So, last year at this time I quit buying water bottles. Stopped cold turkey. Sometimes, before then if we were going to go to the park for the day, we would get 4 plastic bottles of water and take them with us. Every day. If my husband was with us it would be 5. If the water wasn’t all gone, it would take about an hour in the sun in the car and the water would be undrinkable. When I think of all that waste it gives my spine a tingle. But, the good news is I stopped. First I bought a sigg bottle or two and we shared. but I kept losing it and forgetting it places and it was just a huge pain in the rear. So, I’m here to say, don’t think you need to buy anything to stop using plastic water bottles. Just clean out that old jar. I have a shelf now with 12+ jars, there’s always a clean one ready to be filled. Here’s the practical tidbits…

1. I have a cooler that is just the right size for 6 jars, I keep it in the kitchen and load it every morning and take it with us, even if I don’t think I’ll be gone for long.

2. The kids drink the jars near the cooler and put them back when they’re done, no running all over the playground with glass water bottles!

3. You can put the jars inside of a sock (using the sock as a jar cozy), it keeps it cool, keeps it from slipping out of hands, makes it a bit more bouncier and the theory is that if it fall and breaks the glass will all be inside of the sock, pick up the sock and throw it away.

4. In a year I’ve only broken 1 jar and life would’ve been much easier if I would have had a small hand broom and dustpan with me. (note to self get a tiny broom/dustpan and put it in the side pocket of the cooler!)

See how easy? and cheap? With all that extra money you save on water bottles splurge on an extra pizza night!

Love,
Heather

This is a lovely album of lullabye-ish songs…I especially LOVE ‘welcome to this world’ (thanks Melissa! it’s playing on her myspace page ;o) and you can go here: Renee’s Myspace profile to download any/all of the songs. I really really wanted Welcome to the World to play on my blog, but I couldn’t figure out how…so go to their page, download the song (come on! it’s only .99!) and play it while you check out my site ;o) Go on, it’ll be fun!

Love,
Heather

Hi All,
the general consensus is that the Judge in this case has to go. See the articles here: Omaha court case widens from screening test to baby’s meals and the comics here: I don’t recognize it! and How can any mother sleep?! and this comment left on my blog (thanks typogirl!)

I do know of Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich though. I had a run-in with her as a juvenile and she was indeed very mean. She has a nickname here as, well, take the last syllable of her name (which is pronounced “Sern-ko-vitch”) and rhyme it starting with a B, and… I think you get it…

…I understand both the state law’s point of view, as well as that of the parents, I ABSOLUTELY think that Judge Crnkovich’s ruling was ENTIRELY UNFAIR, and yes, even cruel. But if you ever met her yourself, this would come as no surprise (I was not at all shocked when I read that she was the one who did this), as you would know that she is a heartless, ice-cold woman. Couldn’t the parents have been just ordered to comply or be given a fine or community service or something? To take away their child, and not allowed to breastfeed, even against the recommendations of the social worker, is just ridiculous!

My Friend Genevieve asked her legal expert sister (thanks Rachel!) and was told that this is what we should do:

People should write directly to the judicial council of the state where the judge sits. That is the real problem there. And they should also write to the papers and make the issue the JUDGE. That is who made that ruling - not the law.

Write to this Council about how disappointed you are about the Judge’s actions, and how you feel they should remove her from the courts for acting outside of the law:

Nebraska Judicial Council
Administrative Office of the Courts
1445 K Street
1213 State Capitol
P. O. Box 98910
Lincoln, NE 68509-8910
Phone: 402-471-3730
Fax: 402-471-2197

and the Nebraska newspaper that carried the story:

Omaha World Herald

Public Pulse
If you have a general comment about information in a news story in The World-Herald, send it to the Public Pulse editor, e-mail pulse@owh.com or fax (402)345-4547.

Mailing address:
Omaha World-Herald
attn: Larry King
1314 Douglas, Suite 700
Omaha, NE 68102

and while you’re at it, perhaps a letter about the story to your hometown paper?

Here’s the address for the Judge (thanks Heather!) You will be writing directly to her…I would urge you to write to her superiors and then send her a copy ;o)

Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich
Suite 600
Hall of Justice
1701 Farnam Street
Omaha NE 68183

Here’s a sample letter that the mother has asked for us to use when writing to complain (thanks Sora!)

The Anaya family has been trying to get Nebraska’s law changed for years. The Nebraska Senate Health and Human Services Committee Is the place to write to make sure this doesn’t happen again (though that won’t give the anti-breastfeeding judge the comeuppance she so richly deserves.):

The Nebraska Senate Health and Human Services Committee
Main Switchboard - 402-471-3121
Physical Address
301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska
Mailing Address
Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
P.O. Box 95026, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-5026

Questions or concerns about DHHS system.information@dhhs.ne.gov
402-471-6035 OR 1-800-254-4202

Mary Anaya has provided this sample letter to the Senators, with permission to use it and pass it on. It will, of course, be more effective if it is personalized before you send it.
Here’s where you go to find the Senator’s addresses

Dear State Senator,

I am horrified at what has happened to the Anaya family as a result of the failure of the health and human services committee to move forward on LB 250 to provide a religious exemption to newborn screening. 46 other states have exemptions. There is no reason why Nebraska should waste tax payer money prosecuting loving parents who do not wish to participate in newborn screening. This family has suffered enough.

Please pass LB 250 or better yet make an exemption for people with religious or philosophical objections to newborn screening. This issue will not go away. In all the other states that offer exemptions, I have never seen it reported that a family refused testing and their child later had one of the diseases. Do not let this family or others suffer needlessly. The freedom to exercise religion is guaranteed by the First Amendment and in Nebraska people are supposed to have the right to conscience. The current screening laws are unconstitutional on both the federal and state level.

People will not want to live in Nebraska with all the bad publicity it receives for laws that are out of step with the nation.

I hope that helps!

Love,
Heather

this is of course old news, but perhaps you’ve forgotten to download the symbol and urge your favorite businesses to put them up! Breastfeeding Icon! ( I know I did ;o) And don’t forget to tell them to put them up on their FRONT door, not their broom closet, or bathroom. that just sucks.

And if you happen to see one on a bathroom or broom closet, perhaps the here and everywhere comic gives ya an idea?

Love,
Heather

More U.S. women dying in childbirth
Death rate highest in decades; obesity and C-sections may be the cause (thanks Shay!)

U.S. women are dying from childbirth at the highest rate in decades, new government figures show. Though the risk of death is very small, experts believe increasing maternal obesity and a jump in Caesarean sections are partly to blame.

First off, I totally forgot to tell you about this in time for Labor Day, but there is still time to see one: Birth on Labor Day

Birth is a play based on over one hundred interviews Karen Brody conducted with mothers across America who gave birth between 2000-2004. It tells the true stories of 8 women painting a portrait of how low-risk, educated women are giving birth in America today.

In the play we meet Jillian, a stay-at-home mother of four children, who always sees the humor in life, especially in her mixed-bag of birth experiences; and Beth, a 35-year-old successful, high-powered computer systems manager from New Jersey who confidently planned a cesarean.

We are introduced to Vanessa, a buyer for a major department store who never had a doubt that she wanted an epidural. We hear from Janet, a lesbian in her 40s, who despite her feminist background wanted a medicalized birth, fearing the safety of herself and the baby; and Lisa, an African-American who felt intimidated and used by her midwives and the medical system after her birth.

We get to know Sandy, who thought birth was “just one day,” but found out that having an emergency c-section on that day changed her world. We hear Natalie’s intimate story of physical betrayl; and Amanda, an athletic, confident stay-at-home mother who believed her birthing mantra–”My Body Rocks”–gave her the attitude she needed to give birth naturally in the hospital.

Moving between first-person monologues, some dialogue, and the voices these women heard on the day they gave birth, Birth confronts, what City Lights Theater Company has called, “The naked truth about childbirth in America.”

there’s still time to see it in Florida (thanks Shay!) BOLD in Florida

and in other birth news, coming at the end of this month is the GENTLE BIRTH CONFERENCE in Portland, Oregon. Which looks like a whole lot of fun…

Also, Iowa is having a Workshop to help midwives prepare for legislation (heaven help us, how many centuries does this sh*t have to go on? Enough with the persecution of midwives already!)

Dear Friends,

As you may be aware, midwifery is under attack in Iowa. Midwives in
our state face criminal investigation and prosecution for practicing
medicine without a license — a felony charge that carries a sentence
of up to five years in prison.

Many of you are familiar with Melanie Moore, a Certified Professional
Midwife and mother of six, who was recently charged. Her case is but
one example of this disturbing trend, and unless something is done, we
face the very real risk of losing this vital community of holistic
health care providers.

Midwives like Melanie have upheld the rights of Iowa women to have
safe home births for many years, under the constant threat of
unnecessary prosecution. With midwives practicing legally in 24
states, and legislation pending in 10 others, it is clear that Iowa?s
approach to midwifery is outmoded and ineffective.

Now is the time for supporters of childbirth options to come together
to preserve the rights of Iowans to give birth where and with whom
they choose.

Please join Friends of Iowa Midwives at a Preparing for Legislation
workshop to learn how you can help ensure that Iowa’s families have
access to safe home birth with legal midwives.

Workshop Details:
Date: September 22, 2007
Time: 9:00-5:00 (Check-in and registration 8:30-9:00)
Place: Saddlebrook Clubhouse, 120 Paddock Blvd., Iowa City
(Off Heinz Rd, south of Hwy 6 on the East side of Iowa City)

Registration fee: $15 (low-income $5)
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Topics:
The legislative process: how it works
Timeline for legislation: what to do and when to do it
Effectively presenting your point of view to your legislator
Organizing volunteers for lobbying
Writing a bill: what goes in and what stays out
Addressing concerns about your bill
Dealing with the opposition
Writing press releases and educational flyers

Presenter: Ida Darragh is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on
midwifery law. She is a Certified Professional Midwife and testing
director for the North American Registry of Midwives.

To Register: email
register@friendsofiowamidwives.org.
Please include your name, phone number, and mailing address.

For more information, please visit:
www.friendsofiowamidwives.org
www.cfmidwifery.org

Phew! that’s a lot to remember…enjoy!
Love,
Heather