Most everyone talks about the changes they will make at the beginning of each year. Life inevitable gets in the way & most of us fall into our normal routines pretty quickly. It’s much the same in our work lives. Most of us have the best of intentions, really. In fact I hesitated even posting this, my first post of the new year because I didn’t want to post unrealistic goals & why it’s almost the end of the month before I’ve actually hit publish.
This year I decided would be my year for Visible Change.
The first is easy. I’m going to continue to wear my baby. She’s 2 years old now, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be worn. Why? Well, besides the fact that she’s a tiny peanut with short legs many times I hear or read of parents who quit babywearing because their baby got “too big” at 4, 5, 8 months old. If you have the correct carrier and wear it correctly, you can safely babywear until your child is around 40 lbs. Know your carrier, know your baby. You will find that you and your baby are happier when you can stay close, especially when your baby can tell you they want to be close!
Oh yes, I will continue to breastfeed and breastfeed in public. Yes my child is 2 and yes she still breastfeeds and yes I still feed her when she asks most of the time. I know when she’s just bored & asking for the sake of asking. I also know when she has a genuine need. It’s biologically normal and we will continue until she decides she’s outgrown her need, same as my other two children.
I will take better care of myself in order to take better care of my family and my clients.
As a Birth Professional I will continue to work with, not against my client’s care providers. I will be the face of doulas everywhere so that those who come after me will not have to clean up after me. I will be kind and respectful at all times. I will not be a doormat. I will show what constant support is in labor and how it is beneficial to birthing families regardless of how they birth.
I will bring the doula magic to every birth: Being, Listening, Touching, Holding & Believing, Fully, Completely and Without Reservation or Hesitation.
I will continue to support breastfeeding mothers. Period.
I will finish up my courses that have been almost finished for entirely too long. First it was the baby, then it was the deployment, then the move, but now, no more excuses. I’ve put much of it into practice already, but I will finish out the last of the courses. And I will continue to find opportunities for continuing education.
With that I will set up Childbirth Education & Breastfeeding classes. Women deserve to have a veritable smorgasbord of classes to choose from as not every woman births the same. There should be many offerings outside the traditional hospital based classes. Mothers and their partners deserve classes that can be fine tuned to what they need. I will also re-establish a Breastfeeding Support Group & a Cloth Diapering Circle.
I will once again host the Great Cloth Diaper Change & finish my Real Cloth Diaper Leader training.
So yes, some of this is more of the same, but it’s my commitment to staying the course even though I’ve done much of it before. It’s why I’m combining a few personal goals with my professional goals. I’m hoping that when others see what I’m doing that they will not be afraid to show some of the same visibility. Walkin’ my Talk. Hold me to it. I will post updates to the website, the blog and social media. How will your community see your visible change?
Shannon Lawton-O'Boyle says
Right on. All the changes I am wishing for myself, especially the respected birth professional desiring to work with the medical community (but not be a doormat) and tailor CBE to the needs and wishes of the parents.
Question? What kind of baby carrier might you recommend for a heavier not-a-baby-anymore baby. Thinking of doing some light hiking with my 32lb 3 year old. I have a back-pack and Ergo (c. 2008), but wondering if one of the fabric carriers would work out for less bulk in packing. Any thoughts?
Angela says
Hey Shannon! I think for older, heavier babies/toddlers a soft structured carrier like the Ergo or a woven wrap (not a stretchy wrap like the Moby) or a Mei Tai (kind of a combo of the two) ie a Nina Sack 😉 *wink wink* are the best. The soft structured or Mei Tai are more user friendly for getting baby on your back & keeping them secure for a longer time period like a hike. If you are more experienced in wrapping, then I would say a woven wrap because they are more versatile. All pack down pretty compactly for storage unlike the traditional backpacks. Does that help?