Thursday, May 02, 2013
A little bit more Kantha.
Some lovely kantha throws came my way and they are now for sale. All reversible and made from vintage fabrics. Details here
Monday, April 22, 2013
New things
I have made some new flag/ banners. Inspired by Busy and the trouble she was having at school last year. I think they would be lovely in a child's room or even in a classroom.
All available on Etsy.
All available on Etsy.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Childhood broken
Yesterday I was told something awful. When I heard I felt as if my childhood was broken in half. I felt like I could have cried. I felt like it could not possibly be true.
Rolf Harris has been arrested and interviewed by British police investigating the Jimmy Savile child sex scandal. It hasn't been reported much by mainstream media but it was all over twitter and independent media. (Source)
We grew up listening to Rolf Harris, Court of King Caractacus was one of my favourite songs! It is the soundtrack of our annual epic drives to the Gold Coast in the Ford Falcon from Sydney, singing with my sister in the back, between squabbles and vomits and games of Eye spy and vegemite sandwiches. Listening to Rolf Harris recently and introducing all those songs to Busy was so fun, we laughed at how I knew the words from so long ago. But now it's tainted.
I have been thinking about it a lot since I found out yesterday. I think this news combined with the start of the Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse has me reeling a bit. I feel like we are on the edge of uncovering something truly horrible. Like we are about to find out just how bad things have been.
I am not completely naive, I know so much from what clients have told me at work. About the priests, the foster parents, the coaches, who have abused, been reported and literally gotten away with it.
But I feel like as a community we will be truly horrified at the extent of the cover-ups. I think there will be public outcry the likes of which we haven't seen before. I feel sick about it. I know for so many people so much of this will trigger horrible feelings and anxiety and shame and anger and despair.
I hope there is a shift afterwards.
I hope this commission really does change things and although it may never be possible to protect every child I hope that as a community we ensure that when a child tells us they are scared and have been hurt we listen to them, we believe them, we make it stop, we keep them safe and we make sure the perpetrator can never harm another child again.
I feel for those working at the commission, I hope they are looked after.
Rolf Harris has been arrested and interviewed by British police investigating the Jimmy Savile child sex scandal. It hasn't been reported much by mainstream media but it was all over twitter and independent media. (Source)
We grew up listening to Rolf Harris, Court of King Caractacus was one of my favourite songs! It is the soundtrack of our annual epic drives to the Gold Coast in the Ford Falcon from Sydney, singing with my sister in the back, between squabbles and vomits and games of Eye spy and vegemite sandwiches. Listening to Rolf Harris recently and introducing all those songs to Busy was so fun, we laughed at how I knew the words from so long ago. But now it's tainted.
I have been thinking about it a lot since I found out yesterday. I think this news combined with the start of the Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse has me reeling a bit. I feel like we are on the edge of uncovering something truly horrible. Like we are about to find out just how bad things have been.
I am not completely naive, I know so much from what clients have told me at work. About the priests, the foster parents, the coaches, who have abused, been reported and literally gotten away with it.
But I feel like as a community we will be truly horrified at the extent of the cover-ups. I think there will be public outcry the likes of which we haven't seen before. I feel sick about it. I know for so many people so much of this will trigger horrible feelings and anxiety and shame and anger and despair.
I hope there is a shift afterwards.
I hope this commission really does change things and although it may never be possible to protect every child I hope that as a community we ensure that when a child tells us they are scared and have been hurt we listen to them, we believe them, we make it stop, we keep them safe and we make sure the perpetrator can never harm another child again.
I feel for those working at the commission, I hope they are looked after.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
BABY LED *WEANING*
WEANING? I am not ready to wean my baby I hear you say? Well it's not that. In the UK wean means to "add food" not "stop breastfeeding" (like it means here and in the US) I have seen this referred to and have been put off by the word weaning. But the local baby health nurse told me about it and it's about not pushing a spoon full of mushie food into your babies mouth. It's about letting them feed themselves. So they are given, say a piece of steamed veg to suck on rather than mushing the food up. Its about teaching them to chew first rather than swallow first, the swallow will come later.
Rom Pom* is just over 5 months and we have just started giving her something to suck on. The first thing she tried was a lamb chop bone. I can't begin to explain the sheer ECSTASY on her face when she was sucking on that lamb chop bone!! Yes it is really messy, the small piece of banana today was mushed all over her, the bouncer and all her clothing, but she sucked a lot of it too. Celery was good for mushing into her gums and a nice change from my shoulder, hair, arm that is usually chewed or sucked on in the rare moments when it is not my breast!
So you are thinking: won't they choke? In a nutshell no, because the baby is in control of when the food goes in they are less likely too. You can read more here and here.
It makes sense I think. I think we will probably do a little of both... I still feel like she won't get enough food but apparently she will...? I am assured she will.
What do you think? What did you do with first food for your little one? Have you tried baby led weaning?
*not her real name, its close, but it's what we call her at home.
Rom Pom* is just over 5 months and we have just started giving her something to suck on. The first thing she tried was a lamb chop bone. I can't begin to explain the sheer ECSTASY on her face when she was sucking on that lamb chop bone!! Yes it is really messy, the small piece of banana today was mushed all over her, the bouncer and all her clothing, but she sucked a lot of it too. Celery was good for mushing into her gums and a nice change from my shoulder, hair, arm that is usually chewed or sucked on in the rare moments when it is not my breast!
oh so cute
So you are thinking: won't they choke? In a nutshell no, because the baby is in control of when the food goes in they are less likely too. You can read more here and here.
It makes sense I think. I think we will probably do a little of both... I still feel like she won't get enough food but apparently she will...? I am assured she will.
What do you think? What did you do with first food for your little one? Have you tried baby led weaning?
*not her real name, its close, but it's what we call her at home.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Babble
This neglected blog... I don't know if I have it in me anymore. I don't think I have the time to do it now, I write blogposts in my head but they never get further than that, I don't think anyone reads it much anymore as I don't give it much love....
Those bits of time I do have without a babe in arms are spent on My Bearded Pigeon, sometimes it takes a week to get to the pile of fabric to cut and ready for sewing. The ideas in my head need to come out and be made real, they are keeping me awake at night-whirring through my mind. We want to spread our wings.... And do some new things but it's HARD (Someone said to me the other day "you haven't done anything new in a while" to which I held aloft my BABY and said yes I have and this is her! Thankyouverymuch)
I read lots of posts but often cannot comment due to aforementioned babe in arms..... I take lots of photos mainly with my phone less so with my DSLR with blog posts in mind but they stay on my phone.
I like Instagram and twitter, that's where you will find me (as mybeardedpigeon )for the next little while...and hanging with this bunch I am crazy in love with:
Those bits of time I do have without a babe in arms are spent on My Bearded Pigeon, sometimes it takes a week to get to the pile of fabric to cut and ready for sewing. The ideas in my head need to come out and be made real, they are keeping me awake at night-whirring through my mind. We want to spread our wings.... And do some new things but it's HARD (Someone said to me the other day "you haven't done anything new in a while" to which I held aloft my BABY and said yes I have and this is her! Thankyouverymuch)
I read lots of posts but often cannot comment due to aforementioned babe in arms..... I take lots of photos mainly with my phone less so with my DSLR with blog posts in mind but they stay on my phone.
I like Instagram and twitter, that's where you will find me (as mybeardedpigeon )for the next little while...and hanging with this bunch I am crazy in love with:
Friday, December 14, 2012
Breastfeeding- a woman's choice right??
Breast feeding. The word alone can get people wound up. Breastfeeding police... Tut tutting mothers.... Well meaning but misguided relatives.... The list goes on. Recently I have started to think about it in a different way.( due to the fact I am doing it about 12 times a day and I have a llot of time to think - and do all my christmas shopping from my iPad!) )
In the past, like after I had Busy, I was pretty gung-ho about it too. I have always been a big fan of it because it worked so well for me with Busy. I breastfed her for 2 years and I loved it. So far so good with the latest edition who I also plan to feed until one of us doesn't want to anymore . I am also lucky to have one of my besties as an ABA counsellor and several friends who have breastfed several babies. I have always felt supported in my choice and I know I am lucky. (Plus I am lazy and all that bottle sterilising seemed like another chore I wasn't into, plus the Eco benefits of bf blah blah blah )
But the benefits are very well documented and not my point at all. And I know for some women it is a nightmare from day one.
My point is about choice. A right for a woman to make a choice about if she wants to breastfeed or not. A right to make a choice about her body-how she wants it to be. To make an informed decision about her baby and her body. At what point does the babies right override the mothers? I don't know. Making a mother feel sick with stress and guilt because she doesn't want to breastfeed? What is the point of that? God knows there is enough guilt attached to mothering anyway and choosing not to breastfeed-there are so many worse things right? We all parent so differently I am sure I do things that would appall other mothers but if your baby is happy and healthy isn't that enough?
I have always thought the most helpful thing to women would be ensuring women have consistent evidence- based information about breastfeeding available to them. That being told 6 different things about breastfeeding before you leave hospital is not helpful. And it upsets me when women who want to breastfeed are given bad advice that makes breastfeeding problems worse and they stop feeding because of it.
Because it is really hard in the beginning. And it does hurt and you do feel awkward and clumsy and it is all up to you to do it every single time, the responsibility is HUGE- but with the right encouragement and support and the love of a good husband it can be done, although there are still some days with our now 9 week old when Chef gets home at 330 and I haven't eaten since breakfast! It is hard at first and I can completely understand why people say : Nup, I can't do this.
I think I started to see this differently a couple of years ago when I came across a paper (at work, not in my spare time) about decreased rates of breastfeeding amongst adult survivors of sexual assault. Given that that statistics in Australia of the incidence sexual assault amongst women are 1in 4 surely that means something. This is, by no means saying that all survivors feel uncomfortable with breast feeding but it's interesting to think about it. Add to that women with body issues other trauma or those who grew up where they never saw anyone breastfeed or it was frowned upon and we are potentially talking about a lot of women. A lot of women made to feel bad because they do not feel comfortable with breast feeding and do not want to do it.
And then if you DO CHOOSE to breastfeed it better not be for too long!! At some point lots of people seem to have a mighty big opinion about when you should stop. Remember this? People went berserk! I have never understood why other people seem to become so hysterical about a woman breast feeding an older child? It's her choice right? Calling this child abuse makes me so angry. Child abuse is bashing your kid and scaring them. Breastfeeding is not child abuse. So why are we telling women what we she can and can't do with their bodies? At what age does it become not ok?? Who decided this? So we tell women they must breastfeed but then berate them if they do it for too long??
I don't have the answers but I just ask that we just lay off a little. Give women the right information and loads of support and then leave her to decide what she wants to do. I personally feel it is a personal decision for the babies mother to make and whatever she decides is good for herself and her family is really none of my business or anyone else's.
In the past, like after I had Busy, I was pretty gung-ho about it too. I have always been a big fan of it because it worked so well for me with Busy. I breastfed her for 2 years and I loved it. So far so good with the latest edition who I also plan to feed until one of us doesn't want to anymore . I am also lucky to have one of my besties as an ABA counsellor and several friends who have breastfed several babies. I have always felt supported in my choice and I know I am lucky. (Plus I am lazy and all that bottle sterilising seemed like another chore I wasn't into, plus the Eco benefits of bf blah blah blah )
But the benefits are very well documented and not my point at all. And I know for some women it is a nightmare from day one.
My point is about choice. A right for a woman to make a choice about if she wants to breastfeed or not. A right to make a choice about her body-how she wants it to be. To make an informed decision about her baby and her body. At what point does the babies right override the mothers? I don't know. Making a mother feel sick with stress and guilt because she doesn't want to breastfeed? What is the point of that? God knows there is enough guilt attached to mothering anyway and choosing not to breastfeed-there are so many worse things right? We all parent so differently I am sure I do things that would appall other mothers but if your baby is happy and healthy isn't that enough?
I have always thought the most helpful thing to women would be ensuring women have consistent evidence- based information about breastfeeding available to them. That being told 6 different things about breastfeeding before you leave hospital is not helpful. And it upsets me when women who want to breastfeed are given bad advice that makes breastfeeding problems worse and they stop feeding because of it.
Because it is really hard in the beginning. And it does hurt and you do feel awkward and clumsy and it is all up to you to do it every single time, the responsibility is HUGE- but with the right encouragement and support and the love of a good husband it can be done, although there are still some days with our now 9 week old when Chef gets home at 330 and I haven't eaten since breakfast! It is hard at first and I can completely understand why people say : Nup, I can't do this.
I think I started to see this differently a couple of years ago when I came across a paper (at work, not in my spare time) about decreased rates of breastfeeding amongst adult survivors of sexual assault. Given that that statistics in Australia of the incidence sexual assault amongst women are 1in 4 surely that means something. This is, by no means saying that all survivors feel uncomfortable with breast feeding but it's interesting to think about it. Add to that women with body issues other trauma or those who grew up where they never saw anyone breastfeed or it was frowned upon and we are potentially talking about a lot of women. A lot of women made to feel bad because they do not feel comfortable with breast feeding and do not want to do it.
And then if you DO CHOOSE to breastfeed it better not be for too long!! At some point lots of people seem to have a mighty big opinion about when you should stop. Remember this? People went berserk! I have never understood why other people seem to become so hysterical about a woman breast feeding an older child? It's her choice right? Calling this child abuse makes me so angry. Child abuse is bashing your kid and scaring them. Breastfeeding is not child abuse. So why are we telling women what we she can and can't do with their bodies? At what age does it become not ok?? Who decided this? So we tell women they must breastfeed but then berate them if they do it for too long??
I don't have the answers but I just ask that we just lay off a little. Give women the right information and loads of support and then leave her to decide what she wants to do. I personally feel it is a personal decision for the babies mother to make and whatever she decides is good for herself and her family is really none of my business or anyone else's.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Baby moon
There is something about this that feels easy... or maybe it feels familiar. With Busy at school and Chef around a lot there are very few expectations at all. No pressing tasks I need to complete. No rushing to work, no running a business, no volunteering at the school. No phone calls to make or emails to send. Just time now to feed her and sleep. Chef is doing everything else. Lovely friends come to visit bringing breakfast or to play with Busy or to make cups of tea or bring freshly baked bread. To shed a joyful little tear or two over this precious new life, to have a hold and to marvel at tiny fingers and toes.
But on the flip side of this is the hardness of it all. The complete reliance on me to nourish this little one, to interpret her grunts and mews and cries... To wake up several times a night to feed and rock and whisper and settle, to feel the burden of my cranky tiredness and how it effects the whole house and makes everyone cry at the same time. To juggle the needs of a big sister who wants to hold her baby and wants to cuddle mummy and be the baby sometimes, who needs reassurance that she is still little and that yes the baby does take up so much time.
And I forgot how leaving the house takes forever with having to stop to breastfeed repeatedly. Yesterday we went out for the first time to pick up Busy from school and "take her baby for show and tell" which went well but I felt like I needed a stiff drink when I got home 45 minutes later.
But the days go fast, (thank god for the invention of the iPad since I was last stuck on the lounge holding a new baby for hours... day time TV is seriously bad!) and already it has been nearly 3 weeks since she arrived and we can't imagine life without her. We all compete constantly for who gets the most smiles and she has started to give them out pretty freely which is nice. I forgot how long you can spend just staring at them and how the ability to do everything one handed comes back really quickly.
I plan to open the shop tomorrow but am not sure how I will really do that.... the studio is finished and I am all moved in and it is amazing having this space of my own... just have to work out how to find the time to get in there.... Wish me luck!!
And I forgot how leaving the house takes forever with having to stop to breastfeed repeatedly. Yesterday we went out for the first time to pick up Busy from school and "take her baby for show and tell" which went well but I felt like I needed a stiff drink when I got home 45 minutes later.
But the days go fast, (thank god for the invention of the iPad since I was last stuck on the lounge holding a new baby for hours... day time TV is seriously bad!) and already it has been nearly 3 weeks since she arrived and we can't imagine life without her. We all compete constantly for who gets the most smiles and she has started to give them out pretty freely which is nice. I forgot how long you can spend just staring at them and how the ability to do everything one handed comes back really quickly.
I plan to open the shop tomorrow but am not sure how I will really do that.... the studio is finished and I am all moved in and it is amazing having this space of my own... just have to work out how to find the time to get in there.... Wish me luck!!
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