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Let’s show PAXmommy Christina some L <3 V E!!!!! She welcomed her beautiful baby boy last night and we are over the moon (rainbow??)!!!!

Name and details to be announced at a later date!

Happy babymooning!!!

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*happy babywearing*

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The post Congratulations, PAXmommy Christina!! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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Our very own PAXmommy Brianna, PAXbaby.com’s manager, delivered her baby boy yesterday, June 29th at 8:24pm last night in a beautiful home birth, surrounded with the love of family and friends.
Her wonderful new addition is 22″ long and weighs 8#1 oz, making him their smallest baby so far.
We could not be happier for her and her little family!!!

Enjoy your babymoon, Brianna!!
We love you!!
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*happy babywearing*

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The post PAXmommy Brianna’s BABY! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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Today is International Day of the Midwife, so we should not let that go by without some fanfare!!!

The PAXmommies have been so lucky and so blessed to have some of the best midwives around!!!

Thank you for looking after our families so well!

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*happy babywearing*

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The post Happy International Day of the Midwife! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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PAXmommy Shannon is 39 weeks pregnant and preparing for a home/waterbirth with her Baby #5!!!!! She is busy checking over her lists but keeps forgetting little things… what did YOUR “essentials” list look like???

It doesn’t seem like too long ago that PAXmommy Jillian was preparing for HER homebirth.

Here is what HER prep looked like:

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paxbaby

These last few weeks are the hardest and most exciting for a pregnant mama. The anticipation is just SO great. PAXmommy Shannon could go to bed tonight, and wake up in labour and have a baby the very next day, you just NEVER know.

What will baby look like? How will the birth be? How much will she weigh? Will she have hair? Blue eyes? Green eyes? Will the midwives make it in time? Will the other kids sleep through it, or want to attend??

We are SO excited to find out all of the little details, and are wishing PAXmommy Shannon the greatest birth ever.

WE LOVE YOU!

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*happy babywearing*

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The post PAXmommy Shannon’s home/waterbirth PREP appeared first on PAXbaby.

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PAXmommy Shannon is due with Baby #5 in only a few weeks!!!

Did you have a birthing mantra that you used? Please share with us your faves! 

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*happy babywearing*

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The post Birthing Mantras Needed! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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“I believe in birth.”

Find a great compilation of positive and spiritual birth affirmations here : http://motherbabybirth.blogspot.ca/2012/02/birth-affirmations.html
We just love the pure joy depicted on this mama’s face.

Did you have any specific affirmations that you used that helped you on your birthing journey?

Credit for this stunning image goes to Amy Haderer

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*happy babywearing*

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The post I Believe In Birth appeared first on PAXbaby.

Happy 2 weeks to #babycate and OH NO, I have mastitis!

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PAXbaby.com

Mastitis is the pits.  It is such an awful affliction that women have to deal with when dealing with breastfeeding / pumping, and it’s just not fair.  I’m not a whiner about most things, but when it comes to pain, I am such a wimp.  And when it comes to mastitis, I’m such a complainer.  I don’t take it for the team, and I certainly don’t keep mum about it.  My whole family knew exactly how miserable I was, and how much I detest mastitis, and how hot / cold / achy / sad / miserable I felt.

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They say that mastitis strikes when the mother has been to active or too stressed, neither of which seems to fit the bill since I haven’t left my own yard for over 4 weeks, nor been back to work yet.  #babycate & I have spent our babymoon cuddling, taking pictures, enjoying long baths, and reading books with her older siblings!  Not fair then for mastitis to strike me down just when I was planning to venture out to the neighborhood park!  How dare mastitis ruin my plans to take #babycate’s first babywearing video!!  And then I realized….  maybe it was exactly those plans that brought on the dreaded boob plague!  Maybe what my body was telling me was that I needed those extra days to rest up!  Even though the birth went amazingly well, and my body is healing so easily, maybe what I needed was to continue to rest, and enjoy these precious moments before getting back in the swing of things!

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So although #babycate and I seem to have conquered that mean mastitis bully, thanks to the wonderful advice & help from a multitude of friends, I have cancelled all plans for the next week and a half.  I broke a playdate I was planning with a sweet friend.  I folded up my jeans, and got back out my lounge pants.  I downsized my Thanksgiving plans.  I’m taking it easy in a professional way, and staying here in babymoon mode an extra week!  #babycate’s main goal in life is to restore her breast world back to normal over here, and my goal is to relax, let go of my plans, and be okay with that!  I am so grateful to the PAXmommies who have insisted that I take extra time, and to PAXdaddy who is managing the household, while also renovating our living room!  I am so grateful to be a WAHM, and I’m so grateful to YOU who have helped me be a WAHM.
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*happy babywearing*

Thank you to Sons & Daughters Photography for the breastfeeding photo of #babycate!
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The post Mastitis is no joke appeared first on PAXbaby.

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PAXmommy Jillian’s midwives prepared the most relaxing concoction of herbs for healing baths postpartum.

Don’t they both look relaxed??

Do you find herbal soaks especially healing?

What is your bonding/relaxing routine for after baby?

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*happy babywearing*

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Be sure to check with your doctor or midwife to determine that herbal baths are safe for you.

The post Healing Herbal Baths appeared first on PAXbaby.

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PAXmommy Jillian’s Baby #7 is here safely!  Thank you for your patience as we spent the first 24 hours with our newest blessing in privacy. We’re so happy to share her with you now!

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Our Cate was born on October 28 at 7:50 am after a wonderful 4 hour birth!!!!  Her  birth was an amazing home birth in the water with her two big sisters watching.  At 8 days early, Cate is a sweet 7 pounds 10 ounces, 20 inches long, and already an avid breastfeeding fan!  Thank you for all your love these past couple weeks; your support helped me have the birth I’ve always wanted!  <3

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Keep scrolling to read her full birth story!

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Welcome, Baby Cate!!!

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She’s a water baby!

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7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 3/4 inches long!

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Congrats to our #babycate game winner, Sarah B in Hawaii, who guessed the closest arrival date, time and birth stats!  You will be emailed to confirm your details!!!  Thank you to Calico Sunshine for providing our rainbow prize!!!!

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Read Cate’s full birth story below & see more photos at sons & daughters photography!!!

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Cate’s birth was planned to be my 6th natural birth, 5th at home, and 4th water birth (the remaining birth being that of our adopted daughter who was also born in our home)!  My mantra this pregnancy has been to have a “different” experience than my last 3 births which, although home water births, were all very similar and intense.  For this little girl’s birth, I was hoping & praying for more peace & power. And I got what I wished for!!!!!!

Thanks to 13 days of prodromal labor, when my body finally shifted into “active labor,” I was impressively efficient moving from a 2cm dilation at 4:00 am when my husband checked me to fully open and pushing by 7:40 am!  Zooming through dilation wasn’t painful this time, but just a task set in front of me.  I could feel my body responding to each contraction which on average didn’t last more than 55 seconds and spaced no closer than 5 minutes apart.  This gave me time to rest up, stay hydrated, and prepare for the next contraction with purpose.  I was very excited to have my water break on the way back into the tub from a bathroom break; this was the first time I’d ever had this experience out of the water! So different!

Once our midwives arrived at around 5, I felt so much comfort and support from their presence and was reminded of the awesome service that they provide to enable mothers to labor & birth at home!  What a blessing to be in my own room, with my own choice of things & people, without the imposition of unwanted interruptions or unwelcome intrusions.  My beautiful children sleeping in the other room served as a constant reminder of my ability to “do this!”

My 2 daughters had expressed interest a few months ago in being present at their little sister’s birth, so once the midwives were settled, my husband called my dad to come stay downstairs with the other children as they woke up for the day, and my girls came to join me.  They sat together in a chair next to the birth tub where I was laboring, reading their books, and every so often came over to hold my hand, or stroke my hair.  Their loving witness made me feel even stronger that this birth was going to be awesome if only to give them the ability to view birth as a wonderful & natural event instead of an emergency that can’t be controlled.

At around 7:40 after being in active labor for almost 4 hours, I suddenly had back to back contractions which were each a minute and a half.  I exclaimed loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “I need a BREAK!” which, as every birthing mother knows, is the sign that transition has come & the next stage of labor is imminent.  Sure enough, with my next contraction, I was able to push Cate’s head out.  Her sisters were watching as she rotated her head just like she was supposed to and wiggled her body – still inside of me!  I asked my husband if he was pushing on me, but when he replied in the negative, we both realized that it was Cate “helping me!”  After a long 5 minute break, another contraction gave me the strength to push out her body into the water.  Each of my babies have had either their cord wrapped around their neck or meconium in their water, or both!  So following tradition, Cate’s cord was around her neck as well as “rucked” around her shoulders and arms.  My husband and midwife worked calmly & efficiently to get her untangled while I waited for another contraction to birth my placenta. Then it was time to really take a look at Cate!!!

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My first observation of my sweet baby was how tiny she seemed; Baby #6 was born so large though that anything smaller than his huge 9 1/2 pounds would have seemed small!!!  Even my midwives were surprised by how petite she was in comparison, but at 8 days early, she didn’t have any signs of being “early” at all.  We rubbed what vernix there was into her dry skin later to help her peeling elbows and knees.  Moving into my bathtub with Cate for an herb bath was a great idea, and we all sat in our bathroom chatting for another hour, drinking coffee and a green citrus smoothie for me with the added benefit of a piece of raw placenta to boost my healing and help balance my post partum emotions. Cate breastfed for the first time in the bath after latching onto her daddy, oops, with a great latch and a big appetite! It was only after this break that my midwives (http://www.thenestingplace.org/) measured & weighed our new baby while the older kids observed and exclaimed over her adorable features!  It was so sweet to see the older boys’ immediate look of love when they met her, and to hear them oohing & aahing over her!  We made sure to give lots of attention to Declan who, at 2 1/2, is doing much better with his transition to being a “big boy” than we had even hoped!!!  Having had no tearing at all, I was able to sit comfortably right away and participate happily in the rest of the day which included a nap, a shower, and a visit from one of the PAXmommies who so sweetly took my kids to the park for an outing.  My midwife,Theresa, brought us dinner and took my placenta away to dry & encapsulate it which is usually my husband’s job!! We decided this time that with 6 other littles to look after, he simply didn’t have the time!  I’m looking forward to taking my daily placenta pill again – http://www.heartandsoulbirth.com/!!!

Our birth photographer is a long time friend of mine who last week moved locally to Southern California – lucky me!!! She timed both her move and her arrival to the birth perfectly with an hour to document my labor & then Cate’s birth!  AlisaMarie from Sons & Daughters Photography caught so many amazing moments on camera that it’s been hard for me to choose which picture to show you first!  She will be sharing more photos as she edits them here!

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Thanks for your love, and for being part of Cate’s life, even if only by reading the story of her birth.  Your participation helps the normalization of home births, shows the power of midwifery, and enables the belief that women’s bodies are designed to birth and sustain our babies naturally.  peace, jillian

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*happy babywearing*

The post Welcome, Baby Cate!!! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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Get your rainbow on in support of PAXmommy Jillian’s upcoming birth!!!
Baby #7 aka #babycate is due November 5, but Jillian has never hit a due date yet!!!

Paint your toes, fingers, or just throw on any rainbow and post a picture on our Facebook wall to boost Jillian’s spirits and remind her that we are all thinking of her & #babycate!!!!

PS – This will be Jillian’s 6th natural birth : 5th homebirth, and 4th waterbirth

Did your friends or family do anything special for you when you were getting close to THAT time?

Isn’t it just so amazing being pregnant so late in the game? The anticipation, the excitement. Thinking that any time could be THE time. You could go to bed one night, and have a baby the next. It is just SO amazing.

What were a few hints your body gave you that it realllllly was THE time.

Good luck, PAXmommy Jillian!!

We all cannot wait to meet Baby Cate.

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*happy babywearing*

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The post Rainbow Support appeared first on PAXbaby.

Through the last 6 years of sharing the babywearing love, YOU have allowed me to stay at home with my family and to continue enjoying my hobby every day!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your support!

PAXmommy Jillian

The post PAXbaby’s SIXTH Birthday! appeared first on PAXbaby.

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The PAXkids LOVE being included in Baby Cate’s pregnancy.
One of the beauties of having wonderful midwifery care is all of the home visits!

Did you involve your children during your pregnancies?

How many of you let your bigger kids stick around for the birth?

Did you do anything special to prepare them for what it was going to be like?? Did you read any books? Watch any birthing films?

We would LOVE to hear your  thoughts!

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*happy babywearing*

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The post Cate’s Midwifery Appointments. appeared first on PAXbaby.