I recently tested and reviewed the Breastflow Memory Pump by The First Years. The company has generously offered to give away a pump to a Stand and Deliver reader!
The fine print:
Open to U.S. residents
Each household is only eligible to win 3 TOMY products, via blog reviews and giveaways, each calendar year. Only one entrant per household per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Jamie Bourgeois of Bourgeois Baby contacted me last month wondering if I'd test out a handmade bib and burp cloth. I have the world's messiest toddler--how does that girl get food everywhere, every time?--so I said "yes, please, send them my way!"
About Jamie
Jamie worked for 11 years as a Registered Nurse in maternal-child health, then 3 years as a Certified Nurse Midwife. She's also been following my blog since Zari was born. She wrote to me:
My life completely changed when I had my daughter Vera. She was born at 31 weeks. Very unexpectedly. It sent my whole world upside down. Her birth and subsequent NICU stay had me seriously questioning so much of my previous career that I knew I needed to change paths.
At the same time, as my daughter was growing and flourishing as a (fortunately!) healthy infant, I decided to put my crafting skills to work and opened Bourgeois Baby. It really all started with a bib, taking modern cloth diapers as the design inspiration. My bibs are the staple of Bourgeois Baby, but I also do burp cloths thick enough for serious reflux babies, swaddles, sensory toys, bodysuits, and more.
Jamie sent me an Original Bourgeois Baby Bib and a matching burp cloth in Multi Color Dots. The bib offers serious protection and covers your baby from neck to waist to well beyond the shoulders.
The bib has has an inner layer of absorbent flannel, and the bottom layer comes in your choice of terry cloth or waterproof PUL. If your child likes to dump entire bowls of cereal on herself...cough cough Inga...you'd probably want to go with the PUL so liquids will never soak through.
There are two snaps at the back, letting you adjust the neck as your baby grows. (And no velcro! I hate unsnagging that stuff when I take it out of the wash!)
All Bourgeois Baby products are handcrafted by Jamie. What a wonderful way to bring (clean) fun into your child's life!
Inga approves.
No Inga, the burp cloth is not edible. But it does a great job catching Ivy's spit up. Which happens a lot.
My only suggestion for improvement: add a pocket at the bottom of the bib that sticks out. Half of Inga's meals land on her lap, and a pocket to catch these spills would be amazing.
And now, a giveaway!
Do you want to win a Bourgeois Baby bib and matching burp cloth? Jamie has generously offered to give a winner their selection of one of three designs:
Scallywag
Pink Paisley
Sock Monkeys
Entry Rules
Visit Bourgeois Baby and leave a comment here about your favorite Bourgeois Baby product
For an additional entry, like Bourgeois Baby's Facebook page (new comment, please)
Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams.
This book was a Silent Spring for breasts. Funny at times, gravely disturbing at others, it covers the history of the breast from just about every angle. You'll learn about the history of bras, breast sizes and shapes, and breast implants. You'll discover disturbing facts about how closely our breasts are tied to our environment and the many contaminants in our air and water. I love the front and back cover art!
Reading Birth and Death: A History of Obstetric Thinkingby Jo Murphy-Lawless.
Brilliant, acute, spot-on, a must-read for anyone involved in maternity care. I only read through page 50 before I had to return it to the library. I'm going to check it out again and finish reading.
Fiction:
Someone Knows My Nameby Lawrence Hill
A narrative of a young African girl captured by slave traders and sent to the American Colonies. She gains her freedom and becomes involved in the British abolitionist movement.
The Language of Flowersby Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Fantastic novel about an emotionally disturbed young woman whose childhood was spent shuttled around in the foster care system. She finds solace by communicating through the language of flowers. Some pretty intense parts but so, so worth it.
Sideways To the Sunby Linda Sillitoe
Written maybe 2-3 decades ago, a short novel about a Mormon woman and mother whose husband abruptly abandons her and leaves her to reassemble her life. She gains newfound strength as she is forced to support her family and figure out who she is outside of her Mormon roles of mother and especially wife.
Books on my to-read list:
Born At Home: Cultural and Political Dimensions of Maternity Care In the United States by Melissa Cheyney
The Blood Sugar Solution by Mark Hyman
Complementary Feeding: Nutrition, Culture and Politics by Gabrielle Palmer
A Cultural History of Pregnancy Pregnancy, Medicine, and Culture, 1750-2000 by Clare Hanson
What's Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption by Rachel Botsman
The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne
Thea Gallas Always Gets Her Man by Kristen Panzer (just bought it for my Kindle!)
And finally, a giveaway!
I've been reading Everybody Has Everything, a novel by Katrina Onstad. It's about a couple who have been trying for years to have children. They finally accept their infertility, then they suddenly become parents to a 2-year-old whose father died in a car crash and whose mother was in a coma. The sudden leap into parenthood--maybe permanent, maybe not--destablizes their relationship and leaves them wondering: are we really able or prepared to take care of another human being?
The novel was a fun, fast, gripping read. It reminds me a lot of Dan Chaon's writing: depressing yet uplifting with its sharp observations of human relationships and the small details that make the story feel, well, less like a story and more like real life.
The publisher was kind enough to give me a review copy AND offer to sponsor a giveaway for five lucky winners!
To enter the giveaway:
Write about a memorable parenting moment (funny, embarrassing, scary, crazy, whatever). If you're not a parent, write about something from your own childhood.
Giveaway open to US residents
Be sure to leave an email address, website, blog, or other way to contact you
I finally had the chance to watch Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives last night. It was such a pleasure. I came away with the impression--sappy as it might seem--that we really need more love and gentleness in this world.
The DVD follows the development of the Farm in Summertown, TN and the growth of Ina May Gaskin and other midwives at the Farm. It combines contemporary footage of Ina May's work as a midwife, wife, and globe-trotting activist with amazing archival footage of life and births at the Farm.
I knew a lot about the history behind Ina May and the Farm, yet I learned so much from watching this. I loved watching the "old" births back in the early days of the Farm. So much hair everywhere! Huge beards, waist-long braids, and of course body hair :)
The movie closed with a lovely modern-day birth attended by Ina May and another younger midwife from The Farm. I watched the mama push our her baby in the tub, almost exactly as I did with my last three children, and remembered all over again the sensations of birth. It made me want to do it all over again.
I'm thrilled to offer a giveaway of this DVD to any North American resident! If you'd like to enter, leave a comment below. If you've already seen the film, please share your impressions and reactions. If not, tell me why you'd like to see it. Be sure to leave contact info in case you are the winner.
I'm so excited to announce a fantastic giveaway in conjunction with the release of Roanna Rosewood's book Cut, Stapled, and Mended.
For just 24 hours today (April 30), everyone who purchases one copy of her book receives more than $1,000 in gifts. Yes, everyone!
Here are the 26 gifts you will receive:
Songs From the Birth House, an MP3 album ($19 value)
Dr. Christiane Northrup's MP3 audio program "The Power of Joy"
Awakening Your Child’s Confidence: An MP3 Audio Program for Children by Heather Chauvin (Value $197)
12-hour summit by playwright Karen Brody delivered on MP3s ($97 Value)
The Ecstatic Journey of Birth & Sex – The Integral Trances of Pleasure & Procreation (online course) AND Wholistic Sexuality: Better Sex for a Better World (ebook) by Sheri Winston (combined $23 value)
Susun Weed's Nourishing Herbal Infusions Online Course – Drink Your Way to Health the Wise Woman Way ($150 Value)
Webinar with Barbara Harper (Value $50)
“I am a Goddess” Affirmation Poster and Meditation downloads from Elizabeth Harper ($33 Value)
Marlyn Radzat's Leaf Pod Baby PDF Class ($20 Value)
Access to Pam England's Cesarean Healing Story ($20 Value)
Orgasmic Birth Webinar Class with Debra Pascali-Bonaro (Value: $47)
The Most Common Mistakes Moms Make with Coming-Of-Age Girls, and How To Avoid Them! by DeAnna L'am ($47 value)
Love Letters from your life, a 33-day email coaching program by Anna Kunnecke ($75 Value)
Introduction to Face Reading, a 45 minute Mp3 by Rebecca Wood ($45 Value)
Birth Heaven Now! Online Homestudy Course, includes 1:1 coaching with Stephanie Dawn! ($147 Value)
Optimal Uterine Health Tele-Class with Dr. Eve Agee ($129 Value)
A chance to win your choice of beautiful handcrafted MamAmor dolls (3 winners, up to $200 value each)
How to Trust Birth and Your Body by Kristen Burgess ($50 Value)
Birth Embodiment!, an online class by Nekole Shapiro
Boys Alive! Teleconference with Janet Allison ($50 Value)
That's it! You will receive all 26 gifts.
What if you've already purchased a copy of Cut, Stapled, and Mended? I'd suggest buying another one--you don't want to pass this opportunity by. I'm going to buy another one today and donate it to my public library.
Earlier this year, St. Martin’s Press published Sam Thomas' debut novel, The Midwife’s Tale: A Mystery. The novel is set in seventeenth century England, in the midst of their civil war. It tells the story of a midwife named Bridget Hodgson as she tries to solve a murder before her friend – wrongly convicted – is executed for the crime.
I am thrilled to sponsor a giveaway of the book!
Sam Thomas wrote to me recently, explaining how he--a historian and academic--came to write a novel about a midwife:
You might be wondering how an American man came to write about an English midwife. It’s a rather long story, so I’ll keep it brief. In a previous life, I taught history at the college level, and the focus of my research was the history of childbirth and midwifery, and I published several articles on the history of midwifery in historical journals.
When I left the Ivory Tower for high school teaching I wanted to keep writing about midwives, so I turned my hand to fiction. All of this is to say that while the book is fiction, the history is solid as can be.
I should also mention that Bridget Hodgson, the protagonist of my novel, is based on a real midwife of the same name who I discovered in the archives. I try to make clear that in the seventeenth century, the work of a midwife was broader in scope than today. Midwives not only cared for mothers and newborns, they played a vital ceremonial role in the baptisms and the (all too frequent) burials of the children they delivered.
In addition to this, midwives investigated crimes ranging from bastard-bearing, to witchcraft, to infanticide. The one constant between past and present, I think, is that the profession attracted strong, assertive women.
To enter the giveaway:
Visit www.samthomasbooks.com, then leave a comment here about why you'd like to read this book
For an additional entry, list your favorite fiction or non-fiction book about midwives (new comment, please)
The photographer who's coming to my birth is offering a free Bliss family package. If you live in the greater Lafayette or Indianapolis, IN area, you're welcome to enter the giveaway!
Thank you so much for supporting Velvet Lotus Photography on Facebook! We've reached a huge milestone at 1500 likes. So, as a thank you, we are giving away one free Bliss family session valued at $350. We will randomly pick a winner and announce it on Facebook on or after Sunday, March 10th. You don't have to like our page, but you'll be a lot cooler if you do.
You'll receive one Bliss package including the following:
Digital album download with 4x6 resized images.
Print release for 4x6 prints of all images.
Watermarked web formatted images for use on Facebook or E-mail.
20% off print orders for 30 days (minimum $50).
Up to ninety (90) minute photography session.
Up to two (2) locations (time includes travel between locations).
Up to thirty (30) digital images.
Custom Facebook Timeline Cover.
A $25 per person charge applies for groups larger than seven (7) people.
Rules:
You must be 18 years or older to win.
One entry per email address.
Session must be used before July 1st, 2013.
Travel outside the Greater Lafayette, Indiana area not included. All travel fees must be paid in advance.
Session is transferable as a gift to another person.
Session has no cash value and may not be redeemed for such.
Session value may not be applied towards previously booked sessions.
Session value may not be applied towards weddings, senior sessions, newborns, births, first year, boudoir or any other packages.
Session value may not be redeemed as print credit.
Abdominal binding is an ancient practice across many cultures. I've always wanted to try it, and I'm thrilled to have the chance after this baby is born. Stay tuned for a review!
Vespa & The Ladybird Post Pregnancy Recovery Belly Wraps are essential to help new moms recover and heal from pregnancy and childbirth. The wraps have been specifically designed for maximum belly shrinkage as they have the widest Velcro fastening strip on the market. They shrink as the new mom's tummy shrinks for longer than any other wrap.
Originally launched in Australia in 2009 by Kim Vespa, Founder and Director, and then the UK and Europe in 2010, the Vespa & The Ladybird brand is now available in the USA for the first time. Available in environmentally friendly bamboo lined belly wraps (The Plush Range), and lightweight everyday wraps (The Classic Range), these wraps come in five different sizes and are available in the colors black and nude.
A Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap is something that women from all over the world have been using for centuries to help with their recovery after childbirth. Here are 10 reasons why post pregnancy belly wraps are every new mom's essential recovery accessory:
1. Flattens and firms your tummy
2. Smooth's out lumps and bumps
3. Added support after Caesarian & natural deliveries
4. Provides abdominal & lower back support
5. Accelerates healing in abdominal separation
6. Minimizes water retention and tummy bloating
7. Recommended by physiotherapists, midwives and other health care professionals
8. Promotes good posture
9. Has an extra generous Velcro fastening strip allowing it to shrink as you shrink
10. Restores self confidence & boosts self image
How to enter:
Leave a comment about which color (black or nude) & style (Plush or Classic) wrap you'd like
For additional entries, like Vespa & the Ladybird on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or pin the wraps on Pinterest (new comment for each additional entry, please)
Giveaway open to US residents only
Winner will be chosen on Friday, March 8 at 5 pm EST
A do-it-yourself kit with plant starts, several small plastic pots, soil, and decorative stones
Here's more information from the sponsor about the health benefits of house plants:
Houseplants are not only pretty, they help clean the air! According to Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, research shows that houseplants have an important role in cleaning the air we breathe. A team of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researchers tested 15 types of houseplants on three pollutants known to be present in spacecrafts. These same pollutants-- Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Trichloroethylene--are present in homes and office buildings.
Benzene is a very commonly used solvent that is present in many common items including gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber.
Formaldehyde is a chemical found in virtually all indoor environments, including modern office furniture, grocery bags, floor coverings, carpet backings, and permanent-press clothes.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is used in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives.
NASA found that certain houseplants removed as much as 87% of indoor air pollutants in 24 hours under controlled conditions. Each plant type were placed in sealed, Plexiglas chambers in which chemicals were injected.
According to a University of Agriculture in Norway study, indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses by more than 30 percent, partially by increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust.
The Top Plants included Golden Pathos, Spider Plant, Bamboo Palm, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), English Ivy, Gerbera Daisey, Janete Craig Dracaena, Corn Plant Dracaena, Mother-in-Law's Tounge, Mums, Peace Lily, Warneckii, Dracaena, and Philodendron.
The plants remove substances from the air through their leaves, roots, and soil bacteria. NASA researchers suggest that for the plants to be effective "air cleaners",it is necessary to use one moderate sized house plant per 100 square feet of home or office space. My house is 1032sq ft and I have 57! Some are HUGE plants!
You can find more info at http://urbanex.illinois.edu/houseplants.
To enter:
Leave a comment about your favorite giveaway option
Open to US (lower 48) residents only
Dads get an extra entry--new comment, please (Hint: pass this along to your husband/son/dad/brother/uncle/etc!)
Carry your baby in style with this beautiful cotton batik ring sling from Second Womb Slings. This single-layer sling is compact and lightweight, perfect for carrying newborns and infants. The pocket on the tail allows you to carry essentials such as keys, phone, and diapers.
This sling comes in size small. It fits women's shirt size XS or S (for a longer tail) or M (for a shorter tail).
To enter:
Leave a comment here
Expecting moms get an extra entry (new comment, please)
If you have dry or irritated skin, stretch marks, or scars, you'll love winning Avishi Organic's Intensive Repair Oil. The company has generously offered a bottle of the Intensive Repair Oil ($38.50 value). With Avishi Organics, you get natural, effective plant-based ingredients 100% of the time. No filler oils, no petroleum-based products, and of course no animal testing.
Avishi Organics was founded by a mother who was frustrated with available stretch mark treatments. Either the products contained harmful additives or chemicals, or they were "natural" but with little therapeutic value. Avishi Organics provides natural and effective treatments for scars and stretchmarks.
I've been trying out my own bottle of Intensive Repair Oil for the past several days. I have only a few minor stretch marks from my three pregnancies, so unfortunately (fortunately!) I cannot test whether it reduces the appearance of stretch marks. But I have discovered that this oil is fantastic for moisturizing. My skin gets so dry during the winter, and the oil definitely earns its title "intensive." One drop is enough to treat both hands. The oil absorbs quickly and leaves no residue. And I love how it smells: overtones of lavender with hints of rosemary.
Every drop in the Intensive Repair Oil originated from a living plant. The ingredient label reads like a botany textbook: oils of aloe, rosehip seed, calendula, olive, macadamia nut, borage, goto kola leaf, tamanu, lavender, sea buckthorn, helichrysum, rosemary, and neem. Isn't that lovely?
To enter:
Follow Avishi Organics on Facebook or Twitter, then leave a comment here
Extra entry for new or expectant mothers! (new comment, please)
The first of four Valentine's Day giveaways is an infant scale sling from Second Womb Slings. Also called "baby scale slings," infant scale slings gently cradle newborns while they are weighed with a digital or mechanical hanging scale. They're the perfect gift for new parents, doulas, or midwives.
The winner can choose the fabric and ring color. Here are a few examples:
I'm hosting a Share The Love Giveaway on Valentine's Day. I already have three fantastic items: a bottle of Avishi Organics Intensive Repair Oil ($38.50 value) plus a batik ring sling ($60 value) and an infant scale sling ($25 value) from Second Womb Slings. I'd love to add more items to this giveaway--here's how you can play a part!
If you own a small business, make handcrafted items, or sell products that would interest Stand and Deliver readers, I'd like to invite you to submit an item for the giveaway. Please include photos and a brief description of yourself & your company. I will open the giveaway on Valentine's Day, so please submit your item by Monday, February 13th.
As the owner of a small business, I love finding ways to connect with parents looking for slings. I hope this giveaway can others spread the word about the amazing things they make and sell!
When I was at the Lamaze conference this fall, I met the creators of the Birthingown. Finally, a maternity gown that's as beautiful as it is functional! Designed by a L&D nurse, this dress makes the laboring woman feel beautiful and works with any kind of birth--from active & unmedicated to high-intervention.
The Birthingown is an Empire-waist wraparound dress in a soft, curve-hugging rayon/lycra jersey. It crosses over in the back, rather than the front, allowing for anesthesia access without requiring the woman to disrobe. Unlike typical hospital gowns, which don't even come close to covering a woman's backside--especially when she's walking and swaying--the Birthingown's generous knee-length wraparound design keeps everything fully covered. Each shoulder flap opens to allow easy access for skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, as well as IV/BP lines. The top of the gown is fully lined.
Just imagine if you arrived at L&D and the nurse greeted you with your choice of Birthingown, rather than those frumpy hospital gowns!
coco & pink Birthingown
Where to buy:
Birthingowns are sold at several brick-and-mortar stores around the US and Canada. Online vendors include BellaBlu Maternity and Stella Maternity.
Cost: retails around $65. Deep discounts available for bulk orders. Custom fabric colors available. Please inquire for details.
Now for the fun part...
I am thrilled to offer this coco & blue Birthingown to a lucky winner! If you're an expecting mom, you get an extra chance to enter the giveaway. You can also earn an extra entry by creating a funny caption for the hospital gown photo below.
Giveaway rules:
To enter, visit the Birthingown website and leave a comment about what you like best about the gown
Open to US or Canada residents
Expecting moms get an extra entry--leave another comment, please
Contest ends at sundown on Winter Solstice (aka 5 pm EST on December 22nd)
Extra entry to anyone who submits a caption for this photo and makes me laugh out loud:
At the Lamaze conference last month, I learned about a new app called, appropriately, iBirth. I'm really excited to share more about it and to offer a giveaway for 5 lucky winners.
So what is iBirth? It's an Apple app with four main features (Android version in progress):
1) 26 short videos showing positions for early labor, active labor, back labor, and pushing. Each video is about 1 minute long and has a brief narration with the benefits of that position. I love this part of the app; with a touch of a button, you can see a woman leaning over the back of the bed in early labor, doing a "labor hula" with her hips, and pushing on hands & knees. Three of the videos show mild, moderate, and intense vocalizations, familiarizing women with the normal sounds of labor. These short clips were filmed professionally in a birth center setting that is neutral enough to appeal to women planning both hospital and home births.
You can watch a sample video here:
The creators of iBirth have also made a DVD of these 26 short clips. It's a great resource for childbirth educators, doulas, and midwives. And at only $30, it's a great price!
2. Contraction timer. With a large start/stop button, this timer automatically calculates length and spacing of contractions.
3. Prenatal nutrition guide. This is quite useful when you're meal planning or grocery shopping. It includes important nutrients for pregnancy and lists which foods contain those nutrients. For example, if you were looking to eat more calcium-rich foods, you'd touch "calcium" and find a long list of whole foods and how much of each to eat.
4. Tips & Lists: There are over 140 suggestions and tips to help women through labor. These range from affirmations to tips for long labors or back labor.
The iBirth app is currently on sale for $2.99 (normally $4.99). It's totally worth the money, in my opinion. My favorite part is the video library. For those people who just can't be without their gadgets, even in labor, this one would definitely be helpful!
Now, for the fun part--a giveaway! I am offering one iBirth DVD ($30 value) and 4 free iBirth downloads ($4.99 value). If you do not have an Apple device, you will receive a free 9-month online registration to iBirth, which includes all of the features except the contraction timer.
How to enter:
Look at the iBirth website, then leave a comment about a) your favorite iBirth feature and b) which product you'd like to win (DVD or app).
Be sure to leave your email or website so I can contact you.
One extra entry for sharing on your blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, etc. (new comment please)
Giveaway ends Friday, November 4th at 5 pm EST.
DVD for US residents only; iBirth app for anyone, anywhere!
Interested in trying a product from TriLight Health? I am offering a giveaway to two more lucky winners! Each winner will receive their choice of any of TriLight's best-sellers.
How to enter:
Submit a comment about which TriLight product you'd like to review
Contest ends Friday, September 16 at 5 pm EST
Open to US residents only
Winners agree to write a review of their product within 7 days of receipt.
Don't forget to register to register to view the BOLD's free webcast of BIRTH! It will be shown live tomorrow (Labor Day) at 7pm EST. If you can't watch it tomorrow, you can view it at several times throughout September.
To entice you to watch Karen Brody's play, I am thrilled to offer an interactive giveaway from TriLight Health. Here's how it works:
5 winners will receive their choice of any of TriLight's best-sellers. Each winner will submit a review of the product, which I will then post.
