Tori's Blog
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Pain Medications for Labor and Birth
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Many types of medication can ease pain during labor and delivery. Here is a brief outline of the most common types of medication offered.Epidural block – An epidural block is a regional analgesic or anesthetic that can be used during active labor. The medication is injected into the lower back just outside the sac of spinal fluid. It takes about 20 minutes to administer an epidural block and another 10 to 20 minutes for the medication to take effect.
An epidural alleviates...
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Managing Labor Pain
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Labor is a natural — although challenging — process. No two women have the same degree of labor pain, and no two labors are exactly alike. Ultimately, you need to choose the pain relief option that’s right for you.The best approach to labor pain relief depends on your preferences and on how your labor progresses. Sometimes, you won’t know what kind of pain relief you want until you’re in labor. Still, it’s a good idea to think about your options...
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My Own Birthday
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Sisters: Tori, Denise, Debbie (Kassie missing)
I had a birthday this month – July 9th. It was a quiet day and that was how I wished it to be. I had a lot of lovely birthday wishes – from my family, others who love me, and friends on FaceBook.
My parents, sister and nephew were visiting here at the lake and being with my own mother on my birthday got me thinking about the details surrounding the day I was born. I...
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Tori on ParentsAsk.Com – Homebirth or Hospital Birth
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Today, the sky is clear and I sit in what is quite possibly the best chair in the world looking out over the sand, blue water and nothing but the coastline of Lake Michigan.We have had friends visiting us so the kids have been up late playing in the sand dunes or on the beach every night. The house is so quiet right now — the dogs quietly wrestling on the floor and my coffee actually still hot as I...
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I am back (I think)
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
Whew- I am back. I am so sorry that I seem to have disappeared. I had some significant connection issues out here on the lake but I think I now understand the way to use the “satellite” Internet connection that we have. We are so far from the main road that there is no way a DSL line is ever likely to end up here. So we make do with what we have.Until last year we only had dial-up here...
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Internet Connectivity
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
Argh – I have been offline intermittently for the past week. Alexander and I are in South Haven Michigan on Lake Michigan for several weeks. Until last summer we had only dial-up Internet, which was simply torture. Although we are on the lakefront and near a good size community, our immediate area is very rural. It takes 10 minutes off the main road onto a windy dirt road to get all the way out to us.In years past we had...
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San Francisco View From the Bay
Sunday, June 27th, 2010
I had a lot of fun a couple of days ago being part of our San Francisco talk show, View From the Bay . It is a live show with a studio audience. The host, Lisa Quinn and I talked about some lesser-known pregnancy facts.Really solidifying my feelings of being a professional was Alexander’s (remember, age 9) exclamation, when I got home, that it was “pretty good Mom, except that you picked your nose”. Actually, I merely scratched my nose, but...
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When To Call Your Baby’s Doctor – Print Out Sheet
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
No urine in first 24 hours at home No bowel movement in...
One of the toughest and most nerve-racking things for new parent is figuring out when to call the doctor. As a general rule of thumb, trust your instincts. If you suspect something is not right, you should always call the doctor. Even small changes in eating, sleeping, and crying can be signs of serious problems for newborns. Call your pediatrician if your baby has any of the following symptoms: -
Happy Father’s Day
Sunday, June 20th, 2010
My dad is an incredibly awesome man. He is honest, straightforward, funny, really, really smart, lives with complete integrity and has always had a twinkle in his eye. He raised all girls (four of us) and has had the joy of having three grandsons. Today, I honor him and want to include some thoughts about dads that I have collected.“My dad taught me girl things and boy things, but mostly he taught me to believe in myself.” Elsa
“My father is...
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New Relationship with ParentsAsk.Com
Monday, June 14th, 2010
I am very excited about now being a part of ParentsAsk.com. I will be posting videos on different topics and Q & A’s – sometimes alone and sometimes as part of a panel. My first episode launched this past Thursday on Healthy Eating During Pregnancy.Video posts no longer involve a camera crew, lights and perfect timing. They now are done with a small camera, a tripod, a basic subject outline, free continuous speaking and then later, editing. I wish I had had a...
