Free childbirth plan

One thing I regret the most is not having researched about birth options during pregnancy. I ingenuously thought the hospital would be respectful with me and my son, and assumed the staff would be breastfeeding supportive. Don´t ask me from where I got this impression- I don´t know!

Now I´m all for home childbirth, but also understand that for many women this is just not an option. Also, many women and their partners would just feel a hospital birth is the best option for their family situations. I believe it´s time to stop blaming hospital childbirth from one side, and home birth from the other side. Women have the right to choose where and with whom they want to give birth. The efforts should be focused in providing information and support so they can make their best choice and be assured mom, baby and family will be respected.

Writing a birth plan is probably the first step towards making your voice be heard regarding your own birth experience. I especially recommend taking the time to write a bith plan for those planning to have a hospital birth, but just any pregnant mom would benefit from it as it also urge you to research more about common and alternative practices during labor, birth and after birth.

I´ve just tried this free birth plan option and was so satisfied. It offers natural options and allows you to choose among many details and consider them beforehand. I´m not pregnant so I might not have tried this tool with all my senses, but thought it would´ve helped me 5 years ago when I was just learning about birth.

After filling the form, the birth plan is sent to your inbox so you can print it out. It´s also possible to modify it, so you´re not restricted to the options provided.

Free birth plan generator

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Today 8:30 pm local, let’s turn off the lights

The Earth Hour Initiative is calling you and me, people, from all over the world, to “vote earth” by switching the lights off at 8:30 local time.

Many cities are joining this world event, and here in Quito the Municipality is going to participate by turning off not extrictly necessary public illumination.

This can’t be any hard for someone living in Quito or any other city in the world where energy supply is not 100% constant. We’ve gone thru serious energy crisis with long hours energy outages for several days or months. But even when we’re not in declared crisis, we can have an outage here and there, just as part of our lifes.  In fact, my last energy outage experience was a few hours ago, when I was comming back from a dinner invitation (yummy japanese food!)  and suddenly the street got dark. No lights inside the buildings, no lamps, no traffic lights!…But nothing too extraordinary for me either.

So tomorrow we’ll be joining the event by turning our lights off, that should be fun and in fact *very* easy for us. Contrary to what other online folks are recommending, I don’t think watching TV or real time blogging are good options for spending this short hour. If we’re to save energy then let’s save it by spending our time away from electronics (come on, it’s just an hour!)

Is this too hard for today’s people? I’m affraid it is for some. I totally understand that  a few years of living in a developed country can make you very electricity dependent. During my 3 years of stay in Japan I never experienced an energy outage, even during strong typhons and electric storms. That’s the future, I’d say.

On the contrary, a couple of months ago we experienced an hours-long national outage. They said it was caused by an electric storm.- back to reality

Anyway, I’m turning my lights *and electronics* off and hope other energy-privileged families are joining as well. Would love to hear your thoughts on energy dependance and your plans for tonight!

Penny-wise Family Outings

Sharing family time is one of our best investments, but taking your family out for a day or night to the most popular family activities could be quite expensive. However, there are frugal alternatives that provide an opportunity to have as much fun and closeness with your spouse and kids.

Movies and Music

Some movie theaters offer reduced-price matinees during the day, but if you look further in smaller theaters you might be able to find free or inexpensive kid-oriented movies on weekdays.

Check your local paper for free concerts in the park. Spring and summer are the perfect time for them. Your kids will be able to enjoy the music without the crowds and deafening sound systems, and older children might gain an appreciation for less well-known bands.

Nature

The outdoors offer a bunch of alternatives for family outings. Camping is a classic in family activities and it doesn’t have to be expensive. It could be as simple as pitching a tent in the back yard or you can spring for a camper and rent space at a campground. Bring some raw vegetables, the grill, and some hamburgers, or catch some fish to fry.

Parks are great for day trips and usually offer long hours of family fun. No wonder they’re very popular among children all around the world. Some big parks can have hiking trails and picnic facilities, so you can pack a lunch instead of eating out.

More inexpensive ideas:

* Go to a museum. Many offer cheap or free admission. The larger and more expensive ones often sell season passes, so if you live close by, you can visit numerous times for one low price.

* Go boating. If you’re fortunate to live near a body of water, boating is fun and relaxing. Canoe and paddleboat rentals are inexpensive, and when you’re done boating there are usually other cheap or free activities in the area like picnic and camping.

* Attend events at a nearby school or college. These usually include plays, concerts, dance recitals and movie showings. Prices vary from free to very inexpensive.

* Always hunt for free activities, even if they’re not announced as child-oriented. Kids usually adapt to any environment as long as they have the freedom to participate and explore.

*Check for a discount card for your city’s main public attractions. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find one year free entrance cards or at least interesting discounts for museums and other attractions.

It seems that our modern urban lives are urging us to spend a lot of money in order to have family fun. Think of your city as an open museum and you’ll find out plenty of affordable activities that your kids will enjoy just as much.

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