When it came time to name my classes, the name "Appleseeds" seemed a natural for many reasons. There's an old superstition that if a woman swallows an apple seed, she will get pregnant. Also, our daughter is named Morgan; Morgana was a goddess/ legendary woman who ruled Avalon, "Land of Apples." When we buried Morgan's placenta under a tree, we chose an apple.

Apples also have other interesting symbolism. Celtic peoples are said to have "fed" the spirits of the dead with red foods, among them apples, to help them be reborn. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is good juju in favor of a healthy birth with no need for medical interruptions. Apples also have herbal properties useful to pregnant women.

Now that I've lived with the name a while, I like it even better, and have found new meanings. When you plant an apple seed, you never know what you will get; it doesn't imitate the parent fruit. I think this is a good example to us as parents, but also as childbirth educators. I want to plant seeds of knowledge in my students, and give them resources to grow, but into *what* is up to them, not me. I can nurture them, but not expect them to make the same choices I would. I hope the name will inspire me to continue to grow and be nourished in my own pursuit of the dream that was the seed of my work. Apples are also pretty everyday objects, so when I get too sentimental, they can help bring me back down to earth. :) They root in the earth, and reach for the sky.