Three Letters Re: Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store

Hello James:
I thought that the post on barter micro stores was superb.

I think additional consideration should be given to “dispense-from-bulk” strategies.  1 pound of petroleum jelly in single use (0.5g) pouches costs $48 from Sam’s Club.  35 pounds (5 gallon bucket) of petroleum jelly costs $90 from an on-line candle supply company.  Similar cost spreads run between single serving bottles of vodka and one gallon bottles and salt in bulk and single serving packets.

It is pretty obvious that you will need a secondary container to carry the bulk materials if you are going to put the micro-store on wheels.  There are some very large syringe bodies available from farm supply stores that make dandy grease and petroleum jelly dispensers.  They are also graduated with markings on the side to add some credibility to the amount dispensed.  Virtually any kind of bottle can be used to dispense other liquids.

And while I love Tabasco sauce as much as the other man;  there are some significant logistical advantages to dried pepper flakes.  They are easier to measure out of bulk and I think they are easier to store.  Any Ziploc type bag will do.  Another advantage is that the seeds are usually viable.

Best regards and may the blessings of the season shower upon you. – Joe H.

 

JWR:
I enjoyed the article last week on stocking a barter store. Back in 2006, I read where you suggested that ammunition in the most commonplace calibers would be a good thing to sock way as a barter item. That was truly sage advice. Ammo is great because it is durable, divisible and desirable. Like you say, you can’t shoot a burglar with a Krugerrand. I took your advice in big way, and now have a handsome stack of ammo cans that covers one whole wall of my basement.

My modus operandi for my ammo investing is to never pay retail! I buy ammo only when I can find it is deeply discounted in retail stores. I also constantly watch for ammo at garage sales, guns shows, CraigsList ads, and even stores that are going out of business.

I followed your advice on calibers [like 5.56mm NATO, 7.62mm NATO, 12 Gauge, 7.62×39, 9mm, .45 ACP, and 22 LR], but I went more heavily toward the Russian calibers like 7.62 [x39mm] for the AK, the long 7.62[x54r] Russian for the Mosins, and 5.45 [x39mm] for the AK-74s.

While about 90% of what I’ve put away is in commonplace calibers, there were some bargains that I abso-tively couldn’t pass up. This included: Seven boxes of .250-3000 Savage that I got for $4.50 per box at a garage sale, five boxes (250 rounds) of .455 Webley [revolver ammunition] that I got from a guy advertising on Craigslist, some .243 [Winchester], some .40 S&W, and 200 rounds of uncorrosive FN-made 7mm Mauser that I picked up in trade for some old webbing and canteens at a gun show. That deal worked out the same as if I’d paid just $3 for each box of 20.

About one-third of the ammo that I’ve put away is .22 rimfire–most of it’s .22 Long Rifle, but also some .22 Magnum, and a bit of the scarce .22 W.R.F. and .22 Auto stuff. I can predict that .22 shells will be be traded like cigarettes were, in the [World War II] POW camps, and behind the Iron Curtain.

I should also make mention of the fact that I store all of my ammo in GI ammo cans. Every investment should be well cared for. Ammo will last a hundred years (or more) if you store it in cans with good seals, and you throw a silica gel packet in each can. I also have quite a few ammo cans that I’ve filled with magazines and stripper clips. Most of the magazines I’ve accumulated are M14, M16, M1911, M9 (Beretta 92), HK 91/G3, FN [FAL], Glock (the most common ones), [M1] Garand clips, Mini-14, M1 Carbine (30 round bananas) and various kinds of AK mags. Those too, will be like gold, someday.

My wall of ammo is the perfect barter item. I am certain that it will trump just about anything [in barter], when times are hard. I’ll just parcel it our real slowly — never letting on to anyone just how much I have. I’ll be a secret millionaire, in a Mad Max world.

Thanks again for all the great info that you put out in SurvivalBlog. All of the other prepping blogs are just a pale imitation. I gave SurvivalBlog 5 Stars in the Reader’s Choice Awards. – Clement in North Dakota

 

JWR:
This was a great article, I’d already acquired some extra of most everything listed, here’s a couple of thoughts…

Hopefully, things will calm down eventually to have a secure mini-store selling to strangers, but I had stocked up extra initially and primarily just to help my closest neighbors. Some I’ll gift preps to, some I’ll trade, but with all it will be done with an eye towards also maximizing and enhancing our own security here.

I want to convert those close by, best I can, from future potential roaming threats into, as much as possible, useful cooperative allies. I want to be surrounded by a buffer of ever more self-reliant and self-supporting helpful neighbors for mutual aid & protection.

I’d also much rather get a heads-up of any threats detected well before they get to our immediate Area of Operations (AO) and hopefully then already thinned out some, too, if need be.

With that in mind, regarding the list…

Ammunition; extra would go first to trusted capable neighbors who could then enhance our own local security, especially those who are open to working together in a coordinated way. I also have some extra  weapons, beyond our groups needs, for this purpose. Also, extra ammo in some calibers that I don’t even have weapons for that are locally popular.

I’ve also put back an additional half dozen cheap FRS radios with rechargeable batteries, to be deployed only to those neighbors who are capable and willing to participate in establishing a com net for mutual aid and defense.

Taking excess paper wealth, after one’s personal family preps are largely squared away, to get some extra preps for barter, sale or charity is good, but then always looking first to deploy them where they’ll best serve to enhance your own family security, too, is  even better. – C.S.

Economics and Investing:

Mark Faber: “I Am Convinced the Whole Derivatives Market Will Cease to Exist And Will Go to Zero”

Alan D. sent this: Fitch Again Warns US Debt Burden Threatens AAA Rating.

K.A.F. flagged this: To Survive, Some Biofuels Companies Give Up on Biofuels

Items from The Economatrix:

MF Global Customer Money Traced To JPMorgan

The Shocking Truth About The Pending EU Collapse

Ann Barnhardt: Call for General Market Strike

Comex:  The March to Irrelevance

Odds ‘n Sods:

Doug Casey on Getting Out of Dodge. This echoes what I wrote in my piece last week about “Taking The Gap.” (Thanks to John R. for the link.)

   o o o

Kevin S. suggested a thought-provoking piece at the My Adventures in Self Reliance blog for anyone that is planning to “double up” with another family (or multiple families) for mutual security in the event of a disaster: Using #OWS as a learning tool of what happens in a collapse. Time-proven military sanitation standards should be your baseline.

   o o o

Reader M.J. sent a link to a forum post: The Last Homestead in America is For Sale. (15 miles outside Alaska’s Denali National Park.) There might be a SurvivalBlog reader with the gumption to buy it.

   o o o

Kimberly mentioned an excellent blog about growing in a cold climate (Northern Idaho), called Subsistence Pattern. Kimberly summarizes: “They eat fresh veggies 365 days a year from their garden. There is lots of useful info in his blog’s sidebars. He is an inspiration to me.”

   o o o

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this: Hong Kong culls thousands of chickens after bird flu discovered

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt….I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple." – Thomas Jefferson

Notes from JWR:

Avalanche Lily and I wish all SurvivalBlog readers a Merry Christmas! May the love of Christ our Savior surround you and yours, in the year to come! Trust in the Lord.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 38 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 38 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging

Childbirth at Home, by Kelli S.

The Department of Health is creating local groups to design an emergency disaster preparedness plan for pandemic flu and other emergencies that would impact pregnant women and newborns, since they are a vulnerable group and need to be treated differently.  In our county, it has been decided that healthy pregnant women will deliver outside the hospital in some emergency situations, pandemic flu being one of them. Are we prepared to assist these women and their newborns?

Childbirth is a natural, physiological event. It is not, by definition, a medical emergency that needs to be “managed”, nor is it an illness that needs to be “treated”. Women’s bodies are created and designed to give birth, and the majority of births are normal. (This article only deals with normal childbirth. Please see Challenges in Childbirth for situations outside of normal.) If you suspect that you may be called upon to assist at a birth, prepare and educate yourself as best as possible. Please see the list at the end of this article for my favorite references.

Be Prepared to Assist
Before you go to the mother’s home, gather the following items to take with you:

Clean bath towels–as many as you can spare, and then some (you will get them back)
Clean hand towels–as many as you can spare, and then some  (you will get them back)
Clean face cloths–six or so
Clean set of large, flat bed sheets
Plastic sheet or clean shower curtain
Plastic garbage bags–both small and large.
Sterilized scissors–fabric scissors work the best, but other scissors or a razor blade is also OK.
Clean shoelaces, new if possible. If not, boil them for 20 minutes to sterilize.
Sterile surgical gloves–at least three pairs, six is better
Anti-bacterial soap
Clock or watch, preferably with a second hand
Notebook and pen
Flashlight
Thermometer
Non aspirin pain killers–Ibuprofen is good

Other items that are very nice to have during a birth and postpartum are: Chux brand disposable absorbent mattress pads (about 20), adult diapers (about 10), sanitary napkins (overnight style), bulb or ear syringe (boiled for 45 minutes to sterilize), receiving blankets for baby, knit beanie-style hat for baby, scale (fish scale is fine), pliable tape measure.

You should be freshly showered, hair washed and tied back, and have on clean clothes before you go over. Have trimmed finger nails and do not wear any rings. Bring a trusted friend (two are better), someone you would trust at your own birth.

Preparing the Birth Bed

The laboring mother needs a clean, private place to have her baby.  If a bed or a mattress is available, and if you have enough time, prepare it for childbirth as follows:

Take the sheets off the bed and put clean sheets on, preferably her sheets.
Lay the plastic sheet (or a shower curtain) over the clean sheets.
Put another set of clean sheets on the bed, over the shower curtain.
Put blankets, comforters and/or the bedspread on the bed.
Remove the pillow cases and put clean pillow cases on the pillows.
Put a plastic garbage bag on the pillows, over the pillow case.
Put another pillow case on the pillows, over the garbage bag.

If no bed or mattress is available, then lay plenty of blankets on the floor for comfort, then the first set of sheets, the shower curtain, the second set of flat sheets and finally the comforter/bedspread. If there is no time to make the birth bed, put several clean bath towels under her.

The room should be clear of clutter (at least on the floor around the bed), darkened (not black, think ‘romantically dim’) and warm. Line a small or medium size garbage can with a plastic garbage bag and keep it close by. Put on a pot of water to boil, let it boil for 20 minutes, keep it covered and let it cool.

Early Signs of Labor
As her body prepares for labor, the mother will notice several changes. She may pass a “mucous plug” when she goes to the toilet. This generally looks like a large blob of snot and will sometimes have a bloody streak.  This is no sign of trouble, just a sign that her body is getting ready.

Her water may also “break”, or just “spring a leak”. The amniotic fluid (water) is usually clear and odorless, which is a good way to know the difference between that and urine. Green amniotic fluid can mean the baby needs to be born quickly. Record in your notebook the date and time her water broke and what color it was.

She may also feel “crampy”, grouchy and just ‘out of sorts’.  All of these are good signs that labor is close.

LABOR (the first stage)

Labor is divided into three stages, with each stage having several phases. Stage 1 is where the cervix is thinning and dilating to about 10 centimeters to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal.  Labor can start and stop several times as phase 1 of stage 1 gets started. This start-and-stop phase (the latent phase) can last several hours, several days or a week or more, especially if this is the mother’s first baby. Encourage the mother to continue her normal daily activities as much as possible during the early stages of labor. As long as she can walk and talk through a contraction (labor pain), she is still in the latent stage. (Many women go to the hospital at this stage in labor, only to be examined and sent back home.) When she can no longer walk and talk through a contraction, she is in active labor. Most women want someone with them at this point and this is when you will go to her home. Once you are there, scrub your hands with anti-bacterial soap for at least 10 minutes. Scrub extra well under and around your finger nails. If you don’t have any sterile gloves, scrub vigorously with a brush up to your elbows for 20 minutes. Make a note in your notebook of the date and time she went into active labor.

During active labor, you take on a supportive and protective role. If her husband or significant other is available, include him in this circle of support. Grandmothers, sisters and friends can be a wonderful source of support, also. Be aware of any negative energy around her–if someone is negative, non-supportive or critical, you may need to dismiss them to another room. (You can ask them to make a big pot of stew, run to the store, take care of the older children, go get something, etc.)

Labor is called “labor” for a reason–it’s work. Give the mom-to-be a lot of support and comforting words like, “You’re doing a good job”, “You can do this”, and “We’re right here”.  Even just counting the seconds of the contractions can be enough. Some women want it quiet during a contraction, others need to hear voices. Some women will labor quietly, others will moan, hum, sing, grunt or even cry. Let her do what she needs to do, and honor her need for quiet or vocalization. She should be encouraged to drink water and use the toilet regularly, and eat snacks to keep her energy up. She should also walk if she wants to, or change positions. Many women like to labor on their side with a pillow between their legs, on all fours, or while squatting next to the bed. Laying flat on her back is the worst position to labor in, both for mom and baby, and should be discouraged. Some women will vomit, pass gas or have a bowel movement during labor.  All this is normal–reassure her, and clean up any messes promptly.

If the mother is not prepared for an un-medicated, out-of-hospital birth, then your job may be a little more intense. The mother may scream, hit, bite or thrash. She will mostly like curse and swear and say things to her husband she will regret. She may demand drugs or even a C-Section. (Even those who plan a home birth will sometimes do this.) It is extremely important that you remain calm at all times! Do not take offense, do not reprimand or scold, protect yourself and those around you from physical harm, and protect the mother also. You (or her husband) may need to get right in her face to help her refocus. 

Keep the birth bed as clean as possible, changing the towels or Chux pads regularly when they get soiled.  Place all dirty linens in a plastic garbage bag to be washed later, put all disposable garbage in a separate garbage bag.

Labor can be long and sometimes the mother will fall asleep in between contractions. Be very quiet and let her sleep. The next contraction will wake her up (if she is having difficulties dealing with the contractions, wake her up about 10 seconds before the next one starts). The last 2 centimeters of dilation are called “transition” and are the most intense. Many women will have a difficult time during transition and will need your undivided attention and lots of support.  When the cervix is fully dilated, transition is complete and the baby is ready to move down into the birth canal.  The body knows the real work of labor is about to begin and often times contractions will stop for 10 or 15 minutes.  This is normal and the mother should be allowed to rest or (preferably) sleep. No one in the room should talk or even move during this time. Some women don’t have this break and immediately feel the urge to push. Make note in your notebook of the date and time she felt the urge to push.

DELIVERY (the second stage of labor)

Most women will have an urge to push when the time is right. She should follow that urge and push until it feels good. Labor is work, but pushing is rewarding–she can actually do something about those contractions.  There is no need to push until she is blue in the face; she needs to continue breathing and just following her body’s rhythm.  The urge to push is also your cue to have someone put all the towels in the dryer or next to the fireplace/heater to warm them up. Put on a fresh pair of sterile gloves (or wash your hands again) and  put a fresh towel or Chux pad under her. Encourage her to “open up”. Open her mouth and open her legs to let her baby through. If the area needs to be cleaned, use your boiled and cooled water and a clean washcloth to wash the vaginal opening and surrounding area.

As the baby moves down, remember that it’s ‘two steps forward, one step back’. It’s normal for the baby to move back up a little after a contraction. Check periodically to see if you can see the head. When you do, be sure to announce it to the mom so she will know there is progress. When you can see the head, it’s time to get her on the bed and ready for the delivery (if she’s not already there).  Unless you–or the mother–are experienced in other birthing positions, I recommend she semi-sit on the bed with someone sitting cross-legged behind her for support (the support person should be sitting against the headboard or a wall).  You need to be at her bottom, others can be on either side of her. If the bed is long and you are having trouble being where you need to be, have her lay sideways on the bed. Have your towel person ready to bring you three warm bath towels and have them ready and waiting when the baby is born. If it is dark, have someone hold the flashlight for you so you can see baby as he is being born.

As the baby moves down, the skin and muscle tissue around the vaginal opening will stretch and stretch. Support the perineum by applying gentle pressure with a gloved hand on the perineum as the head comes down.  This will help prevent tearing. It is important that the baby’s head be born gently and slowly. Do not blast the baby out or you will have a very torn mother (with possibly no one to suture her). Some babies are naturally slow in emerging, other times the mother will need to blow through a few contractions to ease that baby’s head through. Do not rush this part, as exciting as it may be.  After the head is born, check around his neck with your gloved finder for the umbilical cord.  If you find the cord around his neck, unwrap it before the next contraction and before he is born. If there was any green when the water broke, suction the baby’s mouth and nose now to prevent him from inhaling any meconium (the green stuff, which is actually the baby’s poop). (Squeeze the bulb syringe away from baby, then insert syringe into baby’s mouth and nose and release your grip to suction. You never want to squeeze the syringe while in baby’s mouth or nose. Take the syringe out of baby’s mouth and squeeze again into a towel to get the gunk out before doing it again.)  After the head is born and before the body is born, some babies will open their eyes and look around. This is normal and there is no need to rush. Most of the time, the shoulders and body will be born the next contraction with a satisfying push. Make a mental note of the time baby was born (or have someone watch the clock) so you can record it in your notebook.

Immediately after the birth

Once the baby is born, immediately put him on his mother’s belly, face down, skin to skin and cover both of them with a warm towels just out of the drier.  Do not cut the cord! (Babies get 30% of their blood supply after they are born through the umbilical cord.  The umbilical cord also supplies oxygen.) Pay very close attention to him to make sure he takes his first breath. If baby is unresponsive after a few seconds, use a dry towel and rub his back briskly. Make sure his mouth and nose are clear. If he is “juicy” use a bulb syringe to suction out some of the mucous. Position him on mom’s belly so that his head is lower than his bottom so that gravity will drain fluids. More than 90% of newborn babies take their first breath spontaneously or with minimal stimulation.

Gently born babies seldom scream and some do not even cry. Keep rubbing his back, then his chest  until he has taken several good breaths. Once he is breathing well, mom can bring him up to her chest (skin to skin to keep baby warm) and get a good look at him. Cover both mom and baby with warm towels and blankets. Encourage her to touch her baby and talk to him–do not disturb this initial bonding time if at all possible. Babies are usually born a purplish color and their heads can be an odd shape due to the molding that happens during birth.  As mom and dad bond with their new baby, watch and listen to baby. (Have someone else monitor mom’s blood flow.) He should be pinking up and his lungs should be clearing up.  If you hear a rattle or gurgle, use the bulb syringe again. Keep stimulating if necessary. If you have a knitted baby hat, put it on him. The baby may be have white, sticky stuff on his body. This is called vernex and should not be washed or wiped off. Let it soak in or rub it in, even.  It is Mother Nature’s best body lotion and prevents peeling later on (older midwives will often take some for themselves).

Once you have baby stabilized, turn your attention to the umbilical cord and the placenta (afterbirth).  Grab the cord with your thumb and two fingers to feel for a pulse. Once the umbilical cord has stopped pulsating, it is safe to cut. Use clean shoelaces and tie one lace a good inch or two away from baby’s navel. (This can be done while baby rests in his mother’s arms.) Use the other lace and tie it further away from baby, about an inch away from the first tie. Tie the laces as tight as you can! Take your sterilized scissors or razor blade and cut between the two shoelaces (or have the new dad do this).  There are no nerves in the umbilical cord, so you will not hurt the baby. The cord is tough, though, and you might be surprised at the bit of work required to cut it. Some cultures put gauze and tape over the freshly cut cord. Unless you have Goldenseal or other drying agent, this is not recommended and can result in a rotting cord stump. Baby is now ready to be put to the breast, if he hasn’t already done so.

Breast feeding

The mother may start to shake a few minutes after the baby is born, this is a normal reaction to childbirth. Cover her with more warm towels or blankets to keep her warm, and monitor her blood flow. Encourage the mother to start breast feeding her baby as soon as possible. This will not only comfort baby, but breast feeding releases a hormone that will help the uterus contract. An experienced mother will need little assistance, but a new mother may be unsure of herself.  The general rule is “belly to belly, mouth to breast”. Have mom sit up and position baby in the crook of her arm, with his belly right next to hers (he should not have to turn his head to get to the breast). Help baby get a full mouthful, not just the end of the nipple. Teasing the top of his mouth with the nipple will usually get his attention. Let him nurse until he is satisfied, but don’t pull the breast out of his mouth (that’s painful for mom!).  Have mom put a finger in her baby’s mouth to break the seal, and then take her breast away. Give him the other breast if he wants it. She will usually feel contractions while breastfeeding and this is a good thing. 

Massaging the fundus

Continue to monitor her blood flow and check her fundus (the part of her belly above the pubic bone, where her uterus is).  You want to feel a firm lump there, like a grapefruit, to know that the uterus is clamping down and getting ready to expel the placenta. If the bleeding is more than a trickle after a few minutes, massage the fundus. Push down and around (a little like kneading bread) until the uterus contracts and you feel that firm lump. You may need to do this every few minutes if the uterus is “soggy”.

EXPULSION OF THE PLACENTA (the third stage of labor)

Even though the baby has been delivered, the mother will still have mild contractions. Ideally, the placenta should be delivered within 30 minutes of the baby, and most of them are. Have a pan, mixing bowl or plastic garbage bag ready to receive the placenta. Hold the cord tautly (do not pull) and ask the mother to “give a little push”. If the placenta is ready, it will slip right out and into the bowl. If it doesn’t come out, wait 10 minutes and try again.   Take the placenta into another room, it can be buried later. It is the expulsion of the placenta (more than the birth of the baby) that can cause a hemorrhage. Be very aware of blood loss immediately after the placenta has been expelled.  A small gush of blood (a cup or so) and some trickling of blood is normal. A large gush or a continuous flow of blood is not.

Newborn exam

After baby has nursed and before he is dressed, you will need to weigh and measure him.  This can be done on the bed with parents and friends present. Use a bathroom scale (have someone hold him), or wrap him in a lightweight receiving blanket and hang the blanket on a fish scale. Record his weight in your notebook. Then take the tape measure and measure from the crown of his head to his heal. You will need to stretch him out straight to do this, and most babies don’t like this. Be sure to explain to him what you are doing so he does not feel fear. A full-term baby will be between 18-21 inches long. Record this in your notebook.  Measure around his chest, across his little breasts, and around his head just above the eyebrows. Record these measurements also. Visually inspect him, count fingers and toes and look him over for anything unusual.  Dress him, put his hat back on and wrap him in receiving blankets.

 

Postpartum (the unofficial fourth stage of labor and delivery)

The baby has been born, the placenta has been delivered, baby has been fed and mother and baby are stabilized.  It’s time to clean up. Have mom sit at the edge of the bed, and put her feet on the floor.  She may feel dizzy doing this, have her take a minute to acclimate before standing up. Help her stand up, or have her husband help her. Have her stand there for a moment before starting to walk. Walk right with her to the shower. Have someone follow behind her, ready to catch her should she fall or feel like fainting. Stay near her while she showers. She should try to urinate.  After she is out of the shower, help her dry off, put a clean adult diaper or two sanitary pads and a clean nightgown or pajamas (with buttons down the front for easy nursing). Comb her hair and tie it back for her. She needs to feel pretty.

While the mother showers, have someone glove up and strip the top sheet of bed sheets and shower curtain and the top pillow cases and garbage bags, leaving the second clean set of sheets.  (If there was not time to make the birth bed, strip the sheets and put on clean sheets and pillow cases.) Put all linens and soiled towels in the washing machine, add detergent and bleach, and start the machine. (If there is no electricity, put them in the bathtub when it is available.) Put all Chux pads, used gloves and any other disposable supplies in a plastic garbage bag and tie it shut.

If the mother has lost a lot of blood, it may not be a good idea to have her get up and walk. See if she can pee into a clean pad or towel. Clean her with your boiled and cooled water and a clean wash cloth, washing her face and neck first.  Change the water, get a new washcloth, then wash the vaginal opening next, then her bottom, thighs, belly and legs.  Put on a clean adult diaper or two sanitary pads and help her into a clean nightgown or pajamas. Have her roll to one side of the bed while you strip the other side, rolling it up next to her. Roll her over to the clean side of the bed while you finish stripping the other side. Comb her hair and tie it back for her.

Stay with her for three or four hours after the birth. If the after pains are uncomfortable, she can take Ibuprofen. Let her and her family sleep, but check her sanitary pads every hour. She should be bleeding like a normal heavy period.  Use this time to record more details of the birth in your notebook, do laundry and finish cleaning up. Double bag the used supplies (chux pads, gloves, etc) and tie it tight.  Check mom and baby one more time before you leave. Baby’s hands and feet should be warm, and she should be pink. Her color should be good, too, and she should be able to urinate.  After four hours, the dangers of hemorrhage are mostly passed and you can go home and get some much deserved rest.

About The Author: Kelli is a Midwife’s daughter, birth assistant, mother of home-birthed children and business owner.  She has worked with over 500 midwives across the USA.

 

RESOURCES:

Spiritual Midwifery, Fourth Edition by Ina May Gaskin. It’s a ‘hippy book’ with lots of natural birth stories as well as good solid information regarding out-of-hospital childbirth.

Gentle Birth Choices, by Barbara Harper and Suzanne Arms. Includes a DVD of six live gentle births.

Newborn Breath — Web site of Karen Strange–she teaches newborn resuscitation classes all over the USA and abroad. These classes are for out-of-hospital birth, anyone can attend.

The web site of the Midwives Alliance of North America.

Independent Midwives UK — A site for locating a midwife in the UK.

CanadianMidwives.org–to locate a midwife in Canada.

Citizens for Midwifery–to locate home birth midwives in the USA.

MidwivesAustralia.com.au–to locate a midwife in Australia.

Dona.org–Locate a doula in your country, or take a class yourself. Doulas are great birth assistants.

MEACSchools.org–to locate an accredited midwifery school in the USA. They often offer classes or courses that non-matriculated students can take. It is also a good resource to find student midwives in your area.

LaLache League — a great resource for helping mothers to breastfeed.

Economics and Investing:

Some End-of-Year Advice from JWR: The wise old saying is: “Buy low, and sell high.” I recommend that any SurvivalBlog readers that are still invested too heavily in equities take advantage of the current market rally, and sell most of your stocks and any remaining municipal bonds. Take the proceeds and buy into current dip in silver. Take physical delivery, and keep your investment silver well-hidden, at home. (Preferably in a concealed vault.) Later, as the bull market in precious metals reaches its peak, and as the real estate market bottoms, take your profits from silver and parlay them into additional productive farmland in a lightly-populated region. (The latter two investments would of course be separate from your primary retreat property and your core (barter) holding in silver coins. Neither of those should sold or bartered unless you are desperate.)

Poof! U.S. Retirement Assets Declined by $1.4 Trillion

John B. liked this instructive video segment by conservative commentator Bill Whittle: The Tax The Rich Mentality.

Joe K. sent an article that should be of interest: Mint Needs to Beg, Borrow or ‘Steel’. I hope you are getting your nickels together, because that window of opportunity may soon close.

Items from The Economatrix:

2012 Economic Outlook:  Countdown To The End

Beware The Big-Bad Home Sales Revisions

Positive Thoughts About The Economy?  Really?

US Stocks Lifted By Economic Data

Gold Ends Lower As Upbeat Data Lifts US Stocks

Odds ‘n Sods:

10 Days and Two Candy Bars: Stranded student survives 10 days in her Toyota Corolla. This underscores the profound need to carry survival gear and water when traveling. (Thanks to Ian in Virginia for the link.)

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Congratulations to Mac Slavo of the SHTF Plan blog, now listed as #1 in popularity by the Survival Top 50 survey site! Congratulations are also due to The Survival Podcast, the top-ranked site in Survival Top 50’s ongoing Reader’s Choice Awards. (Note: You have to scroll way down to the bottom of the Reader’s Choice web page to see The Survival Podcast and SurvivalBlog, in the rankings. Listing the top-ranked sites at the bottom of a deep page seems counterintuitive.)

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Emergency Essentials (one of our loyal advertisers and a a prize donor for our bi-monthly writing contest) is running a Mountain House sale until the 28th, with 20-to-25% off all cans!

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Yet another reason to live in the boonies: Sniper Detectors Coming to America’s Heartland.

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Up in Montana, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Fanning has selected Pastor Chuck Baldwin as his running mate. I predict that the deciding factor in the upcoming primary elections in all of the American Redoubt states may hinge upon which candidates align themselves with presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is no name so sweet on earth, no name so sweet in heaven, The name, before His wondrous birth, to Christ the Savior given." – George W. Bethune

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 38 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 38 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, by Rick H.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

“When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh” Matthew 2: 1-2, 9-11, KJV.

When Joseph met the wise men at the door, imagine his surprise, when they carried in the expensive gifts. He probably didn’t know that anyone from that far away knew who Jesus was, but he quickly learned that they definitely did, because the treasures they brought were to worship Him as King, Priest and Savior. They brought the gift of gold, since He was the King of kings, frankincense, since He was the High Priest, and myrrh, since He was to die for the sins of the world.

Mary most likely had never had gold, frankincense or myrrh, since both Joseph’s and her family were poor; those were treasures that only the wealthy enjoyed. God planned that they would have these items to barter when they had to flee to Egypt to save the life of the baby. They probably traded the gold first, since it was the least precious or practical of the three. The frankincense may have been the most profitable, since it was used in religious ceremonies, though the myrrh was the most usable gift.  

Many theories exist as to who the wise men really were, but this much we know: They were men of learning and great wealth who watched the events of the world and trusted God to be in control. They were “from the east”, probably the Orient. Tradition suggests that there were 3 wise men, as well as numerous servants, but that is based only on the number of gifts; there may have been many more wise men.

Gold is the gift brought to worship Jesus as the King of Kings. The use of gold for money goes back hundreds of years before Jesus was born and has been used as a standard for value since then. Although the United States has not had any semblance of the gold standard since 1968, gold is still unofficially the gauge by which value is determined. When measuring inflation, the price of the item is compared with gold. Gold is considered to be the most stable in physical value. The value of the American dollar is quickly falling since the Federal Reserve is adding dollars into circulation (commonly called “printing money”). Each dollar is then worth less because the pie is cut into smaller pieces, so it takes more of those dollars to purchase the same item. Gold, however, does not change in value. Gold is still gold. Even though silver is considered to be a precious metal, it is still compared with gold, since it’s less stable in value. Gold was even more valuable in Bible times because it had to be dug up by hand with primitive tools, and there was less in circulation. Without gold, Joseph would have had to barter less valuable goods or services which would have taken more time.

There are a few other things that are known to be more valuable than gold. Wisdom holds higher value, because it causes the person to make better decisions in all areas of life and helps him to live a life with fuller meaning and purpose (Psalm 19:10, 119:127, Prov 3:14, 8:19). The law of the Lord is more valuable because it endures forever, it converts the soul, it brings wisdom to the simple, joy to the heart and light to the eyes (Psalm 19:7f).

Myrrh was given to Jesus in preparation for His burial, because it would prevent the stench of decomposition natural with death. The myrrh resin does not decay and is famous for its antibacterial properties. It has been used as far back as Jacob’s day (Genesis 37:25, 43:11), carried by camel to various parts of the “world.” In Ancient times, it was used to embalm the bodies of Pharaohs and other elite persons, which shows the esteem of the wise men for Jesus. When Esther was chosen for the harem of the King of Persia, she was given 6 months of beauty treatments with oil of myrrh and 6 months of perfume treatments, which probably included frankincense.

Myrrh is the Arabic word for “bitter,” and it has many healing, seasoning, and ritualistic uses. Mary would have used it to wash cuts, burns and other skin infections of Jesus and His siblings. When the children got a sore throat or mouth sores, they were given a little myrrh oil to gargle. They would have burned some myrrh and frankincense to repel insects and vultures from their chickens, milk cows or goats, sheep and donkeys. At the temple, myrrh and frankincense were often used together to make incense for worship. Myrrh has an earthy, bitter scent when it is burned, but when exposed to high heat, it expands instead of melting as other resins would. The gum resin was used as a flavoring in wines and vinegars. When Jesus was on the cross, He was offered a sponge dipped in myrrh vinegar and raised on a bamboo stick to help ease His pain, but He refused it because He came to bear the sin of the world. In the ancient world, it was a panacea for about every human affliction, from hemorrhoids to toothaches. Even today, it is a common additive in toothpaste and in veterinary practice. In Jesus’ day, one pound would be used in the wrapping of a body for burial, but Nicodemus brought “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds” (John 19:39) to prepare the body of Jesus.

Myrrh is a combination of the essential oil and gum of the small thorny tree called the Commiphora myrrha tree. It grows in dry, rocky soil in Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia and other Middle Eastern countries. It can tolerate temperatures down to about 30º F. To harvest the resin and oil, wounds are made in the trunk and the sap bleeds out to heal the wound which is then collected and purified. When fresh, the resin is golden in color but turns darker with age. It has been so rare and sought after that at times, one ounce of myrrh has been more valuable than an ounce of gold.

Frankincense was brought by the wise men in worship of the High Priest, since Jesus was to be the final High Priest that was anticipated all through the Old Testament. In the first century, it was commonly used in India to make incense for religious ceremonies since the burning incense represented the prayers being carried to heaven. Frankincense oil is considered to be stimulating, for the relief of depression. Both frankincense and myrrh have blood-moving powers. It was the trade of frankincense and myrrh that made the Arabians the richest people on earth by the 1st century A.D. The ash from the burnt incense was known as kohl and was used to make eyeliner. Both frankincense and myrrh have been used to treat leprosy.

In Exodus 30:23f, God commanded Moses to make a sacred anointing oil for use only in the temple. The recipe was to never be used outside of sacred use. It was to be blended by a professional perfumer. In the mixture, there was to be 25 gallons of myrrh oil, 12-½ gallons oil of cinnamon, 12-½ gallons of sugar cane extract, 25 gallons of cassia oil which is very much like cinnamon, and 1 gallon of olive oil. This oil was used to anoint the Tent of Meeting and the ark of the Testimony; inside, the table, the lamp stand, the altar of incense and of burnt offering and the wash basin, as well as all the priests that served in the Tent of Meeting. There was also a special formula for the blend of incense that was to be used in the Tent of Meeting: Equal parts of Stacte gum resin (the highest grade of myrrh), Onycha, Galbanum and Frankincense. All four of these spices were gum resin from different trees in the area, extremely valuable and sacred. This blend was to be salted, then ground into powder and placed in front of the Testimony.

Frankincense was also used as treatment for Hemlock poisoning, tumors, vomiting, dysentery and fevers, leprosy, cancer, arthritis, bronchitis, menstrual issues, immune deficiency, gonorrhea, and as an astringent. It is used as camel and human food, the roots eaten raw or used as a flavoring in beverages. The inner bark can be used to make brown dye, or as fish bait.

The oil of frankincense has a woody, spicy, sweet smell, very pleasant. It is harvested from the Boswellia tree by making deep cuts in the trunk, peeling back the bark in narrow strips, and weeks later, collecting the hardened sap that bleeds from the trunk. This is the oleo gum resin, from which the oil is extracted using steam distillation. It is as rejuvenating to the skin, as the smoke is the spirit.  The Boswellia sacra tree is native to Somalia and India. It is known for its ability to grow in extremely unforgiving areas, often out of solid rock which produced superior frankincense. Its native habitat is hot, dry and sunny most of the year, so it can’t handle any frost. It was far more valuable than gold and more versatile in use as well.

Myrrh is “bitter” and frankincense is “sweet,” which is why the husband speaks of his wife as a figure of the Temple mount as “the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense” (Song of Solomon 4:6). In this day and time, myrrh and frankincense aren’t valued as highly as they were, but there may come a day when they will return to their rightful place. The gifts of the wise men hold timeless value. Perhaps it wouldn’t be feasible in most areas of the United States to try to grow the trees, but it may be prudent to stock up on some gold and oil or oleoresin of myrrh and frankincense, or pray for some rich wise men to see a star directing them west to bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Letter Re: Greenhouse Heating

Dear Jim,
I was very interested to read about the heated greenhouse in this article. I wondered if people have also tried insulating a greenhouse and designing it to maximize solar gain? I’ve seen a design used in the Himalayas which allows them to grow vegetables throughout the year despite -25C conditions, designed by the charity GERES. I uses a UV-resistant polythene sloping roof facing south, high-mass insulated walls to store the sun’s heat and keep it in, some internal walls painted black and others white to help the solar gain, and finally a manually controller ventilation hatch – though I guess this could be automated if desired. There’s a case study including photos at the Ashden web site. Thanks, – M.

Dear Editor:
Check out this web page: Directory:Walipini Underground Greenhouses.

Regards, – Roman

Two Letters Re: Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store

James,
Thank you so much for your blog site. I’ve been a reader for nearly five years and have learned so much.
 
Regarding the post of items to have to implement a micro store when and if there is a TEOTWAWKI event, he was well thought out and quite thorough.
 
It will be wise for us all to not only be as prepared as we can be for ourselves, but to think about being prepared for those around us.
 
If we all prepare this way, there will be a lot of duplication. However, as you have said many times, there can’t be too much preparedness.
 
So, I searched my mind and my supplies and came up with a few other items that I think could easily be added without too much space.
 
1)       Small sewing kits
2)       Full size spools of thread    
more needles
big needles and stronger threads, cordage for the big jobs
3)       Paracord
4)       Patches of all sizes and strengths
5)       Knives: kitchen, folders, fixed blade
6)       Sharpeners and/or equipment for a sharpening service
7)       Soap
8)       Bag Balm, great stuff
9)       Zip ties
10)   Duct tape
11)   Viagra, I’m not kidding
 
These are just a few things that could be added that are space efficient that I have in my supplies.
 
I’m sure all of your readers could probably come up with hundreds of more items.
 
May God bless you all during this Christmas season, – K.R.Y.
 
 

James Wesley:
I really enjoyed this article. I think this scenario could be possible in a small well prepared community where food storage/gardening has already been taken care, letting people focus on some of the “niceties”.

I have a few ideas I’d like to add:

I would suggest having maybe a dozen diaper covers (old school plastic pants style, like by Gerber). People will run out of diapers fast, and while the absorbent part can be made out of just about any cloth (old baby blankets, towels, dish rags), the part that holds the mess in is rather specific. You may be able to find them at your local Wal-Mart, online, or see if there’s a local cloth diaper store nearby. They will run about $4 for 2 (on clothdiaper.com), although you can often find them used online. And by used, that generally means someone tried them once and didn’t like them.
And if you stock these, you could also print out a few copies of instructions on how to fold a flat panel diaper for people to reference, as well as instructions for infant potty training (again, just look on the internet for both of those instructions. I hope to post more about IPT and cloth diapers later)

Handkerchiefs and flannel wipes may be useful to have a few of, but probably not too many, since most people could probably find something that would work around their house.

Crayons and Coloring books would be another great thing, for family/child boredom, or as a post-disaster gift. Crayons can be had anywhere during back-to-school season for 3/$1, and coloring books are $1 new. Get a dozen or so of these too.

It may be handy to have a package of hair rubber bands. These things are so easily lost or broken, and will only cost a dollar or so

If you stored a few rolls of Duck Tape, you could trade it by the foot or yard (wrap it around a pencil for easy transport)

A box of Q-tips might be nice for a while, although eventually we may have to learn to do without these.

Feminine items would be nice to stock, but realistically the reusable ones are fairly expensive (diva cup $25, cloth pads $9-to-$14 each) or take special material to make, so those who don’t prepare may just have to go back to the old way of dealing with it,

Hope this is helpful. – Sarah M.

Economics and Investing:

Larry W. recommended a piece by Ryan Jordan, titled Silver And Survivalism.

Eric Sprott: I Think That This Next Decade Will Be The Decade For Silver Prices.

A report from California’s Central Valley by Victor Davis Hanson: A Vandalized Valley

Items from The Economatrix:

Euro Collapse Crisis Sledgehammer Pounds Into Stock Market Santa Rally

We Are Witnessing An Historic Bottom In Gold

Most Americans Still Have No Idea How Bad The US Economy Is

US Asks Banks to Keep More Cash at Hand

Odds ‘n Sods:

How many times must we shout it, folks? OPSEC, OPSEC, OPSEC! Man’s life savings stolen after daughter leads friends to it. (A hat tip to F.G. for the link.)

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Kevin A. wrote to mention that he liked a five minute TED video: He Went Broke, Then Found Himself. Kevin says: “Interesting information that may spark interest in the SurvivalBlog community.
He earned a Ph.D. But with no practical skills, he thought he was useless. So he started a farm — and stumbled upon a revelation.”

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M.E.W. sent a link to an interesting article about a German library janitor that discovered a cache of ancient coins that could be worth millions.

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Gary U. mentioned a nifty ultra-compact lighter that is ideal for everyday carry: FireStash Keychain Lighter

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K.A.F. flagged this TomCast interview of William Debuys: Thirst in the Southwest