Awesome & Win
Filed under: activism, baby, boycott, education, health, heart, parenting
The nurse-in last Friday was made of awesome and win. Thank you all.
I was so proud of the turnout — a photographer from the local newspaper pegged us at over 20+ mamas strong, not including daddies and babies and other supporters. KUAC-FM mentioned us during the 12 pm newshour before the event. CBS News 13 interviewed me before the nurse-in, and we were featured in the 6 pm and 11 pm news that night. Two photos from the event were featured on the front page of the Fairbanks Newsminer the next day.
The energy from the participants was amazing, and the sentiments from passersby seemed largely positive despite a couple of unfortunate encounters. The media was initially kicked out of the store, but were later invited back in. John and I guessed that they didn’t want any more bad publicity.
We were there for about an hour inside the store, nursing, visiting with other parents, reveling in the positivity, enjoying the moment. We had sort of descended on Starbucks en masse, and they were so patient even though I’m sure they were a bit overwhelmed. The clerk nearest to us was very pleasant and polite. Management stood by, looking rather nervous or insecure, possibly both.
I’m still so excited that it all went so well. Overall it was such a wonderful experience.
Click images to enlarge
I’m so proud of the nurse-in, and of all of you out there who came out to support us, or sent your support from wherever you are.
I had mentioned to a few people how I’ve been wanting to expand my social circle, to meet like-minded people to hang out with and have playdates with, and one fabulous mama put it in an awesome, empowering way: I manifested a community around me, I manifested friends. I guess I truly do have powerful magic. I know I’m blessed to have had the support that I did, that I do.
What a great time it was. I’m so hopeful that I’ve helped spread the message that there is nothing indecent about breastfeeding, and even more hopeful that at least one more mama will feel comfortable feeding her baby whenever and wherever he’s hungry.
At the nurse-in. Photo by Georganne Hampton, cropped by me.
Call for a nurse-in and a boycott!
Filed under: activism, baby, boycott, education, health, parenting
You read my blog, presumably because you like (most of) what I have to say. I don’t always address you directly, but that’s because I treat this blog more like an online diary. I know you’re out there, and I appreciate your readership.
Now I’m going to ask you to help me out.
You all (should) know that I breastfeed my children. My boys are uncircumcised. All the kids wear cloth diapers, many handmade by me. They have all slept in our bed with us. We eat organic & free range wherever we can. We support local ventures whenever possible. I fight the fights worth fighting (and some that aren’t, but I’m not afraid of confrontation), and this is a fight worth fighting.
I want you to join me (or just come and support me) in a nurse-in at Safeway grocery store here in Fairbanks, Alaska, located at Airport Way & University Drive. It’ll be Friday, August 6th, 2010, at a time yet to be determined. I want it to be at a time convenient for enough people to show up. Here’s why.
They told me to stop nursing my baby and leave. I’m sure y’all know I didn’t comply with this “request.”
Here’s the story: My newborn son started crying at approximately 7:25 pm on August 1, 2010. I figured that he was in need of a diaper & sent my husband to the truck to get one. While my husband was outside, I remained inside with our 3-year-old son, our 16-month-old daughter, and our newborn. My newborn started his hungry cry, so I sat down at a stool next to the Starbucks coffee stand and began nursing him while our other two children sat in the kiddie car portion of a grocery cart in front of me. My husband returned from the truck, ordered a coffee, and came back to stand next to us. It was at that point that the shift manager approached me and said while pointing at my chest, “You can’t be doing that. You’ll have to leave.” I said, “I won’t do any such thing. I’m protected by Alaska state law.” Some woman I couldn’t see said, “Yeah right, like it’s protected for you to just be indecent in public.” My husband said, “If you want, you can call the state troopers.” The unidentified woman said she would. This was about 7:30 pm. No such call appears to have been made as I continued to sit there nursing for another ten minutes and the Alaska state troopers never came in. When my son finished nursing, we left the store without making any further purchases. [An employee in the parking lot collecting grocery carts told me he believes the shift manager's name to be Josh. "Josh" is in his late 20s to mid 30s, is Caucasian, has dark hair, wears glasses, stands roughly 5'8 to 6', and is heavy-set.]
There is nothing indecent about breastfeeding. My body grew a tiny, perfect human being (three times, at that). Now that my child lives outside of me, my body continues to provide him with sustenance. Without my body, he has no nourishment or comfort. My body has done amazing and beautiful things. My body is useful for so much more than sex. My body feeds my baby (and occasionally a thirsty or upset toddler). Breastmilk gives my children so many more benefits than formula-feeding. Learning their cues also means that I am more in tune with their needs and personalities, in turn letting me become a better parent. I will not let my child cry it out when I have the ability to calm him and meet his needs by breastfeeding. I will not let some ignorant jackass stop my child from eating, wherever the fuck I am. If I am breastfeeding, I am protected by Alaska state law, anywhere I go that I’m allowed to be. I should be protected anywhere I ever go in any state, but some places haven’t caught up with what should be yet. You can help raise breastfeeding rights awareness.
Alaska is among 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands, in that it has laws with language specifically allowing women to breastfeed in any public or private location.
Alaska is among 28 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands, in that breastfeeding is exempt from public indecency laws.
AS 29.25.080. Breast-Feeding.
A municipality may not enact an ordinance that prohibits or restricts a woman breast-feeding a child in a public or private location where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be. In a municipal ordinance, “lewd conduct,” “lewd touching,” “immoral conduct,” “indecent conduct,” and similar terms do not include the act of a woman breast-feeding a child in a public or private location where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be. Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize an act that is an offense under a municipal ordinance that establishes an offense with elements substantially equivalent to the elements of an offense under AS 11.61.123 (indecent viewing & photography). This section is applicable to home rule and general law municipalities.
AS 01.10.060. Definitions.
(b) In the laws of the state, “lewd conduct,” “lewd touching,” “immoral conduct,” “indecent conduct,” and similar terms do not include the act of a woman breast-feeding a child in a public or private location where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize an act that is an offense under AS 11.61.123 (indecent viewing & photography) .
So here’s what I ask of you —
NURSE-IN: Join me in Safeway at University & Airport this Friday, August 6th, 2010, to nurse your baby in public. Leave a comment below or email me at crystal@hippiediva.com and tell me what time is best for you. I want to set this up so that as many people as possible can participate. Get the word out! Also,
BOYCOTT: After the nurse-in, let your voice be heard with your dollars! Boycott Safeway! Get the word out!
Please, pass this along.
What a way to ring in World Breastfeeding Week.
Anticipating Baby
Hi, Baby McDonald #3. This is your story.
I found out I was pregnant with you in a WalMart bathroom in San Antonio, TX, at the end of our coast trip with your daddy’s family. I was shocked, to say the least. I was finally able to tell your father about 45 minutes later. I held up the test and asked him if he thought that looked like a plus sign. He was shocked, too.
It’s not that we didn’t want you, and aren’t ecstatic to have you. But, you see, your sister Camilla had just turned 7 months old. I wasn’t expecting you, but am beyond thrilled to have you in our lives. Clearly you were destined for our family.
You gave me a scare at 13 weeks (just like your brother and sister did). Whereas I had a subchorionic hemorrhage with them, I actually had a tiny amniotic fluid leak with you. That scared the crap out of me. I was on edge for weeks, terrified of losing you. I actually spent a great deal of the pregnancy worried that you were going to come early. There’s no danger of that, as I started writing this the day I hit 41 weeks. Clearly you are stubborn.
The pregnancy itself was pretty uneventful, for which I am grateful. I’ve been in great health, and you have too. JR is amazing, and you’re going to love having him as a big brother. He’s so kind and sweet, smart and funny, and a million other fantastic things. Camilla is pretty awesome too. She’s a feisty, bright, willful, adventurous little girl who brings us all a smile.
I don’t know where to start to tell you how lucky you are to have the father that you do. Maybe that will be a different story altogether. I’ll leave it at this for now: I’m lucky to have married my best friend and bore his children. Really lucky. Wait. Not lucky — blessed.
Your due date was approaching, and I was starting to fret about my limited mobility. We had just bought our first house, and your daddy had to pack the old house and move all by himself. Then there was a fire on the road to the mine, and he had to take a week off which turned out to be okay because he was able to finish moving and cleaning. We thought for sure that you’d make an entrance right after that, but no. I’d had some Braxton Hicks contractions, but no signs of labor. On your due date, June 25th, I had my OB’s nurse do a (very quick) membrane sweep. I was barely 1.5 cm at that point. With some help, I lost my mucus plug the next day, and started having bloody show the day after.
Then things stalled.
There was a lot of walking involved. We all saw Toy Story 3 at some point. There was a day we all walked up to Denny’s (with daddy pulling JR & Camilla in the wagon) for breakfast and back to the house. There have been about a million trips to WalMart to walk around, probably resulting in the purchase of more crap than we ever thought we needed. I figured out you were facing the wrong way — you were sunny-side-up, occiput posterior — and knew that you were going to have to turn around if I had a hope of ever getting you out.
I started doing all the things from Spinning Babies. I have spent most of the last week on all fours, tushy up in the air, trying to encourage you to turn. I felt drained, like I would be pregnant forever. I was also starting to be in immense pain, so I scheduled a chiropractic appointment with Dr. Bill McAfee. On July 1 (at 40w6d), he gave me an amazing sacral adjustment and did the Webster technique. I had a contraction immediately upon standing up. I felt you wiggling. I had contractions all day and night, feeling you wiggle with them all. The adjustment/technique opened up my pelvis and loosened up my uterine ligaments. I felt fabulous and re-energized, and even got a good night’s sleep.
Today is July 2nd. Today I am 41 weeks. Today you turned around. Today is also your (middle) namesake’s birthday. Happy birthday, Uncle Darrell! 45 years ago, my mother gave birth to him. Today I hope to give birth to you. We’re all eager to meet you!
Yummy Malabrigo
I made a pair of wool longies for Camilla out of worsted Malabrigo. Yum.
Mmmmalongies 2
Pattern: Perfection Pants by Pamela Grossman (purchased at Three Irish Girls)
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, 100% wool, Little Lovely colourway (purchased at The Backwards Loop)
Needles: Size 6 (4.0 mm) and size 8 (5.0 mm) 16″ bamboo circulars and bamboo double-point needles
Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch, 5 rows per inch, in stockinette
Yes, I absolutely must buy some awesome 3IG yarn to make more of these. Even more Mmmmalabrigo, since it’s so soft and yummy.
Woolies!
I’ve finished my first pair of knit wool longies, and love them. I’ve knit soakers before, but I’ve only ever crocheted longies. It’s so soft, I almost want to knit a pair for myself!
Malabrigo wool longies for JR
Pattern: Perfection Pants by Pamela Grossman (purchased at Three Irish Girls)
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, 100% wool, Oceanos colourway (purchased at The Backwards Loop)
Needles: Size 6 (4.0 mm) and size 8 (5.0 mm) 16″ bamboo circulars and bamboo double-point needles
Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch, 5 rows per inch, in stockinette
I’m about halfway done with the pair for Camilla. I’m so excited about how these have come out that I’m sure to make many more in plenty of great colourways! I’ll definitely have to buy some special merino from Three Irish Girls. I know I’ll still crochet longies, but I’m thinking I may reserve that for workhorse wool (read: cheaper) that can handle the abuses of being used during JR’s rougher playtimes.
Toy Talk
I got JR a new toy last Friday. It’s a Thomas the Train Water Tower Figure 8 train set, and we’ve set it up on a coffee table in his room upstairs. He LOVES it. We first saw this in the children’s book section of Barnes & Noble in Fairbanks, and as much as he loves the set-up there at B&N, I couldn’t resist getting him a set of his own. I’m excited about getting him more train pieces, and I just love watching him walk his train around the track!
Thomas the Train Water Tower Figure 8 Train Set
I’m thinking of getting him this train set for his birthday. MikeBToys does fantastic work. I bought a few handmade trucks from him, and they are some of JR’s favorites. Doesn’t this set look fantastic?
Time zips by
and my daughter is already over 3 weeks old. She is beautiful and sweet and cuddly. She eats voraciously, stretches like her father, and is like my miniature mirror image. It’s pretty amazing to look at her and see so much of myself. She has my head, my eyes, my eyebrows, my nose, my lips… so many of my facial expressions appear on her tiny little face. She is so little, so fragile, so trusting, and perfect. And she is growing oh-so fast! We’ve had to adjust the straps on her carseat already, and I can tell that she’s filling out her onesies even more. It’s just going by so quickly, I want to take a moment and just freeze it forever, but our children will never be as little as they are today — something both to remember and to cherish.
Baby Update, crafts, JR, and such.
Filed under: JR, crafting, entertainment, home, parenting, products, writing
I am 16 days away from my due date. I am as big as a house, and uncomfortable all the time. I am ready to get this child out of me. She is not yet ready to come out though. So be it. She knows when she’s supposed to be here. I do not. I will wait.
JR knows that something is changing with me. He constantly wants to be climbing on me, and I just can’t deal with it. I just want personal space. Poor little guy is in for a major shock when he suddenly finds himself sharing mommy and daddy. I hope he handles it well. I think he’s going through another growth spurt; he’s eating constantly. He’ll get to play with another little boy this Friday when we go to town; we’re going to have M watch him for a little while so that JR can get used to her and her son L. Hopefully he’ll have a good time and get comfortable with them.
We have almost everything we need for Milla’s arrival, except that I still need to sew together the ring sling and prep all of her diapers. My BFF Melanie is set to come up the last week of the month (also when John is having his sinus surgery). It’ll be great not only to hang out with her, but to have her help with the kids while John is out of commission. Besides, I don’t think I could handle having anyone else around the first month or two that Milla is here. If it were anyone else, I would feel like I would have to play hostess, whether that’s the case or not. I’m just not going to do that, so I’m glad that it’s just Melanie and John who’ll be around after baby comes.
As for my crafting, I’ve got socks for John on the needles using my pattern. I’m using this beautiful ShiBui Knits Sock yarn that I picked up last weekend at INUA Wool Shoppe. Isn’t that the cushiest looking yarn? I know I’ll be getting more.
I’ve decided that I want to make myself a snazzy, stripey sweater with my 1200+ yards of Patons that are back in my stash using this pattern. It’s not exactly what I want, so I will probably heavily modify it as I go. I have several other socks planned too, so you should just keep an eye out for me on Ravelry to see what I’m up to.
Let’s see… what else. Oh, I’m going to go insane if I have to watch The Wizard of Oz one more time this week. It’s JR’s new favorite movie. It was cute, the first dozen times. Now I want to rip all the stuffing out of the Scarecrow, then pull the Lion’s tail. We’ll see who has a heart now, Tin Man.
Preschool Activities for Everyone!
Filed under: JR, crafting, education, entertainment, parenting, products
This sweet, amazing woman blogs about activities for you and your preschooler! She always has great, fun-filled learning activities that I’ve certainly enjoyed doing with my son. Her name is Allie, and her blog is No Time for Flash Cards. Check her out, and have some fun with your kidlets!
Up and up!
And then we go up!
We leave Thursday night. Someone want to come pack for me??? Or clean my house so it’s nice and spotless when we come home at the end of the month?
JR is feeling better. Of course, now that I’ve declared that he’s going to have stuff coming out of every orifice and will spew green stuff like Reagan on The Exorcist. Leave it to me to tempt fate like that.
I rearranged the living room & bedroom yesterday. It was simple (and I didn’t overdo it, so calm down) but made a huge impact on the feel of the rooms. The tv doesn’t feel like the centerpiece of the living room anymore, which makes me happy. JR’s toys are more prominent, and laid out so much more orderly, and as a result have seen more playtime than they usually do. He’s even putting them away as he’s done with them, for the most part, which is so much more than he was doing before. I’m hoping that displaying them more prominently, thereby showing them more respect, inspires him to treat them the same way. I also moved most of the plastic stuff so that his educational, natural, & wooden toys are seeing the most action. I think I’ll be slowly transforming our home into a Montessori-style prepared environment for him, as best I can before Milla comes.
I really should be doing more laundry & getting started on packing, but I’m sitting here trying to brainstorm what to make the ladies for our craft swap. I’m doing a holiday craft swap in Texas with the wives of my husband’s old friends, and I’ve just run out of time to get anything knit or crocheted for them, so I’m drawing a blank. Think think think. Maybe channeling Pooh Bear will help me out. Maybe not.
I had a ton of stuff that I was supposed to get done, craft-wise, before leaving AK, but I just have to suck it up and admit that it’s not getting done. I’m sorry. Kalli, Trinity, Karo, Jen — I’m sorry. I hope you forgive me.
I’m running out of time to get stuff done for MIlla too. I’m almost 30 weeks along(!!!) and seriously need to get cranking on stuff for her before she gets here. This pregnancy is going so quickly!
Ok, I need to do the dishes & make lunch.
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