From the monthly archives:

December 2009

How To Donate What You Don’t Need And Make Room For Baby

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 30, 2009

in NYC Local Resources,Preparing for Baby

The eco-fabulous website and blog Girlie Girl Army* recently posted some great tips on how to donate and recycle what you no longer need before the end of the year. I immediately thought that this is useful information all year round for mamas-to-be preparing for the arrival of their little one. With the permission of GGA, I’m sharing their great donation how-tos below.

Reposted from Girlie Girl Army: Clear out your closets by donating stuff you don’t need.

Gift card balances: If they’re about to expire or you probably won’t use ‘em, donate ‘em here.

Furs, jackets, and towels: Your local animal shelters or rescue groups will take them for use as bedding. Specifically recycle furs at coatsforcubs.org.

Shoes: Programs like donateyouroldshoes.org will take your used ones for redistribution in the developing world, or for recycling.

Electronics: Recycling and trade-in programs take your old gadgets, from cell phones to computers. You can donate or recycle computers here mygreenelectronics.org or here sharedtechnology.org. Cells can be donated tocellphonesforsoldiers.com for a tax write off or: rbrc.org.

Videotapes/floppy disks: greendisk.org

Appliances: recycle-steel.org

Carpet: carpetrecovery.org

Eyeglasses: Give the gift of site to donateglasses.org orneweyesfortheneedy.org.

Cleaning and bath and body products: Shelters will often take even partially used containers.

Books: Your local library will likely accept them. If not, donate them with your old clothes to the Salvation Army, or sell them on powells.com (they even pay for shipping!) and either use or donate the money.

Tires: Can be recycled here: epa.gov/garbage/tires/live.htm. Autos and construction materials can be donated to most nonprofits.

Send Half-Used Paint To: earth911.org

Packing peanuts can be recycled here: loosefillpackaging.org

Clothes: Drop them off at charities such as Goodwill or Dress for Success or Housing Works. Salvation Army will pick up if you have more than a few bags. Remember to ask for a tax reciept. You can donate biz clothes to dressforsuccess.org, and formaldresses to: operationfairydust.org.

For the male version of Dress for Success, you can donate to Career Gear. Career Gear gladly accepts new or gently used suits, dress shirts, pants, blazers, shoes, ties and belts for men. They especially need work wear for big and tall men. Have a big and tall man of your own? Get him a new suit for the new year and donate the gently used one to these guys. It’s a win win!

Have additional odds and ends to part with but don’t know the best way? NYCWasteLe$$ can tell you how to donate computer equipment, toner cartridges, art supplies, and even extra medication. All of their tips for the thoughtful New Yorker can be found here.

*To receive great green advice from Girlie Girl Army on the regular, sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Twitter.

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Video | Taye Diggs Talking About Doulas (how awesome is that?)

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 29, 2009

in Labor & Birth,Pics & Vids

Congratulations to Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel who had a baby boy in October. I previously posted a video of Diggs talking about the birth on Ellen, but just came across this Jimmy Kimmel clip today. At about 4 minutes in, there is talk about doulas in general, and how valuable the couple found their doula who both supported the couple during the birth, and taught their childbirth education classes. How fantastic to have this dialogue on the airways and that Diggs and Menzel had a wonderful birth experience.

Are you curious about the placenta pills mentioned? We have 2 interesting posts (that are both funny and informative) about the topic: this one references an article written by comedian Joel Stein on the topic, and here is his home video of the placenta encapsulation when his wife gave birth.

By the way Taye and Jimmy, here’s the low down on the word “doula” from DONA:

The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves” and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

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Holistic Mamas NYC: We’re Going to the Martha Stewart Show!

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 29, 2009

in Holistic Health,Holistic Mamas NYC Meetup Group,Must Know Info,NYC Local Resources

Don't be jealous. Join the Holistic Mamas NYC Meetup!

A couple of weeks ago I started a Meetup group called Holistic Mamas NYC as another way to support the ever growing population of women in New York City who want information about pregnancy and birth from a holistic point of view. This group is great if you’re pregnant now, or if you’re planning ahead for the day you have a bun in the oven. The idea is for HDNYC to host regular meetups in Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill area) and Manhattan for holistically minded mamas-to-be and mama-wanna-bes to receive information to support.

Each meetup will focus on a topic related to women’s health, fertility, holistic pregnancy, or birth, and will begin and end with connection and support. Here is a tiny sample of future Holistic Mamas NYC meetup topics: nurturing your fertility, working with a doula, exploring birth options, and aromatherapy for the labor room. Sounds fun right? It will be!

So while that will be how Holistic Mamas NYC will typically roll, next week we’re doing something much more exotic, we’re going to the Martha Stewart show! Right before the holidays I was contacted by the show and invited to bring a group of my holistic mamas to Martha’s first show of the year, which will be health-themed. I was shocked by the call, and think it’s pretty cool that Holistic Mamas NYC is on the Martha radar! A group of us will meet uber early (for me anyway) at the Chelsea Studios next Tuesday for this inaugural Holistic Mamas NYC meetup. I promise to take pics and blog all about it.

Click the pic to join!

The next meetup will be the following week and will be an intro to the group and what I mean by “holistic pregnancy and childbirth.” If there is enough interest, this meetup will happen once in Brooklyn and once in Manhattan. If you live in the area and are a holistic mama-to-be or mama-wanna-be, please join us! Signing up is a piece of cake, and you can just come to the events that fit your schedule and interests.

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HDNYC Childbirth Education Class Bonus: Free Organic Goodies!

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 28, 2009

in Childbirth Education Classes,Mama & Baby Products

O.N.E. coconut water, Mambino Organics, and Earth Mama Angel Baby, just a few of the great organic samples for the holistic mamas in February's childbirth education class.

Earth Mama Angel Baby's "Mother of all Gift Baskets." Yes please!

This week I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of O.N.E. coconut water, and Mambino and Earth Mama Angel Baby organic mama and baby products. These fantastic companies are sharing samples of their health promoting and organic products with Holistic Doula NYC’s February Truly Holistic Pregnancy and Childbirth Series at the NY Open Center. How cool is that? Other holistically minded companies are providing goodies for our special group of mamas as well, so I’ll keep you posted as more healthy treats arrive. I’ll also be writing some product reviews for mamas outside of NYC, because it’s always helpful to know which holistic pregnancy products really deliver.

Don’t forget, if you are in the NYC area and are thinking of taking the class, register by the end of the year to save $40. That’ll get you a lot of coconut water and belly butter!

Please leave a comment about your favorite holistic pregnancy and birth products. Let us know what worked for you!

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HDNYC’s Truly Holistic Pregnancy & Childbirth Series, February 2010

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 24, 2009

in Childbirth Education Classes,HDNYC,Labor & Birth,Must Know Info,Pregnancy

Sneak peek at the kinds of things the course will cover click here. Registration and additional details here.

If you are a holistic mama in NYC looking for the best childbirth education class, then this HDNYC course is for you. If you aren’t in the market for childbirth education right now, but may know some families that are, please help spread the word! All of the details and online registration can be found here.

I created this unique series to cover all of the topics you would expect in a childbirth education course, in an unexpectedly fresh and engaging way. The course includes all you need to know to be well informed and empowered on your birth day, including the latest in evidence-based care. Holistic perspectives on health and healing are woven into the traditional curriculum to create a childbirth education class that is comprehensive, holistic, and integrative.

Concepts are conveyed through television and video clips, lectures that include insight and examples from my experience as a labor and delivery nurse and doula, and well chosen activities. The course format and materials are designed to make the subject matter easy to grasp, and memorable enough to recall.

A special feature of this series is weekly demonstrations by yogis, massage therapists, acupuncturists and other experts in holistic health that will give participants hands-on experience with self-care techniques that are perfect not only for pregnancy, labor and postpartum, but for a lifetime of well-being.

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Just So You Know: In NY State, private insurance is required to cover out-of-hospital birth with a licensed practitioner

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 23, 2009

in Labor & Birth,Must Know Info,NYC Local Resources

Want more information on your local birth scene? Click on the pic to go the The Birth Survey.

A lot of people think that they can’t afford a home birth because they automatically assume that to have insurance pick up the tab means an ob-gyn facilitated hospital birth. Not so. You can choose a midwife or ob-gyn for your care in NYC, and if you choose a home birth, that should be covered too. It is true that your insurance company may challenge this, so please become aware of your rights, consider maternity care—including home birth coverage—when choosing insurance, and make your desires known to your employer and insurance provider. Click here for an interactive table showing the home birth coverage amounts for various NY health insurance plans. This link will take you to an interesting account of various New York state residents and their attempts to have their home births covered. Though I won’t deny that the struggles some people have faced with their insurance carriers can be discouraging, it is also exactly why it is so critical that everyone become more knowledgeable and empowered about their health care rights and options.

The home birth option is important for the health of women and their babies, and despite the fact that some insurance companies haven’t caught on, home birth is good for the future of healthcare. An average combined fee for prenatal care and homebirth in NYC is about $6,000 last I checked. A vaginal hospital birth without interventions is significantly more, let alone one with interventions (which are part of almost every hospital birth), or a cesarean delivery. With cesarean section being the most common surgery performed in the United States, you can imagine the health care savings that would result from shifting the health care and insurance systems to support normal birth. It would be profound.

This video was inspired by Ricki Lake's own experience with one hospital birth and one home birth.

If you want to learn more about the home birth option, I highly recommend the DVDs The Business of Being Born and Orgasmic Birth. Also, in a previous blog post I shared a video of a woman who had 2 cesarean deliveries followed by a home water VBAC. You can view that here. This mother’s story is very touching, and she became a midwife based on her experiences. There is a link to her story in that post as well. For New Yorkers, NY Homebirth maintains a list of home birth midwives that can be a good starting place for finding a provider. Whatever you choose, knowing all of your options helps ensure you make the best choice for you and your little one, and that’s what it’s all about.

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Marci’s Holistic Mama Birth Story

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 22, 2009

in Best of the Blog,Birth Stories

Last week I shared some tips for a holistic pregnancy and birth in this post. I introduced the post by talking about a birth I had attended the night before—the mama was my doula client Marci. This evening was my postpartum visit with Marci, her husband Matt, and their gorgeous baby William.

During our visit I held the baby (is there anything better?), and we talked about the birth, including some of Marci and Matt’s birth memories. Marci shared that she wrote her birth story to share with her prenatal yoga class. Knowing that her story would be interesting and inspiring to other mamas, I asked Marci if I could share it with you. She generously said yes, so a copy of the letter she wrote her Monday night yoga class is below. I know you’ll enjoy her story as much as I did, and I hope you’ll consider writing your own birth story when the time comes. It can be a healing practice for the new mama, and creates a memento for your child like no other.

By the way, Marci took her prenatal yoga classes at the Prenatal Yoga Center with yoga teacher Lisa, and absolutely loved them. I think any mama-to-be can benefit from a prenatal yoga practice. In addition to strengthening the core, and increasing flexibility, prenatal yoga can help build confidence, nurture community with other mamas-to-be, and provide an opportunity to practice finding the breath. All of this helps contribute to a happy, healthy, holistic pregnancy and birth.

Matt, Marci, and baby William

Marci’s Story, as emailed to her Monday night prenatal yoga class

Dear Monday night yoga class,

On Monday, 12/14/09, I was t-minus two days to my due date and still feeling good, albeit experiencing the discomforts of being ginormously preggers. And more importantly I was so ready to meet my bundle of joy, I was full of anticipation as to everything that I was about to experience. Was I going to have the holistic childbirth I planned and wanted for my peanut and me?

Throughout the day I experienced menstrual type cramps, but nothing crazy. At 3:30 pm I decided to indulge in a nap. An hour later I woke up really hungry and ate a big bowl of turkey chili. I spoke with Elyssa about attending yoga at 6:30 and to be honest I had some hesitation throughout the day about going, but I knew it would feel good to get out of the house and focus on my breath and relaxing. I was in.

At 6pm, Elyssa and I walk from Brooklyn Heights, and I’m experiencing heavier menstrual like cramps. I was in contraction denial, but it felt good to walk.

From 6:30-8pm, I practice with all of the Monday night mamas-to-be. Throughout class, I begin to notice that my “menstrual like cramp” contractions are taking shape. I actually have to rest during some poses because the obvious contractions are uncomfortable. I laughed when Lisa asked if I was in active labor and she mentioned Deb having to turn some ladies away from class. Little did I know!

At 8pm, Elyssa and I head back to Brooklyn Heights. As we walk, I have to stop a few times along the way during the contractions to get my breath. At this point I decide to call my husband, it was time to fully come out of the denial that I’m in labor!

Around 8:30 pm, Elyssa helps me get home, God bless her! We say our goodbyes and I take to the bathroom. It felt comfortable to sit on the toilet during contractions, find my breath and remain as calm and relaxed as possible. I bathe, I vomit.

At 9:00 pm, I tell my husband to call our amazing doula, Andrea Crossman. I’m now at a point where I’m struggling with the contractions and we need extra support. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart, lasting for a minute. Go birth team!

Andrea arrives around 9:45, and for the next hour or so I practice different positions. By 10:45, using my voice and breath are trumped. It’s go time, and we get a car service. God bless the driver Utah, because I was in full on transition while that man got us all to the hospital like a champ.

Baby William, Sleeping Buddha

Around 11pm, we arrive at NYU delivery triage 9 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and +2 station. I am admitted to a labor and delivery room and feel the urge to urinate, with everyone telling me whatever I do, do not bear down. As soon as I sit on the toilet a contraction comes on and I have to stand. As I stand up, my bag of waters break, or burst with a gush more like it. I feel ready to push, but my OB hasn’t yet arrived so I’m holding off. Minutes later she comes in ready to go, and I was able to begin to push through the contractions. Our OB allowed me to labor and push at my own pace, and at 12:15 a.m. on December 15, 2009 my son, William was born! It was amazing, I did it! Open throat, open vagina.

Will, Mama and Daddy are now comfortably at home and I look forward to Mommy-and-Me classes in a few weeks.

Thanks Monday night yoga!

Marci

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Great Tip! Free Class Offer at NYC’s Prenatal Yoga Center

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 22, 2009

in NYC Local Resources,Pregnancy,Yoga, Acupuncture, and Other Healing Traditions

Click the pic to go to www.prenatalyogacenter.com and check out this great resource for pregnant women in NYC!

via the Prenatal Yoga Center website:

Free Prenatal Yoga Classes!
Pre-registration required

Our Fall 2009 teacher trainees will be teaching the following classes as part of their final examination:

Tuesday, January 5 | 4-5:30pm
Wednesday, January 6 | 3:15-4:45pm
Saturday, Janury 16 | 1:30-3pm (FULL)

Each class is also supervised by Prenatal Yoga Center staff.
Admission is FREE, however we do ask that you sign up in advance, as classes are limited to 10 students each. Additionally, if you do reserve a spot, please make every effort to attend – or let us know well in advance so that we can fill that spot.

Please call 212-362-2985 for availability or to register!

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Early Labor Baking Project: VEGAN Eggnog Cupcake Recipe

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 21, 2009

in Nutrition, Food & Recipes

Vegan nog, delish!

Thanks to the glamazons over at Girlie Girl Army you don’t even have to go looking for a vegan alternative to the just posted Eggnog Cupcake recipe—they featured one just last week: Here’s the link: ***The GirlieGirl Army*** » Blog Archive » ‘Tis The Season For Nog (Cupcakes!).

I can totally vouch for Silk nog, it is delicious! It’s actually the only nog I’ll buy. Enjoy and let us know if you ring in the new year with a new baby and one of these recipes!

Cheers!

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Early Labor Baking Project: Eggnog Cupcakes

by Andrea Crossman, RN, BS, BA on December 21, 2009

in Nutrition, Food & Recipes

Tastespotting find: Eggnog cupcake with eggnog buttercream, click the pic for cupcake recipe submitted by www.thought4food.us

via TasteSpotting | a community driven visual potluck

For those of you who are neither vegan, nor gluten intolerant, this looks like the perfect cupcake to pass out to your birth team if you’re having a holiday baby this year! If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of the “early labor baking project” check out my original post on this delicious topic.

I saw these beauties on the website TasteSpotting, one of my all time favs for food inspiration. With page after page of food polaroids from the best foodies (who must also be photographers–you’ll see what I mean) on the web, there is tons of inspiration to be found here. You can just drool over the pictures scroll by scroll, or you can do a search if you have something in mind. I often enter the word “vegetarian” to narrow the results, or search a specific ingredient (like “kale”) when I’m looking for a new recipe.

Happy labor and happy baking!

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