November 7th 2010

We are alive and well. We are settling back into life here in Anápolis...into our house, into our routine. The routine is going well...the house is a work in progress. :) But, it's nice to back. More news and pictures and updates to come soon.

But, today I had to post about something that you all know is very heavy on my heart. The issue of the orphan. We were approved to adopt last spring and now that we are back home, we will be starting adoption classes (the next step) this month. Very exciting to see what the Lord will do with us in that area.

Today, November 7th, is Orphan Sunday. Did your church do anything for Orphan Sunday? Did they even know that it is Orphan Sunday? As many have said, the issue of orphans is truly not a government problem, it is a church problem. God called us, the church, to take care of this issue. Are you a part of the church? What are you doing right now to take care of this issue? YOU are God's plan for the orphan!

There are so many wonderful organizations that you can get involved with (Cry of the Orphan, Show Hope, Focus on the Family, Together for Adoption, Hope for Orphans, Lifeline Adoption, and Snowflake Adoption just to name a few)...whether you adopt or not, you must get involved...you are called to get involved if you are a part of the church. If you are a God/Jesus-follower, then you are a part of the church even if you aren't part of a church. Visit those organizations listed that have great information and resources for you. And then this is a great MOVIE (click...go...watch it now) that many of these organizations came together to make...calling all to orphan care and raising awareness. Please watch it and ask God what role He would have you play, whether it be adoption, raising awareness in your community, giving financially, etc. You do have a role to play. Ask what it is He wants you to do.

Can't wait to hear all about the answers you get to how He wants to use you. Let me know what He says so that I can rejoice with you. Such a huge need...and really a pretty simple answer to the need. We just need to do it.

Induction

Hmmmm...what to say about this subject?

Well, there is plenty to say, but not always without offending someone. So, let me just say this upfront...I am not here to knock anyone for the induction/c-section that they had. If you are happy with the things done during your pregnancy/labor/delivery and the reasons given for those things, I do not want to 'induce' (ha, nice) regrets into your life.

Yesterday on Facebook I posted the following status:

all pregnant women out there: DO NOT GET INDUCED unless there is a real need for it, i.e. preeclampsia, etc. be sure to research the things that actually constitute REAL NEED (a day past due, size, etc. don't make the cut). i'm so sad every time i see a friend heading for the c-section table...all because they induc...ed. just be patient, people. the baby will come when he/she is ready...God knows what He's doing.

If there were good reasons for your induction/c-section and you are at peace with that, like I said, not trying to stir up un-peace. In fact, if you don't plan on having more children biologically, don't read any further (unless you want to inform yourself in order to help others, which would be great). Again, don't want to stir up regrets.

If you choose to read on, just know that it is not a personal attack. These decisions are very, very personal. But, everyone should be able to make an informed decision. Many are not informed. I have a passion to inform.

IF you do plan to have more biological children (or you want to be informed in order to help others in the future), it would be a good idea to inform yourself really well. And, of course, from the comments yesterday, there are definitely those who are very unhappy with their outcomes. Sadly, I hear that over and over.

Yesterday I saw where yet another one of my friends was induced and ended up with a c-section. That's what sparked that status.

FYI sidenote: I will be using the word 'intervention' alot here. Interventions include the use of medication to start/speed up labor (Cervidil and Cytotec are put into the vagina to soften the cervix, although Cytotec is not/should not be used readily anymore because of dangers; and Pitocin is given in IV form...most of the time, doctors just start out with Pitocin), IV (even if not receiving Pitocin or pain meds), continuous electronic fetal monitoring (external and internal, where a little wire is screwed into the top layers of your baby's scalp...see picture), pain meds, breaking your water, episiotomy, the use of forceps/vacuum (suction) to pull the baby out, c-section, etc. There are many possible interventions within pregnancy/labor/birth/postpartum care. Just wanted to give that little FYI.

Here's the truth backed up by research...once you start to intervene in the birth process, there is a definite domino effect. One intervention usually leads to another intervention, to another intervention, etc.

Two things don't help:

1. As great as doctors are for sick people, they are not that great (with the exception of a few very rare birds) for non-sick people. And pregnancy is not a sickness. NORMAL pregnancies (which are BY FAR most pregnancies) should not be treated like a sickness. As great as doctors are, they have been trained to treat sick people...even ob/gyns.

We have a huge hole in our maternity care in the United States (and Brazil). We need midwives to treat the normal pregnancies and doctors to treat the pregnancies which include sickness. That is done in many, many countries other than ours (developed countries) where they have a much lower infant mortality rate and much fewer complications.

Because of this training that doctors have, unfortunately they are very good at 'creating' problems (watched a documentary last night which included a doctor himself saying that very thing). They hover and trust their equipment/interventions more than they trust women's bodies. I really am not trying to badmouth doctors. They truly are just doing what they've been trained to do...take care of the sick. The problem lies in the fact that most pregnant women aren't sick.

2. Nobody wants to give birth naturally anymore. OH HOW VERY MUCH I COULD SAY ABOUT THIS (and eventually I will I'm sure). This definitely effects your likelihood of interventions. Pain meds (most commonly in the form of an epidural) obviously effects your ability to move. The lower part of your body is numb after all. You can't walk or move around or change positions. Therefore, you are definitely limited in what you can do.

So many times, a 'stuck' baby or 'prolonged' labor would not be if the laboring woman was able to move around and change positions. God thought of EVERYthing, I'm telling you. EVerything. He made our bodies so very able to birth the babies that He puts in them. If you really studied every single little thing that happens during pregnancy and the process of birth (natural, umimpeded birth), wow...it's just literally amazing.

Your pelvis is not fixed, but very flexible due to these joints (shown in picture) and hormones like relaxin. With movement (which is not possible with pain meds usually...or, also, sometimes isn't allowed because of policies about continuous fetal monitoring), the pelvis can shift, allowing for the passage of your baby...even a big one. Different positions open your pelvis up more. Unfortunately, lying in a bed with your legs up is a position that doesn't cause any opening of the pelvis.

Not only are you effected physically by pain meds, but also your baby. Your baby has an active role to play in birth too...but, often times is too sluggish to do it.

So...given just these two bits of information being in place, no wonder there are so many interventions which so often lead to c-sections.

What do we do about it? What is best for us and for our babies? We are so 'comfortable' in our conveniences these days. The documentary I was watching last night is a Brazilian documentary. One doctor was bringing up the point that planning leads to success in most of life. But, birth in its natural state cannot be planned. So, our 'successful' selves worked out a way to plan it out...unpredictability is not acceptable anymore. Let's induce.

I believe that unless there is a medical reason to induce it should not be done. Studies show it's best not to. Even ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) suggests this. In this link (in the last sentence) to the release of new ACOG guidelines in 2009, there are a couple of statistics cited...1) the rate of labor induction in the US has more than doubled since 1990, and 2) in 2006, more than 22% (roughly 1 out of every 5) of all pregnant women had their labor induced. Wow...that is definitely out of control. 1 out of every 5 women do NOT have a medical reason to induce.

This is a great article about inductions. Love that it very clearly states that macrosomia (big baby) is not an adequate reason for induction (as do many articles out there). As does ACOG.

These are the 2001 ACOG guidelines on macrosomia (couldn't find where they have revised it since then). I had a macrosomic baby. Eissa (#3) was 9 lbs. 14 oz (my first was almost macrosomic at 9 lbs. 2 oz.; picture to the side is of me in labor with little Miss 9 lbs. 14 oz.). According to ACOG, 9 lbs. 4 oz. is considered macrosomic. I am not petite, but I'm not Mrs. Huge either. Eissa was born with no problems, even though her shoulders did get stuck a bit. It was no big deal though...my very experienced midwife just helped her out a bit and I was, of course, in a great position (squatting and then moving around a little when the shoulders got stuck...not lying down) to help with the process. I pushed (and move around) for only 9 minutes with Eissa and then she was out. I have another friend who has given birth five times at home...she is very petite (around 5'3"). All five of hers have been over 10 pounds...one was over 11 pounds.

God knows what He's doing. But, then again, of course it's better to do it nature's way...otherwise, yes...you are more apt to have problems because of the effects of meds and positions and interventions. But, to say that it's not possible from an estimated weight (that is often way off) should NOT be done. It is possible and is proven over and over every single day. And also to say that goes against what OB/GYN guidelines themselves say, as you can see.

The ACOG committee provides the following recommendations for the management of fetal macrosomia:

Recommendations based on good and consistent scientific evidence (Level A):

* The diagnosis of fetal macrosomia is imprecise. For suspected fetal macrosomia, the accuracy of estimated fetal weight using ultrasound biometry is no better than that obtained with clinical palpation (Leopold's maneuvers).

Recommendations based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence (Level B):

* Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.

* Labor and vaginal delivery are not contraindicated for women with estimated fetal weights up to 5,000 g (11 pounds) in the absence of maternal diabetes.

* With an estimated fetal weight more than 4,500 g (9 lbs. 4 oz.), a prolonged second stage of labor or arrest of descent in the second stage is an indication for cesarean delivery. (Michawn's addition: Natural births very rarely have this problem.)

Recommendations based primarily on consensus and expert opinion (Level C):

* Although the diagnosis of fetal macrosomia is imprecise, prophylactic cesarean delivery may be considered for suspected fetal macrosomia with estimated fetal weights of more than 5,000 g in pregnant women without diabetes and more than 4,500 g in pregnant women with diabetes.

* Suspected fetal macrosomia is not a contraindication to attempted vaginal birth after a previous cesarean delivery. (Michawn's addition: Awesome. If you are fighting to try for a VBAC, you might want to politely and respectively bring this ACOG suggestion up with your doctor.)

I also really like this blog post with lots of information...along with all the comments.

Several articles cited distance from caregivers as sometimes a prudent reason for induction. IF you have a history of very rapid deliveries, that is a choice you have to make. But, if you do not have a history, don't let fear make your decision for you. The average first-time labor is 16 hours. I don't know anyone who lives 16 hours away from their caregiver. The average for labors after that is 7-8 hours. My 2nd was 5 hours (active labor). My 3rd was 7 hours. My 4th was only 3 hours and 20 minutes of active labor, but even that would've been long enough for me to get to my caregiver who lives over an hour away. And...IF you are informed and prepared the way every pregnant couple should be, you would not be fearful of even delivering that baby on your own. Thank God for knowledge and truth...it really does set you free.

Please...get informed. Take a class...not just any class that the hospital gives (those are so very often, to put it bluntly, horrible). Get in a class that really gives you tons of information (of course, I recommend a Bradley class). It might cost you something, but isn't preparation for the entry of your baby into the world worth it?

Birth is likened to a triathlon. If you knew you were going to be participating in a triathlon, you wouldn't think of showing up for it that day having had no training! But so often couples just show up with no training for bringing their baby into the world...an event MUCH more important than a triathlon.

Train. Learn. Research. Question. Believe in yourself and God who made your body.

Please, feel free to ask any questions. I know that this sort of thing can really stir up lots of feelings, esp. when you've done it the way that I've just 'spoken against.' Again, not hear to 'bash' the way you did things. Just want to inform others...many are looking for different ways. You might not be one of them and that is your choice. But, if you are, please be informed.

I'll leave you with just a few other things I've found in researching. Of course, there are tons more that I've found over the years...SO many more. But, for now, this will do. Enjoy.

This article is a very objective article focusing on pain medications used in labor. Gives some great information in a concise way, including effects of these drugs on baby.

I love this article. It is very informational. And, for those who don't know, doctors of osteopathy (a DO instead of an MD) undergo a very similar curriculum as MDs (almost equal), but with the addition of the study of osteopathic manipulative medicine, which basically just applies a more holistic view to patient care. We had a DO in Phoenix...loved him!!

This article is really good as far as information too. I don't love the video, but it is informative.

Incredibly written and respectful article about avoiding the 'cascade of medical interventions.' I love Mothering magazine.

Not saying your baby is too big? Maybe they are worried your pelvis is too small. Here's just a little something I ran across on that.

And this little snippet with great links and great sources (listed at bottom).

10/10/10

Well, not only is tomorrow a cool date...10-10-10. But, it is also Eissa's 4th birthday. Happy 10/10/10, Eissa!

Oh how we love this sweet girl. She is just so...sweet. :) Sweet Eissa Rose.

Our two-word meaning for her name is 'peaceful healer.' She's a pretty sensitive little girl...but can also be very stubborn. Kind of funny to see those two things together. But, we're working on balancing those two things out. :)

She is such an encourager and loves to help her brothers and sisters and us. She's just beautiful with her pretty porcelain white skin and chubby cheeks and blonde ringlets. She LOVES snuggling and we love to indulge her. She's so...pudgy and smushy. Even now at almost 4 (I still have a few hours of pre-4ness).

Today I was saying how this was her last day of being 3 and how that made me sad. She came and hugged me and said she was so excited that it was her birthday tomorrow...and, "I'll still be Eissa, Mama." Sweet.


So, we are just loving her last day of being 3. Joel and the other 3 kiddos walked to a nearby store to get Eissa something for her birthday. She was full of excitement knowing where they were going. And...that she was going to get to hang out with me while they were gone and pick out whatever movie she wanted to watch 'til they got back. I have loved my special couple of hours alone with my sweet 3 year old.

And, we are so glad that she will still be Eissa after today. :) Love her!!

August 2010 in Pictures

OK, for a long time I've wanted to do something about our pictures. Long gone are the days of running to Wal-Mart to the photo center to get your pictures printed. I mean, you can do that if you want, but we just never have gotten around to it. And, now we live here in Brazil, so that's a no for us anyway. Besides that, after printing them out, you still have to put them all in a photo album and add captions. :)

What to do with all these pictures that I would love to print out like in the olden days...have some way for people to see them other than sticking a disc in the computer? That's just so...non-traditional. I don't like it.

Digital is awesome. But, I really miss printed pictures.

So...how to get a grasp on ALL of these pictures? Well, that's been the dilemma. So, I'm going to try something new. As you will see, I love ALL of the pictures I take. I'm not a good deleter or omitter. I love each and every little expression on the kids' faces. So, there will more than likely be lots of pictures each time and it will be a big job each time, but I am going to try to do a little 'photo album' of each month after each month passes. I just decided to do this, so I'm going to start with August. In the next couple of weeks I'll try to get September's up. I'd love to go back and do all the months of our time in the states...so much fun and I didn't blog much at all. Would be a great way to document that time. So...those are the plans...we'll see how it goes.

This is a very big 'album...'

Actually, the final count is 171 pictures. I don't know...maybe this will shut down Blogger. :) Hahaha. But, each month will probably be about the same. But, hey...just look at it as an alternative to a Facebook album. Because that is literally what it is. It's easier to do it on Facebook, but I haven't figured out a way to print out a Facebook album (if you know different, let me know). Or, if it's possible to export a Facebook album to a blog, that would be great too. With this blog, we print each year out. Therefore...we will have our special pictures printed out. YAY! Besides...I just want to share them here with you anyway. I also love doing it on Facebook because of all the great comments on each picture. I will miss that here, so y'all just remember everything you want to say about each picture and put it in the comments, ok? :)

Also, FYI...not sure why but when I open my blog using Firefox, the captions don't line up with the pictures. When I open it with Explorer, they do. So, if the captions aren't lining up with the pictures on your computer, maybe try opening it with a different browser? Worth a shot anyway. I'm sure someone more savvy with computers would have a better suggestion, but just offering up my experience.

To all of my actual friends and family in real life...if you aren't on Facebook, you really should get on. Joel just put some great videos of the kids on there the other day...so fun. I'm a good blog updater, but Joel does the Facebook thing. He's pretty good at giving little glimpses of everyday life here on there...so go to Facebook.com and sign up, por favor.

And now, without further ado...here are the pictures from August. We really have fun around here!


I had never french-braided Hadley's hair. Her hair is so long now. I dreamed last night that I accidentally cut it all off into a boy's cut. :( She cried and I cried too in my dream. Then thankfully I woke up. :) I told her about my dream this morning and she said, "Aww, that's sad. Then nobody would tell me 'your hair is so beautful.'" Hahaha. She does get told that alot, but that was funny.
I like this picture.

The kids got some towels for Christmas (I think...don't remember exactly) when we were in the states. We didn't break them out until we got here. They love them. This was their first night using them.
Cute, cute, cute.



The butterfly dances.
Hadley making the girls belly laugh.

Eissa and her pet duck.
Surprise for everyone that we brought from the states.
Hadley doing a jig about their surprise. Cass being sneaky...and smart. :)
Hmmm, what we got here?

Brushing with their new toothbrushes.
Chocolate pudding is so yummy.
Hadley drew kitty-cats on the girls' hands (and her own). They were pretty excited.

Grady didn't have any drawrings (hahaha...remember that SNL skit?), but wanted to do something for the camera.
Showing her drawings.

Grady is a SUPER big help these days. Growing up for sure. Here he had helped Joel make sandwiches for everyone. The other day, Joel made a day trip into São Paulo. He left before any of us woke up for the day. The kids woke up and never even woke me up. They went downstairs quietly and Grady took care of the whole breakfast...giving out granola to everyone. Incredible. And so sweet. And such a surprise. I woke up to find them all just playing quietly, bellies full. :)
Trying to thank her brother with a kiss.
Still.
Success! (after Mama had to make him allow it...ha)
She thought that whole process was pretty funny. :)
A park/zoo that is right near our house. Took the kids one day...just walked over. So fun. Joel and I go running in there sometimes. It's really beautiful.






This was 2 days after she fell and fractured her collarbone. We still had no idea she'd done that at this point.


Oh, you're taking pictures...cheeeeese. :)


I have no idea what that little guy is. :)





Huge area that had all kinds of animals in it...lots of little monkeys climbing (so fun to watch them) and lots of others that I cannot remember. :)
Love this.

We were walking along and Joel yelled for us to look back.
Me and my girls.
Then Grady joined us too.
These little capivaras are all over the place there, just roaming free. I have no idea what this is in English or if we even have them. But the kids enjoyed watching them.
Trying to find them again.
Had to grab some sugar cane juice.
On the walk home.
Scratching their backs like Baloo. ;) I love Grady's face here. Hahaha. (if you don't know who that is, just google 'Baloo' and you will see...and, if you don't know who that is, I'm sorry about your deprived childhood ;))
And we had to stop for a pão de queijo snack.
I really like them.
My fun girls.

"Now it's your turn to pick me up."



I just love this picture! Mid-big belly laugh.



So, when I was 'down in my back' a few weeks back...could barely walk to the bathroom because of a strained muscle...the kids just had to come to me. So, we did a few activities that we just hadn't gotten to...like this that someone gave to us while we were there in the states. We couldn't remember who gave it to us or when it was given to us, but it was a fun activity. Thanks again to whoever it was that gifted the girls with this.
Showing them how to do it.

I love those cute little squishy, pudgy 3 year old hands.
Hadley and her Ariel.
Grady did Snow White.
Eissa's and Cass' Cinderella.
OK, I look like death warmed over in this shot. I'm just going to say the kids had been 'fixing my hair' to make me feel better...maybe it's really true, I don't remember. But regardless of me, you have to see this awesome can of coke. The only cans I've ever seen like that personally had beer in them...that's probably not accurate, but just my perception. Anyway, so it was just funny to see that big ole thing.
Grady, mid-cough.



The little dancer of the family.
Hmmm, can you tell Grady had a bit of a cold? Hahaha.
Cute little girl with a cute little ponytail.
:) And again with Grady. Hahaha...he's fine now, so it's ok to laugh about it. It was just a cough at the time...no congestion or snots. Hilarious to see these pictures though...he'll get a good laugh when he sees them. Ha.
I just want to squeeze her constantly.
If there is a tree around, Grady will climb it. No matter how small and feeble a climbing tree it is. :)

The little service area out back...a little room where a full-time maid can live (which of course we don't have) with a little bathroom too. The kids like to play school (and other things) out there. What's going on out there?
"Look Mama...Daddy's cutting Grady's hairs." :)
I blogged about this before, but I wanted to put more pictures of this in. Hadley had made some bubble wrap into a veil and was 'married' she said. Grady came to her side immediately to be her dance partner at the wedding reception. :)






Eissa wanted in on some of it.

Cass was more interested in playing on the iPhone. :)
Mr. Mom making granola. By the way, we watched that movie this weekend...Joel had never seen it. Still such a great one. I love Michael Keaton in that movie.
Grady loves to do little fun things, esp. at the end of the day. Almost every time I go to his room to have 'Bible time' with him, he has some kind of little trick or map to help me find him or something. Fun. See the coins there?
Ahhh. There he is.
The kids really got into making notes and signs in August. In the September pictures you'll see more of that. Here is Grady with the sign he made for his door.
"No girls allowed in my room. Only Mama." Hahaha.
Hadley and the girls' sign.
"Boys and girls and friends allowed to come in." :)
More 'maps.' Grady made a map for me to find him that night when it was time for me to read his Bible story to him. It sat there and waited for night time to come. :)
The hunt. :)
The map to where I would find him. It was very accurate.
Found him.
"This is where I was hiding."
Got to the end of the pancake batter and decided to make a special one of my honey.
Fun with the 'leaves' of a tree at our house in the backyard.

My fruit basket/carrier that Grady made for me.









Yes, we have a STARBUCKS...about 3 blocks up the hill from our house. LOVE. I go there a lot to study. Might as well take advantage of it while I can. No Starbucks would be complete without pão de queijo...no Starbucks in Brazil anyway. Awesome. (and yay...was finally able to figure out how to use my Portuguese keyboard)
And now starts the pictures that the kids took on the iPhone. Many of them from here on out anyway were taken by the kiddos, except for at the park and the game place. I love to see what they have taken pictures of. They have completely different perspectives and angles than we have. And, they just walk around the house taking pictures...of everything. Really captures everything in our lives these days. I won't post the pictures of the dish rack and water bottles for instance. Although, I love them. :) But, here are a few that they got...



Grady reading on the stairs.
I just love this.
Busy busy.
View from our bedroom window upstairs...looking up.
Another view...looking down out of our window.
Homeschool captured.

I took this one. This is a new phenomenon here in Brazil. They have tortilla chips for sale (called Dippas)...and salsa. I thought I took a picture of this too, but on the back of the chips bag there is a description of the new verb 'dippar.' :) It describes what you are supposed to do with the salsa. Awesome. And hilarious to us. But, we are so grateful for this new way of life here. :)
Ohp, scratch that...I do have a picture. Funny, huh? :)
Someone captured me clipping some fingernails. That's the nitty gritty of motherhood. You don't think about those things usually...but someone has to clip fingernails and toenails of 4 children every week and a half or so (they grow fast). Of course, I have it down to a science and it really doesn't take all that long...about 20-30 minutes. But, I loved that this captured that time.
I was told to look and say 'cheese' while clipping.





Grady went on a little date with Daddy. They found this fun place in the mall...Magic Games is what it's called. Grady got to go on a little ride.
There's a place here called the Taquaral. Really fun location. The kids were playing with this thing...you push a button and it mists you to cool you off. Nice.
It's such a fun place...they have swan paddle boats, a great running course, fun playgrounds, lots of other things, and a...trolley car.
Joel and I had just gone for a long run (each of us...one at a time of course).


She so silly.
The train goes around a really pretty lake.

I love how Eissa is looking at Cass here.
And look in this one how Cass' little hand is on Eissa's leg.
My dream car. Seriously...love this.
A day or two after Joel and Grady discovered the fun Magic Games, we headed there with everyone. Eissa and Cass getting right to it. Grady and Hadley had already climbed up the tower to the big slide.
Found a friend!
Daddy giving a little assistance to the 2-year old.
Where's Eissa?!?
There she is!

Daddy's so fun!