Blessed Arrivals

Mom Fires Her OB During Labor

2010-06-03T12:16:00.000-07:00

In reality it is never too later too "fire" your provider. It can be very hard to switch providers when you are later in your pregnancy but it can be done. This mom took a stand while 4 cms dilated during and induction. Until changes are demanded such as this the system is not going to change. This mom in the end was able to feel empowered by her birth instead of feeling like she failed.

Everyday Miracles Video

2010-05-28T12:40:00.001-07:00

This is the last one of the videos from Mother's Advocate.

A History of Birth Videos

2010-05-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

There are several of these.

Even More Videos

2010-05-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for checking out these videos and helping us to win a gift certificate so that we can purchase more learning materials for our clients.

Mother's Advocate

2010-05-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

I was contacted about this by the company. There are a variety of video's about normal birth. They are having a contest through June 5th for a gift certificate. The site with the most views wins so share the link to this post with anyone you know who may benefit from viewing the videos.

Thanks.

How Sexual Abuse Can Affect Labor

2010-01-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

The following is a wonderful blog post about how a history of sexual abuse can affect pregnancy and childbirth. Once resource that I didn't see listed is a book called "When Survivors Give Birth" by Penny Simkin. I am hoping to have a copy in our lending library soon.

If you don't feel like you can talk about your care provider about your history you may want to consider finding one who you do feel you can talk to or hire a doula that you are comfortable with to talk with about it. Your doula will also help you maintain some sense of modesty during the process if she is aware but your care provider isn't. It's also very important for your partner to be aware of the history and to know what is going to make you feel more comfortable during childbirth.

http://knoxvilledoula.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/sexual-abuse-history-can-affect-your-pregnancy-labor/

What Causes Back Labor?

2010-01-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

I hear a lot of birth stories from mom's and I hear a lot of stories from women who have complained of horrific back labor. Most people don't know what causes back labor and the simple things they can do to avoid it.

Back labor is caused the majority of the time by a malpositioned baby. This technical term is Occiput Posterior (OP). This means that the back of the baby's head is against mom's back. What really causes the discomfort associated with this is that it is like bone rubbing against bone.

The following is an article about posterior positioning and some things that can be done to prevent/correct it.

There is an awesome website that talks about Optimal Fetal Positioning called www.spinningbabies.com.

Posterior babies are something that didn't really happen 30, 40 or 50 years ago or even before that. I'm sure it happened but it is something that has become more and more prevalent.

Some of the reasoning as to why the huge increase is that we've become a couch potato society. If you consider that the back of the baby's head is the heaviest part what do you think happens when you plop down in the recliner with the remote? Gravity spins the baby around so that the back of his/her head is towards your back. Some great pointers are to stay upright, spend some time doing a hands-knee position or knee chest postion daily. If you have a good prenatal yoga class nearby take it. Chiropractic is great because it keeps the pelvis in good alignment and gives the baby the maximum amount of space to turn in. As with everything prevention certainly work better than trying to "cure" the problem once in labor.

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/paininback.asp

What is a Nuchal Cord?

2010-01-04T06:05:00.000-08:00

I hear birth stories all the time where people talk about the umbilical cord being around the baby's neck at delivery. This is called a "nuchal cord". I often hear people saying that they were lucky that they had a c-section because of a nuchal cord. Is it really dangerous for the baby to have the cord around its neck? The following is a blog post that references several studies showing that it usually is not an issue when it happens. I personally have seen it a couple of times at births I've been to. I was at the birth of my niece and her cord was wrapped 3 times and because it was very loosely wrapped she just unlooped it before delivering her shoulders.

http://drmomma.blogspot.com/2009/10/umbilical-cord-around-babys-neck.html

Pennsylvania Department of Health Releases 2008's Stats

2010-01-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

The following is the link to Pennsylvania Hospitals statistics for 2008 on Cesareans and VBAC's. How does the hospital you are going to measure up to others in the state. I am sure glad I didn't have my children at Clarion Hospital I can tell you that much.

As expectant mom's you must also ask your care provider what their groups rates are too so that you have an accurate picture of your chances of vaginal birth are. Your hospital may have a 30% rate but your physician may have a 50% rate so you need to know that. If they can't tell you what their rates are shop around for a new provider.

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/12/21/pennsylvania-department-of-health-releases-2008-hospital-ces.html

The Christmas Eve Miracle

2010-01-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

I am sure by now most of the country has heard the story about the mom and baby who appeared to have died during childbirth only to come back to life after an emergency cesarean delivery. This is an amazing thing to be sure and this mom and baby are so lucky and blessed to be here to celebrate the new year. The following are links to the interview on Good Morning America with the mom, dad and physician who did the crash section and a link to a blog post with a theory of why things went so horribly wrong during this birth.

Probably nobody will ever no what caused this mother's heart to stop but you can bet that if it was because of hospital error it will never be known.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/?p=903

The Duggars and VBAC's

2010-01-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

Whether you like the Duggars or not the fact that she has given birth to 13 of their children via VBAC is quite impressive. She had c-sections with the twins which were the second pregnancy, the 15th and the latest at 25 weeks for preeclampsia.

Jim-Bob is quoted in this article advocating for women to have the choice to VBAC.

http://www.examiner.com/x-25349-Chicago-Family-Examiner~y2009m12d11-Michelle-and-Jim-Bob-Duggar-are-advocates-of-VBAC-option-for-patients

Cesarean Recovery

2010-01-03T17:25:00.000-08:00

The following is an article with tips on recovering from a Cesarean Delivery. It's a great list. It would be nice if only 10-15% of women giving birth needed this list but as the c-section rate has reached 50% or more in some parts of the country I think it's a necessary evil. If you or someone you know has recently had a Cesarean Delivery this has very useful information.

http://www.birthactivist.com/2009/12/cesarean-recovery/

Considering Induction?

2010-01-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

I discovered this doula through a doula message board that I frequent. I love her website! She has such wonderful, thorough, evidence-based information on her website. Following is the letter she wrote to clients considering elective inductions. It's awesome. If you or someone you know is considering induction because they are tired of being pregnant or are expecting a "large" baby check it out.

http://www.westsidedoula.com/preg-tool-box/induction/letter2you

Cesarean Suites?

2010-01-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

Sounds like a hotel doesn't it? A hospital in Utah is basically trying to provide hotel treatment to C-section moms. I guess it's a nice thought if it didn't reek of greed. C-section mom's (as well as all post-partum mom's) lactation support and education about recovering from birth and how to care for their newborns not wi-fi and flat screens. Why don't mom's who are looking to have an unmedicated, spontaneous vaginal birth get 5 star treatment as well? Thoughts?

http://joyfulbirthservices.blogspot.com/2009/12/incentives-for-cesarean-delivery.html

Informed Consent for Epidurals

2010-01-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

Here is a lot more information about epidurals and the potential side effects and reactions that can occur with them. While a lot of the really extreme things you will read about on here are rare they can happen so should be included in for true informed consent.

http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm

Childbirth Education and Epidurals

2009-11-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

The following is a link to an article about whether or not you should take a childbirth education class if you are planning to get an epidural. I know West Penn Allegheny Health System offers a class called Birthing With An Epidural. I observed it one time and I am not really sure what the point of it was. Magee also offers a Meet the Anesthesiologist Night but I'm not sure about a separate class about epidurals. This article explores the reasons to still take a class.

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/epidurals/a/cbeepi.htm

You Tube Video About ICAN

2009-11-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) is a wonderful organization that is dedicated to providing evidence based information to expectant mom's. I am thinking about starting a local ICAN chapter in the near future because I think the Pittsburgh Area would greatly benefit from it. They also have forums on their website where you can go and talk to other mom's about your experiences. This is a video that explains ICAN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAkW7TDmPtY#watch-main-area

Vitamin D and C-sections

2009-10-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of c-section.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20081223/vitamin-d-may-lower-csection-risk

What to Ask A Potential VBAC Provider

2009-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is a post on a blog from a mom who had a c-section with her first birth. She made a list of things to ask potential providers for the second time around. I would love to hear comments on other suggestions.

http://theduncansonline.blogspot.com/2009/10/questions-to-ask-prospective-vbac.html

The Lie of the Due Date

2009-10-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

The following is an article about how your due date is calculated and why you may not be due on the day you think you are.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1047180/the_lie_of_the_edd_why_your_due_date.html?cat=25

Update on Abby from The Business Of Being Born

2009-10-23T17:34:00.001-07:00

Abby Epstein from The Business Of Being Born is expecting again and hoping for a VBAC Birth.

http://www.mybestbirth.com/profiles/blogs/abbys-expecting-part-1

An Ob's Birth Plan

2009-10-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

A blog I really like to frequent is TheUnnecesarean.com it is full of great information. She also has a great fan page on facebook. This blog post is from mom regarding the birth plan that she received from her OB and her response to it.

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/18/an-obs-birth-plan-obstetricians-disclosure-sent-one-mom-runn.html

Here is a link to her fan page on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/theunnecesarean?v=wall

All I Can Say Is Wow!

2009-10-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is just crazy!

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/21/doctor-charged-woman-extra-for-asking-too-many-questions-dur.html

More Taye Diggs...

2009-10-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Because can you ever have too much of Taye Diggs :)

I posted the video from The Ellen Show earlier. Taye also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel talking about doulas, midwives and placenta encapsulation.

http://drmomma.blogspot.com/2009/10/taye-diggs-talks-placentas-waterbirth.html

Obstetricians: They Are Listening

2009-10-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

This is a post on the blog birthactivist.com about a video contest that was sponsored by Birth Matters in Virginia. The contest was a national contest to encourage minimal medical intervention at birth and inspire women "to make decisions about their maternity care as carefully as they make other consumer decisions." The winning video is called "Prevent Cesarean Surgery"

The video is featured in the blog post.

http://www.birthactivist.com/2009/10/obstetricians-they-are-listening/

Perineal Care

2009-10-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here's an article from Today's Parent about Peri Care. There is lots of great information in this article about how to care for your perineum throughout your pregnancy, birth and beyond.

http://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancybirth/article.jsp?content=20041125_110725_1532

Another Great Doula Article

2009-10-19T16:50:00.001-07:00

Here is another well written article about the benefits of having a doula attend your birth.

http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/10/13/lake_life/lakelife05.txt

What is Attachment Parenting?

2009-10-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

I'll admit when I had my first child I had no idea what attachment parenting was. I just chose to breastfeed her and ended up co-sleeping which really wasn't in my plan but just came naturally to me. She is now 4 and I find that we follow mostly attachment parenting philosophies in our home. Here is a list from Dr. Sears site on what attachment parenting is.

http://askdrsears.com/html/10/t130300.asp

Article Written By Christiane Northrup MD

2009-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Excellent article written by an OB/Gyn about how all the technology we have nowadays does not mean that birth is magically safer and in fact is less safe. She talks about the results that Ina May Gaskin has at The Farm as well. Awesome read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiane-northrup/c-section-or-natural-birt_b_323422.html

Great Article About Doulas

2009-10-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

This is just an awesome article about doulas.

http://www.lunch.com/reviews/UserReview-Doula-1380749-11378-A_Doula_The_MUST_HAVE_for_Expecting_Parents.html?utm_source=share&utm_medium=review&utm_campaign=share

Odd Study

2009-10-19T16:31:00.001-07:00

I think this is an extremely odd study that they did but felt I just had to include it just for it's oddness.

http://www.gearlog.com/2009/10/report_e-zpass_reduces_preemies_low_birth_weight.php

Study on Injury to Babies During C-Sections

2009-10-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

I am a fan of Grey's Anatomy and a couple of weeks ago they had an episode where an OB almost cut off a baby's arm during a c-section at 34 weeks. I wondered how often something like that happens and then I saw this post about a new study. It sounds like the majority of the injuries talked about here are minor but still an injury is a big deal when it happens to your baby.

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/14/iatrogenic-fetal-injury-how-often-are-babies-cut-during-a-c.html

Arizona Mom Fights for Right to VBAC

2009-10-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Joy Szabo is pregnant with her fourth child. Her first child was born vaginally with no complications. Her second was an emergency c-section due to fetal distress. Her third was a complication free VBAC at the hospital who is now refusing to let her have a second VBAC at their hospital. They said if she showed up at their hospital in labor they would obtain a court order forcing her to have a c-section. Her answer is to spend the last few weeks of her pregnancy 350 miles from her husband and other children so that she can give birth at a hospital that will permit VBAC's. This hospital is obviously equipped to handle and emergency section because they did one for her second baby so why if she's had one successful VBAC there are they refusing to let her have another one? This story caught the attention of CNN.

http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2009/10/arizona-mom-fights-vbac-rules-at-local-hospital

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/15/hospitals.ban.vbacs/

Taye Diggs on Ellen talking about his wife's unmedicated birth

2009-10-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Taye Diggs on Ellen. His son Walker Nathaniel was 6 weeks old at the time. His wife had an unmedicated delivery with a midwife. He says his wife was like a warrior. I loooove Taye and am so happy for he and his wife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNpAJX0a5Xs

My OB Said What?

2009-10-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome site where women can go to post the stupid things they've heard during exams, labor, c-sections etc....

I'm not sure if I find this funny or sad.

http://myobsaidwhat.com/

Angie's List

2009-10-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of Angie's List before last November when a client was telling me about it. It's basically a website that you can go onto and tell about your good/bad experiences with just about any type of service provider. It lists everything from plumbers to doctors and hairdressers to auto mechanics. I've checked it out a couple of times but the Pittsburgh area doesn't have a lot of things listed yet. Here is a commercial that was made for Angie's List about a bad experience with an OB who insisted on inducing a woman and then left for a tennis game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QF9ZL57Ipw&feature=player_embedded

Tylenol Given With Vaccines May Lower Effectiveness

2009-10-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

A study shows that giving Tylenol right before or within 24 hours of a vaccination may lower the effectiveness of the vaccines. This study showed that the lower levels of antibodies remained even after booster doses of the vaccines at 12-15 months. I personally was told my children's doctor to give them tylenol before their appointments when they were getting vaccines.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_he_me/us_med_tylenol_vaccines

Blogiversary at Mommy News and Views

2009-10-10T05:37:00.001-07:00

Judy at A Mother's Boutique launched her blog in October of last year. She is celebrating her one year blogiversary the entire month of October. There are lots of great giveaways. You must go check it out. Just a few examples: an Ameda Breastpump, a nursing night gown, bras, belly bands, an Easy Expressions Bustier and Halter for hands-free pumping and more.

http://mommynewsblog.com

VBAC Facts

2009-10-02T15:16:00.001-07:00

Here is an excellent website that a friend of mine discovered and told me about. It's all about VBAC's.

Why More Expectant Couple are Hiring Doulas

2009-10-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

This is an article about why more couples are hiring doulas to attend the birth of their babies. Excellent article.

What do OB's Think?

2009-10-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

The following is a link to an article about the upward spiral of interventions during labor and what OB's think about it. First of all almost half of the OB's interviewed feel a woman should be allowed to choose a c-section with no medical reason to warrant it. I think the insurance companies need to balk at this. With all the talk of health care reform don't you think eliminating unnecessary c-sections and inductions would help lower health care costs? If a woman wants and unwarranted, elective c-section make her pay for it out of her own pocket.

It also amazed me in this article how so many of the doctor's agreed about the side effects of epidurals, the overuse of electronic monitoring and that the overuse of it leads to increased c-sections for false positive readings. It also amazed me that only 8% would choose a c-section for themselves or their partners. So if only 8% would choose it why are they pushing so many women into them?

Very interesting reading, check it out.

More Wrongdoings by Formula Companies

2009-10-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here is an article about how aggressive formula companies are being in Vietnam. They are breaking the International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and breaking Vietnamese Laws yet only one fine of $200 has been levied against any of the them.

Amy

ACOG refines fetal heart rate monitoring guidelines

2009-07-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.acog.org/from_home/publications/press_releases/nr06-22-09-2.cfm

Epigenetic Modulation At Birth in C-Section Babies

2009-07-14T17:06:00.001-07:00

Swedish researchers have discovered that babies born by caesarean section experience changes to the DNA pool in their white blood cells, which could be connected to altered stress levels during this method of delivery, according to the July issue of Acta Paediatrica.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090630/Epigenetic-modulation-at-birth-altered-DNA-methylation-in-white-blood-cells-after-Caesarean-section.aspx

Guessing Babies Weight by Ultrasound

2009-04-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say they were told that their baby was going to be so big because of an ultrasound result. Here are numerous links about predicting the size of a baby by ultrasound.

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/fetus/f/bigbaby.htm

http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(08)02449-6/abstract

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109719831/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Lots of articles about Pitocin and Ultrasound Usage and Autism

2009-04-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

I know many people out there believe that there is a link between vaccines and autism. I still have not really formed an opinion. I have chosen to vaccinate my children somewhat reluctantly. They scare me more because they get so many at one time that I wonder how I would know which one caused a reaction if they have one. I do wonder if a child with the genetics for autism can be triggered by a vaccine I don't think everyone needs to worry. I would like to see some real research done that is not sponsored by big pharma.

I have wondered for sometime about the fact that autism rates have increased dramatically at the same time that obstetrical interventions have increased. I wonder about the overusage of pitocin, ultrasound, epidurals and surgical deliveries.

Here are several articles questioning a possible link between all of the interventions and the diagnosis of autism.

http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2006/03/11.html

http://pregnantmommas.tribe.net/thread/76c5ff1e-5445-44a6-b854-587a706bf7d9

http://www.theblueroomforum.org/f41/oxtocyn-possible-cure-being-tested-autistic-adults-296/

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasoundrodgers.asp

http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/ATTN_Researchers.htm

http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:15288368

Natural Ways to Turn a Breech Baby

2009-04-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an article I found about ways to turn a baby who is in a breech presentation. There is also a great website called www.spinningbabies.com that talks about Optimal Fetal Positioning. It is a wonderful resource. This article talks about the use of Chiropractic and Accupuncture to aid in turning a breech baby. Accupuncture shows a 70% success rate in turning a breech presentation.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025972.html

The Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh

2009-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

These folks are absolutely incredible. I have been to see them a few times. I have had issues with chronic thrush while breastfeeding both of my children. I saw Dr. Brent a couple of times when she was still with Mercy Hospital and I have been to the center a few times. They are an under utilized resource in this area. This is a link to a video done by WQED about them. Check it out.

http://www.wqed.org/ondemand/onq.php?id=455

What Women Aren't Told About Childbirth

2009-04-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

This is actually a fairly old article. It was released in October of 2007 but it just recently came to my attention. It references a survey that was conducted by Childbirth Connection in partnership with Lamaze International and Boston University School of Public Health. It is rather long but well worth the read. The suggested reading at the end are all wonderful books and I would recommend all of them as well.

http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/65608/what_women_aren%27t_told_about_childbirth/

Rocket Fuel in Baby Formula

2009-04-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

Traces of a chemical used in rocket fuel have been found in some samples of formula. The chemical is called perchlorate and was found in amounts that could exceed what would be considered safe for an adult if it were mixed with water that is also contaminated.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090403/ap_on_he_me/baby_formula_perchlorate

April is Cesarean Awareness Month

2009-04-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

April is Cesarean Awareness Month. Following that in May is International Doula Month. The World Health Organization had an initiative called Healthy People 2010 initiative. The goal when the initiative was started was by 2010 to have a c-section rate of 15%. The 1998 baseline was at 18%. The National Center for Health Statistics released stats for 2007 on March 18th and c-sections in 2007 hit an all time high of 31.8 %. This is absolutely appalling to me and it should be to everyone. That means that approximately 32 women out of every 100 are having major abdominal surgery in order to have a baby. That was actually an increase of 2% from 2006. We are not talking about mole removal surgery. You can't remove a baby with a laparoscope either. People act as if having a c-section is no different than having your gallbladder out. People in the birthing community do not think it unrealistic that we will eventually see a 50% c-section rate. Boy am I glad I am done having babies.

The other goal that the Healthy People initiative had was a VBAC rate (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) of at least 37%. Anyone want to guess what the VBAC rate was in 2007?

8% is what the VBAC rate was in 2007. That's a far cry from 37%.

The real kicker is that there are 28 countries with lower maternal mortality rates (women dying around the time of birth) the we do and our numbers have been increasing over the last 25 years. (Statistics from Born in the USA by Marsden Wagner).

There are ways that you can decrease your risk of ending up with a c-section. The most important things you can do are to educate yourself and to carefully screen you provider. If your doctor is hesitant to tell you what there rates of inductions, episiotomy rates, c-section rates are then you need to wonder why.

The other most important thing that I think you can do is to have complete and total trust in your body's ability to birth your baby. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years without all of the interventions that women nowadays think they must have to give birth. Trust your body and don't listen to all of the negative chatter that people want to feel your heads with.

For more information on how to avoid a cesarean section and other information regarding cesarean sections and VBAC visit www.ican-online.org Unfortunately there is not a chapter in the Pittsburgh area although I have thought about it. If anyone would be interested in assisting me in starting one I would love to talk to you.

Thanks.

Amy

Ergo baby carrier being given away on Give Them Roots

2009-03-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

A cyber-friend of mine runs and awesome blog www.givethemroots.com and she is currently giving away an ergo baby carrier. You must enter by March 30th to be entered. Check out her blog and her giveaway. Here is the link to the contest http://www.givethemroots.com/2009/03/ergobaby-carriers.html

2009-03-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

This article made my blood boil. I can't even put it into words so I will just post the link and I would love to hear others thoughts on it. It's called The Case Against Breastfeeding and it has caused alot of upheaval over the last couple of weeks.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200904/case-against-breastfeeding

This next link is for an article released by the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine that discusses the benefits of breastfeeding.

http://www.bfmed.org/Media/Files/Documents/pdf/Press%20Releases/Strong%20Evidence%20Base%20for%20Benefits%20of%20Breastfeeding%20(3-19-09).pdf

Risks of Secondary C-Sections

2009-03-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest pet peeves is how women who want to attempt a vbac are made to feel like they are putting themselves and their unborn child at such high risks but no one ever discusses the risks of repeated c-sections with them. This article discussed in great detail the risks of repeated c-sections an also discusses the true risk of uterine rupture in vbac as well as in a primary vaginal birth. The risk of uterine rupture exists even in a vaginal birth with no history of c-section but no one ever tells the vbac mom that. Check out the article and I would love to know your thoughts.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025870.html

Snacking during labor is ok

2009-03-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

The British Medical Journal has published a study saying that snacking during labor is ok. I have never really understood the reasoning behind why it wouldn't be anyways. I know that the reasoning is aspiration if under general anesthesia but a general is used so infrequently anymore that it just isn't necessary to starve women in labor anymore. Not allowing a woman to eat while in labor is like asking a marathon runner or triathlete to fast the morning of a race. Hopefully hospitals will take a look at this study and consider changing their antiquated views on labor and childbirth.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090325/hl_afp/healthwomenpregnancyfoodoffbeat

Flexible Spending Accounts

2009-03-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people have health care flexible spending accounts. You know the kind where you put money in pre-tax and then you send in receipts for co-pays and such and get reimbursed. I know some doulas have clients who have had luck getting reimbursed for doula services. I had a client that is waiting to hear back from hers. She sent in her receipt from me so we'll see if they cover it. I am hoping they do because I would love for my clients to have this option.

I have a friend who had a baby last week and she asked me if insurance would cover a breast pump and of course they don't. Out of curiosity my husband called her FSA people today and they don't reimburse for a breast pump unless you have a script from a doctor that says it is a medical necessity but not if you just need it to continue breastfeeding when you return to work.

I think if you are returning to work and want to continue to breastfeed there are any number of reasons why having a pump is a medical necessity. Here's my list:

If you go 8 hours without pumping you will at the least be very uncomfortable and at the worst get mastitis.

If your baby is in daycare he/she needs the antibodies in your milk to keep him/her healthy.

Going back to work is hard enough. I really had no symptoms of Post-partum depression until I went back to work and breastfeeding was the only thing that made it bearable for me. I at least felt connected to my baby while I was pumping and knowing that she was getting that from me while I was at work. It also relaxed me and made it better when I sat down to nurse her when I got home. So medically it kept me off anti-depressants.

I am sure I will come up with more after I have time to think about it.

The real kicker is they cover things like lasik but not breastpumps. I wanted to call and ask them about whether they will cover formula.

Has anyone out there ever get a pump covered? I think maybe this warrants some letter writing campaigns.

Amy

Another reason to breatfeed

2009-03-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

This is an article about how breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS. I don't think this is really new information because I heard this several years ago. I guess this is just a newer study that shows it. I know SIDS is such a big concern for new mom's. I was absolutely terrified of it with both of my children. I got up many times and listened to them breathing. So here's just one more reason that breast is best.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090302/hl_nm/us_breastfeeding_sids

Early Pacifier Use Leads to Shorter Breastfeeding Duration

2009-03-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here is an article that tells me something I already pretty much knew. My daughter was an exception to this though. I didn't want her to have a pacifier early but the nurses plopped one in her mouth while I was showering the day after she was born. Luckily for me she still nursed just fine even after the binky. I know some mom's who really struggled with latch issues and some that never did get their baby to latch after pacifier use in the first couple of weeks. A newborn should nurse when they cry and not have a binky. Early pacifier use can cause latch issues, nipple confusion and a low milk supply. Here is the link to the article.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090316/hl_nm/us_early_breastfeeding

500th baby born at The Midwife Center

2009-03-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

We have one liscensed, out of hospital birth center in the Pittsburgh area. It is run by a fantastic group of CNM's (Certified Nurse Midwives) and the RN's in the group are awesome as well. They opened a new birth center in the summer of 2003 and this morning at 12:06 a.m. they welcomed baby number 500. Congratulations to the midwives and to the family on the birth of a new baby.

http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/?videoid=101614

Benefits of Breastfeeding

2009-03-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a well written article about the benefits of breastfeeding that I came across.

http://www.naturalmomsblog.com/breastfeeding-benefits-to-mother-and-child.html

How to make breastfeeding difficult

2009-03-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

Here is an article I found that was written in 1986 by an IBCLC and I think it is still true today. If you really want to see someone fail at breastfeeding here's what to do.

http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/myths/glct_dum.htm

Article in O Magazine about breastmilk donation

2009-02-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful but sad story that brought tears to my eyes. Hopefully it will help bring some awareness to the need for breastmilk donation. I personally donated a small amount of milk to a family through a group called Milk Share and it was a wonderful feeling to help someone else. I would love to hear thoughts on this story.

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200903_omag_milk_bank/1

Breast Crawl Video

2009-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

This is a link to a video that I believe was created by The Mother and Child, Health and Education Foundation. UNICEF, WHO and WABA along with the scientific community strongly recommend initiating breastfeeding within an hour of birth. This video shows how a newborn placed between its mother's breasts will initiate breastfeeding on it own. The newborn has the ability to find its mother's breast all on its own and to decide when to take the first breastfeed. This is an amazing video and I just wanted to share it.

http://breastcrawl.org/index.html

Childbirth Without Choice

2009-02-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

An article about how women have to fight tooth and nail to be "allowed" to attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). This is one of the things that makes my blood boil. Providers will make the risks of VBAC sound so horrible but they won't discuss the risks of major abdominal surgery or the risks of repeated c-sections. They also don't discuss the risks of c-section to the baby. The first link is to an article called Childbirth Without Choice and the second link is to an article written by the same woman that was in Time Magazine called The Trouble with Repeat Cesareans.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-paul/childbirth-without-choice_b_168652.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1880665,00.html

Do you or someone you know want to have a VBAC and are being refused or discouraged from attempting it? Did you or someone you know have a successful VBAC? I would love to hear about it.

Obesity, gastric bypass and pregnancy

2009-02-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here are the links to two articles from the Post-Gazette. One is about obesity and pregnancy. The other is about gastric bypass and how fertility often improves after gastric bypass surgery. I found them both to be very imformative. I don't personally know anyone who got pregnant after gastric bypass. I would love to hear from someone who has had this experience and how the pregnancy went for her. If you know anyone send them by to leave a comment.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09049/949746-114.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09049/949749-114.stm

Meet the Doula Events

2009-02-15T17:54:00.001-08:00

This will be where I will post the schedule for the Meet the doula nights for the time being. If I do not have one scheduled convenient for you please leave a comment and I will arrange to have one close to you in the near future.

I have the following dates set up for Meet the Doula Nights. All of them will start at 6:30 pm

July 16th at the Panera at Waterworks Mall in Fox Chapel
July 30th at the Panera at the Butler Commons in Butler

August 10th at the Panera at Cranberry Mall in Cranberry
August 27th at the Panera at Butler Commons in Butler

September 17th at the Panera at Waterworks Mall in Fox Chapel

October 15th at the Panera at Cranberry Mall in Cranberry

December 15th at Panera at Cranberry Mall in Cranberry.

Feel free to comment here and let me know if you will be attending or hoping to attend so I can watch for you.

Thanks.

Amy

Consumer Reports on Maternity Care

2009-02-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to an article that Consumer Reports did about the state of maternity care. Anyone want to guess what they found? Overuse of high-tech interventions and not enough use of low-tech things like midwives and such. Are you surprised? The average woman in the u.s. does more research to buy a car than to have a baby.

Here is a link to a quiz about maternity care which you can take and then follow up by reading the article.

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth/maternity-care/maternity-care-quiz/maternity-care-quiz.htm

This is the link to the article.

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth/maternity-care/overview/maternity-care.htm

Older article

2009-02-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is a link to an older article that I wanted to post about but somehow I missed it. When they had the big earthquake in China there was a policewoman who took it upon herself to breastfeed babies who were separated or orphaned in the quake. It's fitting to put this right after the post about Salma Hayek though.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/22/china.breastfeed/index.html

Breastfeeding on Mr. Rogers

2009-02-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

The following is a link to a clip from Mr. Rogers about mama's feeding their babies. It is very well done and I am sure we would never see it on tv today. Thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSVINzN2ces&eurl=http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/02/07/breastfeeding-on-childrens-television/&feature=player_embedded

Salma Hayek Story

2009-02-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

I think this is just amazing. Salma Hayek was in Sierra Leone on a trip for UNICEF to encourage tetanus vaccination in that country and she met a mother whose baby was starving and she nursed this woman's baby for her. I think it is just amazing that she would do this. I would do it if I were in the same situation but I know there are many women who would not. God bless her and I hope someone is able to go in and educate the people in Sierra Leone about the importance of breastfeeding.

http://entertainment.oneindia.in/hollywood/top-stories/scoop/2009/salma-breastfed-060209.html#cmntTop

Benefits of Aquarobics during pregnancy

2009-02-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

Doing aquarobics during pregnancy may be associated with lower usage of pain medication during delivery. Here is an article about the study that was done. Swimming during pregnancy just feels good too so it can't hurt to give it a try.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=94446

Contest

2009-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

I am considering running a contest through my blog and website. I am ironing out the details and what the prizes will be. I know the grand prize will be $100 off of doula services and if the winner is someone who has already given birth they will be refunded $100. I am posting to see how much interest there is in a contest. Please post here if you would like to be notified with details when they are available.

Amy

Preeclampsia in pregnancy may increase risk of future health problems

2009-01-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

A new study has shown that women who suffer from preeclampsia during pregnancy may be at an increased risk of future health problems. They may be more likely to suffer from hypertension, type 2 diabetes and blood clots.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090130/hl_hsn/preeclampsiainpregnancyboostsfuturehealthrisks

Suffering from infertility? New study shows one more possible cause.

2009-01-30T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here is an article about a study of Danish women that show one more possible cause of infertility. They divided these women into 4 groups and the group with the highest levels of certain environmental chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) took longer to get pregnant than the other groups. As much as 70-134% longer. These are chemical that are being phased out in the U.S. and should be completely gone by 2010 but there effects may take longer to go away.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090129/hl_hsn/commonchemicalsmaydelaypregnancy

I'm just not sure that I buy this

2009-01-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

The following is an article about a study that showed that women who breastfeed are less likely to neglect their children. While I understand the reasoning behind why I just am not sure about the study itself. I guess in a way I understand it because I have talked to women who have bottle fed one child and breastfed the next and most say they have a different bond with the breastfed child or that they felt bonded to them earlier. Although I know many mom's who have bottle fed for one reason or another and I could never see them neglecting their child's needs. Just putting this article out there because it pertains to breastfeeding. Feel free to form your own opinions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090126/hl_hsn/momswhobreastfeedlesslikelytoneglectchild

Longer paid leave boosts breastfeeding success

2009-01-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

The following is a link to an article about how longer maternity leaves would promote breastfeeding success. I went back to work at 6 weeks with my first and I was working full time. When she was about 3 1/2 months I went to part time and it was still difficult to keep breastfeeding but I am a stubborn person and she never needed to be supplemented but it was a long road. It has been much easier this time around because I work very infrequently. What kind of time do you get off from your company and if you are planning to continue breastfeeding when you go back to work do you have a plan in place?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090113/hl_nm/us_breastfeeding

Prenatal Bellydancing class

2009-01-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

Yoga Matrika in Squirrell Hill is having a prenatal bellydancing class on Friday January 16th @ 6:30 pm. If you are interested contact Sharon at 412-855-5692. The cost is only $15.

http://www.yogamatrika.com/prenatal-programs/

New info about past miscarriages

2009-01-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

I thought this was an interesting article. I had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy and it was absolutely devastating. My next pregnancy was with my daughter and I has several complications. I had a low-lying placenta that caused bleeding at 27 weeks and the bleeding caused contractions. Then at almost 35 weeks I had pre-term labor and had to be on brethine for 1 1/2 weeks. I also had a post-partum hemorrhage because the placenta took a very long time to deliver. After reading this I wonder if there was a connection. My third pregnancy with my son was smooth other than the fact that I had a low-lying placenta again that we had to keep an eye on until it moved. Other than that no bleeding, pre-term labor or hemorrhage.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_73499.html

More Melamine

2009-01-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

I've said enough about this subject previously so I will just post the link to the article. More melamine has been found in infant formula in the U.S.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28544768/

Early C-Sections may produce complications

2009-01-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

This results of this study don't really surprise me at all. Due dates are not an exact science so there is always a risk with delivering before labor has begun. Of course there are times when the due date is a sure thing such as with fertility treatments or someone who has been charting and knows for sure when they conceived but rarely is it exact. I'd also like to see a study that compares delivering by c-section at 37 or 38 weeks and inductions that happened that early. It would be interesting to see how the vaginal deliveries compared. Breathing problems are more common in c-section babies anyways because coming through the birth canal helps squeeze the fluid from the baby's lungs and this doesn't happen with a c-section so they often need some assistance and more vigorous suctioning. Here's the link to the article.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_73577.html

New Contest at A Mother's Boutique

2009-01-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

Judy is having another great give-away on her blog. She is giving away baby breastfeeding advocacy t-shirts. She is giving away one everyday from January 6th-February 5th. There are lots of ways to enter so go to her blog and check it out.

http://mommynewsblog.com/breastfeeding-advocacy-shirts-give-away/#comments

Embarrassing Breastfeeding Stories

2009-01-04T18:26:00.000-08:00

So I was thinking earlier today about the early days of breastfeeding. If you've breastfed at least one you will remember those days. The one's when you still look like you are about 6 months pregant and your breasts are so swollen from engorgement you feel like you have the breasts that you see on calendars hanging in a garage somewhere. If only the rest of your body matched them and they weren't constantly leaking you might have it made. Anyways I digress.

Probably the most embarrassing story I have is from when my first child was about 1 week old. We went to my husbands work to show her off and of course she got hungry while we were there. One of the girls was nice enough to let me use her office to feed her. I was using the Medela Soft Shells for sore nipples in my bra and I forgot that everytime I fed her from one side the milk would let down on the other side and the shell would be full of milk. Everytime I fed her I would for some stupid reason lean over and all of the milk would run out of that shell and all over me and my clothes. So I fed her then proceeded to pick something up off the floor and you got it all of that milk ran down my face and on the floor and all over the front of my shirt. Now I was 210 pounds when I went into labor with her so a week later I was probably still 190 if I was lucky and with those breasts I may have still been 210 who knows. My husbands boss who was maybe 105 soaking wet says to me "Hang on I have an extra sweatshirt in my office you can wear on your way out" yeah right. I draped it over my shoulder and tied it to cover up the huge wet spots on my shirt.

Then to make matters worse she needed changed so I borrowed the top of someone's desk and proceeded to change an already poopy diaper and as I was changing her she started projectile pooping and now not only did I have milk all over my shirt but I had nice yellow baby poop to match it. After all of that I think the regular days didn't seem so bad. Oh and I never did learn about the milk in the shells because I did the same thing over and over when I had my son.

Anyone want to try to top me?

Sick Kids

2008-12-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

So today we were supposed to have a playdate with a local mom's group that I joined. So far I have only made it to one event because life keeps getting in the way. My three year old and I were really excited about going to check out the new play area at the mall. She cried several times through the night and was cranky in the evening last night. I was worried she was getting sick but hoped for the best. She woke up running a fever and the day went down hill from there. I ended up taking her to the doctor because she said her throat hurt and I was worried that maybe she had strep. Turned out she had an ear infection so he didn't swab her throat because we agreed it would just be torturing her if he was already giving her the antibiotic to begin with. I couldn't get the poor soul to take any motrin or tylenol until about 5 this evening after her temp made it to 103.1 under her arm and she was so sick that I was able to just pour it in her mouth. I knew the instant that the motrin kicked in because it was like she was raised from the dead and became Maura again. I know that it will only last a couple of hours but I am going to enjoy her while it lasts.

My poor 8 month old son has to feel totally neglected today though because I have nursed him and put him right back in the exersaucer everytime or in the swing because she had needed cuddled all day. I thought it was tough when she was sick and was the only child today has definitely been a learning experience.

Amy

As if the medical model of care wasn't impersonal enough

2008-12-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to information about new technology. A machine called Birth Track. It uses sensors that are placed on the maternal cervix and the baby's head to track dilation and the station of the baby. Just one more way for them to keep the laboring mom in bed and flat on her back.

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/02/clm_computerize.html

They have always said you forget the pain

2008-12-12T11:03:00.001-08:00

Here's an article about how women remember the discomfort of childbirth. I have always heard people say that you forget (I know some people who want to tell their horror stories would disagree). I can say that my daughter was three in September and the only thing I remember as what I can say was truly painful was the last 15 minutes before I started pushing. I was feeling the urge to push but was not fully dilated so that was hard. The rest of my labor I was able to take one contraction at a time though. With my son who is almost 8 months old I can't really say that I really remember pain just exhaustion.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/132671.php

Baby Born from Full Ovary Transplant

2008-12-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

I am not sure that I really have alot to say about this one. I think this is fantastic that the mom was able to have a baby. Sure her sister could have been a surrogate but I think that she got to experience pregnancy is wonderful. I also think it's great that it may be able to be used for cancer patients is great. After all if a man is diagnosed with cancer they can bank sperm for later use before they receive treatments. That's how Lance Armstrong got to be a dad. It's great that women with cancer when they are young may have an option. I am not so sure that I agree with taking an ovary out at a young age to be used when a woman is in her 40's or 50's. I think maybe that is a little like playing god but that's just my opinion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28164129/

Pregnancy Cravings

2008-12-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Ok I didn't have incredibly strange cravings. I didn't crave pickles and ice cream (well yeah ice cream but I crave that even when I am not pregnant :). With my first I crave caramel cremes through most of the first and second trimesters after that they caused too much heartburn for me to tolerate them. I also craved grilled cheese sandwiches. My husband tells our daughter that she is partially constructed of grilled cheese sandwiches. With her I didn't want anything that had tomato sauce in it. We eat pizza at our house at least once a week and at one point he looked at me and said "We haven't had pizza in months what's up with that?" The thought of tomato sauce made me have heartburn without even eating it. With my son I crave tomato sauce. Couldn't get enough of it. I also crave three musketeers bars. I sent my husband out one night at 8 pm for a three musketeers. I think that was the only time in both pregnancies that I sent him out for something so he and I agree that he got off pretty easily. Now when I was in labor with my son I wanted a fresh fruit salad. The midwives wanted me to eat and that was what I wanted. God bless my dad he tried like heck to get me one but didn't really have any luck but god love him he tried to get his baby what she wanted. What did you crave? Did you send your partner out at odd times to get it for you? Here's a link to an article about cravings.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/ent-life/you_ate_what__women_talk_pregnancy_cravings_12-10-2008.html

Talking about alternative therapies

2008-12-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

In my last post I talked about chiropractic care and other alternative therapies. This article talks about the numbers of people trying alternative care options. It doesn't really talk about their benefits during pregnancy but they are numerous. Chiropractic can help with the general aches and pains, sciatica, a malpositioned baby and more. I have heard many women say that they went into labor shortly after and adjustment or were adjusted during labor and that their labor picked up afterwards. This didn't work for me but I do know that my labor with my daughter went much more smoothly than my labor with my son and with her I was getting regular adjustments during the last half of my pregnancy and with my son I only went periodically when I was very uncomfortable. There may be something to that.

Accupuncture and accupressure also are beneficial during pregnancy. They can help with morning sickness, turning breech babies, relaxation and I am sure there are other benefits that I still need to learn about. I have never tried accupuncture because the thought of someone sticking needles into my body that don't have to be there is kind of scary.

Herbals are something that you have to be careful with during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I have used herbals for weight loss (in the past), nausea, to try to induce labor which did not work, and to increase my milk supply. There are herbals that are safe for use during pregnancy and can help with morning sickness and nausea but always check with your care provider first.

What have you tried in the form of alternative therapies and did it help you?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28159493/

Tips for Sciatica pain during pregnancy

2008-12-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Here is an article from yahoo news about dealing with sciatica pain during pregnancy. I have two things to add. I had a wonderful belly support during my pregnancies. It was called a bellybra and I got it from JCPenney. I don't know that it so much helped with sciatic pain but it helped my back and my hips. I had TERRIBLE sciatic pain when I was pregnant with my daughter. I cried, couldn't sleep, couldn't drive, couldn't go to work it was simply awful. My chiropractor became my best friend. Without him I don't think I would have survived (although I know I would have but not very pleasantly). Within 48 hours of the first adjustment and lots of sitting and lying on ice packs I was about 90% better. I didn't try any other alternative therapies such as accupuncture or massage but the chiropractic care I received from then to the rest of my pregnancy worked wonders. Feel free to chime in and tell us what helped for you back pain and discomforts during pregnancy.

http://www.covenanthealth.org/HealthDay/12_2008/621974

This explains so much!

2008-12-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

My family is made up of many people who have a mouthful of sweet teeth. This article talks about a genetic link in craving sweets. This explains a lot for me.

http://www.babycenter.com/204_gene-may-make-kids-crave-junk-food_10304049.bc

A Mother's Boutique is having a contest

2008-12-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Judy at A Mother's Boutique is giving away a $50 gift certificates for 5 weeks to celebrate her new blog. Check it out at http://mommynewsblog.com A Mother's Boutique has an awesome selection of maternity and breastfeeding clothing, accessories and breastpumps and supplies.

The Today show and Doulas

2008-11-26T15:12:00.000-08:00

If you saw the bit on the Today show about doulas it was not very complimentary. It referred to doulas as a luxury and said buyer beware. The only person they really interviewed was a doctor who has banned doulas from her hospital. They didn't interview anyone who had used a doula. They didn't talk about the benefits of doula support or the amount of work that goes into training and certifying. The article on their website was a little better. Please feel free to write to the Today show in support of what doulas do and the many benefits of doula support.
Here is the link to the article on their site.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27808452/

"New" info on prevention of c-sections

2008-11-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

This article talks about waiting out a stalled labor for two hours. According to the article if medical professionals would wait for two hours before making the decision to do a c-section for "failure to progress" they could eliminate 130,000 c-sections a year. It is a great article that discusses the health risks of c-sections and increasing rates of them.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127827.php

And now it is happening here

2008-11-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

And now they are finding formula here that has melamine in it. They are saying that they have trace amounts that they don't feel would be harmful. When it was happening in China they said there was no way to set a limit on what would be safe/harmful but now they are saying not to worry. I say anything that is in there that shouldn't be is a problem but that's just me.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27914218/

Hopefully this will help prevent premature births

2008-11-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

Here's to hoping that this will help find better treatments for pre-term labor and that they don't use this knowledge to evict babies who aren't ready to arrive yet.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=94454

Study on pre-term labor

2008-11-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to an article about the pre-term labor medicine nifedipine. It shows that it actually has little benefit.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/621713.html

Yet one more good reason to breastfeed

2008-10-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

I can only try to imagine what my 3 year old would be like if I hadn't breastfed her. I shudder at the thought.

http://www.seton.net/health_a_to_z/health_news/health_news/2008/10/29/breast_fed_baby_may_mean_better_behaved_child

2008-10-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

This fortunately was not the case for me. I gained more than 40 pounds with both of my pregnancies and my first was 8 lbs 0 oz and my son was 7 lbs 14 oz. Not exactly what I would consider huge.

http://www.pregnancy-info.net/in_the_news276.html