Breastfeeding Preparation Poll
Expanded Program of Classes for Spring at Babymoon Inn
Babymoon Inn is expanding our program of classes for the spring/summer. As always, these programs are included in our package of care at no additional cost for all Babymoon Inn Families. Starting this month (with our new office space), we are so excited to be able to open these classes to all families in the community. These classes are taught by our staff who have many years of in-hospital experience and will provide strategies and information for families who are choosing to birth in or out of the hospital environment. We are offering the classes at the discounted rates detailed below, good through June 2012 only.
Breastfeeding Basics for Expectant Families
Babymoon Inn has partnered with Birth Bungalow LLC to provide Breastfeeding Basics for Expectant Families. For a detailed class description, please click breastfeedingclassbrochure. Birth Bungalow also offers $10 Wednesday Walk-In lactation consults at the Babymoon Inn office (220 E. Lexington Ave.) from 11-1 every Wednesday. Please call Vanessa at 623-330-3646 for more information and to register for this class.
May 10, June 7th 6:30pm-8:30 Special Rate of $40
Signs and Wonders of Labor
Signs and Wonders of Labor is taught by Amey Clark RN, CBC. Amey is one of our birth assistants, has taught childbirth classes for 3 years and has been a labor nurse for 14 years. This is an interactive class that will help you look forward to labor and all of the signs and wonders that lead up to the big day! This class is a great precursor to the Birth Journey Workshop. This class covers:
*Pre-labor signs, Practice labor and True Labor
*When to stay home, call your midwife or OB and when to head into the hospital or birth center.
*What to pack in our labor tool box.
*The Stages of Labor
* Relaxation and Breath awareness.
Please contact Amey@babymooninn.com to register.
April 11, May 16th, June 20 6:30pm-9pm Special Rate of $50
Bringing Home Mom & Baby
Bringing Home Mom & Baby is taught by Amey Clark and covers how parents can prepare for those first few weeks after the birth of their baby. We will discuss how to care for mom so she can heal better and feel better, what this time is like for new dads and how to care for a new baby. We will practice bathing, dressing and swaddling babies, please bring a doll. This class also covers:
*Normal newborn appearance
*Safe sleep/Co-sleeping
*Newborn procedures
* Signs and symptoms of newborn illness
* Infant CPR
This class briefly covers breastfeeding, please sign up for Breastfeeding Basics for Expectant Parents. Please contact Amey@babymooninn.com
April 18th, May 23rd, June 27th 6:30pm-9:00pm Special Rate of $50
Dianne Hamre’s Birth Journey Workshop
This unique, one-day workshop is the perfect way to end the series of classes and prepare for THE BIG DAY. The topics covered include:
* The importance of listening to your body and the benefits of allowing birth to happen naturally.
* Building a healthy pain coping mindset by learning creative ways to labor
* Relaxation techniques
* Labor and pushing positions
* Pain coping techniques
* Discuss terminology and medical processes (epidural, pitocin, SROM, AROM, etc.)
* Benefits of having a doula
* Breastfeeding
This unique workshop also includes a series of labor simulations that create an environment in which you and your partner to rely on each other and grow closer together. To register for this class, please contact Dianne Hamre at dianne@babymooninn.com or 602.881.2729.
Special Rate of $150
Great Cloth Diaper Change 2012!
We are so excited to be a host of the Great Cloth Diaper Change 2012 on April 21st at 9:00 am! We are partnering with PeaceLove Swap, who is generously providing the first 50 familes who pre-register using the form below with a swag bag with great items for participating (thank you Carrie and Macaroni Kid!). This is an official event to qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records. The actual diaper change will happen promptly at 9:30 am. Pre-registration is not required to attend the event. If you don’t have a cloth diaper, Arizona Diaper Service has agreed to provide cloth diapers for us to use (thank you AZ Diaper Service!). If you need to borrow a diaper, please be sure to register below so we have yours for you! Please join Babymoon Inn on Facebook and share this event and information with others.
And Introducing Jolene Edwards, RN!
So happy to introduce to you Jolene Edwards RN as a Babymoon Inn Birth Assistant! 
Julia had been recruiting Jolene for quite some time and finally snagged her 
.
Jolene has been a Registered Nurse in labor and delivery since 2004. She is also a certified doula and an internationally board certified lactation consultant. She has had three un-intervened births; two of which were with a midwife. Her passion is for families to experience birth as they desire in a comfortable setting where their wishes are met, and they can look back with a positive reflection on their birth journey.
Meet our Newest Birth Assistant Aubrey!
We are growing at Babymoon Inn! So excited to introduce our newest birth assistant, Aubrey Fox.Introducing Amey and Inn Mommies!
It has been a busy 2012 around the Inn already! New Years Eve started us off on the right foot with a BEAUTIFUL baby boy making his appearance and it has been non-stop action ever since. We have a lot of exciting new programs to share with you in 2012 and we are starting off with weekly Inn Mommies group at noon on Wednesdays.
We are thrilled to introduce one of our 2 new birth assistants Amey Clark RN who will be facilitating the group. Amey is on the birth call schedule and will be in the office on Mondays and Fridays (Thursdays starting in May). Here is an introduction from Amey about her background and the Inn Mommies group:
Hi, my name is Amey Clark and I am so excited to start Babymoon Inn’s new group for expecting and new mommies! Inn Mommies is a group for moms to come and bring their new babies and meet other new moms. We will have a topic every week such as babywearing, cloth diapering, teething, nighttime parenting, starting solids, infant massage and much more. We will also have time to sit and chat and lots of time for questions and answers.
I am a mommy of three children ages 8, 11 and 13. I have been an OB nurse for 14 years and I have a passion for pregnancy, birth and babies.
So please come and join us, every Wednesday from noon-2 at the Babymoon Inn office. We have timed this group to overlap with Walk In Wednesdays with Vanessa (11-1) so there will also be breastfeeding support available.
For questions about the group, please feel free to contact Amey at amey@babymooninn.com. We would also love to hear any suggestions you have for other topics of interest.
Today’s topic was Babywearing and so much fun! Next Wednesday’s topic is Teething. Come join us!
The Day I Was Born: Racquelle Joy’s Birth Story by Jennifer W.
The Day I Was Born
Racquelle Joy’s Birth Story
Don’t you love a story that begins, “I lost my mucus plug…” But, that is exactly how it began. It was 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 17th. I woke up and went to the bathroom, which was my usual early morning routine in the third trimester. With the bloody show that was present it was obvious that my mucus plug was definitely gone. I attempted to return to bed, but noticed that my contractions were becoming more severe. I knew from my Bradley Method of Husband-Coached Natural Child-Birthing class that I needed to conserve my energy. “Just relax and go back to sleep,” I told myself. But, I was only 1 week away from my estimated delivery date – this could be false labor, or it could also be the real deal!
I decided to get up because the severity of the contractions was different from the Braxton-Hicks I was accustomed to. I simply could not sleep through them. I decided to time my contractions to see if there was any regularity to them. Surprise! They were between eight and five minutes apart and usually 1-1.5 minutes in duration. I knew this was it!
I waited until 7:30 a.m. to call our midwife, Connie. We discussed resting and relaxing while I labored at home because exhaustion is not a friend during labor and delivery. That’s also when my husband, Michael, rose for the day and I called our doula, Vanessa. Vanessa is my sister and also a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital – plus, she’s my personal lactation consultant! Vanessa made babysitting arrangements for her own children and arrived at our house around noon with lunch. I remembered to eat throughout the day, first in the morning with my usual oatmeal, again at lunch with a sandwich, and macaroni-n-cheese for dinner with healthy snacks in between.
Being at home was the best and most comfortable arrangement for this early labor. While there, either Michael or Vanessa would time my contractions on our smart phone application while the other would help massage my lower back. We walked around the backyard and did some lunges, used the birth ball, and labored in the side relaxation position. I took two small naps while still attempting to time the contractions. Connie would call every few hours to check on my progression. Finally around 7:30 p.m., my contractions were picking up speed and increasing in intensity. I felt I needed to get to my birthing location. Michael called Connie and the Birth Team met at the Babymoon Inn around 8:30 p.m.
I thought it would go quickly and smoothly after arriving at the birth sanctuary and into Connie’s capable hands. After all, I did everything that I could during pregnancy in preparation for this day. I did my research, stayed in shape, ate a great diet, and stayed happy and healthy overall. I had already been in labor for approximately sixteen hours and only expected the eighteen hour average. I was wrong!
I had previously requested during our prenatal appointments and in our birth plan that during labor, Connie would not tell me how far dilated I was for fear that it would depress me and stunt the continued progression of my labor. When I arrived at the Babymoon Inn and Connie checked my cervix, unfortunately I was only 4.5 cm. She simply stated that I “wasn’t going anywhere,” so we nested into the large bedroom and labor progressed slowly again.
Right from the start, I became quite cold with the chills, ran a small fever and vomited twice. Our Birth Attendant, Erin, would check the baby’s heartbeat (which was phenomenal every time!) and my temperature every hour. When the hours dragged on, I realized that this was going to be neither quick nor easy. When I finally glanced at the clock, I noticed that I had been laboring for an entire day – that’s 24 hours!
Throughout the evening, we attempted to change positions every 30 minutes or so. I laid on my side and the pain became almost unbearable, even with the heated rice sock on my back. We switched to the shower and while my uterus contracted, I would bend over using the shower wall for support and Michael would spray my lower back with the hot water. We walked around the interior of the Babymoon Inn and when a contraction would hit, one of my birth team members would be right behind me, ready to massage my back or put pressure on my hips to help with the pain. I continued to labor on my hands and knees in the cat-cow position and even got into the large Jacuzzi tub. I attempted to imagine the weightless feeling of scuba diving while in the tub. But each time a contraction came on, I would rise up on my hands and rock my pelvis back and forth – my own modified cat-cow. I remember falling asleep a few times while in the bathtub and even when I was in the middle of a contraction standing up! Exhaustion was creeping in. While getting out of the tub, I looked at Connie and commented that this was not what I had expected. That’s when she and Erin said a prayer of intercession over me.
Connie also made me an herbal tincture to help my labor progress, but my contractions would not get closer than two minutes apart. She also requested that I eat something so a hardboiled egg and tea with honey was presented to me. I took two bites and then needed to use the restroom. Vanessa accompanied me to the bathroom and continued to give me words of encouragement like, “You’re doing such a great job!” and “You’re so strong!” I finally looked her in the eyes and mentioned that I had been pushing on the last three contractions while on the toilet and asked if that was okay. She said we should have Connie check me again.
As I approached Connie in the bedroom, I mentioned my urge to push. That was the best news she had heard all night! However, I was not sure if it was just the wishful urge to push or if my body was really ready for second stage labor. After Connie checked, I still had a portion of cervix remaining, but she could assist its opening to the fully dilated 10 cm during a contraction. Therefore, we went ahead and proceeded and on the second contraction, I felt the baby’s head “break through” into the birth canal. That’s the only time I cursed during labor and delivery! It was definitely a different feeling than the first stage of labor. Unfortunately, I had to cease pushing at this very moment so that the team could check the baby’s heart rate. All was good, so it took me just one more contraction to push her all the way out…eleven minutes total. I remember Connie commenting that the baby had a lot of hair and that she was a very pretty baby. Mind you, all I was thinking was, “Yah, she probably says that to all her clients!” But, when the baby’s shoulder was out, Connie told me to take my baby and pull her the rest of the way out of the birth canal. I did just that and our beautiful baby girl, Racquelle Joy, was born at 6:29 a.m. on Sunday, September 18th. Michael was behind me, supporting me all the way through the pushing, and was weeping at the sight of our new little creation. 
I breast-fed Racquelle immediately after birth. Then, she was weighed and measured and we cuddled some more before she fell into a deep slumber. With this second wind I was experiencing from natural childbirth, I was able to take a shower and eat some breakfast. We took photos, discussed post partum items, did some paperwork and enjoyed the beautiful Sunday morning that was before us.
What a blessing our little one is. And, what a blessing to have such an amazing place like the Babymoon Inn and wonderful people like Connie and Erin to support the natural child-birthing community here in Phoenix!
Meet Roxanne and Michelle!
We are so thrilled to introduce you to our last group of birth assistants – Roxanne and Michelle.
Roxanne Kane, RN, BSN – Lead Birth Assistant
Roxanne Kane has been a Registered Nurse for well over 20 years, with most of that time doing Labor and Delivery in various establishments in the Valley and in Payson, most notably the Bethany Birth Center. She is a strong believer in the strength of women and their ability to birth their babies naturally, but also has the critical experience and calm strength to handle unforeseen problems too.
Roxanne is the mother of four grown children, and grandmother of 9 grandchildren. This does not count the many “part-time” children and grandchildren that she has been involved with. She was born and raised in Southern California, but has lived in Arizona for over thirty years.
Caring and love is brought to each birth through this Nurse; for the new Mother, the new Baby, and the entire Family! She understands how important this time of life is for the new family, and feels honored to share it with all.
Michelle Dayton RN, BSN – Birth Assistant
Michelle graduated Cum Laude from Arizona State University with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2009. She currently works in acute care at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, and is ACLS and NRP certified.
Michelle’s true passion is for women and their families. She is currently on her journey to becoming a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and a midwife. Michelle’s goal as a birthing assistant is to support women and their families in one of life’s greatest journeys and to help them create a birthing experience that they choose and that is empowering and nurturing. She is excited to be a part of the Babymoon Inn and honored to have the opportunity to be a part of many miracles!
Meet Monica and Maricela!
I would like to introduce you to 2 more of our magnificent birth assistants at Babymoon Inn: Monica and Maricela!
Monica Brown is a wife and mother of three children. She and her husband Chris have been happily married 10 years and her children are ages 7, 6, and 3. Monica had natural childbirths for each of her children. Monica has a strong passion to help other women though the experience of bringing their precious babies into the world. Having experienced a transfer to the hospital, a birthing center birth, and a home waterbirth, Monica draws from her experiences in each of those situations along with her training as a birth assistant (including ACLS and NRP certifications) to support other women during the incredible journey of childbirth. Monica is currently working towards earning a nursing degree and plans on continuing to work with Babymoon Inn!
- Photo Courtesy of Arrow & Apple Photography
Maricela Kempf is a mother to two young children. She has labored naturally attempting a home birth and has given birth naturally in a hospital. It has been her passion from a young age to be a part of a birth team for women. Through her own personal experiences and work as a doula she has come to believe in the power of the human body to produce and birth healthy babies naturally. Maricela is currently working on her doula and childbirth educator certifications. She is also very excited as she starts her journey as a student midwife. Maricela is dedicated to loving and nurturing women as they bring forth new life and it is her passion that women experience how powerful, healing and sacred giving birth can be. She feels blessed to be a part of and serve women at Babymoon Inn.
