This process

It’s interesting… how “real life” impedes on indirect knowledge. If you read online long enough, (some) natural birth advocates may (seem to) say that all interventions are bad. I myself used to lean that way. And yet now, I am sometime seeing it is those interventions that we eschew that can allow a woman to avoid interventions that are even more ‘meddlesome’.

I’m not sure I am done ruminating on this, or even saying it all that well… but I have seen some interventions help rather than hinder a mom. And in those cases, I am reminded that moderation is key.

Some interventions do have their place. But ideal outcome must be balanced with perceptive care and recognition that there is both a baby and a mother affected by the care, or lack thereof that is given.

And this is way off-topic, but man… the elliptical machine at the gym is kicking my butt. Literally.

Births 4x

The last week and a half was quite busy… three homebirths and a hospital birth. Each labor and birth had it’s own nuance, timing and variation but all were successful vaginal births. Three girls and one boy. *heart* Now I bet things will be quiet for a week or two.

I am honored to be a part of such a beautiful, special time in a family’s life.

To VBAC, or not

This is posted on the Business of Being Born website: ACOG Responds Regarding VBACs, I Respond Back. I tell you, it boggles my mind that American women are told they don’t have the right to the birth of their choice. Many women with prior Cesarean(s) have been forced to undergo major abdominal surgery because their hospital has banned VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). The letter posted in the link above includes some of the current statistics regarding the risks of VBAC and the risks of a repeat Cesarean.

I’ll say it again, if you haven’t had a Cesarean yet, do everything you can do prevent one and then you don’t have to battle for your right to give birth vaginally!

Up next

I have been looking into opportunities to learn some more skills… I am really hoping to get my Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) certification from Karen Strange, CPM. I hear her workshops are well worth it. Hopefully it will work out to do so very soon!

And I am very determined to finish the third phase of my AAMI studies sooner rather than later. Which means I shouldn’t be procrastinating blogging, but instead I should be studying!

Just when you think you’ve seen it all…

They come out with this. Honestly, I’ve tried to be open-minded and make sure this isn’t a knee-jerk reaction. But I just cannot think of any good use for this machine even two days later.

I guess maybe it’s because I’ve seen so many lovely births that didn’t include IVs, continuous EFM/IFM and epidurals. I just don’t see where BirthTrack has a place in normal birth… or that it won’t increase the aforementioned interventions and cause more Cesareans due to the cascade of interventions.

I would much rather lie down for a gentle vaginal exam at the hands of my midwife than have a monitor clipped to my cervix. I also see it as just that much more u/s and doppler exposure.

What do you think?