To print this page properly - use Print icon located on the page.
Please note that JavaScript has to be enabled.
 

Blog


<< first  < prev   1   2   3   4   5   ...   next >  last >> 
  • 17-Jun-10 21:22 | Odilia Garcia (administrator)
    As we all know culture is one of the key factors in regards to a women's health and the way women approach their sexual and reproductive health. As a Women's Studies major at the University of Michigan I always encounter findings about how women of color have not only been perceived as the most sexually active, but in many times they are the least educated about sexual and reproductive health. I find it very interesting that this is in fact the case, culture is what influences our beliefs, customs, and traditions therefore women wanting to empower other women should definitely take in consideration the importance of culture within minority groups. Latina women being the part of the largest minority group inn the United States especially Mexican and Mexican-American women struggle when it comes to getting the proper help. These women probably being the most vulnerable because it is family tradition to not even speak about sexual health in anyway. Once a women or a young woman gets pregnant it is as if she knew it all, when in reality they know very little. I am Latina and I grew up in a predominantly Latino community, with that said many women of Latino heritage have many beliefs which are not necessarily correct. Some are things such as: an eclipse will cause harm to a pregnant mother if exposed, which is something I do not know much about but it is in fact believed and spread throughout the Latino community. Yet, women are more concerned about rare encounters rather than their evolving and changing health. This is the biggest comparison to the journey of motherhood between most Latina women compared to women of European descent. Latina women do not focus on their diet, their fitness, their mental health. Even though it is well known that in Latino traditions families are much closer, many times women do not see how they can better their own health. I just hope that women out there who have a desire to empower and truly help other women, look at those women who are the most vulnerable and whose cultural traditions place them in silence and modesty which can many times lead to deterioration of their health.
  • 16-Apr-10 15:16 | deleted user

    I took a little journey to Barnes and Noble last night in search of a book I recently heard was a must read, called Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank by Randi Hutter Epstein. I have only been able to read the introduction so far, so I do not have much to report about the book, but I do have a related story to share that will offer an interesting perspective on why mothers feel such intensely close bonds with their babies.

     

    After finding the last copy of the book I went to Barnes and Noble to look for, my roommate asked me if I would look at an Anne Geddes book with her before we left. Being a fan of babies, of course I said yes. We found a cozy little nook with two chairs and flipped through the multitude of pages filled with mostly sleeping babies; all were precious. I have shared before that I don’t have children and am not at the point of wanting them just yet, but I must admit when I see babies I get sucked into thinking about how much I want one…now. If you are not familiar with Anne Geddes, check out the following links so you can fully appreciate what I am talking about:

     

    http://www.seattlepi.com/dayart/20071129/450Geddes_flower.jpg


    http://www.dvojcata.cz/images/images/articles/foto/Anne_Geddes_Calendar_Gallery1.jpg


    http://www.annegeddesbabypictures.com/images/1500-3242~Jake-in-Red-Rose-.jpg

     

    Cute, aren’t they? But did you know there is a biological reason we find them so darn cute? The facial structure and appearance of infants literally signal adults to care for them. Large eyes, large heads, and short limbs are markers of innocence and dependency. Because babies are so vulnerable, and demanding, nature cues us to readily take care. Indeed, Lorenz (1943) proposed the idea of Kindchenschema—“an innate releasing mechanism for caretaking behavior and affective orientation towards infants, triggered by features such as protruding cheeks, a large forehead and large eyes below the horizontal midline of the skull. This is even true for when we look at baby animals—infantile features turn on our parenting or nurturing instincts. However, Brosch, Sander and Scherer (2007) found that human babies capture human attention quicker than baby animals, indicating that human babies are more biologically significant and more highly prioritized.

     

    How does this link back to maternal and infant bonding? Research by Lobmaier, Sprengelmeyer, Wiffen, and Perrett (2010) showed that women are more sensitive to cuteness or attractiveness in babies than men because of their unique biological role as feeder and protector. Due to this extremely important role for mothers, women are attracted to their babies even when they are unhappy or ill—bonding takes primacy.

     

    While some may think the idea of a biological basis for bonding with one’s child reduces intense love to a hardwired process of nature, I argue that it strengthens intense love. Not only do women have a special emotional and spiritual connection with their babies, they also have a more complex biological connection with them than they thought, one that goes beyond carrying and bearing them. In this sense, a mother’s connection to her child has the potential to last a lifetime, for even when the big eyes and stubby limbs develop into more adult-like features, the initial bonding lays a foundation for future bonding. And that is a powerful thing!


    Reference:

    Lobmaier, J., Sprengelmeyer, R., Wiffen, B., & Perrett, D. (2010). Female and male responses to cuteness, age and emotion in infant faces. Evolution and Human Behavior, 31(1), 16-21. doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2009.05.004.

  • 16-Apr-10 13:15 | deleted user

    From where I am now, perched on the very edge of finals at college, stress is apparent in my everyday life. Not just for me either; I see it all around me in my friends and even just people I happen to walk by. Due dates are creeping up and people are starting to wonder if they have enough time as they thought they did to cram for an exam. So, campus has transformed into Anxiety Nation until our hero summer comes to rescue us. This is a little dramatic, but a widely shared sentiment about this time.

    Though not every part of life is like final exams on a college campus, and most are not, the modern world in general is not unfamiliar with stress. As a result, our daily actions and major lifetime events sometimes become imbued with some level of stress. Pregnancy is not immune to this, and I am sure many of you may be able to identify with this or are even experiencing this right now. Some people may be confused why wanted and rejoiced pregnancy can cause stress, seeing how in these cases it is a positive event, but it can and it does. As I began to write this blog I suddenly remembered my introductory Psychology class freshman year when we talked about stressundefinedour Professor suggested we all take an assessment tool created by Holmes and Rahe in 1967. Basically, Holmes and Rahe’s assessment asks you to check off any events that have recently happened in your life or are currently happening. Each event is assigned a number of stress units, which are added up to give you a score. There is no shortage of negative events on the list, such as death of a spouse (100 units) and divorce (73 units), but there is also no shortage of positive events on the list, like marriage (50 units) and outstanding personal achievement (28 units). The major goal of this assessment is to show how stress impacts your physical health, since your score will tell you what percentage chance you have of developing an illness. My score was 250, which gives me a 50% chance of developing an illness! Match that with the fact that both of my roommates are fighting colds and my chances don’t look so good…right in time for finals! (If you are interested in taking this assessment, a quick google.com search will bring it up, but as with most assessments of this variety, take it with a grain of saltundefinedit is not without error.)

    In case you were wondering where in all of this explanation pregnancy comes in, it makes an appearance with 40 stress units. Not to mention it can pack a punch when you consider that it also falls under gain of a new family member (39 units) and change in number of family members (15 units). Now please do not interpret this as reason that you should or need to be stressed out, because everyone is different. Your pregnancy might put you over the moon, leaving you feeling good all the time (or at least content most of the time). To tie in a personal example from my own stress life, while I carry a fair amount of stress with me during finals time, a good friend of mine works extremely well under pressure. She can start a ten-page paper the morning of the day it is due and think nothing of it. Meanwhile, nervous Nellie (me) started her term paper over a week ago and is still worried about it. Oh, how different we all are!

    So, pregnancy can be stressful, but luckily, we don’t have to be powerless to our emotions or in denial of them. There are a variety of techniques one can employ or adopt during pregnancy that can make things seem more manageable. As most of you might have noticed from past blogs, I am used to finding “scholarly” evidence or support for what I post, so when I could not find any for this blog post I got a little worried (fitting for a post about stress, don’t you think). However, when I did a simple google.com search, I was surprised with the depth of some of the suggestions for stress management during pregnancy that came up. But, since I believe both meaningful and little stress reducers can be helpful in our lives, I am going to share some of both varieties. After all, we aren’t always in the mood to journal about what we are feeling, but lighting some candles and practicing some aromatherapy may be just what we need. I am going to label them “big” and “little” stress reducers for ease, but that does not necessarily confer a certain amount of value about any of the practices…It’s your pregnancy, so do whatever feels good for you; my little, after all, could be your big.

    Big Stress Reducers:

    1.)   Be realistic: “Take a close look at your lifestyle. Make yourself do this on paper. Look at your work activities, home and family responsibilities, other obligations (church, community activities, clubs and organizations to which you belong). Then look to see how "doable" it is. Make sure you include in your calculations time for yourself for such activities as exercise, down time, and socializing Once you have done this, be honest with yourself as you ask the following: Is this schedule achievable? Sustainable? Satisfying? If not, accept the reality that you have to change the schedule.”

    2.)   Be informed: “Do your homework. Learn as much about pregnancy as you can. Read, talk to friends, attend classes, and talk to your doctor or midwife to learn as much as possible not only about the biology of pregnancy but about its emotional implications as well. In this way if you do begin to experience new and disturbing emotions you'll at least not be surprised by them.”

    3.)   Be introspective: “Talk to yourself--and write it down. The process of specifically identifying thoughts and feelings and putting them into written form is an excellent way both to come to grips with what you are experiencing and to help resolve any of these feelings that are troublesome. Doing so will give you better insight into yourself and will often relieve the pain of previously disturbing thoughts or feelings.”

    http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/mispregstress.htm

    Little Stress Reducers:

    1.)   Get regular exercise such as swimming or walking.

    2.)   Do your best to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet so you have the physical and emotional energy you need.

    3.)   Go to bed early. Your body is working overtime to nourish your growing baby and needs all the sleep it can get.

    4.)   Cut back on chores undefined and use that time to put your feet up, nap, or read a book.

    5.)   Spend quality romantic time with your significant other, close family, or friends to relieve stress and relax.

    6.)   Begin a pregnancy journal to keep track of your emotions and special moments throughout your pregnancy.

    7.)   Light some incense or candles and listen to some soothing music to relax and relieve stress.

    http://www.babycenter.com/0_managing-stress-and-anxiety-during-pregnancy_1683.bc

    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1933918/how_to_relax_and_relieve_stress_during.html?cat=25
  • 09-Apr-10 09:28 | deleted user

    Hello people of the blogosphere,

    I spent some time these last few mornings visiting other blogs about pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, and I loved reading about people’s personal experiences. I found everything from labor and delivery nurses, to first time moms, to moms who are “pros” after having had 5 or more babies, to expectant and new dads. Birth is such a personal, transformative event, that these personal stories richly add to our understanding and joy of it. And while we of course want you to read our blog, be encouraged to “shop around” to find all the information you need to make decisions that are best for you, your family, and your coming baby.

    But before asking you to share some of your personal pregnancy and childbirth experiences with us, I want to share a few of the fascinating and fun things I learned that may ring true with your experiences or inspire you to learn more. Here are some of my favorite tidbits:

    1.)   Most of us have heard of (or actually experienced) odd and intense pregnancy cravings, but do you know just how odd they can get? According to a 2008 study reported by the BBC, some pregnant women experience picaundefineda craving for nonfood items. Specifically, they found that 31% of the women they studied experienced pica during their pregnancies. Pica cravings can include things like coal, mud, plaster, soap, and even matches. Talk about a hazard! The cause of pica is mysterious, though many blame hormonal changes or missing nutrients in one’s diet.

    http://www.fitpregnancy.com/blog/news/You-Want-to-Eat-What-89958932.html

    2.)   And what about those cravings for pickles we always here about? Well, here is a new way to satisfy that sour need! Check out Bob’s Pickle Popsundefinedpopsicles made from pickle juice that help regulate blood sugar. I must confess, this was a special finding for me, because I often take a few chugs from the pickle jar after the pickles are gone, because nothing satisfies that tart, salty craving like pickle juice.

    http://bobspicklepops.com/

    3.)   I found a list of 29 ways to induce labor at home on one blogger’s page. Of course nature will take its course and babies should come when they are good and ready, but there are some non-invasive ways to get things started if you just want to see that baby come! A few to consider are swinging on a swing, eating pineapple, galloping, and going on a really bumpy car ride (visit the website for all 29 ways).

    http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/2498/29-ways-to-induce-labor-at-home-naturally

    4.)   In the same blog mentioned above, mother and father to be diligently took pictures every week of mom’s expanding belly, from 11-40 weeks. They even posted one postpartum belly shot that mom could use to start tracking her weight loss after the baby came.

    http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/about/growing-pregnant-belly-week-by-week

    5.)   As I can imagine, finding maternity clothes that are affordable and make you feel good might be challenging! And that is for everyday clothes, let alone special occasions. The blogger at this site gives a little advice on how to shop for special events as your body continues to change, and as she herself gears up for “wedding season.” She suggests waiting 2-3 weeks before the event so your body does not have too much time to change. Did you know that some maternity stores have fake baby bumps that will help you gauge what your body might look like when it gets a little larger to help you try on clothes?

    http://pregnancy.families.com/blog/what-to-wear-wedding-season

    6.)   In a blog about what the author considers the top ten milestones of being pregnant and having a baby, she mentions something that immediately rang true for me, even though I do not have children and am not pregnant. She lists finding out you are pregnant as the number one milestone and mentions the range of responses women might have. At the very end, she says that some women (and I would add expectant dads and partners, too) immediately start scheming fun and exciting ways to share the news. Believe it or not, I have already begun some of this brainstorming myself…even though pregnancy is while off for my fiancé and I (hopefully). This is especially true since we are hoping to teach in Russia for several years after we graduate from college; even though we would rather not have our first baby out of country, we all know pregnancy can be entirely sporadic! So just in case that happens, we need to come up with an exciting way to tell our friends and family back home. J

    http://pregnancy.families.com/blog/top-ten-pregnancy-milestones-part-2

    So those are some of my favorites, but there are lots more out there. While not all of what I listed above has a personal story to them, some of them do, and many more exist on the Internet. I would have loved sharing personal experiences with you in my blogs so far, but as I have mentioned on several occasions now, I am not a mom, so I have no extremely relevant experiences to draw from. But you probably do! And we would love to hear about what pregnancy and birth were like for you seekers of mother-friendly care! So tell us about a part of your story in a commentundefinedit just might catch someone’s eye and inspire us all.

  • 02-Apr-10 15:57 | deleted user

    What do you know about breastfeeding? Have you heard about benefits? If so, do you think they are true?


    I have posted before about breastfeeding, but I thought it would be valuable for all of us to do a bit more exploration on the topic. Most of us have heard that breastfeeding is the best option for babies, because it helps defend against infections by boosting the immune system, prevents allergies, protects against diseases and chronic conditions, changes as your baby reaches different stages of development, and much more (from the World Health Organization and kidshealthy.org). However, not as many of us know about the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers, which, just like benefits to babies, are numerous and have an impact far beyond the duration of breastfeeding.


    In a discussion article called “Toward Optimal Health: Maternal Benefits of Breastfeeding” Jodi Godfrey and David Meyers explore some common benefits to mothers who breastfeed their babies. One benefit of breastfeeding is that it is cost-effective. That is because breast milk is free! The cost of infant formula can quickly add up, not factoring in the time and money it takes to get to the store to buy it. Families who breastfeed may want to invest in a pump or nursing bras/liners, but in its most basic form, breastfeeding involves you, your breasts, and your baby. Also, consider that since breastfeeding provides babies with important illness-fighting antibodies, they are sick less often, which means less money spent at the doctor’s office and on medicine. For these reasons, breastfeeding is a highly accessible option for families with different financial capabilities.


    In addition to the health of babies and wallets, breastfeeding has significant health benefits for nursing women. Godfrey and Meyers (2009) report that women who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and ovarian cancer. There may even be a link between breastfeeding and protection from postpartum depression (though more research is needed to more fully support this idea). In addition, breastfeeding can help a woman healthily shed weight gained during their pregnancies because it burns calories and shrinks the uterus (kidshealth.org).


    Interestingly, families who choose to breastfeed their babies may actually even sleep better and longer—which most parents would attest is a great health benefit! A study from 2007 found that parents that breastfed their children in the evening and during the night slept about 40-45 minutes longer than parents who gave formula to their babies in the evening or night. As newborns demand close attention any time of the day or night, long-term sleep loss can be detrimental to parents’ day-time functioning. (Doan, Gardiner, Gay, & Lee, 2007).


    While all of these benefits in and of themselves make breastfeeding a worthwhile choice, both kidshealth.org and Godfrey and Meyers attest that the biggest benefit for both mothers and babies may be the direct skin-to-skin contact that breastfeeding provides. Breastfeeding allows mothers and babies a way to form an intimate bond as they share the experience together frequently.


    Let’s revisit our questions from the beginning of this post—what have we learned about breastfeeding? What do you think of the benefits? Do you think breastfeeding would be a good choice for your family?


    References:


    http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/infants/breast_bottle_feeding.html#


    Doan, T., Gardiner, A., Gay, C., & Lee, K. (2007). Breast-feeding increases sleep duration of new parents. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 21(3), 200.  Retrieved April 2, 2010, from ProQuest Research Database. (Document ID: 1333940471).


    Godfrey, J., and Meyers, D. (2009). Toward optimal health: Maternal benefits of breastfeeding. Journal of Women’s Health 18(9), 1307-1310. Retrieved April 2, 2010, from ProQuest Research Database.

  • 31-Mar-10 10:20 | deleted user

    I don’t know about you, but when I think about starting a New Year, I think of New Year’s resolutions. I have never been one to make them, but along with most people, I understand the premises of starting fresh and making positive changes that are within the realm of personal control. Now you might be wondering why I am talking about New Year’s resolutions in mid-March, but I promise this is relevant. Now for the linkundefinedin many ways, pregnancy is a new beginning, the start of something big. Just like New Year’s resolutions can set the tone for the year to come, habits that begin early in pregnancy can set the tone for the entire pregnancy and even the years following it.

    Now I think we can all pretty easily name the most common New Year’s resolutions, so we know that weight loss and getting in shape is usually the resolution to make (and hopefully keep). A healthy weight brings with it a wealth of benefits, helping men and women create an overall healthy lifestyle. Physical health even promotes mental health, which I can attest to: a visit to the gym on a stressful or emotional day helps me to clear my mind and realize that what seems impossible is not as insurmountable as I think it is. Moving back to pregnancy, making healthy lifestyle choices/changes early on has the same types of benefits and prevents an array of complications/discomforts.

    Let me take a moment to highlight the fact that I am not writing this blog as a prescription for all of life’s problems. Fitness and nutrition are beneficial, but they are not the end-all, catchall. And I am certainly not writing this blog to make people feel as if they need to conform to cultural standards of beauty. Personally, the skewed ideal that everyone needs to be a size two with perfect breasts and a six-pack is unrealistic. Let me reassure you, I certainly do not match that ideal, and I probably never will. Health, and beauty, is not confined to a size two, or any size. I know plenty of people who appear healthy but engage in a multitude of what I consider to be unhealthy practices. We all have different bodies and different resources and capabilities; it’s about finding what works for you. Plus, being a size two is not realistic for pregnancy. We will put on weight, but we can do it in a healthy way. What I am writing this blog about is being in-tune with your body during pregnancy to promote healthy outcomes. Think of the popular sayingundefinedput good in, get good out.

    Now that my disclaimer is out of the way, back to the business at hand. A simple google or database search yields articles galore on the topic of health maintenance during pregnancy. Indeed, trying to sift through it for accurate, helpful information was time-consuming. But in the end, I found two articles to share with youundefinedthe first discusses one of biggest benefits of healthy weight gain during pregnancy, and the second makes some suggestion of how to go about doing that.

     A February 2010 PR Newswire article reported that women that gain excessive weight in the first semester of their pregnancies are far more likely to develop gestational diabetes in their second and third trimesters. Gestational diabetes can lead to a variety of undesirable outcomes like premature delivery, c-sections, and the development of type 2 diabetes. Further, gestational diabetes can also affect the baby being born, who is in turn more likely to be obese or develop diabetes him/herself later in life. In order to decrease these risks, women can talk to health care professionals or midwifes about an appropriate amount of weight gain for their first trimester.

    Now that you know a risk, let’s talk about ways to increase your pregnancy experience in ways that make it healthier and safer. Exercise is a great way to have a healthy pregnancy, and it can be done at all stages of pregnancy. Plus, what’s great about exercise is that any amount of it is good (except too much), so you can pick an intensity that gets the results for you. Ann Brown, the author of an article on pregnancy routines, reminds us to check with our doctors before beginning an exercise routine to make sure we are not overdoing it; this is especially true if you do not normally engage in exercise. Exercise helps you to be “prepared physically” by countering fatigue, hypertension, and the gestational diabetes issue mentioned above. What is great about this article is that it provides possible fitness regimens for each trimester, including what should be avoided as your body and balance changes over time. However, it should be noted that this article is from 2002, so it is possible that fit pregnancy rules have changedundefinedso check with a health care professional or midwife first to find some exercises that fit your unique pregnancy, but don’t hesitate to use the reference listed below to find the article and bring it with you to give you and your doctor/midwife something to work with.

    If this is not realistic for you, I urge you to find something that is. We believe that pregnancy is normal and natural, so help your body out by maintaining your best natural resource in childbirthundefinedyour body!

    References:

    Brown, Ann.  (2002, March). Pregnancy workouts to keep expectant moms fit: Maintaining an ....exercise routine can play a critical role in ensuring that you have a healthy and safe pregnancy. HealthQuest: February-March 2002,10.  Retrieved March 19, 2010, from Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). (Document ID: 772879921).

    Pregnancy weight gain, especially in 1st trimester, may increase a woman's risk of ....gestational diabetes: Watch a video of the study author explaining her study: http://bit.ly/clLtlZ. (22  February). PR Newswire. Retrieved March 19, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Dateline. (Document ID: 1968064821).

  • 31-Mar-10 10:17 | deleted user

    This particular blog is not like the ones I have posted in the past. It is my goal in this blog to speak out of personal experience rather than published research, though I may pull in some of what I have learned in the past to illustrate points. Most of you, if not all of you, do not know who I am; so let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Alex and I am a junior at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I am double majoring in Psychology and Women’s Studies. My specific affiliation with BirthNetwork National is primarily academicundefinedI am a volunteer intern for a class I am taking this semester called Women and the Community. However, as I will share in the following paragraphs, my relationship with BirthNetwork National has transcended purely academic purposes.

    Though I have never been pregnant and do not desire to be at this point in my life for at least another 4-5 years, I am passionately interested in pregnancy as a state of being and birth as a natural, normal process. This interest began when I took my first ever Women’s Studies course, called Perspectives in Women’s Health. I was fascinated to learn about the miraculous changes women’s bodies undergo during pregnancy, and even more so about the power of women’s bodies during the process of birth. Since I view birth as a natural process, I see that women have the natural ability to muster bodily resources to facilitate them as they labor to deliver their children (this power is something I have discussed in a previous blog post). This does not mean that the medical practices surrounding birth are altogether unnecessary, and based on modern life-saving interventions I would never make this claim, but it does mean that not every intervention is necessary for every pregnant woman. A perfect example of this is electronic fetal monitoring. Electric fetal monitoring allows medical personnel to continuously monitor a baby’s heartbeat throughout labor and delivery. The logic behind this practice is that it can detect if a baby’s heartbeat ever becomes irregular, which may be a sign of distress or complications. When a heartbeat comes across as irregular, the most popular response in the medical community is to perform a c-section. However, in past research I learned that if the mother would simply adjust the position of her body, the heartbeat would likely return to normal. But this is often impossible during a hospital birth since women may be “tied” to the bed via IV drips and epidurals. What seems better to youundefinedshifting to the side or undergoing a potentially risky surgery? Again, I want to stress the fact that electronic fetal monitoring does not always miss the mark, but you should discuss with your doctor whether or not your delivery is predicted to carry enough risk with it to warrant its use.

    It is just this type of example that makes me truly appreciate the work of BirthNetwork National, even though I am not yet a mother. Their advocacy for mother-friendly maternity care has inspired me personally to learn as much as I can about birth as a natural, normal process, not only for myself but for others as wellundefinedthose I know and people like you who I don’t know. I think the medicalized, specialized atmosphere of our entire culture makes us prone to buying into anything that is beyond our personal capabilities. It is the specialist mentality that seduces us all into thinking that if we can do it ourselves, then it must not be enough. We expect the best, and for a lot of us, the best is often complex. But BirthNetwork works to demystify this idea, telling mothers-to-be and expectant families that what is really the best for them is to be informed about their options so they can make educated decisions. And this should be the case for women and families of all backgrounds, no matter the resources or money they bring to the table; indeed, BirthNetwork advocates that all women should have equal access to the birth options best for them.

    Though my internship with BirthNetwork is only a little over half way done at this point, I have learned so much in my research and writing for them that I have become interested in pursuing some type of career in natural childbirth. A little while ago I wrote a blog on different childbirth methods, and as a result I am considering what it might be like to be a Lamaze instructor, lactation consultant, or a fitness instructor for pregnant women. Any of these careers, as well as a score of others, would put me in direct contact with everything I have grown to love about pregnancy and the transformative event of birth. Of course at this point I cannot definitively say that I am ready to settle on any one type of career over another, but I can say that I now know some of the options out there that I did not know about before.

    This is what my relationship with BirthNetwork has done for me, and will probably continue to do for me as my internship winds down for the semester in the next five weeks. I encourage you all to find out what a relationship with BirthNetwork might do for you. You may end up learning more about pregnancy and birth or you may end up being inspired to take up the cause of working toward the vision of mother-friendly maternity care. Whatever the case may be, BirthNetwork offers us all a chance to give birth to new ideas for a changed future.

  • 31-Mar-10 10:12 | deleted user

    Think for a few minutes on the following questionsundefinedand let me warn you, they are kind of loaded ones:

    How do you want to have your baby? What atmosphere do you want to create for yourself, your family, and your baby? What method do you want to use?

    If you are not quite sure how to begin to think about these questions, and even if you are confident that you have answers to them, you may be surprised to learn just how many childbirth methods there are to use on the big day. In a rather crude example, you can think of methods of birth as existing in a marketundefinedall of them produce the same product, a baby, but the modes of production may be very different from one to another.

    Let’s move away from economics and back to childbirth. Now that we are back in familiar territory, we all know that birth can happen in several places, such as the hospital, home, a birthing clinic, or even somewhere unexpected. However, as stated above, no matter where you are, you may choose to follow a particular method of birthing. Each method has its own procedures and suggestions for creating a conducive birthing environment, coping with discomfort and pain, and easing your baby’s transition from womb to world. What is great about most of these methods is that they can help women and their families pursue natural and normal mother- and baby-friendly birth, since they often focus on one’s natural resources and abilities. That is not to say they cannot be used in conjunction with more medicalized ways of birthing (like having an epidural or pain drugs), and indeed they often are, but when employed with dedication and realistic expectations they can empower women by helping them to create the birthing experience they want.

    For the sake of introducing some relatively new and more unheard of methods, I do not want to focus on the Lamaze, Bradley, water birth, Dick-Read, or Leboyer methods in this post, for they are more commonly known, but I urge you to learn more about them if you are curious. Here are some links to get you started:

    These are all methods that are viewed as tried and true to varying degrees. Yet the field of childbirth is constantly changing, which makes sense with something as dynamic as childbirth. Methods have evolved, even the ones listed above which have been around for while. A truly unique example of this is a recent evolution of the Dick-Read method called hypnobirthing. The original Dick-Read method was based on relieving "the fear-tension-pain syndrome of childbirth;” according to Dick-Read, the fear women felt about childbirth that came from not knowing much about the process affected the function of their muscles and increased the pain they felt (pregnancytoday.com). To counter this pain, Dick-Read focused on teaching relaxation methods to put women at ease.

    Hypnobirthing takes Dick-Read’s method further by teaching women how to extend their relaxation by employing self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is about being in tune with one’s body and using breathing and positive visualization to deal with pain. Oh, did I say pain? I mean “pressure;” hypnobirthing is meant to be a pain-free method, so discussion of pain and the possibility of pain are not allowed to enter the conversation says instructor Caroline Place (Breen, 2008). Not only is birth meant to be pain-free, it definitely can be with the right mind set and the attempt to truly relaxundefinedin hypnobirth, appropriate self-hypnosis helps women tune into their bodies in ways that allow pain-neutralizing hormones called endorphins to take over and naturally do everything that drugs often administered during childbirth are touted to do (Breen, 2009). Beyond pain control or complete pain relief, hypnobirths supposedly “shorten the first stage of labour, eliminate fatigue during labour and encourage more rapid recovery after the birth” (Breen, 2009). This seems to be a great example of tapping into the body’s natural resources that I discussed in the blog post before this one; as women we can be confident that our bodies can help us through birth in ways that lead to positive experiences. After all, women have been doing this for years, and let me hazard a guess to say that this trend will likely continue into the future.

    This idea of having confidence in our bodies extends to another new trend in childbirth. While not a method per se, belly dancing before and during birth has relaxing and physiological effects. Doula and belly-dancer Dee Dee Farris-Folkerts started teaching belly-dancing to her clients so they would trust their bodies during birth, to ease pain felt from contractions, and even to move the baby into a better position (Nelson, 2008). Interestingly, the fact that belly dancing is now being used during childbirth to such ends is kind of perfect, since it was first practiced as a fertility ritual to prepare for birth (Nelson, 2008). Again, we can see belly dancing as a way to harvest natural resources during childbirth through relaxation and bodily trust.

    If this method and this practice tell you anything, it is that there are many ways to birth. Every woman should ask what kind of experience they want, what they want to do while birthing, and then go and look for ways to carry those wants out. While no method or practice can promise perfect results, they can improve circumstances and at the very least exchange some potentially negative experiences with positive ones. So now, based on what you have read in the post or your own research, how do you want to welcome the life of your child? What steps can you take towards that vision?

    References:

    Breen, J. (2008, August 15). Echo health - Mind over matter. Northern Echo,

         18. Retrieved .... February 23, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry.

         (Document ID: 1532865301).

    Nelson, A.  (2008, 18 January). Belly babies. McClatchy - Tribune Business

         News. Retrieved February 23, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Dateline.

         (Document ID: 1415011971).

  • 31-Mar-10 10:08 | deleted user

    Before reading any further, take a moment to think about what makes you feel comfortable. What actions, ideas, people, or objects help you get through difficult moments? If something seems insurmountable, what do you turn to in order to feel better? Now think about this in terms of childbirth (either yours in the past, a friend’s, or how you think yours might be in the future). What do you think might help you feel comfortable, calm, confident, and in control? Think of how this might change as labor progresses; are you open to change?

    One last thing to consider, what do you think when you hear the term “natural birth”? Do you think this definition is limiting in any way?

    Jan Mallak, author of the brief piece that is the subject of this post, addresses why she sees the term “natural birth” as potentially limiting. Instead, she suggests a new term that allows for a wealth of interpretation as women seek to find what works for them during the birth of their babies. While it is true that natural birth can mean different things to different women, such as not using drugs or having a vaginal delivery, it seems to demand a definition. To overcome this desire to define, Mallak suggests we instead think in terms of “birthing naturally”undefineddoing what comes natural to us (bodily, fiscally, comfortably, etc.) (Mallak, 2009). Whatever makes birth come naturally to you, seek that out to make the process your own and to help you weather the difficulties. Directly, Mallak encourages all women to do the following: “Create your own natural method by combining your natural resources, natural flow and natural comforts. Finding the right blend of strategies that works for you is the key” (Mallak, 2009).

    From this introduction, Mallak goes into these three categories she uses to explain “birthing naturally.” First, she goes into natural resources in order to make women aware of the bodily resources very much at their disposal during birth. For example, there are multiple pressure points (acupressure) that can be pressed to distract from pain and alleviate the intensity of contractions (Mallak, 2009). The opposite of pressure, there are also many body parts that when massaged have the same effectsundefineda simple hand massage can make contractions more endurable if accompanied by relaxation that allows the release of calming hormones called endorphins (Mallak, 2009).

    Second, Mallak urges every birthing woman to find her rhythm, for finding a rhythm allows for the harnessing of natural flow (Mallak, 2009). Just as all of the natural world seems to have a rhythm that repeats itself over and over (like waves on the beach and the cycle of the seasons), so too a woman can find her natural rhythm, and once that is tapped into, calmness can be enjoyed in the midst of difficulties (Mallak, 2009). What is great about finding a rhythm and doing something repetitive is that you can get lost in it, and if you relinquish some control to it, it can be extremely soothingundefinedMallak (2009) reminds us of how rocking a crying baby can calm it down.

    The third component is figuring out what your natural comforts are, and particularly, what they might be during labor. Be aware that your normal natural comforts may be very different from natural comforts during labor. For example, you may find a blanket straight from the clothes dryer comfy under normal circumstances, but you might find it uncomfortably hot, cumbersome, or smothering during labor. Be open, and be variable. Use all of your senses to identify sources of comfort: your nose might like the smell of lavender, your eyes might like old family pictures, your ears might like certain music, your skin might like a familiar sweater, and your tongue might like the taste of cinnamon (Mallak, 2009). Remember that what feels good one moment may not feel good the next, so embrace change throughout birth!

    All of these, natural resources, natural flow, and natural comforts, can help you establish your personal natural method of birthing. In your own natural method, there are no limits imposed on you with strict definitions, which opens you up for a personalized, empowering, and even potentially feel-good experience. I want to close with something that Mallak (2009) mentions occasionally throughout this short piece, but deserves more of an underscoreundefinedyou can have anybody you want with you to help you find and reside in your natural method on this special day. So if massaging your own hands, finding pressure points, and getting that warm blanket for yourself sounds like too much to handle on your own, no worries, for others can assist you every step of the way.

    Take a moment now and revisit the questions from the beginning of this post. Are you more open to experiencing a range of comfort during childbirth? Who do you want to be there to help you? And most relevant to the larger idea of this post, what do you think of the two terms “natural birth” and “birthing naturally”? Does one sound more appealing to you than the other? If so, go with it and begin crafting that special day by tapping into your natural resources, flow, and comforts.

    There are as many ways to birth as there are woman, so find what works for you.

    Reference:

    Mallak, J. (2009, September). Natural Birth vs. Birthing Naturally.

         International Journal of Childbirth Education, 24(3), 35-36,38.      

         Retrieved February 17, 2010, from ProQuest Nursing & Allied  

         Health Source. (Document ID: 1887455361).

  • 31-Mar-10 10:03 | deleted user
    Women have a right to make health care decisions for themselves and their babies. That right includes Informed Consent as well as Informed Refusal.”

    The above is an excerpt from the philosophy of BirthNetwork National (BNN). BNN promotes and advocates for mother-friendly maternity care, whether that means before, during, or after birth. As can be garnered from the above statement, mother-friendly care is intricately tied to supporting women and their families in making informed decisions. While BNN understands the benefits of having qualified professionals trained in high-tech procedures such as cesarean sections, BNN holds that women can trust their bodies and that birth as a process is normal and natural. For more information on BNN, visit and explore www.birthnetwork.org

    A review of recent research (conducted by Collard, Diallo, Habinsky, Hentschell, & Vezeau, 2008) by Nicette Jukelevics explores the issue of whether or not women who are supposedly choosing elective c-sections are doing so as informed consumers. While some of Jukelevics commentary critiques the authors’ writing style and occasional lack of clarity that lends itself to confusion, the commentary does an excellent job of opening our eyes to the trend of increasing c-sections that may be the result of doctor’s influence on women’s decisions and their subsequent failure to clearly explain known risks of the procedure (Jukelevics, 2009).

    To provide a small amount of background, data from the 2006 National Vital Statistics Report (2009) shows that 31.1% of all live births in 2006 were delivered via c-section. Compare this to the World Health Organization’s recommended rate of no greater than 10-15% for any country. The United States has more than doubled that recommended rateundefinedclearly there is an issue.

    Collard et al. honestly state that so-called elective c-sections, those in which the pregnant woman requests the procedure without any medical necessity, are hardly ever truly carried out as the result of the mother’s request (Jukelevics, 2009). Rather, there is no clear evidence that points to maternal request as being a significant reason for non-medical c-sectionsundefinedsurvey data cited shows that low rates of women actually request c-sections and hospitals have scant records indicating otherwise (Jukelevics, 2009).

    Interestingly, for Jukelevics, the real issue in question that arises from Collard et al.’s research is not the uncertainty surrounding maternally requested c-sections, but rather, why United States maternity care is continuing to harm women and babies by doing nothing to decrease the high c-section rate. While Collard et al. maintain that c-sections have inherent risks, they say nothing on the fact that the health care system often denies women the right to deliver vaginally after previous c-sections, thus exposing them to these increased risks. Going back to BNN’s mission statement shared in the beginning, Jukelevics says there is also an issue in whether or not women are truly informed about the risks of c-section; if they are not, they cannot appropriately give informed consent to carry out the procedure (Jukelevics, 2009). Therefore, even though evidence-based medicine is touted as the gold standard, the evidence for c-sections is often misrepresented and risks can be downplayed or generally neglected.

    Jukelevics closes her critique by offering a sample informed consent form including an extensive list of the risks of c-sections and a comparison of c-section delivery to vaginal delivery. If a woman requesting a c-section was presented this form and after reading it and asking questions about the content decided to sign it, she would have demonstrated true informed consent to the procedure.

    I want to close this post by presenting some of the risks and comparisons to vaginal birth she outlines. Think of these bullet points and how they might impact your decision to choose a non-medical c-section if you were/are pregnant. Do they open your eyes to risks you were not previously aware of? Knowing these facts, what are the chances you would sign the form? Under what circumstances? If you would still sign the form, what is your biggest motivation (i.e. fear, ease of delivery, knowledge, etc.)?


    • I understand that the following physical complications from surgery are more likely:
      • I am more likely to experience significant pain 2 to 6 months after the surgery.
      • I am more likely to suffer from intestinal or bowel obstruction months or years after the cesarean section.
      • I am twice as likely to die from a cesarean as from a vaginal birth.
      • With my next pregnancy I will be at risk for a placental abruption and a uterine rupture.
    • Compared with a vaginal delivery, I understand that the following risks to my baby are more likely with a cesarean section:
      • With a scheduled cesarean section my baby is more likely to be born preterm and to be physiologically and metabolically less mature, and may have difficulties with digestion, dehydration, infection, regulating his/her blood glucose level and body temperature.
      • If my baby is born preterm, he/she is more likely to have learning and behavior problems at school age.
      • Anesthetic drugs used during surgery cross the placenta and can make it more difficult for a baby to breastfeed.

    **Previous section lifted directly from Jukelevics, 2009.

    Please note that BNN recognizes that there are valid reasons for c-sections, especially when they are medically necessary. If you are discussing a medically necessary c-section with your doctor, or the need for one arises during the birth of your children, you should feel comfortable and empowered to seek information about the procedure and express any concerns you have about you and/or your baby’s health.

    Reference:

    Jukelevics, N. (2009). Putting mothers and babies at risk: Promoting the elusive “cesarean.... delivery on maternal request.” Birth, 36(3), 254-7. doi 10.1111/j.1523-536X.2009.00332.x.

<< first  < prev   1   2   3   4   5   ...   next >  last >> 
 
Copyright 2007 BirthNetwork National. All Rights Reserved.
Design By Media GenesisContact BirthNetwork National.