gained a sense of how the world looks from a newborn’s perspective and a deep appreciation of the importance of meeting my own basic needs in order to care for our son. Tara’s sensitivity to the needs of new mothers and babies is truly remarkable. I simply cannot recommend her highly enough!

Welcome Baby Carl!

Carl was born on 3/29/09 at 7:31pm. He weighed 10# 11 oz! Biggest baby yet. Congrats to parents Charlotte and Carl Betterley!

Welcome home Sean and Cian!

Marla and Fintan are proud to have their twins- Cian and Sean-come home! They were born on 4.20.09. The boys are growing well and adorable. Congrats!

Elijah Marcus Born at home 5.22.09!

Congrats to parents, Carolyn and Ben Marcus, and to sister's Aeden and Naomi! Elijah was born in the comfort of his own home on Friday afternoon. He is a very sweet baby:)

Here is what Carolyn had to say:
Like every birth, Elijah’s birth was a true miracle. It was also a reminder that everyone is unique, as is their entrance into the world. Already being a mother of two and having had wonderful home births with them, I hadn’t given much forethought to how my labor and delivery with this third one would be. I just assumed it would be similar, but just faster. And while that was the case, there were definite differences. I’ve realized that it’s those differences that allow Elijah to have his own birth story.
Because this was my third child, I was pretty confident in my ability to birth a baby. However, as labor progressed into a very difficult stage, I was immediately brought back to that feeling that I had with both my first and second labors – that feeling of complete incapability. In the moment, that feeling was frustrating and even scary. Now, as I look back and reflect, I accept it as an incredibly humbling experience and a very real reminder that, ultimately, despite any physical and mental strength of my own, I am not the one in control.
I will be forever grateful for both of my midwives - Audra and Tara. I feel that being a midwife – and especially a home birth midwife – is a balancing act. It seems that a midwife must balance her belief that birth is a completely natural process with her responsibility of being the medical caregiver of a woman and her child. Both Audra and Tara balanced the roles perfectly. They let me labor in whatever position that my body was up for, and were incredibly encouraging throughout it. However, when it became apparent that little Eli would need some help to enter this world safely, they were quick to help make that happen, while at the same time respecting my body and reassuring my mind. This type of care continued immediately after the birth as they had to focus more on me and my body losing more blood than desired. Looking back, I am amazed at their ability to remain calm in moments that were certainly stressful.
Their amazing care throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery only continues during the post partum period. I have no doubt that they genuinely care for me, my son, and our whole family. It’s that personal care that makes them more than just the people who helped me deliver my child. They were the first people to ensure that Elijah’s first experience of the world was a positive one. And while he was only able to respond to the whole ordeal with some rather deafening screams, I’m pretty sure that one day those screams will become words of gratitude.

Grayden Maxwell born on 4.27.09!

Congrats to parents Melissa and Pete Loeb! Grayden was gently born on 4.27.09 at Newton Wellsley Hospital. He is a very cute little guy.