Spinning Babies Blog

Spinning Babies vs. Ultrasound? Post 1

2011-08-31T16:21:00.000-06:00

Penny Simkin alerted me of a new marketing for Ultrasound in childbirth. TrigMed has developed a concept for viewing labor progress -and adding yet another wire, or two or three, depending on use, with their LaborPro devise. TrigMed's LaborPro... My fascia is fluttering and my muscles feel mushy. What a weird experience to feel that we have stepped into a science fiction future. Well, if it

Demystifying the Pelvic Floor class

2011-06-28T07:00:00.006-06:00

Last night, 30 women gathered at Blooma with Leslie Howard, Amy Metry and "Ruby" the pelvic floor model to explore the many facets of the female diamond. Soon we were laughing and learning. Here's some more about Leslie:Leslie Howard Yoga in the News: Fit Yoga Magazine -December 2008Curve Magazine - "5 Facts About Down There" January 2010Vagina Pagina blog - April 2010Yogic Muse Blog, June 2010"A

DONA International explores Belly Mapping

2011-03-17T07:11:00.007-06:00

General Session Presentations of the17th Annual DONA International ConferenceJuly 21-24, 2011Boston, MAHere are the exciting General Session speakers and topics you can look forward to learning from at the conference. A wonderful variety of Concurrent Session speakers and topics are also scheduled. · "Third and Fourth Stages of Labor: Usual Practices under Heavy Criticism," presented by Penny

Mujer alumba en motoconcho, no le dio tiempo entrar al hospital

2011-03-16T22:57:00.000-06:00

Ok, you're going to have to watch the first 30 seconds a few times.This birth will first confuse you because the mother is leaning back on a motor cycle! She's just been driven into the ER which Ithink is quite resourceful.(The sound is terrible. Its probably videoed from a cell phone.)Ok, now what are you seeing? The baby is born breech and comes readily - a good size boy born in the "Impossible

Pelvimetry can still be worth something

2011-02-15T13:26:00.008-06:00

Pelvimetry has been abandoned by many as meaningless. It may not have importance to those who do not know what changes they might make in their practice protocols for variations in pelvi. For those who know that the pelvis is dynamic and changeable, there are women whose can adapt their birth preparation to their pelvic shape or variation. javascript:void(0)Achieving a dynamic balance is helpful

March of Dimes: Preterm Birth Rates Improve in Most States

2011-02-14T15:31:00.000-06:00

March of Dimes: Preterm Birth Rates Improve in Most StatesThis is one group I have turned around on. We can reduce the prematurity rate.1. Don't get induced!2. Eat well -lots of dark leafy greens and other veggies, a bit of fresh fruit, meat and fish soups with boiled bone broth, a bit of salt (yes), brown rice and avoid the whites, white rice, bread, sugar, and potatoes.3. Get your Omegas, fish

Spinning Babies model at the class

2011-01-17T08:08:00.003-06:00

When I do a Spinning Babies class, I ask the local hostess(es) to ask a local pregnant woman to come be our morning model. From 10:30-12 she helps us with Belly Mapping and the Pregnancy Protocol, heavily featuring Dynamic Body Balancing (Dr. Carol Phillips, DC). In Atlanta, GA, the first full day, and a Saturday after the ice melted from the roads, Nicole came to be our pregnant momma. See

How I came to be the Spinning Babies Lady

2011-01-08T14:18:00.010-06:00

Leslie Lytle, a sponsor for the Spinning Babies and Resolving Shoulder Dystocia Workshops in Richmond, VA this year (2011) asked me how I came to the concepts behind my approach.I didn’t come through academia. The community called me out. In the hospital, I saw babies handled at birth with no understanding of their awareness and impressionable emotions. My desire was for babies to have someone

Pelvic floor protection

2011-01-07T23:08:00.006-06:00

A Spinning Babies visitor- "I along with many women, would greatly appreciate any info you could provide as to what to do during pregnancy and especially during the pushing phase that would prevent pelvic organ prolapse (rectocele, cystocele, uterocele, etc.) from occurring, or at least help keep any current prolapse from worsening."For your pelvic floor protection:No caffiene (yes!)Regular

Blizzard of Breeches

2010-12-28T23:53:00.002-06:00

I love this story, so romantic, in the sense of a baby coming during a blizzard.http://douglaston.patch.com/articles/douglaston-brothers-deliver-baby-during-blizzardGuess the baby wanted to test the temp and put his little toes out first. I'd love to know the details.Meanwhile, a midwife texted me that she had a surprise breech with a first time mom. This baby came with the feet and buttocks

The Essential Ingredient: Doula

2010-12-07T23:20:00.000-06:00

Lovely Video!

flexion, looking "down"

2010-11-24T20:31:00.005-06:00

A woman wrote me today saying she's due now but her baby isn't engaged. Her doctor said her baby is on her left facing her right hip and looking down.Was that a problem she asked?I began to answer in one way and suddenly realized as I wrote that I wasn't sure exactly what her doctor meant!See the drawings here, the babies on the left side are flexed, with their chin's tucked and the one on the

Nurses and Spinning Babies

2010-11-16T17:51:00.004-06:00

Today, some sweet Labor and Delivery nurses, who may want to keep quiet about their Spinning Babies plans and do will remain anonymous until they say that I can brag about their individual beautifulnesses, talked with me about what activities they could teach and do with a pregnant woman in prenatal testing sessions.We talked about using the first principle of Spinning Babies at three anatomical

Car Breech w yoga breathing!

2010-11-11T23:35:00.004-06:00

Newspapers love to publish car birth stories and the latest in the stream is a breech birth in England. The local hospital closed to births so the parents had drive to a hospital a little farther than labor had time for. A healthy 7 1/2 pound girl was born while the father drove on.The cute baby has the classic breech forehead shape showing us that she likely was breech for a while as her head

Fetal position and Thyroid

2010-10-24T21:35:00.005-06:00

Check out this post at Perfect Health Diet on Thyroid health and breech rates. We have also heard that low thyroid is associated with posterior babies.Optimal TSH levels are not what the current tests indicate. This is obvious to anyone struggling with thyroid symptoms who is told their levels are normal. Read the fine print about the test...But it may be worth the test anyway...and don't forget

A doula once again...

2010-10-24T20:19:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I ponder if a birth I attend will be my last one. I don't know, I've always been on the verge of some ending or another. This summer God gave me another chance and so did a mother from Wisconsin. Well, actually, I asked her if I could be her doula! Can you believe it?I've mentioned her before on this blog. She's the woman who felt in her heart that having a routine cesarean for a breech

Breech updates

2010-10-18T20:26:00.023-06:00

The Midwives Alliance conference offered two wonderful presentations on breech. First, Midwife Abby Kinne of Ohio (right, helping a student) taught a day long class emphasizing no-touch but helping midwives get hands-on skills with a wonderful womb-anikin from Australia called Sophie and her Mum.Thanks to Candace Robinson for the pictures.I couldn't sit back! I so wanted to "feel" the models.This

Email if you have questions

2010-09-29T11:37:00.003-06:00

Some of you post your question on my Inversion blog and I missed someone' s post until after her due date. Please email me insteadGail @ Spinning Babies Dot Com.Fix the address according to the address need.

Organic Birth Movie

2010-09-26T06:41:00.003-06:00

Congratulations, Debra Pascali-Bonaro on Going GreenAngie and I will be selling Organic Birth at the LAMAZE ICEA CONFERENCE in Milwaukee, WI this coming weekend! Our Spinning Babies exhibit will offer both Organic Birth, 57 minutes, $19.99 and Orgasmic Birth, 72 minutes, $29.99 at this special conference pricing.ORGANIC BIRTH is a tighter, 52-minute updated version of the original 85-minute

Blasting oxytocin at a baby's brain desensitizes the brain to love

2010-09-23T21:21:00.003-06:00

Midwifery Today publishes the answer: Questioning Oxytocin Dr. Odent, a leading visionary and leading voice in normal voice, "The most common medical intervention is undoubtedly the use of drips of synthetic oxytocin. ... the rates of labor inductions are very high in many countries and, in practice, labor induction implies hours of intravenous drip. "One should first wonder why the use of

breech elephant born

2010-09-11T21:38:00.004-06:00

Elephants also have a doula with them during birth. A smart zookeeper knows this. A breech baby elephant was born with the help of doula-elephant Num-Oi in the Melbourne, AUS zoo.I remember hearing about and watching Raja's birth in the St. Louis zoo some years ago. His mother was in a long labor until the zoo keepers got the idea to bring in a female companion who had given birth her elephant

Illinois tyranny again

2010-09-08T21:35:00.004-06:00

Illinois may be the most dangerous place for a baby to be born at home. State agents, in this case social workers, assume their views supersede parent rights when the doctors and hospital social workers are upset about birth choices.Here's an attachment parenting view by Alicia Bayer, Mankato writer:Baby born via homebirth taken from parentsSome parents choose a vaginal breech birth to allow the

Optimal fetal positioning gaining popularity

2010-09-05T21:30:00.003-06:00

birth is in bloom.: on optimal fetal positioning.: "A woman I work with asked me yesterday what I know about fetal positioning. She is 38 weeks pregnant. I palpated her belly, but had to admit..."More doulas and midwives are posting more on optimal fetal positioningAnd mothers, too! Here's one after my own heart!Connecting In Utero without a Sonogram"What if you knew the exact position of your

State Fair fun and another painted Belly!

2010-09-04T00:20:00.002-06:00

The Wax melted - Home birth IS safe

2010-09-01T11:37:00.005-06:00

The British Medical Journalexposes the Wax et. al. Meta-Analysiswhich wrongly claimedthat there were more deathsat homebirthsand wrongly concluded that "the triple infant mortality" was due to the fewer interventions happeningat homebirth.Betty-Anne Daviss, Co-author of BMJ's report involving homebirths, says,...the Wax et al. publication was bad academia, go to

Spinning Babies on the net

2010-08-31T01:27:00.002-06:00

Its fun to come across references to SpinningBabies.com so I thought I'd share one with you. The links are from google...You spin me right round baby right round... - Hackney Birth DoulaIf you've got a little tinker in your tummy who isn't responding to your daily cries of, 'for Pete's sake turn round', take a look at the Spinning Babies site. Hackney Birth Doula - http://

BellyraMa and Belly Painting

2010-08-30T14:54:00.010-06:00

BellyraMA was glorious! 200 yoga mamas, pregnant and new, dads, doulas - and me! Painting bellies along the lake was bliss. The video is too small. "Throughout the day I have received such positive energy from people reacting to your painting - the energy flowing through me right now is incredible! I feel so grateful... for one, grateful for the attention and love you gave our baby

And so she did!

2010-08-27T15:44:00.002-06:00

I got to attend another little breechling yesterday as a doula with our beloved Dr. Denny. What a strong mama! Oh, my.She and her husband live in rural WI and at 38 weeks when her local OB told her that her baby was breech and he was scheduling a cesarean, she just knew that surgical birth didn't make sense for all breeches. That's when she started her journey. Based on her inner knowing she

Send more Belly Mapping Workbooks!

2010-08-19T19:46:00.003-06:00

I love the sound of this:"...need more The Belly Mapping Workbooks.Sold the last one I had this morning"Writing connects many members of a community. I wrote to pregnant women and their doulas, and yes, to the young midwife. Our community is much broader! Certainly, educators, caregivers and grandmothers, yes; but also book sellers, photographers, producers and all walks of supportive people!

Breech birth comparison

2010-08-11T18:18:00.005-06:00

Rae Davies sent along a breech birth link of a clinic birth shown on a NYtimes.com clip. She says about the Frank Breech Birth clip I posted in June,"Thank you for sharing this - it's refreshing to see after I just watched a film by renowned NY Times Journalist and author of "Half the Sky" Nick Kristoff. Compare and contrast http://video.nytimes.com/video/2007/02/24/opinion/1194817102255/

Walcher's on tv!

2010-07-25T20:22:00.004-06:00

I was tucking my 85 year old Mama in and she had her tv on. A Hallmark channel movie had a midwife leaving a pregnant woman's house while young "Doc Owen," rode up on her horse. Suddenly a man galloped up and said his wife was in labor and it wasn't going well. As the doctor turned to go the midwife brought her bag to come along. Reluctantly the doctor accepted the midwife's help. The father

Now, why do we want to mainstream homebirth?

2010-07-12T10:04:00.003-06:00

First we're asked, "Is homebirth safe?Is it as safe as hospital birth?"(Then we're asked, who'll clean the mess, and yes, midwives help with that!)To be current-The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has come out with a slanted "mega-analysis" claiming triple the death rate for homebirth. The experts of normal birth, say his collection of review articles included unplanned homebirths

Frank breech home birth

2010-06-30T16:34:00.010-06:00

I've just been given permission to post this lovely breech home birth video. This is a third baby, her second natural (vaginal) birth and first home birth for this family. The baby was small and full term. Apgar Scores were 10 and 10. You also see the first 30 seconds after the birth.The t-shirt was worn to make Robin Guy and the women of Coalition for Breech Birth smile --they made these

Breech sifting

2010-06-20T20:57:00.006-06:00

Ok, I haven't been blogging for a while. Two breech labors lately. Were still waiting for footage from the first to be edited and in the second family the poor little breech guy couldn't line up on the pelvis so thankfully the warm folks at Hudson, WI welcomed the family in for care and ultimately a cesarean. Two other babies were born with compound presentations. Those two probably would have

Natural Birth is economically necessary

2010-06-03T11:24:00.002-06:00

Natural birth practices are less expensive as well as better for healthy women and their healthy babies. Even high risk mothers have better health outcomes when lower tech methods and locations are generally used (Margaret Tew). The key is knowing how to combine healthy holistic practices with the rare need for medical technology and intervention.With less federal and state money available,

BIrth in MN newspaper!

2010-06-01T09:53:00.004-06:00

The Star and Tribune has run three articles lately all favorable to midwifery and childbirth. You wouldn't think anyone would be opposed to childbirth, would you? Anyway,these articles were glowing. Thank you to reporters Chen May Yee and Josephine Marcotty!Where C-sections are few highlights the work of midwives and physicians at St. Joseph's hospital with a walk down memory lane with St. Joe's

Friends in the news

2010-05-26T23:01:00.004-06:00

Here are a couple cool articles about this "natural birth trend" and they are about friends of mine.Our local Paula Bernini Fiegal's Birth Center was in the news again with luscious photos of her St. Louis Park mama's at her new Birth Center on Excelsior Blvd. Read the Star and Trib article.And Orgasmic Birth Website posted a Hudson Reporter newspaper story about a New Jersey family who birthed

Doulas reform health care for 1.5 million

2010-05-24T15:51:00.002-06:00

Another sample of real Health Reform! Thank you, Illinois Senator Durbin!! He worked hard, with others, I'm sure, to get federal monies for community doulas."Research shows women who use doulas have a significantly lower risk of cesarean, use of medication and other interventions, which helps to reduce rates of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. (The Doula Book, MH Klaus, JH Kennel,

Minnesota passes Birth Center Law

2010-05-23T23:49:00.007-06:00

"Time to celebrate!"The governor signed the birth center bill into law this morning, May 21, 2010! You can see for your self at: http://www.governor.state.mn.us/priorities/legislation/index.htm"What an incredible day for birth centers, midwives, and childbearing women! We are the first state to have equal reimbursement for CPMs written into law. Women on medicaid now have expanded birth

A beautiful controversary on breast feeding

2010-05-20T12:49:00.002-06:00

THE PROBLEM WITH BREASTFEEDING The Breast Way's interview with James Akre.Read a perspective that will take you deeper than the jingle. A symphony beyond our time, but one that will be playing soon upon the hearts of mothers and the lips of babes:"Removing this inert pediatric fast-food from the kitchen pantry and returning it to where it got its start – in the medicine cabinet for emergency

Art-a-Whirl Belly Mapping

2010-05-15T18:40:00.003-06:00

First thing, today, Vic and I picked up my glass fusing pendants from Glass Endeavors and stopped out back of the 331 Club to hear The Roe Family Singers with Vic's Kurt playing mandolin. Kim and Quillan Roe's little 15-month-old girl, Elspeth warmed up with the band by grabbing the mike and imitating her mama.Kim and Quillan stopped a moment with they saw Vic and I walk up and said how much they

Belly Mapping in Michigan Center

2010-05-13T08:49:00.002-06:00

Patty Brennan is a Michigan Midwife and Doula trainer with a wide range of excellent and unique education for parents, doulas and midwives on her Center for the Childbearing Year Website. She offers a dual purpose Belly Mapping and Palpation class to parents and aspiring midwives. (What a brilliant idea!) Patty has nice things to say about my new Belly Mapping Workbook on Patty's prolific

Belly Mapping Workbook could be improved

2010-05-04T10:46:00.002-06:00

Ahh, darn. I found both a mistake and an awkwardness in the center of my new Belly Mapping Workbook.The mistake is in the circle depicting what should be the map of a Left Occiput Posterior baby but has an older map in that placement of an oblique lie (a baby lying diagonally in the womb). The words "bulge in hip" in that circle should be omitted and the word "wiggles" should be in their place,

Breastmilk Is a Cure for Cancer

2010-04-29T10:03:00.003-06:00

What about this finding and the probiotics in breastmilk, is there an association ?Its funny that Breastmilk Is a Cure for Cancer and they aren't announcing it from the roof tops. How could money be made from Mama's milk??'Til that is answered, who will be interested in marketing? Meanwhile, if we have placental medicine why not milk medicine?"Substance Found in Breastmilk Kills 40 kinds of

The tears of breech

2010-04-12T10:03:00.005-06:00

The Ottawa Citizen heralds the re-newed Canadian acceptance of vaginal breech birth in Elizabeth Payne's article, Giving Birth the Natural Way. Andre' Lalonde, head of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, said last year, "The safest way to deliver a baby has always been the natural way," and then began to bring back breech birth to Canadian hospitals.A young OB attends his

Belly Mapping Workbook at Baby Expo

2010-04-10T01:17:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow - er, um, later today, my family and I will be greeting expectant mothers and fathers at the Minnesota Baby and Kid Expo at the Belly Mapping Table. I'll also be presenting Belly Mapping and also facilitate an Optimal Fetal Positioning discussion.We'll be chatting with visitors and selling the new Belly Mapping Workbook from Maternity House Publishing. Its 48-pages packed with

911 on the risks of formula feeding-and a 411 on the benefits of breast milk

2010-04-05T23:42:00.004-06:00

I wrote last year about my stepson John Froehlich's research success on protein changes and his grad team's tracking of milk changes over the first 28 days of breastfeeding. So it was fun to be in his kitchen tonight when he brought in a print of The Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States: A Pediatric Cost Analysis, the Bartick and Reinhold cost analysis of pediatric diseases

Citizens for Midwifery sets own recommendations for NIH VBAC policy

2010-04-02T19:20:00.005-06:00

Willa Powell, President of Citizens for Midwifery, gives an excellent summary of the March 8-10, 2010 National Institute of Healths' Consensus Development Conference on VBAC. She gives this decision as one of the things the NIH got right:"The Conference panel’s final report states: “Given the available evidence, TOL [trial of labor] is a reasonable option for many pregnant women with a prior

Acupuncture while traveling

2010-04-01T23:33:00.016-06:00

This winter has been extremely challenging with my skin. My acupuncturists, Tomas and Katherine Flesher, who run the 3 Treasures Community Acupuncture Clinic at the Ivy Building in Seward neighborhood, took a workshop by Colet Lahoz of The East-West Clinic in White Bear Lake and suggested I try her anti-Candida program. I had a little trouble getting started (I never fit the program!) so I

Spinning Babies Blog in top ten for new midwives

2010-04-01T12:49:00.004-06:00

The Nurse Practitioner Schools data base and blog listed Spinning Babies Blog in the first ten of their 50 Best Blogs for Midwives.The Nurse Practitioner Schools blog gives a brief description of the many nursing schools around the US. If you are looking for nursing credentials, perhaps to go on to become a Certified Nurse Midwife, their site may be an online starting point.Other exciting blogs

Israel joins Canada increasing vaginal breech birth

2010-03-16T22:35:00.003-06:00

Haaretz.com posted an article, Doctors call for fewer C-sections, more training for breech presentations, by Dan Even.Dr. Marek Glazerman (mistakenly called Mark in the article), head of Rabin Medical Center's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is heralded as a proponent of vaginal breech birth, when appropriate. He spoke up for breech birth even after the Hannah Study claims put the brakes

Please visit the Okinawan Peace Garden

2010-03-12T06:52:00.004-06:00

A wonderful redemption of Peace. The Okinawan people have created a physical representation of Peace as a way of life. Please come visit the pictures.

Gail fails at cross cultural taste test

2010-03-10T16:51:00.011-06:00

Lunch on Monday, March 9, was delicious! Cafeteria dining at the Aquarium made up for the rainy weather. Fresh and zesty, m-m-m. Seaweeds and pickled radishes, amazing vegetables. My mouth was happy to be in Okinawa! Supper was a little more challenging, however...Ryan and Vic are hearty and adventurous eaters.I thought I was doing good with the tuna sushi the other day, but they upped the bar

Belly Mapping Mama

2010-03-09T17:53:00.003-06:00

I'm out on the web regularly to see what women are saying about Belly Mapping. Sometimes I find older posts. This one from Ann of Loxley on Mothering.com is fantastic. She wroteabout trying to figure out if her third baby was breech or not, after a previous breech. You may have to sign in... http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=15164131Here's her drawing:http://i113.

March of DImes Prevent Prematurity with Midwives & lowering induction

2009-12-29T21:23:00.004-06:00

Medscape interviews Dr. Fleishman, expert from the March of Dimes, on the prevention of prematurity. The March of Dimes has gotten my respect these last 7 years for their prematurity prevention campaign. In the beginning, I used to muse, what we midwives could teach these folks. Well, someone else must have been thinking that same thing. And better than that, Dr. Fleishman is watching the

low hormones and posterior babies!?

2009-12-24T14:29:00.002-06:00

I've been promoting iodine in pregnancy for a couple years now.And didn't even guess low thyroid levels could be related to posterior fetal position! I just had a hunch we were seeing more slow starts to labor, to the frustration of the mothers and to a point that didn't seem like a simply gentle start. Also, for women who had a tough time getting pregnant due to hormone issues.So this new

Where fear is seen as compentency

2009-12-18T17:46:00.002-06:00

Another surge of gratitude for not having gone through the system.Read this insightful report of this test for an "OB" class.http://myhousesmellslikevanilla.blogspot.com/2009/12/reflections-on-exam-of-doom.htmlThe blogger, I can't see her name, compares a care plan for a woman who has a breech baby at the end of pregnancy.Of course, I've met many dozens of wonderful hospital care providers. And

Belly Mapping Problems

2009-12-14T09:16:00.004-06:00

Women have contacted me lately with some frustrations doing Belly Mapping. (See Michelle's comment to the previous post.) I haven't been hearing the details of what the problem is, but it sounds like there is some confusion. I'd like to address that today.Belly Mapping becomes easier the later in pregnancy the mother attempts it.Here's a mom beginning her third trimester.She lies down to relax

Dynamic body balancing weekend

2009-12-09T19:47:00.003-06:00

Last weekend was really amazing. It started out with me having a meltdown into the magma of unworthiness. Forget "inadequate pelvis," my head, my heart, my whole life sucked. Maybe being on such a steep learning curve curve with life was getting to me. I really lost my peace.Anyway, the Dynamic Body Balancing class was about to start and I felt that I was facing a cliff to climb to get my

Thanks giving

2009-11-26T12:32:00.006-06:00

Thank you to all the mamas and babies and papas and siblings and nurses and midwives and doctors and doulas and childbirth educators and yoginis and lactation consultants and public health workers and authors and painters and singers and bringers and pot luck cookers and visiting home nurses and hucs and apprentices and hypnobabiebirthingteachers and prayers and hopers and givers and takers and

Funny! More breech coincidences

2009-11-23T22:15:00.002-06:00

Ok, this is getting weird.I got a series of calls from three women who are all friends in WA state looking for support for the one of them who is at term (pregnant and due) and whoses baby is suddenly breech. They wondered if I knew of any breech resources in Washington state. Well, sorry, I didn't actually. Portland, OR and Vancouver, perhaps, but not WA itself.I opened my email, didn't even

Teri posted my breech update pics!

2009-11-22T21:39:00.007-06:00

Ok, the topic of breech is so daily in my life right now. I wish I was done with my other projects to travel somewhere for more training. Somethings up. At least we are working on a related project....more on that when its manifested. I got another call today from a birth educator, out of town, looking for a breech-skilled provider. Just what those skills are does need to be discussed.Today,

Coalition for Breech Birth Conference

2009-10-21T14:40:00.004-06:00

Life made sure I went to the Coalition for Breech Birth Conference in Ottawa, Canada.Robin Guy and her Coalition co-madres joined efforts with UnderstandingBirthBetter.com Midwife Betty-Anne Daviss. They brought several top breech experts to Canada to share their hope to continue vaginal breech birth on Earth. Starting with Dr.s Andre' Lelonde and Robert Gagnon of the SOCG and ending with Ina May

Fun w Belly Mapping

2009-10-08T20:17:00.003-06:00

This post from an expectant mother's blog lifted my spirits today."We also got to find out our baby's position in the womb (called belly mapping). S/He was enthusiastically responding to our hands. So our baby's back is on my left side and the knees & feet are up against my belly's right side (which would explain all the kung-pow action going on over there). And the head is down!"They feel the

2009-10-04T10:07:00.002-06:00

"Women always have a choice. The question is not whether they have a choice, but are they willing to make a choice." - Kim Wildner,in Midwifery Today Issue 68, Winter 2003, "The Ties that Bind, How Belief Creates Birth Realities"This is exactly why I say Homebirth isn't a choice, its a way of life.

More on the value of apprenticeship

2009-09-16T12:06:00.002-06:00

Considering the ACNM letter of late, I hope that each of you would take the time to promote the apprenticeship model of care. If midwives are only trained in institutional settings, how would we learn normal birth (home birth?) Institutional settings utilize obstetrical solutions for pregnancy and birth problems, but not traditional midwifery care. If we want to preserve traditional wisdom we

More proof that homebirth with Midwives is safe

2009-09-06T08:03:00.005-06:00

I'm so glad that I learned my midwifery from midwives in the home during homebirths. I learned there what I do there. (I know that's a silly sentence, but think about it. Women go to an institution hoping to learn how to honor birthing women and then practice in another institution that depends on interventions and complications to make a profit...)I help in the home and I've learned the culture

New Navigation at Spinning Babies

2009-08-25T03:19:00.002-06:00

I fixed the messy menu problem. I don't know why I didn't get the fix earlier. I thought I'd double clicked on some extension or module. But, no, it was just me being wordy. Now cleaner.Please visit www.SpinningBabies. com

Can this cause a breech position?

2009-08-03T11:59:00.003-06:00

"Hi Gail,"I wanted to run something by you... We had a client a couple weeks ago with a somewhat irregular but progressive labor pattern, and we used the rebozo to do a little sifting, plus some abdominal lifting (which seemed to regulate and intensify ctx). After several hours things picked up rapidly, her water broke, and we went to the hospital. Upon arrival she was 7cm, baby's shoulder was

Obama, what we can do for health care

2009-08-02T12:17:00.003-06:00

Jennifer Block is, again, on her toes.http://rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/07/29/wheres-the-birth-plan"Compared to healthy women who get standard obstetric care and deliver on high-tech labor and delivery wards, women with low-risk pregnancies who get care with a midwife and deliver in birth centers or even in their own homes, benefit from a five-fold decrease in the chance of a cesarean delivery,

Be part of a breech study

2009-07-08T11:33:00.001-06:00

Heads Up! Study on Breech Pregnancy and Birth If you gave birth to a breech baby, or if your baby was breech at some point during pregnancy, we would like to invite you to participate in a research study. Please share this announcement with others who might be interested in participating. Research goals: Breech research is often aimed towards health care providers and tends to focus on

Natural still better after cesarean...

2009-07-04T12:10:00.002-06:00

Janna Farley wrote an excellent article on the high value of vaginal birth after a previous cesarean (VBAC). Her article caught my attention because one of the mother's interviewed describes her cesarean as necessary for a posterior baby who didn't descend in labor. I address this very issue in my chin tucking article under Baby Positions on the Spinning Babies Website. Here's the description

Spinning Babies on the top 100

2009-06-22T20:43:00.002-06:00

A busy student radiologist has gifted Spinning Babies on her top 100.She calls her list, 100 Best Health Blogs for Soon-to-be Moms. Fun!See who L. Fabry has picked. From the familar to the unusual...

More from John on Breast milk!

2009-06-21T22:14:00.009-06:00

My husband's son John is a published young scientist who recently presented at the American Society for Mass Spectrometry on his research team's discoveries about human breast milk. I have no idea what phosphorylation is, but here's some highlights. First, their title: Analysis by Microfluidic LC-MS/MS with Integrated Phosphopeptide Enrichment Reveals Dynamic Human Milk Protein Phosphorylation

Breech Birth Coalition is having a conference

2009-06-19T11:12:00.002-06:00

Breech Conference registration for October 15-16, 2009 in Ottawa, Canada ...do whatever you can do to be here. "Let's make some noise."- Robin www.breechbirth.caDenying vaginal breech birth is a human rights violation in that it forces a woman to consent to surgery in order to obtain medical care. The right to informed consent is meaningless where there is no right to informed refusal. -

Lamaze on Canada's breech news

2009-06-19T09:43:00.006-06:00

Amy Romano wrote a brief bit yesterday in her Lamaze Science and Sensibility blog about the history of Canada's change to support vaginal breech birth from the Term Breech Trial to this month's decision by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/?p=239.You can get a copy of the SOGC breech guidelines there. Learn more about Amy RomanoHenci

The baby is born!

2009-06-18T20:28:00.005-06:00

This beautiful family has just welcomed their baby girl. She was born alert and vigorous, (Apgars 9 and 9) welcomed by two smiling doctors, two wonderful, calm nurses and two doulas (me with the camera). The Dad was confident and this mother truly radiant, practical and about her work. Dr. Hartung welcomed this baby so gently, talking to her and handling her and her mama with such grace. Truly

Canada recommends vaginal breech birth

2009-06-18T17:17:00.006-06:00

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecology Canadian has switched to supporting vaginal breech birth. The next step for Canada is to train their doctors to catch babies who come butt or feet first. Read Carla Wintersgill's article "C-section not best option for breech birth The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada will launch program to teach physicians breech vaginal delivery"

Twins and Spinning Babies

2009-05-13T09:29:00.002-06:00

For optimal fetal positioning with twins, use the same 3 Principles of Spinning Babies that you use for a single baby.Manual cephalic version (when the doctor or midwife manipulates the baby into a head down position) is too risky for most twin breeches.Bring your body into balance to allow the babies to wiggle into head down positions on their own. Most times this will be helpful when the mother

What should I do to help my breech baby turn?

2009-04-16T21:18:00.002-06:00

Dear Gail,I was wondering what yoga position is good to help turn a baby. I have tried laying on a board upside down and my lower back gets really soar. I went to the chiropractor today and she is going to see me [again]. I am wondering what else I can do to turn this baby....My response,I've answered this question pretty well on my Spinning Babies Website. Let me tell you how to find it!Go to

Chance to promote midwifery

2009-04-16T20:49:00.003-06:00

Senator Berglin's Birth Center Bill if passed, would provide the most amazing opportunity to promote midwifery that this nation has ever experienced.While physicians can certainly establish and/or work at birth centers, the birth center is commonly associated with midwifery care. We have about 300 midwives of both CNM and CPM credentials. About 50 of these midwives attend now, or have attended,

Competition among birth places

2009-04-16T20:25:00.004-06:00

The new Birth Center Bill is gaining grumpy support. Grumpy, because though hospital birth practitioners support Senator Berglin's bill there is a lot of behind scenes gossip that having birth centers will take the patients from area hospitals. Hospitals are concerned about loss of income.Even hospitals compete with each other as noted in this article:Park Nicollet doctors won't work at new Maple

Reducing the Cesarean Rate

2009-04-13T11:18:00.003-06:00

One of the ways to reduce the Cesarean rate is with the Pelvic Floor Release. The pelvic floor is a strong bowl of muscles that has a front-to-back opening for the baby to go through. A crooked or tight pelvic floor lengthens the birth, increases OP position and Asynclitism (tipped head).See the new article on how to do the Pelvic Floor Release under Techniques, at the Spinning Babies

KFAI Radio today

2009-03-07T18:32:00.000-06:00

Support our birth activists on International Womens' Day!KFAI, 90.3 Minneapolis11 am Cesarean Voices (Twin Cities Chapter of ICAN)11:30 Midwives and Doulas (with Akhmiri Sekhr-Ra and Gail Tully and friends)

Health System glitches, no insurance, no obstetrian...

2009-03-07T18:20:00.004-06:00