Monday Link List: April 12

This time, I've included some links to blogs and articles which I did not post, but that I found otherwise significant.  Happy reading!

Pregnancy

• "Sex before and after baby" from FitPregnancy
• "Obesity in pregnancy up risk of heart defect in baby" from Yahoo! News - *exercises my butt off!*

Birth

• "Are upright birthing positions harmful?" at Science & Sensibility
• "Avoiding the stranded beetle" at Birth Activist - Includes three and a half minute video.

Breastfeeding

•  "When it comes to breastfeeding, we can't handle the truth" at The Feminist Breeder - This article was so widely shared and viewed, it broke the author's hosting.  A lively, straightforward response to much uproar over last week's study.
• "Got Breast Milk? First We Need Equity" from RH Reality Check - Some of the practical aspects of putting the study's information to good use.
• "Breastfeeding in church" at Stand and Deliver - Also links to TopHat's "Modesty and Breastfeeding", which is another post worth reading.
• "How hard is it to cover up while breastfeeding?" at Woman, Uncensored - Excellent illustration of the matter at hand in the video.
• "Public Perceptions of Breastfeeding" at Radical Midwife - Graphic comparison of "publicly acceptable" and "publicly unacceptable" images of the human female breast and it's function.
• "Unfortunately, I feel like I need to address this" at Let's Die Friends - Gold star to this mom-to-be/Paul Frank HQ employee for her response to this week's PR fiasco.
• "I'm Only Going To Say This Once" at Wired for Noise - Short and sweet.  'Nough said.
• "Quit picking on Moms who don't breast-feed" from San Gabriel Valley Tribune - I feel like I should present this in context of the first and last links of this section.  I don't agree with Ms. Skenazy's take on the purpose of the study (to create fear and guilt), but it deserves inclusion.
• "Just Say No to Wars over Breastfeeding" at The Feminist Breeder - A nice follow-up/capper to the week and I admire her declination to engage in useless debate.

Child care and development

• "Just let her cry" at Woman, Uncensored

And beyond...

• Heifer.org - Heifer Project International:  CharityWatch.org rating: A- (under Int'l Relief) - I admit, I found this primarily because I adore Alton Brown and he did a spot for them.  That aside, I love this concept, and with an A- rating from CharityWatch, and being Accredited by the BBB, I feel reasonably confident in passing the link on to my readers.
• "Time Warp: Toilet Flush" from Discovery - Ew.  Just ew.  And people want babies to eat in that environment?  Gross.
• "Corn Plastic to the Rescue" from Smithsonian Magazine
• "Yes, You Are" at Tomato Nation - On the true, basic nature of Feminism
• "Eureka!  Less poison really is more-- deadly" from The Globe and Mail
• "'Mom jeans' and the curse of the MILF" at This is Worthwhile - Amen a thousand times over.
  

Should I change over my website?

I've been paying for a website for nearly four years now, and I've spent over $1,500 to have and promote it (not counting business cards and other physical marketing tools.) It has brought in maybe $200-300 in that time, and that's a generous estimate of its direct contribution. Obviously, this is a gross inequality as a cost-benefit analysis. (I'm not sure why, but I enjoy using that term. Anyway.)  However, my site did just earn me an invitation to participate in a Mother's Club event in May.

So, I'm seriously considering moving everything on the site either to constructed pages here or Wordpress.  I think I find Wordpress websites a little more interesting to look at, from what I've seen.  There's a guy at church who's business is creating websites with Wordpress, so I'll probably talk to him about it some.  Then again, this blog is already here on Blogspot, so I'm not sure I want to bother switching.

I also admit to having considerable feelings of customer loyalty to my hosting service; I'm their customer #12, I've been with them since they were a start-up in 2006; they've been good to me, bumping my service costs down twice; and my not getting business with their service isn't really their fault.

What I really want from you, dear readers, is your thoughts.  I've placed a poll on the left side of this blog, expiring at noon on April 14.  Please vote, give me your input, and put any comments in response to this post.  I want to hear your experiences in working with Blogspot, Wordpress, and/or any other similar (free) website/blog services; experiences in switching from one to another, if you've got it; your opinions on the visual appeal (or not!) of sites/blogs hosted on these services; or any tips on better using the pay site I have to get people calling or e-mailing and ultimately walking through my door.

Thanks all!

I forgot to mention

Yeah, so I got my CAMTC certificate and carry card on Monday, March 22nd.  The certificate is present on display in my room, and the card is in my wallet.  WOO HOO!

I need to get my camera fixed so I can take some proper pictures of everything.

The Anti-antiperspirant Experiment, pt 1

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, I'm sure you've noticed that I take life with a pronounced natural/alternative tilt to it.  This extends all the way to my underarm hygiene: I don't shave them hardly at all anymore unless I'm really getting stinky or the hair starts to pull, and for years I tried dozens of different deodorant products, with varying success.  I gave up antiperspirant while going to massage school in Arizona (of all places to give up sweat protection!) because I wanted to stop piling little bits of unhealthy things like aluminum salts and petroleum products into my body as much as possible.  Oddly enough, I didn't stink (which I attribute to the increased intake of liquid chlorophyll in my diet as a prescribed treatment for anemia) even when sweating, which was a common occurrence for a big gal like me in the dry Arizona heat; however I also seemed to sweat less, which I appreciated.  During that time, I could get by with some good old Tom's of Maine and be hunky dory.  Well, long story short, things changed, I changed, my body chemistry changed, and I gave up the fight and returned to using antiperspirant. I wasn't happy about it, but at least I didn't smell (because I'm American, dang it, and I can't smell!  Right?)

Then about 5 weeks ago, I started my "no 'poo" hair experiment, which is going great.  I love the fact that I'm not spending gobs of time in the hair aisle or gobs of money at the check out to find the next thing that's going to transform my hair experience.  It's simple, it's easy, my hair looks great, but every week or so, even with washing, it gets a little greasy up top.  So, I started using corn starch to absorb the excess oil and then brush or rinse it out.  No problems.  And that got me thinking; all I really need is odor and sweat absorption.  Could corn starch be the answer I've needed all these years?

So here I am.
Day 0
Last night I busted out the cornstarch and aloe and experimented with mix ratios.  A 1:2 (cs:aloe) produced a very fine film of cornstarch once dried, almost invisible, possibly ineffective.  I went to 1:1, which produced a thick, visibly white and persistently clingy layer once dried.  I am currently experimenting with the 1:1 ratio.

Day 1
Washed my underarms to start with a clean slate: no antiperspirant, no stink.  Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the baggy to pipe on my goop.  Note: A little goes a long way, a lot spreads beyond your armpit, even after being thinned out.  It felt a little weird at the very first, my hair felt stiff and crackly but the feeling faded quickly.  The result is a pale patch of cornstarch visible around my axila (pit) that doesn't appear to shed or sprinkle too much, though there is some "snow".  I'll let you know how things turn out later.  I've got errands to run.

By the end of the day, the patch of cornstarch was gone from sight.  I walked downtown for almost an hour, got a little warm, didn't notice any smell.  By time for bed, noticed maybe a tiny whiff of my natural odor coming through.

Day 2
Applied about a nickel's worth on either side and rubbed in.  No extra-axila spread or excessive white residue: looks identical to application of regular antiperspirant.  I do get a thick film on my hands but it's easily washed off.  Have to lotion up, though.  See you after work.

I got rather warm today, as warm as I ever do on a normal Spring day.  I did not stay dry all day, which is slightly disappointing (but not unexpected for the small amount of mix I donned this morning) but I did not stink.  This is promising and progressive.

Of course, by the evening, I did notice a particular aroma shortly after my period arrived.  Ah, body chemistry, how I love and adore you. (Okay, I shouldn't be so sarcastic to my body.)  This is good, though; This will be a real challenge to this idea I've concocted to see if it'll work.

Day 3
All right, some of the odor has dissipated.  I've added about a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half of orange flower water (hydrosol) to the goop to thin and perfume slightly.  The aroma doesn't last very long after drying with a hair dryer, though.  More later.  I'm off to run errands again.

I can conclusively say that this thin layer of cornstarch really does nothing to absorb significant amounts of sweat.  Surprise surprise.  Thought I detected a little funk, still, toward the end of the day.  Bought chlorophyll, and introduced it back to my diet in the evening.  This will be Experiment aspect 1.2.

Day 4
Now attempting method of just smearing to distribute rather than rubbing in, in the hopes of attaining a thicker layer of starch.  Doing two massages today.  Let's see how it goes. 

There was a minor funk at the end of the day, and quite a bit of wetness, but they weren't in proportion.  Thus far it appears the cornstarch is blocking/absorbing odor, but not much wetness.  Interesting!


Tomorrow is an antiperspirant day because I'm volunteering and working with the public, so this is a good time to enter the log thus far.  Unless I am still sick/sore tomorrow (I woke up with a cough this morning), I'll resume on Sunday.

 Peace be with y'all.



P.S.: Sorry about the run-on sentences.  It's part of my charm.

Product: Keen shoes

While this has nothing strictly to do with massage, doulary, birth, or any of the other topics I typically cover in this blog, Keen shoes and bags are typical parts of my daily wardrobe and my equipment as a massage therapist and doula, and I can't say enough about them.

I don't remember how I first discovered Keens, but I'm fairly sure it was while I was shopping for a comfortable, durable pair of everyday shoes that I could wear for a long time.  I've tried a lot of very expensive shoes in the past six years to fill this role, some of which apparently are no longer made.  The Berkeley by Keen is the most recent entry in this list, and I'm about ready to kill my second pair.  Each has lasted in excess of a year of daily wear without socks.  I've had a Brooklyn purse (in a discontinued brown/orange scheme) for about two years as well, and it fits almost anything I need to carry: wallet, lips balms/rouge, keys, business cards, checkbook, pens, cell phone, point-and-shoot camera, iPod shuffle in carry box, notebook, small calendar planner, and various knick-knacks.  I even have room leftover for a handful of small groceries.  My doula bag is an Alameda, which holds my folded rebozo, birth ball and pump, 1/2" binder for client paperwork, a couple books, water, cell phone, etc, with room to spare, in a shape that doesn't take an extra arm and can easily be shoved out of the way.

I hate socks only a little more than I hate wearing shoes (which is just ahead of how much I hate to wear a bra) so if I'm going to be stuck in them everyday, you can dang well bet anymore that they're well made, they fit me, and I'm comfortable.  Most of the shoes linked above have fallen short on one or both of those last two criteria for me, I bought them anyway, and resumed the search shortly thereafter.  My biggest problem is that I have wide feet, so many brands that don't carry wide widths just don't work for me.  Also, living on the Rubenesque side of life puts a lot of wear and tear on my feet and legs if I stand for a long time.  It's been a challenge to find good shoes.

Now I've found Keens, I've been wearing them almost exclusively for over two years now, and I love them.  The only shoe need Keen doesn't fulfill for me is dress shoes.  They do not come in wide widths, but many styles are built wide regardless.  Many of the materials used are recycled and/or sustainably sourced.  The styles and colors are attractive, modern, and functional.  The footbeds are smooth, supportive, and springily comfortable, so I can walk or stand for hours with almost no discomfort compared to even my Ecco sneakers.  I'm a big fan of the toe protection, especially on the sandals.  This makes them versatile for everyday, water, and even some hiking.  Another advantage of Keens, especially in the Waterfront collection, is the great traction.  I can plant my feet and not worry about wasting energy because they're sliding to the side.  I also worry less about oil/lotion spills and migratory hair trimmings from the salon slipping me up.  My Venice H2s are especially useful on this front and I've been wearing them a lot lately in lieu of my Berkleys that are ready to give up the ghost. 

I've been living in slip ons for years (another correct-shoes-finding challenge) and plan to continue to do so as much as possible.  For this reason, I'm looking at the PTC slip on and the Cimarron.  I'm leaning toward the latter for the lower heel and breathability, but I like the Keen.Cush insole on the former.

Whichever I choose, Keen Footwear is the "official shoe/bag of Abundance Massage", and I am proud to be a Keen girl.

A compendium of recent articles and blog posts

Lately I've gotten into the habit of passing on numerous articles via Facebook and Twitter that I've found or had passed on to me, mainly because I didn't want to clutter up my blog with a ton of small posts.  Instead, I think I'll start doing a regular (weekly? bi-weekly? monthly?) large post of links with comments on various subjects for the sake of convenience for myself, and everyone else.

Birth

•  April is Cesarean Awareness Month.  Visit the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) for more information. My comments:  "Cesarean section is a wonderful, useful surgical tool that can save both the lives of mother and child when it's needed. However, it has become a catch-all litigation avoidance mechanism in our country. Approximately 32% of women give birth by section in the United States, by FAR the highest rate in the industrialized... world and 2-3 times the rate recommended by the WHO, with a VBAC rate of <8%. Sometimes c-section is necessary. Too often it is not. April is Cesarean Awareness Month. For more information, resources, and education, go to www.ican-online.org"

Breastfeeding

• Two articles relating to the same study: One shorter and one longer.  $15 million per year is a tiny, tiny amount compared to what formula companies can lob at us in that amount of time, but if it goes through, it's a start.  Women need Education, Resources, and Support on personal, familial, and community levels.  Breastfeeding, public and private, needs to be 100% legal (with government, businesses, and society), 100% recognized as normal, 100% supported, and practiced in as close to 100% of mothers as possible.  $13 BILLION ANNUALLY.  Just to exclusively breastfeed for six months.  Imagine the added impact of extended breastfeeding to two years and beyond (as recommended by the WHO) in health and savings.   And to complement this, I have...
• This: "On Being a Wetnurse".  "It sounds so "Jane Austen" or "Charles Dickens" to us now, doesn't it? But you know, considering the last two articles I posted, this ain't half a bad idea for getting that 90(or 100!) percent breastfeeding rate. Definitely something to think about."

Raising children

• April 1-7 is Autism Awareness Week.  From a Note I wrote on Facebook:
  Autism is not a disease, it is a different way of being in and interacting with the world. But it is also epidemic. I admit, I do not know very much about autism except the way my family has had to work with it and the controversy about whether it's caused by vaccines and/or vaccine overload from the sheer load given to very young children very quickly. I know it needs more research. I know people who have it need love, understanding, and kindness, just like every other human being. People with autism are amazing, even if they seem a little quirky. (Heck, I seem a little quirky, too!)
  
  Don't tease. Learn. Don't ignore. Engage as much as possible. Don't tolerate others who, through ignorance or mean spiritedness, devalue those with autism. We are all children of God, and we deserve better.
  
  Love you, Brandon.
  
  Your proud Auntie,
  Jena
• The Dark Secret of an "Un-Schooling" Family.  (Unschooling?  What's that??)  Read and learn more!  I have to say, I'm intrigued by the concept of un-schooling.

I hope you learned something new today.  Take care of yourself and those around you.  (And support Breastfeeding!)

My first experiences with the bodyCushion

My bodyCushion arrived the day of my last blog post and I've had the chance to use it a couple of times now.  The first thing I noticed was that I had to lower my table a lot.  The legs are on their second lowest setting, and  I'm considering putting them all the way down, something I haven't done in six years since my Structural Bodywork courses.  Not only will this will make it easier for clients to climb onto the table, but it will also make my body mechanics a little better.

Speaking of body mechanics, one of the primary reasons I bought the bC was the purported 50% reduction in therapist energy expenditure.  For me, that's a huge difference, and I have to say that I did feel like I wasn't putting out quite as much force to do my work.  I still have to fine tune my technique in working with this new tool, but so far I'm optimistic.  I also enjoy a few minutes flopped on the contraption, myself.  It's still pretty comfy, in spite of my considerable size, and it's the most gently effective lumbar stretch I've ever had.  I want to buy one for home use, honestly.

That being said, the contraption did not work for my mother in either prone or side-lying position.  I tried several adjustments for her and nothing worked better than the face cradle on my table, flipped up on the table top to support her face or a foam pillow (depending on her position.)  I really wanted it to, but it was not to be.  Alas, it's not for everyone, but what is?  However, I think working on my nail technician went very well, and I can't wait to get her feedback on the experience later.

Hopefully as I work more with this product, I will have much more to say.