About Me

Hey all!

I'm "The Crunchy Mama" (Captain Crunch to my in-laws) and here is where you can learn all about me, and where/when it all started!

Pictured here to the left is my husband and myself the day we eloped at 20 (him) and 19 (me). We were young, crazy, and in love. We are still crazy and in love, just a bit older! We went through a lot at the beginning of our marriage, with our families and with eachother, but came out stronger! We had no honeymoon and spent most of our savings living in a motel and buying a car the first hard week or two.

Little did we know at the beginning, we got a pregnant with a slightly-after-honeymoon baby. I was on hormonal birth control at the time, and we really believe that is what led to the miscarriage. (After more reading on the subject I am completely against hormonal birth control, at least for myself.) That was my wake up call though, which I've talked about before here. I realized I really knew nothing about pregnancy, birth, babies, parenting.... anything.

I'd been a babysitter since I was 13, I had a decent amount of experience, but I then realized (and especially realize now) it is nothing like parenting, whatsoever.

However, I did remember a lady I babysat for who had a home water birth, and when she raved about how different it was from her first two births, virtually pain free, I knew it was the choice for me. After my first loss, I began reading all I could about birth.

Shortly after I found out I was pregnant with my rainbow baby, Bree, I came across The Business of Being Born, (which you can watch on Netflix or here online). I had heard of it before, but finally sat down and watched it with some friends. It opened my eyes to the unnecessary interventions that are often used or pushed on women in a hospital setting, as well as the dangerous cycles of the different drugs and how they can lead to longer and more difficult births. (Especially the whole laying on your back thing... worst birth position ever!)

I read many of Ina May Gaskin's books and knew in my heart I was meant to birth at home, preferably in water. Ina May's Guide To Childbirth is a book every woman should own, no matter where or how you give birth! It will restore your faith in humanity and your body's ability to birth the baby it grows. It really is amazing and will truly empower you!

< Here I am laboring in the birthing pool. I gave birth to Bree at 42 weeks exactly! You can read my birth story here.

                                                                                                         

 Bree, before birth and still now, has been my inspiration for reading and learning all I can to be a mother to her and any future siblings she may have. She is my angel and darling and my purpose. She is almost a year old! How the time has flown.

When Bree was about three months old someone told me I should write a book about everything I've learned (people still tell me that), but since everything I've learned is from someone else, I decided I'd rather gather resources to share with people where they could read at their convenience... which is how the blog was born.

We are small but mighty, and growing. I have so many great examples in blogs that have formed who I am today, and I would love to be that for someone as well. That is my aim in this blog, not only to share small daily life occurrences (who doesn't need to be reminded they are not alone in their parenting journey?!) but to also share interesting findings with other people out there searching and learning, just like I was. And honestly, still am!

I hope that if you follow this blog you may learn something you didn't know, confirm something in your heart you thought about, or just encourages you in life and parenting in general!

My love to you,
Alyssa