From the WBWC Blog:

Month: November 2012

New Arrivals

*Kai Alexander Law – 9 lbs., 3 oz. – August 17 *Maja Kharis Miller – 7 lbs., 1 oz. – August 21 *Siena Rose Robson – 9 lbs., 6 oz. – September 7 Ever Bloom Lubenow – 9 lbs., 14 oz. – October 1 Ian Maxwell Cox – 6 lbs., 5 oz. – October 2 Olen Joseph Taylor – 8 lbs., 14 oz. – October 2 Leo Robert Joyce – 7 lbs., 7 oz. – October 3 Abdou Mason Mbaye – 8 lbs. – October 5 Finneas David Reynolds Bartlett – 7 lbs., 4 oz. – October 6 Westley Francis Meints – 7 lbs., 12 oz. – October 7 Nels Eero Swanson – 9 lbs., 8 oz. – October 10 Aadhirai Niranjankumar – 6 lbs., 9 oz. – October 10 Josiah David Butcher – 8 lbs., 9 oz. – October 10 *Neil Smith Wright – 8 lbs., 8 oz. – October 10 *Nariah Janea Freeman – 7 lbs., 15 oz. – October 11 Caroline Hazel Spencer – 6 lbs., 4 oz. – October 12 *Blair Marie Levine – 7 lbs., 6 oz. – October 13 Kaito Achille Deleruyelle – 6 lbs., 14 oz. –  October 14 Aviela Dawson – 10 lbs., 3 oz. – October 16 Philip James Ball – 7 lbs., 8 oz. – October 17 Robert Avery Marron – 8 lbs., 6 oz. – October 17 Julien August Everitt – 7 lbs., 6 oz. – October 19 Emmons Mayer Golub – 8 lbs., 15 oz. – October 22 Sadie Monroe High – 8 lbs., 8 oz. – October 26 *Oliver William Swanson – 8 lbs., 1 oz.- October 26 Darius Zia Damghani – 8 lbs., 2 oz. – October 28 Cailyn Louis Farris – 9 lbs. – October 29 Owen Thomas Patterson – 8 lbs., 15 oz. – October 29 Polly Jean Shelly – 7 lbs., 2 oz. – October 30 Jolie Cate Michaelson – 8 lbs., 3 oz. – October 31 Jahnavi Devi Hill – 9 lbs., 3 oz. – October 31 Elli Faith Bishop – 7 lbs., 10 oz. – October 31 Welcome to the world, Little Ones!      If you’d like your baby’s birth announced in the next newsletter, send an email to cmckiernan@yahoo.com with baby’s name, weight, and date of birth. Feel free to include a photo. We’d like to hear from all WBWC moms, whether your baby was born at the birth center or UNC!

Birth Story of Lucius Alexander Mealer

by Holly Wengenroth-Mealer Labor actually started on Friday, 12/29/11. I had light to medium contractions from seven am to nine at night. For most of the day they were thirty to forty seconds long about five min apart. They got more intense as the day went on. We went in for a labor check just to see how my cervix was doing. It was disappointing to hear that at one p.m. my dilation was about the same as it had been the day before. The midwife said that my cervix was quite a bit thinner, but the dilation remained the same. We went home and the contractions got a little stronger in the evening but didn’t feel progressive. At around seven pm the midwife called back to check in. She said to take some Tylenol PM and go to bed. It will progress or stop but it isn’t in my control and I needed to relax. We went to bed and woke up contraction free on 12/30. Honestly I was quite upset. I felt like I did a ton of labor for nothing. I was really irritated/angry/disappointed.           We decided that we were just going to ignore it, since it stopped anyway. I went out with my sister and ran some errands. Stephen went to the range with his father. He got home around six and we were getting ready for dinner. (We had a dinner appointment with the whole family that evening; twenty five people…) My water broke! I called the midwife and she said to relax, it could take between 24-72 hours for a first time mom. So Stephen got me some mom diapers and we went to dinner. We got there and I went to sit down. I heard what I read on google described as a distinct popping sound, so I ducked out to the bathroom: blood in my diaper!!! I went out to call the midwife to check in and while on the phone I had the most god awful contraction, EVER! I ran in and grabbed Stephen. I said: We need to leave, now.           On the phone the midwife had said to call back when my contractions were 3-5 minutes apart for an hour. I remembered Maureen telling me in an appointment: if your water breaks and you start having contractions, I would head right in. So we went home and I got … Read More

Recipe: Paintbrush Cookies

by Rosalind Baglio, boutique manager Ingredients: 1/3 cup softened shortening 1/3 cup sugar 1 large egg 2/3 cup honey 2 ¾ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla Egg Yolk Paint: 1 egg yolk 1/4 teaspoon water drops of food color Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out dough using a well floured counter top to 1/4″ thickness. Cut into different shapes using cookie cutters. Set on lightly greased baking sheet. Paint designs with egg yolk paints. (Blend egg yolk and water. Divide among several custard cups. Add different food coloring to each cup. Paint designs using small paintbrushes. If egg yolk, thickens while standing, add few drops water.) Bake 8-10 minutes at 375F. Place on brown paper (bags opened up) to cool. For clear colors, do not let cookies brown. MAKES: 5 DOZEN COOKIES  Every fall my Mother and I would use her set of red plastic Chilton cookie cutters shaped as the twelve days of Christmas to make a slew of these. Manufactured originally in 1978 and boasting “durable plastic” on the packaging the cutters make great “outlines” to follow for little ones and adults alike.   I found a set on eBay and gifted them to myself last year. If you search for them they are now considered “vintage”.  Each cutter one measures 3, 4 or 5 inches so they are the perfect “too large” cookie size. My favorite is the “partridge in a pear tree”. The trick to the batter is to make it the day before, divide into three equal sized dough balls, wrap in saran wrap, and leave in fridge to get really cold over night. While you are cutting out shapes and painting the other dough balls can remain in the fridge. The cold dough is best to work with and seems to burn less in the oven. Crisco brand makes “Butter Flavor Cooking Sticks” that are delicious in this recipe and using a local honey only makes it that much sweeter. Spread cheer~

Love that Mommy Body!

by Claire C. McKiernan Spider veins, muffin tops, stretch marks, loose, stretched out skin, extra weight, all this and more! How come superstar moms don’t have all this? Answer: They do (or did), but they have access to personal chefs, nutritionists, trainers, beauticians, and full-time nannies so they can devote hours a day to their bodies. And when that doesn’t work, they have cosmetic surgery and they still have Photoshop used on many, if not all, the photos you see, which, by the way, have been taken by professional photographers at the right angle and in perfect lighting. Meanwhile, you, selfish thing that you are, spend your time nursing, cuddling, feeding, rocking, playing, teaching, reading, bathing, dressing, and wiping up spills, runny noses, tears, and adorable but stinky behinds. And when you are waiting at the hair salon to indulge in having your bangs cut for the first time in three months so you don’t resemble an English sheepdog, you pick up a magazine describing a superstar getting her body back two weeks postpartum. She looks amazing! Why can’t I look like that?  (Hint: because you spend more time raising your children, you ninny!) Do you think your kids would prefer a mom who lets them blow raspberries on her pudgy dough-like belly or a sexy mom? Don’t be so hard on yourself. Every mother goes through this. And just about every mother winces about something that changed on her body. As a mother of four, I can tell you that your body will change in predictable and non-predictable ways. Some changes will be temporary, some permanent, some you’ll get accustomed to and even stop noticing, some things you will actually like, and other things, well, that’s where you need to employ some mind over matter.   Mind Trick 1: See yourself through the eyes of your partner   You’re not just a mom, you’re a woman! You want to feel good about yourself and you want to feel attractive to your husband/s.o. Who says that you aren’t attractive? Probably only you. Think about it: at which times do you feel most attracted to/in love with your partner? Chances are, it is after he has done or said something particularly sweet/funny/thoughtful. Your attraction to his physical body is definitely a part of it, but flaws disappear in the eyes of love. He most likely feels the same way. Mind Trick 2: … Read More

News from the WBWC Board

by Kaaren Haldeman     Hello from the board! This past month, we have met in committee in order to plan, strategize, and envision our future at the birth center. Our planning committee chair, Jane Brown, and committee members Connie Semans, Brianna Honea, Rebecca Swartz, Bruce Nelson, Maureen Darcey and Lisa Fedele have done a great deal of work in conducting a business review of WBWC. Thank you, committee members for your time and effort in this very important process.     Have a warm, healthy, and happy holiday season with friends and family!  

Birth of My Sister!

by Sanjusri Niranjankumar     Editors note: The following birth story was submitted by the 8-year-old big sister to newborn Aadhirai. 

WBWC Now Offering Massage and Acupuncture

Come relax and renew your spirit! Nicole Splenda RN, LMBT and Kim Calandra L.AC          Massage is a wonderful way to ease the discomforts of pregnancy. It has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension. Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.     Nicole Splenda RN, LMBT specializes in pre- and postnatal massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and labor stimulation massage.  She loves to work on pregnant women, but is also happy to work on non-pregnant family members.     Kim Calandra L.AC is our new acupuncturist. Acupuncture is a holistic health care system that can treat many conditions, including gynecologic and intra-partum (such as breech presentation, morning sickness, and other common pregnancy related conditions). During your postpartum period, acupuncture can be helpful for depression, mastitis, insufficient or excessive lactation.  Acupuncture is also a great tool for induction of labor. Gift Certificates Available at the boutique or call:  Nicole 919-699-0980 or Kim 919-971-3934

WBWC October Birthday Party!

    This year’s annual WBWC birthday party was held on October 21, 2012 at the Sertoma Arts Center in Raleigh. We are a 501 (c)3 charitable organization and all contributions to our center are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. To make a donation, go to www.ncbirthcenter.com and scroll down to “donate”.    We enjoyed seeing all those precious babies and want to thank all the wonderful folks who shared in the celebration!