Continuing on the theme of visiting with spirits and ancestors, in New Mexico I took this picture with this story. The photograph shows my friend Erin who is pregnant. That sort of other-worldly light and the bright ray, it felt like a moment of a pause in time, when maybe the spirit world or the … Continue reading
I’d say my profoundest discovery about the postpartum period is this: human evolution has developed us mamas to empathize and identify with our new babies when they need it most. I’m talking about that feeling of rawness and overwhelm, like the world is too big, too bright, too loud. I wrote in the past about … Continue reading
As I mentioned in his birth story, I prepared in a myriad of ways during the months before my son’s birth. This preparation and the week-long build-up helped me cope with his super-fast birth! Having learned from my daughter’s birth, I most wanted to change two things this time: to have a birth team that was empowering rather … Continue reading
Ten weeks ago, I gave birth to my second child, a boy. We are told in so many ways that birth and motherhood should be blissful, perfect, happy, wonderful. Or that birth is going to be a medical emergency and a nightmare. In reality they are both positive and negative all wrapped into one. The … Continue reading
I haven’t found time to write since the birth of my new baby boy, 8 weeks ago. I hope to, soon! But I did manage to respond to this email from my sister, due to birth her first baby in the coming weeks. Our sisterly correspondence will have to suffice for now! From my sister, … Continue reading
I’d like all new moms to know that right after giving birth is NOT the only time you may feel something like postpartum depression. We lack so much crucial information about the hormonal shifts and big emotional changes in the years after childbirth. There are several times when women may feel bigger, stronger emotional shifts: … Continue reading
Moms tend to take on the care and nurturing of everyone around us. Especially during the postpartum time, we need someone to care for and nurture us! When a friend had a new baby, I used to walk into her house and think, I want to be helpful, but what do I do? Through my … Continue reading
Going back to work is probably the ONLY postpartum issue that is actually on our society’s radar. There have been swells of debate recently about working moms, from Anne-Marie Slaughter’s Atlantic cover story to discussions of new Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer’s appointment while pregnant. Everyone has opinions . . . that we need more high-power … Continue reading
Being a new mom or dad is beautiful, intense, and life-changing. It also can be so very difficult: Often the world around us is not empathetic but can be brutal, judgmental, and overwhelming. It is often said that only people who have been through it can understand this drama of early parenthood. But why? Why … Continue reading
Pregnant women in the US are exposed to many widely held beliefs about birth and the postpartum time that — they discover with shock and possibly pain, guilt, and sadness — are so very false. I believe we need to talk about these beliefs to prevent the shock and ease the other painful emotions that … Continue reading
Chigüiri-cosas 