Birth, Breastfeeding,and Babies!!

Christmas Miracle?!

2010-01-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

A Happy 2010 to all! May it bring us peace on earth, and peaceful Birth!!!
Headlines and video from a Christmas eve "miracle" surrounding birth have left me with a New Years hangover....... ABC video about death/birth of mom and baby. Tracey Hermanstorfer.
Hangover because my head and stomach are both irked at how this played out in the media and the total lack of responsible journalism to delve in a little deeper, so here is the BirthrightRN take on all this.....

First, I must point out that I totally believe in miracles. I see babies born on a frequent basis, I am always amazed and feel this in itself is a true miracle. The fact that both this mother and baby were able to be resuscesitated truly is a miracle no doubt, I believe there was divine intervention here, for neither should have even been in that condition to begin with, that was all man's work....

Second, what has left me feeling less than blessed for this family?
I have read numerous articles about this and not once have I seen mentioned as to why they both "died" to begin with!! In the ABC video mom states this was her 3rd baby, that this labor was different; she got Pitocin (despite the fact that the baby was 7 weeks early) and for the first time, got an epidural. Shortly after the epidural, she layed down so the nurse could put in the urinary catheter ( needed because after an epidural you can't feel to pee), stated she felt tired, and coded ( lack of breathing or pulse). Mom could not be brought back after 4 mins of ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) so a decision was made to take the baby by emergency C-Section right there in the delivery room w/o anethesethia, but baby wasn't breathing nor had a pulse either.
Both required extensive and agressive resuscitation, and thank God (who I really feel had a hand in there!) it worked! Both are doing fine so far...
Why did this happen?..........
It happened fast and w/o warning, which makes an underlying condition most unlikely.
Both recovered quickly, which again points to no previous malady.
"Multiple tests" as relayed by the hospital have not confirmed the cause of this catastophe, again showing this was not something organic..... so survey says.... EPIDURAL!

Now how many women would choose an epidural if they knew it could cause cardiac arrest!
News flash...... bad outcomes happen more often than you think. Don't take my clearly biased word on this, check it out for yourself..... then ask you OB about it and see what you ae told..... ; )
Atricle on risks of epidurals

I am dismayed that these articles make it appear that both were saved and clearly underscore that they died at in a HOSPITAL after a PROCEDURE. Thoughts from my followers??.......

Early Impact

2009-10-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

I just came back from working with a wonderful group in the Central Valley that will be opening an Early Head Start soon. What an energized group of dedicated ladies!!! ( Ok, a few guys too, but mostly ladies!!). This program is close to my heart for MANY reasons, but this biggest reason is that this program can change lives, at the most vulnerable part... the very beginning!!

For starters, my eldest daughter was a Head Start child, which means I was a Head Start parent. I could not have finished nursing school if not for their help with quality preschool for my daughter. This isn't day care folks, this is a comprehensive preschool program that focuses on health, nutrition, education,parent involvement, and more..... and it is FREE! I always felt good leaving her there, and that helped keep me motivated to finish school as a single mom at the time.
Now Early Head Start is just like it's name, EARLY! Not a preschool program, this "little sister" of Head Start focuses on Prenatal and birth to three years of age. Their focus is on helping you have a healthy pregnancy, education on fetal development, labor, breast feeding, and infant bonding and development ( and much more!). What new parent couldn't use all that???
I was the Maternal Child Health and Disabilities Coordinator ( yes, both of these programs WELCOME children with special needs) for the Fresno program for 5 years and it was here that my passion for working with expecting families grew and evolved, so basically, what you get from me today is a direct result of Head Start and Early Head Start!!!
Both programs are free and are designed to give low income families priority enrollment and to help them move forward in their lives. Families that take advantage of what these programs have to offer to the full extent indeed can change their lives.
Do you know a family with 3-5 year olds, a pregnant lady, a baby or young child? Has our recent economy put them into the lower income bracket? Tell them about these programs!! Some are all day programs, for teens there might be a child care option,some are home visit options with a socialization time ( think Gymboree for free! Beautiful areas for your infants and toddlers!) all are culturally and linguistically friendly.
Our local one is located at 1920 Mariposa Mall, downtown for the main office, first floor for Early, 2nd floor for Preschool age.
559-263-1550 for Early, 263-1200 for Preschool age.

Equal Healthcare???

2009-08-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Haven't been blogging much lately.... I've been "downsized" from my Kaiser job..... but.... this has allowed me more TIME to work on all the other things in my life I love! ( Where a door closes, a window opens!).
I wasn't so concerned about loss of income, as I do MANY things, what immediately came to mind was oh ****, I will lose my health insurance!!!!! How sad that this was my FIRST concern!
I elected to keep my current health plan under COBRA, regular COBRA payments for this are $1,650.00 per month. As I was ready to choke, I discovered that our new President signed something wonderful that went into effect 02/09 that allows you to keep COBRA for 9 months at a 60% payment reduction,(it will go up to the regular cost after 9 months) if you didn't quit your job! Needless to say, he is on my most popular people list, right now!! Hopefully my husband or myself will find something with benefits prior to this reduction running out!
Better yet.... hopefully Health Care Reform will be wrapped up and we will have another option!!!!

As a RN for 16 years, and a Lab Tech for 10 years prior to that, I have worked in health care for most of my life.The last 10 years has very blatantly pointed out to me that the illusion that we have equal access in Health Care is a JOKE.Even with private insurance, all people are NOT treated equally. As a result of my recent change in employ, I went to work for a "registry", they supply nurses to different facilities that they are contracted with. I was sent to a small hospital here in the Central Valley.
Now I haven't worked in-patient for 10-12 years, but I was appalled at what I saw being passed off as good health care, I had a weird sense that I had been dropped out of a plane and landed in India or Africa, in a very undeserved area of either of those countries, (as I am certain there are places within either where BETTER care was being provided.)
The nurses there seemed fine ( that is what came through anyway),with providing "good enough" care and in no way inspired to provide "better" care, like the patients were grateful for whatever care they got, (and many were!), and should be happy they got any at all!
This is not how I was taught to provide care... In my little world, if you are my patient, you deserve the very BEST I can give you, does not make a difference what language you speak, if you are paying cash, insurance, or Medi-Cal; I will advocate for your just the same... not so with all nurses...... so I discovered!
This particular facility serves a primarily Spanish speaking population, a large percent have Medi-Cal, and the facility and the care provided definitely relayed this loudly.
This is run by a private multi facility organization, not the government...... It is a "not for profit" religious group, yet the top CEO's make mondo 6 figure incomes....... astonishing for me to comprehend.... as a little money spent on Infection Control regimes could go a long way....
Hey.... think one of those CEO's wants to give up a little dough to improve things?????
Think one of those CEO's will go THERE to have their child born, or if they were having a heart attack.... NOT!!!!
Thought perhaps this is just my impression.....( this happened to me 2 weeks ago FYI).
Spoke to a young lady 2 days ago, who had her baby at a sister hospital, owned by the same company, in a similar type community. She had a baby there 8 months ago..... her perception of her care was the SAME as what I witnessed, only more horrific, as she was the patient it happened to.
As she relayed her experience to my shocked ears it was hard to fight back the tears....
This women spoke English, is a US citizen, had nice "private " well paying insurance, yet she
was treated like she "didn't know better", like she didn't know what type of care she DESERVED. ( oh wait, I guess we DO have equal health care, we ALL get crappy care!!)
This women had her baby by cesarean, did not receive ANY pain medication for over 8 hours after her IV was removed, despite numerous requests for some.Remembers being told to get out of bed and go take a shower, here are your towels....by herself...no help out of bed for the first time after surgery.. NOT OK!!
She had major abdominal surgery.... not a splinter removed, not just a sore bottom, we are talking staples in your belly! All this and she could actually ask for what she needed in English....

So... Health Care Reform..... we sure as **** need to do something, don't you think????

Listen to your babies, listen to your bodies.

2009-04-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Birth...... the ultimate journey that can not be planned!!!

We can write a birth plan, we can dream and speculate about how we would like it to be... but we can not REALLY plan it!!
I write about this today to remind families that the only one who REALLY knows what is going on in there ( your uterus!), is THE BABY!!!!
Your baby can see, feel,hear, and taste a whole world that we will never again be able to experience, why should he not be the expert?! He knows how his placenta is attached, how his cord is inserted, if there are any knots in it, if it's wrapped around him, and when he needs to come out. Babies are true survivalists, they will manipulate things to keep them as safe as possible..... if only we listen!
This is the main reason that labor must be allowed to start on it's own, let the tenant decide, NOT the landlord! If mom or baby are in some major medical need for prompt delivery it will be MAJOR, not minor, not speculative, not "just in case". If you are considering an induction "because your doctor thinks it is best", how do you feel about that..... your doctor shouldn't just think... he should know, and by know I mean has evidence based information to support their thoughts. Medicine is a science, and science is supported by facts.

That said, doctors are human, and as humans we bring are own needs, wants, fears,and hopes. Past experiences color our decisions, like it or not. I feel it must be very challenging to have so much power and responsibility and be expected to base things purely on science. Can it be done...

This is why as parents and parents-to-be you must take responsibility for your health care, educate yourself, sharpen your intuition, and advocate for informed choice. Make health care a partnership, not a dictatorship.

OK, back to trusting your baby, body, and self. This now is NOT science, but art and FAITH. The intangible things...
What I have seen has taught me to trust BIRTH. If you are following Mother Nature's guide, you will get the kind of birth you need. ( Now this does not mean it is the kind you may want, key word here is NEED!)
Some ladies have fast, intense births, some long and mellow, some short and mellow, and some long and intense. All are great for different reasons... and only your baby knows....
I have seen short umbilical cords, cords not inserted in the best place, a knot in the cord, babies wrapped up in their cords like a Christmas present... and they all arrived safely, not because of medical intervention... on the contrary... in spite of them! These families trusted their baby and their body.
One mama that comes to mind had contractions that NEVER got closer together than 7-8 mins apart, but when she had one, it was nice and strong, and long. The hospital kept pushing Pitocin to "make them closer together". We discussed what did baby need...???
They (the parents) ,decided that as long as mom made progress, even if it was slow, that they did not want what was recommended.
She very nicely got to ten, pushed her baby out pretty quickly and easily, nice healthy baby. When her placenta delivered I saw something I had never seen... the cord was inserted not in the center of the placenta like it should be... it was in the membranes, barely hanging on to edge! Had this labor been pushed to be "harder and shorter" this kind of cord most likely would have caused compromise to the baby, if it actually snapped off, it would have compromised them both. My own baby, the last one, which was a very mellow and short labor, had a cord inserted in the margin of his placenta. Again, a baby that needed a mellow birth.
So try to trust your baby, he really does want to get here safely!!

Some babies make it very clear that they do not want out at all, staying firmly planted by position, not moving down, etc. Despite mom's best efforts, using every position on God's green earth known to man/woman, having all the time and support they need, they come out a different route. Sometimes that was what they needed as well.... trust your baby!

Trust Birth

2009-03-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

My dear friend had her 3rd baby Tues night and I had the honor of being her Doula.... WOW, women are AMAZING!!!!!
I was present for her last birth and actually caught that baby as she was having a planned home birth that progressed REALLY fast and the Midwife had not yet arrived. I am a "normal birth" activist, and here I was faced with "practicing what I preach" and having to confront, as a RN, any last demons/doubts that may have existed inside regarding this truly normal and blessed event. I thank her inside everyday for purging any last doubts from my body that day. ( There is an article in fact in this months Lamaze JPE entitled "My Birth Muse" that is about a very similar event for another Birth Sister! I could have written it!) Mom, Dad, and I did a great job letting baby find her way out and she rewarded us all by eagerly going right to the breast!! The Midwife arrived w/i five mins of her being born. ( Can't tell you how long it actually was, too much adrenaline, seemed like 2 weeks!!)
Her third birth went at a little slower place ( like less than 3 hours!) and she was able to really enjoy herself and had the water birth she had wanted before. Candlelight, music, women being there for her, her husband, and other 2 children, and the Midwife.... same wonderful woman that relieved me of placenta duty last Birth, here for the whole thing this time.
The Place you will Birth and the People you will have present have a HUGE impact on your Birth. Most families don't really think much about this..... until they come to my Lamaze class.
I get many phone inquiries of folks wanting a "crash course" or a "one day only" class stating they "don't have enough time". This makes me sad... not enough time for the MOST important day in your baby's life???? In mom's life??
I don't teach a condensed version, I could fill classes if I did! I refuse to compromise what I so passionately believe is THE beginning for your family.Take it or leave it... that's just me. I prefer to try and educate folks WHY it's important, and most eventually start asking questions, some find out the hard way unfortunately.
Be the change you want to see in the world!!
Until next time......

Midwives

2009-03-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have FINALLY embraced a little more technology and started a blog. Imagine that, another place I can get on my soapbox!! Who knew!!

I just returned from a WONDERFUL conference in Eugene, Oregon hosted by Midwifery Today.

I attended 2 years ago and again was not disappointed! It is so inspiring, healing, and nourishing to spend several days with sisters all cut from similar cloth. My brain is full from all the things I learned and my heart is bursting from being filled with the wisdom and caring of so many truly gifted and awesome women.

Many of these women practice in states where only a CNM ( certified nurse midwife) can legally practice. ( And CNM's in these states can not attend twins, breech, or VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). So.... women in these states can only have a home birth for the above special births ( as most of the MD's or hospitals will not attend these births either) with a licensed or direct entry midwife, and it is illegal. These women, put their heart in their hands anyway, against the law, to help families Birth the way they desire.They practice underground to avoid persecution.

Please tell ME what has happened in our country when we as families have a right to "bare arms", but not to "bear babies"!!! Gun, OK, breech baby with a midwife.... not OK??!!

PS: This is a statue of Lincoln in Boston titled "A race set free". Ladies... we won the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to equal pay..... we lost the right to BIRTH. Choose to be a race set free!!!!!!!