For centuries giving birth at home was the normal thing to do, but by the 1900′s women slowly began changing their birth setting by going to hospitals. As our understanding of anatomy, modern medicine, the mechanics’ of childbirth, and technology have significantly increased, more and more women are exploring the idea of a home birth with trained midwives or nurse-midwives for low-risk, healthy pregnancies. As the desire for home birth grows, the number of studies and statistical data will continue to grow and give us a greater understanding of the risks and benefits.

Do you HAVE to be a radical hippie to consider this? Is it safe? We will tackle all these questions and more on the show tonight. Is homebirth becoming mainstream? Watch this commercial from Pampers and tell us…

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“Recognizing the evidence that births to healthy mothers, who are not considered at medi- cal risk after comprehensive screening by trained professionals, can occur safely in various settings, including out-of-hospital birth centers and homes …Therefore, APHA Supports efforts to increase access to out-of-hospital maternity care services…”

American Public Health Association, “Increasing Access to Out-of-Hospital Maternity Care Services through State-Regulated and Nationally-Certified Direct-Entry Midwives (Policy Statement)”. American Journal of Public Health, Vol 92, No. 3, March 2002.

In the five European countries with the lowest infant mortality rates, midwives preside at more than 70% all births. More than half of all Dutch babies are born at home with midwives in attendance, and Holland’s maternal and infant mortality rates are far lower than in the United States… (Midwives Still Hassled by Medical Establishment, Caroline Hall Otis, Utne Reader, Nov./Dec. 1990, pages 32-34)

Mothering Magazine has calculated that using midwifery care for 75% the births in the U.S. would save an estimated $8.5 billion per year. (Madrona, Lewis & Morgaine, The Future of Midwifery in the United States, NAPSAC News, Fall-Winter, 1993, page 15)

“Excellent outcomes with much lower intervention rates are achieved at home births. This may be because the overuse of interventions in hospital births introduces risks or the home environment promotes problem-free labors.”

Henci Goer, Obstetric Myths versus Research Realities: A Guide to the Medical Literature. Bergin & Garvey, 1995.

Can’t Do without #1 Diapers:
It’s a dirty job and it’s now yours. The first thing a little one get’s donned with beside the baby blanket is a diaper. Whether you decide to go with cloth diapers or ecologically friendly disposable ones, you’ll need something to catch number one and his evil brother, number two – even if you’re doing elimination communication you are going to need the occasional diaper or 24.
I recommend Nature Baby Care Diapersif you are going the eco friendly route. I used (use them) because you wont find any of the chemicals you find in the other brand name diapers.

According to them:”

When it comes to your baby’s wellbeing you have a choice. A choice between environmentally friendly diapers based on natural materials that provide superior performance and are gentle on your baby, or your everyday run-of-the-mill diaper so often based on petrochemicals.

That’s why our diapers are:

• 100% chlorine free
• Based on biodegradable materials with a biodegradable back sheet and high loft
• 100% GM free

They also make nursing pads and sanitary pads!

If you are going the cloth Diaper Route Bum Geniusis an easy way to get started. There is no consensus on which cloth diapers are the best, in my experience (I used to own a maternity store) many of my clients used and raved about this diaper. I found them easy to use. Of course if we are going to talk about cloth diapers then you Must talk about soap to wash them with. You should not use your regular detergent to wash cloth diapers. The hands down winner for me is Rockin’ Green.

Here’s what they say about themselves: “Rockin’ Green is an award-winning manufacturer of eco-friendly cleaning products designed to make cleaning easier and greener. Most well-known for their clean-rinsing laundry detergent formulated for use on all fabrics and especially useful on cloth diapers, Rockin’ Green produces detergents for hard, soft and normal water conditions (known as Hard, Soft and Classic Rock varieties).Rockin’ Green also carries Funk Rock, a first-of-its kind natural ammonia bouncer, and Melody, an odor-neutralizer and air freshener home spray.”

I love their story, their customer service and their sense of humor:

Babes in arms #2 Baby Carriers
Okay, baby is now in a diaper. Great, now what? Well, you are going to want to hold your baby. “Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and fuss.”* I can hear you say, but Gena, I have laundry to do and dinner to cook and phones to answer, how can I possibly hold my baby?” Simple, do what our ancestors did. Wear your baby. A wrap sling is great for newborns, it keeps them snug and safe.
Their body is close to you, and you can even position the wrap to hold their head (see photo).

A Ring Sling is a great carrier if you only plan on buying one carrier. I personally adore Sakura Bloom. They make their slings out of linen. On their site they describe why this is an important factor: “Linen is naturally antibacterial with a built-in wicking property to it, so is fantastic for hot climates where baby might be sweating.  It will wick moisture away from the baby and then dry quickly on it own keeping you both comfortable.  Linen is made from Flax which is one of the world’s strongest natural fibers. Flax is 5 times stronger than cotton! Sakura Bloom linen slings breathe beautifully, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.” I have had the pleasure of using their slings over the last 6 years. 

For more reasons on why you should hold your baby often see the Natural Child Project’s post on the 10 Reasons to Wear Your Baby.
Getting Around, Safely #3 Car Seat

If you drive a car, then you’ll need a good car seat. Check the following sites for information on car seat safety ratings, and be sure to have your seat installed properly and learn how to position your baby in it correctly: NHTSA Child Safety Seat Ease of Use Ratings,NHTSA Child Safety, Car-Seat.org. Most parents have their car seats installed incorrectly. Make the investment, keep your baby safe. When I can afford one I want the Recaro seat. Yes, Recaro the same folks that make car seats for race car drivers.

Pump it Up #4 Brestfeeding Gear: For mamas returning to work, invest in a good pump and quality bottles or cups. You may need nursing pads while your baby establishes a good milk supply – try cloth ones instead of disposable to lessen the amount of packaging and waste, plus the disposables can stick to sore nipples (ouch!).

First Aid #5 A Trusty Thermometer: It’s best to be sure and not guess when it comes to your babies health. Preferences vary on what kind of thermometer is “best,” but many parents like temporal read thermometers because they are easy to use and accurate.

Manicured Baby #6 Baby nail clippers: Baby finger nails are tiny. You need specialized equipment. Even at 5 my Uma’s nails are too tiny for big people clippers.

Clearing a Path #7 Nasal Aspirator: In our house we call it the booger sucker. Using it is easy (if you are nursing substitute Breast milk for saline. Usually, just a tad of breast milk will clear away the mucus.) If saline or breastmilk don’t do the job use an aspirator. This one LOOKS crazy but it works;

Suit Up  #8 Baby Clothes It’s tempting to go out and buy  cute little outfits for your adorable baby. Bear in mind however, that you will be changing diapers all day long. Do yourself a solid (considering all the soft poo you have to deal with) and get baby gowns. They make diaper changing easier no pants to pull off and if baby is bigger than expected it’s o.k. Gowns are forgiving and last a while.

Where Will Baby Sleep? #9 The Decision: When my mother was born, the story goes, my grandparents put her in a cot near their cot, they were migrant farm workers. They didn’t have a house so a crib was out of the question.  Turns out they were doing my mom a favor. Studies show that infants who sleep near to parents have more stable temperatures, regular heart rhythms, and fewer long pauses in breathing compared to babies who sleep alone . This means baby sleeps physiologically safer. Read more about this at the Attachment Parenting International site.  You don’t necessarily NEED a big fancy crib. Co-Sleepers like the Arms Reach sell for $150 and make life easy by keeping baby, well, at arms reach. If you chose to share your bed with your baby (if you are nursing) all you need are safety guidelines. If you are concerned about your S.O. rolling over here’s a wonderful product, the Humanity Family Bed! It prevents roll-offs and allows for relaxed sleep. It’s a large pad for Mom and baby handcrafted from soft pure organic cotton flannel fabric to absorb leaks and comfort baby. It even has a Detachable Sleeping Bean body pillow essential comfort for pregnant moms. The pad stays in place by body weight and it’s Doctor recommended and endorsed! Read more about bed-sharing here.

A Bag by Any Other Name #10 The Diaper Bag
With my first child I actually owned a diaper bag that cost over $100. We all do silly things in our youth. By the time I was 36 and gave birth to my third child what (little) I carried when we went on outings, fit in a backpack I already owned! No fancy bag needed. Plus I’m not a big purse person as I have practically no shoulders to speak of. Instead of dealing with a slipping bag strap I just slipped my backpack on and go.

The Necessary Evil #11 Strollers
Strollers are neither necessary nor are they evil. However, many folks live lifestyles that may call for the help a trusty stroller can lend. I know we have employed the help of one at Jazz concerts and fairs. Look, if you are going to be outside of your home for hours alone or with a partner, there is going to be a time when you both will crave a few minutes when you are NOT HOLDING THE BABY FOR FIVE MINUTES! So, if you are sure your life will be full of enough circumstances where you will be traversing many miles or are planning on having more than one child, here is my stroller suggestion: Stroller Prologue: Back when we used to own a Maternity/Baby store we sold strollers. I have heard tons of feedback from customers and between their experience and my own I always suggest when asked, the Quinny. It’s nice to look at, but more importantly it folds easily (seriously, this is important!) and for an AP mom like me I love that the seat can face you. If I am going to push my babe out in front of me I at least want eye contact. Not to be THAT mom, have you all seen the film Away We Go!? LOL! Please watch the trailer, the scene is at 1:34 sec into the trailer. So, back to the Quinny. The price point will not kill you and if we are talking registry maybe grandma our your great Aunt Edna will spring for it for you. There are other strollers, and for some folks a $20 Umbrella stroller is all you need. Take a peak at the Quinny then do your own research. But I think when you take a glimpse you will know why I like it.

This is it for the traditional registry list. However there are things that I WISH mamas would register for…

Be Supported, #12 Get a Doula:

Register for a doula. Ask for help to pay for a birth doula AND a postpartum doula.

Don’t Clean or Feed Your New Family #13 Frozen Food and Clean Up

You just gave birth. You, your baby and your partner are spent. This is a time to settle in together and get to know each other in your new dynamic. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to cook and clean does it? You have by now heard from friends and family, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Yes. Yes there is. At my last shower I insisted on no gifts, instead when everyone showed up they saw that I had a huge poster board up as a giant sign up sheet. I asked folks to sign up to:

1) Bring over a Frozen dinner day one after I had given birth and so on for 2 weeks out.

2) Come over to either a] Vacuum, b]do laundry, c] wash dishes etc

3) watch our other kids.
I made sure that our first two weeks in this new dynamic was respected and treated with reverence. My close friends and family were more than happy to do it and they saved money. My busy pals that couldn’t do these things bought frozen food or sent us take out on them or just bought us gift certificates or paid for a maid service. Thinking outside the box paid off in rest and relaxation after the hard work of gestation and labor!

I hope this has helped! Veteran mamas…anything I left out? Let me know in the comments! 

*Hunziker, U.A. and R.G. Barr (1986). “Increased carrying reduces infant crying: A randomized controlled trial”. Pediatrics. 7:641-648

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

So you checked the expiration date on the home pregnancy test and waited ten minutes, and all signs pointed to yes.  Next question is, when is the baby getting here? I cringe at the word DUE date. When you are told the baby is due on a certain date and the baby isn’t born on that date, the parents become concerned, anxious and sometimes disheartened. These emotions are not helpful if a stress-free birth is part of your birth plan. In the ‘olden days’ you knew you were due sometime in May or Dec, ah, now wouldn’t that be easier? You could circle a whole month on the calendar like Jim Dear does (5 mins and 50 seconds into this YOU TUBE CLIP from Disney’s LADY AND THE TRAMP. [  They also discuss how no one ever knows for certain what the sex of the baby will be. (Darling has a home birth by the way).]

Health care professionals use a standard calculation to ascertain a baby’s birth date. Known as the estimated delivery date(EDD in medical speak), it is based on the premise that conception takes place two weeks after the first day after the first day of a womans last menstrual period (LMP). As Pregnancy lasts around 266 days, this is added to the two weeks to make a total of 280 days, or 40 weeks, from the first day of your LMP.

The flaw in calculating an EDD is that not ALL women have 28-day cycles, and they may conceive in months consisting of up to 31 days. In fact, only about 5% of babies arrive on their EDD:seven out of ten are born AFTER it. Going g past your EDD in the US can be problematic. This is because the placenta ages and may not be functioning optimaly beyond 40 weeks-possibly depriving baby of oxygen and nutrients. For this reason most hospitals advise women to be induced when they are ten days beyond their EDD.

According to Online Athens; ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)recently issued guidelines for doctors to help determine when inducing labor is appropriate. In response to media inquiries, the group warned women not to try to induce delivery on Jan. 1, 2000.
“Inducing labor to meet some arbitrary millennial timeline is frivolous,” said Dr. Charles Lockwood of the group’s Committee on Obstetric Practice.

LETTING EVERYONE KNOW

Most of us are bursting to spread the news, but it may be best to wait a while before alerting the neighborhood. Unfortunately the reason is as follows; one in five pregnancies can end in miscarriage or ‘spontaneous abortion’ – in three out of four cases, before the tenth week, sometimes even before the woman has realized she is pregnant(in which case it seems like a very late, very heavy period).

Also, as well as wanting to make sure your pregnancy is continuing, you may need time to adjust emotionally. Even if you were hoping for a baby, finding out you are pregnant can bring on a flood of conflicting feelings such as excitement, shock and fear-about the impending birth, your ability to cope, how it will affect your work, income and your relationship. Even though your partners body isn’t changing like yours, they can be profoundly affected by the prospect of parenthood. They may have just as many conflicting emotions as you, ranging from joy, shock , pride anxiety and wonder about shared responsibilities and your health and happiness. Now is the time to talk things through, discuss honestly and openly how you feel about all the aspects of your pregnancy labor and impending parenthood. Give yourselves the time and space you need to share your feelings with each other now and though the rest of your pregnancy, this will give you the time necessary to bond as a couple and as parents.

It my be helpful to get the help of a L.M.F.T. (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)at this time. Or seek counseling through your local Church, Synagogue or Mosque or other place of worship. Regardless, seek help and counseling and support.

WHO WILL PROVIDE YOUR CARE & WHERE WILL YOU DELIVER?

After you discover you are pregnant get thee to a healthcare provider. First you need to decide whether you would prefer a midwife or a doctor, pregnancy-info.net has excellent information regarding midwives if you are unfamiliar with the term/profession.

So, where to have the baby? Well, your birth choices may be limited by where you live. For example, as I write this I am in Fresno, Ca. Choices for women here include; the hospital or a home birth. A local group is trying to open a birth center here, but until then Fresnans are left with only two choices. If your pregnancy is complicated or “high-risk” you will be directed to give birth in a hospital.

Your ultimate choice will come from the style of birth you would like. If you hope to avoid interventions and medical (Pharmacological) birth, then a homebirth may be your choice. If on the other hand you are more comfortable with technology high-tech equipment and the closeness of an operating room than the hospital may be your best bet.

CHECK IT OUT

Find out first hand, interview midwives, take a hospital tour. Find out the hospitals induction and c-section rates, this information can be very telling. Will they let you have a Doula, can you get alternative care (acupuncture etc..). Will the anesthesiologist be on call 24/7? When talking to your midwife make sure you click, it’s important that she makes you feel safe and confident.

HOME BIRTH

According to ABC NEWS /Health; “While less than 1 percent of all births in the United States take place outside the hospital, the number of those births taking place at home has increased by 3.5 percent between 2003-04 and 2005-06, according to the new report. The stats say there were 46,371 home births in 2003-04, and 49,438 home births in 2005-06. “They’re still not that common, but we did see some increase,” said Marian MacDorman, a statistician at the CDC’s Nation Center for Health Statistics and one of the study’s authors.

The new numbers came after a period in which births outside the hospital, which can include births at a birthing center or in a doctor’s office, as well as home births, had been decreasing since 1990.

Some of the breakdowns behind the new numbers suggest that the most recent trend might be a negative reaction to a hospital birth experience, since the majority of mothers choosing a home birth have had children before.

“The fact that it’s primarily women who had kids before and had birth in hospitals before, certainly suggests it’s a reaction to their prior birth,” said Eugene Declercq, a professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, and a author of the study. “It certainly suggests it’s an experience they don’t want to repeat.”

The advanatges to homebirth include feeling more relaxed, with limited restrictions on what you can eat or how often or where you can move and who can attend the birth. However, pain relief is limited to self-help methods. If complications arise you will be transfered to a hospital.

We are not sure if this is a radio first, but it is definitely a first for us. This is the first installment of a three week series covering the last weeks of pregnancy for first time parents.  Host, Gena Kirby, who is also aDoula, will share (over the air) what actually happens between a pregnant couple and the guardian of their journey.  This is reality radio at it’s best!  Make sure you listen to the show live and call in with the questions you would have if you were in their situation. In the third installment (if baby cooperates) we will be discussing the birth and how these new parents feel about their experience. We hope you will join us!

Call in number to speak with the host

(917) 889-2491

Cesarean births are most often performed for two main reasons:

• the danger to the mother or baby would be greater with a vaginal birth
• things go unexpectedly wrong during a vaginal delivery

The following reasons fall under these two main reasons:

• Dystocia. The number one reason for cesarean birth is ‘dystocia.’ Dystocia refers to any difficulty in labor. The difficulty can be caused by:
  • The fetus is not be able to progress down the birth canal. Failure of labor to progress can be caused by contractions that aren’t vigorous enough to open the cervix (dilate) enough for the baby to move through the vagina or the baby presents other than crown first that prevents progress through the birth canal. Failure to progress accounts for about 1/3 of all cesarean births.
  • The size of the baby compared to the size of the mother’s pelvis—if the baby’s head is too big to pass through the mothers pelvis it can cause a very difficult vaginal delivery and even stop the cervix from completely dilating. In some cases, the pelvis may be misshapen or the baby presents the largest part of the head instead of the crown and it’s too large for the pelvis. Some babies are just too big to be born vaginally; large babies are common with gestational diabetes.
  • Weak contractions in the mother’s uterus; strong contractions are needed to push the baby out from mother’s womb. Extended labor can be a risk to both the mother and the baby, more so to the baby.
  • Your baby’s head is in the wrong position or presentation—the normal position at birth would be head down with the back (crown) of the head leading the way—called the cephalic presentation. This presentation makes your baby the “smallest.” If your baby presents face first or forehead first, your pelvis may not be large enough for your baby to get through.
• Obstruction or severe distortion of the birth canal (caused by pelvic tumor or fibroid tumors)
• Previous cesarean birth. There is a common saying “once a cesarean, always a cesarean.” This thinking led to an large increase in cesarean birth rates. This used to be true since most surgeons used the classical cesarean incision that had more blood loss and left weak incision sites. Weak incision sites made ruptures more common in later pregnancies. Recently, the low transverse uterine incision has become more common reducing the risk of rupture and enables a mother to try a vaginal delivery after cesarean (VBAC).
• Position of the fetus within the uterus. The normal position just before the delivery is a head-down (cephalic) position. If the baby presents in one of the positions listed below, vaginal delivery could lead to the trauma or death of the fetus. Sometimes the baby can be turned to allow vaginal delivery. Problems can also arise when the umbilical cord is “born” before the baby, cutting off the baby’s blood supply.
  • Breech presentation. When the fetus is in a head-up, feet-first or rump-first position it’s called a breech presentation. The breech position can be further classified as frank (hips are bent and knees are straight), complete (knees and hips are bent), footling (knees and hips of one or both legs straight) or incomplete (one or both hips bent and one or both feet or knees lying below the breech).
  • Shoulder. There are many shoulder presentations, however, all transverse positions (sideways) are called shoulder presentations.
  • Compound. When two body parts appear at the pelvis at the same time, such as a hand beside the head, it’s called a compound presentation.
• Fetal distress is used to describe any complications with the fetus—such as abnormal heart rate from poor oxygen supply—and usually does not allow vaginal delivery. In most cases, fetal distress is lack of oxygen to the brain of the fetus (oxygen deprivation). Lack of oxygen can be caused by the umbilical cord is compressed or there are problems with the placenta, cutting off the blood supply to the fetus. Lack of oxygen can be diagnosed by monitoring the fetal heart rate. Lack of oxygen can cause very serious complications if the fetus is not delivered right away. Cesareans can also be necessary in cases of congenital (at birth) abnormalities of the fetus.
• Multiple births. When there is more than one fetus most surgeons deliver by cesarean births. Cesarean birth is a much safer method to deliver multiple babies. About half of all mothers who have twins, have a c-section, while 90% of triplets are born by c-section.
• Very premature fetus.
• Problems with the Umbilical When the umbilical cord is delivered ahead of the fetus, called cord prolapse, it causes the cord to get compressed by the baby and oxygen and the blood supply to the baby is cut off. This is an emergency that requires cesarean birth. Sometimes, the cord can be completely delivered and if the baby is coming right behind it, you may be able to have a vaginal birth. If the cord is around the baby’s neck, contractions can compress the cord causing the blood flow—and therefore oxygen—to your baby to slow down.
• Problems with the Placenta. The placenta can detach from the uterine wall (abruptio placentae) before labor begins and be life threatening for both you and your baby. Placenta previa is when the placenta partially or completely blocks the opening of the cervix. In this case, the placenta would have to be born first, leaving the fetus without oxygen. In addition, blood loss for the mother could be fatal.
• Health of the Mother. Certain health conditions of the mother can require a cesarean birth:
  • History of previous problems during childbirth
  • Active herpes sores
  • Narrow cervix (vaginal atresia)
  • Gestational diabetes
  • Pregnancy-induced hypertension
  • Vaginal infections or tumors
  • HIV
  • Cervical cancer
  • Heart disease or risk of stroke
  • Severe obesity
  • Repeat Miscarriages: Mothers who have had repeat miscarriages in the past usually have weak uterus may need a medical procedure to stitch the cervix closed. If the stitches are in at the time of labor, the only way of delivering the baby is by cesarean.
  • Rh Factor: In erythroblastosis fetalis (difference in the Rh factor of the mother and the fetus), there is a risk of fetal anemia.
• Health of the Baby. If your baby has been diagnosed with health problems, it may be better for your baby to be born by cesarean birth. Also, monitoring during labor will tell how well your baby is handling labor and how well the placenta and umbilical cord are working

Many of these complications happen in a very small number of births. And the decision for cesarean birth is decided by balancing the risks and benefits to mother and baby.

If you are someone who falls into the category of having to have a planned cesarean  consider this type of surgery. It is woman centered and conscience of the needs of the infant. Do I think that this birth is preferable to the usual cut ‘em out drag ‘em out every-day-occurrence c-section? Yes, yes I do. When women and children are taken into consideration it can be a beautiful thing.

So what’s a nuchal cord? It’s an umbilical cord around the neck, it  is a common occurrence during birth. Around a third of all babies are born with the cord around their neck (please be sure to read her blog post in its entirety). According to Rachels post;

When a c-section is done for fetal distress or ‘lack of progress’ the presence of a nuchal cord is often used as the reason… “ah, look – your baby was stressed because the cord was around his neck”. The cord is unlikely to have had anything to do with the stress or ‘lack of progress’. Most likely other interventions carried our during labour led to the end scenario (eg. syntocinon). Not surprisingly fear about nuchal cords is embedded within our culture.

I really do believe that even within birth word, there is a pervasive fear of many things surrounding birth. As a midwifery assistant at a home birth, I had started oxygen and pulled out the  resuscitation board and had dialed 9-1 on my cell after 1 minute had passed (it seemed like forever compared to other births I had assisted at before) and sweet little baby was still blue. The midwife instructed the couple to call to their baby and as soon as they did, she began to pink from her chest out. The couple had not seemed phased but I was terrified. I only later shared my earlier terror with the midwife hours after the birth. She assured me that my fear was normal for someone who had seen so few births at that time.

My point in sharing this is,  it’s imperative that as Doulas we understand as much as possible about what is normal and what is not concerning birth. We should not be complacent in our work and should always be striving to learn as much as we can. I have included some sites that I visit often in our links category under DOULA SCHOOL.

Please Join us for a Special Screening of the BUSINESS OF BEING BORN

Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business.

Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies.

The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal.

Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?

Learn about the ins and outs and truths about giving birth in America, followed by an expert panel discussion regarding the film

Join Us July 10th at 11 am

Informed Choice, what does it mean to you as a PARENT? It means knowing what your rights and choices are. It means knowing how best to protect your baby and yourself. It means your ability to advocate for your baby, who desperately needs you to.

Find out about Informed Choice by listening to this informative episode of PROGRESSIVE PARENTING with Marsden Wagner and Lisa Gartin RN

More FYI:Birth can be a vulnerable place for many new parents. Our guests today emphasise the importance of independent childbirth education. Informed choice, is the best way to advocate for your health and safety and your babies well being as well.

Marsden Wagner BIO:

born in San Francisco, his education at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) included an M.D., clinical specialty training in pediatrics, then in perinatology (neonatology and obstetrics) followed by two years post-graduate study with an advanced scientific degree in perinatal science. Following several years of full time clinical practice and some years as a full time faculty member at UCLA, he was a Director of Maternal and Child Health for the California State Health Department. After six years as Director of the University of Copenhagen-UCLA Health Research Center, he was for 15 years Director of Womens and Childrens Health for the World Health Organization. He is now an independent consultant.

With extensive experience in maternity care in industrialized countries, including midwifery and the appropriate use of technology during pregnancy and birth, he has consulted and lectured in over 50 countries and given testimony before the US Congress, British Parliament, French National Assembly, Italian Parliament, Russian Parliament and others. His publications, in 11 different languages, include 131 scientific papers, 20 book chapters and 14 books.

LISA GARTIN : Lisa Gartin is a pediatric nurse, a Lamaze and lactation educator, a Birth Doula, a mentor,a Lactivist,and an active member of our local Birth scene. She loves leading families on their journey to discovery and feels very blessed each time she is invited into their lives. This isn’t a job, it is a calling, and she is thankful that she was called. Make sure you visit her website, Birthrightrn.com for more on her services and to visit ChildbirthResourceNetwork.org for more on the Birth scene of the Central Valley.

Speaking of the docs, they were very convivial. They joked and whenever my client would complain the head surgeon blamed it on his colleague. It took about 30 minutes then my client was moved to recovery. The staff was kind enough to let me stay with my client till her baby was brought in to her 40 minutes later. I am grateful to the doctor and staff at Saint Agnes for being compassionate to my client and allowing me to offer her support when she needed it the most.

This mind blowing film will have you looking at birth and midwifery in a whole new way. I hope you will be able to attend. RSVP by joining THE PARENT CIRCLE go to EVENTS and RSVP. While you are there join the Doula’s group so new moms can find you! And/or go to Face Book and type in Guerilla Midwife

To watch an enticing trailer of the film click HERE

There is no cost, we are however asking for a donation of $2 a portion of the proceeds benefits The Birth Center in Haiti and The Luna Maya Birth center in Sand Crstobal de las Casa in Chiapas, Mexico