Giving Birth at Home Looks Safe, Study Finds


http://www.livescience.com/37438-home-birth-risk.html

Among women with low-risk pregnancies, those who plan to give birth at home may face less of a risk from dangerous complications than women who plan a hospital birth, a new Dutch study suggests. (click to read on Lifescience.com)

Labor is not a Toothache!


http://supportdrfischbein.blogspot.com/2013/04/labor-is-not-toothache.html

“Anyone who has ever had a toothache or a kidney stone will argue there is no benefit to the pain other than to let us know something is wrong. Painkillers are a godsend in these circumstances. But labor is not a toothache and it is time to look at the pain of labor in a different light”…(click to read this interesting blog by radical doula-approved Los Angeles OB/GYN Dr. Stuart Fischbein.)

Prepare for birth with acupuncture


http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/prepare-birth-acupuncture-135120361.html

All pregnant women could benefit from the effects of acupuncture. A practice found in Chinese medicine, acupuncture is used to make the neck of the womb more supple as well as to help the baby rest in the correct position for a natural birth. It can also help trigger contractions if the baby is overdue. (click to read…)

Childbirth experts warn umbilical cords should not be cut for up to FIVE minutes


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2315052/Childbirth-experts-warn-umbilical-cords-cut-FIVE-minutes.html

Cutting the umbilical cord too early is putting babies’ health at risk, childbirth experts have warned.

Mounting evidence suggests that clamping the cord within seconds of the baby’s arrival deprives it of vital blood from the placenta – which can lead to iron deficiency and anaemia in later life.

Medical bodies, senior doctors and the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) want maternity staff to instead leave the umbilical cord untouched for anything from 30 seconds to whenever it stops pulsating naturally – usually within two to five minutes. (click above to read entire article…)

The Lie of the EDD: Why Your Due Date Isn’t when You Think


http://voices.yahoo.com/the-lie-edd-why-due-date-isnt-you-1958162.html?cat=25

We have it ingrained in our heads throughout our entire adult lives-pregnancy is 40 weeks. The “due date” we are given at that first prenatal visit is based upon that 40 weeks, and we look forward to it with great anticipation. When we are still pregnant after that magical date, we call ourselves “overdue” and the days seem to drag on like years. The problem with this belief about the 40 week EDD is that it is not based in fact. It is one of many pregnancy and childbirth myths which has wormed its way into the standard of practice over the years-something that is still believed because “that’s the way it’s always been done”. (click to read on Yahoo!)

5 Ways Pitocin is Different than Oxytocin


http://pregnancy.about.com/od/induction/a/pitocindiffers.htm

The numbers of inductions of labor using artificial means like Pitocin and other medications has gone up dramatically in the last few years. A hospital in my area says that 90 of the women have their labors induced. Since science shows us that inducing labor can increase the numbers of complications in the labor and with the baby, you might be surprised to note that many of the inductions are not for medical reasons, but rather reasons of convenience, practitioner or mother, known as social induction.

One of the things that women tell me is that they are lead to believe that induction is completely safe and relatively easy, after all, Pitocin is just another form of the body’s own  oxytocin, right? (click to read…good info!)

 

How To Be a Perfect Parent in 5 Easy Steps… or Probably Never


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/una-lamarche/how-to-be-a-perfect-parent_b_2888253.html

I don’t dole out much parenting advice as a rule, largely because I have an almost 18-month-old and spend most of my days feeling like a complete and utter fraud and failure.

I know that sounds depressing, but here is the truth that will set you free: That’s what parenting is.  

(click to read Una LaMarche’s VERY funny blog post on Huffington Post)