ACOG believes in limiting your birth choices

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement yesterday reiterating its stance that women should not deliver their babies at home among other chafing comments. The statement is linked here: http://www.acog.org/from_home/publications/press_releases/nr02-06-08-2.cfm.

So ACOG with an Executive Board of 24 with various districts and committees underneath, believes it is allowed to dictate for the millions of women each year where they are to deliver their babies (hm two days ago the American Association Birth Centers decided not to revisit allowing VBAC's in order to appease ACOG).

Personally and professionally, I am appalled that a group that sets out to provide excellence in care for women throughout the childbearing years, has continued to band together and make policy that negatively affects the entirety of childbearing women in the US (through lobbyists, self-serving studies and treating the healthy full-term pregnant woman as a hostile host to her baby).

Amazingly most women and babies are low risk in pregnancy and birth. These women and babies can be cared for by family practitioners, midwives (CNM's, licensed, registered and direct entry) or by the mothers themselves who choose to take the highest level of responsibility and birth unassisted. If a mother or baby become high risk, she is sent to an OB/GYN for care. If things unexpectedly occur in birth, often the issues can be handled safely by a skilled provider outside of the hospital environment.

Today the usual standard of care many women receive (non-medical induction, continuous monitoring, epidural, non-medical cesarean) by ACOG members actually make the low risk mom and baby high risk. These practices increase complication rates and the need for more intervention than would occur normally in birth. Essentially the abnormal becomes normal.

By continuing to support and utilize care providers who believe we should only deliver our babies in the hospital or accredited birth center, we are allowing our decision making to be undermined, being limited in our parenting choices and putting ourselves and babies in the path of unnecessary iatrogenic risk. Not all ACOG members believe we should be limited and do offer a great service, however, they do belong to and pay dues to an organization that does.

Buyer beware.

Spread the news. Don't ignore the truth.

Pax,

Desirre

ICAN and VBAC Ban Project - Get Involved Today

This is taken from http://yourbirthmatters.blogspot.com/ written by a fellow ICAN Board member and all around amazing woman, Gretchen H.

Please read, think and get involved.

The VBAC ban project is finally up and running! What is this you ask? Well, simply put, we are going to call every hospital in the U.S. and find out what their policy is on VBAC. The International Cesarean Awareness Network did this a few years back and found out that over 300 hospitals officially "ban" VBAC (even though this is patently illegal). Needless to say, we are sure the situation is much worse now. But, the cool thing is that ICAN is about to launch a fantastic new website and included on that website is a map of the U.S. upon which every one of the hospitals we call will appear....with information about that hospital and its policies on VBAC. AND, there will be a way for anyone to leave feedback about that hospital, so you can see what other women experienced there. But, in order for this to happen, we need people to call! So if you are interested in helping out, please email me at advocacy@ican-online.org and I'll get you set up and going.Help ICAN shine the light into the oppression that so many hospitals are inflicting on women.

The International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. (ICAN) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).

Pax,

Desirre
2VBA2C - If I would have only known more and had information like ICAN provides, I might not be a part of the sisterhood of the scar

If Grandma can do it, so can you. Birth that is.

So the idea that women just aren't the same these days and no longer able to spontaneously go into labor or birth in our society has been bounding around in my head for weeks spurned by re-reading an inspiring story written by a local doula. I have read this story many times and each time I am struck by the power in it. As I initially sat down to write this blog a week or so ago, I thought I really need to include this writing so I spoke with the author Gina P. She graciously gave me permission to use the story knowing it would be forever in cyber space. I have chosen to edit down the story a bit to retain more privacy and am abbreviating the name as requested. Please enjoy.

Grandma C

"... She was born in 1911, and contracted polio as a child, leaving her with a hunched back and a contracted pelvis. ...Her first son was born in 1931. He was a large baby, but she welcomed that in a time when babies often died. Large meant healthy. Her second son was born in 1939, another large boy, and again healthy. In 1945, she was going through menopause and found a mass in her abdomen. She had exploratory surgery to find the mass and remove it, but when my mom was found in her uterus, she was stitched back up and pleased to carry a baby to full term. My mom was born vaginally after this surgery, a footling breech. Again, her contracted pelvis, small stature, and psychological barriers were no problem, and she had an otherwise uncomplicated birth with this baby! She lived to be 92.

When I see or hear about the inherent disbelief that babies can be born for whatever reason, I tend to think about my Grandma C. She really had the odds stacked against her in many ways throughout her life, but having babies was never a problem for her. She didn't know any better than to just give birth. It makes me cry to see how some (most?) women feel about their uterus, pelvis, cervix, and vagina. And how this is perpetuated. Grandma C. was shamed by society to keep even the normal processes like menstruation a secret from anyone (unfortunately, even my mom), but she gave birth because it was her job as a wife and mother. And if it wasn't a problem for her, I wonder how many of the problems that are discussed with other women nowadays are true. I wonder how much of her hard work keeping house and tending older children helped her to give birth. At the end of her life, Grandma C. was ridden with dementia, and she would tell a few stories over and over again. I listened each time as she would tell of life on the farm as a young girl and how much of a burden she had to carry. But giving birth was something she felt she did pretty well.

About the author: Gina is a birth doula and childbirth educator in Colorado who strives to help prevent primary cesareans and to support all women who want a VBAC. Viva la revolucion!

By today's standards would this strong, capable and physically imperfect woman be "allowed" to just birth? The disturbing truth is NO she likely wouldn't. She would almost assuredly be told she couldn't ever birth children, that she is far too physically broken, and if she did carry a pregnancy to term that she must have a cesarean to safely deliver a healthy baby and mother.

By no one telling her she couldn't do it, she just did it. She knew it was one of her jobs in life. A usual expectation. I would venture to guess it wasn't easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

I will echo Gina and question, how much of what women are led to believe today is not based in truth? How many women are led down the path of fear to induction, medication, instrumental delivery or cesarean because they are being told over and over they cannot or should not labor and birth normally? Too small, too skinny, too fat, too young, too old, too scarred, too imperfect, too overdue.....This is not true. We need to stop believing that we inherently cannot.

Plain and simple fear instilling care, induction, augmentation, continuous monitoring, epidurals, cesareans and everything that goes with them - places low risk women and babies into a category of high risk, lessening the ability to JUST DO IT. Even truly high risk moms and babies are being hindered, but that is a note for another day.

Labor can be tough, it can be blissful, painful, orgasmic, you name it. It is anything and everything. My hope is that women will stop believing these lies and again start believing that it is something women are meant for, a normal expectation.

Be encouraged by Grandma C and all those like her. My heartfelt thank you to Gina for allowing me to inspire others with her writing.

Pax,

Desirre Andrews CCCE, LCCE, CLD, CLE
http://www.birthingtouch.com/

Finding The Right Midwife For Your Home Birth

CHOOSING YOUR MIDWIFE: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

· What is your birth philosophy?
· What is your training? Are you certified? If yes, with whom and why? If no, why not?
· Are you licensed in the state of _____?
· What is your scope of practice?
· When would you find it necessary to go outside your scope of practice?
· Are there any circumstances (physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) would you not take a woman as a patient?
· When would you risk out a patient?
· What is your style of practice (laid back, hands on, managing)?
· How much time will be spent with me during each appointment? Do you come to my home or do I come to your office?
· At what intervals will you see me during pregnancy?
· What can I expect at a prenatal visit?
· What routine tests are utilized during pregnancy? What if I decline these tests?
· What routine herbs or supplements do you like your patients taking during pregnancy?
· At what point in labor do you normally arrive?
· What positions are you comfortable catching in? Birth stool? Hand/Knees? Squatting? Standing? Water?
· What do you do in the event a complication arises during labor or birth? When would you transfer a patient?
· Do you ever do episiotomies? If yes, when, why and how often?
· How are post-dates (post-42 weeks) handled in your practice?
· Do you ever encourage induction by pharmaceutical, herbal, AROM or other natural means? If yes, please describe.
· Do you have a partner or an assistant?
· Who would attend me if you are ill, had an emergency or are at another birth?
· Briefly please describe the types of births you are most and least experienced with.
· What if I hire a doula? Are there restrictions on the doula I may hire? If yes, why? What is your perception of the role of a doula at a homebirth?

Points to ponder afterward:

· Did you feel immediately comfortable and heard at the interview?
· Was MW willing to answer questions in detail without being annoyed?
· Are you comfortable with her scope of practice?
· Are her expectations of you reasonable?
· Are your expectations of her reasonable?
· Are you able to take full responsibility for your decisions with this midwife?

All Rights Reserved Desirre Andrews Birthing Touch 2008

Say it ain't so - Another celebrity scheduling a cesarean

Wow. Yet another celebrity is signing up for the O.R. (Christina Aguilera)? Say it ain't so. Surgery over a few hours of work to benefit both mom and her baby?! Vaginal birth IS the norm. Surgery is well SURGERY which can lead to incredible risks and consequences immediately and very long term. Yes there is frustration in my voice.

COME on already, MAJOR surgery is so much riskier than normal, routine, AWESOME childbirth. AAHH but perhaps therein lies the problem, normal, routine childbirth is very tough to attain these days with all the inductions with an against label use drug (cytotec), most labors being augmented with pitocin because a woman isn't fitting a time clock of daylight or one shift obstetrics, the planned paralysis of rampant epidural use, continuous fetal monitoring since the inductions, augmentation and epidurals makes women and babies high risk(and in essence straps said women to the bed), and then pushing a baby out while others yell at her and the woman is told to hold her breath while in a tremendously poor position choice (except the care provider can SEE), this leads to episiotomies or much more severe tearing than side-lying, squatting or hands and knees would provide or worse instrumental delivery - then to add insult to literal injury baby isn't allowed to be on mom for some beautiful bonding moments before being weighed and more.

OK perhaps that is one reason for all the refusal to use one's vagina for an intended purpose. The list could go on as for why maternity care and childbirth is so completely backwards in this country.

We are missing out dear women, sisters and friends. We need to reclaim what is our design, our privilege, our heritage, our right and our purpose.

Pax,

Desirre

You can find the money to have the childbirth you desire!

I far too often hear women saying "My insurance doesn't cover the location, provider, type of birth I REALLY want. Well it will be okay anyway, won't it?." Or "We just bought XXXXX and cannot afford to pay for care out of pocket."

I wonder what are you willing to do to have the childbirth you deeply desire? It seems in other aspects of life when there is something we really want, somehow we find the time, money, etc. to attain it. Childbirth IS that important. Investing in what will help you achieve a normal birth can be preventative of unwanted interventions and cesarean.

Below is a list of ways to find the money for the birth center, family practitioner, home birth midwife, out of network provider, doula, independent childbirth class, waterbirth or whatever your heart is set upon to help in preparation and delivery of your baby.

A list of practical ways to find the money you need:

1) In lieu of traditional baby shower gifts (honestly much of the stuff is unnecessary to having a baby except for a good baby wearing item) - ask for a group gift of the provider or location payment (or at least monies to get you well on your way).

2) Trim down your budget - do you need the highest satellite or cable package, forgo eating out or picking up expensive drinks, forgo weekly entertainment expenses, have a yard sale or post on community boards all the items you do not use (your home will be much less cluttered for it), what about your cellular service - trim back if possible, sell your car and buy something less expensive, forgo expensive hair cuts or other beauty maintenance

3) Ask for family and friends to donate to your XXXXX fund.

4) Petition your insurance company to add XXXX provider or location to their provider list.

5) Figure out all your co-pays and see if you are really spending more or close to the same anyway for what you don't really want and can actually afford the care you really desire.

6) Set-up payment schedules with provider or location - often care can be paid for over the time of your pregnancy in increments.

7) Do you have a barter to offer? Try it!

8) Move to a lower cost home to save in rent or mortgage. Hey even moving in with family temporarily can work. Extended support is often a blessing.

9) Open a 125k flexible medical spending account (thanks to my DH for reminding me about this). This money comes out of your paycheck pre-tax and you can get reimbursed for out-of-pocket medical expenses in one calendar year, it lowers your taxable income and helps you attain what you want.

Sometimes sacrifice is needed. Sometimes just a bit of trimming. Being under the thumb of insurance or lack thereof doesn't have to define your options. Get creative. There is almost ALWAYS a way. It is worth it to you and your baby.

Merry Christmas! Desirre

Random Childbirth Thoughts - Do these sound too familiar?

These are quotes made up by a friend and I to cause a pause and thinking to occur. Sadly, they may sound very familiar to public opinion these days. This is meant to be a spoof, but also is a social commentary on how we as a society are giving up on the precious and magnificent work of normal labor and birth. As women, we are incredibly blessed to be the life growers and to bring life forth from our own bodies under our own power. The work of pregnancy, labor and delivery is just a glimpse into the daily work of being a mother. Motherhood like pregnancy through delivery is not always easy but at the end of the day worth it. I fear we are losing something of vast importance in our society.

This entry is biting and almost roast-like. Read with caution!

• "Not my mama's vagina! Mine is only for sex."
• "MY MRSA Antibiotics are so slimming..it was worth the infection I got during my cesarean!"
• "Ob's say Vaginas are no longer for non-sexual use due to stressors destroying the capability for penis use"
• "Men everywhere question the duality of vaginal use. Should they allow women to use their vaginas for birth?"
• "Women are just saying NO to multi-purpose vaginal use"
• "My vagina is progressive and evolved - no childbirth for me!"
• "Kegels, schmegels - just get the cesarean."
• "I thought to myself..they can't really do vaginal tightening..but I can always have another tummy tuck!"
• "It was GREAT being able to schedule my induction...and the baby being in the NICU for a week meant that I got plenty of rest and was able to shop without interruption!"
• "I was so ready for motherhood! I had a postpartum doula, a nanny and lots of dr. bronner's bottles! Oh, and once the baby came, the sleeper, the vibrating chair, the swing...they saved me! I never had to pick the baby up once! Just pacifier and away!"
• "No vaginal birth for me! I am a modern woman."
• "But none of my friends are using their vaginas for birth!"

Are you thinking yet? Screaming? Yelling at me? And by the way, it is okay to laugh.

Desirre