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Family fun on Halloween, bump included.

By Amanda Jo Greep On November 1, 2011 Comments ()

I've never been much of a Halloween person. Sure, I enjoyed it as a kid (free candy -- who wouldn't?), but grew out of it as a teenager and was sort of lame in college. While my friends were out dressing as Sexy ______ [insert any costume here] and getting drunk, I was… um… I can't even remember what I was doing. Probably laundry. Now that I have a kid of my own, though -- with another on the way -- my perspective has changed.

I interrupt this blog to bring you a brief bit of whining. I apologize in advance.

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 27, 2011 Comments ()

Let's just say that while taking care of a sick child when sick yourself is just awful, taking care of a sick child while sick AND pregnant is downright unbearable. Ugh.

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A toddler + a newborn = recipe for disaster?

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 24, 2011 Comments ()

We've been thinking about child spacing a lot recently. Not because there's anything we can do about it at this point, being 24 weeks pregnant and all, but more just wondering whether we've done the "right" thing or whether we'll regret Poppy and Boo being this close together. Most days I think we've made the right choice for our family. But then I go and reflect back on my toddler's newborn days and start to think we should've waited 10 years to have our next child. Or maybe never.

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Two.

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 20, 2011 Comments ()

Today, my toddler turned two. I wasn't sure what to expect from this birthday. Last year felt monumental somehow. She went from being x months to an entire year and I was flooded with nostalgia and emotions over the events of my labor and her eventual birth. This year, not so much. Funny how much a little thing like a looming second child can suddenly change one's perspective, eh?

A bump and a toddler and public transit. Oh, my!

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 18, 2011 Comments ()

I was waiting for the subway the other night when I realized my lower back ached. Then the train pulled up and although it was 9 p.m., it was packed. I squeezed my way on, found a spot about half way down the car, and stationed myself in front of a couple of riders buried in books and/or listening to iPods. I grabbed the bar overhead, sighed loudly, and pulled my cardigan to the side to expose the bump. Nothing.

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Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 15, 2011 Comments ()

Today is the 7th annual Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Every year, on October 15th, mothers come together to celebrate, grieve, and support each other as they remember and reflect on personal losses.

While I have been incredibly fortunate to have one healthy intended pregnancy that ended in a healthy child and appear to be on the road to my second, I have many, many dear friends and family members who have suffered losses -- whether it was an early miscarriage, a late one, a stillbirth or otherwise.

I want to reach out to them -- and all mothers -- today and say that I remember your pregnancies, your babies, and your children and hope that you are finding peace today, as always.

You are getting sleepy... very, very sleepy.

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 12, 2011 Comments ()

I spend a lot of my work time talking to clients about the importance of a good childbirth education class, but being a professional doula and second-time mom-to-be, I questioned whether I needed to do any special preparation this time. After looking into a variety of classes and talking to friends and colleagues in the birth community, I started to explore hypnosis.

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Birth as... performance art?

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 8, 2011 Comments ()

Recently, several interesting moms-to-be have been making news.

First, there is Nancy Salguiero, a chiropractor, childbirth educator, and owner of YourBirthCoach.com. Mom to 2, she is planning a home birth with her third child (due yesterday!) and planning to stream it live on the internet. And Salguiero certainly won't be the first mom to broadcast a play-by-play of her birth online. Although I don't think I would ever feel comfortable streaming my own labor and birth live for the masses, I am grateful to these women for being willing to share their own.

That being said, there was one more mama-to-be brought to my attention this morning and her headline definitely made me do a double take: Marni Kotak, Artist, Will Give Birth at Microscope Gallery, for Real. That basically sums it all up. Kotak, a performance artist living in NYC, plans to give birth in an art gallery.

As I read about this "live" birth, I'm left wondering what about it makes me so uncomfortable.

Yes, I'm one of *those* women.

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 7, 2011 Comments ()

I'm 22 weeks pregnant as of this weekend and feeling great. I have been blessed with good health (so far) and am that comfort zone in the second trimester of pregnancy where you look adorably pregnant, but don't yet feel massively uncomfortable. I've gained about 10 pounds, have a nice little bump going, haven't started to swell, and am just generally enjoying myself.

And although my gag reflex is still on overdrive and my patience runs thin with my toddler more often than I'd like to admit, things are good. Very good.

So, dare I say it? I love being pregnant.

Please don't stop reading yet.

Placenta Possibilities

By Amanda Jo Greep On October 5, 2011 Comments ()

A few years ago, I never would've pictured myself in this line of work or discussing what one could do with a placenta. In fact, a few years ago, I'd had no idea you could -- or would want to -- do anything with a placenta other than try not to think about it too much. Now I ooh and ahh over them at every birth I attend and I encourage new parents to take a look, too, whether at home or in the hospital. It's an amazing organ that your body grows for just this purpose and I really feel it deserves at least a moment of reverence.

By the time my daughter was born at home in late 2009, I was familiar with some "placenta possibilities," but couldn't decide if any of them were for me. This time around, I'm less squeamish about the whole thing and wondering what I should do with the placenta currently nourishing Boo.

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awkward pregnancy photos - what-about-me

The Weirdest Maternity Photos Ever

You've got to see these awkward pregnancy pics to believe them