Privacy Policy Consent

WholeHumanMama.com and GraemeSeabrook.com is owned by Graeme Seabrook (“Company”, “we”, or “us”). The term “you” refers to the user or viewer of WholeHumanMama.com and GraemeSeabrook.com (“Website”).

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, process, and distribute your information, including Personal Data (as defined below) used to access this Website. We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy. The use of information collected through our Sites shall be limited to the purposes under this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service to customers.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy on the Website at any time without notice. In the event of a material change, we will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on our Website.

Use of any personal information or contribution that you provide to us, or which is collected by us on or through our Website or its content is governed by this Privacy Policy. By using our Website or its content, you consent to this Privacy Policy, whether or not you have read it.

Information We May Collect
We collect personal information from you so that we can provide you with a positive experience when utilizing our Website or content. We will only collect the minimum amount of information necessary for us to fulfill our obligation to you. We may collect:

  • A name and an email address so we can deliver our emails to you — you would be affirmatively consenting to this by providing this to us in our contact forms.
  • Billing information including name, address, and credit card information so that we can process payment to deliver our products or services to you under our contractual obligation.
  • A name and an email address if you complete our contact form with a question. We may send you marketing emails with either your consent or if we believe we have a legitimate interest to contact you based on your contact or question.
  • Information from you from a co-branded offer. In this case, we will make clear as to who is collecting the information and whose privacy policy applies. If both / all parties are retaining the information you provide, this will also be made clear as will links to all privacy policies.

Please note that the information above (“Personal Data”) that you are giving to us is voluntarily, and by providing this information to us, you are giving consent for us to use, collect, and process this Personal Data. You are welcome to opt-out or request for us to delete your Personal Data at any point by contacting us at graeme@graemeseabrook.com

If you choose not to provide us with certain Personal Data, you may not be able to participate in certain aspects of our Website or content.

Other Information We May Collect:

Anonymous Data Collection and Use
To maintain Website quality, we may use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, to administer the Website by identifying which areas of the Website are most heavily used, and to display content according to your preferences. Your IP address is the number assigned to computers connected to the Internet. This is essentially “traffic data” which cannot personally identify you but is helpful to us for marketing purposes and for improving our services. Traffic data collection does not follow a user’s activities on any other websites in any way. Anonymous traffic data may also be shared with business partners and advertisers on an aggregate basis.

Use of “Cookies”
We may use the standard “cookies” feature of major web browsers. We do not set any personally identifiable information in cookies, nor do we employ any data-capture mechanisms on our Website other than cookies. You may choose to disable cookies through your own web browser’s settings. However, disabling this function may diminish your experience on our Website and some features may not work as intended.

What We Do With Information We Collect

Contact You

We may contact you with information that you provide to us based on these lawful grounds for processing:

  • We may contact you if you give us your clear, unambiguous, affirmative consent to contact you.
  • We will contact you under our contractual obligation to deliver goods or services you purchase from us.
  • Legitimate Interest. We may contact you if we feel you have a legitimate interest in hearing from us. For example, if you sign up for a webinar, we may send you marketing emails based on the content of that webinar.  You will always have the option to opt out of any of our emails.

Process Payments
We will use the Personal Data you give to us in order to process your payment for the purchase of goods or services under a contract. We only use third party payment processors that take the utmost care in securing data and comply with the GDPR.

Targeted Social Media Advertisements
We may use the data you provide to us to run social media advertisements and / or create look-alike audiences for advertisements.

Share with Third Parties
We may share your information with trusted third parties such as our newsletter provider in order to contact you via email, our merchant accounts to process payments, and Google / social media accounts in order to run advertisements and our affiliates.

Viewing by Others
Note that whenever you voluntarily make your Personal Data available for viewing by others online through this Website or its content, it may be seen, collected and used by others, and therefore, we cannot be responsible for any unauthorized or improper use of the information that you voluntarily share (i.e., sharing a comment on a blog post, posting in a Facebook group that we manage, sharing details on a group coaching call, etc.).

Submission, Storage, Sharing and Transferring of Personal Data
Personal Data that you provide to us is stored internally or through a data management system. Your Personal Data will only be accessed by those who help to obtain, manage, or store that information, or who have a legitimate need to know such Personal Data (i.e., our hosting provider, newsletter provider, payment processors, or team members).

It is important to note that we may transfer data internationally. For users in the European Union, please be aware that we transfer Personal Data outside of the European Union. By using our Website and providing us with your Personal Data, you consent to these transfers in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Data Retention
We retain your Personal Data for the minimum amount of time necessary to provide you with the information and / or services that you requested from us. We may include certain Personal Data for longer periods of time if necessary for legal, contractual, and accounting obligations.

Confidentiality
We aim to keep the Personal Data that you share with us confidential. Please note that we may disclose such information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that: (1) such action is necessary to protect and defend our rights or property or those of our users or licensees, (2) to act as immediately necessary in order to protect the personal safety or rights of our users or the public, or (3) to investigate or respond to any real or perceived violation of this Privacy Policy or of our Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions, or any other terms of use or agreement with us.

Passwords
To use certain features of the Website or its content, you may need a username and password. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the username and password, and you are responsible for all activities, whether by you or by others, that occur under your username or password and within your account. We cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your username, password, or account information. If you share your username or password with others, they may be able to obtain access to your Personal Data at your own risk.

You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized or improper use of your username or password or any other breach of security. To help protect against unauthorized or improper use, make sure that you log out at the end of each session requiring your username and password.

We will use our best efforts to keep your username and password(s) private and will not otherwise share your password(s) without your consent, except as necessary when the law requires it or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary, particularly when disclosure is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to others or interfering with our rights or property.

How You Can Access, Update, or Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to:

  • Request information about how your Personal Data is being used and request a copy of what Personal Data we use.
  • Restrict processing if you think the Personal Data is not accurate, unlawful, or no longer needed.
  • Rectify or erase Personal Data and receive confirmation of the rectification or erasure. (You have the “right to be forgotten.”)
  • Withdraw your consent at any time to the processing of your Personal Data.
  • Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you feel we are using your Personal Data unlawfully.
  • Receive Personal Data portability and transference to another controller without our hindrance.
  • Object to our use of your Personal Data.
  • Not be subject to an automated decision based solely on automatic processing, including profiling, which legally or significantly affects you.

You may unsubscribe from our emails or updates at any time through the unsubscribe link at the footer of all email communications. If you have questions or are experiencing problems unsubscribing, please contact us at graeme@graemeseabrook.com

Security
We take commercially reasonable steps to protect the Personal Data you provide to us from misuse, disclosure, or unauthorized access. We only share your Personal Data with trusted third parties who use the same level of care in processing your Personal Data. That being said, we cannot guarantee that your Personal Data will always be secure due to technology or security breaches. Should there be a data breach of which we are aware, we will inform you immediately.

Anti-Spam Policy
We have a no spam policy and provide you with the ability to opt-out of our communications by selecting the unsubscribe link at the footer of all emails. We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that we are compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 by never sending out misleading information. We will not sell, rent, or share your email address.

Third Party Websites
We may link to other websites on our Website. We have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of any other individual, company, or entity whose website or materials may be linked to our Website or its content, and thus we cannot be held liable for the privacy of the information on their website or that you voluntarily share with their website. Please review their privacy policies for guidelines as to how they respectively store, use, and protect the privacy of your Personal Data.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance
We do not collect any information from anyone under 18 years of age in compliance with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation of the EU). Our Website and its content is directed to individuals who are at least 18 years old or older.

Notification of Changes
We may use your Personal Data, such as your contact information, to inform you of changes to the Website or its content, or, if requested, to send you additional information about us. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, or otherwise alter our Website, its content, and this Privacy Policy at any time. Such changes and/or modifications shall become effective immediately upon posting our updated Privacy Policy. Please review this Privacy Policy periodically. Continued use of any of information obtained through or on the Website or its content following the posting of changes and/or modifications constituted acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. Should there be a material change to our Privacy Policy, we will contact you via email or by a prominent note on our Website.

Data Controller and Processors
We are the data controllers as we are collecting and using your Personal Data. We use trusted third parties as our data processors for technical and organizational purposes, including for payments and email marketing. We use reasonable efforts to make sure our data processors are GDPR-compliant.If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at graeme@graemeseabrook.com

Last Updated: January 2025

Meeting My Son

I honestly still can’t believe he’s mine.
January 15, 2025

Sometimes it doesn't seem real. There is a tiny, little man in a crib in the nursery and still sometimes I question — did this really happen? I have a feeling, every once in a while, that "they" are going to come and take him away. "They" will know I do not deserve this tiny miracle, that I am unworthy, that I will definitely completely fuck this kid up and "they" will come correct this situation. Less than three weeks ago Adam and I were at Dr. Bridget's office for my weekly checkup. I was reviewing my list of things we needed to get done before the baby came, and silently panicking because I felt so crappy and knew there was no way that everything would get finished in two weeks. There was no way we would be ready.

My blood pressure was elevated and there was protein in my urine. They put me on bed rest and sent me home to do a 24-hour urine test. I tried not to panic. I tried not to let Adam see how panicked I was. What if something was wrong with the baby? Had I been sleeping on my back too much? We both knew I hadn't been exercising. Shit! I was already a horrible mother and he wasn't even born. That was Tuesday.

On Wednesday I left the couch only to pee and to get food. I tried to ignore how messy the house was. I tried to ignore the list of things left undone. I tried to ignore the massive fatigue and the feeling of being swollen bursting all over my body.

Thursday morning there was blood work and more bad news. We were going straight to the hospital for “observation.” We shouldn't worry. Dr. Bridget just wanted to make sure that everything was OK. If everything had been even close to OK, we wouldn't have been heading to the hospital — but I tried to let that go.

Now all I could think about was when to let my family and Adam’s family know. I focused on that and on the paperwork, not on all the things that could be going wrong with my baby and my body. There was no fear because I refused to acknowledge it. For someone who has let fear rule her life in far too many instances to count, this was a revelation.

I don't remember much of the two days before I gave birth. I don't remember when the decision was made to try and induce instead of continuing to "observe.” I do remember that getting the vaginal suppository that was supposed to soften my cervix was absolute hell. It scraped and burned going in and continued to burn for the two hours I lay in bed crying, and I remember having to pee more urgently than I ever had in my life. Eventually the nurse removed it. She said she'd let me rest before putting in another and that was when the fear came rushing back over me. There was no way that I could do this. If I couldn't even handle the medicine that was supposed to start my labor — how was I supposed to handle actual labor? Then the first miracle — I was having contractions. I didn't feel them, but they were happening regularly and so I couldn't get the suppository. I thanked God.

My memory skips over to getting the epidural. Fear again, of the huge needle I had seen in birth class, of the fact that something was going into my spine, of the fact that this made it all real. I was having this baby. A slight prick and burn, then numbness. I didn't notice the numbness spread from just above my waist down to my toes until my nurse came in to insert the catheter. By this point there was pitocin, the epidural, the saline IV, and something else to keep my BP down — I can't remember what that was. It was early Friday morning and I was pretty out of it.

At some point my mom showed up. She brought Adam food and they stepped outside to eat. He had been looking more and more withdrawn and scared and I wanted him to get a break. I wasn't scared — that's the great thing about being out of your mind on a drug combo. Dr. Bridget came in and told me that in 12 hours I had dilated only 1.5 cm. My body was working too hard and nothing was happening. I could either have a C-section or try to tough it out for another hour or two. I decided to try and tough it out — but there was a part of me that heard C-section and just gave in. No labor pain, no labor scariness, no screaming, and no fear. Just a numbness continuation and then a baby. All I remember thinking clearly was, "I just want my baby.”

Trying to explain to mom and Adam when they got back that I'd probably have a C-section soon was hard through my fuzzy brain. Test results came back and then we weren't going to get to wait the full two hours. Another doctor was going to perform the surgery, my mom left to get Adam’s mom from the airport, and I stayed in fuzz-land. My main worry was that I would feel the doctors cutting into me. It was an irrational and MAJOR fear. I focused on it. Held tight to it and thought of nothing else.

In the OR I was pumped full of more drugs and transferred onto the operating table. Everything was surreal and felt like I was on a TV show. Adam’s face over the mask was calm, but his eyes looked scared. I asked him to stroke my hair like he always used to when I was upset — it gave us both something to do. The pulling feelings I had been warned about only added to the surreality of the moment and to my feeling of being disconnected.

And then there he was. I heard his cry and they brought this tiny, tiny, little man up to see me. In my mind I reached for him, but my arms didn't move. I told Adam to go with him. Someone had to give my baby hugs since I couldn't.

Back in the hospital room my mom and Adam’s mom came in. At some point I was told that Andrew wasn't breathing well and that he might have an infection. He was only 5 lbs, 12 oz — smaller than he had been a week ago. I asked how much I should worry and was told not to worry at all, so I didn't. I didn't have the energy or brain power to process what was happening. I pumped formula for Adam to feed our baby, I slept, and in some part of my brain I wondered why I couldn't be with him but I couldn't fully comprehend what was going on.

Finally on Saturday they brought him to me. This tiny, squirmy man was all mine. I laid him on my heart and looked down at him and introduced myself. The fog had cleared enough by then that I could feel the weight of that moment and I cried. "Hi sweetheart, I'm your Mama."

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