Is Your Period Necessary?

I've heard time and time again that having a menstrual period (or enduring the bleeding and sometimes extreme discomfort that we associate with as normal) is not only unnatural but unnecessary. I've also heard over a period of time that there are ways to eliminate your period and remain fertile.

Curiosity is my middle name so of course I've decided to do a few quick internet searches before diving into literature about the need to have a menstrual period. My search led me to the blog post that I have listed down below.

It would be interesting to hear others thoughts, opinions, and experiences.

Let me tell you! If I can naturally eliminate or at least lessen the amount of times I have my period without needing to forfeit my fertility, I'd be one happy lady!

http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=982094

Giver of Life

I thought this picture was amazing. So amazing in fact that I just had to share it with you all! I got this pic from the Facebook page titled Birth Nerds!

World Aids Day 2013. Know your status

It is especially important for mothers and mothers to be get tested for aids. Don't let stigma keep you from knowing your status and taking control of your health.

Down below is a link to a free pdf download with really helpful information about the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to baby. Even more interesting is that the rate of HIV transmission from a breastfeeding, HIV-positive mother to her HIV-negative infant was a lot lower than I expected it to be.

So please, click the link and download and read at your leisure!

http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/documents/9789241596596/en/index.html

I've also posted below a link to various HIV/AIDS awareness events. Most, I'm sure, will be offering free testing.

http://www.worldaidsday.org/events/

Disparities In The Quality of Pre-natal Care

I wanted to share with you all an interview that I came across while searching for a new topic to blog about. This is an interview OB/GYN Dr. Michael Lu. The excerpt that I am posting focuses on the racial, ethnic, and economic disparities as it pertains to prenatal care. It stresses how private insurance and medicaid does a disservice to women by voiding them of proper and essential childbirth education.

http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/preconception-and-womens-healthcare-an-interview-with-dr-michael-lu-part-five/#comments

In the introduction of this 5th installment of Dr. Lu's interview there is a link directing you to the last four parts. They are just as insightful!

A really exciting progression!

I found a link while on twitter and thought it was amazing enough to share.

I am currently training to become a doula and childbirth educator and it is imperative to point out the benefit of having a doula involved in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

This is really exciting!
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/11/21/area-advocates-for-safe-childbirth-applaud-recent-grants/

Please read and share!

Back To Vlogging

So I'm retrying this whole vlogging thing ;) Check out my intro please and stay tuned for more!

Coming to Terms With an Ever-Changing Body

I've always felt that a woman's femininity was partly tied to her body's appearance. I don't mean the in the way a woman dresses her body, but the way her body is shaped. It's what physically distinguishes a girl from a woman. In my mind.

I've always been slim and short. All of the women in my family (on both my mom and dad's side) were all "thick" women. Hips, thighs, butt, and breasts. All a testament of their womanhood. Physically. Being the slim and short girl that I was at the time caused me to long for the day where I'd finally fill out and resemble the women around me. So imagine the disappointment I felt when I realized that I may forever remain the same short (something that absolutely wouldn't change), skinny, now, woman without a curve to bare.

Things began to look promising for me during each postpartum period after my pregnancies. Slowly but surely I was "growing" into the ideal woman that I wanted to be physically.

Now let's fast-forward to the present!

My youngest child is 3 years old now. I stopped breastfeeding a few months after she turned 3.

Now that I'm no longer breastfeeding my breasts have become saggy and so much smaller.
They've always been small but definitely a lot perkier (sorry for the tmi lol).

While breastfeeding, they were about 2 cup sizes bigger and gave me this feel of confidence. Not because I wanted to be looked at. Rather because it represented femininity and womanhood. Yes, I know these things can be achieved without a bigger bust size, but again it does represent those things... To me.

While I've learned to love my body during it's many changes this is one change that I don't like and can't quite come to accept. I feel really self-conscious now because of it.

Are there any other moms who feel the same way?
How did you get over the feeling if so?