August 28, 2008

This post was hard to write, might be hard to read. But I feel like its time to get out into the world my truth about my miscarriage. I actually wrote this post almost a year ago. It's been sitting as a draft for months. I don't know why I wasn't ready to release it to the world, but I wasn't. 

Like many women I have a love-hate relationship with my own body. I range from absolute hatred and shame to acceptance, with maybe occasional sides of love. I don't have to explain to you why, if you're a woman in this world you already know. But things have changed a lot in my head and heart and spirit over the last five years.  It all really started in the summer of 2008.

I found out I was pregnant with our second child within a couple weeks of deciding to go back to work. My oldest was 2 and starting daycare for the first time. I was going back to a job I really liked and I was ready for the challenges that working part time would bring. And then I just had the feeling that I was pregnant. I was afraid I was pregnant, I really didn't want to be. And then we had the positive test and then I just got happy about it, because that's what you do in this life to survive.

But since those first few minutes I knew something was wrong, I just didn't feel right. It wasn't physical as much as spiritual. I just knew that this pregnancy was not going to go full term. I hated myself for thinking and feeling this way, but in my mama heart I knew this Truth. I didn't tell anyone about this knowledge because it was blasphemous. And then the bleeding came at 9 weeks. We rushed for an ultrasound and were told there was no heartbeat. I visited with the midwife and discussed my options. I decided to let nature take Her course, because I think we should always err on the side of Mother Nature. I also couldn't think about dealing with people or the health care system. I thought I should feel the contractions and live through it. It wasn't punishment, it was honoring the life that wasn't going to be. And so I had a very painful and heartbreaking 24 hours, mostly spent alone in the bathroom or pacing the bedroom.

If you have never miscarried, then you may not know that there's blood and more blood. More blood than I thought I could lose without being faint or dying. The contractions were like birth pains. They were birth pains, if we are going to be honest. The only way I could cope was the pacing. I walked the bedroom all day, avoiding my child and mother-in-law downstairs. And then I'd spend 20 minutes in the bathroom, change the pad and go back to pacing. I did this for hours. And that night I paced in the living room, trying to drink grape juice, watching the Democratic Convention and listening to Barack Obama accept the party's nomination. In some ways that was one of my happiest and most hopeful nights and the very worst night of my life. I am grateful to have had the distraction of a historical moment, otherwise I don't know if I could have managed so well.

But after the physical part was over, I really didn't suffer much emotionally. I don't feel guilty for not spending days in bed or otherwise giving over to grief. I really didn't feel grief. I don't know what to call it, but grief or mourning wasn't it. But there was a deep pain, both physical and spiritual.

I decided on that hot night that I was going to start taking care of this body of mine. I was going to get back into running and starting focusing on nutrition. I also wanted to lose weight, the weight I was always hoping to lose, but rarely actually doing much about. This miscarriage was like a 'reset to default' for my life. I have no idea why I felt that way, but it is still how I feel about that experience. I am not happy that we lost a child, but I also don't think of that pregnancy as a real person. I never did. I suppose this is a coping mechanism, a defense. Whatever it is, it feels true to me.

I realize that some people will judge me for my feelings and contradictory word choices. I really don't care. You can feel your feelings and I am going to feel mine. I am living this life in this body. I am going to honor this body for all that it can do and all that it has endured. The miscarriage was the hardest thing I have ever done. My body, spirit, and mind are so much stronger because of it. I am grateful that I took something good from that horrible experience. I could have wallowed and had a few weeks or months of self-destruction or self-pity. I'm glad I didn't. Because I was pregnant 13 months later. And all that care and nourishment I gave my body helped me have a healthy and joyful pregnancy. I have a little boy who is full of life and a willful joy. He's 3, going on 14.

And now I know I can do anything. Absolutely anything.

There are other important milestones on my journey to self-love and acceptance (I'm still working on it). I'll share them in future posts.

Leave my girls alone

In defense of my girls, Lena and Beyoncé.

I understand that I am weeks behind the zeitgeist on this, but I have been stewing and finally have to spew my words.

Leave my girls alone. 

They can wear whatever they want, even nothing. They can be proud, oblivious, fierce, self-conscious, sexy, fat, humorous, whatever they fucking want.

It doesn't matter if you don't like it. 

Lena Dunham as Hannah on the TV show Girls.

I find it funny that people give both of these talented and confident women the same amount of shit about their bodies and how they use them, considering how differently they are viewed by the mainstream media (and really everyone else too). Beyoncé is the sexiest woman of the 21st Century according to GQ. Lena Dunham (writer, producer, director, actor) has been called fat by all sorts and viewing her naked body was likened to "rape" by Howard Stern.

Beyoncé's Super Bowl performance was mesmerizing, she was amazing whether she sang a note or not. She danced her ass off and had a lot of fun doing it. I don't get people who criticize her performance for being too sexy or whatever other bullshit they want to throw at her. She was fierce and just what we all expect from a Super Star. But considering there are people who didn't believe she was pregnant and accused her of wearing a fake baby bump, I guess some people will never let her just be. Because she's a woman, even if she is Mrs. Carter.

Lena Dunham is a talented woman. Anybody who has watched Girls or seen Tiny Furniture knows that. She is also a feminist artist, who uses all of her tools, including her naked body to tell a story and push buttons. There has been so much written about Dunham's nakedness on her show: Pro and Con. I just want to say: THANK YOU for showing a real live body on TV. We are grown ass people, we can see a real nude woman without having to have her chopped, filtered and streamlined. As a woman, I want to see a woman having sex that looks real, even if awkward or even painful.. But never mind about me...back to the point.

So why do people write and blab on and on about these women's choices and appearances?

Beyoncé has the nerve to be proud and confident. She has the nerve to be a good performer and enjoy herself. Lena Dunham has the nerve to show her body, to have her character be naked in front of and with other characters, women and men. The nerve of Dunham is that she wants us to believe that men want to fuck Hannah, because according to all the is good and Hollywood, she is the opposite of sexy.

Because if a woman shows her body, it must be because she thinks she is sexy and is trying to get the attention and approval of men. A woman cannot use her body for any other purpose then for the male view and use. A woman can't possibly enjoy her own body, its movements, it curves, its beauty. That is really just not allowed. And woe be unto the woman who enjoys her sex, enjoys the body she has, enjoys how it feels. That woman is a slut, a show off, and needs to be controlled.

Beyoncé in her 2013 Super Bowl Half Time Show

So that's how Beyoncé and Lena Dunham are sisters. That's how they become my sisters. I will fight for their right to be naked, to dance, to smile provocatively, to be as alluring or as dismissive as they wish. I reserve the same rights. I hope you do too. If Beyoncé can't be fierce and sexy, then who the hell can?


You should read this too. It will give you some context for Lena Dunham's work (and nudity).

Guest post at Radical Hateloss

I am so very excited and honored to be included with the fierce and radical ladies over at Radical Hateloss. Stephanie Vincent, the mind and spirit behind Radical Hateloss, invited me to share an insight or experience about my relationship with my body. The result is: From Thick Thighs to Thick Thighs.

I plan on writing much more about my journey as a woman and a mother in the context of my relationship with my body, some triumphant and others quite painful. I believe by sharing honestly, and risking vulnerability, we can move past these conditioned beliefs and behaviors to a more authentic and joyful lives in our bodies. The bodies we have right now. I have a lot to say about issues related to our bodies, sexuality, motherhood, strength, and wellness. I hope you'll share your ideas and comments on those posts.

There was an old lady...

Joan Rivers' face -the result of our society's ageist sexism

Help me!  I am getting old.  The first clues were easy enough to dismiss, the first gray hairs appeared at 30, but were easily plucked and discarded.  The fine lines around my eyes could be tamed by sleep and a cheap eye cream, but no longer.  But the proverbial straw has been watching my breasts deflate and head south.  I knew that sooner or later big changes were gonna come, but I didn't expect it at 36.  I thought I had until 40, and then I would get my middle-aged card punched and I could age gracefully. But that isn't happening.  I will not go quietly into that dark night!  I hate that my skin is getting thinner and wrinkly in places where just a year ago it was firm (although squishy thanks to the layer of fat).  I am even getting age spots.  What the fuck is that about?!

Last week I had a date with a feminist friend of mine, and I confessed my lapse in feminist self-image.  She is going through similar changes in her physical self and could relate to me, but she has decided to rage against the machine, our sexist, superficial culture.  Whereas I had been raging against the cells of my body.  Both activities feel futile, but at least she is focusing her rage outward, where it belongs.

I am going to age, sag, wrinkle and gray no matter what I do, provided I am lucky enough to keep living for the next several decades.  However, there is a chance that together we can change our culture, however small.  If we all refuse to participate in bashing our bodies, then maybe our daughters won't look at their stretch marks and wrinkles with disgust, but will embrace their bodies for all the joy and pleasure and accomplishment they bring to their lives.

My body has grown, carried and fed two babies.  My body has run hundreds (maybe thousands of miles).  My body has blown more than a few minds (mine included).  My body has created delightful food and cultivated beautiful flowers.  My body has snuggled friends close and slapped rude men.  My body has suffered injury and healed itself.  My body is indeed a wonderland.

I don't expect that I am going to get over the grief of the aging process any time soon. But I do believe that with time and mindfulness, I can embrace the body that I have now.  I am holding on to the fact that according to the "experts" I am supposed to be entering my sexual peak years.  I guess that's a nice consolation prize. 

Sharing the Joy

In November my son completed his first running event and I couldn't have been more proud. He didn't come in first, or even 20th, but won.  He won because he loved every minute of it. He's four years old and is so proud of his "shiny gold medal."

In a week I am running the world famous Broad Street Run in beautiful Philadelphia, the nation's largest 10 mile race.  40,000 people and I will be running, walking and wheeling down Broad Street.  This is the longest I have ever run, farthest I have yet to run.  So far I've only made it about 8.3 miles in 93 minutes on a training run.  But I know I'll finish all ten miles.  To me that's winning.

Running is about so much more than race medals and times.  It's about willing yourself to keep going, to push through the boredom, pain, disappointment, and discomfort to get to the beauty, the joy, the pride.  It really is the best training for a courageous and enjoyed life.  I am so happy to share this secret with my sons.

I am grateful that my partner also is a runner, because he gets why I need to have those hours to myself outside on the trail or on the road.  It's my church, my meditation.  It is my spiritual practice as much as my fitness regimen. I don't love running.  I need running. 


If my boys grow up and don't take to running, that's ok.  As long as they find that one thing that takes them out of their mind, that challenges their bodies and spirits.  The activity or pursuit that pushes them past their imagined boundaries and makes them stronger and more courageous with every step, stroke or pedal.  We all need that kind of exercise.  Soul fitness is essential.

Why are formula companies sponsoring breastfeeding guides?

No matter what your personal opinion or experience with infant feeding, you have to admit that it is a little suspect to have Nestle providing breastfeeding support information/guides.  Nestle makes money off of every mother who uses formula to feed her baby.  They make zero dollars (or very little) for every mother who breastfeeds. It is in the corporation's best interest to give incomplete or misleading information regarding breastfeeding.  It is also in their best interest to appear to be supportive of breastfeeding mothers, for PR reasons, as well as because mom will be likely to supplement with or switch to whatever brand formula "helped" her when she was trying to breastfeed.

It is a scientific fact that if a baby receives formula in the first day of life, then the chances of he/she receiving breastmilk are greatly reduced.  It is also a fact that if a mother has some formula on hand while she is trying to establish breastfeeding, she will be more likely to supplement with formula and eventually formula-feed full time.  Why else do you think there are formula-sponsored gift bags at many hospitals?  Why do you think you see all kinds of formula ads in pregnancy magazines and on websites?!
 
Mothers are in a vulnerable position when they run into one of the many challenges of breastfeeding.  It's a great time for a corporation to lead her to offer a bottle of formula to get some sleep or give some time off for a sore nipple or to give her time to pump to boost her supply (all bad advice).  And so without even realizing it, a woman is being manipulated to fail, to get to the place where her supply is too low or the damage so great that she cannot bear to think about pursuing breastfeeding any longer. 

This is another example of how corporations try to manipulate mothers by playing on our vulnerabilities, fears and desires to give our kids the very best.  Why else would we buy shopping cart seat covers, GPS trackers for our kids, and Baby Einstein videos?!  We don't need these things and if we were not bombarded with the 1000 ways our kids were in danger of being kidnapped, getting sick, and falling behind, we would have time to think things through and analyze the advice we consume.  But so many of us are over-worked and too tired and harried to even begin to think about it.  We go with what we are told to trust, what we think we can trust.  And unfortunately there are corporations there waiting to quiet our fears while lining their pockets.

There are great places to get breastfeeding advice online.  Kellymom is one of the best and most trusted.

Contraception as a end to poverty for the world's women? Don't forget education.

Nicholas Kristoff wrote an op ed earlier this week about contraception as a tool to end poverty for many of the world's women and families.  He also wrote a follow up piece on the challenge of building consensus on this issue.

His main point is that women in many parts of the world lack knowledge of and access to effective and safe birth control methods.  Some of the barriers are due to culture and religion.  Children are valued as signs of virility, wealth and health.  Women are expected to produce children for their husbands, at least one every few years.

We have proven that education is its own special kind of contraception.  Where girls and young women are educated, they delay motherhood and have fewer children.  Why is this?  Because they are empowered members of society and the workforce (in many cases).  They do not have to rely on a husband to take care of them, and so can make decisions about when to have children and how many to have.   Children who have educated mothers (often employed mothers) are more likely to go to school and delay their own motherhood.  Poverty and ignorance breed more poverty and ignorance. 

If you keep a girl in school, you help her change the course of her life, that of her future family, and an entire nation....It’s a simple and well-documented fact. A girl who goes to school and stays there is much more likely to postpone marriage and childbirth. Those decisions have a dramatic ripple effect. Later childbirth results in lowering the overall fertility rate, which means higher per capita income and the increased ability of a woman to earn a living for herself and her family. And educated women provide better health care for themselves and their children, meaning lower maternal and infant mortality rates. In fact, a country's investment in education leads to a whole host of results that promote economic and social development. 

- Cokie Roberts (in Save the Children's The State of the World's Mothers 2005)

 
Simply handing out condoms and birth control pills will not change the fate of women and children in this world.  For one thing, men are in control of when and with whom they use condoms.  Many women in the world, from any walk of life or continent, do not have the power to negotiate condoms use with their partners.  Just look at the numbers of women with HIV/AIDS for evidence of this.

From The Body (for women in the U.S.):

Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Women of color are especially affected by HIV infection and AIDS. In 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available), HIV infection was

• the leading cause of death for black women (including African American women) aged 25-34 years.
• the 3rd leading cause of death for black women aged 35-44 years.
• the 4th leading cause of death for black women aged 45-54 years.
• the 4th leading cause of death for Hispanic women aged 35-44 years.

From Avert: 

At the end of 2008 it was estimated that out of the 31.3 million adults worldwide living with HIV and AIDS, around half are women.¹ It is suggested that 98 percent of these women live in developing countries.² The AIDS epidemic has had a unique impact on women, which has been exacerbated by their role within society and their biological vulnerability to HIV infection.
Generally women are at a greater risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV. Biologically women are twice more likely to become infected with HIV through unprotected heterosexual intercourse than men. In many countries women are less likely to be able to negotiate condom use and are more likely to be subjected to non-consensual sex.^3 4

So the issues are more complicated than simply trying to prevent pregnancy for women who either cannot provide for a child or do not desire to have any/more children.  It is about controlling and ending a pandemic that has infected millions.  It is about saving millions of children from a life of poverty and lack of education or opportunity.  It is about decreasing maternal and infant mortality, which is a significant problem in the developing world, due to many factors, including lack of access to prenatal care and properly trained health care providers and necessary resources.  So yes, we need more contraception and family planning in the world, but we also need schools and the political will to make sure the world's girls get the education they deserve.

Kids Are What They Eat (And Watch) Part 1

This is the first of a series of posts about food, marketing and our kids' health. 

Our kids are defenseless targets for marketers of junk food and are getting sick and fat because of our inability to say NO and the 24-7 cheap access to non-foods marketed to kids.  Here are just a few articles I found on the topic. There will be more to come.   I am particularly interested in the links between commercial television and obesity.  It isn't the inactivity, but the marketing that seems to have such a profound effect on our kids (and us). 

• A study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine questions the relationship between television marketing of junk foods to kids and kids' increased intake of high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. 
• A study in the journal Pediatrics looked at the prevalence of food brands in movies and found that most of the brand placements were for high-calorie, low-nutrition foods, many of these films target children and young adults. 
• Calories for Sale (pdf)chronicles marketing to children in the 21st Century
• Marion Nestle (one of my food heroes) wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006:

• Since 1994, U.S. companies have introduced about 600 new children's food products; half of them have been candies or chewing gums, and another fourth are other types of sweets or salty snacks. Only one fourth are more healthful items, such as baby foods, bread products, and bottled waters. Companies support sales of "kids' foods," with marketing budgets totaling an estimated $10 billion annually.^1,3 Kellogg spent $22.2 million just on media advertising to promote 139.8 million dollars' worth of Cheez-It crackers in 2004, but these figures are dwarfed by McDonald's $528.8 million expenditure to support $24.4 billion in sales. Marketing to children is hardly new, but recent methods are far more intense and pervasive. Television still predominates, but the balance is shifting to product placements in toys, games, educational materials, songs, and movies; character licensing and celebrity endorsements; and less visible "stealth" campaigns involving word of mouth, cellular-telephone text messages, and the Internet. All aim to teach children to recognize brands and pester their parents to buy them. The IOM notes that by two years of age, most children can recognize products in supermarkets and ask for them by name.

It's not easy, but it is necessary.

Being green, that is. 

Pampers claims that disposable diapers are better for babies and just as good for the environment as cloth/reusable diapers. So I did a little research and thinking.

I have used all kinds of diapers from bumGenius deluxe all-in-one cloth diapers to Pampers with the superabsorbant gels to Seventh Generation non-bleached disposables to Tushies natural ones.  I have to say that all in all the disposables are good at keeping the wet stuff in, which means if you so choose you can keep the diaper on baby for several hours without worrying too much about leaks.  But I have found that disposable diapers lead to super blow outs so much more than cloth diapers, provided the cloth diapers fit correctly.  I have also had problems with diaper rashes on my son and found frequently changing the cloth diapers helped clear it up faster than when using disposables (maybe an airflow thing).  Sure, doing poopy diaper laundry can be unpleasant, but I have a hard time with the idea of sending thousands of disposables to the trash dump over the course of my child's young life. 

Sure, Pampers claim that disposable superabsorbant diapers are better at reducing the likelihood of diaper rash is founded on real science. But, there are all sorts of chemicals in disposable diapers that have been shown to be harmful, like affecting respiration. Dioxins are produced as a result of the making of the paper pulp for the diapers.  Dioxins are toxic and found in our water sources, harming people and animals.  However, we get most of our exposure to dioxins through our food not through tampons, diapers or other personal care products.  Yuck!

Dioxins are a class of persistent polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons that induce a wide spectrum of toxic responses in experimental animals including reproductive, endocrine, developmental, and immunologic toxicities as well as carcinogenicity....The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that > 95% of exposures to dioxins are through low-level contamination of the food supply (8). These exposures are caused by bioaccumulation of dioxins in animals and the subsequent consumption of animal products such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, as well as dairy products (8). The major sources of dioxins in the food chain are combustion mechanisms such as municipal, hazardous, and medical waste incinerators.

     http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2002/110p23-28devito/devito-full.html

From available research one can conclude that the environmental impacts of using disposables or reusables are about the same- if you don't count the ability to use cloth diapers for more than one child, sometimes several.  Or if we don't count the people who can wash cold, line dry their organic all natural diapers...well then I would argue cloth wins on carbon emissions.  But if you look at the synthetic materials used in many pocket diapers or the conventionally raised cotton used in others...well you get environmental impact from those manufacturing and agricultural methods.  It's enough to drive you to drink. 

But what resonates with me are the resources that go into manufacturing disposables.  According to the Real Diaper Association (granted, a biased organization):

Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.

Lehrburger, C., J. Mullen and C.V. Jones. 1991.  Diapers: Environmental Impacts and Lifecycle Analysis.  Philadelphia, PA: Report to The National Association of Diaper Services (NADS).   

Do we really want to use our petroleum resources to make diapers that just end up in landfills and do not biodegrade for 250-500 years?!

But there is a lot that goes into the decision of what kind of diapers to use.  Cost and convenience are usually the first two considerations.  Some people balk at the initial costs of cloth diapering, but I have to say that I would rather spend $100-500 upfront on whatever kind of cloth diapering system than shell out $50+ a month on disposables for two or more years.  Plus, there are lots of ways to cloth diaper on the cheap.  You can buy used diapers on Ebay (I have).  You can search craigslist or one of the many cloth diapering sites like DiaperSwappers.  You can ask among family and friends to see who may have a stash they could share.  You can buy prefolds and a few covers for under $100, if you bargain shop. You can even sew your own, if you are so crafty (I wish!).

If you want convenience and are willing to spend a little more you can purchase re-usable diapers like FuzziBunz.  These are a pocket diaper, meaning you add absorbent material to the pocket in the diaper and put the diaper on just like a disposable.  No covers or pins needed.  FuzziBunz use snaps but other pocket diapers use velcro or a combination of snaps and velcro to get a good fit. 

My favorite diaper is the BumGenius One Size.  It's a pocket diaper that goes from newborn to potty training.  Easy to use, durable and adorable.  We used these more than any other diapers.  They clean up well, dry pretty quickly and fit well under clothes.

So what's my point?  Good question, grasshopper. I went into this post ready to lampoon disposable diapers, but then read research and found out that a lot of what I thought wasn't true, or at least not accurate. I also realized that there is a lot we don't know.  Manufacturers don't have to tell us what's in their diapers.  So who knows what chemicals and toxins we are bringing into our homes and putting on our children or if they really are as safe as they claim.  This is a genuine concern.  So maybe we need to rally and demand accountability and full disclosure of ingredients for all of the products we bring into our homes.  One way to do this might be to support the Safe Chemicals Act , introduced by Senator Lautenberg:

 The “Safe Chemicals Act of 2010” requires safety testing of all industrial chemicals, and puts the burden on industry to prove that chemicals are safe in order stay on the market. Under current policy, the EPA can only call for safety testing after evidence surfaces demonstrating a chemical is dangerous. As a result, EPA has been able to require testing for just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently registered in the United States and has been able to ban only five dangerous substances. The new legislation will give EPA more power to regulate the use of dangerous chemicals and require manufacturers to submit information proving the safety of every chemical in production and any new chemical seeking to enter the market.

Maybe we should think a little more about why we purchase and use the things we do.  Maybe we have to sacrifice convenience for health.  Maybe we have to sacrifice low prices in favor of low costs in other areas, namely the environment and our children's health.  Maybe we have trusted the government and industry a little too much with our bodies and planet.  Maybe we need to re-think more than just what type of diaper to put on that cute little bottom.

Spark People: My own personal weight loss consultant

I am unconventional in many ways, but in the realm of body image and weight issues I am like most American women. I am carrying around about 20 extra pounds and I'm tired of them getting in my way. In the last 10 years I have lost these pounds 2 different times. The first time I was 24 and it came off easily by not really eating much and cutting the carbs. Last time I was 28 or 29 (I really forget) and I did it by eating reasonably healthy and exercising. That was when I was running for fun, running slowly, but having a lot of fun. I went to the gym and all that stuff. I was happy and felt great about myself and my body. I had help in the form of a supportive partner and Spark People, a free and comprehensive source for weight loss and getting healthy support and information. And then I got pregnant.....

While pregnant, I jumped over to Baby Fit, Spark People's sister site for preggos. I loved the support from other first time mamas on the message boards and keeping track of my nutrition, etc. In total I gained 35 pounds during the pregnancy. And then I had the boy and lost some of the pregnancy weight right away- hurray breastfeeding!! But about 15 pounds of it sticks around. To be honest, I haven't been trying very hard to get rid of it, unless eating ice cream and watching Blues Clues counts.

So now, the kid is 2 and I'm still a little more lumpy and out of shape than I would like to be. And I'm back to Spark People. This time I'm not so in need of the online support from all the people on the message boards, but keeping track of those calories in and out is a real motivator. It also keeps me honest about the real effort I'm making.

The site is a one stop shop with message boards, food tracker, exercise tracker, video demonstrations, recipes, motivational articles, health information, customizable plans and lots of other things I can't remember. If you like charts and graphs (who doesn't?), you can track calories burned, weight, etc. with a click of the mouse. And did I mention it is free?!

So if you want to get back into shape, lose the baby weight, or just get healthier, check it out. No meetings, no fees and no annoying cheerleader types.

The Birth Survey

I just took an interesting and important survey about my experience with my prenatal care, labor and birth, and postpartum care. It took about 15 minutes and was pretty easy. You can also learn more about providers in your area: intervention rates, c-section rates, overall ratings by other women, etc.

This is a great resource. The more woman who take the survey the more useful the information collected.

Here is some basic information about the survey from the website:

The Transparency in Maternity Care Project was birthed in February of 2006 by the Grassroots Advocates Committee (GAC) of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS). We are a volunteer group dedicated to ensuring public access to quality of care information specifically related to maternity care providers and institutions. It is our intention to extend the current social trend toward transparency in health care into the virtually overlooked maternity care arena.

The Birth Survey is structured around the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) evidence-based 10 Steps to Mother-Friendly Care and other quality of care indicators. The creation of The Birth Survey has been inspired by Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers Survey (Harris Interactive, October 2002) and the A-CAHPS (Ambulatory Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) program and surveys.

We believe that women of childbearing age must have access to information that will help them choose maternity care providers and institutions that are most compatible with their own philosophies and needs. We hope that the Transparency in Maternity Care Project will provide information that will help women make fully informed maternity care decisions.

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Mother's Milk: A "Human Vaccine"? From Eco Child's Play
• House passes ban on lead and phthalates in kid's products. (I'm a little behind on the news, obviously)
• Fresh Look at Cloth Diapers at Five Minutes for Going Green

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• A cool giveaway - actually 3 prizes - at now entering momville
• New abortion law in South Dakota requires doctors to tell women that the procedure ends a human life and may cause them psychological harm.
• Go green save some money too.
• A nut-free snack list- thanks to Non-Toxic Kids.
• Find out where the nasty Triclosan lurks in your home....Everywhere! Thanks to Non-Toxic Kids for the education.
• Enter the contest for a year of Brain, Child Magazine
  

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Are we raising a generation of whiners? From You Need A Budget.
• Haluski: How to deal with lying with our young kids?
• Are Men Made to Work not Parent? from Stroller Derby
• Avoid Emotional Spending by Avoiding Your Triggers, from Wise Bread.
• How Many Retirement Accounts Can You Have? Answers from Cash Money Life.
• Could Birth Control Pills Really Be Defined as Abortions? from Blogher
  

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Babble has their top 10 parenting trends (both in and out). What do you think?
• Health care system is failing women by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President National Women’s Law Center

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• The 11 best foods you aren't' eating.
• You wanna win some cool yoga stuff?
• Do you like fun and unique bags?
• And don't' forget the Thomas DVD giveaway and the Brain, Child subscription!

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Non-toxic shower curtains and bath toys from Nature's Mom Blog
• Results of MomLogic.com's Happiness Poll are kind of surprising.
• Are you a YES mom?
• Teen pregnancies are on the decline.
• Shape of a Mother - what motherhood really does to women's bodies.

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Looking at the politics of motherhood in a new book.
• Long (but interesting) NYT magazine article on the declining birth rates in Europe.
• An interesting take on that NYT feature by Jen Chaney, focusing on US fertility and "flexible workplaces".
• Why aren't there more momoirs by women of color?
• Time Out advice from Slate
• Funny take on going to a Baby Shower from over at Slacker Moms R Us.
• Have you heard of D-MER? Me neither. But I have experienced it.
• Inside Baltimore homebirth underground.
  

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• 12 Commandments for good parenting
• Sociologists prove "Opting Out" revolution is a myth.
• Dangers of synthetic vitamins from Nature Mom's Blog.
• Are you going to join the artificial food dye revolution?

Stuff of interest to thinking mamas.....

• Meet the Baby Planners
• How to balance work and pregnancy from Forbes
• Stem cells discovered in breast milk. One more reason that breast is best!