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Welcoming new babies- Leos

We welcomed 2 new baby girls this week. Baby girl Althea was born Sunday night at 10:07pm after only 7hrs of labor. She weighed 9lbs 9oz!! Woo hoo 1st time mamas!
The 2nd little girl was born at 8:03 am on 8/3 after less than 3 hours of labor. Sweet Lucinda weighed 7lbs 15oz.
So this makes me wonder about Leos. Are they all so direct and happy? because these two certainly were. They wasted no time entering the world and seemed so happy and at peace once they got here

excerpts from the book "Pushed" by Jennifer Block

Here are just a couple of quotes that I think will shock you or at the least really give you som food for thought:

In the context of the feelings of nurses and OB"s on the use of Pitocin one Physician remarked
    "When I hear I've got a nurse who will go up on the Pit, I know it's going to be a good day"
WOW! WOW! and WOW! What about all the dangers associated with Pitocin?

Ok, here's another one:
This is from DeLee, a prominent physician in the early 1900's 
     he refers to women as "nervous inefficient products of modern civilization"
This one leaves me speachless.

So, what are we going to do about the state of Obstetric care today? What can we do?

Thoughts on Water Birth

    As a midwife who advocates for and attends many water births I am coming to some realizations as of late regarding birth place and birth position. While I provide birthing tubs for all my clients, I no longer am as active at encouraging moms to get into the tub. When I began attending water births I was very diligent about helping moms who wished to birth in water to get into the tub for the birth, even if they did not seem to need the water. I thought I was just respecting their wishes. Recently however I feel that it is still important to offer or remind a mom that she wanted to use the tub, I am more inclined to support the place/postion mom is finding on her own. 
    When women are truly supported throughout their pregnancy and birth and are in a physically and emotionally safe place for the birth they almost always find their way. This is not the way that may be described in any book or video but the way that feels innately "right" for her. This year I have seen a mom who really wanted a water birth literally throw herself out of the tub right before pushing her baby out because she needed to feel "grounded". I have also seen a woman throw herself in the tub right as she started crowning, because that is what felt "right" for her.  It is so exciting to see women following their deep wisdom to find the best place to give birth to their babies.
    I continue to be a very strong supporter of water during labor and birth, but am finding I am an even stronger supporter of supporting women in order for them to find their own strength and their own path to their perfect birth. 
    Anyway, just something that has been bouncing around in my head this week.

Hello from BirthwiseTX and great waterbirth

So this is my first attempt at a blog entry. Please bear with me.
Today was ablsolutely gorgeous here in Austin, a great day for a birth. A super sweet 2nd time mom came in to the birth center today around 1:45 pm in active labor but still as funny and stylish as ever. She arrived describing lots of "pressure"- not feeling like pushing just yet, but soon it would be time she thought. With every contraction she would say " I need to go" and would walk outside in the backyard. It was so very sweet- so pulsatilla. After just about an hour she was ready to hop into the birth tub. After about 2 contractions in the tub she was really doubting her ability to get through- as do most mamas. At one point I told her she was going to have her baby very soon, she told me she thougth I was lying. But within about 10 minutes of getting into the tub she was pushing gently with each contraction. When her sweet little baby was at a full crown, Mom says something along the lines of " I can't do this birthing the head business" which of course she could. In another 2 contractions Daddy was scooping his little girl out of the tub and into Mom's arms. Absolutely amazing! I am still in complet awe as each baby is lifted onto his/her Mama's chest and lets out his/her first cry. I wouldn't want to do anything else.

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