Good Reasons To Avoid Being Induced

Sally's last entry was so fun to read that I don't want to overshadow it by posting too soon again, but I also just couldn't wait to share this intriguing article on why babies need to stay in until the last possible moment. Just look at the difference in brain development during the last stages of pregnancy! Babies are not just adding weight at end. We all know that the time in the womb is so important and how avoiding prematurity is so critical! But this article shows how even more important it is than many realize, to avoid being induced!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122999215427128537.html?mod=article-

Birth Conference as personal study

I get emails from Sarah J. Buckley. She is an MD who has experienced homebirth, and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, which the Logan Library will be getting next month.

Anyway, in her latest email, it was announced she will be presenting a post-conference workshop on Undisturbing Birth at the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health in San Francisco in April. So I checked out the website for the conference. There are going to be some wonderful sessions!

Now I'm not even considering attending. But it's like reading the seed catalog in winter - all fun, no mud. Well, not that attending a conference is like getting muddy, but you know.

I love to read about sessions to get an idea of what people are doing to improve birth in the world. I love to read about people and their passions. It's inspiring. I love to read their words, especially if there's a website or book to turn to for more!

For example:

Simple Tools

Karen Strange

This presentation will explore the sequence of events that occurs spontaneously throughout the process of labor and birth. Consideration will be given to the ancient and inherent wisdom that is reflected within birth's unique embryological template. The integration of modern science and technology into the experience of birth will also be addressed. Attendees will learn the significance of humans as mammals and why this matters. The presentation will contemplate a mother's mental and emotional state and the impact it creates on the baby's brain, nervous system, and especially, temperament. Most importantly, emphasis will be given to situations in which things do not go as planned and how to make repair. Focus will be placed on making sense of the unexpected, telling the story, pacing, attunement, love and empathy.

Teaching Adults How to Understand Babies Judyth Weaver This experiential workshop will teach simple exercises that can be used to assist adults to learn more about the child's experiences-from the inside out-somatically as well as emotionally and intellectually. The more fully teachers, therapists, medical professionals, parents and other adults understand the situation of the child, the more sensitive and connected they can be to those children. They can communicate more intuitively and coherently with children. Playing roles of baby and adult in turn will give participants understandings and skills that can support health and communication during pregnancy, can set the temperament for the passage of birth, promote empathy, build healthier connections and bonding with the newborn, and develop sensitive interactions that support relationships into childhood and beyond. These exercises can be used to teach adults to become more attuned to children, help children of all ages to repair and resolve traumatic experiences, and help adults understand their own past traumas and how to repair and resolve them.

and:

The Holistic Parenting Program: Preconception to Birth & Beyond

Julie Gerland and Francois Gerland

Discover this unique and dynamic new program that unites scientific discoveries and ancient wisdom in its approach to accompanying and empowering parents to prepare themselves from soul to cell to give their best to their child right from the start of parenthood. Participants will discover the importance of achieving emotional safety and experience transforming limiting core beliefs and subconscious programming by connecting with the powerful archetypal inner parents. In this interactive and experiential workshop participants will learn why and how parents-to-be achieve their optimum health in harmony with Nature and the importance of conscious conception, prenatal bonding, Hypnobirthing® natural childbirth preparation, and holistic infant bonding. The Holistic Parenting Educator certificate is a two-year training. This workshop is open to everyone.

Fragile Beginnings: Supporting Parents in the Tender Taking In Period Phyllis Klaus There is new knowledge of the importance of skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in the first hours after birth, both of which contribute to maternal-infant bonding and the creation of secure attachment. Patterns laid down in this early period have far reaching effects. Parents will benefit when caregivers understand the profound and changing needs physiologically and psychologically of the infant and parents in these first hours. New data will be presented to describe the delicacy of this period. By understanding the infant's and parents' physical and emotional experiences and the elements that interfere with positive experiences including traumatic birth, separation, unresolved distress, past abuse, marital conflict, losses, and so forth, caregivers can reduce the interruptions and heal the unresolved traumas to re-create the lost ideal experience.

Doesn't that sound like something interesting to ponder, even if you never read their book or attend their sessions?

This one is rather intriguing:

Painless Childbirth

Guiditta Tornetta, Certified Doula, BA, CCH

Painless Childbirth is a nine-step guide empowering women through the miracle of pregnancy and birth. It emerges from the relationship between three elements: the nine months of pregnancy, the fetal development during these nine months, and the nine chakras that reflect the nine basic aspects of our mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Each chakra embodies a 'basic human right.' Once we own our basic human rights, we can then shepherd our children into this world painlessly. Pain is associated with something gone wrong. By contrast, childbirth is a natural event with a known positive outcome. While labor can be intense, usually a contraction lasts just one minute. What we must do is learn how to manage that one minute-one minute at a time. This is not another breathing technique but a shift in consciousness. To obtain a painless childbirth we need to shift the birth paradigm from "Labor is happening to me," to "My baby and I are working together to finally embrace each other in the outside world."

Participants will be able to:

1. Learn nine-steps to painless childbirth and gain a perspective of ancient and lingering fears related to giving birth.
2. Help clients see the relationship between the nine months of gestation and the fetus's development thereby encouraging more communication between mother and child.
3. Acknowledge that thousands of women are experiencing painless childbirth and teach other women to do so as well.

Intended Audience: Health Care and Mental Health Professionals-Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced

(be careful googleing Guiditta's name - it's also the name of someone who made a movie/book about Playboy!)

Hope you enjoyed these ideas!

Painless Childbirth Guiditta Tornetta, Certified Doula, BA, CCH Painless Childbirth is a nine-step guide empowering women through the miracle of pregnancy and birth. It emerges from the relationship between three elements: the nine months of pregnancy, the fetal development during these nine months, and the nine chakras that reflect the nine basic aspects of our mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Each chakra embodies a 'basic human right.' Once we own our basic human rights, we can then shepherd our children into this world painlessly. Pain is associated with something gone wrong. By contrast, childbirth is a natural event with a known positive outcome. While labor can be intense, usually a contraction lasts just one minute. What we must do is learn how to manage that one minute-one minute at a time. This is not another breathing technique but a shift in consciousness. To obtain a painless childbirth we need to shift the birth paradigm from "Labor is happening to me," to "My baby and I are working together to finally embrace each other in the outside world." Participants will be able to: Learn nine-steps to painless childbirth and gain a perspective of ancient and lingering fears related to giving birth. Help clients see the relationship between the nine months of gestation and the fetus's development thereby encouraging more communication between mother and child. Acknowledge that thousands of women are experiencing painless childbirth and teach other women to do so as well. Intended Audience: Health Care and Mental Health Professionals-Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced

~s~

Midwives Deliver

LA Times Article, Dec. 24, 2008

Midwives Deliver
America Needs Better Birth Care, And Midwives Deliver It
Jennifer Block, Author of Pushed Birth

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-block24-2008dec24,0,2046506.story

~J~

"High-risk" homebirth in England

This is just another short story that illustrates how different the "official" line about homebirth is in the UK. This woman had a c-section her first birth, and planned to have a homebirth the second time around. That's not so shocking - that happens in the US, too. What's interesting is that they used the same health care system both times around. When she went into labor with her planned homebirth, she "called the labour ward," and a midwife came 'round.

In the mother's words:

"All it needed was time, good support, a relaxed environment and a lot of maternal effort! I've experienced both ends of the scales. Last time I made a complaint about my midwife, this time I couldn't praise them enough. Good supportive midwives are the key to a good birthing outcome."

Wow.

~s~

"Pregnant women are urged to give birth in their own homes"

True or false: "Pregnant women are urged to give birth in their own homes" is a real, honest-to-goodness news story.

True!

This news article ran in the Scotsman last week. Here are some highlights:

"MOTHERS-to-be are to be encouraged to stay away from hospital in an effort to more than double the number of home births in the Lothians.

"It is thought that avoiding long trips to and from the maternity units – including the sometimes hectic dash to 'get there on time' -- – will make the experience of giving birth more relaxed for many women.

"There has been a gradual increase in the popularity of home births in recent years,... Health chiefs hope to see that number rise to closer to 400 in the coming years, or five per cent of all births.

"A maternity services management team dedicated to arranging support for home births already exists.

"Gillian Smith, director of the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland, said: 'The number of women who have home births in the Lothians is already much higher than the Scottish average, and it shows that NHS Lothian already does really well in showing women that they have a choice.

"'To get that up to five per cent would be really something, and it's all about letting women know that they have the option if they want to.'"

That's just so totally and completely from the "official" stance here in the States, I don't even know what to say.

On a completely different note, while poking around the Scotsman, I discovered that Alexander McCall-Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency has been made into a BBC tv movie! I can't wait to see it!

~s~

Some Afternoon Light Could Help Your Baby To Sleep Better

This was an interesting article. Don't we all sleep better when we've had some sun?

"According to a study [published in the Journal of Sleep Reasearch (2004) 13: 345-352] of 56 infants between 6 and 12 weeks old, daylight, which dictates sleep patterns by affecting human circadian rhythms, may be the key to better sleep. Those infants who were the best night sleepers were exposed to significantly more light in the early afternoon than poor sleepers. Needless to say, a baby's tender skin should not be exposed to bright sunlight without proper protection." Great Life May 2005

J

Warranty of Vaccine Safety

What, did I just read "warranty of vaccine safety?" Yes, I did. Have you seen this form yet? I just stumbled upon it yesterday, via Mothering. Mothering linked to SafeMinds, which seems like a great place for vaccine information and politics. But I can't tell where the "warranty" form came from. I also found it here, here and here.

In my opinion, this is meant to be cheeky. I would ever take this form in to a doctor. First of all, if I have any sort of relationship with my doctor, he already knows how I feel about vaccines and everything else! And if I don't have that sort of relationship yet (which I hope you are all striving for with your health care providers), conversation and chit-chat will hopefully get my opinions and health care desires across better than this intimidating and sarcastic form!

But, I have to admit, this form makes a great starting point for personal research. Once you become familiar with half the items listed in that form, you'll be better informed than most doctors, I'm betting. And a well-informed parent, who can confidently discuss particulars about an issue will probably earn the respect of her health care provider, not to mention the well-being of her child.

~s~

First Moon Rising, The Making of A Menarche Ritual

Is it ever too early to begin studying about how to help our own precious daughters transition into womanhood with more ease and with joy? This is an article that was in Mothering Magazine some years back about one way of doing that. Enjoy!

http://www.mothering.com/community_tools/teen_voices/first-moon.html

J

Do you like British humor?

I do. Blunt, sarcastic, and still manages to make you laugh out loud. I ran across this blog post about the homebirth decision and the actual homebirth that I hope you enjoy!

snippet:
"In some way, planning for a home birth is like planning the nursery - it's all very, very abstract.
You shop for lovely things, you buy them, you put them away, you go for antenatal appointments, you get your toenails done...
Having a baby? Me? La la la I can't hear you!
You look for birth pools, you make a mixed CD of relaxing music, you cover yourself in bio-oil and then ... then the midwives bring the Box Under the Stairs."

Read the whole thing here!

Hey, so what do you think of our newly jazzed-up site? We'd like to thank our creative designer Doreen Woffinden for making our site even more fun! Yay Doreen, you've done a beautiful job!

Clamping The Cord

For a long time we have known that early cord clamping does the baby a disservice. But early clamping of the cord is a routine practices that like many of the others, are designed to speed up the caregiver's time at a birth getting him/her in and out of the birthing room as quickly as possible. Much of this has to do with the time demands that Insurance Companies put on hospital caregivers today.

Why is it important for the cord to finish pulsing (about 5 minutes)? First, so that the baby continues to receive necessary blood and oxygen form the placenta! This continued supply of oxygen is even more important for a baby who is having difficulty at first to draw in oxygen on their own at first, otherwise the baby must use his lungs immediately, ready or not. Systemic pressure was found to be higher in babies whose cords are clamped later. Babies whose cords were cut earlier were also reported to have significant iron deprivation. (De Marsh et al.) There can also be an increase in heart murmers. (Buckle et al.)

In fact if a baby is born in a Surprise Birth, say on the way to the hospital, the cord does not need to be cut right away. Wrap the baby in a warm blanket and wait for the placenta to deliver. Then with her placenta still attached by the cord, go ahead and continue transport to the hospital where they will clamp and cut the cord. (Of course this is just a partial list and it is good to study that situation in more depth in case it were to happen. This is to illustrate the non-necessity of clamping the cord yourself.)

In some cultures the cord is not cut at all, and this known as a Lotus Birth. But that is a whole different post!

Below is an interesting site on the subject and how premature cord clamping might even be a cause of autism and more....


-Buckel, Arcilla, Burnard, and James. J Peds. 67 (1965):239.

-De Marsh, Q. B., et al. “The Effect of Depriving the Infant of its Placental Blood.”
Journal. American Medical Association (7 June 1941).

J

http://www.cordclamp.com/

Giving Birth to Peace in the Middle East

I have read several articles about birth from Israel, and maybe it's coincidence, but there's a simple respect, almost reverence, that comes through. This story is about a group of Israeli and Palestinian midwives who have been meeting to share information and support each other in the role of "wise woman."

Says Sera Bonds, the midwife who started this group, "We managed to avoid politics in the beginning, as we felt it was more important to get to know each other as midwives, as women, as wives, and as mothers. The two days were full of laughter, learning, and open hearts as these women boldly demonstrated through their participation their commitment to partnership, peace and professional development. It was an honor to bear witness to the trust and humility expressed during the meeting."

I like this thought best: "By working towards non-violent birth," said another participant, "we are working to create a non-violent world."

~s~

Great Quotes

I found a page of quotes at BirthSource, and so far, this is my favorite:

"A pair of substantial mammary glands have the advantage over the two hemispheres of the most learned professor's brain in the art of compounding a nutritive fluid for infants."

~Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

:)

~s~

Birth Summit

Connie, of the Childbirth Today from Birthsource blog, asked herself a month ago, "What if all of the leaders of childbirth organizations came together for a summit meeting to talk about the state of birth in the US?" Well, I get the impression she is involved (bless her heart), but it's going to happen. In Chicago on November 8, "Nurses, physicians, midwives, childbirth educators, doulas and lactation consultants will be meeting ... to set the evidence-based record straight regarding midwifery care and childbirth in hospital settings in the US." (link) BirthSource and Birth Facts appear to be associated with this event. I'll try to keep you posted!

Motherbaby International Film Festival

So there's a traveling film festival, which features many short films (7-30 minutes) and several feature-length, including Orgasmic Birth. You can read a list of descriptions here. (I had trouble with the site being slow, so give it another chance if it doesn't come right up.)

I'd love to see a few of them, like "Luna:" This luscious birth video is narrative free. It is set to an amazing and beautiful blues rendition of “Silent Night.” In playful hours before the birth, the camera chases Luna’s toddling sister, Sol, through the house and into the bathtub. When Luna arrives, amniotic fluid and bag still intact, we feel refreshed, invigorated, playful and so glad that all of this was ‘captured’ on film.

Or "A Cow Trough???:" A cow trough is turned into a sumptuous birthing spa with the creative genius of a mother and her toddler. Set to music and humorously edited by Matt and Frank Ferrel, you will never look at a cow trough in the same way again.


I first learned of the MBIFF because it is going on the same weekend as the MANA Midwives Alliance conference.

~s~

"Birthing From Within" class in Wyoming

So, just over the mountains (OK, a few mountains), in Cody, WY, a gal is teaching childbirth classes from Birthing From Within. These classes are different in that they have you address your fears, thus paving the way for confidence. You can read reviews for the book here. Wouldn't this be great for our area? Do you think they'd be popular?

~s~

Milbank report

This report from Childbirth Connections, called Evidence-Based Maternity Care is a whopping 128 pages long. Only half of it is the actual report; the other half is citation and appendices. But, if ever faced with a difference of opinion with a health care provider concerning any childbearing issue, you're sure to find helpful and well-cited information within its pages.

From what I can gather, though, it can be boiled down to these two ideas:

1. Today's U.S. maternity care costs a lot and performs poorly.
2. Both of those problems can be remedied with evidence-based practices.

The report spends most of its length describing in detail these preferred, safer, more effective evidence-based practices. They include: limiting labor induction, epidurals and cesarean sections; while more routinely utilizing midwives and family doctors, good nutrition and lifestyle choices, doulas (or other continuous labor support), spontaneous (rather than forced or too early) pushing, early skin-to-skin, breastfeeding support, minimizing newborn discomfort, and psychosocial postpartum support.

Well, let's get the great big "Duh!" out of the way, and move on to more constructive remarks.

I tried to find specific comments about the safety of different birth places, but the report focuses on practices, not birth place, although it is assumed that home is a viable choice. So, no points for or against homebirth from this report, except that you're likely to have fewer overused birth technologies at home, that's for sure!

The conclusions at the end are not written for the parents' (or consumers'), but for the birth community as a whole: parents, health care providers, insurers, administrators, etc. I like this statement best:

"Maternity care decision should be guided by the best available evidence and the principle of effective care with least harm, as well as the informed preferences of women and their families, rather than by unsupported beliefs about appropriate care, convenience, liability pressure, or other extrinsic factors. " (page 68, emphasis mine)

It's actually more readable than I thought it was going to be. I hope it's of interest to some of you.

~s~

Plan for your postpartum

I found this wonderful list of suggestions for planning ahead, to make sure that your postpartum time is as restful and healing and baby-bonding-delicious as possible. Simple things like making a list of foods that your family likes/can't eat so that friends bringing food know what to make. My other favorite was "make signs" for the door, like "we're resting, check back later," or "come on in," or whatever suits your needs.

Read the whole article, written by a midwife, here.

~s~

Fascinating Womanhood

Do you want a better marriage? What are many of those women with happy marriages concealing?
Warning: This is not your typical how-to-have-a-happy-marriage-book! This is not what most modern women have been brought up to believe. In fact this book could actually be quite aggravating!
FW has been around for ages, and it's still one of the best around. Its good, old-fashioned wisdom proves true even today. In fact much of the wisdom in this book was taken from an old booklet years ago by FW's author, Helen Andelin. The success of this book and the number of marriages it has saved speaks for itself.
What better gift can you give your child(ren) than to nurture your marriage? It's time these truths were back in vogue!

http://www.fascinatingwomanhood.net/

J

Midwifery Care vs. OB Care

http://cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004667.html

J

Consumer Reports Article and Quiz

Consumer Report has posted an interesting article and quiz in connection with the new report, Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve which was developed through a collaboration among Childbirth Connection, the Reforming States Group, and the Milbank Memorial Fund. Take a look -

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth/maternity-care/overview/maternity-care.htm http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth/maternity-care/maternity-care-quiz/maternity-care-quiz.htm

J

Childbearing Women's Rights

Let's start with your rights. Did you know you have rights? Well, they come in different flavors. There are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, the one that states that all beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And when it comes to medical rights, I believe that every patient, to the extent she can, should be an equal partner with his doctor in getting well and staying well, but I don't know if that's an actual legal right.

The Childbirth Connection have compiled a list of Childbearing Women's Rights, and have even indicated which ones are currently upheld by US law, and which ones would be, if challenged. Here they are, 20 in all. What do you think of them? Do you agree? Do you think these are generally respected?

The Rights of Childbearing Women

* At this time in the United States, childbearing women are legally entitled to those rights.
** The legal system would probably uphold those rights.

Every woman has the right to health care before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
Every woman and infant has the right to receive care that is consistent with current scientific evidence about benefits and risks.* Practices that have been found to be safe and beneficial should be used when indicated. Harmful, ineffective or unnecessary practices should be avoided. Unproven interventions should be used only in the context of research to evaluate their effects.
Every woman has the right to choose a midwife or a physician as her maternity care provider. Both caregivers skilled in normal childbearing and caregivers skilled in complications are needed to ensure quality care for all.
Every woman has the right to choose her birth setting from the full range of safe options available in her community, on the basis of complete, objective information about benefits, risks and costs of these options.*
Every woman has the right to receive all or most of her maternity care from a single caregiver or a small group of caregivers, with whom she can establish a relationship. Every woman has the right to leave her maternity caregiver and select another if she becomes dissatisfied with her care.* (Only second sentence is a legal right.)
Every woman has the right to information about the professional identity and qualifications of those involved with her care, and to know when those involved are trainees.*
Every woman has the right to communicate with caregivers and receive all care in privacy, which may involve excluding nonessential personnel. She also has the right to have all personal information treated according to standards of confidentiality.*
Every woman has the right to receive maternity care that identifies and addresses social and behavioral factors that affect her health and that of her baby.** She should receive information to help her take the best care of herself and her baby and have access to social services and behavioral change programs that could contribute to their health.
Every woman has the right to full and clear information about benefits, risks and costs of the procedures, drugs, tests and treatments offered to her, and of all other reasonable options, including no intervention.* She should receive this information about all interventions that are likely to be offered during labor and birth well before the onset of labor.
Every woman has the right to accept or refuse procedures, drugs, tests and treatments, and to have her choices honored. She has the right to change her mind.* (Please note that this established legal right has been challenged in a number of recent cases.)
Every woman has the right to be informed if her caregivers wish to enroll her or her infant in a research study. She should receive full information about all known and possible benefits and risks of participation; and she has the right to decide whether to participate, free from coercion and without negative consequences.*
Every woman has the right to unrestricted access to all available records about her pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care and infant; to obtain a full copy of these records; and to receive help in understanding them, if necessary.*
Every woman has the right to receive maternity care that is appropriate to her cultural and religious background, and to receive information in a language in which she can communicate.*
Every woman has the right to have family members and friends of her choice present during all aspects of her maternity care.**
Every woman has the right to receive continuous social, emotional and physical support during labor and birth from a caregiver who has been trained in labor support.**
Every woman has the right to receive full advance information about risks and benefits of all reasonably available methods for relieving pain during labor and birth, including methods that do not require the use of drugs. She has the right to choose which methods will be used and to change her mind at any time.*
Every woman has the right to freedom of movement during labor, unencumbered by tubes, wires or other apparatus. She also has the right to give birth in the position of her choice.*
Every woman has the right to virtually uninterrupted contact with her newborn from the moment of birth, as long as she and her baby are healthy and do not need care that requires separation.**
Every woman has the right to receive complete information about the benefits of breastfeeding well in advance of labor, to refuse supplemental bottles and other actions that interfere with breastfeeding, and to have access to skilled lactation support for as long as she chooses to breastfeed.**
Every woman has the right to decide collaboratively with caregivers when she and her baby will leave the birth site for home, based on their conditions and circumstances.**

1999, 2006 Childbirth Connection

~s~

The Evidence behind the Rights of Childbearing Women

A childbirth advocacy group called the Childbirth Connection recently released a report called "Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve." The newspaper USAToday covered aspects of it, and Rixa at The True Face of Birth posted excerpts of it.

It's of such sweeping scope, and so well-written, that I think it deserves a series of posts. So, stay tuned, and get ready to make comments!

~s~

Gentle Potty Training

Since I just added a few "Nurturing the Baby" links about being diaper free, I thought I'd tell you a little of my experience with that idea. For years now, I've been the kind of person to "take what I like and leave the rest," so I can't say I've followed any of EC guidelines verbatim. But the idea of making potty training as gentle as possible and respectful of the child's readiness makes total sense. And mostly, I really don't relish the idea of a week of "potty training bootcamp," which is how many parents approach it. I'm too lazy for that!

I read once about someone's Russian grandparents teaching that you can simply hold an infant over the potty, making a "shh-shhh" sound (like the sound of water), and eventually they associate being over the potty with peeing, and can be reliably potty trained by one year old. This coming from a generation of people who didn't have the luxury of diapers, so this is simply what was done.

Well, of course, I thought. What did the rest of humanity do before cloth, then paper disposables? I'm sure they managed to keep their babies and selves and houses clean from constant pee and poop.

With my older 2 kids, I didn't understand any of this, but being too lazy to organize a potty training week, I simply waited until they were good and ready. That maybe took a little longer than it needed to. With my 2 year old, I've been putting her on the potty since she was about 8 months old, and she can pee on it whenever we do that. Poop is another matter, but it will come. What it comes down to is that it has been a gradual thing, but started early, and she's showing signs of being *really* ready soon here, and she's barely 2 years old.

And my methods are still a long way from "diaper free," but incorporate the parts that work for me. What about you?

~s~

Birth Quilt

Thanks to Rixa for posting about this beautiful Birthing Quilt. You can read the story of the quilt here. Also of interest is the blogger who brought the quilt to Rixa's attention, Susana. Some of you may enjoy her faith-based views on unassisted birth.

How to handle your hospital's VBAC policy

I found this rather encouraging article at Mothering.com with suggestions on approaching your hospital about having a VBAC if their policy bans or discourages them. Here's an excerpt:

"It is illegal for a doctor or hospital to perform invasive surgery on you against your will. However, until more consumers begin challenging VBAC bans and demanding the right to labor and the right to attempt vaginal delivery, many of these draconian policies will remain in place. Research the studies available on both VBACs and repeat cesarean sections and consider your personal circumstances to determine which birth choice is most appropriate for you."

The article continues to suggest who you might contact and meet with to discuss the research and your wishes. There is also a sample letter.

VBAC stands for vaginal birth after cesarean, and you can read more about VBACs here and here.

I did a little research on the cesarean and VBAC rates of our local Logan Regional Hospital, and actually found some data! According to 2006 numbers, Utah's cesarean rate is only 9.9% overall. The rate of a first time cesarean at Logan Regional Hospital was 7.7%, and the VBAC rate at Logan Regional was 22.1% (which meant that 77.9% of previous cesareans had repeat cesareans). The Health Department webpage the describes these numbers plainly states that repeat cesareans have higher risks than vaginal births, but also recommends that a hospital should not offer VBACs if the facility is not capable of doing emergency cesareans in case the uterus ruptures. It's nice to know what the administration* thinks, that way you can talk to them in their language.

~s~

*edited to change "authorities" to "administration." I knew I didn't quite have the right word! We are our own authorities, right?!

Nursing Is Normal

Preaching to the choir, eh? Well this terrific lady, Kathy O'Brien, decided to put together a photo essay of nursing in public. It begins with the words:

"We believe the more often something is seen, the more accepted it becomes."

Here's the link, but be advised, clicking on it will download the PowerPoint presentation to your computer.

I also found this via Mothering.

~s~

Vaccines linked to diabetes

I just read on Mothering's website about a study that links vaccines to diabetes. Apparently, after a vaccine for tuberculosis was discontinued in Japan, type 2 diabetes in children fell by 50%. The study discusses particular differences between Japanese people and Caucasians, so it's not "across the board" in its scope, but interesting nonetheless.

~s~

CNM who does homebirths

I found this news story interesting because it's not just another superficial, short piece about homebirth (OK, it's a little superficial), but it's about a Certified Nurse Midwife who not only chose to leave the hospital environment to do homebirths, but that she's allowed to. Not many states allow CNMs to attend homebirths. Read about Angelina Nixon here.

We're International!

I just checked our stats (because I'm a math geek and think it's fascinating), and in the last 24 hours, we've had visitors from Mississippi, Wales, the Philippines and Greece! That's a long ways off from our little (very cold this morning) corner of northern Utah. Drop a line, leave a comment, wherever you're from. I'm new at this blogging thing; our community is still growing. Tell us what you think, whether you find what you're looking for or not!

And, welcome.

:)
~s~

Babywearing School in Logan

Beate, of Children's Needs, just informed us that there will be a Babywearing School in Logan, very soon. It will be Wednesday, October 1 to Sunday, October 5, at the Comfort Inn. You can download the registration form for cost and other details, and check out the faq. The instructors are flying in from Germany, and it appears they will be going over a lot of information. These classes are intended to certify you to teach babywearing to others.

I googled the website for the instructors in Germany, and had google automatically translate the pages for me. Have you ever done that? It's not perfect, but you get the gist of it. I thought it was pretty neat. Try it!

~s~

psa from the Australian Breastfeeding Association

Have you seen this? How did I miss it!? I love it.



For more information about the ABA, visit their site.
I found this video here.

~s~

Brewers Diet For Pregnancy

There is some good, sound information here for nutrition in pregnancy. The information on salt and protein are particularly valuable. This site is worth taking the time to read through.

http://home.mindspring.com/~djsnjones/

J

Baby Food In Logan

Wow! What a great new company started by our very own Sadie Enright and her little Grace! Talk about the nutritional advantages to babies versus the ultra-processed stuff from the grocery store! You know where this comes from, it's fresh, and it's delicious nutrition!

Way to go Sadie and Grace!

http://firstfoodsnatural.blogspot.com/

What's New?

PushNews from The Big Push for Midwives Campaign
CONTACT: Steff Hedenkamp, (816) 506-4630, steff@...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 1, 2008
Number Two With a Bullet
Critical Women's Health Issues Neglected as Physician Group Yet Again Setsits Sites on Midwives

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 1, 2008)-In the newest phase of its ongoingeffort to deny women the right to choose their maternity careproviders andbirth settings, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(ACOG) has announced that eliminating access to midwives who specialize inout-of-hospital birth is now the second most important issue on its statelegislative agenda. This move puts restricting access to trained midwivesahead of such critical issues as contraceptive equity, ensuring access toemergency contraception, and the prevention and treatment of perinatalHIV/AIDS."ACOG claims to be an advocate of women's health and choice, but when itcomes to the right to choose to deliver your baby in the privacy ofyour ownhome with a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) who is specificallytrainedto provide the safest care possible, ACOG's paternalistic colors bleedthrough," said Susan M. Jenkins, Legal Counsel for the Big Push forMidwivesCampaign. "It is astonishing that an organization that purports to be achampion of women's healthcare would put a petty turf battle that affectsless than one percent of the nation's childbearing women ahead of pressingissues that have an impact on nearly every woman in this country. Ifthis isnot dereliction of duty, I can't imagine what is."In recent years, ACOG has led a well-financed campaign to fightlegislativereforms that would license and regulate CPMs and has now teamed upwith theAmerican Medical Association (AMA) to promote legislation that wouldpreventfamilies from choosing to give birth at home. Despite these joint efforts,the groups have not been successful in defeating the groundswell ofgrassroots activism in support of full access to a comprehensive range ofmaternity care options that meet the needs of all families."Wisconsin is a good example of what ACOG and the AMA are up against,"saidJane Crawford Peterson, CPM, Advocacy Trainer for The Big Push. "Ourbipartisan grassroots coalition of everyday people from across the statemanaged to defeat the most powerful and well-financed special interestgroups in Wisconsin, all on an expenses-only budget of $3000 during alegislative session in which $47 million was spent on lobbying. Whenyou tryto deny women the fundamental and very personal right to choose where andhow to give birth, they will get organized and they will let their electedofficials know that restrictions on those rights cannot stand."Noting these successes, ACOG has recently launched its own grassrootsorganizing effort, calling on member physicians to recruit theirpatients toparticipate in its "Who Will Deliver My Baby?" medical liability reformcampaign."ACOG itself admits that we're facing a critical shortage of maternitycareproviders," said Steff Hedenkamp, Communications Coordinator for the BigPush. "They certainly realize that medical liability reform is nothingmorethan a band aid and that increasing access to midwives and birthsettings iscritical to fixing our maternity care system and ensuring that rural,low-income and uninsured women don't fall through the cracks. Midwivesrepresent an essential growth segment of the U.S. pool of maternity careproviders, but instead of putting the healthcare needs of women first,ACOGwould rather devote its considerable lobbying budget to a last-ditchattemptto protect its own bottom line. This is not a happy Labor Day for ournation's mothers and babies."The Big Push for Midwives ( <http://www.thebigpushformidwives.org/>http://www.TheBigPushforMidwives.org) is a nationally coordinated campaignorganized to advocate for regulation and licensure of CertifiedProfessionalMidwives (CPMs) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and PuertoRico,and to push back against the attempts of the American Medical Associationand the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to denyAmericanfamilies access to safe and legal midwifery care. The campaign plays acritical role in building a new model of U.S. maternity care deliveryat thelocal and regional levels, at the heart of which is the Midwives Model ofCare, based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal lifeprocesses.Media inquiries: Steff Hedenkamp (816) 506-4630,<mailto:steff@...> steff@... #####The Big Push for Midwives Campaign is fiscally sponsored by SustainableMarkets Foundation, a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exemptunder Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). The mission of the Big Pushfor Midwives is to build winning, state-level advocacy campaigns towardssuccessful regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives(CPMs) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.Visit the Big Push for Midwives Campaign on the Web at<http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=227950734&u=2397811> www.TheBigPushforMidwives.org.Sustainable Markets Foundation 80 Broad Street, Suite 1600 NewYork,NY 10004-2248 The Big Push for Midwives Campaign 2300 M Street, N.W., Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20037-1434

Cloth Diapering 101

We have a guest post today from Shah'ada about cloth diapering.

*****

My name is Shah'ada and I am a cloth diapering fool!! No really, I love to cloth diaper in the biggest way ever. It has made an almost necessary part of parenting fun (yes, I could EC, and I plan on reading more with our next child, but for now cloth diapering is what I'm all about)!!! I started out cloth diapering when I read about all the horrible toxins in disposables. I then thought about the environmental effects disposables had . . . did you know one cup of crude oil goes into making ONE disposable? Yes, cloth uses water for washing, but water is renewable. And oh my heck. Have you SEEN the cuteness that can be cloth?!

One of my very close friends (and a fellow cloth diapering advocate), Keli, has written a few detailed blog posts about cloth diapers. She has broken it down into 2 sections. She has awesome pictures and great descriptions and I could never replicate anywhere near as well.

Fitteds, pockets, all-in-ones, all-in-twos

Prefolds, flats, and covers


The only thing Keli's blog does not cover is washing, storing, etc. I have 2 children in cloth at the moment and wash daily. If you only have one in cloth, you'd only have to wash every other to every third day. I set my washer to a super large load. I do a quick pre-rinse with cold water. I then put the setting on hot/cold, fill the washer while adding 2 circles of Dawn non ultra dish soap OR 1/2 scoop of County Save powder OR 1/2 scoop of Bio Kleen powder OR regular liquid Tide to line 1. I have had success with all of these in the hard water us Utahns have been blessed with ;) I make sure to run 2 rinses and then either line dry or dry in the dryer. Getting a good wash routine usually takes a few wash cycles because every child and every washing machine is different. You want to stay away from free and clear detergents and well as anything with soap. Soap will cause build up and build up equals stinkies, repelling, less absorbency, and did I mention stinkies?

For storing, I use hanging wet bags. They are made of PUL (Keli has an explanation on her blog I believe), and thus keep in the wetness. I just hang them on the door to our bathroom/laundry room. I store all clean diapers in a laundry basket and hanging closet organizer. Yes, staring at our diapers is a past time of mine ;)

I personally use prefolds, flats, and fitteds with wool covers. I prefer natural fibers (or as close to natural as possible ;) ) on my children's bottoms. I find these diapers/covers also wash up the easiest. And they are also the cutest *blush* If you are vegan/opposed to using wool, you can use fleece as a great breathable alternative to wool.

I do (free) cloth diaper consultation by email, phone, or in person if you are in the Cache Valley area. Email is shahadaghan at gmail dot com. Please email me for any information :) If you would just like me to expound on this limited information, I would gladly do that as well :) I really do love to "talk cloth" and would love to help you find an alternative to toxins and landfill filling!!

*****

Thanks Shah'ada! So, what's your cloth philosophy?

~S~

Breastfeeding rates fall after newborn period

You've probably heard this news story about breastfeeding rates that came out of BYU. As we know, initiation rates for breastfeeding are decent; well, 77% is 3/4, but far from "most."

I digress. What I wanted to discuss with you is the fact that only one-third of mothers are still breastfeeding at six months. The recommendation, as you know, is a minimum of a year, by the AAP, two years if you consider WHO guidelines. (By the way, check out this great collection of breastfeeding recommendations by KellyMom.)

Why are mothers stopping breastfeeding? What do you think it is? The study suggests that each region, even metropolis, has its own reasons. What are they here? The only reason I ask these questions is so that we can each find our own answers to the next one:

What can we do to be more supportive, as individuals: friends, neighbors, sisters, strangers?

So, you didn't circumcise your son. NOW what?

The why's and wherefore's of circumcising or not bring many parents to the choice of leaving their son's penis intact. Then what do you do? Do you just leave it alone? In fact, "leave it alone" is good advice. Read on....

Doulas and Dads

Have you ever wondered why we need doulas if we have dads, or why we need dads if we have doulas? ;) Here's a great article that explains how doulas and dads work together and have their own unique roles.

"Our culture is one of the few that does not provide continuous supportive care for the laboring woman. Even though men are choosing to take active roles in the birth of their children they are often put in a very uncomfortable situation. They attend childbirth and parenting classes and remain with their partners during the birth process but often feel that they are expected to be the “labor authority” when they do not feel qualified for that role. No matter how good the childbirth education class was that he attended his experience attending births is very limited and for the first time father non-existent. Many fathers realize that they need reassurance, support and guidance also."

Breastfeeding Cafe in Logan

Hi Friends!

The Breastfeeding Cafe is on in Cache Valley! Tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday will be from 10 am till 9 pm at the Logan Library.

Tuesday, there will be a class on making baby food at 3:30 and a class on combining breastfeeding with work or school at 7 pm.

Wednesday, there will be a class at 3:30 on babywearing, and a class on how doulas can help with labor at 7 pm.

Thursday through Saturday will find the Cafe at the North Logan Library. Thursday and Friday it will be open from 10 am till 7 pm; Saturday will only be 12-4 pm.

Classes on Friday will be: 2:00 babywearing, 3:30 breastfeeding beyond a year, and 7:00 breastfeeding, beginning to end.

There is also a raffle going on. Tickets are $1 for items like 2 pumps, onesies with the "I eat at mom's" logo, tshirts with "I make milk, what's your superpower?" logo, 2 prenatal cradles, some breastfeeding books by Amy Spangler. Stork Landing has donated a Purely Yours pump; tickets for that raffle are $2. As of tonight, no one had donated money for tickets, so drop on by - those sweet prizes could be yours!

~S~

Breastfeeding promo from Puerto Rico

"...to give the breast is to give life..."



You can check out the discussion, links and other breastfeeding videos uploaded by BreastfeedingBabies here.

World Breastfeeding Week at API

Attachment Parenting International (API) has jumped on the World Breastfeeding Week bandwagon. They are giving away a copy of LLL's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. Leave a comment on that blog post to enter the contest.

Liz brought this to our attention. Here is the email she received from API :

Attachment Parenting International (API) is proud to participate in World Breastfeeding Week August 1-7, 2008. Started by The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a way for those who support breastfeeding to help achieve WABA's vision of "...a world where breastfeeding is the cultural norm, where mothers and families are enabled to feed and care optimally for their infants and young children thus contributing to a just and healthy society."

La Leche League, a WABA Core Partner, encourages everyone to participate in the WBW celebrations. API is pleased to join as one of the many LLL WBW participants, as well as honor its long-standing support of breastfeeding and LLL.

And consider making a donation to La Leche League today to help LLL continue its good work.

API shares many of the LLL philosophies having been born from LLL Leaders turned Co-Founders Barbara Nicholson and Lysa Parker. Please join API in celebrating WBW, and all of the organizations who are working hard to make WABA's vision of a breastfeeding-friendly world a reality.

Consider the following facts and recommendations about breastfeeding:

The American Public Health Association (APHA) "affirms that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life with continued breastfeeding for at least the first one or two years of life is the biological norm, and that all alternative feeding methods carry health risks in comparison, with rare exceptions...Identifies the exclusive breastfeeding rate as a leading health indicator in the goals of the nation."

"Human milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, including premature and sick newborns. It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least the first 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired." American Academy of Pediatrics Breastfeeding Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk.

PEDIATRICS, a publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that "The protective effect of breastfeeding on the attainment of gross motor milestones is attributable to some component(s) of breast milk or feature of breastfeeding and is not simply a product of advantaged social position, education, or parenting style."

Breastfeeding has been shown to provide some protection against the following common diseases:

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) - American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007

Diabetes - The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Case-Control Study

Cot death/SIDS - The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID)

Respiratory & ear infections - PEDIATRICS

Obesity - The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) 2003

In addition to the substantial benefits to the infant, Attachment Parenting International also stresses the importance of breastfeeding in the bonding process after birth. A 1996 study by Uvnäs-Moberg & Eriksson showed that oxytocin, a hormone released during breastfeeding, promotes the initiation of maternal behavior and bonding between mother and baby and has a sedative, anti-stress effect on the mother. This study also found that breastfeeding mothers reported that they feel calmer due to breastfeeding and are less likely to overreact to everyday stressors, probably due to decreased blood pressure and cortisol levels that occur in response to breastfeeding.

API reminds mothers everywhere that breastfeeding satisfies an infant's nutritional and emotional needs better than any other method of infant feeding. API recommends breastfeeding as part of your overall parenting approach. For example, feed on cue, before baby starts to cry whenever possible. Breastfeed for the first year and beyond; it is important nutritionally, immunologically, and emotionally. And don't forget that nursing is an excellent tool for comfort during illness, tantrums, and other times of upset.

Do you enjoy receiving information on current events that are relevant to the parenting community? We value your feedback!

Sincerely,

Julie Artz
Communications Coordinator,
Attachment Parenting International
julie@attachmentparenting.org

They are also having a promotional discount for LLL members on API memberships in honor of World Breastfeeding Week and La Leche League: if you join API before August 30, 2008, and enter the code: APIWBW2008, you will receive 25% off the membership fee, and they will make a donation to LLL.

Free Cosleeping Webinar

I just noticed this at Mothering.com. There will be a free webinar on cosleeping on August 22, hosted by Dr. James McKenna and others. Read more about it here.

Homebirth Dads video

This video made by and for dads addresses so many questions about homebirth that it would probably be perfect for anyone who wonders about homebirth!

"For 20 years, Cuevas has been well known in Ithaca as the host of a cable television show, a percussionist, an educator, a videographer, a DJ and a dad. He is also married to Monica, who is arguably the most respected and sought-after midwife in the region. After many years and several hundred homebirths (some of which he attended, including those of the couple's two children), Jorge recognized a void." A review can be read here.

~S~

Big Bird learns about Breastfeeding

According to the comments, this clip of Sesame Street is from 1977. It's short and sweet. Big Bird displays the exact kind of brief curiosity that other kids do when seeing a baby breastfeed. A question or 2 and on with life! What do you think? Have you seen other children's shows address breastfeeding or natural baby care like this?

Big Bird talks to Buffy as she nurses Cody

In Israel, It IS about the Money

Israeli women are given a "birth allowance" by the government, but they only get the money if they birth in a hospital. This news story explains that it really is about the money, since birth is a dependable source of income for hospitals, and if a mother births at home, the hospitals lose that money.

I found this news story to be well-articulated; you should definitely give it a read. Not only do they discuss the financial aspect, but the rights parents should have to choose where they birth as parents and consumers.

favorite quotes:

"Dr. Gil Tadmon's first son was born in hospital, but he and his wife chose to have the second at home. Tadmon, who is about to finish his internship as a pediatrician, said that having experienced the hospital's approach, they preferred to go another route the second time around. They were disturbed by the fact that for the first three days of the baby's life, they were not the ones in charge; they only "took possession" from day three.

"As a doctor and parent, I feel it's problematic," he said. "The baby spends most of its first two days sleeping, and by nature, the mother should be highly attentive to him, not be in another room with no connection to him. Sometimes parents come home on the third day with a baby they don't know."

"Dr. Shiftan said that "like any other product, birth should be examined by criteria of quality and through comparison shopping. In this case, home birth isn't only a good product, it's an excellent one. Research shows that it's as safe as giving birth in a hospital, even more so."

"The choice is not between risk and total security, Glazerman stressed. It is a choice of relative risks - and the woman must decide at what risk to give birth, he said."

I found this money calculator useful in converting the Israeli NIS to US dollars.

What do you think about this frank discussion of hospital-birth-as-income?

World Breastfeeding Month

Well, since breastfeeding is more my thing than birth, and since no one's commenting much (come on, let us know when you stop by!!!), and since August is World Breastfeeding Month, today will begin a series of breastfeeding posts.

Of course, the very best world expert on breastfeeding is La Leche League. LLL Leaders are accredited, volunteer breastfeeding counselors with lots of experience and a terrific network of peers to rely on. Check out their website for articles from New Beginnings (the members' magazine), faq and community.

What has your experience been with either LLL or other breastfeeding helpers?

~S~

Missouri has their own midwifery drama

I thought the Utah legislative adventures were dramatic, but in Missouri things have been even more interesting. Last year, a senator tagged a brief amendment onto a health insurance bill allowing "tocological certification." No one looked twice at it. The word tocological was suggested by a homeschooled kid whose family was lobbying for the bill. Tokos is Greek for childbirth, tocology means the practice of midwifery or obstetrics.

The new law, after it was "discovered" by its opponents, was challenged in court. The Missouri Supreme Court recently found the law to be constitutional, so certified professional midwives (CPM) can now be lisenced in that state! Up until now, it has been a felony to practice midwifery (I'm assuming hospital-priveleged CNMs are legal).

See the Friends of Missouri Midwives site for more details.

Past Workshop Information

So, of the workshops that have been offered in the past, which did you love, and which did you miss and would like the information for? This blog would be a great place to cover those topics. Here's a partial list; please feel free to offer suggestions and ask questions in the comments.

cloth diapering
extended breastfeeding
dads only
breastfeeding during a disaster
babywearing
homebirth
doulas
waterbirth
emotions during pregnancy affecting the baby
childern's books about babies
elimination communication
chiropractic treatment for infertility, breech, etc
postpartum depression
Happiest Baby on the Block
circumcision
infant massage
vaccines

What do you say?

~S~

Homebirth in the news

On a whim, I did a google news search on homebirth. Of course, most of it was a result of the AMA's recent resolution regarding place of birth, and Riki Lake's film The Business of Being Born. Overall, though, the tone of each news story was fair and positive. How nice is that?

South Dakota has had a new law that allows certified nurse midwives (CNMs) to attend home births. I'm not sure what the ramifications are to that, whether other professional or unlicensed midwives have the right to attend homebirths or not.

On a news-gathering website called Finding Dulcinea there is a page on recent news and opinions on the AMA and homebirth.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a short column on the Mayo Clinic's site by a CNM that advocates a parent's right to choose birth place and attendant.

There were also stories about homebirth in Arkansas and North Carolina.

My favorite line from the whole batch:

“Babies should be born where they are conceived,” said Prentice, who has delivered more than a 2,000 babies.

~S~

The Birth Survey

The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) has launched a Birth Survey. It's a fairly new thing; your participation would help it grow. Their admirable goal is to "promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs. This evidence-based mother-, baby-, and family-friendly model focuses on prevention and wellness as the alternatives to high-cost screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs." The main purposes of the Birth Survey are to "share information about maternity care practices in their community while at the same time providing practitioners and institutions feedback for quality of care improvement efforts."

The project so far has concentrated on New York City, but next month will be collecting data nationwide in earnest. You are welcome to fill out a survey yourself. They are also asking for volunteers to help spread the word and make this information available.

There's a tab at the bottom of the main page called "View Intervention Rates." Isn't that great? Being able to see what a facility or practitioner does is so important in making informed decisions surrounding birth, and is part of what CIMS calls Bringing Transparency to Maternity Care.

Go explore and contribute. It seems like a much needed project.

~S~

MOST BABIES NOT GETTING BREAST-FED BY 6 MONTHS

Although women generally recognize the many benefits of breast-feeding and most -- 77 percent -- willingly try it, only a third of 6-month-old babies are breast-fed. And at the one-year point recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, only 16 percent are breast-feeding, according to BYU researchers.

FULL STORY: http://deseretnews.com/article/1%2C5143%2C700244978%2C00.html

Beate of Childrensneeds.com brought this story to our attention. ~J~

The Amish

The Amish are fighting to for their right to choose where and how to give birth.

http://features.csmonitor.com/backstory/2008/07/22/a-home-birth-midwife-returns-to-practice/

To learn more about the Amish and the way they choose to birth, read A Wise Birth by Penny Armstrong. I believe the Logan Library has it, as well as the Logan La Leche League library. Though the book is worth buying, it is so fascinating and enjoyable to read.


A Wise Birth, Penny Armstrong and Sheryl Feldman. Compellingly, the author tells her own story. When she was first trained as a Certified Nurse Midwife she answered a call to assist Amish women at home. Little by little, the perspective that had become a part of her during her schooling began to shift and change. As she witnessed birth after relatively easy and uncomplicated birth, she began to wonder about the differences between these births and the births she had observed in the hospital during her training.

~J~

Book Review: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

A long overdue update of her Spiritual Midwifery, this book is packed with solid information on how mothers birth babies, and what support will enable the safest births for mothers and babies. It's not the normal hospital routine! I'm not big on birth stories, but for those who are, that first half of the book is stories. The appendix has stats for the Farm's decades of births, and they have amazing results, even including "high risk" mothers. Great information for people who think...more

A long overdue update of her Spiritual Midwifery, this book is packed with solid information on how mothers birth babies, and what support will enable the safest births for mothers and babies. It's not the normal hospital routine! I'm not big on birth stories, but for those who are, the first half of the book is stories. The second half is well-documented information on how birth works. The appendix has stats for the Farm's decades of births, and they have amazing results, even including "high risk" mothers. Great information for people who think homebirth is crazy and unsafe. My favorite part is her ending thought:

"Remember this, for it is as true as true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body."

You can read others' reviews on this book here and here. If you have read this, head on over and review it yourself!

ISBN-10: 0553381156
368 pages
2003 Bantam

~S~

Utah Birth Network

I was thinking about putting together a post that described the birth choices in Utah, and found this wonderful group called Utah Birth Network.

I'm not acquainted with most of the board members, but anyone who's been involved in protecting homebirth (hence birthplace choice) the last several years is a hero. Kudos to them all.

The terrific feature on their website is the referral list of midwives (CNMs and direct entry), birth centers, lactation specialists, support groups, doulas, etc. I encourage you to head on over if you've had experience with any of those sort of birth support people and leave your two cents!

~S~

Breastfeeding in Public

So, what do you think about seeing a mom nursing her baby? Is it a sight you enjoy, applaud even? Is it something you never see at all? Do you appreciate the thoughtfulness of a mother who covers herself and her baby?

Have you been nursing your baby out and about and gotten that invaluably encouraging smile from a stranger? Have you gotten the frown?

Nursing in Public is a recurring topic; every time a nursing mother is asked to leave a restaurant (!) or asked to cover up at the poolside (!!) or disembark an airplane (!!!) we hear a little blurb on the news, and the message boards and blog-world are a-buzz about the resultant nurse-in.

It's rather strange to me that it's an issue at all. I eat wherever I want. I'm allowed to take a picnic to the park and don't have to put a tent over my head to eat it! (Isn't that a great image.) But it is an issue for most, which makes it an issue for the rest of us.

What brings this up is a bill in the UK, meant to protect a mother's right to breastfeed in public, but the protection is only extended for infants up to six months. "WHAT?" you say? Yup. Check out these commentaries about the bill; the comment sections on both these posts bring up some interesting points.

What do you think?

To end on a positive note, I discovered the most wonderful websites: one about nursing in public, and one about breast perception. The latter woman has written a book, has a great page on breastfeeding in public, as well as some international feedback, but most surprising and wonderful was her photo gallery of "normal breasts." Enjoy.

And please leave a comment if you are enjoying this little blog of ours. It would be nice to hear your voice!

~S~

Amazing Mom

For those of you who missed this little bit of positive news surrounding that huge earthquake in China back in May, there was a woman, a police officer by profession, a mother by heart, who nursed babies who were either orphaned, or whose parents were unable to feed them. At one point, she was nursing 9 infants! Her own little one was in another town, being cared for by family.

Links here and here.

~J~

Mountain Climbing analogies

Last night I was watching a travel show in which the hostess climbed the Matterhorn. Her guide was this terrifically patient, wise and kind gentleman (who couldn't have been younger than 50 !! imagine mountain climbing every day for a job at 60!!). His demeanor and gentle encouragement made me think of one thing: a doula.

Challenge after difficulty, he would say to her, "gentle, gentle, slowly, slowly; no need to rush." He made sure she was ready the day before, respected her abilities and encouraged her when she thought she would never make it. There's a whole breed of mountain climbing guides, I guess, who have been up and down the mountain countless times; they know what it takes, and that ordinary, but prepared, people can do it. That's exactly what a doula does. Birth works, but many of us need a "guide."

The other birth analogy that hit me was a quote she used at the end of the show. I've searched high and low and can't find either the TV episode, nor the exact quote online, so if you know what it is I'm trying to say, let me know where to find it! She said something *like* this:

"We who go scrambling mountains do it for this reason: after we've worked so hard and done the impossible, we come back to everyday life ready to live it more fully, for we know what we're capable of."

Of the myriad birth choices that get the most attention (natural birth, homebirth, etc), it seems the nay-sayers accuse women who choose these things of wanting to be martyrs, implying that they're killing themselves for no good reason. But there are many reasons to choose to take ownership of your birth, whether that means skipping or waiting longer on the epidural; waiting until the last minute to go to the hospital or to simply have the baby at home; to invite only positive and supportive people to the pregnancy care and birth, rather than who everyone expects you to. When we work so hard for something, and do all we can do, we are often amazed at what we're capable of, and come back to everyday life ready to live it more fully, because the journey and experience and power of birth are transformational. In a good way.

~S~

Oh, My!

Check out this new documentary, Orgasmic Birth.

~S~

Here's some evidence FOR Natural Parenting

This link is to a study defending natural parenting. It's pdf, and a little long, but easy reading. Here's the abstract:

"This review examines an age-old approach to parenting recently rediscovered in Western industrialized societies and known by names such as natural parenting, attachment parenting, and instinctive parenting. Its leading principle is utmost sensitivity to the child's innate emotional and physical needs, resulting in extended breastfeeding on demand, extensive infant carrying on the caregiver's body, and cosleeping of infant and parents. The described practices prevailed during the evolutionary history of the human species and reflect the natural, innate rearing style of the human species to which the human infant has biologically adapted over the course of evolution. An overview of research from diverse areas regarding psychological as well as physiological aspects of early care provides evidence for the beneficial effects of natural parenting. Cross-cultural and historical data is cited to reveal the widespread use of the investigated parenting style. It is concluded that the described approach to parenting provides the human infant with an ideal environment for optimal growth both psychologically and physiologically. It is yet to be determined how much departure from this prototype of optimal human parenting is possible without compromising infant and parental wellbeing. The review also invites a critical reevaluation of current Western childrearing practices."

It comes out of Helsinki, Finland, researched by R. A. Schön and M. Silvén, and was published by Evolutionary Psychology. You can find it here.
~J~

So, What Can YOU Do About This?

Sally here. :) I've been thinking about what the average person can do to speak their mind, and maybe you'd like to hear? I thought so. ;)

First of all, to whom to write? In this case, there's no legislation up for consideration. The AMA and ACOG have simply stated that they encourage whatever political entities might so desire, to create legislation based on their ideas. Well, we, the people, have ideas as well. So, pick your favorite:

reply directly to ACOG and AMA

send a letter to your local hospital

write to your local senator and representative about this issue that might be brought up next legislative session

reply to supporters of birth place choice, and thank them

What to write? Well, your opinion, based on facts; and a simple request. For example: "The AMA has recently suggested that the only safe place for childbirth is in a hospital or birth center. I disagree based on this information:.... If a bill comes up that attempts to restrict birth place choice, please vote against it. Thanks." Something like that.

How to write? I searched the web for suggestions on how to write persuasively and kindly, because in my experience, when I'm passionate about something, it's hard to be nice. Well, it's challenging to sift through the emotions and craft a concise statement of opinion based on fact that someone completely uninformed about my passionate beliefs can readily understand. It takes practice, but it's worth it.

I'm refraining from crafting a letter that you can adapt to your own needs because just as I believe you all to be competent, intelligent folks who can make the best birth and parenting decisions for your family, based on your needs, I think you can decide to whom to write and what to say. Your words will communicate your sincerity better than a copied and pasted letter.

Here are some links that may help:

Tips for Writing Your Senator

Become an Instant Activist

A Soft Complaint
(an essay, actually, for an English class, but interesting nonetheless)

Why Don't We Complain?
a 1961 essay by William F. Buckley, Jr. While the reasons we don't complain until we're ready to blow our tops are different than 40 years ago, I think he still makes some interesting points.

~S~