Hm, what are you going to wear?

I keep hearing the question, "what are you going to wear to the Blooming in Uganda Gala?" Dress up or dress down? It's not every day we have the chance to put on a cute/sexy dress AND support a fabulous cause. So, here's the scoop. Get all dolled up if you want to. Short dress, long dress, it's your call. I've heard that most people plan to wear a cocktail dress, while I'm flirting with the idea of wearing a long, red dress that I rarely have the opportunity to wear. In short, if you want to be casual, be casual. If you want to dress up, own that sass and do it! Anything goes.

Meanwhile, if you haven't bought your gala ticket yet, what are you waiting for? If you haven't had the chance to hang out socially with your yoga teachers and massage therapist yet, we're a pretty fun crowd to be with. I promise. :)

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Blooma Birth Story: Angela

Thanks to Blooma mama, Angela, for sharing the birth story of her son, Grayson! In her words:

___

"It all started on a Tuesday night...

I woke up Tuesday night bleeding. I called the nurses' station at St. Joe's (where I was going to birth) to see what to do. They told me to come in. I was still not dilated and they said that this was a normal occurance. At this time I was having very mild contractions that just felt like cramps. After a few hours we were discharged.

Wednesday I worked from home and continued to have contractions that felt like cramps. They picked up in intensity a bit by Wednesday afternoon. My husband Cory and I decided to head to the Fair for a distraction. We had just paid to park ($11) and were walking to the gate when my water broke. I ducked into a port-a-potty to see if it was really my water or just my bladder. I couldn't really tell. So we walked back to the car to find something else I could use to soak up some of the fluids and decide whether to turn around or go into the Fair. Just then, another gush of liquids came and we decided that with that we would head home.

It was a long night with me breathing through my contractions throughout the night. We got some sleep, but not much. Now it was Thursday. I knew I wasn't going into work so I emailed my boss to tell him I wouldn't be in that day. We spent the day breathing through contractions, working with distractions and talking to our fabulous doula, Liz! We watched the movie Yes, Man, walked around Long Lake Regional park, took multiple walks around the block and just enjoyed each others' company (all while breathing through contractions).

Around 4 p.m. the contractions picked up again in intensity. I was a bit nervous that we were not at the hospital since the doctor told me to go in immediately if my water broke. I just didn't want to be confined there, but I also didn't want to get an infection. So after talking it through with Liz we decided to wait it out. By that evening the contractions were coming stronger. I was crying for an epidural by 8 p.m. and ready to head out the door as soon as Liz got there. Cory even called the hospital to let them know we were coming in.

But lo and behold Liz came around 9 p.m. We were all stationed in the bedroom with very dim lighting and Liz' peaceful, calming voice encouraging me to work with each contraction. Cory and I would "slow dance" through them—each one lasting about a minute. I was still crying for an epidural. At this point Liz had me jump in the tub.

The contractions came less frequently and I was able to get some rest finally between them. She explained to me what would need to be done in order to get an epidural. I was wanting a quick fix, willing this child out of me right now—no matter what. And that's not what an epidural would have done.

After the tub we were back in the bedroom with me on the birth ball. Cory said that it was here I was a changed person. The contractions weren't as bad. I was much more relaxed and able to handle them by just breathing, hip circling, and imagining how powerfully they were helping to open the cervix. Around 1:30 a.m. I felt a slight urge to use the bathroom (not pee). This was a good sign. It was time to go in to the hospital.

Cory called St. Joe's to make sure they still had a room for us and to let them know we were heading in for real. I climbed in the back seat of the Honda on all fours and did my hip circles with Liz applying pressure on my lower back. In the 15 minutes I only had 2 contractions and was able to breathe through them. I was in my zone now.

When we got to the hospital Cory dropped Liz and I off at the emergency room and parked the truck. We had to wait for a nurse to come escort us up to our room. I had one little pit stop before getting into the elevator for a contraction. But we made it. I was hooked up to the fetal heart monitor and the other monitor for contractions for 20 minutes. They checked me—7 cm dilated!!! We couldn't have been happier!

After my 20 minutes on the fetal monitor were up I was able to get into the awesome tub and work through more contractions. I was getting close. I was now between an 8 and a 9. However, I didn't progress much after this. A shift change occurred and the labor and delivery nurse came into check me. She said either the kid had no hair or I still had a second bag of water in the way of the cervix. We decided to break the water bag. After she did this things progressed very quickly. Within an hour I was ready to push. The doctor had been called and here it was time to push.

They could no longer distinguish between my heartbeat and the baby's so they put a fetal heartbeat monitor in his forehead to pick up his heartbeat. It was low, so they hooked me up to an oxygen tank where I was coached to breathe deeply—once for me, once for baby, and once for my uterus.

It was now time to push. I started pushing around 9:30 a.m. and before long they were were calling the doctor NOW because the baby's head was right there. One more push and it was out. One more push and he was half out. One more push and at 10:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept 4, 2009, Grayson Jeffrey entered the world and was put right up on my chest. All perfect 6 lbs. 2 oz. of him. I couldn't have done it without my AMAZING support team of Cory and Liz and the fabulous nurses at St. Joe's. What a perfect ending to a beautiful pregnancy"

Congratulations, Angela! Thanks so much for sharing your story with all of us.

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

The talent behind the design!

Joanne, designer of ALL of Blooma’s stuff — our web site, logo, everything — is a bit more than half way through her pregnancy. She sent out this cute picture of her and her blooming belly that we just had to share. Like many pregnant moms can understand, Joanne wanted a beer after a long day of moving, so she found a tasty non-alcoholic version which she says she "conveniently rested on my belly as I drank it." It's handy to have your own little shelf, isn't it?

Oh, and in case you're on the hunt for a decent NA beer, Joanne says her choice is Paulaner Thomas Brau. Thanks to Joanne for dreaming up such beautiful visuals to represent Blooma with, and happy pregnancy!

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Treat yourself...

Thanks to Tot Yoga teacher Shayla Boger for another guest blog post!
_ _ _

When we were expecting our first child, the thought of having our freezer stocked with food never crossed my mind. Sure, I stocked up in the usual stuff, but that certainly didn't include full meals. I am very blessed to have several wonderful friends who, for our second child, delivered meals to our family the first month post delivery. My two experiences came back to me and made a spark go off when I met this fabulous woman, Molly, who started Tastebud Tart {a catering company}. I just had to share her information with you!

Tastebud Tart offers weekly meals and personal chef services perfect for helping out busy families and new moms! What's more, Molly's meals (think curried pumpkin soup and BBQ black bean empanadas) are healthy, organic, and make use of local ingredients whenever possible.

Specifically, Tastebud Tart offers:

Weekly Meals: "Tasty food for busy folks every week! New menus are available every Thursday for orders to be delivered the following Monday or Tuesday. We always offer a Kid’s Meal at $5, too, so it’s great for busy families! Fresh + healthy meals delivered to your door... pretty sweet!"

They also use responsible, bio-degradable packaging derived from recycled materials.

Personal Chef Services: "Tastebud will develop menus especially for you + your family, if you require a more tailored menu or nutritional and allergy considerations. Rates begin at $250/week plus the cost of groceries."

Catering: "Big or small, Tastebud can turn your party into a sassy soiree! We will meet with you to discuss menu options and create a custom look + feel for your event. We have experienced staff and event planners that we work with to ensure all of your needs are met."

As a busy parent, it's hard to ask for much more than having delicious meals delivered right to your door! YUM!

Tastebud Tart— Ask for Molly.
www.tastebudtart.com
651.470.1056

xo,
shay

Veggie chow down

While it comes as no surprise that vegetables are good for you, new research shows that moms-to-be who regularly eat their veggies may reduce their unborn child's risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. The study comes from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. You can read more about it here, then cook up a big, tasty pot of vegetable soup to complement this cozy fall day. Bon Appétit!

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

4:30 a.m. and it just hit me

Good morning. Wow, it feels like 2 years ago when I opened Blooma and I would lay awake in bed for hours and hours with my head spinning with excitement and nervousness. It is all happening again as the "Blooming in Uganda Gala" drawers closer and closer.

There are so many things that keep me awake and full of questions about the night.....but like I say to all of my mamas, "trust and breathe and it will all be fine". Hard to take that advice when I am hosting over 200 people at the Weisman to raise the rest of the $20K for the birthing mothers of Uganda and it is less then 2 weeks and away and there is still so much work to be done. And, all of it will be done. From the ordering the flowers, to getting more people to rsvp, to making sure we have enough food and beverages, to wondering what time the volunteers are coming.....wow, it is all going to get done. One day at a time (and god knows I am a procrastinator).

What keeps me grounded at these moments when my head is spinning is thinking about the mom that is home alone while she labors and births her baby in Uganda. She has no accesses to medical care of something were to arise. We all know that Blooma and I trust in birth, but I also trust that woman have the support around them if something were to arise. What about the woman that is walking at 4am to a hospital over 10 miles away so she can be supported? That is the woman that needs the Shanti Uganda Birth Center and needs the $20k that Blooma is raising, so that she can be safe and birth her baby with dignity.

Please read more at:
http://www.shantiuganda.org/pages/birth

OK, let me see if I can try to close my eyes and get a few more moments of rest before the day begins and the things-to-do list is tackled!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Cute clothes, great cause

Don't miss the Hot Mama shopping event of the season! This Wednesday night, grab your girlfriends, your mom, your sister, your neighbor and come to Hot Mama's new Edina store (3914 W. 50th Street) from 4-7 p.m. for a private event to benefit Blooming in Uganda. (RSVP here.)

Not only will you get 15% off everything you buy, but you'll feel extra good knowing that ALL of the proceeds from Wednesday night's shopping event will help build a much-needed birth center in Uganda.

Nibble on appetizers from Broders Pasta Bar, get a make-up touch up from a MAC pro, and indulge in a chair massage.

Whether you're looking for a gorgeous dress to fit your growing belly, a new mom on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans, or a fashionista who's not a mom at all, Hot Mama has something for everyone. (Think brands like Juicy Couture, Citizens of Humanity, Lucky, and lots, lots more.)

Entrance to this event is free, but since it's a private shindig, please RSVP. Hope you to see you Wed. night!

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma