tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37470480624227583062024-03-05T08:22:53.403-08:00Birth ChangeLori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-84062671676303220922011-12-28T06:56:00.000-08:002011-12-28T08:24:17.511-08:00Formula Factory: Nutrition or Baby Junk Food?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTtJNCDwf-vu9ErhHh0uW1bnB-LWz_sP8sjuEDtTx8EmzzqaRA4UZg5QpvSzGHuzMI-QFNzuec9Iu0DsZL81yUIRimiiFP69MVWbC4UGHTYTWcbECq1G5EWPTzu6Dzs_BqRzT9iyZog/s1600/formulafactory.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTtJNCDwf-vu9ErhHh0uW1bnB-LWz_sP8sjuEDtTx8EmzzqaRA4UZg5QpvSzGHuzMI-QFNzuec9Iu0DsZL81yUIRimiiFP69MVWbC4UGHTYTWcbECq1G5EWPTzu6Dzs_BqRzT9iyZog/s400/formulafactory.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691208514531943570" /></a><div>In the past few weeks I have been following the infant formula case of a 10 day old infant who died from consuming bacteria infested formula sold in a Missouri Walmart store. My heart broke when I heard the headline and I decided it was time to do some research on the ingredients many mamas are feeding their babies during the first year of life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before infant formula was attempted in the late 1800's, most women used wet nurses to feed their babies if they were unable to breastfeed themselves. In 1915 the first powdered formula was developed, marketed and sold by pediatricians to women who could not or did not want to breastfeed. It was interestingly called "dry nursing". As the years progressed more research and understanding entered the arena of baby formula but the duplication of human breast milk was never achieved. By the 1970's the evaporated milk formulas had all but disappeared and the major game players took over the market with their brands of Similac and Enfamil. During this era over 75% of infants were fed with marketed baby formula largely due to the introduction of free samples given at the hospital and formula being fed to the infant while in the nursery. </div><div><br /></div><div>All formulas sold in the U.S. are regulated to contain the same density of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, but the problems lurk in the additives and preservatives that are used. </div><div>Melamine is a chemical which is combined with formaldehyde to make resins, Formica countertops and other household products. It is included in small amounts in formula to imitate plant proteins but a very small dosage causes death in laboratory rats. In 2008 there was a Chinese formula scandal where too much melamine was included in a batch of formula and 300,000 infants were affected with nearly 1,000 hospitalized and 6 infants dead from kidney failure. In soy based formulas phytoestrogens are added which can cause abnormal development in children. In 2010 Similac was recalled due to a "small common beetle" being found in some containers of their formula. Aspartic and glutamic acids are included in all of the name brand formulas. These acids are essentially MSG and are harmful to any humans, especially infants. MSG causes endocrine disorders such as obesity, reproductive problems and learning disabilities in children. </div><div>Below you will find the ingredients in bold type that are the ones in question in a few of the major formulas on U.S. shelves today. </div><div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; ">Nestle Carnation Good Start (Easy to Digest Comfort proteins)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; "> </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">enzymatically hydrolyzed reduced minerals, whey protein concentrate</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; "> (from cows' milk), vegetable oils (palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower), lactose, corn</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">maltodextrin</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">..</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">Enfamil Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Formula </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">Water, </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">corn syrup solids</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">....</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">casein hydrolysate</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">, </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">modified corn starch</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">...</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">carrageenan</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">, </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">L-cysteine</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">....</span><span style="text-align: left; "></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; ">Ross Isomil Soy Formula with Iron </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">Water, corn syrup, sugar, </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">soy protein isolate...modified cornstarch...carrageenan</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">...</span></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">MeadJohnson Enfamil with Iron </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">Reduced minerals, whey,</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">nonfat milk</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">...</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">carrageenan</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="text-align: left; ">Studies have found infants in developed countries who consume formula are at increased risk for acute otitis media (ear infections), gastroenteritis, lower respiratory tract infections, dermatitis, asthma, type 1 diabetes, SIDS, eczema and autism when compared to infants who are breastfed. </span></div><div>All of these formulas are inspected by the FDA to be safe and a good alternative to breastfeeding, but in truth, are they really? In reality they are highly processed foods that are put through a six step process to mix, pasteurize, homogenize, standardize, package and sterilize before they even reach the shelves. Are we essentially feeding our infants junk food when we could be giving them exactly what they need to learn and grow with human breast milk? Would we even conceive of giving our six month old a bag of chips, an Icee and a frozen pizza for their lunch? It sounds ridiculous, but the ingredients in many formulas are like unto taking your child to a greasy Chinese restaurant day after day or letting them belly up to the convenience store bar, so to say.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the U.S. formula is heavily marketed and given for free to nearly every woman who births in a hospital. It is also free to low income women on the WIC program, which constitutes nearly 1/3 of our population. </div><div>The World Health Organization developed an international health policy for breastfeeding promotion called the <b>International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes </b>in hopes of encouraging all mothers to educate themselves and be self reliant and do what's best for their infants by breastfeeding. Their aim is to have truth in marketing and to encourage formula companies to have labels that include the superiority of breast milk. They oppose the free sampling of formula in hospitals and they encourage formula companies to only use safe, nutritious and whole ingredients. Many major U.S. infant formula companies are in violation of this code and since it is not legally enforceable, refuse to abide by it. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we watch the unfortunate headlines and educate ourselves about the ingredients used in infant formula we see a pattern of insanity. Nestle, Mead Johnson and other companies are not using completely safe ingredients, are continuing to use preservatives and additives that are harmful and will clear the shelves from time to time and then do the same thing all over again. This is the definition of insanity and we as consumers should be smarter and think more deeply about what we are feeding our precious newborns and how it will affect them throughout their lives. </div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-76926957761685387642011-11-07T15:45:00.000-08:002011-11-07T16:18:12.020-08:00Birth Advocate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJCxl27GOyfFxnq-o6hGxURAhNg3zduFH1nGRrTjqt3doqJeIFh2QXnIgl-H1Fas9Q93Qaz_eyqKw606IkT7xLY_goHRbl3hNsrgWpCBctNBglpDgoJJ5r6A1T1MlMuTDlIojOrNlfg/s1600/digitalizar0006.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJCxl27GOyfFxnq-o6hGxURAhNg3zduFH1nGRrTjqt3doqJeIFh2QXnIgl-H1Fas9Q93Qaz_eyqKw606IkT7xLY_goHRbl3hNsrgWpCBctNBglpDgoJJ5r6A1T1MlMuTDlIojOrNlfg/s400/digitalizar0006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672412181602623442" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have had writer's block for the past few months, as you can see from the lack of posts since June. I have to admit that I am personally struggling with my full time job as an elementary art teacher while my soul yearns to be a midwife once again. It has been a full year since I caught a baby and I feel the heaviness of that emptiness in my life. <div>Case in point: We were at a friend's birthday party on Saturday and my friend introduced me as a "used to be midwife" and then she must have seen the horror on my face as she quickly reintroduced me as "a midwife who is a full time teacher right now". I do prefer the latter introduction, but the first one may be just as accurate, albeit heart wrenching. </div><div>In my school day I get to teach many of the babies I once helped welcome into the world and this always makes me smile when I remember that connection. I also had an arts night last week for my school and at one point in the room there were four families who at one time called me their midwife. Remembering these facts makes my heart swell!</div><div>I feel an inner conflict about this brewing in my soul and I know that this is something that I will always keep close, whether it be in a midwifery practice or by being a birth advocate, but I can't quite get comfortable in my skin right now with the lack of birth activity. </div><div>I feel an immense responsibility to continue writing this blog and educating women on natural birth and health issues, so I will forge ahead. I appreciate your loyalty for staying with me during these past months of silence. A blog is supposed to be a channel for writing, but when the author gets a block then things get stuck and stale. Therefore, the lack of posts. </div><div>Please hang tight, if you will, and let me get my mojo back about being a "birth advocate" and not a currently practicing midwife. In my heart it still stings to hear that, but in my head I know it is reality. My commitment to women, babies and natural childbirth ways has not waned and if I must look on the bright side of things, I must say the flame has not died, but only burns brighter. Here's to many more posts, more stories and research based information to keep women abreast of support and natural options! Happy November to all of you!! </div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-7739878311394136562011-06-22T07:17:00.000-07:002011-06-22T14:03:12.101-07:00State of the World's Mothers Report 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7j0leceyBTAT0s77kfeM0QRJTH41jffm3CofLYJD_b0tSqnqF45jNU9VVZoyoNqHiEV93XZ8Ldkuzo0Ig5SQVP_EogkVL_JNQqLZrcnG-RZBIVZ3D-rF-Sds3wm4a4rSFy8KuppQ4rQ/s1600/afgan_women_women_and_baby.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7j0leceyBTAT0s77kfeM0QRJTH41jffm3CofLYJD_b0tSqnqF45jNU9VVZoyoNqHiEV93XZ8Ldkuzo0Ig5SQVP_EogkVL_JNQqLZrcnG-RZBIVZ3D-rF-Sds3wm4a4rSFy8KuppQ4rQ/s400/afgan_women_women_and_baby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621057996850218754" border="0" /></a>Greetings to all of you birth advocates! It is already summer and I finally find myself able to relax and enjoy my family and time once again!<br />I just came across the <span style="font-weight: bold;">State of the World's Mothers Report</span> published by Save The Children. It is full of interesting and surprising facts that continue to boggle my mind in this day and age. The 12th annual Mothers' Index analyzes health, education and economic conditions for women and children in 164 countries. Norway ranks #1 this year and Afghan ranks last. The United States comes in at #31, with the highest maternal mortality rate in the industrialized nations! This means that one in every 2,100 women will die due to childbirth complications. Wow! What does this say about our ultra clean, ultra safe hospitals and high tech baby nurseries? We seem to be getting it all wrong. Norway ranks #1 because of their education of women, lower birth rate, generous maternity leave policies and lowest maternal and child mortality rates.<br />In "Childbirth Without Fear" by Grantly Dick-Read, one of the most influential and powerful books in the past 100 years, it states that 90% of the fear, tension and complications of pregnancy and childbirth can be eliminated with education of the mother. If the mom is curious, aware and understands the process of childbirth she will help her body's natural processes and not stand in the way to hinder it. The more educated women are the more they seem to aid their birth with knowledge and understanding, not fear.<br />Most women in the United States have a "take care of me" mentality. They don't want to know what will happen to them during the birth process and they think their care provider will take care of them and safely deliver them through it. There is no personal responsibility put on them by their doctor to become educated about birth or meet them half way with understanding and an acceptance of the process. This attitude and behavior invites the tension-fear cycle which leads to complications and interventions that snow ball and lead to bad outcomes and high mortality rates.<br />This report is very interesting and eye opening and continues to point to the downfalls in our hospitalized birthing practices. The sacredness has been taken out of birth and institutionalized. The power of the process has been taken from the birthing mom and given to the doctors and nurses instead. We are continuing down a path that is unsafe and ignorant.<br />As natural childbirth advocates we must educate each other and choose more wisely. We must be the leaders of change in our mass media culture. Birth is sacred. It is inherently safe. Only when we alter the natural path of birth do we find that one in every 2,100 women will have to die for our ignorance.<br />One of my most favorite quotes is by Harriette Harttigan who said, "Birth is as safe as life gets." Women are designed to give birth without complication and coercion from an outside source. When we forget the power and sanctity of birth we fall to #31 on the maternal safety rankings.<br />Here's the link so you can check it out for yourself; <a href="http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6743707/k.219/State_of_the_Worlds_Mothers_2011.htm">http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6743707/k.219/State_of_the_Worlds_Mothers_2011.htm</a>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-63996758742178430952011-04-08T11:45:00.000-07:002011-04-08T11:59:29.499-07:00Savor The Moment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8hevBLGerji0yPRxDRQfbbjE2pjwchLWcpVDJtf6dyNilfv0Tm_eCWrlAXxDFuchGORXorC2yhkiMN8XvModTS00TLtlwYANwWBOlgl-bIFGv5NP_Ky139LH0nqQVycxvgMvIO-uag/s1600/mom_baby"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8hevBLGerji0yPRxDRQfbbjE2pjwchLWcpVDJtf6dyNilfv0Tm_eCWrlAXxDFuchGORXorC2yhkiMN8XvModTS00TLtlwYANwWBOlgl-bIFGv5NP_Ky139LH0nqQVycxvgMvIO-uag/s400/mom_baby" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593289234399258610" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Today as you run down the list of all of your "to-do's" just remember this quote:</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Overdoing leaves insufficient time for savoring.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />I don't remember where I found this, but it has been a daily mantra since I wrote it on a sticky note and put it near my computer. Yes, there is much to be done each day and as women we feel it is our duty to do it all, but remember to savor each moment, stop to listen or give support and slow yourself down!<br />As I find myself to be the ring leader of my family and to my community of clients, I wish I would remember more often to take a few breaths, slow myself down and just give myself a small space to cherish the moment and stop running from one thing to the next.<br /><br />As you walk your journey today, remember this wonderful quote and let it infiltrate your life and your choices. It does make a difference in who we are as we strive to serve others.<br /></span></span></span></span>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-17392943757930904052011-02-21T11:49:00.000-08:002011-02-21T12:56:44.277-08:00End Unnecessary Hysterectomies!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxFaRhKtyMxYh5kUMdBBeJBCO7a0HPO89pCXgX7YGXw9n9Ia8BPBrc4w0wXzKQle51SJgxixFsic6aykjGQE_IX2m6omsXrHwhWL5SW0Qa1pbZ6Kjqw5_toiL0xrJdejDsPhTnBH0JQ/s1600/women.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxFaRhKtyMxYh5kUMdBBeJBCO7a0HPO89pCXgX7YGXw9n9Ia8BPBrc4w0wXzKQle51SJgxixFsic6aykjGQE_IX2m6omsXrHwhWL5SW0Qa1pbZ6Kjqw5_toiL0xrJdejDsPhTnBH0JQ/s400/women.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576249440793756434" border="0" /></a><br /> For the past few weeks I've been researching online the statistics and trends of current hysterectomy surgeries. The results are shocking and have left me with a 'punch in the gut' type of reaction. I began this blog a few years ago as I studied the trends and effects of natural child birth in our medical world. As a home birth midwife, I saw firsthand, the detrimental effects our medical community has upon women and babies. I believed it was my responsibility to give voice to what was happening all around us and to show that women are still being mistreated in hospitals everyday despite our advancements in medicine and the counter intuitiveness of it all.<br />Now as I delve into another woman's issue I have found a similar medical mentality that is detrimental to women's well being and reasoning for surgery that is unsupported by research.<br /> In a 2010 article published by The Berkeley Electronic Press and written by Patricia Quintilian, <span style="font-style: italic;">Unnecessary Hysterectomy: The Lack of Informed Consent</span>, it states that "the root of the problem is the monopoly of the American Medical Association and its lack of oversight, doctor review and a contrived shortage of physicians to keep medical costs soaring." A large part of their guarantee of monopoly power is through arresting paramedics, nurses and midwives who are doing their jobs and convicting them of "practicing medicine without a license". This ensures that only the elite few will have the privilege and right to practice medicine with a license and all else are criminals. There are medical boards and oversight committees that are supposed to handle complaints and remove bad doctors, but these are usually physician dominated, understaffed and ill equipped to handle the amount of complaints pending. This club of doctors is not unlike a fraternity that takes care of each other, whether in the wrong or right, while there is a strong brotherhood of protection to keep them together. <br />Knowing the basic structure of the medical community helps put the physician's opinions and recommendations into clearer perspective when it comes to major surgery decisions. Having a long history of sexual prejudices with women being the "weaker sex" and "more emotional" all tie into where we are today with women's health. Women visit doctors seven times more than men and are prescribed 50% more drugs. Women have more operative procedures done on them and their female organs are operated on 3.5 times more frequently than those involving the prostate or male urinary health. Any coincidence in a male dominated profession?<br />Hysterectomies are now the most common surgery in the United States while five of the ten next most common surgeries are obstetrical-gynecological. <span style="font-weight: bold;">If the present hysterectomy rates continue 62% of all women in the US will have had their female organs completely removed by the time they are seventy years old and it is estimated that nearly 40% of these surgeries will be unnecessary!! </span> Imagine, more than half of all the women you know having this major surgery and for what good reason???<br />Today's physicians are in a disagreement over what exactly constitutes the need for a hysterectomy, which allows them many various reasons to perform them 'legitimately' to their colleagues, yet unnecessarily to women's well being when many other less invasive alternatives exist. Hysterectomy complications include a string of awful complications, including; shock, heart disease, bladder and ureter injury, inability to void, gastrointestinal complications, nerve injury, depression and sexual dysfunction. Many doctors today will tell you these are minor and rare complications, yet 55% of all women under the age of 40 have suffered from depression and 46% have found an adverse affect upon their libido and sexual satisfaction following surgery.<br />Most of these surgeries are elective and scheduled ahead of time, which means they are not life threatening and can be postponed. Only 15% of hysterectomies are done because of gynecological cancer, yet physicians will tell you having a hysterectomy isa good preventative to uterine or ovarian cancers. <span style="font-weight: bold;">There is less chance that a woman will die from uterine cancer than from a hysterectomy! </span><br />The research is shocking and eye opening and it reconfirms my passion for understanding all aspects of medical decisions before accepting them as "doctrine". Just as I have done the research for the effect of epidurals on mothers and babies and the soaring rates of cesareans performed in this country, now I add unnecessary hysterectomies to my list of unacceptable and irresponsible medical care for women. Certainly there are many women who have benefited from hysterectomies that were properly diagnosed and correctly performed, but what about the huge margin of error for those who had the surgery and now suffer the many, unfortunate and debilitating consequences? Since the reasoning is simply a matter of judgment on the doctor's part, it stands to reason that the judgment might be self serving and influenced by non-medical factors.<br />Please urge your mothers, sisters, daughters and loved ones to look at the issue from all sides and consider less invasive procedures first. Taking the entire female organs out of the body is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Sure, it will be a quick fix for whatever ails you...be it fibroids, heavy bleeding, uterine prolapse, backaches, endometriosis...and the list goes on...but be smart and proactive with your health! Know the facts before you make a major decison and know what you're up against before you quickly decide.<br />I want all women to be smart and put themselves first when it comes to their health and major decisions, such as a hysterectomy. I hope this will help someone who needs some guidance. Pass it on and stay strong!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-13157297278653270532011-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:002011-01-27T19:16:41.298-08:00Hysterectomy Epidemic!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yZh3TclXRTzWGXgKzCtnKACw4FTzGt38v72n3yYo5awuva5HPVDpLPHi4ct-_6dFr0Vr81sW0c4ykcLA2YoMbkllJQfmCqPJLl-SOQJgCNDXtxDsraw2G7HvqlJkNOZw4ECi75t7fw/s1600/hysterectomy+cake.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yZh3TclXRTzWGXgKzCtnKACw4FTzGt38v72n3yYo5awuva5HPVDpLPHi4ct-_6dFr0Vr81sW0c4ykcLA2YoMbkllJQfmCqPJLl-SOQJgCNDXtxDsraw2G7HvqlJkNOZw4ECi75t7fw/s400/hysterectomy+cake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567070420229540754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yikes! In the past few months I have heard about six women in my community who've undergone hysterectomies. My first question to them was; "Was it a necessary surgery right now?" and "What were your symptoms?"<br />Interestingly, the most common reason for removal of the female reproductive organs was that they were bleeding heavily during and between periods. As a midwife my mind went to wanting to find the source of their heaviness. Was it fibroids, cysts, endometriosis or rough handling of the organs during a hospital cesarean or birth? The reason for my strong suspicion on the latter reason is because I worked in a hospital for over a year as a professional doula. I was hired by the hospital to be on call to every laboring woman who walked in their doors. This meant I met the woman when she was at her worst socially and together we walked the labrynth of labor together, coming out victorious in the end. It was exhilarating, yet challenging, but I loved it! In the midst of being with hundreds of women and their obstetricians, I observed the most awful handling of women's bodies. It was shocking! It occurred mostly in those who had the epidural and were unable to feel anything down there and so they were unaware of how the doctor was treating them. I was appalled and disgusted at one doctor who took some liquid to "clean" the birth area as he stuck both hands inside her and sloshed things around roughly. I also witnessed episiotomies that were extremely liberal in length and depth and tools that were aggressively inserted in to pull the babies out. There were a few times I had to turn my head or move to the top of the bed to get through the delivery.<br />From these awful and disrespectful situations I am now wondering if this isn't the reason for an early hysterectomy. I can only imagine what your lower body goes through if it is drugged and unknowing during a delivery...and then to repeat that a few times over, it makes sense why women aren't able to keep their precious female parts.<br />I haven't done any research on the subject but from my experience it doesn't seem like a long shot. Women who give birth at home seem to keep their organs much longer. I don't know of one of my clients through the years who has gone in for a hysterectomy. I guess its time for some probing.<br />A hysterectomy epidemic? I'll gather the facts and get back to you...Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-66658051548081614272010-10-17T09:23:00.000-07:002010-10-17T09:56:25.407-07:00Best Feeding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AVAFnEdhzDsJxpgDdiLitEPUmB4-oXpUTGh9F0nVV87-c3xdaHntFWQI2mYQ_9P6NAV5zpvSmeWy6EgveV5tq3Fpc1WnXsVob1boMjy_VobEyWGQ4QudveDoAHNZsyTDWtUT142WpQ/s1600/breastfeeding.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AVAFnEdhzDsJxpgDdiLitEPUmB4-oXpUTGh9F0nVV87-c3xdaHntFWQI2mYQ_9P6NAV5zpvSmeWy6EgveV5tq3Fpc1WnXsVob1boMjy_VobEyWGQ4QudveDoAHNZsyTDWtUT142WpQ/s400/breastfeeding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529059884087623682" border="0" /></a><br />Last month as I took a vacation with my family to California a billboard caught my eye. It simply stated; "Babies are born to be breastfed." My heart leapt and my skin filled with goose bumps. Yes, babies are born to be breastfed! That's what our bodies are naturally and wisely made to do.<br />When I came home I found an article in the Salt Lake Tribune that pertained to the California billboard. It reported that Utah leads the nation in breastfeeding but that only 60 percent of moms do it for more than six months. What does this say about other states?<br />Do you know the many hidden benefits of breastfeeding? You may be surprised.<br />-mother's milk passes along antibodies to baby and lessens the chance of obesity and diabetes and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as well as, common colds, flus and viruses<br />-nursing babies' jaws are naturally formed at the breast and their speech is improved when they begin talking<br />-nursing babies are more quickly bonded with their mothers at the breast because of oxytocin which is released as the mother nurses<br />-nursing is the perfect distance from the breast to the mother's face for a newborn baby's eyes<br />to see and focus<br />-the longer a woman nurses throughout her life the less risk that she will have breast and ovarian cancer<br />-it's FREE!<br />-helps moms to reduce their pregnancy weight naturally and shrinks the uterus down to size<br />-reduces baby's risk of developing food allergies and asthma<br />-reduces the risk of postpartum depression<br />-increases baby's IQ<br />-reduces cavities<br />-it is the perfect nutrition for your growing infant<br />-it slows you down and allows more one on one time with your babe in arms<br />-it increases bone density<br />-breastfed babies are 10 times less likely to need hospitalization in the first year of life<br />-antibody response to vaccines are 10x higher than formula fed babies<br />-babies have a reduced risk of heart disease later in life<br />-reduced risk of acute appendicitis and arthritis for baby<br />...and the list goes on!!!<br />If we are so concerned with eating well in pregnancy and having a drug free and natural birth then we should be just as concerned with how we will feed our baby when it is born. In today's fast paced and self oriented world we must not forget to slow down and continue to give our babies the best of us after they are born.<br />I completely understand the difficult situation that arises for mothers who must work and who struggle to breastfeed their babies. Is there any way you could pump and stock up your breastmilk in the freezer for when its needed? Breastmilk stores for a year in the freezer and can easily be warmed in a bottle so baby gets the nutritional benefits of your milk even when you are away. You can rent electric pumps from most hospitals for a reasonable price and while you eat lunch you can plug it in and pump.<br />In a world where we are fighting for natural pregnancy and simple birth methods we must not forget to nurse our babies and continue to give them everything they need. It can be a sacrifice, but it is a worthy one. Just like everything else we must think wisely about what we are feeding these tiny ones and give them the best that we have. Breastfeeding is truly best feeding!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-59093847931737698532010-09-26T18:01:00.001-07:002010-09-26T18:33:36.743-07:00Empathy as a Midwife<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eZGWd6mkxIEeThguqvlBFvyyY14wdtGgDu_zqYPahrrDPWVbub17RGvq-0LkM36n-JEfODHW4lsChgO5QaTDJj9SJtjngsqz4ZSDhOqiyRcP2JQkMKXtI3hfW87rLC3qPz7t6HsF4w/s1600/Copy+of+Lisa+preston+in+tub.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eZGWd6mkxIEeThguqvlBFvyyY14wdtGgDu_zqYPahrrDPWVbub17RGvq-0LkM36n-JEfODHW4lsChgO5QaTDJj9SJtjngsqz4ZSDhOqiyRcP2JQkMKXtI3hfW87rLC3qPz7t6HsF4w/s400/Copy+of+Lisa+preston+in+tub.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521400228636675778" border="0" /></a><br />Recently, I found myself telling my husband how interesting it is that I have so much empathy for the school children that I teach art to. I was musing how interesting it was that I have so much compassion for these students and wondering out loud where it all came from? He replied by saying that it was exactly like the empathy I carry for my midwife client mamas and why should this profession be any different for me? What a correlation he drew for me! I realized that even though I may not be in the throws of midwifery at this instant, that I'm still interacting with humans on a daily basis and forming relationships and this requires a great degree of empathy. As a midwife I would find myself amid situations or smells that were less than savory, but I wasn't ever repulsed by these things. Instead, my mind would see the situation clearly with the woman at the helm needing compassion and care and not criticism. My heart would always jump to the defense of the good and it was relatively easy for me to feel a great degree of compassion instead of contempt for these women and what they were going through.<br />Being a midwife requires that you take risks personally and professionally. It demands that you stick to your guns and remain passionate about what you are involved in. It requires that you enter in to relationships with wonderful and not so wonderful people and yet, treat them all the same. It calls to you in the middle of the night when the world is quiet and your mind is racing and quietly whispers to you the reason why you are going out on a limb for women and families. Midwifery has brought me to my knees, made me go to depths I wouldn't have chosen to go to and broken down my soul many, many times, but through it all, it has remained a constant, powerful force that reminds me of what it means to serve humanity and contain the empathy of the world in your heart. It keeps my soul alive and wanting and through the challenges and joys of dealing with women and men and children, it continues to call me to compassionate service. I consider midwifery to be my best friend. She has gently helped me to grow and become the woman I've always desired. She has been a constant in my life for the last 13 years and compassionately molded my soul through both challenges and triumphs. She has helped me to hold a compassion for all human beings by witnessing their challenges and pain first hand. Midwifery has been a wonderful teacher and for this I am so grateful. As I teach the children of my community art and humanity, may I remember the stories and women who have taught me how to be more compassionate and empathetic. Midwifery has a way of changing your perspective and revealing raw, human experiences to teach you all along the way. How did I become so privileged to partake of this great profession? I feel so grateful that I was led to midwifery many moons ago and that I allowed it to take hold of my heart. It has been a wonderful journey with many more lessons to learn, I'm sure. Mostly, I've been privileged to work with other compassionate women who have been teachers to me. I would love to hear how midwifery has increased your empathy for others, also. Please post your comments so we can learn from all of you wise women. Thanks for reading and good luck on your journey!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-26567686911689447402010-09-02T16:25:00.000-07:002010-09-02T16:31:27.428-07:00Top 50 Midwife Blogs!Thank you to the website Health Nation! My blog was named on of the top 50 midwife blogs on the net! Check out this link to find other great blogging midwives out there!<br /><a href="http://onlinenursepractitionerprograms.com/2010/top-50-midwife-blogs" target="_blank">http://<wbr>onlinenursepractitionerprogram<wbr>s.com/2010/top-50-midwife-<wbr>blogs</a>/Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-60205035320580462212010-07-24T11:44:00.000-07:002010-07-24T12:06:22.567-07:00The Lazy Days of Summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzLG5cUKXa_1PcGSMPmFOeo2Hps6cFjDHl45SAIDRn95vvmUg6Ja91ag8_UUSDj35MMItWwwRCBZfrm52leEWjeeIupA0Ya3TNlKhw4oE8EI_2Z1Iil8rYO8ybiVo198ctBoDYrp6rA/s1600/midwifery_prenatal_care_clip_image001_0001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzLG5cUKXa_1PcGSMPmFOeo2Hps6cFjDHl45SAIDRn95vvmUg6Ja91ag8_UUSDj35MMItWwwRCBZfrm52leEWjeeIupA0Ya3TNlKhw4oE8EI_2Z1Iil8rYO8ybiVo198ctBoDYrp6rA/s400/midwifery_prenatal_care_clip_image001_0001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497550999864398322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I missed a birth last week because of a family reunion I was traveling to. Ahhh...the so called "lazy" days of summer are not quite so lazy these days! I find myself wanting to do it all and be there for everyone and say yes to every new inquiry, but thankfully there is a little whisper of self preservation that calls out to me in these instances and helps to keep me balanced.<br />The call of duty is great and midwifery holds such a beautiful energy that envelopes your life when you are a part of it. The loveliness of the entire experience; attending births, talking to women and palpating swollen tummies is so addictive and tantalizing that even a few months of reprieve leave me wanting more. The richness that it brings to my life is unexplainable and having to be away from it more this year has been somewhat conflicting for me. I absolutely love teaching art to elementary school children and feel very passionate about doing so, but there is something even more magnetic to my soul than teaching and that is midwifery. If finances were out of the picture I would surely spend my days tending pregnant mamas and living out a midwife's life. There's nothing like that raw, beautiful experience that we call birth. The entire process is perfection and it is my privelege to be a part of it.<br />For today, I will hold my missed birth's baby in my arms and stay by the family's side as we walk through their postpartum days together. I will listen to that quiet inner wisdom when my phone rings and I feel overwhelmed by the weight of 'doing it all'. I hope that each of you are only doing what truly makes you happy and fulfilled, no matter what that entails. As women, we are the keepers of birth and we must strive to keep it pure and simple in our increasingly complex world. Thank you for reading and walking the path with me...I appreciate your collective support.Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-80800914855526395232010-05-31T15:31:00.001-07:002010-05-31T15:50:07.194-07:00The times they are a changin'...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdEKdwmHZD4YpcqyXltz0dMB5XQj8dFA-LzuwPg81y3CQtWettdaytbgPsKpFtw-pUfpOo6CA5NJ_XGYscM306-bib6KETwzwUZ4BaI1wdxhc8MtKKM8fNFzAtMclrSN3eU1rouX3fg/s1600/DSC_0184.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdEKdwmHZD4YpcqyXltz0dMB5XQj8dFA-LzuwPg81y3CQtWettdaytbgPsKpFtw-pUfpOo6CA5NJ_XGYscM306-bib6KETwzwUZ4BaI1wdxhc8MtKKM8fNFzAtMclrSN3eU1rouX3fg/s400/DSC_0184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477570100821770866" border="0" /></a><br />The lazy days of summer are upon my household...finally, at last! This past school year I began it the way I always do; teaching elementary art part time and midwifing. In February, my school offered me a full time position. This forced me to turn down clientele and do less births. I was conflicted, to say the least, but financially it was the best decision for my family. Now, here I am at the end of that full time school year and looking forward to next fall again. I have a few births on the horizon but the due dates of these upcoming babies has to be right on time! When women call the first question I ask them these days is; "What is your due date?" hoping they will say it is during one of my many school breaks or holidays. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and I have had to turn down a few too many ladies this spring.<br />My heart is in midwifery and I cringe when I have to turn mothers away. I wish I could be doing more births this year, but alas, this isn't the case. I do love teaching my children and their friend's art at the local elementary school and the stress is much less than attending births, but nothing compares to that raw, life affirming experience that we call birth.<br />This summer I plan to take it easy, read several good books and spend time with my family. In the back of my mind will be sweet moments I have experienced with babies and mothers alike and I'm sure there will be some melancholy for those crazy, busy birthing days. As for now, I am in a different place career wise and hopefully it will only be temporary. Once a midwife, always a midwife.<br />As for this blog, I plan on writing about pertinent birth issues and keeping abreast of all that is going on in my community and abroad. Stay tuned and enjoy your summer! Thank you to all of you loyal readers! You make this all worthwhile!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-73316729260161752592010-04-12T09:49:00.000-07:002010-04-12T10:26:53.746-07:00First, Do No Harm<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTE4SJSbMWmC_4G3TFjnxI4UMI39ZHdPGns8cJMvr49q6N87T_S8awTno4_jV9GkwMSawHscOlo5t_DNgunVoZBDxFOYmkLB-masBV6Jypc17oxlYVPejZ7B6xATJfuwECEMATBE7sCQ/s1600/call+the+midwife.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTE4SJSbMWmC_4G3TFjnxI4UMI39ZHdPGns8cJMvr49q6N87T_S8awTno4_jV9GkwMSawHscOlo5t_DNgunVoZBDxFOYmkLB-masBV6Jypc17oxlYVPejZ7B6xATJfuwECEMATBE7sCQ/s400/call+the+midwife.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459303698708435506" border="0" /></a><br />I have been involved in the local midwifery community for ten years and in those years I've seen a number of midwives who have come and gone. Most midwives have remained in the baby business and have been a wonderful asset to local women, but a few have come and gone and left some unnecessary emotional scars with their previous clients.<br />I worked closely with a very strong lay midwife when I first moved to the area and she helped me finish my training. During my apprenticeship with her I saw things go on that shouldn't have and that made me feel extremely uncomfortable with. I wasn't in any position, at the time, to voice my opinion and let her know how it made me and others feel, but now I am witnessing the aftermath of her insensitivity and many times, abuse.<br />A few weeks ago I spoke with a woman that was a client of this specific midwife's and whom I had known from living close to and she poured out her feelings about her last baby's birth. Her child is now four and she is still feeling turmoil about her home birth that turned in to a hospital birth because the midwife wasn't prepared with all of the necessary equipment. I don't know the exact details, nor did I want to pry, but the tone of this woman's voice spoke volumes as to how hurt, disenchanted and frustrated she still feels today about what happened to her.<br />Stories like these are told to me occasionally as I work with women and we talk about their previous births. Sadly, this is one of many stories about this specific midwife and the grief that still exists with these women who worked with her. I feel for them deeply. I can't imagine holding that kind of sadness for many years over things that occurred at a home birth and knowing how to work through the feelings and move forward seems daunting.<br />Home birth is meant to be gentle and kind and midwives should be loving, understanding and supportive to the women they serve. When this breach of trust is splintered or abused it leaves a gaping wound in the woman who is affected for many years afterward. This should never be the case! Midwives, of all care providers, should know better or change professions. There is no excuse for emotional or physical abuse during pregnancy and birth!<br />When medical doctors become professionals they take the Hippocratic Oath "To first, do no harm." Midwives, in my mind, should be held to a higher standard to not only do no harm, but to assist, support and to be emotionally honest with their clientele. Helping women through pregnancy, birth and postpartum are critical times in a woman's life. Each birth experience is imprinted in the mother's and baby's brain and remembered for their entire lives. This is no light calling or responsibility. It is a privelege to work with women and to earn their trust and foster a healthy relationship with them.<br />I am deeply saddened when I hear women tell stories of midwives gone wrong. I feel these midwives should be peer reviewed by a midwife organization and made to change careers. There is no excuse for the mistreatment of women, ever! Especially with midwives who are to provide gentle, empathic care.<br />Please be very selective when you choose your midwife. Most of them will meet with you for a free consultation and you can interview them. Word of mouth is always the best referral because you are getting the recommendation from someone who knows them and who has worked with them extensively. Personal experience is always the best recommendation. Be careful and smart and know that unfortunately, not all midwives are created equal.Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-72748929234576305932010-03-03T18:34:00.000-08:002010-03-03T18:48:54.957-08:00This blog is an award winner!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc8-K7HP-u89Z5aWg76vsUdGJ7sERSCT5IHFvp1FMzSDAjSu7UEIjy59tX-3JtpedBFbLXLN8RYd2orgsGve18kj415XEN7c9NEdoJ_njspGeZ2bggNhfZDfqvWjZnO4HwwZ3EL4e0w/s1600-h/midwife.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc8-K7HP-u89Z5aWg76vsUdGJ7sERSCT5IHFvp1FMzSDAjSu7UEIjy59tX-3JtpedBFbLXLN8RYd2orgsGve18kj415XEN7c9NEdoJ_njspGeZ2bggNhfZDfqvWjZnO4HwwZ3EL4e0w/s400/midwife.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444604402253764802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today I got an email from Emily Johnston from the site "When Health Freezes Over" and she congratulated me on being one of the <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Top 50 Specialty Nursing Blogs</span> on the internet! At first I shirked this off as just another one of those crazy awards that really are a marketing scheme, but as I looked at her site and perused the other blogs that were award winners I became excited! Blogs like "At Your Cervix" and "10 Cm and Beyond" are the blogs I have always admired.<br />I am completely honored to be a part of this prestigious group of bloggers!<br />Check out the award site and give me your feedback<span style="font-style: italic;"> <a href="http://bestnursingcolleges.net/2010/top-50-nursing-specialty-blogs/">http://bestnursingcolleges.net/2010/top-50-nursing-specialty-blogs/</a></span>and if nothing else you might find some other interesting blogs.<br />Thanks for reading and following my life experiences! This just goes to show you that when you follow your heart you can make a difference in the world!!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-38694097852588149142010-02-07T15:00:00.001-08:002010-02-07T20:43:55.281-08:00A Sad State Of Affairs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaKJBx-kUjAEjd7uEqemqz66UL4gH1A2EJreHvF-1t_S6LOKNdN4MjCkaVbaUqD9GGemVDU7PyU_NVk-eot5LCOpOIBUxFbCos2E_KsgGEF35qJEN7prMRJYTNtpXC9b1cioUsdd8dA/s1600-h/csection.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435726989473616242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaKJBx-kUjAEjd7uEqemqz66UL4gH1A2EJreHvF-1t_S6LOKNdN4MjCkaVbaUqD9GGemVDU7PyU_NVk-eot5LCOpOIBUxFbCos2E_KsgGEF35qJEN7prMRJYTNtpXC9b1cioUsdd8dA/s400/csection.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Last week I saw a headline as I pulled up my email on the web. It said, "Today Show Watches Birth". Since I'm a homebirth junkie, I immediately assumed it would be a home birth, but much to my dismay it wasn't. "Oh well", I thought, "I'll watch a good hospital birth with the rest of the world." Next thing you know I'm watching a scheduled cesarean delivery and the Today Show commentator is giving the play by play. </div><br /><br /><div>The surgery was 'straight forward' and 'non eventful' and mom's uterus was cut open and then they pulled the baby out (is that what they call straight forward now a days??) Next, they gave the baby to a nurse who, momentarily, showed it to the mom and dad from across the room and then the camera went to the baby warmer and we watched what happened there. </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKBUYDSp2UjhXBAkqJRxuKef0T2ihfs9rCRH0q5iGktzmgaDYNO8aseB31jPbyeCd-qXsDxQ1jpPlysaIPSYXHcMPcHwV2TycxWDWRLGP7xUmWxUA8BBvy_Y6CKV0Lko_SEISSeRWfQ/s1600-h/thumbnail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435727146151085074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKBUYDSp2UjhXBAkqJRxuKef0T2ihfs9rCRH0q5iGktzmgaDYNO8aseB31jPbyeCd-qXsDxQ1jpPlysaIPSYXHcMPcHwV2TycxWDWRLGP7xUmWxUA8BBvy_Y6CKV0Lko_SEISSeRWfQ/s400/thumbnail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Now, I've seen enough hospital deliveries to know what happens at the baby warmer, but this was different. There were two nurses who plopped the baby down onto a clean blanket, rubbed the baby's skin vigorously and then lifted the baby up abruptly and changed the blanket, then set him down again. As if this wasn't enough, they repeated this rubbing and lifting thing THREE times!! The infant was screaming it's lungs out and I couldn't believe the rough way that they handled the child. Dad walked over and admired his new kid and dropped a tear or two and the commentator remarked at how "special" the moment was. </div><br /><br /><div>Not exactly a special moment, actually. If you've ever witnessed a truly "special" birth you know that "special" after-birth moments are when mom is holding her baby against her chest and the baby is comforted and quiet. I realize this is a C-Section and so holding the baby is not in the cards, but atleast dad could've been holding his own child....or the child could've had human contact after such an abrupt way out of the womb! </div><br /><br /><br /><div>Next, they pan over to the mom as she's laying on the table with her uterus out of her body as the doctors sew her up, and the commentator asks her how it all went and how she feels. The mom is speechless and she begins to cry, which then ends with the Today Show host remarking again at how "wonderful" and "special" the birth has been. As the video clip ends, they ask the main doctor how common cesareans are. She replies, "Between 25 and 30% of all births are delivered by cesarean today." Then she goes on to rattle off the 'necessary' reasons for these deliveries. </div><br /><br /><br /><div>As the clip ended I sat and cried. What a sad state of affairs we are in if 1 out of every 3 babies is born this rough and sterile way! Coming from knowing what it's like to deliver babies in a humane, gentle way and then to watch this assault on women and babies makes me lose hope for our future and for ourselves as human beings. I completely believe in ceasarean deliveries for moms and babies who are truly at risk or in danger, but with all of the information about how to eat right during pregnancy amongst our high-tech medical world, we should be doing less surgical deliveries and more natural, uncomplicated births. </div><br /><br /><div>I believe our medical community is to blame for this epidemic. They keep women beholden to them through lack of education and little communication at the office visits. I hear from women daily who know nothing about their pregnancies, but yet, go to the doctor regularly for "checkups". I know they have questions because they call me. They ask me the questions they should be asking their practitioners! They exist in an uneducated, prenatal state of mind because the doctors don't take the time to teach them, nor do they practice preventive medicine. They own the market share of the medical industry, and yet, perform the worst on keeping women low risk and healthy.</div><br /><br /><div>Throughout my midwifery career, which has comprised the last 13 years of my life, I have seen the cesarean rate only increase yearly. Women today are no different than women three or four decades ago, so why the increase? The blame sits squarely upon the shoulders of the countless doctors who make money by doing surgical births. The more surgeries or procedures, the more money for themselves and the hospitals. It's a well known fact that hospitals lose money fiscally but make up for it in the maternity ward. It's a BIG business! </div><br /><br /><div>After watching this 'normal', everyday delivery I sat and shook my head. This is the very reason I became a midwife and I'm still only scratching the surface when I help 10-20 moms per year bring their babies into the world peacefully and lovingly. One person can only do so much to turn the tides and sometimes, like today, it feels like we're sinking. </div><br /><br /><div>Thanks for reading...Here's to a new year and better choices with how we deliver our babies. Please tell your sisters and friends that they have a choice and it lies with them to make the difference. </div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-79604769890531491622010-01-07T17:51:00.001-08:002010-01-07T18:10:14.506-08:00Worth the Wait<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMT7N7ibhT9VIrTNOuPihGDUjLAzaatsCSWjHbx6A1pZSZkb9JRfbr0rIUfRBXcB8PM-4AdvUzqM3OsRblMZRjjsWBwRiBZAG5AG3fT9okTD6oD-bgc-V7AeLfVjpirCpSAuipTxLNg/s1600-h/thumbnail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424185480730215010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMT7N7ibhT9VIrTNOuPihGDUjLAzaatsCSWjHbx6A1pZSZkb9JRfbr0rIUfRBXcB8PM-4AdvUzqM3OsRblMZRjjsWBwRiBZAG5AG3fT9okTD6oD-bgc-V7AeLfVjpirCpSAuipTxLNg/s400/thumbnail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My client, who've I helped with three of her babies now, decided to have her 4th baby this past Monday night. She called right as the evening news began and I rambled out of bed, got dressed, and drove to her house within a half an hour. There she was, relaxed and smiling in the jacuzzi tub in her bathroom. I set up my supplies and watched her as she transitioned through labor and into the pushing phase. She was calm, collected and everything was going well. We were joking about the baby's name and wondering if she would deliver the baby before midnight and what the birth date would be, afterall. Finally, she began pushing and with each contraction she pushed with all her might, but the baby wasn't moving down very far each time.<br />I began to get concerned; this was her fourth baby and the pushing shouldn't be this difficult. I decided to reach in and feel for what was coming and I thought I felt a little set of nuckles right next to the head. In a split second decision I took the hand and pulled it toward me and the baby literally unsuctioned and the head was born! Mom gave a huge sigh of relief and I pulled that baby out on the next contraction, along with mom's tremendous efforts! Baby was 9 pounds and full of life! We sat back for a moment and all breathed a collective sigh of relief!<br />This birth was well worth the wait! Mom was 8 days over the expected due date and I was starting to wonder if she'd push the 2 week mark. I haven't helped a laboring mom give birth since last spring so when I went to the birth I felt my skills might be a bit rusty. Turns out, as soon as I entered the 'birth energy' I was back in the saddle, so to speak, and everything came back to me! What a wonderful way to start the new year! A beautiful water birth...there's nothing quite like them!</div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-84071751894285464652009-10-07T08:22:00.000-07:002009-10-07T08:56:23.926-07:00You have options!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqj2X8tcmSxm0xEgDPvxFEe_jRIbxVPO397Kh1vlPylGU-_iPeY-zSjTVIHrZ4m1qa1fW-4khXjfY1JZRsN___VwUnqO0j6KZSQ7ymtvg6UJl5HDj1-JQQ-B74QrytEPKFzreWemdMQA/s1600-h/tanyalabor-support.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389886560406661026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqj2X8tcmSxm0xEgDPvxFEe_jRIbxVPO397Kh1vlPylGU-_iPeY-zSjTVIHrZ4m1qa1fW-4khXjfY1JZRsN___VwUnqO0j6KZSQ7ymtvg6UJl5HDj1-JQQ-B74QrytEPKFzreWemdMQA/s400/tanyalabor-support.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>For many women who live in the southern Utah area, our options are very limited as far as birthing is concerned. This also applies to other places in the U.S. that keep their maternity services 'medicalized'. Here, you have to decide between homebirth with a midwife or a hospital birth. There are no birth centers or progressive birthing CNM's or OB's from which to choose from. Having to choose between these two extremes makes it hard for the 'middle of the road' women who want to deliver in a hospital with little intervention and a more natural approach. I just found a website; <a href="http://www.theunnecesarean.com/">http://www.theunnecesarean.com/</a> that completely addresses this issue plus many more that women are faced with today as they enter the medical, maternity world. </div><br /><div>Back in '97 when I had my first child in a St. Louis hospital, I interviewed many doctors before I decided upon the one I chose. These were the days of birth plans and Lamaze/Bradley classes for every pregnant woman. I just so happened to read a few, pivotal books on natural childbirth during my pregnancy that made all the difference in the world for my low intervention outcome. "Childbirth without Fear" and "Easing Labor Pain" were the two "bibles" I adhered to. When I entered the hospital, scheduled for an induction due to being 10 days "late", I knew what I was up against as far as interventions were concerned. I was ready to refuse the heavy Pitocin that would be advised to "get things going" and the Heparin lock IV "just in case I needed a C-section" and the constant fetal monitoring they would insist upon "to keep my baby the safest during labor". I hired a doula for $225.00; the best money I ever spent. She kept me on my ideal labor path even when times got tough and pain was intense. She helped navigate the tough decisions when I was in the trenches of labor. She rubbed my back with a tennis ball, helped me walk around my room to get things going, suggested nipple stimulation for keeping the contractions coming and empowered me to tell the doctor to turn off the Pitocin once it did it's job of kick starting my labor. She kept me on the natural childbirth path and 12 hours later I was holding my firstborn son in my arms having fully felt the entire experience and completely satisfied that "I did it". I achieved my goal; as lofty as it might have seemed in an institution that would've advised otherwise. I listened to my heart, stuck to my guns and had that baby just like I wanted to. I made the hospital work for me...and you can too! You have options. The OB and nursing staff are there to give you what you want. Demand that and don't apologize for being pushy. This is your labor. It may be your last baby or one of many, but each labor counts in women's lives. The experience and story never leaves us. It is part of who we are and contributes to how we feel about ourselves and our babies. Make your labor YOUR LABOR. Do it the way you envision it, no matter where you are giving birth. You only have one chance to do it, so decide what you want and make your wishes known. </div><br /><div>One out of every three babies are born by cesarean in the U.S. today. This rate is appalling! Don't be another statistic; demand a natural, non-interventive labor and birth and walk out of that hospital empowered and satisfied. </div><br /><div>The only way the maternity healthcare industry will change is by women demanding more from their doctors and less from the surgical knife. One third of women don't need their babies cut from their bodies, this major surgery is their for emergencies only. One third of all pregnant women are not walking emergencies. We were made to have babies on our own. Stick to your convictions, educate yourself on your rights and go into your labor ready to have the best experience ever. You are worth it, your baby is worth it and we are the only ones that can turn this around. </div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-26735821161890790412009-09-05T08:58:00.000-07:002009-09-05T09:35:57.802-07:00Miscarriage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5mhURkVJ_Zamvu0Fyc7jydycgpy0wg6WN3Dr3fLmG0-jwzGK77X1QCFNoeoEni3mLDZLm8QW5gExmLYhltAEwcpu8JZU9cCeEqtPNqmBFP7v5L-M8-SwY0ZfsfwMZZxtnyu6lZnvoQ/s1600-h/luna2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378013508649374578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5mhURkVJ_Zamvu0Fyc7jydycgpy0wg6WN3Dr3fLmG0-jwzGK77X1QCFNoeoEni3mLDZLm8QW5gExmLYhltAEwcpu8JZU9cCeEqtPNqmBFP7v5L-M8-SwY0ZfsfwMZZxtnyu6lZnvoQ/s400/luna2.jpg" border="0" /></a> A dear friend recently went through a miscarriage and it got me thinking about how the medical world handles this natural <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">occurrence</span> versus what we as midwives counsel our clients to do in this situation.<br />The medical model advises to have ultrasounds, take pharmaceutical hormones and even possibly have a D and C to "clean" out the uterus. Midwives suggest natural herbs allowing the body to cleanse itself and the 'wait and watch' approach. The body is not meant to keep every pregnancy it establishes. Sometimes the cells are not perfectly formed or divided or there is something wrong with the fetus itself. The body knows intuitively when it needs to flush out a pregnancy that will not continue to grow. As women, our bodies were made to get pregnant and keep the fetuses that are strong enough to grow and develop into human beings. It only seems logical to also think that our bodies know when to let go of a pregnancy that doesn't have what it takes. As hard as this may seem emotionally, we have to allow our bodies to recognize the miscarriage and then give it time to flush the tissue out of the uterus on it's own. <br />The female cervix acts as a cork during pregnancy and will close shut once a fetus begins developing inside of it. When a miscarriage occurs the cervix will slowly reopen to allow the imperfect fetus or bundle of tissue to be flushed out. This is why it's important to not rush the process. If rushed the cervix can be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pry ed</span> open and torn. Naturally the body will open itself and hormone levels will tell the body to bleed and flush itself out. There is wisdom in allowing the body to do what it is programmed to do. Not only does this allow the body to complete the cycle fully but it also allows for a woman's emotions to come full circle and complete their cycle as well. <br />I experienced a miscarriage before I became pregnant with my youngest daughter. I have always had a hard time getting pregnant but found myself 'with child' somewhat easily this time. I was overjoyed and sicker than a dog! I continued feeling this way for a few weeks and then I realized one day I was no longer sick. I began to worry. I was about 14 weeks along and I knew something wasn't right. Then, just like clock work I began to bleed. With the bleeding came intense cramps and labor like pains. I spent most of the day in and out of bed and slowly, but surely, my body released this little life that wasn't meant for this world. I drank quarts of red raspberry tea to support my female organs and I kept the Shepard's Purse close by in case I began bleeding too heavily. With the support of a midwife friend I was able to handle the miscarriage at home and do it safely. Throughout the process I held on to the belief that my body knew what it needed to do and I just needed to follow along. My emotions were running high and I was devastated that I'd lost this little fetus so full of potential and dreams. I grieved for about two weeks and felt the hollowness in my uterus. I ached for this baby I had lost! I allowed myself to mourn the loss and I took it easy until I felt better, emotionally and physically. When the cycle was complete I felt cleansed and renewed and ready to move ahead. Four months later I found myself pregnant once again and this time I was rewarded with a beautiful, baby girl nine months later! <br />We cannot doubt the wisdom of our bodies. We shouldn't forget that we were made to reproduce and therefore, contain everything we need deep within ourselves to do this perfectly. Miscarriages happen and they are hard. They teach us so much about ourselves and our bodies and how to trust in what we are. I believe the medical world doesn't allow our bodies to do what they will naturally do on their own. They rush the process and rush our emotions. We should remember to allow ourselves to do what we feel is natural first and only if we need emergency care should we rush to the medical world for help. <br />A miscarriage is very common and many women have gone through <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">at least</span> one at some time in their lives. It reminds us of who we are and of how fragile, yet strong our bodies can be. Trust in the wisdom of your body...you will gain many rich experiences if you do.Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-43023249484659352842009-08-20T09:33:00.000-07:002009-08-20T10:14:20.376-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNS5cJ9tymjF-SUKBYD7cz3eC-BPMhoAX5Lnivblfq02CHPwHQJ_rChsCSNf8yo4UTv3_lU2Toz7m03Y6sFMzDDx947EygRGSsZYwCowflUmfDoGd-Gg826Wt8b_6H2VDIqm1N5E_jQ/s1600-h/palpation.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372085088076438370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 126px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 83px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNS5cJ9tymjF-SUKBYD7cz3eC-BPMhoAX5Lnivblfq02CHPwHQJ_rChsCSNf8yo4UTv3_lU2Toz7m03Y6sFMzDDx947EygRGSsZYwCowflUmfDoGd-Gg826Wt8b_6H2VDIqm1N5E_jQ/s400/palpation.jpg" border="0" /></a> I feel like I've been saying the same things for years about the vast difference between the medical model and midwifery model of care that I'm at risk of sounding like a broken record! Yet, women all around me are completely unaware of the differences and are expecting something different from their OB/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gyn</span> not knowing that they are trying to squeeze lemon juice from an apple, so to speak! Here's a recent story; my friend is going the conventional route with her pregnancy and seeing an OB for her care. She will deliver in the hospital, but yet feels as though her doctor is out of touch and very impersonal. After a few afternoon chats with me she went online and wrote up a birth plan. Excitedly, she took it to her next appointment with her doctor and he said, "What's a birth plan? I've never seen one of these!" Without further <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">adue </span>she put the papers away and nothing more was said. She was shocked and it was an eye opener for her and she wondered how open he will be to her natural childbirth desires at the time of labor! When I heard this story I just shook my head knowingly! Sadly, this is very common and as consumers of childbirth we are choosing time after time medical personnel who don't know anything other than epidural, medicated birth! We're expecting something 'fairy-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">taleish</span>' from our care providers when they are unwilling to listen or come around to "unconventional" ideas and wishes. Women keep choosing the medical model of care and expecting the midwifery model out of their doctors! It doesn't work! <p>I went over recently to check on this same friend's baby; mom was unsure of movement and being overdue she was a bit worried. I arrived with my Doppler in hand and started palpating (feeling the position of her baby) her tummy. She asked me, "What are you doing?" and I was surprised her doctor had never done this before to her! I explained how you can feel the position of the baby, see how they react to your touch and find the position of the head all through simple touching. She was surprised! Another eye opener to her quality of care! We listened to the baby's heartbeat...all was well. She just needed some reassurance and education on going past dates and how it feels and what to expect. A quick 15 minute visit gave her more information and assurance than her previous appointments with the OB. </p><p>She complained that her Dr. always has to pull out her chart to remember her when she goes in to his office and she related the lack of trust or intimacy with him. How can you expect to have the birth experience you want when you don't feel comfortable or close to your care provider? What are we, as women, expecting from standard American prenatal care in the medical world? </p><p>I live in Southern Utah where the options for pregnant mothers is very limited. Either you can deliver in the hospital with a doctor like I've described or you can choose a midwife who delivers at home. There is no go between in this part of the state. It makes women's choices very limited and you can understand why these women continue to hope for something better with their traditional doctors but receive the same, on your back legs in stirrups, treatment. The epidural rate for our local hospital is near 90%! The cesarean section rate is nearly 35%! Knowing these statistics women should expect to receive a numerous amount of interventions during their labors and births and not be surprised. Sad as that is, it is the cold hard truth! </p><p>Which is why you can feel my frustration when I relay these stories, time and time again, and yet nothing changes in our area. Doctors still deliver many hundred medicated babies per month here, and do so, without much opposition from their patients. Once the experience is said and done and moms are holding their bundles of joy the frustration falls off and in comes a rush of hormones and moms look to the doctors and say "Thank you." How can the doctors know what women really want if they are unwilling to say so?? </p><p>As an advocate of natural childbirth and one who <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">practices</span> the midwifery model of care I have to put these stories out of my mind and continue blazing the trail I'm on. Yes, I feel the sadness and loss of empowerment when women relay these experiences to me, but yet I can't change them. Only until women agree that the current prenatal and labor care is less than acceptable and speak to their doctors about it and demand a change, it will remain the same. I'm only one person and sadly, cannot change the world, but I can change the world for one family, one mom/baby at a time with a natural, nurturing childbirth experience. </p><p>To those moms who take the road less traveled and who do so, time and time again, I salute you! You are the pioneers of natural childbirth in the 21st century. Why can't we learn from history...we've already been through this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">at least</span> twice before. Take back your rights of womanhood and reproductive choices and demand what you want! You are the only ones who can change the tides. </p>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-56556775677310071272009-08-10T09:55:00.000-07:002009-08-10T10:18:08.299-07:00Midwifery Consultant and Doula<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyhMl2S8LYubqGtEDjFv27towU4hVPiPSICcp-kkRv8SknTV-jvg-7SbyUwFAouGdWTKePp5BWH10B5nw7R4kdjCMpZzB1oOvzZ1xKxpYHI-U4IQXcoJ9DJ73yqQfCPmCwiKq_musXg/s1600-h/June+16+2009+093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368385377011763186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyhMl2S8LYubqGtEDjFv27towU4hVPiPSICcp-kkRv8SknTV-jvg-7SbyUwFAouGdWTKePp5BWH10B5nw7R4kdjCMpZzB1oOvzZ1xKxpYHI-U4IQXcoJ9DJ73yqQfCPmCwiKq_musXg/s400/June+16+2009+093.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just got some great news from a dear friend! She called me and uttered the two words I love to hear, "I'm pregnant!" Those two words take me back to my three pregnancies and how surprised yet satisfied I felt with my newfound accomplishment and the renewed trust I felt within my own body. </div><br /><div>We spoke about her 'tailored to her needs arrangement' and we decided, after much consideration, that I would act as her prenatal midwife and then become her doula when she delivers in the hospital. Sounds like a wonderful melting of two professions...especially for those who wish to deliver in hospital and yet get treated like a queen during pregnancy! </div><br /><div>As a homebirth midwife I want to give every woman the knowledge and subsequent empowerment that comes by making her own, informed decisions throughout her pregnancy and delivery. I am here to offer information, options, be a good listener and give good advice that will walk each woman down the path of bringing a new life into this world. This 'arrangement' that we have made excites me to all of it's possibilities! I can give her complete and thorough prenatal care and consulting, all the while she can also see an OB, and then I can accompany them through the labor and delivery of their baby too! I think this is the best of both worlds! </div><br /><div>The thought of my dear friend and our new relationship makes me feel a little tingly inside! I find myself waiting at stoplights in my car and my thoughts will wander off and suddenly I'll remember the recent news and smile! This is what makes me truly joyful! I think I'll pick some sunflowers from my garden and bring them into my dining room table to celebrate! Summer is full of possibilites! </div><br /><div>Keep following along for news of this modern, yet traditional path...</div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-14591123516579307912009-08-07T16:15:00.000-07:002009-08-07T16:35:04.960-07:00Still here...still doing the same things.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxaXYSs_TPuajE9iam0yRqfatHYLEx15hCGL71AURJ4uxKkgX5Rw5UoFR3Wcpd97rwc9mlDmAnnd7GTVKcQ3Rf6CVkADl4NPxobwV9vOsXtoggMkuthYPDq7rLKhAEeMswP8NBaWW4Q/s1600-h/DSCN5295.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367369306916560706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxaXYSs_TPuajE9iam0yRqfatHYLEx15hCGL71AURJ4uxKkgX5Rw5UoFR3Wcpd97rwc9mlDmAnnd7GTVKcQ3Rf6CVkADl4NPxobwV9vOsXtoggMkuthYPDq7rLKhAEeMswP8NBaWW4Q/s400/DSCN5295.JPG" border="0" /></a>I had a wonderful visit with a client of mine yesterday whom I've helped deliver two of her babies and now she's pregnant with a new one and I'm honored to be her midwife, once again. She called me a few months ago when I thought I might take a hiatus from midwifery all together...I told her to give me a few days to decide if I would help her again...the next day I called her back and said, "YES!" I know, I know...the past few posts have been a roller coaster ride, so thanks for hanging on! They've been a mental ride for me because I was stressing over my title, my calling in life, my designated profession...when I should have just been enjoying the ride! UGH...midlife crisis, shall we say???! Perimenopause? What?<br /><br /><div><div>Anyway, the prenatal last evening with my dear friend and newly pregnant again Mom was absolutely rewarding and fabulous and when she left I thought to myself, "I love this...how could I ever say I was done with this? This is where my heart lies...this is what makes me tick. I am so invigorated!" </div><br /><div>We talked about nutrition, varicose veins, supplements and heartburn and yet we connected as two women who know how stressful life can be. We connected when we told our stories and shed a few tears. I nodded knowingly and held the space for her to vent and give her the empathy she needed. It was therapeutic for both of us; a match made in heaven , I suppose. Just when I thought I had all of my future figured out...I'm still here doing the same things I've been doing for the past 12 1/2 years. I guess I'm destined to be a midwife, natural childbirth advocate, a part time elem. art teacher and a graduate student all at the same time. Isn't life wonderful?</div></div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-69309278526796833152009-07-18T10:28:00.000-07:002009-07-18T11:10:31.988-07:00Inventiveness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8YlKhRYNI-HithX2NbRimf4ZBehitTff5rjnk02RPOaBjdrzKSR2bjiUbT8PIdwxLJGpcMObYZVkGZDxnlzNH32dxYvjQvQnPumDSyluYQxJXEzJKQUbVzWF_RHkd6Ym0b5xlPle-g/s1600-h/DSCN5213.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359855545977004178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8YlKhRYNI-HithX2NbRimf4ZBehitTff5rjnk02RPOaBjdrzKSR2bjiUbT8PIdwxLJGpcMObYZVkGZDxnlzNH32dxYvjQvQnPumDSyluYQxJXEzJKQUbVzWF_RHkd6Ym0b5xlPle-g/s400/DSCN5213.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is my daughter, up on the dining room table, painting her toenails each a different color.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1Q-HVt4XDxr0DWh8lo61mRsr3WH8QPdozpA6-JzDAz70Hjc8TmUvB00UAv47av_y6Glou8FK-w9dy0ZhLLZ2lAZsaWjx_iuSpNNbgFtpNlGnbCjubHWo1izMVUpdgGZrQRxD2gm-4A/s1600-h/DSCN5215.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359855291256918370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1Q-HVt4XDxr0DWh8lo61mRsr3WH8QPdozpA6-JzDAz70Hjc8TmUvB00UAv47av_y6Glou8FK-w9dy0ZhLLZ2lAZsaWjx_iuSpNNbgFtpNlGnbCjubHWo1izMVUpdgGZrQRxD2gm-4A/s400/DSCN5215.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here's her inventive method for quick drying...lay out on the table and point your extremities toward the blowing fan.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vEvaNin3ywLybpjgAFF_cZaZFDeZgN9WdIVqapQ_6UeTSQLoj39PADQnzCjqSRoPmfNWni6UdAlQeMlgo0uGuouV7B2NCrv1lZQrHV1ZSTmCECHaAiG7Psv-yxECHoPnnnx2f2rNcg/s1600-h/DSCN5216.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359855182831645906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vEvaNin3ywLybpjgAFF_cZaZFDeZgN9WdIVqapQ_6UeTSQLoj39PADQnzCjqSRoPmfNWni6UdAlQeMlgo0uGuouV7B2NCrv1lZQrHV1ZSTmCECHaAiG7Psv-yxECHoPnnnx2f2rNcg/s400/DSCN5216.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It's hard to keep your stomach muscles tight so...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQPR4v7V5Dv8OiHTgIOcFbO8Wm-5KzRxANNrOeE3kp-RBp9dGZDUSswzG6wFoJk4PR6RMe2ELroUW7GLJJTwjfFr9Dspcu7Qeer1oR1MLionTJ8h2J0dD_1-2JKKI_Tb-dX3OAFu10g/s1600-h/DSCN5217.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359855069350574002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQPR4v7V5Dv8OiHTgIOcFbO8Wm-5KzRxANNrOeE3kp-RBp9dGZDUSswzG6wFoJk4PR6RMe2ELroUW7GLJJTwjfFr9Dspcu7Qeer1oR1MLionTJ8h2J0dD_1-2JKKI_Tb-dX3OAFu10g/s400/DSCN5217.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is the easier way to dry...lay down and relax while the fan does the work! Smart girl!</div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Such a good example of ingenuity and creativity and such a perfect metaphor for what we are doing to keep our lives rolling right now. My husband and I, as you may know, own a pottery studio and gallery in our home. The gallery resides in our front livingroom and the studio is an old barn in our backyard that has been partially reconstructed and improved to house pottery making equipment and work space. We have been in Toquerville for 9 yrs. this Aug. 15th and, after much ado, we are still struggling to make ends meet. We have been faithfully trying to market, sell, wholesale and reinvent ourselves and Russell's work all these years. For a few short years we felt we had successfully 'made it' and that maybe our 'ship had come in' finally. But, as you well know, the economy has thrown everyone to the curb and we are not an exception. We rely upon local customers and all those visitors to Zion who drive right past our front door to the national park, but as of late, or as of the last year, we have seen less and less interested tourists. Our Toquerville Pottery sandwich sign languishes in the southern utah desert sun day after day without nary a stopper. Not only do our pocketbooks suffer but our spirits begin to lose hope. </div><div>I'm not telling you this so you can feel sorry for us or have pity, I am just giving you the big picture of our lives right now. Amidst this mess of a livelihood I am also a midwife to a dear, past client. I have helped her with two of her other children and by special request I am going to be in on 'catching' the third. I am excited and engaged but still feel like one foot is in the midwifery arena, one is in the pottery business and my third, spontaneously growing leg, seems to be in the elem. art teacher's arena. I also teach elem. art at my children's neighborhood school part time. This time of year I am moving my classroom to another one and redecorating and reorganizing and cleaning...the list goes on! You see, I am currently a tripod of sorts. I have a small or sometimes very large effort in each of these capacities. My husband is also growing an extra leg to join my three legged-ness because he is a full time potter and sculptor and tile maker, a part time Zion Nat'l Park shuttle bus driver and will teach part time at the university next spring. Between the two of us we are juggling six jobs...not to mention being parents to our three children and homeowners to a home from the 1920's that seems to always need some repair lately!!! Overwhelmed...tired...losing heart...feeling like we're having a mid-life crisis....we're ready for a streamlined change. So, this morning when our youngest decided to paint each toenail a different hue and dry herself with the nearby fan, I just couldn't help but draw a similarity between her inventiveness and our predicament which is requiring some serious inventiveness. I've thought about drowning my sorrow in a huge frozen custard or a long, long movie in the dark, cool theatre but that would only be a temporary fix. Maybe a good cry over a freshly picked onion out of the garden will do the trick....anything to get through another day!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-62361717528864016252009-06-20T15:57:00.000-07:002009-06-20T16:07:49.491-07:00Book Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-bZH5fghrmEXpxjWSpX6UfSoJHW9rSPhgF_EojdZRpqaOd1sIezbvFLRewNcQtDHFY42ZbzVZCn2s8Ug-WFRWz2dc09P5_fasb4JUEuFR1uuWqupA9hIfeKF6jnF148oxKVlaAhqGg/s1600-h/book_tilt2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349547778989371922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 295px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 378px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-bZH5fghrmEXpxjWSpX6UfSoJHW9rSPhgF_EojdZRpqaOd1sIezbvFLRewNcQtDHFY42ZbzVZCn2s8Ug-WFRWz2dc09P5_fasb4JUEuFR1uuWqupA9hIfeKF6jnF148oxKVlaAhqGg/s400/book_tilt2.jpg" border="0" /></a> I am currently reading this little gem of a book; <em>Birth Day</em> by Mark Sloan given to me by my fabulous librairan. I have a very sweet understanding with my local librarian and friend. She orders books I request or thinks I will enjoy on the subject of childbirth and then puts them on hold for me to read. Sometimes when I am in the library with my children I will go up to the counter to check out our mound of books and the clerk will notify me that there is a book on hold for me that I wasn't even expecting! What a treat! It really pays to have a relationship with your librarian...they do work for you!<br />Anyway, when I first saw the cover of the book I thought, "No way am I going to like this...it is written by a pediatrician. How medical minded can you get?" But much to my surprise and like the saying goes, 'Never judge a book by its cover', I fell in love almost instantly! The book is so candid and the author really looks at all angles of every issue and withholds any judgment of superiority. He gives a wonderful history on cesarean sections, epidurals, Twilight sleep and current trends in childbirth, just to name a few. I am loving it all the way through and learning so much, too! I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in pregnancy and birth. A great summer read!Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-36799026613948602172009-06-03T14:47:00.000-07:002009-06-03T15:14:59.130-07:00A wonderful spring...and hiatus...a time for a midwife gardener<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Sx62W5baJW-u2ZnyKlq6DQTra70ha8DEih9Z5e2SzzqtaTxEP1m_lzzgwm4NCLS1wm03OJxT6iUmHbFojSg3mHybPWvtVaUYLBdoXSsfiOMnvFgzzS3WL26MJSYn13UcrFqrNnvF6Q/s1600-h/009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343222544797980098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Sx62W5baJW-u2ZnyKlq6DQTra70ha8DEih9Z5e2SzzqtaTxEP1m_lzzgwm4NCLS1wm03OJxT6iUmHbFojSg3mHybPWvtVaUYLBdoXSsfiOMnvFgzzS3WL26MJSYn13UcrFqrNnvF6Q/s400/009.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF1r-JuNLewHeoq1TeIcM5qR-JsL6e9XaEFVedk47szkoyzeZUlTOEfTLwpOHf6JdXgcSBp2GkBHkehZLCyammaSuhly5bkkM1r4688N1inWAfFZPN6q7srLiXDUQanlvN7R1otEG_Q/s1600-h/008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343221657354540130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF1r-JuNLewHeoq1TeIcM5qR-JsL6e9XaEFVedk47szkoyzeZUlTOEfTLwpOHf6JdXgcSBp2GkBHkehZLCyammaSuhly5bkkM1r4688N1inWAfFZPN6q7srLiXDUQanlvN7R1otEG_Q/s400/008.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkFn1ZtC6iSCSqtnwsB6MmgSpqxFXm1cDKKzEQ_cr3hC5DproZu7KVp4Gi62rv_nTUKyd3JM5j0S80iXRc4D8l2mxlDbBue6pBVa3R80V4esW9hs95nrWotmE7yqpGjfrGHz9H6nlsg/s1600-h/Christmas+2008+472.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343221839156535426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 386px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkFn1ZtC6iSCSqtnwsB6MmgSpqxFXm1cDKKzEQ_cr3hC5DproZu7KVp4Gi62rv_nTUKyd3JM5j0S80iXRc4D8l2mxlDbBue6pBVa3R80V4esW9hs95nrWotmE7yqpGjfrGHz9H6nlsg/s400/Christmas+2008+472.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here are three images that pretty well sum up what I have been doing since I last blogged in February. I have been tending to my family, my garden and my little flock of hens. I have also been able to do some much needed home repair and maintenance, too! Overall, the spring was a very productive and busy time for me and the Wrankle household. <br />When I last left you, I was contemplating my entire life. I believe I needed to do some 'spring cleaning' of sorts and I was so bogged down by my responsibilities and choices that I needed to take some time off to sort it all out. Well, I am happy to tell you that I am reemerging and, like a spring flower, I am blooming and ready for a new season, a new chapter in my life. <br />I feel renewed and revived and thrilled to find myself in a better place psychologically which reaffirms my belief that one must always listen to their heart and follow their ups and downs as they present themselves. Throw the guilt and the obligations to the wind and listen to what is right for you! Only by doing so can we, as women, move forward with a peaceful mind and a new purpose of heart. <br />I found this spring as I planted my vegetable garden that I desperately needed quiet, pensive time to sort things out and calm down my nerves. The simple act of putting a seed in the ground and watching it sprout and grow into a vegetable has always amazed me, but this season seemed more poignant than before! I realized that, on a much smaller scale, I was the gardener for all of the women I was attending in pregnancy and birth. I was the one tending to the seed already planted in their wombs and I carefully made sure it received the nutrients and love it needed to flower and bloom safely and beautifully! The harvest I continually was a part of with the amazing births of these women was very taxing and very stressful to a careful gardener, but a well deserved miracle for all of the months of pruning, weeding and tending. <br />Dealing with soil and seed made me realize, on a very simple level, how absolutely amazing my journey has been with all of the different babies and moms that were 'gardened' so carefully under my care. Many of these babies are now turning one and even two or three and I can proudly wear my wide brim hat and remember every seedling that I had the privelege of knowing and helping to grow! <br />Thank you to all of my past clients who have walked the journey with me! And thank you for allowing me the time this spring to step out of the midwife's shoes for a few months and catch my breath! Your loving support has been wonderful! <br />Now, as my garden is established and each plant has taken root I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the season watching the veggies appear and grow! Just as I will continue on my journey with moms and their seedlings and help them to germinate and grow to their fullest potential. The midwife's wide brimmed hat is back on and I've got the hoe in my hand ready once again! Here's to a wonderful summer...<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-53879743483730340812009-02-23T09:25:00.000-08:002009-02-23T10:10:22.269-08:00Birth Change<div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-mV9u5yjoY3r9Yv6Zyf9dQd1wLCazDvqI4iOEejZxwT_h66S_f11n_M0v4k0Pr496CRD4VblglMyefGINvW7LLX0EduV12RuyOOwVFB9t6L17AoBPrSBPb7rbrdHbSKxN5bJ70o9CA/s1600-h/golds+w.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306055672524202018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 114px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-mV9u5yjoY3r9Yv6Zyf9dQd1wLCazDvqI4iOEejZxwT_h66S_f11n_M0v4k0Pr496CRD4VblglMyefGINvW7LLX0EduV12RuyOOwVFB9t6L17AoBPrSBPb7rbrdHbSKxN5bJ70o9CA/s400/golds+w.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIiDoPmHCxD9EGh8BDgnMO1qYm3qoPJ-sgxglzPNl9fl5U7cGQSWnfi58HGeJLJ2KKPljK8ZTXMC5R2uIFRQsFppodtKDUvrpK2kkD76n1r7ntkRNHDqZ0UF4HkeQ4gq4AkIw4A7EfpQ/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306055878750683586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 137px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIiDoPmHCxD9EGh8BDgnMO1qYm3qoPJ-sgxglzPNl9fl5U7cGQSWnfi58HGeJLJ2KKPljK8ZTXMC5R2uIFRQsFppodtKDUvrpK2kkD76n1r7ntkRNHDqZ0UF4HkeQ4gq4AkIw4A7EfpQ/s400/images.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyKbQWBh7efh7fyokAIH2DSm8-3hlLXGGC-FnNDX1xgOjFrMIMad5PgUMgbqyJ6JYyzJhd7PBRlyOgcHMaZ7nelR3ekaPqnMw0nnQ-DpMuwyZ8msGxz4d-u4i0nh38i-JChm52rP9QQ/s1600-h/goldsworthy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306055539546933026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 92px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 129px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyKbQWBh7efh7fyokAIH2DSm8-3hlLXGGC-FnNDX1xgOjFrMIMad5PgUMgbqyJ6JYyzJhd7PBRlyOgcHMaZ7nelR3ekaPqnMw0nnQ-DpMuwyZ8msGxz4d-u4i0nh38i-JChm52rP9QQ/s400/goldsworthy.jpg" border="0" /></a> To all my fellow bloggers and interested readers,<br /><br /><br /><div>Sorry for the extremely long delay between posts. My life has taken a complete 180 when it comes to my livelihood and my passion for midwifery. It all started last year right about this time exactly. I was entrenched in midwifery...clients were lined up for over a year ahead, I was making and changing prenatal appointments, visiting with prospective clients and just generally one crazy woman! I was my own one woman band. I was orchestrating my life from an auto pilot perspective, thinking that this was what I had wanted for the past twelve years. I took on six extra clients for a local midwife who needed some help and I was busy with a capital B. Everything was wonderful and I was living in the moment until I started realizing that I was still a mother to three, young children and a wife to an artist husband and they all still relied on me for stability and love in their lives. I was neglecting the things that mattered most and had to choose between making time for clients or my kids. Essentially, every time I whisked away to a birth I waved goodbye to a small, sad face in the window who wondered when I'd return. There was no time for kisses or assurances, I had to be completely available to the current mama in labor. I found I had a sense of dread everytime the phone rang or my cell phone lit up and whenever I was making plans with friends or my kids I knew in the back of my mind that those plans might have to be cancelled or changed depending upon who needed me more. I was sleeping lightly, looking past today to tomorrow when the next client would be due. The due dates stuck out on my calender in Red when,in reality, my children's and family plans should have taken top priority. </div><br /><div>Now, that said...this is what midwives commit to do. We commit to put our personal lives on hold for our clients or for sick babies or over due moms or pre-term pregnancies. We promise to come at a moment's notice when the phone rings and there is a desperate dad on the other end. We race down the freeways trying to make it to preciptous labors or coach dads as the head crowns without us. We realize we will leave the warmth of our beds and go sit with a primip in early labor who thinks she can't go on. We have committed to all of these scenarios in thought but when it comes to living this lifestyle it becomes apparent that you need a staff to back you up or a reliable partner for support. Going it alone is not ideal in this marginal, counter culture profession. It is emotionally taxing and burn out becomes a reality very quickly. </div><br /><div>I did a Google search for midwives with burn out. There were pages and pages of women who have written similar feelings. It gave me a sense of relief and it helped me to realize that I am not alone in this. As the past few weeks have passed I have spoken with many friends about this predicament I feel I am in. They all agreed it was not a bad thing to take a break or reevaluate. One friend said, "Listen to your gut. It always tells you what is best for you. Don't ignore it, you are feeling it for a reason." I am almost embarrassed to admit that I have lost some of my luster for midwifery. Mostly because I have been working for this for so many years and now that I have lived it full time for the past few years I have found it not to be what I want for the rest of my life. Sometimes I feel like a failure or I am letting others down, but the truth is you have to make yourself happy first. Do what you love and the rest will fall into place. </div><br /><div>This is a hard post for me to write. I just had a lovely water birth last weekend but even as I was helping this mom I realized that it is time for a change for me. Maybe I will continue doing repeat clients or good friends, I don't know yet. But as for right now, today, I am feeling a sense of more 'me' time and time to be alone with my kids and husband and plant the dream garden I have been wanting. I want to be able to leave my cell phone in my house when I go outside. I want some freedom. </div><br /><div>My experiences have been wonderful and powerful teachers. I have learned what life is about and how to have deep, interpersonal relationships, but mostly, I have learned who I am in the process. Out of my midwifery I was born a deeper, more layered and thoughtful person. I have gained so much by going down this path and now it is time to walk down a new one. I will continue to be a natural childbirth advocate online so watch for informative information in the next few months. As always, thank you for reading and following my blog. I am indebted to the wise women who continue being the voice behind natural birth. </div></div></div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3747048062422758306.post-87034637572894756812008-11-28T14:23:00.000-08:002008-11-28T15:08:51.762-08:00The Wisdom of Birth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJxTP8kFixgyo3COyE_yvS-dPVG18ffupagN13qVTNP_XyJyUZIQYo207rtegQTbkjvK-qLac6foNFO7Y4DHJZmUpDfVKO4zh-K86gpYr5KCnY2N_YH99r1MUCgOu0OrQJUmbhY4Emw/s1600-h/slingbaby.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273849106229907970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJxTP8kFixgyo3COyE_yvS-dPVG18ffupagN13qVTNP_XyJyUZIQYo207rtegQTbkjvK-qLac6foNFO7Y4DHJZmUpDfVKO4zh-K86gpYr5KCnY2N_YH99r1MUCgOu0OrQJUmbhY4Emw/s400/slingbaby.jpg" border="0" /></a> This has been an unprecedented six weeks! My last three clients have all ended up delivering their babies in the hospital. For me, this has almost seemed unfair or unreal, and for the parents it has been a complete change of their hopes and plans.<br /><br /><div>As a midwife who completely believes in natural birth and the body's ability to give birth without any intervention, I have been completely humbled and reminded that sometimes women do need assistance medically. I am not a midwife who avoids the hospital at all costs and I do completely rely upon the medical community to be my emergency back-up when needed, but there is something about walking into that institution three times in a row and asking for their help and respect. I have gotten mixed reviews when it comes to the nursing staff and their attitudes towards me and my clients, but for the most part I have been pleased, and with the last baby, especially grateful to the doctor and his staff who took care of us well. </div><br /><br /><div>I have learned through these last three labors that I am completely responsible to my clients and their baby to rely upon my instincts and my best judgment and watch for any abnormal signs along the way. When labor becomes ineffective or lacks progression then it is my duty to do what I can to make it normal again or transport to the hospital. I found it interesting that with these last three births I had to be the one to set a time limit or cut off for when we were going to transfer care. These sweet mothers wanted with all their hearts to deliver their babies in their homes and in their own environments. They wanted to labor quietly and efficiently and bring their child into this world with the labor team they had chosen. They had prepared for over nine months and together we had talked about what to expect and how to cope and then in a matter of hours their birth plans had dramatically changed and we were all trying to adjust to the new set of parameters for the birth. Psychologically and emotionally it felt like a roller coaster we were all on together. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Atleast</span> we had each other for support, but it still felt disappointing, frustrating and scary. The unknown loomed large for all of us and we had to have faith in the local hospital to see us through. </div><br /><br /><div>Thankfully, I can report that all three babies and moms fared well and came out healthy and happy after the experiences. Two mothers endured nearly 30 hours of labor and then went on to see their babies for the first time in the arms of a doctor or nurse. One mother's baby decided to come into this world a little too early, but she was ready and able to breathe and all went well with her, also. </div><br /><br /><div>These past few experiences have taught me to be flexible, thankful and aware. They have showed me how midwives and doctors need one another and there should be a seamless transfer of care, if needed. I have learned to surrender my objections and use the local, medical community to bring about healthy moms and babies if that is what needs to happen. </div><br /><br /><div>As an apprentice I worked with four, different midwives around the country. I remember distinctly one of them gloating about her low rate of transports for the year, as if it were a badge of honor. At the time I thought it was a wonderful compliment to her but now as I walk the journey of the midwife I understand the necessary place transports have in birth. I also greatly understand with these last few transfers that if I had not been willing to swallow my pride and go into the hospital I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">could've</span> had less than favorable outcomes. </div><br /><br /><div>I believe all things happen for a reason and that we stand to learn something from each experience. With each situation I felt a distinct feeling that told me to transfer the moms. I felt I knew them and their babies enough to make the call if things didn't feel right anymore. I trusted in my intuition and listened to my heart while taking into account the parent's desires and fears. That's why midwives have such a wonderful rate of healthy moms and babies; we are present and aware for 9 months of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">prenatals</span> and we take the time to know each parent's situation and personalities. We have felt the baby's position and heart beat each visit and are mindful of their little, distinct characters. We know the family and the home environment and have a complete picture so that when complications arise we know immediately if we can handle them ourselves at home or if we need to go with them to the hospital. On average each client receives over 13 hours of prenatal care and about 6 or 8 hours of postpartum support at home and in my office. With that much time shared it only seems natural that midwives truly know their clients and their situations. </div><br /><br /><div>I am humbled by the wisdom of birth and how each one has its own story to tell, its own path to take and its own wisdom to impart. Each experience deepens my understanding and my intellect for birth, and afterwards, I am amazed by its uniqueness and depth. </div><br /><br /><div>As Harriette <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hartigan</span> so beautifully put it; "Birth Is As Safe As Life Gets". </div><br /><br /><div></div>Lori Wrankle, Traditional Midwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07880022289771619640noreply@blogger.com4