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Gail Tully offers insight into shoulder dystocia complications by informing on how important it is to look for the placement of the arm.
Read more…. Arm Behind the Back: A Shoulder Dystocia Complication
French pediatrician and natural childbirth advocate Michel Odent shares his thoughts on the basic needs of a laboring woman and how if these needs were better understood, many shoulder dystocias would be prevented.
My first experience with shoulder dystocia was thankfully informed by something I read in the newsletter/magazine that The Farm was publishing at the time (1976). In the article, Ina May explained what is now known as the Gaskin Maneuver. Read more…. Never, Never, Never Give Up
Lynsey Stone—dfwbirthphotographer.com
From the early days of microbiology until the 1970s, one of the roles of midwives and doctors involved in childbirth was to protect the newborn babies against all microbes, including those from maternal origin. It was usual to shave the mother at the beginning of labor, to give her an enema and to put antiseptic solutions around the nipple.
The three biggest challenges of caring for new babies are feeding, calming crying and getting sleep. Over the past 60 years, support for breastfeeding has increased significantly (as has the availability of formula). But little advance has been made in the study and support of parents with fussy babies. In fact, parenting and professional guides have traditionally taught that colic is a mysterious problem with no remedy. Desperate and weary parents have been advised to deposit their crying babies alone in cribs to scream themselves to sleep.
Read more…. The Fourth Trimester and the Calming Reflex: Novel Ideas for Nurturing Young Infants
Author Judy Slome Cohain demonstrates how lifestyle changes do more to improve birth outcomes than prenatal screening tests. Read more…. Prenatal Ultrasound Does Not Improve Perinatal Outcomes
A personal account of a mom who sought to preserve and honor the fourth stage of labor by creating a “nest” and arranging her life so she could be fully present and fully undisturbed for the first 40 days of her newborn’s life. Read more…. Building My Nest
The fourth stage of labor is defined as the first hour or two after birth. I think we should redefine it as birth to twenty-one years of age, or maybe for the lifetime of the child. The issues never end once you are a parent. Read more…. Fourth Stage of Labor and Midwifery
A research-based article demonstrating the benefits of keeping the umbilical cord intact, specifically in regards to situations when resuscitation is necessary. Read more…. Neonatal Resuscitation with Intact Umbilical Cord
Photos provided by author
After birthing a baby through a broken pelvis and then going on to have abdominal hernia surgery, author Adamkiewicz was able to relate to the experience of a c-section by way of the medical procedures and recovery she endured.
Read more…. A New Understanding: Relating to C-section Trauma via Abdominal Hernia Surgery
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the book Wisdom of the Midwives: Tricks of the Trade Volume Two. Subscribe to Midwifery Today Magazine Although Mary wasn’t severely anemic, I knew the kinds of problems we could encounter during her birth if we didn’t help her build up her hemoglobin. She had previously taken iron… Read more…. Nature In Your Birth Bag
La maternidad segura toma en cuenta los derechos humanos de las mujeres, el derecho a decidir sobre sus vidas reproductivas; éste incluye los derechos en el parto, en especial el derecho a la información precisa sobre los riesgos y beneficios de los procedimientos en el parto. La institucionalización del parto es, en Costa Rica, una regla que habrá que revisar para tomar como punto de partida lo más importante: los sentimientos, necesidades y opiniones de las mujeres. Read more…. Mortalidad materna: La Maternidad Segura se encuentra en el Protagonismo de las Mujeres mismas
