this woman’s work

You are browsing the archives from 2002 December.

Or paint me something. One of these days, my sister is going to be RICH!

Betsy sent me this letter they got from an OB/GYN criticizing the magazine for espousing such out-there ideas as midwifery care and doulas. He said that in his experience, midwives and doulas were poorly educated and that telling women that VBACs were a valid choice was dangerous and he had the horror stories to prove it. (Never mind what the stats say. Who needs medical studies if they don’t back you up?) Betsy said they’re printing a truncated version of the letter in their next issue and they’ll be responding on their editorial page.

I sent the following blurbs back to her for inclusion in the next issue. (And yes, gentle readers, I wrote these as a joke!)
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And now, a conversation with Noah about a key

Noah: Mommy, can you put this key on my keychain?
Dawn: What key is this?
Noah: It’s my key that unlocks all the doors [it does, too, the
bathroom and the bedrooms -- Dawn]. I believe it has magical
powers.
Dawn: Wow, really?
Noah: No.
Dawn: You don’t think it’s magic?
Noah: No.
Dawn: Do you believe in magic?
Noah: I believe in dinosaurs and dragons, that’s all.
(more…)

From her beautiful site foment.net.

Throughout the five years I maintained an online community, I encountered truly astonishing examples of nurturing, assistance, activism, and support. I know that the site helped many people get the help they needed to improve their own lives, whether as a source of entertainment, information and advice, an escape route from bad situations, or a path to true love. Online communities can be intensely helpful and good for the participants.

But as the administrator I also saw the dark side of the endeavor. I had to deal with the stalkers pursuing victims, the hateful in-fighting, the community members who truly needed professional services to deal with their mental health issues. I listened to death and kidnapping threats. I had to deal with law enforcement on numerous occasions when crimes were admitted or discussed on the site.

As many of you know, I’m writing product blurbs for ePregnancy and we’re trying to feature small/home businesses. (I really want to review some great made-by-mom diapers because I don’t think people realize how great, easy and fun cloth diapers can be! So pass this on to any diaper-making mamas out there!)

Anyway, I just got two Cozy Cocoons in the mail. I contacted them after seeing a brochure when I was picking Noah’s best friend up from the Waldorf School down the block from us. They sent the Snug~Bug and the Baby~Bunting and a sweet little hat.

I am so damn impressed by these. The Cozy Cocoons are baby bags to keep little ones swaddled. I would have *loved* this for Noah (he was a January baby) because I couldn’t keep him wrapped up tight enough in a blanket. I would have loved it for our family bed, too, because I was terrified about covering him with our quilt by mistake. They look easy to slip on and off for the inevitable constant diaper changing, too. (I’m going to have a friend with a new baby try them out to see for sure.)

The Snug~Bug is this pretty yellow velour outside and a soft pink inside so it looks — I kid you not — like one of those gorgeous roses that are tipped on the edges of their petals. The hat is the same way and they both have a little rosebud sewn on. The Baby~Bunting is much more lightweight and every day feeling but it is so so soft!

I’m going to really look forward to writing these up for the magazine. And I have to say that many of the other products I’ve received so far have been great but they haven’t given me any twinges about not having a new baby myself. This one however got me right here. (I’m pointing to my heart region.) It’s so, I don’t know, baby! It’s a good thing we sent out that adoption application last week!!!