On the road again

The girls and I left Portland this morning to begin our long trek back to Las Vegas. We made it all the way through the state, just over 300 miles, and are in Ashland, OR tonight (10.4). My aunt has a house here where she has graciously offered to let us spend a couple of nights. I am excited to have a meeting tomorrow afternoon with a group of local apprentice midwives who want to hear more about the research and purpose behind placenta encapsulation. Then we’ll head out again Saturday morning. I managed to pack all of my gear into my little Saturn Ion, which was no small feat. I think I felt it bottom out a few times when I went over a bump. ha!

Speaking of staying with my aunt, the whole Expo was a total family affair. My mom flew in from Minnesota a couple weeks before we left, then she drove with the girls and I up to Portland. My brother and his family still live in the Portland area, so we were able to let our girls (his two daughters are 10 and 12) play and bond together a bit. I was able to spend time with them this week, after the Expo, and it was really great reconnecting with them. We are close, but as close as you can be when you live 1200 miles apart. Face time is huge, especially for the kids. Now I’m here in Ashland, visiting my aunt, who I haven’t seen since Spring 2006. This Expo has been a wonderful blessing in so many ways.

When I was packing up my booth to leave Sunday night, the awesome ladies in the booth next to me were also packing their things. Their booth had slings from 3 different mama-run, home-based sling sewing businesses, each with their own designs. Heidi and Cozette, from Silly Goose Baby, were so much fun to talk to (when they weren’t slammed with parents checking out their fabulous carriers). As we were finishing taking down our booths, we had a chance to talk a bit more, and Heidi mentioned that I was “very brave” to stand up at an event like that and talk about something as foreign and misunderstood as placenta ingestion. I suppose it does take some measure of guts, but I don’t see myself as brave at all.

I know that there is a simple natural remedy that can help women have an incredible postpartum experience, and really feel great after having a baby. Motherhood is so important, and the anticipation of the birth of a baby is huge – it is all a woman thinks about from the moment she discovers she is pregnant, and sometimes long before then. To have an amazing birth experience, only to feel exhausted, run down, overwhelmed, doubtful of her own abilities as a mother, and weeping at television commercials (and sometimes not even able to leave the house for days)… it is just sad to me. The fact that we have come to accept this as part of the birth and mothering experience is a total disservice to women. I know it does not have to be that way. I know women are meant to feel happy, upbeat, confident, energetic, and recover quickly from the pregnancy and the birth. How can I know that and not share it?

Minnesota

My Minnesota connection has come out full-force this week.

Tuesday morning I was a guest on the KQ Morning Show talking about the benefits of placenta capsules. (If you’re interested, you can listen to me say “um” a lot – my piece starts at 01:03:40).

The next day, the I-35 bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River.

I can’t believe it. I have so many friends and family that still live in the Cities (it was never Minneapolis or St. Paul, just The Cities). We’ve been on the phone a lot getting the latest news, and trying to stay connected. It’s hard to be so far away when tragedy strikes at home. Bridges are frightening to many people in the best of circumstances, so I can’t imagine the terror everyone felt having a major freeway drop out from under them.

My heart is in Minnesota – with friends and families of the victims, and everyone who experienced the horror first-hand.

New Look!

Diva/Mama has a new look! I switched hosts to WordPress after researching various blog options. I hope I didn’t lose anyone in the migration! This is just a basic look right now, but it will evolve to greatness (as soon as I find the time to make it so).

There has been action behind the scenes – I just haven’t had a chance yet to sit and write it all down.

I am leaving today for the gorgeous Willamette National Forest in Oregon, where I will be immersed in Nature and emerge rejuvenated. I will work on some writing while I am gone, so look for updates here starting June 4th.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and may your days be blessed.

Jodi Selander

Anne Swanson to go on nationally-syndicated radio show

Anne Swanson will be interviewed on the Mancow Show at 6:45AM tomorrow morning, May 17. From my understanding, this is a “shock jock” type talk show (main demographic is male age 18-36). If you would like to call in support of Anne, the number is 888-2-MANCOW. Let’s bring this case to the attention of the nation!

Thanks, Anne, for putting yourself out there. Men need to know that it benefits them to have the mothers of their children take placenta capsules! I have had lots of dads say they call the placenta capsules “happy pills”, and gently remind their wives to take another dose since they can tell when she doesn’t take them.

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Update:

Anne went on the show, and I think it was a success! She was able to make the point that she didn’t want to EAT her placenta, but wanted to take it in capsule form for the health benefits. She pointed out that many of her hypnobirthing clients had remarkably positive stories after having their placentas encapsulated, so she wanted to experience the effects for herself.

Listen to the show! The segment of interest comes on about 2.5 hours into the show (at 2:34:50, give or take a second or two).

Review-Journal article

The article on the situation regarding Anne’s placenta came out in the Review-Journal today, in the Sunday paper. I am so grateful to see that Ms. Annette Wells portrayed us as normal folks with a valid issue. I’m not too keen on a placenta being called a "nutrient-filled sac", but you can’t have everything. Give it a read!

 Making pills from placentas

 

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Rally Signage

We want to have some fun, clever signs to display at the rally Monday. If you are interested, I’m hosting a sign-making party tomorrow morning over coffee, tea and muffins.

Sunday, May 6
10 AM – noonish
Jodi’s house 

Email or call 947.0879 to RSVP and get directions.

I’ve created a Google group (link to the right) that I will use for emailing notices. Please sign up if you would like to be kept apprised of the situation as it develops. I have no experience with Google groups, so do bear with me as I work out the kinks.

Bring whatever supplies you think you will need, but I will be here with some basic supplies and doing my best to churn out creative promotional materials. If you would like to make your own, we have the following suggestions (printable PDFs to follow ASAP).

My Baby, My Placenta

Placentas are not trash!

Placenta = Health, not Hazard

Prenatal care: $3000
Hospital Birth: $8000
Baby & PLACENTA: PRICELESS

TAKEN:  One PLACENTA
REWARD for its return:
HAPPY and HEALTHY MOTHER

PLACENTA and BABY are connected for a REASON:
They BOTH belong with their MOTHER

Severence Pay:
Cut the Umbilical Cord -
Mother and Baby Pay

Custody Dispute:
Baby belongs to the parents,
Placenta belongs to the hospital????

Is my baby INFECTIOUS WASTE, too?

A mother births her BABY
A mother births her PLACENTA
BOTH ARE HERS!

BABIES and PLACENTAS
Belong TOGETHER
With the MOTHER

HELP! My Placenta has been held hostage!