Me: We got lots of fun stuff in the mail today: diapers, wipes, diaper bag stuff and the hose for the toilet. Erm... I think I need to get out more if that's my definition of "fun stuff".
Allen: ...We can have toilet hose fights now.
Me: (laughing) Just like we always wanted!
Impending parenthood makes people weird.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Huh. That's kind of neat.
I just realized that I've been writing in this blog for over a year now. It's kind of amazing how different the posts are between then and now.
Also, pregnancy hormones... Listening to The Dixie Chicks "Cowboy Take me Away" totally made me cry. Luckily it was followed by "Earl Had to Die", which is a cure for tears. :-)
Also, pregnancy hormones... Listening to The Dixie Chicks "Cowboy Take me Away" totally made me cry. Luckily it was followed by "Earl Had to Die", which is a cure for tears. :-)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
I'm gonna rant a little.
This has been a busy, busy week at Chez Parker. We've had a ton of fun things going on, a week long baby shower, for example! - that I'll talk about later. It's not all doom and gloom, but this has been on my mind this week, so I thought it was best to just get it off my chest so I could move on.
So...
I had my (hopefully) last ultrasound on Monday. The midwives recommended it as a final check to make sure the placenta was completely out of the way of the cervix (I had a low placenta placement), and also as a quick position check of the baby. I've mentioned before that I came a little, um, pre-padded, so it's been difficult to figure out how the baby is positioned. They were pretty sure he was head down, but might as well double check while we're as the ultrasound appointment.
I have mixed feelings about ultrasounds. The are amazing, but there aren't a lot of long term studies on their effects. My goal in this pregnancy was to avoid having a lot of ultrasounds and I ended up having three. Which is about two more than I intended, but I digress. Ultrasounds are also fairly misleading. They are good at diagnosing some things, but really bad at diagnosing others, and almost no distinction is made between the two in the medical community. For example, ultrasound weight estimates of a fetus are notoriously bad - off by up to two or three pounds in either direction - yet techs still routinely perform "weight estimates" and doctors use that information to make decisions about care during pregnancy. Everyone even acknowledges that weight estimates are bad! So why are we using this bad data to make crucial decisions about pregnancies?
We met with the ultrasound tech and she quickly confirmed that the baby is head down. Though, frankly, I could have told them that given the number of kicks I get in the upper left quadrant of my belly and the rock that's been sitting on my pubic bone and bladder for the past few weeks... She also confirmed that my cervix was long and closed (meaning we're still baking - no early dilation or labor) and that the placenta was not even visible on the ultrasound, meaning it's completely out of the way and in no danger of blocking the cervix. This is extremely important given that we are planning a birth outside a hospital. Having a placenta partially or fully covering the cervix means no exit point for the baby and necessitates a c-section.
So, good news all around.
But then the tech starts measuring the baby's head and femur (for size estimates), measuring the amniotic fluid levels and tells me that at 35 weeks gestation, the baby is measuring very large at over seven pounds. (At 35 weeks, he should be around five or five and a half pounds.) Since babies gain a half pound or more each week during the last month of pregnancy, this implies that I will have a 10+ pound baby in the end. Here's where the rant comes in.
I didn't ask her to do any of those things. That was not the information our midwives wanted and nowhere on my ultrasound order did it say "check weight and amniotic fluid levels". I came in with no symptoms that would warrant checking those things. I came in for a simple position and placenta placement check. That. Is. It. I'm fairly mad that she went out of her way to tell me, at 35 weeks pregnant, that I had a monster sized baby growing inside me. What am I supposed to do with that information?! I can't slow his growth. That would be dangerous to both of us. I have the healthiest diet of anyone I know, so I can cut out junk food because I don't eat it. So what am I supposed to do with the information? There are three choices:
1. Freak out about having to birth a huge baby and worry about it for the rest of the pregnancy and be terrified when I go into labor.
2. Bail on the homebirth plan and schedule a c-section because I'm afraid I'm growing a baby too big for my body to handle and it will be catastrophic if I try to birth the baby on my own.
Or 3. Ignore the tech, get mad that she is so ignorant and thoughtless as to give me such useless information and move on with my life knowing that those weight estimates are so uncertain as to be worthless information.
I'm choosing option number 3.
The second issue that upset me was the amniotic fluid measurement. First of all, we didn't ask for that. Second of all, this is another area where ultrasounds show their limitations. Amniotic fluid measurements are straight up voodoo, pure and simple. Any physicist (which I happen to be, thank you very much), or mathematician or engineer can tell you that estimating a fluid volume in an irregular space that is occupied by a body of unknown mass and dimensions is at best wildly inaccurate and at worst totally impossible. Particularly when you can't see the entire structure, which you can't in ultrasound. She thankfully didn't make any comments about my fluid levels, but partly because I told her I didn't believe her weight estimate because ultrasound was not an effective or accurate way to measure, and partly because Allen told her to not bother with all the additional stuff she was doing because we weren't interested in the information and didn't come in for that. He told her we wanted the ultrasound to be as short and non-invasive as possible. I'm not sure if she actually cut it short or if she just finished her routine without comment, but either way, I think we offended her a little bit. And you know what? I don't care. I mean, I know she was just doing her job, but the fact of the matter is that she (and other ultrasound techs like her) are part of the problem. They are part of the medical machinery that makes a 40% + c-section rate possible.
These little bits of "information", or really, "MISinformation" contribute to a model of care that is ultimately detrimental to women and babies. The further along I get and the more I see of how the medical community treats pregnant women and infants, the more I think this is fundamentally a human rights issue. There are countless women who are being forced into a model of care that has deleterious consequences on their health and the health of their babies, and because women are so vulnerable at this particular point in their lives, we feel (and sometimes are) powerless to stop the cycle of abuse that is happening. And I won't even get in to the money aspect. That's the shadowy spectre looming over this discussion that I haven't even touched yet...
Again, I'd like to point out that c-sections, ultrasounds and other medical technologies are amazing advances, and when used properly, have saved the lives of many, many women and babies. I know a few, myself, and am thankfully they had access to the medical advances we have in place today. My point is that these things are over-used, and not to our collective advantage. Using faulty and inaccurate data to diagnose and make decisions about medical care would be considered malpractice in any other field of medicine, so why are we allowing it during pregnancy and childbirth?
I don't have a good, succinct ending for this long post. These are questions I am struggling with every day. I'd like to help change the way women and doctors view care during pregnancy, but I am just one voice. And not the most eloquent one in the chorus. But it's clear that something has to change.
So...
I had my (hopefully) last ultrasound on Monday. The midwives recommended it as a final check to make sure the placenta was completely out of the way of the cervix (I had a low placenta placement), and also as a quick position check of the baby. I've mentioned before that I came a little, um, pre-padded, so it's been difficult to figure out how the baby is positioned. They were pretty sure he was head down, but might as well double check while we're as the ultrasound appointment.
I have mixed feelings about ultrasounds. The are amazing, but there aren't a lot of long term studies on their effects. My goal in this pregnancy was to avoid having a lot of ultrasounds and I ended up having three. Which is about two more than I intended, but I digress. Ultrasounds are also fairly misleading. They are good at diagnosing some things, but really bad at diagnosing others, and almost no distinction is made between the two in the medical community. For example, ultrasound weight estimates of a fetus are notoriously bad - off by up to two or three pounds in either direction - yet techs still routinely perform "weight estimates" and doctors use that information to make decisions about care during pregnancy. Everyone even acknowledges that weight estimates are bad! So why are we using this bad data to make crucial decisions about pregnancies?
We met with the ultrasound tech and she quickly confirmed that the baby is head down. Though, frankly, I could have told them that given the number of kicks I get in the upper left quadrant of my belly and the rock that's been sitting on my pubic bone and bladder for the past few weeks... She also confirmed that my cervix was long and closed (meaning we're still baking - no early dilation or labor) and that the placenta was not even visible on the ultrasound, meaning it's completely out of the way and in no danger of blocking the cervix. This is extremely important given that we are planning a birth outside a hospital. Having a placenta partially or fully covering the cervix means no exit point for the baby and necessitates a c-section.
So, good news all around.
But then the tech starts measuring the baby's head and femur (for size estimates), measuring the amniotic fluid levels and tells me that at 35 weeks gestation, the baby is measuring very large at over seven pounds. (At 35 weeks, he should be around five or five and a half pounds.) Since babies gain a half pound or more each week during the last month of pregnancy, this implies that I will have a 10+ pound baby in the end. Here's where the rant comes in.
I didn't ask her to do any of those things. That was not the information our midwives wanted and nowhere on my ultrasound order did it say "check weight and amniotic fluid levels". I came in with no symptoms that would warrant checking those things. I came in for a simple position and placenta placement check. That. Is. It. I'm fairly mad that she went out of her way to tell me, at 35 weeks pregnant, that I had a monster sized baby growing inside me. What am I supposed to do with that information?! I can't slow his growth. That would be dangerous to both of us. I have the healthiest diet of anyone I know, so I can cut out junk food because I don't eat it. So what am I supposed to do with the information? There are three choices:
1. Freak out about having to birth a huge baby and worry about it for the rest of the pregnancy and be terrified when I go into labor.
2. Bail on the homebirth plan and schedule a c-section because I'm afraid I'm growing a baby too big for my body to handle and it will be catastrophic if I try to birth the baby on my own.
Or 3. Ignore the tech, get mad that she is so ignorant and thoughtless as to give me such useless information and move on with my life knowing that those weight estimates are so uncertain as to be worthless information.
I'm choosing option number 3.
The second issue that upset me was the amniotic fluid measurement. First of all, we didn't ask for that. Second of all, this is another area where ultrasounds show their limitations. Amniotic fluid measurements are straight up voodoo, pure and simple. Any physicist (which I happen to be, thank you very much), or mathematician or engineer can tell you that estimating a fluid volume in an irregular space that is occupied by a body of unknown mass and dimensions is at best wildly inaccurate and at worst totally impossible. Particularly when you can't see the entire structure, which you can't in ultrasound. She thankfully didn't make any comments about my fluid levels, but partly because I told her I didn't believe her weight estimate because ultrasound was not an effective or accurate way to measure, and partly because Allen told her to not bother with all the additional stuff she was doing because we weren't interested in the information and didn't come in for that. He told her we wanted the ultrasound to be as short and non-invasive as possible. I'm not sure if she actually cut it short or if she just finished her routine without comment, but either way, I think we offended her a little bit. And you know what? I don't care. I mean, I know she was just doing her job, but the fact of the matter is that she (and other ultrasound techs like her) are part of the problem. They are part of the medical machinery that makes a 40% + c-section rate possible.
These little bits of "information", or really, "MISinformation" contribute to a model of care that is ultimately detrimental to women and babies. The further along I get and the more I see of how the medical community treats pregnant women and infants, the more I think this is fundamentally a human rights issue. There are countless women who are being forced into a model of care that has deleterious consequences on their health and the health of their babies, and because women are so vulnerable at this particular point in their lives, we feel (and sometimes are) powerless to stop the cycle of abuse that is happening. And I won't even get in to the money aspect. That's the shadowy spectre looming over this discussion that I haven't even touched yet...
Again, I'd like to point out that c-sections, ultrasounds and other medical technologies are amazing advances, and when used properly, have saved the lives of many, many women and babies. I know a few, myself, and am thankfully they had access to the medical advances we have in place today. My point is that these things are over-used, and not to our collective advantage. Using faulty and inaccurate data to diagnose and make decisions about medical care would be considered malpractice in any other field of medicine, so why are we allowing it during pregnancy and childbirth?
I don't have a good, succinct ending for this long post. These are questions I am struggling with every day. I'd like to help change the way women and doctors view care during pregnancy, but I am just one voice. And not the most eloquent one in the chorus. But it's clear that something has to change.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Nesting.
I'm starting to feel the nesting urge. I think it's technically a bit early - I still have over five weeks left in my pregnancy. So I think it's a combo of nesting and neat-freak-ness. I've been a little out of sorts about the house in the last few months. I feel like it's always a mess and I can never get on top of all the cleaning that needs to be done. When I was working full time, this was understandable, but when I quit my job, I felt like I should be able to at least keep the house clean. That's been partially true. The kitchen is messy but never destroyed anymore. The laundry is done and folded and put away, but we still seem to accumulate junk on flat surfaces and there are several big projects that need doing that are languishing. The whole house needs a good dusting, for example. The bathroom needs a good scrub - like with bleach and Comet and a toothbrush in the shower kind of scrub. The refrigerator needs a good clean out. The attic needs re-arranging, as do our closets and bookshelves.
See what I mean? There is a lot to do. And don't even get me started on the furniture we still need to get rid of and the other furniture we need to buy... And to top it all off, my baby shower is happening this weekend. At my house. So it has to be sparkling. (I know my friends don't care - but I care.)
I did have the realization that at eight and a half months pregnant, some things are out of my reach. I probably shouldn't be on all fours scrubbing the shower with harsh chemicals in a small enclosed space. I can't truck up and down our rickety attic stairs. If I pick a project, I can reasonably get it done in a day or two, but I need to give myself a break and not push so hard. Things that used to take me an hour now take four and leave me winded and needing a break every hour. Plus, pregnancy brain is a real thing! Sometimes I forget what I'm doing in the middle of doing it!
So, today: clean refrigerator and hall closet. Put shoes away. Take lots of breaks. I'd like to go to the gym, too, but I just don't have time. How did that happen?! (Well, I clearly don't prioritize it high enough, but still!)
See what I mean? There is a lot to do. And don't even get me started on the furniture we still need to get rid of and the other furniture we need to buy... And to top it all off, my baby shower is happening this weekend. At my house. So it has to be sparkling. (I know my friends don't care - but I care.)
I did have the realization that at eight and a half months pregnant, some things are out of my reach. I probably shouldn't be on all fours scrubbing the shower with harsh chemicals in a small enclosed space. I can't truck up and down our rickety attic stairs. If I pick a project, I can reasonably get it done in a day or two, but I need to give myself a break and not push so hard. Things that used to take me an hour now take four and leave me winded and needing a break every hour. Plus, pregnancy brain is a real thing! Sometimes I forget what I'm doing in the middle of doing it!
So, today: clean refrigerator and hall closet. Put shoes away. Take lots of breaks. I'd like to go to the gym, too, but I just don't have time. How did that happen?! (Well, I clearly don't prioritize it high enough, but still!)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Go read this post from Via Ukraine.
http://www.viaukraine.com/post/15619742053/idiots-and-adoption
It's a sad commentary on the state of our politics as well as the ignorance that still runs rampant in this country. Particularly as it applies to discrimination (why, yes! It does still exist!) and international adoption. Ron Paul should be ashamed that his "supporters" are doing this sort of thing. And good for Via Ukraine for calling them out on it so eloquently.
It's a sad commentary on the state of our politics as well as the ignorance that still runs rampant in this country. Particularly as it applies to discrimination (why, yes! It does still exist!) and international adoption. Ron Paul should be ashamed that his "supporters" are doing this sort of thing. And good for Via Ukraine for calling them out on it so eloquently.
It's contagious...
You know that weird dream that is supposedly common among pregnant women? The one where you give birth and the baby turns out to be kittens or a cat or something? Well, that dream happened in this house. Those of you who know us will not find this surprising, giving the menagerie of cats we have living here.
What is surprising is it wasn't me who had the dream... It was Allen! I guess crazy pregnancy dreams are contagious.
What is surprising is it wasn't me who had the dream... It was Allen! I guess crazy pregnancy dreams are contagious.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Meatless Monday: Vegan Dad
There are a few really excellent vegan cooking blogs out there. One of my personal favorites is Vegan Dad. I honestly don't know how this family does it. From what I can gather from his site, he's a full time professor, has four (I think?) kids, I'm not sure if his wife works, but I think so, and they make all sorts of amazing and inspired meals. And their party food? Uh-mazing!
So, the other night for dinner, we made his Pressure Cooker Ethiopian Stew. Let me just say off the bat: this meal was the easiest meal I've made in a long time. You do a little chopping, a little measuring and throw everything into one pot. Cook for 20 minutes and voila! It's also one of the tastiest meals ever, and will be added into the regular rotation at Chez Parker. Now, as is typical for me, I had to wing some of the recipe. I didn't have enough of everything to make the berbere, for example, so I just kind guesstimated on most of that. I also couldn't find yellow split peas so I used green. But this recipe is really forgiving of those types of things. Very adjustable to taste. We also happened to have leftover injera in the house from take-out Ethiopian the week before and I can tell you first hand that eating it with injera was fan-freaking-tastic. I haven't found an injera recipe that I can make at home - Ethiopian recipes in general are hard to come by - but I hear good things about the recipe in Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann.
We had some of the leftovers on brown rice the next day and that was equally tasty, so don't let a lack of injera hold you back from trying this dish. This is a meal that no one will miss the meat or dairy in, I promise. It is flavorful, filling and super easy! And if you don't have a pressure cooker, I'm super you could just just put everything in a pot, cover, bring to a boil and then simmer for a while and get the same results. The pressure cooker just makes it cook faster. I promise you will not be sad if you make this for dinner.
Since we still have a few bites left, I think I'll go heat them up for lunch! Yum!!
So, the other night for dinner, we made his Pressure Cooker Ethiopian Stew. Let me just say off the bat: this meal was the easiest meal I've made in a long time. You do a little chopping, a little measuring and throw everything into one pot. Cook for 20 minutes and voila! It's also one of the tastiest meals ever, and will be added into the regular rotation at Chez Parker. Now, as is typical for me, I had to wing some of the recipe. I didn't have enough of everything to make the berbere, for example, so I just kind guesstimated on most of that. I also couldn't find yellow split peas so I used green. But this recipe is really forgiving of those types of things. Very adjustable to taste. We also happened to have leftover injera in the house from take-out Ethiopian the week before and I can tell you first hand that eating it with injera was fan-freaking-tastic. I haven't found an injera recipe that I can make at home - Ethiopian recipes in general are hard to come by - but I hear good things about the recipe in Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann.
We had some of the leftovers on brown rice the next day and that was equally tasty, so don't let a lack of injera hold you back from trying this dish. This is a meal that no one will miss the meat or dairy in, I promise. It is flavorful, filling and super easy! And if you don't have a pressure cooker, I'm super you could just just put everything in a pot, cover, bring to a boil and then simmer for a while and get the same results. The pressure cooker just makes it cook faster. I promise you will not be sad if you make this for dinner.
Since we still have a few bites left, I think I'll go heat them up for lunch! Yum!!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
34 weeks.
Tomorrow I hit 34 weeks pregnant.
Sometimes I wish this were a video blog so you could see my face as I type that out. It's so far from where I imagined myself last year at this time, and yet so completely amazing and wonderful. My belly is still growing (as evidenced by how starving I am all the time) and the kicks and somersaults are getting stronger and more frequent. I have loved every minute of being pregnant, and I can't believe how far along I am! I can't believe it's almost over! Six weeks seems like such a long and short time, all at the same time. Well, it probably seems short because of all the stuff we still have left to do, like buy a freaking crib and changing table...
I never intended to be one of those women who goes on and on (and on) about how amazing pregnancy is and the miracle of it all, and yet, I find that I can't not be that girl. Maybe it's because I am coming from a place where I thought I would never be pregnant? Maybe it's because pregnancy is magic? I can't be sure, but I suspect it's a combo of the two. And while I am totally and completely enamored with the process and the little miracle growing in my womb, I am also completely confident that I will feel the same way about any children we eventually adopt. The two paths are so very different, but the love you feel in the end is the same.
I'm rambling a bit (not unusual, I know), but it's mainly because I am just not poetic enough to put into words how I feel about this moment in my life. In six short weeks (give or take), we will be meeting our son for the first time. He is a tangible, living, moving being. I know him intimately and yet he is completely unknown to me. My body is forever changed, and our lives are forever changed. And just when I stop reeling from the last round of "oh my god, I can't believe it's already been...", a new wave starts. I'm not a religious person, but I feel almost as though I've been caught in the numinous. Like I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to understand something that is so much bigger than me or Allen. That the simple math of 1+1 could equal something so much larger than two. Or three.
I'm excited to meet our little Butterbean, but I am so thankful to have these last few weeks to be pregnant. Partly because I am still enjoying it so much, but truthfully, also partly because we still have to buy baby furniture and come up with a name. Heh. It's not all magic and fairy dust, I suppose. :-)
Sometimes I wish this were a video blog so you could see my face as I type that out. It's so far from where I imagined myself last year at this time, and yet so completely amazing and wonderful. My belly is still growing (as evidenced by how starving I am all the time) and the kicks and somersaults are getting stronger and more frequent. I have loved every minute of being pregnant, and I can't believe how far along I am! I can't believe it's almost over! Six weeks seems like such a long and short time, all at the same time. Well, it probably seems short because of all the stuff we still have left to do, like buy a freaking crib and changing table...
I never intended to be one of those women who goes on and on (and on) about how amazing pregnancy is and the miracle of it all, and yet, I find that I can't not be that girl. Maybe it's because I am coming from a place where I thought I would never be pregnant? Maybe it's because pregnancy is magic? I can't be sure, but I suspect it's a combo of the two. And while I am totally and completely enamored with the process and the little miracle growing in my womb, I am also completely confident that I will feel the same way about any children we eventually adopt. The two paths are so very different, but the love you feel in the end is the same.
I'm rambling a bit (not unusual, I know), but it's mainly because I am just not poetic enough to put into words how I feel about this moment in my life. In six short weeks (give or take), we will be meeting our son for the first time. He is a tangible, living, moving being. I know him intimately and yet he is completely unknown to me. My body is forever changed, and our lives are forever changed. And just when I stop reeling from the last round of "oh my god, I can't believe it's already been...", a new wave starts. I'm not a religious person, but I feel almost as though I've been caught in the numinous. Like I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to understand something that is so much bigger than me or Allen. That the simple math of 1+1 could equal something so much larger than two. Or three.
I'm excited to meet our little Butterbean, but I am so thankful to have these last few weeks to be pregnant. Partly because I am still enjoying it so much, but truthfully, also partly because we still have to buy baby furniture and come up with a name. Heh. It's not all magic and fairy dust, I suppose. :-)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Reason #217...
Why I don't put up photos on this blog...
Because my stats counter shows an inordinate amount of traffic from a Russian spam site and a "get dental implants" website. Whaa??
The Internet is a scary place sometimes, people. You probably won't ever see a photo of Butterbean up on this blog. Sorry.
Because my stats counter shows an inordinate amount of traffic from a Russian spam site and a "get dental implants" website. Whaa??
The Internet is a scary place sometimes, people. You probably won't ever see a photo of Butterbean up on this blog. Sorry.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Just because it's well-known doesn't make it right.
I think every woman who ever gets pregnant reads (or at least skims) What to Expect When You're Expecting. It might even be the law - I can't be sure. Don't get me wrong: this book is full of helpful information. The latest edition tells you what your baby looks like from week to week during your pregnancy, as well as what you can expect in terms of body changes, doctors appointments and the like. It covers everything you could think to ask about pregnancy, and even a few things you didn't think to ask (and wish you didn't know about).
It's all well and good up until the last trimester. I've been checking this book out from the library (e-book) more or less continually since I got pregnant. I've appreciated the milestones and the general information, which is why I keep checking it out. I've also been trying to not read too far ahead. So I recently hit the last trimester of pregnancy.
Cue disappointment in 3... 2... 1...
In addition to the usual milestones and body checks, the book goes into some detail about delivery options. This, in and of itself, is not problematic. Women should know what's out there, and should have as much information about their options as possible. Where I take serious issue is the book's stance on c-sections.
In several places, the authors of the book tout c-sections as the safest way to deliver a baby. And they also make it seem like smart, cosmopolitan women are choosing them in droves because not only are they super safe, they are also super convenient! This isn't just misleading, it's outright false. Study after study shows that c-sections are not the safest way to deliver normal, healthy infants. They are the safest way in certain situations. Emergency situations. The book makes it sound like a c-section rate of over 30% nationally is not only reasonable but warranted and ideal!
The level of fawning the authors do over c-sections makes me wonder if they have received some kind of kick-back from the OB/GYN community. Like some kind of advertising fee or something. I realize this makes me sound crazy conspiracy theorist, but it's really that bad in the book.
This is just the kind of misinformation that women are dealing with during pregnancy and childbirth. And it's extremely difficult to separate good, sound, advice from unnecessary medical procedures because doctors have the ultimate trump card: your baby might die. I heard this from my own OB when she found out I wanted to deliver outside of a hospital, and even pediatricians pull that one out right away to bully you into a certain course of action instead of discussing the facts and evidence.
On the pediatrician side, I get it. They have to go full bore scare tactics because they are fighting against crazy people like Jenny McCarthy who have no training and no evidence to support their crusades, but also have star-power to lend credence to whatever they say. (For the record, the autism/vaccine link has been thoroughly disproven and the doctor who put forth the original research indicating a link has been discredited for manufacturing data and otherwise outright lying to the medical and parenting communities. He was also stripped of all of his credentials.) But pediatricians still pull out the ol' "your baby could die" scenarios.
I don't want scare tactics. I want facts. I want evidence-based research showing cause and effect. We immediately struck pediatricians off our list who weren't willing to discuss options and evidence with us. Anyone who said "your baby could die" was immediately off our list. But I digress...
The point is, the more I learn about women's health, particularly as it pertains to childbirth, the more I think this is not a health issue at all. It's a human rights issue. I'm not kidding. I know it sounds extreme, but the evidence all points to an incontrovertible fact: childbearing women are being bullied into a model of health care that is more dangerous to both mother and infant. We are being drugged, coerced and terrorized into following a model of medicine that is only in the doctor's best interest*. The fetal monitor, for example, has been shown in many evidence based studies to not improve delivery outcomes, and in fact, has been shown to increase the rate of unnecessary c-section and associated negative outcomes. Yet we are still forced into using them in hospitals. Even when there is no other indication of abnormality.
I'm ranting a little bit, I realize. My point is this: we are being fed misinformation at every turn. Even in our most recognized and revered pregnancy books, and especially by those people we trust to take care of us during one of the most vulnerable times in our lives. We, as a community, must start standing up for ourselves and for each other. Demand facts. Demand evidence. Demand informed consent. Demand it. How many of you got an epidural without being told the risks and possible side effects? I imagine the rate of epidural would go down significantly if women knew the ramifications and repercussions.
Aside from taking charge of your own healthcare (and having a partner who fully supports you and will help you when you are vulnerable), speak out about it. This is not to degrade anyone's choices on how they birth or parent their child, but rather to present all the facts so everyone has the ability to make an informed choice. Our current system prevents women (and their partners) from making informed choices. It's time to take back control of our bodies and our babies.
*I'm, of course, discussing normal, uncomplicated childbirth (which is the majority of childbirth). Doctors and c-sections have saved many women and babies who would have otherwise died in the process. It is a crucial and amazing technology that can save lives. When used properly and appropriately. My thesis is that it is not used properly and appropriately in this country.
It's all well and good up until the last trimester. I've been checking this book out from the library (e-book) more or less continually since I got pregnant. I've appreciated the milestones and the general information, which is why I keep checking it out. I've also been trying to not read too far ahead. So I recently hit the last trimester of pregnancy.
Cue disappointment in 3... 2... 1...
In addition to the usual milestones and body checks, the book goes into some detail about delivery options. This, in and of itself, is not problematic. Women should know what's out there, and should have as much information about their options as possible. Where I take serious issue is the book's stance on c-sections.
In several places, the authors of the book tout c-sections as the safest way to deliver a baby. And they also make it seem like smart, cosmopolitan women are choosing them in droves because not only are they super safe, they are also super convenient! This isn't just misleading, it's outright false. Study after study shows that c-sections are not the safest way to deliver normal, healthy infants. They are the safest way in certain situations. Emergency situations. The book makes it sound like a c-section rate of over 30% nationally is not only reasonable but warranted and ideal!
The level of fawning the authors do over c-sections makes me wonder if they have received some kind of kick-back from the OB/GYN community. Like some kind of advertising fee or something. I realize this makes me sound crazy conspiracy theorist, but it's really that bad in the book.
This is just the kind of misinformation that women are dealing with during pregnancy and childbirth. And it's extremely difficult to separate good, sound, advice from unnecessary medical procedures because doctors have the ultimate trump card: your baby might die. I heard this from my own OB when she found out I wanted to deliver outside of a hospital, and even pediatricians pull that one out right away to bully you into a certain course of action instead of discussing the facts and evidence.
On the pediatrician side, I get it. They have to go full bore scare tactics because they are fighting against crazy people like Jenny McCarthy who have no training and no evidence to support their crusades, but also have star-power to lend credence to whatever they say. (For the record, the autism/vaccine link has been thoroughly disproven and the doctor who put forth the original research indicating a link has been discredited for manufacturing data and otherwise outright lying to the medical and parenting communities. He was also stripped of all of his credentials.) But pediatricians still pull out the ol' "your baby could die" scenarios.
I don't want scare tactics. I want facts. I want evidence-based research showing cause and effect. We immediately struck pediatricians off our list who weren't willing to discuss options and evidence with us. Anyone who said "your baby could die" was immediately off our list. But I digress...
The point is, the more I learn about women's health, particularly as it pertains to childbirth, the more I think this is not a health issue at all. It's a human rights issue. I'm not kidding. I know it sounds extreme, but the evidence all points to an incontrovertible fact: childbearing women are being bullied into a model of health care that is more dangerous to both mother and infant. We are being drugged, coerced and terrorized into following a model of medicine that is only in the doctor's best interest*. The fetal monitor, for example, has been shown in many evidence based studies to not improve delivery outcomes, and in fact, has been shown to increase the rate of unnecessary c-section and associated negative outcomes. Yet we are still forced into using them in hospitals. Even when there is no other indication of abnormality.
I'm ranting a little bit, I realize. My point is this: we are being fed misinformation at every turn. Even in our most recognized and revered pregnancy books, and especially by those people we trust to take care of us during one of the most vulnerable times in our lives. We, as a community, must start standing up for ourselves and for each other. Demand facts. Demand evidence. Demand informed consent. Demand it. How many of you got an epidural without being told the risks and possible side effects? I imagine the rate of epidural would go down significantly if women knew the ramifications and repercussions.
Aside from taking charge of your own healthcare (and having a partner who fully supports you and will help you when you are vulnerable), speak out about it. This is not to degrade anyone's choices on how they birth or parent their child, but rather to present all the facts so everyone has the ability to make an informed choice. Our current system prevents women (and their partners) from making informed choices. It's time to take back control of our bodies and our babies.
*I'm, of course, discussing normal, uncomplicated childbirth (which is the majority of childbirth). Doctors and c-sections have saved many women and babies who would have otherwise died in the process. It is a crucial and amazing technology that can save lives. When used properly and appropriately. My thesis is that it is not used properly and appropriately in this country.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Meatless Monday: New Years feast
Black-eyed peas and collard greens are a Southern New Years tradition. We had them every New Years Day in my house growing up - not to mention various other times throughout the year. It's a tasty, easily vegan meal, and will bring you luck and prosperity throughout the coming year. (Or so the story goes.)
There isn't anything difficult about making this meal. I never use a recipe, and so I only have general guidelines to offer you. The full Southern version involves a ham-hock and god only knows what other meat products. I promise you won't miss them. The gist of the recipe is this:
Cook dried beans according to package directions. (We used a pressure cooker this year to pre-cook the beans and it worked amazingly well.) Once your beans are soft, add one chopped onion and a clove or two of chopped garlic to the pot. Add or subtract liquid as you like, depending on how soupy you want the final product to be. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Usually, the more pepper the better.) Make sure your beans are soft before adding the onion. Something about the chemistry of the onion will prevent the beans from softening if they aren't already cooked. I'm sure this is Google-able, as I don't know the exact science behind it, but I've seen it happen in person.
While the beans are cooking, rinse your collards and tear them into bite sized pieces. Put them in a pot (they'll cook way down) with a little bit of water - I usually just use whatever water is left on them from rinsing, plus another splash for good measure. You don't want a ton of water in there, just enough to steam (you don't want to have to pour off a lot of excess water, thereby losing all the nutrients from the cooked greens). Steam the collards until they start to wilt. Once they've cooked down a bit, add a splash of vinegar, a smidge of sugar, salt, pepper and a clove or two of chopped garlic if you like garlic. Now, there are two schools of thought on collards. The "old school" way is to let the collards cook as long as the beans. Collards can be tough and stringy, so I guess cooking the shit out of them makes them tender? The other school of thought is to cook them until they turn bright green, which doesn't take very long. If you go for the first method, the size of the pieces doesn't really matter. If you go for the second, I'd recommend smaller sized pieces. I usually end up somewhere in the middle. I think the take-away lesson is that you can't really overcook them. Just keep an eye out that they don't scorch to the bottom of the pot.
Now, the final touch on this meal is the cornbread. You can make any old cornbread you want to go with the beans and greens. Cornbread is delicious anyway, but when used to sop up the bean liquor, well... It's just heavenly. My favorite cornbread recipe is from 101cookbooks.com: Firecracker Cornbread. I've never made the vegetarian version, but veganizing the recipe is super easy. Instead of buttermilk, I use 1 cup of almond (or soy) milk plus 1 tsp. of cider vinegar. Instead of an egg I use 1/4 cup of soy yogurt. You can likely use 1/4 cup of applesauce instead of yogurt - you just need a binder. I also just put a few tablespoons of margarine plus a few teaspoons of red pepper flakes directly in the baking pan and pop that into the oven while I combine the ingredients. Then swirl it around the pan a bit before pouring the batter in. You can easily customize this cornbread. I've kicked it up even further by adding a minced jalapeno, but you could go the other direction by omitting the red pepper flakes and adding blueberries or some such to the mix. You'll never go back to packaged cornbread mix once you've made this. Super easy and so tasty!
When serving, you can mix the collards and black-eyed peas into more of a stew, or you can just put a serving of collards right on top of your beans. Make sure to have hot sauce on the table. Black-eyed peas and collards just aren't complete without the hot sauce.
Happy New Year! Luck and prosperity to you all!
There isn't anything difficult about making this meal. I never use a recipe, and so I only have general guidelines to offer you. The full Southern version involves a ham-hock and god only knows what other meat products. I promise you won't miss them. The gist of the recipe is this:
Cook dried beans according to package directions. (We used a pressure cooker this year to pre-cook the beans and it worked amazingly well.) Once your beans are soft, add one chopped onion and a clove or two of chopped garlic to the pot. Add or subtract liquid as you like, depending on how soupy you want the final product to be. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Usually, the more pepper the better.) Make sure your beans are soft before adding the onion. Something about the chemistry of the onion will prevent the beans from softening if they aren't already cooked. I'm sure this is Google-able, as I don't know the exact science behind it, but I've seen it happen in person.
While the beans are cooking, rinse your collards and tear them into bite sized pieces. Put them in a pot (they'll cook way down) with a little bit of water - I usually just use whatever water is left on them from rinsing, plus another splash for good measure. You don't want a ton of water in there, just enough to steam (you don't want to have to pour off a lot of excess water, thereby losing all the nutrients from the cooked greens). Steam the collards until they start to wilt. Once they've cooked down a bit, add a splash of vinegar, a smidge of sugar, salt, pepper and a clove or two of chopped garlic if you like garlic. Now, there are two schools of thought on collards. The "old school" way is to let the collards cook as long as the beans. Collards can be tough and stringy, so I guess cooking the shit out of them makes them tender? The other school of thought is to cook them until they turn bright green, which doesn't take very long. If you go for the first method, the size of the pieces doesn't really matter. If you go for the second, I'd recommend smaller sized pieces. I usually end up somewhere in the middle. I think the take-away lesson is that you can't really overcook them. Just keep an eye out that they don't scorch to the bottom of the pot.
Now, the final touch on this meal is the cornbread. You can make any old cornbread you want to go with the beans and greens. Cornbread is delicious anyway, but when used to sop up the bean liquor, well... It's just heavenly. My favorite cornbread recipe is from 101cookbooks.com: Firecracker Cornbread. I've never made the vegetarian version, but veganizing the recipe is super easy. Instead of buttermilk, I use 1 cup of almond (or soy) milk plus 1 tsp. of cider vinegar. Instead of an egg I use 1/4 cup of soy yogurt. You can likely use 1/4 cup of applesauce instead of yogurt - you just need a binder. I also just put a few tablespoons of margarine plus a few teaspoons of red pepper flakes directly in the baking pan and pop that into the oven while I combine the ingredients. Then swirl it around the pan a bit before pouring the batter in. You can easily customize this cornbread. I've kicked it up even further by adding a minced jalapeno, but you could go the other direction by omitting the red pepper flakes and adding blueberries or some such to the mix. You'll never go back to packaged cornbread mix once you've made this. Super easy and so tasty!
When serving, you can mix the collards and black-eyed peas into more of a stew, or you can just put a serving of collards right on top of your beans. Make sure to have hot sauce on the table. Black-eyed peas and collards just aren't complete without the hot sauce.
Happy New Year! Luck and prosperity to you all!
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