Empowering Women To Support Each Other

Photo by Jonathan Borba

Photo by Jonathan Borba

Welcome to my new blog, Mum’s The Word: Mothers Speaking Out About Childbirth Around The World! Let’s empower women!

Welcome to my new blog! This is my third health blog and my first blog about childbirth around the world! This blog is based on the new book I am currently writing about childbirth around the world, Shock and Awe: Unifying Women Around The World Through Childbirth.

In June 2019, I was inspired to start writing my first book after talking with a friend. It would be a book about childbirth around the world from a holistic perspective. Immediately, I started researching and I was fascinated with what I discovered. Quickly, it became apparent that a book about childbirth around the world would be more interesting told from the perspectives of mothers instead of piecing research together. I set out on a quest to interview 50 women around the world and hear their heart-felt stories. My passion and enthusiasm grew and I decided to interview experts in the childbirth industry too, and I didn’t stop at 50 interviews but over 60 interviews, representing over 15 countries around the globe, spanning the last seventy-five years, from all ages and points of view from home births, birthing centers, and hospital births, to natural and medicated births, short and long births, and women of all backgrounds.

I wanted to explore how childbirth affected mothers holistically: physically and emotionally. I was surprised to quickly learn (this past summer) that there is a divide among women on this topic. Many women believe there is a right way and a wrong way to give birth. Many women strive for the perfect birth. Many women have been shamed for their decisions. Even though this topic is talked about more today than in my mother and grandmother’s time, still today many women do not feel comfortable sharing their stories for fear of being criticized, judged, shamed or forced into making decisions that do not align with them. On the other side, some women keep sharing horror stories with expectant mothers which instills great fear in them.

It is March: Women’s History Month in the U.S., and yesterday was International Women’s Day. It is a time to unify and uplift women! In the age of female empowerment, we can no longer let childbirth divide us. It is time for women to bind together!

This blog is an extension of my new book. It will be about childbirth around the world and it will introduce the women who I interviewed and share their advice and tips, and introduce how different it is around the world, but most importantly, it will be a conversation, an opportunity for women to speak about childbirth openly and candidly, without shame or fear of being judged. This will be a no-shame, no judging, no criticizing, no fight zone. I will monitor comments to make sure that everyone honors this, is mindful, and shows empathy, but I would like to ask all of you to help me to create a high-vibe space where everyone feels comfortable.

Mum’s The Word: Mothers Speaking Out About Childbirth Around The World is a positive, high-vibe, safe space for women to share their stories, ask for advice, and learn something new. All perspectives, stories, and points of view are welcome. Come with an open heart, compassion, and get ready to become empowered!

If you wish to receive weekly reminders of blog posts in your inbox, please join my mailing list:

www.thedancingcurtain.com/freegift

You will also receive a free gift for empaths, A PDF with tips on How To Protect Yourself As An Empath So That You Do Not Dim Your Light But You Continue To Shine Bright.

I am so glad you found this blog! I hope you feel right at home.

Stay tuned! Next post will air Wednesday, March 11!

Featured
A Letter From The White House
A Letter From The White House

Last December, I wrote a letter to the President of the United States and I mailed it.

Last week, I received a letter in the mail from President Biden.

My dad was so excited for me.

“You have a letter from the White House!”

It was in a fancy envelope.

I opened it.

Almost a year later from when I mailed it.

What would he say?

I opened up the envelope.

The letter was typed on thick stationary paper.

Not on common computer paper.

On cream paper, not on blanched white.

The letter read “Dear Khristee,”

He spelled my name correctly.

He wrote four paragraphs and signed his name in a black marker.

But it was a form letter.

Do You Know About The Mamaverse?
Do You Know About The Mamaverse?

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Tu-Hien Le. She had a regular health and wellness series on Instagram for moms, but recently switched to creating a podcast to reach a wider audience.

Now, she has created The Mamaverse. The Mamaverse is a podcast, vodcast, a blog, and a health and wellness app for moms. The Mamaverse is a community to support moms.

Tu-Hien's mission is to make mamas feel valued and appreciated through a fun online community experience that fosters compassion and collaboration.

I am happy to say that I am a guest on The Mamaverse Podcast. Listen to episode 3 about how to heal chronic health conditions.

Helping Women Without Diagnoses To Get The Help They Need
Helping Women Without Diagnoses To Get The Help They Need

It’s been about ten years since I overcame my debilitating, chronic illness. My illness was misdiagnosed for fifteen, long years. During the prime of my life, my life stalled. Some of the best doctors in Connecticut and New York City screened me, but only one doctor was able to properly diagnose me. Sadly, this happens more often than people realize.

Before I became sick, I trusted my doctors completely. But to be honest, I rarely got sick in school or college, so doctors only saw me for my annual physical. However, my life completely changed when I chose to do my Junior Year Abroad in London, England and developed a fever, diagnosed as being from the flu, and did not regain my health until fifteen years later.

Empowerment Is Someone Understanding Your Pain
Empowerment Is Someone Understanding Your Pain

Hi Everyone!

It is the time of female empowerment and yet, there is one topic that divides women, childbirth. The Invisible Divide: Unifying And Empowering Women Around The World Through Childbirth is a book to empower and unify women around the world by giving an understanding of why there is this divide and informing women why it is important to be unified on this topic for women's health and wellness, as well as, the future of their children. Many women are silent on this topic while others are judgmental and shame mothers. It is important for women to speak their truth and share their stories, but it is also important to have empathy, to listen, and to see the full picture, to know the history of childbirth, and how it differs around the world. Also, it is important for more women to have empowered childbirth experiences.

The Grief of Losing A Child
The Grief of Losing A Child

Hi Friends,

This month is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. This month brings awareness to those who have lost a child due to stillbirth, miscarriage, SIDS, or any other cause during pregnancy or infancy.

Miscarriage and loss of young child after giving birth or two topics I will be discussing in my two book series on holistic childbirth around the world. Holistic childbirth is the whole journey of childbirth from conception, to pregnancy, to labor, to the postpartum period. It is also how it affects women emotionally and physically.

I will be sharing how miscarriage and the loss of a child after birth affects women emotionally. These situations are very different, but both have devastating effects on women. Grief is a difficult emotion and one that women do not talk about openly. Loss of a child is not an easy topic for anyone to discuss.

Everybody's Asking About My Book
Everybody's Asking About My Book

Writing my book about childbirth around the world has been so much fun! But so has being on podcasts! I have been on many podcast interviews the last few months and they have been so eager to hear about my book. So I have decided to start adding some short clips to YouTube! I know that moms are busy, so I just selected excerpts from the shows so that you can learn a little bit about my book.

Listen to these clips. If you enjoy them, listen to the full episodes and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more updates on my book, the writing process, interviews and more!

What is Cluster Feeding?
What is Cluster Feeding?

For Amberlee, from Australia, breastfeeding came quite naturally. The first time her son was put on her breast he started feeding right away. But she soon discovered that he was a cluster feeder which means that he would feed every 45 minutes. Because of this she was always breastfeeding. Cluster feeding is often a physiological problem with the milk not fully coming in or the woman not being able to produce enough milk or sometimes it indicates a growth spurt for the child. For many women, this is remedied in a few days or a couple of weeks when her milk supplies comes in fully. However, many women experience it longer than a couple of weeks and for some women, it is not only a physiological issue but it is both a physiological and a psychological issue. It took about 6 months for Amberlee to break that cycle and in the process, she learned so much about herself.

She learned that her child was constantly reading her energy and that he was seeking comfort through her breast. Energetically, Amberlee was processing the end of her old life. She didn’t want to surrender her old life. She thought she could still live the life that she wanted, but she couldn’t. It seemed impossible. She struggled internally. Emotionally and physically she felt off.

What Is GBS? How Does It Affect Mothers During Childbirth?
What Is GBS? How Does It Affect Mothers During Childbirth?

This month is International Group B Strep Awareness Month. Group B Strep is a bacteria that is found naturally in 1 in 4 pregnant women and affects 1 in 2,000 babies in the U.S. It is not that common, but this month is to bring awareness to the general public.

For my book about childbirth around the world I interviewed SheéLee Rock, a childbirth educator and doula, located in Virginia. I asked her about GBS.

KHRISTEE: What is GBS?

SHEÉLEE: GBS stands for Group Beta Strep.

KHRISTEE: How does it affect mothers when they test positive for Group Beta Strep?

SHEÉLEE: GBS is a normal bacteria that lives in the vagina, all the time. It can come and go. It also comes and goes from the intestinal tract. It typically doesn’t cause any symptoms or signs. Moms can have it now, in their pregnancy, during their labor.

The concern is that sometimes moms that have Group Beta Strep in the intestinal tract and in the vagina during labor can possibly pass an infection to the babies and a very small amount of those babies can die. What happens though is that moms are typically tested later in pregnancy for this by a swab that goes into the vagina and then a swab that goes into the rectum and if it comes back positive, they’re not tested again, even though, your GBS can change. You could be positive during your tests around 34-36 weeks and then can be negative during labor. Or you could have a negative test, and then be positive during labor; they don’t care. In the U.S., they test you once and go with those results.

Nesting
Nesting

Nesting is a phase of pregnancy when mothers have a great urge to prepare for the baby’s arrival, creating a safe, clean home environment for their newborns. Some women start nesting as early as when they are five months pregnant: getting the nursery ready and ordering baby clothes and items to take care of their child. But most women, experience it in the third trimester closer to their due date. However, many women experience it right before labor which could be a sign that labor is approaching soon.

For Dawn, from the U.K., she began preparing her nursery the week before giving birth. She created a full mural on all four walls. She added cartoon drawings such as Tom and Jerry. She painted a night sky with different variations of blues and day-glow stars on the ceiling. She even illustrated a tree in the corner, the tree of knowledge. Yes, that last week Dawn added books, a rocking chair, a changing table, a wooden chest with her son’s name on it and yes, she was the one doing all the painting. She painted an English landscape, a Palestinian landscape, pyramids, Aladdin, ponds, oceans, and lakes; her imagination was on fire with techno music playing in the background to keep her in the zone.

How Will I Know It is Time To Go To The Hospital?
How Will I Know It is Time To Go To The Hospital?

On the day of deliver, Antonio Lévano, a well-regarded OB/GYN in Peru is in contact with his patients.

Many women ask him, “Antonio, how will I know when it is time to go to the hospital?”

He encourages them to spend as much time at home as possible. At home they are comfortable. They can eat, move, take a shower, etc.

“How do I know I am having contractions?” they ask.

He says, “You will know the difference. It will feel different than how you normally feel.”

He asks his patients to make a note of the time, every time they feel a contraction. When it is ten minutes in between the start and stop of contractions, they send him a message. He has an app for them to send all of the contractions and times, so that he can see the progression.

He prefers that they are at home until contractions are every 3 to 4 minutes and they feel a lot of pressure or pain in the pelvis. He emphasizes that it is not just the amount of time that is the indicator for him, if they are ready to go to the hospital to deliver. He wants to hear their voice to hear if they are out of breath or unable to talk as usual; this is a sign that it is time to go. If they can talk normally, it is not time yet.

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