Articles written by Lani Axman

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About me - Lani Axman

Lani Axman finished her studies in English and editing at Brigham Young University in 2003. Following the birth of her second daughter, Lani put her pen to work for her newfound passion—childbirth advocacy. In 2007, Lani created her blog, Birth

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Health & Fitness > Aging & Longevity What's the secret to a long and healthy life: 1 of 32

Human myth and history are filled with the search for endless youth, the fountain of life, and immortality. Whether because of a survival instinct or fear of death, we're keen to discover the way to a lengthened lifespan. Though there is always a risk of death through accidents or tragic events, there are certainly ways to d...
Arts & Humanities > Colonial & Early American Biography: Benjamin Franklin: 1 of 10

It wasn't until tragedy struck my family that I went searching for Benjamin Franklin. My brother passed away in a boating accident last November, and that loss drove me to find ways to connect with him. Benjamin Franklin was my brother's hero, and now he is also mine. In finding Benjamin Franklin, I found an ideal role model...
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Etymology, history and popularity of the name Tiffany: 1 of 10

In grade school I remember hearing "Tiffany" on the role call time and again. It was a name as familiar to me as Michael or Jennifer. I was born in 1980, around the same time that the name of Tiffany reached its height of popularity. My parents, on the other hand, studied reading, writing, and arithmetic with young ladies na...
Health & Fitness > Diet & Weight Loss Best ways to achieve weight loss: 2 of 9

Throw away your diet books, cancel your weight-loss club memberships, and free yourself from the pressure and guilt you've been carrying around. It's a simple fact that most of the weight-loss advice out there just simply won't work. It seems that every few months there is a new fad diet created by health "experts" showing g...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Dealing with a breast infection while breastfeeding: 1 of 4

Most women who've given birth and subsequently nursed their babies have at least heard about the possibility of developing mastitis (if not experienced it themselves). Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue which typically occurs in breastfeeding women who are dehydrated and/or fatigued, miss feedings, or have a persi...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Childbirth & Labor Risks of using Pitocin in birthing: 1 of 4

"Pitocin is the most abused drug in the world today." ~Roberto Caldreyo-Barcia, MD, former president of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists * Pitocin generally produces contractions that are much longer, more intense, and more painful than normal contractions. * The intense contractions caused by ...
Education > Colleges & Universities (Other) Is a college degree necessary for success?: 10 of 39

Walter Cronkite, Charles Dickens, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and a long list of other "dropouts" give us reason to doubt the dogma that only college graduates have a chance in life. There may be some fields which require higher education, but countless individuals throughout history have byp...
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) Your most meaningful family traditions: 67 of 178

On September 24, 2006, we joined Steven and Catheryn (my brother and his wife) at their home for a barbecue celebration of Catheryn's birthday. They had been married a little over a year, and, in that time, Catheryn and I had become very close friends. She had also grown to love my two small daughters dearly. To show our lov...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Childbirth & Labor Childbirth: The benefits of hiring a doula: 3 of 7

When I gave birth for the first time, I didn't know what a doula was, but I recently realized that the care and support of a "doula" is what actually carried me through that birth. Her name was Eve. She was the labor and delivery nurse assigned to me when I entered the hospital for my oldest daughter's birth. She was gentle,...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Methods Enforcing bedtime: The importance of a good sleep routine: 21 of 47

Pick up any baby or parenting magazine and, somewhere within the glossy pages, it's bound to make mention of sleep. Magazines tout their tips and tricks to weary parents because they know how desperate sleep deprived parents can be. In many households, children don't consistently sleep well, making parents feel they're on an...