Journey Birth Services

ICAN of Southeastern Pennsylvania

2011-02-06T08:49:00.002-05:00

ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) is a wonderful organization which provides support and education about cesareans and VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) to families. Southern Pennsylvania now has its own ICAN chapter! ICAN of Southeastern Pennsylvania meets once a month at Ohm Chiropractic in Media, PA, on the second Saturday of each month from 10am to noon. Come join us! For more information about ICAN of Southeastern Pennsylvania, please visit www.icanofsepa.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/icanofsepa.

Fall Gathering at Journey Birth Services

2009-10-19T14:58:00.003-04:00

I've decided to have an annual get together, and this weekend was the first one! We had a fun time - pictures are on Facebook if you want to see. I had a lot of requests for some recipes, so here they are...

Potato Leek Soup
Prep Time: :35
Cook Time: 1:30
Ingredients:

* 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 pound each)
* 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts), sliced and rinsed well
* 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
* 4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 cup (about 1/4 pound) grated sharp Cheddar (see Cook's Note)
* 2 Tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

Preparation:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes, pat dry, and pierce several times with a fork. Set them directly on the oven rack and bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups water. Simmer until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Cut one of cooled potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh out in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Puree the contents of the pot in batches in a blender until very smooth. Return the soup to a clean pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese. Stir in the diced potato. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar cheese, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.

Yield: 6 cups, 4 servings

Cook's Note: Sharp cheese works well in this soup because it melts smoothly. Extra sharp will give you a more pronounced flavor but because of the lower moisture content, the soup will be less smooth.

And, the ever famous Amy's Artichoke Dip...
1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8oz crumbled Feta cheese
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
optional: 2oz diced pimentos, drained
(I just chop up some black olives. But, do whatever you want)

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Spoon into 9in. pie plate or 3cup shallow baking dish
3. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

And, finally, butternut squash risotto
Chop up a medium sized onion and a couple of garlic cloves. Saute them in olive oil over medium high heat for 5 or so minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups of arborio rice (whatever it's called. You know, risotto rice.) and saute for a minute or two. Add a cup of white wine and cook for about a minute. Oh, while you're doing this have some chicken broth simmering on another burner. Then, once the wine cooks off, ladle in some chicken broth - about 3 or 4 ladles. Cook it down, stirring frequently. Repeat. Repeat again. Keep repeating until the rice isn't hard. Takes about 1/2 hour or so. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the burner, add in about 2 cups of smashed up, cooked, butternut squash, 3 handfuls of parmesan cheese, some nutmeg and some sage, and some country style sausage sliced up (and already cooked). Let it sit up for a minute or two, then eat. It's good. Really, really good.

Update!

2009-10-14T18:43:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! I realized that I haven't been posting lately - I'm so sorry! I think I am going to change the blog a little bit. I'm going to write birth related posts (my opinion about stuff), and invite former clients of Journey Birth Services to send their birth stories and/or photos in to be posted. Journey Birth Services has a page on Facebook, where I've been posting upcoming events and interesting news stories because it's, well, easier! So, come follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/journeybirth. Hope to see you there!

Mom's Group 7/9 (Thursday)

2009-07-07T11:58:00.000-04:00

Come to Amy's house and meet with other moms. Meetings start at 11am and end at 2pm. Bring lunch or something to share. Children are always welcome!

Where:
52 Marshall Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

When:
Thursday, July 9th 11am to 2pm

New Class Available!

2009-06-20T10:38:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to announce my new class - Vaccination Information!!
Learn everything you wanted to know about vaccines in this informative class. Class covers a short history of vaccination, the diseases the US currently vaccinates against, available vaccines and their ingredients, and scheduling of vaccinations. Class price of $40 includes a copy of The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears. The class schedule may be found on the Journey Birth Services Calendar. Class size is limited, so register early at Journey Birth Services!

Mom's Group 6/10

2009-06-08T21:00:00.001-04:00

35 Reasons to Have a Homebirth...

2009-05-19T20:03:00.002-04:00

Here are some of my favorites...

13. Home birth is just more fun!
22. You can cut the umbilical cord when you are good and ready. The speed at which they want to snip our newborn’s lifeline is unbelievable.
32. Nobody comes in, wakes you up, and checks your vitals every half hour at home.
34. Having a home birth is different. Different is cool.

Read more and feel free to leave your reason(s) in the comments!

Childbirth: Can the US Improve?

2009-05-19T19:05:00.001-04:00

Once reserved for cases in which the life of the baby or mother was in danger, the cesarean is now routine. The most common operation in the U.S., it is performed in 31% of births, up from 4.5% in 1965.

With that surge has come an explosion in medical bills, an increase in complications -- and a reconsideration of the cesarean as a sometimes unnecessary risk.

It is a big reason childbirth often is held up in healthcare reform debates as an example of how the intensive and expensive U.S. brand of medicine has failed to deliver better results and may, in fact, be doing more harm than good.

Why todays parents are saying no to circumcision

2009-05-19T19:01:00.001-04:00

We are the only country that routinely circumcises our infants at birth for non religious reasons. This is not the norm in other countries. In fact when speaking with a European friend of mine who was expecting a boy, she said she would not only not circumcise her son, but that she would never stand for it. When you live in a culture that does not routinely circumcise, the question becomes why would you.

Free Local Family Wellness Fair 5/16/09

2009-05-14T10:23:00.002-04:00

And if you come, you could stop by and see yours truly!!

We have had several late vendor additions to the list below, so it's going to be a great day with lots of entertainment and information for the whole family. Please join us and tell all your friends and family to do the same!

Free Local Family Wellness Fair on 5/16/09

The Delaware County, PA chapter of the Holistic Moms Network, in conjunction with Ohm Chiropractic Center , is sponsoring a Wellness Fair on Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 11am to 4pm at Ohm Chiropractic located at 327 N. Middletown Road, Media, PA 19063. Free lectures start at 11am and fair festivities start at noon.

This family-friendly event is open to the public and free! Come early and bring your entire family to enjoy the lovely spring day and the scheduled outdoor activities. There will be an assortment of BBQ and vegan food available, live music throughout the day, raffles and more!

There will be free: massages, small reiki sessions, spinal check ups, reflexology sessions, adult yoga class and several fun children’s activities. Some of the vendors will represent a variety of products: essential oil bath and beauty products, handmade candles, handmade scarves, Ergo baby carriers, Juice Plus whole food supplements, handmade jewelry, Shaklee cleaning products and Selene Whole Food Co-op. There will also be several well-known area birth services, local non-profit organizations and other wellness practitioners with informational booths. Scheduled lectures include vaccine choice, homeopathy for moms and kids and traditional Chinese medicine for children.

For more information, please contact Heather Busovsky.

Ricki Lake and The Doctors

2009-05-13T23:09:00.002-04:00

I was going to make a post about the TV show The Doctors and their take on birth and Ricki Lake, but then I saw Jill's post, and I figured I'd just let her do it. Go read!

Do You Doula?

2009-05-12T19:54:00.000-04:00

A video about the role of doulas in childbirth... pretty good!

Delayed Cord Clamping

2009-05-12T19:48:00.002-04:00

Great video about the benefits of delayed cord clamping!

Mom's Group 5/13

2009-05-12T17:43:00.000-04:00

Widespread use of labor induction potentially harmful

2009-05-11T18:32:00.001-04:00

The investigators found support only for inducing labor at or beyond 41 completed weeks of gestation and under some conditions when a woman's membranes break before labor. However, there is not good evidence for inducing labor in many other situations, including when the fetus is believed to be large or to have restricted growth, or when a woman is pregnant with twins, has insulin-dependent diabetes, or has low levels of amniotic fluid.

Cesareans outnumber Vaginal Births in S Florida

2009-05-10T16:30:00.000-04:00

Last year, for the first time, more babies in Miami-Dade County were born by cesarean section than were born vaginally, according to state records, and Broward's not far behind, with a rate of 43.7 percent -- both far above the national average.

At Kendall Regional Medical Center in Southwest Miami-Dade, seven out of 10 babies were delivered by C-section, a rate that University of Miami obstetrician Gene Burkett called ``just astounding.''

Locally and nationally, the cesarean rate has been creeping up annually for years. In 2007, the U.S. rate reached 31.8 percent, according to the National Center for Health Statistics -- an increase of more than 50 percent over the past decade.

Essay on the Factory Model of Childbirth

2009-04-27T09:27:00.002-04:00

If only more OBs thought this way! Please read this - the lack of choice in maternity care is something that people need to be aware of!

Obstetrician/gynecologist Lauren Plante has a remarkable essay in the International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics in which she condemns the rising cesarean rate and compares current U.S. childbirth practices to the industrial revolution.

Washington State Passes Breastfeeding Law

2009-04-27T09:22:00.000-04:00

It's now a woman's civic right to breast feed her baby in public. Before the new law, women couldn't be arrested for indecency while breastfeeding, now they're protected from being asked to leave.

Home births 'as safe as hospitals'

2009-04-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

The largest study of its kind has found that for low-risk women, giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife.

Nursing by the numbers

2009-04-15T09:11:00.001-04:00

In 2001, the USDA concluded that if breastfeeding rates were increased to 75 percent at birth and 50 percent at six months, it would lead to a national government savings of a minimum of $3.6 billion. This amount was easily an underestimation since it represents savings in the treatment of only three of the dozens of illnesses proven to be decreased by breastfeeding: ear infections, gastroenteritis, and necrotizing enterocolitis.

Birth by Appointment

2009-04-15T09:10:00.000-04:00

A decade ago, surgical delivery mainly was reserved for emergency situations, such as when mothers had high blood pressure or were failing to progress in labor or the baby showed signs of distress. Today, several factors are leading to the rapid rise in C-sections, even though having one carries with it a longer hospital stay, longer recovery time and the risk of complications from anesthesia. Those factors include changing attitudes toward childbirth, the convenience of a scheduled birth for busy women, and malpractice concerns by doctors and insurance companies.

Mom's Group Rescheduled!

2009-04-08T01:15:00.001-04:00

I am walking out the door to a birth and have to reschedule mom's group to next Wednesday, April 15th. It will still be 11 to 2 at my house. Hope to see you then!

Eating Lightly During Labor May Not Affect Obstetric or Neonatal Outcomes

2009-04-07T08:12:00.001-04:00

Eating a light diet during labor did not affect obstetric or neonatal outcomes or increase vomiting, according to the results of a prospective, randomized controlled trial reported online first in the March 25 issue of the British Medical Journal.

"The current rationale for women fasting during labour is to protect them from pulmonary aspiration should general anaesthesia be needed for an emergency operative delivery," write Geraldine O'Sullivan, MD, from St. Thomas' Hospital, Guy's and St. Thomas' National Health Service Foundation Trust in London, United Kingdom, and colleagues. "However, prolonged fasting in labour has never been proved to influence the incidence of pulmonary aspiration, and some clinicians and midwives consider that preventing food intake can be detrimental to the mother, her baby, and the progress of labour. Whether food intake in labour will influence the ability to deliver normally, the length of labour, or other obstetric and neonatal end points is not known."
Read more...

The new 'natural' cesarean

2009-04-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

The lights of the operating theatre are dimmed and there is a mood of calm among the hospital staff. A midwife softly narrates a continuing procedure to a patient who is squeezing her husband's hand. The surgeon gives the nod: it's time. The drape across the patient's abdomen is lowered and her head is raised. Her eyes widen as she and her husband watch their baby, tiny and pink with a mop of black hair, being gently delivered from her. There is a moment of collective awe before the newborn's cry fills the air. "It's a boy!" his mother gasps, before enveloping him in a warm hug.

Caesarean link to surge in hysterectomies

2009-04-06T11:04:00.000-04:00

Doctors in Dublin’s maternity hospitals are performing an increasing number of life-saving hysterectomies on mothers who have previously had caesarean sections. The upsurge in the number of births by c-section has led to a marked increase in emergency operations to remove women’s wombs due to a condition called placenta accreta, according to a new study.

Mom's Group 4/8

2009-04-06T08:55:00.000-04:00

Come to Amy's house and meet other moms on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings start at 11am and end at 2pm. Bring lunch or something to share. Children are always welcome!

Where:
52 Marshall Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

When:
Wednesday, April 8th 11am to 2pm

Please note, I have a client due any day now. If I have to go to a birth, I'll post here when I leave so check or call me before you head over!

The Belly Project

2009-04-03T09:49:00.001-04:00

Bellies of all shapes and sizes before and after childbirth... check it out!
The Belly Project

Personhood USA

2009-04-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

According to Personhood USA, legislators in at least five states are sponsoring bills that would give the unborn full state constitutional rights from the moment of fertilization.

Near-Term Babies May Face a Higher Risk of Problems

2009-04-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

Babies born just three to six weeks before their due dates are more likely than full-term babies to have disabilities or developmental delays in kindergarten, a study has found. The children also are slightly more likely to be suspended or held back in kindergarten and to require special education.

Have you given birth in the past three years?

2009-04-01T09:01:00.001-04:00

If you have, please take the Birth Survey! Leave me a comment if you do!

The Birth Survey is structured around the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) evidence-based 10 Steps to Mother-Friendly Care and other quality of care indicators. The creation of The Birth Survey has been inspired by Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers Survey (Harris Interactive, October 2002) and the A-CAHPS (Ambulatory Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) program and surveys.

We believe that women of childbearing age must have access to information that will help them choose maternity care providers and institutions that are most compatible with their own philosophies and needs. We hope that the Transparency in Maternity Care Project will provide information that will help women make fully informed maternity care decisions.

We also believe that maternity care practitioners and institutions must have access to feedback from their patients. We hope that doctors, midwives, and hospital administrators will find the information generated through the Transparency in Maternity Care Project useful in quality improvement efforts.

Women need accurate, objective data in order to make fully informed choices about birth settings and providers. Practitioners and hospital administrators also need data to evaluate whether they are delivering quality care. We hope this project will fill a void by providing much needed information that benefits all parties engaged in maternity care.

Cesarean beliefs 'misguided'

2009-04-01T08:17:00.001-04:00

Women who choose to have an elective caesarean in the belief that it will prevent incontinence and genital prolapse are "misguided" and may be putting their health, and that of their baby, at unnecessary risk.

Mom's Group 3/18

2009-03-16T19:14:00.002-04:00

Come to Amy's house and meet other moms on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings start at 11am and end at 2pm. Bring lunch or something to share. Children are always welcome!

Where:
52 Marshall Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

When:
Wednesday, March 18th 11am to 2pm

Please note, I have a client due any day now. If I have to go to a birth, I'll post here when I leave so check or call me before you head over!

Giveaway winner!

2009-03-16T19:09:00.002-04:00

OK, I drew the name of the winner last Saturday, and then life got into the way in a serious way! All three kids and my husband got the stomach flu, then I got it, then I had a long birth to attend, and then I had to recover. That itself took a few days. So I'm just now getting around to posting! The winner of the Sleepy Wrap is...

Kate for her entry by subscribing to the newsletter!

I'll be emailing you, Kate, from my journeybirthservices.com account so keep an eye out! Congratulations :)

How About a Giveaway?

2009-02-27T10:14:00.004-05:00

I've been mulling over the idea of a giveaway for a while now, and I think I've decided to do it! Aren't you lucky?!? So, first, for the item...
One lucky winner will win a Sleepy Wrap! And, you get to choose the color out of the ones I have, which are black, dark pink, light blue, navy blue, purple, red, or royal blue. Sleepy Wraps are so comfortable, versatile, you name it. And, now, for how to win. You can have up to 4 chances (all links open in a new window!).
1. Comment on this post - tell me what color you'd like. Do you want a wrap for you, or someone else? Be sure to leave your email so I can get in contact with you if you win!
2. Follow me on twitter. Once you follow me, tweet about my giveaway! Email me at amy at journeybirthservices dot com and let me know about your tweet - be sure to include a link to this blog post! If you're already following me, just email me and let me know about your tweet.
3. Join my newsletter. I send out a newsletter about once a month - I talk about local events, pregnancy, childbirth... all kinds of fun stuff. The sign up box is over there on the right. You know, the box that says "join our newsletter" or something like that? That's the one!
4. Blog about my giveaway! Same thing - link it back to here, and drop me an email at amy at journeybirthservices dot com.
So, there you go! You can enter any time up until noon EST on Saturday, March 7th. I'll draw the winner that afternoon using Random.org. Good luck!!

Breastfeeding at Work Toughest for Younger Moms and Retail Workers

2009-02-25T08:19:00.000-05:00

Although many organizations, including the federal government, tout breastfeeding babies during the first six months of life as the healthiest choice new mothers can make for their child, a new survey by the not-for-profit National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) and Medela, Inc. reveals 32 percent of new mothers give up breastfeeding less than seven weeks after returning to work because of significant barriers. This is particularly true of women in retail settings, younger moms and those with lower paying jobs.

New website for pregnant moms

2009-02-24T08:04:00.002-05:00

Well, new to me at least! I found Juliet on Twitter - well, actually, she found me - and clicked on her site. Birth Download is a website about natural birth, and has a whole bunch of resources for it, including book and DVD reviews, and a Psychology of Giving Birth program. If you join her newsletter (there's a link on the home page), you get a free Relaxation MP3 and a Birth Companion PDF. So, check it out - I've spent a little while poking around and it looks like a great resource! And no, I wasn't paid to say anything about it!

Health Guidelines Ignored Before Pregnancy

2009-02-24T07:35:00.001-05:00

Few women follow lifestyle and nutritional guidelines before becoming pregnant, even when pregnancy is contemplated to some degree, a new study shows.

Researchers at the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre at the University of Southampton wanted to find out whether women follow such guidelines before becoming pregnant, since good health is important before pregnancy.

Nigerian sextuplets' mother dies

2009-02-23T07:34:00.002-05:00

A woman who gave birth to a set of sextuplets over the weekend in Nigeria has died of complications.

Ajoke Bello, 32, gave birth to the six babies by Caesarean section operation on Thursday and was initially in a stable condition.

Breastfeeding doesn't make breasts sag

2009-02-22T09:04:00.001-05:00

Rinker says this finding should alleviate the fears of new mothers over what nursing their child might do to their breasts in the long run and will encourage them to breastfeed because of the health benefits to their infant.

"Women may be reluctant to breastfeed because of this unfounded myth that doing so means the end of youthful breasts," Rinker said. "Now, expectant mothers can relax knowing breastfeeding does not sacrifice the appearance of their breasts."

Want a VBAC? In a hospital??

2009-02-21T17:17:00.003-05:00

Good luck with that! Here's an article about VBAC support, or lack thereof.

It would seem perfectly natural that a woman could give birth naturally if she wants to. Guess what? She can't.

An increasing number of hospitals in this country are refusing to offer women the option of delivering the way nature intended, if she had a cesarean section the first time around (and guess what -- chances are she has because the 31% of all births are now C-sections -- up 50% in 10 years).

Take the maternity quiz!

2009-02-18T13:26:00.001-05:00

Want to test your knowledge about childbirth? Check out this quiz. You might even learn something new!

Dear President Obama...

2009-02-12T09:48:00.001-05:00

From Gloria Lemay, a midwife in Canada...

Seeing that there is a world wide quest for governments to save money right now, I am putting my mind to ways that I would cut waste if I were in charge of the medical budget.

I invite you to add to this list. Just as the Wall Street tycoons are raiding the piggy bank with their inside deals, the obstetrics community wastes the medical budget with practices that are not only medically expensive but also harmful to the health of the population.

Read her short but sweet list on her blog.

New Classes Starting Soon

2009-02-10T15:43:00.002-05:00

Journey Birth Services now offers a couple of new classes. One is the one day intensive childbirth class and the other is the refresher childbirth class. The one day intensive childbirth class for first time parents covers stages of labor, coping with labor, common medical interventions, and babies and the postpartum period. Class meets from 10am to 4pm on a Saturday once a month. Lunch, snacks and beverages are provided.

The refresher childbirth class is for repeat parents. If it has been a while since your last child, or if you are planning an out of hospital birth, this is the class for you. Class meets from 10am to 1pm on a Saturday once a month, and from 6pm to 9pm on a weekday evening once a month. Children are welcome, and snacks and beverages are provided.

For more information about these classes and the upcoming schedule, please visit the Journey Birth Services website.

Journey Birth Services Mom's Group

2009-02-09T07:31:00.001-05:00

The Business of Being Born - Wilmington DE

2009-02-04T07:37:00.004-05:00

Tulaa Yoga will be hosting a screening of The Business of Being Born on Sunday, February 8th, at 12:45pm. They're located on Naamans Road in the Shoppes at Naamans. For directions, click here. If you plan on going, please RSVP by emailing Tulaa Yoga!

Classes Start Soon

2009-01-23T13:21:00.004-05:00

The winter childbirth class series at Journey Birth Services begins on Thursday, February 5th at 6pm. Classes meet every week for seven weeks, and are 2.5 hours long. For more information or to register for the winter series, please visit Journey Birth Services.

Journey Birth Services Mom's Group

2009-01-12T17:54:00.000-05:00

New Book: The No-Cry Nap Solution

2009-01-12T17:49:00.001-05:00

The No-Cry Nap Solution:
Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems

Foreword by Tim Seldin, President, The Montessori Foundation; Chair, International Montessori Council
Introduction by Meir H. Kryger, MD, Chairman of the National Sleep Foundation

~~^~~^~~
Will your child only nap in your arms, in a swing, or after elaborate rituals? Does your child take cat naps -- or none at all? Let world-renowned, trusted parenting author Elizabeth Pantley help you. She’ll guide you with the same sensitive expertise and gentle approach used in her other No-Cry bestsellers about sleep, discipline and potty training.

Research proves that daily naps improve health, mood, growth, intelligence and well-being. Yet children often resist the naps they need and parents don’t know how to make them happen. The results are fussy, crying babies and cranky, grouchy kids who also have trouble sleeping at night!

In The No-Cry Nap Solution Pantley explains to parents of children ages newborn to kindergarten the importance of napping to both behavior during the day and sleeping during (and through!) the night. She then shares with you her gentle, loving child-friendly techniques--tested on families of all sizes and circumstances--and shows you how you can customize her solutions for your own family.

Pantley addresses issues such as children who resist naps, dealing with schedule changes, turning short naps into longer ones, helping a child go from needing motion for sleep to “stationery” sleep, nursing at naptime, daycare-related napping problems, newborn “in-arms” or “in-sling” napping issues, and much more.

More info here!

C-Section too Early Risks Baby's Health

2009-01-07T18:52:00.001-05:00

A team of researchers lead by Dr. Alan Tita from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham examined the results of 13,258 women who had a scheduled, repeat C-section that was planned for no other medical reason than the fact that the woman had previously had a C-section.

The researchers found that, compared to babies delivered by C-section at 39 weeks of gestation, those born at 37 or 38 weeks had a higher rate of breathing problems, blood sugar problems and serious infections. Moreover, those babies were more likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Birth by the Numbers

2008-12-19T08:04:00.001-05:00

There is a very interesting video on the Orgasmic Birth website about Birth in the US and the statistics around it. If you have about 20 minutes check it out here - very informative!

Last Mom's Group of 2008!

2008-12-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

Pregnant in America

2008-11-22T07:57:00.002-05:00

A new documentary about the state of childbirth in the US is going to be released on DVD on December 16th! Pregnant in America examines

the betrayal of humanity's greatest gift--birth--by the greed of U.S. corporations. Hospitals, insurance companies and other members of the healthcare industry have all pushed aside the best care of our infants and mothers to play the power game of raking in huge profits.
His wife pregnant, first-time filmmaker Steve Buonaugurio set out to create a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth industry and help end its neglectful exploitation of pregnancy and birth with help from producers Betsy Chasse and Straw Weisman.
Pregnant in America is the controversial story of life's greatest miracle in the hands of a nation's most powerful interests.

Watch the trailer...

Expecting parents: What is a doula?

2008-11-20T08:45:00.001-05:00

Since they focus solely on non-medical care, doulas can spend their energy comforting and encouraging the mother and her family and helping them navigate the slew of questions and decisions that often need to be addressed during labor and delivery. “When I’m working with parents as a doula I want my role to be uncomplicated by the clinical aspects of birth,” says Young. “I’m there to meet their emotional needs, physical comfort needs, to help them with information.”

Home Births are on the Rise

2008-11-13T08:33:00.001-05:00

Births in New York’s hospitals, where pediatricians are able to check babies immediately for potentially dangerous conditions, it should be noted, still vastly outnumber those in its homes — in 2006 home births accounted for only one-half of 1 percent of the city’s 125,506 reported births.

But local midwives say they have been swamped with calls and requests in recent months, in some cases increasing their workload from two, three or four deliveries a month to as many as 10. (New York health department statistics for this year will not be available until 2010.) Several certified nurse midwives who have home-birth-only practices said they had gotten so many more requests in recent months that they have begun referring pregnant women to midwives in Rockland County, Long Island and New Jersey.

Mom's Group at Journey Birth Services

2008-11-10T08:20:00.002-05:00

Come to Amy's house and meet other moms on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings start at 11am and end at 2pm. Bring lunch or something to share. Children are always welcome!

Where:
52 Marshall Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

When:
Wednesday, November 12th 11am to 2pm
Wednesday, December 10th 11am to 2pm

Journey Birth Services is adding retail!

2008-11-01T16:50:00.003-04:00

I am excited to announce that I have added a retail section to my services. Everything I sell is available either at my office in Glen Mills or online. If you are a current or previous customer of Journey Birth Services, you receive a 10% discount on anything you buy - email me for the discount code. Also, 5% of profits from the retail store will go directly to the Rising Moon Birth Fund. Rising Moon Birth Fund seeks to make homebirth a viable option for families with financial obstacles through fundraising, outreach, and education. Clients of any midwives in the Philadelphia and surrounding areas may apply to the Rising Moon Birth Fund. So, feel free to shop! I'm adding new products all the time. If you're looking for something I don't carry, feel free to email me and let me know - maybe I can carry it!

Patient undergoing C-section dies

2008-10-24T08:35:00.000-04:00

From the Boston Globe:

The risk of death from a caesarean section is estimated at fewer than 1 in 2,500, according to information on the hospital's website.

That is significantly more than the roughly 1-in-10,000 risk of death during a vaginal birth.

Freebirthing on Discovery Health

2008-10-10T11:42:00.002-04:00

Freebirthing
Premieres Tuesday, October 21 at 9 pm

Tune In: Freebirthing

A growing movement of women in the US and in the UK are defying medical advice and choosing to give birth with no drugs, no midwife and absolutely no medical support. Supporters claim it's how having a baby was always meant to be. Doctors say this new 'freebirthing' craze carries great risks.

Maternity-care failings can be remedied with cost-saving fixes

2008-10-09T08:12:00.001-04:00

It's a problem seen throughout health care, but it might be of particular concern when the patient is a healthy pregnant woman: the overuse of tests and potentially risky procedures that, at best, might benefit only a limited number of patients, and the underuse of proven techniques with few or no known drawbacks.

Having a homebirth?

2008-10-08T10:44:00.003-04:00

Are you due in January and are planning a homebirth? If so, check this out - you might be interested.

My name is Zach Marion and I work at Video Arts Studios in Fargo, ND. We produced the series House of Babies for the Discovery Health Network. Under the guidance of master midwife, Sheri Daniels, at the Miami Maternity Center, the show follows couples during their pregnancy and ends with the delivery of their baby. It was very instrumental in raising awareness about non-clinical birthing practices on a national level.

Recently we have been approached to create a one-hour special on unique birthing practices worldwide. We are looking for families that would like to share their story on camera from pregnancy to delivery. Ideal candidates are expecting mothers due in and around early January that are planning to give birth outside of a clinic or birth center. This includes home births and beyond. The point of the show is to raise awareness about the alternative birthing options in the U.S. with the help of a midwife. Hopefully, the special creates a healthy dialogue among midwives, doctors, to-be parents, and the general public. Stories that are of particular interest are those that include interesting traditions during pregnancy and unique backdrops during delivery. For example, a Hindu family that wants to deliver outside or a family of hippies that are pursuing a home birth in a tent.

As you can imagine, access is usually the greatest struggle. Our presence at the birth goes nearly unnoticed. This unobtrusive nature was learned through experience gained while producing 26 episodes of House of Babies.

Do any clients spring to mind that might want to be a part of this project? Any and all contact leads are much appreciated. Feel free to contact me by phone with inquiries or information. I am available during weekdays between 8 and 5 CST. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Zach Marion
Video Arts Studios
1440 4th Avenue North
Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 232-3393
zach@videoartsstudios.com

Vaccine Talk in Downingtown

2008-10-08T10:42:00.002-04:00

Vaccines: Controversies and Choices at the Downingtown Town Library on October 23rd at 6:30 pm, with Nicole and Russ of Bailey Family Chiropractic. It will last about an hour and be very informative. Please let Nicole Bailey know if you plan on coming.

Divas N Babes

2008-10-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

When I was pregnant with Henry, I bought a Mei Tai from Divas N Babes. Tonjia was WONDERFUL to work with and her carriers and clothing are just beautiful - check her out! Anyways, she's going to be on WHYY's "Delaware Tonight" segment at 5:30pm. Be sure to tune in! OH, and if you check out her site, you can even see me and Henry (when he was 4 months old!) modeling the Bosom Buddies shirts... now I know you'll be headed over there!

Facebook

2008-09-25T11:58:00.001-04:00

Journey Birth Services is now on Facebook! Feel free to come and check it out - you can be automatically notified of events through Facebook.

Mom's Group at Journey Birth Services

2008-09-17T11:21:00.003-04:00

Come to Amy's house and meet other moms on the second Wednesday of each month, beginning in October. Meetings start at 11am and end at 2pm. Bring lunch or something to share. Children are always welcome!

Where:
52 Marshall Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

When:
Wednesday, October 8th 11am to 2pm
Wednesday, November 12th 11am to 2pm
Wednesday, December 17th 11am to 2pm

Free Lecture on Vaccination Choices and Controversies (Media, PA)

2008-09-16T10:43:00.002-04:00

Please join the Delaware County chapter of Holistic moms Network for our monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 7pm at Ohm Chiropractic Center, 327 N Middletown Road in Media. This month we will have Dr. Jeanne Ohm from Ohm Chiropractic Center present her lecture Vaccinations - Choices and Controversies.

We had such a great turn out and follow up requests for information on this topic when we presented it back in June that we decided to offer the presentation again for those of you who may have missed it before. Dr. Ohm specializes in prenatal chiropractic care for expectant mothers and their infants. In addition to her time in the office, Dr. Ohm travels internationally and speaks about Vaccinations - Choices and Controversies. She is on post-graduate faculty for numerous chiropractic colleges and is the Executive Coordinator of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. (As always, children are welcome at our meetings, but as an FYI, this presentation will run longer than our typical HMN meetings and will include a PowerPoint presentation shown in the downstairs lecture room at Ohm Chiropractic.)

Placenta Encapsulation

2008-09-11T09:36:00.002-04:00

From Placenta Benefits.info:

Women who take placenta capsules report fewer emotional issues, have more energy and tend to enjoy a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery.

Find a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist near you here.

Postpartum Support - Chat with an Expert

2008-09-10T14:49:00.003-04:00

Postpartum Support International, or PSI, is offering free, anonymous chat sessions with licensed mental health professionals.

This is a safe place where you can feel free to ask questions you would like to have answered. Having a baby is a major emotional and physical adjustment. It’s normal to wonder:

“Is It Just the Blues?

“Am I the only one who feels this way?”

“What can I do to help my daughter, friend, niece, wife?”

This is a place where Moms, family members, support people for moms, or professionals can find some answers.

For more information and the chat schedule, click here.

Childhood Vaccination: Questions All Parents Should Ask

2008-09-06T10:23:00.003-04:00

There will be a free talk in Philadelphia Tuesday Sept 9th, at 7pm at the office of:

Dr George Rhodes
2409 Waverly St (near Fitler Square)
Philadelphia PA 19146
215 546 1977

If you have questions please contact his office, or email Kate Rhodes.

Babies most in need are not being breastfed

2008-09-02T09:20:00.001-04:00

While the CDC recently reported that more moms than ever give breastfeeding a try, a new national study shows most moms do not stick with it as long as they should.

Although 77 percent of moms nationally start to breastfeed, the new Brigham Young University study found that only 36 percent of babies are breastfed through six months, well short of the federal government’s goal to hit 50 percent by 2010. The American Association of Pediatricians recommends continued breastfeeding through the first year.

The Birth Survey

2008-08-27T14:50:00.001-04:00

An announcement from the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services:

The Birth Survey is Now Available!

For years, consumers have enthusiastically shared online reviews of movies, restaurants, products and services, but readily available information about maternity care providers and birth settings was nearly unattainable-no longer. As part of the Transparency in Maternity Care Project, CIMS developed The Birth Survey as an online resource for sharing consumer reviews of doctors, midwives, hospitals, and birth centers, learning about the choices and birth experiences of others, and viewing data on hospital and birth center standard practices and intervention rates. The Birth Survey is now accessible online nationwide in the United States.

TIME: Giving Birth at Home

2008-08-11T11:40:00.001-04:00

For most pregnant women, a key part of their birth plan involves how they'll get to the hospital. But more and more moms-to-be are skipping that step and planning to deliver at home. Old-school birthing is back in style, with well-read women forsaking obstetricians for midwives and epidurals for warm baths. These women want to give birth in their own bed or tub, with none of the medical interventions that have become staples of modern childbirth, like contraction-inducing medication and C-sections, which now serve as the grand finale in nearly a third of U.S. births.

Mo. Supreme Court upholds midwifery law

2008-06-24T17:35:00.000-04:00

There was celebration Tuesday afternoon at a Columbia birth center after the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a 2007 state law that legalizes midwifery without fear of potential criminal charges.

"We're all still kind of like goofy around here," Ivy White, a certified midwife and executive director of the Columbia Birth Center, said in a mid-afternoon phone interview to a chorus of cheers and claps in the background. "Everybody's jumping up and down, screaming, and high-fiving."

The cause for her jubilation was a 5-2 state Supreme Court decision earlier Tuesday to reinstate a 2007 law making certified midwifery legal without the presence of a physician. The issue has undergone more than 25 years of debate and met with opposition from groups such as the Missouri State Medical Association. A Cole County Circuit Court had ruled against the law, saying its passage in an unrelated health insurance bill was unconstitutional.

"We've had setback after setback, and it's finally nice to have something go in our favor," said Dr. Elizabeth Allemann, medical director of the Columbia Community Birth Center. Allemann has been involved with the midwifery issue since 1990 and was a defendant in the suit ruled on Tuesday by the Supreme Court.

White said the Columbia birthing center is home to two of the 10 certified professional midwives in Missouri and hopes to be able to provide more options for mothers-to-be should the decision withstand a 10-day period before becoming law.

Ricki Lake on Good Morning America and Access Hollywood

2008-06-24T14:18:00.001-04:00

How Safe Are Home Births?
Good Morning America
Access Hollywood

Experts Worry About Rise in C-Sections

2008-06-21T04:56:00.001-04:00

Once the delivery option of last resort, Caesarean sections are now all the rage: Nearly 1 in 3 pregnant women had a C-section in 2006, compared with about 1 in 5 a decade earlier.

2008-06-19T16:24:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, August 24th from 3-6PM at James G. Atkinson Memorial Park, La Leche League of Glassboro will be hosting the 2008 World Walk for Breastfeeding. (You don't really have to walk, nor must you be a breastfeeding mother!) It is a family gathering and fundraiser event for the group which covers operating costs and allows the group to supply breastfeeding mothers with helpful materials. LLL helps mothers every day by supporting them through the breastfeeding years with mother-to-mother support from volunteers.
There will be things to buy such as clothing and books for every age, and many silent auction items. Some are baby-related but most are general items such as food, gift cards to many stores, tickets to local attractions, gift certificates for salon services, etc. If you or someone you know is expecting or has an infant, this is a great opportunity to bid on great baby items at less than retail prices.
There will also be free food donated by local businesses! It is a kid-friendly place with 2 playgrouds, restrooms, and ample parking. We will be in the pavilion located near the entrance on Bethel Mill Road (north of the main entrance).
We would love for you to participate. Even if you don't want to bid, come for the food and friends. It is a fun day for everyone.

Ricki Lake's Response to the AMA

2008-06-18T20:07:00.001-04:00

June 18, 2008

Dear BOBB Friends and Supporters:

We wanted to make sure you are all aware of the news story that has exploded over the last 24 hours regarding the recent AMA Resolution against homebirth and Ricki's response to being named in it.

In February of this year, one month after the premiere of BOBB, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reiterated its long-standing opposition to home births. In an obtuse reference to The Business of Being Born, ACOG stated, "Childbirth decisions should not be dictated or influenced by what's fashionable, trendy, or the latest cause célèbre." If that wasn't enough, ACOG, this past weekend, introduced a resolution to the American Medical Association (AMA) at their annual meeting. The resolution commits the AMA to "develop model legislation in support of the concept that the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital...". The reasoning for this resolution begins, "Whereas, There has been much attention in the media by celebrities having home deliveries, with recent Today Show headings such as "Ricki Lake takes on baby birthing industry: Actress and former talk show host shares her at-home delivery in new film...". (Resolution 205, click here to read).

Since when did Ricki become an evidence-based data point? What are they so afraid of?

Just last week, Medical News Today reports that "about 8.2% of infants born in the US in 2005 had low birth weights, the highest percentage since 1968." US infant mortality rates continue to rank us below 30 other countries, 22% of pregnancies are induced, and most worrisome of all, in the last 4 years, the maternal mortality rate has risen above 10 per 100,000 for the first time since 1977. To us, these seem like the troubling trends, not home birth.

News outlets including the AP quickly picked up this story yesterday as it hit TMZ, E! USA Today, Daily News, FOX.

Ricki will be featured on Good Morning America this Saturday discussing the controversy. (If you Google "Ricki Lake, AMA" you will see the bloggers are all over this!)

Filmmakers Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake teamed up with journalist and Pushed author Jennifer Block to pen the response (following at the end of this email) for the Huffington Post (click here to read).

Late yesterday, the AMA changed the final wording on resolution 205 to omit the mention of Ricki. (Hmmm...) The AMA says that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) drafted the initial statement so any issues should be taken up directly with them.

Stay tuned for more news to come...

The BOBB Team

DOCS TO WOMEN: PAY NO ATTENTION TO RICKI LAKE'S HOME BIRTH

Ladies, the physicians of America have issued their decree: they don't want you having your babies at home with midwives.

We can't imagine why not. Study upon study have shown that planning a home birth with a trained midwife is a great choice if you want to avoid unnecessary medical intervention. Midwives are experts in supporting the physiological birth process: monitoring you and your baby during labor, helping you into positions that help labor progress, protecting your pelvic parts from damage while you push, and "catching" the baby from the position that's most effective and comfortable for you-hands and knees, squatting, even standing-not the position most comfortable for her.

When healthy women are supported this way, 95% give birth vaginally, with hardly any intervention.

And yet, the American Medical Association doesn't see the point. Yesterday it adopted a policy written by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists against "home deliveries" and in support of legislation "that helps ensure safe deliveries and healthy babies by acknowledging that the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital" or accredited birth center.

"There ought to be a law!" cry the doctors.

The trouble is, they have no evidence to back up their safety claims. In fact, the largest and most rigorous study of home birth internationally to date found that among 5,000 healthy, "low-risk" women, babies were born just as safely at home under a midwife's care as in the hospital. And not only that, the study, like many before it, found that the women actually fared better at home, with far fewer interventions like labor induction, cesarean section, and episiotomy (taking scissors to the vagina, a practice that according to the research should be obsolete but is still performed on one-third of women who give birth vaginally).

Which is why the American Public Health Association supports midwife-attended home birth. The British OB/GYNs have read the research, too, and have this to say: "There is no reason why home birth should not be offered to women at low risk of complications... it may confer considerable benefits for them and their families. There is ample evidence showing that labouring at home increases a woman's likelihood of a birth that is both satisfying and safe"

The other trouble with the American MDs is that they seem to have lost all respect for women's civil rights, indeed for the U.S. Constitution - the right to privacy, to bodily integrity, and the right of every adult to determine her own health care. The "father knows best" legislation they are promoting could indeed be used to criminally prosecute women who choose home birth, say, by equating it with child abuse.

Research evidence be damned, the doctors want to mandate you to go to the hospital. They don't want you to have a choice.

We think they're spooked. The cesarean rate is rising, celebrities are publicizing their home births (the initial wording of the AMA resolution actually took aim at Ricki for publicizing her home birth on the Today Show!), people are reading Pushed and watching The Business of Being Born, and there's a nationwide legislative "push" to license certified professional midwives in all states (The AMA is against that, too, by the way).

The docs are on the defensive.

After all, birth is big business-it's in fact the most common reason for a woman to be admitted to the hospital. And if more women start giving birth outside of it, who will get paid? Not doctors and not hospitals.

"The AMA supports a woman's right to make an informed decision regarding her delivery and to choose her health care provider," the group said in a statement. But if it really supported women's birth choices it wouldn't adopt a policy condemning home birth and midwives.

Because if U.S. women are to have real birth choices, everybody needs to be working together to provide them, not engaging in turf wars at their expense.

By Ricki Lake, Abby Epstein and Jennifer Block for The Huffington Post

Father Knows Best Meets Big Brother Is Watching

2008-06-17T07:48:00.001-04:00

Physician Group Seeks to Outlaw Home Birth—Is Jail for Moms Next?
To read more...

Just in time for Father’s Day, at its annual meeting last
weekend, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a resolution to introduce legislation
outlawing home birth, and potentially making criminals of the mothers who choose home birth with the
help of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) for their families.

“It’s unclear what penalties the AMA will seek to impose on women who choose to give birth at home,
either for religious, cultural or financial reasons—or just because they didn’t make it to the hospital in
time,” said Susan Jenkins, Legal Counsel for The Big Push for Midwives 2008 campaign. “What we do
know, however, is that any state that enacts such a law will immediately find itself in court, since a law
dictating where a woman must give birth would be a clear violation of fundamental rights to privacy and
other freedoms currently protected by the U.S. Constitution.”

Rising Moon Birth Fund

2008-06-07T13:46:00.003-04:00

What is a Birth Fund?
A birth fund helps to fund the cost of the sevices of a midwife for people who could not otherwise afford it. Rising Moon Birth Fund seeks to make homebirth a viable option for families with financial obstacles through fundraising, outreach, and education.

Why homebirth?
For many people homebirth is simply the only option which matches their belief systems. Some have had to endure painful hospital experiences which alert them to the arbitrary nature of protocols in place there. For some it is a gradual education process which begins when the first visits to the local obstetrician end poorly and the family begins to seek other options. Some have several children before finally realizing homebirth was right for them all along. Some want control of the labor process, impossible with managed care, others want control of what happens to their baby in the hours after birth. Some want God to lead the process and others want to be simply left alone. What bonds homebirthers together, because they come from all walks of life and all income levels and all religions and creeds, is a need to be at home and undisturbed and to let nature take its course gently and easily. Birth at home is remarkably simple and comparatively easier than hospital birth. 90-95% of the time the baby is born at home and is healthy after a labor which while longer is often more pleasant than the typical medical birth experience. You can labor in water, move around to be comfortable, you can eat. You can let the aches and pains of a healthy muscular system work the way they should, and scream or cry or be totally silent. Your toddler can run around and your husband can be where you both feel safe and protected. To labor in your own big bed, and deliver there, and stay there and spend the night is such a gentle process. No wheeled transport, or little plastic boxes for the baby, your arms do just fine. Midwives clean up the mess and chat about the beauty of what they just saw and leave you comfy and clean.

For more information about Rising Moon Birth Fund, please visit www.RisingMoonBirthFund.com.

Breastfeeding Helps Girls' Lung Health

2008-06-03T10:37:00.001-04:00

Breast-feeding gives all infants numerous health advantages compared to baby formula, but in at least one respect girls get a greater benefit from breast milk than boys, researchers said on Monday.

Vaccine Debate: Are we hurting our kids?

2008-06-02T19:02:00.000-04:00

By the age of 6, most children have been injected with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation of 48 doses of 14 different vaccines, not including optional immunizations. With that number of shots, parents are taking a critical-thinking approach to vaccinations and making themselves aware of the pros and the cons.

After Cesareans, Some See Higher Insurance Cost

2008-06-02T18:22:00.002-04:00

When the Golden Rule Insurance Company rejected her application for health coverage last year, Peggy Robertson was mystified.

“It made no sense,” said Ms. Robertson, 39, who lives in Centennial, Colo. “I’m in perfect health.”

She was turned down because she had given birth by Caesarean section. Having the operation once increases the odds that it will be performed again, and if she became pregnant and needed another Caesarean, Golden Rule did not want to pay for it. A letter from the company explained that if she had been sterilized after the Caesarean, or if she were over 40 and had given birth two or more years before applying, she might have qualified.

FDA Proposes Changes to Prescription Drug Labeling

2008-06-02T18:13:00.002-04:00

FDA Proposes New Rule to Provide Updated Information on the Use of Prescription Drugs and Biological Products during Pregnancy and Breast-feeding

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed major revisions to the physician labeling for prescription drugs (including biological products) to provide better information about the effects of medicines used during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

The proposed changes to prescription drug labeling would give health care professionals more comprehensive information for making prescribing decisions and for counseling women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or of child-bearing age about using prescription medications.

The Happiest Baby on the Block Class

2008-06-02T15:31:00.003-04:00

Are you ready to be a parent? Sleepless nights, crying baby, marital stress. Learn an extraordinary approach to calm your baby in our Happiest Baby Class. New parents will learn step-by-step how to help babies sleep longer and how to soothe even the fussiest infant in minutes... or less!

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Time and Date: Wednesday, February 25th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday, June 24th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

The Happiest Baby on the Block Class is $50 for two hours, and includes a parent kit consisting of The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and a Soothing Sounds CD - a $40 value!
Space is limited. To register for this class, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

Seven Secrets of a Homebirth Dad

2008-05-28T18:54:00.000-04:00

All Dads to be are nervous or at least skeptical when their wife/partner first mentions the idea of having a home birth. This is nothing to be ashamed of – us guys are conditioned by a life times constant bombardment that Doctors know best and that it is our patriarchy duty to always make safe choices. That's why when my wife Bel first brought up the idea for the birth of our second Daughter my first train of thought was about risk. Images of John Hurt's chest cracking open and a tiny, evil alien being screeching it's bloody arrival to the universe ran through my mind. I looked up at the walls of our apartment and wondered whether an arterial spray of blood could ever be washed out of that particular shade of off white. Ten minutes googling dissolved my misconception that home birth is reckless (with Bel peering over my shoulder and directing me to websites she'd already read).

FDA Safety Notice

2008-05-27T17:18:00.003-04:00

FDA is warning consumers not to use or purchase Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because the product contains potentially harmful ingredients that may cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. The product is promoted to nursing mothers to help soothe and heal dry or cracked nipples. Product labeling states that there is no need for mothers to remove the cream prior to nursing. However, the ingredients contained in the product may be harmful to nursing infants.

World Breastfeeding Week

2008-05-27T10:25:00.002-04:00

This year, World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7, 2008.

In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.

Birthing women win legal decision

2008-05-24T13:46:00.004-04:00

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

HARRISBURG - In a case that touched on whether women have the right to give birth where and with whom they want, a Commonwealth Court panel of judges ruled yesterday that a Lancaster County midwife could resume her work delivering babies for the Amish.

Diane Goslin, 50, had been under a cease-and-desist order from the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, which had charged her with practicing medicine and midwifery without a license.

But the Commonwealth Court panel, in a 5-2 decision, nixed that order yesterday.

We're responsible for a child?

2008-05-19T15:46:00.007-04:00

In this Parenting 101 class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will discuss household adjustments necessary with a new member in the family, postpartum emotions, support systems and coping strategies, meeting your baby's needs, getting in touch with your parenting instinct, and breastfeeding. We will also learn about choices associated with a new baby, such as diapering, sleeping arrangements, and babywearing.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "We're responsible for a child?" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

Don't just stand there, do something!

2008-05-19T15:41:00.005-04:00

In this Comfort Measures in Labor class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will learn about various ways to cope with labor without using medications, including, but not limited to, positions, hydrotherapy, movement, and hot and cold therapy. We will also discuss the role of the coach during labor, and the benefit of having a doula with you.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "Don't just stand there, do something!" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

I'd like my epidural please!

2008-05-19T15:35:00.007-04:00

In this Childbirth with an Epidural class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will learn about pharmaceutical pain relief options in labor. We will discuss the risks and benefits of the different options available, what is involved with administering the various drugs, and ways to cope with labor if the anesthesiologist is delayed or the medication doesn't work. We will also discuss interventions that are required once an epidural or other pain relief medication is administered.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "I'd like my epidural please!" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

Machines that go PING!

2008-05-19T15:26:00.009-04:00

In this Medical Procedures in the Delivery Room class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will learn about the risks and benefits of medical procedures used in labor and delivery and discuss alternatives to them. We will also discuss the true meaning of informed consent. Education helps you to be able to make informed decisions about your care.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "Machines that go PING!" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

Honey, it's time!

2008-05-19T15:15:00.008-04:00

In this Stages of Labor class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will learn about the physiology of labor and how your body works during labor and childbirth. We will discuss when to leave for your birth location, as well as ways of preparing your body for labor, including chiropractic care and optimal fetal positioning.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "Honey, it's time!" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

I don't HAVE to give birth in a hospital?

2008-05-19T15:09:00.008-04:00

In this Choices in Childbirth class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will learn about the options available to you in choosing where to give birth and who is available as your birth attendant. It is never too soon or too late to learn about your options! We will also discuss and begin to create birth plans.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "I don't HAVE to give birth in a hospital?" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

We're pregnant - now what?

2008-05-19T14:57:00.008-04:00

In this Introduction to Pregnancy class offered by Journey Birth Services, we will discuss nutrition and exercise as key components of staying healthy and low risk in pregnancy. Staying healthy and low risk ensures more choices and options in pregnancy and childbirth. We will also learn about Kegel exercises, changes in mom's body during pregnancy, and suggestions for common pregnancy discomforts.

Location: Journey Birth Services, 52 Marshall Road, Glen Mills PA 19342

Class Series:
Winter Series begins Thursday, February 5th
Spring Series begins Thursday, March 26th
Summer Series begins Thursday, May 21st

The "We're pregnant, now what?" class is part of a seven class series for $200.
Space is limited. To register for a class series, please call Journey Birth Services at (610)765-1252 or submit your registration either online or through the mail at the Journey Birth Services website.

2008-05-19T12:11:00.007-04:00

Learn to Massage Your Baby

2008-05-18T12:23:00.004-04:00

FREE Three-day Infant Massage Class

Location: A Total Approach, 9 LaCrue Avenue, Suite 103, Glen Mills PA 19342

Time and Dates: 1:30 - 2:30 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 30th, 31st and June 1st. Come all 3 days.

Space is limited, so please register right away by calling A Total Approach at 484-840-1529 or by emailing Jody Wright.

Babies need to be less than one year old. You will be the only one massaging your baby. Bring a towel or blanket and billow to massage on.
This free demonstration class is part of an Infant Massage USA Parent Educator Training and the class will be led by Trainer Jody Wright with the help of the students in the course. Please go to infantmassageusa.org for more information about our trainings.

What IS a doula?

2008-05-18T09:36:00.000-04:00

A doula is a person, usually a woman, who is professionally trained to assist a woman during childbirth and who may provide support to the family after the baby is born.

So, I know you're thinking to yourself "But, my husband/mom/sister/best friend is going to be there and that's all I need!" Trust me, I've heard that concern before. I actually thought the exact same thing when I was preparing for my first birth years ago, and followed through with only having my husband there for support. So WHY do I think women need doulas? Well, because sometimes you need more than just one person. Sometimes you need someone who isn't emotionally invested in you and your baby (not saying the doula ISN'T, but it's a different kind of emotional investment!). Sometimes, you need someone who has 'been there, done that' to tell you that everything is normal and you're doing fine.
Doulas are not your husband. They aren't your mom, they aren't your sister, they aren't your best friend. What they are, though, is priceless. If you don't want pain medication, the doula will help you get through transition by reminding you that you're so close to meeting your baby. She won't see you in pain and want to fix it, because she knows that sometimes pain is a good thing and if you're asking for the epidural, you're probably pretty close to done. If you do want pain medication, she'll make sure that you understand what, exactly, the medication used is - the risks, the benefits, the side effects - so you can make an informed decision. If you order pain medication but the anesthesiologist is helping someone else and you have to wait for a bit (it happens!), the doula will help you get through that waiting period. If your husband/mom/sister/best friend IS the best support person for you (they do exist!), the doula helps them help you. Need ice chips? Done! Need a cool washcloth? Done! When your support person just can't leave you, the doula is there to be their extra set of hands.
Priceless.