Midwifery Today Midwifery Today Articles

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Thinking Like an Herbalist

by Janice Marsh-Prelesnik September 1, 2008

To think like an herbalist one must come to know the ways that herbs interact with human physiology. Which herb will support the body’s healing process? Which herb is the best choice for nourishing the part of the body in need of healing? Which one relieves tension, thereby eliciting the relaxation response? How do the energetics of the herbs interact with the energetics of the human being?

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Read more…. Thinking Like an Herbalist

Learning Hawaiian hula
Photos are from the Philadelphia 2008 conference where Janice taught “The Midwife as Community Healer.”

The Midwife as Community Healer

by Janice Marsh-Prelesnik September 1, 2008

I’m constantly amazed at the kind of care a midwife gives to the people she serves. Midwifery care is a unique gift to the beloved community and is based on unconditional love. During the recent Philadelphia and Ann Arbor Midwifery Today conferences, participants in the “Midwife as Community Healer” class were asked to brainstorm words that describe the midwifery way of caring.

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Traditional Midwives and the Fight Against Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa

by Sudy Storm September 1, 2008

Malaria is the most significant and widespread of the tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa—with levels of transmission the highest in the world. It is also the greatest contributor to the high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in this region (Howson et al.). The ripple effect of this disease reaches far into some of the poorest countries on the planet.

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Humor as Natural Medicine

by Kate Prendergast September 1, 2008

I wish I could think of a punch line for this joke: A midwife, a doula and an obstetrician walk into a bar… but, I don’t really need one since I’ve gotten plenty of laughs just with that opening. Read more…. Humor as Natural Medicine

Indigenous Knowledge of Patalkot and Dangi Healers for Pregnancy Care

by Garima Sancheti Acharya, Sanjay Pawar, Surendra Bhade, Devang Patel, Anshu Shrivastava, Deepak Acharya and Manish Singh September 1, 2008

Over the past two decades India has experienced enormous changes and growth and has exhibited its economic strength around the globe. Needless to say, this globalization has provided enormous opportunities to many of India’s citizens. More focus has been given to the modernized health care facilities and technical education for the urban sector. Today, much of urban India is a showcase for the successes of globalization.

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Two Women Trusting Birth

by Paulina G. Perez and Jamie D. Perez September 1, 2008

For me, this birth story began when my second son was a teenager. One day he commented to me, “You will be there when my wife has a baby, right?”

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Herbal Applications

by Demetria Clark September 1, 2008

A primer of herbal applications, methods for preparation, indications for use and practical recipes and tips. Read more…. Herbal Applications

Photo by Karsten Würth

Being the Quiet Midwife/Doula in the Corner

by Ana Paula Markel September 1, 2008

Listening to Michel Odent, Sarah Buckley and Pamela Hines-Powell, I think about the quiet midwife in the corner of a labor room. The one who’s knitting, attending to the laboring woman or older children, or simply sitting quietly.

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The Power Belongs to Motherbaby

by Jan Tritten September 1, 2008

While herbs and other remedies have their use in pregnancy, we need to remember that it’s the women and their babies who actually do the birthing. Read more…. The Power Belongs to Motherbaby

Photo by Christopher Beloch

An Unconditional Love

by Paula M. Hostler June 1, 2008

Since my second pregnancy in 1999, family and friends have hoped for a girl. You see, we always preferred to keep our baby’s sex a surprise. The more I learned about birth, the more I resisted using technology simply because it was available. Since so little in life is truly a surprise, we appreciated the wonderment that comes with not knowing. I always felt connected just by feeling our baby growing and moving inside me; I didn’t need to know the gender.

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Homebirth after Cesarean: The Myth and The Reality

by Amy V. Haas June 1, 2008

“Homebirth after cesarean” is a phrase that garners mixed reactions—most of them negative. “Why?” or “Are you insane?” they ask. The people who make these comments, however, usually have no idea about the realities of birth in the US.

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Photo by Kris Atomic

An Unexpected Natural Birth

by Peg Browning June 1, 2008

Birth stories…these are what nourish midwives. We relive them; we love to share them. They are the electric connection among us, the energy that keeps us going. They are the affirmations that this calling is worth the sacrifices.