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Come to a Midwifery Today Conference in Russia!

CONFERENCE  2010.3.9

We're teaming up with Domashniy Rebenok (Home Child) for the "Birthing in Love: Everyone's Right" conference this June in Moscow. You'll be able to learn from teachers such as Eneyda Spradlin-Ramos, Michel Odent, Katerina Perkhova, Gail Hart, Ina May Gaskin, Marina Dadasheva and Elizabeth Davis. This is a great opportunity to learn from Russian midwives and share our knowledge with them, so plan now to attend! [ PHOTO BY PHILIPP PERKHOV ] LEARN MORE…

Doulas Supporting Teens

ARTICLE  2010.3.16  NEW!

Read this article from the Winter issue of Midwifery Today magazine. “Destiny was scared and pregnant at 15 years old. She was not attending school regularly and lacked stable housing; Destiny’s future was uncertain. She started attending prenatal classes and met with a doula early on. She showed up to class every week and had a true interest in learning about her developing baby and changing body.” READ MORE…

Dr. Brewer’s Fight to Nourish Pregnant Women

E-NEWS  2010.3.16  NEW!

"Women who took Dr. Brewer's advice and ate salt, took in plenty of protein and gained weight, remained healthy and birthed healthy babies. Those who tried to follow the advice of their doctors had trouble. In 7,000 births, Dr. Brewer saw no cases of convulsive toxemia in women who followed his program throughout her full pregnancy…." Nutrition is the theme of the March 17 issue of Midwifery Today E-News. Also read Jan Tritten’s question: “Is it possible to heal after a traumatic birth?” SIGN UP FOR FREE NEWSLETTER ] READ MORE…

Learn from Ina May on Midwifery Today’s YouTubes!

BIRTH ESSENTIALS  2010.3.16  NEW!

In this movie, Ina May Gaskin of The Farm Midwifery Center teaches in the Breech Birth workshop at the Midwifery Today Conference in Eugene, Oregon, March 2009. She tells the story of a footling breech birth, including information about posterior breech and cord prolapse. WATCH MOVIE…

Documented Causes of UnneCesareans

ARTICLE  2010.3.9

Read this article excerpt from the Winter issue of Midwifery Today magazine. "Abstract: A recently coined term, unneCesareans, concisely describes the mode of delivery for 25% of low-risk first births in most Western countries. Evaluation of Cesarean Delivery, published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2000, showed a lack of evidence of improved medical outcomes with the widespread use of cesareans for low-risk, full-term primiparas. Therefore, the term “unnecessary” is appropriate in the sense of medical outcomes" READ MORE…

Disturbing “New” Trends in Tear Prevention Threaten Midwives’ Autonomy

ARTICLE  2010.2.24

Read this article excerpt from the Winter issue of Midwifery Today magazine. "Evident risk factors, which come up in many studies, are birth weight, primiparas and long second stage. Factors like episiotomy, use of oxytocin and epidural seem to be risk factors in some studies and in other studies seem to have a protective effect. But I haven’t found any good scientific studies that have looked at the birthing woman’s position during crowning, vocal support, or a natural, physiological birthing process." READ MORE…

What Is a Birth without Loving Touch?

ARTICLE  2010.2.8

Read this article from the Winter issue of Midwifery Today magazine. Naolí discusses touch as a basic need of all beings and, in particular, the benefits of loving touch—applied with awareness to the needs of the laboring recipient—during birth. READ MORE…

Birth Is a Human Rights Issue

EDITORIAL  2010.1.29

Read this editorial from the Winter issue of Midwifery Today magazine. "In June of [2009], the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution acknowledging maternal mortality and morbidity as a human rights issue. The adoption of this resolution prods governments to ‘change the way they view maternal death—that is, as a human rights issue no less serious than executions, arbitrary detentions, or torture.’" READ MORE…

A Difficult Breech Birth

ARTICLE  2010.1.15

"Jennifer Braun, Colorado midwife and director of International Midwife Assistance and the Teso Safe Motherhood Clinic, was at her desk in the clinic in Soroti, Uganda, one morning, focused on paperwork. Jennifer had once told me, “I don’t do births in Africa,” leaving this to an excellent staff of Ugandan midwives. But on that lucky morning, she got a stuck baby born and saved a life." READ MORE…

You’ll delight in thee bold images of pregnancy and birth, parent and child!

FEATURED PRODUCT  2010.3.16  NEW!

The Perceptions, Reflections and Connections DVD Slide Show features 50 photos of multi-cultural families in a variety of poses and situations. Inspiring and educational, it's the perfect DVD to show to your clients. The photos on the DVD are reprised in the companion booklet, along with inspiring and informative words. Plus, the booklet is small enough to fit into your purse or birth bag, so you can carry it with you where ever you go. VIEW PRODUCT…

Learn about midwifery education!

MIDWIFERY EDUCATION  2010.3.3

Are you an aspiring midwife who's looking for the right school? Are you a practicing midwife who would like learn more? Visit our Education Opportunities page to discover ways to start or continue your education. LEARN MORE…

Trick of the Trade

WEEKLY FEATURE  2010.3.14  NEW!

I am an aspiring midwifery student in Germany. The midwives and doctors here use tea tree oil on the suture wound. A few days after a woman has had an episiotomy or has torn, she is given a syringe with the needle still attached, filled with tea tree oil. She is then shown how to use a mirror to see her wound and to drop a few drops of this wonderfully cool oil directly on it. If she is not comfortable doing this, the postpartum midwife will apply the oil. Putting the oil in the syringe with a needle allows accurate application. This is standard practice here and from personal experience, I can attest that it really works well.

— Kiersten Figurski, E-News 1:44

Quotable Quote

WEEKLY FEATURE  2010.3.14  NEW!

It is our destiny to flower full and female in birth and in love; it is our calling to be powerful and free as women.

— Leilah McCracken

The H1N1 Primer for Pregnant Women

ARTICLE  2009.12.11

This article on the H1N1 flu and vaccines regarding pregnant women addresses such questions as, “I have heard that the H1N1 Flu carries more risk when I am pregnant. Is this true?” “What about risks to my baby?” “How likely is it that a serious complication will occur if I get H1N1 while I'm pregnant?” and “Are antiviral drugs really safe in pregnancy?” READ MORE…

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