How do you make a hormone??

(photo from https://www.facebook.com/NaturalMumOnTheCheap)


This is something I wish I had learned in nursing school. They taught us that Pitocin was just synthetic oxytocin. I didn't know it had totally different effects until I became pregnant and started doing my own research.

Pitocin causes contractions to be stronger and longer, making it much more painful for the mother, and decreasing oxygen supply to the baby. It can also wear out the uterus much faster because its forcing it to contract at a different pace than it would otherwise. All this combined makes the mother more likely to want pain relief measures, since contractions are so much more painful than they would be otherwise. If she gets an epidural, it can slow down her labor, causing them to up the dose of the Pitocin. The contractions can become so intense that the baby begins to go into distress, causing everyone to have major concern (for obvious reasons) and leading to a possible c-section.

And on top of all that, Pitocin blocks the release of natural oxytocin.

Now, plenty of women use Pitocin for numerous reasons and haven't had these complications. I have nothing against women who chose to use Pitocin, I don't think they're "weak" or "stupid" or "ill informed." I just prefer to not use it if i don't have to.

Anyways, that's my rant about hormones. As Ina May Gaskin said "The same hormones that get the baby in, get the baby out!"

To answer the question in the subject line: Don't pay her. ;)

Baby Shower!!

Aren't those cupcakes adorable?! Stephanie is amazing. My baby shower this morning was SO much fun.


First, we played a game where no one is allowed to say the word "baby" for the duration of the shower. Each person got 3 clothes pins to decorate, and if the word "baby" was said, they would have to surrender a clothes pin to the person who caught them. The person at the end of the shower with the most pins wins! It was fun to play the rest of the games without saying the word "baby"

Next, we played Bible baby name game. One of the hostesses read some clues about people in the Bible, such as mother or brother names, and we had to guess who it was. Whoever guessed the most correct wins! I happened to win that one...hehe.

Then, it was time for Catch Phrase. Steph had wrote some words on cards such as "9 months," "little swimmers," "cervix," and "ovulation." We set a timer for 1 min and passed the cards from person to person, trying to make our teammates say the word without saying any part of it ourselves. When the time ran out, the opposite team of whoever was holding the cards got a point. Every other person is on the same team, so you try to pass the cards as fast as possible. It was so fun, and funny when the more modest ladies got words like "sperm." lol

Next, we also played Pin the Sperm on the Egg. Just your good old fashioned Pin The Tail on the Donkey with a fertilizing twist using paper cutouts of sperm and a giant egg drawn on paper. Whoever got closest to the "x" marked on the egg won! We had to have the two closest girls go again, and even brought out the tape measure to be fair. =)




Finally, we played a game where you had to fasten the diaper around a smaller size balloon, only it was using cloth diapers and safety pin. You had to be careful, or else you would pop the balloon!! We only had two diapers, so we did races in groups of two and let the winners compete. I think this is where most of us lost our clothes pins...lol.

Then, it was time for delicious cupcakes, goldfish crackers (it was penguin themed, and since penguins eat fish...) and presents!! Finally, we tallied up who had the most pins, and gave the last prize away. Overall, it was such a fantastic party! I'm so grateful for my awesome friends. =D