In the eleven years since I got pregnant with our first baby, I’ve often laughed at changing recommendations. Both during various pregnancies and with each baby there seems to be a new recommendation or a change from past ones. Recent research may lead to changes in drinking water during labor. With my kids, the nurses always started by asking how “well hydrated” I was when I got to the hospital. Eventually, they’d want to give IV fluids to “keep me well hydrated.” Similar advice is seen in pregnancy literature everywhere. As a result of these recommendations, women often begin drinking … Continue reading →

In yesterday’s blog post, I talked about the impact your choice of hospital has on your birth experience. The other part of the picture when you want a natural birth, free of interventions is the health care provider you choose to attend your birth. Your health care provider has a big impact on your birth experience. In many hospitals, you can have a doctor or midwife attend your birth. Choose a provider that is supportive of natural birth and won’t use interventions unless medically necessary. Doctors are very different in their approaches to labor and birth. Some are quicker to … Continue reading →

Many mothers and most proponents of home birth would argue that the current medical model of maternity care in the United States makes it difficult to have a natural birth in the hospital. Interventions are so routinely used in some hospitals that it is almost impossible to make it through the birth without any. However, with some planning it is possible to have the birth you want. The two most important factors in having a natural birth in a hospital setting are the health care provider and hospital in which you will deliver. In the first part of this blog, … Continue reading →

The media is abuzz today with stories about the pregnant man expecting another baby. In case you were in hiding or never watch the news, the pregnant man is a married transitional transsexual. Thomas Beatie, born Tracy Beatie, gave birth to a daughter about five months ago. Beatie had his breasts removed and took male hormones, but did not have the full surgery to become a man. He and his wife used donor sperm, injected at home by the wife, to conceive both children. With the first pregnancy, many believed it was a hoax, until it was confirmed by his … Continue reading →

There are many benefits to natural birth. One of the benefits of drug free birth is freedom of movement. When drugs are given, many hospitals restrict the mother to the traditional hospital position of lying on your back, or the newer semi sitting position for pushing, throughout labor and birth. However, this is often not the best position for birth. This position is the most convenient for the doctor attending the birth and nurses doing exams, but is not the best for mom. When women are free to get into the most comfortable position during labor, they rarely lie down … Continue reading →

In the United States, c section is often performed as a matter of choice for women. When a woman has had one c section, doctors sometimes offer a choice between VBAC and a repeat c section. In many cases, doctors pressure women into the repeat c section. This is often done because doctors worry about uterine rupture, which is a rare event. What few doctors do is inform their patients that having repeat c sections may limit the number of children they can have. Repeatedly cutting and stitching the uterus greatly increases the risk of uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies. … Continue reading →

Proponents of natural child birth have long maintained that giving birth naturally results in better bonding with baby compared to c section births. In fact, women choosing VBAC often cite this as one of the many reasons for making this choice. Mothers who have had a c section may disagree with these statements, but recent research is adding credibility to this long held belief. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine looked at bonding in mothers and babies with the method of birth. Women were divided into two groups for the study, one group having had vaginal deliveries and the other … Continue reading →

In the US, women often choose c sections even when there is no medical indication for the procedure. Often this is done after a previous c section for convenience, personal preference or pressure from a doctor who is opposed to vaginal birth after cesarean or VBAC. Organizations such as the World Health Organization have expressed concern about the high c section rate and set goals for lowering this rate. This is due to the increased risk of surgery for both the mother and the baby. Figures from WHO show that worldwide, about 18 percent of all c sections are done … Continue reading →

Home birth has gained media attention in recent years. The reason is that more women are staying home to have their babies. Midwives generally attend these births, as they have throughout most of human history. The trend has been seen in Hollywood as well. Former talk show host Ricki Lake created the documentary The Business of Being Born after her second baby was born at home. The Business of Being Born is a documentary that looks at birth in America and the culture of birth. Is child birth a natural part of life or a medical emergency? The film advocates … Continue reading →

Midwives in Maine will have access to certain medications, thanks to a new law. The law allows pharmacists to give the drugs to certified professional midwives for use in home birth. The legislation will help midwives and their patients. The drugs included under the law are vitamin K injections used to help in blood clotting, antibiotic eye drops and medication to numb the skin for suturing tears after the baby is born. The first two medications are routinely used in hospital births, but often not used in home births. The state is hoping this will change after the law is … Continue reading →