Thanksgiving 2007: Thanks for Women Mentors

This year, as our household experienced pregnancy and childbirth and caring for a newborn for the first time, I have realized how important and amazing it is that women support each other with wisdom and education and encouragement. I was helped and enriched, not only by women who are already friends and family, but also by various women who spend time helping people they don’t really know just because they care about the health and joy of women and their babies.


I started my pregnancy bewildered and nervous about entering “the baby information realm” and terrified about the agony of labor. As the year progressed, my body flourished in its pregnant state, Douwe’s birth was a wonderful experience, and Douwe and I have been enjoying nursing without any discomfort or tears. I could say I’m just lucky, but I believe that it has to do with the mentoring that these women have provided:

Carol. I called her off the Lake County La Leche League page early in my pregnancy to ask a few questions about pregnancy and labor resources. At her encouragement, I started coming to LLL meetings early in my pregnancy and learning about so much more than just nursing. She also recommended finding a Bradley method childbirth class, and looking up books by Dr. Sears and Dr. Bradley.

Lisa and Danielle. Friends I made at Schererville library LLL meetings who used the various soft baby carriers so well that I knew I needed to get some. All of their experience with various baby questions regarding nursing, diapers, sleeping arrangements, schedules and their willingness to talk about anything helped me gain knowledge and confidence to make my choices.

Chanda. Chanda was our childbirth class instructor and the encouragement and education she provided was absolutely priceless. She made us take prenatal nutrition and exercise seriously and helped us overcome fear of the unknown and fear of labor pain by teaching us what the body does so well when it is time for baby to be born. Each week she taught the two hour class on her feet with her baby in a carrier who nursed or slept or looked around, and modeled how mobile a mother/infant pair can be.

Michelle. Michelle was our midwife and she enthusiastically supported us in our wishes to deliver at St. Catherine's Hospital with as little medical intervention as possible. She was willing to sit on the floor to catch the baby, to allow me to deliver in a position that was so much better than in bed on my back. I remember her saying at the time, “You wouldn't get a doctor to sit on the floor.”

Alison and Leann. My sister and my neighbor gave me the following books to read, and they were so helpful: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, The Bradley Method of Childbirth, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon, and The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins.

Thanks be to God for providing women everywhere with the gift to help and support each other in our unique and challenging role of childbearing. We are fearfully and wonderfully made!