Full Circle Midwifery

13DEC Henci Goer and Amy Romano have recently published their much awaited book,Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach. Their research, based on the best available evidence, makes a strong case for supporting women who want to plan a VBAC. The most valuable aspect of their book is the fact that they […]

 More explanation can be found in the book Prenatal Parenting by Dr. Fred Wirth. Delve into these topics and learn how you can create a healthy, happy baby. While you are pregnant, a first easy step is to spend 15 minutes, several times a day, with a Fetal Love Break™ Awareness of these principles honors the […]

Have you seen babies melt into angelic smiles while giving rapt attention to their parents, who in turn are captured by this simple eye contact with their newly born infant? What you are seeing is a child receiving this wonderful message of love from his parents and sharing feelings of secure contentment. This is what I call a […]

J Obstet Gynaecol. 2011;31(1):29-31. The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery. Al-Kuran O, Al-Mehaisen L, Bawadi H, Beitawi S, Amarin Z. Source Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. oqba@yahoo.com Abstract We set out to investigate the effect of date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) consumption on labour parameters and delivery outcomes. Between 1 February […]

by CHRISTINE KENT on SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 In their landmark book, The Labor Progress Handbook, Penny Simkin and Ruth Ancheta describe six steps in the progression of labor1: The cervix moves from a posterior to an anterior position The cervix ripens or softens The cervix effaces The cervix dilates The fetal head rotates, flexes, and molds The fetus descends […]

The New Ear Infection Rules Forget what you thought you knew about the best treatment. Your pediatrician may not give you the same old advice anymore. By Richard Laliberte from Parents Magazine Otitis MediaTreating kids’ ear infections used to be pretty straightforward: Your pediatrician simply handed you a prescription for an antibiotic. Maybe your child is now […]

A Man’s Guide to Miscarriage by Steve Volk, The Philly Post How to help your wife and get over the loss of an unborn child The first miscarriage occurred in December, shortly before my wife’s birthday. The second miscarriage happened in May 2011, at the start of Memorial Day weekend, and lasted a long 72 […]

Magnificent Magnesium Written by Katherine Czapp September 23 2010 The Neglected Mineral We Cannot Live Without Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal, the eighth most abundant mineral found in the earth’s crust. Because of its ready solubility in water, magnesium is the third most abundant mineral in sea water, after sodium and chloride. In the […]

naturalnews.com  Originally published July 17 2009 Newborn Procedures: Make an Informed Choice about the Vitamin K Injection by Jen Patterson (NaturalNews) Both newborn babies and breast milk are said to be deficient in vitamin K1, and injection of this vitamin into newborns is standard practice in US hospitals. The diagnosis of vitamin K deficiency for […]

Thursday, July 5th 2012 at 5:30 am by Judy Cohain, CNM Since the beginning of hospital birth, research supporting its use for low risk women has been lacking. The last 15 years has produced 17 studies all supporting attended planned homebirth as safer for low risk women. Research reveals that there are only 2 acute conditions […]

From the Bring Birth Home Blog, 05 JULY 2011 Guest post by Jeremy For us, that went from about $4000 out of pocket to about $2000.  And many people have been able to get FULL reimbursement for an “out of network” homebirth.  In a nutshell, here is what we did: We called our insurance provider. […]

From the Cochrane Library, Feb 2012: Monitoring of the fetal heart rate (FHR) is one of the most common methods for checking a baby’s wellbeing. The two most common ways of monitoring the FHR are by listening to the heart beat using a fetal stethoscope, Pinard (special trumpet shaped device), handheld Doppler ultrasound device (this […]

 The Low Down on What’s Down Below! Aviva Romm, Physician, Midwife, Herbalist Sun, 03/18/2012 – 11:08 The times are a-changing ladies! Routine annual pelvic exams have been thrown out the window because they are virtually useless, and as of last week, paps are now recommended only every 3-5 years if you have a normal pap/HPV […]

MAR 20 2012, 8:06 AM ET 60 If you look at scientific literature, you find over and over again that many interventions increase risk to mother and child instead of decreasing it. Kenishirotie/Shutterstock When I ask my medical students to describe their image of a woman who elects to birth with a midwife rather than with […]

The American Academy of Pediatrics “reaffirmed” its breastfeeding guidelines today. Among the points of interest: • “exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby’s life” • “continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby” • “Pediatricians promote the advantages of breastfeeding to mothers and infants, as well […]

My baby will be born healthy and at the perfect time ~ My body contains all the knowledge necessary to give birth to my baby ~ My baby knows how and when to be born ~ I deserve to have the birth I desire ~ Babies are born when they are ready, not when doctors, […]

 UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Statement on vitamin D supplementation for breastfed babies Breastfeeding has a fundamental positive impact on the short, medium and long-term health of children and has an important and lasting impact on women’s health. Not breastfeeding contributes to infant mortality, hospitalisation for preventable diseases, increased rates of childhood diabetes and obesity, and adult disease. […]

I kept track of statistics for 1 year of births for the incidence of cord around the neck and past due status for the 45 births that year. 47% of the babies were born with the cord wrapped around their necks 55% were more than 41 weeks pregnant! All babies had healthy outcomes.  These are […]

10 Tips for Avoiding a First-Time Cesarean July 27, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment By Jessica English, CD(DONA), LCCE More and more women in the United States (and around the world) are having cesarean births. A recent study from the Yale University of Medicine showed two main reasons for the rise: more c-sections in first-time moms and lower […]

Guidelines have changed for exercise during pregnancy Trillia Newbell features@knoxnews.com Friday, July 8, 2011 Exercise during pregnancy is not only beneficial but recommended by scientific boards and governing organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But it hasn’t always been. Only in the last 10 years has exercise during pregnancy been given […]

Science News ScienceDaily (June 24, 2011) — Use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy has long been a matter of concern but now researchers writing in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research report that even a high supplementation amount in healthy pregnant women was safe and effective in raising circulating vitamin D to a level […]

Dietary supplement can protect against pre-eclampsia, new study suggests ScienceDaily (2011-05-19) — A dietary supplement containing an amino acid and antioxidant vitamins, given to pregnant women at high risk of pre-eclampsia, can reduce the occurrence of the disease, finds a new study.

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR THE FACTS Colic is one of the most prevalent conditions of infancy: about 20 percent of all babies suffer the inconsolable bouts of crying that characterize it. Yet no one really understands what makes a baby colicky. Scientists have investigated a number of causes — allergies, hormones in milk, even stress in the womb. But […]

ScienceDaily (Feb. 19, 2011) — Inducing labor without a medical reason is associated with negative outcomes for the mother, including increased rates of cesarean delivery, greater blood loss and an extended length of stay in the hospital, and does not provide any benefit for the newborn, according to a new study. As the number of […]

For more information about the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists or to find a service in your area, call (866) 626-6847 or visit us online at: www.OTISpregnancy.org. Ibuprofen and Pregnancy This sheet talks about the risks that exposure to ibuprofen can have during pregnancy. With each pregnancy, all women have a 3% to 5% chance of having a […]

Study urges vitamin D supplement for infants By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY Most babies should take a daily vitamin D supplement, a new study shows. That will be a big change for most parents — and even many pediatricians. Only 1% to 13% of infants under 1 year now get a vitamin D supplement, available […]

This is from Dr. Gott.  Mix equal portions of unprocessed bran, applesauce and prune juice together and place then in your refrigerator for at least an hour to blend them.  Then take 1 – 2 tablespoons daily, more if necessary, for relief.  The remedy may take up to 2 weeks to be fully effective, but […]

The Claim: Gargling With Salt Water Can Ease Cold Symptoms By ANAHAD O’CONNOR THE FACTS Nothing but time can cure the common cold, but a simple cup of salt water might ease the misery this winter. A sore, itchy throat and respiratory congestion are some of the more common symptoms of a cold, and gargling with salt water […]

By Melissa Cheney, Assistant Professor of medical anthropology and reproductive health Huffington Post, September 9, 2010 A new analysis by Dr. Joseph Wax comparing home births and hospital births, which was published in the recent issue of theAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, not only presents misleading conclusions, it drives a wedge between two groups […]

Bonding By Oxytocin In The Transition To Fatherhood 23 Aug 2010 The hormone oxytocin has come under intensive study in light of emerging evidence that its release contributes to the social bonding that occurs between lovers, friends, and colleagues. Oxytocin also plays an important role in birth and maternal behavior, but until now, research had […]

From WebMD Health News Salynn Boyles May 5, 2010 — Women who take high doses of vitamin D during pregnancy have a greatly reduced risk of complications, including gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and infection, new research suggests. Based on the findings, study researchers are recommending that pregnant women take 4,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D […]

Quick Facts If you have had a cesarean, your next baby can be born vaginally safely.  This is called a VBAC or vaginal birth after cesarean. As Mona Lydon-Rochelle MD said at the 2010 National Institutes of Health VBAC conference, “There is a major misperception that TOLAC [trial of labor after cesarean] is extremely risky.”  George […]

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What is GBS? Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a bacterium that is normally found in the intestinal tract.  The human body is full of bacteria, most of which are helpful for digestion, absorption of nutrients, and maintaining the immune system. It can be normal to find GBS in the anal and vaginal region of a […]

By James J. McKenna Ph.D. Edmund P. Joyce C.S.C. Chair in Anthropology Director, Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory University of Notre Dame Where a baby sleeps is not as simple as current medical discourse and recommendations against cosleeping in some western societies want it to be. And there is good reason why. I write here to explain […]

By Joene Hendry NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 19 – Eating lots of vegetables and fruits during pregnancy may lower the chance of having a baby with certain allergies, hint study findings from Japan. Greater intake of green and yellow vegetables, citrus fruit, and veggies and fruits high in beta carotene may lessen the risk […]

Written by Linda Folden Palmer, D.C. Friday, 27 June 2008 11:17 Newborn infants routinely receive an injection of vitamin K after birth in order to prevent (or slow) a rare problem of bleeding into the brain weeks after birth. Vitamin K promotes blood clotting. The fetus has low levels of vitamin K as well as […]

What is Transparency? A pregnant woman asks her care provider, “What is your episiotomy rate?” Her doctor responds, “I only do them when it is necessary.” On her tour of the hospital maternity center, another woman asks about the hospital’s cesarean rate and is told, “We take care of many high risk patients, so you […]

Baby Says: Better the Car than the OR! 29 December 2009, 3:40 pm The UPI reports of a baby born in a car on the shoulder of an Illinois highway today: An Illinois woman says she and her newborn are doing well after the woman’s boyfriend helped deliver the baby inside a car along Interstate 72. And… […]

A great article by The Academic OBGYN Nicholas Fogelson     December 3, 2009 There are times in our medical careers where we see a shift in thought that leads to a completely different way of doing things.   This happened with episiotomy in the last few decades.  Most recently trained physicians cannot imagine doing routine episiotomy […]

We’re a month into the school year and it’s the time of year when it seems our kids are spending more days sick than well. Please don’t be fooled into thinking that this winter is so different from previous winters. Swine Flu does not pose a realistic risk to your family: There will be millions of […]

By Misha Safranski We have it ingrained in our heads throughout our entire adult lives-pregnancy is 40 weeks. The “due date” we are given at that first prenatal visit is based upon that 40 weeks, and we look forward to it with great anticipation. When we are still pregnant after that magical date, we call ourselves […]

  Mommy, What Did You Do in the Industrial Revolution? Plante LA. Mommy, What Did You Do in the Industrial Revolution? Meditations on the Rising Cesarean Rate. The International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics. Spring 2009;2(1):140-147. DOI: 10.2979/FAB.2009.2.1.140  http://afar.info/id=2322 Lauren A. Plante, MD, MPH, FACOG Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia PA Email: Lauren(arobase)LaurenPlante.net […]

Keep your toddler in a rear-facing car seat until age 2 (not 1) ©2009 American Academy of Pediatrics. This information may be freely copied and distributed with proper attribution. April 2009      www.aapnews.org New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their […]

The information collected here was collected to identify VBAC policies in individual hospitals.  We wanted to identify those hospitals that have official bans against VBAC in place. In some ways, these were the simplest calls. It is unlikely that we are mistaken about these hospitals. The more difficult hospitals were those with de facto bans […]

8 Proven Parenting Principles for Raising Connected and Compassionate Children, says don’t let your baby cry it out

Released in October 2008, a new data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics ranks the United States 29th globally in infant mortality in 2004, the latest year such data were available for all countries. The U.S. ranking, which has risen from 12th in 1960 to 23rd in […]

DOH COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS – A SUMMARY Increased Utilization of Licensed Midwives Improves Outcomes and Decreases Maternity Care Costs An independently conducted cost-benefit analysis released by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in January 2008 indicated that licensed midwifery care results in cost savings to Medicaid of nearly half a million dollars biennially and […]

B12 Deficit May Boost Risk of Birth Defects Women who are vegans and vegetarians most affected, study says Posted March 2, 2009   MONDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) — Women who do not have enough vitamin B12 in their blood before and after conception have a greater chance of having a baby with brain or […]

Staying Home to Give Birth: Why Women in the United States Choose Home Birth  Debora Boucher, CNM, Catherine Bennett, RNC, BSN, Barbara McFarlin, CNM, PhD, RDMS, and Rixa Freeze, PhD, MA  Approximately 1% of American women give birth at home and face substantial obstacles when they make this choice. This study describes the reasons that women in the […]

GESTATIONAL DIABETES TESTING Sarah J. Buckley GP, MD The test for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is still controversial. While some experts believe that GDM is a serious condition, and that every pregnant woman should be screened and treated, others believe that diagnosing and treating GDM is not only unnecessary but can cause more harm than […]

Deciding Whether or Not to Circumsize Your Baby Boy  by  Dr. Sears This is a decision that many parents face.  There are many misconceptions and out-of-date  information that parents may read.  Here is a summary of the pertinent issues that you should  consider when making this decision.   ·      Medical benefits – THERE ARE NONE!  […]

Charlotte Church’s delivery goes swimmingly as singer gives birth to a baby boy at home | Mail Onlin 8:18am Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Charlotte Church gave birth to her second child yesterday – a boy weighing 7lb 5oz. The singer, 22, had her boyfriend Gavin Henson and two midwives by her side.

from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/science/30baby.html By NICHOLAS BAKALAR Published: December 29, 2008 Vitamin D deficiency may increase the likelihood of having aCaesarean section, a new study has found. At the turn of the 20th century, according to background information in the report, deformed bones in the pelvis often led to a C-section, a problem that virtually disappeared with the vitamin […]