New York midwives lose right to deliver babies at home.

Closure of hospital leaves practitioners without backing or insurance, driving home births underground.

As residents of the world's consumer capital, New Yorkers can have anything delivered to their door at any time. They can have their hair cut in the living room, have champagne and caviar rushed to them on a whim, enjoy a shiatsu massage in their own bed or invite a clairvoyant to predict their future from Tarot cards laid out on the kitchen table.

But there is one thing that is currently unavailable for delivery to those who live in this most can-do of metropolises. Women can not legally give birth at home in the presence of a trained and experienced midwife.

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Ed Pilkington in New York
guardian.co.uk, Friday 14 May 2010

"Your Period: It's Not Supposed to be a Pain"

"If you or a woman in your life suffer PMS or period pain, be sure to be at this presentation.
You will walk away with simple, effective tips to heal your PMS or period pain naturally!".

Event: Your Period: It's Not Supposed to be a Pain
Start Time: Wednesday, June 9 at 6:30pm
End Time: Wednesday, June 9 at 7:30pm
Where: Whole Foods - Yorkville

While almost every woman has experienced painful periods, they are not “normal”. Given our fast paced urban lifestyles and increased environmental toxin exposure, they are, however, increasingly common.

To counter this trend, we can be conscientious in our self-care. Our lifestyle and dietary choices play a central role in the dis/ease of our monthly flow, affecting both PMS and cramps.

Join Dr. Tanya Smith, TCM and Dr. Mahalia Freed, ND to learn why it hurts and how to resolve your menstrual discomfort. Embrace your monthly cycle with simple changes you can make today!

Registration is through Whole Foods (416-944-0500) and is $5. When you come to the workshop, Whole Foods will give you a $5 gift card.

For more info visit http://www.lifecycleswellness.com/Workshops/Period_Pain/Period_Pain.html

All My Babies: A Midwife's Own Story - Watch the Documentary Film

A film set in 1952 both educational tool and poetic portrait of a black midwife and childbirth in the Deep South.

“This beautiful film is the story of “"Miss Mary"” Coley an African-American midwife more than half a century ago in rural Georgia. Conceived as a demonstration film for “"granny"” midwives its production sponsored by the Georgia Department of Public Health All My Babies quickly transcended its initial purpose. It was used around the world by UNESCO and has become an enduring classic of non-fiction film.

All My Babies was written produced and directed by George C. Stoney in close collaboration with Mrs. Coley as well as with local public health doctors and nurses and shows the preparation for and home delivery of healthy babies in both relatively good and bad rural conditions among black families at that time.

The film is in addition both a deeply respectful portrait of “"Miss Mary"” who is revealed as an inspiring human being and a record of the actual living conditions of her patients.
Selected in 2002 by the Librarian of Congress as a “"culturally historically and artistically significant work"” for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry.”

All My Babies: A Midwife's Own Story - Watch the Documentary Film for Free | Watch Free Documentaries Online | SnagFilms