Editor: Debra Mendelson, MSW, CCE
Volume I, Issue 1
May 1, 2000
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A publication of Birth Works, Inc.
Editor: Debra Mendelson, MSW, CCE Volume I, Issue 1 May 1, 2000 |
Welcome to the first edition of Birth Works E News. This is a forum for you to read about new and exciting things going on at Birth Works. Pass Birth Works E News on to your friends and colleagues--it's free! To subscribe to the next FREE Birth Works E-News, send your name and email address to enews@birthworks.org To stop receiving this newsletter: Send the email address you received it under to: unsub@birthworks.org and write unsubscribe in the subject box.
To contact us:
info@birthworks.org
Birth Works, Inc.
PO Box 2045
Medford, NJ 08055
1-888-TO-BIRTH
www.birthworks.org
Birth Works® embodies the philosophy of developing a woman's self confidence, trust and faith in her ability to give birth. It is the goal of our Childbirth classes and Doula services as well as our Childbirth Educator and Doula certification programs to promote safe and loving birth experiences through education, introspection and confident action. For complete list of our Board of Advisors and to meet the Birth Works Board of Directors click here
And believe you are
spirit believe you are love.
and believe there's a reason to know who you are
from "Believe" lyrics and music by Cathy Daub
Announcing the new CD "Believe" Thanks to the composing talents of Cathy Daub, President of Birth Works, the "Believe" CD and audio cassette have been released. This professionally performed and recorded collection of birth songs is both pleasing to listen to and full of inspiration. Cathy speaks to the heart of every birthing woman by crafting lyrics and melodies based on an instinctive and loving approach to birth. The CD contains a dozen songs performed by Maureen Conway Turner, including "What Can We Say" and "Birth Is Ancient" (workshop favorites). Contact the Birth Works office at 1-888-TO-BIRTH to order your copy now!
Welcome Jean SuttonWe are pleased to welcome Jean Sutton to the advisory board of Birth Works. Many of you may already be familiar with Jean's common sense approach to preventing posterior labors with her booklet "Understanding and Teaching Optimal Foetal Positioning". In this booklet, Jean and childbirth educator Pauline Scott of New Zealand, share some practical guidelines for pregnant women, and all those working with pregnant women, to improve the positioning of the baby in relation to the mother's pelvis long before labor begins. A baby that navigates into a vertex anterior position prior to labor (baby's head is down, well tucked in with its' back toward the front of mother's abdomen) will generally be in a optimal angle to navigate through the pelvis at birth. When the baby's head is aligned in an anterior fashion in mother's pelvis, the downward pressure of contractions on the cervix further propells the head to assist in dilation. Although many baby's are born safely and joyfully in posterior positions and other positions, an anterior positon does improve the chances of a birth experience without long back labor, labor augmentation, forceps, vacuum extraction, or even cesarean surgery.
Jean and Pauline have examined closely the causes of occipito posterior positions (where baby is head down but facing up) and believe that our modern day postures and passive life styles may contribute to this type of mis-aligment with the mother's pelvis. Simply watching television in our beautiful, but soft and cushy easy chairs decreases the amount of space in the pelvis by forcing the pelvis to tip backward. In today's world, the physical labor of working in fields or scrubbing floors has been replaced with less vigorous activitiy which has an affect on the way babies sit in their mother's pelvis. So, their suggestions for preventing a posterior presentation and helping the posterior baby to rotate to anterior before labor ensues, extend far beyond the traditional hands and knees approach. It starts with our activities of daily life. Jean suggests that women concentrate on upright and forward leaning postures (where a woman's knees are lower than her hips) particlarly during the last six weeks of pregnancy. Using a straight back chair during television viewing or leaning over a bean bag would all serve the purpose of encouraging the baby to enter the pelvic brim in optimal alignmet. Jean also suggests swimming the breast stroke. Once labor begins, taking an active approach can help a posterior or mis-aligned baby turn and align better. Any movements the laboring woman can do that change the alignment of her hips can serve this purpose. A woman may try a sideways version of stair walking or rocking from side to side while alternately lifting the hips. Pelvic tilting and simply marching in place can also do the trick. Jean and Pauline even suggest a small stool be placed in front of the laboring mom so that she can alternately place one foot and then another on the stool.
The Birth Works Board of Directors was so impressed with Jean's approach that "Understanding and Teaching Optimal Foetal Positioning" can now be purchased through the Birth Works office (1-888-TO-BIRTH). The cost is $12 and remember Birth Works members receive a 10 % discount!
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Birth Works Board
heads to Philly! Birth Works Board of
Directors had the pleasure of hosting an exhibit table
this month at the Philidelphia Midwifery Today
Conference. Many wonderful midwives, aspiring midwives
and birth professionals stopped by our conference table
to purchase our videos, books, and learn more about Birth
Works. During the weekend, Cathy, Michelle, Debra and Liz
also had the opportunity to meet with Jan Tritton, and
Cynthia Yula of Midwifery Today. Discussed were the many
ways in which our organizations can work together on new
services and programs including future conference
promotion. Midwifery Today is offering a new web site
creation and hosting service to birth professionals who
like to have their own web site or electronic storefront.
For more information and costs go to www.midwiferytoday.com/birthmarket.htm The next evening was spent in conversation with Birth Works Board of Advisor Dr. Michel Odent. The Birth Works web site is now the home of Dr. Odent's comprehensive databank of over 300 primal health research articles from around the world! Primal Health Research explores correlations between the 'primal period' (from conception until the first birthday) and health in later life. To view this important addition to the Birth Works web site go to http://www.birthworks.org/primalhealth/
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| Birth Works Participates in the CIMS Annual Meeting Birth Works Doula Liz O'Shea represented our organization at the National CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services) meeting in February. CIMS formed in 1994 as a collaborative effort between midwives, doctors, childbirth educators, doulas and other birth related professionals around the country committed to promoting a wellness model of maternity care. Member of CIMS have created and are working toward the implementation of a document called the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative. The MFCI outlines ten steps that a birth site must adhere to in order to be designated as mother-friendly by CIMS. These steps include things like access to professional midwifery care, education of staff in non-drug methods of pain relief, discouraging the use of the lithotomy positon, establishing breastfeeding support groups, etc. To see the complete MFCI document go to www.motherfriendly.org | |
| The meeting also included a showing of
the new documentary "Born in the USA" and
participants had the opportunity to view the CIMS slide
show developed by Robbie Davis Floyd and other members of
CIMS. For more information on the important work of CIMS,
contact chair of the leadership team, Mayri Sagady at
email Msagady@aol.com
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Upcoming 2000 Birth Works Training Workshops
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| Birth Works E News has
been written to provide information on Birth Works, Inc.
programs and general information about pregnancy,
childbirth and breastfeeding. The information provided is
not intended as a substitute for professional
consultation with a childbirth educator, lactation
consultant, doula, midwife, or physician. Hope you enjoyed the first edition of Birth Works E News. Pass Birth Works E News on to your friends and colleagues--it's free! To subscribe to the next FREE Birth Works E-News, send your name and email address to enews@birthworks.org To stop receiving this newsletter: Send the email address you received it under to: unsub@birthworks.org and write unsubscribe in the subject box. |
