Pregnancy, Parenthood & Playtime

May 5th every year signifies the International Day of the Midwife worldwide.

To celebrate this, I wanted to put together a list of some of my favorite blog posts about midwives, blogs that midwives themselves write, and overall celebrate midwives because they are such an amazingly important part of out maternity care system today.

The Midwife Difference – One of my own posts about the difference of care I experienced between pre natal care under an OB/GYN and a Midwife for my second pregnancy. Incomparable!
Science & Sensibility – Amy Romano a local CNM to my area, and amazing birth advocate, researcher, and educator writes awesomely amazing posts weekly.
The Feminist Breeder & Friends Radio Show – Today, Gina AKA The Feminist Breeder is going to host her radio show focused around midwives with Amy Romano, Mary Murry, and Amie Newman.
Home Birth in Connecticut – An interview with a local Connecticut CPM that attends births at home.
My reaction to The Business of Being Born – I think this was the turning point that really got me involved in the childbirth community.
Gloria Lemay – A Canadian Midwife who I enjoy reading about. She has some great posts you will probably love too!

What are your favorite midwives posts and posters?

With the nice weather upon us, I have been looking for nice outdoor activities that are not only fun for me, but enjoyable for the

My toddler Camden, Hiking on one of the many trails around the lake.

children so everyone can have a good time. Today we took our first trip to the Ansonia Nature Center located in upper Ansonia, and seems to be a hidden treat for the Valley.

Not only does it have something for everyone, it is beautiful and free!  They offer various programs that you can sign up for, while some are free, others are not, but the price is not costly by any means.

Some of the upcoming activities for the month of May include :

• NATURE’S CHILDREN: Squirrels – Thurs. May 6, 10:30 am – High up in treetop nests are babies with huge feet, skinny legs, and sharp toenails whose moms are doing their best to hide them. As we walk the wooded trails, we’ll be looking for their nervous mothers and frisky dad squirrels. Make a take home craft and hear a short story too. For preschoolers and their adults. TUITION: Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members, $6 per child; others, $8 per child. Please register in advance.

• SCIENCE SATURDAY: Troubled Waters – Sat. May 8, 10 am at the Redwing Pond House – Let’s experiment with water today! We’ll learn how scientists test the water we drink, review the water cycle, find out about point and nonpoint pollution problems, and discover how we can protect this precious resource. Tuition: $15 for the 2-hour class, payable to the Ansonia Nature Center. Please register in advance.

• BACK TO BASICS: Herb Sale, Plant Swap, and Compost! – Sat. May 8, 2 pm – At a loss for what to give Mom for Mother’s Day (tomorrow)? How about some nice herbs for her garden or windowsill? If you’re a gardener, you may want to swap or share your perennial divisions. Also learn how to keep your gardens doing their best with your own compost. It’s easy and healthy. FREE class with Nature Center rangers Wendy and Dawn.

• HIKES FOR TEACHERS – Thurs. May 13 and Thurs. May 27, 3:30 to 4:30 pm – Take an after-school hike with a former teacher as your guide. Unwind and unplug as you get some fresh air and healthy outdoor exercise this spring. Betty Laurella, a retired classroom veteran, will lead these one-hour hikes along the trails in the park. FREE.

• WOODLAND WILDFLOWERS – Sat. May 15, 2 pm  – Stroll the wooded trails as we look for the early bloomers peeking out from the forest floor duff. We’ll seek carpets of spring beauties and other ephemerals. FREE, but please call to register.

• SCIENCE SATURDAY: The Miracle of Seeds, Part 2 – Sat. May 22, 10 am at the Redwing Pond House  – It’s time to start transplanting those tender young plants into the garden. Bring your seedlings and let’s chart the progress of the seeds you planted on April 10 to see whose are ahead! How will your plants compete? Tuition: $15 for the 2-hour class, payable to the Ansonia Nature Center. Please register in advance.

• P.A.C.K.: Native Song and Dance – Sun. May 30, 2 pm – Dressed in Eastern Woodland regalia, Shane Long, a member of the Mohegan tribal nation, will take us back to the days before contact with Europeans, using song, stories, and dance performed and accompanied by drums and rattles. Audience participation. FREE. Supported by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

They also offer ongoing programs. You can visit their website for more information on the park at http://ansonianaturecenter.org

Working towards becoming a Childbirth Educator through Lamaze I have noticed one thing.  Everyone still thinks Lamaze is about all about breathing! I must admit, before I became familiar with modern day Lamaze, I would have thought the same exact things because of all the movies that still depict Lamaze as a woman in a taxi cab on the way to the hospital “whoooooo whooooooo heeeeeeeee”

In the 1950’s a man by the name of Fernand Lamaze, a French Obstetrician developed a method of breathing and relaxation to help women in labor, and coping with the pain of childbirth. Over the next decades Lamaze evolved into what it is today and has turned far away from the original breathing focused birth technique.  During this time, Lamaze has really changed from a method for giving birth to a philosophy that helps to educate women on what birth can and should be, while giving them confidence on birthing the way our bodies are intended to.

The Lamaze Philosophy of Birth includes :

• Birth is normal, natural, and healthy.
• The experience of birth profoundly affects women and their families.
• Women’s inner wisdom guides them through birth.
• Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth.
• Women have the right to give birth free from routine medical interventions.
• Birth can safely take place in homes, birth centers, and hospitals.
• Childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices in healthcare, to assume responsibility for their health, and trust their inner wisdom.

That is a far cry from teaching women how to pant through birth through strange breathing techniques.

A great resource for learning more about birth and childbirth education is the Lamaze Magazine. There is a lot of great information on moving during labor to help with pain relief, and enhance your birth experience.

The words birth and experience are used a lot in the subject of childbirth education. Many feel as though the experience for mother and baby are not important as long as the end result is a healthy baby.  More and more modern day studies are showing this to be more and more inaccurate, as there are an increasing number of birth trauma cases that go hand in hand with the rising number of surgical births, and birth experiences that have a lot of medical interventions.

I look forward to discussing more, the more I learn in my journey to becoming a childbirth educator.
This should be a fun 6 months!

In modern day Obstetrics, we are seeing a drug by the name of cytotec, also known as Misoprostol which is a commonly used ulcer drug, with a label that warns the drug is not to be used on pregnant women.  As you can see to the left, the label shows a pregnant woman, in a circle with a large red line through it. If that doesn’t show it is not meant to be used on pregnant women, I don’t know what else they would have to put on it to show this.

But why is this drug being used?  While some hospitals have banned the drug, others are still openly allowing woman’s labors to be induced using this drug. Including hospitals right here in the state of Connecticut.  During the past few years, while the controversy over cytotec continues to brew, several news sources have started to question the use of the drug in pregnant women, including WSMV out of Tennessee which aired a story including three women, all who have lawsuits centered around the use of cytotec to induce labor.

Former head of Women & Children’s health at the World Health Organization Marsden Wagner spoke about Cytotec in the recent birth documentary The Business of Being Born by Ricki Lake :

This clip not only shows the type of trial and error mentality regarding birth today, but it also shows the history of where this same mentality, and dangerous behavior has landed mothers, and babies.

Cytotec can cause complications such as :

• uterine rupture (even in women without previous cesarean sections)
• postpartum hemorrhage
• fetal distress
• amniotic embolism
• fetal death

All associated with hyper-stimulation of the uterus which is what cytotec causes.

During my journey to becoming a Lamaze childbirth educator, there are so many things I would like to document and share through the information and learning processes on my blog. I hope that others enjoy the information as I work through it and share what I feel so be some of the most important pieces of key information.

Today I am going to touch on the different Stages of Labor. Many who are active in the childbirth community may already be familiar with these, but what I have noticed through my work with pregnant women, and what is being shown in studies, run of the mill pregnant women are not familiar with most of the information provided in childbirth education courses. Stages of labor happen to be one of these.

Prodomal Labor

What is going on?

• The cervix is beginning to thin out, and soften, and move forward. During this process it also may start to open.
• The baby will settle into the pelvis.
• You may start to notice some contractions, but will remain irregular, slightly noticeable, and will not form a pattern.
• The contractions may be noticeable or identified as a pain in the lower stomach, or back.
• Normally this phase can last anywhere from a couple hours, to days.

This is your bodies way to gear up for the marathon of labor it will be running shortly.

What Helps?

• Don’t worry or over think what you are going through. You will not miss labor, and you will certainly know when you are in labor!
• Be patient!  Having confidence that your body truly knows what to do is key.
• Take care of yourself. Sleep, eat, stay active, and overall be healthy (but you should be doing that through your entire pregnancy to begin with)
• Be sure to only surround yourself with supportive and positive people. You only want those around who will make you feel not only safe, but comfortable.

Early Labor (Latent Phase)

Whats going on?

• Your cervix will start to dilating to about 3-4 centimeters, and the cervix continues to thin.
• Labor can tend to be slow, but most prefer to call it gradual. On average, the latent phase of labor makes up two-thirds of the total labor time in most mothers.
• Over time contractions will become longer, stronger, and more intense.
• Contractions will become more regular, and start to form a pattern.
• Contractions can be described as 5 minutes apart, and 25 to 45 seconds in length.
• You may have pinkish discharge that can be normally called a show that will increase as labor progresses.

What Helps?

• Be calm, relax, and don’t get too excited or worked up that labor has finally started.
• Alternate staying active with relaxation. A great example is chores, or taking walk, followed by taking a shower, and including snacks, and lots of fluids.
• Keep your environment pleasant and positive. Visitors or people who will not carry out this kind of environment should be asked to leave, or change their tune.
• Work on positive activities, you can do some light work in the new babies room, listen to music or even watch a favorite tv show.
• Stay at home as long as you can. Most women find that home is the most comfortable option for laboring in a positive environment.
• When contractions start to become more intense, or unbearable, be sure to have your support team helping you, and supporting you in the activities around the house.
• Use relaxation, as well as breathing to work through your contractions.

Active Labor

Whats going on?

• Contractions will become longer as well as stronger, and become about 3 minutes apart, and last about a minute at a time.
• Women in active labor will start to become very focused on their labor.
• During this phase which lasts between 2 to 6 hours on average, the cervix will completely efface, and dilate to 8 centimeters.

What Helps?

• Listen to your body!  It is meant to give birth to babies and now has you really rockin’ and rollin’ towards birth.
• Do something to stay active during contractions, walk, talk, breathe, or just move around, and take the time in between contractions to rest.
• Create a peaceful, and relaxed environment as your surroundings will impact your labor, and harsh feelings, comments, or actions can halt your labor.
• Personalize your surroundings. Use your own music, clothes, and comforts of home (especially in a hospital setting)
• Changing positions will help you stay more active and comfortable, and will also help you to progress.

Transition

Whats going on?

• The cervix will finish effacing and dilating.
• Contractions are powerful, efficient, and close together.
• Phase usually lasts about less than an hour.
• Some women will feel very sick to their stomach, or actually vomit during transition.
• Women may feel wreckless or increasingly emotional and irritable.

What Helps?

• Focus on your contractions, one at a time to help from getting overwhelmed with your experience. There is a lot going on, focus on the most important part, your contractions.
• Continue to focus on your breathing as well as visualization techniques.
• Those who are providing labor support should be giving you their undivided attention to help you through your contractions. Massage, talking you through, encouragement and praise.
• Continue to use your time between contractions for rest and to relax. The time spacing may be much smaller, but it is still very important.

Second Stage (Pushing)

Whats going on?

• Your body will now shift from dilating and effacing to pushing.
• The baby will make its way down through the pelvis and birth canal.
• This phase can last anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours.
• Some women may not feel the urge right away after full dilation, many will feel the urge to start to “bear down”. This urge will continue to get stronger as the baby descends.
• Many women will feel as though their head has been “cleared” and they have a renewed energy for pushing.
• Just before your baby will be born, many women will feel a burning , stinging, stretching at the open of the vagina. Many call this the famous “ring of fire” but not all experience it.
• The babies head will emerge, and it will turn to one side to allow the shoulders to pass through, and the rest of the baby will slip right out.

What Helps?

• Follow your instinct. Women normally feel the strongest urge to push at the peak of a contraction, follow what your body feels like it needs to do, or wants to do through the contractions.
• It may help some women to be vocal, but loud high pitched sounds will only use up all of your energy and breathe. Low, deep noises and moans are most helpful.
• Those supporting you in your labor should remain as quiet as possible, or provide low or quiet support and encouragement.
• Let go of any tension you may feel in your perineum. Applying a warm compress may help.
• If progress is slow, changing positions can be very helpful. The most efficient positions to push in tend to be squatting, laying on your side, or hands and knees. (The lithotomy position, or flat on your back with your legs in the air decreases the opening of your pelvis.)
• Rest in between contractions.

Third Stage (Recovery)

Whats going on?

• Your baby should be placed on your abdomen, and quickly dried.
• You will probably experience a boat load of feelings, excitement, joy, happiness, awe, and relief that it is finally over!
• The cord will be cut and the placenta will be delivered normally within 30 minutes.
• Many women get after pains of “the shakes” after birth.
• Cold compresses are often applied to the perineum to ease your discomfort as well as help with the swelling.

What Helps?

• Touch, caress, and cuddle your new little baby without time restrictions. (If there is no medical needs for mother and baby separation).
• Skin-to-skin contact with your baby is your best option.
• All routine infant procedures can be done without removing your baby from your side. Request that all measuring, weighing, and other procedures be delayed for the first few hours.
• Offering your baby the breast during this time will increase the likelihood of a successful breastfeeding relationship, and will also help to decrease the bleeding, and tightening of the uterus.

Lots of information, in a long post.
I hope you all enjoy and find it as educational and helpful as I do!

Yesterday, April 28th, 2010 at 1:00pm a local Milford family was featured on the TLC show A Baby Story, documenting the home birth of their second child. Filled with midnight strolls on the private beach area, and a beautiful water birth.

After an intervention filled hospital birth with her first child, Glorvina had no desire to repeat the experience, or step foot into the hospital to birth her second child, which is something we are increasingly seeing across the United States.

The episode is described on the TLC website as :

“Glorvina and her husband, Jason, were ready to try something different. They did some research and found a midwife they trust, and are ready to have a water birth at home. When delivery day finally ensues, Glorvina realizes fast that she’s not in control.”

Fortunately for the family, their delivery was not as dramatic as the show producers made it sound.

Baby girl Bernadette was born peacefully in the water at the conclusion of the episode.

Husband Jason explained at the conclusion of the episode that if they had known everything they know now going into the birth of their first child, they would have never stepped foot into the hospital to give birth to their first son.

This episode featured local Certified Nurse Midwives, Vicki Marnin and Amy Romano of the practice Birth & Beyond out of Madison. Unfortunately for the women of Connecticut, since this birth which took place last June, they are unable to take on births at this time.

Also included in this episode is the late Doula & Childbirth Educator Karen Kilson who suddenly lost her life in October of 2009.

After the success of our Post Cesarean Feelings Survey, The Healthy Baby Network, and myself are working on a second survey project focused on All About Doulas.

If you know what a doula is, or have thought about using one with the birth of your children, please take a couple minutes to fill out the quick survey!

Would you take the time to go into a public bathroom, unpack your lunch and then proceed to eat it in there?  Sounds a little on the disgusting side right?  I mean, certainly it is not something I would do because those places have to be some of the most germ infested, disgusting, illness breeding grounds.

So why do so many people, women included, suggest that breastfeeding mothers take their baby, sometimes brand spanking new, into this germ infested public toilet area to eat?  Seems a little backwards.

Whether it is pumping breastmilk, or breastfeeding, no one should be thrown into a public bathroom to do it. Even if the facility itself appears to be clean. According to experts, Public bathrooms may contain several kinds of harmful bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, coliform, rotavirus, cold virus and the potentially deadly form of staph known as MRSA.  All things we would never in a million years want to expose our new babies to, I certainly know I wouldn’t want any of my children exposed to any of it.

In fact, the majority of these bacterias are not even on the toilet seat itself, but on the floor, walls, sinks and other areas of public bathrooms, which would be thought to be the safer places to sit or touch when using a public bathroom.

Knowing all of this, why would anyone in their right mind suggest anyone eat in there?
One of those things that make you say hmmmm?