Avocado Baby with Stacy Lewis

I wish you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had great day relaxing at home.  I got a very unique gift this year from my husband--mushrooms!  I cannot wait to have some home grown shitake mushrooms.  I am very happy he loved his photos.  The children and I printed some of his favorites into 8X10's and put them in some frames.  The pictures are on my personal facebook page.

I am not only writing this post to share our holiday, but I want to begin anew.  I am ready to leave behind my former relationship with the AAHCC.  I will not discuss them further from this point.  I have not found the support I wish to have with the AAHCC.  I have not found them to be a professional presence for me.  I am sad in a way to say goodbye to that organization, but I am happy.  They were my stepping ground into the birthing community.

So, what does that mean for me and my students?  It means many great things!  It means I am moving forward and becoming more educated, so I can provide the best classes and care.  

The first change up for me this coming year is joining Brio Birth.  The directory of teachers is finally working and the the website is looking wonderful.  My training session is in January and will be training with some fellow childbirth educators as well.  Interesting enough, I trained in 2004 with two of the educators that will also be attending Brio's training.  It will be nice to finally meet up with them again and to make some new friends.

I'm also moving forward in labor support.  I am training with DONA in January and am looking very forward to the training.  It will mean for me a great opportunity to learn support for a laboring family.  I then will be on the road to become a doula.  

My most exciting and longest journey also begins in January.  I'm finally, after two years, beginning my path onto IBCLC.  I have wanted to help women so much learn about breastfeeding and to guide them through their journey.  I want to give women support and better advice.  My friend really spring boarded this decision for me when she called crying because she was having difficulty nursing her fourth child.  Her lactation consultant was rude and basically told her she shouldn't need an LC and they never see issues like this with a fourth child.  It really made me sad to hear her express her desire to nurse and then to be shot down by the help she went to.  In January, I start one of the higher education course I need to gain my IBCLC.  I cannot wait!

As for my blog...well, I really want to keep it up.  I have decided I will be coming up with a theme for each day.  I am using the days of the week as my guide.  My topics will be: Milk Mondays, Book Talk Tuesday, Walk through Labor Wednesday, Touching Thursday, Free choice Friday.  

For Milk Monday, I will discuss breastfeeding or nutrition for mother and child.  Book Talk Tuesday will be at first a review of a book.  I wish later to open it to a discussion on a book for the month.  The discussion will have to wait until I have more followers.  Walk through Labor Wednesday will discuss the process of labor, support in labor, and support postpartum.  Touching Thursday will be a relaxation exercise for mother and/or child, attachment parenting discussion, or labor touching exercise.  Free Choice Friday, at this point I will most likely talk about homeschooling.  As this blog develops and I have more followers, I hope to use this as a Q&A from moms and fathers. If something big in the news happens which concerns pregnancy, breastfeeding, or parenting choice, I will be discussing it on Friday as well.

I appreciate all my new members who can help me spread the word about my services and my blog!  Please refer your friends here!!! If you are a client or past client, I would also love for you to leave a review on the webpage.  

Thank you again

Stacy Lews, B.A. Ed., CBE