The Heart Beat

Everyone, please send your congratulations to Ms. Tweetie Bird. Ms. Bird's eggs have hatched on our front porch this weekend. Ms. Tweetie is the proud and busy momma of three little ones who are already demanding much work from her catching bugs...Talk about mouths to feed!

Kaleen is at a conference today and tomorrow down in Ft. Lauderdale for Postpartum Depression evaluation and management. This training will prepare us for being able to evaluate women who are having trouble coping with afterbirth emotions. An incredible blogspot to check out is http://postpartumprogress.typepad.com/weblog/education_training/ . When Kaleen gets back she is planning on setting up a postpartum depression support group that will be availabale through the Center, as well as an evaluation system to help ladies that are experiencing Baby Blues, mild postpartum depression, severe depression or to refer patients for further evaluation of postpartum psychosis.

Today was a busy birthday at H2H, although it isn't over till the fat lady sings I guess the saying goes....(would that be me??) So far today, we have had two beautifully smooth births and lots of fun with these families! We woke to the call with one lady in early labor, then another called, then a third. It worked out so great...we had one come in, we checked her, sent her to breakfast, another came in and delivered, then the other came back from breakfast and hung out a bit and had her baby. the third is coming back in now. Please welcome baby girl Riley to Heather and Rob. Baby Riley weighed 9.1. Also welcome baby boy Asher to Kathleen and Aaron. Baby Asher weighed in at 7.6. We are waiting Nicole to come in and her baby tonite as well...we will keep you posted!! Michelle, Becca, Misty, and Michelle R (new Asst at H2H)

I did it! Finished the Danskin Triathalon on Mother's Day May 10th. Swam 1/2 mile, biked 12 miles, and then ran 3.1miles in 1hr 32min! Placed 102 out of 1688- 28th out of 279 in my age group! We did disney after and I walked around for 8hrs! My 2 younger boys were in Aww- first time to Magic Kingdom. Picture is of all three in Minnie's House. Their were no lines and it was absolutely perfect> Looking for people to train with for next year!

For those of you who did not know it yet, our Birth Assistant Misti Balzer (senior student midwife) is having TWINS! We are all very excited for her and know that her family is really going to have a blast with two new little girls! Misti currently attends Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in Gainesville, lives in St. Augustine, and works here at H2H as a birth attendant...she really gets around! HeeHeee! As you can tell, she is very dedicated to becoming a midwife! Please remember that to support midwifery, everyone we know needs to join the Florida Friends of Midwives to keep your right to have a baby with a midwife legal in FLorida!

I recieved the most fantastic e-mail the other day from one of my Hypnobirthing graduates.... She told me how wonderful of an experience she created using these techniques, even in a hospital.... "It was the most amazing day of my life and I wish every mother was able to have this same reality. I felt great that day after I had him with very little pain and was home the next day. The nurses couldn't believe how great I was doing. I think they're just used to the normal drug induced comas most moms are in at the hospital. Learning how to breath properly and relax about the natural process of birthing is the reason I was able to do this. Thank you again so much for all your help and guidance." It always makes me smile to hear success stories. I am blessed to be able to assist moms in this path of loving their childbirth and to be able to witness this often at Heart 2 Heart. It makes me feel so hopeful when I hear Mom's are taking back their experience in hospita...

For those of you who don't know it yet, we are expecting as well! Okay, so it is not a baby, but it is taking 9 months!! We are having our dream birth center built. Now before any of you panic, it is going to have all of the charm and beauty of this building, it will just be a bit more practical: all on one floor (no steps to climb in labor!), three birth rooms, two exam rooms, and a better waiting room for extended family when they come for the birth or after! We will still be right here in Sanford, but will actually be right across the street from labor and delivery (The Baby Suites) at Central Florida Regional Hospital on Lexington Drive. Although the building will be new, it will have all of our antiques in it, so we know it is going to be simply wonderful.  We love this beautiful old building and appreciate having gotten our start here, but we have definitely outgrown this beautiful old place so we can offer some more stuff to ya'll. We will also be opeing a Wellness Cente...