I’m doing an Indigogo fundraiser to generate momentum and some up-front cash for a virtual Labor Whispering guide. I’ll be taking what I do for folks in a  one-on-one session, and creating an option you could send to your best friend three states over. Labor Whispering ~ Mapbook for Mamas. Coming soon to a pregnant woman near ya.

    ‘Cause Labor Whispering starts way before birth, right? And it’s my goal to help all mamas have a heads-up and an opportunity to work through potential birth blockers. Not feel stuck like chuck, alone.

And if they do have a birth that wasn’t as planned, it’s my hope that they feel that they did their best, they weren’t stopped by an avoidable stumbling block.

Why did I go with Indiegogo?

1) Because I need some upfront money to buy me (HARHAR) some time to finish the writing, money to get it edited, to get it translated (into Spanish, and possibly Japanese) reviewed for accuaracy in those languages, and peer reviewed.

2) Because kickstarter wouldn’t have me.

I’m already $1,590 invested into this project, and we are just getting ready to film the video for the crowdfunding site.

I’ve received generous in-kind donations, and for that I am so grateful.

This is how you can help, if you are feeling called.

Hold space with me that I make an awesome video. A video that gets my message out beyond my primary circle and into the wilds.

Come to the filming, this Saturday at NiaMoves, 6pm. In part of the film I want to show a village, a group of people that feel like I’ve supported them in their birth and labor journey. That includes you Dads, Other Mothers, and Partners. Extended family, all of it, all of you.

I’m Calling all Doulas, Midwives, and Photogs, even the occasional Dr.

I also need my Spanish speakers, because I want us to all say “Y traducir al español la Encantadora de Partos, una Guia para Mamás”

So, if you are game, come on over. If you alreday have a date, set an alarm on your phone to send me kind thoughts and love from 5:30pm to 10:30pm on Saturday Feb 2nd. LOVE.YOU.

Hey Loves ~ Im headed to my paternal grandmothers funeral, in Fort Worth (YeHaw) It’s gonna bring up old tensions, and everyone’s worst and best side as we work to honor. I’m going to do my best to not have any red hair moments, and remember that every snide (shitty, mean, I think you feel me here) comment I may be tempted to make is an opportunity to do a 180. And choose love. Grief is grief, and I needed a way to make it real, tangible, to acknowledge the huge shifts going on. And as my grandma used to say, “We had a good time, didn’t we?” So long dreadlocks, I’ll see you again in a few years. Got some love for me? Leave me a comment here, porfavor. XO, Rowan P.S.: Come to my party, 18 spots left

Loves, I’ve been busy. The cold front really brought in the babies. Friday night was Baby Orlando with Patty and Bob Sunday morning (early) enter Baby Ariadne with Lillie and Victor My hope is that their families are stronger for having me there to support their birth, and both were home births, BTW. Shout out to Houston area midwives, whoot whoot! And I’m seeing that I love this doula action. LOOOOOVE. Like to the max. This (hilarious) post pretty much sums up perfectly what a doula does, and how they can help a birth go better. “What the Fuck is a Doula?!” Read this, it’s awesome. So I’m going to be doing more of it. Know someone who you think might need me? Send them this newsletter. And guess whose been going with me to postpartum visits? My own goddess daughter, The Amazing Rose. Thats us in matching “Believe in Love” sweaters, totally unplanned. Big love for you this holiday season, big love for those sweet babies, and much gratitude for all being on this journey together. Smoocharoo, Rowan P.S.: If you need me I’m right here. P.P.S.: Know someone else who needs me? Gift’em. Massage or Doula.

Field Report From South Texas:

Photo credit: Steve Farris The beautiful Alejandra was visiting her family in South Texas while her Aunts were visiting from Mexico.  Her Aunt mentioned that when she was pregnant with her third child she was bleeding, put on bed rest, stressed. She went to see Conchita la Sobandera, a local woman in Gonzalez, Mexico, who advised her to use raw eggs to heal her uterus. It was Conchita’s opinion the Aunt’s uterus was weak and couldn’t carry to term. She gave her directions, the Aunt went home, followed the recipe, and Alejandra’s cousin is now 24. The Aunt has since shared this info with others, including a local woman who had chronic miscarriages. She followed the advice several times before pregnancy, and several times during, and was able to carry a pregnancy to term. Does it work? Who knows?! This is all anecdotal, but then again, it might be spot on. And it seems to me we have everything to gain, nothing to loose.

The Egg Recipe

And because I have baby chicks in my bathtub, eye on a bigger coop, open spots in my calendar, and I freaking LOVE the folks who have been coming in from the specials, we have a Two Sessions for Two Bills Special! This totally includes Labor Whispering. XO, Rowan P.S.: You know I have eggs for ya, right?

Rowan and Mallory

Hey Loves ~ I’m not sure how, but I’ve gotten on the birth radar for processing placentas. I had to rsvp as a “maybe” to an event  on Tuesday, and this is what I got in response. Who knew that placentas would up my street cred? My seeeester went to a perinatal mood disorder conference in Vegas last summer, and she said that they shared that, anecdotally, there are few reported cases of post partum depression (PPD) from women who injest their placentas. I’ve met some women who have had PPD and placentas, but they reported that they felt their symptoms were lessened and they attributed that to the placenta. One time, my girl, Kathleen, sent out a text that said “I am flipping my shit right now.” So. I gave a call, asked if she had some of her placenta, she made herself a smoothie from a juice cube and placenta bit that she had from baby Lola’s birth, and was settling her pants by the time I got to Centerville, I mean the Woodlands, 30 minutes later, that fast. Placentas even got some New York Times press. SO, how ya gonna get it in ya? 1st) Not all hospitals will give it to ya, so check and make sure that wherever you are delivering will let you leave with it, 2nd) Decide if you want a raw prep, an ecapsulation process, or some of both. The benefits of raw prep in a smoothie is that it’s a pretty quick turnaround, and having bits frozen in juice cubes makes it pretty easy to get that daily smoothie in ya. Some folks want the day-after smoothie, and then the rest dehydrated and then encapsulated. I use a big 9 tray Excalibur dehydrator that I had Reiki Symbols painted on. I feel like it ups the goodness. Chickens hopped in for the photo op 3rd) Find a provider and make sure, if you are wanting a raw prep, that the placenta is not steamed. Steaming equals a temperature change that causes the double helix of the DNA to separate, which essentially means cooking. So, if raw is what you are after, maybe no steamy steam. I do think it’s better than, say, placenta tacos. So did you ingest yours? Tell me and the world in the comments. xoxoxox, Rowan P.S.: Parsley says she misses you.