Dream Birth & Baby-Doula Support

18/09/2019

I’m half Ecuadorian so this caught my eye. Bien hecho, Ecuador!

Wow!! Imagine a hospital where vertical birth was not only practiced.... but preferred! The hospital in Otavalo, Ecuador has a 90% vaginal birth rate (vaginal!), of which approximately 75% are born vertically! The other 15% are birthed in a clinical room similar to North American standards. This means that only 10% of births are cesarean, which is 5% below the national Ecuadorian average of 15% cesarean births. Oh, and if THAT didn’t blow your doula mind... they are an intercultural institution where the Indigenous midwife (partera) has her own prenatal room, that resembles the inside of a home - with a fire place, beds, stove, and more! For over 20 years this hospital has been promoting these relationships and practices. The community feels supported, listened to, and connected through option and shared respect for their diversity.
Reposted from

12/07/2019

Love this.

10/05/2019

I've written quite a bit about this before--the relationship between birth plans and maternal satisfaction, and the flawed reasoning that a "lesser" birth plan = higher maternal satisfaction.

It's this continual framing of birth plans as "extra" or "alternative" when the vast majority of the time, BIRTH PLANS ARE WOMEN ASKING FOR EVIDENCE-BASED AND MORE HUMANE PRACTICES THAN WHAT IS ROUTINELY OFFERED.

It's: I'd like to be mobile during birth, to pick my own pushing position, for my baby to be immediately given to me at birth, for intermittent auscultation instead of continuous electronic fetal monitoring.

09/05/2019

https://www.mamamia.com.au/at-home-birth/?fbclid=IwAR0DcYYuSGH8qjIb6-vaCdPouFjdkdWbOOkU9Wo51ZSo8yX_LN8RJ5NqTKQ

The room full of doctors erupted in "raucous laughter".

08/04/2019

Ooolala! A rare look at a mucus plug. Sometimes they come out looking like a baby squid (see photo!), sometimes in small pieces or chunks, and sometimes you don't see a plug at all(that was the case with all 3 of my babies).

03/04/2019

If the OB or MW you’re seeing makes you feel uncomfortable, unheard, small, or stupid, I encourage you to think real hard about getting the hell out of that practice- right up to the very end if you need to. Go to the next town if there’s nobody else near you. I’ve driven as far as 45 minutes for my appointments and given birth at hospitals nearly an hour away.

My very first OBGYN’s office was lined with framed magazine pages and plaques. The Best Of The Best! Top 10 Best OBGYNs! Another Important Award! I can’t remember exactly how I chose this office, but I do remember feeling really proud of (smug about) that choice when I saw all these accolades at...

28/03/2019

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/02/hospital-bags-around-the-world/460434/?fbclid=IwAR2bRa7LkDmQZAJV_kmfTcFghJNBXdSAQmkn2HcinqJn2SKa2-fT4uNgDQc

A revealing look at what it takes to give birth in various countries

15/03/2019

About one in 20 women develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, which can be life-threatening to both moms and babies. However, it is difficult to diagnose because symptoms often mimic those of a normal pregnancy, such as swelling and headaches. Now a new innovation may help start treatment sooner by q...