Birth Change

Formula Factory: Nutrition or Baby Junk Food?

2011-12-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nestle Carnation Good Start (Easy to Digest Comfort proteins) enzymatically hydrolyzed reduced minerals, whey protein concentrate (from cows' milk), vegetable oils (palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower), lactose, cornmaltodextrin..

Enfamil Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Formula Water, corn syrup solids....casein hydrolysate, modified corn starch...carrageenan, L-cysteine....

Ross Isomil Soy Formula with Iron Water, corn syrup, sugar, soy protein isolate...modified cornstarch...carrageenan...

MeadJohnson Enfamil with Iron Reduced minerals, whey,nonfat milk...carrageenan...

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.

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.

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.

The World Health Organization developed an international health policy for breastfeeding promotion called the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 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.

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.

Birth Advocate

2011-11-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!!

State of the World's Mothers Report 2011

2011-06-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

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!
I just came across the State of the World's Mothers Report 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here's the link so you can check it out for yourself; http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6743707/k.219/State_of_the_Worlds_Mothers_2011.htm

Savor The Moment

2011-04-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today as you run down the list of all of your "to-do's" just remember this quote:

Overdoing leaves insufficient time for savoring.

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!
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.

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.

End Unnecessary Hysterectomies!

2011-02-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

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.
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.
In a 2010 article published by The Berkeley Electronic Press and written by Patricia Quintilian, Unnecessary Hysterectomy: The Lack of Informed Consent, 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.
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?
Hysterectomies are now the most common surgery in the United States while five of the ten next most common surgeries are obstetrical-gynecological. 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!! Imagine, more than half of all the women you know having this major surgery and for what good reason???
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.
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. There is less chance that a woman will die from uterine cancer than from a hysterectomy!
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.
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.
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!

Hysterectomy Epidemic!

2011-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

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?"
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.
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.
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.
A hysterectomy epidemic? I'll gather the facts and get back to you...

Best Feeding

2010-10-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

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.
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?
Do you know the many hidden benefits of breastfeeding? You may be surprised.
-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
-nursing babies' jaws are naturally formed at the breast and their speech is improved when they begin talking
-nursing babies are more quickly bonded with their mothers at the breast because of oxytocin which is released as the mother nurses
-nursing is the perfect distance from the breast to the mother's face for a newborn baby's eyes
to see and focus
-the longer a woman nurses throughout her life the less risk that she will have breast and ovarian cancer
-it's FREE!
-helps moms to reduce their pregnancy weight naturally and shrinks the uterus down to size
-reduces baby's risk of developing food allergies and asthma
-reduces the risk of postpartum depression
-increases baby's IQ
-reduces cavities
-it is the perfect nutrition for your growing infant
-it slows you down and allows more one on one time with your babe in arms
-it increases bone density
-breastfed babies are 10 times less likely to need hospitalization in the first year of life
-antibody response to vaccines are 10x higher than formula fed babies
-babies have a reduced risk of heart disease later in life
-reduced risk of acute appendicitis and arthritis for baby
...and the list goes on!!!
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.
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.
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!

Empathy as a Midwife

2010-09-26T18:01:00.001-07:00

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.
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!

Top 50 Midwife Blogs!

2010-09-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

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!
http://onlinenursepractitionerprograms.com/2010/top-50-midwife-blogs/

The Lazy Days of Summer

2010-07-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

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.
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.
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.

The times they are a changin'...

2010-05-31T15:31:00.001-07:00

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.
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.
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.
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!

First, Do No Harm

2010-04-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.

This blog is an award winner!

2010-03-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today I got an email from Emily Johnston from the site "When Health Freezes Over" and she congratulated me on being one of the Top 50 Specialty Nursing Blogs 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.
I am completely honored to be a part of this prestigious group of bloggers!
Check out the award site and give me your feedback http://bestnursingcolleges.net/2010/top-50-nursing-specialty-blogs/and if nothing else you might find some other interesting blogs.
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!!

A Sad State Of Affairs

2010-02-07T15:00:00.001-08:00

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Worth the Wait

2010-01-07T17:51:00.001-08:00

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.
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!
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!

You have options!

2009-10-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

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; http://www.theunnecesarean.com/ that completely addresses this issue plus many more that women are faced with today as they enter the medical, maternity world.

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.

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.

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.

Miscarriage

2009-09-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

A dear friend recently went through a miscarriage and it got me thinking about how the medical world handles this natural occurrence versus what we as midwives counsel our clients to do in this situation.
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.
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 pry ed 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.
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!
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.
A miscarriage is very common and many women have gone through at least 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.

2009-08-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

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/Gyn 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 adue 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-taleish' 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!

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.

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?

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!

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??

As an advocate of natural childbirth and one who practices 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.

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 at least 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.

Midwifery Consultant and Doula

2009-08-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

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.

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!

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!

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!

Keep following along for news of this modern, yet traditional path...

Still here...still doing the same things.

2009-08-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

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?

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!"

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?

Inventiveness

2009-07-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

This is my daughter, up on the dining room table, painting her toenails each a different color.

Here's her inventive method for quick drying...lay out on the table and point your extremities toward the blowing fan.

It's hard to keep your stomach muscles tight so...

This is the easier way to dry...lay down and relax while the fan does the work! Smart girl!

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.

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!

Book Review

2009-06-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading this little gem of a book; Birth Day 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!
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!

A wonderful spring...and hiatus...a time for a midwife gardener

2009-06-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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...

Birth Change

2009-02-23T09:25:00.000-08:00

To all my fellow bloggers and interested readers,

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Wisdom of Birth

2008-11-28T14:23:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

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. Atleast 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.

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.

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.

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 could've had less than favorable outcomes.

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 prenatals 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.

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.

As Harriette Hartigan so beautifully put it; "Birth Is As Safe As Life Gets".

We Birth The Way We Live

2008-10-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

I recently attended several moms who had their babies within hours of their first pain to holding a baby in their arms. I was surprised by how quickly they went and how efficient their labors were. Both commented on how they imagined their bodies opening up and giving birth easily and smoothly with each contraction. Visual imagery really works!

Another similarity between the women is the way in which they live...the way they carry out their daily parenting and other responsibilities. From my perspective both women have very peaceful, matter of fact ways about them and when it came to pregnancy or other life experiences they kept any drama out. They chose to calmly ride the waves of their lives and their labors and, therefore, gave birth fairly easily and with much intention and very little drama.

At the end of each woman's pregnancy I make a home visit. This gives me a chance to see the woman's surroundings and help her imagine where she will be giving birth in her home and where all of the supplies will be when I need them. I also find this a wonderful time to observe how this woman arranges, decorates and moves within her own space. I can usually tell at the home visit whether this woman will birth quietly and privately or if she'll be someone who needs extra attention and who may choose to complicate herself unknowingly by inviting less than supportive people to her birth.

We have seen in the media since we were children the scenes of dramatic childbirth and how the woman is rescued from her pain or emergency by medical personnel. This has made an imprint of fear on each of us, whether we believe it or not, and it often comes up in homebirth. Women may feel isolated or alone or too far away from a hospital and the quiet midwife in the corner doesn't always satisfy this underlying fear. Some women will be very vocal or dramatic with their contractions or feign exhaustion when in reality they are doing well and their labor is progressing normally.

With homebirth you don't get as much drama. The labor and birth happen without bright lights or clanking instruments or a room full of people. Babies slide out of their mother's bodies with grace and hard work and relative quietness. At homebirth you will hear the songs of birth moms singing their baby's into this world... bringing them down and out. Midwives sit quietly with watchful eyes and quiet hands and are a witness to the miracle unfolding.

As humans who share the same species as mammals, we can birth in a lovely, unscripted way without all of the drama that the media has put upon us. We can trust our bodies and our minds to take care of the birth of our babies without intervention or control by an outside person. We birth the way we live...whether that be in a chaotic, controlling way or in a more gentle, peaceful way. It is up to each woman to decide how she will birth her baby and it is up to me as her midwife to guide and support her on her own journey.

Home birth for financial reasons alone

2008-08-02T11:42:00.001-07:00

As the economy gets tighter for most of us and making our monthly incomes stretch further gets more challenging, I have had an increase in women calling and inquiring about my services based upon the fact that home birth is a less expensive option than hospital birth.

Home birth is something you want to feel completely comfortable with, fully engaged in, wholly passionate about...not just something you do because you don't have insurance coverage or because it is the cheapest option.

Most couples begin wrapping their minds around the idea of homebirth by becoming educated about it on the internet or through childbirth books or from word of mouth referrals. They learn that midwife-delivered babies have less interventions and better outcomes. They learn that midwives take an hour during each prenatal visit and build a relationship with the pregnant mom and her family. They see that midwives use prevention to steer away from any possible problems that may arise later in pregnancy and that midwives really get to know the mom/baby and come to truly care about her health and well being.

Home birth is built on a foundation of trust between the parents to be and the midwife. It is a service that is somewhat "old-fashioned" in today's high-tech, lawsuit happy world. It is based upon a hand shake, of sorts, which gives equal responsibility between the two parties involved. Midwives provide the best care they can give with the information and intuition received from the parents, as well. No decisions are made without consulting the parents and every decision is made together and agreed upon. This is why midwives don't have to carry malpractice insurance or worry about being sued. In today's society this type of business relationship is nearly archaic, but so valuable. It brings the responsibility of the baby's pregnancy and birth squarely where it should be: on the parent's and midwife's shoulders. It doesn't allow for women to fall through the cracks or receive marginal care because both parties are engaged, responsible and accountable to each other. In a perfect world this is how all of our dealings would be.

As the general public begins to understand and educate themselves on the advantages of having a personal, caring and trusting relationship with a midwife we will see more positive mom/baby outcomes and possibly a more calm and gentle world. Babies will come into this world without being drugged, suctioned, poked or prodded and will find the arms of their mothers as their first skin to skin interaction. Home birth babies have less incidence of colic, jaundice and a 0% rate of autism. They rarely cry when they are born because the lights are low, voices are quiet, mom and dad are the first sounds they hear and they are welcomed into a room filled with love and peace. Wouldn't it be great if every human being on the planet could be born in such a gentle way?

Having a baby at home is a wonderful option but not just because it is the cheapest option. It entails a commitment and responsibility that parents must be willing to make. It requires being educated and forming a trusting relationship with a midwife who knows the parents and their unique situation. It is a decision that shouldn't be made lightly but one that is life changing and deeply rewarding! I encourage every pregnant mother and father to do the research and become good consumers and make their choices out of knowledge and not out of cultural fear.

Haphazard Prenatal Care

2008-07-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Recently I've heard from women who call me for advice or who are changing from doctors to a midwife's care that providers in St. George are not giving them the prenatal care that they are looking for and deserve. Their recent complaints include; lack of urine testing at each visit, no palpations to find out where their baby's position is, overuse of ultrasound to determine position, lack of any kind of one-on-one with their doctor and just general feelings of "factory like" prenatal care or just plain lack of prenatal care altogther. One woman reported having gestational diabetes but hadn't been tested for glucose in her urine since last April. Another said she would walk out to her car and cry after her visit because she just felt like a "number on a conveyor belt". Women are starting to realize these docs are not giving them the time and thorough care they deserve.

As a midwife who takes an hour or more with each woman and who takes it upon herself to make these women and babies a priority, I am appalled at what is going on in our community! What is happening with the medical system's answer to prenatal care? Where is all of this apathy coming from? I believe it stems from the fact that these doctors are too busy trying to pay for their malpractice insurance and stack themselves too deep with patients trying to pay for it, not to mention, they rely upon the hospital's life-saving measuresto catch the women and babies who don't fare well with the lack of prenatal care.

Here's an example of this: A woman in her twenties chooses one of these popular doctors and goes to him throughout her pregnancy. She goes through the prenatal testing and the ultrasounds and then checks into the hospital near her due date for an induction, most likely. She is a fairly healthy woman with no health problems but becomes another statistic in the hospital due to the interventions of induction, epidural anaesthesia and the like. If she doesn't progress cervically and dilate a centimeter an hour then she may become another woman who undergoes a caesarean or even more likely, become one of the 70+% who has an epidural. If anything should go wrong with her during the labor or delivery the medical staff can perform life-saving measures to save her or her baby's life. The hospital is the doctor's safety net and these doctors feel very comfortable overlooking small things throughout the pregnancy because they know they have full access to the equipment and medications to make things turn out alright in the end. Maybe this is why they don't have any problem cattle-prodding women through prenatal care, knowing full well what lies ahead to cover their negligience.

I don't think docs are doing this on purpose, so to speak. Noone could be that haphazard, could they? They are dealing with mass numbers of women and can only spend so much time with each one, therefore reducing their quality of care dramatically.

The amazing thing to me is that the majority of women are continuing to choose and accept this type of behavior from their doctors. That's what really surprises and disappoints me. As consumers, can't we be a little smarter, demand better care for ourselves and seek out those care providers who will give us what we need?

I have empathy for women who call me or who want to change their care in the middle of their pregnancy, but you get what you choose. If you choose a doctor who spends five mins. with you every few weeks and who doesn't tell you what is going on with your baby or how to eat better and avoid complications, then you have to expect that this same person will treat your labor and delivery very similarily. You are a number to them and dollar signs float over your head as you walk through their office doors. The bottom line for this lack of care is the mighty dollar. I hate to be so blunt but these docs are up against a huge mountain of insurance premiums, leases, hospital privelege percentages, staff salaries, etc.... You are paying their bills in a small way, plain and simple. Its so backwards and negligent to practice with your back against a wall but that's where the American Medical Association has gotten themselves these days.

If you contrast that to a homebirth midwife or any care provider who limits their client base and puts their health and safety as priority number one, then everything changes. No huge overhead, no huge insurance premiums, just a simple, old fashioned, intimate, trusting relationship. Its a no-brainer for me and there are more women who are wising up each year, but doctor based, hospital birth still accounts for the majority in our country today.

The bottom line is you get what you get when you choose your baby-catcher. Whether that be a quality, thorough, un-rushed approach or one which takes the minimum amount of time and concern and has you jumping through preset hoops is all up to you. You are the consumer who pays the doctors or midwives....where will your dollar and pregnancy be spent more wisely?

PUSHING

2008-06-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

When I was in college there was a popular song called "Push It". The lyrics went something like, "Push it, push it real good" and I used to sing this with my roommates and joke about giving birth to my babies with this song on in the background. Now that I have pushed three children out myself and have witnessed hundreds of women push their babies out of their bodies I have a much different perspective on what it takes to push and "push it real good" to bring our babies into this world.

First of all, for many women, pushing is a very scary feeling. They begin to feel 'pushy' during a few contractions and then put their muscles in 'lock down' until they feel like they can be in control again. It is a time where your mind is telling your body that you don't want to do this and that you just can't possibly do this and then comes an emotional breakdown. Most women have to really go inside themselves and find that powerful, birthing woman energy and bring it all out in order to wrap their minds around this overwhelming feeling they are having. It is a time where you have to push against your own skin and make yourself feel the burning ring of fire in your perineum and continue pushing past it. It is absolutely a necessary part of giving birth but a very challenging part, nonetheless. When the baby's head begins to crown it feels as though your body will literally break in two. All you can think about is self preservation and how long until this whole thing is over???! But, just as soon as you are thinking all of this and feeling that stretching and opening and the intensity of the moment, your baby's head is born and usually the shoulders and body follow immediately and the pain is gone...and you are holding this baby you have been waiting to meet for all of these months!

There is nothing like the ecstasy in the moments after giving birth! Nothing compares to this natural high and sense of accomplishment and empowerment! Your body feels like a train ran right through the middle of it but you survived and have a deeper soul because of it. You walked through the valley of human birth experience and came out triumphant on the other side! You now have a view many women today are giving away so carelessly. They are trading in their pushing experiences for one where they feel none of the sensations or their baby's head as it emerges from them. I believe they are selling themselves short of what could be one of the most spiritual, undeniably important and sacred times in their lives. This is something men will never understand and are not given the chance to experience, and therefore, will always see child birth as something they need to save women from; not give to them.

As a midwife I watch women go through this pushing phase and I always am overwhelmed by how it brings women to their knees and takes them to a point where they feel they cannot do it anymore. And then almost miraculously, you see the woman's resolve to get this baby out and next thing you know she has pushed successfully and there is the wonderful result right on her chest! Pushing is intense, a deep learning experience, an extreme vulnerability in our human experience and a chance to deepen ourselves as women and listen to our bodies and trust that we CAN do it!! It is something we can fear and avoid or something we can accept and acknowledge its power and then just go for it! Just remember: when you are pushing you are so close to holding your baby in your arms! Anything is worth that moment so keep pushing and "push it real good"!

The Breath of Life

2008-05-23T08:04:00.001-07:00

Recently I had my first 'real' experience with neonatal resuscitation. I have attended over 250 births and have seen many floppy and unresponsive babies, but this birth showed me what a baby with a 0 Apgar looks and acts like right after its born.

The birth journey for this mom and baby was a very long, emotional experience and the pushing phase lasted for over an hour. Despite the baby's consistently good fetal heart tones he was born and made no attempts at breathing or responding to touch or talking. I immediately shifted into 'resuscitation mode' and began talking to him and telling him how much we loved and needed him while I intermittently gave him mouth to mouth. With each breath I breathed into him he would respond with a sigh and a grimace. I could tell that my breath was helping him make the transition to air breathing and so I continued giving him puffs of air and alot of verbal encouragement. After about 6 or 8 breaths into his lungs he began to pink up and perk up and open his eyes. We wrapped him in warm, out of the oven, towels and put a stocking cap on his head. His mom and dad continued to shower him with love and I put him on oxygen for the next 15 minutes. I allowed his umbilical cord to remain intact until it was done pulsating and the blood had all flowed into his little body. Cutting his cord early would have been detrimental to his resuscitation efforts because it would have cut off his lifeline to the oxygen in his bloodstream that he was still receiving from his mother's placenta. A half hour after his birth he was stable and pink and crying and seemed to be more 'in his skin' than ever before.

I recently attended a neonatal resuscitation workshop in Las Vegas for the second time from a dear friend and midwife, Karen Strange. She teaches midwives the medical method of resuscitation with a wonderful twist. She believes that resuscitation not only involves the physical aspect of what bodies need, but it also includes the emotional, too. She teaches that while you are physically giving the baby breath you should also be talking to them and supporting them through the experience emotionally as well. Without her wisdom and wonderful way of teaching I wouldn't have had the confidence or knowledge to be as successful as I was during this last birth. With the training she gave me I was able to be aware of the baby's complete needs and address them confidently. Her workshops are invaluable and I recommend them to anyone who needs to be trained in resuscitation. Her website is; www.newbornbreath.com.

This experience has opened me and made me ever aware of the power and strength the human breath holds. Breathing life into this baby who was unable to do it for himself was humbling and awe-inspiring. It didn't take much effort on my part to breathe my life force into this new soul, but it did take much emotion and introspection to say what he needed to hear so that he could make the decision to come into his body and breathe. I fully believe babies in the womb and newly born are complete beings with emotions, personalities and feelings. If we acknowledge this when they are in our care then they will trust what role we play when they are born and, if a situation arises, the baby will feel more supported and loved by its caregivers and the experience will be that much more successful for everyone.

This was another life changing birth for not only me, but for the family, too. If we had not trusted in natural birth and the body's ability to do what its supposed to then we could've missed this awesome journey. I am humbled and inspired and continue to be amazed at what birth teaches.

Trusting Birth

2008-04-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

This week I had the honor of attending a simply wonderful birth! This was a first time mom who chose to bring her baby into this world without modern technology or interventions. She wanted a birth experience that would naturally unfold on its own accord. It was a process that was incredible to be a part of and one which every woman deserves, knowing the end result and what power it brings.

As you watch women go through the stages of labor you realize that at first, they tend to rely upon comfort measures and ways of thinking that they are most comfortable with. This is when water, breathing, air, and music are used successfully to ease our minds and bodies. As they progress to the more strenuous demands of labor you see a shift in their beings. They begin going deep within to find their inner strength and reserves, their thinking minds are left behind for a primal place within. This is a collective space for all women who have given birth naturally; it is a sacred place, a powerful place, a necessary place for all who go through the empowering experience of labor. It pushes our souls into a depth that can't be duplicated by any other experience as humans. It is a gift because it holds a place of accomplishment and peace within us for the rest of our lives. It is a time for complete surrender and trust within ourselves and the birth process and a time of amazing growth.

Watching this beautiful mother bring life to her baby and journey through the depths of labor is life affirming and stirs within me a deep resonation and respect for the power of labor and birth and what a divine gift it is that has been instilled within every woman.

It recommits me to holding strong to my beliefs that birth works and that women's bodies are made to perfectly bring babies into this world. It reminds me to continue my mantra to always trust birth. It holds a very tender place within my own soul and I realize that without the work and continual perserverance of traditonal midwives, there would be a complete loss of natural birth as we currently know it in the United States.

It is definitely a privelege and honor to be with women during this life altering journey and the lessons learned at each birth bring a deeper understanding and respect for the protection of the natural birth process. It is a powerful gift that women allow themselves if they are willing to be present and in the moment and choose women to attend them who will guard and protect the space and energy that is needed to allow it to unfold. Birth is a wonder; a constant blessing in my life and I am thankful I can preserve it for women today despite the over technology of childbirth in our country.

Thank you to all of you who support traditional midwifery and who choose to take the journey that is required of natural childbirth. Thank you for facing the unknown and jumping in with both feet to embrace your body's ability to bring your baby into this world without the aid or rescue of modern medicine. Thank you for enriching my life and keeping me engaged in the work I most highly adore. You are the ones who get the gift of success and empowerment when its all said and done. You are the ones who continue the chain of women who have given birth naturally and whose lives have been deepened by the experience. It is something you will always cherish and will live on in your soul forever. Thank you for giving yourself the "gift" of natural childbirth!

One month...two very, different births

2008-03-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

In February I attended a woman who had her baby in her tub after only 2 hours of labor. Everything went very well; it was about as straightforward as you can get with birth. I arrived with another midwife and we watched and guided her through the process and assisted her after the baby came. We checked out the baby, cleaned up, ate something and tucked her into bed. I was home in less than five hours from start to finish.

Contrast that birth with another one I attended in March, just a few weeks later. She began labor in the early morning, came for a prenatal mid-morning with light contractions, and I was called to her home in the afternoon. She was progressing well in the tub until she hit an impasse around 10 cm. We tried having her change positions, drink tea, lay down to sleep...all to no avail. Finally I suggested I help her with pushing and try to get the baby to come into the birth canal. She gave a few, good pushes and the baby's head was born. She felt the head and smiled and lost her urge to push, so I suggested she just push out the rest of the body. As she did out came a torrent of blood and then I knew why she had the pause in her labor earlier. Her placenta had partially separated and her uterus was tired and she was exhausted. It had been 12 hours since her labor pains began and mentally, as well as, physically she was beat! If she had been rushed to deliver the baby against her body's wisdom she could've had a total separation and risked her life and the life of her baby. I was able to quickly remedy the hemorrhage using herbs and got her into bed to eat, drink and rest. Her baby did wonderfully and was nursing within 10 minutes of her birth.

Both situations turned out well, but the experiences were very different. As I attend each birth I am learning to trust my intuition and allow the body to follow its natural course. It's a challenge to know when to leave things alone and when to jump in and do something. What I have learned from these two births is that I am there to hold the sacred space of the motherbaby and to protect them and encourage them to listen to their bodies and follow that wisdom. Each woman and baby has their own journey and as their midwife I am there to respect and honor them and the process. I am truly enjoying where I am in my practice right now and hope I can continue to bring a greater knowledge and wisdom to my clients and their families and continue to simply trust birth.

New year...new resolve...

2008-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

2008...the older I get, the faster time flies. My children are growing by leaps and bounds...funny that I still feel like I am in my twenties, learning how to be a new parent and figuring this whole "life thing" out.
"The Business of Being Born" screening was a huge success! We had over 100 viewers and it felt great to do something for the good of the community. This film is powerful and moving and is a must-see for anyone who plans on having children.
This year I am hoping to allow myself to let go more, let life's challenges roll off my back, enjoy the simple, small moments, get really fit and love life like never before. I feel so blessed by what surrounds me in my family life, professional life and in my pursuits.
Midwifery still remains a passion for me and I am completely immersed in it. I am constantly trying to be a vessel through which wisdom, empathy and guidance flows. Just like a woman's body and mind have to open, literally and figuratively, in birth, I too have to be open to assist and enrich the mothers and babies which I attend. Forward thinking and pursuing life's passions...that's what its all about.

"The Business of Being Born" Screening

2008-01-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

Samantha Bost and I are screening a new film, "The Business of Being Born", produced by Rikki Lake about the current birth crisis happening in the United States. The film is an eye-opener to the lucrative, billion dollar hospital birthing industry and the detrimental impacts it is having on mombaby.

When: Sat. Jan. 12th at 7 p.m.

Where: 31 E. St. George Blvd. in Andrae's Exotic Imports (next to Steamroller copies)

St. George, UT 84770

Cost: Free, Donations gladly accepted

More Info: Contact me at (435)635-2523 Lori Wrankle or go to http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

We would love to see you there...hope you can join us for this community event to support women and natural childbirth!

Holiday Sale and Poems

2007-12-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

We're busy getting ready for our 5th Annual Toquerville Clay Holiday Sale...and life is hectic! While Russell's out trying to make and fire enough pots to sell in the sale, I am inside constructing shelves, stringing Christmas lights, baking, making dips, cleaning, doing prenatals and trying to teach my weekly art lessons. Life is good, but full!
In a quiet moment the other day as I was watering my plants, I picked up an older, well-loved pitcher to water with and this poem came to my mind. I'm not much of a poet, but if the mood strikes, embrace it!

This Pitcher

This pitcher is a constant at our dinner table,

It brings an unspoken ritual to our gathering each night.

It holds our water, which we pour into our glasses and propose a toast, "may we eat with appetite and drink with pleasure", we say as the glasses chink.

Ella uses this pitcher to show us how big she has become, when she wraps her pudgy hands around it, places her lips firmly on the spout, all the while trying to counter her slight weight against that of the belly and successfully takes a drink!

Brynn delights in pouring the water herself to all family members. She proudly lifts the full-bodied pot full of beverage and pours, mostly without spilling, our nightly drink.

Our eldest, Eli, engages in a game of trying to see how seldom he has to fill the pitcher and bring it to the table. When he is reminded he revels in blaming his younger sisters for forgetting.

This small, well-used pitcher, one made in St. Louis, before we had any children, before dinners were a regular event, has become the center of our table, the beginning of our cherished meal, the vessel which holds much more than water.

The Elevator Story

2007-08-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

How do you explain to someone why they would want to have a natural, unmedicated birth when 95% of all women today are birthing with epidurals? Do you compare it to other natural body processes being diluted with drugs? Is there a good analogy to illustrate the difference? The only one I've thought of is the story of the elevator. Here it is, tell me what you think:

One beautiful, bright fall morning a woman decides to take a hike to Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. She realizes that this is a strenuous, steep, uphill climb which will take her a couple of hours and will require that she has the proper stamina. She calls her dear friend to come along and together they begin walking along the path. As they walk they talk and reflect upon their emotions and daily going-ons. The path begins to get steeper and they stop every so often to take a deep breath and look at the beauty which surrounds them. At one point the demands of the uphill climb requires that they stop their conversation and just breathe and focus on their body's strenous activity. As they get closer and closer to the summit they realize they have stopped more often than when they first began to catch their breaths and sit down for a few minutes to rest. Finally they reach the top and are awe struck by the magnificent view of the deep canyon and river below and all of the rich, red rock that surrounds them. People at the top are discussing the hike and comparing how often they stopped along the way and what their favorite parts were and congratulating each other on the journey. It feels so wonderful to have made it to the summit and have accomplished something most people will never experience. The joy of the journey is part of the sense of accomplishment at the summit.

The two women decide its time to start hiking back down and just as they turn to follow the path they hear a familiar voice calling to them. It is their good friend who also decided to visit Angel's Landing the same day as them; what a coincidence! As they begin talking they notice their friend doesn't seem to be sweating or look like she's hiked all the way up the mountain. They ask her how come she looks like she just got ready for the day and she replies; "Didn't you know there is an elevator?" "An elevator?!!" the two women reply. "Where? and Why?"

The friend replies, "Oh, the park service decided to put one in so more of its visitors could enjoy the views from up here. Isn't it fabulous?"

My point with this analogy is simple; the views are the same once your baby is born. Every mother loves their baby and thinks its the most wonderful being ever! Emotions run strong and it is a tender moment for every new parent after the birth, but the natural childbirth journey is so different from those who decide to numb their sensations with an epidural. Being one with your body and learning from its many senses as you encounter each contraction, feeling your baby actually push off of your ribs as they help themselves be born. Feeling the fullness of the uterus getting rock hard and actually squeeze that little life out of you and then, of course, feeling the change in contractions as you begin pushing and giving way to the wonderful blessing that is soon to be in your arms. Nothing compares to these feelings and to being one with your baby as it goes through the same journey as you to be born.

Just like hiking to the top of a summit, those who take every step and see every animal and rock along the way will have a completely different perspective at the top than those who decided to take the elevator to get there. Both ways allow us to have a similar end result, but what about the journey?! The notion of taking the elevator instead of hiking is preposterous, as you well know, but it illustrates the point. Why would you want to skip the wonderful interlude of natural, unmedicated childbirth just to get to the end result? Having gone through it three times myself, I can positively say that my memories of my births are full of tenderness, self accomplishment and respect for the power that is within my body. I also feel that it is a gift that keeps on giving because it has lit a fire within in me and I can't help but continue sharing it with everyone.

Natural childbirth, for me, was the turning point from being an under confident woman to an "I can do anything" mother. This process has literally changed my life for the good and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want the same. Please pass on the story so we can continue educating and encouraging women to refuse epidurals and choose the wondrous gift of natural birth!

An alternative twist on baby showers

2007-08-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

A friend came by yesterday afternoon and was lamenting about going to a baby shower and how commercialized and misguided the Americanized version of baby showers has become. I suggested that she consider giving her friend a Blessingway. She kind of looked at me funny and then I explained that it is an ancient ceremony based upon Native American traditions and it focuses on the pregnant mother who will be experiencing the life changing event of the birth process. It changes the focus from being solely on the baby, who is really still an unknown entity, to the mother with whom we already enjoy a friendship or relationship with and for whom we care deeply and wish to send into this experience with good wishes and warm, loving thoughts.

I did some research and took some info. over to my friend's house in exchange for some fresh basil and oregano from her garden. I learned about this wonderful segue way into motherhood and hope that someday I can be a part of a Blessingway or Mother's Way celebration.

Some wonderful ideas include; creating birthing necklaces and bracelets with everyone in attendance, hair brushing, foot massage, sharing positive birth stories, passing on blessings and good wishes, giving meaningful gifts to the mother-to-be and feasting on potluck fare.

You could also make a belly cast beforehand and have the attendees write something special on it or take turns decorating mom's belly with henna ink or passing around a blanket for each guest to paint on or embroider.

The ideas are endless but the sentiment is the same; good, positive, loving thoughts and meaningful gifts are showered upon the mother and new baby and are a source of strength and encouragement as the woman begins her journey into the laboring process. With the thoughtful gifts given to her, the pregnant mom can place them around her or wear them when she is in labor and it will remind her of all those women and children who have gone through labor before her and who are sending their love and support as she steps into the all encompassing birth process.

As we reclaim the power and beauty in pregnancy and birth, we can also change the traditions surrounding these life altering events. Putting a new, empowering twist on the traditional baby shower shows support and love for the mother-to-be and a deep respect for the female bodies' powerful way of giving birth. It is a well intentioned celebration which will set the stage for the natural, awe-inspiring birth of a new soul. Consider it for someone you love...

My 35th Birthday!

2007-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

I celebrated my 35th birthday last week and, for the first time in all of my birthdays, I didn't want any recognition or presents. I realized that I have everything I could ever want in my three beautiful children and wonderful husband. My day was filled with an invigorating hike in Zion Nat'l Park on the Canyon Overlook Trail followed by lunch at our favorite coffee shop, Cafe Soleil, and then we visited with friends, who are also shopowners in Springdale. On the way home we stopped to get the kids ice cream. It was a beautiful, warm summer day and I felt fortunate to be alive and healthy, and most of all, happy. I am content with where I am at this point in my life. I am doing the three things I enjoy the most; being a mother, midwife and art teacher. Life has blessed me with these simple gifts and for that I am grateful. I don't need presents or accolades, just my family that loves me and a sense of peace and happiness that I am living a "life worth living"!
I have found that the most important thing in my life is good relationships. This applies to my spouse and children and extended family. Without good relations there seems to be a lack of honesty, integrity and true joy. I am trying to make every moment count and enjoy the small, simple things. What a great start to a busy summer!

The Midwifery Collective

2007-04-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

I have recently gone into business with Samantha Bost, a friend and midwife, and together we are joining midwifery forces in a chiropractor's office in St. George, Utah so we can make a difference for women in our area. We have found our philosophies and ideas to be very similar and we want to depend on one another for support and knowledge and serve women from a place of wisdom and care and not feel too burdened or stressed out trying to do it alone as we were before. Our energy seems to build upon each other's excitement and optimism as we are navigating this business endeavor together.

We want women to feel empowered and educated and most of all we want healthy pregnancies and deliveries and a growing population of women who choose midwifery care because they want one on one, gentle care from women. In the world 80% of all deliveries are facilitated by midwives; except for in the United States. We are the only exception. What does the rest of the world know and trust about birth that we don't? Where does their education start for young women; in the home from their mothers or through school and social programs? How can we be more proactive in teaching our girls that they should trust their bodies and natural processes?

I believe every child born has some degree of imprinting that goes on at birth that informs them of the experience; good or bad. If a child feels safe, secure and nurtured at birth will they, in turn, do the same when they have their own child? Maybe I should go back to school and become a social anthropologist and study how humans decide to give birth to their young.

As of now, I feel I am doing what I can to educate and challenge the current birth fear that pervades our culture through my midwifery business and with my own two daughters. As I teach them about their birth and their wonderful bodies I hope to be pointing them in a different direction than the majority of American women are headed. After all, as Midwifery Today magazine editor and midwife Jan Tritten says; "Each one teach one."

Circle of Life

2007-04-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Instead of attending the annual Midwifery Today Conference in Eugene, Oregon I trekked across the midwest to attend my grandfather's funeral. We knew this might happen since he had spent the last few weeks in the hospital; but it came as a surprise when I heard the news. I had spoken to him a week earlier and he sounded really good. He talked about coming out to visit us and how he missed my kids. That was a sweet conversation that I will always remember and cherish.
Growing up with he and my grandmother I was a priveleged granddaughter. They took me all over the US on trips and I spent the night at their house almost every weekend. They treated me like a queen and spent so much time teaching me and helping me to grow into who I am today. I feel so blessed! My children are also very fortunate to know and love their great grandparents and not just recognize them by a picture hanging on the wall.
My mother told me how my grandfather's death was literally a process and each day she would watch it unfold . She said he talked about dying and then began seeing friends who had passed on and eventually, after literally having one foot on each side of mortality, decided to let go. One day he literally soaked his sheets deciding if he should stay or go; which was a day or two before he passed on. I couldn't help but think that just as birth is a process full of emotion and physical surrendering; death is also a process that takes its own time and energy. The circle of life continues to amaze and inspire me!

Great Reading

2007-03-04T18:35:00.001-08:00

I just finished two wonderful books; one fiction and one non-fiction. Both great reads. One was written by a woman who moved into a former birthing house in Nova Scotia and she gathered accounts of locals who were born in her home. It was intriguing to think of midwives in the early 1800's who were out there on their own working as strong, courageous women even when times got tough. This book is called "The Birth House". Check it out.
The book I just finished a few nights ago is titled "Birth". It is a non fictional account of the history of everything to do with being born. I have never read a history like this one...very well researched and informative. Her bibliography goes on for pages. I really enjoyed the rich history of midwifery which she includes and how the Catholic church was responsible for making midwives out to be witches and burning them at the stake, etc. It gave a lot of detail about the tools male doctors used right from the start when they began delivering babies. Interesting that they didn't watch and learn from midwives but that they were there to make things faster or less painful or spare the woman hours of labor. From the beginning male doctors have always looked for tools or procedures that interrupted the natural process of birth. Midwifery has been under attack from men and religious leaders since the 1400's and thousands of midwives were burned due to so called potions they used or magical powers they posessed.
With the recent licensure regulations up for debate on Capitol Hill this past session, it made me very aware that even in the 21st century we are still dealing with a medical community that isn't supportive of midwives and who think that their standard of care is superior to the midwifery model of care. They seem to think they deserve to run the entire birthing show without any input from those who have skills in normal, natural childbirth. Why does this situation still exist today? Seems very likely that we haven't done enough educating about midwifery and natural childbirth and that women need to speak their minds more clearly and choose midwives more often. Currently women today are scheduling C-sections by the thousands and doctors are calling it an epidemic. It is a reflection of what women have been told about their bodies and their lack of trust in themselves. Doctors are telling women that they are not fit to have a big baby or that they are at high risk or overdue and putting their baby in danger. I don't believe our species has evolved that dramatically in the last 30 or 40 years to where we have to deliver our babies by cesarean so often because of extenuating circumstances. It is about doctor's convenience and money and lack of trust in a woman's body to give birth naturally.
When you delve into the facts of birth you will find out that what we believe and are being told today by the masses is in fact driven by fear and lack of education. Just like anything else its always best to do the research and find out for yourself...the truth is never as loud as the lies.

Impending Licensure Bill

2007-02-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

This past week Sen. Margaret Dayton (R) introduced Senate Bill 243 to her colleagues in Salt Lake City. This bill would dramatically restrict the practice of licensed, homebirth midwives. Her bill basically consists of a laundry list of reasons why women wouldn't be able to give birth with a midwife due to medical reasons ie...previous miscarriage, abnormal pap smear, over 35 years of age, previous cesarean, runny nose, hemorrhoids,etc...

This woman happens to be a retired labor and delivery nurse whose husband was a well known, 90 women giving birth a month, busy, obstetrician in Provo, UT. Do you think they hold any biases against traditional midwives or do they have a special interest in seeing them go down in flames? You bet, they do!

If this bill passes as outlined in its entirety midwives wouldn't be able to assist almost 90% of the women they currently serve due to these "medical conditions" which would automatically opt them out of home delivery and midwifery care.

Two years ago I went to the Capitol with a group of midwives who opposed licensure and we fought hard against that because of this very thing that is happening today. We predicted, from our research of licensure in other states, that if midwives would be required to be licensed to practice there would come down the pike a whole gammet of regulations and restrictions which would eventually make the practice non-practiceable under the law and midwives would essentially become extinct or go underground and practice covertly. Interesting how Utah follows this outline perfectly!

It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to realize that when you bring attention to something so "alternative" in our medically minded society that law makers will want to control it and make it "safer" for the people of their state by putting "necessary"restrictions and regulations upon it. Wha-la! Sen. Margaret Dayton appears and with a quick wave of her medical model wand she changes the face of Utah midwives forever!

I feel so much sadness and disappointment because of this unfounded hoopla surrounding simple, non interventive, natural home birth. The midwives from Salt Lake City who sponsored the licensure bill two years ago are now doing some major back peddling to come up with studies and statistics for safe home birth with low intervention and morbidity numbers.

Sorry ladies, you've done your damage by bringing the midwifery profession to the lawmaker's den. You no longer hold the power or privelege...you are at their will and whim.

I've watched this happen all over the U. S. as each state tries to define and control the beautiful, all encompassing responsibility of the lay midwife and I have only seen two states really do it justice: Oregon and New Mexico. These states have a strong midwife, natural homebirth presence and these lawmakers know they don't mess with the ladies in the birkenstocks!

Utah is a bit behind the times and on this bill, especially, we will have to hope for the best and try to do more educating.

Education is freedom for the mind...pass this message along! Happy Valentine's Day...sometimes life ain't too sweet.

Four out of every Five...

2007-02-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

4 out of every 5 women in the world give birth to their babies with the assistance of a midwife. Women all over our planet are using natural methods to "deliver" their children and trust that this is the best way.

It sure seems like Americans are hard headed and stubborn when it comes to being wise and intuitive. We are near 25th place when it comes to ranking countries with the highest of motherbaby morbidity. 25th place with all of our high tech hospitals, doctors and neonatal nurseries??? Guess which countries are numbers 1-10 on the list...European countries, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, etc...Even the impoverished countries in South America rank higher than the U.S. in childbirth safety. So, what's going on?

I believe we have lost sight of what's important and where we need to go to find out the best ways to keep mom and baby safe. We need to put trust and strength back into listening to our bodies and our hearts. We need to eat better, think better, slow down and focus on all of the wonder within ourselves and around us.

This weekend the whole U. S. will gather together to put all of their esteem and focus on less than 50 athletes who get paid quadruple what an average American gets paid and OOH and AAH over their "strategies" and "skill," while amidst us are wise, intelligent, creative, empathetic, strong, honest, pure, amazing human beings going about their daily business and not getting any credit for their accomplishments and hard work.

We owe it to ourselves to bolster up and appreciate the wonderful human beings that live in our communities; the elderly, the naturopaths, the artists, the writers, the mothers, the fathers, the professionals...the list goes on.

And, as a midwife, I hope my children and the motherbaby's I have helped will continue on their natural, heartfelt path in parenting, relationships and in life! We all deserve to be born into the gentle, kind hands of our parents and a midwife!!

Kina, this one's for you! Thanks for reading.

The " Divine Strake" Bomb

2007-01-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

I attended a meeting last night in St. George, UT about the proposed, upcoming blast of 700 tons of ammonium nitrate at the Nevada Testing Site. This would put a mushroom cloud into the air and send dust and radioactive particles into the atmosphere which would eventually disperse in every state and settle onto the ground, on our gardens and farmlands; not to mention the dust that would settle into our lungs and eventually affect us all, some more than others.

I, for one, am vehemently opposed to a bomb of any kind being set off and especially one which is most likely a precursor to nuclear bomb testing. We live in a beautiful part of the country with red rocks and magnificent deserts and to some this may seem like a barren waste land, but for those of us who live here, we cherish the landscape and know this bomb will scar the earth and all of us who live on it.

I had my three children in tow at the meeting to make a point that I don't want a cancer prognosis for any of my children in ten or twenty years. I don't want to bury any of my children and I fear for all of our collective health, in this area especially.

When I think about the future of this earth and our people, I have a hopeful, healing picture of what it will be like. I hope that we will all slow down and take a look within ourselves and remember those things which are most important; relationships, family, cherished memories, reaching out to others around us. If we would all stop and think before we rushed to pass judgment, or make decisions we would all benefit.

I find a great hope in helping babies come into the world in a peaceful, natural way and I look to their mothers to continue this goodness in their families and communities and ultimately, the whole world. After all, locally truly is globally if we follow our hearts.

Those who tell the stories

2007-01-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

I heard a wonderful quote today; "Those who tell the stories define the culture." We have lost the stories of midwives and women who would gather together to help their neighbor or sister who was having a baby. We have traded our heritage for a supposed "painless, sterile, safe" environment and in doing so we have given up our strength and tight knit birth communities.

In today's ever increasing isolated society, we have lost the impact of having supportive, wise women who would come together to show empathy, bring in meals, watch children and just be there for a woman who was giving birth. I never knew what that was like but I sure do miss having that for myself. Trying to find like minded, supportive women who live close by is a definite challenge. Times have definitely changed and those who are telling the stories now are most certainly redefining our birth culture. I hope I am one voice among many who want the tides to turn and for us to regain our strength as women and mothers and take back natural homebirth as the norm for women everywhere.

I had a wonderful prenatal this evening with a local couple having their third baby. What an enjoyable evening it was to sit with them and talk about bringing their baby into this world with gentle, loving hands surrounded by those who will listen, wait and love. I am filled with excitement just thinking of their baby's birthday in September!

Drastic Differences

2007-01-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

Two opposite ways of birthing; home and hospital. Until the 1950's women stayed at home surrounded by family and familiarity to give birth. Now the majority of women go to a hospital and find themselves in the middle of technological interventions.

95% of all women today could birth naturally and safely in their own environment with a midwife but choose to accept what the media and culture says are the "safest" and choose to have their babies delivered in a hospital setting. I believe hospitals are for those who are sick or need emergency care and pregnancy is not a medical condition nor an emergency in 95% of all pregnancies.

We have lost sight of the power within our own bodies; we have forgotten to listen to those who have come before us and all those who have given birth naturally. We aren't listening to our babies within us and what would be best for them. We are driven by fear of pain, fear of loss and fear of failure within ourselves. We are looking for the medical community to make us think everything will be okay if we turn this labor and birth over to them. They have deceived the public by convincing us we aren't safe to birth without them.

Doctors have only routinely been delivering babies in hospitals for 47 years; midwives have been attending births for thousands. In whom do you put your trust?

Eli's 10th Birthday

2007-01-05T09:04:00.000-08:00

Today is Eli's tenth birthday...I am remembering his birth fondly and thinking about my first day as a new mother. His birth started as an overdue induction in the hospital but after a few drips of the Pitocin I asked my doctor to take me off and let my body do the rest naturally. My wishes were agreed to and I felt empowered and respected as a laboring woman throughout the rest of my labor. The delivery brought a 45 min. pushing phase and then out came this 8lb. 6oz. baby boy! When the doctor announced his sex he asked me and Russell what we would name him and I immediately answered; "Eli"! I hadn't thought of this name as even being an option beforehand so it came as a surprise to us all and it must have been meant to be. Eli is an old soul...one who feels deeply, listens intently, and seems to intuitively understand and accept many things good and bad. He has always been a pleasant child and was a wonderful baby. He has a sensitivity and strong sense of self that helps him get along in every situation. He is a natural intellectual, very cautious, thinks things through, gets along with friends and adults easily and is a love! We are so blessed! Happy Birthday sweet boy of mine!

"Birth Is As Safe As Life Gets"- Harriette Hartigan

2007-01-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

This is my maiden blog. I never thought I would be a blogger but my husband, Russell, has started one which has made me think twice. If he has something to say to the cyber world, well than so do I!
The title of this entry is one of my favorite quotes; it reminds me that birth is a natural process and one that should be believed in. We have lost sight of what natural birth is and why it's important. The statistics speak volumes: 1/3 of all births are cesarean and the numbers keep rising.
We need strong, wise women speaking from experience who will advocate for natural, wholistic pregnancy and birth. I am willing to stand up and make the statement and educate; we need women everywhere to make their voices heard and spread the word!
We owe it to all babies and mothers.