On My Soapbox

Most people would agree that living in a modern, technologically advanced society is a blessing, but when that technology infringes on our rights, we need to stop and assess whether such advancements are really beneficial or whether they are setting us back thousands of years. To be blunt, I am frustrated and appalled by the medicalization of childbirth, notably the increased rise in inductions, C-sections, and other unnecessary interventions that are preventing women from trusting their bodies and doing what we were created to do.

In the past year, five women who I know and care about have had normal pregnancies only to end up being delivered by C-section. In three of the five cases, a cesarean was deemed necessary because of a failed induction, and in the other two, the women were told their babies were measuring large and they would not be able to deliver them vaginally. I am sick and tired of doctors who are so concerned about malpractice suits and the inconvenience of normal, physiological birth that they convince women that we aren't capable of knowing our own bodies and allowing labor to occur on its own, in its own time. A C-section is not a minor outpatient procedure; it is serious and major abdominal surgery that can result in numerous problems for the mother and the baby. The risks of cesarean include hemorrhage, infection, organ damage, threats to future fertility and, with future pregnancies, the possibility of uterine rupture and placenta implantation problems. And yet, today, 1 in 3 women have a C-section every year. Don't get me wrong; there are incidents that necessitate emergency surgery, but these cases are few and far between.

At the heart of the problem, I think, is that women no longer take control of their pregnancies and the childbirth process, preferring to remain ignorant and trust the doctor who "knows best." We have forgotten or perhaps never really internalized the fact that God made our bodies to bear children and that women have given birth since the beginning of time without the "aid" of doctors. It seems quite a setback to me that women have abandoned their natural instincts to birth, whether out of fear or ignorance I don't know, and given complete control to doctors.

Don't just read What to Expect When You're Expecting but read Having a Baby, Naturally by Peggy O'Mara or Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon. Find out what exactly is happening in your body and with your baby. And when your doctor tells you s/he wants you to have a certain procedure, don't just take his/her word for it but research it, find out your options, ask what the risks and benefits are. Don't just assume doctor knows best. Doctors know what's best for their bottom line; you have to take responsibility for your body, your pregnancy and childbirth. Having a baby is one of the amazing miracles that God has placed in our lives. Stop letting others control your childbirth experiences and be proactive.

We're Back!

It has been quite a while since I last posted. Kate and I have both been sick and it just seems like we have been very busy lately. Kate is babbling incessantly...no one knows exactly what she's saying but she sure has a lot to say! It will be nice when she learns to form words because last week she had an ear infection in both ears and it would have been very nice if she could have told me her ears hurt. When we were visiting my parents a few weeks ago, Kate loved to pat little Robbie on the back and say, "This? This?" So cute.

She is a funny kid though. She will sit forever looking through and "reading" her books, which is nice for Mama. However, she has recently foregone her morning nap when she really still needs it, so we are adjusting. At least she usually takes a 2-hour afternoon nap and lately, so does Mama!

We are looking forward to some warmer weather so we can have some outdoor adventures. There are only so many pairs of shoes Kate can try on.

Menu Plan for February 14-20

This week we'll be using the chicken breasts and ground chuck I got on sale at Sam's and Kroger's recently. I am ready for springtime and fresh veggies!!

Sunday: Valentine's dinner with Daniel

Monday: Cheeseburgers with fixin's, tater tots, and fruit salad

Tuesday: Crispy Honey Chicken, Vegetable Fried Rice

Wednesday: Pinto beans, Chow-Chow, and Cornbread

Thursday: Chili

Friday: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Saturday: Teacher Appreciation Dinner at Church

A Shoe Fetish?

Since Kate started walking, she has been fascinated with shoes. And not just her shoes. She loves Mommy's shoes!!



And Daddy's shoes!





She loves putting on Daddy's socks, too.



Kate has a mind of her own, and it is so much fun to watch her little personality emerge.

Menu Plan for February 7-13

Kate will probably hate me when she gets older for posting that picture but it's too cute of her eating the soap bubbles.

There aren't a whole lot of good grocery sales this week. Publix has ground turkey on sale for $1.99/lb and avocados 2 for $1. Other than that we're still stocking up on basics that were depleted during last month's Pantry Challenge, so I'll be heading to Aldi on Wednesday for beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and condiments.

Here is our menu plan for the week:

Sunday: Fellowship meal at church

Monday: Tortilla Chip Pie with ground turkey and guacamole, Sweet potato casserole

Tuesday: Barbecue chicken, Twice-baked potatoes with cheese, sour cream and bacon, & Peas

Wednesday: Hearty Lentil Soup and homemade biscuits with jelly (homemade of course!)

Thursday: Country-Style Spaghetti & Meatballs and Steamed Broccoli

Friday: Calzones

Saturday: Valentine’s dinner with the hubby

February Book Picks

In January I proposed a personal challenge to read 5 books from 5 different genres. I was somewhat successful in this endeavor, reading (1) The Hidden Art of Homemaking, (2) The Use-It-Up Cookbook, (3) The Gospel According to Lost , and (4) Murder in the Mews. However, I bit off a little more than I could chew because Dickens' Great Expectations is LONG! I am still reading it and plan to finish it in February.

Also, in January, Kate and I (well, primarily me) listened to Old Yeller. I had forgotten how sad that book is! I also read Agatha Christie's Towards Zero. Guess I am hooked on Christie!

This next month I plan to read the following:

(1) The Strong-Willed Child by James Dobson. I started reading this book when Kate was 10-months-old and need to finish it, especially since now she is 15-months-old and a little terror!

(2) Commonsense Vegetable Gardening for the South by William D. Adams & Thomas LeRoy. I am ready to start thinking about our garden and need some information about how to grow potatoes, peas, and blueberries since we are planning to add them to our garden this year. Plus, I always enjoy learning about plants.

(3) Fox's Book of Martyrs. This religious text is very long and dense, but I would like to read through it to understand what early Christian martyrs endured.

(4) Great Expectations by Dickens. So far, I really enjoying Dickens' characters; I feel such empathy for little Pip. Plus, the humor and irony in the novel is great. It keeps me reading.

(5) Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie. I revel in a good Hercule Poirot mystery. Perhaps I can get half of Christie's 80 novels read by the end of the year! It's a sick obsession, I know.

What are you reading this month? Share your book picks with me. I love to find new books to read.

Menu Plan for January 31-February 6

This week there are some great meat deals at Kroger and I am stocking up! My poor freezer is totally devoid of meat.

We will be having the following meals this week:

Sunday: Burritos with ground chuck and leftover quinoa, black beans and corn (that has been in the freezer), lettuce

Monday: Baked Chicken Fingers with Honey-Horseradish dip, Roasted potatoes, Green beans

Tuesday: Fettuccine Bolognese with Salad

Wednesday: White beans, hoecakes

Thursday: White chicken chili (with leftover white beans), guacamole

Friday: Homemade pizza

Saturday: Leftovers