just one midwife's opinion
Ever just watch people poke and prod your newborn and wonder “What the heck are they doing that for?!” Knowing that parents have questions is exactly why Love of A Little One's Lauren Archer and I are starting Testing Tuesdays! We find that over and over again, newborn procedures and routine testing are overwhelming, scary and… Continue reading Introducing Testing Tuesdays!
"OHMYGODIWANTTOPUUUUUUUSH!!!!" This was Zoey's second baby and second planned home birth. She was 37 years old, had an uncomplicated pregnancy, and had been in fairly meandering labor - contractions maybe 4-5 minutes apart, at their most frequent, since 2 AM. Her last cervical check, at 4 AM, had her at 4 cm. Her sudden announcement… Continue reading The Beautiful and Mysterious Resting Phase
https://vimeo.com/333679042 Monroe is her mama’s second baby born at home. They are watched over by Dad, Big Brother, a close family relative, and two licensed midwives. (Be ready for inspiring and graphic images of a normal, vaginal birth.) Thanks to Rebecca Coursey at A Wondered Life for the beautiful footage and to my laboring client… Continue reading The Birth of Monroe
Fear of pelvic floor damage during birth is reasonable, especially given the existence of Mother's Day cards like this: http://www.omgcards.co.uk Prevention of pelvic floor damage is a worthwhile topic out of the scope of this post. Most care providers have their bag of tricks they use (evidence-based or not) that they believe will reduce tearing… Continue reading All The Things That Can Happen to Your Pelvic Floor After Baby (And What to Do!)
On April 16th, 2019, Washington Senator Maureen Walsh (R) stated she didn't support a bill that would give nurses mandatory, uninterrupted rest breaks. Her hesitation was rooted in her belief that in districts like hers, where hospitals are small (fewer than 25 beds), nurses have plenty of down time, and thus are not in need… Continue reading Gambling with Safety: Hours Worked and Quality of Care
Long Labors, Part 3: Psychosocial Strategies, is a follow-up and final installment to Long Labors, Parts I and 2. Meredith Westin Photography When a client is having a very long labor, I tend to assume mechanical challenges are the direct cause and problem-solve on that basis, first. Many emotional and spiritual forces can arise during… Continue reading Long Labors, Part 3: Psychosocial Strategies
Meredith Westin Photography Long Labors: Part 2 is a follow-up to Long Labors, Part I. We don't need to feel entirely helpless when labor lasts a long time. The following physical strategies can help shift challenging labor patterns and keep a person's strength up: Consider that you may not be in labor at all. Start-and-stop contractions… Continue reading Long Labors: Part 2, Physiologic Strategies
Meredith Westin Photography Last year I had an astounding cluster of long* labors**. We're talking two, three, four days of mother's stated experience of painful contractions, plus one nearly five day induction in the hospital for a medical indication. A couple of the planned out-of-hospital births played out in their intended location. Several transitioned into… Continue reading Long Labors, Part 1: But Why?!
In June 2017 I attended a writer's workshop in which participants were asked: "In UNDER 1000 words, write about a time you overcame a fear. Whether by choice or necessity, write about a time when you were afraid, but took the action anyway, and came out the other side. It doesn't have to be a… Continue reading Writer’s Workshop Birth Story
Gestational Rage 