Category: Vision

Third Times the Charm…

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If you’ve been following my journey, or happen to be scrolling through my blog archives, you’ll know this is the third time I’ve tried to get The Bump, Birth, Baby Network off the ground.

The first hiatus I took due to pregnancy, maternity leave, and then beginning work full-time instead of part-time.
My second hiatus came abruptly due to unexpected job loss, family obligations, and some unresolved birth trauma. I went from thinking the birth field was going to be my life, to spending 14 months thinking I would never be able to speak about it again.

Well here I am. Trying one last time (I say that now but who knows what the future holds). Starting off slowly. Holding realistic expectations.

I knew there was a reason I didn’t want to let my domain name expire 😉

The plan currently is:

  • Begin offering childbirth education classes again
  • Re-establish connections in the birth community
  • Launch my teen parent outreach program
  • Starting in fall 2019 offer doula and photography services again

Wish me luck!
Kelsey

Midwife 2020

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I am very excited to announce my new plans for the future.

I have registered for college and plan to become a certified-nurse midwife!

If all goes according to plan I should be entering my final year of schooling in 2020 (hence the name of this post and the new name for the blog).

Bump, Birth, Baby is not gone forever, I plan to change the focus of the blog to documenting my studies, interesting things I learn, and it will be a place where I can vent about the stresses of school. When I return back to “Bump, Birth, Baby”, it will be as a CNM and I will focus on building my new network of referrals I can send clients to.

Going to school was something I thought I’d never do. For a moment I regretted not going straight out of high school, but then I realized there is NO WAY I would have EVER gone for nursing let alone midwifery. It is going to be a long journey but as one of my co-workers says to me frequently in regards to schooling, “7 years is going to pass anyway and at the end of it you can be doing what you’re doing now or have a new career”. Truly though, I know I am not getting that late of a start. I should be a CNM the same year I turn 30.

Your support on the journey means to world to me. I cannot do this alone and I appreciate all the people rooting me on and giving me the tools to succeed.

Stay tuned for more updates, a fundraising campaign, and lots of new knowledge about bumps, births, and babies.

New New New

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I am excited to announce several new services from The Bump, Birth, and Baby Network!

Shower Planning

Belly Cast Design

Birth Photography

Birth Announcements

and

Newborn / Family Photography

Please take a moment to check out our (now easier to navigate) website for more details!

We also now offer gift certificates for classes, photography, and doula services. If you know an expectant mom, a Bump, Birth, and Baby Network gift certificate makes a perfect present!

Our 2013 spring calendar should be ready soon so get ready for more announcements and  events!

Site Construction

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Please excuse our mess as we update our site.

We have some exciting new services and a new look we hope to unveil on Monday 10-15! Our blog will still be up as normal, but our pages may not be accessible at all times.

Thank you for your understanding and don’t forget to check back next week to see all our changes!

Logo Decisions

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I am excited to announce that there are big new changes around the corner for Bump, Birth, Baby one of which is a new logo!

I have been working with a great artist at B & Company Design and have the choices narrowed down to 2. Now I need YOUR help.

Please vote for which logo you think looks best, represents The Bump, Birth, and Baby Network, and most importantly you’d like to look at.

Please comment on this post or head over to our Facebook to vote!

A Change of Vision

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After a lot of thought, prayer, and number crunching I have decided to change my goals for Bump, Birth, and Baby just slightly. I wanted so badly to have a store front by next year, but I don’t think that is going to happen. Although it is still my long-term goal. and I mean LOOOONG-TERM, I know I have to do something proactive for my life now while still pursuing my passion.

I have decided to switch my focus to personal services I can offer! The future holds big things and I’m so excited to get started.

Check out my updated Facebook Page and the rest of my site to see what’s new!

Behind the Blog

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As things are starting to take off for Bump, Birth, and Baby I thought I would take a moment to introduce myself a little more to my readers and potential clients.

About Me:

Hi I’m Kelsey Schwartz. I am a wife, mother, birth advocate, entrepreneur, Christian, and native Texan. My husband Thomas and I live in Plano with our beautiful daughter Olivia Michele (born 9/23/11) and our dog Mia. I am currently a Bradley Method® instructor, doula, and receptionist at Allen Birthing Center. Photography has been a long time hobby of mine and I hope to return to taking photos soon (birth photographer perhaps?). I love all the little things in life like how wonderful Ozarka Water tastes, Wheel of Fortune, and the sight of a pink sunset. I hope to become an asset in the community through my work and I want to know that I have made a difference, whether it’s in just one person’s life or the world 🙂

The loves of my life 🙂 Thomas and Olivia

My Journey to Natural Childbirth:

After spending 2 years working for a holistic chiropractor I had become very natural minded and cautious about modern medicine (amongst other things). So when I found out I was pregnant in 2011 I knew right away I wanted a drug-free birth no matter how painful it would be. I took a tour at Allen Birthing Center and was hooked. I signed on for care in February and throughout the spring and summer was amazed at how much I was learning about out of hospital births. The midwives recommended a birth class taught at their center so I signed up without asking questions. Turned out the series was called The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth®, our instructor was wonderful and I once again was in awe at how much I did not know. I found out that not only was a drug-free birth best for my baby but was also beneficial for me and would not necessarily be unbearably painful.

About half way through summer my current employer decided that my pregnancy did not work into their business plan and things started going downhill. I unexpectedly turned in my 2 weeks notice at 6 months pregnant and decided to redirect my life. I spent hours trying to figure out “where to go from here” and the next Sunday at birth class it hit me! This class had changed my life and we weren’t even done with the course. I looked into getting certified and found out you had to have a natural birth experience to apply so all I could do was wait. Finally at 41 weeks and 4 days, after 42 hours of labor, my little girl arrived (read my birth story here). It was life changing to say the least and after a couple weeks of getting settled into life with a newborn I registered for the Bradley® program. I spent the first half of 2012 teaching my provisional classes, completing evaluations, reading, reading, reading, and completing my final exam.

I now offer clients care from pregnancy to parenthood by being available as a childbirth teacher, a labor doula, a postpartum doula, and a breastfeeding educator. My new life goal is to help as many unborn babies and their families as possible.

Kelsey Schwartz

Choices

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“Home birth on the rise in the US” scrolled across the bottom of the TV as we were watching the local news the other night. In an overdramatic way I stood up and yelled “YESSS!”. Would I ever have a home birth? Probably not. But I am still thrilled that women are realizing they have CHOICES when it come to the birth of their baby.

When I told my mom at 6 weeks pregnant I wouldn’t even consider a hospital birth unless 110% necessary she looked at me like I was crazy. Then as I continued to explain that I wanted to birth at a birth center and planned to be home within hours of birth with my baby she thought I was making things up. She didn’t even know you were legally allowed to have a baby outside of a hospital intentionally. It’s been a year now since we took the tour of the Allen Birthing Center and met the midwives and I’m proud to say my  mom told me “I made a believer out of her”. I want all women to be “believers” and to know that even if you’re in a hospital to birth your baby you have choices and a say in how things happen! There is a birth revolution going on that I am so proud to be a part of.  Babies were born at home for years and years but we have gotten so far away from the beauty of birth and turned pregnancy into an illness that women are voluntarily being cut open to be “delivered of their children”. Deliveries are for pizzas, births are for babies.

Now, I have written several blogs and Facebook status about this topic and I always feel it necessary to state that I am not anti-doctor or think that cesarean should be banned etc etc, I just feel there is too much unnecessary intervention in the birth process for perfectly healthy low-risk pregnancies. There are times when a cesarean is 100% justified and saves lives. I am thankful that we have the technology and resources to be able to perform them or to intervene when the situation calls for it however the c-section rate should be around 3% not over 30% like it currently is!

By starting this online community I hope to reach women and families and give them the resources they need to educate themselves. What ever choices you make are best for you. I am not here to condemn anyones way of life or their parenting style. I simply want all expectant parents to know there are choices and it is your responsibility to educate yourself and to make the decisions right for your family and your situation!

I could ramble on and on about this but then I wouldn’t have any content for future blog posts 🙂

I have many plans for the future and hope that the Bump, Birth, and Baby Network will someday be a big part of  the North Dallas community.

Wish me luck on this new venture!

Kelsey