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It is astounding how much midwives and doulas love and appreciate the placenta, while the general public treats it with an “eewww” attitude. We think of it as an incredible though short-lived organ that through it produces a beautiful baby. Most of us teach our families the beauty and function of the placenta. Before or after we have checked it for missing Read more…. Jan’s Corner: The Gorgeous Placenta

Midwifery Today needs your help so we can continue to help others become midwives or doulas, provide worldwide birth education, and lead more women to have better births. Read more…. Midwifery as a Gift

We have a problem! Labor induction in the United States has more than tripled since 1990.
A first-time mom told me on social media, “It wasn’t even a discussion, it was: ‘this is what’s happening.’ It’s really hard to disagree with doctors or people in positions of authority—in particular when you’re in such a vulnerable position.”  Read more…. Calling All Midwives….

Hannah was 39 weeks and a few days pregnant with her first child one summer when she went to her scheduled prenatal appointment with her obstetrician/gynecologist. As a part of her examination, a late ultrasound was performed, and she was diagnosed with “low amniotic fluid.” Read more…. To Induce or Not to Induce? That is the Question

Globally, there is the problem of the over-medicalization of childbirth, but there is also the problem of the under-utilization of lifesaving care, and marginalized people often suffer needlessly from lack, rather than overuse, of health care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. This quote from Miller et al. Read more…. Become an Implementing Partner of the International Childbirth Initiative: A Model for Safety and Respect in Childbirth that Works in Every Setting, Everywhere in the World

The term “medicalization” refers to the process in which conditions and behaviors are labeled and treated as medical issues. Medicalized birth came about in the early 1900s with advances in pain relief, antiseptic and aseptic surgical practices, and surgical techniques and outcomes, alongside a rapid rise in people’s faith in scientific medicine.  Read more…. The Medicalization of Midwifery and Birth

At the beginning of the pandemic, a woman I know well—I’ll call her Jackie—became pregnant at age 30. Jackie has a mild intellectual disability, but she is high functioning, verbal, and able to make her own medical decisions—which was recognized legally by the court in her county when she was younger. Read more…. When Traditional Western Medicine Breaks Faith