Posts by Dr. Britta Bushnell
Philanthropy and Family
Whether you have ten dollars or $100,000 to give away, involving children in philanthropic giving helps connect them to the world, their own values, and the power of generosity. My husband and I have always wanted our family to have a strong philanthropic focus. We want our kids to be involved in deciding which causes…
Read MoreBehind the Curtain…Recording My Audiobook
This blog is for those of you interested in the deeper truth and more personal sharing about my experience recording the audio version of my book. If that interests you, keep reading. I’m at the airport in Denver about to catch my flight home from an intense five days in Colorado. I came to record…
Read MoreMy Baby is 5 Months • Postpartum Body Poem #6
Postpartum Body Poem #6 My little baby girl is 5 months today. Incredible. Everything about having a baby. Receiving the light My pupils delicate, bright The sun, the one, everything has come undone …for the better My breast, plump, and young when filled with nectar for my little one Stretched and pulled awry once she…
Read More“These are my bones. They are misplaced.”
“THIS IS MY BODY” • POEMS BY POSTPARTUM MOTHERS • #5″ These are my bones. They are misplaced. They’ve shifted. Or they’re missing. They creak as I stand. They hobble as I take my first steps. I’ve become old and unstable, calcium wringing out from my femur and into my breastmilk. Take take take. This…
Read More“THIS IS MY BODY” • POEMS BY POSTPARTUM MOTHERS • #4
This is My Body • Poems by Postpartum Mothers • #4 These are my boobs, they make me feel confident and full of strength. Breastfeeding has been one of my most favorite things to do as a mom. I give B nutrients and comfort all at the same time. They make me feel like a…
Read More“THIS IS MY BODY” • POEMS BY POSTPARTUM MOTHERS • #3
These are my breasts. They swell and empty like creatures of the tidal pools, except this is the freak show circus of the sea mirrored back to me. For the colors and patterns of my breasts would be garishly yellow and red and polka-dotted. Their bulge is an ideal mast for the moumou, for a…
Read More“THIS IS MY BODY” • POEMS BY POSTPARTUM MOTHERS • #2
These are my eyes They are blinded by a new sun, innocent as my child, yet purposed to look 100 steps ahead of her. This is my head It has gone away, and been replaced by my heart These are my ears They are to hear her cry – as far as across the world…
Read More“THIS IS MY BODY” • POEMS BY POSTPARTUM MOTHERS • #1
This is my hair, my sword and shield, sickle and wheat. Now reborn a lifeline, rope swing, a kite string that tethers tiny hands to a grounded ship. A lighting rod in the sand, an anchor. These are my shoulders, boulders and landslide alike, knotted with the ropey lines of the Future, missteps, catastrophe, death,…
Read MoreMy Year in the Cocoon: Birth as a Teacher for Healing
Today marks one year since my skiing accident when I blew out my ACL, tore my MCL and strained my LCL. Of the soft tissue in my knee, only my meniscus was left relatively unscathed. I’ve had many people ask me if my knee is all “back to normal.” This is a difficult question as…
Read More“Enjoy every minute as they grow up fast.”
How did they grow up so fast? How did they get so old? Parents of older kids often give the same advice to new parents: “Enjoy every minute as they grow up fast.” Our boys are now 17 and 15. One is applying to college and the other recently earned his black belt in…
Read MoreHow Old is the Parent?
New parents are often asked, “How old is your baby? It’s a sweetly intentioned question and one we can usually answer easily (depending on our current level of sleep deprivation!). An equally pertinent question is, “How old is the parent?” For some reason, we think that upon the arrival of our child, we somehow become fully-formed…
Read MoreHoliday Treasures and a Family-Infused New Year!
Part of our New Year’s Eve involved packing up the holiday treasures and decorations. As we only had a very small artificial tree this year due to location, I had to be highly selective about which decorations I used. I didn’t go for fancy or beautiful or the most expensive, I chose the photo ornaments…
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