older moms
Mamas on Bedrest: I Want My Son to Become a Caring and Compassionate Man
October 14th, 2011In a slight departure from her normal “pregnancy support” information, Bedrest Coach Darline Turner-Lee reaches out to parents to see what tools and techniques they are using to help teach their children to choose friends based on character and not on popularity.
Mamas on Bedrest: How One US Mompreneur is Helping Bolivian Mamas Achieve Financial Independence
October 10th, 2011
My colleague and fellow Mompreneur Laurie Gonyea has partnered with Global Goods Partners, an international women’s cooperative, to help mamas in Bolivia become financially independent.
I first “met” (online) Laurie a couple of years ago when she was first starting out with her company, Knit Outta The Box. She reached out to us to see if Mamas on Bedrest & Beyond would be interested in providing knitting kits to Mamas on Bedrest. I actually featured Laurie’s kits in our shop for a couple of years until she moved into wholesale distribution and now, global initiatives.
It is so exciting to see what Laurie is doing now with her business. One of her most ingenious and most popular products is her iMitt (c) kit. These knit kits make mittens with holes for the index fingers and thumbs so that you can use your smart phones without removing your mittens. They are made out of all natural fibers and come in beautiful colors. Until now, you had to purchase the kit and knit the iMitts(c) yourself (and the kits are still available). But Laurie has partnered with Global Goods Partners so that women in Bolivia will knit the iMitts (c) out of beautiful Alpaca yarn, and for each pair of iMitts (c) sold, a portion of the sale go to the women in Bolivia. This gives these women a source of income, a job, something that they can do while also caring for their children and a step towards financial independence. Considering the iMitt (c) is designed to be used with smart phones, I can only imagine that Steve Jobs is looking down with a huge grin on his face!!
This is an incredible opportunity for Laurie and for the women with whom she is partnering in Bolivia. I believe that this sort of “woman to woman” empowerment is what is going to move our world forward. So if you feel so led, purchase a pair of iMitts (c). With the holidays coming up, they’ll make great gifts! I will be relocating to New England next year, so I am ordering a pair of the purple iMitts (c) so that I will be ready for winter 2013!
What are other mamas doing? If you know of a mama doing something fantastic to help Mamas on Bedrest or other mamas globally, please share this information below or at info@mamasonbedrest.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter, @mamasonbedrest.
Mamas on Bedrest: I Ditched the Diaper Bag!
September 5th, 2011Those of you who know me know that I had a rocky road to motherhood. In the years from 2001 to 2006 I had 3 abdominal surgeries, 4 pregnancies 2 miscarriages and, thankfully, 2 healthy children. I was pregnant every year for at least a few weeks-with the exception of 2003.
But as much of a roller coaster ride as it was to have my children, it actually pales compared to my menstrual history. From the time I started getting my periods at age 11, I had unpredictable and later debilitating menstrual periods. As a teenager, they weren’t all that bad because I had my period so infrequently. As a competitive gymnast and cheerleader, I’d sometimes go as long as 6 months without menstruating. In my twenties, once I stopped competing, I had regular monthly periods, but the cramping, nausea and heavy bleeding often incapacitated me for at least a day each month. I tried several different treatments; hormones, herbs, acupuncture, supplements…but in the end, I sucked it up and dealt with the heavy bleeding and cramping, and paid what equated to stock options in the Always Feminine pad and OB Tampon Companies. I rarely knew from one day to the next when I’d get my period, but one thing was for sure-when it came, it usually came with a vengeance, “super soakers” I used to call them and I was always at the ready with a full supply of feminine products in my very large hand bag.
When I finally got around to having children at age 35, I silently uttered, “Bring it on!” The thought of being period free for at least a year, maybe even 2 (I planned on nursing for at least a year) was exhilarating! And not having to carry around a huge purse was one of my greatest anticipations. Unfortunately, my excitement was short-lived. With each of my children, despite nursing them exclusively for months, I began menstruating by 3 months post partum. The only good thing was that since I was carrying all of their gear in a diaper bag, I didn’t have to look like a vagabond with my own additional satchel. Soon, as children do, my children grew up. They were each potty trained by age 2 ½. By the time my son was three, he ate well enough and neatly enough that I didn’t need to bring a bib, wipes or extra clothes. The only one who needed the diaper bag was me! Now what’s wrong with that picture???
I was sick of the bags, sick of the uncertainty, sick of my periods dictating my life! I wanted to hang out with my kids, go for bike rides and swims and not have to take “additional baggage”. You know it’s bad when your 3 yr old son pipes up, “Don’t worry mama, I’ve got your bag!” and nearly falls over from the load. That was it! I was sick of the heavy bleeding, the cramping and generally feeling like a limp dishrag! I was sick of lugging around “luggage”, maxi pads, super tampons, underwear and sometimes even extra pants! I made up my mind-I was ditching the diaper bag!
I scheduled a consultation with my OB/GYN and I told her that I wanted an endometrial ablation. She was hardly surprised that I came in with a specific treatment in mind. As a physician assistant, I usually approached her with my treatment plan, she presented me with hers and we typically met somewhere in the middle. After reviewing my history and all of my options, she agreed that an endometrial ablation was a reasonable treatment for me to try to put an end to my heavy bleeding. So on a lovely Friday morning in July of 2009, I spent exactly 45 minutes in my doctor’s office having the NovaSure procedure. And with one quick flip of a switch and some skillful use of gynecological tools, my bleeding problems became a thing of the past.
I wish I had had the NovaSure endometrial ablation sooner. Having the NovaSure procedure put an end to my heavy bleeding once and for all. I still have nominal periods each month; spotting enough to stain 1 or 2 panty shields. But the rest of it-the heavy bleeding, the cramping, the fatigue, the nausea and/or vomiting-gone! And more than that, I ditched the diaper bag! Some days I go out with only my cell phone and keys. It’s such a liberating feeling!
About this blog carnival: “I Ditched the Diaper Bag” is an effort to spread awareness about heavy periods and to encourage women to not only talk about their health issue but seek treatment. Are you bothered by the amount of bleeding or the pain that you have during your period? Does your period make you feel depressed, tired or moody? Do you change your pad or tampon more often than every one or two hours? Does your period last more than a full week? If so, you may have heavy periods, also known as menorrhagia, a condition that affects 1 out of every 5 women. For more information about symptoms and treatment options visit www.aboutheavyperiods.com.
Please help us raise awareness for this important health issue and encourage women to share their stories. What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about, manage and make provisions for your heavy periods? Would you swim more? Wear white more or simply “Ditch your diaper bag?” Write your post and share your link with us in the comments section below. Thanks.
