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Who is Journeymama?
Journeymama is written and compiled by Lamelle Ryman. I grew up in east central Illinois (near Champaign-Urbana) and graduated from Harvard University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in Women's Studies and Social Studies (political science and social theory). During college, the focus of my energy and passion was student government, politics and law. In 1996, I became the first woman to hold the position of student government president at Harvard. I was a White House intern for President Clinton and also interned on Capitol Hill for Illinois Senator Richard Durbin. Upon graduation, I worked for a family foundation focused on women's leadership and empowerment, followed by a year in Jerusalem, Israel, as a Dorot Fellow. After returning to the U.S. and getting married to my college sweetheart, Rob Ryman (also a former student body president, White House Intern, and Dorot Fellow), I attended UCLA Law School for 3 weeks...before realizing that I'd locked myself into law and politics back in high school and hadn't paused to reflect on whether this was truly the right path for me. I took an indefinite leave of absence and spent 3 years working for California State Senator Sheila Kuehl, a beacon of progressivism and integrity. During this time, I began the explorations that comprise the substance of Journeymama -- investigating a career in midwifery; becoming trained as a birth doula; interning in labor & delivery, postpartum, and the NICU at a community hospital; volunteering at a freestanding birthing center; and beginning post-baccalaureate pre-medical coursework at UCLA. My plan was to become an OB/GYN who would use the midwifery model of care.
After one early miscarriage, I was enthusiastically pregnant in May of 2004. My husband and I moved to New York City, where I continued with pre-med coursework. The course of my journey began to shift with my baby's prenatal diagnosis of a skeletal anomaly. I have been a full-time mama and whenever-I-can-squeeze-it-in writer since the birth of my first daughter in January 2005. We were blessed with our second daughter in October 2008.
In 2009, I was honored to join Art Yuen and Avril Dannenbaum as a Co-Leader for Attachment Parenting International of New York City. API-NYC holds two monthly parent support group meetings, one of which I host in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx.
Why "Journeymama"?
The information and resources on this website are byproducts of my journey as a mama. The word "journeymama" is my adaptation of the medieval term "journeyman," used to describe an artisan who has completed an apprenticeship but is not yet considered a master craftsman. In a similar vein, my life experience has led me to learn a fair amount about many things, but I certainly have no expert credentials.
Gratitude
I want to thank all of the midwives who have lovingly guided this project into being. In particular, Journeymama would not be here today without my parents, Melanie & Larry Rawlins, who intuited how important this project was to me and gave me the precious gift of time and space to create it while they provided phenomenal childcare (and financial backing). I also want to acknowledge the friendship and wisdom of Lara Goodman, Morgan Hawker, Hetty Melmed, Christine Gross-Loh, Deena Weisbaum, Maggie Kelly, Lelach Rave and Rachel Shere; the amazing mamas of API-NYC, especially Art Yuen and Emily Milikow; the unfailing encouragment of my parents-in-law, Sandy & Sy Hyman; the web design and patient teaching of Dawn Sweet; and the loving arms of my husband, Rob Ryman, which just keep holding me up (even while giving birth standing up!).
I love you all!
Legal Disclaimer
Journeymama content is not written by a physician or health care professional. When necessary or appropriate, please consult with a health care provider regarding implementation and/or application to your specific situation.
Emotional Disclaimer
The views expressed here are aimed at providing support and information to fellow travelers. I have strong views that will undoubtedly rub some people -- including some folks whom I love and respect -- the wrong way. My intent is share frankly about what has worked well for me empirically as well as the theory behind my parenting. My intent is certainly not to hurt anyone's feelings. As strongly as I feel about many of these topics for myself, my intent is not to prescribe for everyone else. At the same time, I do harbor some hope that you will read my site with an open mind, explore the links, and remember that each of us is on a journey...sometimes to places we might never have expected to travel...
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