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Wednesday Wrap Up January 20

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WednesdayWrapUpAThis is so true, and something I have tried to convey to the women I work with. If you don’t like the care, and it’s not a good fit for what you want, move on. Take your health care dollars elsewhere!

Maybe I loved this so much because I can relate, but I really appreciated how this letter to the bloggers and writers who want to feature birth photography addressed the issues we face as birth photographers. I’ve been there, and it’s not fun.

There is some irony in the fact that this article is published….on the internet. But it’s a good one anyway: 4 Things You Can’t Learn About Birth On The Internet

I have explained this to so many parents, it’s a ridiculous conundrum. Why Most Private Practice IBCLCs Don’t Take Insurance (Hint: Probably better phrased as “How Most Insurance Companies Get Out of Paying for Mandated Breastfeeding Services”)

Great overview of why cesarean rates are high, and how they can be lowered. I found it really interesting to see what step had the biggest impact in this pilot program in Southern California.

Wednesday Wrap Up January 20 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up Sept 24

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WednesdayWrapUpCSymphysis Pubis dysfunction is a painful (and surprisingly common) complication of pregnancy and can progress to a full on separation. One woman’s experience and some tips for working through that kind of pelvic instability are here. I would recommend a women’s health physical therapist as well as a chiropractor.

Fear of labor can be just a normal thing in pregnancy, but it also can escalate to a phobic level, and this article talks about why and how we can help.

ACOG, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine have issued new guidelines on estimating a due date in pregnancy. I’ve seen some crazy, crazy things happen when providers move around due dates as late as during labor. I love that they still call it “estimating” and that they discourage making small changes in the second & third trimester.

An interesting way to preserve and remember your breastfeeding experience. Would you do it?

14 ways to use the birth ball. Practice all of these and adjust/adapt to your own body and birth!

Here’s a great video on how to find and paint your baby’s position on your belly.

Wednesday Wrap Up Sept 24 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up August 13

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WednesdayWrapUpNNo one, NO ONE, has the right to decide for a woman if her birth was traumatic or not. My Traumatic Birth, According to Me

One of the frustrations about living in Utah. People are so afraid of seeing women’s bodies they do things like call the police over a breastfeeding booth at the Farmer’s Market.
 Thankfully the chief of police is well versed in Utah’s laws and handled it well.

And to get my blood pressure down again, I could use of these apps to learn relaxation and meditation in pregnancy.

A new Pinterest board you might want to check out “What Childbirth Educators Want You to Know About Birth”

I’ve already shared a bunch of funny pregnancy announcement videos, but I found a new one that is a fun one:

Wednesday Wrap Up August 13 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up July 30

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WednesdayWrapUpNFor two out of my three pregnancies, I chose not to find out if my baby was a boy or a girl. I *loved* the anticipation of not knowing and the moment of surprise at the birth. (For the third, I let my husband get his way and find out. Naturally, he refused to believe it was another girl until she was born, despite making the guy go back and look again FIVE TIMES….) If you’re not sure you want to know, here are 8 reasons to not find out.

Fifteen things no one tells you about motherhood while you’re pregnant. There are a lot of lists like this out there, and I find that most of them are things people DO tell pregnant moms, but they are interesting anyway. I love the last one here.

Loved this explanation of how dads can bond with their baby.

5 Things NOT to say to a woman with postpartum depression – and what to say instead. There needs to be more articles like this. I have heard every single one of these said to or about moms struggling with depression.

Since I also do professional birth photography, I loved this short video on capturing this one of life’s poignant moments, from New Zealand birth photographer Keri-Anne Dilworth

Birth – First Light Birth Photography – Auckland, New Zealand from Keri-Anne Dilworth on Vimeo.

Wednesday Wrap Up July 30 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up July 16

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Wednesday Web LinksLast week, Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth released a much anticipated review of the literature on waterbirth. She includes a critique of ACOG’s statement from earlier this year on the subject.

The Lamaze International blog Science and Sensibility has an exclusive Q&A with Rebecca Dekkeron the topic that I found interesting.

Improving Birth published a response discussing how moms demand and deserve better use of scientific evidence.

The American Association of Birth Centers released its own opinion on the subject, saying that it needed to “ease inappropriate fear about the safety of water birth and provide childbearing families access to accurate water birth information.”

If you’d like to read the original ACOG Opinion that started all of this, you can find it here.

Naturally, today’s video is from a waterbirth! Laura Paulescu of Crowned Photography in Seattle put together this great video. I love the baby’s hand coming up to mom’s cheek and how closely she hugs him!

The birth of Cody Taylor | Waterbirth at Mountain Midwifery Birth Center in Denver, CO from crownedbirthphotography on Vimeo.

Wednesday Wrap Up July 16 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up July 9

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WednesdayWrapUpKNice rundown of what you need to know about Breastfeeding and the Workplace.

I wish these stories did not need to be told. But they do. Sadly, some people cannot accept that birth trauma happens at all, and of those who acknowledge it, many feel it is a mother-only thing. But Birth Trauma is Not Just for Mothers, as this father’s story shows.

A follow up to a post from last weeks story about a mom who had a positive breastfeeding experience in Starbucks. When the story went viral, it was not exactly what the mom had anticipated. Here are her thoughts on The Disturbing Trend I Noticed When My Breastfeeding Story Went Viral.

If you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re not having enough fun. The Onion takes on home birth.

A look at how fear plays a role in the low numbers of VBAC births. Do Malpractice Threats – Real or Imagined – Lead to More C-Sections?

It *is* important to get the terms right! Notes on postpartum mood disorders

An illustrated example of why it isn’t so simple as “just cover up” when nursing in public.

Today’s video is a small teaser snippet from an upcoming movie called Trial of Labor – all about VBAC. In this clip, you’ll learn more about the obstacles moms face when planning a VBAC.

Wednesday Wrap Up July 9 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up June 25

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WednesdayWrapUpFThis post marks a year and a half I’ve been doing the Wednesday Wrap Up!

An interesting potential clue about what starts labor. I’ll be interested to see if this pans out and how it might increase our understanding of how labor begins.

A nice collection of links on being active in labor.

I liked this list of how to prepare for labor. Particularly #10. There’s no one way to birth, and moms get to figure out what works for them.

Want to know if your pediatrician is really breastfeeding friendly? These are great questions to ask – and the answers you want to look for.

An interesting debate going on about Natural Birth. This first link:

The Cult of Natural Childbirth Has Gone Too Far is what set it off. I think many people missed the point of the article, which is more about class distinctions and the idealization of something not available to many women.

This response, Natural Childbirth is Not a Cult, missed that point but does make some good points as well.

Today’s video is from Laura Paulescu of Crowned Photography in Seattle (formerly Denver). It shows a mom alternating movement and rest through her labor.

The birth of Naomi Yonina | Crowned Birth Photography from crownedbirthphotography on Vimeo.

Wednesday Wrap Up June 25 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up June 11

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Weekly Web Links for the Childbearing YearNice list of questions to determine if you might be overlooking some red flags in your relationship with your care provider. Truly choosing the best fit of a care provider is the most valuable thing you can do to get your best birth experience.

And if you need them for inspiration, stories from women who changed care providers during their pregnancy.

So many great suggestions for childbirth educators and doulas working with women who are survivors of childhood abuse.

Beautiful photos of a cesarean birth with a clear drape so mom can see the birth and skin to skin in the operating room, by Boca Raton photographer Emily Robinson

Loved this list! Nine Tips to Help Midwives and Doulas Work Together – I would love to see more collaboration and less territorialism between midwives and doulas. I’ve had the experience of working really, really well with midwives, and I think the collaboration serves moms well. But I’ve also seen instances where competition and protecting your territory has resulted in a less than great experience for moms. Neither doulas nor midwives alone can be all things to a laboring mom.

I’ve linked to this story before, but here is another article on the current lawsuit over forcing a mom to have a cesarean against her will. Scary, scary stuff. The hospital’s department head actually charted this:

“The woman has decisional capacity. I have decided to override her refusal to have a C-section. Her physician, Dr. Gorelik, and hospital attorney, Mr. Fried, are in agreement.”

– essentially documenting “mom is capable of making her own decisions, but we don’t care and are going to do what we want anyway.” This is simply inhumane.

Today’s video is about midwives, the role of midwives, and the variety of women who become midwives.

Wednesday Wrap Up June 11 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up May 28

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Wednesday Web Links
Collection of possible positions for laboring or birthing in the tub. I like to show moms lots of potential positions for any kind of labor to get them thinking beyond the most common ones.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out: A mom sues the hospital for forcing a cesarean against her will. This happens daily across the country, simply by hospitals and doctors refusing to “allow” VBAC, but this case is particularly outrageous.

An interesting list of things about labor, compiled by two moms with lots of personal experience in the process. I can’t say I agree with every single one, but worth a read!

A different way to look at postpartum depression: The six stages of PPD

Fantastic article on what childbirth educators need to know about maternal mental health. Includes a 10 question quiz. Take the quiz and let me know how you scored!

This is such a great birth story. I love the photos by my friend Natasha Hance, but the videos she took and included really capture the emotion. Mom talking about the baby’s sex and dad telling the whole family about how he caught the baby! It’s all so very well done. By mom and dad especially, but also well documented by Natasha!

Wednesday Wrap Up May 28 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/30

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Weekly Pregnancy and Birth LinksI’ve wondered for a long time if babies who lose a lot of weight in the first day after birth are just shedding extra water weight from IV fluids! Nice to see someone addressing it.

Good thing they reserved the right to overrule the internet.

The Words that Steal Our Birth Power An interesting look at the words we use when we talk about birth stories, and what that says about our culture.

One thing I have learned quite a bit about in the last year is infant loss. My volunteer work with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep has brought me in contact with many families going through some very difficult circumstances. One resource I was completely unaware of during my first 16 years working in the birth field is perinatal hospice. These programs provide support and help for families who have a baby with a diagnosis that means the baby is not likely to live long past birth. They do wonderful work. Please learn more about perinatal hospice and see if there is a program in your area.

Today’s video is a recent one from Lamaze International. It goes over the facts about cesareans and VBACs in a quick few minutes, with some tips on how to find out if your provider is a good match for your desires. I thought it would be a fitting way to finish off Cesarean Awareness Month.

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/30 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/23

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Wednesday Wrap-Up Graphic - Salt Lake City birth doulaA good summary of some of the cultural and societal reasons Why Women Don’t Breastfeed.

Spending time skin to skin with your baby is a pretty miraculous thing. I recently had a family with a baby in the NICU, and they were able to see some pretty dramatic positive results from having the baby skin to skin with dad in the NICU. There are lots of reasons skin to skin contact is good, but here are the top 6 Reasons to Be Skin to Skin With Your Baby

Often parents don’t want to think about bad things happening, but in my years as a mom, I’ve used 7 of these 10 First Aid Skills Every Parent Should Know

I have seen many partners help catch their baby in my years as a doula. For parents who want to be involved, it can be a fantastic experience and a good way to be connected to the birth. How Your Partner Can Catch Your Baby

I have loved seeing more emphasis on family connection and bonding in cesarean births over the last few years. This is a good list of options that you may be able to have during a cesarean birth if it becomes necessary. Planning a Family-Centered Cesarean

Today’s video shows a man in his 20s watching his own birth video with his mom. While I think many of his reactions are exaggerated for drama, and there is some strong language, it’s still fun to watch.

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/23 Read More »

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/9

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Wednesday Wrap-Up Graphic - Utah Private Childbirth Classes
We are in the middle of planning our family vacation this week, so I have travel on my mind. We will be hitting a few National Parks on a road trip. (Someday I hope to see ALL the National Parks!) If you are pregnant and planning a final kid-free trip before the baby comes? Here are a few links with helpful tips:
Travel During Pregnancy – What to Bring
7 Tips for Traveling While Pregnant
Pregnancy Travel Tips

And if your baby is already here and you want to explore the world:
Car Travel With a Baby
Flying With a Baby
Tips for Traveling with Cloth Diapers
Breastfeeding While Traveling
Bottle Feeding While Traveling
50 Things to Know Before Traveling With Baby

I know, I know, we’re tired of the onslaught of selfies. But I really liked this idea of documenting your pregnancy through photos. It’s a HUGE step up from cell phone mirror shots, and I love how she pairs the photos with words.

Totally tooting my own horn here, but I had an article on Peanut Balls for Labor published on Science and Sensibility yesterday!

Today’s video comes from my friend Amanda McGhee of Kimberlin Gray Photography in Hampton Roads VA. Beautiful home birth that transfers to the hospital. The older kids reactions are just so fun to watch! Just FYI, there are bare breasts in the video, so if you’re not OK with that, might want to skip it. I honestly did not notice because I was caught up in the emotion of the birth.

The birth of Evanora from Kimberlin Gray Photography on Vimeo.

Wednesday Wrap Up 4/9 Read More »