Dr. Seuss Birth Advocacy

I bet you didn't know Dr. Seuss was a birth advocate, huh?  Well... maybe he wasn't, but his thoughts apply.  Here are a list of thoughts from Dr. Seuss in reply to many situations new parents face:

General Birth Advocacy
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
"I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

Choosing home birth and anything against mainstream perinatal choices.
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

Awesome births.
“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”
“If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good”

Almost every decision you'll make regarding birth and parenting.
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
"I'm afraid sometimes
you'll play lonely games too,
games you can't win
because you'll play against you"
“You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.”

When someone tries to tell you you're not allowed to... VBAC, move, walk, change positions, eat, drink...etc.
“I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”
“And the turtles, of course... All the turtles are free- As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”
“I know up on the top you are seeing great sights, but down at the bottom we, too, should have rights."

Sometimes...birth doesn't go as planned.
"I'm sorry to say
so but, sadly it's true
that bang-ups and hang-ups
can happen to you"
"If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too."

Birth Day will be here before you know it.
“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”

Birth Day mantra.
“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.”

Prenatal procedures and Newborn routines - like unhealthy nutrition, unecessary ultrasounds, circumcision, making babies CIO...etc.
“A person's a person, no matter how small.”

Your body is not a lemon!
“And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed!”

Importance of Perinatal Education.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
"Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn!  The most wonderful stuff!"

When babies don't sleep like you'd prefer.
"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." (Or, at least that's what we can tell ourselves to make those times easier!)

What are your favorite Dr. Seuss quotes?

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss
From one advocate to another!