The Concrete Gardener

Gytha, I'm really glad you paved the way to ho...

2012-02-21T06:02:07.267-05:00

Gytha, I'm really glad you paved the way to home birth in Cape Town for me- thank you!

I think the most wonderful part of my homebirth to...

2012-02-21T05:47:54.215-05:00

I think the most wonderful part of my homebirth to Ethan was just how "normal" it made childbirth seem - not normal in the sense of not miraculous, for that it was despite a very long labour and the eventual intervention of a sugar drip (and William walking along behind me and building drip stands out of climbing gear), but in the sense that birth is a part of life, not some disease that needs an ueber-clinical environment and the constant supervision of medical professionals. It was fabulous to be in my own space and to work through the pain of birth in a very familiar environment. It was just wonderful to jump (well not exactly) into my own shower and to cuddle into my own bed with my family. To not have advice from all kinds of nurses and staff helped me to focus on my own instincts regarding feeding and general newborn care, which was SO EMPOWERING but also VERY HUMBLING!!!

Regarding The List: I have some plastic sheeting, a gym ball, some towels, a newborn hat and will be providing lots of meals ;). Lots of love.

Yeah. I think the empowered part is in knowing wha...

2012-02-21T01:44:01.110-05:00

Yeah. I think the empowered part is in knowing what's involved.

The cost of giving birth at home with absolutely no insurance here in Cape Town is about the same as copay on GIC insurance in Boston (grrr... around $750-$1000). Unfortunately, if you're giving birth at home in Cape Town, insurance is about as supportive as in Boston. Which is absurd.

In a country where private hospital's rate of c-sections is apparently 70% (government hospital rate around 30%), giving birth at home, for a normal delivery and a healthy child seems like a really reasonable, cost-effective option.

After getting The List, I feel the draw of having getting a pack of Pampers, a little hat, a clean bathroom and three meals a day. If only we could get checked into a hotel with those things after the delivery.

Yes- though I found it funny when I was researchin...

2012-02-21T01:31:22.314-05:00

Yes- though I found it funny when I was researching the raw milk market here: it seemed like it's underground in a very different context from the U.S.: It's cheap and available in townships from people who may keep just one or two cows, and fill up old soda bottles etc. for about 1/4 of the cost of supermarket milk. But I haven't yet found any delivery/sale of milk in bottles.

The supermarket milk comes in non-recyclable sachets, or recyclable (with a lot of effort) #5 plastic bottles. I'm going with the non-recyclable sachets for now, because they seem like less overall milk and I'm not sure about recycling yet.

Which made me think of your comment about using cars when we need it. When I think of having a car, I find my whole lifestyle shifting a bit. For example, trying to regularly visit a farm where we can get milk. I'm not sure I'd take the train into town much. It may be that the places I go will be different. I hope not, since I just bought a year's aquarium pass and plan to go there until Noah is totally sick of being asked to name fish.

Exciting! Wow...time flies so fast. You and Eug al...

2012-02-21T01:15:56.687-05:00

Exciting! Wow...time flies so fast. You and Eug already have two babies (though one is still incubating). Justin and I will be praying for your and baby's birthing time!

And just imagine how different the world would be ...

2012-02-20T16:33:49.723-05:00

And just imagine how different the world would be if EVERYONE used a car ONLY when they absolutely had the need - NEEEEED, not want.

That idea because they probably do low/no waste pa...

2012-02-20T15:55:13.626-05:00

That idea because they probably do low/no waste packaging.

I've noticed in my raw milk research that ther...

2012-02-20T15:54:26.967-05:00

I've noticed in my raw milk research that there are people around jo-burg who do raw. They may be a resource for people closer to obs... Worth a try? You can start at the Weston A Price Foundation website..

Ha! I say half jokingly that buying all that stuff...

2012-02-20T14:24:10.252-05:00

Ha! I say half jokingly that buying all that stuff is "empowerment" because it irks me that homebirth costs so much money out of pocket whereas hospital birth is essentially free for those with insurance. Still, I've been pretty present for my two homebirths, and they were both wonderful and traumatizingly painful. In the end I think raising a child is empowering, and giving birth is just one day of that.

2012-02-20T14:12:02.059-05:00

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Hi Jo - Fun fun! I think homebirthing helps focus ...

2012-02-20T12:58:47.437-05:00

Hi Jo - Fun fun! I think homebirthing helps focus on the experience rather the the "medical crisis" you're in (poking fun at voice of the medical set) - HAH!

But what I'm really writing to say is.. I sewed up some maternity pads for myself and I've made some for friends... They're basically fabric from old cotton blouses/dresshirts sewn around pieces of old cotton towel. You can turn them inside out (sort of fuzzi bunz style) for good cleaning and fast drying. They aren't as absorbant as industrial varieties but they contain no plastic and are reusable - and are upcycled, of course. You can also use them later for aunt flo on the occasion you don't feel like using "other methods". Want me to whip up a few for you?

If you do, shoot me your address. Have fun with prep and I hope you find a way to balance the PhD prop with the meditative enjoyment of the last weeks!

Penguins are pretty awesome... when we went to the...

2012-02-18T21:17:16.402-05:00

Penguins are pretty awesome... when we went to the aquarium Harvey would've been happy just to stand and look at them the whole time. I'll let him know that Noah gets to visit them on the beach now!

Yay for links! Could you change ours to just say &...

2012-02-18T21:08:49.444-05:00

Yay for links! Could you change ours to just say "the squibix family"? If it's automatic from the page title I also changed that, so no worries.

I'm enjoying checking out the blogs as you add them... thanks!

Darren- can Eug and I read your blog? and could I ...

2012-02-17T00:24:42.291-05:00

Darren- can Eug and I read your blog? and could I add it to the blogroll? No pressure.

Glad to see you guys doing so well. Meant to comme...

2012-02-16T23:58:03.121-05:00

Glad to see you guys doing so well. Meant to comment earlier. Keep up the writing Jo.

Darren and Carla

I finally caught up on this years entries. Lovely...

2012-02-16T22:33:50.193-05:00

I finally caught up on this years entries. Lovely photos! Look forward to hearing more about blob #2. :P. -marisa

You've done it, so that's encouraging on i...

2012-02-14T05:32:56.834-05:00

You've done it, so that's encouraging on it's own! Thanks Em.

Thanks for your comments Em- they came at a moment...

2012-02-14T05:31:46.968-05:00

Thanks for your comments Em- they came at a moment that we were again without internet, so finding them was super encouraging! I think I'm with you on your strategy around cars.

Our thought is that we'll get a car for as long as we're settling our house up and have a tiny blob, and perhaps evaluate our need every year or so? It's hard to change course, but it makes me feel safe in the changes we make (that we stick with things only as long as they feel right, and we're not tied to a miserable existence) so I think it works.

Thanks Lia and Angie. Love you both.

2012-02-14T05:25:55.459-05:00

Thanks Lia and Angie. Love you both.

Hi Jo We love not having a car (I know, it's ...

2012-02-13T12:54:52.516-05:00

Hi Jo

We love not having a car (I know, it's not SA and we do have our zipcar equivalent here, how else we would manage I do not know). We regret not having a car (and a cell phone and a TV) for about 3 minutes a year, ok maybe a little more in icy wintertime. However, we need to go on some substantial road trips and for the first time ever, renting a car for that long doesn't make as much economic sense as buying one. So we're buying one (used but dependable and with good resale potential). And then we're going to flip it as soon as we're done with it.

Also, I tried sooo hard in NZ to bike with wee man in the bike trailer when he was tiny. Apparently it is possible to do safely (maybe?) but it requires the purchase of some obscenely expensive touring bike trailer with all the bells and whistles. But even then I worried about the exhaust which a cycling friend insisted was no different than inside a car (I'm not so sure). I even tried rigging up the car seat in the bike trailer.. Total disaster, I found myself perched on the side of the road with both of us crying. You really, truly do have to wait for almost a year before you can safely ride a bike with a baby. Maybe maybe a Cristiana bike would work but I have my doubts.

So, I guess what I'm suggesting is: while wee blob is very wee, would it be so bad to buy a car that you are committed to ditching as soon as it's not uber-inconvenient to do so? I hate being a sell-out!

From your posts it is obvious that the "secon...

2012-02-13T12:12:10.294-05:00

From your posts it is obvious that the "seconds" culture of SA is very different form the US - but not terribly so from NZ. The most basic horrible furniture would sell for insane amounts, for example. I had a midwife friend who knew someone with a second hand shop who would give her things that were too nasty for the shop (isn't that a lovely image!). Also, my midwife often got things from people who thought some birthing mother might be able to use them. That's where we got the old towels and sheets for the birthing mat. Worth a shot. [And I have to admit I found some of the old nasty towels too nice to use and toss so they are not in with our regular towels.] Blargh.

Aw, Jo, I'm so sorry you got a complaint about...

2012-02-13T12:00:52.271-05:00

Aw, Jo, I'm so sorry you got a complaint about complaining! Maybe it's not useful coming from someone who does their fair share of complaining, but I really really empathize. Immigrating is soooo hard, yes it is! Just being out of a routine is so hard. And when you want life to come together just so to accomplish a very philosophical sort of way of living, eschewing many conveniences most take for granted, it can be doubly so. So there, for what it's worth, I feel you!

Evviva Noah the Lion! I can't be as wise as An...

2012-02-11T10:13:22.033-05:00

Evviva Noah the Lion! I can't be as wise as Angie, but the way you think about time, family, work is a good suggestion for many of us (me, time-stripped as always). Ciao vi vogliamo molto bene.

Sarah- There are no options if you're operatin...

2012-02-06T12:18:11.885-05:00

Sarah- There are no options if you're operating a business, as Eug is. The cost of internet using a 3G mobile connection is prohibitive if you're transferring large files over the internet.

We looked into Neotel, but again, the ONLY way to get unlimited internet is to start with Telkom, at least for line activation, which is what has taken over a month. Neotel is great if you're a moderate internet user. We're using MWEB for actual internet service, but we had to go through Telkom to start with.

Well the pictures of beautiful Mr Noah show that w...

2012-02-03T10:41:32.684-05:00

Well the pictures of beautiful Mr Noah show that whatever the agonizing you are clearly doing the right thing! Being at home with him and Tiny Blob will reap its own rewards later...