nYn Is Going to Uganda!

There really are no words to contain my excitement right now!

Six months ago I announced that nYn would be partnering with 2 amazing groups in Uganda which support women and children.

I'm thrilled to announce that in June 2014, I AM GOING TO UGANDA with Mercy for Mamas!

*major happy dance*

Did you know that Ugandan women are unable to deliver in a hospital, birth center, or clinic unless they provide their own supplies? Unfortunatley, this means that 59% of women deliver without the help of a trained nurse, midwife or doctor and 1 in 35 women die from pregnancy or childbirth complications.

ONE in THIRTY FIVE.

What if I told you the cost of these basic supplies was only $7?

ONLY SEVEN DOLLARS!

This summer, Mercy for Mamas is taking a team of women to distribute 2000 "mama kits" which contain basic necessities for a clean and safe birth.

TWO THOUSAND!!!

During our 12-day trip, I will also be assisting with basic examinations as well as prenatal education including childbirth, nutrition, breastfeeding and parenting classes.

Seriously, it's like this trip was made for me. How could I say no? I've never desired to go out of the country for a mission trip, until now.

Today, I was having a conversation with my 7-year-old daughter about the trip. I was telling her that I was a little bit scared but I felt like God was asking me to step out of my comfort zone and say "Yes!" She reaches over to hold my hand and says, "Mommy, don't be scared. You are going to help those mamas so their babies don't have to be orphans." Y'all. This kid is wise beyond her years and tears were streaming down my face. Even at the young age of 7, she gets it. She totally gets it! I don't know how else to explain why I want to go to Uganda but she summed it up, perfectly!

In 2010, my best friend adopted from Uganda. Before that journey alongside her family, I didn't even know where Uganda was. She says I was her "adoption doula." In turn, I say Uganda stole a piece of my heart.

Doulas support families in a variety of ways. Those include education, emotional support, and comfort measures for pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

Doulas are needed in Uganda and nYn is going to help.

However, I need your help to get there. Overall, I need to raise $3000 in support in 90 days. That's kind of unfathomable to me right now. But, I believe that God laid this on my heart for a reason, and I believe that He will provide a way. Just yesterday, a check magically showed up in my mailbox that covered the deposit to secure my plane tickets. Awesome, right?!

If you would like to help, please consider donating. Every bit counts no matter how big or small. I would be ever so thankful for your support! Checks sent to the organization below are tax-deductible. Just remember to earmark it for Staci Bishop.

Mercy for Mamas  |  1604 Prairie Run Circle  |  Mulvane, KS 67110 

You can also contribute by clicking the Donate button below. If you have general questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at bishopstaci@gmail.com. In the meantime, I'll be over here trying to wrap my head around this amazing opportunity that has literally fallen in my lap (and doing the happy dance). God is SO good!

Note: You do not have to have a Paypal account to donate through this link. You can also donate with a debit or credit card via the "Continue" link on the bottom left of the next page. 

UPDATE: I'm home. Here's a recap of my trip.

No 'Poo Part 4: Update

Want to start at the beginning?
No 'Poo Part 1: The Journey
No 'Poo Part 2: The Experiment
No 'Poo Part 3: Switching to Low Poo

Someone commented on my hair today and it reminded me that I hadn't done an update in a while. Let's see, when we left off I was doing a low 'poo method of baking soda, water, and castille soap.

In September of 2013 (4 months into the experiment) my hair was acting funky again. I was using the same concoction but I never knew if it was going to be a good hair day or a bad hair day. It varied so much and I couldn't figure it out. The uncertainty was really frustrating. I was getting ready to leave for a 6-day work trip and started panicking about what to do. I am an event planner who would be hosting our big, annual conference. I needed awesome hair every day, no exceptions.

At this point, I purchased a sulfate, phthalates and paraban-free shampoo. We were already using this brand for my daughter so I felt comfortable with using it myself. I used a quarter-sized amount to wash my hair every other day during the show. Once home, I attempted to return to my old low 'poo method but became frustrated with the uncertainly again.

At this point, I finally got brave enough to try what I've wanted to do from the beginning... water only. With this method, you don't use anything on your hair other than plan ole H2O. I hear that it takes about 2 weeks for your hair to normalize especially if you have already been doing no 'poo or low 'poo regimens. Four weeks later, my hair was still wasn't adjusted even to the point where my hubby made a comment about it. That's the day that I threw in the towel. 

Here is my current regimen. Basically, I take an old shampoo bottle and fill it up with water (about 10 ounces). Then, I put in a quick squirt of the Alba Botanicals shampoo. I shake that up and use that mixture to wash my hair. Each fill of the bottle lasts me about a week (3 washes).  It's pretty much super-diluted, natural shampoo. I use about a dime-sized drop of Alba Botanicals conditioner on the ends of my hair and rinse out at the end of each wash.

Technically, what I'm doing now is still considered low 'poo. I've been on this regimen since December (about 3 months) and haven't had a single issue. Plus, it's just as inexpensive as the baking soda/vinegar method, or maybe even less. I'm still using the very 1st bottle I bought 5 months ago. Considering that I got a compliment on my hair today, I'd say it's working out pretty good. Ideally, I'd like to find the minimum amount of shampoo my hair really needs and/or be able to push back my wash days to every 4th day.

I really wanted no 'poo to work for me. Heck, I still REALLY want the water-only method to work for me. How convenient and easy would that be? But, alas, neither has worked out so far. At this point, I think I've tried every natural hair washing technique aside from CO (conditioner only). Maybe I'll give that a go next time. ;)

nYn Is Hiring Doulas

nurturing YOU naturally is expanding! At this time, I am looking to create teams of 2-3 doulas on an ongoing basis, starting in Nashville, TN and possibly other markets in the future. Please read through the following to determine if you would be a good fit. This is a great opportunity for someone who doesn’t want to deal with the business/paperwork part of being a doula. We handle all of that for you. This is also a nice opportunity for an up-and-coming doula who would benefit from some guidance as they get started.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please reach out to us at nurturingYOUnaturally@gmail.com.

You will be expected to:

•  attend complimentary get-to-know-you interviews with prospective clients.
• work with a minimum of 1 client per month or more as your schedule allows.
• serve clients in a home, hospital or birth center setting.
• schedule and conduct 2 prenatal visits, attend the birth, and do a follow up postpartum visit.
• provide backup for other nYn team members.
• be certified or working towards certification.
• adhere to the nYn contract and a code of conduct.
• keep accurate records for each of your clients and maintain confidentiality.
• have reliable childcare and transportation.
• sign an independent contractor agreement with a non-compete clause.

You understand that:

• a doula’s primary role is to support each family and be respectful of their wishes.
• doulas provide un-biased information and education throughout pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.
• doulas do not perform medical tasks.
• doulas do not make decisions for clients.
• working with nYn does not guarantee you clients.
• you will be working as an independent contractor and expected to file your own taxes.

You will receive:

• access to YourDoulaBiz software.
• business cards.
• online and printed marketing materials.
• a nYn T-shirt. 
• prenatal and postpartum meeting guides.
• a team of experienced doulas to call on for support and advice.
• a 1099-MISC tax form for compensation over $600.
• partial reimbursement for continuing education.
• group membership in the local chapter of Birth Network National.

Compensation:

• Birth and postpartum doulas will set their own contracted rates. nYn will deduct a small percentage to cover the services we provide. 
• Backup labor/birth doulas will receive $15 per hour up to a max of $200. This will be deducted from the primary doula’s compensation. 

If this sounds like something you’ve been looking for, please email nurturingYOUnaturally@gmail.com with answers to the following information.

• Name, Address, Email, Phone.
• Contact info for 2 clients willing to provide a reference for you. If you have not yet attended a birth, please list 2 general references.
• Are you certified or working toward certification? Which organization
• How long have you been a doula?
• How many clients have you served?
• Why did you become a doula?
• What do you like best about being a doula?
• What is your least favorite part of being a doula?
• Tell me about a challenging situation you’ve experienced with a family or during delivery? How did you handle it?
• Why do you feel nYn would be a good fit for you?
• Are you interested in also providing postpartum doula services?

Potential nYn doulas will be contacted for an in-person or Skype interview.