Standing up for homebirth

This video was posted back in August,2009, but I just came across it. In light of what is brewing here in Oregon (which I will discuss more in a separate post), it makes me wish we had a representative who would stand up for homebirth and mothers' rights like Mr. Andrew Laming does here.



To learn more about what is happening with midwifery/homebirth in Australia, here and here you go.

My newest son's birth story

Long overdue, here finally is the story of my second son's birth.

Julian Hugo, born July 10, 2009, weighing 9lb, 11oz.


~~~

July 9, we went out to eat at River's favorite thai restaurant. My due date was July 13, and I wasn't feeling like anything was going to happen anytime soon.

I finally laid down to bed around 11:30 that night, and turned out the lights. I felt a contraction that felt strong, and so i glanced at the clock: 11:42pm. A few minutes later, I felt another one, then as it eased off, it felt like I had peed myself. It was just a tiny trickle of fluid, but I jumped out of bed to go into the bathroom to see what was going on. With the light on, I wiped and saw specks of white: vernix! Before I knew it, another contraction started, my 3rd one, and it was really intense!

I got up to tell Walter what had happened, and he muttered something about wanting to get at least an hour of sleep, as he was thinking it was going to be another long labor like it was with our first son. I was fine with that at that moment and went back to sit on the toilet. My contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes right away, and I was pooping like mad, as my body started clearing everything out. Within a few contractions, I was needing to vocalize loudly with each contraction. I knew soon that I did indeed want to call my friends over. This was something that I had considered while pregnant, and I had even sent the three of them an email explaining that if I called them when I started labor, that they were to enter through our side door, not talk to me, and go quietly to another room. They were to also do nothing to me unless I specifically asked. (they are all midwives).

So, i called them. I think i texted P first, then texted A, then called T. When I was talking to T, I had to put the phone down and moan loudly through a couple of contractions. About 20 minutes had passed since my first contraction.

Then my noises woke up River, who was crying. He has a tendency to vomit when he cries hard, and as he was crying in confusion at having just woken up and odd things happening, that's just what he did. So, Walter was occupied with calming him down and cleaning up the mess, and I felt I had made the right decision to call my friends over, as I wasn't sure if Walter would be able to work on getting the pool filled. But, River soon calmed down and Walter got the pool going. I think he was a bit upset about not getting any sleep, as he was still thinking the birth was many hours away. :)

As soon as there was some water in the pool, I got in. At some point, Walter said that they were all there, and I told him to tell them to come over to me. i really needed to talk to them, to complain and tell them how much it hurt.

I want to discuss the pain for a moment here. Let me say that i was in labor with my first son, who is now 6 years old, for a day and a half, and had intense back labor. I never felt anything down in the front of my belly, it was all in my back. I was hoping to not have a repeat of that this time around, and indeed, I didn't have one back-pain twinge. However, the pain of the contractions this time around were just above my pubic bone, and it was like nothing I'd ever felt before! The only way I got through each one was to moan/yell. My son, I learned later, had said that i sounded like an elephant. Those contractions HURT! But between contractions, I felt no pain whatsoever, which was very different from the constant dull back pain during my first labor.



So, i was there in my living room, in the birth pool, with my husband somewhere close by, my son playing in the other room with P, and T and A sitting near me as well. I felt so angry about how much it hurt, and the fact that the water wasn't helping the pain at all. I kept telling them how much it hurt, how they were crazy to have more babies, etc. At one point I remember thinking that I couldn't be a midwife anymore, because how could I tell women to go through with this when it sucked so much! haha! Of course, at that moment, i also thought I had hours more of laboring to go. P made a comment, I think, about how it wouldn't be long and that I'd be meeting my baby before sunrise. I scoffed at that, sure there was no way. At some point, i asked one of them to check me. I could feel my baby's head and some cervix, but couldn't reach well enough to know how dilated i was. The midwife in me knows that dilation means nothing. But, it felt important to me to know that i was close, whatever that really means. They asked me if I was sure I really wanted to be checked, asked if I just wanted them to talk me out off it, asked what i wanted from the exam. I snapped that, yes, I wanted it, and that I wanted them to tell me I was nearly complete and not 4 centimeters or similar. I found out later that there was a silent argument in the hallway about who would do it, as they knew I wasn't happy and didn't want to have to be the one to tell me what i may not want to hear. In the end, T checked me, and I could tell in the way she looked that I wouldn't like the news. I was 6 centimeters, which was so disappointing!



I'm a little fuzzy on time, but I think this was around 2 hours after my first contraction. At some point, my body started to bear down involuntarily. After the first time it happened, I remember yelling out that I wasn't pushing! (even though I obviously was, I was still convinced it would be hours more and I didn't want them to think that I was pushing already.) He was born at 3:03 am, after 3 or 4 pushes, into my own hands in the water, with my older son and husband looking on. About 3 hours and 20 minutes of labor in all. It was amazing!




The placenta took a while to come and was finally born while I sat on the birth stool. We did a lotus birth, meaning we didn't cut the cord. It fell off on its own when Julian was 3 days old.

What I've been up to lately...

Pure love!

The Birth of Benjamin

(What follows is the birth story of sweet Benjamin Timothy as told by his mama, reposted here with permission. He was born at home on January 5, 2010, weighing 8 lb 8 oz)



My birth with this baby started 4 yrs ago with the birth of my first. After 10 days of prodromal labor, Cameron was born on a cold day in February at 42 weeks. I went to the hospital in sheer desperation for sleep b/c of the constant contractions. At that point, I didn't care about the baby any more. They tried to break my water but only got a little leak. He was born 6 hrs later. I wanted something different with my next baby.

Elijah was born two years later, in May, after an AROM induction at 42 weeks with an experienced midwife at home. While it was a homebirth, I had kind of been relegated to the bedroom for most of labor and was not very active during labor. Overall, better than the hospital, but still, something was missing.

I consciously know when Benjamin was conceived. I told my husband that I would get pregnant that night. We were in Salem, Oregon, looking forward to a move, scoping things out and excited about our future as a family. I confirmed pregnancy 2 weeks later.

We moved and Bret couldn't find a job so I worked 6 months part time at a local hospital as a registrar to support us. I was tired all the time, the boys were missing me, but Bret still didn't have a job so I didn't have a choice.

I found a midwife as soon as I moved up here. Lennon was comfortable to talk to and I felt free to want the birth I hadn't had yet. She was very willing/capable to handle more difficult births, if they arose. I was nervous both about the possibility of 42 weeks again and also that Elijah & Cameron had been breech until 37 weeks.

Two months before my due date, Bret got a very part-time on call job. Two weeks before my due date, he got a full-time job with benefits. God's timing is impeccable. I stopped working a week before my due date b/c of intense contractions that kept me up all night. I had to call in sick to my two last shifts and felt really bad about that.

Family came for the holidays, I thought Monster would come then b/c of some major labor type activity. But no. Family left. My due date passed and I started to doubt my ability to go into labor. I had emotional breakdowns. I ate brownies. I ate extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, the only thing I've ever craved in a pregnancy. I got swap packages ready. The boys were wearing me out with Bret's 12 hr work shifts so I was ready for baby to come.

Monday, Jan 4th, Bret came home from work and I asked if I could go do some errands sans boys. I was highly irritable and pubic symphysis dysfunction had just set in painfully making it hard to be a good mommy. So, I went out, fed the horse, went to a store to buy some puzzles for Cameron, toys for Eli and chocolate for me. Stopped by the grocery store for prescription meds and some herbal cough syrup for Eli. Got in the car and suddenly peed all over myself. It was very embarrassing b/c I never had any sort of incontinence. I kept peeing and couldn't figure out why.

It suddenly hit me as I drove into our parking lot, that my membranes could have possibly ruptured. So, I crossed my legs, waddled upstairs and told Bret to go get the bags from the car. Soaked my first pair of pants. Called Lennon and she said it could be just a small leak but to keep her updated.

Ate dinner, had some of the regular old contractions I'd had for weeks. More leaking, definitely was not pee. The boys were tired so I put them to bed at 6:30 instead of the normal 8:30. Both went down fairly well and I noticed contractions picking up to about 5-7 min apart and not too strong.

Called Lennon to update her. Updated some of my friends online who were eagerly waiting to hear about baby. Went to sleep from 10:30-midnight and stronger contrax woke me.

Got up, went in living room for a while and then Elijah woke up and wandered out. He apparently thought it was morning. I laid him in bed, he was dry coughing a lot so gave him some cough syrup. He did NOT want to sleep, kept singing to himself, sitting up and smiling at me. The contractions were getting stronger and I was having to blow through them a little. He loved that and would blow back.

I NEEDED him to sleep so I could get up and call Lennon. I couldn't leave him to get Bret if he was awake 'cause we'd start it ALL over again. So I laid there...for 2.5 hrs, trying to move with contractions and blow quietly. Finally, he was asleep. I jumped up, checked the clock and contrax were 2-3 min apart. Called Lennon, asked her to come right away (she's an hour away) and woke up Bret to go into the boys' bedroom.

Finally, I could start labor. I paced and rocked almost the whole labor, swaying. The contractions were getting strong in my back and hips. Lennon and Angie (midwife apprentice) arrived at 3:40 or so, walking in without knocking and I smiled at them and said I was glad they were there, that things were getting painful and I was tired of being alone. I don't think they had any idea how far I was b/c I was smiling, lighthearted. We had agreed earlier in the week not to do any vag checks unnecessarily so there was no picture of how far along I was in that sense.

I felt like there was a stall when they arrived though, that I sensed an intrusion for a while and needed to regain my composure and start going back into my little dark quiet space. I asked them if we could just have the blue cafe lights on in the living room with minimal lighting and they were fine with that.

Even with them there, I was alone in my labor, sometimes sitting on my knees rocking to all fours, sometimes just standing swaying. My noises turned from low moans to horse lips and a few "ow"s when things would sting a little. My midwife kept telling me softly, "You're making this look easy. You're doing great."

In between contrax, I wanted to throw up. I knew that sometimes that opens you up and I felt like throwing up, but I couldn't make myself do it. With my gallstone issues, throwing up has always meant there was something wrong with me and for some reason, the mental block was there that this was NOT wrong and I shouldn't do it.

Transition came and went quickly. I remember a few things I said, something like, "How did I ever do this twice already? What if he never comes out? How do I make this go away?" At one point, I started crying and frantically reaching out for a hand, meeting Angie's. My eyes were closed. I've always handled pain w/ eyes closed. I cried and was scared a few times but knew that I was safe.

And then, I started whispering, "Down, down, baby, come out. It's time. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't like it. It hurts. Come down now." I have no idea if I was whispering, but it seemed quiet to me and I kept saying that during the next 2 or 3 contractions.

I realized suddenly that I had to push. Someone woke up Bret and he came out as I grunted my first push. I was draped over the little exercise ball and rolled back and forth to push. I remember being relieved that it was almost over. I remember a little fear at the change in pain as he came down. There were a few pushes and he came out in a ball of screaming baby. They helped me sit back and put my bewildered but quieted son in my arms. I soaked him into my soul.

It was less than two hours from Lennon arriving and baby meeting the world. I'm really glad I was able to labor that much on my own.

That was the birth at 5:22 am. It was quiet, dark and sweet.

Lennon and Angie left a while later, after cleaning up. I reclined on the couch sleeping and DH went back to fend off the early waking boys. When they came out at 8, they walked in quietly and then Cameron said, "Mommy, you had the baby!" Cameron wanted to kiss him and kiss him. Eli just smiled and patted his hand and head and kept nodding. Later, Cameron gave me the most perfect example of how I've tried so hard to raise him. He said, "Mommy, you did a REALLY good job. He looks so cute from being born. That was a lot of hard work." What an affirmation from an almost 4 yr old!

I was so empowered by this birth. It was what I wanted. It was the birth I'd been searching for since my first pregnancy. I had imagined birthing in the quietness of night, in the light of the blue bulbs strung along the wall, in the quiet and surrounded by people that believed in me.

I was dumped on with a lot of responsibility in my first post-partum days, unable to get the help I needed to rest. When I have been overwhelmed, I have clung to the sweet dark peace I felt after Benjamin came to me that early morning. While my body has been tired, my mind clearly greets that memory and gives me strength to just get through one more minute, one more hour, one more day.

Unscrupulous

I am currently pumping milk once a day for donation for a sick adopted baby girl. I was nearly out of breastmilk freezer bags, so when I was at the grocery store yesterday, I picked some up. The grocery store is a large chain store, with one of those coupon machines that spit out coupons for you when you check out based upon what you purchased.

Imagine my surprise when I glanced at the coupons the cashier handed me, and one was for infant formula. Great, I thought. I suppose it must have been because they can tell I have a baby, since I was buying breastmilk freezer bags.

When I looked closer at the coupon, though, I couldn't suppress a disgusted laugh at what was written upon the coupon. It has a picture of a cute baby along with a picture of the formula which they were advertising (which I will not name, so as to not give them free advertising). The words read:

"Thinking of supplementing your breastfed baby? Consider X brand, our closest formula to breastmilk. Clinically proven to benefit infants in all three areas: growth, brain and eye, and immune system development."

So, not only were they targeting me because I had purchased a baby item, but they were banking on me, as a breastfeeding mother. You know, because I might not have enough milk, or maybe I don't like nursing in public or want to have a break from the task of nursing my beautiful boy..... right. And, you know, it is pretty close to breastmilk....its almost the same thing! Right???

Oh, it all just makes my blood boil.

It really makes me feel ill. I don't know how those who work in marketing for the formula industry sleep at night.

The birth of Sean Sylph

My dear client (and friend!) Lee has given me persmission to share her birth story of her sweet stillborn son, Sean Sylph.

*********

Late in the afternoon on September 10th, at 33 weeks of pregnancy, we found out that baby Sean was no longer alive. The morning of Friday, September 11th, after a difficult night, I told my midwives that I was ready to no longer be pregnant and I wanted to go ahead with the birth (we were originally planning for Saturday morning).

After a morning spent with my parents and Jake, we went home and prepared. I set up an altar and Mike and I made sure the house was ready, then I rested for awhile while Jake took a nap. At 3pm, my parents came and picked Jake up. My midwives, Lennon and Angie, arrived.

First Mike and I performed a smudging ceremony to cleanse ourselves and our space.




Then we went upstairs to get started. I was very pleased to find that I was already 6 centimeters dilated, and then Lennon broke the bag of waters. I went and sat in the bathtub to let the water flow out, and eventually filled the tub with some warm water for comfort. About 15 minutes after breaking the waters, I had my first contraction. The contractions were very mild at first, and slowly built up in intensity, frequency, and duration. I stayed in the bathtub for quite awhile, keeping myself upright to help things move along more quickly. Mike sat in the bathroom with me, and my midwives were in the bedroom next door, ready to check on me whenever I called. I had a candle brought up and lit and put in the corner of the bathtub for something to focus on.

Suddenly things changed and I found I could no longer be in the bathtub. I was immediately so hot and dizzy that I broke out into a sweat (it was 90 that day!) and practically ran to the bedroom where I got on my hands and knees on the bed and threw up into a bucket, except only water came out. This was probably transition! I started feeling a little better after that but the contractions were incredibly intense and close together at this point. I just kept myself as comfortable as I could on the bed with pillows to help prop me up to stay upright. Contractions continued to come and go, and I sipped cool water in between and breathed through each one.


Soon I moved to the edge of the bed and sat through a few contractions to ease the pressure on my knees. I asked for the birth stool, which the midwives brought up and set up for me. It felt great to sit on. After a few more contractions, I had a contraction where I let out a long, low, primal moan that surprised me but felt really good. The midwives immediately came into the bedroom and began setting up for the birth. Pushing was slow, with long resting times in between contractions. The baby soon crowned, but wasn't born until about 40 minutes later.


Sean was finally born at 5:40. Mike was the one who caught him and cut the cord. He was put down in front of me and I gently caressed his face and examined his body, toes, and fingers. This was so hard to do. I could see for myself that his body was not normal, his face hadn't developed properly, but he was still my baby that I had loved and carried inside me for 7 and a half months.

I was given the time and space to just look at Sean and be with him. I sat back on the bed, exhausted, and waited for the placenta to come. It took awhile, just like with Jake's birth. When it finally did come out (easily), the midwives found that it hadn't developed quite normally, either. During this time Mike sat with Sean and held him and connected with his spirit.

After the quick, 2 hour labor and birth, I was able to then sit back on my bed and rest. Sean weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces! Mike and I sat with Sean and just held the peace for awhile, contemplating it all.

When we were ready, at about 8:30pm the guy from the funeral home came, and Mike took Sean down to the car and laid him inside. I watched from the upstairs window and then cried as the car drove away.

My parents brought Jake back, and Mike and I hugged our boy tight.


(The middle name: a sylph is a sky spirit, seen in the form of particularly-shaped cloud wisps.)

*********

Thank you, Lee and Mike. Thank you for allowing me to be with you during such a sacred, beautiful and sad event.

The veil

It is a sobering fact that birth and death are closely related. Flip sides of the same coin. Thankfully, birth and death are usually spaced far apart in one's life.

Not always, though.

This month, two of my dear clients have lost their babies, much too soon. Both babies passed from their bodies within 9-10 days of each other. The first in the 26th week of pregnancy, the second in the 33rd week or pregnancy. Otherwise known as intrauterine fetal demise. I don't like that term, though. It sounds much too cold to describe something that deserves all the compassion we can muster.

As a midwife, this felt like a bad dream. Could this really be true? I felt like my heart had been riped out.

The days and weeks that followed have been a time that I can only describe with one word: humbling. I have been in utter awe at the strength of each of these women, in birthing their babies and subsequently saying goodbye to them, and each of these families, in grieving and doing the hard work of moving forward and healing. These babies were/are both dearly loved and very much wanted.

I cannot describe in words how these two babies have touched my life and my work. They will never be forgotten, and will be loved and remembered. Though their time with us was much too short, the gifts each baby gave to all of us whose lives they touched are many.

He's here!

(and, I'm here still, too. :)

Our newest family member, Julian, made his way earthside on July 10, 2009. It was a fast and intense birth. I was a bit shell-shocked for a few days, but looking back, it was such a wonderful birth! He was a big boy, weighing in at 9lb 11oz (my first baby weighed 6lb 6oz).

Midwifery in Australia

I have seen very little talk in the midwifery community in the states about what is happening to midwifery down under in Australia. Personally, I would be totally in the dark if it weren't for the wonderful Lisa Barrett and her incredible blog.

I urge everyone to click here and either watch the video or read the transcript.

It is just deplorable what the government is doing, not just to midwifery but also, and most importantly, to women and families.

Public Perceptions of Breastfeeding

I did not write this, but it was too fabulous to not pass on. (I'm not sure of the original author, but whomever you are, thank you!!!)

Society is so sexualized that they have forgotten what God created
our breasts for in the first place. They throw hissy fits over
breastfeeding in public and expect us to feed our babies in dirty,
stinky bathrooms. So I ask you to judge for yourself, which breasts are
truly offensive here? And I understand some of you won't think ANY of
them are offensive. But I am making a point by showing how ridiculous
it is that society looks upon scantily clad women in sexy ads as ok,
even GREAT, but providing important nourishment and nutrients to your
child in public by breastfeeding is offensive, distasteful, disgusting,
whatever. Give me your feedback. :)


Wait... well, this is a bad example. Let's try again...

Hmmm... just a minute. Surely i can find better ones than these...

Eh... still not racy enough. I'll check one more time.

That's better. LOOK AT THAT! I see about an inch of boob! Totally disgusting.

Ugh! Look at that indecency!! She must be from some third-world country to be exposed like that!!

Now that's just... There's no words to describe how inappropriate that is. Something needs to be done!!



Now
this takes the cake!! How dare they actually put such a disgusting
image on the cover of a magazine where teenage boys might see it. This
simply must be disposed of ASAP via a shredder, before teenage boys
learn what boobs are really for!!


This just makes me want to vomit!

...but why stop at breastfeeding women? There are boobs
everywhere. Beware! If you thought the above photos were offensive, you
WILL DEFINITELY be offended by the photos below.




Not this one though. This was in plain view on newsstands and in mailboxes in 19 countries worldwide!

Not this one either. This one actually won an award!

Oh, and i guess this ones fine too, since everyone knows you can't sell jeans without someone being topless.

or beer, for that matter!

or sunglasses...

or movie tickets...

or CDs...

...you
know what? Maybe I'm crazy, but i think that someone mixed up some
photos here. The first batch are offensive, but the second batch are
just fine and dandy???

people who live in glass bras:


shouldn't throw stones:








Which message is healthier?

Breastfeeding which is medically approved to give HUMANS the best start in life. . . or


Images that promote STD's, unattainable beauty standards, sexual promiscuity, plastic surgery, and just plain TRUE indecency?

Which would you rather your daughter live up to?

Ifyou think women have the right to breastfeed their children no matter
where they are, please re-post this. The least you can do is help some
children get the best nutrition they can get. Breastfed babies have
lower instances of obesity, asthma, allergies, certain childhood
diseases, learning disabilities, and other health problems. For each
woman who feels like she shouldn't be breastfeeding right where she is,
there is an innocent baby who is losing out. Don't be responsible for
any child's health problems. support breastfed babies and their right
to eat in public like the rest of us.

Absence explained

I am in the midst of first trimester fun! We are expecting our second baby to arrive sometime this summer!!!

I haven't been on the computer much at all, although I have thought of many things I'd like to blog about.

Hopefully January will be a better blogging month for me. :-)

Security

Go check out another excellent post by the amazing Gloria Lemay, if you haven't seen it already!!

Living Exposed

I live under no false assumption that by being certified and licensed, I am 'protected'. Codswallop. Midwives need to let go of the assumption that if they always follow their protocols to the 'T' and keep up their license, they will never be liable to prosecution. As Gloria says:

"There is no safety to be had in birth work. No amount of butt covering will avoid the fact that you’re not perfect. If you do something, you will be attacked and, if you don’t do anything, you will be attacked. If you have a certificate, someone will want to take it away from you and if you aren’t certified people will make that wrong."

Can't we just have Gloria cloned and distributed throughout the world, so that we can all have some of her sanity and wisdom in our community? :p

Birth Stools

Ok, ok, I know that I'm a neglectful blogger. I really do promise to have more interesting, fun and insightful posts in the near future! Including one all about the maternity system in Peru. Ahem...

Starting up a practice is hard work, though! I'm spending most of my days writing client handouts. Oh, and shopping for supplies....which isn't really hard work at all, but quiet fun. I'm having a hard time deciding which birth stool to purchase. I want one that doesn't inhibit the sacrum, which is harder to find than you'd think. Here are the ones I fancy so far:

Wooden birth stool
DeBy birth stool
and if money were no factor,
the Birth Mate stool

I need to decide soon. I've personally given birth on the wooden version, and I like it well enough. But, I'm intrigued by the DeBy. I've heard both positive and negative feedback from mothers who've birthed on it.

What???

Has everyone heard about what Poland's health minister is proposing?

New mother and child department in Poland draws protest

Regardless of your views on abortion rights, this is a direct violation of women's right to privacy. Frightening!

News

Although I attempt to keep my identity anonymous on this blog, I want to share some personal midwifery-related news and thoughts.

I recently finished my apprenticeship. My last birth alongside my preceptor was August 4. A sweet waterbirth of a beautiful baby boy. I will be taking the NARM written exam in 3 days time. Keep me in your thoughts. I would love to pass it and not worry about it any longer!

It is a very bittersweet time of transition at the moment. I am so excited to finally be starting out on my own, something I have dreamed about for 8 years now! But, every time I think about no longer attending births with my former preceptor, I get weepy. It's a hard thing, moving on.

Another footing breech homebirth

Attended by independent midwives in the UK. Enjoy!

Peru's ploy to end homebirth

Peru embraces vertical birth to save lives

Some choice quotes:

"Condori said she did not want to take any chances and that hiking through the mountains was a safer bet than having her baby at home."

"The hope of the program is to cut high rates of maternal mortality by encouraging poor, mostly indigenous Peruvian women to place themselves under the care of professionals."

There were some good things in the article, even if the overall tone is to emphasize that these women are dieing because they are home. Like I was happy to see this:

"Peru's health ministry has said vertical birthing positions can be healthier for women by reducing pressure on the uterus and large blood vessels that can affect the amount of oxygen going to the baby. Standing or sitting during childbirth also tends to reduce labor and delivery time, according to the health ministry, and allows the mother to watch the birth better than if she were lying down."

"The practice of women giving birth on their backs is done for the convenience of doctors, not women, say supporters of Andean birthing methods."

Peru has a recent history of trying to rid itself of traditional rural parteras. I have corresponded with a German homebirth midwife who lives in Cusco, and it is rather hostile there for midwives according to her.

This article makes me feel so frustrated. Yes, Peru's maternal mortality rate is devastatingly too high: 185 women die per 100,000 births. But, is the move to hospital or clinic births the answer?

In my opinion: NO.

Why not start a national program to educate existing midwives in how to treat and handle shock and allow them to carry lifesaving anti-hemorrhagic medications? Why not start a national program to CREATE more midwives who will serve these women in their homes, and ensure they are adequately nourished prenatally? I have read many times that many rural Andean Peruvian women give birth with just their family present, and if there is a problem, they then send their husband out to fetch the midwife.

It has been shown again and again that it isn't the fact of being HOME that increases the maternal mortality rate. It is the undernourishment and poverty of women, and the lack of access to skilled attendants when they are need of them.

Does it really make sense to have a woman hiking 5 hours in labor to reach a clinic to birth? I will be shocked if this support of vertical birth is going to start bringing women in droves to birth in the clinics. Women in many cases can't leave their homes, especially if they have other young children.

My family is planning a vacation to Peru in a few months, and I am hoping to meet the German midwife and talk about this topic more with her.

Unassisted footling breech birth

Here is a photo series of a beautiful surprise footling breech unassisted birth. How beautiful!

Tis the season

I apologize for my absence. I know I had made a commitment to blogging again. But, as so often happens, life gets in the way. I am in the midst of some major personal life changes. I won't go into details about it all here, because it isn't remotely related to birth. :-)

As a consequence, I have little room in my mind to ponder midwifery related subjects. When things have settled some, and my mind is calmer, I promise to be back in full force.

Thank you!

Birth Trust

I had no idea it had been so many days since my last post. This past week has been a fuzz. We attended 3 births in 6 days, all with their own unique excitment. I won't go into details here, as the birth stories aren't mine to tell.

But, let me just say this:

I don't trust birth naively. I know that things can 'go wrong' in all birth settings, with all birth attendants, and with no birth attendant, and that there are two very precious lives involved in birth, both equally important. I have seen things during births that would cause some midwives and student midwives to quit for good. But, I have not waivered in my belief that BIRTH WORKS. And, I am always critically looking at another key question: how can I guarantee that "X" complication would have occurred no matter what? (I can't). What role do I have, as a midwife, to causing the situation at hand? (And, I don't mean any obvious cause....but what about the simple presence of us midwives?). I wish I could explain in more detail these births I have attended in this last month. It was a blessing that I had just attended The Trust Birth Conference 2 weeks earlier.