7 Birds Midwifery

04/22/2026

Protein...protein...protein...

Its the new Marsha.

If you've been following ANYONE on Social Media, I'm sure you've heard how amazingly important protein is...yes it is.

Like everything in physiology, we need balance.

Most studies that look at protein in pregnancy are looking at low protein diets versus the recommended protein intake, not excessively high protein intake. So let's take a look at those macros.

A low protein diet in pregnancy is considered a diet that consists of 15% or less of the calories coming from proteins.

A high protein diet in pregnancy is considered a diet consisting of 30% or more of the calories coming from proteins. 30% is what is currently recommended for pregnancy. And this equates to about 70 - 100grams of protein per day.

What we also see is that the protein type tends to matter, more so when it is imbalanced. Meaning we have high heme iron-based proteins AKA red meat, but a decrease in antioxidant intake, AKA fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

👉🏼Comparing highest vs lowest intake, total protein and animal protein during pregnancy were linked to significantly higher GDM risk, with a dose response. Each +5% of energy from total protein during pregnancy = 20-24% higher GDM odds, this was stronger for animal protein intake.

👉🏼A 2025 Japanese study found that high preconception protein intake (top quintile of % energy) was associated with a higher risk of early GDM diagnosis

Protein Source matters. Something I see a lot is patients trying to reach these extremely high protein goals and consuming lots of processed proteins.

👉🏼A 2025 Greek cohort found that high pre-pregnancy intake of processed proteins predicted GDM in normal BMI women.

No study finds that protein intake greater than 100 grams per day is more protective or add additional benefit in pregnancy, and more studies show that going above and beyond this may actually cause more harm than good depending on the source.

Studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38320463/
https://europepmc.org/article/med/39913952
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12566673/

04/11/2026

03/19/2026

The effect of aspirin on the risk of preeclampsia based on the Fetal Medicine Foundation first-trimester risk https://ow.ly/H9u650Yw6ze

03/18/2026

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03/11/2026

Unassisted birth and doulas is not without risk to all involved. Unassisted birth, sometimes referred to as freebirth or unattended birth, refers to a planned birth that takes place without a qualified birth attendant present.

While doulas are birth experts, doulas are non-clinical. A qualified birth attendant refers to a properly trained midwife, obstetrician, or family physician.

At the International Doula Institute, we pride ourselves in always staying within our scope of practice. For this reason, we do not condone IDI certified doulas attending unassisted birth.

Doing so puts doulas in a position to easily slip into medical or clinical tasks which fall outside our scope of practices.

We believe all families deserve autonomy in their birth options. However, as IDI doulas we must be mindful to not step outide our scope nor create a false sense of security for birthing families.

Doulas do, however, attend out of hospital births with midwives present.

Read more: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2025/10/unassisted-birth-and-doulas/

03/08/2026

This post isn’t intended to vilify epidurals but to educate. Sometimes the epidural is necessary to endure a birth that has completely come off the rails and sometimes it’s simply the way a mother chooses to experience birth. Unfortunately, all interventions have consequences; some more serious than others. While some would argue there’s no “medal given for birthing unmedicated”, the benefits to both mom and baby are many. For those whose births dictated a different path, I hold you in love as you read this evidence. Again, this is intended to educate, not fear monger or judge anyone. 🫶🏻

A positive urine fentanyl toxicology test may have considerable consequences for peripartum individuals, yet the extent to which fentanyl administrati…

02/24/2026

Planned home birth with a qualified midwife continues to show strong outcomes for low risk families. The evidence is clear, and families deserve policies that reflect that reality. NACPM advocates for licensure and integration so CPMs can practice safely and legally in every state. Access to community birth is a maternal health issue.

Read more:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/

02/19/2026

"Midwifery models of care are models of care in which the main care providers for women and newborns, starting from pre-pregnancy and continuing all the way through the postnatal period, are educated, licensed, regulated midwives who autonomously provide and coordinate respectful, high- quality care across their full scope of practice, using an approach that is aligned with the midwifery philosophy of care, which:

i. promotes a person-centred approach to care;
ii. values the woman–midwife relationship and partnership;
iii. optimizes physiological, biological, psychological, social and cultural processes; and iv. uses interventions only when indicated.
In midwifery models of care, midwives provide integrated care, addressing the needs of each individual woman and newborn, within functional and enabling health systems, equipped with necessary resources and streamlined consultation and referral processes. They collaborate within networks of care as part of interdisciplinary teams characterized by equality, trust and respect. This approach guarantees that every woman and newborn receives personalized care, tailored to their health needs.

Midwifery models of care are adaptable to all levels of care and contexts, including home-, community- and hospital-based settings; the public and private sectors and public–private partnerships; resource-constrained environments; and humanitarian and crisis settings. This ensures wide accessibility, equity and relevance across different cultural contexts for women, newborns, partners, families and communities."

Read More: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240098268

02/18/2026

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When midwives are by women's side through pregnancy and birth, health outcomes improve & women are happier with their care. They are more likely to have:

👩🏻 Positive birth experiences
💕 More natural births
✂️ Fewer medical interventions

To improve the health of mums & babies, WHO urges countries to invest in lifesaving midwifery models of care.

bit.ly/4kShgEQ

02/14/2026

Who wants their baby to share your midwife’s birthday? 😂🥰

*UPDATE: I was informed that hunting season babies are off limits in Wisconsin 🚫

Friendly doula FYI 😂

11/02/2025

Emergent need:

10/05/2025

Not just for higher BMI mamas, this is absolutely being suggested for any mama with risk factors for developing Preeclampsia.

Aspirin 162 mg vs 81 mg for preeclampsia prophylaxis in high-risk obese individuals: a comparative effectiveness open-label randomized trial (ASPREO) https://ow.ly/gOvX50VcySB