Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Birthing guru says labour over-managed

IN the 1970s, while his colleagues were plugging in their new electronic fetal monitors, French obstetrician Dr. Michel Odent was encouraging mothers to give birth squatting in silent, dimly lit rooms at his low-tech birthing centre outside Paris.

Later, he introduced the concept of birthing pools and stirred up controversy by suggesting that a father's presence in the delivery room is not only unnecessary, but also hinders labour.

To read the rest of this article click here

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Judging Birth

Posted on April 9, 2011 by midwifethinking

This post is a little different to my usual posts (I apologise to those wanting some physiology and links to research). Instead, I have written about something that keeps cropping up in my conversations with mothers and birth workers. I would be interested in other perspectives and opinions – so, please comment and let me know your thoughts. The post is basically my own thoughts about how we judge ourselves and birth.

Birthing Behaviour



Artwork by Amanda Greavette: http://amandagreavette.com

To read the rest of this wonderful post and see an unassisted birth video please click here!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Born at Home


Born at Home from Kat Small on Vimeo.


Such a beautiful home birth! I only think that if she had worn a BINSI Go Go top, getting that wet sports bra off would have been SO much easier! ;)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Supporting role in making birth a positive experience


Concerns over a shortage of midwives and NHS cuts means more women are paying a doula for reassurance in the maternity suite. Nicky Solloway investigates.

Lesley Hilton is getting prepared for what could be a long night. One of her clients is in the early stages of labour and she could be summoned to the hospital at any minute. But Lesley isn’t a midwife, she is a doula.

To read the rest of this article click here.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Taking the lead from celebrity moms: How home births are on the rise among white American women It seems to be a longtime trend among celebrity moms,

It seems to be a longtime trend among celebrity moms, with Selma Blair, Kelly Preston and Ricki Lake among its supporters - and now figures show home births are on the rise across America.

Government figures show home births rose 20 per cent over four years, reflecting what experts say is a small subculture among white women toward natural birth.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389155/Taking-lead-celebrity-moms-How-home-births-rise-white-American-women.html#ixzz1N92gjWdu

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Midwives vs. hospitals: There is a middle ground

By Janice D'Arcy

“This is an awesome collaborative model,” Ebony Roebuck, the clinical chief of midwifery at Washington Hospital Center told me of her workplace. It’s not a word I’ve heard much these days in relation to midwives: “collaborative.”
Karen Carr is a midwife who pleaded guilty in connection with the death of a Virginia baby she delivered in September. (Toni L. Sandys - The Washington Post)

To read the rest of this article click here.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Awesome!


This was posted on the Birth Without Fear Facebook page, and I LOVED it! The picture is small here, but go to the Birth Without Fear Facebook page and you can view it larger. The caption below the picture says, "Bodybuilding. When your mission in life is to be shaped like a uterus". Very funny! :)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

6 Things I Learned from Ina May Gaskin

By Tine Reese from Bloom Spokane

Last Friday I attended the Midwives Association of Washington State Spring Conference where Ina May Gaskin, “mother of modern midwifery,” schooled us on the horrifying history of childbirth in the U.S. and shared her thoughts on restoring childbirth to its rightful owners—women!



The title of Ina May’s presentation that day was, “Combining the Best of Modern Obstetrics with Respect for Nature & Traditional Midwifery Approaches.” Here are some of the highlights.

1. We Must Know Our History

To read the rest of this wonderful post click here.

Monday, May 16, 2011

5 Reasons to Avoid Induction of Labor

By Robin Elisse Weiss

The induction of labor can be done for many reasons, including many valid medical reasons. However, the rise in the rate of social inductions, or elective inductions is on the rise. As the induction rate rises there are more babies and mothers placed at risk for certain complications. Here are five risks of induction that you may not know about:

To read the rest of this very informative post click here

Friday, May 13, 2011

Sleep Why Do You Torture Me?



A Note From Carri:
If you are struggling with sleep issues during your pregnancy, you are not alone! I too struggled with sleep issues, especially in the middle of the night, and it was not fun (see this post from my last pregnancy). I kept hearing people telling me that it was all for the good of preparing me, but frankly with 3 other kids, it didn't help. Why it happened, I will never know. However, it did end and I did have a beautiful baby in my arms that made it all fade away and I barely remember the problem now. So hang in there mamas - it is all worth it and it won't last forever. Please read this post below, and know that you are not alone in this. The majority of BINSI on-line sales are purchased in the middle of the night, so if you're reading this in the middle of the night - just imagine all the other mamas reading along with you! :)

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By Alyson Brown

This morning my eyes popped open at 4:30 am and would simply not close. I lay in bed, watching the minutes tick by on the clock wondering if this was the end of my blissful night’s sleep. Pretty soon after tossing and turning for a good 45 minutes, I gave up and decided to get out of bed. The sun was beginning to come up anyway, why not get a head start on my sleepy day? Now it’s 10:00 am and my eyes are already feeling heavy. Oh sleep… Why do you torture me?!

To read the rest of this article click here

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Power of Choice

Where is the line between feeling powerless and feeling empowered in birth? Is it even something over which we have any choice?

At CIC’s most recent Healthy Birth Choices workshop we heard three moms describe how consciously choosing where and with whom to give birth made it possible for them to birth their babies the way they envisaged – and to feel happy, even triumphant, about their experience.

To read the rest of this post click here

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Down with the gown: Local doulas develop stylish skirts and tops for expectant mothers



By Pam Mellskog
© 2011 Longmont Times-Call

After delivering her first baby 10 years ago, a Berthoud mom boycotted the hospital gown that exposed her backside and bunched up as she moved in and out of different labor positions.

Carri Grimditch instead wore a homemade birthing skirt — an oversized miniskirt with a drawstring in a purple floral print — during the labor and delivery of her next three babies.

“You’re not getting your tonsils out at the hospital. You’re having a baby!” she said. “But some women don’t know that they don’t have to wear the gown.”

As a certified doula — a professional, nonmedical childbirth assistant — Grimditch, 34, designed her line of BINSI birthing skirts and tops to make the option available to other expectant moms.

“(The hospital gown) made me feel less like a soon-to-be mother and more like patient No. 2453-A,” Grimditch said. “Instead of walking in and putting on something drab and clinical, you can wear something that you’ve chosen.”

Research shows that personalizing the birth environment with keepsakes, music and scents decreases a woman’s stress, she said.

Longmont resident and fellow certified doula Kimberly Taylor joined the company in 2005 as a business partner.

To read the rest of the article click here

Monday, May 9, 2011

Birth Stories Galore!

I just found this site and loved how many birth stories they had! They have every kind of birth story you could want. They also have podcasts where you can hear birth stories as well. Please check it out and read or listen to birth stories that will empower you and prepare you for your amazing day.

www.BirthStoriesOnDemand.com

Monday, May 2, 2011

Capturing the Doula Spirit Photo Contest

A Contest in Celebration of International Doula Month, May 2011
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so it is said. What can a photo say about the work of a doula?
In celebration of International Doula Month, DONA International will honor its members, their doula spirit and the contribution they provide to maternity care by accepting photo action shots that tell their story as a birth or postpartum doula. Photos must be submitted during the month of May, which is International Doula Month. The winners will be announced in the June eDoula.

First Prize:
The winning photo will be featured in the December issue of the International Doula and on the DONA International web site and the doula contestant will be awarded a free one year membership.

Second Prize:
The second place photo will be featured on the DONA International web site and the doula contestant will be awarded a $25 gift certificate for the DONA Boutique.

Third Prize:
The third place photo will be featured on the DONA International web site and the doula contestant will be awarded a $15 gift certificate for the DONA Boutique.

Submission requirements:

Photo (see photo specifications below)

Doula’s name and credentials

Doula’s address

Doula’s day phone number

Doula’s e-mail address

Name(s) of each person photographed, listed from left to right

When and where the picture was taken and why you think it reflects the doula spirit

A signed DONA International Photo Release form for each person photographed, available on the web site at http://www.dona.org/publications/id.php.

Photo specifications:
All photographs will be accepted for consideration. However, the best quality photos for print publication are 300 dpi TIFF files or high resolution compressed JPEG files with good contrast of light and dark. Images intended for cover use must be at least 8˝x10˝ (original size, not enlarged) at 300 dpi and should be sent in their original, untouched/unaltered format. Color photographs must be in RGB color format, but they may be converted to black and white.
All submissions should be sent to Doula@DONA.org, with “Doula Spirit Photo Contest” in the subject line, by May 31, 2011.