Baby Steps Blog

June 23, 2010

Book Recommendation: Active Birth

Filed under: Books,Education,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: active birth, atlanta, balaskas, birth, childbirth, class — laurafields @ 7:02 am

by Crystal Bowden

Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally

By Janet Balaskas

This book uses an approach of preparation using Hatha yoga to ready your body for childbirth. Active birth is the process of having a normal labor and birth by following the instincts of your body. Included are very in depth descriptions of the exercises along with pictures, which make them easy to do even for someone who has no prior experience with yoga. There are also great explanations of why each exercise is beneficial and guidelines for times when they should not be attempted.

This book makes great use of its pictures, showing many different positions for labor and birth. They are really beautiful photographs, portraying women without fear that have complete faith in their bodies. There is much emphasis put on the use of the squatting position for the second stage of labor, along with many different ideas on ways squatting can easily be accomplished. There is also a nice little section on homeopathic remedies to use during labor and a great recipe for an herbal bath for after birth.

Active Birth was a great book to read with the added benefit of not being too time consuming because of the amount of pictures used throughout. I definitely think that it is a book every doula or childbirth educator should read and especially every expectant mama!

Crystal is a doula and a childbirth educator for Baby Steps. She lives in Douglasville with her husband, son, and daughter.

Baby Steps offers natural and prepared childbirth classes in the metro Atlanta area. Current locations include East Point, Douglasville, Marietta, Kennesaw, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Lawrenceville, and Decatur. If these locations are not convenient for you we also offer private, in-home classes on your schedule. Contact us for more information. babysteps@babystepsonline.net

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June 16, 2010

A childbirth class for Father’s Day?

Filed under: Classes,Education,Parenting,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, childbirth class, father's day — laurafields @ 7:01 am

We often think of a childbirth class as something that moms-to-be need, and that dads-to-be are dragged to with varying degrees of reluctance. Often, that’s how the dads themselves see it before class starts. In my experience, however, by the time the class is over most dads are at least as happy as their partners that they took the class.

Often, when a woman is pregnant, she watches birth videos on YouTube. She reads books about labor and birth and all that comes along with that. She talks to her friends and family members about their experiences with labor. By the time she starts the class, she’s got a foundation knowledge upon which to build. Sometimes, dads do their own research, but often they go with the flow, assuming that she will do the work and all he has to do is show up and hold her hand. Anyone who’s ever attended a birth knows there’s a lot more to labor support than that! Moms and dads both leave a good childbirth class feeling prepared and confident. Taking the class together helps them solidify their values regarding birth, such as what type of pain medications might be acceptable, what newborn procedures they should allow and which should they waive, and where they might be willing to compromise should the need arise. A class gives dads the tools they need to be truly involved and helpful during the births of their babies, a bonding experience for the whole family that lasts a lifetime.

If you’re a dad and you took a childbirth class during your partner’s pregnancy, please post a comment and let us know how the class helped you!

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June 1, 2010

Natural birth story with amazing pictures

Filed under: Parenting,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, EC, home, homebirth, natural, placenta — laurafields @ 6:34 am

Someone on our local ICAN group posted this story, and I loved it so much I emailed the mom to ask if I could repost it in our blog. They got some really amazing pictures of the birth! Enjoy.

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May 3, 2010

Being the birth partner – what do you need to know?

Filed under: Books,Classes,Education,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, childbirth, childbirth class, doula, homebirth, labor, natural, partner — laurafields @ 11:42 am

This is a great article with some rules for birth partners to follow. Yes, daddies-to-be, that means you. This is a great starting point for learning how to support your partner during her labor. Another great source is The Birth Partner, Second Edition by Penny Simkin. It’s very important that you understand the process of labor and birth, that you have some general ideas about how you might offer your partner comfort during labor, and that you know her wishes for her birth experience extremely well. A comprehensive childbirth class can make a huge difference in how both you and your partner experience labor together, and hiring a doula will give you an extra set of hands and the benefit of someone experienced to help you when the going gets rough. You can find several doulas on the Baby Steps website, as well as through the Georgia Birth Network.

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April 18, 2010

What is Cesarean Awareness all about?

Filed under: Health,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, c-section, cesarean, ICAN — laurafields @ 5:52 pm

April is Cesarean Awareness month, and I think there’s a lot of confusion about what that means. The Georgia Birth Network and ICAN of Atlanta put together a rally this weekend outside Piedmont Hospital. We received a lot of encouraging honks and waves and thumbs-up, but also a few negative comments and angry reactions. Whenever the subject of birth comes up, it seems to bring about strong, even defensive reactions. I think it would help for more women to understand why those of us who are passionate about natural birth and cesarean awareness feel the way we do.

ICAN is not an anti-cesarean organization. Women who advocate for cesarean awareness are not opposed to c-sections. Cesarean awareness is about making more women (and their partners) aware of the fact that most cesareans done in the United States are not necessary, and that c-sections carry greater risks than vaginal births. The c-section rate in the United States in 2008 was 32.3%. Georgia’s rate is even higher, and we rank last for maternal mortality in the U.S. There is a small percentage of women who choose elective c-section, and a small percentage of c-sections that are necessary for medical reasons. But most c-sections are not medically necessary, even when women are lead to believe that they are.

Women who advocate for natural birth and/or cesarean awareness don’t do it because we look down on other women’s choices. What we want is for all women to be allowed to make their own informed decisions. We want doctors to explain the true risks of cesarean surgery to their patients before cutting them. We have to speak up for natural birth so loudly because the hospitals don’t support it in a way that makes it possible for most women who would prefer it. We have no desire to force other women to have natural births; we only want to be able to choose hospital birth if we’re so inclined without having our own natural birth choices sabotaged by the system.

So when you see all of our Facebook and blog posts about birth-related topics, keep in mind that what we’re about is education. We want women to be informed, and we want them to be in control of how and where they give birth. If you’re someone who gave birth by cesarean and you’re pleased with your experience, then we’re pleased too. But there are many, many women who are not pleased, who feel they were cut unnecessarily, even deceived by the practice they trusted to help them with the births of their babies. Cesarean awareness is about educating the public, and supporting all women in making their own informed decisions about their births.

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April 5, 2010

A Safe Birth

Filed under: Education,Health,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, infant mortality, safe birth — mcasserly @ 4:44 pm

A Safe Birth

The US currently ranks 41st in the world and there are reports that maternal death is under-reported. Infant mortality is no better. Reading these articles and comments by health care professionals doesn’t bring much comfort or even clear information. It seems health care authorities are scrambling desperately to place the blame somewhere. It may leaving you feeling concerned and at a loss.

The fact of the matter is that there are some surprisingly simple things that you can do to make your pregnancy and birth safer for you and your baby.

1. Eat well and drink plenty of water.
2. Exercise.
3. Reduce stress.
4. Get plenty of rest.
5. Educate yourself!!
6. Choose your care provider (midwife or doctor) and birthplace carefully.
7. Above all, please remember – Birth is safe!

Baby Steps offers a 2 hour class called First Trimester Essentials. Anyone is welcome! Whether you are newly pregnant, further along, or even only in the planning stages – please join us for this informative introduction to what you need to know to have a safe pregnancy and birth.

See our website for current class schedules and to register. If you have a group of people who are interested but don’t see a convenient date on the schedule and you would like to host a class, contact us at babysteps@babystepsonline.net and we will work with you.

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February 18, 2010

Why hospital birthers should care about homebirth

Filed under: Education,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, homebirth, midwives — laurafields @ 7:40 am

In Georgia, midwives are unable to be licensed to attend homebirths. This means that Medicaid and insurance companies typically will not reimburse for homebirths, so couples must pay out of pocket. It also means that every time a midwife attends a homebirth, she risks being prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license, and that midwives often have a hard time establishing a really smooth transfer protocol to an obstetrician at a hospital, for those instances where a mother needs to go into the hospital during the course of labor. This can make transfers stressful for midwives and families.

The studies on homebirth all say the same thing: homebirth is just as safe as hospital birth for both mothers and babies, with much, much lower rates of every intervention you can think of. Outcomes are as good or better (when you consider morbidity as well as mortality), and women and babies are treated with the utmost respect, and labor intervened with only when truly necessary. When safety is not an issue, why should the government be involved in telling women where to give birth?

If you are a hospital birther, you may be asking yourself what this has to do with you. You have no interest in homebirth for yourself. But think for just moment about what it means for the government to restrict ANY birth choice. What if, instead, the government determined that since nearly one third of women who give birth in the hospital are put through surgery to do it, that hospital birth is clearly riskier than homebirth? What if they said that even if you want a hospital birth, you must give birth at home? What if they decide that since epidurals can result in paralysis or death, they are unsafe and you’re not allowed to have one?

If this were to happen, homebirth advocates would be just as vocal against it as we are about fully legalizing homebirth. We support a woman’s absolute right to make the choices for her birth that she feels the most comfortable with. You would have us on your side, because we believe that if you want an epidural, it is 100% within your rights to get one. We would never dream of trying to force someone to give birth at home, and we would be outraged by a government pronouncement to that effect.

The only way we will see the licensing of homebirth midwives is if our politicians start to hear about homebirth from large numbers of people. Only 1% of American women choose to give birth at home, and no matter how loud we are, the politicians just don’t care about 1%. We need your help for our cause. This is not just about homebirth; it’s about protecting the birth autonomy of ALL women. Please contact your government representatives and let them know that this issue matters to more than just 1%. We would do it for you.

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February 12, 2010

Once a cesarean, always a cesarean?

Filed under: Education,Health,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, c-section, cesarean, ICAN, VBAC — laurafields @ 12:00 pm

Almost one woman in three in the United States will have her baby surgically, by c-section. Many women would prefer to avoid surgery, but what if you’ve already had one cesarean? Is it really safe to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)? The science says yes! The main risk involved with VBAC is that of having a uterine rupture, but the risk of that happening is extremely low, occurring in fewer than 1% of women. When deciding whether to have a VBAC or a repeat cesarean, be sure to also consider the risks of a c-section. Take into account that the risk of some things increases with each addition c-section.

A new study found women having a vaginal birth after three cesareans have the same odds of a successful VBAC and the same level of risk as women planning a vaginal birth after just one cesarean. Even if you’ve had more than one cesarean, you aren’t forced to continue to have c-sections. http://www3.interscience. wiley.com/ journal/12326660 8/abstract? CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

If you think you’d like to have a VBAC, here are some tips:

Find a supportive caregiver. This is often the most challenging part of planning a VBAC! But truly supportive midwives and obstetricians do exist.
A great source of information regarding cesarean sections and VBAC is the International Cesarean Awareness Network. The national group is here, and our local Atlanta chapter is here. The Atlanta group includes a message board where you can find reviews of care providers.
Take a good childbirth class. Even if you plan to get an epidural, a natural birth class tends to be much more thorough than a prepared birth class. You want to get as much consumer information as possible when planning your birth. Baby Steps offers classes, and there are many other organizations that have good classes as well.
Hire a doula. Having a doula reduces the c-section rate by half, in addition to making your labor more comfortable.

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February 6, 2010

Saturday Special – Cesarean Birth in the US

Filed under: Education,Health,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, cesarean, ICAN — mcasserly @ 10:04 am

The Rise of Cesarean Births in the United States
by Baby Steps 2008

In 1970, the cesarean rate in the United States was about 5%². The electronic fetal monitor, though invented in the 1960s³, came into wide use in the 1970s. This device brought with it a rapid increase of cesarean rates. The studies on the electronic fetal monitor all say the same thing: it increases cesarean rates without improving outcomes for babies. It is widely used to provide evidence for malpractice lawsuits, but even its benefit to doctors in lawsuits is unproven at best, because of the subjective nature of interpretation of the strips EFM produces.

Other medical interventions may increase the risk of cesarean. More than 80% of women in the United States give birth with an epidural, and at least 60% of births are artificially induced with a synthetic hormone that simulates contractions. These interventions and others may increase the risk of fetal distress or “failure to progress,” leading to more cesareans.

There is a lot of talk these days of “maternal choice” c-section. If you watch the news you might believe that the majority of women are having c-sections by choice. However, according to the Listening to Mothers II Survey from 2006, maternal choice c-section is rare. Of the 252 women in the survey to have cesareans, only one was by choice. ⁴ While celebrities having elective cesareans are all over the news, we rarely hear about the many celebrities who choose to give birth at home, or in the hospital vaginally.

More than anything else, we hear about lawsuits driving the cesarean rate up. It is true that obstetricians pay very high malpractice insurance premiums, and that courts tend to view cesareans as the gold standard for birth. However, the risk of being sued is not as high as most probably believe. Why do many homebirth midwives maintain cesarean rates of 3-5% without the ever-present fear of lawsuits? There are many reasons for this, but one is the personal connection made with a midwife. When women are given the information they need to make their own decisions about their care, they feel empowered and in control of their care. Many families have reported that they sued simply to find out what happened.When families are given full information to make an informed consent or refusal, they are less likely to sue when things go wrong because they were involved in the decisions, and there is no question about the care they received.

Risks and Benefits of Cesarean Sections

There is no doubt that when a c-section is truly necessary, it can be life-saving for a mother and/or baby in trouble. We are lucky to live in an age where technology is available to us when we need it. Still, there are many risks involved in having a cesarean that aren’t present with a vaginal birth⁵ and the decision to do one should be weighed carefully:

The maternal death rate from a cesarean birth is 1 in 2,500, compared to 1 in 10,000 from vaginal births.

Risk of surgical injury to the bladder, uterus, and blood vessels (about 1 in 200)

Increased risk of maternal hemorrhage and hysterectomy

Blood clots in the legs

Pulmonary embolism

Paralyzed bowel

Increased risk of infection, as much as 50 times more likely than with vaginal birth

Increased pain and longer recovery times

Twice the risk of rehospitalization

Increased risk of postpartum depression

Increased risk of subsequent infertility, miscarriage, placenta previa, placental abruption, or premature birth

Increased risk of breathing and breastfeeding problems in the newborn

Risk of the baby being cut during surgery (1 to 2 per 100)

When a mother or baby is at medical risk, sometimes a c-section is the safest thing, but risks must be weighed against benefits in each individual woman’s situation. Many reasons given for cesarean section are not supported by scientific evidence.

1 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_07_tables.pdf

2 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/cesarean/cesarean_4.html

3 http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfetalmonitor.htm

4 http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10401

5 For a complete list with citations, visit
http://www.motherfriendly.org/Downloads/csec-fact-sheet.pdf

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February 5, 2010

Friday! – What were they thinking??

Filed under: Birth Videos,Education,Health,Pregnancy and Birth — Tags: birth, c-section, cesarean, ICAN, Today Show — mcasserly @ 9:59 am

This week, the “Today” show showed a live cesarean birth on their program touting the benefits of the surgery and glossing over the serious risks involved in the surgery.

Here is the clip:

The Today show – Cesarean

The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) released a statement addressing the shortcomings of the segment.

ICAN response

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