Birth Faith

Technical difficulties

2011-12-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hello, again, Blogger. It's been a while.

Dusting off this blog to let you know that my website http://birthfaith.org is having difficulties. Out of nowhere this morning, all of my blogposts and pages disappeared. For whatever reason I also can't post anything new over there.

I am holding out hope that my blog content can be recovered with the help of my brother/website designer. Unfortunately, I don't have my blog backed-up, though some of the posts are available through Wayback Machine's archive. Phew.

In the meantime, is it weird to ask you to pray for my blog? I hope not. Please do. Much thanks!

Morning sickness and Pitocin's potential hazards

2010-07-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to update your subscriptions and feeds to pull posts from my new website: http://birthfaith.org. If you haven't checked out my new website yet, here's a taste of what you're missing:

Preventing Morning Sickness

Most of what we hear about morning sickness is that it’s normal and even healthy for pregnant women. We’re given lots of tips for treating it’s discomforts–eating small, frequent meals, ginger, medication, etc. But what if morning sickness could be prevented or eliminated? In early pregnancy, a mother’s body is undergoing enormous changes. Her stores of vital minerals and nutrients (such as magnesium) are being sacrificed for her baby’s first crucial weeks of development. As alkalinizing minerals become depleted, perhaps her body is tipped into the acidic range of the pH scale? For women who start pregnancy with already acidic bodies, this could be even more pronounced and uncomfortable. Could morning sickness be stemming from that acidic environment? Possibly? . . .

Click HERE to read the full post.

Pitocin's untold impact

"[I]t is probable that, at a quasi-global level, we routinely interfere with the development of the oxytocin system of human beings at a critical phase for gene-environment interaction." -Michel Odent, MD

Oxytocin is the hormone of love and bonding and human connection. If the oxytocin system is damaged, or a child’s oxytocin receptors become desensitized, the ramifications are huge. A brain and body with an impaired ability to release or detect oxytocin sounds like misery to me. As more and more scientists study oxytocin’s impact, we can see how crucial our body’s oxytocin systems can be for human life, love, and happiness. . . .

Click HERE to read the full post.

Come on over!

Peace out, blogger

2010-07-17T13:06:00.001-07:00

Alright, my friends. Today's the day I reveal my new website: http://birthfaith.org. Click over HERE for an exciting announcement followed by my latest crazy theory on preventing morning sickness.

There are still a few glitches with the site that I need to work out, but mostly I'm happy with how it's working and looking. Huge thanks to my big brother, Kimball, for taking matters into his own hands to push me into my own domain and for all the help, late nights, and hard work in the creation process.

Please update your subscriptions on Google Reader (or wherever you might read my posts) to feed from http://birthfaith.org. I have transferred over some of my most popular posts to the new site, but feel free to continue sharing your favorite posts from my blogger blog--they'll still be here.

See you at the new locale! And stay tuned for a contest in which I'll need your creative juices and will award some cool prizes.

About

2010-07-14T10:17:00.002-07:00

We're back from vacation. Missing these:

But sleeping in my own bed last night was bliss! I've got a few blogposts in the works in my head, but I will probably be spending most of the day unpacking, doing laundry, and restocking my refrigerator. So, in the meantime, I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek of part of my new website: the "About" page. Just in case you've been wondering... who is this "Buscando la luz," anyway?

I'm a mom of three, doula-in-training, soon-to-be book author, lover of mountains and trees, wannabe photographer, and a Mormon. I have a school psychologist husband I call "Ax" in the blogosphere, two daughters born in hospitals, a son born at home, and a two-year-old shih tzu we call Boston. I grew up in a variety of places (Arizona, Utah, and Massachusetts), traveling often between divorced parents. I graduated in April 2003 from Brigham Young University where I majored in English (with an emphasis in editing).

In December of 2007, I turned to Blogger as an outlet for my passionate drive to share what I learned and loved about birth, taking on the psuedonym, "Buscando la luz." When I started that blog, I was coming out of a difficult phase of my life. I had spent the previous year or so full of anger and frustration about the world. Following my second daughter's birth, I became ill repeatedly, culminating in kidney stones. Those illnesses weren't surprising considering all the negativity and darkness I felt weighed-down by. Then we moved out of the basement where we lived to cute old house with lots of sunlight.

It was incredibly refreshing moving to that sunny little house. We had literally let the light back into our lives, but I still needed to let the light back into my heart.

Then one day I found and checked out a copy of Dan Zanes' album, Night Time!, from our public library. The pure joy and beauty of that music changed me. In his version of "What a Wonderful World," the end of the song has some lyrics not found in the original---a lullabye interspersed with Spanish phrases:
Sleep mi bebe, we are all here
Buscando la luz in the city
So that you may hear the laughter
El cantar y el gozar through the night
Arruru mi nene, arruru mi nena
Y que duermas con los angeles
Arruru mi nene, arruru mi nena
Y que duermas con los angeles
I loved how the song made me feel. I especially loved the Spanish phrase: "Buscando la luz en este mundo." It basically means, "Seeking the light in this world." The song and that phrase was exactly the mantra I needed at that time in my life. Seeking the light in this world. As I bathed in the warm light in our new home, I also began filling my soul with light and positivity. When I decided to take on a blogging psuedonym, I knew exactly what I needed to call myself: "Buscando la luz." And that's what I try to do. No matter how discouraged I become by the problems with maternity care in the U.S. (and other countries), no matter how many horror stories I am bombarded with, I'm not going to stop seeking out truth and light and goodness and sharing what I discover. I am and will forever be "seeking the light."

So you can call me Buscando la luz, or "Busca," for short. Or you can call me by the Hawaiian name my mom gave me nearly thirty years ago: Lani. And, coincidentally, this light-seeker now resides in the land of year-round sunlight--the Valley of the Sun, AZ.

Now I'd love to hear about you!

On loving baby slime

2010-07-02T09:02:00.002-07:00

I don't have much time to write since we're currently on vacation, I've been busy working with my brother on my new website (still under construction...stay tuned for the big reveal), and we will be gone camping for the next couple of days, but I thought I'd re-post "First baths, etc." because I think it's on to something and some of my new readers might not have seen it yet. Since writing the original post, I found a site that claims, "There are immediate and detectible [sic] changes in the hormone levels of mother and child when they smell each other." I really wish they gave a reference, because I'd love to take a peek at more research on this subject. Anyway... enjoy!

I've got this new theory. I'm not going to suggest that I'm the first to come up with this. It's only "new" in the sense that it's "new" to me. I'd love to see it tested with some research on mothers and infants.

A few weeks ago I got thinking about the profoundly intense bond I developed with my son following my home birth. I had never experienced anything like it. Sure, I developed a deep love for my daughters, but it took much longer and came far less naturally. I have come up with many possible explanations for the intensity of the bond with my son...

Read the rest of this post over at my new website!

The irrelevance of home vs. hospital

2010-06-29T09:17:00.002-07:00

Ever since a conversation last night with my brother and sister-in-law, I've had this phrase going through my mind: "It's not where you are, it's who you're with." It seems to me that traumatic births often prompt couples to choose an alternative path for subsequent births. For those who experience that trauma in the hospital, home birth often provides the healing they seek. Because of the trauma my brother and his wife suffered following their home birth (and I do think my brother has some valid and genuine post-traumatic stress), they will likely have all of their subsequent children in hospitals. I think it's just human nature to associate those intense frightening emotions with the place where they occurred regardless of whether the place contributed to their occurrence.

We can strive to reduce complications, we can keep our bodies healthy and strong, but we can't control everything that arises as we give birth. Complications can and do arise in all birth locations. As long as a laboring woman is within the standard "thirty minutes from decision to incision," what matters most in the midst of a birth complication is who is taking care of her and how do they respond? Do they have the skills, experience, presence of mind, and knowledge of evidence-based practice to ensure her safety and well being? Being five minutes from (or even inside of) a hospital doesn't guarantee that a care provider will advise the best possible solution to a problem. Likewise, being at home with a midwife doesn't guarantee that a birth will be peaceful and empowering. Midwives can degrade and doctors can earn the title "Wonderful." It's not where you are, it's who you're with.

Read the rest of this post at my new website!

Melatonin's role in labor progress

2010-06-26T14:50:00.005-07:00

(Re-post of "Turn off the lights!")

In February of last year, I heard about a study that reaffirms what our mammal cousins have known instinctively for thousands of years... birth should happen in a dark, comfortable place. It also helps explain why most women go into labor in the middle of the night. And why so many labors slow down or stall in a hospital setting....

Read the rest of this post over at my new website!

The positive impact of prenatal exercise

2010-06-23T10:39:00.003-07:00

The following is a re-post of my August 2008 post Wanna Improve Your Odds?:

I mentioned back in April that I had been skimming the book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy, by James F. Clapp M.D. I was really impressed at that time with the amazing benefits of exercising through pregnancy. But I didn't read the book in-depth. I decided earlier this week that I wanted to take a closer look. Now that I've read several of the chapters and examined the data thoroughly, I am telling you... it absolutely blows me away.

There are risks inherent in pregnancy and childbirth, but we can do things to minimize those risks. We all know that good nutrition is essential for pregnant women. Poor nutrition often leads to pre-term and low-birthweight infants as well as pre-eclampsia in mothers. Eating well is one of the absolute best things you can do for your unborn child's physical and neurological growth. But now I'm convinced that exercise may be just as important.

I won't go into all the benefits of prenatal exercise here. I'd just like to focus on one set of benefits in particular--the effects of exercise on the course of labor. You might remember my very early post about the benefits of doulas. Having a doula assist your labor and delivery reduces many chidbirth risks significantly. Prenatal exercise has even more pronounced benefits.

Women who continue exercising regularly through the end of their pregnancies (three times a week for at least 20 minutes at a moderately hard to hard level of exertion) demonstrated the following reduced risks during the birth process...

* 35% decrease in the need for pain relief
* 75% decrease in the incidence of maternal exhaustion
* 50% decrease in the need to artificially rupture membranes
* 50% decrease in the need to induce or augment labor with pitocin
* 50% decrease in the need to intervene because of abnormalities in the fetal heart rate
* 55% decrease in the need for episiotomy
* 75% decrease in the need for operative intervention (forceps or cesarean section)

In addition, check these out...

* More than 65% of the exercising women delivered in less than four hours.
* 72% delivered before their due date (but fewer of them delivered before 37 weeks--preterm--than the control group). The exercising women delivered, on average, 5-7 days earlier than active women who did not exercise regularly.
* Significant reduction in the incidence of umbilical cord entanglement.
* Much lower incidence of fetus passing meconium from distress.
* Umbilical cord blood samples indicated that babies of exercising moms remained relatively stress-free with plenty of oxygen. They seemed to tolerate the stresses of labor and delivery better than the control group.
* The exercising mothers' infants were, on average, 14 oz lighter but overall growth was not compromised.
* Placentas of exercising mothers are larger, more efficient, and healthier-looking.
* Infants born to exercising mothers were more alert postpartum and needed less consolation from others.

(All of these results are taken from Dr. Clapp's studies as reported in Exercising Through Your Pregnancy. See this fabulous book for even more amazing benefits.)

It blows my mind.

Imagine how huge the risk reductions would be if you exercised through pregnancy AND had a doula. Whoah. We can do so much to avoid the pitfalls of pregnancy and birth. It gives me so much joy and hope to know that I am not at the mercy of chance. I have a great deal of power over my circumstances when it comes to pregnancy and birth. It is a wonderful thing to be able to choose to pro-actively reduce risks and bring so much benefit to myself and my babies. I love it!

Mothering at the breast

2010-06-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

Back in January, my baby was admitted to the hospital with a bizarre rash and swelling. During his illness and our hospital stay, I'd say he was at my breast at least 70% of the time. When the nurse wanted to give him an I.V. for fluids, fortunately I asked, "Are you worried he's becoming dehydrated?" After assuring her that he was breastfeeding almost constantly, they agreed to hold off on the I.V. as long as I kept track of all his feedings and he continued to have lots of wet diapers. So they gave me a chart to mark all his "feedings." It was kind of a joke. When a baby is almost constantly nursing both day and night? Ha.

One of the mornings, when the nurse asked about the feeding chart, I mentioned that it was hard to keep track in the middle of the night because he was nursing so often and sometimes I fell asleep mid-feeding and wasn't sure when it officially "ended." It was clear from her facial expression that my nursing style was totally foreign to her. She replied, "Well, then that's not breastfeeding... that's just for comfort."

I was perplexed by her response. What's the difference? Of course he wanted extra comfort... he was very sick, sleeping in a foreign place, being awakened repeatedly (after finally, blessedly falling asleep) for nurses and doctors to "take a peek" at his rash, being poked multiple times for blood draws and tests... of course he wanted and needed extra comfort! But that "comfort" and my breastmilk were inseparable. Even if a baby is suckling only for comfort, the breast doesn't know the difference. The breast responds to suckling by giving milk.

And how grateful I was that the only thing he wanted to do was nurse! While many babies with his illness develop gastro-intestinal discomfort, blood in the stools, and other more serious problems, he never did, and I attribute that to the vast amounts of breastmilk he consumed during that time.

In my mind, nursing is so much more than "feeding." I have never wanted to restrict my babies' suckling time to conform to when they "should" be hungry. When one of my babies becomes distressed, the first thing I almost always offer is my breast, even if they just "ate" two minutes before. If they don't seem interested or aren't calmed by suckling, then I try other ways to soothe them.

I was talking with a friend last week about how my babies have never taken to bottles or pacifiers. I mentioned that my baby boy will happily drink water from a bottle when he's thirsty, and he would probably even drink milk from a bottle (though we've never tried). The other day he found an old pacifier and sucked on it for a bit for fun. But if someone tried to stick a bottle or pacifier in his mouth when he was grumpy, tired, afraid, or distressed, he would cast them away and only scream harder.

I am his pacifier. I am the only answer to his deepest cries. Nothing and no one else can give him what I can give. Call it "just for comfort" if you want, but it's all the same to me. In my mind you cannot separate breastfeeding, nursing, and soothing... they are all one.

There are many who would say my son no longer "needs" breastmilk or night-feedings because he's 14-months-old. There are some who would have said he didn't need them when he was in the hospital at 9-months-old. I say that the time when I am able to provide this gift to him will pass in the blink of an eye. This time when only my body can comfort him is precious and fleeting. If it means I will lose a few years of uninterrupted sleep, so be it. If he's three years old before he's able to soothe himself back to sleep on his own, so be it.

Because of my own history and struggles with abandonment issues, there is almost nothing more important to me than establishing a secure, unbreakable attachment with my babies... telling them with my every touch and action that I will always be here... that I will never abandon them, especially when they need me the most, no matter what time of day or night. I've never regretted one moment of nurse-comforting my children, and I feel confident that I will look back when I'm past my childbearing years with gratitude that I didn't push those precious nursing relationships away for the sake of independence or convenience. (P.S. Moms who don't continue nursing through the second year are really missing out on the best trick up their sleeves for dealing with those daily toddler tantrums.)

Me and my almost 15-month-old nursling last weekend

I appreciate these words (shared by Sarah, one of my facebook fans) from lactation consultant, Diane Wiessinger:

Easy, long-term breastfeeding involves forgetting about the "breast" and the "feeding" (and the duration, and the interval, and the transmission of the right nutrients in the right amounts, and the difference between nutritive and non-nutritive suckling needs, all of which form the focus of artificial milk pamphlets) and focusing instead on the relationship. . . . [T]he real joys and satisfactions of the experience begin when they stop "breastfeeding" and start mothering at the breast. (Source)

Maybe that nurse in the hospital was right, after all. I wasn't really "breastfeeding" in that hospital, I was mothering at the breast.

You know you're a birth junkie when...

2010-06-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

...you see a photo like this one (taken by yours truly this very morning in the woods near Payson, AZ)...

...and think: Placenta!

Rejoicing with a friend

2010-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. -Marian Wright Edelman

Back in January, I got a surprising email from a local friend. I discovered:

1) She was pregnant with her first baby.
2) She had been following my birth blog.
3) She had chosen a practice of fantastic nurse-midwives.

She also said, "I've loved reading about your home birth... I just am not 'courageous' enough to go that route on a first (maybe our next?)."

All of these discoveries made me giddy with excitement.

Then at the end of April, she and her husband attended my "Birth Coach Boot Camp" where I shared what I believed were the best ways husbands can help their wives in childbirth. Her due date was right around the corner, so I sent her home with my birth ball and my copy of The Birth Partner, by Penny Simkin. And then we waited.

Nine days after her due date, she sent me an email announcing that her daughter "was born last night at 10:44 p.m. She is 7lbs 14 oz and 20 inches long. We're both doing well." I couldn't wait to hear all about the birth, but I didn't want to pester her about it, so I waited.

A couple of weeks later, I got a knock at my door. There was my friend. She said, "I have a bunch of things for you," returned to her car, and came back with my birth ball, my book, an envelope, a typed document (multiple pages of birth details!), and a sweet treat. We chatted for a few minutes while she told me about her birth. With the exception of having her water broken, everything had gone as she had hoped--intervention-free and unmedicated. She was full of thanks for my help. I was full of giddiness with joy for her. It made my day.

After she left, I opened the envelope. It was a thank you card. She said, "I feel like I owe you a big thanks for so many things. I've appreciated your passion and encouragement during this pregnancy." More warm fuzzies.

Then I read the document with all the wonderful birth details. Oh what a joy to read. Because her midwives had three clients in labor that night, it was a little chaotic for them. In the end, my friend's baby was caught by the nurse. Her thoughts afterward: "I felt empowered, like we could really do this on our own--we practically had!" When the midwives came back in, they began talking about her needing to be stitched-up and delivering the placenta, but my friend remembers "not caring what anybody was saying and just happy to have the baby on my stomach." The very last thing she wrote in that document was that she remembers:

Feeling grateful for the birth coach class our friend had offered. It helped me feel empowered to say what I needed without fear. . . . It also helped me to put special emphasis on making sure I provided positive feedback by telling them the things that helped. Finally, it introduced us to techniques of providing counter-pressure. That turned out to be the only pain relief we needed!

There are days when I throw mini birth-tantrums, and say, "Forget it! I'm wasting my time trying to make a difference! Nobody even cares!" And then there are days when I know that I can never stop sharing what I know and love about childbirth. The day my friend said, "Thank you," was one of those days. A magical day.

Never stop sharing, my friends! Never give up. We are making a difference. Maybe only for one woman here and another woman there, but those women are worth it. And so are their babies. And there is nothing in the world like rejoicing with them as they bathe in the joy and empowerment they feel from their positive birth experiences. Nothing in the world.

Is water birth safe?

2010-06-15T14:01:00.014-07:00

(Trying out our birth pool a week before my home birth.
I labored in the water, but delivered on my bed.)

I realized several weeks ago that there was a fairly important gap in my personal research on the subject of water birth. While I have read a lot about it in books, heard rave reviews from friends, and seen countless water birth YouTube videos, I hadn't personally delved into the scientific literature about water birth. Anecdotal and second-hand evidence can be very helpful, but I wanted to see the nitty-gritty facts myself. Especially after I did a google search and found an OB's blogpost slamming water birth and all its dangerousness.

What I found was that most of the scientific journal articles that come up through a water birth Google search were anecdotal reports and/or case studies of individual cases where doctors suspected that a water delivery contributed to a child's death or poor health. The general sentiment among doctors is fairly well summed-up in this concluding statement (from an article in the journal Pediatrics) penned jointly by a pediatrician, nurse, and obstetrician:

After reviewing the literature, we stop to ponder: what evidenceof harm would be enough to convince us to stop the practice?Should the report of a single drowning be enough? Apparently,it was not. At this point, we are convinced there is no evidenceto support any benefit of underwater birth for the neonate,and plenty of evidence to suggest harm. (source)

Another doctor was so bold as to say: "Water births currently provide no apparent benefit in childbirth" (source). The introductory paragraph of his article had me chuckling to myself:

Despite an absence of supportingevidence, proponents of water births claim benefits and disregardconcerns while continuing to fail to subject this approach tothe rigors of scientific inquiry. This desire to ignore the facts may be particularly prevalentamong individuals who prefer nontraditional delivery techniques.

I'm not about to suggest that water birth was the norm among our ancestors, but I would hardly call stirrups+hospital bed the "traditional" delivery technique. Women have only been giving birth strapped to beds for a tiny portion of human existence. And I won't waste my time addressing his claim that ignoring the facts is prevalent among those who prefer to deliver in "nontraditional" ways.

It can be frustrating and confusing trying to find the facts when it comes to water birth. The most comprehensive review of the water birth research (that I'm aware of) is the Cochrane review. Here's what the Cochrane researchers concluded in 2004:

There is evidence that water immersion during the first stage of labour reduces the use of analgesia and reported maternal pain, without adverse outcomes on labour duration, operative delivery or neonatal outcomes. The effects of immersion in water during pregnancy or in the third stage are unclear. One trial explores birth in water, but is too small to determine the outcomes for women or neonates.

So, basically, what we know from the scientific literature is that immersion in water can make labor less painful, but apparently we don't have rigorous enough scientific evidence to demonstrate the relative safety of water deliveries when compared with land deliveries.

There are other studies demonstrating many benefits of water birth (though I can't personally vouch for the level of scientific scrutiny used by the researchers). While these studies seem to have been primarily ignored or dismissed by the medical community, they can still be helpful as we strive to explore all the evidence. Here are some of them:

Waterbirths: a comparative study. A prospective study on more than 2,000 waterbirths.

Experience with water births: a prospective longitudinal study of 9 years with almost 4,000 water births

A retrospective comparison of water births and conventional vaginal deliveries.

Effects of water birth on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Midwife Ronnie Falcao's website also contains a wealth of information on water birth safety.

I think it's helpful to keep in mind that adverse outcomes can occur regardless of mode/location of delivery, and that many modern obstetric practices have been shown by scientific study to be risky or questionable. So I'm a little baffled by some doctors' outrage about water birth and their claims that it shouldn't be allowed to continue without rigorous scientific support. If only they required the same standards for their own practices. Back in April 2009, I quoted Jennifer Block from Pushed: "A recent ACOG survey found that in 43% of malpractice suits involving neurologically impaired babies, Pitocin was to blame" (p. 137), and again: "Even Williams Obstetrics offers a sobering history: 'Oxytocin is a powerful drug, and it has killed or maimed mothers through rupture of the uterus and even more babies through hypoxia from markedly hypertonic uterine contractions'" (p. 138). Yet many doctors still pump women full of Pitocin, often with little or no medical necessity. Given that the percentage of women giving birth underwater is miniscule compared to the number of women being routinely administered Pitocin (a powerful drug with known and frightening side effects), I think tackling the Pitocin problem is far more urgent.

I would love to see a huge randomized controlled trial exploring water birth. I would love to see this matter rigorously addressed. In the meantime, what can we do? I suppose each of us must use whatever tools available to us to determine what is best and safest for our individual circumstances. For me, that includes my own intuition and Spiritual guidance from my Creator who knows the birth process and my body better than any other being. I may not be able to determine, with certainty, that water birth is safe for you or anyone else. But I feel confident I will be able to determine down the road whether it's right for me.

I'd appreciate any wisdom, stories, and insights you might have.

Re-post: Tips for avoiding tearing and episiotomies

2010-06-09T23:25:00.002-07:00

Things have been quiet in my corner of the blogosphere despite my having one or two posts in the works in my head. I just haven't had a block of time to get them on "paper." In the meantime, I thought I'd re-post and oldie but goodie from the early days of my blog since some of my newer readers might not have seen it and might find it helpful. (Stay tuned for a post about waterbirth next.)

Giving birth for the first time was one of the most empowering experiences of my life. My water broke, my contractions started, everything progressed smoothly, and, less than six hours later, my baby girl was born. It was an ideal birth experience, except for one thing. That one thing made my next few weeks of recovery extremely painful. I tore. I really tore....

Read the rest of this post over at my new website!

Ask Busca: Arizona Birth Activism?

2010-05-24T13:34:00.001-07:00

Diane said:

I am getting ready to deliver baby number 3 and this will be my first delivered at home with a midwife. I have been learning and trying to digest everything I can get my hands on regarding midwifery care and home birthing, and I have been absolutely stunned and appalled at what the women in this country have not been told about giving birth. I myself had no idea how things should/can be, and had always assumed that the doctors know best.

So on to why I am writing to you. My husband and I have been moved by our desire to get the word out to other women, and to also encourage an overhaul of our maternity care in the US. I believe you are in AZ too, and I was wondering if there are activism groups here? Or am I riled up about nothing? I just feel like we should DO something.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Busca's Babble:

Diane actually sent me this email back in March, so first I'm going to apologize that it has taken me two months to respond. But I am thrilled that you have had a fire lit under you and want to do something to help other women discover the truth, Diane. You're definitely not riled up about nothing.

I think the first place I'll direct you is the Arizona Birth Network. They hold monthly Birth Circle meetings at locations throughout AZ where you can meet with other like-minded women to discuss a variety of topics and brainstorm. I haven't gone to any of the Birth Circles yet, but I am definitely planning on doing so. Hopefully soon.

You also might consider attending your local La Leche League meetings. I have friends who attend the meetings and have formed friendships and support networks through them. The other women attending those meetings are also likely to either share your desire to share truth and knowledge or be open to further truth and knowledge that you are excited to share.

Another thing you might consider is starting your own group. One of the fellow doulas-in-training at my doula workshop decided to create West Valley Birth Advocates. I have attended and hosted meetings for that group. You might consider hosting viewings of birth films or discussions of birth books in your own home for your friends and other women in your area to learn more.

You can also get involved on a more national level with groups such as Lamaze, Citizens for Midwifery, Childbirth Connection, and others.

I hope that helps, Diane! Any of my Arizona birth junkie readers, please comment if you have any other ideas or tips.

Rising up

2010-05-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

I got married in the summer of 2001. When I was a newlywed, I had only known one woman who had given birth outside of a hospital by choice. (And I never could have imagined I'd eventually do the same!)

Nine years later, I can't believe how much has changed. I can't even count the number of people I know who have given birth at home (or would be open to the possibility). So many women! That is partly because I have sought friendships and attracted friendships with like-minded people. But I don't think that's the only explanation. I think giving birth at home is becoming more and more common. In fact, I know it is.

Did you see that report back in March from the CDC? Amy Newman from RH Reality Check summarizes it's findings:

Over the last five years, out-of-hospital births (which includes home birth and birthing at a free-standing birth center) rose 3 percent and home births rose 5 percent after having sharply declined between 1940 and 1969 and then remaining static over the last few decades.

Clearly women aren't abandoning hospitals in droves. We're talking about a tiny percentage of the total births in the U.S. But I expect that trend to continue. Not because hospitals are BAD. They're not bad. They serve an essential purpose for women who experience birth complications. But I expect home births to continue to rise because more and more women are realizing that, being low risk, they can have an equally safe but likely more satisfying birth experience staying home. And the more women choose that path, the easier it becomes for their friends and family members to choose it... and on and on.

I often wonder what maternity care will be like in the U.S. when my daughters reach their childbearing years.

Will the cesarean rate have decreased? Will home birth midwives be able to practice legally in every state? Will hospitals be more mother-friendly?

I know my daughters may not choose the same path I have chosen. I will support them in whatever they choose. But watching them both scramble to get on my lap whenever they hear the unmistakable sounds of a YouTube birth video, seeing their complete and utter fascination with every detail, their comfort level and curiosity as a baby head emerges from its mother... all of that makes me hopeful that they will at least not enter their childbearing years fearful and uneducated.

When my oldest daughter does tell me, on occasion, that she doesn't want to have babies because "It will hurt," I always smile and respond, "But it's SO COOL! I love doing it!" I hope that hearing my love of birth will, with time, ease her fears. I plan to school them all their lives in the beauty of birth and teach them how to help each other and other women through that process. It makes me so happy to think of them doula-ing each other some day... and their friends... and their daughters... and grand-daughters.

When I got married in 2001, no one in my family or circle of friends would have ever dreamed of giving birth at home. Ever. And now I'm surrounded by home birthing mommas... and looking at the possibility of generations of my own daughters joining those ranks. What a beautiful sight.

Change is good.

"I don't agree with home birth"

2010-05-08T10:40:00.002-07:00

I've encountered several statements similar to this one over the last week:

"While I do not agree with home birth..."

A few things come to mind when I hear this statement.

1) How can you "disagree" that home birth was right for me or anyone else? Do you know my medical history? Do you know my midwives' level of experience and the quality of their outcomes? Do you know your own care provider's? How many home birth studies have you examined? ....

Check out the rest of this post over at my new website!

Bearing life and bearing witness

2010-05-06T11:13:00.002-07:00

I couldn't restrain myself from proclaiming via blog comment the burning testimony in my heart. And I figured I'd share it here as well. I use terminology and lingo familiar to members of my faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), but I hope any and all of my readers will be inspired and uplifted by this expression of things near and dear to my heart.

Like most of the women I know who chose to give birth at home, I studied the issue out in my mind extensively--even exploring the views of home birth opponents to ensure that I looked at the issue from all sides and didn't make the wrong choice. By the time I made the decision to give birth at home, I had spent the previous five+ years of my life studying childbirth. But even all of the science, facts, research, numbers, and stories wouldn't have been enough for me to take on the real, though minimal, risks inherent in home birth without fervent, deep, heartfelt consultation with the Lord.

I have never agonized over a decision more than I did over this one. We probably wouldn't have even considered a home birth if it hadn't been for certain financial circumstances in our life, but home birth was clearly the path that made the most financial sense for us. Above all, I did NOT want to make the wrong choice and put myself or my baby at increased risk, so it weighed extremely heavily on my mind. So we studied it out in our minds, worked hard to be completely open to the Lord's guidance, searched, pondered, prayed, and decided that home birth felt like the path we were being led to.

Next we asked the Lord if it was right, and my husband gave me a priesthood blessing I will never forget. It was one of the most tender and beautiful spiritual experiences of my life. I felt the most incredible burning in my heart--like I was being filled with the burning, life-giving love of God. I have never in my life received a more strong, intense, powerful answer to prayer. Then, throughout the rest of my pregnancy, when I had moments of weakness, my husband and the Lord reminded me of that powerful witness, and the Lord, in His tender mercy, promised me that we would be watched over and kept safe as I gave birth. And we were.

Do I think home birth is the right choice for everyone? Absolutely not. Do I think all birth attendants are safe? Absolutely not. I chose my midwives specifically because of their astoundingly superior stats and experience and because safety was extremely important to me. I think all women should drill their potential birth attendants about their stats and experience before choosing to put their lives and their babies' lives into a stranger's hands. There are many excellent doctors and midwives out there, and there are many lousy doctors and midwives out there. It seems like the wisest course to be sure you're getting one of the excellent ones.

Sometimes the Lord's guidance contradicts what the world sees as logical or rational or obvious. But personal revelation always trumps limited mortal understanding.

I love Elder Holland's words: "After you have gotten the message, after you have paid the price to feel His love and hear the word of the Lord, go forward. . . . You may, like Alma going to Ammonihah, have to find a route that leads an unusual way, but that is exactly what the Lord is doing here for the children of Israel. Nobody had ever crossed the Red Sea this way, but so what? There’s always a first time. With the spirit of revelation, dismiss your fears and wade in with both feet” (source).

I know that our Heavenly Parents care deeply about birth. I know that God did not send over 1/3 of his daughters to this world with bodies incapable of giving birth vaginally. I know that God is eager to help us make vital decisions impacting our pregnancies, babies, postpartum emotional health, and future health and fertility. Giving birth is one of the most important tasks God has given to women on this earth, and I know that He can and will and loves to help us as we navigate that beautiful journey.

Parturient Relations: PR for Dads

2010-05-03T18:12:00.003-07:00

Remember these "Five PR's"--the most helpful things you can provide for your partner while she labors...

1. Presence

Sometimes all she needs is your loving physical presence.

Be “Rock Steady”—the familiar, strong, soothing rock she can hold on to.

Be “present” in every way—don’t let your fatigue or fear take your attention away from her emotional and physical needs.
Do NOT fall asleep (unless she’s asleep).
Do NOT leave her alone unless she demands it.

Some women prefer to be alone while they labor. (But don't go too far!)

2. Protection

Be a buffer between your wife and the rest of the world.
You can’t protect her from the intensity of childbirth or from unexpected complications, but you can protect her personal space and surround her with peace and calm.

Close doors.
Turn off/down the lights.
Take over answering questions so she can keep her energy focused on her hard work. If someone tries to talk to her mid-contraction, gently ask for them to wait or stand between them and your wife until her contraction is over signaling with your hands for them to wait a moment.
No matter what happens or how much stress may arise, ensure that she always feels safe and secure. Remember Jesus Christ’s calm in the storm that frightened his disciples: “Peace, be still.”

3. Pressure

One of the most helpful hands-on ways to help with the most difficult contractions is counter-pressure.

Use your hands to provide firm, strong, steady pressure.

Lower back/pelvis
Double hip squeeze
Knees while sitting with something against her back
Hip while side-lying

Do not let up until the contraction ends! (You will probably get tired.)

4. Prompts

Your wife will likely not be in a position to remember all of the ways to increase her comfort, so your job is to prompt her.
Remember PURRR

P Position: Is she changing position every half hour?
U Urination: Is she using the bathroom every hour? (And drinking lots of fluids?)
R Relaxation: Is she as relaxed as possible?
R Respiration: Is she breathing evenly and as calmly as possible?
R Rest: Is she resting between contractions?

5. Praise

All of your words must instill her with hope, confidence, peace, comfort, pride, and power.
Think of it as your job to help her get to the “finish line” without giving up.

"You are so amazing right now!"
"I am so proud of you!"
“You are doing so well!”
Kissing counts! (Some women find kissing very helpful.)
When she says, "I can't do it!" reply with, "You are doing it."
When she’s reached the point when she thinks she can’t do it anymore, that usually means she’s almost finished, so shower her with praise, encouragement, and lots of statements like: “You are so close!” “You’re almost there!” “The baby is almost here!”

Emotional Signposts of Labor

Seeking your input

2010-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a daddy-doula "boot camp" for two couples soon to embark on their first drug-free hospital births. If you had less than two hours to teach dads how to help their wives through labor, what would you say are the best things I could teach them?

Food, Inc.(redible)

2010-04-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Ax and I watched the documentary Food, inc. on PBS last week. Heather's post reminded me that I've been wanting to blog about it. And she reminded me that the film is still available for online viewing until midnight tonight. I'm sort of out of the loop when it comes to media and movies and academy award nominations, etc. So I didn't really know much of anything about the film until another friend posted about PBS showing it on facebook last week.

After watching the film, I posted my reaction on facebook: "Wow. Wow. Wow. Scary indeed. It has prompted us to take our health-consciousness to a whole new level. Wow." And a little while later, I elaborated more on my feelings, "Let's just say there are certain things I will NEVER purchase ever again, if I can help it. The film made me want to vomit, scream, cry (from sadness AND joy), and cheer. So many emotions packed into one 120 minute stretch."

So, while I can say without hesitation that I believe Food, Inc. is a film everyone should watch, I can also say without hesitation that it's not a fun or easy film to watch. It's painful to watch, for many reasons, and incredible in every aspect of the word... astonishing, unbelievable, disgusting, and heart-warming too. As we watched, I felt, with deep intensity, both the spirit of evil prompting much of what happens to bring food to our supermarkets and the beautiful, inspiring, wonderful spirit of love that motivates farmers like Joel Huesby. I strongly believe that God aches to see how modern industrialized agriculture is depleting the earth, disrespecting His creations, and making all of us weaker and weaker over time. And I strongly believe that God is eager to help us repent and choose a better way for ourselves, our children, and the rest of our posterity. The film motivated Ax and me to make some major changes that will improve our lives, and we feel confident that God is pleased with those changes and will help us find the best, most affordable ways to move forward with those plans.

Which brings me to something I wanted to address from the film. I was frustrated with the way the film represented the financial costs of healthy eating. There is a portion of the film where they follow around a low-income family of four as they order their dinner from a fast food chain dollar menu ($11.48 for five hamburgers, two chicken sandwiches, and three soft drinks to feed a family of four), and then they go to a grocery store and lament how expensive the pears and broccoli are. The sentiment is... if fruits and vegetables weren't so expensive, we'd eat healthier... what a shame that we can only afford fast food! Then it finishes with the family discussing the outrageously expensive prescription medications the father has to take for his health problems... diabetes, etc. And the mother sort of laughs and says something like, "I guess you either pay on the front end for healthy food, or you pay on the back end for medical bills."

I've thought a lot about this part of the film since last week. I'm so frustrated by it. I think the filmmakers wanted us to see the way low-income families struggle to make healthy food choices, but I think they also misrepresent some things. It's so sad that there is such a disconnect when it comes to food prices... People grow up buying food like this family does and never learn that there is a much easier, cheaper, better way to feed themselves. Healthy isn't more expensive! It's usually cheaper! Personally, I can't afford junk food! (Though we do eat it on occasion.)

Thoughts rolling around my head in reaction to this part of the film:

$11.48 is NOT a cheap dinner for a family of four. Even if you just brought your own reusable water bottles instead of ordering sodas, you'd save yourself enough money to go buy some of those "expensive" pears or broccoli to eat with your dollar menu burgers. They could EACH have an entire 16 oz package of strawberries this time of year (88 cents last week at Fry's) for less than what they spent on their sodas!
The way to buy groceries is NOT to buy the broccoli (or anything else) when it's "expensive." When you're struggling to make ends meet, you have to buy things when they're on sale. Only buy produce in season when it's cheapest (or join a co-op like Bountiful Baskets where you can get enough produce to feed your family for two weeks for just over $1 a day). And stock up on staple items when they're on sale. Don't pay regular price for anything (unless you have to).
The mother in the film says, "We don't have time to cook." I understand that people are busy, especially hard-working families like theirs. But I think people also over-estimate the amount of time (and money) it takes to make an inexpensive, fairly healthy meal. For example... taco salad is a piece of cake. You could even cook a bunch of taco meat on the weekend and freeze it to use a bit at a time during the week. All you'd have to do on the weeknight is warm up the meat in the microwave, tear up some lettuce, cut up whatever veggies you want on top, and throw some pre-grated cheese on there. Really fast and easy and probably a fraction of the cost of their fast food dollar menu meal if the meat and veggies were purchased on sale. I'd say a little effort is beyond worth it to cut costs and improve health.
Sometimes even the organic stuff is a better deal. If you watch carefully, you can eat organic for less than what you'd spend to eat non-organic. Watch for sales and specials. And even if you have to pay a bit more for the organic grass-fed beef, it's worth every extra penny... which really isn't "more" than what you'd spend eating fast food hamburgers anyway if you look at how many people can be fed with just one pound of $4.99/lb grass-fed beef. When we use one pound of beef to make a meal, it usually translates into dinner (more than one helping each) for two adults and two small children and lunch for two adults the next day. That's more than six servings. That $4.99 went a long way. And the more we "eat meat sparingly," the less we'll have to spend. Why is grass-fed beef worth the price tag? Watch the film. :-) But, in short... it's safer for human consumption, better for the cows' stomachs, better for the land, and nutritionally superior in so many ways.

Alright... enough rambling. Here's a trailer for the film:

I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record

2010-04-26T10:20:00.001-07:00

I'm amazed that magnesium is the real answer to so many problems, but even many scientists and researchers seem unaware of its importance. This Reuters article talks about the rise in kidney stones among children in South Carolina and points to excessive antibiotic use as a possible cause. Antibiotics deplete magnesium! And the "stone belt" (from Virginia down to Florida and over to Texas) mentioned in the article is an area of the country with primarily very soft water--low mineral content. Hard water and healthy gut bacteria help raise our bodies' magnesium levels. They don't mention it in the article, but low magnesium can lead to kidney stones. Magnesium is the missing puzzle piece no one (well, almost no one) is talking about.

Get yer magnesium, my friends!

More Magnesium Mumblings

2010-04-23T14:00:00.003-07:00

Some stuff that has been rolling around in my brain thanks to my recent magnesium obsession...

Prenatal Vitamins and Leg Cramps

So... this morning, out of curiosity, I looked at the bottle of prenatal vitamins I took on occasion while pregnant. Lots of folic acid and calcium, for sure. Magnesium... nope. What the?!

Then I remembered something about my sister. A year or two ago, she told me that she always got bad leg cramps with her pregnancies (I did too). Then she switched to the prenatal vitamins from NuSkin where her husband works, and her leg cramps disappeared. She thought maybe the NuSkin vitamins just absorbed into her body better, and she may be right. After I saw that my bottle of vitamins didn't contain magnesium this morning, I got wondering about NuSkin's prenatals. So I googled it. And... Yepperdoodle. 39% of the DV of magnesium. More magnesium, fewer leg cramps. Just like you'd expect.

Hard Water for Contractions?

My sister also used to get a lot of contractions in the last trimester of her pregnancies (I do too), but she noticed (or her doctor suggested) that if she drank a bunch of water, they would go away. It may have been partly dehydration, but I can't help wondering whether drinking a large amount of the hard, mineral-rich Utah mountain water gave her magnesium stores a boost and helped relax her uterus? Maybe. Who knows for sure, but I thought it was an interesting connection.

Hard Water for Cramps and Fetal Hiccups?

Not long before I got married, I was visiting my future-in-laws with my future husband. While there, my period arrived, and I was hit with some horrendous menstrual cramps. I literally passed-out in their basement bathroom from the pain, and then spent the next several hours moaning, embarassingly in the arms of my fiance while his mother and sister offered their sweet sympathy. I remember my mother-in-law saying that she always had excruciating cramps until after her first pregnancy. So I've been wondering over the past week whether low magnesium was to blame for both of us.

Then a friend recently mentioned that her doula trainer, a midwife, had taught her having that a fetus who hiccups a lot can be a sign of magnesium deficiency. I told my husband about that, and he remembered his mother talking about how her first baby hiccuped all the time while in utero. Then the cogs and wheels started going in my brain.

Something changed between her first pregnancy and the rest. She only remembers the first baby hiccuping, and she no longer had bad cramps afterward. Interestingly enough, she had been living in California for a while before getting married and pregnant. At some point after her baby was born, the family moved to Utah. That baby was the only one born in California.

So I found a map showing the relative hardness of the drinking water in the U.S. on a water science website. I'll throw in a screen shot of it here:

They were measuring calcium in the water, but I'd venture a guess that water high in calcium would also be high in magnesium. So if you look at the map, most of California has relatively soft water while Utah's water is completely hard. I can't guarantee that water hardness was what changed to get rid of my mother-in-law's cramps and baby hiccups, but it's an interesting possibility.

*Edited to add*: My mother-in-law also grew up in New Zealand which has primarily soft water. She moved to Porterville, California (a soft water area) as an adult just a few years before marrying. She was probably already low on magnesium when she arrived in the U.S. (Fortunately, New Zealand is also surrounded by ocean water, so God provided a simple way for those soft water islanders to get their mg.)

Fluoride + Soft water + Lousy diet = Scoliosis?

The other day I had an epiphany... maybe magnesium will help my scoliosis pain? So that led me on a google search that turned up some really promising stuff. There definitely seems to be some connection between scoliosis and low magnesium. Also, most women who have osteoporosis also have scoliosis and seem to exhibit a cluster of similar symptoms related with magnesium deficiency. I was thrilled to make this discovery. So I am full of hope that magnesium will tremendously reduce or eliminate my back pain and save me from a future of other possible health problems. Yay.

But that also led me on a search for other answers. I was diagnosed with scoliosis around age 14. At the time, I was living in Massachusetts, in area with fluoridated water. So yesterday I turned to Google to see if it might be related. And it turns out that when fluoride meets magnesium in the bloodstream, they bond into magnesium fluoride. Magnesium fluoride is insoluble, so it "cannot be assimilated by the pituitary, with the consequent failure of the pituitary to function properly that leads to the symptoms of magnesium deficiency" (source). Yikes.

I can also tell you that I had a fairly lousy diet as a teenager. Most days I skipped multiple meals out of sheer busy-ness or laziness. Many days all I had for lunch was french fries and a carbonated beverage. (Oh the things I wish I could go do-over!) Dinner was the only somewhat nutritious meal I had every day, but we still ate a lot of refined carbs. So... what little magnesium I may have been getting in my diet was probably getting trapped by the fluoride in our water. Dang.

It gets worse.

If you look on the map, you'll see that MA is an area with very soft water relative to hard water areas. That's three strikes against me: fluoride, poor diet, and soft water. Ouch.

But I also carried all my heavy text books around in my monstrous backpack, always on my right shoulder... every school day. I never used my locker in middle school or high school. Strike four!

It's really no surprise that I was diagnosed with scoliosis two years after I moved to MA. And it's really no surprise that two years later I started having absolutely horrendous menstrual cramps. Can we say magnesium deficiency?!

All of this makes me feel like a detective. It's kind of fun finding possible answers to all these questions after all these years.

*****

The more I learn, the more amazed I am how much impact little things can have. It's makes me both afraid and hopeful. Afraid of what little things are impacting my own children right now that will come back to bite them down the road. But hopeful because I can see that there is almost always a simple solution to our health problems if we can just find all the puzzle pieces and fit them together.

How's the water where you live? Hard or soft? Is it fluoridated? Is there magnesium in your prenatal vitamins? I'm totally curious.

Hold your horses (er... scissors)

2010-04-22T10:18:00.001-07:00

Cord cutting on the brain because of this and this...

We Can Be Much Kinder - Click here for more free videos

Magnesium Manifesto

2010-04-20T23:25:00.003-07:00

"There is no life without magnesium." -Mark A. Sircus

I feel so overwhelmed. There is simply so much to say, and I have no idea how to say it all coherently because my mind has been spinning with all this new, amazing information for almost a week. I'll do my best. (And I'll pepper as many of my research sources as I can fit in throughout the post, so I'd recommend clicking around and checking them out.)

Magnesium is incredibly important. (Especially for pregnant women, but I'll get to that later.) Magnesium is probably most well-known for its partnership with calcium in muscle function--calcium contracts muscles, magnesium relaxes them. But magnesium is actually involved in far more than that. From what I gather, every time a nerve cell fires, magnesium is required to control the entry of calcium into the body's cells.

Dr. Christianne Northrup sums it up nicely when she says, "Magnesium is essential for the functioning of more than 300 different enzymes in the body, particularly those that produce, transport, store, and utilize energy. . . . In short, living without adequate levels of magnesium is like trying to operate a machine with the power off" (source). And Mark A. Sircus, a magnesium proponent, describes magnesium as "the source of life" and "the lamp of life" because of its essential role in plant photosynthesis and human bodily functions (source).

As I've immersed myself in studying this amazing mineral over the past week, I have come more and more to see it with deep awe and reverence. Magnesium is at the core of all life and life-giving. I'm in love with magnesium.

And, unfortunately, most of us are low on magnesium. Magnesium and calcium must be maintained in their proper balance in order to function correctly, but the average modern American consumes far more calcium than necessary and not nearly enough magnesium. That excess calcium can disrupt many important functions. Instead we should take in more magnesium than calcium or at least a 1:1 ratio.

There are myriad ways that magnesium deficiency can manifest itself in your body. Some of those are:

Anxiety and panic attacks
Asthma
Nausea and vomiting
Headaches and migraines
Abnormal bowel function, constipation, etc.
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Muscle pain, cramps, and spasms
Depression
Hypoglycemia
Kidney disease and kidney stones

And low magnesium can lead to several problems of particular interest to women, both pregnant and not pregnant:

Recurrent miscarriages and premature labor
Premenstrual syndrome
Menstrual cramping and bloating
Infertility caused by spasms in fallopian tubes
Pregnancy leg cramps
Pre-ecplampsia

Source

So how do we ensure that we get enough magnesium?

Our ancient ancestors would have obtained more than enough magnesium through plants, nuts, and seeds from the earth's rich non-depleted soil and through soaking in the pristine ocean's limitless supply of magnesium chloride. With soils depleted of nutrients and oceans often too far away and/or full of toxins and pollutants, we aren't quite so lucky. But we can do our best with what we've got.

What are the best food sources of magnesium?

You pretty much can't go wrong with dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, salmon, and whole grains. Some of the best among those sources, according to The World's Healthiest Foods:

Pumpkin seeds
Spinach
Swiss chard
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds

Magnesium is also found in hard water. One site I visited explained:

In a survey of 25 cities in the US, the lowest death rates from heart disease were found in areas where the drinking water supplied above average levels of magnesium. Part of Texas has the highest levels of magnesium in drinking water, and also the lowest cardiovascular mortality rates in the US Australia has some of the lowest drinking water magnesium levels, and also the highest cardiovascular death rate in the world.

How can we improve the body's ability to absorb dietary magnesium?

Avoiding or limiting certain magnesium-depleting foods and beverages will protect your body's magnesium stores, including:

Soft drinks
Sugar and refined carbs
Excess unhealthy fats
Alcohol
Caffeine
Excess animal protein
Certain medications, such as diuretics and steroids/corticoids

Increasing consumption of probiotics and prebiotics has also been shown to increase the absorption of essential minerals, in part because of their ability to break down the mineral-binding phytic acid in foods, releasing those formerly bound minerals for absorption. (See here)

Getting vitamin d through regular sunlight exposure will also improve your body's ability to retain magnesium and calcium. Sunlight seems to do this more efficiently than vitamin d supplements. (See here)

How else can we get magnesium?

Ocean water is a limitless source of magnesium chloride. And, based on my internet research, magnesium is better absorbed through the skin than the gut. If you live near a beach with clean water, regular soaks should benefit your magnesium levels. For the rest of us, taking baths with epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) or magnesium chloride flakes will raise levels of magnesium in the body.

Magnesium is also available, of course, in oral supplements, but these can cause diarrhea in some people.

Pregnant Women, Listen up!

Clearly magnesium is essential for all of us, but I'm becoming convinced that maintaining adequate magnesium levels could reduce or eliminate a large portion of the pregnancy complications women encounter. And, as I listed earlier, magnesium can also remedy many of the other complaints associated with our womanly cycles.

Dr. Christianne Northrup shared a story that illustrates what I'm talking about:

I was first introduced to magnesium during my obstetrical training, where I saw how effective magnesium sulfate was in preventing seizures and restoring normal blood pressure in pregnant women suffering from toxemia. Magnesium is also frequently given to women having preterm labor to stop contractions. It works!

A good friend of mine, Alexa, had her third baby in 1994. About seven weeks before the baby was due, she started to have contractions that would only stop when she lay down. Because she was 2.5 centimeters dilated and almost fully effaced (conditions often present when a woman goes into labor with a full-term third child), she was put on bed rest. Luckily this helped, and she was able to avoid a lengthy stay at the hospital. After having her baby, Alexa was extremely run down, had frequent migraines, and severe muscle cramps. She decided to go to a Naturopath for help. He immediately diagnosed severe magnesium deficiency, and she was given weekly magnesium IVs to correct the imbalance. . . .

Alexa's OB/GYN was insistent that she get 1500 mgs of calcium every day to protect her baby's and her bones. He told her to take a couple of Tums, an antacid, any day she didn't get enough calcium from the food she ate. Tums contains calcium, and it was the calcium "supplement" he recommended to all his patients. (This was his strategy for keeping her calories from dairy fat down, too.) He never recommended that she increase her magnesium, just her calcium. It's not surprising that she had a magnesium deficiency after following his advice during three pregnancies. (Source)

This story is frustrating for so many reasons. But I want to focus on what Dr. Northrup says in the first paragraph. Doctors know that magnesium helps women with toxemia and preterm labor. So my question is... if they know it, why do they wait until a woman comes to the E.R. to pump her full of magnesium? Why are they putting women on bed rest when they have preterm labor instead of teaching them about optimizing their magnesium levels? Why aren't women with recurrent miscarriages or infertility or PMS or excruciating menstrual cramps being tested for low magnesium?!

Why aren't we all being told how crucial it is to keep our magnesium levels optimal?

I couldn't know this information and not share it. So here I am.

Magnesium is crucial.

Please spread the word.

Calling all AZ Birth Junkies

2010-04-15T14:19:00.003-07:00

My friend Cassie (who also happened to be the doula--in red--who counter-pressured, encouraged, and photographed me throughout my son's birth) is hosting a viewing of the film Orgasmic Birth at her house in Glendale on May 6th. (I posted last year about the film.)

Don't let the title turn you off. I haven't seen the film yet myself, but I appreciated Rixa's review of the film in which she explains:

I found myself particularly troubled with the word “orgasmic.” I think a number of other words describe more accurately what the filmmaker is trying to communicate in this film: ecstatic, empowering, or transformative come to mind. In our society, orgasmic is always used in the narrow, sexual sense. In that sense, orgasmic birth = having a literal orgasm during birth. But that isn’t really what the film is talking about at all. We do see at least one woman literally having an orgasm during her labor (she said it was very unexpected and quite lovely), but the other women experience something else, something more nuanced and more complex than simplistic sexual climax. . . .

The other day, I looked up “orgasmic” in the dictionary. . . . The second meaning, one not in circulation in our everyday language, is “intense or unrestrained excitement” or “a similar point of intensity of emotional excitement.”

I had an “aha!” moment. Debra Pascali-Bonaro is arguing that birth can be a peak emotional, physical, and spiritual experience. And given the right setting and preparation, birth can include moments of ecstasy, transcendence and occasionally even sexual pleasure. Her film explains the hormonal and environmental similarities between making babies and having babies. If we see birth not as just a narrow equivalent of sex, but rather sex and birth and breastfeeding as a continuum of important and inter-related life experiences, then the phrase “orgasmic birth” makes much more sense. Think of it this way: if women were expected to make love in the same kind of setting that they labor and birth in (in a clinical environment, observed by unfamiliar professionals, monitored and tethered to machines, and above all their biological rhythms forced to adhere to a strict timetable), they would undoubtedly have a high rate of sexual dysfunction and disappointment.

After watching the film three times, here's how Rixa's concludes:

In sum: the birth scenes are incredible and the movie is worth watching for that reason alone. They're not overly romanticized or sanitized. I found them incredibly realistic, in all their variety, about what giving birth normally is like. I'd like a different title, because I think that it will keep many people from watching it, but I also understand the rhetorical power of "orgasmic birth."

Rixa's review helped dispel any hesitancy I might have had about viewing the film. And I have since heard multiple women describe Orgasmic Birth as their all-time favorite birth film. Rixa also interviewed Orgasmic Birth's filmmaker, Debra Pascali-Bonaro, if you want to check that out.

I am looking forward to seeing the film. Are you coming?

Dolphins, revisited

2010-04-07T14:52:00.003-07:00

As I was writing my dolphin birth post last Friday, I enlisted my girls' help looking for a little stone dolphin figurine I wanted to include a photo of. My brother-in-law had brought it back from a trip to South America for me, remembering that I was a fan of dolphins. I often find it among their toys, so I assumed they might know where it was. They didn't know, but I explained to them (4 and 6 years old) as we searched that I was writing something about how dolphins have babies. How other dolphins circle around the mommy dolphin to keep her and her new baby safe. Then, later that night, we told Daddy about it on our way to the store.

I forgot about those conversations until Saturday evening when I walked into the playroom to tell the girls it was almost time for dinner. As I turned to leave the room, something in their conversation made me pause and walk over to see what they were drawing. And I found this in front of my 6-year-old...

And a huge grin came across my face. It made my birth-loving mommy-heart proud.

"I love it!" I told her. "I'm definitely keeping this one!"

Oh, and I finally found the stone dolphin on Saturday. It was hiding in one of their play purses in their dress-up closet.

Hear me roar

2010-04-06T17:04:00.001-07:00

After a few weeks of caring for her precious first-born baby, my friend Fig declared, "Motherhood is blood, sweat, and tears. Rinse and repeat." Are you nodding and chuckling at the same time? Fig's good at inducing the chuckle-nod. She's so witty. And right on.

So I've been thinking, of late, about how I focus so much on the intense physical challenge of labor (some, including me, call it "pain") that I have sort of neglected to give attention to other physical "pains" associated with bearing and nurturing children. For example...

* The cramping associated with ovulation and/or menstruation is painful for some women.
* PMS can cause painful bloating, headaches, etc.
* Love-making is painful for some women.
* Some women experience round-ligament twinges and/or cramping in early pregnancy.
* Morning sickness can range from mildly bothersome to excruciatingly miserable.
* Some pregnant women suffer with back pain, sciatic nerve pain, joint pain, etc.
* Preterm labor pains keep some women on bed rest for weeks or months.
* Then there are the after-pains (I think they get worse with each birth... wowza!).
* Some women endure general perineal tenderness, pain from perineal tears/episiotomies, or cesarean section wounds.
* Breastfeeding hurts like the (toe-curling) dickens in the beginning, being compounded initially by painful breast engorgement, painful milk let-down, and more intense after-pains due to the uterine contractions produced by suckling.
* The muscle strain from carrying around a 5 to 10 lb newborn can lead to sore arms and/or sore backs, especially with a first child.
* Once an infant has teeth that introduces a whole new kind of potential pain during breastfeeding.
* Back pain can continue and intensify from carrying increasingly hefty babies and toddlers.
* Rinse and repeat.

(And that's not even getting into the emotional pains we endure.)

The other day a first-time pregnant woman I love told me she's pretty sure she'll get an epidural 'cause she's (and these were her exact words) "such a pansy." I couldn't help myself... I rushed toward her, grasped her face in my hands, and said, "No! You're not!" This woman has endured excruciating menstrual cramps every month for over a decade followed by miserable morning sickness for the last couple of months... and she thinks she's a "pansy!"

Look at the list above, ladies. Take a good, long look at it. Do you really think God would entrust those challenges to a bunch of pansies?

Nope.

We are women. We are strong. We can push ourselves to our absolute limit and somehow find the strength to push some more. And then rinse and repeat.

Don't you dare call yourself a pansy.

(Photo by Fife Photography, Fall 2005)

Dolphins and Birth Plans

2010-04-02T18:17:00.003-07:00

While I was in California a few weeks ago, we hit the beach. Almost as soon as we got there, we saw something swimming several yards out in the water. At first I didn't know what it was and sort of screamed (thinking shark), "There's an animal!" Once it became clear it was a pod of dolphins, I had to smile to myself, reminiscing.

I used to be mildly (or... very) obsessed with dolphins as an adolescent. I had dolphin figurines, dolphin stuffed animals, dolphin posters, dolphin videos, dolphin stationary, dolphin everything. I did book reports about them, dreamed of swimming with them, toyed with becoming a marine biologist because of them, etc.

I was reminded of that adolescent dolphin fascination again this morning.

Years ago, my sister saw Marsden Wagner's Creating Your Birth Plan at Overstock.com for cheap and, knowing my passion for all things birth-related, she told me about it. I had never heard of the book itself, but I knew simply because it had Marsden Wagner's name on it that it was a book worth having. So I ordered it, and it has basically been collecting dust on my bookshelf ever since.

About 2 weeks ago we got word that my sister-in-law is pregnant after years of infertility. I'm ecstatic for them. And, naturally, I'm feeling protective of her and wanting to do all I can to ensure that she has the best birth experience possible. So I was perusing the birth books on my shelves about a week ago, contemplating which one(s) I should lend to her first, and I pulled out Creating Your Birth Plan, thinking it might be a good one to start with (especially since it has an M.D. in the by-line). As I flipped through the book, however, I realized that I'd probably better read it before I lend it out to anyone, just so I know what I'm sharing with people.

(I lent her Penny Simkin's Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn and The Birth Partner instead. Her husband's currently in physical therapy school, so it seemed fitting to start them off with the words of a fellow PT.)

So I've been skimming through Creating Your Birth Plan off and on over the past week or so. This morning I lingered on p. 176 where Dr. Wagner shares some fascinating details about dolphin birthing. Here's an excerpt:

At its physical and emotional best, support for women in labor has always reminded me of dolphin birth. When a dolphin gives birth to a calf, several female dolphins swim in a circle close to the laboring mother. Slightly farther away, another larger group of all the remaining females in the pod circle around the laboring dolphin. Then, even farther away, all the male dolphins in the pod circle around her. The entire collective comes together to protect the laboring dolphin and her emerging calf from intrusion and harm. A woman giving birth to a baby thrives when she's at the center of a circle of love.

This prompted me to do a google search and discovered that there are actually places where women give birth in the water "assisted" by dolphins.

A Russian male midwife, Igor Charkovsky, says this about the practice: "Dolphins have an affinity with the baby in the womb and are automatically attracted to pregnant women. They sense when a woman is about to give birth and gather round. They give both the mother and child a sense of protection and safety" (source).

I've been mulling over the topic of birth partners in preparation for writing something for the book, so this dolphin stuff feels relevant. And it has reminded me, yet again, how crucial it is for women to have supportive people around them as they give birth. The people we invite or allow to be with us can make or break our birth experiences. I recently encountered a 2005 study indicating that there is a strong correlation between patient satisfaction with care provider and lower cesarean rates. And Penny Simkin's research has demonstrated that the women with the highest long-term levels of satisfaction with their birth experiences were the women who had positive memories of the way they were treated by their care providers. Which brings me back to birth plans.

I think writing a birth plan is a helpful exercise. But I think most women do it too late in the game. A birth plan will do little to help you if the care provider and place of birth you have chosen have a practice style totally incompatible with it. In my opinion, the time to write your birth plan is before you ever choose a doctor or midwife (which is why I toyed with giving my sister-in-law Marsden Wagner's book now). I can't stress enough how important it is to choose the right provider--someone who will support and respect your birth preferences and shares your personal philosophy of birthing. You'll know you've found the right provider when you know you don't need to give them a copy of your birth plan when they arrive to catch your baby. Birth plans, at their best, aren't for labor day, they're for doctor/midwife interviews. Unfortunately, most women don't approach the doctor/midwife selection process this way. Hence, there are far too many battles in the labor room where peace and joy should prevail and far too many cruel jokes among doctors and nurses about "those women" with birth plans. Alas.

Given how protective I feel of my pregnant and laboring loved ones, I suppose it's no surprise I grew up with such an affinity for dolphins. I wish I could circle protectively around them throughout their pregnancies and births as the dolphins do. Maybe if I ever start an official doula business, I'll have a dolphin logo? That would be cool.

For them I could

2010-04-01T15:06:00.007-07:00

Sometimes I feel like it's inevitable. I'll probably end up a midwife, in the end. But most of the time I don't really look forward to it. It terrifies me to imagine holding the lives of women and babies in my fallible human hands. I don't really want to be a midwife. But I've been thinking lately of some facts and figures that just might be enough to propel me forward on the path toward midwifery.

First, my cousin-in-law, Liz, wrote a blogpost discussing the book Half the Sky. She shared a couple of excerpts that have been reverberating through my skull ever since:

In much of the world, women die because they aren't thought to matter. There's a strong correlation between countries where women are marginalized and countries with high maternal mortality. Indeed, in the United States, maternal mortality remained very high throughout the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century, even as incomes rose and access to doctors increased. During World War I, more American women died in childbirth than American men died in war.... 'Women are not dying because of untreatable diseases. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.' (p. 115-116)

"More women die in childbirth in a few days than terrorism kills people in a year." (Jane Roberts, letter to San Bernadino Sun, qtd. on p. 146)

Then, last night, my brother-in-law watched a PBS segment on maternity care in rural Peru. He thought I'd be interested, so he passed along the link to me. Last year, CNN reported that Peru's pregnant women were "dying at scandalous rates"(source). Yesterday, PBS shared some of the solutions that are being implemented to reduce the mortality rates in Peru's remote areas. The segment starts with this intro:

High in the Andean Mountains of Peru, far from the modern conveniences of a city, generations of indigenous women have given birth at home, their only help from family or a village midwife.

The longstanding tradition of childbirth at home wasn't a problem for most women. But, in that small percentage of cases where complications developed at the end of a pregnancy, in a remote rural area, you could be days away from the nearest medical facility on foot, even multiple-hours' drive.

(Screenshot from the PBS segment)

I've been studying childbirth for the past seven years, but most of my reading and research has revolved around maternity care in the U.S. Although we still have a long way to go here in the U.S., our risk of dying in childbirth is far lower than the risk most women of the world face. I think I could feel content remaining a doula/birth activist if the rest of the world didn't exist. But it does exist.

The World Health Organization puts things into persective:

Every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth – that means 529 000 women a year. In addition, for every woman who dies in childbirth, around 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease – approximately 10 million women each year.(Source)

Far too many women die simply because they lack "skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and the first month after delivery," according to WHO.

While I don't feel compelled to become a midwife for my fellow American sisters, I do think I'd be willing to shoulder the risks inherent in midwifery in order to help save the lives of women in places where maternal deaths are excessively common. For them I could do it.

Unfortunately, those who are able to help these women often lack the ability to communicate in indigenous languages. I have a deep love for languages and have always wanted to learn to speak more of them. I've also always wanted to travel to Africa, South America, and other far-off places. I couldn't think of a better reason to fulfill those dreams. Someday down the road... I hope.

A Year Ago Today

2010-04-01T08:09:00.005-07:00

Happy First Birthday to my little April Fool.

At this moment a year ago, he was still squirming around inside my belly, and now look at him...Happy Birthday to you, my little first-home-born baby boy! I love you more than I ever could have dreamed I would.

For all the nitty gritty birthing details, see here.

To learn more about why I chose a home birth, see here.

To read about my midwives and their training, experience, and stats, see here.

Ask Busca: Iron and Vitamin D suppplementation for infants?

2010-03-27T07:35:00.013-07:00

Ali, a nursing student, asked:

[The teacher of my nutrition class said] that babies who are breast fed will likely need an iron and vitamin d supplement. This makes absolutely no sense to me, because breast is supposed to be best, so why would anything need to be supplemented. The teacher said because the baby stops living off of it mothers iron stores at four months, and so that is why, but do they not get enough from the breast milk. I would just think that if the mother was eating healthy that the baby would not need to be supplemented on anything.

Busca's (excessive) babble:

Thanks for your question, Ali. So sorry it has taken me nearly 6 months to finally give you a response! I'm not a doctor, nurse, dietician, or nutrition expert, but I do love to dig around and see what I can find to help my readers out. So here's what I dug up in regard to iron and vitamin D supplementation...

Iron Supplementation

I knew kellymom.com would probably have something to say about it. And, indeed, she does. In fact, she has so much great info over there, that I'm just going to direct you to her site where you will find just about everything you could possibly want to know on the subject of iron supplementation. Here's a brief excerpt:

Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one of these studies, done by Pisacane in 1995, the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia.

The original recommendations for iron-fortified foods were based on a formula-fed baby's need for them and the fact that breastmilk contains less iron than formula (doctors didn't know then that the iron in breastmilk is absorbed much better). Also, a few babies do have lower iron stores and will need extra iron at some point. . . .

La Leche League recommends that babies be offered foods that are naturally rich in iron, rather than iron-fortified foods. . . .

Note: Additional iron intake by the mother will not increase iron levels in breastmilk, even if the mother is anemic. Iron supplements taken by mom may produce constipation in baby. Anemia in the nursing mother has been associated with poor milk supply, however.

Learning about baby-led weaning really changed the way I saw iron supplementation. My first two daughters had iron-fortified rice cereal before 6 months of age, but my son was exclusively breastfed without any supplementation for 6 months. Afterward, he simply ate whatever offered foods he managed to get into his mouth. But I never worried about his iron levels.

Vitamin D Supplementation

As for Vitamin D, there was a recent news article on the subject that caught my eye and prompted me to finally tackle your question. USA Today reported on a couple of studies published in the journal Pediatrics related to infants and vitamin D. Nicolas Stettler, a pediatrician interviewed in the article, acknowledges, "Because humans originated in equatorial areas with year-round sunshine, babies in the distant past wouldn't have needed to get vitamin D from breast milk," but, according to the second study from Pediatrics, 58% of infants today have deficient vitamin D blood levels. It also reported that "Getting lots of sunlight helped raise vitamin D levels in moms, but not in their newborns." (It was unclear to me whether they meant that the mother and baby were both exposed to sunlight or whether they meant that sunlight didn't improve the vitamin d levels of breast milk.)

I have to wonder when I hear that breast milk is "low in Vitamin D," whether that really just means that mothers themselves have been low in Vitamin D for decades leading researchers to conclude that breast milk is always low. I've read elsewhere that Vitamin D supplementation will increase the Vitamin D content of breastmilk, so I think that's worth exploring. Maybe breast milk isn't inherently low after all?

I am partial to Vitamin D expert, Michael F. Holick, who has been researching Vitamin D for more than three decades. The home page of his website has some great info on Vitamin D:

Vitamin D is not a vitamin but a hormone. It is unique in that it is made in the skin as a result of exposure to sunlight. Photosynthesis of vitamin D has been occurring on earth for more than 750 million years. Some of the earliest life forms that were exposed to sunlight for their energy requirement were also photosynthesizing vitamin D. Both children and adults have in the past depended on adequate sun exposure to satisfy their vitamin D requirement. It is well documented that at the turn of the last century upwards of 80% of children in the industrialized, polluted cities of northern Europe and northeastern United States suffered from the devastating consequences of vitamin D deficiency rickets. The skin has a large capacity to make vitamin D. Exposure of a person in a bathing suit to a minimal erythemal dose of sunlight, which is typically no more than 15-20 minutes on Cape Cod in June or July at noon time, is the equivalent to taking 20,000 IU of vitamin D orally. It is now well documented that in the absence of any sun exposure 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day is necessary to maintain healthy levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the circulation. An analysis of the NHANES III data has demonstrated that neither children nor adults are receiving an adequate amount of vitamin D from their diet or from supplements.

Holick is a strong proponent of sensible sun exposure. And so am I. I feel fortunate that I live in the Valley of the Sun where my children and I can go outdoors at any time of year most days and receive more than enough Vitamin D in ten minutes to keep our levels adequate. Even so, during times of the year when the weather keeps us indoors more often, I have mixed safe amounts of liquid vitamin D into my kids' yogurt or juice to keep their immune systems functioning and prevent illness.

(Getting a few minutes of backyard Vitamin D at lunchtime in February)

The American Academy of Pediatrics is opposed to exposing infants to direct sunlight. Personally, I think their recommendation is counter-intuitive. Human beings have been living with the sun for thousands of years (and without chemical sunscreens). We even took my newborn son outside for a few minutes every day (at my midwives' recommendation) because of his slight jaundice. Even after his slight yellow tinge had disappeared, I still took him with me outside in the early April morning sunshine while I watered my vegetable garden. He absolutely loved it. As soon as the sun's warm rays would fall on his face, his facial muscles would relax and take on a look of total peace and serenity. He always turned to face the sun no matter where I put him. And my instincts told me it was good for him. My gut tells me newborns need a few minutes of sunlight every day, just like the rest of us.I love the sun. I really think that human beings need regular sunlight exposure to survive. I don't generally use much sunblock on myself or my children unless we are in the sun for an extended period of time. I remember asking our pediatrician about the safety of sunscreens for infants when my first daughter was about 6 months old. He encouraged us to use hats, clothing, and shade rather than chemical suscreens. At the time, I was slow to take his advice and continued to use sunscreen. As I learned more about Vitamin D and safe sun exposure, my sunscreen use has decreased dramatically. Now we rely on hats, clothing, and shade to prevent sunburn (as our pediatrician recommended all those years ago). We all try to wear shirt-style swimming suits to keep our backs and shoulders protected. When we do use sunscreen, I focus on the areas most likely to sunburn--the nose, cheeks, ears, tops of feet, etc.While I wouldn't advocate spending large stretches of time in direct sunlight, I do advocate spending a few minutes every day (sunscreen-free) with some of your skin exposed to the sun, even babies. In places where sunlight is minimal in winter months, I also advocate taking Vitamin D supplements. I'm convinced that widespread Vitamin D deficiency is largely responsible for the "cold and flu season" phenomenon.

So what am I trying to say with all this Vitamin D babble? Yes, babies need vitamin D. How they get it is a personal decision mothers should discuss with their pediatricians. Personally, I'll echo what the Vitamin D council has to say:

Infants and children under the age of one should obtain a total of 1,000 IU (25 mcg) per day from their formula, sun exposure, or supplements. As most breast milk contains little or no vitamin D, breast-fed babies should take 1,000 IU per day as a supplement unless they are exposed to sunlight. The only exception to this are lactating mothers who either get enough sun exposure or take enough vitamin D (usually 4,000–6,000 IU per day) to produce breast milk that is rich in vitamin D. Formula fed babies should take an extra 600 IU per day until they are weaned and then take 1,000 IU a day, as advised below.

Children over the age of 1 year should take 1,000 IU per every 25 pounds of body weight per day, depending on latitude of residence, skin pigmentation, and sun exposure. On the days they are outside in the summer sun, they do not need to take any; in the winter they will need to supplement accordingly.

I hope that helps!

Speaking of loving the sun, this is one of my new favorite songs. I was introduced to it over our Spring break trip to CA when I attended a prenatal yoga class taught by my book collaborator, Felice. Love it! It's definitely going on my next birthing c.d.

New Button

2010-03-21T19:38:00.004-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful visit to California. I was able to work on the book project with Felice and see friends and family. Lots of exciting things happening. And we're still accepting stories, so please keep sending them our way. We're particularly interested in stories of spiritual experiences relating to epidurals, cesareans, blessingway baby showers, postpartum depression, adoption, and stories from older women (those who are now grandmothers and/or great-grandmothers).

Also... I made this new button to advertise the book project's blog. Please use this new code to replace the old button, if you put it on your sidebar. Thanks, friends!

<a href="http://thegiftofgivinglife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"></a>

This is why I carry on

2010-03-11T13:03:00.009-07:00

I've been feeling somewhat discouraged since my last post. Wondering whether I'm wasting my time making a big fuss about nothing with this blog and all the time and energy I put into birth advocacy. Does it really matter as much as I think/feel it does?

Then I got an email from a friend-of-a-friend that made my day yesterday. She had discovered, two weeks before her due date, that a certain medication she was taking would prevent her from having an epidural. So she was scrambling to prepare herself for an unexpected drug-free birth at the last minute. A couple of friends alerted me to her predicament, and I quickly whipped-up an email with attachments and links and tips.

Her baby came early, before she felt as prepared as she would have liked to be, but her birth went beautifully. She had a very fast (2.5 hour) labor and arrived at the hospital ready to push. She said the thing that got her through was remembering this post relating running to birth. She was a runner in high school so she could relate. And, while coping with labor, she imagined herself doing 200 meter sprints with a running friend by her side, cheering her on. In the end, she said:

We were really blessed and I cried. To be truthful, labor was a lot easier than I expected. I suppose I was waiting for a feeling of daggers and swords all through my lower region. Thankfully, it wasn't quite like that. . . . It's very likely I will have to do natural birth every time from here on out, but if it is similar to what I just experienced, it won't be so bad. It was beautiful!

I don't know whether the birth process matters as much as I think it does. Perhaps it matters little for most women. But once in a while I have the privilege of helping a woman discover the strength and beauty of giving birth. I can't help everyone or change everything. But I can help one. And then another one. And then another. And hearing them say, one by one...

"I feel so much more informed and empowered to deliver naturally and feel strongly that I can absolutely make it!"

"You have inspired me!"

"I know now that I can do so much more than I thought I could... that my body is capable of so much more."

"I have never felt so much love before. I knew that this was one of those life changing and life affirming moments that couldn't be experienced any other way."

"It was beautiful!"

Those are the moments when I know birth matters... even if just for a few women. And they are the reason I carry on.

Misunderstandings

2010-03-08T10:57:00.006-07:00

I just finished a conversation with a friend who recently found out she's pregnant with her third baby. This baby will be born via planned c-section (her first was born by cesarean after she got stuck at 7 cm, her second a planned c-section). She also mentioned an insensitive comment one of her acquaintances had made about cesareans, and it got me thinking. We are all guilty of misunderstanding each other once in a while. Unfortunately those misunderstandings and hurt feelings abound in the birthing world. It reminded me of this post from a year ago where I angrily lamented the rising cesarean rate and unwittingly hurt a reader's feelings (and felt awful about it).

It got me thinking about how tricky it is to balance advocacy and compassion. An advocate is, by nature, a fighter. We aren't content to accept the status quo. We feel driven to change things. But we can't change things unless we raise awareness about the problems we see. And, it seems, we can't raise awareness about the problems we see without pricking a few hearts here and there. Or can we?

Is it possible to talk about unnecessary cesareans without hurting the feelings of those who have given birth by cesarean? Is it possible to talk about the beauties and bliss of normal birth without those cesarean moms feeling that we're telling them their experiences were "less than" or failures? Is it possible to balance advocacy and compassion in such a way that everyone feels heard and validated and no one takes offense?

What do you think?

Re-post: Defining Female Empowerment

2010-03-06T13:42:00.003-07:00

The feminism chatter on CJane's blog has got my head spinning. Now I'm all befuddled and not really sure where I stand, but it brought my mind back to this post from last August, so here it is again in case you missed it...

The whole battle between the two camps is due to the faiure [sic] of women in the country to fight for real empowerment. They take up an 'easy' cause, child birth and child raising, to fight for with the enemy that does not exist, other women. Rather than fight men for equal pay (the ERA is STILL not ratified in this country!), equal opportunity, fight sexism, fight discrimination, they pick easy 'battles' with no true winners. My partner calls the breast-home birth-epidural-vaccination battles 'Hen Chatter'. No real substance or results. These arguments do nothing to better the lives and livelihoods of women or our daughters. Filled with hystrionics [sic] and personal anecdotes they are just busy work, like darning once was, for women. Keeps the little women busy and from tackling the real fights. Keep it up ladies and we will remain in the 1960's for another half century. Empowering women is not about how you have a baby!

-Ali (excerpt from her comment in response to "Pushing Back: Has the natural childbirth movement gone too far?" by Lisa Selin Davis)

I linked over to Lisa Selin Davis' essay from the Citizens for Midwifery blog. Initially I expected the article itself to get me riled up. But it turned out to be fairly balanced. Just a few painful jabs. Then I started reading the comments. Why do I let myself read the comments? The essay's title is quite fitting, in fact. Except Jennifer Block's title was making reference to the way women as a whole are "pushed" into less than ideal maternity care. This essay refers to the way women "push" each other. And, after reading the comment by "Ali" above, I certainly did feel as though I had been violently shoved to the ground.

My immediate reaction was... I have to write a blogpost! So I opened-up this window, poised to spill my reaction on the blank screen with gusto. But I stopped myself. I knew I needed to take a breather so I could express myself with a level head.

So I folded our (massive) piles of laundry while my husband and kids scrubbed the toilets and cleaned the bathrooms. Then we all put our piles of clothes away. And we put more loads of laundry in the washer. Now, with my sweet babe napping, and my husband getting lunch ready, I think I'm ready to say what's on my mind. I do my best thinking while completing seemingly brainless tasks, I think--showering, housework, etc. Multi-tasking is fun, no?

Here's what I've been thinking about today...

4.3 million births were registered in the United States in 2006 (source). And the vast majority of women worldwide will give birth at some point in their lifetimes. That translates to a mind-boggling number of births. So, in my view, what happens to women in childbirth is an issue that should matter to all women everywhere.

But, of course, we are all in different stages of life. The issues that matter to each of us are usually those most pertinent to our circumstances. I happen to be in my childbearing years. I have spent the past six+ years totally immersed in childbirth and childrearing. That is where my head is. So I am well-versed in the abuses toward women (and babies) occurring within that sphere. On the flip side, most of my female age-mates have spent the last six years in graduate school and the workforce, building their careers. They would be well-versed in the abuses toward women within their spheres.

Doesn't it make sense for all women to work within their own spheres of influence? What good would I do championing the cause of females in the corporate world if I have absolutely no idea what it's like to be in their shoes? What good does it do for any woman to say, in essence, "What matters to you is meaningless! My crusade is so much better than yours!" It reminds me of the similar sentiment that my work as a "stay-at-home" mother is menial or pointless, or that my career choice is somehow harming the progress of womankind. It is attitudes such as these that have led me to eschew the "feminist" label.

"Ali" accuses me and other birth advocates of fighting with "the enemy that does not exist, other women." But what has she just done? Is she not attacking me and women like me? I have always tried to make it clear that I do what I do to educate, inspire, and empower other women. Not ever to attack them. And, yes, I said empower.

Let's talk about empowerment. I can't tell you how many times I've heard women say, following the birth of their child, "That was the most empowering experience of my life!" I would love to see the day that childbirth is empowering for every woman, and never disempowering, as it is for too many. "Ali" may not be aware just yet, but women across the country are abused daily by their maternity care providers (many of them males). Can't we agree that needs to change?

Women can be empowered in a multitude of ways. Having a salary equivalent to a male executive is only one of them. Shouldn't "feminism" be about what matters to all women, not just about what matters to one small niche of them? Who is Ali to decide what ought to be empowering to other women? Aren't we all entitled to decide that for ourselves?

The fact of the matter is that the childbirth experience is a huge, often life-changing rite of passage for women. And what happens during that special experience matters deeply to many women, and rightly so. How does it harm the progress of womankind for us childbirth advocates to focus our efforts on maximizing the empowerment of that pivotal, life-changing experience? Can "Ali" and her partner really believe these issues are "hen chatter" or "histrionics"? Or that our efforts "do nothing to better the lives and livelihoods of women or our daughters." It is, in large part, because of my love for my daughters that I continue my crusade.

Furthermore, I happen to believe that darning is a valuable lost art--one I very much wish I had. Oh how many hole-filled socks I could have made wearable again!

So, "Ali" wants to get women away from their "needlework" and out fighting the "real fights" in the feminist agenda. I'm glad there are women like her fighting for equality in their realm of experience. But if you imagine all of womankind as a whole, perched on a tabletop, doesn't it make sense that we can't just raise one corner? Shouldn't we all "stand close together and lift where we stand" and improve every aspect of women's lives simultaneously, each exerting our efforts in the areas most suited to us? You work over there, I'll work over here, and together we'll all make a difference? Isn't that how it should be?

Thank you, ABC News

2010-03-05T16:15:00.005-07:00

For raising awareness about the many problems with our maternity care system in this country and the rising maternal death rate.

Now let's change things.

Push our button, will ya?

2010-03-04T16:50:00.013-07:00

I made this button to advertise our book project's blog. I'd love for you to put it on your blog sidebar and spread the word. Thanks, friends!

Here's the html code:

<a href="http://thegiftofgivinglife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"></a>

Ripples

2010-03-03T11:48:00.010-07:00

Last night I was talking with my husband as we finished-off the last of the apple pie we made on Sunday. He's grown accustomed to my nearly constant birth chatter (poor guy). I was talking about how crazy it was that the maternity care system in this country changed so fast.

My great-grandmother, Margaret, gave birth to my grandmother at home into the hands of a short little English immigrant midwife. My grandmother gave birth to all of her children in the hospital, flat on her back, drugged-up to the point of being virtually unconscious (probably twilight sleep), having her babies pulled out of her by the doctor (probably with forceps), and not remembering a bit of it. Which is why I'm sketchy on the details... she didn't know the details herself! She also had a very difficult time nursing her babies and her milk "dried up" after a short time--probably a result of the sugar water they were given in the hospital and afterward. (Magaret is seated in the photo above, with my father on her lap and my grandmother standing.)

I love my grandmother. She was a mother-figure to me when I was a traumatized and motherless toddler, and we've had a special mother-daughter bond ever since. She's one of the most important people in my life. I love, honor, and respect her greatly. But she's also the woman who told me over and over, when my first-born was a baby, that I was going to spoil her by holding her so much, that I should put her down more, and that I should just let her cry (as a tiny newborn baby) at night and eventually she'd give up and sleep. It was extremely difficult to sort through all the advice and figure out what to do. In the end, I felt strongly that I should go against her advice and follow my instincts. So I did.

I can't help but wonder whether my grandmother's views about mothering were somehow ripple effects of the way she gave birth. Did the disconnected birthing process lead to a more disconnected way of responding to her babies? Or was it simply the way her mother had taught her to care for infants?

This morning, I was reading an article by Pam Udy in Midwifery Today called "Emotional Impact of Cesareans." This part really struck me, in light of last night's conversation with my husband:

When a woman gives birth, she has to reach down inside herself and give more than she thought she had. The limits of her existence are stretched. There is a moment when every woman thinks, “I can‘t do this.” If she is lucky, she has a midwife, a doula or her mom to whisper in her ear, “You are doing it.” As she does it, she becomes someone new: a mother. If the birthing process is skipped or occurs in a hostile situation, or if the interventions become overwhelming, she becomes a different mother than she would have been if she had only had a supportive, midwifery model of care.

Do you think there's some truth to this? Does the way we give birth have ripple effects in our mothering styles? Would my grandmother have been a different type of mother if she had been conscious during her children's births? Or does it have more to do with how we were parented ourselves or our maternal instincts giving each unique child the style of parenting they need?

Please share your thoughts!

Thoughts on the freeway

2010-02-27T21:44:00.005-07:00

My mind's always whirring when I'm doing something mindless... driving, dishes, folding laundry (oh wait, scratch that... I don't fold laundry). Anyway, this afternoon, as I drove on the freeway to pick up my husband at the finish of the Ragnar Relay Del Sol, I found myself thinking about birth. It's where my brain usually goes by default.

Anyway, I was remembering the dream I had back in November where I was doula-ing a woman, totally in my groove. Like it was what I was born to do. About a week ago I had another doula dream. This time I was doula-ing a friend of mine who is currently pregnant. I won't be attending her for this birth, but perhaps in the future? It was a great dream though. Seeing the look on her face as she pulled her vernix-covered baby up onto her chest was priceless.

Do you ever think about how all the pieces of your life come together and suddenly you see why they came together that way. When I attended my doula training almost exactly a year ago, I had no idea how I was going to fit doula work into my life. I have felt guided or "called" to this path, but I haven't been able to figure out how to make it compatible with being a stay-at-home-mom. But, this afternoon, I was thinking about those dreams, and thinking about the two births I may be attending this coming June (for a friend and a cousin), and thinking about how I have the luxury of being married to a man who has a month off every summer (he's a school psychologist). And I realized in that moment that I've been given a gift--a month-long window of opportunity every year. Maybe I can't be a full-time doula in this season of my life, but I can be a mid-June to mid-July doula. I can offer my assistance to a couple of friends each year. I don't feel ready or able to surrender my life to doula work all year (I can't just leave my family at a moment's notice), but the summer feels manageable and perfect. Maybe I could even start doing childbirth education of some sort on the weekends during the rest of the year?

I'm babbling now. But I guess I just wanted you to know... I'm excited about being a summer doula. (If you want me, plan your conceptions accordingly!) I'm also excited to see where life takes me next. And grateful I married that handsome guy in the above photo who inspires me to follow my dreams (and has lots of lovely work vacations).

P.S. Wow, I really like to break that rule about not beginning sentences with "And" or "But," don't I?

Book Review: The Science of Parenting

2010-02-24T17:45:00.002-07:00

I'm catching-up on some things I've been wanting to write posts about for months. Like a book I checked-out from the library ages ago... I heard about The Science of Parenting by Dr. Margot Sunderland (director of education and training at the Centre for Child Mental Health in London) in a Canadian news article with the headline 'Crying it out' may damage baby's brain. Now that's a heavy headline, eh? I was definitely intrigued, so I decided to dig further into this. It took me weeks to read it (bit by bit while nursing), but I finally finished last month some time.

My initial reaction to the book was: it looks and feels like a text book. Lots of pictures, sidebars, bullet points, etc. The tone of the writing also reminded me of a text book--one that was giving you basic information without personality or fluff. But I was sort of disappointed because the book repeats phrases like, "There is a mass of scientific research showing..." but it only speaks in very general terms about what those studies actually show. I guess I expected a book called "The Science of Parenting" to delve more deeply into the science of parenting.

The book also struck me as somewhat biased. It kind of reminded me of Stupid Things Parents Do To Mess Up Their Kids which I read per a friend's suggestion. They're very different books written in very different ways, but they both support narrow visions of "good" parenting. It's no question Dr. Laura favors stay-at-home moms, so her book was like a big pat on the back for me (though I don't agree with everything she says). Similarly, The Science of Parenting leaves no doubt that it was written by a woman who is an advocate of attachment parenting and co-sleeping. For someone like me, it's validating. For an Ezzo-Babywise fan, probably not so much. (Actually, Dr. Laura herself would probably trash The Science of Parenting since Sunderland opposes spanking as a form of discipline.)

So where did the Canadian news headline come from? Sunderland devotes a whole chapter of her book to crying and separation. How does prolonged crying "damage" a baby's brain? Here's an excerpt:

Let's be clear at the outset--it is not crying itself that can affect a child's developing brain. It doesn't. It is prolonged, uncomforted distress. . . . It is the type of crying that goes on and on and on, and eventually stops when the child is either completely exhausted and falls asleep or, in a hopeless state, realizes that help is not going to come. . . . In a crying baby, the stress hormone cortisol is released by the adrenal glands. If the child is soothed and comforted, the level of cortisol goes down again, but if the child is left to cry and cry, the level of cortisol remains high. This is a potentially dangerous situation, because over a prolonged period, cortisol can reach toxic levels that may damage key structures and systems in a developing brain. Cortisol is a slow-acting chemical that can stay in the brain at high levels for hours. (p. 38-40)

I have heard similar explanations in previous reading and research, so this wasn't new to me, but I found Sunderland's explanation, visuals, and charts enriching. Despite these points, I personally feel that intuition trumps science and that we each are given promptings of how to respond to our children individually.

The part of the book I found most helpful was Sunderland's section about the two types of tantrums--distress tantrums and "Little Nero" tantrums. She explains that these two types of tantrums should be handled in very different ways.

Distress tantrums mean that rage, fear, and/or separation distress have sent "too-high levels of stress chemicals searing through his body and brain" (p. 122). These stress chemicals "hijack" your child's ability to think or reason or communicate effectively. Children in distress tantrums need help managing their big feelings. Sunderland encourages parents to remember that their child's distress is genuine and focus on giving physical comfort, emotional empathy, and safety.

Little Nero tantrums are another story. These tantrums are about control and manipulation and rarely involve tears. There aren't stress chemicals involved. Sunderland explains, "A Little Nero tantrum is about a child trying to get what he wants--attention, a particular toy, or food--through bullying his parents into submission. . . . Children who have Little Nero tantrums need to learn that they can't always receive the gratification they want at the time they want it, and that it's not OK to bully or control people to get what they want in life" (p.128). Sunderland encourages parents to ignore these tantrums, avoid trying to reason, argue, or negotiate with the child, remain emotionally calm, and be firm in saying, "No." Above all, don't reward these inappropriate tantrums with attention.

Reading her explanation of these two types of tantrums was one of those "aha" moments. I have seen both types hundreds of times but never really made that distinction or realized that they called for different parental responses. I'm trying to incorporate Sunderland's suggestions, when I remember. Fortunately, Little Nero rarely makes an appearance around here. But I definitely need to work on keeping my cool and ignoring those.

Even though it wasn't really what I expected, I'm glad I read The Science of Parenting. It reminded me to respect my children's feelings and respond in a way that honors their identity as children of God. It helped me to better understand what is happening inside when my 4-year-old freaks out about something--as she often does. It has validated my efforts to create a secure attachment with my babies through responsive parenting--both night and day. I'd definitely recommend the book to others, but only after making them aware of the author's preference for the attachment parenting style.

A couple of Amazon reviewers' statements might be helpful:

I think it inflates the parents' role in child-rearing. It goes completely overboard about activating the wrong parts of your child's brain. I'm not saying there is no merit to this theory, but the book would make it seem a miracle anyone ever grew up halfway sane if their parents nevcer read this book. -SWB "Parent"

[T]he discussion of the science is extremely superficial . . . . To learn more about the science of how the brain actually works, I would recommend What's Going on in There?: How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot. -sammy

I've already put What's Going on in There on hold at our library. It sounds more like what I was expecting The Science of Parenting to be, and the reviews promise lots of dense scientific details. Goody! I also have another parenting book on hold, The Wonder Weeks, per Heather's suggestion. Can't wait to check them out!

Do you have any other book recommendations, while we're at it?

Pain, pain, go away

2010-02-24T10:10:00.003-07:00

So... I've had chronic back pain since my first daughter was born. I attribute it to my scoliosis (which has worsened over time through pregnancy and motherhood). I've also spent my life fighting chronic headaches. I used to pop ibuprofen like candy multiple times a day to keep my headaches at bay (now I only take pain killers maybe a couple of times a year).

Reducing processed (MSG-laden) foods in our diet has alleviated my headaches immensely, but I'm finding I can minimize my body pain even more by eating more anti-inflammatory foods and avoiding foods in the nightshade family--tomatoes and potatoes. Apparently they can exacerbate pain for some people. Not sure if I'm one of those people yet, but I'm experimenting to see. (No easy task since I love tomatoes and cook with them all the time.)

I love anti-inflammatory foods. They're my new best friends. Here are a few of my favorites...

1) Turmeric
I had never used this deep yellow spice until this past year when I started hearing about how health-promoting it is. It's a main ingredient in curries and it's what makes mustard yellow. Now I put a bit of turmeric in our meals several times a week. I won't go into all of the health-benefits associated with turmeric, but studies have shown that its natural anti-inflammatory effects are as powerful as painkillers like ibuprofen. The smell and flavor of turmeric remind me a lot of celery which I'm not a huge fan of, but I'm getting used to it.

2) Sweet potatoes
Did you know they're in a different family than regular potatoes? And super healthy too. Since I'm avoiding nightshade vegetables, sweet potatoes will be my substitute in potato recipes. Growing up I really didn't care for sweet potatoes, but they've grown on me a lot over the years, especially since I discovered they can be cooked without marshmallows.

3) Olive oil and fish oil
I was already cooking with olive oil everyday and taking fish oil fairly often, but now I do it with more gusto and purpose. Instead of popping ibuprofen when I've got a headache or my back is particularly painful, I pop fish oil capsules instead. Studies verify that fish oil is an effective and safe alternative for pain relief (olive oil too).

Other anti-inflammatory foods: blueberries (and other berries), papaya, pineapple, broccoli, cauliflower, cherries, garlic, ginger, almonds, apples, cinnamon, dark chocolate, rosemary, chili peppers, meats from grass-fed animals, and more.

Last night we had ground bison and cut-up sweet potatoes sauteed in olive oil with fresh onion and garlic, sprinkled with chili powder and turmeric, steamed broccoli on the side. Yum.

Spiritual epidurals?

2010-02-22T08:56:00.010-07:00

Back in November, I posted about a call for birth stories for The Gift of Giving Life--a book about the spiritual nature of pregnancy and birth. Not long afterward, the original author of the book, Felice, invited a handful of other women to participate as "authors" in the project, including me. It is incredibly humbling and thrilling to be a part of it. Especially since I get to rub shoulders with all these amazing women (like Rixa and Heather).

This past weekend, Felice came to AZ, and we got together a few times to work on the project. Nothing's quite so blissful as immersing yourself in birth chatter and birth stories for a whole weekend--at least for birth junkies like us! Love this wonderful woman!We're still gathering stories, so please send more! Which brings me to our interesting predicament. We've been looking for stories of spiritual experiences relating to infertility, baby-related dreams, pregnancy, miscarriage, morning sickness, still birth, birth, and postpartum. We want all kinds of stories from all kinds of women, i.e. we aren't just looking for "natural" birth stuff. But nearly all of the stories we have received have been unmedicated births, mostly home births. We don't want to be exclusive or appear to be exclusive. So we really want epidural and cesarean birth stories too. But no one is sending them.

So, my question is... why aren't we getting stories from women who have had epidurals or cesareans? I feel certain that there are stories out there--women who were spiritually guided to choose or accept an epidural or cesarean because of their circumstances. Right? Where are these women? (Rixa's recent epidural post and comments really got me thinking.)

Since most of the stories we have received are home births, birth center births, and unmedicated hospital births, it's been hard not to wonder whether it's even possible to have a spiritual birth experience with an epidural. But I recently chatted with an old friend who told me her first daughter's medicated birth was a very spiritual experience, so I know there are stories out there. I want them to be represented in our book. So where are they?

DIY cardboard play kitchen, anyone?

2010-02-15T08:53:00.007-07:00

As I was posting the pictures in my last post, I realized that I never shared our January 2008 home-made play kitchen adventure on this blog, and since I figure I have lots of readers who might be interested in making their own play kitchen from recycled moving boxes... here it is!

Years ago, my brother and his wife gave us the play kitchen their kids had outgrown. It was fantastic. Our girls got a lot of use out of that thing. You can see part of it in this picture here...Then we made plans to move to AZ, and (being naive and inexperienced in the world of play kitchens) we thought we'd sell it at a yard sale and just get a new one on Craigslist after we moved. We figured it would be easier than trying to move the thing 'cause it was pretty big. I think we sold it for like $11 or something ridiculous like that. Fast forward to post-move when I find out that some people actually expect you to pay $100 for a used play kitchen!? Obviously we were crazy to part with our FREE one. Yikes!

Seeing that there was no way we were going to pay that much for something so non-essential, I did a google search to see if anyone had a site with do-it-yourself play kitchen ideas. That's when I found forty-two roads. She made a play kitchen with cardboard and contact paper. Not a bad idea. What do you have coming out your ears after a move? BOXES! Stacks and stacks of flattened boxes were residing in our garage.

So, two years ago, my husband and I (with a little help from our girls) created a play kitchen using recycled cardboard boxes, contact paper, packing tape, glue, and a few knick knacks, screws, and gadgets thrown in. Voila! A pretty stinkin cool hand/home-made play kitchen for my little girls to go nuts with.

We were quite proud of our little creation, particularly the special features not included in the forty-two roads' original. We sort of took her idea and modified it to our liking. The special features include: a window in the oven door (with a sheet protector acting as "glass"), two functional cardboard drawers, a "granite" countertop, a faucet (bike hook), and colorful contact paper. Here are some pics of the work in progress and the final product:The folks who sold us our house left a couple of things in the storage closet, one of them being an old Sony stereo cabinet. We didn't have a stereo fit for it, and it had just been sitting in that closet for months... So... we covered the glass door with cardboard, contact paper and tape to make it safer, and it was instantly transformed into... you guessed it... a refrigerator! Check it out!They were a lot of work, but it was fun work. We've decided they're definitely better than anything we could have bought at the store.

Wrap Happy

2010-02-15T08:40:00.010-07:00

You might like:
No-Sew Baby Wrap Instructions
DIY Cardboard Play Kitchen, anyone?

Curvy

2010-02-06T17:00:00.007-07:00

About two years ago I went to a chiropractor, hoping he could help me figure out why I had chronic pain in my right shoulder blade region. (It still plagues me to this day.)

Wow. That's what I thought when I saw the x-rays of my spine. Wow. Holy cow. Good grief!

Back when I was a teenager I was diagnosed with scoliosis, but they watched it for a while and it never became more than "mild" scoliosis, so they sent us on our way and I sort of stopped thinking about it. Until the pain started several years later. When I was lying "flat" on my back, things just didn't seem to be where they were supposed to be. I was definitely right! As we stood there looking at the x-rays, I thought to myself, hmmm... that doesn't look like "mild" scoliosis to me! The chiropractor concurred. Mommyhood had taken its toll and made my curvy spine even curvier.

What does this have to do with birth, you're asking?

A recent post by Rixa alerted me to something fascinating. It's totally logical... one of those things you learn and wonder how you never thought of it before. Scoliosis and epidurals aren't always compatible. Makes sense, huh? I really don't know how it never occurred to me before.

So I just googled "epidural scoliosis," and found quite a few stories from women with scoliosis on forums and Q&A sites. It seems to be hit or miss. Some women with scoliosis had no trouble, but they seem to be in the minority. Most of the women with scoliosis fell into one (or more) of these categories:

1) They forgot about their scoliosis until the anesthesiologist pointed it out. It took some time to place the epidural, but it worked fine.

2) Placing the epidural was extremely difficult. The anesthesiologist had to poke them multiple times, sometimes excessively, and they suffered back pain for days, weeks, or months after the birth.

3) The epidural only worked on one half of their body or only worked when they positioned their body a certain way. Most of these women went on to choose natural deliveries for subsequent children and raved about how much better they were compared to their complicated epidural experiences.

4) Their OB recommended meeting with the anesthesiologist in advance and bringing along x-rays to ensure everything would be smooth.

5) They were told an epidural would not be possible because of the severity of their scoliosis. They opted instead for a spinal, a c-section under general anesthesia (Seriously... one lady's doctor let her have an elective scheduled cesarean because her scoliosis was incompatible with an epidural. Seriously.), or a natural delivery.

I feel so fortunate that I didn't have to learn these things the hard way. What if I had gone into my first birth expecting the epidural to save me from the agony? I think an unmedicated birth is so much more painful and difficult when it is unwanted and the mother is completely unprepared for it. It never occurred to me to mention my scoliosis to my OB or hospital nurse. I wonder how many women with scoliosis have miserable births because, like me, they didn't realize it could impact their experiences.

I also discovered through my internet digging that scoliosis can affect fundal height measurements. One women was told she would give birth to a 10+ pound baby because she was measuring so "big." Her child came out a 7 pounder. If you have scoliosis and your doc starts pressing for an induction or cesarean for a suspected "big baby," keep this in mind. Spinal curvature just might be misrepresenting the size of your baby. When I imagine hours of bone-crunching pit-contractions followed by an epidural that only works on half of my body followed by months of back pain from the multiple insertion attempts... all for an unnecessary induction... Ugh. NO thanks.

Fascinating stuff.

'Cause I love you

2010-01-29T15:22:00.010-07:00

I started this blog nearly three years ago. I had never "blogged" before, but I loved to write, and I loved birth, and I wanted nothing more than to help all my sisters out there by sharing the things I was learning about pregnancy and birth. I've never really tried to make money with the blog because this blog isn't for me (though I love it and find it immensely fulfilling). This blog is for you, my sisters (and brothers?).

I love your comments. I love hearing your insights. I love your questions. I love hearing about your experiences... especially when your births have gone well and you come back and let me know. I hope you realize how much it warms my heart. There have been moments over the last three years when I have contemplated quitting for one reason or another. But then I get an email or comment from one of you offering thanks or encouragement, and I realize (again and again) that I could never stop. You are why I keep going, keep researching, keep writing and sharing.

Thank you!

Did I mention I love your comments?

So I was wondering if you might humor me? As of this moment Birth Faith has 37 "followers" and 153 facebook fans, and I am dying to know you all better. I wonder about you all the time. I'd be so giddy with excitement if you'd grant me a little wish...

Tell me about you, please? :-)

These are the questions I'm dying to know the answers to (but feel free to only answer some or even tell me your whole life story, if you want):

1) Where are you?
2) How long have you been reading my blog?
3) How did you find it?
4) Do you subscribe through a "reader" or just visit the blog itself?
5) Do you have a favorite post?
6) What kind of births have you had?
7) Are you a childbirth educator, doula, midwife, nurse, lactation consultant, or other birth-related professional?
8) Do you have a blog? (Can I have the link?)
9) What's your favorite birth-related book? Movie? Website?
10) What do you do for work? For play?
11) Other fun facts about you?

You can post a comment or email me--whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Thanks, friends.

Hugs!

P.S. I'm not fishing for information with some ulterior motive, by the way, and I won't share anything you tell me in an email with anyone else. This is just for my own enjoyment and curiosity. :-)

DIY Natural Hand Sanitizer

2010-01-19T09:20:00.008-07:00

I've always been one to chuckle to myself at "those people" who carry hand sanitizer around. I don't keep my house clean by any means, but I have always assuaged my guilt with the rationale that it's good for my kids' immune systems (and it is). The only reason I have any antibacterial hand soap in my house is because I got a bunch for free with coupons last year. I'm not a germaphobe because I know that there are germs, bacteria, and viruses lurking everywhere. Everywhere. And I think our attempts to avoid them are somewhat delusional, and sometimes only succeed in turning the bugs into supers.

So my approach has always been... rather than trying to kill/avoid the bugs, make it possible for us to live in peace with them by strengthening our immune systems so they're no longer a threat. So far my approach has worked well. We rarely get sick, but when we do it's usually because we've let our immune systems get weak by staying up too late (repeatedly) or eating too much sugar.

The problem is... your immune system can't protect you from everything. Sometimes a healthy immune system malfunctions. Sometimes those malfunctions manifest themselves in frightening ways. As some of you are aware, my baby was admitted to the hospital last week with what they eventually diagnosed as Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP). HSP usually occurs when the body is exposed to a bug and sort of overreacts to it and causes the capillaries in the skin to become inflamed and bleed creating a rash, aches, and swelling. It's not fun. Here's a pic of my Bubby from Sunday...So although he never got "sick" with the bug, the bug did make him "sick" by provoking his immune system to overreact.

The good news is that he's doing much, much better. The swelling has disappeared and the rash is slowly fading. He is almost back to his happy self again. The bad news is that a good portion of those who experience HSP will have another bout of it, usually within a month through exposure to another virus. One bout of HSP was more than enough for us! And I no longer have the illusion that I can live in complete peace with the germs around us. Any one of those bugs could bring another HSP nightmare upon us. (This experience only fueled my distaste for hospitals and the "bad eggs" of the medical establishment... ugh!)

So I've turned into a germaphobe. At least temporarily. I will not be taking my baby to the store, to the school, to the church, or any public place for at least a few weeks (or months?). I will be slathering my daughters' hands in sanitizer before they get into the car after kindergarten and preschool. And we will be washing our hands thoroughly first thing when we walk in the door.

As I was talking to my brother about my new-found-inner-germaphobe, he mentioned that there are natural hand sanitizers out there if I want to avoid the harsh commercial ones. Did you know that the alcohol-based versions say they're not suitable for infants? So that got me thinking... maybe I could make my own natural sanitizer? I turned to google and found quite a few recipes. They all had roughly the same ingredients, but with quite an array of proportions. So I took a couple of them and sort of morphed them to make my own version using the ingredients I had.

Disclaimer: I'm no chemist. I have no idea if this will actually kill germs. It's my understanding that a sanitizer has to be at least 60% alcohol to do the job, but I don't know what proportions are necessary when you're using other antibacterial agents. Here's what I do know: vinegar and lavender essential oil can be used as antibacterials. So I figure that whether or not my natural hand sanitizer kills everything, it's bound to be better than nothing. I chose lavender because I had a bottle in the cupboard and it's safer for children than the more potent tea tree oil most of the sanitizer recipes called-for.

So here's what we used... Natural Hand Sanitizer

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup distilled water
approximately 1 3/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel (12 oz bottle)
14 drops lavender essential oil

We mixed the ingredients in a glass bowl with a whisk and then poured the mixture into an empty soap dispenser. The remainder we poured back into the aloe vera bottle to use for refills. My husband and I tested it out last night. I was initially worried that it would either smell too strongly of vinegar or too strongly of lavender. Neither of those smells is really noticeable. In fact, mostly it smells like the aloe gel with just a hint of vinegar and lavender. Not bad at all. A bonus to using these ingredients--alcohol-based versions will dry out the skin, but aloe vera and lavender will benefit the skin.

Will it work? I don't know. But here's my plan... I will use our "natural" sanitizer when I know we will soon be able to wash our hands (after-school, etc.). But I will also keep commercial sanitizer in the car for times when we are in exceptionally germy situations or not likely to have access to a sink or soap within a short period of time. So it'll be good enough for our purposes.

Anybody else make their own sanitizer? Does it seem to work for you?

Eye-opening little nugget

2010-01-12T08:18:00.008-07:00

I was googling "rhombus of michaelis" to see what else was out there on the web and found an archive link apparently documenting a letter written by a chiropractor, Todd Gastaldo, to Jean Sutton. I guess they were in some disagreement about what happens to the pelvis when the rhombus of michaelis moves, but that's not my reason for posting.

They were in total agreement that lying on the back or semi-reclined on the tailbone prevents the birth canal from opening to its full capacity--substantially. Apparently by 20 to 30%! That's huge. Then the doc gave the following eye-opening observation, calling it "obvious OB crime" (and I would add that OBs aren't the only perpetrators--midwives are also to blame sometimes):

OBs are slicing vaginas en masse (euphemism "routine episiotomy")--surgically/FRAUDULENTLY inferring everything possible is being done to OPEN birth canals--even as they CLOSE birth canals − up to 30%.

OBs are slicing abdomens en masse ("c−section")-- surgically/fraudulently inferring everything possible has been DONE to open birth canals--even as they CLOSE birth canals − up to 30%.

Now--to be sure--allowing the birth canal to open the "extra" up to 30% is not going to prevent all caesareans and episiotomies--but it can't hurt. Incidentally, when babies' shoulders get stuck, OBs KEEP the birth canal closed--even as they say they are opening it maximally.

OBs don't charge for their mass vagina slicing--but it is known to increase severe perineal tears by 50X--and perineal tearing is the most common reason for hospitalization of women:

"The most common diagnosis for hospitalization among all women is trauma to
perineum due to childbirth" (source).

It blows my mind that we just lie down and take this... over and over and over and over and over and over again.

When will we demand that these crimes end?

Stand by me

2010-01-11T13:04:00.012-07:00

A statement out of a recent Midwifery Today E-Newsletter reminded me of something I've been wanting to blog about ever since my doula training almost a year ago. Dutch midwife, Gre Keijzer, explained:

In my view, starting the second stage in a standing position can be seen as a preventive measure against the occurrence of shoulder dystocia. If it does occur, it can be easily corrected without having to perform all sorts of heroic manoeuvres.

I've become somewhat obsessed in the last year with giving birth in standing positions. My fascination began when my doula trainer, Mary, shared a handout adapted from an article by Jean Sutton called, "Physiological Second Stage or Birth Without Active Pushing."

Jean Sutton, my doula trainer explained, was an engineer before becoming a nurse/midwife. So she applied her understanding of engineering to the human pelvis and determined the optimal maternal stance for the baby's smooth journey through the birth canal. She argues, "Human birth is an engineering situation . . . . We have tended to ignore the way the maternal pelvis and [fetal] head are designed to interact. Parents should be given the facts about how the process works." She also says, "In a normal physiological birth, the mother has no need to deliberately push her baby into the world." Here are the particulars of achieving this apparently effortless process:

1) Optimum fetal positioning. In order for this smooth "fetal ejection reflex" to occur, the baby should be in the anterior position (facing the mother's back) before the pushing stage begins. The website Spinning Babies has excellent resources for encouraging babies to rotate into this optimal position before and during labor.

2) Supportive environment. The laboring mother needs to have freedom of movement. Jean Sutton recommends having "strongly fixed rails or bars at or above normal waist height." A sturdy support person to hold onto may also be sufficient.

3) Optimum maternal positioning. The laboring mother should be in an upright position--standing or kneeling. The mother's weight should ideally be "in front of her ischial tuberosities" (the bones in your bum)--so the upperbody leaning slightly forward. The mother's hands should be grasped onto something above waist height to release tension in the lower body. Her back arched, head thrown back. If ideally supported, her body will sag and her knees will rotate outwards, and the lower part of the woman's spine which includes the tailbone (the Rhombus of Michaelis) will move backward causing her pelvis to destabilize. Midwifery Today describes this fluid physiological process this way:

The following spontaneous actions then occur: the mother reaches upward for something stable to grasp; her body sags forward and knees roll out; her back arches and she begins to wriggle her lower body; the uterus contracts and forces the baby downward (a series of actions very similar to those during orgasm).

Jean Sutton argues that any position raising the knees above the seat, reclining, or squatting will cause the pelvis to be "splinted" and fixed. It is also important that a woman's tailbone be free to flex and move out of the way of the baby's head as it travels down.

A woman reclined in a bed cannot experience this spontaneous, fluid process. She also can't experience it with an epidural. Jean says:

I think we need to get women to understand that, although epidurals are great for pain relief, they actually get in the way of a spontaneous second stage and vaginal birth. In many cases, the reason they've got an epidural is that the baby wasn't in the best position when it started, and the baby in the less suitable positions needs all the space he can get to turn around in.(Source)

Jean Sutton also emphasizes that it is crucial to resist the temptation to "help" a woman through this process: "Women may be left with permanent damage if the legs or pelvis are moved at the wrong time or at the wrong angle. It must be understood that the spine has no support once the Rhombus moves."

I've given birth three times. Every time I have been squarely on my tailbone with my knees up... like so...And pushing took a great deal of effort every time. It's my dream to someday experience this spontaneous physiological process as God and nature intended--standing upright!

You may also enjoy this article about the Rhombus of Michaelis and physiological birth by Sara Wickham and Jean Sutton.

PMS Tips

2010-01-07T08:33:00.005-07:00

Diana J. asked if I would explain more about my PMS game plan choices, so here goes.

I started suspecting that my PMS was caused by a hormonal imbalance awhile ago. Progesterone came up on my radar screen mainly because progesterone levels are high during pregnancy, and pregnancy is when I feel most "myself," happy, and emotionally-stable. I've also gathered that abnormally high estrogen levels can cause the anxiety, aggression, and irritability some PMS-sufferers experience (PMS type A). So I'm thinking it's likely I have elevated estrogen levels when they shouldn't be high and not enough progesterone. Maybe.

Based on what I found digging on the internet, I created my own game plan to attempt to regulate my hormones as follows:

1) Early to bed. I'm a night owl. (And I have a baby who nurses off-and-on in the night.) So I'm basically in a state of constant and chronic sleep-deprivation. In fact, I think I could say I've been sleep-deprived since I was in high school when I started frequently staying up late. So that's over a decade of lost sleep. Based on what I've been reading, sleep loss can wreak havoc on your hormone levels. Ooooops. It's also my understanding that our bodies are designed to sleep from about 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Varying from that can cause big problems. Interestingly enough, there was one week-ish when I was consistently going to bed by 10:00 and getting up around 6:00, and I was amazed how great I felt. I'm doing better, but still working on this one.

2) Down with the xenoestrogens. You know... those chemicals in our environment that act like estrogen. They're everywhere! It's virtually impossible to eliminate them from our life, but we can try to minimize our exposure through using more natural and organic products and avoiding foods and drinks heated in plastic, etc. This is one of the reasons why I started drinking organic milk, buying more organic meat/produce, using natural products for lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and drinking from a less-toxic water bottle when I'm out of the house.

3) Mushrooms. In my research, I discovered that mushrooms may reduce estrogen levels and decrease breast cancer risk. If I do have elevated estrogen levels prompting my PMS symptoms, I figure more mushrooms are in order, especially on days 26 and 27 of my cycle (when I usually experience the anxiety, aggression, and irritability). Plus I think they're yummy. So far I've been eating them somewhat randomly, but I think I will start reserving them (they're kind of expensive) specifically for the "luteal phase" (last week-ish) of my cycle. I've never seen or heard of using mushrooms to treat PMS, but I figure it makes logical sense... worth a shot.

4) Other PMS prevention measures.

* Exercise
* Omega-3s
* Avoid junk food
* Get extra calcium (more yogurt), magnesium and vitamin E (almonds), vitamin D, and B vitamins

These are all natural PMS remedies I found popping-up all over the web. I am still trying to work regular exercise into my routine. This site has some excellent tips on what to eat to beat PMS.

I hope this helps! It seems to be helping me so far, and that's a HUGE relief!

Good news and bad news

2010-01-02T15:08:00.005-07:00

The bad: Lyla's back. (Code name my h.s. girlfriends and I used in reference to our menstrual periods when our guy friends were around.) She arrived a few weeks ago, and she was heavy! Hey, I thought you might want to know, especially if you've been following my quest to "keep the monster at bay."

The good: She arrived without a demonic prelude! As in, no PMS! I was initially bummed to see Lyla's return, but the joy of having avoided my usual demons chased the woes quickly away. Plus I realized that Lyla's return will make following our preferred natural family planning technique possible again. Oh and I also didn't have any cramps which was unusual but delightful.

The most consistent changes I've made as part of my PMS game plan were eating (a lot) more mushrooms, purchasing/drinking organic milk and yogurt, using olive oil in place of lotion/moisturizer, taking more omega-3's and vitamin D, eating more almonds (huge stash in my fridge) and trying to get to bed earlier (I was doing pretty well until the holidays hit). I'm also in the process of a gradual weaning from shampoo/conditioner. I'm using a baking soda and water mixture with a bit of shampoo mixed in and vinegar for "conditioner" (Sorry if I smell like a salad these days... just blame it on the olive oil and vinegar). We also got BPA-free reusable water bottles for Christmas, and I've been really careful to avoid microwaving things in plastic (to avoid environmental estrogens). Apparently something's working. Yay! (Oops, I forgot olive oil in my pic. Dang.)

And, speaking of womanly cycles, I'm thinking of reading The Red Tent per Liz's suggestion. She says it's full of birthy-midwifey stuff. Sounds heavenly. I'll be checking it out from the library, I think... if I can ever figure out how to make time for reading books again.

For those of us who yell at the t.v. (and everyone else too)

2010-01-02T09:47:00.003-07:00

For more info, see here and here and here.

9 months today

2010-01-01T23:56:00.001-07:00

I can't believe this adorable kid has now been outside of me for longer than he was inside of me!

(Happy New Year!)

(Re)birth

2009-12-19T22:52:00.007-07:00

Giving birth for the first time is life-changing. I was reminded of this, once again, a few moments ago as I was reading through my maternal grandmother's life history. A couple of years ago I started typing her hand-written life story so it could be compiled with other family histories in a book for our families and future generations. Tonight I was thinking about her, feeling a need to refresh my memories of her past, and began reading the portions of her story I had previously typed. Then I came upon the section where she describes her feelings after giving birth for the first time. She says:

[T]here is absolutely nothing like that first-born baby. For me, that first birth, of our daughter Judy, represented a sort of “rebirth” for me, not withstanding my having assisted at a number of births in my nursing profession. I had this peculiar “psyche” that I couldn’t really actually give birth to a baby--I felt that I was a sort of unreal bystander or spectator in this big game of life, so when I did really actually give birth to a baby, I was brought to realize that I was first as real and able a player in this game of life as anyone else. When her daddy came into the room following her birth, I exclaimed “We did it!” (We have a baby).

I do not know the details of her birth experience. My mother was born in 1947, so it was during the horrific "twilight sleep" era, but I get the sense that my grandmother was aware during the birth process because of the way it changed her from feeling like a spectator to feeling like a "real and able player." I wish she were still alive so I could ask her. And I wish every woman's first time could be a beautiful, joyful memory and (re)birth just as my grandmother's was.

My little doula

2009-12-04T09:24:00.004-07:00

The baby swing in the closet prompted a fun conversation with my 4-year-old (I call her "Monk" in the blogosphere):Monk: When you get another baby, I want to be your doula.

Busca: What would you do to be my doula?

Monk: You lay down, and I push on your bum!

Busca: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Monk: (chuckling) It helps!

Busca: (huge grin) You're right!

Away in a manger

2009-11-30T20:28:00.009-07:00

We had a fun little family night this evening. We sang some Christmas songs around the piano, made a Christmas ornament, and then watched The Nativity--a short depiction of the birth of Jesus.
I've seen this short film many times before, but this time it was different. Perhaps it was different because I so recently gave birth myself. Or because I've got birth stories on the brain. For the first time, I was seeing it as a "birth movie" instead of just a "Christmas movie." As it came closer to the moment of birth, I found myself getting a little teary-eyed. While I'm not usually a crier, birth movies (and spiritual experiences) always get me. And then, as Mary neared the birth, probably in "transition"(3:40 in the youtube version), being comforted by her loving husband and midwife, I yelled at the screen, not unlike some men yell at the television when a football is fumbled. What did I yell?

"Oh, get off your back, for the love! She would not have been on her back!"

My husband's response? "Hey, at least she had a midwife!"

Yep. I yelled at the Virgin Mary... sort of. Then I couldn't help myself. I got wondering, and the gears in my head started going, and I had to know details.

My first question... would Joseph have even been with her? "The Nativity" depicts him tenderly touching her as she endures her labor. As it turns out, that would never have happened between a Jewish couple in those circumstances. Under Jewish law, once a woman has reached active labor, she gains the ritual status of yoledet. Her husband is then no longer able to physically touch her and is prohibited from seeing her naked (and from staring directly at her vaginal opening). She will remain in the ritual status of yoledet until she has had no bleeding for seven days and will then immerse in a ritual bath allowing her to resume physical contact with her husband. Some modern rabbis prohibit fathers from being present in the delivery room. The Bible itself does not specify where Joseph was, but, given the laws, I think it's unlikely he was present in the same space as Mary during the birth. However, the shepherds did find them together afterward.

My next question... who was with her then? The Bible does indicate that midwives delivered babies in the Jewish tradition. So this is one point that "The Nativity" got right. I think it's likely Mary was attended by at least one, probably several women. Some sources indicate that Joseph and Mary would actually have been staying with relatives in Joseph's ancestral home (probably on the first floor which was often used to house animals), so she would likely have had experienced aunts or cousins assisting her. If not relatives, then surely a few of Bethlehem's womenfolk would have been fetched.

How would she have given birth? Definitely not on her back! No ancient woman would have lain on her back to give birth. I think it's safe to say, without question, that it never would have occurred to them. Mary would have spent her labor doing whatever felt most comfortable. The Bible indicates that birthing stools (called ovnayim) were often used.

Would it really have been a "silent night"? Well it wasn't silent in "The Nativity," and it probably wasn't in reality. Between the animals and the typical birthing sounds, I'd wager it was pretty noisy in there all night long.

So now my mental image of Christ's birth has been completely renovated. I've been a birth-lover for over 6 years, so it's about time. I will no longer imagine Mary semi-recumbent or flat on her back pushing Jesus out in an open stable. Instead, I will envision her upright, surrounded and lovingly supported by women (and angels) beneath the shelter of a warm ancestral home where no doubt countless babies had been welcomed. It's going to take some getting-used-to, but I like it.

Re-post: Down with the I.V. league

2009-11-27T21:54:00.004-07:00

Been busy with Thanksgiving fun. Here's a re-post of a piece I wrote almost exactly two years ago:

“You’re thirsty? Do you want some more ice chips?” Most women laboring in U.S. hospitals, no matter how thirsty or hungry they may be, must resign themselves to sucking and munching on ice. I munched my way through that rite of passage with my first baby. Enduring labor and birth has been compared to enduring and completing a marathon. Both feats are extremely physically taxing, but you would never expect a marathon participant to run without drinking or consuming any kind of fuel. Hospitals across the country expect laboring women to do just that, but is this deprivation really necessary?

When a patient must undergo general anesthesia for emergency surgery, there is a risk of stomach contents being inhaled into the lungs (also known as “aspiration”). Hospitals ask women to refrain from eating or drinking in order to reduce the risk of death from pulmonary aspiration. Even with these precautions in place, however, there is no guarantee that a woman’s stomach will be empty in the event that she needs general anesthesia. The risks of death from pulmonary aspiration are miniscule—1 in 1,250,000. Furthermore, deaths from pulmonary aspiration in these situations have more to do with anesthesiologists’ errors than whether a woman has had food or fluids recently. It is very uncommon for a laboring woman to require general anesthesia. Most of the problems arising in childbirth can be recognized and addressed without such extreme measures being taken.

What do hospitals offer as a “substitute” for food and drink? Intravenous fluids (IVs). Yes, IVs provide fluids, but quite often they provide too much, particularly when mother is given a “bolus” (large amount of fluid) before receiving an epidural (an attempt to prevent the blood pressure drop often resulting from epidural anesthesia). Fluid overload resulting from IV fluids can lead to other complications, among them:

* Fluid in mother’s and baby’s lungs.
* Diluted blood, leading to anemia and decreased oxygen supply to the uterus and fetus.
* Newborn jaundice, as excess fluid causes baby’s red blood cells to burst and release bilirubin (yellow product of red blood cell breakdown).

Aside from these issues, an IV will also hinder a laboring woman’s ability to move while in labor. Movement, particularly in early labor, is an effective way to cope with the pain of contractions. Lying strapped to a pole and a monitor in a bed will increase a laboring woman’s discomfort greatly. Additionally, when a laboring woman remains lying in a bed for an extended period of time, labor will not progress as effectively as when aided by movement and gravity.

I remember how strange it was to me when I came home from the hospital after my first baby was born and found that my legs and feet were swollen with fluid for a few days. I had heard plenty of pregnant women complain of swollen ankles and feet, but I had not experienced any swelling while pregnant. It surprised me to see swelling afterward. I also noticed swelling in my face and hands in the pictures taken of me just after my daughter’s birth. I can’t prove that it was the result of I.V. fluids, but I feel fairly confident they were to blame. Here's a picture of me in my swollen post-partum state...Lovely, eh?

When I gave birth to my second child, I chose to see a group of nurse-midwives who delivered at a small community hospital where they had, finally, convinced administrators to allow laboring women to drink. Instead of being given an I.V., I received a “hep-lock” which is simply an I.V. needle inserted in a vein but without the fluids. They like to have an “open vein” in case of an emergency. I spent less than three hours of my labor in the hospital because I had already progressed to about 6 centimeters upon arrival, and my labor progressed quickly afterward. I think I took a few sips of water when I felt thirsty, but not a lot. It was wonderful, however, to not be tied to the I.V. pole. I was also pleased to notice that I experienced no swelling afterward. Here's a much less frightening post-partum picture...
Not every laboring woman will be given the option to bypass IV fluids. Some hospitals have strict policies, and women who are induced, given narcotics or epidurals, or a c-section will have no choice but to submit to an I.V. Every intervention alters the birth process, however, and the more interventions, the more complicated the birth process becomes. I encourage women to avoid unnecessary interventions and trust the process of birth. Seek out care providers who honor and respect the birth process and will advocate for your right to experience birth as you wish, including eating and drinking if you choose. You and your baby are worth the effort.

For more info, see the "Evidence Basis for the Ten Steps of Mother Friendly Care."

Busca, CD (DONA) ?

2009-11-21T11:45:00.003-07:00

Remember back in February when I was feeling unsure whether I really wanted to pursue doula certification? Well, I've got three friends giving birth boom, boom, boom next May, June, and July. And they've all expressed interest in having me for their doula.

And then last night I had a dream. I was doula-ing a woman I've never seen before. We were in a big hospital room with big windows on the east side. We were between two beds. She was sort of squatting and wailing. I got down right by her face, rubbing her back, and I starting making noise with her--moaning really deep, encouraging her to bring her sounds down deep instead of high-pitched and to loosen her jaw and keep it relaxed. It was amazing to watch her sort of melt into the contraction after making those two changes--deep sounds, relaxed jaw. And it was amazing how happy and energized and in-the-groove I was in that moment... like I was doing exactly what I was born to do.

Huh. I guess that settles things.

Sacred place

2009-11-19T13:02:00.004-07:00

Bringing my son forth in our own sacred space, in the very room where he was conceived, was incredible. I have told my husband since then, “We can never move away! Our son was born in this house. That room is sacred.” It’s amazing to me, now that I’ve experienced such an intimate birth, to imagine thousands of babies being born everyday in sterile, unfamiliar, factory-like hospital delivery rooms. Childbirth ought to sanctify its surroundings in the way my son’s birth sanctified my bedroom. Instead, delivery rooms must remove all traces of the birth that has occurred. Rather than sanctified, they are sterilized of the experience and made ready for the next fleeting inhabitants. God-willing, I intend to welcome all my future babies into our own home—a place that will grow more and more sacred with each miraculous welcome.

Divine Design

2009-11-16T09:21:00.005-07:00

Back in October, I posed this question on the Birth Faith facebook fanpage: "Do you believe the birth process was divinely designed?" I got some great responses and decided that I'd write a full blogpost on that very topic soon. Well, "soon" came and went. Then a couple of weeks ago I took a poll of my facebook fans asking what they'd prefer to see next, and "spiritual roots" won. So here it is. At the risk of opening myself up too much, I'm going to share some of my most cherished and personal beliefs (interspersed with relevant quotations I like). Whether you agree or not, I ask that you please be respectful.

I believe the human body is a sacred temple, a masterpiece patterned after the divine. I believe the functions and processes of the human body, particularly the birth process, are magnificent.

I marvel at the miracle of the human mind and body. . . . No camera ever built can compare with the human eye. No method of communication ever devised can compare with the voice and the ear. No pump ever built will run as long or as efficiently as the human heart. No computer or other creation of science can equal the human brain. What a remarkable thing you are. . . . Look at your finger. The most skillful attempt to reproduce it mechanically has resulted in only a crude approximation. The next time you use your finger, watch it, look at it, and sense the wonder of it.

-Gordon B. Hinckley (“The Body Is Sacred)

I believe my female body was created in the image of my Heavenly Mother's body. I believe we are all spirit daughters of a divine Mother--the eternal companion and equal of our divine Father.

God is your father. He loves you. He and your mother in heaven value you beyond any measure. They gave your eternal intelligence spirit form, just as your earthly mother and father have given you a mortal body.

-Spencer W. Kimball, “Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters”

I believe our Heavenly Mother can and does lend us her uniquely feminine help, strength, wisdom, and love.

[K]nowing how profoundly our mortal mothers have shaped us here, do we suppose [our Heavenly Mother's] influence on us as individuals to be less?

-Spencer W. Kimball

I believe the male-female pair has been the pattern for eternity. There could not have been a man without a woman to complement him. I do not believe the creation of Mother Eve was an afterthought. She was part of the picture before her physical body was ever brought into being.

Having looked over all of this, He declared it to be good. He then created man in His own likeness and image. Then as His final creation, the crowning of His glorious work, He created woman. I like to regard Eve as His masterpiece after all that had gone before, the final work before He rested from His labors.

-Gordon B. Hinckley, "Daughters of God"

I honor our glorious Mother Eve, for her courageous choice to bring about the conditions necessary for humankind to procreate through conception, pregnancy, and childbirth.

We all owe a great debt of gratitude to Eve. In the Garden of Eden, she and Adam were instructed not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, they were also reminded, “Thou mayest choose for thyself.” The choice was really between a continuation of their comfortable existence in Eden, where they would never progress, or a momentous exit into mortality with its opposites: pain, trials, and physical death in contrast to joy, growth, and the potential for eternal life. In contemplating this choice, we are told, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, … and a tree to be desired to make her wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” And thus began their earthly probation and parenthood. . . . If it hadn’t been for Eve, none of us would be here.

-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God"

I do not believe the sensations of childbirth are a punishment inflicted on women.

The Hebrew word for “multiply” is rabah (raw-bah), meaning to repeat over and over. It does not suggest greater sorrow, but rather repeated sorrow. The Hebrew word for “sorrow” in the Genesis account (Genesis 3:16) is from atsab (aw-tsab), which means “labor” or “pain.” While these words suggest that toil and suffering would be a part of Eve’s life, Eve did not view the conditions that came upon her through the Fall to be a curse (see Moses 5:11). Moses 4:22 “is a great revelation to women. Eve and her daughters can become cocreators with God by preparing bodies for his spirit children . . . . Mothering would entail inconvenience, suffering, travail, and sorrow; these the Lord foretold as natural consequences and not as a curse" (Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [1993],17). . . .

“If Eve must labor to bring forth, so too must Adam labor . . . to quicken the earth so it shall bring forth. Both of them bring forth life with sweat and tears" (Hugh Nibley, Old Testament and Related Studies, John W. Welch, Gary P. Gillum, and Don E. Norton, eds. [1986], 90).

-Moses 4:20–32, The Consequences of the Fall

Rather than a curse, I believe the travail of childbirth is a blessing for our own and our babies' benefit.

* Pain in childbirth serves a physiological purpose. When a woman feels her labor, she can allow it to prompt her movements and changes of position. Women who can be mobile in labor will almost always move their bodies and adopt positions that will facilitate and speed-up the birth process.

* It facilitates the release of hormones which prime mother and baby for smoother delivery, bonding, and breastfeeding.

* It instills confidence and self-worth in a woman. Women who have given birth without drugs often describe the experience as life-changing. I believe God knew that new mothers would benefit from the trial of labor because it would allow them to see the strength and power within them. What better way to begin motherhood than on a springboard of power and strength?

-Me, "Nobody thinks you're a hero"

I believe our heavenly parents care a great deal about how (and even where) their spirit children are born into this world, and I believe they are eager for us to pray for guidance as we make those pivotal personal decisions.

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.

-Alma 37:37

Other posts you might enjoy:
Birth in the Bible
The Curse of Eve
Eve's "Curse"?

Birth Art

2009-11-09T23:27:00.011-07:00

I've perused some of the birth art out there in google images and fantasized about starting a collection. I've contemplated which room or wall I would use to display my collection... my bedroom? I really don't know... But I guess I better figure it out because I just received my first two birth art pieces last Friday. Check these beauties out...Now the explanation...

On Friday, my daughters and I were looking at a picture of my oldest holding her little sister on the day she was born. Somehow that picture inspired my 4-year-old to draw a picture of herself being born. (Hers is the top one.)

First she drew me and the midwife. Then she added her daddy later when I reminded her that he was there. I asked her about the face I was making, and she explained it was me making this sound (and then she proceeded to imitate it... cracks me up every time). :-) Strangely enough, she drew herself coming out breech (feet first). She wasn't breech, but she did come out "upside down" or "sunny side up" or "posterior," if you want to get technical. :-) I wish I could say she was wrong about my birthing posture, but she was right on--semi-reclined in a hospital bed. Is it just me, or does it look like my husband is frowning? Coincidentally, he was on the verge of passing out when she came out. The nurses had to escort him over to the couch and wrap him in a blanket right after the delivery. No cord-cutting for him that time!

My older daughter, seeing all the attention her younger sister was getting from her birth drawing, decided to draw her birthday as well. Hers is much more a testament to the sheer number of birth videos she has watched with me than what actually happened on the day I pushed her into the world. In her birth fantasy, I pushed her dark head of hair (see the dark spot between my legs?) out in a pool with a midwife attending nearby. In real life, I pushed her dark head of hair out semi-reclined in a hospital bed with a resident wiping my poop away with each push. I think I'll let her keep her fantasy... at least for now. ;-)

I can't help but feel triumphant that they both assumed, as a matter of course, that they were caught by midwives, and I gathered from our conversation that they also assumed they were born at home (like their baby brother). In their eyes, that's just the way it's supposed to be. Midwives, birthing pools, doulas, and the "birth song" are permanent fixtures in their reality. I hope they will seek out the care of expert midwives when it comes time for their babies to be born, but perhaps they won't. For now I'll just revel in the beauty and innocence of their 4-year-old and 6-year-old visions of birth.

Wrapping

2009-11-05T13:52:00.001-07:00

Everywhere I go wearing Bubs in my wrap, people stop me and either comment about how great it is or ask me about it--where to get one, how to make it, and how in the world I get Bubs and myself into it.

Recently, in an email conversation that briefly touched on baby wraps, my friend, Fig, said: "I definitely want one. I'm just afraid I'll lose the baby in it and never be able to get [her] back out. Or strangle us both or something. They look SO intimidating to me." For her sake (and because so many people have asked me how), with the help of photographer Ax, I present to you my step-by-step wrap-tying photo demonstration...

(I cut my head out of most of the photos 'cause I have a tendency to produce embarrassing facial expressions. Click on the photos to see them larger.) :-)

Step One: Find the middle of your wrap, place it across your belly, and pull the ends around behind your back and cross them.Step Two: Once you've got the ends pulled up over your shoulders, check the fabric crossed behind you to make sure there aren't any twists that will create uncomfortable pressure points. Cross the ends in front of you and tuck them inside the fabric across your belly.Step Three: Pull the ends around your waist behind you. Depending on the length of your wrap, either tie them in a secure knot in the back or wrap them around the front again and tie them at your belly. And you're done.(Since Bubs was in bed, I grabbed Mr. Teddy to demonstrate the child-insertion.) To hold the baby facing you, stick their legs through the fabric crossing your chest and spread it out over their bottom so it creates a secure little "seat." Strips of fabric should travel from your shoulder, underneath each of the baby's legs, and then behind you. The idea is to make sure they can't possibly slip out the bottom. Then pull up the fabric crossing your belly around the "seat" for extra support and security. I'll let the pictures mostly speak for themselves.You can use the same tie to carry the baby facing out as well, though this is less comfortable for the baby-wearer since the weight is less naturally distributed. I find I can wear Bubs far longer facing me than I can when he's facing out, but I still wear him out when he's wide awake and wanting to watch stuff. Same basic instructions, but the baby is turned out (obviously). :-)There are loads of other types of carries and ties that I haven't learned yet. I think as Bubs gets bigger, I may look into some of the carries with baby on the hip or back 'cause they're just more manageable with a heavier load. But this basic carry has been all I've needed so far.

I LOVE my wrap, and I love being a walking advertisement for babywearing! So let this serve as a warning: if you prefer to be "invisible" when you're grocery shopping, don't wear a baby in a wrap, 'cause people WILL stare at you and/or talk to you about it. :-)

One more tip: wearing baby down.

About six years ago I learned from Dr. Sears' Attachment Parenting Book about "wearing baby down." The idea is that sometimes the usual bedtime ritual doesn't do the trick and baby is still wide awake. If you put that baby cuddled-up to you in a wrap and go about your business with the dishes or making lunches or whatever it is you need to do, it's almost guaranteed that baby will soon be asleep. Worked like a charm last night with Bubs.Then I carefully stretched the fabric around and off of him and laid him in bed. Love it. :-)

Call for birth stories

2009-11-03T13:46:00.003-07:00

Two years ago I posted a request for birth stories on this blog. But I got busy and never followed-through with my vision. Good news though... someone else is on the ball! I just got into contact with a woman who needs birth stories for her book. It sounds to me like it's going to be a fabulous project, and I can't wait to be a part of it. Here's how she describes what she's doing:

I am writing a spiritual birth book titled The Gift of Giving Life. It is going to be somewhat of a cross between Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth and Gurmukh’s Beautiful, Bountiful, Blissful, but for an LDS audience. I am looking for positive natural birth stories from real LDS women to include in the first half of the book and was writing to see if you would like to submit your story, or any part of it. I believe that personal stories have the power to inspire others and make them see what is possible, so I’d like to gather as many stories as I can.

Basically, I’d like to know what inspired you to learn about and go with natural child birth, then I’d like the whole story or as much as you’d like to tell. Since it is for an LDS audience, I would love it if you didn’t hold back on anything you learned spiritually or any experiences that you might leave out in the tale when you tell it for a different audience. My deadline is coming up, so please let me know if you can send me anything. I can’t promise I’ll include it in the book, but if I do, you’ll know beforehand and I’ll give you the option of being somewhat anonymous if you choose.

Since many of my readers share my faith, I thought I'd spread the word. I'd also guess that birth stories from women of other faiths would also be welcomed as well. I think the key is showing the spiritual journeys that bring women to natural birthing. If you're interested in sharing your stories, check out the author's blog here: http://thegiftofgivinglife.blogspot.com/.

Happy dispatch

2009-10-30T08:34:00.004-07:00

My cousin(-in-law) has two adorable boys. She had hoped to give birth unmedicated with both of them, but pitocin threw a huge wrench in things and necessitated pain relief, so she's extremely determined to avoid induction/Pitocin with the birth of her current baby-in-utero. So I was positively giddy with excitement when I got this email from her this morning:

I had my first prenatal appointment today. Long story short, everything is great. She had no trouble finding the heartbeat - about 165 bpm, loud and strong. I love that noise. :)

And the practice I'm going to? GOLD MINE. Seriously, I could not be more impressed. They will let me go two weeks overdue without inducing, and when they do induce, pitocin is sort of a last resort. They had a sign up boasting their statistics (and I would too if I had their numbers):

* 7% cesarean rate
* 32% epidural rate
* 11% induction rate
* less than 1% of newborns are admitted to the NICU
* 6% vacuum delivery (no forceps)
* 72% intact perineum rate (no tears or cuts)
* jacuzzi tubs are encouraged for use during labor and delivery
* eat and drink whatever you want during labor
* no IVs unless medically necessary
* no routine episiotomies
* no continuous fetal monitoring unless medically necessary
* birth in any position you would like
* have as many family members and/or support people at your birth as you would like, including baby's siblings

I mean, seriously!? Are you kidding?! And this is at a HOSPITAL. I could not believe it. I actually asked if they do VBA2Cs, and while they don't advertise it, they will definitely sit down with women, look at why they had two previous cesareans, and the practice has attended successful VBA2Cs in the past. I think I might email [my 2-cesareans friend] about it, just in case she wants to have another kid and wants a hospital option - we're only like 1.5 hours away.

Anyways, I was there for over an hour and a half, explaining my past experiences and what I'm hoping for this time. I met with the NP who does most of the prenatal visits (since the CNM is often busy doing deliveries), and she's great. I'll meet with the CNM (who does all of the deliveries) at least 2-3 times before I go in.

Oh, and the walls were covered with birth announcements (as you often see at OB/CNM clinics), and what struck me was how big these babies were - most were over 8 pounds, and there were quite a few that were over 10. I was so impressed to see these big babies next to this poster of amazing birth statistics and such a low cesarean rate. Seriously, can we never move?! If we lived [here] forever, I think I would end up having 15 babies with these people.

Anyways, all is well. I'm getting so excited about this little one. :)

No medals here

2009-10-25T20:14:00.009-07:00

Wow. Huge thanks to Jill (The Unnecesarean) for sharing this fabulous post by Arwyn: "Just like athletics: exploring a childbirth analogy." Jill described it as her "favorite breakdown of the childbirth-athletics analogy," and I have to agree that it is definitely my new favorite as well.

Arwyn eloquently discusses how our culture is quick and eager to praise, admire, and encourage those engaged in athletic feats--marathons, sporting events, and even local 5Ks, but when a woman attempts natural childbirth (a likewise challenging physical feat), she is lucky if she finds one or two supporters to cheer her on. Instead, far too often, it is those on the sidelines who should be her loudest cheerleaders who tell her she "can't do it."

I am personally saddened and disheartened when I (frequently) hear women tell me that it is their husbands who say, "You're definitely not tough enough for a natural birth," or who "can't bear to see her in pain," and thus push her toward an epidural. Would they also suggest that she's not tough enough for a marathon, if that was her goal, or stop her in the last grueling miles of the race and say, "You need to stop... I can't stand seeing you in so much pain"? I certainly hope they wouldn't. All this stuff has brought to mind this post from last June--"Nobody thinks you're a hero."

Here are a couple of teasers from Arwyn's post:

Everyone has heard of and no one doubts the existence of “runner’s high”, so why do we start plugging our ears and rolling our eyes and flapping our tongues when we speak of “birthing high”? Just as in athletics, in the absence of intolerable pain and unnecessary interferences (the latter of which is all too often responsible for the former), birthing has the potential to produce the most delicious chemical cocktail which feels good. (Divine even: I certainly felt like a birthing goddess afterward.) Even discounting that, or in its absence, there is potential for pride and a sense of accomplishment: something we value so much in athletics, yet scoff at in childbirth, where our effort benefits both us and another. We deny women that pride in accomplishment (for which support of athletics is so vital to girls’ sense of self and women’s equality), that boost in self-esteem and feeling of competency, right when we need it most: at the start of parenting, one of the most demanding journeys a person can undertake. . . .

But the current cultural construction of birth must change: not by moving backward to a time when women had no options in childbirth, and were expected — even encouraged — to suffer, and in which there were no medical interventions for when they were truly needed; but forward, to a time when our bodies are valued, our spirits are supported, and the work of birth is seen as hard, yes, and even sometimes painful, but within reach of most of us, and oh so worth it: just like athletics.

And some pics, for fun...

My dad (in the blue hat) finishing the Boston Marathon as a 50th birthday gift to himself, with his friend, and my (now deceased) brother, Steven, running the last 5 miles with him (behind my dad)...Me and my husband with his Boston Marathon finisher's medal (April '08)...My husband helping me run my first 10K, the longest race I've ever run...And then again, helping me through one of the most difficult (and best) experiences of my life (with my doula as another cheerleader)...So much better than a medal...

Ask Busca: Vitamin K?

2009-10-20T17:34:00.007-07:00

Ali asked:

My first question is about Vitamin K injection given at birth. I had two [nursing] teachers tell me they are necessary to jump start the blood coagulation. They also said the dose given in 20,000 times the amount you need. This seems way out of control to me, and also unnecessary. so I was just wondering what you thought about it.

Busca's babble:

I should start off by saying that all three of my children have received a vitamin K injection at birth. I should also admit that except for the brief handout/consent form I received on from my midwives during my last pregnancy, I did zero research on the subject before my children were born. Sad, I know. I guess my only excuse is that I was so busy educating myself about other things that I just never got around to it. So I'm really glad you asked this question because it gave me a chance to do some digging.

The medical establishment's explanation for routine administration of vitamin K is that all babies are born with "low levels" of vitamin K. This begs the question: If all babies are born with "low levels," then aren't their levels of vitamin K "normal" for newborns?

Midwife Sara Wickham explains:

"The risk of a baby who is not given vitamin K developing HDN [Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn] is between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 25,000 (Von Kries and Hanawa 1993). We also know that the babies most at risk from HDN are those who have traumatic births (clinically, this might include babies who are delivered by forceps, ventouse or emergency caesarean section, or babies who show bruising)" (from "Vitamin K - An Alternative Perspective," AIMS Journal, Summer 2001, Vol 13 No 2)

It doesn't surprise me that birth trauma would be highly associated with newborn bleeding disorders. Midwife Ronnie Falcao's gentlebirth.org has a wealth of helpful information. She starts her vitamin K discussion with these points:

Early or "Classic" HDN (also called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding) occurs in the first week of life. It is an iatrogenic condition, meaning that it is caused by medical care:

* premature clamping/cutting of the umbilical cord deprives babies of up to 40% of their natural blood volume, including platelets and other clotting factors
* the use of vacuum extractor or forceps often causes bruising or internal bleeding, which uses up the baby's available clotting factors
* the use of antibiotics inhibits the baby's generation of clotting factors

I'm always quick to believe that God/nature got things right, and it's us fallible humans who got things wrong, so this information just felt right to me.

She also shares fascinating bits of articles and research on vitamin K for newborns. Among the details I found most interesting and pertinent were...

* Colonization of the newborn gut with the mother's fecal matter and microflora is essential to jumpstarting vitamin K production in the newborn. Antibiotics and efforts to make the mother's perineum "sterile" will interfere with this important transfer of beneficial bacteria. "Babies are born next to the anus for a reason!" Yet another reason to avoid a cesarean whenever possible! (More info on how the newborn gut produces vitamin K here.)

* There is little clear-cut evidence that vitamin K injections are themselves harmful, but we can't ignore the fact that an injection will always be a potential avenue of infection. When administered in a hospital, the potential for serious infection is a cause for concern.

* There are situations where a vitamin K injection would be necessary. Some medications taken by the mother may interfere with vitamin K, babies who receive antibiotics have disrupted clotting mechanisms, and an extremely rare liver disorder can inhibit vitamin K production.

* Formula-fed babies receive sufficient vitamin K through feedings to supply their bodies' reserves, so it appears there is little need for these infants to receive vitamin K injections.

* Oral doses of vitamin K are sometimes even more effective at boosting newborn vitamin K levels than injections.

* Eating lots of fresh, leafy green vegetables will boost the vitamin K content of breastmilk and further protect newborns from late-onset HDN.

When/If I have more babies, I hope to do what I can to prevent HDN by giving birth in an environment where my baby will be exposed to beneficial bacteria to jumpstart vitamin K production, avoid birth trauma, delay cord clamping/cutting, and boost my own vitamin K levels through nutrition to increase my breastmilk's vitamin K content. As long as all of these preventative measures are achieved, I think it's unlikely that my future babies' "low" vitamin K levels will be problematic, but I plan to consider oral vitamin K as opposed to an injection if I feel it is necessary.

If all babies could be born under such natural/normal circumstances, I'd wager there would only very rarely be a need for vitamin K administration. As Sara Wickham argues, perhaps newborns and breastmilk are "low" in vitamin K for a reason? Should we really be messing with nature? Ronnie Falcao aptly concludes, "Until we have the definitive answers to these questions, parents have to choose between a system that's been in place for less than a hundred years and one that's been in place for thousands of years."

Any other research, facts, tips, and/or experiences from my readers?

Pacifier

2009-10-11T21:16:00.005-07:00

As I rocked and nursed my baby boy to sleep about an hour ago, I got thinking about something an OB said to me the morning after my first daughter was born. He was an OB I had never met before. I can't even remember his name. But he was one of the doctors from the practice where I had received my prenatal care. I suppose he was the one on-call that morning, so he was doing the postpartum hospital check-up rotation (or whatever they'd call it).

It was early in the morning, still dark. Dr. Whatshisname was asking how breastfeeding was going, I think. We'd had a rough start and some latching troubles, but I don't think my response to his question was an unusual one: "I'm feeling some nipple soreness." Of course I was! Nursing hurts like the dickens in the beginning. Even when you're doing it right. At least it has for me. Every time. Maybe it's not painful for everyone, but I have met very few women who haven't experienced soreness in the beginning.

I was still drugged-up on Perkacet and Tylenol with Codeine, and too fresh and naive to realize how ridiculous Dr. Whatshisname's response was to my extremely-common-sore-nipple-ness. I can still hear his pompous, patronizing tone saying:

"You're not a pacifier, you know."

Looking back on that moment, I feel such a surge of mixed emotions... indignation, pain, shock, irritation... it makes me want to cry and vomit at the same time. I don't know why I have such a strong negative response to it, but I do. I suppose it's because his statement was a powerful indication of the way he viewed my body and my purpose as a mother. I'm "not a pacifier?" How can he say that?

Could there really be a more fitting description for a mother than that? Pacifier. Yes. It is exactly what our bodies, hearts, and souls were designed to be. We--our arms, our bodies, our kisses, our breasts--are the ultimate and best source of peace and comfort for our children. We allay, soothe, settle, restore to a tranquil state, calm. A mother's smell and touch are life-giving, healing, and far more soothing than anything else in a baby's world. We are peace-givers and peacemakers. We are the original, supreme, and ultimate pacifiers.

I wish I could stand before Dr. Whatshisname now with my three nursed-on-demand-and-to-sleep children around me and in my arms and boldly and proudly declare to him:

"Yes, I am a pacifier. I am a mother."

Precious motherhood

2009-10-10T01:07:00.001-07:00

May I never, ever, take it for granted...(Thanks for sharing, Amber!)

Speaking of the rising cesarean rate...

2009-10-01T09:55:00.004-07:00

Rixa shared this article from right here in AZ. Joy, a mother of three, pregnant with her fourth, has only one hospital in her vicinity, and they will court order a cesarean delivery if they must... even though Joy delivered her third child via VBAC at the very same hospital two years ago. The hospital says they are no longer equipped to handle VBACs because of reduced staffing. Joy says their logic doesn't hold up:

"They don’t want to allow VBACs because she said they aren’t equipped for emergency c-sections, but if they can’t do emergency c-sections, they shouldn’t be having labor and delivery at all. That’s why women go to the hospital to have their babies – in case there is an emergency."

Can you really argue with that? If there's one place in our culture where women are told they should feel "safe" giving birth, it's the hospital. The hospital is supposed to be the place you can count on in an emergency. Have they informed the women of Page that they're no longer that equipped safety-net women think they are? I somehow doubt it.

Joy has her feelings painted in protest on the back of her minivan: "Page Hospital enter my body without my permission... sounds like rape to me." (Read the article here.)

Snapshot of the state of things

2009-09-27T10:56:00.005-07:00

I attended a large gathering of women from church last night. During the dinner portion, one of my table-mates asked me, "So you're into the au naturale birth stuff, right?" I responded, "Yeah, actually it's more of an obsession. You probably don't want to get me started." But then the conversation topic remained with birth for most of the rest of the evening. Over the course of the conversation, I was shocked (but not really) to discover that I was surrounded by cesarean moms. Here were the stats at our table...

Friend A: one primary emergency cesarean (general anesthesia) prior to start of labor for reduced fetal activity and distressing heart tones.

Friend B: three planned cesareans for breech, transverse, etc.

Friend C: one primary cesarean during pushing phase for non-reassuring fetal heart tones, posterior presentation, "stuck" baby.

Friend D: one emergency cesarean for her second baby (I'm not sure the details).

Friend E: currently pregnant with her second baby (I don't know the details of her births).

Friend F: four unmedicated vaginal births attended by nurse midwives.

Me: three unmedicated vaginal births (two of them attended by midwives).

So... four (possibly five) out of seven women at that table had scars on their uteruses. I was almost tempted to get the attention of the rest of the women in that large gathering and ask, by the show of hands, how many others had cesarean scars. But I'm almost too frightened to find out the answer.

Friend A described how strange it was to be put under and then have her baby brought to her several hours later... "Who is this?! Where did you come from?" She said she kind of wants to have the childbirth experience, having her baby placed immediately on her chest and all... but wonders if it's "stupid" to feel like she wants to experience that. I shook my head and told her "No, it's not stupid." But I didn't feel comfortable getting into it too deeply for fear of offending all the women at the table. I think it's sometimes hard for cesarean moms to hear about the magic of normal birth. All births are miracles, of course.

I spent quite some time, later in the evening, discussing the dinner discussion with my carpool driver (from another dinner table, Friend G: survivor of three cesareans--one of them an attempted VBAC). We both sadly agreed that, as much as we'd like to see cesarean rates decline, we just really don't think it's going to happen. At least not as long as trained surgeons remain the primary care providers for 99% of pregnant American women.

There's some birth faith for ya, eh?

The Birth Song

2009-09-22T21:35:00.002-07:00

I found this video via Kathy at Woman to Woman Childbirth Education, via Jill at Unnecesarean's "Best of" week. Watching it brought me back to my births instantly. For those of you who've never experienced an unmedicated birth, this is a great video to give you an idea of what normal birth is like. The "song" this woman sings is nearly identical to the "song" I have sung three times as I have given birth. To the unseasoned, it may sound frightening. But I think it sounds beautiful...

Bugs and Guts

2009-09-16T16:03:00.011-07:00

I've been wanting to post about birth and healthy guts for a while now. Years ago I read an article that had a profound impact on me. It was Jeff Leach's "C-sections, breastfeeding, and bugs for your baby." His piece changed the way I viewed the birth canal. Cesareans aren't just another way to give birth. Being born through an incision bypasses an extremely important step in the birth process--being colonized by the "base population" of the mother's vaginal and fecal microflora. Following birth, breastfeeding continues the transfer of healthy microflora (probiotics) from the mother to the infant. Jeff Leach explains:

Studies have shown that at one month of age, both breast-fed and formula-fed infants possess bifidobacterium but population densities in bottle-fed infants is one-tenth that of breast-fed infants. The presence of a healthy and robust population of bifidobacterium throughout the first year or two of life contributes significantly to the child’s resistance to infection and overall development of defense systems – not to mention the physical development of the intestinal system in general. Aside from the substances secreted by these specific bacteria that are known inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, they also work to make the intestinal environment of the infant more acidic, creating an additional barrier against invading pathogens. In short, breast-fed babies are sick less, are less fussy, have fewer and shorter duration of bouts of diarrhea, and have more frequent – and softer – bowel movements. (source)

Cesareans can save lives, but they also put babies at increased risk for infections, allergies, asthma, intestinal problems, skin problems (such as eczema) and future health problems. When there is an absence of breastmilk, those potential problems can become exacerbated.

What are the best ways to ensure a healthy and strong population of gut microflora for your baby?

* Give birth vaginally.
* Keep baby and mother together immediately following birth (to prevent the colonization of harmful bacteria, especially when giving birth in the hospital).
* Breastfeed as soon as possible following birth and frequently thereafter.
* Consume probiotics (in foods or supplements) yourself during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
* Avoid giving your infant antibiotics, if possible.
* Give birth in a location far-removed from harmful bacteria, if possible.

I was delighted (not long after giving birth to my son at home) to discover a study whose results indicated: "Term infants who were born vaginally at home and were breastfed exclusively seemed to have the most 'beneficial' gut microbiota (highest numbers of bifidobacteria and lowest numbers of C difficile and E coli)" (Penders, J, et al, Factors influencing the composition of the intestinal microbiota in early infancy). I wasn't surprised by those findings one bit. It has been informative and eye-opening to see how much impact the events following birth can have.

My first daughter was born vaginally in the hospital, lifted-up briefly for me to see following her birth, taken to the other side of the room to be weighed, poked, smeared, wrapped, and finally brought to me. We were talked into giving her formula during her first night because she wasn't latching well. We did establish a good latch with the help of the lactation consultants and some contraptions. We stayed in the hospital an extra day largely because of my perineal trauma (we spent two nights there). Of all my children, she was the most irritable/fussy. She was also the only one to experience troublesome eczema and diaper rash as well as frequent bouts of croup throughout infancy and childhood. She is also the only one of my children to exhibit a possible food allergy.

My second daughter was born vaginally in the hospital, placed immediately on my chest, breastfed exclusively following birth, and spent barely over 24 hours in the hospital. She experienced only minor diaper rashes, no eczema, has never developed croup, and rarely gets sick.

My son was born vaginally at home, placed immediately on my chest, spent his first hours at my chest and breast, and never entered a hospital. He developed a skin infection a week after birth, but recovered quickly (through oral and topical antibiotics, but I chugged probiotics to prevent thrush and other problems). I have consumed more probiotics while breastfeeding him than I ever have before. He has been my least fussy baby and has never needed diaper ointment nor developed eczema.

The more I learn, the more convinced I am that what happens during and after birth matters A LOT. Do you think you baby's postpartum gut microflora had an impact on his/her behavior or health short-term or long-term?

Related links:

Allergies, Asthma, and Eczema: Response to Disturbance of the Microbiota of the Newborn Gut

The potential for probiotics to prevent bacterial vaginosis and preterm labor

Improved appetite of pregnant rats and increased birth weight of newborns (following probiotic feeding)

Probiotics may aid postpartum weight loss

Probiotics during pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, and their impact on immunity

Probiotics in infants for prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity

"Pit bull with a smile"

2009-09-15T11:08:00.001-07:00

This lady is my new hero. :-)

(Thanks for the link, Sweetpea!)

Oh wow

2009-09-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

Time Warp

2009-09-12T23:33:00.003-07:00

Has it really been five and a half months??

First baths, etc.

2009-09-11T11:28:00.012-07:00

I've got this new theory. I'm not going to suggest that I'm the first to come up with this. It's only "new" in the sense that it's "new" to me. I'd love to see it tested with some research on mothers and infants.

A few weeks ago I got thinking about the profoundly intense bond I developed with my son following my home birth. I had never experienced anything like it. Sure, I developed a deep love for my daughters, but it took much longer and came far less naturally. I have come up with many possible explanations for the intensity of the bond with my son...

* No Pitocin to interfere
* More intense oxytocin rush being in a comfortable, private setting
* Immediate and prolonged skin-to-skin contact
* First feeding within 15 minutes of birth (I can't remember exactly, but it was the first thing we did after holding him and delivering the placenta.)
* No hospital staff coming in and out of our room at all hours

As I was thinking, I realized another factor I hadn't thought of before...

Read the rest of this post over at my new website!

My birthday comes early...

2009-09-04T19:38:00.004-07:00

I was ordering a book for my little brother and decided I might as well get something else (I'm a sucker for Amazon's Super Saver Shipping). And I told my husband it could be part of my birthday present. 'Cause I simply had to have my own copy. And it came in the mail today...Isn't it lovely? :-)

More information on the Canada Home Birth Study

2009-09-01T21:22:00.003-07:00

Per Amy Romano's exellent explanatory post:

The researchers compared outcomes in the planned home birth group with those of two groups of women who met eligibility requirements for home birth but planned to give birth in hospitals instead. One of the two comparison cohorts had planned hospital births with midwives (n=4752); the other with physicians (n=5331).

Now that changes things! I was wrong in my last post. Apparently they did weed out the high risk women!

So... go read the rest of Amy Romano's post. Great info in there. Thanks, Amy!

More evidence on home birth safety

2009-09-01T10:03:00.002-07:00

A friend shared a link to a news article reporting a new study out of Canada. The headline: "Home Birth With Midwife As Safe As Hospital Birth: Study." Here's an excerpt with a summary of the study's findings:

The authors of the new study compared three different groups of planned births in British Columbia from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2004: home births attended by registered midwives (midwives are registered in Canada), hospital births attended by the same group of registered midwives, and hospital births attended by physicians. In all, the study included almost 13,000 births.

The mortality rate per 1,000 births was 0.35 in the home birth group, 0.57 in hospital births attended by midwives, and 0.64 among those attended by physicians, according to the study.

Women who gave birth at home were less likely to need interventions or to have problems such as vaginal tearing or hemorrhaging. These babies were also less likely to need oxygen therapy or resuscitation, the study found.

The authors acknowledge that "self-selection" could have skewed the study results, in that women who prefer home deliveries tend to be healthier and otherwise more fit to have a home birth. (Source)

The study doesn't appear to distinguish between low-risk and high-risk births--something most doctors would raise a red flag about. Doctors attend more high-risk births, so it's not surprising to see a higher mortality rate under their care. It's a tricky thing trying to compare different types of births because so many factors are involved in birth outcomes. But I still find this news encouraging.

As for the "self-selection" factor, I can definitely attest that I took a far more proactive role in my health during my home birth pregnancy than I ever had before. I exercised, I ate much more healthy food, and was more educated than ever about how to make my pregnancy and birth smooth and healthy. I wanted to do everything I possibly could to increase my odds of a healthy outcome for me and my baby. Whether home birth inspires women to be healthier or healthier women choose home birth, I say it's a win-win either way.

No-sew Baby Wrap Instructions

2009-08-30T07:18:00.004-07:00

I made a stop at the clearance fabric table Friday night and scored some great stuff. So yesterday I enlisted the help of my wee ones in making two no-sew wraps. One for me and I haven't decided who to give the other one to. :-)

Here are the (extremely easy) directions (I consulted this site to figure out the details)...

1) Buy about 4-6 yards of stretchy fabric (Jersey knit cotton is probably best, but I just grabbed the cheapest stretchy stuff I could find). If you need help gauging how much to buy, this site gives some good direction on the amount of fabric you will need/want. After you get the fabric, you'll want to wash it. After it's washed, check to make sure the edges haven't frayed. (No fraying means you don't need to sew. Fraying means you'll want to turn the edges under and stitch them so it will stop fraying.)...
Read the rest of this post over at my new website!

Ask Busca: Breaking Water?

2009-08-25T14:56:00.005-07:00

Elizabeth asked:

I have a question I'd love you to explore on your blog. In many of the birth stories I've read, Moms mention having their water deliberately broken by their midwife or doctor. Can this ever contradict a woman's internal timetable for the birth? Does water sometimes not break when it should, stalling labor? Is this practice ever considered an unnecessary intervention?

Busca's babble:

Artificial rupture of membranes (AROM, or amniotomy) is very common. Some care providers routinely break the bag of waters in an attempt to speed labor, especially in women who "fail" to follow the standard labor progress curve (at least one centimeter every hour). AROM is also used to induce labor, sometimes accompanied by prostaglandin gel and/or Pitocin. When an internal electronic fetal monitor is needed (to check baby's oxygen levels), AROM is performed to gain access to the fetal scalp. Sometimes AROM helps doctors or midwives determine whether a baby is in distress--as indicated by meconium in the amniotic fluid.

Can AROM ever contradict a woman's internal timetable for the birth? Certainly. Henci Goer, in her book The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, explains, "[I]f left alone, two-thirds of laboring women reach full cervical dilation with membranes intact, and there are advantages to this" (p. 101). The amniotic sac and fluid serve a valuable purpose--not just during pregnancy, but during labor as well. Once a woman's bag of waters is ruptured, the chance of infection increases. Because of this, doctors and hospitals generally require that a woman with ruptured membranes give birth within 24 hours. (The chance of infection is much lower if vaginal exams are avoided.) So the membranes protect both mother and baby from infection. The fluid cushions the fetus and umbilical cord. Once the membranes rupture, the risks of cord compression and abnormal fetal heart rate patterns increase.

Early amniotomy also carries the frightening risk of umbilical cord prolapse. When a baby's head has not descended well into the pelvis, the gush of fluid can carry the umbilical cord into the vaginal canal where it will be compressed by the descending fetal head. This is an obstetric emergency requiring an immediate cesarean. My blogfriend, Sarah, recently shared her experience witnessing a doctor perform an unnecessary early amniotomy resulting in a cord prolapse and emergency cesarean. Oh that story made me seethe!

Does it hurt to leave the membranes intact? A recent Cochrane review of research assessing the use of AROM in spontaneous labors came to this conclusion:

Evidence does not support the routine breaking the waters for women in spontaneous labour. . . . Amniotomy has been standard practice in recent years in many countries around the world. In some centres it is advocated and performed routinely in all women, and in many centres it is used for women whose labours have become prolonged. However, there is little evidence that a shorter labour has benefits for the mother or the baby. There are a number of potential important but rare risks associated with amniotomy, including problems with the umbilical cord or the baby's heart rate. . . . The evidence showed no shortening of the length of first stage of labour and a possible increase in caesarean section. Routine amniotomy is not recommended for normally progressing labours or in labours which have become prolonged (Smyth RMD, Alldred SK, Markham C. Amniotomy for shortening spontaneous labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD006167. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006167.pub2, emphasis added).

So, AROM carries known risks and apparently few benefits, at least when used routinely as it so often is.

When left alone, sometimes the amniotic sac never ruptures--births "in the caul." I sometimes wonder whether my second daughter would have been born in the caul since my sac remained intact until my CNM broke it at 9 centimeters. Navelgazing Midwife says this about AROM and births in the caul:

I'd heard about an OB that was so disgusted with AROM that he offered a $50 bounty for every caul birth and shelled out thousands before calling the game... proving that it is possible and isn't dangerous and not AROMing did not slow labors down, but, in fact, helped women cope better.

She also shares some of her fascinating experiences witnessing births in the caul. When handled correctly, there is no harm to being born in the caul. Navelgazing Midwife's conclusion? "I find, as time goes by, that I touch membranes less and less. I believe they are there for a reason... will break when ready... and serve a purpose we might never know" (source).

For two out of my three births, my membranes ruptured before the onset of labor. In the future, should my sac remain intact (as with my second birth), I think I'll request that it be left alone.

What do you THINK?

2009-08-22T14:42:00.007-07:00

I was sitting at the table eating dinner the other day, and my baby boy started acting like he was ready to nurse. I started thinking about taking him over to the couch to meet his request, and BOOM my milk let-down. I'd wager most nursing moms have experienced this chain of events hundreds of times.

That experience got me thinking. All I have to do is think about nursing my baby and my body responds within seconds. The salivation reflex is similar. You start thinking about something delicious and BAM... your mouth is ready for it with a gush of saliva.

And that got me thinking about how interconnected our thoughts and our biological processes are. Our thoughts can create almost instantaneous physical reactions! How amazing is that?! And how frightening too. It all depends on what you are thinking about.

So let's take this concept into the realm of birth. How can our thoughts affect the birth process? Michel Odent was the first to apply the phrase "fetal ejection reflex" to human birth. Odent has observed that when childbirth is undisturbed, delivery is an involuntary, reflexive process occurring extremely quickly and effortlessly. In order for this reflexive process to occur, a woman must be in a certain type of environment. A California College of Midwives bulletin explains:

For many mothers her need to be undisturbed is balanced by an equally powerful need to be in the “right” place and have family members of great psychological importance, as well as the doctor or midwife present, before she can “permit", at least at a subconscious level, that dynamic labor process to unfold. For those who prefer hospital care, these mothers must have arrived at the hospital before the Maternal-FER [Maternal-fetal ejection reflex] can complete itself (source).

Being at a hospital (or an interventive home birth) can also produce the opposite effect--essentially shutting-down this reflexive process:

One theory explaining M-FER is the role of primitive brain in facilitating the spontaneous processes of labor and birth. This theory also identifies as negative the influence of the neo-cortex . . . and a host of institutionally-originating disruptions such as bright lights, loud noises, coming and going or milling about of unfamiliar people, unnatural, anti-gravitational positions and frequent disruptions provided by invasive procedures such as vaginal exams, catherizations, fussing with EFM belts, etc. The “intensive care” nature of intrapartum nursing in hospitals means most women experiencing the exact opposite of “secure and unobserved” – all these nursing and medical ministrations and application of technology signal the potential for problems. They worry about themselves and their baby and feel very much like a bug under a microscope (source).

Where we are, who is with us, what they are doing, what we are thinking (or not thinking) about... all of these things have an impact on the birth process.

I saw this truth first-hand with my 2nd and 3rd births. My second daughter's posterior on-again-off-again labor didn't kick into gear until I finally said, "This has to be the real thing. We're going to the hospital!" And she was born (still posterior) within 3 hours of that thought. As I labored with my son, I am certain that my thoughts and psychological state slowed the process until my midwives had arrived and my husband was finished putting my daughters to bed. Once all the essential players were present, I surrendered to my body. My son was born less than 2 hours later. Though I wouldn't describe either of these births as fetal-ejection-reflex experiences, they did demonstrate the profound power of our thoughts and emotions as we give birth. (I hope to experience the true fetal-ejection reflex someday!)

It makes me all the more wishful that we could guard all women from negative influences or comments in their labors. A friend told me this week that she had planned and hoped for a drug-free birth with her first daughter, but her nurse told her, "Honey, you can't do it." Imagine what kind of thoughts that negative statement produced in her! Of course she got an epidural. (And chronic back pain at the epidural site to go with it... still bothering her over two years later. Fortunately she was able to have her son without drugs and had a vastly better experience.) Women in labor internalize what they hear. What might be a simple statement can have a huge impact on her thoughts and thus her body.

I'm looking forward to exploring this topic further. What do you think about when you're in labor and giving birth? Do you think it affects the process? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Reducing Infant Mortality

2009-08-21T15:27:00.002-07:00

Great 17 minute film! Thanks for the heads-up, Jill.

Reducing Infant Mortality from Debby Takikawa on Vimeo.

Pick and Choose

2009-08-20T19:34:00.008-07:00

I've been stuck on the topic of sleep lately. This morning I turned to Google when I started wondering whether my 3- and 5-year-old were getting enough sleep. I found this WebMD site listing the amount of sleep children need at various stages. It also gives tips. Knowing how I feel about cosleeping and night nursing, you can probably imagine how I reacted to this advice from WebMD:

Allowing your child to soothe herself and put herself to sleep unassisted are critical to establishing good sleep habits, sleeping soundly, and preventing future sleep problems. As Mark Weissbluth, MD, says in his book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, "The failure of our children to fall asleep and stay asleep by themselves is the direct result of parents' failure to give their child the opportunity to learn . . . self-soothing skills. . . . Some parents can't leave their kids alone long enough for them to fall asleep by themselves. . . . The major sleep problems in babies 4-12 months old develop and persist because of the inability of parents to stop reinforcing bad sleep habits" (source).

Dr. Weissbluth wouldn't think too highly of us! I might start feeling like a failure... except that my 3-year-old and 5-year-old take a mere 3-10 minutes to fall asleep most nights (without crying) and then stay peacefully asleep until 10-12 hours later. Perhaps I haven't irreparably damaged their "healthy sleep habits" by soothing them to sleep as infants (and toddlers) after all? (Can a 4-month-old really have "bad sleep habits" to reinforce?) Some of my fondest early childhood memories are of my dad singing us lullabies while we fell asleep and my grandma lying down with me until I fell asleep so I wouldn't be scared. Those were moments when I felt an intense sense of peace, security, and love... things I desperately needed at that time in my life (I had an emotionally traumatic early childhood). I'm so grateful my caregivers didn't fret over "reinforcing bad sleep habits" when I needed or wanted their assistance falling asleep.

Thank goodness we can pick and choose our experts! Isn't it funny how you can find opposing "expert" opinions on just about any topic? In terms of infant sleep, I much prefer Dr. James J. McKenna's take on things! He says:

[I]rrepressible (ancient) neurologically-based infant responses to maternal smells, movements and touch altogether reduce infant crying while positively regulating infant breathing, body temperature, absorption of calories, stress hormone levels, immune status, and oxygenation. In short, . . . cosleeping (whether on the same surface or not) facilitates positive clinical changes including more infant sleep and seems to make, well, babies happy. In other words, unless practiced dangerously, sleeping next to mother is good for infants. The reason why it occurs is because... it is supposed to ("Cosleeping and Biological Imperatives: Why Human Babies Do Not and Should Not Sleep Alone").

Of course I couldn't help feeling smug about this one:

Western parents are taught that "co-sleeping" will make the infant too dependent on them, or risk accidental suffocation. Such views are not supported by human experience worldwide, however, where for perhaps millions of years, infants as a matter of course slept next to at least one caregiver, usually the mother, in order to survive. At some point in recent history, infant separateness with low parental contact during the night came to be advocated by child care specialists, while infant-parent interdependence with high parental contact came to be discouraged. In fact, the few psychological studies which are available suggest that children who have "co-slept" in a loving and safe environment become better adjusted adults than those who were encouraged to sleep without parental contact or reassurance ("Babies Need Their Mothers Beside Them").

Thank goodness for access to information. With libraries and the internet, we can examine the differing view points about child-rearing (or childbirth or any other topic) and find what feels right for us. I'm grateful to have found what works for me and my family.

Breaking the rules

2009-08-16T21:38:00.011-07:00

When my first daughter was a newborn, I was getting multiple free baby magazine subscriptions and piles of baby-related junk-mail. I guess that's what happens when you pop-up on on the baby-marketing radar screen. And, like most new moms, I was utterly blind-sided by the whiplash of sleep-deprivation and was positively desperate for sleep. So I devoured those baby magazines each month--hoping each time that this issue would contain the secret that would give me back my sleep.

At the same time I was fishing for advice from other women, both experienced and new moms. My grandma urged, "Just let her cry. Eventually she'll go to sleep." Another new mom recommended On Becoming Babywise, by Gary Ezzo, adding that it was the reason her small baby had learned to sleep through the night at 6 weeks.

If there was one cardinal rule of infant sleep among all the experts and moms I consulted, it was this: do not, I repeat, do not nurse (or rock) your baby to sleep!

The problem was that I was already nursing my baby to sleep. I felt right nursing my baby to sleep. I liked nursing my baby to sleep. And I felt wrong letting her cry. In the end, my heart won out over the "experts."

Now, almost six years later, I have nursed-to-sleep and slept-with three babies. Fortunately, I ended my subscriptions to those baby magazines early-on and found my own parenting niche with Mothering Magazine, all things Dr. Sears, and helpful books such as Our Babies, Ourselves, by Meredith Small, and The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley.

I love this excerpt from Elizabeth Pantley's book:

Your baby . . . has learned to associate sucking (having your nipple or his bottle or pacifier in his mouth) with sleeping. I have heard a number of sleep experts refer to this as a “negative sleep association.” I certainly disagree, and so would my baby! It is probably the most positive, natural, pleasant sleep association a baby can have. The problem with this association is not the association itself, but our busy lives. If you had nothing whatsoever to do besides take care of your baby, this would be a very pleasant way to pass your days and nights until he naturally outgrew the need. After all, this is natural. You may not even see this as a problem, in which case it is not. It's all a matter of your perception and your personal needs. (Click here for more excerpts)

I couldn't agree more. It definitely is all a matter of our perceptions and personal needs. And those perceptions and needs can change over time as our children grow older or our circumstances shift.

So I broke the rules. Did it take a long time for my daughters to learn to sleep through the night? You betcha it did! Do I still need to help them fall asleep at night? Yes. (My husband and/or I lie down in my daughters' bedroom almost every night until they fall asleep.) Do I regret my decision to nurse them to sleep and respond to their night-time cries? Absolutely not.

I share this not because I believe my way is the "right" way, but because I want to encourage other parents to "break the rules." Whether it be your grandma's rules, your next-door-neighbor's rules, the baby magazine rules, or your pediatrician's rules... don't let them dictate how you choose to parent your child. When it comes to your baby's needs, YOU are the expert. Follow your heart.

If you're anything like me, it will tell you that there's absolutely nothing wrong with rocking that sweet, precious baby (or toddler, or big kid) in your arms or cuddling them to sleep. In fact, in my view, it's the greatest thing in the world.

P.S. You get used to the sleep-deprivation. :-)

Defining Female Empowerment?

2009-08-15T08:44:00.011-07:00

The whole battle between the two camps is due to the faiure [sic] of women in the country to fight for real empowerment. They take up an 'easy' cause, child birth and child raising, to fight for with the enemy that does not exist, other women. Rather than fight men for equal pay (the ERA is STILL not ratified in this country!), equal opportunity, fight sexism, fight discrimination, they pick easy 'battles' with no true winners. My partner calls the breast-home birth-epidural-vaccination battles 'Hen Chatter'. No real substance or results. These arguments do nothing to better the lives and livelihoods of women or our daughters. Filled with hystrionics [sic] and personal anecdotes they are just busy work, like darning once was, for women. Keeps the little women busy and from tackling the real fights. Keep it up ladies and we will remain in the 1960's for another half century. Empowering women is not about how you have a baby!

-Ali (excerpt from her comment in response to "Pushing Back: Has the natural childbirth movement gone too far?" by Lisa Selin Davis)

Ask Busca: Could my doctor refuse to deliver my VBAC at the last minute?

2009-08-14T21:33:00.004-07:00

Deanna posted a question on my Birth Faith facebook fanpage. I thought I'd copy and paste the exchange here. My experience with VBACs is limited, so please chime into the discussion in the comments if you have any tips or additional info for Deanna! Thanks!

Deanna asked:

I'm planning on a VBAC (this is my 2nd birth) and I keep having this fear that my OB (who is supportive of VBACs and so far really great) will for some reason as it gets closer to time is going to say that I'll "have" to... have another C-section b/c the baby is too big, or some other excuse. If I don't feel like it really is the best thing for the baby to have a repeat Cesarean, what are my options? Worst case scenario- I don't show up for a scheduled C-section. Can Doctors refuse to deliver the baby vaginally if I come in at 10cm ready to push?

Busca's babble:

It's my understanding that a doctor who refuses to deliver a VBAC (even when a mom shows up at 9 or 10 cm) usually does so because their malpractice insurance won't cover them.

If your doctor is supportive of VBACs, I don't think it's likely he/she will refuse at the last minute. That doesn't mean he/she won't pressure you if they become concerned. But it's your body and your baby, so you can refuse a cesarean.

If your doctor starts playing the "big baby" card, I'd recommend bringing along some medical literature to your appointments showing that planning cesareans for suspected big babies doesn't improve outcomes. They can't argue with the facts, right?

Good luck! Thanks for posting!