On November 21st, Amy Swagman will join us to facilitate the creation of birth mandalas. BirthChat is still offered free of charge, but space is limited, so please reserve your spot!
Are you following the CO Midwifery DORA Sunset Review? Here’s a great birth story/article from Westword featuring a local homebirther and midwife.
I recently received an email, sharing BOLD’s new website. It made me think about my experience producing Karen Brody’s play Birth in September 2009. While I’m not ready to take that on again just yet, I am reminded of just how powerful it was. I hope those who attended still think about it as I do.
I would have loved to know of a resource like this when I was timidly contemplating my first homebirth. Please share!
Are you looking for Christmas deals for your friends and family who love learning, talking and thinking about birth? Check out Hana Peace Works’ specials.
What Babies Want is a great film to introduce how profoundly birth impacts individuals.
The Business of Being Born is a Ricki Lake & Abby Epstein documentary that discusses birth in America. Great for getting one thinking about what is “normal” in our culture.
Birthday is a classic must-see birth film. Midwife Naoli Vinaver gives birth to her daughter among her loving family in their gorgeous blue tiled bathtub.
If you offer gifts for the birthy crowd, please tell us what you do, and share your link in the comments!
Read this remarkable story about a beautiful (although unexpected) birth in an airplane! I loved the part about using the first class napkin. 
Here is an exceptional post about a father’s experience of his children’s births.
Moms: What have you seen your partner experience?
Birth Partners: Can you relate to this post? Please share your thoughts.
Here’s a great place to post your birth stories, and a great local resource for young families. Look at the NOCO Tots website.
If you’re in need of further doula training, or are interested in hearing Debra Pascali-Bonaro speak on having a “Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth Experience” you are in luck!! Belly Bliss has two special offerings you need to know about.
The first collection of stories have been posted to the Web site for The Pushing Project. Please visit www.thedoulaguide.com/pushing for inspiring stories about the second stage of birth which safely lasted from 5 to 14 hours.
The goal of The Pushing Project is to demonstrate that current time limits on second stage of 2 to 3 hours are arbitrary and not evidence-based, and to expand options for laboring women.
Stories and research are being added on an ongoing basis. If you are a mother or birth professional, please submit YOUR story of a second stage which lasted 7 hours or longer.
Use these simple guidelines and email your story to ananda@thedoulaguide.com:
Tell your story in less than 350 words.
Use terms the general public will understand or explain unfamiliar medical terms.
Check spelling and punctuation so the story is ready to publish.
If the story is about you, use details you feel comfortable sharing with the public.
If the story is not about you, make sure there are no identifying details about the mother. For example, instead of saying “Labor started on Thursday,” say “on day one of labor.” Instead of saying “mom pushed from 5 PM until midnight,” say “seven hours after mom started pushing, the baby was born.”
Include your first and last name, and what city and state you live in (and country, if outside the US).
Ananda Lowe
Co-author, The Doula Guide to Birth
Order at www.thedoulaguide.com
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