Come on a very special birth journey as some inspiring women show what it means to labour, give birth and become mothers. A huge thank you to all the ladies who are sharing their birth images here and who gave me the privilege of being their doula. You are all so very inspiring!
Jul 30, 2009
Jul 25, 2009
Michael Jackson's Kids and His Vision of Postpartum Care
I came across this article written by Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE. Very interesting read, explains a bit about what the King himself thought of the initial postpartum care of his children and their mother.
"Never in my mind did I think that there would be anything remotely related to Michael Jackson on my site. But tonight as I listened to Debbie Rowe, his former wife, talk about her relationship with the King of Pop, the children and her postpartum experience I changed my mind. Between Rowe's interview and snippets of an interview with Michael Jackson himself, you got a very odd view of what the postpartum experience was for the Jackson family.
With his first son, Prince Michael, the baby had some breathing difficulties right after birth. As with any new parent, Michael Jackson was frightened. But when the NICU nurse pronounced, several hours after birth, that the baby was healthy and doing well, Michael immediately took the baby home to the Neverland Ranch. Hours, folks. Seriously, in the hospitals where I live, you'd be lucky to see your baby out of the nursery sometimes in that amount of time and in your postpartum hospital room.Even stranger is where Debbie Rowe went when she was released from the hospital after giving birth. Michael Jackson had fixed it so that she could rest and recuperate at the Biltmore in Arizona. Now, that is my style of postpartum care! (I did have a niggling question about where she trashed the monster pads you have to wear after giving birth.) While I would have to have my baby with me, the Biltmore sounds like a smashing place. I did wind up doing a few days postpartum in a hotel after our seventh baby was born and our AC went out, but let's just say seven small kids in one room was not what Debbie Rowe had.
When Paris was born, Michael Jackson again, whisked the baby off This time he reportedly didn't even let the baby be dried off before returning to the Neverland Ranch. ( Mom went to a fancy new house of her own this time.) Wow. Part of me is amazed that anyone let this happen in the hospital. Part of me totally gets that this was all about what money could buy. My wish? That parents who wanted to give birth in the hospital, had the choice to return to their homes shortly after birth if they wanted to do so, even without having to moonwalk the baby out of the nursery under the suspicious eye of the nursery nurses."
What's your take on the story of Michael Jackson's babies' home records and the fancy postpartum digs?
"Never in my mind did I think that there would be anything remotely related to Michael Jackson on my site. But tonight as I listened to Debbie Rowe, his former wife, talk about her relationship with the King of Pop, the children and her postpartum experience I changed my mind. Between Rowe's interview and snippets of an interview with Michael Jackson himself, you got a very odd view of what the postpartum experience was for the Jackson family.
With his first son, Prince Michael, the baby had some breathing difficulties right after birth. As with any new parent, Michael Jackson was frightened. But when the NICU nurse pronounced, several hours after birth, that the baby was healthy and doing well, Michael immediately took the baby home to the Neverland Ranch. Hours, folks. Seriously, in the hospitals where I live, you'd be lucky to see your baby out of the nursery sometimes in that amount of time and in your postpartum hospital room.Even stranger is where Debbie Rowe went when she was released from the hospital after giving birth. Michael Jackson had fixed it so that she could rest and recuperate at the Biltmore in Arizona. Now, that is my style of postpartum care! (I did have a niggling question about where she trashed the monster pads you have to wear after giving birth.) While I would have to have my baby with me, the Biltmore sounds like a smashing place. I did wind up doing a few days postpartum in a hotel after our seventh baby was born and our AC went out, but let's just say seven small kids in one room was not what Debbie Rowe had.
When Paris was born, Michael Jackson again, whisked the baby off This time he reportedly didn't even let the baby be dried off before returning to the Neverland Ranch. ( Mom went to a fancy new house of her own this time.) Wow. Part of me is amazed that anyone let this happen in the hospital. Part of me totally gets that this was all about what money could buy. My wish? That parents who wanted to give birth in the hospital, had the choice to return to their homes shortly after birth if they wanted to do so, even without having to moonwalk the baby out of the nursery under the suspicious eye of the nursery nurses."
What's your take on the story of Michael Jackson's babies' home records and the fancy postpartum digs?
Jul 23, 2009
Rites of Passage: Why Cesarean
Ina May Gaskin, Certified Professional Midwife, is the founder and director of The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee (USA). She is the author of Spiritual Midwifery (1975) and Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth (2003). She has been a home birth midwife for more than 35 years.
This interview clip is part of Rites of Passage, an exclusive video series and art/photo/ essay contest that engages mothers across the country in a dialogue about childbirth and the transformation of new motherhood. This series is hosted by Mindful Mama and features exclusive interviews with 25 of the world's leading midwives, physicians, activists, and scholars who advocate for safe, empowered birth.
This interview clip is part of Rites of Passage, an exclusive video series and art/photo/ essay contest that engages mothers across the country in a dialogue about childbirth and the transformation of new motherhood. This series is hosted by Mindful Mama and features exclusive interviews with 25 of the world's leading midwives, physicians, activists, and scholars who advocate for safe, empowered birth.
Jul 15, 2009
Healthy Birth Your Way
According to Lamaze International, the basic principals behind the Lamaze Philosophy are:
Birth is normal, natural and healthy
The experience of birth profoundly effects women and their families
Women’s inner wisdom guides them through birth
Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth
Women have the right to give birth free from routine medical interventions
Birth can safely take place in birth centers and homes
Childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health and to trust their inner wisdom
Birth is normal, natural and healthy
The experience of birth profoundly effects women and their families
Women’s inner wisdom guides them through birth
Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth
Women have the right to give birth free from routine medical interventions
Birth can safely take place in birth centers and homes
Childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health and to trust their inner wisdom
Lamaze International & InJoy bring you the Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices.
Jul 11, 2009
Birth and Death
During the week of the G8 meetings in Italy, White Ribbon Alliance is launching a short graphic film to highlight the scandalous lack of attention to how many women still die giving birth around the world.
Maternal death is the greatest health inequity of the 21st Century. Every minute, someones mother, sister, wife or friend dies needlessly giving birth. That adds up to half a million women a year.
It remains a global disgrace that more women in the developing world die through becoming pregnant than from any other cause.
Yet we know what to do to stop this. Weve tried it. It works. Even in countries usually considered poor.
The answer is many more trained health workers.
The G8 have promised to take action.
As yet, they havent.
Lets hold them to their promises.
Birth and Death is part of the White Ribbon Alliance Atlas of Birth project, in collaboration with GHP3 (University of Southampton) and Immpact (University of Aberdeen), July 2009.
Maternal death is the greatest health inequity of the 21st Century. Every minute, someones mother, sister, wife or friend dies needlessly giving birth. That adds up to half a million women a year.
It remains a global disgrace that more women in the developing world die through becoming pregnant than from any other cause.
Yet we know what to do to stop this. Weve tried it. It works. Even in countries usually considered poor.
The answer is many more trained health workers.
The G8 have promised to take action.
As yet, they havent.
Lets hold them to their promises.
Birth and Death is part of the White Ribbon Alliance Atlas of Birth project, in collaboration with GHP3 (University of Southampton) and Immpact (University of Aberdeen), July 2009.
Jul 8, 2009
The Moon's Effect on Natural Childbirth
'Does this old wives tale have any validity? Contrary to common believe, this theory is true. The discovery channel had an episode on women going into labor during full moon.
The moon changes the barometric pressure in water due to its gravitational pull. Just as the moon has an effect on the waters on earth which makes it responsible for the tide coming in (high tide) and the tide going out (low tide), it too has an effect on humans, as humans are 75% water.
The gravitational pull from the moon changes the barometric pressure in the woman's water sac and this change in pressure usually causes it to rupture which result in the women going into labor or the doctor having to induce labour due to the leakage.
In my own experience I have noticed a pattern of women going into labor anywhere from immediately to 24 hours after a full moon.'
Jul 2, 2009
Doulas as Essential Medical Care
This is an article written by Jane Fonda who bought the “Community-Based Doula Program” to Georgia where it has been under the wing of the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP)...The doulas make weekly home visits to pregnant teens and their families starting in the third trimester and up to one year after the birth of their baby. They help young mothers (and often times fathers) understand the birth process, and support them during labor and delivery. So many of these young parents don’t know what a real relationship feels like, but through their example, the Doulas model for the mothers and fathers how to be in relationship, how to bond. This is what transforms the young parents forever and gives their babies a better chance in life"
Read more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)