a beautiful birth story

This young woman and friend has found a wonderful way to record her birth and the special days of her daughters life. Please check out her blog and perhaps you will be inspired to do this for your child too!
http://jasminemyprincess.wordpress.com/delivering/

New Home, New Chapter

The Fudu family is now beginning to settle in our new home in Westville, Durban. In life there are many stops and goes. I will post things when and if I feel inspired to do so. I'm trying to find that strange and delicate balance between technology and true human interacton....

Scatter Brain Syndrome

There is a syndrome that is not recorded in any medical science book, magazine or journal, but it is alive and rampant around the world.
From the time of conception until the day a woman begins her retirement, (Which only really begins when her children are done with university and get their own jobs), she shall suffer from Scatter Brain Syndrome.
This Syndrome consists of the following:
-To begin one task and start four others in the process
-To forget things
-To double book events
Often the sydrome will be a combination of these things at the same time.
Some call it porridge brain, other's call it stress, but whatever it's called doesn't change the fact that most of us struggle to cope with motherhood and it's demands and the confusion in puts in other aspects of our lives. Some days and weeks run more smoothly than others.
So when you say something strange, do something awkward or just feel like your loosing it, Remember: there are women just as crazy as you all around the world. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
:)

31

Today I'm 31 and life is beginning to take new shape and form (along with my figure). I am a mother/wife/teacher/doula and since I turned 30 I have watched 50 women become mothers and welcomed so many babies to this earth. I've become more serious and a bit more crazy at the same time. I've gained wisdom and lost patience and have often reversed those gains and losses! But overall I feel more blessed each day as I watch the mother, child and family transform and grow in my home and in the homes of many others.
Life is so full of joy when love dominates our acts and words.

Learning to latch your baby...

So after observing new babies and their first attempts to feed over the last two years I have come to my own conclusion that about +-40% of new babies just open their mouth nice and wide and turn out to be natural breast feeders. The other +-60% have to learn and need help. I just worked with a women who struggled and it wasn't until the 5th day after an hour of work that we finally got the little guy on their! It was such a victory! When it is difficult and a mother does not have good support the breastfeeding experience may struggle to survive past a couple weeks. But just know that once the learning and correct habits are formed breastfeeding becomes as natural as breathing and your baby benefits beyond measure from this perfect food.

Things our children say...

May I suggest that all you moms and moms to be start writing down all the cute little things are little ones do and say. These moments pass so fast and it is easy to forget. I am vowing to write down, right here, the things that strike me when my children speak.

"Is God happy?" My son asks me this all the time when an event that stands out to him happens.

"Mom, does God dance when we play music?" -Tajalli

"When we go to sleep, does our heart go to sleep also?" -Taj



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Being a doula for a loved one

I have now assisted in 32 births and each one has been sacred and an honour to be a part of. My sister is going to have a baby any day now and I have flown to the exact opposite side of the earth to be with her for this journey. I am showering her with love, attention, massage and feel-good conversation and laughter. Our relationship is blooming into something new and beautiful. When I meet a client our relationship begins from that point and through the journey we share together we also form a sisterhood of sorts. The connection shared with a women during her pregnancy, labour, birth and in the early days is a bond that is so close and beautiful. My hope is that this journey I am taking with my sister will make me a better doula to the other sisters I will serve in the future.