Hello!

Our blog has been neglected of late. That's one of the hazards when your organisation is completely volunteer-run, and those volunteers are Doulas, Moms, or working full-time in gainful employment! Let me, on behalf of all of the Birth Vine team (and MACFE also) apologise, dear reader, for this.

I am working towards ideas to help keep this blog active and going, which involves recruiting more people to submit their thoughts. If you have ideas or suggestions, or an article or poem you'd like to submit, please do- you can post a comment on this blog post, or send it to birthvine@gmail.com. Any and all comments left on our blog ARE read.

We're finding we have a very low (IE, almost nothing) response to our Wisdom Question.  Don't be afraid to share it with us! If you're worried about privacy, you can E-mail it to us instead of posting a comment, and your response will be posted without your name.

The Birth Vine has been an important part of the Manitoba Birthing Community since its inception, and we would very much like it continue that way, but we do need input from our readers!

Sincerely,
The Birth Vine Team

Poem: "For a Little While"

For a Little While

For a little while, I’d like to capture you in this moment

For a little while, I’d like to pretend you’ll always be four

For a little while, I’d like to ignore that your favourite shirt is getting too small

For a little while

I don’t want to hold you back-

I love seeing the person you are becoming

I am excited when you discover new things about your world

And I love hearing you spell your own name

But for a little while,

I’d like to freeze time

I want to capture the warmth of your smile forever

I want to feel your little hands in mine always

I love hugging and kissing you goodnight after a story

For a little while ...

You’re still my baby boy.

© 2007 b milljour

Poem: Wean Me Gently

This post first appeared in an issue of the Birthvine over five years ago. I'm posting it here because it has always struck a chord with me, and I wanted to share it with everyone.

The dance of weaning is an intricate one; Sometimes it's two steps forward, one step back, other days it's one step forward, two steps back.

It seemed fitting to use this poem for our inagural post, I hope you enjoy it.

Wean Me Gently
by Cathy Cardall

I know I look so big to you,

Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get,
We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,

But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day
When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don't get too busy for us to nurse.

I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.

Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,

But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don't break it abruptly.

Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother,
And my heart is tender.




Thanks to Elizabeth Holt for finding this great poem