Volume 2 Issue 1©2008 Indie Birth Publishing

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WARNING: Strong Opinions About Birth Inside

Here’s the purpose of Indie Birth:

To fire up the minds of modern-day mamas, so that they are inspired, educated and aware of all the choic-es surrounding them con-cerning their pregnancies and births.

To cater to those that are already independent, free-thinking and maybe a little bit radical... and to trans-form those mamas not yet in touch with their instinc-tive abilities to birth and nurture naturally.

To present ALL mamas with an opinion, one opinion sometimes, with an hon-est invitation to challenge this opinion, to speak out against or for this opinion, and most importantly to be daring enough to come to her own conclusions. Dare to challenge what you read, what you hear and what you see. Don’t take anything we print or say as “truth”- accept the responsibility to be

responsible, and use your intelligence and intuition to guide you.

In fact, if you don’t dis-agree with something we say, you’re probably just not thinking enough...

We strive to be, but are not limited to creating commu-nity among women with any of the following attributes:

independent... free-think-ing... radical... individual... those who insist on informed choice... those who don’t care what others think... instinc-tive... responsible... al-ternative... crunchy... crazy... hippy... differ-ent... non-conformist... real... confident... open... honest... natural... raw... intelligent... bold... opin-ionated... political... liberal... skeptical... un-phased... daring... influen-tial... powerful...

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How often do you stop and think that YOU are the one in control of your pregnancy? Of course, “control” doesn’t mean that you decide your own destiny. Sometimes freaky, unexpected things happen in life and in death, and we, as humans don’t have ulti-mate control with any of that.But freak situations aside, there is so much in your pregnancy that you have control over. I work with pregnant women that are choosing non-interventive mid-wifery care and planning to birth their baby at home. This albeit small group of women is a group of very empowered, intel-ligent women. I assume that those who chose me as their midwife have chosen me, at least partly, because of my philosophy. I believe that a pregnant woman is fully responsible and capable of making all the deci-sions in the care of herself and her baby. I hope and expect that my clients will come to me for advice, guid-ance, suggestions- my passion is walking on this path with women, before, during and after birth. But unlike some other care providers, I don’t “prescribe”, or insist or force anything. I do not want to be the pregnant lady police. I really, really believe that women can make their own choices once they are given

enough information, and they can also teach themselves and learn from the choices they have made. Every woman needs to be her own midwife. So, if your midwife routinely hands out pregnancy tea to her cli-ents, ask or find out why that might be beneficial to you. If you don’t like what you learn, then don’t drink it. It is your body. If your doctor prescribes you iron pills, do your research, learn about alternative ways to boost your iron. And if you don’t like what you learn, don’t take the iron pills. Despite what you may have been taught, these are all your choices to make. My advice is not to take what anyone says or tells you as the ultimate truth. Do your own re-search, and tune into your own body and mind- deep, deep down. The answers for so many questions is in there, and the more connected your body, mind and spirit are, the less likely you are to do what anyone tells you. Coming from a state where the practice of midwifery was (and is) illegal, I feel like I began my mid-wifery training very much focused on the ability of women to take control of themselves, and for that I am grateful. There was no “state protocol”, no pre-determined list of things to do routinely at every birth.

Be Your Own MIDWIFE

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Maryn Leister - Publisher

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Many of the women whose births I was privileged to attend were truly their own midwives, even without realizing it. They had gone through their pregnancies making conscious choices, and by birth were just so connected to what their bodies and their babies were doing. It is empowerment for all women- To ask a laboring woman after a contraction ,”How is your baby doing? -and to have her response be more informative, more accurate, more true than anything I could “monitor” with my high-tech gad-gets. It is well-known in this world that “mama’s intuition” is the best indicator of fetal well-being. This seems so incredible, so crazy these days- but intuition was ours before anything else came along. The wisdom we have as women is incredible. If we honor it, if we TRULY believe that we know best for bodies and our babies-then we will never be surprised by what we find. Connected to our souls, especially during birth, allows us as much control (and trust!) as we will ever have over the process.***

We Want to Hear From You!

The purpose of Indie Birth is to build a community. And to do that, we need your help. If you have a birth story, an ar-ticle, research or anything else you feel would help our readers to think for themselves when it comes to birth... then send it in! We can’t promise everything will get published, but we sure can

promise that we’ll look at it and send you a big thank you.

Send all of your submissions by email or mail to:

Indie Birth4560 E Wild Elk TrailFlagstaff AZ 86004Tel: (928) 221-6761Fax: 866-519-3859info@indiebirth.com

NOTE: Sorry, but we cannot return submitted materials. All submis-

sions will become property of Indie Birth Publishing. By you are autho-rizing us to publish your submission in its original or edited form.

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Feng Shui Babies and BirthRaquel Rotnes - Indie Birth Contributor

Birth is one of the greatest transitions in our lives. During pregnancy you plan everything to have the safest experience possible. Whether you give birth at home or in the hospital there are many choices to make. One of your choic-es is about surroundings. In the process of birth you are more vulnerable and babies are especially sensitive, therefore the energy around you affects you both more. Thus it’s important to make the place you give birth an essential, supportive part of your experience. How can you create a safe environment for the birth transition? Feng Shui, a traditional Chinese Art thousands of years old, addresses all the details of your home to create the most individual, safe space, matching your personal needs.Feng Shui adjustments like, placement of furniture (your bed and baby crib), color of walls, sheets, decorations, lighting, sounds, smells, textures and any-thing placed in the space of birth and the nursery can increase peace, health and a strong bond between mother and baby. Another important aspect is de-cluttering, so you come to birth with a clear mind and space for new begin-nings. Feng Shui strives to create balance between you and the natural world. During a consultation you will discover your predominant elements (Water, Earth, Wood, Fire or Metal), and gain a deeper understanding of how to bal-ance them. This process will facilitate the baby’s development of his/her true nature. For example a home that has an imbalance with the Fire Element can make a baby more fussy and inpatient. Because baby needs to be nurtured it’s always good to check the balance of the Earth Element. If you’re giving birth at home it will be beneficial to choose the room for birth. Surround yourself with pictures, fabrics, music, scents and objects that bring comfort and safety. If you plan to give birth at the hospital, take a famil-iar blanket for yourself and baby, choose warm colors because hospitals rooms tend to be cool. Bring your favorite comfy clothes to wear after birth, some home made food and herbal tea. Keep the baby with you most of the time and come back home to your supportive safe place.*** To reach Raquel Rotnes and learn more about Feng Shui Babies and Birth and her upcoming Workshop: Explore your Safe Space for mothers to be, call (928) 779-5118 ext 5 or email to raquelrotnes@gmail.com.

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“Spending time with family for me is one of the best things in life. In this case it was a big family reunion with at least 10 children

and twice as many adults. It was a warm summer day with games galore and smiling faces running this way and that.... and then I

saw a tender moment between a mother and child that represented calm, and I was taken. Moments like this show the simplicity of

love and the miracle of life.”*See a feature of Sandy Jamieson’s new book, “Zaida Baby” on page 10.

©2008 Sandy Jamieson

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Primal Mothering In a Modern World:A Book ReviewSunny Lee Savage - Indie Birth

Contributor

About 7 months ago, I was wan-dering through a used bookstore when a book literally jumped off the shelf at me: Primal Mother-ing In a Modern World, by Hygeia Halfmoon. The front cover has a picture of a beautiful family. The mother is topless and breastfeeding her youngest child. I knew that the book was made for me. I bought it without even reading the back cover. When I got the book home, I was delighted to find that the book was written by a raw foodist, a fruitar-ian to be exact. Being a raw foodist myself, I was expecting to read a book about raising a raw family. Little did I know I was in for so much more. The common thread throughout this book is not a raw food lifestyle, but women’s empowerment. Em-powerment in the choices we make in our mates, in birth, education, where we live, and yes, the food we eat. Ms. Halfmoon uses her life as an example throughout the book to illustrate how women often get caught in the trap of societal and/or cultural norms without even real-izing it. She begins her “counter-culture” choices toward empower-ment when she decides to leave

her abusive husband and live in a shelter just after her first daughter is born. Her choices continue as she turns down public assistance because she would have to stop breastfeeding her daughter to go to work, because the government would not support her. With many other twists and turns along the way, this courageous woman earns her Master’s Degree while living in a tent in Oklahoma, somehow finds enough money to move her whole family to Hawaii, and has an unas-sisted homebirth. She raises her 3 children and runs her own home business making baby slings as well as authors many empowering books. The story of this part of her life ends here, leaving you wishing to hear more. After a quick Google search it is not hard to find the rest of the story and, unfortunately, it is not all good. Ms. Halfmoon ends up loos-ing her daughter to Florida State Child Protective Services, looses her standing in the raw commu-nity, and returns to alcoholism. It is unclear how this part of her life ends. I did find out that she is liv-ing right here in Northern Arizona as of a month ago, in Williams. It appears her sling business is still active and that she may have had more children. She is also now a grandmother. Despite her recent misgivings, Primal Mothering is no less inspir-ing and empowering than before finding out about Ms. Halfmoon’s fall from grace. I feel so strongly about this book.***

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1st Annual Homebirth

Picnic!

Meet other families and learn about

homebirth options.

Saturday May 10thNorthern Arizona

Get More Information At:

www.indiebirth.com/calendar

Join the Arizona Home Birth Circle Online!This is for Arizona families and homebirth supports to meet and connect. It is also a great place to share and find resources for natural birth and natural parent-ing. To join, visit:

www.indiebirth.com/azcircle

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Zaida Baby- What Pregnancy is Really AboutMaryn Leister - Indie Birth Publisher

What is pregnancy and birth really about? The answer depends on what culture one is in, what the cir-cumstances are, and who you ask. Today, in the U.S., I am not quite sure we have kept our connection to the sacred, primal, usually simple process that is being pregnant and giving birth. Mainstream America doesnít value a momís intuition in the process, encourage her to relish each and every moment of

her empowerment as a (pregnant) woman. ìRite of passageî is an un-politically correct concept, because women should be able to come by a baby by many means, and pregnancy is no longer considered a special and exalted space. Pregnancy and birth are only the beginning in creating a family, a com-munity, a connection to our lineage. A wonderful pregnancy means not only health, but growth for the woman and baby and family on a spiritual and emotional level, as well as the physical. Pregnancy, labor and birth gives a woman one of the most unique ways to connect with her soul- by connecting with the spirit of another who lives inside of her. It is her chance to imagine and create a piece of the world. Sandy Jamiesonís creation, Zaida Baby-My First Keepsake is the re-minder we need to connect again with what pregnancy really means. Sandyís album of black-and-white photographs of pregnant mamas and their families are truly stunning. More than being beautiful to look at, they resonate at a deep level with the essence of what it means to be full of life. There is a simple, unspoken spiritual reaction I have to paging through her book. The photos and the words connect in a way to remind me that pregnancy is uncomplicated yet miraculous. The babies and fami-lies remind me that pregnancy is a journey for all involved, and that it is just a moment in time that should be relished and cherished. Sandyís book will help remind any pregnant woman, no matter where she comes from, that it is okay to love her body and to love the pro-cess and that there is value in connecting with her baby way before birth. And that she, as well as her baby, is truly fortunate (the mean-ing of ìzaidaî). Beyond inspiring, the book also includes a section that is for personal memories and photographs. In my opinion, the message is

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MISCARRIAGE AS A RITE OF PASSAGE Katie Silva - Indie Birth Contributor

Miscarriage in our culture is not often discussed openly. Women often pass through the experience of a miscarriage alone or with only her partner. In many cases, there is no ceremony, no special nurturing care afterwards, nor enough support from other women. Even the word “miscarriage” somehow implies that the woman or her body is at fault somehow and she somehow didn’t carry her child well enough and that the whole thing was a mis-take. My first miscarriage was when I was 19 years old in India. I was staying at Amachi’s Ashram and birthed the baby, a little boy, in a thatched hut. The monks freaked out and insisted I be taken by a little boat and a wild-driven taxi to the hospital hours away in the night. The hospital personnel threw my baby away in the trash without looking at me, gave me a D & C and fed me big pink horse pills. The blessing was that one of the nuns came and stayed with me in the hospital and nurtured me and spoke to me about imperma-nence. I had named the child in the womb “Tashi” which means “good fortune” in Tibetan, and that is still his name. My little Karma clearing angel baby. The second of my babies who crossed over before birth did so in Taos, New Mexico. In the beautiful Belizean rainforest, Miss Hortense (a Mayan midwife in her 60’s) had discovered and announced I was pregnant with a boy while doing an abdominal massage for me. Miss Beatrice (a Mayan village healer) had named the child “Kamich a h’au”, after the Mayan Sun God. Back home only a week, I dreamt that a ship was sinking and lost the child the next day. It was very painful emotionally and physically and I didn’t have

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that pregnancy is a different experience for all women, from literal ìbelly measurementsî to personal letters written from mom to baby. The final section of the book is from the babyís perspective at birth and in the year afterwards. It is the nicest of ìbaby booksî, and ends with several pages for family photographs. I am grateful for the messages that Sandy sends with her Zaida Baby- in a time and culture where nothing about womenís bodies (or birth) is viewed as sacred, this book is so meaningful. When words and stories donít remind us where we all came from, pictures sometimes do. Thank you, Sandy, for reminding us what pregnancy and birth are really about.

Sandy Jamieson can be reached via her website, www.zaidababy.com. You can also view a preview of the keepsake book, purchase a copy online, read press reviews and visit Sandyís blog.***

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much support. I felt like I had failed somehow. I grieved and felt depressed and had a lung infection for months afterwards. As I came out of my fog, with the help of my Peruvian Shaman friend, I heard the message that Kamich a’hau brought to me; “I will return when you don’t need me.” When I had fi-nally let go of the intense feeling of NEEDING to be pregnant and was feeling complete and full in myself, I conceived again. We birthed our beautiful living baby boy, Matoska, 2 years later. Two weeks ago, I experienced my third “miscarriage.” When I noticed my baby hadn’t been moving for a while, my breasts were shrinking and I was spotting, I called Shell and Maryn, my midwives. This was to be another technology-free pregnancy and birth, but I knew under the circumstances that a doppler would be necessary. As I feared, no heartbeat was found, and when followed by an ultrasound we saw her. My little baby, just sleeping peacefully in my womb, still. My midwives stayed with me through the 24 hour process of birthing Aman-da. With the loving help of the women with me, I released my fears and told the naked truth about things in my life. I came to an incredible new connection and commitment to be all that I am and to ruthlessly tell the truth and deeply take care of myself. We contacted the spirit of the child and she told me, “I died so that you can live more fully.” True to her word, Amanda was born in the sac- which in Mayan culture means that she is a midwife, a seer, a healer...my healer..my midwife, my new eyes. She had changed me profoundly. It is my hope that all women whose babies start the journey to our world but leave before they arrive will be honored, held and supported like I was. The support I received made a difficult life experience into a strengthening, heart opening rites of passage which I know was divinely perfect for my life and Amanda’s as well. I have a deeper faith in life, and in death, and am truly able to live more fully.*** Katie Silva is Mother to Tashi, Theresa, Kamich a’hau, Matoska and Aman-da. Katie lives in Cornville, Arizona and is a homebirther, student midwife and massage doula as well.

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Want Our Readers to Hear About YOU in Our Next Issue?

Visit www.indiebirth.com/advertise

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PUBLISHER/EDITORMaryn Leister

www.indiebirth.com(928) 221.6761

Publisher’s NoticesWe hate legalese. But some folks have way too much time on their hands and so... The information provided on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this document. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

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Behind the scenes at Indie Birth...Maryn Leister, Indie Birth Publisher/Editor I became interested in pregnancy and birth in 2002, before the birth of my first child, Amelia Gray. Interested primar-ily in natural pregnancy and birth, I was disappointed and disillusioned with my first birth experience. So when I got pregnant again in 2004, I chose to have a waterbirth at home. It was a wonderful experience with the birth of my son, Egan Andrew. The latest addition to my family is my

daughter Talula Skye, born safely at home on October 29, 2006. Right now, I’m in the process of finishing my midwifery apprenticeship with Shell Walker. I’m accepting clients and in just a short while, I’ll be a licensed Arizona midwife and CPM. I am most passionate about educating, supporting and loving pregnant women and their babies. There is nothing our bodies know how to do more naturally than be pregnant and give birth. Most of all, I’m dedicated to “walking with women” during this time and helping every woman realize the incredible power she has to grow and birth another human being!

Sunny Lee Savage, Indie Birth ContributorSunny Lee Savage is a practicing doula, childbirth edu-cator, energy healer and pediatric occupational therapist in Flagstaff, AZ. She is a crunchy mama to Justin, age 14, and Ivy, age 3. Together, Sunny and her husband Lee are raising a raw family with a goal of raising happy, free thinking children. Sunny gave birth to Ivy in a birth center, without interventions, and with no pain. She has attended many births in the past from homebirths to c-

sections during her time as a doula. She is currently focusing attention on just supporting homebirths. Her childbirth classes are also taught specifically to homebirthing mamas.

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ìintellectual fuel for free thinking mamas...îV

olume II N

umber 1

IN T

HIS ISSU

E:

- Be Y

our OW

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idwife

- Zaida B

aby: What Pregnancy is R

eally About

- Primal M

othering in a Modern W

orld- A

nd more...