Look, I even see a few curls!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
My Birthday
Two of my dear friends took me to dinner for my birthday. Curt was supposed to be traveling but ended up not going. He had to work late anyway so things worked out. We went to Lugo. They also gave my a certificate to Healing Hands. Looking forward to that one!
When I got home, Curt and Ian had chocolate covered strawberries for me! (Eva was sleeping).
Grandpa's Girl
Ian was 2 years and 8 or 9 months before he started gun play. Before, he would make gun-like objects out of Legos and I would ask him what it was and he would say,"A Tower." Then, all of a sudden, he started pretending everything was a gun. It happened a lot later than I thought it would considering we live near and work on an Army base and my dad is a big hunter and we lived with my parents for a good chunk of time during Ian's first 2.5 years.
Eva on the other hand, is already "shooting" at 15 months. Ugh!
You can even see that she is making shooting noises.
Eva on the other hand, is already "shooting" at 15 months. Ugh!
You can even see that she is making shooting noises.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Dunk Tank
Curt went in the dunk tank for Organization Day. Everyone else put on shorts or bathing suits to go in, but I suggested he keep his regular clothes on to make it more satisfying for the people to dunk him. It was a hit! Ian got to dunk him as well. He couldn't hitit with enough pressure so they just let him push the button.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Visit to Dongducheon
Only 38 km away, but takes at least 2 hours to get there (more, if you miss the turns like us). We had a great visit with friends who live in a large, purple house with a yard. Ian plays in the dirt with G.
Eva sees a dog:
Eva says,"Dog!"
The dog:
Eva sees a dog:
Eva says,"Dog!"
The dog:
Welcome to Summer, or ER Season as I Call It
With antics like this and this:
It is not surprising that this happened:
Except that she was on the ground. She tripped and hit her eye on the tv stand. She cried immediately. Pupils were reactive. She did not lose consciousness, but her skin was split open so we went in for a stitch. They said they could use glue, but Ian had glue for the cut on his eye and it didn't seem to do much. I told him I didn't want a cross hatch, though. He said that if the stitches are removed at the right time there won't be one. I hope he knew what he was doing. He looked like he was about 25. They had to use the baby straight jacket (they swaddled her with a sheet). She was very calm until the lidocaine. She stopped crying fairly quickly, though.
It is not surprising that this happened:
Except that she was on the ground. She tripped and hit her eye on the tv stand. She cried immediately. Pupils were reactive. She did not lose consciousness, but her skin was split open so we went in for a stitch. They said they could use glue, but Ian had glue for the cut on his eye and it didn't seem to do much. I told him I didn't want a cross hatch, though. He said that if the stitches are removed at the right time there won't be one. I hope he knew what he was doing. He looked like he was about 25. They had to use the baby straight jacket (they swaddled her with a sheet). She was very calm until the lidocaine. She stopped crying fairly quickly, though.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Shapewear in a Size 2, Thank You Lands' End
Friend C brought along the Lands' End catalog on one of our moms morning outs. I haven't looked at a Lands' End catalog since my mom used to order from them in the 80's. But, bathing suit season has arrived and I don't have anything to wear. Pre-pregnancy suits don't have enough support. Maternity suits (even bikinis because of the different shape) are too baggy. I bought two suits from Old Navy last summer and though I wore them, they really don't have enough support. Most shape wear suits are expensive and only come in bigger sizes and I dreaded ordering something and having to return it. That is where Lands' End comes in. They have bathing suits and bikinis made for a mother's body. Shapewear and support are built into even the very small sizes. There is also a very thorough size chart with several torso length options.
I ordered a white bikini and a brown full length suit. I like the bikini better, but it will be nice to have the option of a full length suit for indoor pools since it tends to be colder.
I ordered a white bikini and a brown full length suit. I like the bikini better, but it will be nice to have the option of a full length suit for indoor pools since it tends to be colder.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Hanbok Fashion Show
I went to a Hanbok Fashion Show at an unfinished temple out past Uijeongbu last month. More pictures here.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Finger Painting: 3 Minutes of Fun for 20 Minutes of Clean UP
Friend I was a natural:
We had to bathe the kids and mop afterwards.
The Adventures of Monkey Girl
Up is Good:
But How Do I Get Higher:
Something Else to Climb On:
Its like this all day long. If I push the chairs in, she still tries to climb but gets stuck.
But How Do I Get Higher:
Something Else to Climb On:
Its like this all day long. If I push the chairs in, she still tries to climb but gets stuck.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Bradley Method for Natural Childbirth
I just finished reading two books on the Bradley Method: Husband-Coached Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley, MD and Natural Childbirth The Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon. My next doula clients are reading the Susan McCutcheon book. There are no Bradley classes in the country so they have to rely on the book. I don't believe that one book can substitute for a 12-week class, so I have been reading and consulting with my friend, Amy, who took the Bradley class in person to try to help them get as much out of the book as possible.
I checked out older editions of both of these books from the library. After reading them, I ordered the latest versions, but haven't received them, yet. I will start with Dr. Bradley's book.
I was really interested to read about Bradley Method because Bradley couples are often described as "militant" or "birth warriors". I saw a blog post last year about a doctor's office in Utah that had a sign explicitly stating,"No Bradley Method". I though,"Whoa, why all the hate for Bradley Method? What are they teaching?"
What is the essence of Bradley Method?
1. Birth is a normal, physiological process that is performed instinctively by other mammals.
2. Humans need to be trained for childbirth, just as they are for swimming, because we have lost touch with our instincts.
3. The best person to train/guide/coach a woman through the birth process is the man who loves her and got her into the situation in the first place.
4. A husband taking an active role in the pregnancy and birth, helps build a solid foundation for his family.
Doesn't seem so controversial at its essence. I don't think that the core messages are controversial. However, there is a VERY strong stance against using pain medication in pregnancy and labor. There is no sugar-coating, no laissez-faire attitude, but a very strong stance that the vast majority of women should be able to birth without pain medication or interference. There is also a sincere and aggressive belief that Bradley Method is superior to all other methods and that can be a turn-off for sure.
Dr. Bradley's book is written to the husband. I don't know why that surprised me since the title is Husband-Coached Childbirth. To be honest, I guess it surprised me because I can't imagine my husband reading it or any other book on childbirth. I do think there are probably more women than men who read the book, at least, at first. I can imagine my husband attending the classes and becoming the star pupil, though. However, as a woman reading this book, it would be easy to get offended by Dr. Bradley telling husbands how to "instruct and train their wives." However, Dr. Bradley tells husbands they need to "train themselves" as well. Also, if you are not married or not partnered with a man, the language of the book could be a little frustrating. But again, the title tells you that the book is addressing husbands.
I imagine that Dr. Bradley was quite a character in person. The whole book is like a lecture from a strong-minded man trying to condense a lifetime's worth of passion, work and discoveries for an audience of clueless fathers-to-be. After 23,000 births with a 94% unmedicated, vaginal delivery rate, no maternal mortality and only a 3% c-section rate, Dr. Bradley has a definite perspective. It would be easy to interpret the message of the book to be,"Just listen to me and you'll have a great birth." Well, it is hard to argue with success, however, many people do not like to be told what to do.
Dr. Bradley's book covers a lot of the history of the development of the method with case examples and opinions on everything from avoiding drugs, even in preconception to women going without underwear. A lot of time and energy is spent trying to convince the husband of the rewards of truly supporting his wife through pregnancy and childbirth. I don't know how the 5th edition has changed, but 4th edition that I read, would be a good introduction to the Bradley Method for those interested in taking a live, in-person class. There are no pictures and though some of the exercises are described, this is not the book to read if you are interested in Bradley but don't have access to a class.
If you are interested in the Bradley Method, but can't take the class, the McCutcheon book is the one to buy. The McCutcheon book has a lot more pictures, nice pencil drawings that show anatomy from various views to facial expression through stages of labor. It has relaxation exercises and a practice schedule. You would do well to supplement with some other form of childbirth education, but if you follow the practice schedule, I think you can get the essence to take you through labor.
So why bother taking the class at all, even if you have the option?
A 12-week class allows you to interact with others, including an experienced, confident teacher. Committing to learning and preparing over time, allows you to process the knowledge and integrate it. Relaxation is a body activity. Your body needs to "know" how to relax. If you haven't practiced, you make think you "get it" by reading, but when birth gets intense and requires focus, you will not be able to easily use something you haven't practiced. Attending class, guarantees you practice and process, at least during class. There is also a bit of peer pressure and accountability to the teacher (and the money and time you are spending to attend classes) that results in more practicing. The more you practice and the more you have processed and integrated the information, the more confident you'll be going into your birth and , therefore, the more likely you will be able to use the techniques successfully.
With the couple using the McCutcheon book to prepare, we (my doula partner and I ) are encouraging them to set a practice schedule and stick to it. We have also done some other exercises with them from Birthing from Within and the Pink Kit to fill in the gaps.
I will be very interested to see how they do with the Bradley Method. The husband is already very interested and excited about the birth. If they practice regularly (as with anything), I think it will work well for them.
I checked out older editions of both of these books from the library. After reading them, I ordered the latest versions, but haven't received them, yet. I will start with Dr. Bradley's book.
I was really interested to read about Bradley Method because Bradley couples are often described as "militant" or "birth warriors". I saw a blog post last year about a doctor's office in Utah that had a sign explicitly stating,"No Bradley Method". I though,"Whoa, why all the hate for Bradley Method? What are they teaching?"
What is the essence of Bradley Method?
1. Birth is a normal, physiological process that is performed instinctively by other mammals.
2. Humans need to be trained for childbirth, just as they are for swimming, because we have lost touch with our instincts.
3. The best person to train/guide/coach a woman through the birth process is the man who loves her and got her into the situation in the first place.
4. A husband taking an active role in the pregnancy and birth, helps build a solid foundation for his family.
Doesn't seem so controversial at its essence. I don't think that the core messages are controversial. However, there is a VERY strong stance against using pain medication in pregnancy and labor. There is no sugar-coating, no laissez-faire attitude, but a very strong stance that the vast majority of women should be able to birth without pain medication or interference. There is also a sincere and aggressive belief that Bradley Method is superior to all other methods and that can be a turn-off for sure.
Dr. Bradley's book is written to the husband. I don't know why that surprised me since the title is Husband-Coached Childbirth. To be honest, I guess it surprised me because I can't imagine my husband reading it or any other book on childbirth. I do think there are probably more women than men who read the book, at least, at first. I can imagine my husband attending the classes and becoming the star pupil, though. However, as a woman reading this book, it would be easy to get offended by Dr. Bradley telling husbands how to "instruct and train their wives." However, Dr. Bradley tells husbands they need to "train themselves" as well. Also, if you are not married or not partnered with a man, the language of the book could be a little frustrating. But again, the title tells you that the book is addressing husbands.
I imagine that Dr. Bradley was quite a character in person. The whole book is like a lecture from a strong-minded man trying to condense a lifetime's worth of passion, work and discoveries for an audience of clueless fathers-to-be. After 23,000 births with a 94% unmedicated, vaginal delivery rate, no maternal mortality and only a 3% c-section rate, Dr. Bradley has a definite perspective. It would be easy to interpret the message of the book to be,"Just listen to me and you'll have a great birth." Well, it is hard to argue with success, however, many people do not like to be told what to do.
Dr. Bradley's book covers a lot of the history of the development of the method with case examples and opinions on everything from avoiding drugs, even in preconception to women going without underwear. A lot of time and energy is spent trying to convince the husband of the rewards of truly supporting his wife through pregnancy and childbirth. I don't know how the 5th edition has changed, but 4th edition that I read, would be a good introduction to the Bradley Method for those interested in taking a live, in-person class. There are no pictures and though some of the exercises are described, this is not the book to read if you are interested in Bradley but don't have access to a class.
If you are interested in the Bradley Method, but can't take the class, the McCutcheon book is the one to buy. The McCutcheon book has a lot more pictures, nice pencil drawings that show anatomy from various views to facial expression through stages of labor. It has relaxation exercises and a practice schedule. You would do well to supplement with some other form of childbirth education, but if you follow the practice schedule, I think you can get the essence to take you through labor.
So why bother taking the class at all, even if you have the option?
A 12-week class allows you to interact with others, including an experienced, confident teacher. Committing to learning and preparing over time, allows you to process the knowledge and integrate it. Relaxation is a body activity. Your body needs to "know" how to relax. If you haven't practiced, you make think you "get it" by reading, but when birth gets intense and requires focus, you will not be able to easily use something you haven't practiced. Attending class, guarantees you practice and process, at least during class. There is also a bit of peer pressure and accountability to the teacher (and the money and time you are spending to attend classes) that results in more practicing. The more you practice and the more you have processed and integrated the information, the more confident you'll be going into your birth and , therefore, the more likely you will be able to use the techniques successfully.
With the couple using the McCutcheon book to prepare, we (my doula partner and I ) are encouraging them to set a practice schedule and stick to it. We have also done some other exercises with them from Birthing from Within and the Pink Kit to fill in the gaps.
I will be very interested to see how they do with the Bradley Method. The husband is already very interested and excited about the birth. If they practice regularly (as with anything), I think it will work well for them.
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