Finally! Pregnant in America Review

Things that make me happy: anyone pro-natural childbirth! I first blogged about the documentary Pregnant in America a year and a half ago
  but I hadn't watched it until today. I found a link to watch it online for free here: so I used naptime to watch it.

The verdict? Amazing. Best birth video/documentary I've ever seen. Less gory, less anti-hospital, less shock-tactic than a certain other recent documentary on birth.
Pregnant in America follows a couple (the filmmaker and his wife) as they research birth options and hospital birth practices while they are expecting their first birth. There are interviews with all of my favorite people in the natural birth community, including Kerry Tuschoff, who I spent four days with this month as she trained me and 25 others to teach her method of hypnosis for childbirth called Hypnobabies.

I loved that this film documented birth practices in Holland and Germany. Probably not a good idea to keep watching docs if I want to continue happily living in America.

Most importantly, I loved that this film had a "You create your own reality" message, which is a central tenet of Hypnobabies and a general fact of life.

This film is not shocking. It is thoughtful, educational, and beautiful. It is just part of an underground movement to change the way birth is done here, and I'm so excited to get to be a part of it (when I start teaching Hypnobabies...soon!).

Using up Fabric

Okay, I saw this ruffle pillow tutorial and loved it! I had a sad looking pillow lying around that doesn't match anything in our house, so I decided to make a slipcover with ruffles for it:

and an hour later I had this:

Cost: $0! Although the pillow is still misshapen, at least it's cuter, right?

Cuckoo for coconut!

We are having a coconut summer! For me, it all started with buying this organic coconut oil:

Coconut oil has become increasingly more popular lately. Coconut oil is thought to be the healthiest natural fat next to mother's milk. Both contain lauric acid, which helps the immune system. Coconut oil is also good for the skin, digestive system, cholesterol levels-- and more.

For me, though, I bought it to use as natural deodorant.
The recipe:
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. baking soda
5 Tbsp. coconut oil

This makes a ton, and it works! I smell so tropical, too!
(Note: keep in a cool place if you don't want liquefied deodorant!)


I also saw these Coconut M & M's and bought a bag (or several):

Not so much for the coconut at first, but because I am a sucker for any limited edition candy, like Hershey's kisses flavors and such. I have to say that I don't really like M&Ms...but these were so so yummy...and cute! They have just a subtle flavor of coconut on the outer shell with chocolate inside.

Finally, this book--I had to check it out after seeing my sister's very non-fad-diet mother-in-law reading this and then rubbing coconut oil all over herself and others:


It is a really interesting book with a lot of scientific evidence supporting the healing properties of the coconut.

So, although I have yet to actually cook with it, there is nothing to fear about the 90% saturated fat content coconut oil. It is 50% lauric acid and also has been shown to reduce heart disease. It is so good for your hair and skin, smells delicious, melts like crazy, and is all natural--so go get your tropic on!!