Mother Rising - Birth Services & Beyond

15/05/2019

THIS IS PEAK PERFORMANCE //

The dancer, athlete, aerial performer, swimmer, runner, mountain climber, yoga practitioner...

All push beyond their comfort zones, experiencing their bodies in the intensity of personal-best, peak-performance activities.

We are inspired and awed by this power and potency - episodes of ‘super functioning’.

We celebrate all that has gone into the achievement: the determination, the commitment, the skill, the work, the hours, the pain.

While we accept this pain in other situations, and are generally in awe of people who push through it for achievement, the acceptance to functional, physiological pain often gets lost when it comes to birthing.

This. Is. Peak. Performance.

📷 via by

09/05/2019

“Meghan has been absolutely amazing in her birth preparations, clearly researching all her options and not being afraid to say exactly what she and Harry want and need for the birth, which is just fantastic. I hope all women follow her example - it’s their body, their baby and their choice! Because she has done her homework, she will no doubt have given thought to the time after the baby is born too.”

(06.05.19) The new royal baby has finally arrived! As we wait in anticipation to find out the name of the newest heir to the throne, baby experts from The Baby Show share their advice on the next steps for Meghan and Harry – and all new mums and dads who are sharing in this experience.

09/05/2019

Brilliant explanations 🥰
Posted • Let’s talk about hormones in labour and birth.
Did you know that there is a complex mix of hormones that occur and that the place you birth, the environment, your support, your care provider, medications (induction) and so many other factors can affect this orchestration of hormones.
Birth classes can help you understand how they work and how to nurture and promote these amazing, glorious hormones.

01/05/2019

“DUE DATES: Did you know that doctors still calculate expected date of delivery using a method formulated at the start of the 19th century. The method is known as Naegele’s rule; You take the first day of a expectant persons last menstrual period, add a year, subtract three months, and add seven days. How confusing is that! Naegele’s rule is based on the assumption that the birth person has a 28-day menstrual cycle, with ovulation on day 14, but cycles range anywhere between 21 and 35 days. These issues might help explain why Naegele’s rule isn’t very accurate and, therefore, why due dates aren’t, either. Babies simply do not care about due dates, and turn up when they feel like it and when they are perfectly ripe: the motivation for being born is something that, as yet, scientists cannot fully explain. Some babies will be ‘early’, some ‘on time’ and some ‘late’, in fact, only about 4% of babies arrive on their actual due date, and research has shown that the length of pregnancy can vary by up to five weeks. So, like in Uganda, instead of having a due date, have a due month”

🌿✨ Art by -
Words by .hill from Positive Birth 📚

24/04/2019

Women have been fighting for decades for equality and have achived some amazing change.
Yet during this time of change many women have handed over their rights and strength in the birthing rooms.
This is one of the most powerful transitions a woman goes through in her life. Many women are left feeling violated and denied of this magical and empowering experience.
When it came to giving birth to my daughter's there was no way anyone was going to tell me how to do it.
No one was going to get in the way of what I wanted for my baby.
If there's any right worth standing up for it's your right to have an empowered birth experience. Surround yourself with people who believe in you.
We owe it to our daughters 💕

22/04/2019

Anxiety. Depression. Afflictions that can make a sufferer feel like a tiny boat lost in a violent tempest. They can be especially agonizing after the birth of a child. After all, welcoming a newborn life into your family should be a joyous occasion, not one that leaves you feeling anxious, dejected,...

17/03/2019

"In infants and young children, the neocortex is extremely undeveloped, quite literally making it a physical impossibility to rationalize and deal with strong emotions and unmet needs."

Do you feel pressured to sleep train your baby so they will learn to "self soothe"? In this post I'll explain why self soothing is nothing more than a myth.

16/03/2019

One of the biggest lies told to women during pregnancy and/or labor is that baby is too big! This plants a seed of doubt into parents’ heads that mama’s body physically cannot birth her baby vaginally. That’s absurd!
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This little guy was born at home.
12lbs 11oz at birth.
Mama pushed for 8 minutes.
Mama did not tear.
Baby had a 10 APGAR at 1 min.
No gestational diabetes, baby had no blood sugar issues.
This is NORMAL!
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Obviously, this cutie was on the bigger side of normal, but for the majority of women, our bodies make babies that we are capable of birthing! Baby being truly too big to fit through mama’s pelvis (Cephalopelvic Disproportion) is rare. Often doctors will use it as an excuse to induce women before their due date, perform a c-section, augment labor with medication, or say it’s the reason for “failure to progress”. Ultrasounds are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to estimating baby’s weight. It has about a 2 lb margine of error (meaning baby could weigh up to 2 lb more or less than what they estimate!).
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Most home birth midwives understand that babies and bodies vary and so do labor patterns! Patience is a necessity. For women in labor, the key is movement! Laying in a bed reduces your pelvic diameter by about 30%! Most babies go through a series of rotations to navigate their body through the pelvis. When a mama is stuck in a bed due to medications or policies, it makes it much more difficult for both babies and their mothers. What’s the best way to avoid being stuck in a bed? Stay home during early labor, rest and nourish your body as much as possible to prepare for active labor. Have supportive providers and a doula by your side who trust birth and believe in you.
Mama: Amy Fulton

26/02/2019

FYI 𝙉𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 have "Lunette" cups at 15% off normal price plus free shipping if you are a member (They also have AfterPay) 💥

I’ve had a lot of conversations with my female friends lately about the benefits of using menstrual cups instead ‘conventional’ products at that time of month. From the dozens of conversations I’ve had, I can tell you that the benefits of using a menstrual cup are pretty compelling, so I tho...

23/02/2019

A healthy baby is NOT the ONLY thing that matters. You are NOT one feeling or one emotion. You are a complex human being who is allowed to have more needs than just staying alive, and more desires than having a healthy baby.
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The systematic dismissal of women and the importance of their experiences, and disregard for their comprehensive health is, perhaps, the ultimate driving force behind my purpose as a doula and educator. The “A healthy baby is all that matters” platitude is damaging and further perpetuates this disregard and dismissal of women.
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First of all, I have *never* met a parent who wouldn’t do anything necessary for the health of their baby, if recommended by a provider they *trust*. The healthiest mom and baby possible is the bottom line. But. OTHER THINGS MATTER TOO. Acknowledging that trust, autonomy, respect, being heard, and even hopes and dreams MATTER does NOT detract from one’s gratitude for their baby.
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Second, these needs can be met *regardless* of mode of delivery or birth preferences obtained/not obtained. When these comprehensive needs are met, many kinds of birth experiences can be positive.
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Third. Some babies are not born healthy. How a mother is treated its *always* important. Following the logic of “a healthy baby is all that matters”, then what matters when a baby is not healthy?
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Regardless of preferences, circumstances, controllables, and uncontrollables…How a mother feels during and about her birth experience affects her mental health, physical health, and bonding with her baby. That matters.

I regard this hierarchy of needs as imperfect and a work in progress! Please share anything you feel could be added.
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via .app

09/02/2019

To scan or not to scan?
This is what Germany has just passed:

Germany has passed a new law, for the protection of babies in utero, FORBIDDING pregnancy scans unless there is a REAL medical need for it.

Here is their reasoning for this law (translated):

"The high intensity of ultrasound necessary for these images carries a potential risk for the unborn child, particularly as the absorption of these in the bone is significantly increased during early development of the osseous tissue.

Furthermore, no reliable studies evaluating the consequences of this application exist.

Therefore the practice of using ultrasound scans for non-medical use - for example just to obtain a picture of the foetus - without a medical need having been established, is prohibited."

„Die für die Bildgebung notwendigen hohen Ultraschallintensitäten sind mit einem potenziellen Risiko für das Ungeborene verbunden, insbesondere da mit Beginn der Knochenbildung wesentlich mehr Schallenergie am Knochen absorbiert wird. Darüber hinaus fehlen verlässliche Untersuchungen über die Folgen dieser Anwendung [...]. Daher werden Ultraschallanwendungen zu einem nichtmedizinischen Zweck, wie z.B. zur reinen Bildgebung am Fötus („Babykino“), ohne dass eine ärztliche Indikation gestellt wurde, untersagt […].“

link to the original document https://www.bundesrat.de/SharedDocs/drucksachen/2018/0401-0500/423-18.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3&fbclid=IwAR3uyBFfRygGLloP6B4MvnBrfqxN73jVGlGELieV1sAB1DQK8I98mqsuogA

See Translation

02/02/2019

Duchess Meghan is definitely not going with the flow 😍

Duchess Meghan is ‘focused on calm and positive energy around the birth’ of her first child, a source reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly — exclusive details