Birth Rhythms

After a long rest, we have an Announcement!

2011-07-22T14:50:00.001-06:00

Fall registrations begin August 22nd! The website and new phone # will be live that date as well.

So sorry to those who are wondering what is happening at Birth Rhythms! 2011 began with the arrival of my grand-daughter who has been an absolute joy to have around. I let her little face gobble up tons of my time, but I have been busy attending births, and making BIG plans for something new in Saskatoon. A while back I casually asked if women here thought they would frequent a centre that was based on support services for pregnancy, birth and the first year of parenting. The response was overwhelming and I got inspired. Firstly its not like I had to go create a pile of amazing programs, you see, they are already out there. Many many other doulas, childbirth educators, and mommies with small businesses who cater to exactly this period of life are scattered around Saskatoon. Running out of our home offices or a nook in the baby room has been working for us.

Now, we have come together and will be sharing space in the New Birth Rhythms Pregnancy and Parenting Health Centre in Saskatoon. It is due to open September 5th, 2011, with all program registrations beginning mid-August. When I first took my website down last year to re-vamp I really struggled with what it should look like. I was having a doula-identity crisis. I felt like we were about to make a big change but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Let's just say, it is now coming together perfectly! It too will go live mid-August .

Thank you to all those who have been helping make this vision a reality for the ones we love; the mamas!

While Birth Rhythms still specializes in Doula services, we are excited to bring together so many other amazing supports. Click on the photo to enlarge it. Get a little taste of what is to come!

Passages, a new class to help you discover the path to your best birth!

2011-01-05T09:49:00.000-06:00

Passages is an ELECTRIC movement and birth success class rolled into one! During this 7 week prenatal adventure you can explore dance moves big and small from, Middle Eastern, African and Latin traditions meant for birthing, get to know how your baby wants you to move during birth and discover what kind of birth YOU really want!

This 90 minute class combines mental and physical birth preparation in an active format as well as focused weekly discussion and a great book that we will review together. Partners are invited out for class # 6 to join in the adventure. Come out and have some fun with that belly while you still can!

Beginning Sunday January 16th. 7-8:30pm Regularly $125,

FREE to the first SEVEN! expectant mamas who post here!

50% off for the next FIVE women after that!!!!

( This does not include the cost of the book~$25)

Winterbelly Special! Infant Massage training for parents to warm up your baby's bits. Birthtalk! mom's group for you!

2010-12-30T10:26:00.002-06:00

We will offer two winter sessions for Infant Massageon Mondays 6-7 pm.

January 10-Feb 7th, (POSTPONED UNTIL FULL- WE ARE TAKING NAMES) AND
February 28th-March 28th.

All classes are held at the Birth Rhythms Studio in Oshun House.

Birth Rhythms will give 50% off this class to the first three moms who register before January 20th and include their birth story.

Each Infant Massage class is followed by our 90 minute Birthtalk! session. This group is designed as fun peer support for pregnant and new moms. We discuss a different topic each week and often watch birth and early parenting related videos. It is a drop-in class 7-8:30 pm for only $5. Come whenever you need some adult conversation and support from those who are going through the same phases of life!

I know there are many moms who have expressed an interest in Infant Massage, so I have tracked down an amazing teacher and a course that goes WAY beyond the basics for you. In addition to all the great research about increased mother-baby bonding, infant massage is now proving to be an excellent treatment program for mothers who are suffering from postpartum depression.

This is a hands on class for parents to learn how to safely and therapeutically massage their babies. You may come as a couple or alone with your newborn.

It consists of five 1 hour classes, once a week. Each class has a specific focus and covers a different body routine and concern ie: colic pains, growing pains, teething etc... Sunava will lead the class with a doll, and couples work on their babies.

You will need to bring a small bottle of natural oil( olive, , sunflower, shea butter etc..) If you wouldn't eat it you should not use it on your baby's skin!!

You need a blanket/and a change pad in case baby goes to the bathroom, as they are usually naked from the waist down. A copy of the book Infant Massage, A Handbook for Loving Parents by Vimala Schneider McClure is included in the class price. This is a great book and includes all of the pictures of the routines for the body.

The 5 week class is $150/couple.

Sunava Hintz has been an RMT and Doula in Saskatoon for 18 years.You can click here to read her bio.

To register contact Lisa at 612-3777 or email birthrhythms@shaw.ca

Time to Plan Your Winterbelly Fun with Birth Rhythms!

2010-11-16T20:51:00.001-06:00

Whether you need a refresher or an immersion into your choices around birth, we have a class for you.

Our Professional and Certified Doulas, Childbirth Educators & Massage Therapists provide:

Current, evidence–based childbirth information.
Useful coping skills & support techniques for all types of birth.
Private Birth Plan Consultations
Breastfeeding Success Strategies!
Compassionate Support Groups for PDD, VBAC and C-section Recovery
Complete doula Services
Fitness classes and more!

Winterbelly 2011 Schedule

Naturally Yours

Comprehensive Childbirth Education Series

Tuesdays 7:00-9:00, 8 weeks $240/couple

January 18th – March 8th or March 29th – May 17th

Labour Intensive

Birth Support Skills Workshop for Couples

Wednesday 6 -10 pm - One Night Only $130/couple

January 12th, February 9th, March 9th, or April 13th

The BIG Stretch!

Birth focused strengthening, breathing and deep relaxation techniques.

Thursdays 5:45-6:45, $99

January 13th— February 24th or March 10th – April 21st

Passages

An electric movement and birth success class rolled into one!

Sundays 7— 8:30pm , $125 (women only)

January 16th– February 27th or March 13th - May 1st

Infant Massage

Mother baby bonding time and massage skills to last a lifetime.

Mondays 6-7pm, $125

January 10-February 7th or February 28th—March 28th

Birth Talk!

Pre & Post Natal Drop-In Night

Mondays 7-8:30pm,$5

January 10th– May 2nd

Introducing....The Birth Rhythms Team (Day Three)

2010-09-02T14:16:00.001-06:00

Carmen Emul CLD, Esthetician

I was inspired to become a doula by my cousin who was an aspiring midwife and gave birth to her three beautiful children at home. As we discussed birth, life, health and medicine, it became clear that our philosophies matched. I saw how beautiful and life changing birth could be. Although I haven’t given birth myself I feel that in the culture of fear we live in, people need to be given options and protection through the incredibly profound experience of childbirth. With my background in massage and aesthetics, it made sense to develop a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth. Additionally, I’ve always had an interest in fitness and nutrition and think that if pregnant women incorporate these elements into childbirth, we can have healthier children, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

I completed my Birth Doula training through Mother Wellness in 2005. Being a part of a childbirth experience brings humility into my life every single time because I see how beautifully we were created and how wise our bodies are when we allow them to work. While I feel that medical intervention in the birth process has its place, there needs to be additional support and education for women who want to be aware of all of their rights and options and I wanted to be part of that. From my perspective, the ideal birth experience is hands-off, surrendering to the body’s wisdom. With all of the preparation in the world, at the end of nine months, give or take, the body will instinctually complete the whole process. Your body will know what to do. No two births will ever be identical; we all have our own stories. I educate people to trust the process, trust their bodies to do the job they were made to do.

Your body knows what to do.

Introducing ....The Birth Rhythms Team (day two)

2010-08-30T17:25:00.001-06:00

Jude Hutchinson CBE, CLD

I feel in many ways that birth work found me, and not the other way around! After my first baby, I lucked out when a friend of mine was not able to get in to childbirth classes and so allowed me, with all my, ahem, sagacity, to teach her everything I knew. Surprise! She had a 24 hour, posterior baby labour (not fun), but loved it. I was hooked. Shortly after, I discovered a radical group right here in Saskatoon that was training people interested in providing an alternative to the city’s prenatal classes, and instantly I knew it was for me. I had my first doula experience (with a mom having baby number four) shortly after. (I think she coached me through!) Thirty years have flown by since then, along with countless hours of childbirth preparation and doula work. I still have to pinch myself as I witness the birth of a family, and the sacred journey of a new person to the planet. It never, ever, ever gets old.

As a mother of four and grandmother of two, I am passionate about families and birthing, and believe birth is one of the most rewarding and significant experiences of a woman’s life. To sum it up, I am a teacher, CAPPA certified Childbirth Educator and Birth Rhythms Certified Labour Doula who has been providing support services for the women of Saskatoon for 30 years.

“My goal is for the woman and her partner to feel that they received the knowledge, skills, attention, care, love, and support to empower them through the phenomenal process of birth. What a privilege to be part of it! ”

Introducing.....The Birth Rhythms Team

2010-08-29T17:34:00.001-06:00

I am so excited to officially welcome some amazing new members to Birth Rhythms! Each day this week I will post the bio of one of our new doulas. I am just SO excited about what each woman brings to this practice and to the families we can reach together. I am humbled by the gentle, loving spirits of these women. If you are looking for a doula, perhaps, you will find her here.

Sunava Hintz RMT, CLD

As far back as I can recall I have wanted to work and live in community with women and babies. My early childhood was filled with such experiences. I grew up a child of the ‘70s and this entitled me to a new and juicy take on women’s rights, especially the right to birth in her own way. It was a time of rediscovering the tried and true methods of birthing, and empowering women throughout their pregnancy and birth. This was the foundation for my beliefs around birth and it led me to this doorstep I stand upon today.

My professional training as a massage therapist began in 1990, and continues to this day. I have training in a variety of soft tissue therapies such as Swedish and Thai massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, hydrotherapy and passive joint mobility. I am trained in homeopathy which I see as a great benefit during pregnancy and labour, and therapeutic and quantum touch which are gentle energy healing techniques, as well as extensive yoga training. I have worked in a variety of settings including clinical and home based, and have instructed at a private massage college for 10 years before retiring to start my own family. I have been attending births since 1988, and studied with Gloria Lemay of Wise Woman’s Way of Birth doula training in 2000. I am currently enrolled as a student midwife with the Ancient Art Midwifery school....this is a lifetime process unfolding!!!

My motto in birth is that you can do anything you set your mind to given the right balance of support, trust and surrendering, one beautiful breath at a time!

Special Guest Blogger today!

2010-08-19T12:33:00.004-06:00

As everyone starts to look toward fall and the civic year gets under way, we can all have a tendancy to over commit ourselves. Refreshed from the tempo of summer, we want to hang on to that vitality as autumn approaches. New families and those expecting an additional child often find themselves trying to sqeeze in so many projects & purchases they forgo planning for the actual arrival of this new little person. Making time for yourselves to enjoy the pregnancy, and protect this special time really sets the tone for your early months of parenting. The Saskatoon Leisure Guide comes out today. It is chalk full of prenatal classes and childbirth education opitons for you. Birth Rhythms has some new surprises for you.

Before you sign up, please check out the fabulous Kirsty Snowsell, and her new mom friendly blog. Saskatoon moms have much to look forward to from her and her mompreneur spirit!

A 'Working' Mother. Is There Any Other Kind?

Everyday I am grateful for the freedom to have a job I am passionate about, and while the dancing is AWESOME and the families are FUN, what I love most is being able to empathize and encourage everyone who crosses the studio threshold. Often I find myself saying to people, “...and on my ‘to-do-list’ of a million items I’d like to add this...” and then I have to go home and assess where “that” fits into my schedule. That being said, this post is for all you women out there striving to find balance in your professional and personal lives. I lose track of how many times a woman has bared her soul about how overwhelming the task of juggling life and raising a child can be...AGREED! more...

Birth Talk

2010-08-16T10:44:00.003-06:00

So, you are pregnant or perhaps a new mom and you want to meet other women who are sharing the experience of parenting? Come out to our free pre and post natal mom's group!

Every Monday night we meet to watch videos and discuss important topics around birth and early parenting.

Schedule:
August 2nd: no group

August 9th: DVD: Birth Into Being

August 16: Diaper talk

August 23: DVD: Man in Labour...what if they had to do it? How can we advocate for change?

August 30: Open floor discussion night, bring a snack to share.

Birth Rhythms is located in Oshun House
202-912 Idywyld Drive

Parking in the rear. Enter by North door and go to second floor!

This will be a casual night. Great for a bit of a Birth Rhythms Reunion for those who have finished the classes in past years and would like to share their stories or just connect to some other moms! . Tea and treats provided, just drop a few loonies in the jar. Invite your friends!

Planning for the fall is underway!!

2010-07-30T20:38:00.004-06:00

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Some of you may know that last December my friend and doula partner of 7 years, Kari Hollingsworth left Birth Rhythms. It has been such a big transition from being a team to having to hold the deep vision by myself. I have been moving forward in some exciting and big ways, but some days they serve to exaggerate that loneliness I feel. I miss her.

Kari and I were 'born' as doulas together. We attended our first births in the same year, 4 years before we ever met. We both volunteered as doulas and held similar jobs talking to teens in the high schools and then landed in the same doula training course in 2003.. Just as I have seen women bond and go on to practice together in the course I now teach, Kari and I saw eachother's spirit. Spirit sisters she calls it. We served women separately in birth, came in as a back up when needed, and dreamed together of ways we could make doula care and better prenatal education available to women in Saskatoon. We loved the women so much we held classes that we never made a dime on. Why? To make sure they had a chance to own their births. To share with them the joys of childbirth, and tell them about the secret paths, the untold obstacles and that every birth where the woman is in control, is a victory and a miracle.

We did it. We loved the women together for seven years and things started to change. We needed more women to hold the vision, and to serve as doulas, but as the vision expanded life shifts for both Kari and I meant the end of a partnership. Is it the end of that vision? No, surely not. Is it the end of Kari and I serving women in birth, no again. We are just called to do it differently now.

Kari continues to work as a doula privately in Saskatoon. We are dear friends.

Birth Rhythms has expanded its offerings to mothers and families to include comprehensive childbirth education, two fitness/labour prep classes and various pre and post natal support groups. Are we going to make a pile of money? No. Are we going to be a part of the revolution to give birth back to women. YES!

I also have a new focus on expanding access to doula services as we train new doulas more effectively and mentor them through an apprenticeship system so that they can establish their own work and reach more women with their unique gifts. There is nothing else like it in Canada. It is exciting to tell you that six women will be a part of this program this fall! I will be posting about them and introducing you to them over the next two weeks.

August 15th our new website will be live http://www.birthrhythms.ca/ and we are all looking forward to meeting you at our grand opening celebrations on September 19th. I will post more on that next month but mark your calendars!

Doulas Play Key Role.- Star Phoenix Article!!!!

2010-07-12T17:45:00.000-06:00

After more than 30 hours of labour to give birth to her first child, Brooke Graham was convinced she'd never have another.

During the birth she took every medication offered and later suffered severe postpartum anxiety.

Four years after her daughter's difficult birth, Graham became pregnant again. She was terrified. A counsellor suggested she hire a doula.

She'd never heard the term. "I thought, 'Whatever, we'll give it a try. It can't hurt,' " Graham said.

Now, after the birth of her son -- the "most empowering experience" of her life -- she's training to become a registered doula.

"It's the greatest secret ever kept," Graham said.

The term doula means "caregiver" or "woman of service." The loose translation Graham is most fond of is "mother of mothers."

Doulas provide non-clinical support or care before, during and after birth for the woman and her partner.

Lisa Wass began working as a doula before she knew what they were. In 1998 Wass left teaching and began working in mental health services. Her first client was pregnant. Three weeks later, she supported the young woman in labour.

"I realized that day that . . . every birth at our hospital was very much a part of the big birth machine," said Wass. "I wanted to advocate for women so they understood that they had choices."

A few years later she was in the library doing research when she met Debbi Mbofu, the province's first registered midwife.

"She said 'Oh, you're a doula.' I said, 'a do-what?' " said Wass.

Misconceptions about doulas abound.

"When I first started meeting clients and I'd come in and have a conversation they'd say, 'This is cool. You didn't come in waving incense and crystals,' " Wass said.

Doula work is anything but hocus pocus. Wass details the different angles used in child birth, how a position change could mean the difference between delivering the baby in a yoga position or relying on vacuum suction.

Though they can provide suggestions, doulas are not midwives. They cannot prescribe medications, do medical interventions or conduct clinical examinations.

A doula responds to the wishes of the expecting mother, whether that means an all-natural, at-home water birth, or a planned caesarean section.

"We provide resources so that they can make informed decisions," said Wass.

"Somehow I would love to dispel the myth that doulas are all hippies," Graham said.

Both doulas say they support the concept of a doula for every woman who wants one. For that to happen, more women must become doulas.

"We need a lot of different women. Variety is very important," said Wass.

Though diversity is desired, it's difficult to come by. The work is demanding -- once the doula arrives, there are no shift changes. Labour lasts on average between 12 and 20 hours. The maximum caseload is one to two births per month, and that means being on call 24 hours a day. It's too much for many doulas, which means turnover is high.

From 1998 until 2007 there were about five or six doulas taking clients in Saskatoon at one time.

Wass has since trained 45 doulas from Saskatoon and area. She's worked to expand services into northern Saskatchewan, and is one of a few doulas who travel around the province. She has also spearheaded the Prairie Birth Collective, an organization of doulas, hypnotherapists, birth educators and massage therapists.

Evidence shows that doulas' efforts work. Intervention rates drop drastically and epidural requests are reduced. Caesarean sections also drop by 30 or 40 per cent when a doula is involved, says Wass. Studies show a woman's birth experience directly relates to her experience mothering, and women have fewer instances of postpartum depression and problems breast feeding.

It equates to a cost saving for the health-care system, but it's up to the mother to seek out.

Doula care can cost on average between $300 and $1,000. In British Columbia, where demand is very high, people pay thousands of dollars. Because of the demand, and the results of a task force study that show the rates of intervention drop dramatically if a doula is present, B.C. has begun incorporating doulas into public-health programming.

Right now there are no plans to incorporate doula care into the health-care system in Saskatoon, where the focus is expansion of the year-old midwifery program, says Sheila Achilles, director of primary health services for the Saskatoon Health Region.

"We don't have the capacity to pursue bringing them on as employees," Achilles said. "We certainly are supportive of any mom who chooses to have a doula with her."

After more than a decade serving mothers and their partners, Wass says the medical community is finally responding positively.

"It's a huge shift in Saskatoon," said Wass. "We used to come into the hospital and they'd say 'You're a what? Your name's Abdula?'

"For a little while there was a lot of hostility, because there was that needing to define roles. But now, there's such a great understanding of what a doula brings to the birthing woman and how we can work as a team," she said.

jstewart@sp.canwest.com

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/health/Doulas%20play%20role/3265290/story.html#ixzz0tVyWa6S1

Dads and Doulas

2010-07-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

I am a 35 year old father of two beautiful, naturally birthed boys (4 years and 3 months). Our first child was born naturally in a hospital setting with the help of a doula. The experience completely validated our decision to include a doula in the process of pregnancy and birth. Especially for first time parents committed to learning about the natural birthing process, a doula is an absolute must. Our first experience gave us the confidence to have a home birth for our second child.

In preparation for our second child we needed a refresher on the natural birthing process and the many natural tools and techniques that can be employed to joyfully support the arrival of a new human into the world.

We came to Birth Rhythm for the Labour Intensive – Embracing the Beauty in Birth – hands on workshop for the refresher. WOW! It was exactly what we needed to re-engage with the tools and techniques we already knew of and to learn some new ones too! The most valuable thing we learned from the class was the distinction between the typical birthing process and the natural birthing process. The workshop was many things… hands on, educational, eye opening (especially for first timers), casual, friendly, respectful, and fun! The whole experience was extremely valuable to us.

My wife and I have a deep appreciation and respect for doulas. Our doula and the Birth Rhthym doulas have given us the key to the empowerment necessary to have a normal, natural and healthy birth experience.

For anyone who has never engaged with a doula, this workshop is a brilliant way to learn first hand how a doula empowers the birthing couple.

The experience was worth every penny.

I have the utmost appreciation, respect and gratitude for the Birth Rhythm team.

Aaron Chubb

-Saskatoon, SK

For more info read: 5 Reasons Dads Should Demand a Doula!

New Doulas!

2010-06-30T23:04:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Jodi, Allison, Sarah, Ravenne and Kelsey for completing the Birth Rhythms Labour Doula training series tonite! It was over 40 hours of class time in the past 12 weeks but it seemed like it passed so quickly! Just short of having a baby, it is such a satifying feeling to see these women enter the Saskatoon Birth Support Community. They will serve women well with their diverse talents.

Look these gals up on Facebook! They call themselves the Birth Ninjas!

Summer Schedule is Now Out!

2010-06-10T20:15:00.002-06:00

Sorry I can't make it bigger. Click on the photo to read it, or print it off our facebook page!

Robbie's Birth Story

2010-06-05T14:12:00.000-06:00

Robbie's birth story doesn't begin with a contraction, nor does it begin with his conception, it began several years ago when I became pregnant with our first baby. It was the summer of 2005. Dave and I were SO EXCITED to be expecting our first child. I had the usual first trimester nausea and fatigue, until one Sunday evening I went to the washroom and discovered I had started spotting. The following week was a blur of doctor's appointments, ultrasounds and tears. We heard the news we never, ever expected to hear...we had lost the baby. At 2:30am September 19th, 2005 I woke up in the guest bedroom on my inlaws house with intense cramping (we weren't living in Saskatoon at that point, but were there for work stuff). I ran to the washroom where I birthed my angel baby ('passing the pregnancy' sounds like such an awful term to me). I sat there for a few minutes, holding my baby in my hands. I sobbed until I had nothing left in me. I felt empty, I felt numb, I felt broken.

After the miscarriage Dave and I tried and tried and tried to conceive again. After seven painstaking months, we conceived again, a couple of weeks after our angel baby's due date. This time, we were terrified. I was OBSESSED with having a healthy pregnancy. I read, and worried and did everything I thought I should do in order to carry a healthy baby to term. We knew that Dave was not a 'medical' kind of guy, so hired a doula half way through my pregnancy. We prepared for the birth, but throughout that entire time, I carried this major fear that I was unable to carry a healthy baby to term. I didn't believe or trust in my body. I went to term, in fact I went over due. When I was a week overdue, I went in to labour. It wasn't the labour I had expected. I didn't trust my body, I didn't trust the process. After 3 days of labour and an epidural I finally gave birth to our beautiful boy, James. He was 10lbs 4 oz and 22 inches long and he was a very healthy baby :)

When James turned one, we decided we were ready to try for a second child. This time I knew my body was capable of growing a healthy baby, but I still lacked confidence in my body's ability to birth the way it was designed to do. From the beginning of my pregnancy I began preparing for the birth. We hired our doula again and decided to go with a midwife instead of a doctor. Throughout my pregnancy we had decided that plan 'A' would be a hospital birth, but if all was going well and we were comfortable, we would be open to a home birth. Again, my due date came and went. This baby was COMFY and NOT ready to come out. I knew this baby was going to be big. James was a big boy and there was no doubt that this one was going to be big too. We set up the birthing pool in our kitchen area so we were ready for when labour began. On Sunday, June 28th (11 days over due) I began nesting like a crazy lady! Of course, I didn't realize that I was nesting, I was just SO pissed off that this baby was still inside and needed to clean in order to get the anger out. My doula asked me if there was any doubts I was having and I told her that I didn't believe that I could do this. She told me to be positive for the rest of the day and to watch some home birth videos on YouTube. I watched them and bawled my eyes out. They were beautiful, I realized that I REALLY wanted to see my baby. I went to have my afternoon nap and woke up 2 hours later at 3:30pm feeling very rested and happy.

I got out of bed and felt like I had to go to the bathroom (I had eaten an entire watermelon the day before in an attempt to empty my bowels and stimulate labour...yes, I was DESPERATE!). I went to the bathroom and went downstairs to continue my nesting. All of a sudden I felt like I had to go to the bathroom again. I went, thinking nothing of it. Finally, after the third trip to the bathroom, I said to Dave "I think I'm having false labour again, I'm going in to the tub to see if anything happens". I grabbed a glass of water and my watch. As I sat in the bath I realized the contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes, lasting about 30-ish seconds, they weren't going away. At that point, I called my doula, she agreed that it sounded like labour and to call her when I needed her. I decided to give my midwife a call and while on the phone with her, I had a few contractions. She decided to come over immediately. Soon after talking to her, I called my doula and asked her to come over. During all of this, Dave was trying to fill the birthing pool and locate my mother-in-law to come get James (she was on the golf course, having an amazing game WITHOUT her cell phone).

My doula arrived and she helped me through a few contractions. It was obvious I was in active labour and was having a lot of trouble getting comfortable in the tub. We decided to move to the bedroom where I laboured on my hands and knees on my exercise ball. Once I moved in to the bedroom I did what I had been preparing so long for...I surrendered. I allowed my body to take over, I simply allowed it all to happen, I didn't fight it, I didn't analyze it, I just was. It was very primal, very raw, very real. It was amazing. My midwife arrived and checked the baby's heart rate, my blood pressure and checked my cervix. I was 6-7 cms with membranes bulging. She said everything was going really well, but this was the point at which we needed to decide whether to stay or go. We called Dave in (who was still trying to fill the birthing pool...he had managed to locate his mom, who had taken James to her house). After a quick discussion between contractions, we decided to stay at home. I felt SO confident in that decision. After our discussion, I went back into myself, simply allowing myself to surrender to the process. I remember at one point looking at our bedroom clock and it said "5:30pm", I thought to myself "I am going to have this baby in the next hour". At 6pm, my midwife checked me again because I had begun to bear down at the peak of my contractions. I was at 10cms with my membranes still bulging. My doula and midwife suggested that I move to the toilet to see if my membranes would rupture while I sat on the toilet. Sure enough, first contraction on the toilet, they ruptured, nice and clear! At that point I felt the ring of fire! Yup, that head was definitely there! I didn't freak out, I didn't think much about it, just continued to follow my body. I tried pushing on the floor, but felt I wasn't able to get my knees wide enough. So I climbed up on the bed and pushed while I laid on my side. At that point the secondary midwife had arrived and they were getting set up for the birth. As I was pushing I had my doula to my right, holding one leg, my primary midwife at the end of the bed, supporting my perineum and the secondary midwife cheering me on. I felt like something was missing. I said "I need Dave" (still filling the birthing pool....) so the three of them all screamed "DAVE!" and he raced in to sit on my left hand side. I recall that time stood still, an out of body experience. After 30 minutes of pushing, Robbie was born. His cord had been wrapped around his neck twice, but the midwife calmly removed it. He was placed immediately on my chest and we hung out and snuggled together. We let the cord finish pulsating and then I cut it. After delivering the placenta the midwives checked me over and told me that I had one small 'scratch' inside my vagina, no actual tears. After some bonding, they did the newborn exam. Robbie was perfect :) When they weighed him, we were all shocked. He weighed 11lbs 14oz and 23 inches long!!! The biggest baby that both midwives had ever delivered at home.

I had done it. Woke up in active labour and gave birth 3 hours later to an almost 12lb baby! I had my birth the way I had wanted it, the way I had NEEDED it. It completely changed me. It gave me confidence in myself that I never knew I had. Now I know who I am. Now I know what I'm capable of. I no longer doubt myself. I believe.

Promoting Midwifery Care for All Saskatchewan Women

2010-05-04T17:05:00.000-06:00

May 5th is the International Day of the Midwife, a day that is recognized around the world as an opportunity to celebrate midwifery and to promote awareness of the care that midwives provide. On March 14, 2008, midwifery became a regulated profession in Saskatchewan, joining 7 other provinces and territories to offer a safe alternative to traditional physician care. Two years later, many people still do not understand the role of a Midwife and are not aware that midwifery care is an available option for some women.

• Midwives are specialists in normal birth, providing primary care for women and babies throughout pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and first 6 weeks postpartum.

• Midwives are able to do deliveries in hospitals or at home, and they are trained to provide immediate emergency care to the mother and newborn.

• Midwives provide women with information and options regarding their care, encouraging informed consent, and follow guidelines that determine whether a medical condition or complication indicates a need for physician consult or transfer of care.

• Midwives are able to order diagnostic tests and assessments, prescribe and administer many drugs commonly used in pregnancy, childbirth, and immediate postpartum period.

• Midwifery care reduces the rates of intervention including cesarean section, result in shorter hospital stays, increased success rates of breastfeeding, and reduce health care costs.

There are currently over 800 Registered Midwives throughout Canada, with over half of those in Ontario alone. Despite having the most Registered Midwives in Canada, the demand for midwifery services is so great that more than 40% of women seeking midwifery care in Ontario are turned away due to a full case load. Across Canada, almost all other provinces are experiencing the same difficulties with meeting the demand for midwifery services.

Despite the goal of Saskatchewan Health to make midwifery care accessible to all women in the province, full scope of midwifery services is only available to women who live within the Saskatoon city limits. The Saskatoon health region has only five Registered Midwives and due to the demand for services, these midwives are not able to accept clients outside of Saskatoon which leaves women in other communities and rural areas without access to midwifery care. Regina Qu’Appelle and Cypress health regions are in the process of recruiting midwives but services will be limited until more midwives are hired. Until the Saskatchewan Government provides funding for independent midwifery services, rural women will continue to have insufficient access to midwifery care.

In order for midwifery care be accessible to all women in Saskatchewan, funded Independent Practice is an option that must be considered. Although independent midwifery practice is a legal option in Saskatchewan, the midwife must first obtain liability insurance in order to be eligible for registration (legally allowing her to practice). Liability insurance costs $25,000 - 50,000 each year, in addition to all other business expenses such as emergency training courses, supplies, and equipment; a prohibitive amount of money for a midwife in independent practice. As well, until the Saskatchewan government provides funding for independent practice, clients must pay the midwife “out of pocket” for independent midwifery services, a service that is free for Saskatoon (urban) women. Midwifery service fees range from $2500 - $3100 per course of care. For those health regions that employ midwives, expenses such as liability insurance, supplies, equipment, emergency training courses, and office and clinic space are all paid for by the health region. These health regions also pay the midwives’ salaries so midwifery care is “free” to women in that area.

Obstacles to having midwifery care accessible to all women in Saskatchewan:

• Only four provinces in Canada offer university midwifery education programs, and Saskatchewan does not have one.

• A full range of midwifery care is only available to women within the city limits of Saskatoon at this time.

• Two other health regions are in the process of hiring midwives who will be limited in the care they can provide, such as providing care only to women who choose to birth in a hospital.

• Home birth with a Registered Midwife is not an option for women outside of Saskatoon.

• Rural women in Saskatchewan have no access to midwifery care and most women have to travel long distances to receive prenatal care and give birth in hospitals.

• The costs required for midwives to set up independent practice are prohibitive.

• Although Saskatchewan Health has provided funding for midwifery services, it is not known when ten of the 13 regional health authorities in Saskatchewan (including Saskatoon District Health Region) are planning to implement further midwifery care.

• Saskatoon’s midwifery program automatically discriminates against women who live rurally, but within the health district, by disqualifying based on their address. Thus more than half of the SDHR families who chose midwifery in 2008, before regulation went into effect, now have no access to this important form of maternity care. The SDHR has placed a hiring freeze in 2010 its midwifery program, even though the demand is high and waiting lists are long. There can be no waiting lists in maternity care. This makes it imperative to provide access to independent midwifery services now.

• Submitted by Midwifery For All, a consumer group for the advancement of midwifery services in Saskatchewan. For more information contact Amy at amycassonis@gmail.com or midwiferyforall@yahoogroups.ca

Celebrating Birth Trust

2010-04-26T18:24:00.001-06:00

May is the International Month of the Doula!

May 5th is International Day of the Midwife!

Birth Rhythms has trained 46 new doulas for Saskatoon and area to meet the demand for outstanding birth support.

We are joining a Birth Matters! celebration on International Day of the Midwife.

Where: Saskatoon
Kiwanis Park Band Stand, by the Bessborough Hotel
When: 1-3pm
May 5th, 2010

How: Casual Picnic with face painting and belly painting done by volunteers.

Why: To show our Support to those women who get up in the night and come to our sides as we usher in new life.

We have invited all our past and current clients and would love to see everyone who is interested in Doula and Midwifery Care come out and show your support. Birth work is by its nature a very isolating profession. Woman with Woman one birth at a time. It would be so wonderful to see you all at the same time!

We would love to see lots of people and hopefully the event will be covered by the media.

Many Birth Rhythm Trained Doulas and other Members of the Prairie Birth Collective will be in attendance to answer your questions.

All are welcome!

Surgical Birth; been there, done that, now what?

2010-04-06T21:17:00.001-06:00

Saskatoon has a wonderful ICAN chapter that supports women who have had a surgical birth and teaches others how to avoid one. With a local C-Section rate of 26% in Saskatoon so many women are looking to connect with others who understand how surgical birth affects the mother, chid and family long term.

Our local Chapter leader , Nicole Eramian , has had two Cesarean Births and holds monthly meetings to encourage others who are recovering and those who are planning a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).You can find her in the ICAN database link below, or through her own website:
Inner Strength Doula Services.

I have attached the ICAN April newsletter below for you to peruse below.

Dear friend of ICAN,

Thank you for your continued support of ICAN's mission! In honor of Cesarean Awareness Month, I invite you to do something concrete to show your commitment to moms and babies everywhere. I encourage you to become an ICAN subscriber or renew your subscription by visiting the ICAN Bookstore or contacting your local chapter today.

Cesarean Awareness Month is the perfect time to subscribe to ICAN. In addition to reduced subscription rates, we will be offering three fantastic webinars, all of which are free to ICAN subscribers:

Cesarean Scar Care in the Post-Partum Period: Sunday, April 11 at 7 pm EDT.

ICAN Birth Class: Cesarean Prevention: Tuesday, April 20 at 9 pm EDT

ICAN Birth Class: Journey to VBAC, date TBA

We also encourage you to join us for an ICAN meeting live, online on Thursday, April 15 at 9 pm EDT.

As always, ICAN subscribers also receive the Clarion, ICAN's quarterly print newsletter and discounts to the ICAN Bookstore and the ICAN Conference. Professional subscribers enjoy a free listing on ICAN's Professional Subscriber Network, and Childbearing Years and Lifetime subscribers will receive a special mention in the next Clarion. Subscribers who participate in our online forums also receive public recognition by means of special ribbons every time they post.

ICAN is an all-volunteer organization working tirelessly to improve maternal-child health. Through the financial support of our subscribers, we have been able to:Provide support through over 130 chapters in the US, Canada and around the world, through our 1-800 number and through our online forums

Provide evidence-based information through our website

Increase awareness of cesarean and VBAC issues through our blog and social networking sites.

Offer live, interactive online webinars to educate health care consumers and professionals

Send ICAN representatives to our nation's capital to bring light to insurance discrimination due to cesarean as a "pre-existing condition"

Send ICAN representatives to conferences around the US to raise awareness of cesarean and VBAC issues

Thank you again for your support. Please let us know how you will be honoring Cesarean Awareness Month by sending an email to feedback@ican-online.org.

Warmly,

Desirre Andrews

ICAN President

www.ican-online.org

Plan E: A Birth Story

2010-03-27T22:57:00.002-06:00

Hi Lisa!

We have a beautiful baby girl named Cecilia Anne!! She is a pipsqueak and weighed just 6 lbs 4 oz. She was born on March 12, three days before my scheduled c-section.

Here's my story (the longish version) :

I went into labor at 1:30 am on March 12th. My water broke, but just in a tiny trickle (I went up to go to the washroom and was so tired that I wasn't sure if I was imaging things or not - seriously, there was just the tiniest trickle). I was having some contractions which were irregular, and felt like the cramps I used to get as a teenager. Uncomfortable but somewhat painful, but nothing crazy, I called Ros and talked to her. I was pretty sure I was pushing the panic button so I tried to go back to sleep or at least rest, in case I was in early labor. Contractions were still irregular, but I had a couple of batches that were quite close together and my water continued to break in small trickles. Mike took me to the hospital at 4:30. I was already 4 cm - oops! Guess I was in labor after all :).

The OB on call was Dr. Stewart, who does not do breech deliveries, but did train with Dr. Martel. She suggested that we wait for shift change and then Dr. Martel could do the delivery. However, she contacted Dr. Martel and unfortunately she couldn't come in due to personal reasons (she was supposed to be available). The resident did an ultrasound and the OB consulted with Martel, but baby was still not in a favourable position. So, I had a c-secction and baby arrived at 7:27 am. Boy things sure move fast at RUH. It makes your head spin. Fortunately Ros was able to join us in time for the section and was able to stay with us in recovery until she was off to see another one of her ladies who was having contractions!

We weren't able to keep much from our birth plan (basically, Mike was able to tell me the she was a girl). No to skin to skin (the OB said it's a sterile environment, so nope, and NICU said it was too cold in the OR). Ros unfurled her from her swaddle as soon as I was across the hall in recovery.

I wanted to thank you so much for your excellent classes. Mike and I both learned so much and your classes got us talking a lot about issues we never considered. We were able to prepare for our plan B (or E by my estimation), even though it was not an option we would have chosen for bringing Cecilia into the world. Not to say that I haven't had a few weepy moments about what we weren't able to do, but at the end of the day I really am okay with how things unfolded and was not traumatized by having a c-section ( as I am quite sure I would have been if it wasn't for your classes). It was also a lot less traumatic since Cecilia got to pick her birthday! It was very exciting to know that I was in labor and Cecilia was on her way to meet us. I know that a scheduled section would have been a lot more difficult for me to cope with.

Thanks again Lisa! If you ever need any testimonials for your website, please let us know!

I hope you had a good trip to the U.S. !

Keep in touch!

Gill

5 myths about Homebirth

2010-03-25T13:10:00.003-06:00

My Best Birth .com has a great post. Click here to read it.
http://www.mybestbirth.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3120006%3ABlogPost%3A56595

Much like the topic of homeschooling, when I am asked why would anyone have a homebirth, I turn the question around. "Why would anyone have a hosptal birth?"

For those of you who don't know me, I like to question the norms. Let's pull on a string and see what unravels shall we?

Believing in Birth,
Lisa

New Childbirth Education Classes!!!!

2010-02-24T13:34:00.003-06:00

Click on the image to read it:

We can create our birth experience

2010-01-28T10:24:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, having just returned from attending a birth I have a hundred things going through my mind! But what I want to share is that over and over again I see the same thing in birth. What you bring in is what you get. Let me explain.

Every birth is so individual, so special in its own right. We have the power as women to decide what the first day and moments of life for our new family will be like. What I am learning in my work with birth is that the experience is actually determined long before you feel those first twinges and tightenings. Time after time I have seen strong women prepare themselves both mentally and physically for the birth experience they dersire and then I have the pleasure of witnesssing as they achieve those goals. There seems to be at least 2 factors involved. One, these women want to own their birth experience. They are not ready to just let it happen to them, they want to see the map, check out altenate routes to the destination and even pick up some tools and skills that will make the journey easier. Secondly, they act on their desires! They ask questions, face their fears, seek out other sources of information and truly desire to do what is best for them and the child to come.

This pre- determination of your birth experience occurs whether or not you invest yourself in the process. We all carry our preconceived notions of birth, pain, and parenting, We all drag our baggage along with us. We have those terrible or joyous birth stories that we have been told by other mothers swirling through our heads. We have our own issues around self confidence and trusting that our bodies can actually do this thing it was created to do.

Regardless of how you plan, intentionally or by default, your experience will bear that out in the end. Now, I am not saying that every women can plan herself a quick, painless, effortless birth. I am also not saying that things will always go the way you have planned. What I am saying is that when you plan you can handle whatever curve balls birth might throw at you with confidence.

A huge chunk of our birth experience depends on how we mentally process the things that are happening through us and around us. Any competitive athelte will tell you, physical preparation is vitally important, but the mental stamina to complete the challenge is just as important!

The first step is finding out what you don't know about birth that could influence how you prepare and the choices you will make for your child. Start by questioning the obvious. Challenge notions that have been accepted as truth. For example: Why do we feel 'pain' in birth? Sounds like a stupid question doesn't it? But, could our experience be a reflection of our expectations? I have seen the full spectrum of responses to the work a woman's body does during birth. They have ranged from intense pleasure to out of control writhing. The factors affecting these births all seemed to lay within the mother's mind. Her responses to the work. Her ability to flow with and relax into the experience all aided the coping with 'pain'. When we are prepared for the work ahead, when we realize that the work is really coming through us. Women seem to be able to tap into an amazingly deep well of strength and focus.

I am going to be posting some birth stories and reflections from women I have worked with at some point either prenatally or during their their births as a Doula. They are filled with wisdom. I hope they will help you to start asking yourself how you need to prepare. What do you really want from your birth ? What can you do? What is within your power to control and what is not?

Welcome to the journey.

Believing in Birth,

Lisa Wass

The Other Side of the Glass -- the trailer

2010-01-27T14:06:00.002-06:00

The YouTube version of the fund raiser trailer is finished!! It is a very full ten minutes.

The other side of the glass

SO MUCH is in that ten minutes and so much yet to say! I actually am doing an 18 minute trailer that will be more inclusive, and will even be a stand-alone to just get the basic premises out there -- babies are conscious, fathers are also disempowered, it's not about where or with you give birth, but that they know that the baby is feeling and remembering the experience, so fathers must be re-trained to be protectors in the hospital.

It will be the first 18 minutes of the full film .... which will have the interviews of a wider spectrum of professionals and fathers, and will include a third birth, at home, where the caregivers do a necessary intervention, suctioning, while being conscious of the baby.

The 18 minute video is going to be available soon for a minimum donation of $15.

It is designed for women and men to present to their caregiver -- midwife, nurse, or doctor; and for childbirth educators, midwives and doctors to show to expectant men and women. It will provide the basic information men and women need to have to make birth safer -- wherever they give birth.

This final version will include the science needed to advocated for delayed cord clamping, and the science that shows when a baby needs to be suctioned and addresses other interventions. Experts in conscious parenting will teach how to be present with a sentient newborn in a conscious, gentle way -- especially when administering life-saving techniques.

The goal is to keep the baby in the mother's arms so that the baby gets all of his or her placental blood and to avoid unnecessary, violating, and abusive touch and interactions. When we do that, whether at home or hospital, with doctor or midwife, the birth is safe for the father. The "trick" for birthing men and women is how to make it happen in the hospital.

With the information in the film, a father can defend this critical need of his baby's without any doubts.

Finally, and very importantly, most of us were born surrounded by people who had no clue about how aware and feeling we were. This trailer triggers a lot of emotions for people if they have not considered the baby's needs and were not considered as a baby. The final film will include detailed and profound information about the science-based, cutting-edge therapies for healing birth trauma.

At Your Cervix: Guest Blog: Maria Rodriguez, MD, Ob/Gyn & Women's Health

2010-01-24T19:26:00.001-06:00

At Your Cervix: Guest Blog: Maria Rodriguez, MD, Ob/Gyn & Women's Health

Our 2010 Winter Schedule!

2010-01-04T09:26:00.002-06:00

Good News on Umbilical Cords !!!!

2009-12-15T20:45:00.001-06:00

Check out Gloria's blog on on of my FAVOURITE topics here

MOM NATURALLY BIRTHS 7 lbs 14 oz BABY GIRL!

2009-12-06T22:27:00.005-06:00

Let’s take a minute to recover from that thought, shall we?

Another baby girl made her grand entrance into the world on Novemeber 13th, 2008. She was born in hospital and was home three hours later. With today’s advance Health Care system, how could something like this have occurred?

Nine months prior to this delivery both her mom and dad were shocked that they were expecting another baby. After a traumatic delivery with their first child, born by caesarean section, they had not known if they would risk another pregnancy, another surgical delivery. Mom is quoted to have said ‘if I ever get pregnant again, I will have a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC), even if it means we stay at home to deliver the baby’!! The nerve! This topic has remained quite controversial among health care professionals. Some physicians have even gone as far as to suggest that first time caesarean moms schedule surgical deliveries for all subsequent births. Not this mom, she would hear nothing of it. So, as a new reporter for Confessions of a Birth-a-holic, I desperately wanted to chronicle the couple’s experience with this thing called natural birth, and a VBAC at that. How would they succeed? Here is their story…

First of all, these parents took matters into their own hands. They researched and planned for a successful VBAC delivery. How? First they made sure they understood the evidence surrounding the risks and benefits of a VBAC. They were confident in their decision that a VBAC was best for both mom and baby. After much searching, they also located a physician who would support their decision. Many of the doctors they talked with discussed a trial of labour. But this mom was not comfortable with that kind of terminology; she was focussed on a successful natural labour and delivery. Baby’s mom really felt that she had been robbed of the natural childbirth experience with her first baby, who was a footling breech and subsequent caesarean section. With this pregnancy, she was determined to welcome the marvels of womanhood through a vaginal birthing experience. Wow, I think to myself as I reflect on this ideology, the wonders of a woman.

There were many other facets involved with the preparation for the birth. In order to prepare mom for the physical and emotional challenges of labour and delivery, she took a self-instructed hypnobirthing course. That said, during labour she is quoted to have said ‘turn this s--t off’ while listening to her hypnosis CD’s. Apparently the hypnosis preparation was not as efficient as their other chosen support system, a Doula. Huh? What the heck is that you ask? I was dumbfounded upon hearing of this professional but apparently there are women experienced in childbirth who want to provide physical, emotional and informational support to mothers, before, during and after childbirth. News to me (and now you) but not news to this couple! Their Doula was hired because they knew her, liked her, admired her and trusted that she could provide them with the information and support they would require to accomplish their goal of a VBAC.

Since mom had much invested in the vaginal birth of her second child, the Doula had her work cut out for her. She knew personal details about this couple, and the mom specifically (which is a whole other story), that meant she would have to have a heightened awareness of the labour progress and when to head to the hospital. Although mom had earlier said she would rather stay at home than risk a caesarean, she also knew that, as a VBAC patient, her doctor was more comfortable with her delivering in hospital (even if they would have to get a disco ball to give mom the birth experience she so desired).

As luck would have it, baby was one-week post dates (note sarcasm here). Mom went to a doctor’s appointment only to find out that her cervix was posterior. That’s right, there was nothing…notta…zip…zero…ziltch…happening ‘down there’. This news always causes stress for a pregnant mom, since every day after d-day is a ticking time bomb to induction. Not good news for a VBAC mom. But, as luck really would have it, one hour after hearing this news, pressure waves started. Mom had a feeling that these waves were ‘it’ despite having had two previous days of what she referred to as ‘surfing the waves’. So, in response to the realization of the impending birth, mom headed to Fuddrucker’s for a last supper of sorts (it is reported that women labour more efficiently after consuming the Hawaiian Chicken Salad from Fudd’s). Several hours later, mom called her Doula to let her know that the day had arrived, it was a second coming for the mom and she was prepared! The Doula responded by checking in on the emotional state of the couple and setting up a birthing tub for mom to labour in. When mom finally decided to use the tub, she knew the Doula and her tub were God sent.

After a few hours of labouring in the shower, on the bed and in the bathroom, it was finally ‘tub time’ and mom spent four solid hours squatting in that labour tub, with her Doula and her husband never leaving her side. She had finally found her rhythm, as the Doula had counselled them she would. The entire time in the tub, her Doula provided counter pressure on her back during each contraction. Looking back, the mom has said ‘it was almost relaxing…if one can call intense, bulldozing, abdominal pain relaxing’! The Doula also whispered encouraging words and ensured the couple that things were progressing normally. Whew! What a relief to both mom and dad! And speaking of dad, he was also an amazing support during this physically and emotionally demanding task. Eyewitnesses say mom actually bit his leg or hand during some of the contractions. I think we can safely assume that the Doula was happy that she was not on the receiving end of those fangs.

As labour progressed and got more intense, the impending transfer to the hospital was inevitable. The couple desperately wanted to labour at home for as long as possible, in order to avoid unnecessary medical intervention, but they still wanted to deliver in hospital. Time was of the essence and this couple completely trusted their Doula to know when to leave and how to get mom, so far progressed in labour, out of the tub, into the car and to the hospital. And the Doula did. She knew exactly when it was time; she remained calm and supportive while they relocated. They arrived at the hospital 10 cm dilated. Hooray! Mission accomplished. Ah…no…wait…she still had to actually deliver the baby!

Being at the hospital was a whole new experience that required additional support from the Doula. I mean, who makes these hospital policies where the husband is meant to wait in line to fill out forms, whilst a mom in need of physical and emotional support stands alone? Thank goodness for the Doula, who never left the birthing mom’s side. Not to mention, it might have been a bit awkward for a woman to be alone, wearing only a T-shirt and boots in the hallway, leaning over a wheelchair, moaning and groaning. Then again, this is the ER, so maybe not.

Once the paperwork was completed the threesome headed for labour and delivery. This is where mom was in for a real shock. No one had ever told her that the hallway from the elevator to labour and delivery is about a 100-kilometre distance! I was also shocked when she told me. It seems unbelievable. But, I feel it is my duty to let pregnant women know, if you deliver in hospital, you will be required to pass through this extremely long hallway. It’s the only way to get there. Apparently this dad is quoted to have said ‘it doesn’t look that long’ (I believe she may have bit his hand clean off with the next contraction). Luckily, the Doula reassured them that at the end of this little hallway, they would finally reach their destination.

Upon examination by the attending physician, the parents were thrilled to hear that it was time to welcome baby into their waiting arms! They thought this would be quick and easy. The baby would arrive in 20 minutes, give or take a few and they’d be calling all their friends and family with the dirty deets of the birth. Wrong. Thank goodness for the Doula. She was a calm presence, a wealth of knowledge and a great support for the parents while baby took her sweet time descending the birth canal. When the pushing wasn’t progressing, the Doula suggested switching positions, played soothing music, provided physical support and constantly whispered encouraging words to the mother. It was the Doula, not the doctor, nurse or spouse, who eased the fears the mom had of feeling the baby crown and her fear of tearing. She reassured mom that her perineum was being protected and that when the baby crowned, she would be born. It was exactly what mom needed to hear and with the next wave, baby arrived. Finally, with the collaboration of mom, dad, doctor and the Doula, the VBAC birth was successful. Mission accomplished.

I asked this baby’s mom about her feelings on her VBAC experience and this was her response:
“I believe birth is one of the most important, life-impacting journeys a woman goes through. It was a right of passage that I longed for. I wanted to be able to experience the complete submission of myself to my body, to let go and allow my body and my baby do the job they were designed to do. I did this with the support of my husband and my Doula. This was a major accomplishment and despite that, there was no hero cookie handed to me when it was over (which was fine, I wasn’t hungry anyway). Besides, I had my supportive Doula, my proud husband to give me all the kudos I required. The only thing I’ve pondered since the birth of my baby is this, where were the news media and television crews???”

I couldn’t agree more. Woman naturally births 7 lbs 14 oz baby girl! Now that is news worthy!

( this was submitted by an amazing mom who loves to write in third person)

Natural Approaches to Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy - by Denise Tiran

2009-12-01T11:01:00.002-06:00

Originally posted on Nov 2009 on the MIDIRS WEBSITE

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is an underrated and often disregarded condition which has immense significance for the mother and her family.

Indeed, it is not simply a condition which affects only the mother, but impacts also on her partner, her children, her job and her everyday life.

The term ‘morning sickness’ is a misnomer, because whilst many women have early morning nausea on waking, due to hypoglycaemia, many continue to suffer throughout the day and even into the night. Similarly, the traditional midwifery advice that symptoms will resolve spontaneously by the beginning of the second trimester can be discouraging, for many women feel unwell for the duration of the pregnancy, and others, whose condition may have improved in the mid-trimester, may experience a return to NVP towards term as the hormones change in preparation for labour.

Midwives should be able to differentiate clearly between physiological NVP (even when it is severe) and pathological hyperemesis gravidarum. Physiological nausea occurs in up to 85% of pregnant women (Jewell & Young 2003), with approximately half of these experiencing vomiting, but pathological hyperemesis occurs only in about 2.4% of the total (Power et al 2001), or between one and 20 cases per 1000 pregnancies (Kuscu & Koyunco 2002). Hyperemesis is defined as persistent vomiting causing weight loss of more than 5kg, with dehydration requiring fluid replacement, usually in hospital (Power et al 2007). However, undervaluing mothers’ subjective accounts of NVP may contribute to increased stress and unnecessary delays in instigating the appropriate treatment, particularly when the condition becomes pathological (Munch 2000). The effects of NVP are what the mother says they are, and the dismissive attitude of many GPs and some midwives is unhelpful and unkind.

NVP is largely considered to be ‘hormonal’, but this is an easy answer to a complicated question, because many different hormones are involved. Nausea has variously been attributed to oestrogen, progesterone, chorionic gonadotrophin, thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroxine, prostaglandins, testosterone and cortisol as well as other chemicals such as serotonin 5-HT, histamine and dopamine. Vomiting is triggered by changes in the brain, gastrointestinal tract and vestibular apparatus in the ear. NVP is exacerbated by tiredness, stress and anxiety, and appears to be worse in women with a history of muscusloskeletal problems, notably back, neck or jaw conditions (Tiran 2009). However, it is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the myriad causes and predisposing factors which contribute to NVP, and readers are referred to Tiran (2003) for a more comprehensive exploration of the subject.

Lifestyle advice
There are many suggestions which midwives can offer to women with mild to moderate NVP, although, often, women will try to cope alone until the symptoms have persisted for longer than they anticipated. The ubiquitous ‘tea and dry biscuit before getting up’ regime is not always appropriate, although those who feel more nauseous when they are hungry (as on waking) will gain some short term relief from eating. Unfortunately, biscuits are not the best means of satiating hunger, because the fast-release sugar is quickly metabolised and hypoglycaemia follows, leading to a vicious circle of eating – nausea – eating, and the risk of excessive weight gain. Slow-release carbohydrates are better, including bananas, porridge, jacket potatoes, wheatgrain toast, rice crackers etc. Women should not be made to feel guilty about eating a poor diet at this time, but should be encouraged to eat whatever foods are attractive to them, and which are not vomited back.

Nausea may be exacerbated by iron, so avoiding routine ingestion of iron-containing multivitamin supplements in early pregnancy may have some effect in reducing the severity of symptoms (Gill et al 2009). Additionally, the palate tends to be very sensitive and resulting stimulation of the gag reflex triggers retching and vomiting, so attempting to swallow large tablets (such as vitamin B) is ill-advised (Koren & Pairaideau 2006); a liquid preparation such as Floradix™ may be more palatable if a mother is known to be vitamin and mineral deficient. Conversely, some authorities advocate the use of vitamin B6 as a treatment for gestational sickness (Power et al 2007), although Masino & Kahle (2002) advise caution as there is some suggestion that large doses may affect neurological development which could be permanent after fetal exposure. For women who are able to eat relatively normally, consuming foods rich in vitamin B6, such as avocado, bananas, yeast extract, wheat bran, wheat germ, sardines, mackerel, beef, poultry, brown rice, cabbage and free range eggs may help.

Rest and sleep are important to reduce fatigue and it has been shown that many women spontaneously resort to ‘napping’ (O’Brien et al 1997), although occupational commitments or dealing with other children may preclude this as a long term strategy. Any means of alleviating stress should be advised, including taking time off work or adapting working practices where possible, such as working from home. Manageable exercise and obtaining fresh air should be encouraged if the NVP is not so severe that it confines the mother to bed, and relaxation and complementary therapies can be advised (see below). It is also necessary to ensure that partners and family members appreciate the nature of the problem. Some partners become over-solicitous and fear that the NVP will be harmful to the mother or baby, athough it appears to be nature’s way of protecting the materno-fetal unit (Brown et al 1997, Huxley 2000). However most men find it difficult to cope if the NVP lasts more than a few weeks, and diplomatic counselling may be needed to assist them in dealing with the situation.

Ginger
Ginger, in the form of capsules, syrup or a tea made from the root has been shown in numerous studies to be an effective antiemetic (Ozgoli et al 2009), reducing the number of vomiting episodes and comparing favourably with vitamin B6 supplements (Ensiyeh & Sakineh 2008) and other prescribed medications (Pongrojpaw et al 2007). Ginger appears to be almost universally known as a remedy for morning sickness and is readily advocated by midwives (personal communications), despite many having insufficient information to advise women accurately and safely. Ginger is also recommended by many obstetricians (Power et al 2007) although little advice appears to be given regarding dosages and there is scant acknowledgement of the pharmacological nature of ginger, despite wide variations in the proportions of the active components in many commercially available preparations (Schwertner et al 2006). It should be remembered that ginger is a herbal medicine which works pharmacologically, with side effects such as heartburn, and that it also has the potential to interact with drugs (Marcus & Snodgrass 2005). There is evidence to suggest that ginger has anticoagulant effects, especially if taken in excessive amounts or for prolonged periods of time, a factor which may preclude its use by women with haematological conditions, those on warfarin or other drugs with anticoagulant effects, and in those suffering threatened miscarriage (Thomson et al 2002, Borrelli et al 2005, Jiang et al 2005). Mothers and midwives mistakenly believe that ginger biscuits are acceptable but, although the large amount of sugar may bring temporary relief from a rise in serum glucose, any antiemetic effect is not due to the minimal amount of ginger in a biscuit. In addition, ginger is, in Chinese medicine terms, a ‘hot’ or ‘Yang’ remedy which, if taken by a woman who is already too ‘Yang’, will only serve to increase her symptoms (Tiran & Budd 2005).

Wristbands
Commercially produced wristbands, originally intended for travel sickness, are widely available and can be very effective. They work by stimulating an acupuncture point, the Pericardium (P6) or Neiguan point, on the inner aspect of the wrist, from where an acupuncture energy line (meridian) travels through the body to rebalance internal energies to and from the heart. Stimulation of the P6 point with acupuncture needles can also be undertaken by appropriately trained professionals. There have been numerous good calibre research studies on P6 stimulation and sickness of various aetiology, including NVP (Helmreich et al 2006, Streitberger et al 2006, Shin et al 2007, Can Gürkan & Arslan 2008). Siting of the wristband, with the stimulation button directly over the precise area for the P6 point, is important as incorrect positioning will make the bands ineffective, and is one of the reasons why use of P6 stimulation may be unsuccessful in some women. Stimulation of the P6 and other relevant points may also be undertaken by an acupuncturist, but mothers should be advised to find a qualified practitioner, preferably one who is experienced in treating pregnant women.

Vestibular stimulation
NVP is triggered, and can be exacerbated by, abnormal effects on the vestibular (balancing) mechanism in the ear (Black 2002). NVP is often worse for women prone to travel sickness, and normalisation of the balancing mechanism can be a simple means of reducing the severity of symptoms. A study of women with hyperemesis gravidarum indicated that electrical stimulation of the vestibular apparatus was effective in reducing nausea and excessive vomiting (Golaszewski et al 1995), and a contemporary commercial DVD (Morningwell™) is now available from the National Childbirth Trust. This uses inaudible pulsed frequencies overlaid with music, and must be used with personal headphones so that the pulsations rebound on the vestibular apparatus in the ears. The manufacturers claim this to be 90% successful in suppressing NVP, a fact which was borne out by a small study by a midwife in Hampshire (Mayo 2001).

Relaxation complementary therapies
Relaxation therapies can be helpful in cases where the NVP is worsened by stress and psychological factors, but midwives with little knowledge of complementary therapies should be cautious when advising women about these. Aromatherapy is not always acceptable because of the dramatic changes in the woman’s sense of smell which can occur, and because many essential oils are contraindicated in pregnancy (Tiran 2001). Reflexology can be helpful when administered by an experienced and well trained therapist, but it should be noted that most reflexology training courses discourage practitioners from treating women in the first trimester. On the other hand, reflex zone therapy, practised primarily by conventional healthcare professionals including midwives, nurses and physiotherapists, can be extremely effective in reducing the severity of symptoms, in some cases completely resolving the condition (Tiran 2009). Shiatsu, given by a practitioner who is trained to treat pregnant women, can also be beneficial, and massage may appeal to some women (Agren & Berg 2006). Psychological therapies such as hypnosis may also be of use (Simon & Schwartz 1999). Often, just listening to the mother and validating her symptoms can be a relief which enhances her coping mechanisms.

Other complementary therapies
Osteopathy and chiropractic, which are ‘professions supplementary to medicine’ and whose practitioners are statutorily regulated in the same way as midwives, are safe in pregnancy and will be effective for many women with NVP, but particularly those with a history of musculoskeletal problems. Homeopathic remedies can be useful for some, but it is important that the remedy is selected carefully in accordance with the individual mother’s precise symptoms. Although many homeopathic remedies are available over-the-counter, inappropriate administration can prolong the symptoms and may exacerbate the condition. Other herbal medicines can sometimes be beneficial, but mothers are best advised to consult a qualified and experienced practitioner, rather than self-administering remedies which may not be safe during pregnancy.

Conclusion
NVP is a common physiological condition of pregnancy, but one for which the incidence appears to be growing, perhaps due to stressed lifestyles, work commitments, delay in childbearing, environmental toxins and other factors. Whilst midwives may not always see women in the first trimester and be in a position to advise them in the early stages, they frequently come into contact with mothers in later pregnancy who are still suffering. Advice about lifestyle, dietary adaptation and simple self-administration of natural remedies may be sufficient to ease the severity of symptoms in many women, and midwives can also refer women to appropriately qualified complementary practitioners. This is, however, a specialist area of midwifery practice which deserves more attention in pre-registration education and subsequently in clinical practice.

Breaking news
Ginger use during pregnancy is being questioned due to a new report from the Finnish government. Finnish authorities are warning pregnant women not to consume ginger supplements, drinks, or teas. Ginger contains chemicals that are cytotoxic in vitro. The concern is that these chemicals MIGHT be harmful if consumed in large quantities. So far, no obvious problems have been seen in pregnant women taking ginger supplements in doses of about one gram daily. Advise women not to overdo it. More is not necessarily better. Also, consider recommending pyridoxine (vitamin B6) first for morning sickness. Vitamin B6 12.5 - 25 mg three or four times daily is safe and often effective for mild nausea.

References
Agren A, Berg M (2006). Tactile massage and severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy-women's experiences. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences 20(2):169-76.

Black FO (2002). Maternal susceptibility to nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: is the vestibular system involved? American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 186(5) (Suppl):S204-9.

Borrelli F, Capasso R, Aviello G et al (2005). Effectiveness and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting. Obstetrics and Gynecology 105(4):849-56.

Brown JE, Kahn ES, Hartman TJ (1997). Profet, profits and proof: do nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy protect women from “harmful” vegetables? American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 176(1 pt 1):179-81.

Can Gürkan O, Arslan H (2008). Effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 14(1):46-52.

Ensiyeh J, Sakineh MA (2008). Comparing ginger and vitamin B6 for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a randomised controlled trial. Midwifery Feb 11. [Epub ahead of print].

Gill SK, Maltepe C, Koren G (2009). The effectiveness of discontinuing iron-containing prenatal multivitamins on reducing the severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 29(1):13-6.

Golaszewski T, Frigo P, Mark HE et al (1995). Treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum by electrostimulation of the vestibular apparatus. Zeitschrift fϋr Geburtshilfe Neonatologie 199(3):107-10 [Article in German].

Helmreich RJ, Shiao SY, Dune LS (2006). Meta-analysis of acustimulation effects on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. Explore (NY) 2(5):412-21.

Huxley RR (2000). Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: its role in placental development. Obstetrics and Gynecology 95(5):779-82.

Jewell D, Young G (2003). Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, issue 4.

Jiang X, Williams KM, Liauw WS et al (2005). Effect of ginkgo and ginger on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in healthy subjects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 59(4):425-32.

Koren G, Pairaideau N (2006). Compliance with prenatal vitamins. Patients with morning sickness sometimes find it difficult. Canadian Family Physician 52(11):1392-3.

Kuscu NK, Koyuncu F (2002). Hyperemesis gravidarum: current concepts and management. Postgraduate Medical Journal 78(916):76-9.

Marcus DM, Snodgrass WR (2005). Effectiveness and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting. Obstetrics and Gynecology 106(3):640.

Masino SA, Kahle JS (2002). Vitamin B6 therapy during childbearing years: cause for caution? Nutritional Neuroscience 5(4):241-2.

Mayo L (2001). A sound remedy? A new treatment for ‘morning sickness’. Practising Midwife 4(10):16-7.

Munch S (2000). A qualitative analysis of physician humanism: women’s experiences with hyperemesis gravidarum. Journal of Perinatology 20(8 pt 1):540-7.

O’Brien B, Relyea J, Lidstone T (1997). Diary reports of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Clinical Nursing Research 6(3):239-52.

Ozgoli G, Goli M, Simbar M (2009). Effects of ginger capsules on pregnancy, nausea, and vomiting. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 15(3):243-6.

Pongrojpaw D, Somprasit C, Chanthasenanont A (2007). A randomized comparison of ginger and dimenhydrinate in the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 90(9):1703-9.

Power ML, Holzman GB, Schulkin J (2001). A survey on the management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy by obstetricians/gynecologists. Primary Care Update for Obs/Gyns 8(2):69-72.

Power ML, Milligan LA, Schulkin J (2007). Managing nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a survey of obstetrician-gynecologists. Journal of Reproductive Medicine 52(10):922-8.

Schwertner HA, Rios DC, Pascoe JE (2006). Variation in concentration and labeling of ginger root dietary supplements. Obstetrics and Gynecology 107(6):1337-43.

Shin HS, Song YA, Seo S (2007). Effect of Nei-Guan point (P6) acupressure on ketonuria levels, nausea and vomiting in women with hyperemesis gravidarum. Journal of Advanced Nursing 59(5):510-9.

Simon EP, Schwartz J (1999). Medical hypnosis for hyperemesis gravidarum. Birth 26(4):248-54.

Streitberger K, Ezzo J, Schneider A (2006). Acupuncture for nausea and vomiting: an update of clinical and experimental studies. Autonomic Neuroscience 129(1-2):107-17.

Thomson M, Al-Qattan KK, Al-Sawan SM et al (2002). The use of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) as a potential anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic agent. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 67(6):475-8.

Tiran D (2001). Clinical aromatherapy for pregnancy and childbirth. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Tiran D (2003). Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: an integrated approach to care. London: Elsevier Science.

Tiran D, Budd S (2005). Ginger is not a universal remedy for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 15(3):335-9.

Tiran D (2009). Reflexology for pregnancy and childbirth: a definitive guide for healthcare professionals. Edinburgh: Elsevier Science.

Denise Tiran is Director of ‘Expectancy’, the leading provider of professional education on safety of complementary therapies in pregnancy and childbirth. She would be interested to hear from midwives who would like to consider training to become Expectancy registered ‘morning sickness’ consultants.

2009-11-25T13:51:00.002-06:00

After three days and three nights on a gentle journey, Daniel emerged. He opened his eyes and bathed in the silence and awe shared by all who were present. Home is where your story begins....welcome.

Science & Sensibility » umbilical cord clamping

2009-11-20T08:40:00.002-06:00

Fascinating interview with a researcher who has been demonstrating that babies do better in life if they get time to change over from womb breathing to room breathing with their "life line" intact.

Source: www.scienceandsensibility.org
Consider the Source is a new series of interviews with prominent researchers working to improve the health outcomes of women and infants around the time of childbirth.

Prevention is best during flu season

2009-11-19T16:26:00.002-06:00

Dear friends,

As we approach flu season, it is good to be reminded of ways to prevent it. There are better ways to prevent the flu than being vaccinated. Check out the following points to keep yourself and your family in good health during this winter season.
1. AVOID ALL SUGAR
This means to not only refrain from sugar, but all foods containing sugar, which are most foods on the shelves of the supermarket. Read labels very carefully. In fact, when you read the labels first, will find that you will have to put most foods back on the shelf.

Sugar makes a perfect environment for viruses. Sugar completely destroys your immune system. It destroys the germ-killing ability of white bloods cells to kill bacteria and viruses up to five hours after intake. It interferes with the transport of vitamin C which is needed to fight the flu and robs the body of nutrients such as zinc that are vital for the immune function.

Sugar affects everyone, but has more serious consequences for children. Keep your children away from all sugar and especially when flu viruses are around. That means at Christmas time too!

Also, please reduce carbs as they turn to sugar in your body. Especially eliminate all whites--not only white sugar, but white flour, white pasta and white rice. Completely eradicate pop and sweet teas. I refuse to have sugar in my pantry.

2. BUILD UP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
The stronger your immune system, the less likelihood of getting the flu or any disease.

Here are some ideas for building up your immune system for you and your children. You can do what suits you best--or do them all!

My daughter, Serene, who has eight children, gives herself and the children the following once a day or more as needed.

COLD AND FLU FIGHTER
½ cup chopped onion
A whole bulb of chopped garlic
2 TBS chopped fresh ginger root
1 chopped jalapeño

Put all ingredients in a quart jar, cover with raw vinegar and let sit 4 - 6 weeks. Strain out vegetables and use 2 TBS. or more each day. If you do get a cold or the flu, take every hour. Serene gives her children 1 TBS. each day as a preventative.

VITAMIN C
1, 000 mg morning and evening

GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT
Give children three drops in water once a week. If you notice any signs of flu or colds in the family, give three drops in water once a day. Adults should take 10 - 15 drops in water at the slightest sign of a cold or flu. You can obtain this extract at a health food shop.

TODDLER MIX
To make it easier for toddlers to take these vitamins, mix the following:
1 TBS. or more of yogurt (no sugar added)
Crushed Vitamin C tablet, smaller dosage for toddler
Juice of ½ orange
2 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract
Stevia for sweetening
Mix together and give to toddler as needed.

VITAMIN D3
1,000 mg each morning to children
1,000 each morning and evening for adults. Most adults need much more than this. The consensus is that anything up to 5,000 mg a day is safe and beneficial for most people. After a hydroxyl test, most people find they need more than this. The optimum levels for the body are 60 - 90 ml. Vitamin D builds the immune system and also fights cancer.

COCONUT OIL
This is a marvelous food that builds up the body's own natural defenses against viral infections, disease and cancer. Take as much as you can each day. You can't take too much. Use the Extra Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil for medicinal use. Put 1 TBS. or more in your smoothies. Use it for all your cooking instead of other oils. You can use Expeller Pressed for cooking.

If there are any signs of flu in even one of the children, Serene gets her children to take a banana and dip it into coconut oil (about 2 TBS coconut oil). This is an easy way for the children to eat it. You can also get the children to put the coconut oil behind their ears and massage it into their lymph glands and also in their nose.

Use coconut way every way you can. Use it for all cooking instead of other oils. To try some delectable recipes with Coconut Butter (it is called butter when it is cold and goes hard, and oil when it is soft in the summer or heated) you can order COCONUT RECIPES by Serene Allison from the Above Rubies website: www.aboverubies.org

RED PALM OIL
This is another super oil. I only use Coconut oil or Red Palm oil for cooking in our home. Every other oil turns to Trans fat when it is heated. Not only are these safe oils to cook with, but they add many nutrients to your body. Both Coconut oil and Red Palm oil strengthen the immune system.

You can put a little Red Palm oil in your smoothies. My husband spreads it on his bread, but I have to admit, I cannot take it that way. But use it as much as you can in your cooking. The following is a smoothie recipe to try:

Ginger Sunrise
2 fresh oranges
2 lemons, peeled with knife, removing yellow rind, but keeping the white pith
1 - 2 bananas (great for children, eliminate for adults as fattening)
2 TBS. Red Palm Oil
1 large handful of flax seeds or chia seeds
2 TBS. Coconut oil
2 chunks fresh raw ginger (about 1")
Sweetening - Stevia
Ice cubes
Blend very well in Vita Mix or good blender until smooth.

TO ORDER COCONUT OIL AND RED PALM OIL:

Also www.TheHomeGrownFamily.com
Charity Callis, Toll Free: 1 877 841 2861

Go to http://www.rainforestcoconutoil.com/ and check out their website.
Email: rainforestmkt@gmail.com  Toll Free: 877-558-5518

To find out more about these immune boosting oils, check out THE PALM OIL MIRACLE and THE COCONUT OIL MIRACLE by Bruce Fife.

3. SLEEP
There is nothing like lack of sleep to run down your immune system. Sleep and a healthy diet are your best preventatives against the flu and colds. Make sure you have adequate sleep, especially during flu season. Try to get to bed early.

I grew up with the old wives' tale that the hours of sleep before midnight are the most beneficial. Science has now proved this adage, although I must admit I have broken the rule most of my life. I am now trying to go to bed earlier. The plan is to go to bed no later than 10.00 pm--9.00 pm is even better.

Staying up much later than 10.00 pm causes your adrenal glands to make cortisol. This is taxing on the adrenal gland and can lead to adrenal fatigue. Does this sound too hard? It is actually better for your health, and you will accomplish just as much by getting up earlier in the morning. And remember, I am preaching to myself!

4. OTHER PREVENTATIVES
I have a friend who uses the following for her family. The taste is wonderful.

ELDERBERRY COLD AND FLU FIGHTER SYRUP
½ cup elderberries (check the Internet for dried elderberries)
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 TBS grated fresh root ginger
2 cups water
Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Add ½ cup honey. Store in refrigerator. Take 2 TBS. each day to prevent colds and flu. If you have the flu, take every hour. This recipe only keeps two weeks in the fridge so you will need to make a fresh batch every two weeks.

CHOPPED GARLIC
Any easy fighter is to chop up 1 or 2 garlic cloves very, very finely. Pop in your mouth and swallow before you have a chance to taste the flavor or imbibe the smell. This is an easy and wonderful way to fight the flu. I find this simple and effective.

THIEVES OIL
Many folk use the following Natural Antibiotic Recipe using Young Living Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils. Here is the recipe from Quick Reference Guide for Using Essential Oils, compiled by Connie and Alan Higley, 10th edition.

12 drops Thieves Oil
6 drops Oregano Oil
2 drops Frankincense Oil
Put drops in a "00" size capsule and ingest one capsule every 4 hours for 3 days, then every 8 hours for 4 days.

To purchase oils, go to Amazon.com

BURIED TREASURE - ACF (Acute Cold and Flu Formula)
This is highly effective for fighting colds. You can purchase it as your local health food store or online. Our daughter, Pearl, always has it on hand for use at the first sign of a sniffle.

HORSERADISH

Horseradish root is a powerful antibiotic and useful for fighting the flu, as well as urinary tract infections and even cancer. I have just harvested the roots from m y garden and am getting ready to prepare it as a sauce and to use in other recipes. Check the Internet for all kinds of wonderful recipes.

Prepare the following to use as needed. Slice or chunk the horseradish root, place in blender and grind, adding small amounts of vinegar for a good consistency, about 1 TBS vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar) to 1 cup horseradish. The vinegar preserves the horseradish and enhances the flavor. Vinegar stops the heat-building enzyme activity that grinding causes. If you want hotter horseradish, wait before adding the vinegar. Adding the vinegar right away will make the horseradish milder.

Horseradish will take your breath away, bring tears to your eyes, but at the same time clear all your sinuses, help ward off the flu and make you feel great!

You can add 1 TBS. of horseradish to your coleslaw or even to your meat loaf you are preparing.

CUT AN ONION
This is another old wives' tale that I grew up with, but I still do it and believe it works. If someone gets a cold or flu in the house, I cut an onion in half and put it in a strategic place. Supposedly the germs go to the onion. If my husband has a sniffle, I cut an onion and put half by his side of the bed and half by my side of the bed. He complains of the smell but puts up with it!

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
A lot of germs come through the ears. As a preventative, pour a little Hydrogen Peroxide in the ear. I love to feel it bubbling in my ear. Do it once a week (perhaps on the weekend), one night in one ear and the next night in the other. I find it easier to do it this way as the peroxide doesn't run out from one ear when pouring it in the other ear.

THYM-UVOCAL
An herb which strengthens the immune system and fights off infections. Check the Internet for purchase. Adults only.

5. WASH HANDS FREQUENTLY
Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, especially before eating. Wash under running water for 20 seconds or sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY while washing. It is most important to train your children to do this.

6. DO NOT TOUCH EYES, NOSE OR MOUTH
I find myself doing this and am having to get into the habit of not rubbing my eyes, mouth or nose. Teach your children about this also.

7. NETI POT
Check the Internet for a Neti Pot to clear nose and sinuses.

8. AVOID FLU VACCINATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE H1N1 SWINE FLU VACCINATION
The H1N1 vaccination has many dangers. Check out more information before allowing yourself and your family to become a victim to these shots.

Squalene
The Swine Flu Vaccine, unlike other flu vaccines, contains squalene, an additive which when introduced into the bloodstream, causes crippling auto-immune diseases like Lou Gehrig's disease, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Squalene in vaccines has been strongly connected to the Gulf War Syndrome. The H1N1 vaccine contains 1 million times more squalene than the vaccine given to Gulf War soldiers (which resulted in 140,000 veterans contracting the auto-immune disease Gulf War Syndrome). The use of squalene is illegal in the USA and UK but is being allowed under the emergency pandemic decree. Dr. Russell Blaylock states, "If you receive the vaccine, there is little you can do to protect yourself--at least by conventional medicine. It will mean a lifetime of crippling illness and early death."

The US government has given vaccine manufacturers (Novartis, Baxter, Glaxo-Smithkline, CSL) complete legal immunity from any deaths or injuries resulting from their vaccines.

If you are interested you could check out some of the following sites which are listed below.

Internet sites to check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8riAeGh48U

http://www.naturalnews.com/027222_swine_flu_flu_vaccine_swine_flu_vaccine.html

http://www.medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/what-they-dont-tell-you-about-vaccination-dangers-can-kill-you-or-ruin-your-life.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/01/Swine-Flu-Shot-Linked-to-Killer-Nerve-Disease.aspx

http://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/h1n1-swine-flu.aspx

http://swineflu.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/08/Another-Shocking-Warning-About-Swine-Flu-Vaccine.aspx

http://www.medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/swine-flu-and-the-swine-flu-vaccine.html

http://www.medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/flu-vaccine-exposed.html

http://www.without-consent.com/

http://www.openureyes.org.nz/blog/?q=node/2280

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14851

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/24/CBS-Reveals-that-Swine-Flu-Cases-Seriously-Overestimated.aspx

http://www.nvic.org

http://vran.org

http://www.PandemicFluOnline.com

http://www.vaclib.org

http://www.mercola.com

A Doula : The MUST HAVE for Expecting Parents

2009-10-20T09:35:00.001-06:00

A Doula : The MUST HAVE for Expecting Parents

What NOT to read

2009-10-14T14:42:00.001-06:00

What Not To Read
Posted by Nicole D on her fabulous blog
Read Time: 7 minutes

You know that show "What Not to Wear"? Well, this is my version of that show... only it's a blog post, not a TV show... and it's about reading material, not clothes... ... ...Every "Don't Read" is explained and critiqued in detail, and then I provide three alternate options for "Instead Read". These three alternatives are broken down into three sub-categories: Citizen (for the average Joanne, safe to give at a baby shower without offending), Seeker (for the one who is definitely looking into her options but not sure what she wants), and Sold (she knows, she has researched, she is a proactive consumer, it's hard to offend this chic).So, without further ado, I give you WHAT NOT TO READ:DON'T READ: What to Expect When You Are Expecting - while learning to crawl, my second-born found and proceeded to rip every page out of my copy of WTEWYAE. She had the right idea. This book is chock full of enough scare-tactics and medical promotions to frighten and confuse any mama-to-be right into a panic attack (if not premature labor). I have never seen so many women turned into anxious balls of nervous wreckage after reading this book. Although it contains a lot of relevant educational material, it is delivered in such a way that women are not brought into that knowledge in an empowering and positive way; but instead leads women to believe that there are so many cautions, tests, deviations, and alternatives that something is bound to happen, just wait. Empower and educate, it does not. There are many better options.INSTEAD READ:
(Citizen) Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth - Miriam Stoppard compiled this easy to read walk through of everything from ovulation to breastfeeding. Filled with beautiful photographs and illustrations, it is user-friendly and educational. She treats pregnancy as beautiful, normal, and natural - allowing women to look at themselves in awe. The sections on birth provide step by step information on the stages as well as coping techniques/positions and possible interventions.
(Seeker) Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn - Penny Simkin co-authors this book, which is a much more thorough and in-depth educational piece than it's counterpart above. It deals much more with variations, interventions, medications, and the like while also continuing to provide this information in a non-threatening, non-frightening light. She remains factual without becoming intimidating or sentimental. Some key components that make this a great book: the role of the birth partner, charts on interventions/risks/benefits, and emotional and physical landmarks of pregnancy/labor/birth and postpartum.
(Sold) Having a Baby, Naturally - This book is similar to the two above, without the illustrations and photographs of the first and without the non-biased POV (they explain, in detail, their slant and reasoning for natural) of the second. This book is a great companion for homebirth mamas or women who are already more 'crunchy-minded'. In particular, I love that they devote a full section to the expectant father. This is a GREAT resource for natural pregnancy, birth, and parenting, but only for those who are already set on that path.DON'T READ: Planning for Pregnancy Birth and Beyond - basic. boring. Those are the two key words I can come up with for this particular book. It is written to be very hospital/intervention/test-friendly, giving you lots of good topics, but very hospital childbirth class-like advice. It is written like a text book and not very easy of a reference. PFPB&B definitely writes from the model of pregnancy as a medical condition/event.INSTEAD READ:
(Citizen) The Pregnancy Book - Similar to my review below, this book is an easy read, never talking over their audience, but providing practical, fun, medical, and optional information in a month by month setting. It is a good pregnancy guide, but when it comes to birth, I defer to my recommendations below.
(Seeker) The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth - A very in-depth look at interventions, medications, and birth, as well as a hard look at the obstetrical system, this book dissects the medical research to give sound, well-rounded information. This book can be hard to digest, but arms women with an arsenal of information to make informed decisions on just about everything they might encounter during labor and birth.
(Sold) Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering - Written by Dr. Sarah J Buckley, this book is fully balanced with information on intuitive birthing and parenting, and evidence-based birthing and parenting. She takes the best of maternal/ancestral wisdom and medical/research wisdom and combine the two to give an insightful look into gentle birth and gentle mothering.DON'T READ: Easy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth - although the authors give well-rounded information on both the medical and non-medical means of pain relief for labor and birth, I felt it was a bit of an overplay on how painful labor and birth was - revisiting pain repeatedly, over-sensationalizing it. They also downplay the risks and side effects of epidurals, while also downplaying the effectiveness of alternate comfort measures; which, as a result, champions medical pain relief options. End result, "Hi, birth is painful, REALLY painful. Non-medical pain relief is ok, but man, just you wait, yer going to want your epidural".INSTEAD READ:
(Citizen) Your Best Birth - Ricki Lake's new book, YBB gives great advise on options, all your options, in a non-biased, non-confrontational way. She presents all concepts of labor and birth, including choosing your doctor or midwife, your birthplace, writing a birth plan, and how to become a proactive consumer in your healthcare. It is not as in-depth as some of the other books, but it definitely gets women thinking, just like her informational documentary, "The Business of Being Born"
(Seeker) The Birth Book - Dr. William Sears gives you the good, the bad, the ugly, the best - all in very readable format and without the scare tactics. He gives you the options as well as the risks and benefits of each - no sugar coating it. There is adequate information on various childbirth options, plenty of birth stories to peruse, and no lack of information - this book helps women to become educated to their options without having an obvious bias, treating them as individual's, proactive consumers in their own healthcare options.
(Sold) Birthing From Within - Pam England outlines a childbirth preparation by means of discovery; viewing childbirth as a journey, an opportunity to tap into a new woman, the mother. She teaches that, through self discovery, letting go of birth baggage, and learning about the emotional journey of childbirth, a woman can have a truly fulfilling birth experience. This is put on my Sold list as it can come across as rather hippy-liberal.DON'T READ: The Best Birth: Your Guide to the Safest, Healthiest, and Most Satisfying Labor and Delivery - I can honestly not find one good thing to say about this book. She poo-poos on any birth except a hospital, Obstetrician assisted birth, she touts that the only thing that the medical community is interested in is a healthy mom and baby, the book is extrememly post-modernistic, idolizes the medical community as 'doctor know's best', and seeks to undermine the assistance of a doula or other childbirth professional stating that 'you already have the only doula you need' (she wastes a whole section on why she would NOT recommend a doula - calling them trendy). She teaches that childbirth methods (goals, plans, preparation) only lead to guilt and miss sight of the real goal: a healthy mom and baby. Though I agree with her end-goal, our path to get there is completely different. She teaches abdication and compliance to hospital policy rather than research and becoming your own informed, educated, proactive consumer.INSTEAD READ:
(Citizen) The Official Lamaze Guide - written in a similar vein to Natural Childbirth The Bradley Way, this book differs in that it focuses a great deal on birth when allowed to unfold naturally, how to encourage that, what can disrupt that, Lamaze coping techniques, and how to assimilate personal strengths/traits into the birthing room.
(Seeker) Natural Childbirth The Bradley Way - Susan McCutcheon writes this book in a way that some consider it a childbirth preparation class without the classroom. It outlines the reasons for a natural birth, the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, labor, and birth, the emotional as well as physical signposts of labor and birth, and teaches a number of relaxation techniques and positions for labor and birth, all while encouraging husband's to be active participants and assistants.
(Sold) Ina May's Guide To Childbirth - Ina May challenges the cultural assumption that childbirth is a medical, frightening, and painful experience by providing a whole section of amazing childbirth stories that turn your preconceived notions on their heads. In addition, she gives honest, effective, and logical instruction, without getting methodical, on ways to help progress and assist in the labor and birthing process. Other Great Reads:Birth - the Surprising History of How We Were Born Birth as an American Rite of Passage The Birth Partner Immaculate Deception A Child Is Born Spiritual Midwifery Heart and Hands Supernatural Childbirth The Joy of Natural Childbirth Active Birth Gentle Birth Choices The Lord of BirthAnd there you have it - my official "What Not To Read" list, with alternatives - of course. I look forward to your own critiques as well in the comments and feel free to share with others.

Rising C-section rate worries physicians

2009-10-09T14:26:00.002-06:00

Rising C-section rate worries physicians

Shared via AddThis

Home birth with midwife as safe as hospital birth- Canadian Study!

2009-08-31T15:28:00.003-06:00

Updated Mon. Aug. 31 2009 12:51 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Giving birth at home with a midwife present is as safe as a hospital delivery accompanied by a doctor, suggests a new Canadian study, which found home births were associated with fewer adverse outcomes for both mother and baby.
The study, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, analyzed nearly 2,900 planned home births in British Columbia that were attended by regulated midwives, more than 4,700 planned hospital births attended by the same midwives and more than 5,300 hospital births attended by physicians.
The research found that women who had a planned home birth had a lower risk of having to undergo obstetric interventions such as electronic fetal monitoring, epidural, assisted vaginal delivery and caesarean section, and adverse outcomes such as hemorrhage and infection. More...

Chase's Birth Story

2009-07-02T14:00:00.002-06:00

Hi Lisa,

I just wanted to send a quick note to let you & Kari know how things went with the birth of baby Chase and also to thank you so much for all of the support offered through the Birth Rhythm & Labour Instensive classes!

Last Friday, I was about to get ready to pick up some things for the baby's arrival when lo & behold, my water breaks!

So, we quickly pack some things (we had nothing ready, as we weren't due until July 7th) and head on over to the hospital. In a rush, I forgot a few of my "must have" things - my birth plan & my relaxation cd's. Once I was checked out by the resident, I was told that I would need to be induced (which was my personal "worst case scenario"). But after thinking about it, I figured if that's the way it was going to be, it didn't really matter as long as I had a healthy baby. That said, I was very happy that when the attending physician came to check on me around 6pm, she told me I wouldn't have to worry about being induced until the morning, and it was pretty likely that I would go into labour on my own.

So, I had a nap early that evening and around 7 began wandering the hospital. I headed back to my room around 9pm, only to be greeted by the nurse, asking me if I needed any pain medication to help me sleep. I told her no, that I was fine & continued to wander around the labour assessment hallway. Not long after that, I was finally starting to feel a bit crampy, so during the contractions I would assume one of the positions learned in Labour Intensive and occasionally get a back rub from my husband to work through it.

A little bit later, I stopped by the nurse's station to let them know that the contractions were becoming a bit more intense and closer together. Once again being offered pain medication, I simply refused & told the nurse that I would continue walking the halls. That went on for a while until the contractions got to the point where I told my husband that I didn't know what to do to help myself, so stopped by the nurse's station and was asked if I wanted pain meds or to try the shower.

Of course, I had opted for the shower which helped for the first little while and then the contractions had gotten to the point where I really had to "let it out". Since the shower wasn't helping anymore, I decided to head back to my room and talk to the nurses again.

But, the nurse got to my room before me and asked if I wanted some pain meds (notice the theme?) and to get checked. I refused the medication once again & agreed that I should get checked out. Once I laid on the bed, the pain got so intense that I finally told my husband "I don't think that I can do this without an epidural!"...turns out that I was almost fully dilated!

At around 12:15am, I got moved into the birthing room and in the moment, completely through my birth-plan out the window (I had meant to ask if I could deliver in any position, but the sitting/stirrup position, but it completely slipped my mind). When Brandon left the room, I recall saying to the nurse "I didn't want an epidural, but I think I want one now!". She said to wait & see as I would be getting checked again and it was probably too late. Sure enough, I was down to my last few contractions and they had brought me nitrous oxide to see if it helped.

In the end, I did decide to try it for a couple of contractions, but I think it only really helped because I was able to get my breathing back in control. Once I was ready to get pushing, things went really well and I gave birth to the most perfect, beautiful & alert baby girl at 1:25am on June 27th.

Even though I had deflected from my original idea of the "perfect" birthing, I wouldn't change a thing, as to me THIS WAS the perfect birthing. That said, I do think that if we have a second child, we will definitely be hiring a doula. As much as I got lost in the moment, Brandon did as well. He once had said that he wasn't going to actually watch the birth happen, but in the end, he was too in awe to do much more than dab my face with a cold cloth (fortunately, our team of dr's & nurse's were really good cheerleaders!).

For me, I think that the classes I took from you & Kari played a big role in making this happen. Not only did I learn the coping techniques, but more than anything, I had walked into the hospital without any fear.

I'm assuming that the nurses didn't really panic while I was in assessment, because I was so calm through it all. Even after the baby was born, one of the nurse's had commented on how laid back we were in our rooms, while some of the other new parents were stressed like crazy!

I've been recommending your classes to everyone that I know and will continue to do so, as I found that they were an amazing support!

thanks again!

Amy Derbowka

New research points to damage caused by C-sections

2009-07-02T09:41:00.001-06:00

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629081443.htm

C-section Births Cause Genetic Changes That May Increase Odds For Developing Diseases In Later Life
ScienceDaily (June 29, 2009) — Swedish researchers have discovered that babies born by Caesarean section experience changes to the DNA pool in their white blood cells, which could be connected to altered stress levels during this method of delivery, according to the July issue of Acta Paediatrica.

It is thought that these genetic changes, which differ from normal vaginal deliveries, could explain why people delivered by C-section are more susceptible to immunological diseases such as diabetes and asthma in later life, when those genetic changes combine with environmental triggers.

Blood was sampled from the umbilical cords of 37 newborn infants just after delivery and then three to five days after the birth. It was analysed to see the degree of DNA-methylation in the white blood cells - a vital part of the immune system.

This showed that the 16 babies born by C-section exhibited higher DNA-methylation rates immediately after delivery than the 21 born by vaginal delivery. Three to five days after birth, DNA-methylation levels had dropped in infants delivered by C-section so that there were no longer significant differences between the two groups.

“Delivery by C-section has been associated with increased allergy, diabetes and leukaemia risks” says Professor Mikael Norman, who specialises in paediatrics at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. “Although the underlying cause is unknown, our theory is that altered birth conditions could cause a genetic imprint in the immune cells that could play a role later in life.

“That is why we were keen to look at DNA-methylation, which is an important biological mechanism in which the DNA is chemically modified to activate or shut down genes in response to changes in the external environment. As the diseases that tend to be more common in people delivered by C-section are connected with the immune system, we decided to focus our research on early DNA changes to the white blood cells.”

The authors point out that the reason why DNA-methylation is higher after C-section deliveries is still unclear and further research is needed.

“Animal studies have shown that negative stress around birth affects methylation of the genes and therefore it is reasonable to believe that the differences in DNA-methylation that we found in human infants are linked to differences in birth stress.

“We know that the stress of being born is fundamentally different after planned C-section compared to normal vaginal delivery. When babies are delivered by C-section, they are unprepared for the birth and can become more stressed after delivery than before. This is different to a normal vaginal delivery, where the stress gradually builds up before the actual birth, helping the baby to start breathing and quickly adapt to the new environment outside the womb.”

The authors point out that the surgical procedure itself may play a role in DNA-methylation and that factors other than the delivery method need to be explored in more detail.

“In our study, neonatal DNA-methylation did not correlate to the age of the mother, length of labour, birth weight and neonatal CPR levels - proteins that provide a key marker for inflammation” says Professor Norman. “However, although there was no relation between DNA-methylation and these factors, larger studies are needed to clarify these issues.”

Professor Norman states that the Karolinska study clearly shows that gene-environment interaction through DNA-methylation is more dynamic around birth than previously known.

“The full significance of higher DNA-methylation levels after C-section is not yet understood, but it may have important clinical implications” he says.

“C-section delivery is rapidly increasing worldwide and is currently the most common surgical procedure among women of child-bearing age. Until recently, the long-term consequences of this mode of delivery had not been studied. However, reports that link C-section deliveries with increased risk for different diseases in later life are now emerging. Our results provide the first pieces of evidence that early ‘epigenetic’ programming of the immune system may have a role to play.”

The authors feel that their discovery could make a significant contribution to the ongoing debate about the health issues around C-section deliveries.

“Although we do not know yet how specific gene expression is affected after C-section deliveries, or to what extent these genetic differences related to the mode of delivery are long-lasting, we believe that our findings open up a new area of important clinical research” concludes lead author Titus Schlinzig, a research fellow at the Karolinska Institutet.

How to treat vaginal problems

2009-06-23T16:58:00.000-06:00

How to treat vaginal problems with a clove of garlic

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/garlic.asp I love this article about using garlic to treat yeast infections or GBS. It's written by a CNM and she makes the point that simple treatments like this won't be studied because there's no profit incentive. The women can Facebook it tho, right...

Julie's Birth Story

2009-06-21T09:22:00.002-06:00

Hi Lisa,

I wanted to share my birth story with you and Kari and to thank you both for all
the support and preparation Tony and I received during the birth rhythms and
labour intensive classes.

I went to bed after my yoga class on Monday June 8th and woke up at 3:30am in
labour. When I realized I was really in labour I had a moment of panic ("I
can't do this" "I'm not strong enough") and then I remembered all the women I
knew who had taken this journey before me and I let go of all fear. The rest of
the day was transcendently peaceful! I slept on and off between contractions
throughout the night and then got up at 7am to begin my more focused journey.
Tony and I walked around the neighborhood and then around the birthing pool
throughout the day - I must have walked about 50 miles by the end of the day
:-) Walking was definitely the ritual that was working for me. Between each
"expansion," I was able to focus on returning to my "baseline" and felt as
though I entered more and more into labourland as the day progressed. At around
5:30pm walking just no longer seemed to work, so I entered the birthing pool!
The waters brought such relief - in all my life I've never felt such a
wonderful feeling! I began pushing at around 6pm and through deep moans and
even some powerful growls, I gave birth to a beautiful son at 7:26pm!

I can't even express to you how grateful I am for all the preparation Tony and I
did and received. I was able to trust myself, trust the process, and connect
with my baby. In doing so, I birthed him with a profound sense of trust and
love.

Thanks to you both!

Julie.

Eating Healthy during pregnancy

2009-06-21T08:26:00.005-06:00





Eating healthy During Pregnancy At the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia they were researching to see if what the mother ate affected the lifelong food and flavour preferences in their babies. Dr Mennella had a group made up of pregnant and nursing mothers drink carrot juice every day. Once eating food the children who were exposed to the taste of carrots through the amniotic fluid or breast milk were much keener on carrots than those whose mothers had not drunk carrot juice! A similar study was then done on peaches and found the same result. Read More...

Meet the Doulas Open House!

2009-06-09T13:40:00.003-06:00

June 17th, 8-10 pm
502 Main St.
Saskatoon

Birth Rhythm Doula Services welcomes you to our casual gathering and viewing of the new documentary by Marshall Klaus, a world renowned researcher: " The First Hour of Life." " We now know that the first hour and a half are what one calls a 'sensitive period' for a certain number of processes to take place and for bonding to begin. This is a precious time that cannot be repeated."

No RSVP required. All expectant families or curious welcome.

Birth Trauma Resources

2009-05-18T13:19:00.001-06:00

Sharon Storton

Sheila Kitzinger’s Birth Crisis Network

Penny Simkin

Trauma and Birth Stress

International Cesarean Awareness Network

Harmony Birth Resource Center

Blossom Birth Resource Center

We Can Be Much Kinder

2009-05-12T16:39:00.003-06:00

Watch this short video for a discussion about cord clamping and other moment of birth interventions...here

Spring Programs

2009-04-14T14:56:00.001-06:00

Baby Sign Language

Join me for this fun and interactive program using stories, songs, finger plays and rhymes that will help you and your child communicate through Sign Language before your child can speak. For Ages birth – 2 years

Tuesdays, April 28, 2008 (6wks); 10:45 -11:45

Located at Buttons ’n’ Bows

$60 (handouts included)

Rhythme & Rhymes

Give your child a head start on language development and social interaction

Please join me in this interactive, family oriented and fun filled class of rhyming and story telling and action verses for children up to 18 months, & 18 months to 3 years

Enjoy this opportunity to:

Meet other parents with children the same age

Give your child a chance to interact with other children his/her age

Give your child a chance to experience a semi structured environment

This program will focus on using rhythm and rhyme to interact with your child
Offer movement that will use fine and gross motor skills

This class uses rhymes, finger plays, songs and a few stories with some explanation on how they can be used at home. These explanations relate to dressing, bathing, feeding, bed time and in general, how to calm a child or just play with them

Buttons

’n’ Bows Boutique

Thursdays, April 23, 2009 (4WKS)

Birth to 18 mo: 10:45-11:45 am

18 mo – 3 yrs: 9:45 – 10:45am

$25 per family

Please call Tracy at 477-1097 for more information. Or email itsybitsytinytalk@hotmail.com

www.breechbirth.ca

2009-03-18T20:14:00.002-06:00

Breechbirth.ca

Breech Birth in Canada

Despite recent research clearly indicating that vaginal breech birth and caesarean section are equal in both safety and risk, obstetricians persist in not informing families that vaginal birth is an option, and nearly all of the breech babies in Canada and the US are born by Caesarean section. The mother's birthing history, family circumstances, and family beliefs about birthing are rarely taken into account. If women ask, they are usually told that vaginal breech birth is too dangerous. Families are rarely given the impression that Caesarean birth is dangerous, despite the fact that the risk level is identical.

We believe that the birthing family has the right to decide which mode of birth is appropriate for their breech baby. We believe that informed consent means that families have the right to know that vaginal birth is not only possible, but considered completely normal internationally. We believe that families have the right to know that Caesarean surgery has significant risks equal to that of vaginal breech birth, and should be undertaken with full awareness and acceptance of these risks.

In early 2009, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada will issue new guidelines that encourage care providers to offer vaginal breech birth to women. This policy change is an important first step in the re-normalization of vaginal breech birth in Canada and the return of choice to women and their families. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a similar change in July of 2006.

However, a guideline change alone does not solve the problem - guidelines are only guidelines, and care providers are expected to make case-by-case recommendations to their clients. This "case-by-case" judgement call, for many care providers, will continue to feature a strongly worded push towards surgical birth for breech. The guideline change will not of its own accord cause doctors and midwives to make changes in their informed choice discussions that would permit women to exercise their right to choose.

The real change must come from women. Know your rights. Know the evidence. Don't be "polite." Demand an unbiased informed choice discussion. If your care provider is not comfortable or qualified to "catch" a breech - or not willing to have this discussion - make it clear that you expect a referral to someone who will. It is your right to choose how your baby comes into the world, and the evidence is on your side.

Add your voice. We need you.

Orgasms During Childbirth?

2008-12-22T16:48:00.004-06:00

By Lisa Belkin
childbirthIllustration by Barry Falls

First thing next month (Friday January 2) will be the primetime debut of a film that has been making the “under the radar” rounds of women and film festivals since May. ABC’s 20/20 will air the documentary “Orgasmic Birth”, by Debra Pascali-Bonaro, a childbirth educator and a doula, which asks the question: What would happen if women were taught to enjoy birth rather than endure it?

Some women will see this film as a declaration of emancipation from the medicalization of childbirth. Others will see it as yet one more way to raise expectations and make new mothers feel inadequate if they do not experience the “ideal” birth.

The message of the film is “that women can journey through labor and birth in all different ways. And there are a lot more options out there, to make this a positive and pleasurable experience,” Pascali-Bonaro tells ABC. “I hope women watching and men watching don’t feel that what we’re saying is every woman should have an orgasmic birth.”

But the title certainly catches attention, referring to what Pascali-Bonaro calls “the best kept secret” of child birth – that some women report having an orgasm as the baby exits the birth canal.

Tamra Larter experienced that while Pascali-Bonaro’s cameras were rolling. She and her husband, Simon, opted to have their second child in their suburban New Jersey home, and through most of the hours of labor the couple was kissing and caressing.

“The phyical touch and nurturing was just really comforting to me,” Larter told ABC. Of the orgasmic birth that resulted she said: “It was happening, and I could hardly breathe, and it was like, ‘oh, that feels good.’ That’s all I could say really.”

Christine Northrup, an OB-GYN and author of “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom” explains in the film that orgasms during labor are the results of chemistry and anatomy: “When the baby’s coming down the birth canal, remember, it’s going through the exact same positions as something going in, the penis going into the vagina, to cause an orgasm. And labor itself is associated with a huge hormonal change in the body, way more prolactin, way more oxytocin, way more beta-endorphins — these are the molecules of ecstasy.”

And on that note I open up the comments for your thoughts …

Better Birth for less $$$

2008-11-09T13:10:00.001-06:00

$13 to $20 billion a year could be saved in health care costs by demedicalizing childbirth, developing midwifery, and encouraging breastfeeding.

Frank Oski, MD, Professor and Director, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

VICTORY

2008-11-06T21:23:00.005-06:00

Hi Lisa & Kari:
I tried to write my birth story out, but all that came was a poem. If you like, please post to your blog, or just keep it for your records. In any case, thought I would share it with you both.

I gave birth
Too large of a baby
Too flat of a pelvis
Said I couldn’t do it
I gave birth
Too risky they said
Too much overdue
C-Section scar
I gave birth
Glucose intolerant
Group B positive
What’s your end game?
I gave birth
Without their interventions
Without their fears
Surrounded by calm peaceful love
I gave birth
Let that contraction go
Listen to your body
Holding hands
I gave birth
Birth stool in my kitchen
Birth tub on the floor
Trusting it all
I gave birth
Strong pain
Stronger support
Moaning low
I gave birth
My body isn’t broken
My spirit is healed
My heart is so thankful
I GAVE BIRTH!
--------------------

Even a little caffeine may harm fetus, study finds

2008-11-03T16:06:00.002-06:00

Michael Kahn, Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Pregnant women who consume caffeine -- even about a cup of coffee daily -- are at higher risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, researchers said on Monday.

The new findings published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) also linked any source of caffeine, including that from tea, cola, chocolate and some prescription drugs, to relatively slower fetal growth.

The findings are the latest in mounting evidence indicating the amount of caffeine a person consumes may directly impact one's health, especially when pregnant.

n January, U.S. researchers found that pregnant women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are at twice the risk of having a miscarriage as those women who avoid caffeine.
more:

2008-10-27T09:27:00.001-06:00

Meet your perfect Doula!

Birth Rhythm has just finished training 10! new certified doulas for Saskatoon and area.

We will be having an open house to meet all the currently practicing Doulas and welcome the new ones into our birth community. All expectant families and other birth professionals are welcome. We will also have two great vendors present:

Maternal Source will be selling amazing pregnancy and birth resources

A Soft Landing with their as organic and fair trade baby products.

November 19th 8-10 pm

502 Main Street

Call 242-5029 to register for this free event.

Canada's C-section rate at record high: 1 in 5 Saskatchewan women have c-sections!

2008-10-26T16:27:00.006-06:00

Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service

Canada's pregnancy specialists are calling on doctors to curb the fast-growing use of caesarean sections to deliver babies, saying the worrisome trend is exposing mothers and infants to more risk, not less.

With one in four births now occurring by C-section - 92,799 babies a year - it is time to get "back to the basics," says Dr. Vyta Senikas, associate executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

The group is urging doctors and women to choose a C-section only when there is a medical reason to justify one. "Safety of a woman and a baby should be the driving decisions here," Senikas said.

....MORE

Ashley Fraser/Canwest News Service

Font:****"We have to come back to the basics, and the basics are that 90 per cent of women will have a nice vaginal delivery without any problems to produce a healthy mother and baby."

Midwife-led versus other models of care for childbearing women

2008-10-17T10:56:00.002-06:00

Excerpt from the Cochrane Library: Evidence for health care decision making
Midwife-led care confers benefits for pregnant women and their babies and is recommended.

In many parts of the world, midwives are the primary providers of care for childbearing women. Elsewhere it may be medical doctors or family physicians who have the main responsibility for care, or the responsibility may be shared. The underpinning philosophy of midwife-led care is normality and being cared for by a known and trusted midwife during labour. There is an emphasis on the natural ability of women to experience birth with minimum intervention. Some models of midwife-led care provide a service through a team of midwives sharing a caseload, often called 'team' midwifery. Another model is 'caseload midwifery', where the aim is to offer greater continuity of caregiver throughout the episode of care. Caseload midwifery aims to ensure that the woman receives all her care from one midwife or her/his practice partner. By contrast, medical-led models of care are where an obstetrician or family physician is primarily responsible for care. In shared-care models, responsibility is shared between different healthcare professionals.

The review of midwife-led care covered midwives providing care antenatally, during labour and postnatally. This was compared with models of medical-led care and shared care, and identified 11 trials, involving 12,276 women. Midwife-led care was associated with several benefits for mothers and babies, and had no identified adverse effects. The main benefits were a reduced risk of losing a baby before 24 weeks. Also during labour, there was a reduced use of regional analgesia, with fewer episiotomies or instrumental births. Midwife-led care also increased the woman's chance of being cared for in labour by a midwife she had got to know. It also increased the chance of a spontaneous vaginal birth and initiation of breastfeeding. In addition, midwife-led care led to more women feeling they were in control during labour. There was no difference in risk of a mother losing her baby after 24 weeks. The review concluded that all women should be offered midwife-led models of care.

"Birth is the last frontier in woman's quest for freedom. A woman needs to be free to birth her babies as she chooses." Dr. Lorne Campbell

2008-10-03T16:22:00.004-06:00

Her little shirt reads: " 100% Organic - Home Grown and Home Birthed"

Gloria Lemay's Blog

2008-09-27T22:28:00.003-06:00

An excerpt of her September 17th entry:

A cesarean rate of 30% means that the pendulum of risk/benefit has swung way too far toward the risk side in N. American hospitals. Medical management of birth has become more dangerous than ever, despite the belief system of the public and the medical profession. The best research (largest numbers studied) done on the subject of place of birth was by Marjorie Tew, a Glasgow (Scotland) University professor of statistics. Her book “Safer Childbirth” documents her own scepticism about homebirth safety and how she came full circle to urging women to stay out of large hospitals. She found that even very ill women and premature babies did better if they were born at home or in small clinics.

Here’s more information on Marjorie Tew.

Do obstetric intranatal interventions make birth safer?

British Journal Obstet Gynaecol 1986 Jul;93(7):659-74
By Marjorie Tew

Marjorie Tew argues that statistical analysis shows that the shift to hospital birth, and increased obstetric intervention, has not made birth safer, but more dangerous. She suggests that improvements in perinatal mortality are due to healthier mothers, rather than improved maternity care.

Abstract in full:

Impartial analyses of the evidence from official statistics, national surveys and specific studies consistently find that perinatal mortality is much higher when obstetric intranatal interventions are used, as in consultant hospitals, than when they are little used, as in unattached general practitioner maternity units and at home. The conclusion holds even after allowance has been made for the higher pre-delivery risk status of hospital births as a result of the booking and transfer policies. It holds even more strongly for births at high than at low predicted risk. It follows that the increased use of interventions, implied by increased hospitalization, could not have been the cause of the decline in the national perinatal mortality rate over the last 50 years and analysis of results by different methods confirms that the latter would have declined more in the absence of the former. Data are presented which point to the deleterious effect of interventions on the incidence of low birthweight and short gestation and their associated mortality. Also presented are data supporting the alternative explanation of the decline in perinatal mortality, namely the improvement in the health status of mothers built up over several generations. The organization of the maternity service stands indicted by the evidence. Despite the beliefs of those responsible, it has not promoted, and cannot promote, the objective of reducing perinatal mortality.

I keep hearing from doulas who say “I’m not going to be attending any more hospital births.”

The feeling of futility and complicity in the rape of women is too overwhelming to face any longer. This should tell consumers something.

It’s all gone too far. We can’t lie and cover it up any longer.

http://www.glorialemay.com/blog/

Time, respect, and dignity- a cross post from one of my favourite blogs.

2008-09-12T14:56:00.006-06:00

Here is a post from The True Face of Birth:

It's easy to sit around and bemoan all that is wrong with childbirth in the United States. But one woman is doing something about it: 81-year old midwife Ruth Lubic. She opened a midwifery clinic in Washington, D.C., where the infant mortality rate is twice the national average. She sees primarily low-income women on Medicaid in one of the poorest areas of the city. So far, all 800 babies have survived, and she has halved the prematurity rate. Her secret?

She believes low-income women, many on Medicaid, need the prenatal education that midwives provide. Everything from posture, to nutrition, to how the baby grows....

"Do you think it boils down to just the time you spend with them," Andrews asked Lubic.

"I think so," she replied. "I'm convinced that's what it is. It's time, respect, it's treating people with dignity."

Read the rest here: Midwife On a Mission. And thanks to Fearless Birth for pointing it out!
Posted by Rixa at 1:04 PM 5 comments Links to this post

The worst position for birth

2008-08-13T14:25:00.002-06:00

"Except for being hanged by the feet, the supine position is the worst
conceivable position for labor and delivery." (Dr. Roberto
Caldeyro-Barcia, The Family Practice News, 1975:11

Midwifery becoming mainstream in Canada

2008-08-01T18:32:00.002-06:00

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Immediately after delivering baby Benjamin, Melissa Boraski's midwife knew something was wrong.

The newborn's colour was quite dusky, his breathing too shallow. An hour after birth into the comfort of his mother's home, he was whisked off to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children -- the place Boraski had least expected to be.

Little Benjamin underwent open heart surgery and his mother didn't hold him again for two weeks. Two years have gone by and now, he's a healthy toddler. And Boraski is swaddling a second babe, seven-month-old Alice.

Despite the shock that accompanied the arrival of her first-born, she used a midwife again and said she'd recommend it to anyone.

"I felt having a baby wasn't something I wanted to be treated like a medical emergency," Boraski said, acknowledging she did have initial reservations the second time.

"It went really smoothly," she said. "It kind of redeemed the (first) experience. I had a lot of hope for that ideal of having a baby at home. I knew it could be a great experience."

Boraski, 28, is among a growing number of Canadian women turning to a midwife during pregnancy instead of a doctor or obstetrician. She said the more intimate, personalized care, plus the fact it's funded by the Ontario government, made it an obvious choice.

She found her midwife at a practice called Riverdale Community Midwives in Toronto.

"I feel like every midwife I met at the practice was really compassionate and they really loved women and loved the care of women," she said. "Just the idea of birth being a family thing, it can happen in the home, it's safe, it can be a spiritual experience. I felt like the midwives honoured that tradition."

Midwifery's proponents say it's no longer a fringe option. It's also necessary, as a looming maternity care crisis has cropped up in Canada because many family physicians don't deliver babies and there is only a finite number of practising obstetricians -- many nearing retirement age.

There are approximately 700 midwives practising in Canada.

More than half of them are in Ontario, the province that led the charge to install midwifery as a regulated profession.

Regulations took effect on Dec. 31, 1993 and about 60 women were officially recognized as midwives. Seven provinces and two territories have since followed suit.

Secrets: How to have the best care during pregnancy, childbirth–and beyond

2008-08-01T09:52:00.001-06:00

Here are five ways to get the help you need for a positive birth experience

by: Sydney Loney

Pre- and post-natal care
Take a childbirth education class, available through hospitals, birth centers or separate organizations, such as Lamaze International.
When choosing a caregiver, decide who can support you best in the decisions that you're making. Ask questions to find out whether they'll respect your personal birth philosophy.
A doula can be your one constant source of support when nursing shifts change and you're suddenly confronted by a new set of faces mid-labor.
Many hospitals offer daily breastfeeding clinics, so find out ahead of time when and where they take place so you're not scrambling post-delivery.

Related stories
1. Creating a Birth Plan
2. Overcoming your fears of giving birth
3. Morning sickness survival guide

From where to deliver to how to choose the best healthcare professional, moms-to-be have a lot of important decisions to make–and it can be overwhelming. "You really need to plan ahead to create the most positive experience for you and your baby," says author and childbirth educator Gail J. Dahl. Here are five things you can do to ensure you get the best pre- and post-natal care possible.

1. Do your homework
"Reading a good childbirth book (and not just a book about pregnancy) is very important," says Dahl. "Women make better choices in birth when they have more information." Find out what all your childbirth options are and decide what makes the most sense for you. Dahl recommends seeking out a qualified childbirth educator. Childbirth education classes are available through hospitals, birth centers or separate organizations or associations (such as Lamaze International or the International Childbirth Education Association).
"You need a tremendous amount of information to be a good medical consumer during childbirth," she says. "Rather than just learning about a procedure, such as induction of labor or episiotomies, you can find out the pros and cons and why you may or may not want it." Childbirth classes usually include information on things such as signs of labor and techniques for coping with pain, but it's important to research the class to ensure it fits your own childbirth philosophy.

2. Pick your professional
One of the keys to a positive pregnancy and birth is finding a good healthcare provider, says Dahl. "It's important to create a whole health team around you so that you have good support and good information throughout your pregnancy." A lot of women don't realize they have a choice when it comes to caregivers, she says. "You can choose to have either a doctor or midwife and it's up to you to decide who can support you best in the decisions that you're making." Here are some things to keep in mind when making your decision:

Midwives usually take a more holistic approach to childbirth and offer women with healthy, low-risk pregnancies the choice of having their babies at home or in a hospital or birth center.
Midwives offer the same standard tests as doctors, although their appointments tend to be longer (usually about 45 minutes) and some of these appointments may even take place in your home. They are also usually available for questions or concerns 24 hours a day by pager.
Whoever you choose to assist you, find out all you can about them. "We spend more time finding contractors for our homes and researching their qualifications than we do when choosing a person to be in charge of our births," says Dahl. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions, she says.
If you're interviewing a doctor, find out what their C-section rate is and how they feel about induction and drug-free births. If you're quizzing a midwife, ask her to explain all the alternative options open to you, such as water births or hypno-birthing.
To find the best doctor, interview three doulas and see who they like working with the most, she says. And talk to a midwife's patients about their experiences–word of mouth is often a safe bet.
Regardless of whether you're choosing a doctor or midwife, you need to look at personality. "If you feel you're not being respected by your caregiver, then that is not the caregiver for you," says Dahl. "And you can switch to someone new right up to the time you give birth."
3. Hire a doula
"One of the best ways to have a positive birth experience is to hire a doula, especially if you don't have access to a midwife" says Dahl. A doula is a professional birth assistant who supports you during labor and sometimes post-partum. Many doulas also teach prenatal classes or act as lactation consultants. Unlike midwives, doulas do not have professional standing at hospitals and can't attend births on their own.
"A doula assists you and your partner, helps you stick to your birth plan, is your advocate, friend and birth coach," says Dahl. "Many women think their doctor will be there for them throughout labor only to discover it's just them and their partner in the room for most of the time." Doctors have many patients at a time and your ob/gyn is unlikely to be the person who actually delivers your baby. A doula can be your one constant source of support when nursing shifts change and you're suddenly confronted by a new set of faces mid-labor. If you can't afford to hire a doula, Dahl recommends contacting a doula association as beginning doulas often work for free in order to gain the experience they need to be certified.

4. Create a birth plan
"A birth plan is good because it gives you something to discuss with your caregivers–it's your negotiating document," says Dahl. "When you have a birth plan, you can be confident that the support group around you are all clear about what you want."
Your birth plan may include everything from what position you want to be in during labor to how you want your baby's heart rate monitored. [To create and save your own birth plan, go to justthefactsbaby.com/birthplan/edit] Reviewing your birth plan with your caregiver also helps ensure you're both on the same wavelength. You'll find out what their views are and will discover whether they're willing to respect yours if they differ. "You have to take some responsibility on your own and having it down on paper can help you have the strength to say, ‘that's not the way I want the birth to happen,'" says Dahl.

5. Set up breastfeeding support
If you're planning to nurse your baby, Dahl recommends finding out as much as you can about breastfeeding before you deliver. Many women get through labor and delivery just fine, only to be overwhelmed by the difficulty of breastfeeding. Before you give birth, talk to a lactation consultant, join a breastfeeding support group and even attend one of their meetings where you can watch women nurse. La Leche League (www.lllc.ca) is a great breastfeeding resource. Many hospitals offer daily breastfeeding clinics for new moms, so find out ahead of time when and where they take place so you're not scrambling post-delivery. Most of all, have a breastfeeding support person lined up (whether it's a doula, nurse or lactation consultant) to make sure you get the best start possible.

Meet our expert:
Gail J. Dahl is a childbirth researcher and educator, an advocate for safe and gentle childbirth and the national bestselling author of Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets (Innovative Publishing, 2007). She has received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, the Woman of Vision Award and the Great Women of the 21st Century Award for her work in women's health and education. Nominated for Community Advocate: Organization and Signature Award for exceptional achievements. http://web.mac.com/pregnancysecrets

Take a look at this tremendously helpful new website for new moms when you have a moment at "Just the Facts Baby":
http://www.justthefactsbaby.com/pregnancy/article/how-to-have-the-best-care-during-pregnancy-childbirthand-beyond/42

It's funny (almost) what people will say....

2008-07-16T18:51:00.004-06:00

I just read this blog today for the first time, WOW! There are many similarities to our own Large teaching hospital in Saskatoon. ..but that is for another day. I think it is great that this nurse tells it like it is. Enjoy the read.

....when you reveal to them that you are a L&D nurse.

I was chatting with a fellow mom at the swimming area/beach at the lake yesterday. We were chatting off and on for an hour or so, and the subject of birthing came up. When I mentioned that I work on L&D as a nurse, let me just say, the floodgates opened..... MORE

Birth and the God complex | Homebirth: Midwife Mutiny in South Australia

2008-07-16T13:14:00.001-06:00

Birth and the God complex | Homebirth: Midwife Mutiny in South Australia

Delay cutting the cord: Study

2008-07-13T21:43:00.003-06:00

TARA WALTON/TORONTO STAR
Dr. Cynthia Maxwell holds Graham Berry’s umbilical cord moments after his delivery at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto last month.
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Mar 21, 2007 04:30 AM
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Joseph Hall health reporter
A few more minutes of maternal attachment may give newborns months of significant health benefits, according to a new McMaster University study that urges doctors not to cut umbilical cords immediately after birth.
In their efforts to "tidy things up" as quickly as possible, many doctors and midwives clamp and cut off umbilical cords as soon as babies have been delivered, said McMaster researcher Eileen Hutton.
But waiting at least two minutes would allow precious red and white blood cells to be transferred to the infant from the placenta before it is expelled from the womb, says Hutton, whose study was published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"We really haven't given a lot of consideration in the past to the fact that there may be some value to the placenta (remaining attached)," said Hutton, an epidemiologist and assistant dean of the Hamilton school's midwifery program.

" ...The baby's born and the next thing you do is clamp the cord, and people haven't really thought about whether this is a good thing or not a good thing."
But delaying the cut could protect against anemia and irregular breathing for weeks and months after delivery, she said.

"If you increase the overall volume of blood (in the infant), you're increasing the iron stores and the number of red blood cells," Hutton said. "Also, the white blood cells, which contribute to immunities." The study could change the way babies are delivered in this country, said Dr. Donald Davis, president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.
Umbilical cords are typically cut within 30 to 60 seconds after normal deliveries, but leaving them intact for a few minutes might benefit babies, especially those whose mothers did not eat nutritious food while pregnant.

"I don't think there would be a problem waiting two minutes and certainly there are benefits," he said. "If these babies have a little bit better iron stores, a little bit higher hemoglobin, then they're going to fare better ... their blood is going to be able to carry more oxygen to vital and growing tissues like the heart and the brain."

The society is interested in Hutton's research and, if it recommends the study's findings, delayed cord cutting could become standard procedure in Canada.

"Most certainly, the society is interested in studies like this ... and this will definitely be examined," said Davis.

The placenta, which grows attached to the wall of the uterus, is a temporary organ that allows the transfer of nutrients from mother to fetus via the umbilical cord and becomes part of the baby's circulatory system. It typically remains within the womb for several minutes after birth until continued uterine contractions expel it.

According to the study, between 25 and 60 per cent of a newborn's blood supply stays in the placenta and cord after birth. But the womb can act like a pump, moving more blood from the placenta to the infant.

"Depending on when you do the clamping, the baby will have more or less of what is, in fact, its own blood," Hutton said.

There was not enough information in the study to determine whether babies born through caesarean section would benefit equally from prolonged placental attachment.
The delay would have no negative health impacts on the mother during a normal, full-term birth. The umbilical cord is long enough in most cases that the mother can hold her infant on her stomach until it is cut.

Meanwhile, normal postnatal care of the newborn can be administered while the infant is still attached.

"It's an intervention that has the potential to have a (positive) impact on a large number of babies and at a very low cost," Hutton said. "This benefits the baby without any real down sides for mom."

The study, co-authored by University of British Columbia researchers, looked at 15 earlier papers involving almost 2,000 newborns in 11 countries.

Hutton said it gives parents the information they need to start discussing when to cut the cord with doctors before delivery.

"It's one of those areas where parents can have probably quite a large influence in terms of changing practice."

Secrets - Cytotec Danger

2008-06-19T09:49:00.002-06:00

Cytotec: Black Box Warnings

Pregnancy
use in pregnant women can cause abortion, premature birth, or birth defects; uterine rupture reported w/ use to induce labor or abortion past 8th wk of pregnancy; do not use to decr. NSAID ulcer risk in pregnant pts; advise pts of abortifacient property and warn not to give to others

Take a look at this link to read about one of the latest lawsuits against physicians using Cytotec on pregnant women at: http://www.consciouswoman.org/2008/04/01/conscious-woman-of-the-month-april-2008/

Please forward this e-newsletter on to alert more women to the dangers of cytotec birth induction.

"Without a doubt, inducing birth for any reason, by any method and by anyone, including physician or midwife, has no scientific or medical basis of benefit in any case and will most likely decrease the health of a mother and baby. First-time mothers easily need up to 42 weeks and longer to prevent premature birth. Allowing labor to begin spontaneously provides the best results." Gail J. Dahl, Award Winning Author, Researcher and Childbirth Educator, "Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets"

Cytotec (also called Misoprostol or Miso)

Who is given drug or procedure and why? Pregnant women who are overdue by 1 1/2 weeks.

What does the drug or procedure do? Cytotec is a tablet that is inserted in the vagina. It softens the cervix and induces contractions. Once inserted it cannot be removed.

Contraindication/Possible Adverse Side Effect:

1. Cytotec has been known to cause tears in the uterus, called uterine rupture and hyperstimulation of the uterus and fetus, (when the uterus contracts too fast, or too many times in a short period of time and when the baby’s heart beat is too fast or too slow) when it is used to induce labor past the 8th week of pregnancy.

2. Cytotec should never be used if you have had a prior C-section.

3. Serious reactions include abortion, miscarriage and teratogenicity (fetal malformation). In rare cases it has been known to cause cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis (life-threatening respiratory distress) Myocardial Infarction (MI) (when the blood flow to the heart is stopped) and irregular heartbeat.

4. Cytotec can also cause AFE-amniotic fluid embolism (amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair or other debris enter the mother’s circulation, causing cardio-respiratory collapse leading to the death of both mother and baby).

5. Cytotec is in the FDA pregnancy category “X”, meaning it is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Death of mothers and babies have been reported with this drug.

6. Cytotec is a drug approved only for the prevention of ulcers and to treat chronic constipation. Cytotec is being commonly used for early termination of pregnancy and to induce labor, despite not being FDA approved for use in pregnancy. For this reason, there is inadequate data on the risks and benefits of this drug for use in labor.

http://tatia.org/index.html

Mission: The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation is dedicated to empowering women, specifically in the area of childbirth and pregnancy. We are dedicated to saving the lives of those giving life to others.The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation is presently focusing on the issues of informed consent, the off-label use of drugs, and maternal mortality.

Dedication: The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation dedicates this site to ALL mothers and children who have been damaged, injured, or lost their lives due to medical interventions and drugs given during childbirth – without full knowledge of what they needed to know before these interventions were used or given to them.

Copyright 2008, Secrets Newsletter 2008, by Award Winning Author, Gail J. Dahl “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets” http://web.mac.com/pregnancysecrets. This article may be reprinted or reposted on the internet for the purpose of childbirth education when references are included. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.

Everything you ever wanted to know about your amniotic sac (and then some)

2008-05-16T12:34:00.002-06:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about your amniotic sac (and then some)

I wrote this for the pregnant community today, but prasava said that I could share it here, as well. It's really geared towards women who have a more mainstream approach to their pregnancies (ie. follow a standard medical model of care), who may not know that amniotomy has risks involved or that having their waters break without starting labor doesn't automatically mean induction.

The topic of ruptured membranes, particularly having a "fore bag" of waters that breaks while an inner layers remains intact, has been brought up in several recent posts. I thought you might find this interested and helpful as you approach the end of your pregnancies.

Your baby isn't enclosed in a simple, single membranous layer. The "bag of waters" (amniotic sac) surrounding him/her/them is comprised of two layers: the chorion and the amnion. Other membranes have also surrounded your baby at different points in his/her development, and have helped with the development of the placenta and the umbilical cord.

The amnion is the innermost of the embryonic or fetal membranes, the sac in which the embryo is suspended. Early in the pregnancy, this membrane is in close contact with the developing embryo, but expands and moves away into a protective bubble as amniotic fluid production increases. This is your "inner bag" or "hind bag" of waters, the sac in which the baby is directly contained. When one is talking about the amniotic sac, this is what one is normally thinking of. For the sake of rupture of membranes, this is the one that really "counts" as having had your water break.

The chorion is the tougher outer membrane enclosing the embryo. It contributes to the development of the placenta. The chorionic villi (what is sampled in a CVS procedure) emerge from the chorion, invade the endometrium, and allow transfer of nutrients from maternal blood to fetal blood.

Identical twins may share a chorion or both a chorion AND an amnion, while fraternal twins each have their own chorion and amnion. In about 70% of identical twins, the twins will share a chorion (monochorionic), though some may also share an amnion (monoamniotic). Twins can share a placenta without being monoamniotic. The rare phenomenon known as twin-to-twin transfusion can sometimes occur in monoamniotic twins with a shared placenta, where twins receive an unequal amount of nutrition through the placenta.

Some women may actually have a true double bag of waters (two chorions and two amnions). This is uncommon and in some cases may be the result of a twin pregnancy where one twin was reabsorbed very early in the pregnancy, leaving one empty sac and one healthy developing baby.

The chorion and amnion are in contact with each other by the end of the pregnancy, often fused together so that when one breaks, so does the other, but they also can have a thin layer of amniotic fluid in between them. Many of you may have heard about women's bags of water "springing a leak" and then "resealing" -- in many of these cases, the chorion has developed a slight tear, allowing a minimal amount of fluid to escape. As the torn portions of membranes come into contact with each other again, however, they overlap and stick together, much like plastic wrap/cling film does when doubled over on itself. This is one reason why you will often see the more naturally-minded among us encouraging you not to rush to the hospital immediately, but wait to see if the fluid leakage stops.

This is one reason why women may experience a breaking of waters, sometimes one that seems pretty significant in its amount, only to be told by a doctor or nurse at the hospital that their waters are intact OR that only one layer has broken. I experienced this first hand, so I know the frustration of rushing to the hospital (as your care provider has told you) only to discover that you went much earlier than you needed to. Sometimes you will simply be sent home, but your care provider may also present the option of amniotomy (artificial rupture of membranes or AROM) to fully break your waters, especially if you are having contractions. Amniotomy has many disadvantages* and some advantages, and is a medical intervention you should research for yourself before the situation arises, to decide under what circumstances you would/would not feel comfortable having the procedure performed.

Remember that breaking waters (in a full term pregnancy) doesn't have to put you on a clock. There is no hard and fast rule regarding at which point the risk of infection increases, but the best way to avoid infection is simply not to insert anything into the vagina. If your water breaks, but contractions don't start right away, you might consider avoiding internal exams to check for dilation. Internal exams can introduce new bacteria/viruses into the vagina or push pre-existing bacteria/viruses further into the vagina. You always have a right to decline an internal exam, an induction, or any other procedure. If your labor has not started after a certain period of time after your waters have broken, ask your care provider about alternatives to induction, such as IV or oral antibiotics, or periodic monitoring of your health and your baby's. Your baby won't run out of amniotic fluid; it is constantly replenishing! The pockets of amniotic fluid can be measured via ultrasound; even for those of you who prefer to limit or avoid ultrasounds during pregnancy, this may be a preferable alternative to induction for those of you with care providers pushing for interventions.

I hope this hasn't been too boring and has answered some of your questions about the amniotic sac. I'm by no means a medical professional, but as an unassisted homebirther, I have made it my goal to learn as much about how my body works as possible, and to answer the many lingering questions I had about the many interventions performed (both with and without my consent) during my first birth (which was in a hospital).

*Amniotomy may also contribute to malpositioning of the baby, a disadvantage not listed in the link above.

Lilah Monger - lilah@ancientartmidwifery.com - AAMI Student Midwife #1769

New Student Advisor, Mentor Program Director, and Reading Room Coordinator

Guest Post : Judgment, Fear, and Focus

2008-05-01T09:31:00.005-06:00

Laureen is the technical editor and online community advocate for java.sun.com and developers.sun.com at Sun Microsystems, a freelance editor for Hunt Press, and a contributor to several peer-reviewed group blogs. She's a blogger, a podcaster, a website manager, and an enthusiastic geek enabler. She's the mother of two gorgeous children, and the wife of a man who understands her birth passion. She's had one iatrogenic unnecesarean, and one triumphant HBAC.

Judgment, Fear, and Focus

For only having two children, I have pretty much the range of birth experience; my first was a planned birth center birth turned hospital transfer with epidural turned cesarean. So there's the complete spectrum of medicalized birth. (At the time I was planning it, I thought my birth center birth was non-medicalized. I learned the hard way about medical midwifery.) My cesarean was brilliant, as these things go. The doctor was near retirement, had a 40% cesarean rate in his private practice, and knew what he was doing. I was too ignorant to even ask for things, but upon examination of my medical records, I got a Cadillac of a cesarean. Sheer dumb luck, that was. But despite that, due to hospital protocols, my baby spent the first four hours of his life with strangers; four hours we'll never get back.

For my second birth, I had an unassisted pregnancy, followed by a home birth with a midwife.

The move from home to hospital for birth in our culture involved a paradigm shift, whereby medical professionals convinced women that they were incompetent to birth without assistance, despite millennia of successful field testing to the contrary. The move to reclaim women's power by bringing birth back under their control is involving another paradigm shift, and that's going to be uncomfortable, and it's going to upset people. I think it matters that I know all kinds of women who've gone from hospital births to home births, but only two who've gone the other way, even if the home birthers ended up transferring ultimately. Because of my own experience, I am strongly biased towards home birth, and I admit that up front. On the other hand, because of the experiences of women I know personally, I would rather gnaw off my own arm than deny women the right to choose to birth in a hospital.

One of the things that really bothers me about the comment-foo on Rixa's blog is the complete abandonment of logic. Instead of classical logic, symbolic logic, the construction of actual arguments based on fact, we saw logical fallacies. Use of fallacy in argument invalidates the whole thing, in addition to bringing the entire discussion down to blows in short order. This does nothing to contribute to the betterment of women and babies; it sets us against each other for no purpose whatsoever. The thing about a good, solid, well-constructed argument is that invariably, both sides of the issue learn something and see further into their opponent's mindset. Everyone is bettered, perspective is gained, and we're that much closer to being a unified force...unified behind the true betterment of the situation here for mothers and babies.

I'd like to address a few of the real arguments brought up in the course of the commentary on Rixa's post...

Always be suspicious of motive when someone tries to make you do something that makes a lot of money for them

Maternity "care" is critical to the profitability of a hospital, and the more this can be managed, the more profit a hospital makes. The cesarean rate in the US is at levels so high (31.1% in 2006) that the World Health Organization considers it to be a "crisis." Scheduled cesareans are the epitome of optimally profitable managed birth. UnitedHealthcare sends maternity patients a brochure in late second trimester, offering them the option of a scheduled 39-week cesarean.

My cesarean, NICU stay, and hospital stay netted the hospital nearly $27,000, the anesthesiologists nearly $11,000, and a heap of other people other monies, and cost my insurance company a bundle.

My home birth cost my insurance company $3,000. Period.

So who stands to make money off my choice of birth? Hmm...

"You should be grateful you have a healthy baby/All that matters is a healthy baby"

Well, yeah, of course. But that's so not the whole story. Read Gretchen Humphries' brilliant essay "You Should Be Grateful."

There is room in this world for good experiences for both.

"Birth is about the baby, not the mother"

This letter, published in the ICAN eNews a little while back, says it all.

I am a lawyer who went to a top ten law school and then to a top tier firm. I used to be very mainstream in my views. I thought women who chose to give birth at home were reckless. When I got pregnant and was given the option of having a c-section, I readily agreed. I never went into labor and my c-section went flawlessly. I researched it, so I expected that my arms would be tied down, that I would likely shake from the anesthesia, and that I would not be able to hold my baby. That was ok, because I was ready for it. I handled the drugs well and, as a result, actually remember the first 24 hours. My recovery was uncomplicated.

My daughter, however, got the worst of it--which isn't even really that bad considering other stories I've heard. She was so sleepy and zoned out from the drugs that we had to put ice on her bare skin to wake her up enough to feed. She developed jaundice as a result of not eating enough. Because she couldn't feed properly (because she was so drugged), my milk never came in properly--which was a problem since it turned out she was allergic to all of the formulas they had. Given her allergies, breast milk would have really helped. She kept losing weight. She was diagnosed with failure to thrive. It was a very scary time, because we thought she might die.

On a long term basis, because she never came through the birth canal, her gut didn't get colonized with the right bacteria. That translates into the gut and immune system dysfunction she has today and the medicine that we give our 3.5 year old 5 to 6 times a day. She is also on a severely restricted diet--no wheat/gluten, dairy/casein, soy, citrus, etc. Bacteriologists say that the first germs that the baby is exposed to will set the tone for the baby's life. Those germs really need to come from the vagina.

The c-section went well for me, personally. I was very, very lucky as you will see from other stories you read. It did NOT go well for my daughter. I am now pregnant with a second child and plan to do all I can to deliver vaginally. A c-section still seems like an easy choice sometimes. Indeed, if I were giving birth to a tumor, not a baby, I might be inclined to do it, in spite of the crazy risks. But I will not put this baby at risk.

I'm a litigator and I love evidence. Crazily enough, the evidence is strongly in favor of vaginal birth. I believe that the cavalier attitude of OBs toward this major surgery is a result of a combination of factors (preference for control, fear of malpractice, higher payment, surgery is more "fun," lack of education on natural birth as opposed to how to manage an impending crisis, etc.). But carefully look at the evidence first, before you make up your mind. The evidence really does speak for itself and I'll let someone else who is better versed in the evidence point you in the right direction.

And with cesarean delivery, the baby itself is more likely to die. The US has the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world, despite the fact that we spend more money on "medical care."

How is it that we forgot that babies and mothers are a dyad? You can't truly separate the well-being of the mother from the well-being of the baby, not even with a scalpel. Go ahead; tell me that a mother who lives and a baby who dies, or a baby who lives and a mother who dies, deserve to be a separate statistic. I don't know a mother or a child in either circumstance who doesn't have a little bit of them die too, even if the statistics don't neatly account for it.

"But women used to die in childbirth!"

Read the news; they're dying now. Ask the families of Tatia Oden French, Valerie Scythes, Melissa Farah, Caroline Wiren, how they feel about the safety of hospital birth. Ask Claudia Mejia. Ask Amber Marlowe. Ask Dennis Quaid how safe hospitals are for babies.

Disaster can strike anywhere. But the idea that hospitals are inherently safe is not valid, and demonstrably so. There is no choice you can make that's an automatic get-out-of-jail-free card. The reason most women default to hospital birth is because that choice is presented as being blameless. If something happens in the hospital, well, that's just bad luck, but if it happens at home, that's bad decision making, with the mother occupying the role of bad guy, all by herself. This is not fact, this is not logic; this is marketing spin.

On Judgment

I have been told that my cesarean was a personal failure. I have been told that having a midwife present for my second birth was a personal failure. I have seen fully-medicalized birthers rip midwifery advocates apart, both live and online. I have seen women spend an ungodly amount of energy and time shredding at each other.

For what? I deeply believe that women who choose hospital birth do so because they want the safest and best for their babies. I deeply believe the same thing of the home birth set. So why are we still attacking each other?

Fear. And Judgment.

In the final analysis, birthing carries risk. Living carries risk. There are no guarantees anywhere that if you make all the "right" choices, you and yours will be saved from tragedy. Lightning strikes, and all the planning and research and analysis in the world will not save you from that. It comes down, in the end, to supporting each other the best we possibly can, to making our choices from a place of confidence, not a place of fear. If you're birthing in a hospital, do so because that's what feels safest to you. If you're birthing unassisted at home, do so because it speaks to you and feels right to you. Fear has no place in any decision about birthing.

A friend of mine who just had what she calls her "victorious homebirth after two cesareans" says:

Since our life-changing home birth I've encountered so much more support than we imagined possible. I cannot believe how many friends and acquaintances have said, "I sure wish WE had seriously considered birthing our children at home." Obviously there is a slow shift being made in the birthing climate of America. But there are also many other comments we've heard like, "I'm glad it worked out for you," which I now see as such a pitiful way to view birth--like it's a matter of luck. But I know that's the reality for most people. If these critics knew the amount of time, prayer, and research we put into this decision and into the type of provider we selected, they might have to consider why EVERYONE doesn't invest that kind of time and prayer in their own birthing decisions. For us, the search was priceless and ultimately put us in far better control of our decisions. And beyond the stats and truths we uncovered during this journey, we discovered something far more valuable: faith. After asking for guidance, begging for deliverance, and recognizing our answer, I was overcome with a peace that I have to say I've never experienced after praying before--and as the preacher's daughter I've spent a good many years on my knees in prayer. It was amazing to simply ask and to find the undeniable peace we so desperately desired. So THIS is what answered prayer feels like. I understand that's not much of a factor in modern society, which makes me incredibly sad.

We've also had to endure a number of horrible birth stories where someone nearly died "even in a hospital birth" (the fetal and maternal monitors didn't discover there was a problem until it was too late). I'm never sure how to take this kind of response to the introduction of our new baby. If these tactics are in an effort to get me to debate the home vs. hospital issue, I'm not taking the bait. My decision isn't up for debate--especially with those who've invested little in the search for truth other than personal experience and hearsay. I can respect your birthing decision if you can respect mine.

Standing together, we can do so much more good for everyone, than we can by compartmentalizing each other and shredding on anyone who doesn't share our precise set of birth circumstances. Different does not have to equal wrong. But the way things are right now, fear is controlling the cards, and we need to put down our differences, and stand together for a set of choices in birth and baby care that puts the U.S. back up at least in the top 10, because when it all comes down...the choice between home and hospital is not the point. The point is that women and babies are dying in utterly unacceptable numbers, and they're dying because our social, medical, and economic systems are not supporting women.

And women are not supporting women either. So let's focus on what matters.
Posted by Rixa at 7:41 AM 20 comments Links to this post

Homebirth: Midwifery Mutiny in South Australia: Breech birth

2008-04-17T07:47:00.001-06:00

Homebirth: Midwifery Mutiny in South Australia: Breech birth

FEEDBACK

2008-04-06T22:24:00.002-06:00

Birth! Film Festival

2008-04-06T00:39:00.004-06:00

Presented by the Doulas SK Network and the Midwifery Association of Saskatchewan

MAy 4th @ the Odeon Evens Center in Saskatoon. For Ticket info call 477-SOFT

Birth! Film Festival Summaries

Section One: Trusting Birth

Birth As We Know It

... is a treat for both the heart and mind, comfortably intertwined on a path toward realizing the full potential of birth. A new style of documentary film creates a refreshing arena for the story of Birth to unfold. A triumphant orchestration of stunning cinematography, empowering instrumentation, and a calming narrative, warms our hearts as we are reminded of the beauty of Life, and awakened to the ultimate possibilities of Birth! This groundbreaking new film is aimed at illuminating future parents on the impact of conscious conception, pregnancy and birth. In this stunningly beautiful video, Director Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova shares her experiences as one of the co-creators of the "Conscious Birth" movement in Russia during the early 1980's.

For Your Own Good (Man in Labor)

With typical Spanish humor, Iciar Bollain presents a man in labor delivering a baby. This short film is in Spanish with English subtitles.

Waterbirth in the 21st Century

By showing you these pictures we try to give you useful objective information about how the waterbirths are done by our team in Ostend. More than 18 years of experience and 3500 waterbirths gave us an increasing confidence in a positive physical and psychological effects of a warm aquatic environment. Our water birth-team in Ostend consists of a variety of different professionals who provide a adequate prenatal aquatic preparation and give the possibility afterwards for the new parents to help their baby get further accustomed to the aquatic environment.
Producer Fabien Raes

Kangaroo Care

This is the "How-To, Why-To" video that summarizes the latest research to prove that the newborn thrives best on his mother's chest. How to wrap the baby to mother's chest is also shown. Kangaroo Mother Care enables baby to relax, improves the heart rate and body temperature. By Nils Bergman, M.D.

Baby-Led Breastfeeding

Kittie Frantz RN, and Christina Smillie, MD — long time experts in the field of breastfeeding — created this film to provide us with the baby's perspective. She stimulates us to think about the secret drives of the infant in this intimate relationship between mother and infant. Kittie Frantz, RN; Christina Smillie, MD Producers

Section Two: The Issues of Birth

Birthday
This favorite short birth video, beloved by parents, childbirth educators and midwives, captures the beauty of a homebirth filmed in the countryside of Xalapa, Mexico. This is the video men love. This is the video that will pass from one generation to another empowering every viewer.
Narrated by mother and midwife, Naoli Vinaver Diana Paul, Producer/Director

It's My Body, My Baby, My Birth
Midwife Maria Iorillo gives us a peek at her very multicultural practice. Seven Mothers, their partners, midwives and an obstetrician take us on a rare journey which ends in natural childbirth.

Birth of Sabine
Sabine’s video shows us the excitement and anticipation of a mom’s first pregnancy. The story follows Stephanie and James from the positive pregnancy test, prenatal visits with their midwife, a belly cast, to the unexpected surprise of her water breaking days before labor begins. This is how one family navigates the ins and outs of pregnancy, labor and birth. James Westby, Andaluz Waterbirth Center

Section Three: Special Screening

THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN

Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business. Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies. Epstein gains access to several pregnant New York City women as they weigh their options. Some of these women are or will become clients of Cara Muhlhahn, a charismatic midwife who, between birth events, shares both memories and footage of her own birth experience. Footage of women having babies punctuates THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN. Each experience is unique; all are equally beautiful and equally surprising. Giving birth is clearly the most physically challenging event these women have ever gone through, but it is also the most emotionally rewarding. Along the way, Epstein conducts interviews with a number of obstetricians, experts and advocates about the history, culture and economics of childbirth. The film’s fundamental question: should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emergency? As Epstein uncovers some surprising answers, her own pregnancy adds a very personal dimension to THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN, a must-see movie for anyone even thinking about having a baby. A film by Abby Epstein; Executive Produced by Ricki Lake.

What is a Doula?

2008-04-03T09:43:00.005-06:00

What is A doula?

This is a brief video interview with several families, explaining who and what a doula is. Enjoy!

March Book Review- A Must HAve!

2008-03-21T10:05:00.002-06:00

Interview with Dr. Sarah Buckley, author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering:

1. What is it about childbirth that leaves so many questions unanswered, despite the fact that women have been doing this for millennia?

Dr. Sarah Buckley: I think that childbirth has changed drastically in the last twenty years or so, becoming a medical procedure with a lot of difficult decisions that our grandmothers never had to make. It has also changed because childbirth no longer happens in our communities and we don’t get the chance to see what it is really like until it’s our own turn. I think that we would be less scared if we all had the chance to witness the normal birth of our siblings, friends or sisters.

2. What is so great about Gail’s book that sets it apart from other books?

Dr. Sarah Buckley: I love Pregnancy and Childbirth Secrets because Gail presents the information that women need in such a straightforward way. Women will love the mix of practical and medical information, based on real life, and the ongoing support for new mothers from the breastfeeding and newborn tips. Other books presume that women will want to go along with everything that their carers or hospital suggest, whereas this book gives power and information back to women so that they can make the best choices for themselves, their babies and families.

3. It seems very practical, and grassroots, coming from moms rather than coming directly from physicians and nurses, or experts who haven’t given birth...a nice complement to what already exists.... what do you think?

Dr. Sarah Buckley: Yes, as above. Gail has a delightfully friendly and practical approach that also covers the serious side.

4. What advice can you give to first time (or multiple-time moms)?

Dr. Sarah Buckley: Remember that your body is the temporary home for your baby, and look after yourself and your body really well before, during and after pregnancy and birth. Eat the absolutely best diet that you can, with good quantities of healthy fats to build your baby’s brain; keep your work or life as low in stress as possible; consider yoga or other gentle exercise; also consider scheduling a regular massage- a fantastic investment for you and your baby; make sure you have time for resting and dreaming, and for tuning into your baby. Especially if you have other children, organize help for the first six weeks so that you can just rest and get to know your baby.

Copyright 2008, Copyright released with references. “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets” by National Bestselling Author Gail J. Dahl. Now available across North America at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Borders, Chapters, Coles and Indigo Books & Music. For more great secrets see the video website at: http://web.mac.com/pregnancysecrets. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.

Rixa's Blog- If you haven't read it yet, try it!

2008-03-20T19:13:00.002-06:00

Upright birth in hospitals

I am taking the liberty of reposting some comments from doctorjen from my earlier post Get Off Your Back--References about how she facilitates upright and active births in a hospital environment, including when women have epidurals. I'd love to hear from other people who attend births in hospitals about how they make this possible.

It seems that there are two major factors important for making this happen in a hospital setting:
1) The hospital staff must have a strong commitment to active, upright labor.
2) The staff must also have first-hand experience facilitating this, especially for moms who have epidurals, IVs, fetal monitors, etc.

Okay, enough of me. Here's doctorjen: MORE>>>

You want to eat during labor

2008-03-14T13:59:00.003-06:00

40

You want to eat during labor

A seeker once asked a Zen master how he knew he had attained enlightenment. "I eat when I am hungry and I drink when I am thirsty" was the reply.

Zen proverb

What we have, once again, is an obstetric belief system that defines childbirth as a medical-surgical event. Eating and drinking do not fit this model. IVs do.

Henci Goer, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

"I won't be any trouble, because I don't eat a thing!"

Dorothy, in Noel Langley's The Wizard of Oz

We can dispatch with this chapter in the time it takes to read what's worth reading in the weekday New York Times.

If you give birth in a hospital, you will probably be allowed to eat nothing but Jell-O cubes during labor. These Jell-O cubes will be provided by nurses who believe that Jell-O is food.

Although the majority of hospital personnel consider Jell-O to be food (a nonpoisonous ingestible substance), other nonpoisonous ingestible substances that actually are food, such as avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, tahini, apples, oranges, pears, etc., will be denied you. Thus you will find yourself spinning down the vortex of the following Catch 22 oxymorons: nourishing nonfood (Jell-O), nonnourishing food (vegetables, fruit, etc.), and noncaregiving caregivers (nonfood-providing, nourishment-withholding, nonnursing nurses).

The justification for the oxymoronic behavior of giving solely Jell-O to a laboring woman is simple and straightforward in the hospital mind. It is the belief that, because Jell-O turns quickly into liquid, you won't be likely to choke on it and die if you throw up.

Will you, by the same reasoning, be allowed to put your veggie sandwich in a blender and press "liquefy"? Sorry. Against hospital policy. What is hospital policy? A conglomeration of beliefs the majority of which have withstood the test of time but not science. (For an insightful treatise on the anti-scientific, anti-common sense nature of the Western hospital, see Robert Mendelsohn's book, Confessions of a Medical Heretic, especially his chapter, "The Temples of Doom.")

In short, although there is no reasoning behind it, Jell-O is your predictable fate in the hospital maternity ward.

Don't make me puke

Let us examine the hospital policy of "nothing by mouth" (NPO) in the light of reason and obstetric history.

Is there any rationale at all behind NPO?

Actually, once upon a time there was. NPO was an intervention created to attempt to correct a flaw, not in nature, but in another obstetric intervention – general anesthesia. In the old days, general anesthesia was given by mask. If a woman laboring on her back (also a cultural intervention) threw up into the mask, she ran a substantial risk of choking on, and dying from, her own vomit. Doctors, ever ready to save women from nature (vomiting), but not from culture (the backlying position, nauseating anesthesia, and death-dealing masks), devised the callous coup, "nothing by mouth," to remedy a much more simply remedied problem.

The unsympathetic intervention of "nothing by mouth" ostensibly ensured laboring women an empty stomach and, it was believed, risk-free retching. In fact, all it did was make women hungry.

Science, a field of endeavor given short shrift by modern medicine, was not originally given the chance to weigh in on the modern hospital policy of "nothing by mouth." Today, finally having led the horse back in front of the cart, science tells us that no amount of fasting necessarily empties the stomach. In an article interestingly titled, "Nutrition and position in labour," C. Johnson, et al. conclude: "No time interval between the last meal and the onset of labour guarantees a stomach volume of less than 100 ml." In other words, a laboring woman could fast for the entire duration of her labor, and her stomach might still carry contents enough to fatally choke her, were she unfortunate enough to throw up while lying down.

Thus, another routine hospital obstetric procedure is found to be based, not on science, but on belief. What belief? The belief in a defective nature, summarized in this way: "Since, according to nature's law, women are throwing up on themselves, we'll just have to starve them to save them from themselves."

NPO is another way for techno-advocates to cloak women in the darksome myth of female incompetence. That this myth might be turned into medical gold goes without saying, but unfortunately not without doing.

Choking down the numbers

Today, it is no longer necessary to give general anesthesia by mask. Thus, aspiration (choking on one's vomit) has become an event so rare that even as long as 30 years ago it was the sole cause of maternal death in only 2.6 out of 1,000,000 births. Today, even those 2.6 women survive labor choking-free.

These days, aspiration during labor is simply unheard of. In three large studies recently conducted in the U.S., women who ate freely during labor had no choking problems. In 78,000 cases, not a single case of aspiration occurred. Indeed, not a single case of maternal death from aspiration can be found in the medical literature in the last 30 years.

But modern-day hospital staff, ever ready to do the right thing – even if the right thing is the wrong thing – will deny you food, as your body, working overtime in the exhausting maternity ward, cries out for nourishment. On the extremely unlikely chance that at some point in your labor you might need general anesthesia (as opposed to the more commonly administered regional anesthesia, such as an epidural), hospital staff will starve you. And they will starve you in good conscience, for they live in the belief that all hospital policy has reason behind it.

But NPO has no rational foundation of any kind. No process of reason ends with the conclusion, "And therefore, NPO is medically indicated." As far as reason and science are concerned, "nothing by mouth" benefits no one.

Even if NPO did have demonstrable benefits for laboring women, one would still have to weigh those benefits against the risks. And what science tells us is that 1) NPO benefits do not exist and 2) NPO risks exist in great number. So weighing benefits against risks still sends NPO to the locker room.

"Oh, no, NPO!"

Being deprived of nourishment during labor may be hazardous to your health.

Severe restriction of oral intake can lead to ketosis. Ketosis is an abnormal increase in chemicals that your body produces after it has used up its available store of glycogen (blood sugar) and begins to burn fat. Maternal fat-burning results in acid buildup, which if allowed to proceed unchecked can result in maternal vomiting, coma, and even death.

Is your hospital staff concerned? In no way. They're happy to believe in the touted benefits of NPO, even if it could result in such "side-effects" as coma or death. (Am I making this up? I wish I were.)

Prolonged lack of food can be dangerous to your in utero baby, as well. Research shows that NPO may result in infant oxygen deprivation. Infant oxygen deprivation can lead to infant brain damage.

Although the 1999 World Health Organization report, Care in Normal Birth, informs us that ketosis and its unfavorable sequelae for both mother and fetus can be prevented by offering the mother "light meals" during labor, your obstetrician probably has not read this report. Why should he? No birth is "normal" in his eyes. His training has told him that birth is by definition pathological and that care is synonymous with intervention.

To a hospital obstetrician, the WHO report Care in Normal Birth contains an oxymoron in its title. The only normal birth your obstetrician knows is the one that miraculously didn't go wrong. And as your obstetrician's Brother In The White Coat, Dr. Robert Galser at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center reassuringly asserts, "Only a small minority of women find not being allowed to eat stressful." This charming sentiment is backed up by . . . well . . . nothing at all.

Delving further into scientific research, far from the quick-fix quips and gymnastic quunks of the indoctrinated and madding mediclown crowd, we find that NPO may even slow the progress of labor. This makes sense. Inadequate consumption of complex carbohydrates results in low blood sugar, which results in less effective (and sometimes painful) uterine contractions. Less effective contractions slow labor and may contribute to your chances of receiving the dreaded diagnosis "failure to progress," which significantly increases your chances of receiving a cesarean section, along with its common maternal complications (hemorrhage, infection, hematoma, pneumonia, blood poisoning), as well as infant injury, infection, bond-breaking isolation, formula feeding, respiratory distress, and so on. (For a more "full-bodied" list of maternal and infant complications from cesarean section, see Reason #3, "You don't want a cesarean section.")

At this point in your labor (which has failed to progress), the intervention of NPO – itself the ostensible solution to a prior intervention – justifies yet another intervention: IV placement.

In the warm and fuzzy myth of the safety and efficacy of hospital childbirth, the cavalry IV brings life-saving "nutrients" to the depleted maternal bloodstream. In fact, an intravenous simple-sugar solution brings empty calories to an empty host, as well as a plethora of risks that justify – you guessed it – further interventions. (For a deeper look at the hazards of using IV sugar-water to remedy the "no water" part of NPO, see Reason #41, "You want to drink during labor.")

Big daddy

Since its inception, the standard policy of "nothing by mouth" has been a bad idea through and through. Like most routine hospital obstetric policies, it is based on myth and scornful of science. The best that can be said about it is that, because it results in so many additional interventions, it gives hospital staff something to do to make themselves feel useful.

NPO is another example in an endless catalog of examples of the hospital institution's attempt to dehumanize you, to turn you into a patient, to strip away your comforting and competent humanity, to force you to find identity as the daughter of an institutional father.

NPO is yet one more example of modern medicine's century-long endeavor to convince women that their bodies are not their own and that their powerful fecundity must be manhandled if creation is to occur. Starving you to the point of pain, your hospital obstetric caregivers will cheerfully show you their concern by performing further interventions to save you from their myth-based ignorance, interventions that could have been avoided with a little research and a will to care.

But research requires effort, especially effort of the mind. And effort of the mind is verboten in the mindless maternity ward, where reason long ago gave way to myth. And caring requires effort, too – effort of the heart. And the heart has no place in the modern-day hospital maternity ward, where "the standard of care," not love, runs the show.

(The above is excerpted from Jock Doubleday's book, Spontaneous Creation: 101 Reasons Not to Have Your Baby in a Hospital, Vol. 1: A Book about Natural Childbirth and the Birth of Wisdom and Power in Childbearing Women, www.SpontaneousCreation.org)

Trust BIrth Conference

2008-02-26T13:53:00.006-06:00

These photos were taken by Gloria Lemay

www.consciouswoman.org

at the Trust Birth Conference in Redondo Beach California. March 6 to 10, 2008.

This was an unprecedented gathering of concerned citizens from all over the planet, coming together at the invitation of Carla Hartley, director of Ancient Arts Midwifery Institute. Carla has taught distance education for midwives for the past 30 years.

PASte this into your browser for more:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22818838@N03/2327312664/in/set-72157604098594121/

The Illusion of Midwifery in Saskatchewan; written by Lisa Wass

2008-02-26T13:53:00.002-06:00

There are good reasons to celebrate the recent regulation and funding for midwifery services in Saskatchewan. Acknowledgement by our provincial health care system that homebirth is safe and that midwifery is a credible and necessary profession has been a long time coming.

For many years, health care professionals who considered midwifery unscientific and irresponsible have mistreated those who have chosen the midwifery model of care. As a consequence, mothers and babies have been very limited in their birth choices for decades. Truth be known, midwifery care is a scientifically sound, natural approach to normal pregnancy, birth and early parenting. It provides a standard of care that cannot be duplicated by any other system; indeed, midwives are specialists in normal birth.

The greater concern now is that the government has left it up to each individual health region to hire midwives and develop delivery systems. Saskatoon and Regina are set to hire midwives, but are having trouble recruiting the minimum numbers needed—a news release erroneously identified that each city had already recruited four midwives. In fact, no hiring has been verified.

Furthermore, there is a national shortage of midwives. Even Manitoba (whose midwifery system Saskatchewan is modeled after) has yet to meet the numbers required since its implementation in 2003. It is conceivable that, while highly desirable, funded midwifery care will not be readily accessible in Saskatchewan for perhaps more than a decade.

Midwives hired by Saskatchewan health regions will also be subject to strict restrictions on their home birth practice. In urban areas such as Saskatoon, midwives will not be permitted to serve women in a home birth capacity outside of the city limits. This is a rural province; more than half of all midwifery clients in Saskatchewan reside in rural areas.

There is room in the legislation for independent midwives to continue to work outside of the regional health districts. However, the added exorbitant cost of liability insurance, coupled with the fact that Saskatchewan health has chosen not to fund private practice, will be yet another limiting factor to accessing midwifery care. Independent midwives will need to charge more than double their currents rates just to break even under the new regulations. So, while the provincial government should be applauded for funding midwifery, effectively half of the current consumer base has just lost access to the birth services they hold dear.

Experience from other provinces, like B.C.—which has taken this same funding and jurisdiction route—would indicate that Saskatchewan can expect an increase in the number of unregulated midwives and ‘unassisted’ home births, as women scramble for options outside of hospital settings to bring their children into the world. Without consumer outcry for more flexible implementation and local midwifery education programs to combat the shortage, accessible and funded midwifery care in Saskatchewan is merely an illusion.

2008-02-26T13:53:00.000-06:00

5a. Trusting the Process
Posted by: "Tia Rich" tia@inner-serenity.org innerserenitybirth
Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:30 am (PST)
So I am in post recovery from a birth yesterday as a Doula. This
entire last weekend I have been pondering the birthing process and the
journey it is. How we treat it in our world. So here is a the story of
the birth....

I had a client begin laboring on Feb 11th and on the 12th was 3cm
60% effaced... She lost her mucous plug and so we all thought
soon... I told her to rest, hydrate and eat. She took walks with her
mate and looked forward to the day... Well time passed and she would
have periods of regular contractions that by bedtime when she was
tired would just slide away... By the 22nd after losing two mucous
plugs and having bloody show off and on for a week. she began
contracting at 1am (Friday) 5 min apart, she rested, ate drank and
just hung through them.... This continued through the weekend...
intensity building...(baby reactive and doing well through it all)
Monday the 25th 5:30 am I get a phone call that they are pretty
intense 2 min. apart... so it's time to go to her home.... We labor at
home till I see the dilated pupils and wild look in her eyes, her
water had broken 30 minutes before... time to go Transition has
arrived... At the hospital she is 7 cm and goes to 10 within 30
minutes... Beautiful chubby baby born 90 min. later... With a thick
healthy placenta... Oh and her caregivers honored her plans (push in
whatever position, late cord clamping, mother/baby/daddy bare skin
contact without time limits, no Vacc or interventions etc...) This in
a 90% epidural rate hospital....

OK so my client knows that without me to sound her out and reassure
her she would have gone to her caregiver and would have been in the
hospital many days before this one... She was being seen by two CNM's
and a OB in practice together. She knows she most likely would have
ended up on Pitocin and much more had they known about her pattern of
labor... I find this sad that "I" was their saving grace from that
process.

None of the books that most people read really talk about labor and
birth looking like this... So how are mothers to know that what their
body is doing is perfectly normal. This woman happened to be highly
attuned to her body and baby. More so than most woman, I truly believe
that is part of what let her slowly labor her baby out. She labored
for hours and hours over the weekend and would sleep when she needed
it, her body and adapting to those needs...

She did so much of the work of labor calmly, relaxed, smiling... The
intense part was very intense, but also very short in comparison to
the whole process... In all this woman and her mate had an experience
full of respect and beauty without fear and manipulation.

This is a pattern we need our caregivers and ourselves to honor, that
we need to write about and teach... I believe even midwives need to
really look at this, and learn to trust and honor the birth process. I
see many who fear the process that is not "normal". So what is normal?
That is not a simple answer, normal is as different as each individual
person is.

This journey I shared in was natural and very normal, not
maladaptive... Instead of seeing the normal pattern, most see problems
and look for reasons why the baby isn't popping out in the 14 hr
medical time plan...Of course back in the 60's normal labor was
thought to last as long as 36-38 hrs... In the 80's it was knocked
down to 24hrs, we now expect it to last 14 hrs... Have our bodies
changed so much?

Tia Rich

www.inner-serenity.org

Definition of Midwife

2007-12-31T12:01:00.001-06:00

Definition of Midwife from Midwifery Today

A midwife is a primary health care provider whose services are guided by the individual needs of each mother and baby. Her abilities and knowledge are the health, physiology and effective care of pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

She acts in a humane, receptive and flexible manner. She is willing to update her knowledge continually while maintaining a practice of meticulous care with minimum intervention.

She acquires essential knowledge from other midwives through a variety of educational routes within a formal or traditional process, as well as by assisting with mothers and babies.

A midwife shares information with mothers, families and the community that may include her model of care, alternative health services, rights and responsibilities, wellness, preventive care, bonding, breastfeeding, child rearing and family planning.

A midwife provides care and oversees the health of women and their babies during the childbearing year and assists with birth. She may provide lifelong care to women. The midwife's practice is autonomous: she may offer her services at clinical facilities and in homes.

A midwife can identify health problems, knows techniques for managing emergency situations and has a plan to refer or transport, when necessary.

A midwife is acknowledged as a primary provider of maternal health services by the members of her community or by the country in which she practices.

CBC News

2007-12-25T21:28:00.001-06:00

The majority of new Canadian mothers are happy with their labour and the birth of their child, suggests new data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada, though midwife deliveries are seen in a more positive light.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/11/27/statscan-babies.html

Why is there a need for Doulas in Saskatchewan?

2007-12-19T00:06:00.000-06:00

As childbirth has moved from home to hospital, a vital element of care has been lost from the whole process. Gone are the days where a woman would have continuous support from one caregiver throughout her labour.

It used to be the case that the womenfolk within the immediate and extended family (mothers/sisters/grandmother etc...) would be on hand to provide the nurturing role for the new mother, to guide by experience and help with the practicalities that need to be performed before, during and after a woman gives birth to a baby.

The concept of the community midwife is only now being developed in Saskatchewan, but due to the immediate lack of resources, (midwives and willing Health Districts) this service will not be readily available to all women for perhaps another decade or more. Doulas fill this gap in services, by supporting women in the birth environment of their choice.

Presently, many women feel that they have no choice but to be in hospital to give birth to their baby where it is much more likely that a birth will be medically managed and intervention methods will be used.

RESEARCH has shown that having a Doula present at a birth ;
Shortens first-time labour by an average of 2 hours
Decreases the chance of caesarean section by 50%
Decreases the need for pain medication
Helps fathers participate with confidence
Increases success in breastfeeding.....

Reference: "Mothering the Mother,"
Klaus, Kennell & Klaus, 1993
A doula believes in “mothering the mother”

.....enabling a woman to have the most satisfying and empowered time that she can during pregnancy, birth and the early days as a new mum. This type of support also helps the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience.

Birth doulas are trained and experienced in childbirth, although they may or may not have given birth themselves. They have a good knowledge and awareness of female physiology BUT the Doula is not supporting the mother in a clinical role - that is the job of the midwife/medical staff.

Postnatal doulas work flexible hours to suit the family, offering practical and emotional support to the new mother and father in the home following the birth of baby. In the West today, too often mothers are rushed back into normal day-to-day activities; in many cultures women are confined to bed and rest for a period of up to 40 days.

This may be impossible in our society but with the help of a postnatal Doula, a mother can enjoy some of the benefits of a prolonged "lying in" period. This will help her bond with her baby and spend extra time with any older siblings. Our work is about empowering a family to take care of itself and we facilitate this by helping around the house and offering encouragement and suggestions.

Estimation of Fetal Weight

2007-12-18T22:52:00.001-06:00

In the case of macrosomic fetuses, attempts to predict birth weight
from fetal measurements on ultrasonography have been unsuccessful in
improving clinical outcomes. Many researchers have concluded that
ultrasonographic fetal biometric assessments are no more predictive of
fetal macrosomia than clinical assessments of fetal size by means of
simple external abdominal palpation. More...

New Canadian Book Review!

2007-12-06T16:45:00.001-06:00

Pregnancy and Childbirth Secrets; by Gail Dahl

I have been using this book on trial as a text in my prenatal education class. It is a great hit with all of the moms!! Well written with firm reseach to BACK UP RECOMMENDATIONS...CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE ABOUT IT: Gail Dahl

Newborn Care

2007-10-30T09:25:00.000-06:00

October 2007 Journal of Family Practice

Newborn Care: 12 beliefs that shape practice (But should they?)
Common beliefs that require a second look

#1. Breast milk is a complete nutritional source for a healthy term newborn

The Evidence: Breast milk is not a complete nutritional source for heatlhy
term newborns. In fact, breast milk provides the ideal source of nutrition,
and it is almost a complete and perfect source of nutrition--with one
important exception. The AAP recommends that all breast-fed newborns
receive 200 IU/day of Vitamin D until they are getting at least 500 mL/day
of vitamin D formula or milk.

The purpose of the supplementation is to prevent vitamin D defiency and
subsequent rickets. The AAP makes no mention in its recommendation of
infant pigmentation or the expected amount of exposure to sunshine. The AAP
recommends that vitamin D supplementation begin by the time they infant is 2
months old.

#2. Supplementing with formula because the mother's milk hasn't come in yet
is a reasonable, routine practice.

The Evidence: Formula supplements are not necessary as routine practice.

Formula supplements are counterproductive, taking away the primary stimulus
for breast milk production---nursing at the breast. Infant dissatisfaction
with the initial volume of breast milk produced actually works to the
infant's advantage, driving the child to the breast more often, and thus
increasing the likelihood of successful breastfeeding. In certain
circumstances, formula supplement can be reasonable, such as when an infant
is hypoglycemic or when the baby is receiving phototherapy and experience
excessive weight loss and becomes severely dehydrated. However, formula
supplementation is not reasonable or necessary as routine practice.

#3. Mothers on magnesium therapy should not breastfeed their infants.

The Evidence: Mothers on magnesium therapy may continue to breastfeed their
babies.

The misguided recommendation that mothers who are being treated with
magnesium therapy should not breastfeed is based on an unreasonable fear
that magnesium therapy can cause hypermagnesemia in breastfed newborns due
to excessive magnesium levels in the breast milk. Supplemental magnesium,
usually given intravenously to mothers with severe preeclampsia, does not
cross over into breast milk in any significant amount, even when the mother
continues to need intravenous magnesium after the birth of her baby.

#4. Mothers who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen or who are
carriers for hepatitis C should not breastfeed.

The Evidence: Mothers who are hepatitis B surface antigen positive or
carriers for hepatitis C can safely breastfeed their newborns.

The idea that mothers who are infected with hepatitis B or C should not
breasteed their babies at first seems obvious to many who care for newborns,
as the diseases are transmitted through blood exposure, and nipple cracks
with associated blood loss are common in mothers when they begin to
breastfeed. The hepatitis B immunization protocol for infants born to
hepatits B surface antigen positive mothers takes care of the first
infectious concern. In addition, no case of hepatitis C transmission from
breast milk has evern been reported. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention confirms that the transmission rate of hepatitis C from infection
mothers is the same whether the babies are breast or bottle fed.

#5. Mothers who are febrile should not breastfeed.

The Evidence: In most cases, febrile mothers may safely breastfeed their
infants.

The advice for mothers not to breastfeed while febrile seems intuitively
true because of concern that the infection might pass over into the breast
milk to the baby. This rarely happens. There are only 4 contraindications
to breastfeeding during maternal fever.
a. Active, untreated maternal tuberculosis
b. Mother who are human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or II positive
c. Mothers who are HIV-positive
(I think some newer studies have
refuted this--saying that as long as the mother EXCLUSIVELY breastfeeds and
no formula, she can safely breastfeed)

d. Mothers with a herpes simplex lesion on the breast.

#6. Mothers who smoke or drink alcohol should not breastfeed.

The Evidence: While this recommendation seems self-evident, the research
proving harmful effects to the infant is lacking.

In fact, in its most recent statement on "The Transfer of Drugs and Other
Chemicals Into Human Milk," the AAP removed nicotine from a table of drugs
for which adverse effects have been reported on infants during
breastfeeding. While it would be ideal if no breastfeeding mother smoked or
drank alcohol, the fact of the matter is that some do. In light of this,
it's wise to encourage the mother to smoke outside the home, and to change
her clothes before holding her baby. In so doing, she will avoid exposing
her baby to most of the effects of secondhand smoke. In addition, while
mothers who breastfeed their infants should, of course avoid alcohol abuse,
a singel, occasional small alcoholic drink is acceptable.

#7. Pacifiers are bad for newborns.

The Evidence: It is not clear whether pacifiers are "bad" for newborns.

The belief that newborns should not have pacifienrs cam into being for a
well-intended reason; breastfeeding advocates were concerned that newborns
would spend too much time sucking on the pacifier and too little time
sucking at the breast undermining the mother's ability to breastfeed
successfully. Consensus on the matter though is lacking. The UNICEF World
Health Organization Baby-Friendly Initiative, for instance, recommends that
pacifiers not be used. The AAP, however, advises that pacifiers can be used
once breastfeeding is well established. The research is also mixed. On the
one hand, new evidence indicates that pacifier use may decrease the
incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. On the other hand, pacifier use
for longer than 48 months has been linked to orthodontic problems and dental
caries. Thus, while prolonged pacifier use may be harmful to dental
hygiene, newer evidence allows that pacifiers may be acceptable in the first
few years during breastfeeding.

#8. Newborn emesis is an indication for a formula change.

The Evidence: No literature supports the belief that is is appropriate to
change an infant's formula in response to emesis in the first 2 weeks of
life.

The overwhelming majority of vomiting episodes in newborns have no
accompanying medical problems. A 2002 study by Miyazawa et al that looked
at more than 900 infants showed more than 47% of Japanese infants < style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">(So your chances of infection are higher if your babe is born in hospital) Umbilical cord infections sometimes occur even when the cord area is kep clean and dry, so healthcare
providers must be attentive to signs of possible infection.

#10. It's easy to spot when a newborn is jaundiced.

The Evidence: Jaundice is actually difficult to detect in darkly pigmented
babies and in babies sent home within 24 hours of birth, because bilirubin
levels reach maximum levels between the third and fourth days of life.

Years ago, when infants stayed longer in the nursery, doctors had the chance
to see them when their bilirubin level was highest and when the babies were
most jaundiced. The current emphasis on early discharge does not allow this
practice. The AAP recommends clinical assessment of a newborn's state of
jauncie and that a bilirubin level be obtained whenver a physicain is in
doubt about the degree of clinical jaundice. The AAP also recommends that
physicans consider obtaining a routine screening bilirubin in all newborns
at the time of hospital discharge even if by clinicl assessment, the child
is not jaundiced. The AAP made these recommendations because of an
increasing concern that the incidence of in American is rising.

(Too much use perhapsor Vit K supplement, cutting the cord too early,
not enough time and frequency on the breast?

TABLE 1
Risk Factors for Hyperbilirubinemia in Newborns

Maternal factors
Blood type ABO or Rh incompatibility
Breastfeeding
Drugs: diazepam (Valium), oxytocin ()
Ethnicity: Asian, Native American
Maternal illness: gestational diabetes

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020215/599.html

#11. All infants who require phototherapy need IV fluids to prevent
dehydration and enhance excretiono f bilirubin.

The Evidence: Unless the baby is clinically dehydrated, IV fluid therapy
for infants under phototherapy is not needed.

Though IV fluid therapy is commonly used to increase the excretion of
bilirubin and combat dehydration, the research tells us that IV fluids do
not bring down bilirubin levels and that even with mild dehydration, the
best fluid therapy is breast milk or formula because it inhibits the
enterohepatic circulation of bilirubin. Intravenous fluid therapy should be
reserved for jaundiced newborns with moderat to severe dehydration or those
with milk dehydration who are not able to take fluid by mouth.

#12. Breast-milk jaundice is best treated by stopping breastfeeding for
24-48 hours.

The Evidence: Breastfeeding should not be discontinued as a way to treat
breast-milk jaundice.

In fact, breastfeeding should not be discontinued for jaundice due to any
cause, as demonstrated in the opening scenario, unless you believe a bab is
at risk of requiring an exchange transfusion. The need for phototherapy
alone is not sufficient reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Breast-milk
jaundice is a common problem facing parents and physicans, but it is not a
disease and does not represent an abnormality in and of itself. Rather this
normal physiologic condition gains its importance only in that it must be
distinguished from pathological causes of newborn jaundice. Breastmilk
jaundice is believed to affect 1% to 33% of breastfed infants. One
treatment measure--to stop breastfeeding--began, in part, as a
cost-effective way to diagnose breast-milk jaundice. Rechecking the
bilirubin 24 to 48 hours after breastfeeding is discontinued would reveal a
significant drop in the bilirubin level, confirming the diagnosis of
breast-milk jaundice and obviating the need for testing for more serious
medical illness. The consequence of this misguided treatment approach,
idscontinuing breastfeeding, is that some mothers are more likely to stop
breastfeeding altogether.

What do you think?

Vitamin D !!!!

2007-09-27T07:59:00.000-06:00

"Take more vitamin D mothers told," Pediatricians recommend tenfold increase for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Globe and Mail Headlines

T, Sam & the Twins (Freddies)

2007-08-27T13:11:00.001-06:00

T, Sam & the Twins (Freddies)

Last month I met with a great couple who are expecting twins. They have set up a blog to chronicle the journey complete with photos of her gorgeous growing belly. I am very excited to share this journey with them as their Doula. Please check out the blog for updates!

believing in birth,
Lisa

Waterbirth of Rebekkah

2007-08-07T08:07:00.001-06:00

On the morning of August 4 , 2007 I had the privilege of being present for the birth of a child.
Rebekkah was born into the loving arms of her parents, in her own home, in a warm pool of water. The midwives and I had sat vigil with this birthing couple for 24 hours. The mother's pace of labour was leisurely, but rhythmic and effective. She focused on her body's natural rhythms and accepted that this child would come on its own terms. I have supported many labours at home in my work as a doula, but only a couple that were planned home births. This was a very inspiring event. As a doula, I usually accompany couples into the hospital once the mother's labour is firmly established at home. The intimacy and security of the family's home environment is left behind as we enter the medical management model of birth at the hospital. Once there my energies are split between supporting the mother's physical and emotional needs and helping to navigate the medical model while still maintaining a sense of control and intimacy in a new and strange environment. My experience with this birth was very different.I was in the company of two of Saskatchewan's three midwives. Their presence set a different tone for the birth from the onset. These are truly beautiful and amazing women. Their complete TRUST in birth, quiet encouragement and hands off approach to a mother's care during labour were a breathe of fresh air. While the labouring mom and her husband spent time together and I supported them both verbally and physically when neccesary, these women kept watch. I think I will call them Birth Guardians. Their presence was barely known; floating in and out of the mother's space only when needed. Some women need alot of physical support in the way of massage during labour, others really just want to be left alone. This mom was most comforted in the arms of her husband, who held her tightly during contractions and was often heard exchanging whispers of love and adoration with her when she rested. The rest of us were there to support them and this process of birth that proceeded so perfectly. There were points during this home birth when I actually thought to myself, "This is so relaxing." They were so obviously in love and absorbed in the work of bringing this child into the world together. There were no interruptions, or interventions to distract them. They had the freedom to roam about, often going outside for walks, eating light snacks and bathing often. When the contractions would slow down, she took her body's cue to rest and would sleep for short periods of time. Upon waking she would comment on how good she felt and they would begin the 'dance' agian. This alone was wondeful to witness. Women are taught not to trust our bodies in so many ways. In the hospital this mom would have been told she was not progressing and interventions would have been initiated to force the labour into an "acceptable" pace. There is a focus on product instead of process in the medical world. The midwives kept careful records of her health throughout and of the baby's heart rate, but did not interfere with the way her body laboured. They made suggestions regarding positioning and nutrition as needed, and encouraged the mom the everything was proceeding well. You see, the range of normal becomes much wider when medical mangement parameters are lifted from labour. This woman was able to honour the process of birth and in doing so honoured herself. Her child was born so peacefully.I am not saying that one must have a home birth to have a satisfactory experience, but I will admit that the level of freedom and support for the couple while in the hands of well trained and capable midwives far exceeded any hospital experience that I have witnessed to date. I look forward to working with the midwives again and I am so excited for this new little family who have entered into relationship together in such a beautiful way.Believing in Birth,Lisa

Quote of the month

2007-08-07T08:04:00.001-06:00

“Unfortunately, the role of obstetrics has never been to help women give birth. There is a big difference between the medical discipline we call “obstetrics” and something completely different, the art of midwifery. If we want to find safe alternatives to obstetrics, we must rediscover midwifery. To rediscover midwifery is the same as giving back childbirth to women. And imagine the future if surgical teams were at the service of the midwives and the women instead of controlling them.”

-Michael Odent, MD

Midwifery Options in Saskatchewan

2007-08-06T22:23:00.002-06:00

Midwifery Care is available here right now!

Our current government is working towards providing funded midwifery care in our province in the next year for some health regions.

For more information regarding available midwifery services in Saskatchewan visit the Midwives Association website at: www.saskmidwives.ca

Questions about Prenatal Ultrasound...

2007-08-05T14:57:00.000-06:00

Contents of Article:
Autism overview
Problems with sound and heat
Elevated MAternal Temperatures cause birth defects
Autism, Genetics and Twin studies
Ultrasound Warnings Unheeded
Hottubs, Steam rooms and Maternal Fevers
Global Autism Epidemic
The Changes in Ultrasound
Increasingly Common Birth Defects
References and research suggestions

Questions about Prenatal Ultrasound and the Alarming Increase in Autism
by Caroline Rodgers© 2006 Midwifery Today, Inc. All rights reserved.
Editor's note: This article first appeared in Midwifery Today Issue 80, Winter 2006.
In May 2006, figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed what too many parents and educators already knew: The incidence of autism is high, making it an "urgent public health issue," according to Dr. JoseCordero, director of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Only 12 years ago autism spectrum disorder (ASD)was so rare that it occurred in just one in 10,000 births.(1) Today ASD,which is characterized by a range of learning and social impairments, nowoccurs in one in 166 children (2)—with no sign of leveling off.
The steep increase in autism goes beyond the US: It is a global phenomenon,occurring in industrialized nations around the world. In the UK, teachers report one in 86 primary school children has special needs related toASD.(3)
The cause of autism has been pinned on everything from "emotionally remote"mothers (since discredited) to vaccines, genetics, immunological disorders,environmental toxins and maternal infections. Today most researcherstheorize that autism is caused by a complex interplay of genetics andenvironmental triggers. A far simpler possibility worthy of investigation isthe pervasive use of prenatal ultrasound, which can cause potentiallydangerous thermal effects.
Health practitioners involved in prenatal care have reason to be concerned about the use of ultrasound. Although proponents point out that ultrasound has been used in obstetrics for 50 years and early studies indicated it was safe for both mother and child, enough research has implicated it in neuron-developmental disorders to warrant serious attention.
At a 1982 World Health Organization (WHO) meeting sponsored by theInternational Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) and other organizations, an international group of experts reported that "[t]here are several frequently quoted studies that claim to show that exposure to ultrasound in-utero does not cause any significant abnormalities in the offspring. …However, these studies can be criticized on several grounds,including the lack of a control population and/or inadequate sample size,and exposure after the period of major or ganogenesis; this invalidates theirconclusions…."(4)
Early studies showed that subtle effects of neurological damage linked to ultrasound were implicated by an increased incidence in left-handedness in boys (a marker for brain problems when not hereditary) and speech delays.(5) Then in August 2006, Pasko Rakic, chair of Yale School of Medicine'sDepartment of Neurobiology, announced the results of a study in which pregnant mice underwent various durations of ultrasound.(6) The brains of the offspring showed damage consistent with that found in the brains of people with autism.
The research, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, also implicated ultrasound in neurodevelopmental problems in children, such as dyslexia, epilepsy, mentalretardation and schizophrenia, and showed that damage to brain cells increased with longer exposures.(7)Dr. Rakic's study, which expanded on prior research with similar results in2004 (8), is just one of many animal experiments and human studies conductedover the years indicating that prenatal ultrasound can be harmful to babies. While some questions remain unanswered, based on available information, health practitioners must seriously consider the possible consequences of both routine and diagnostic use of ultrasound, as well as electronic fetalheart monitors, which may be neither non-invasive nor safe. If pregnant women knew all the facts, would they choose to expose their unborn children to a technology that—despite its increasingly entrenched position in modernobstetrics—has little or no proven benefit?
Problems with Sound and Heat
One challenge that ultrasound operators face is keeping the transducer positioned over the part of the fetus the operator is trying to visualize.When fetuses move away from the stream of high-frequency sound waves, they may be feeling vibrations, heat or both. As the FDA warned in 2004,"ultrasound is a form of energy, and even at low levels, laboratory studies have shown it can produce physical effect in tissue, such as jarring vibrations and a rise in temperature."(9)
This is consistent with research conducted in 2001 in which an ultrasound transducer aimed directly at a miniature hydrophone placed in a woman's uterus recorded sound "as loud as asubway train coming into the station."(10)
A rise in temperature of fetal tissue—especially since the expectant mothercannot even feel it—might not seem alarming, but temperature increases can cause significant damage to a developing fetus's central nervous system,according to research.(11) Across mammalian species, elevated maternal or fetal body temperatures have been shown to result in birth defects inoffspring.(12)
An extensive review of literature on maternal hyperthermia in a range of mammals found that "central nervous system (CNS) defects appearto be the most common consequence of hyperthermia in all species, and cell death or delay in proliferation of neuroblasts [embryonic cells that developinto nerve cells] is believed to be one major explanation for these effects."(13)
Why should neurodevelopmental defects in rats or other mammals be of concern to expecting women? Because, as Cornell University researchers proved in2001, brain development proceeds in the same manner "across many mammalian species, including human infants."(14)
The team found "95 neural developmental milestones" that helped them pinpoint the sequence of brain growth events in different species.(15) Therefore, if repeated experiments show that elevated heat caused by ultrasound damages fetal brains in rats and other mammals, one can logically assume that it can harm human brains,too.
In fact, the FDA and professional medical associations know that prenatal ultrasound can be dangerous to humans, which is why they have consistently warned against the non-medical or "keepsake" ultrasound portrait studios that have cropped up in malls throughout the country.(16)
The risks to the baby are potentially higher in commercial enterprises due to the higher acoustic output required for high-definition images, a potentially long session—as technicians hunt for suitable images—and the employment of ultrasound operators who may have no medical background or appropriate training. These variables, along with factors such as cavitation(a bubbling effect caused by ultrasound that can damage cells) and on-screen safety indicators that may be inaccurate by a factor ranging from 2–6 (17),make the impact of ultrasound uncertain even in expert hands.
Quite simply,if ultrasound can injure babies, it can cause the same damage whether done for routine, diagnostic or "entertainment" purposes.
Elevated Maternal Temperatures Cause Birth Defects
Understanding what happens when the fetus's temperature increases, whether caused by an elevation in maternal core temperature or by the more local effect of ultrasound, is the key to appreciating prenatal ultrasound risks. An individual's body temperature varies throughout the day due to various factors such as circadian rhythms, hormone fluctuations and physical exertion. While people may have up to 1.5° F in each direction of what is considered a "normal" core temperature, the overall average among people is 98.6° F. An increase of only 1.4° F to 100° F can cause headaches, body aches and fatigue, enough to get the individual excused from work. A temperature of 107 F can cause brain damage or death. A core temperature of about 98.6° F is important because that is the point at which many important enzyme reactions occur. Temperature affects the actual shape of the proteins that create enzymes, and improperly shaped proteins are unable to do their jobs correctly.
As factors such as the amount of heat or duration of exposure increase, enzyme reactions become less efficient until they are permanently inactivated, unable to function correctly even if the temperature returns to normal.(18) Because temperature is critical to proper enzyme reactions, the body has built-in methods to regulate its core temperature. For instance, when it is too low, shivering warms it up; when it is too high, sweating wicks off the heat. For obvious reasons, fetuses cannot cool off by sweating. However,they have another defense against temperature increases: Each cell contains something called heat shock (HS) proteins that temporarily stop the formation of enzymes when temperatures reach dangerously high levels.(19)
Complicating the issue is the fact that ultrasound heats bone at a different rate than muscle, soft tissue or amniotic fluid.(20) Further, as bones calcify, they absorb and retain more heat. During the third trimester, the baby's skull can heat up 50 times faster than its surrounding tissue (21),subjecting parts of the brain that are close to the skull to secondary heatthat can continue after the ultrasound exam has concluded. Elevated temperatures that might only temporarily affect the mother can have devastating effects on a developing embryo.
A 1998 article in the medical journal, Cell Stress & Chaperones, reported that "the HS response is inducible in early embryonic life but it fails to protect embryos against damage at certain stages of development." The authors noted, "With activation of the HS response, normal protein synthesis is suspended…but survival is achieved at the expense of normal development."(22)
Autism, Genetics and Twin Studies
What does elevated body temperature have to do with autism?
Geneticists are trying to crack the DNA mysteries behind ASD. Recently researchers linked two mutations of the same X chromosome gene to autism in two unrelated families, although they do not yet understand at what stage these genes were damaged.(23)
Because sibling and twin studies show a higher prevalence of autism among children in families with one autistic child, geneticists expected to find inherited factors, but despite millions of dollars invested in the search, no clear explanation indicates that ASD is inherited.
Perhaps scientists need look no further than at the thermal effects of ultrasound for many answers. If prenatal ultrasound is responsible for some cases of autism, it stands to reason that if one twin were autistic, the other would have a high probability of being affected, since both would have been exposed to ultrasound at the same time. In both identical and fraternal twins, one twin could be more severely affected than the other if he or she happened to take the brunt of the heat or sound waves. In the case of fraternal twins, since autism strikes males between three to five times more often than females, the sex of the twins also could make a difference in outcome.
A 2002 study showed that simply being a twin substantially increased the likelihood of autism, making twinning a risk factor.(24) Could this increased twin risk factor have to do with the practice of giving mothers with multiple gestations more ultrasounds than those expecting singlebirths? While not discounting the role genetics may play in autism, the possible impact of prenatal ultrasound deserves serious consideration.
Ultrasound Warnings Unheeded
The idea that a prenatal ultrasound can be hazardous is not new. The previously mentioned 1982 WHO report, in its summary "Effects of Ultrasoundon Biological Systems," stated that
"…animal studies suggest that neurological, behavioral, developmental, immunological, haematological changes and reduced fetal weight can result from exposure to ultrasound."(25)
Two years later, when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) held a conference assessing ultrasound risks, it reported that when birth defects occurred, the acoustic output was usually high enough to cause considerable heat.(26). Although the NIH has since stated that the report "is no longerviewed…as guidance for current medical practice," the facts remain unchanged.
Despite the findings of these two major scientific gatherings, in 1993 theFDA approved an eight-fold increase in the potential acoustical output of ultrasound equipment (27), greatly increasing the possibility of disastrous pregnancy outcomes caused by overheating. Can the fact that this increase inpotential thermal effects happened during the same period of time the incidence of autism increased nearly 60-fold be merely coincidental?
Hot Tubs, Steam Rooms, Saunas and Maternal Fevers
If the culprit is heat, then what about other situations in which heat impacts pregnancy?
A 2003 study titled, "A report of heat on embryos and fetuses" in the International Journal of Hyperthermia states, "hyperthermia during pregnancy can cause embryonic death, abortion, growth retardation and developmental defects."(28) It further states, "An elevation of maternal body temperature by 2 degrees Centigrade [3.6 degrees Fahrenheit] for at least 24 hours during fever can cause a range of developmental defects."(29) The report noted that necessary data to draw conclusions on exposure timesless than 24 hours were lacking (30), leaving open the possibility that elevated maternal temperatures for shorter periods may adversely affect fetuses.
A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)found that "women who used hot tubs or saunas during early pregnancy face up to triple the risk of bearing babies with spina bifida or brain defects."(31). Hot tubs and baths present greater dangers than other heat therapies such as saunas and steam rooms because the immersion in waterfoils the body's attempt to cool off via perspiration, in much the same way fetuses cannot escape elevated temperatures in the womb. All of this taken together establishes the fact that heat, whether caused by elevated maternal temperature or by an ultrasound transducer that remained over one area too long, can set into motion damaging changes in a developing baby. Using common sense, why would anyone think that intruding upon the continuous, seamless development of the fetus, which has for millions of years completed its work without assistance, be without consequences?
Vaccine and Thimerosal Controversy
Despite long-standing evidence that ultrasound induces thermal effects and that thermal effects can harm fetal brain development, the cause of autism has remained so elusive to researchers that many autism societies use a puzzle piece as part of their logos.
Particularly confounding is the fact that ASD plagues the children of high-income, well-educated families whohave the best obstetrical care money can buy. Why would women who took theirprenatal vitamins, observed healthy diets, refrained from smoking ordrinking and attended all regularly scheduled prenatal visits bear children with profound neurologically based problems?
Some believe that childhood vaccines, at first available only to those who could afford them, cause autism. Many vaccines contained thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, which was thought to have a cumulative neurotoxic effect on children, especially as the number of childhood vaccines increased during the same period of years that the prevalence of autism increased. However, after an exhaustive review in 1999, the FDA found no evidence of harm in the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines.(32)Despite those findings, that same year the FDA, NIH, CDC, Health Resourcesand Services Administration (HRSA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)together urged vaccine manufacturers to reduce or eliminate thimerosal inchildhood vaccines.(33) Pharmaceutical companies complied, and ultimately reduced the infant thimerosal exposure by 98%.(34)
Interestingly, not only did autism rates fail to decrease, they continued to increase. ASD increases are between 10 to 17 percent every year, according to the Autism Society of America (35), indicating that thimerosal is not to blame.Thimerosal was not the only area of concern in the vaccine-autism controversy. Many people believed that a correlation existed between the triple vaccine MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) and ASD. However, a large,retrospective epidemiological study of more than 30,000 children in Japan between 1988 and 1996 found that the autism rate continued to climb after the vaccine was withdrawn.(36) Those results were no different than the outcome of a 1999 study published in The Lancet, that showed no corresponding jump in autism in the UK after the introduction of the MMRvaccine.(37)
A 2001 study published in JAMA examining California autism and MMR vaccination rates said the results did "not suggest an association between MMR immunization among young people and an increase in autism occurrence."(38) While concerns about vaccines and mercury exposure shouldnot be dismissed, evidence to date does not implicate either one as a major factor in the explosion of ASD cases.
Global Autism Epidemic
Statistics on the increase of autism worldwide among industrialized nationsshow that it has emerged in just the last few decades across vastly different environments and cultures. What do countries and regions with climates, diets and exposure to known toxins as disparate as the US, Japan,Scandinavia, Australia, India and the UK have in common? No common factor in the water, air, local pesticides, diet or even building materials and clothing can explain the emergence and relentless increase in this serious, life-long neuro-developmental disorder. What all industrial countries do have in common is the quiet yet pervasive change in obstetrical care:
All of them use routine prenatal ultrasound on pregnant women.In countries with nationalized healthcare, where virtually all pregnant women are exposed to ultrasound, the autism rates are even higher than in the US, where due to disparities in income and health insurance, some 30 percent of pregnant women do not yet under go ultrasound scanning.
The Changes in Ultrasound
In considering initial studies indicating that prenatal ultrasound is safe,one must factor in the ways in which the technology and its applications have continually changed and how that has altered the potential exposure o funborn children. Besides the huge increase in allowable acoustic output inthe early 1990s, the following changes have made the field of prenatal ultrasound riskier than ever:
The number of ultrasound scans conducted during each pregnancy has increased, with women often receiving two or more scans even in low-risk situations.(39)
Women in "high-risk" situations may receive many more scans—which, ironically, may raise their risk. The range of time within an embryo or fetus's development when ultrasound is performed has extended to very early in the first trimester and continues into the third trimester, right up to delivery. Fetal heart monitors that are used prior to delivery—sometimes for hours—have not been shown to reduce neurological problems and may increase them.(40)
The development of the vaginal probe, which positions the beam of sound much closer to the embryo or fetus, may put it at higher risk. The use of Doppler ultrasound, which is used to study blood flow or tomonitor the baby's heartbeat, has increased. According to the 2006 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, "routine Doppler ultrasound in pregnancy does not have health benefits for women or babies and may do some harm."(41)
Increasingly Common Birth Defects
Dr. Rakic's research team, cited earlier in this article for its recent study on mouse brains and ultrasound, pointed out that "the probe was held stationary for up to 35 minutes, meaning that essentially the entire fetal mouse brain would have been continually exposed to the ultrasound for 35minutes…in sharp contrast to the duration and volume of the human fetal brain exposed by ultrasound which will typically not linger on a given tissue volume for greater than one minute."(42)
This is an excellent point, which is worth pursuing. One of the most popular non-medical uses of ultrasound, which can extend a medically indicated session, is to determine the sex of the baby. Could this have a connection to the increase in birth defects involving the genitals and urinary tract? The March of Dimes says that these types of birth defects affect "as many as 1 in 10 babies," adding that "specific causes of most of these conditions is unknown."(43)
Following this line of thought, consider what other parts of the body are scrutinized by ultrasound technicians, such as the heart, where serious defects have soared nearly 250 percent between 1989 and 1996.(44) The list of unexplained birth defects is not a short one, and in light of what is emerging about prenatal ultrasound, scientists should take another look at all recent trends, as well as the baffling 30% increase in premature births since 1981, now affecting one in every eight children (45), with many showing subsequent neurological damage.(46)
Although many claim that ultrasound benefits outweigh the risks, that statement has no basis and much evidence is to the contrary. A large randomized trial of 15,151 pregnant women, conducted by the RADIUS StudyGroup, found that in low-risk cases, high-risk subgroups and even in cases of multiple gestations or major anomalies, the use of ultrasound did not result in improved outcome in the pregnancies.(47)
The argument that ultrasound is either reassuring to the parents or provides an early opportunity for bonding pales in the face of the possible risks that are emerging as new data become available. Parents and health practitioners may not be able to easily turn away from this window on the womb and resume more traditional practices in obstetrics and midwifery. However, with the disturbing trend in autism and other equally troubling, unexplained birth-related trends, it does not make sense to blindly employ a technology that is not reliably safe for unborn babies.
Caroline RodgersEditor's Note: Read more about ultrasound on our Web site: http://www.midwiferytoday.com/

Ultrasound: Weighing the Propaganda Against the Facts - by Beverley LawrenceBeech
Ultrasound: More Harm than Good? - by Marsden Wagner
Search more about ultrasound.
References:"National Autism Treatment Plan for Excellence in IDEA" Petition to thePresident of the United States.www.petitiononline.com/natpidea/petition.html. Accessed 23 Sep 2006.
"How Common Are Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)?" Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/asd_common.htm. Accessed23 Sep 2006.
"Autism in schools: Crisis or challenge?" The National Autistic Society.www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=160&a=3464. Accessed 23 Sep 2006.
"International Programme on Chemical Safety. Environmental Health Criteria22. Ultrasound." 1982. United Nations Environment Programme, InternationalLabour Organisation and International Radiation Protection Association.www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc22.htm. Accessed 22 May 2006.Keiler, H., et al. 2001. Sinistrality—a side-effect of prenatal sonography:A comparative study of young men. Epidemiology 12(6): 618–23; Campbell,J.D., et al. 1993. Case-controlled study of prenatal ultrasonographyexposure in children with delayed speech. Can Med Assoc J 149: 10, 1435–40.
"Ultrasound Can Affect Brain Development." Truth Out Issues.www.truthout.org/issues_06/080806HA.shtml. Accessed 25 Sep 2006.Ibid.Eugenius, S., et al. 2006. Prenatal exposure to ultrasound waves impactsneuronal migration in mice. PNAS 103(34): 12903–10.www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/34/12903?maxtoshow. Accessed 11 Aug2006.Rados, Carol. 2004.
FDA Cautions Against Ultrasound "Keepsake" Images. FDAConsumer Magazine. www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_images.html. Accessed11 Sep 2005.Samuel, Eugenie. 2001.
Fetuses can hear ultrasound examinations. NewScientist.www.newscientist.com/article/dn1639-fetuses-can-hear-ultrasound-examinations-.html. Accessed 11 May 2006.Miller, M.W., et al. 2002. Hyperthermic teratogenicity, thermal dose anddiagnostic ultrasound during pregnancy: implications of new standards ontissue heating. Int J Hyperthermia 18(5): 361–84.Ibid.Graham, Jr., M., M.J. Edwards and M.J. Edwards. 1998. Teratogen Update:
Gestational Effects of Maternal Hyperthermia Due to Febrile Illnesses andResultant Patterns of Defects in Humans. Teratology 58: 209–21.Clancy, B., R.B. Darlington and B.L. Finlay. 2001. Translating developmentaltime across mammalian species. Neuroscience 105(1): 7–17.Ibid.See note 9 above.See note 13 above.Wilson, D.E. 2004.
"Body Function Dependent On Body Temperature." InWilson's Temperature Syndrome—A Reversible Low Temperature Problem. eBook.www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/eBook/Chapters/02Temp.cfm. Accessed 19 Sep2006."How enzymes work." Biotopics. www.biotopics.co.uk/other/enzyme.html.Accessed 19 Sep 2006.
"The ultrasound procedure: Physical effects and research." Birth.www.birth.com.au/class.asp?class=6610&page=5. Accessed 23 Sept 2006.Barnett, S.B.
"Can diagnostic ultrasound heat tissue and cause biologicaleffects?" In S.B. Barnett and G. Kossoff, eds. 1998. Safety of DiagnosticUltrasound. Carnforth, UK: Parthenon Publishing.Edwards, M.J. 1998. Apoptosis, the heat shock response, hyperthermia, birthdefects, disease and cancer. Where are the common links? Cell StressChaperones 3(4): 213–20.Klauck, S.M., et al. 2006. Mutations in the ribosomal protein gene RPL10suggest a novel modulating disease mechanism for autism. Mol Psychiatry.advance online publication 29 August 2006. doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4001883.Betancur, C., M. Leboyer and C. Gillberg. 2002. Increased Rate of Twinsamong Affected Sibling Pairs with Autism. Am J Hum Genet 70: 1381–83.See note 4 above.
"Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging in Pregnancy." National Institutes of HealthConsensus Statement Online. 5(1): 1–16.See note 16 above.Edwards, M.J., R.D. Saunders and K. Shiota. 2003.
Effects of heat on embryosand foetuses. Int J Hyperthermia. 19 (3): 295–324.Ibid.Ibid.Milunsky, A., et al. 1992. Maternal heat exposure and neural tube defects.JAMA 268(7): 882–85.
"Thimerosal in Vaccines." U.S. Food and Drug Administration.www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm. Accessed 21 Sep 2006.Ibid.
"Thimerosal and Vaccines." Centers for Disease Control.www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/faqs-thimerosal.htm#3. Accessed27 Sep 2006."Facts and Statistics
." Autism Society of America.www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FactsStats. Accessed 21 Sep2006.Honda, H., Y. Shimizu and M. Rutter. 2005.
No effect of MMR withdrawal onthe incidence of autism: a total population study. J Child PsycholPsychiatry 46(6): 572–79.Taylor, B, et al. 1999. Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: noepidemiological evidence for a causal association. Lancet 353(9169):2026–29.Dales, L., S.J. Hammer and N.J. Smith. 2001.
Time Trends in Autism and inMMR Immunization Coverage in California. JAMA 285(22): 1183–85.Stephens, M.B. 2000. American Family Physician Conference Highlights:Majority of Pregnant Women Want Prenatal Ultrasound. Am Fam Physician(62)12: 2665.Wagner, M., and M.G. Wagner. 1994.
Pursuing the Birth Machine, 1st ed.French's Forest, Australia: James Bennett Pty Ltd.Bricker, L., and J.P. Neilson. 2006. "Routine Doppler ultrasound inpregnancy." The Cochrane Collaboration 3.www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001450.html. Accessed 23 Sep 2006.Smith, M. 2006.
"Ultrasound Affects Development of Murine Brains." MedpageToday. www.medpagetoday.com/Radiology/GeneralRadiology/tb/3882. Accessed 13Aug 2006.
"Genital and Urinary Tract Defects." March of Dimes.www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/4439_1215.asp. Accessed 27 Aug 2006.
"Healthy from the Start." 1999. The Pew Charitable Trusts (EnvironmentalHealth Commission). www.pewtrusts.com/pdf/hhs_healthy_from_start.pdf.Accessed 25 Sep 2006.Behrman, R.E., and A.B. Stith, eds. 2006. Preterm Birth: Causes,Consequences, and Prevention. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.http://newton.nap.edu/catalog/11622.html. Accessed 20 Sep 2006.
"New research offers clues to prevent brain damage in premature babies."2006. Medical News Today.www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=28786. Accessed 25 Sep 2006.Ewigman, B.G., et al. 1993. Effect of Prenatal Ultrasound Screening onPerinatal Outcome. N Engl J Med 329(12):821–27.
Editor's Note:
We are interested in anecdotal evidence to support or refute this theory of ASD. Midwives or other individuals who know of cases of autism in which the mother didn't have an ultrasound are asked to contactCheryl Smith at mgeditor@midwiferytoday.com or by writing to us.----------------------------------------------------------

2007-08-02T11:31:00.001-06:00

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2007-05-20T09:25:00.001-06:00

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