How About a Giveaway?

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

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.

Read more...

New website for pregnant moms

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

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.

Read more...

Nigerian sextuplets' mother dies

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.

Read more...

Breastfeeding doesn't make breasts sag

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."

Read more...

Want a VBAC? In a hospital??

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!

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

Dear President Obama...

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

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

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, February 11th 11am to 2pm

The Business of Being Born - Wilmington DE

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

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

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, January 14th 11am to 2pm

New Book: The No-Cry Nap Solution

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

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.

Read more...

Birth by the Numbers

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!

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, December 10th 11am to 2pm

Pregnant in America

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?

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.”

Read more...