Labor of Love Doula Services and Childbirth Education: I am a Community Lactivist

Friday, August 3, 2012

I am a Community Lactivist

I believe in breastfeeding both for the healthy growth of a child and the healthy growth of a mother. When a new mother breastfeeds she learns to watch and listen to her child's cues. These simple facial expressions, body movements and vocalizations which trigger our innate response to nurture are the start of a life long conversation...

See community lactivism in action and read more about why as a doula and La Leche League leader I support breastfeeding women.Here.

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The Journey Begins

Jennifer Stover: I have been a doula in San Luis Obispo County since Seth, my friend's son, was born in 1992. Witnessing his birth deepened my belief that birthing women need a strong, independent, educated member of their team supporting them in finding their own choices and voices.They need a caring experienced guide to stay by their side throughout labor. Later they need someone to provide clarity and wisdom as they process their experience. Over 100 births later these truths that crystalized for me two decades ago still are my guiding principles. This journal is my way of continuing to reach out to women to help educate and enlighten them about birth and to tell them I care about their journey.

Client News & Connections

This space will be used to keep my clients connected. If you have family news, business news, or you're moving and would like to let people know I'd be happy to post it. Do you have an internet presence? I will be posting links here. Just write me at jjmstover@sbcglobal.net or pick up the phone. I'd love to chat and catch up!

Jennifer Henderson is busy! Not only does she work for the Parent Particiaption Program taking kids on field trips around the county she also homeschools her kids, teaches for the adult school, teaches at Cuesta and writes travel stories. Check out all the great programs Parent Paticipation sponsors: http://ppp.slcusd.org/Home.html

What fun it was to open the Parent Participation site's Outdoor page and see a pregnant Colby Lindeman in a group of Tiny Hikers! She has told me several times how much she enjoyed this activity; meeting other moms, getting outdoors, getting excersize, doing the interacting with baby games.
http://ppp.slcusd.org/Outdoors.html

Colby Lindeman took her fitness expertise and turned it into an exciting new business helping moms get back in shape with their babies in outdoor settings. To see what they are up to: http://www.betterbodymommy.blogspot.com/

I spoke to Lisa Ann Dillon the other night. She is busy teaching at the San Luis Classical Academy, a support program for homeschoolers and teaching her oldest child at home. Hard to believe he is in Kindergarten already! To learn more about the Academy go to http://sloclassicalacademy.com/.

Chiropractor & past client, Leslie Kasanoff, invited me to an interesting nutrition lecture today that was held at Steven Tullius's chiropractic office (another past birth class client and homebirther). The lecture was about the importance of phytonutrients in our diet and how to obtain them. Of course I was most interested in how it relates to healthy pregnancies and births. I'll be writing about this topic soon. Check out Leslie's web site to learn more. http://lkasanoff.healthnewspodcast.info/

Shannon Len is expecting her first baby this month. I am so excited to support her at the new Santa Lucia Birth Center. Somehow she has managed to get ready for their new arrival while staying on top of her commitments to the art community and her jewelry business. To see her elegant jewelry designs: http://www.lendesignsjewelry.com/

It was fun to open the Tribune on Tuesday and see Carolyn Eicher and her lovely daughter Sabina donating kid's books to their local library. Sabina was born at General Hospital and it looks like all the hard work Carolyn put in that day has payed off!

Currently Carolyn is busy with a nonprofit she started called SLO Grown Kids. Their mission is to improve the health of the San Luis Obispo community by educating students and their families about healthful eating and the origins of food. Check it out at: http://www.slogrownkids.org/

Congratulations to Jenny Appell who is now teaching African Dance. She went back to performing with the local African Dance Troupe not long after each of her babies was born. My son and I had a lot of fun when we were studying Africa visiting her class. Her talented husband Rob, quilt artist and owner of The Cottonball in Morro Bay, has a new Endangered Species Quilt Project. To view the beautiful quilts and purchase patterns to support the animals: http://robappell.orthonormal.net/node/51

Speaking of dance Jenna Mitchell is back at work running World Rhythm & Motion Studio. They teach an eclectic group of dance classes from around the world. To see what might spark your interest: http://www.worldrhythmandmotion.com/

Congratulations to Amy Engleman who has bought a home in Templeton. Her son Chase is enjoying working on a pottery wheel at Santa Lucia school. He was inspired by a small pot my son Joe made when he was young which Amy purchased from Joe at a craft fair a long time ago. amy is very busy volunteering at the school. find out more: http://www.santaluciaschool.org/

Dawn Feuerberg besides keeping on top of Morro Bay's drinking water, being a mom of two now and continuing to teach Spanish at Cuesta has started her own business. Summers she is taking families south of the border on a family Spanish language & culture learning adventure! Interested? http://www.vivastudyabroad.com/

If you haven't heard about Acholi Beads yet please visit http://acholibeads.com/blog/ This is Jessica Connolly's brilliant business idea which combines business, women and social justice. Although she has moved to San Diego in our hearts she's still with us on the Central Coast.

A late congratulations and you go girl goes out to Kambria Doherty for her successful V-BAC at home of an over 10 pound baby boy. Dreams really can come true! And on her new business Kahuna Kids; an eco friendly kids store in Paso Robles. To see what they offer visit: http://www.kahunakids.com/Kahuna_Kids/Kahuna_Kids.html
Congratulations to Erin Tullius for being chosen to apprentice with Jack Canfield, the founder of the Transformational Leadership Council. I can't wait to see what springs forth from that alliance. Update! Erin is an author! Check out her book about diet & health: http://mindoverfatterbook.com/

This collection of writings is dedicated to the women who have impacted my life as a wife, mother, teacher and doula.

They have enlightened me, empowered me, guided me, enriched me, infuriated me, informed me, set incredibly high standards for me to adhere to, uplifted and inspired me.

Each one has been a gift in the crazy quilt of my life.

To honor them I pass bits and scraps of their gifts to me on to other women passing through my life.

In each piece in this collection I will attempt to illuminate how the threads of their stories wove into the fabric of my life.

Birth Education & Doula Services

Friday, August 3, 2012

I am a Community Lactivist

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The Journey Begins