I have been shopping with Shannon since February 2011, and have frequently referred to her as my diaper dealer. When she said she was moving on to new ventures I jumped at the chance to play with fresh fluff on a regular basis J. I wish her all the best in her new endeavors as Marketing Director of Birth Boot Camp, but I will be seeing her frequently though as I am a fellow Chapter leader of The Tarrant County Birth Network.

Photo Credit: Gran Caribe Real Resort, Cancun Mexico

Oh yeah, but you didn’t know that did you? Maybe I should give you a brief synopsis on me:

My name is Tiffany (for those of you just getting here), my husband Sean and I have been married for 5 years this coming June and we have 4 children (1 bi-ped and 3 quadrapeds). Our youngest and only biological child, D is an adorable, precocious, 18 month old boy, but I am not biased by any means. You can read about his birth story in a copy of The Birth Next Door, available in store or on Amazon. He has been cloth diapered since 2 months old. Here is a picture of D at his first birthday party in his Pirate Wool Shorties. No need for compliments he and I are both fully aware of his adorableness

Photo Credit: TLC Photography, Little Elm, Texas

Unfortunately, maturity, cloth diapers, or any amount of cuteness did not stop his Chuck Norris immune system from attacking his pancreas last August. Yes, my little guy is also diabetic, I blog about our journey through being a holistic family and being diabetic at Crunchy and Sweet. It isn’t an ideal life, but he is alive and for that Sean and I are truly grateful. Cliché I know, but it is the truth.

During the day, I work for the man as an I.T. Desktop Support Technician. In layman’s terms, I have a day job fixing broken computers. The song had it right, it’s a man’s world, but I make it work, and have for almost 10 years now. By night, I am a blogger, business owner, wife, mother, chapter leader, head cook, and sometimes bottle washer. If I were to have spare time I would spend it crafting both in my craft room (yes I have a room, be jealous) or on my computer. My husband, Sean, helps me in our other business T&S Digital, where we offer desktop publishing, photography, computer repair, and website design.

Pre diabetes our goals were to become financially independent, and quit our job(s) in the public sector to work for ourselves in the private sector to homeschool and raise our kids, for now we will just settle for financially independent. To quote Forrest Gump, “That’s all I have to say about that.”

What do I plan to do with Simple Baby?

Funny you should ask that because I was just getting there! As of yet there are no big changes coming to Simple Baby. I have some ideas, but until I get all the details sorted I do not want to publically humiliate myself. J Rest assured though, the values and philosophy of Simple Baby will remain the same, obviously we will continue to be mom owned, we will continue Shannon’s commitment to natural, simple, baby products, and we will continue to have both a retail and online presence that supports WAHM businesses as much as possible. The driver may be changing but we are all still on the same journey.

I am excited to be here, and eager to get started!

So to kick this thing off right, I am going to be running a Grand Opening Celebration! Starting April 1^st we will be kicking off some sales both online and in store.

For the entire month of April:

Spend $100 Online and Get Free Shipping

COUPONCODE: SHIPFREETHANKS

PreOrder Any Hevea Baby Products and Receive 15% off (NO COUPON REQUIRED)

Good Friday April 6^th ONLY:

Spend $25 get a Free Pair of Baby Legs ONLINE ONLY

COUPONCODE: BABYL3GZ25

Spend $50 get 15% off

COUPONCODE: HELLOFRIENDS

Saturday April 7th ONLY:

From 2PM to 4PM I will be hosting a short Cloth Diaper 101 at Stella’s complete with Giveaways. *for the sake of space please limit children to lap babies

ALL DAY

Buy 3 Gro-Via Diapers Get 1 Free. IN STORE ONLY

Buy 6 Solid / 4 Prints Get 1 Free. IN STORE ONLY

Spend $100 in Diapers and Get a Free Wetbag. IN STORE ONLY (LIMITED TO THE STOCK ON HAND)

Stupid, foolish, uneducated are the crueler and more ignorant ones. Naive, a martyr, and an overachiever are the slightly gentler ones. 

No one seems to be offended by this.

It’s not considered particularly rude or offensive to speak to me this way.



Here is where I an going to tie in the title of this post:

When looking at percentages – more women are having natural birth than people who are identifying as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender).


True unmedicated births are hard to track statistically (someone go study that!) – but a 2008 study of vaginal births across 27 states showed that 61% of mothers had epidurals. What that means is that in the case of 39% of those vaginal births – the mothers were likely primarily unmedicated. For kicks, lets do fuzzy math and I’ll give you even 30% of those births having narcotics or something else on board and that leaves us with still nearly 1 in 10 mothers giving birth without pain medication. 9%.


A 2011 report says that 4% of Americans, identify themselves as LGBT. That’s it. Only 4%.



I’m giving you these numbers – not because I am commenting on being gay (all for it, get married, have kids – preferably unmedicated, live long and prosper, whatever) but because the query “gay rights” on google gives me “About 47,400,000 results”, while “childbirth rights” gives me “About 31,900,000 results” 


15.5 MILLION more pages!!! Almost a full third more!!!


This is something we should ponder if only for a moment. Gay rights is a phrase heard in all forms of media almost daily, and in a variety of situations. It’s a part of our culture. 



Why don’t women and our right to vigorously pursue an unmedicated birth without being oppressed by the US maternity system have the same cultural impact?



There are a very small handful of us advocating for the rights and desires of a significant percentage of childbearing women.

 I am leaving Simple Baby because I want to devote more time supporting those couples choosing unmedicated birth (gay or straight, lol).

In addition to my continued work as an advocate through the Tarrant County Birth Network and Birth Network National I have also accepted the task of assisting my friend, and sometimes mentor, Donna Ryan in launching and promoting an international, modern, comprehensive childbirth education program.



Education is the first step to change. Through online and instructor-led classes we are empowering women through childbirth education to know their rights, make conscious decisions about their births, and claim the birth of their dreams.



Perhaps I’m a little dramatic about this profound product my friend has created.



Or maybe not. 

I have taken childbirth education classes three times (with three kids).
 Each had something to offer (that first one was all about being a good patient!). But none were comprehensive or particularly current.



With years of teaching under her belt, and talking to birth professionals and hundreds of students about what should be in a childbirth education program, Donna and our team have created something amazing. Easy to understand. Accessible to everyone. Easy to teach as a certified natural childbirth instructor. 



I’m going to miss Simple Baby- but the gal who is left in charge, Tiffany Carra, won’t disappoint you. She loves to shop and find the “right” products just for you. I’ll let her give you her own introduction soon.

Hopefully this is not goodbye-just see you later. Pop on over to the Birth Boot Camp Facebook page and like us!

Black Friday celebrates our second anniversary. It’s a huge joy to see cloth diapering in Fort Worth growing by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years, and to be even a small part of that… But enough reminiscing… On to this years sales!

Since we have a retail store inside Stella’s Boutique (3460 Bluebonnet Circle, Fort Worth 76109), which has slightly different inventory – we will have online sales and promotions, and in-store sales and promotions. If you are a local, but can’t make it by the shop, you can select “Pickup at Playgroup” when you order online to pick up your order in the Fort Worth area. The in-store deals are only available on Black Friday in the shop though! So come on down!

Online only – Starting at 12:01 AM Friday: First 10 customers to spend $20 get a $15 gift card.

In-store only - Complimentary Goody Bags while supplies last!

In-store only - First 5 customers on Friday to spend $10 get a free Haba Puzzle, $10 value. We open at 11 am.

In-store only - All day Friday, spend $25 and get a free pair of BabyLegs, $12 value or Messy Eater Bib,$13 value (your choice, in-stock only).

In-store Friday and On-line Friday through Monday:
Spend $75 and get a free set of wool dryer balls, no coupon necessary.

In-store Friday and On-line Friday through Monday*:
Bottombumpers AIO: Buy 6 solids or 4 prints and get 1 free , through Monday
Tiny Tush Trim: 4.0 Fitted, Organic Cotton or Hemp: Buy 5 get 1 free
In-store only – Grovia AIO, AIO NB, Hybrid shell and liners (in-store, in-stock only) : Buy 2, get 1 free.

*Online Black Friday through CyberMonday, oversells possible, in-store Friday only.

But I didn’t realize it doesn’t top list on the blog! So enjoy the link to her birth story, with LOTS of birth photography by Val & Bonnie, and if you are short on time (I like to tell LONG birth stories, even if they are short births!) then check out this birth video by the fabulous Ceci Jane:

Romy’s Birth Story from Ceci Jane on Vimeo.

Romy’s Birth Story Video from Ceci Jane

My sweet friend Abbey R wrote in a card to me weeks before my birth “This birth is going to be EPIC!”. I was facing a lot of self doubt about the epic-ness of it all, but I trusted Abbey’s judgement – she’s is the ultimate epic birther, and she’s a little mental like me. So if she had faith in it, I could too.

I thought a lot about that phrase through my labor and it mentally set the tone for me. The theme in my head and my home was one of community and the power of women to support each other and that was the part that made it epic. I’m not even sure I can possibly convey how loved and cared for I felt by the women who blessed us with their presence at this birth. But I guess I should start at the beginning….

Some background, for those who don’t know: My first child, Todd, was born in 1996 at a hospital in Southwest Fort Worth. I was induced, quite happily, some time after 40 weeks, since my doc had a golf game out of town that weekend and I was done being pregnant. There was no medical reason at all for the induction. Pit was started at like 8 am, they gave me some demerol, broke my water, gave me an epidural, and through sheer force of will (’cause I couldn’t feel a thing!) I pushed an 8 lb, 4 oz boy out around 3 pm. They wheeled us to the curb around 9 am the next morning and wished us luck. Like a root canal, only with a baby.

12 years later for baby number 2, Coco, I chose a birth center. At 39 weeks, 1 day, I had an amazing but overwhelmingly fast birth of a 7 lb, 12 oz girl.

The birth tub - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com

That birth clocked in at 6 hours total, and only 2 hours after I got to the birth center. I loved the experience I had with my midwife and the birth center, although I didn’t have the fabled “birth high”. I suspect that was because it hit me like a train and I was planning to labor dramatically and with lots of rice socks, music and warm compresses for at least 8-12 hours (since there was no Pit and it had been over a decade I expected it to take a little longer). I had taken a uterine toner called Gentle Birth, that is herbal and shortens labor. Live and learn….

Preparing for number three, I had contractions early on, starting around 23 weeks. It wasn’t dilating me at all, but I suspected my uterus was doing it’s own toning, and I didn’t do anything at all to prep. No uterine toners, no EPO, no red rasberry leaf tea, nothing.

I also planned a home birth this time. I burned over half my labor last time getting my stuff packed up and driving to the birth center. I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could – and home was a better option so I wouldn’t have to travel. My midwife for number 2, Kelly, had relocated down south to San Angelo, about 4 hours away, but by mere circumstance had three past clients in Fort Worth who were due in August and we were able to work it out so she could provide my care again.

But that meant my primary midwife would be hours away once labor began (Cue ominous music)…

Since Coco came at 39 weeks, I started my mental countdown at 38 weeks. Surely it would be any day now, right? Of course not. During week 39, I stayed active figuring I would jostle her out at some point. I vacillated between being patient and being annoyed, and trying to let go of that small desire for this birth, and this baby, to be just like Coco’s (because while it was hectic, it was at least was familiar and mainly good).

by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

Two days from my due date, one of my best friends, Bonnie, and I had gone to Blue Mesa for our last date before baby – I wasn’t sure if I wanted to eat Mexican and possibly be puking it all up in transition later, but I took the risk. The next morning I took a single dose of some left over uterine toner, I was getting antsy. Then I remembered why I didn’t want to take it – it’s main claim to fame is a shorter labor. I don’t want one of those! So I didn’t take it again.

40 weeks, 2 days, Bonnie calls me at 10:30 am and tells me to come over that afternoon and take some last minute maternity shots. Her theory being that it would be super cool to have those pictures mere days before baby was on the outside rather than the inside.

That night (Friday), Jason picked up the house on my request and we watched a movie. I had contractions, but they weren’t anything I couldn’t sleep through

Bonnie, multitasking - by Val Cannon

- and I had been having contractions for months. I figured if anything was legitimate, it would wake me up from sleep.

Around 5:50 am, one wakes me up. At the time, I assume it’s just that I needed to go to the bathroom. Contractions always are miserable with a full bladder. So I make a quick pit stop then come back to bed. But I’m up again, and now texting Kelly. This is legit and she’s on her way. I’ve read enough accidental unassisted birth stories that start with “I didn’t want to wake my birth team, so I decided to wait it out until 8 am.”

Nope, that’s not gonna be me! I at least want them at the ready. At 6:30 I text my birth team, just a heads up, don’t come yet, and I’ll call in a bit. Thankfully they suspect that it’s going to be fast and they all start packing up.

Coco & Reese - by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

I guess I should give the run down on my birth posse at this point. This is possibly the best birth team every assembled. In addition to Kelly and her assistant, we had 5 professionals coming to the birth, all of whom I am privileged to be able to call friends (as well as a couple of additional friends, but I didn’t even manage to call them!).

My doula Tonya lives about 2 miles from me – so we felt good no matter how fast baby came, she would probably make it. And I knew I would need awesome labor support as soon as possible.

The historical documentation of the event was covered by Ceci, a birth photographer and videographer, doing video, and Val, a still birth photographer, taking a zillion still photos.

My incredible friend Alexa was coming with the description of her role in my birth plan as “general joy and happiness”, or as what she humbly calls “house doula”. I won’t go on about how she walks into a room and the whole place lights up… but anyone who knows her knows why you would want her at your birth. She made a cake with Coco while I labored, put together a 5-star brunch spread, and did a couple of loads of laundry.

Coco & Alexa baking birthday cake - by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.coin su

Finally, Bonnie (and her baby, Reese) was coming with the primary job of wrangling Coco during the birth, but happens to also be an excellent multitasker and professional photographer. So YES, I did have three photographers, but, as Bonnie pointed out – having a second shooter at a wedding is totally normal. Bonnie is also insanely level headed, and I thought that might be beneficial in a crunch.

I talk to everyone over the course of the next hour mainly via text (around 7:30 a.m.), and tell them, yeah, start driving. Bonnie and I talk on the phone. I’m having to pause through contractions. I can’t talk through them. I realize I haven’t heard back from Alexa, and ask Tonya to call her.

At about 8:00, Val is the first to arrive. I don’t remember much of our conversation, although I remember she said she was going to drive up and wait in my driveway if I had said I wasn’t ready for her to come. I love that girl.

I suspect I’m starting transition based on how I’m feeling. But, I’m still texting… My last text to Bonnie was “I’m freaking nauseous already – I hope this isn’t quite this fast!” to which she replied “Just relax, I’ll be there soon. At least you won’t be puking Blue Mesa.”

At 8:13, my texting-in-transistion extravaganza continues, and I message Tonya, “Hmmmm hurry, I’m nauseous already”.

Labor with Coco - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

to which she replies “I’m in the van”. Thank goodness!

I was planning on texting/ calling a few more people who didn’t have official “jobs” but were just coming to hang out and commune with us. I had decided to wait a while and not wake them up at 6 am, but I guess I should have. Those communications never happened because, well, after that I just couldn’t function to do it, and Jason was busy dealing with me.

Saturday morning in labor - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

I labored on the couch for what seemed like forever, but actually was just a few minutes. Jason was still waking up, drinking coffee and rubbing my back. He had started filling the tub. Coco was sharing my ear buds with me, not protesting the music as she usually does. I don’t think I could have handled Parry Gripp’s This is the Best Burrito while laboring.

I got up and moved to the bar, standing and leaning up against it for one

One on the wall - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

contraction or maybe two. Maybe I remembered to go to the bathroom to pee, although somehow I doubt it. Later, Jason and I wondered where Coco was during the blank space between 8:15 and 9 am. Val told us he turned on Curious George (a dvd that was still on in the living room as I pushed out the baby) and Bonnie got there a few minutes later.

Then I moved to the bedroom, where I would remain for half an hour as everyone started arriving. I stayed pretty much on my right side the entire time, and my version of what was happening is clouded by intense never-ending contractions.

There was never a moment where I wanted to transport or get an epidural, but I kept thinking about the bottle of vicodin in my medicine cabinet, left over from some injury or another… My friend Jeanine and I had joked about having such a short labor that I could just take a vicodin and sail through it. So at the height of contractions, I would wonder if I could somehow sneak into the kitchen and take a vicodin when no one was looking. But moving was not really an option at that point.

At only 8:21, less than half an hour after Val had gotten there, and mere minutes since the Blue Mesa text from Bonnie, I had a missed call from Kelly (of course I didn’t see it). She called Jason instead and asked him what was going on. His response was that his wife “said” she was in labor (thanks, babe) and was on the bed mooing, yes mooing, but my water hadn’t broken.

I would later discover that this was one of his expectations for the birth – my water would break like last time and precede real labor. He was supporting me with lots of hip squeezes and snuggles like he believed me though – so his doubt wasn’t apparent to me at all. He’s such an awesome hubby and I couldn’t keep getting these girls out drug-free without him!

Kelly can hear me in the background, and knows I am most certainly in labor and it’s progressing fast. She was calling to tell us that Kim, her backup midwife in Fort Worth (who’s a birth guru in her own right) and her assistant Abbie will be headed our way; another momma is in labor in San Angelo. This was something that wasn’t unexpected or not okay – we knew going in that it was a possibility. Kim had attended Coco’s birth, and we trust her as implicitly as Kelly, so this switch wasn’t a big deal.

Laboring in bed - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

But, even without that mom in labor, I’m pretty sure Kelly knew at that time (from the sound of the “mooing”) that she wasn’t going to make it in time. Kim was 45 minutes out, and it looked like a mad dash for her to get here. Abbie, living in Flower Mound, was the closest and had already been on the way to Kim’s that morning for appointments.

So many cameras... by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

I’m unaware of what’s going on at this point (shocking right) but I do know that Bonnie, Tonya, Ceci, and Alexa are now all there. And there is NO midwife. This doesn’t really concern me. We have had this conversation many, many times. When births progress this quickly it usually means nothing is wrong. Tonya hangs with me for a bit, gets some hot rice socks that are SO nice, and squeezes my hips. A great doula is worth millions. Seriously. I love my husband, but four hands rubbing your back and getting you hot rice socks is way better than two and I don’t know any husbands with four hands.

Then Tonya is on the phone with Kelly, I’m not sure what that conversation was, I suspect it was about midwife arrival details, and the fact that yes this is happening fast. But that’s speculation on my part.

All I know is that another contraction is crashing down on top of me, and while Jason’s attempts are good – Tonya is a professional hip squeezer. And in the moment I can’t even remember my friend’s name. I start yelling “Doula, HELP! Doula, HELP!” And she comes and I survive another one.

Somewhere in here I tell them I need to get in the pool, and Alexa has to put cold water in it because it’s too hot (we never used the heater or jets, just hot from our water heater).

Tonya suggests changing position to hands and knees on my bed, I get on my hands and knees briefly, then immediately slump to my left side instead. I’m pushing when on hands and knees and tell them that.

The midwife - by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

For whatever reason I got the distinct impression that if we were having an unassisted birth for some reason it would be preferable that we stay in the bedroom. That’s just not happening though. While I hate swimming pools and hot tubs in the rest of my life – I AM a waterbirther. Or an epidural birther. And since the anesthesiologist didn’t RSVP – the big jacuzzi will get the win today. That pool is only a few dozen feet away and I AM getting into it to have this baby.

Abbie is close they tell me. I give Abbie one more contraction to show up and then I am getting in the pool regardless of the temperature or the likelihood of an unassisted birth. Why am I always waiting for SOMEONE to show up before I get in the darn pool?? This was the only moment in my birth that resembled Coco’s in the least, although this time it wasn’t anything more than a short distraction for me.

No midwife was pushing this baby out – I was. Their presence was simply for safety and comfort, not necessity. I am the only person who has to be present for the birth of my baby, followed by my husband.

I’m still clutching my iPod. I’m singing All-Star, by Smash Mouth, while listening on my earbuds, and even in the other room they can hear me, although they can’t quite figure out the context of my chants.

Abbie arrives and introduces herself, and it seems like I told her I thought we had met at a Tarrant County Birth Network meeting. Yes, I’m thinking about TCBN and I’m pretty sure I’m completely dilated. I don’t care. No one is slowing my dash to the pool.

It’s 9:09, I make the walk from the bedroom to the front room where we have to pool set up.

I get into the pool. Bliss. I can do this, I can survive it. I tell my friends, “This baby is going to fall out, people”. (Alexa took notes!) My gosh, how do people have babies anyplace other than water? And why do I wait each time until the bitter end? Seems like someone said something about checking me. I either thought or verbalized that they were welcome to do whatever they wanted, I was still pushing.

by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

Abbie gets heart tones. She mentions that she hasn’t read my birth plan, and asks if Jason is going to catch. Jason isn’t concerned about catching and he’s in a good spot with Coco (the same spot he was when Coco was born) talking me through the pushing.

9:15 I tell them “Here we go!” and a minute later, “I’m ready to push this baby out.”

Kim is on the phone, she’s nearby, but it certainly seems like this is going to happen before she gets there. I push a few times – we do that awful, tragic dance where it feels like she’s going to pop

out, and then she gets sucked back in. I forget the part where that’s a good thing because I’m stretching. Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I tell them all, “I’m a rockstar”. Nice.

Pushing again. I try to keep my voice low. I’m doing a crap job of it apparently though, because Kim is coaching Tonya on the phone, who is then coaching me. Bonnie tells Coco it’s the song mommies sing to get their babies out, and Coco believes her. We have practiced for months for this moment, my sweet big girl and I. Every night at bath time, or in the shower, we’ve talked about baby Romy coming out of mommy in a big, big tub in the front room, and we’ve practiced making the moaning noises together that I will make. She can “Ahhhh” with the best of them.

Pushing - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

I’m thankful in between pushing contractions that it’s happening the way I promised Coco it would, in a pool, in our home, while I make guttural cow noises. I’m thankful to be surrounded by such amazing wonderful women and a beautifully perfect husband, and two sweet, sweet little girls who are there today to welcome a new sister and a new friend (although baby Reese, only months old herself, slept through the whole thing on my couch!). I’m thankful for the love that my new baby was being born into. She crowns at 9:24 am, my water breaks, and is born one minute later.

Another pushing contraction. Finally, her head is out, then her shoulders. Like her big sister, she stops there, halfway out of my body, underwater, and looking around. The contraction is over, but it seems like they are telling me to push her out, and so I do. Just like last time.

I’m terribly thankful for Abbie in that moment, the student midwife. I am thrilled that I wasn’t checked my entire labor (although I would have never thought I would be happy about that – I like to know what’s going on). I am thrilled I was so unwatched, and able to just verbalize where I was without anyone verifying it. I know in my heart I was beginning transition on the floor of my living room, and I didn’t need someone else to tell me. It was amazingly empowering to labor with only my own internal guidance and be able to say, unequivocally “I’m pushing my baby out”. But in that still moment where a baby is hanging half out of you, and you want someone to tell you whether you should push it out, or wait until the next contractions – I am thrilled to have a professional there to do it.

She’s finally out, I throw a leg over the cord, and meet Rosemary Valentine. I am overcome in a different way than my last birth, joyous to meet my new baby. While my labor

by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

was almost half the time of my labor with Coco (3 1/2 hours with Romy, 6 1/2 with Coco), I don’t have the “hit by a train” sensation that I did last time. In fact, the whole room seems shinier to me, there’s a glow coming off of this little uncarved block laying on my chest, with all of the potential in the universe there for her to enjoy. Her daddy leans in and whispers in her ear, something so soft that even I don’t hear it. I have the privilege of introducing Romy to Coco. I have the privilege of introducing Romy to the world…

Alexa sticks her head in at some point and asks me if the smell of cooking eggs and bacon would bother me. No, I tell her, and then wonder why she would be cooking eggs and bacon. I don’t remember having eggs and bacon… but then she’s gone again and I am back staring at the baby.

Just born - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

Kim arrived somewhere in all of this, we talk about the placenta. I hate the placenta. I don’t want to stop holding the baby, and the midwives tell me that I can push the placenta out while holding the baby. My placentas don’t give up that easy though, so I know I should hand her off. We cut the cord after it’s done pulsing, and Jason and Coco get to enjoy some quiet time talking to her.

The crowd mainly disperses, I remark to Kim how she told me at my last birth it would feel juicy to get the placenta out, and it was nothing like pushing the baby out because there are no bones. She mentions that Romy appears to be a bigger baby than Coco and the placenta may be big too. Bonnie and Tonya stay with me, rubbing my lower back, while I have contractions and try to push the stupid placenta out. I hate the placenta – did I mention that? I’m glad I can encapsulate them and eat them, it’s punishment for being such a hassle to deliver.

Baby Daddy - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

I take some herbal stuff, Bonnie & Tonya are still stuck doing doula work on me even though baby is out. I will love them forever for this. Helping a mama birth a placenta isn’t glamorous or awesome in any way, shape or form. It’s much more vulnerable and self conscious for me, since the crazy endorphins have mainly subsided. The midwives suggest they or I do manual traction on the placenta, since it has released and is sitting at the top of the cervix. I opt to do it myself, which means I am

The Placenta - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

gently tugging on the cord while pushing. One hour and one minute after pushing the baby out, I birth the placenta using mooing, back massage, and manual traction.

They throw a fuzzy pink robe on me and make the trek back to my bedroom. As I walk through the house, I glance up at the kitchen counter… It looks like Sunday buffet at the Marriott. Where did all that food come from????

I’m laying down, waiting for the nausea and post birth yuckiness, but instead I end up with a breakfast tray with juice, and chocolate peanut butter croissants and eggs and bacon and cheese and turkey on croissants. And fresh grapes and watermelon. The nausea never comes. Eating brings back the little bit of color I have lost and refuels me.

Everyone needs a house doula.

Jason comes into the room with me and we have a quiet moment. We hear everyone in our kitchen, the bubbling conversation of the women who helped us bring our second daughter safely earthside. There is an overwhelming sense of community in our home, as they chat over brunch.

Newborn Exam - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

We do our newborn exam. My healthy baby with 1 and 5 minute apgars of 10 has a tiny stork bite on her neck, but is otherwise perfection. She weighs in at 8 lbs 13 oz and is 19 3/4″ long. A full pound and an ounce more than my last baby and over half a pound larger than my first.

by BMJ Events - http://bmjevents.blogspot.com/

This is a little shocking. I’m typically under 100 pounds when I’m not pregnant. This is a big baby for me! I’m surely going to discover I have massive tears from this gigantor baby. But, no, I have only a minor tear, that is easily repaired with super glue at my 2 day appointment. Fat does indeed squish!

After singing happy birthd

ay to Romy with the cake that Alexa and Coco made while I labored, we settle into an herbal bath and I chat with my friends and Coco. After everyone packs up to leave, we spend a few moments with Abbie and Kim getting our postpartum instructions.

Herbal Bath - by Ceci Jane - http://cecijane.com/

Birthday Cake - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

It’s about 2:00 in the afternoon, 24 hours after my maternity pictures with Bonnie on Friday. Romy is 4 and a half hours old. Coco is wild and needs a nap. Jason turns the Curious George DVD on for her for just a minute while he finishes up with me and the midwives. When he goes back to the living room, she’s slumped over on the couch, exhausted from the excitement of the day.

He carries her into our king size bed, where she and Romy nap together and I lay between them, too excited and energized to sleep. We send some texts and begin the exhilarating task of notifying friends and family. While they watched their Saturday cartoons and enjoyed sleeping in on a Saturday morning, we were busy working hard in our living room, birthing a small miracle among friends.

Our birth posse - by Val Cannon - http://www.valeriecannonphotography.com/

Somehow having all of my stash doesn’t make me ready. I’m creeping up on 37 weeks (I don’t have that handy ticker built into everything I own like I did last time!), but I’m in no rush. It’s August, even. Yes it’s hot – but it would be hot in my regular state of being.

Is it because I have a toddler who takes up most of my time? With my last pregnancy, I spent lots of time just *waiting*. Number 1 was 12 when our second was born, so it wasn’t like he needed me to entertain him or clean up after at that point. Maybe I am just too busy.

Interestingly enough, as I plan a second waterbirth, there is still the mystery of what will happen looming over me. I feel a little better this time that I won’t immediately start crying for an epidural (I never even asked last time – it was never that unmanageable). But I wonder if my birth team will all make it, and whether Coco will be freaked out, whether Jason will get to catch this time…

I haven’t got the birth kit quite ready. I really wanted to have our floors replaced by now (anyone who knows me knows this has been right up there in priorities with baby being head down). I want to have everything just perfect.

I have decided though, that the baby doesn’t care. It’s her birth, it’s her grand event. It’s not mine. With my last birth, it was about it being MY production. This time, I’m going to worry less about making sure my bathrooms are spotless and just be. I’m going to be excited while I anticipate how she chooses to make her entrance. I know I am more than capable of doing the work to get her here, but beyond that, it’s not my choice how and when it happens. It’s hers.

My amazing, sweet friend Alexa got each of the girls a name plaque – Corinne is Coco’s “real” name. I’ll reveal the other plaque just as soon as she gets here!

We have some stock on hand of the discontinued Cosmos & Ice (and a few more on order). Grovia is announcing new colors in the coming months, and is clearing out these to make room.

While supplies last you can get 15% off all Cosmos & Ice One Size & Newborn All-in-ones OR 25% off if you by four or more.

PLUS get a free GroVia wetbag with any $20 purchase ($6.95 value, also while supplies last) by mentioning in the comments whether you would like a boyish, girly or gender neutral wetbag.

This offer is good online from July 19-July 31, or until we run out.
In shop, good from Thursday July 21- Saturday July 30, since we are closed on Sunday.

I am so excited about this move – it means you can go touch and feel cloth 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 11am – 6pm. I am still doing demos and lots of phone consults pretty much anytime, but if you run out of  CD safe detergent, need Sophie the Giraffe this very moment (that happens alot) or have a baby shower gift emergency, you won’t have to work around my schedule.

Stella’s is located at 3460 Bluebonnet Circle in Fort Worth – it is super easy to find: from I-30, exit University South, and go past TCU until University basically deadends into Bluebonnet Circle. Stella’s is just right there on the right! At the bottom of this post is the google map to get you there from anyplace in the metroplex.

For a sneak peak of what it currently looks like in our little corner, here are a couple of pictures.

While you are there, check out the other great vendors for kids including gorgeous custom bows and all sorts of goodies for your prince or princess.

For mom, the main part of the store has fab jewelry, accessories and clothes.
I understand they also do great beading birthday parties for your older girl!

When you stop by, make sure to ask to be put on their email list – each month you can get a 30% off coupon for any one item in the store during Girls Night Out. Yep – 30% off! Even on cloth diaper stuff! I have big plans for Waldorf dolls and other great handmade goodies come this fall – so stay tuned!

View Larger Map

Tiffany over at Duds or Deals 4 Moms is a genius!

First of all – she was kinda the silent mastermind behind the Grand Prairie, South Dallas/ Fort Worth Great Cloth Diaper Change and all the organizing that went on behind the scenes. She totally picked up the slack to get our evidence in after the event, when (silly me) I had to take a few days on bedrest because I got dehydrated and a little too wild and then had hours and hours of way-to-close contractions. She saved the day getting everything to the national organizers in a timely and professional manner. So I think she’s brilliant just for that (among other things, like doing awesome reviews).

We have kicked around the idea of doing a streaming cloth diaper show in the past, but she finally has nailed me down to a date and explained to me how to make it live on the web:

June 24, 2011, at 7 pm, Central Standard Time - we will present my regular old Cloth Diapering 101 class – only this time it will be available anywhere with an internet connection via UStream.

If you are a Facebook user – you can view and RSVP to the event here:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122918411124058

You can alternately or additionally enter your email address on our Ustream channel, and Ustream will notify you of the event date. We will be manning the chat function – but if you have specific questions in advance you would like me to tackle – post them in the comments below.

I’ll offer the disclaimer up front that I am sharing MY experiences cloth diapering and what works for me isn’t the same as what works for everyone else. That’s why so many varieties of cloth diapers have come on the market. But I’ll tell you my faves and fails, and also possibly do some giveaways and great coupon codes.

Hope to “see” you there!

The Birth Next Door is an anthology of 28 births in and around Tarrant County, Texas. These are stories, in their own words, of moms who experienced birth in almost every way.

Birth in cars, after days of labor, full of surprises or deep contentment, in awe of their bodies and their partners and the capacity for one day to truly change their lives (for better or worse).

I’m so excited to have had the opportunity to be a part of this project. Becoming a mother is probably the most life changing event most women experience and we were truly blessed to have many, many women share their special day (or days in some case) through their stories and pictures of their births. Unmedicated, epidural, vaginal, csection, and VBAC births are all included. This is a great gift for an expectant mom, or an expectant grandma, wondering what her daughter’s birth will look like in today’s hospital, home or birth center environment.

Please pick one up at a TCBN meeting or event, or order one online at www.thebirthnextdoor.com

A portion of the purchase of every copy of The Birth Next Door goes to benefit the Tarrant County Birth Network.

TCBN is a chapter of the 501c3 nonprofit BirthNetwork National. Our mission is to provide information and advocacy for evidence-based, Mother-Friendly care for expectant families in Tarrant County. TCBN offers monthly meetings and special events throughout the year that recognize and promote mother-friendly care. Our professional members can be located on our website or in our annual resource guide, produced each September. TCBN has no employees, and is run completely by through efforts of volunteers committed to maternity care in North Texas.