and after Birth

Giving birth to a child changes a woman physically, spiritually and emotionally. The process of labor, birth and the immediate postpartum can be challenging- even frightening for many women, as well as their partners. In centuries past, labor took place in the home, with the mother surrounded by midwives and experienced female caretakers. Today, labor often takes place in a sterile, confining hospital room. Mothers are left to labor mostly alone. However, doulas, professional caregivers who spend time with women prenatally, during labor and the postpartum, offer women a great deal of support, while helping to bridge the gap between past and present.

There are many clinical benefits of having a professional doula present during labor and birth. Controlled studies of women of similar health who had doulas present during labor versus those who did not showed significant benefits of having this type of caregiver present.

Benefits of Continuous Support of a Professional Doula during Labor:

• Shorter labors
• Reduced chance of cesarean delivery
• Less narcotic use
• Fewer assisted deliveries (pitocin, forceps, vacuum)
• Reports of positive experience from both mother and partner

During the birth doulas provide many benefits to both parents. They offer advice, support, and many traditional comfort methods. Though they cannot speak on behalf of the parents, they can provide parents with research-based advice regarding interventions. Doulas help by providing massage, keeping the mother hydrated, offering suggestions for changes in position and proving a number of traditional, non-narcotic pain relief options for the laboring woman.

Benefits of Having a Doula after Birth

Though most doulas are considered birth or labor doulas, there are also a number of professional postpartum doulas working around the world to help retain the healing an emotional traditions of post-birth recovery. In the United States women rarely get paid maternity leave, they often rush back to work and their daily lives without even a chance to catch their breath. In non-western cultures, this type of activity is still virtually unheard of, with most eastern cultures promoting an extended period of confinement following birth. Postpartum doulas help to bring some of these traditions to the western world, while helping parents to build confidence in their maternal and paternal skills.

Benefits of the Postpartum Doula:

• Higher rates of successful breastfeeding
• Lower rates of postpartum depression
• Greater understanding of the physical and emotional needs of the newborn
• Less anxiety/fear regarding basic baby care
• Earlier bonding as a result of increased maternal confidence
• Less maternal exhaustion/frustration

Sitting the Month: Postpartum Traditions around the World

Spending the first 4-8 weeks after birth indulging in hearty foods, resting in bed and bonding with baby are not unusual outside of the western world. Though not always known as doulas, postpartum caregivers are a significant part of the traditional birthing experience. The presence of female caretakers, either professionals or family members, who provide superior postpartum support, is common outside of the US.

Common Eastern traditions for postpartum care include:

• Eat special foods meant to increase lactation and promote healing
• Spending time quietly reflecting on the birth experience and new motherhood
• Foregoing certain activities

• “Hot” foods are encouraged in many Asian cultures (brown sugar, fish pig)
• “Cold” foods are discouraged in the same cultures (fruits, vegetables, soybeans, and milk)

• Mother spends an extended period of time in the bed, without getting up for any reason
• Younger, unmarried women and older women without children at home come in to care for the mother/baby dyad, older children and father

Many European countries also partake in some sort of postpartum ritual. Some countries, such as France, actually subsidize care for the mother and baby from a professional following birth. Postpartum and birth doulas are widely available throughout the United States. Interested families can typically find a professional in their area by visiting http://www.dona.org

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636040/

http://www.baby-moon.org/doulas.html

http://www.dona.org/mothers/why_use_a_doula.php

The Birth Partner Third Edition Penny Simkin

The Doula Book

Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who is featured in the interview below, is a British doctor whose name has become synonymous with anti-vaccine groups. A talented physician, Dr. Wakefield is one of the first and only mainstream physicians to provide evidence supporting the connection between autism and vaccines, as well as a connection between routine vaccinations and gastrointestinal issues like crones disease.

Though research from Dr. Wakefield may be controversial, it is a proven fact that routine vaccination causes serious side effects in thousands of children each year.  These statistics do not even touch on the numerous more subtle effects that remain unnoticed for years while wreaking havoc on the internal organs and health of young children. Recent studies have shown that children who are routinely vaccinated acquire 2-3 more disease on average. As a result of this and many other alarming studies, public awareness of deficits in vaccine safety is on the rise.

Gardasil, a vaccine meant to prevent HPV and recommended for children as young as eleven years old, has only been available to the public for a short time. However, records from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System show that more than 10,000 adverse effects have been officially connected to the vaccination as well as 27 deaths. Gardasil was recently outlawed in Spain due to the high incidence of serious side effects like lupus, epilepsy, convulsions, brain damage, and death. Why should young women in the United States continue to be encouraged to obtain the vaccination?

Of course Gardasil is not the only vaccination that has a long list of serious side effects. DTap, a combination shot intended to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis is given to children numerous times throughout infancy. However, the risks of the shot, which contains formaldehyde and thimerosal, include seizures, sudden infant death syndrome, meningitis, and pneumonia- among dozens of other fatal conditions.

In fact, nearly every childhood vaccine is accompanied by a laundry list of possible side effects, often worse than the disease that these shots are meant to prevent. In some cases, the very disease that the shot is meant to prevent is one of the numerous side effects that its usage may cause. In fact, through the eighties and nineties, nearly everyone who developed polo in the United States acquired it from the polio vaccine.

One reassuring piece of information from Dr. Wakefield and homeopathic practitioners like Robert Scott Bell offer is a belief that some of the damaging effects of vaccination can be changed through dietary and lifestyle changes, meant to correct the damage. Of course, these treatment measures will vary greatly depending on the severity of a child’s reaction to a specific vaccination. A large number of vaccine injured children will never fully recover.  Parents who have started vaccinating their children can stop at any point and reduce some of the potential for side effects.  Any child that has reacted adversely to any shot should stop immediately and their parents should refrain from subjecting them to any further inoculations.

The most frightening part of it all is that we are unable to detect much of the “invisible” damage caused by vaccination, as many related conditions do not develop until decades after the shot has been administered. Many of today’s recommended vaccinations, like Gardasil, are very new to the market and were not adequately tested for safety prior to public release.

Though reports to VAERS are openly displayed, showing undeniable evidence of the devastating effect that routine vaccination has on millions of people’s life, physicians often fail to discuss potential side effects with new parents. Furthermore, many adverse side effects are not reported to VAERS either due to parent or physician error.  Parents can contact VAERS to report any potential adverse reaction 1-800-822-7967 or visiting the website at

All-too-trusting caregivers will continue to provide their children with shots, laced with toxic ingredients and their accompanying fatal side effects, until we stand up as a country and demand that parents are given the opportunity to provide truly informed consent before their children are dosed up.  Please take the time out to study side effects and warnings prior to opting for any inoculation. It could mean the difference between life and death for some children.

To view the interview visit:

http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=94CF5BC3E4557C489FEBFB9875E26FD8

References Apart from Natural News:

Generation Rescue

Dr. Sear’s Vaccine Book

CDC Vaccine Guidelines

Drmomma.org

Are vaccines really safe?

Shortly after getting a positive pregnancy test, modern American families are flung into the midst of an ongoing battle regarding the future health of their children. For mothers who give birth in the hospital, one of the first things they will be asked to do is sign a consent form permitting the hospital to inoculate their newborn baby against a form of sexually transmitted hepatitis. Due to pressure from hospital staff, pediatricians, and social workers parents are often uninformed on the actual risks of vaccination and unaware of the fact that they do have the right to make an informed decision regarding when and if their child will be vaccinated.

The truth is that vaccinations are risky at best. Recently, talk show host, Dr. Ward Bond and homeopathic practitioner, Robert Scott Bell sat down to talk about the facts behind these dangerous vaccinations. You can see the results in the video below.

Vaccines operate as dangerous serums that set us on a path of dependence to pharmaceuticals for life by weakening our natural immunity and making us far more susceptible to illness. As a result, the vaccinated need to see the doctor more and require more antibiotics, so on and so forth.

There is substantial evidence to support the belief that vaccines set us on a path of destruction. Recent studies have shown that children who receive vaccinations have 200-500% more chronic illnesses in life than non-vaccinated children. Furthermore, recent outbreaks of common childhood illnesses amongst vaccinated populations show that these inoculations are not nearly as effective as we have been led to believe.

Simple biology provides us with a good deal of evidence against routine vaccination, especially when it comes to young children. Children have an immature immune system before the age of two. The use of vaccinations in children this young and with such a high level of doses alters the child’s natural immunity and neurological conditioning in a dangerous way.

Of the dozens of vaccines that children are routinely exposed to, four stand out from the crowd as being the most controversial. One of these is the polio vaccine, which uses an inactivated strand of polio to create an immune reaction in young children. Despite the fact that polio was once a widespread and dangerous disease, expert studies show that it was on the decline when the vaccination was introduced. As with the natural ebb and flow of epidemics, it likely would have faded out as more people became exposed and immune. Furthermore, even at its height most individuals who acquired polio showed no symptoms at all. Serious, paralytic illness was only found in around 1% of cases. There is a chance that the vaccination does not do anything to actually prevent polio, but instead we just developed a natural immunity as a society.

Another controversial vaccine due to heavy indications that ingredients used in its development may contribute to the dramatic increase in autism over the last two decades is the MMR shot. This combination shot is meant to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella. Children receive one dose soon after their first birthday, followed by two subsequent “boosters” in early childhood. The multiple shots are required since the child’s still-developing immune system will fight them off if not routinely exposed. Yet in a recent outbreak of mumps, over 70% of victims were previously vaccinated using this exact concoction. Though makers of the drug reluctantly admit a small failure rate, it is nowhere near 70%. Statistics like these certainly leave skeptics wondering if vaccinations of this type are of any value at all.

Yet another inoculation that is prescribed at birth, though there is no indication that it is necessary in the average American home is the hepatitis B shot. Though the odds of a child developing hepatitis B, a disease typically spread through dirty needles and promiscuous sex, as an infant are extremely rare, the vaccine is associated with a risk of irreversible brain damage in some children.

Finally, we come to the HPV vaccine. This vaccine is being heavily marketed all over the country right now as a way to prevent cervical cancer. Children as young as twelve years of age may obtain the HPV vaccine in certain parts of the country without their parent’s consent. However, it has been shown to have numerous dangerous side effects, such as chronic seizures, brain damage, and even death. Yet many researchers question if the virus is even inherently related to cervical cancer as the American people are being led to believe.

It is critical that parents study the dangerous side effects associated with common childhood vaccinations and carefully weigh them against the risk of disease. In many cases, you may come to find that a few weeks of chickenpox or the measles is a small price to pay when it comes to potentially avoiding a lifetime of debilitating neurological damage and illness.

The problem with farming and government standards

Today’s modern farming methods and government regulations make our clothes laden with toxins. By law the flame retardants are required to keep in the clothes for at least 50 washings! The government advocates these “safety” measures because they feel it will reduce the risk of injury in a fire. Though, are the government’s intentions to protect us really worth it? Yes, these fire retardants may save our life in a fire but they are slowly killing us.

There are other methods available for fire safety. But why haven’t you heard of any of them? Because the big chemical companies advertise that “their chemicals are necessary to save lives”. The brominated flame retardants being used directly affect the developing brain and reproductive systems.

As Ramiel Nagel points out in his book, “The government doesn’t protect us from these chemicals, even when their dangers are well understood and acknowledged.” He has warned us that we now have to take our health in own hands.

Symptoms

Additional symptoms and effects from brominated flame retardants or PBDEs include: hives, headaches, migraines, rashes, fever, flu-like symptoms, difficulty breathing, sinus infections, heart problems, muscle cramps, kidney failure, rapid breathing, yellowish coloring of the skin, birth defects, increased risk of cancer, acne, dilated pupils, motor and coordination problems, stomach ache, learning disorders, reduced appetite, fluid retention, reproductive problems, infertility, and the list just goes on and on.

Toxins

PBDEs or antimony polybrominated diphenyl ethers are not the only toxins used on our clothes.

• Antibacterials are used to prevent bad odors in sporting clothing, which cause irritation to the skin and are harmful to water life.
• Fungicides are used to stop mold growth in clothes.
• Dyes contain carcinogenic and mutagenic toxins.
• Formaldehyde is a common agent to prevent shrinkage and wrinkles. It is a very dangerous toxin to the brain and body.
• Phthalates are known to cause infertility.
• Heavy metals such as chrome, lead, and nickel are present in dyes and are very dangerous to developing brains.
• Fluoride and PFCs are a common additive to the manufacturing of clothing.

Toxins in your clothes

Most likely if you are not buying your clothes organic, they are going to contain flame retardants. Making your clothes may not be any better, because fabric comes with flame retardants. A less expensive option than organic clothing would be to buy organic fabric and then make your own clothes.

• Cotton: Sprayed heavily with carcinogenic pesticides and then doused with toxins and flame retardants because it is highly flammable by nature.
• Nylon or acetate: Soaked in toxins. It takes at least 50 washes to minimize the toxins.
• Fleece (PJs): Very toxic with flame retardants, you do not want to sleep in it!
• Leather: Contains the heavy metal chrome.
• Polyester: Flame retardants are built into the clothes, so only wear on occasion.
• Synthetic materials: Not only are they toxic, but they block your energy flow throughout your body.
• Rayon: A synthetic material that is sprayed with many toxins and dyes.
• Clothes that claim to be “wrinkle and shrink free”: They loaded with formaldehyde!

Don’t forget that anything the mom puts in or on her body will transfer to her growing baby or through her breast milk. It has been found that PBDEs are not only in breast milk but are also in almost all living animals, from eagles to polar bears. There have been studies that show the effects of fire retardants in baby animals, so this is definitely a warning to all little children in the world. Even blood samples of people who live in ideal unpolluted places have significant amounts of flame retardants and toxins in them.

You are what you put in and on your body

Remember that your skin is a very powerful absorber. You skin will absorb anything you put on it. In Healing Our Children, it is mentioned that the pesticides used to grow cotton are definitely not food grade. Most cotton is also genetically modified as well. Really, anything you put onto your skin will absorb into your body, so using food grade methods should be a must. Sadly, this is not the case with most of the clothing sold in our country. If your clothes contain dyes and nerve-damaging chemicals, you are putting yourself and your children at risk of serious health issues.

Now what can you do?

Since you can’t go anywhere without clothes, finding natural brands will be important to maintain your health. Going all organic or natural is not completely reasonable for most people. The time it takes to research trustworthy brands, the money and availability all play a factor.

For sure have some clothes that are organic or natural. Even if you and your family only wear them around your house and when you sleep, it will help reduce the toxic load of your body. It is hard to transform your whole closet to safe materials, so do the best you can.

Here are some guidelines you should follow when buying clothes for your child.

• Always buy organic or natural materials when possible.
• Choose natural materials such as cotton before synthetic materials.
• Always wash cotton and all clothes several times before wearing them.
• Stay away from store-bought pajamas. They contain some of the highest levels of toxins. You are better off buying organic PJs or use an old cotton sleep shirt for your kids.
• Stay away from polyester, because the flame retardants are actually built into the clothes.
• Naturally fire-retardant clothing includes snug untreated cotton (snug reduces flammability) and natural wool.
• If you are going to make your own clothes, do so out of organic fabric only. When you sew clothes, you are directly releasing the formaldehyde into your face!
• Make sure to wash your clothes in a non-toxic detergent as well! Air dry only if you live in a unpolluted area.
• Buy used clothes! Used clothes are a lot less expensive and have been worn, so all of their harsh toxins are worn off from washing and wearing. Just make sure to wash the previous detergents off of them.

Toxins are everywhere!

Do the best you can with lifestyle choices as well. Watch out for toys, stuffed animals, mattresses, pillows, car seats, highchairs, baby carriers, and even diapers. Sometimes you can find lists that show the toxic load on certain brands. It is safer to stick with the brands that claim to have fewer toxins. Though, you cannot be completely safe unless you buy all organic or natural materials.

As a rule of thumb, whatever your baby or child spends most of their time in, whether it be a car set, nursing pillow, mattress, baby swing, bouncy chair, carpet, etc. make sure that it is organic or natural. Exposure time does play a big role in the severity of the effect as well.

In a recent study, baby and toddlers have three times the amount of toxins as their moms. This mostly has to do with the materials that these babies are rolling around in and sticking in their mouths.

Do the best you can

Remember that emotions can be toxic too. Not only can negative thoughts and worries affect your own body, but it can affect your growing baby as well as people around you. The best things you can do are to become aware of the toxins in your life and reduce your exposure to them. Even if that means just changing out of your pajamas, you have helped reduce your body’s toxic load. Be thankful for the things that you have already done to protect your family.

“Let us cease poisoning ourselves and let this be the end of the poisoning of our children-to-be.” ~Ramiel Nagel

References:

“Is Fire Retardant A Harmful Toxin?” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 31 July 2012. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/19/eveningnews/main4109418.shtml>.

“Lessen Your Baby’s Toxic Load ( Part 2): Clothing.” Lessen Your Baby’s Toxic Load ( Part 2): Clothing. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2012. <http://www.naturalnews.com/024797_child_children_toxic.html>.

Photo of baby: Wikimedia commons

Pregnant belly: Wikimedia commons

Clothespin: Flickr creative commons

For hundreds of years, parents would simply place their baby over an appropriate place upon receiving unique cues that it was time to go. This practice, known as elimination communication or natural infant hygiene, is still quite common in many parts of the non-western world and is growing in popularity amongst European and American parents. Currently, around half of the world’s infants never wear a diaper and many are potty-trained by their first birthday.

Following Baby’s Cues

When it comes to the practice of elimination communication, it is important for caregivers to pay close attention to their baby’s cues. Ideally elimination communication should be implemented within the first four months of life. Many parents who plan to use the practice begin the day the baby is born. One of the biggest reasons for starting so early is that parents have ample time to pick up on signs that the baby needs to use the potty. All babies give off signs, whether it is a certain noise, expression, or that they go at a certain time of day.

Mothers Intuition

Mothers’ intuition also plays a large role in natural infant hygiene. After a few days of bonding and observing the baby for cues, most mothers are able to predict when the baby needs to go potty. It is the same as a mother who wakes up right before her baby rouses to nurse.

Parental Prompting

Finally, parental prompting plays a role in elimination communication. Parents begin to make a certain noise before placing the baby over the pot, such as “Shhhh” or “Wee”. These noises become a type of language for the baby and with time, the baby begins to associate the noise with using the bathroom.

The Tools of Natural Infant Hygiene

Though the general idea behind natural infant hygiene is that the baby does not require a lot of extra stuff to manage their bladder and bowel movements, there are some items that are helpful for families who practice natural infant hygiene.

Pads

Wool, fleece, and sheepskin pads are very popular amongst families practicing elimination communication. They are placed beneath the baby at night to soak up any accidents. These materials are used because they will wick the moisture away from the baby, keeping baby dry and comfortable throughout the night and protecting the mattress from damage.

Cloth Diapers

Though the whole idea behind natural infant hygiene is to avoid diapers, some families do purchase a few cloth diapers for the early days. Many parents will simply place the diaper under the baby during naps, similar to a pad, during the early days. Sometimes cloth diapers are also placed on babies during time outside of the house.

Cloth diapers are preferred over disposables because they are better for the environment, contain fewer chemicals, and feel natural. Children who are solely cloth diapered tend to start using the potty far sooner than children who wear disposables because they are more aware of the discomfort caused from wetting or having a bowel movement.

Woolies, Longies, and Shorties

Woolies, longies, and shorties are all terms for knit bottoms that babies wear in lieu of diapers. They protect the baby from the elements and keep them warm. In the event that a baby does have an accident in their woolies, the material will soak up the moisture and keep the baby feeling dry. Many parents who practice elimination communication use these as nighttime attire during the winter instead of a pad.

Potties

Though some parents simply place their baby over the family toilet, most will purchase small plastic potties or buckets to catch the baby’s bowel movements. The practice, known as “making a catch” is the primary tenant of elimination communication.

The Benefits and Advantages of Elimination Communication

There are many benefits to practicing natural infant hygiene rather than simply waiting for the baby to show interest in potty learning. Practiced for generations, when properly executed this practice can be very successful and surprisingly hygienic, even more so than using diapers.

• Babies who use elimination communication begin to use the potty independently far earlier than their diapered peers, often shortly after their first birthday.
• There is little to no waste, bowel movements and urine go into the toilet just as if the baby were an adult. There are no pails filled with dirty diapers, no garbage bags sitting with human waste.
• The connection between parent and baby is strong when natural infant hygiene is practice. Bonding is greatly improved.
• Babies never have to deal with the discomfort of diaper rash or sitting in a wet diaper.

References:

http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/ingrid_bauer.html

http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/baby-health/newborn-development/elimination-communication.htm

Many people are overwhelmed with the idea of trying to teach their tiny baby sign language. However, baby sign language is different from the standard versions used by older children and adults. Languages like ASL include their own grammar, rules, and complicated synonyms. However, baby sign language tends to be relatively straightforward. Furthermore, learning sign language, whether it be ASL based or simplified baby talk, is far easier for a baby to grasp as their brain is still developing and highly receptive.

Parents who are interested in using signs with their baby should begin early.  Start with simple examples that are relevant to early childhood, such as “milk” or “teddy bear.”

Teaching a baby basic signs often provides a huge relief to new parents who are struggling to understand their baby’s needs. Baby’s can learn to sign what they are not yet able to express verbally. Such as the desire for a favorite teddy bear or a need to nurse.

Many experts believe that bridging the gap of understanding between parent and child can lead to fewer tantrums. Thereby promoting harmony within the home. Instead of getting frustrated and falling into the floor because a child cannot express their feelings into words, they can sign it. The parent should then be able to understand the sign and work toward a solution, ending or stopping a tantrum.

The idea of baby signing fits in well with the gentle approach to discipline that many attachment parent advocates tend to utilize. The reason being,

Young girls learning sign language

that it not only promotes communication and harmony, a good building block for later in life, but it also provides a gentle method of reprimand.  For instance, a mother who signed “no” or “stop” to her child in public rather than saying it may save them some humility and prevent an embarrassing scene.

Few question the belief that good communication is key to childhood development.  Research into baby signing shows again and again that it improves the relationship between parent and child, strengthens communication, and may aid in the development of early speech.

Adding baby signs to early childhood education can be a good segue into homeschooling as well. Parents who spend time teaching and communicating with their babies will be able to more naturally institute home learning as the child grows to school age

Teaching a baby sign language is rather simple. Parents can create their own signs or follow a guide. The signs should be simple, one or two-step symbols for a specific item or event. Babies will begin to associate the movements with the words long before they develop the linguistic fortitude necessary to carry on a conversation. Many individuals who use this technique are thrilled to find their child speaking to them through sign language long before their first birthday.

To learn more about baby signs, refer to Baby Signs:  How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, from authors Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn, and Doug Abrams.

Breastfeeding

Having a child is a beautiful, natural, and empowering experience. Following the birth, especially with the first child, parents sometimes feel confused and unsure. It can be difficult to know the best way to bond and care for your body and baby. Both mother and father may feel awkward and require some adjustment time before fully accepting their new role as parent. All of this is normal. However, following the birth, the mother needs to rest and care for her body. She has gone through an emotional and physical upheaval.

As natural birth revolves around the connection between mother and baby, natural postpartum or postnatal care is the same. Avoiding unnecessary interventions, remaining healthy, and staying together as much as possible is vitally important during the first few weeks. Facilitating natural, non-medical methods of healing following the birth may help to reduce postpartum depression and improve satisfaction with the experience.

Caring for Baby in the First Weeks

In essence, all a baby needs the first few weeks following birth is a healthy mama. Umbilical cords will dry on their own, the use of alcohol to dry out the cord is mostly unnecessary and a largely unscientific practice. Though diapers are convenient, they too can be avoided if the mother is willing to practice elimination communication. Natural techniques of baby care are simple, safe, and effective.

Lotus Birth

If a mother has decided to embark on a lotus birth, wherein the umbilical cord and placenta remain attached to the baby until falling off naturally, she will need to “re-salt” the placenta each day to keep it from decomposing or smelling foul. This is particularly true of babies born in the summer. Most mothers who choose this route keep the placenta in a basket woven out of natural materials, like cedar, wrapped in a blanket and covered in salt and rosemary. They must move the placenta with position changes. Some moms also choose to wrap the cord in ribbon, though this is largely optional.

Lotus birth encourages bonding and ensures that the baby has retained all of their blood. Mothers are more likely to remain in bed the suggested week or two postpartum, to heal, since they do not want to carry the placenta around with them. Babies also seem to be calmer and more serene.

In most cases, the cord will try within a week or less. There is no further care needed for the baby. If any residual cord remains attached, it can simply be left to air dry. Mothers should try to keep the tummy uncovered as much as possible during the drying phase, rather they choose to lotus birth or use a cord clamp.

Breastfeeding

The supply and demand necessitated for successful breastfeeding is mostly developed during the first few weeks following birth. Mothers should breastfeed on demand during this time, often this means nursing every hour or more, but it is necessary for milk production. It may seem like the baby is always hungry during the first month, this is normal and not a sign of production problems. Most mothers will find that their milk comes in at 3-5 days postpartum. Prior to that, the baby will sustain on colostrum, a special antibody-rich substance that mammals produce to protect their new baby. It is important for moms to remember that new babies have tiny tummies, only capable of holding a few precious ounces during those first days. Mothers should put off giving baby’s pacifiers or bottles before at least 4 weeks of age, since too-early introduction can lead to nipple confusion.

Caring for Mama After Birth

A new mom should spend most of the first few weeks after birth in bed. The only exception should be using the restroom. Otherwise, she should keep a stockpile of healthy and snacks and water on the bedside table and spend her days lying in bed, breastfeeding and resting, with baby by her side. This is the most natural and positive way to spend the immediate postpartum. If possible, enlisting the help of a postpartum doula is a great way to ensure the mother and baby are well taken care of. When this is not possible, the mother’s partner or another family member should remain with her the first few weeks, at least most of the day, to make sure she is staying in bed, eating, and getting plenty of fresh water.

Witch Hazel Pads

Frozen, witch hazel-soaked pads offer natural, cooling comfort for the perineum after birth. They sooth cuts and hemorrhoids, while also providing a natural antiseptic.  Moms should have a few on hand prior to the birth. Though this can be done with disposable maxi-pads, cloth mama pads are preferred.

Herbal Tea

Having a few cups of Red Raspberry Leaf tea either warm or chilled, can help to facilitate breastfeeding and strengthen post-labor contractions aimed at shrinking the uterus back to normal size. Having a few cups a day, along with plenty of water, is a good idea.

Other herbal teas like chamomile can aid in relaxation. Making homemade mothers milk tea, using a combination of red raspberry leaf, nettles, fennel, and dandelion can also help to increase milk supply and provide comfort for the mother. A commercially prepared version of the tea is also available through most major retailers.

Cosleeping has whole family benefits

The use of a family bed, bed sharing, or co-sleeping, encourages bonding, promotes breastfeeding, and safeguards health. Though controversial in some circles today, it was once the only way families slept. In the past, homes commonly featured only one room. Additionally there were few functioning door locks and dangerous conditions existed all around, making the only safe place for the family to sleep to be together.

In cold climates, sleeping in the same bed was a lifesaving tradition. The Inuit-Yupik or Eskimos, for example, always slept as a family. The body heat from each member helped to keep families warm, protecting infants and adults from hypothermia.

Of course modern times afford most families heated living spaces and locked doors. Virtually no one falls asleep fearing a middle-of-the-night wolf attack or a raid on their village. However, the physiological benefits of co-sleeping are still quite relevant.

Children who sleep with their parents feel secure during the night, a time that human beings are hard wired to fear. Sleeping next to the mother facilitates breastfeeding and helps to reduce the postpartum trauma associated with being removed from the womb. Studies have shown that overall, both mothers and babies sleep more soundly and experience less nightly anxiety when bed sharing.

Despite pressure from local health departments to end the practice of co-sleeping as a means of preventing SIDS, co-sleeping has been shown to regulate infant heart rates and breathing. For non-smoking, non-drinking parents the risks of SIDS has been shown to be lower when co-sleeping was in play. Breastfeeding alone can decrease the odds of a child succumbing to this tragic death by up to 70% and co-sleeping is one of the best ways to ensure that breastfeeding is successful.

A VBAC can be both safe and healing for families.

Despite ever-improving access to medical care, cesarean deliveries carry a far higher risk of morbidity for both mom and baby than vaginal births. Morbidity rates for women attempting vaginal births following cesarean, rather than going with elective repeat cesareans is nearly half. In other words, in terms of safety, vaginal births are the safest, vaginal births after cesarean second safest, and cesarean deliveries the most complicated and dangerous. Furthermore, the danger of experiencing a major complication during surgery increases with each surgical delivery that the mother endures.

Apart from the clear health risks involved in choosing to have an elective cesarean, rather than trying for a vaginal delivery sometimes referred to as a TOL or trial of labor, early bonding and breastfeeding is greatly affected. Most women who have surgical deliveries are woozy from the pain medication and separated from their baby for hours, during post operative care. These first hours of birth are critical to bonding and the development of a healthy supply of breast milk.

Furthermore vaginal birth is safer for the baby. Babies who are born vaginally are able to experience the natural cleaning of their lungs that comes from being expelled through the birth canal. Better yet, if the vaginal  birth occurs naturally, without induction, the baby has a better chance of being born at term and far fewer risks of health complications.

Though the overwhelming majority of women, more than 90%, can deliver vaginally, the US cesarean rate currently rests at 29% for babies born in hospital. Most midwives and birth centers have a rate of less than 10% (far closer to what the rate should be). The World Health Organization claims that the target percentage for women receiving operative deliveries should fall between five and ten percent. In 1965, the US ceasarean rate rested at only 4.5%. At that time women commonly went past their estimated due dates and were rarely induced. Today, nearly half of all births are induced with strong forms of synthetic hormones and nearly one in three American women leave the hospital having undergone major surgery for a very natural function.

The more common cesareans become in the US, the more frequently mothers die. Few people realize that the morbidity rate for childbirth in the United States is extremely high and has remained high for decades, only in the last year has a slight dip been noted. There are third world countries, highly dependent on midwife assisted deliveries, that have  substantially better outcomes than the United States.

According to ACOG, the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, women who do not have serious underlying conditions should be offered a VBAC.  The practice is considered safe, even for most women who have undergone two previous cesareans. Still many doctors and hospitals do not practice this rule and may even convince women that a repeat cesarean is the best or only choice in times when it is not.

If a mother wants to attempt a vaginal delivery, she should take time to contact her local ICAN group for physician or midwife recommendations and continue to push. More and more healthcare workers are opening their eyes to the benefits of VBAC and offering healthy, capable clients the option.

References

Why the U.S. C-Section Rate is So High

Identifying Barriers and Facilitators Toward Implementing Guidelines to Reduce Cesarean Section Rates in Quebec

ACOG Says Yes to VBACS

According to Lisa Bodnar, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved with the study, “While the results do not prove that low vitamin D is to blame for later problems, they point to a very plausible association that warrants more attention.” Vitamin D is crucial for fetal development, but “the effects of lower maternal vitamin D levels on the developing offspring is not fully understood,” said the lead author of the study, Andrew Whitehouse.

Whitehouse also stated that earlier studies have shown some links between low vitamin D during pregnancy and pediatric problems such as weaker bones, asthma, and short stature.
He and his colleagues in Perth, Western Australia conducted this long-term study to determine whether vitamin D levels in the moms might have actually influence later behavioral and language development in their children.

Two decades ago, they measured the vitamin D levels of more than 700 women who were about half-way through their pregnancy. They tested the children of these moms to measure their behavioral and emotional development and language skills at ages 2, 5, 8, 10, 14, and 17 years.
The moms were split into four groups — from lowest to highest vitamin D levels;  researchers found that the risk of having a kid with emotional or behavioral issues was the same for each group.  Although maternal vitamin D status was not shown to be linked with behavioral or emotional problems in children, it was clearly linked with language learning skills.

Mothers with the lowest serum vitamin D levels had between 15 and 46 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) in their blood, while those with the highest serum vitamin D levels had 72 to 154 nmol/L. According to current guidelines, levels of vitamin D are not considered deficient unless they are below 30 nmol/L.  When the researchers looked at language skills, the team found that mothers with vitamin D levels below 46 nmol/L were more likely to have a child with a language impairment than mothers in the highest vitamin D category.

The language impairments were determined from scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test.  About 18 percent of moms with low serum vitamin D had a child with a language learning impairment at age 10, compared to only eight percent of the moms with the highest serum evels of vitamin D.

According to study author Andrew Whitehouse:
“The logical thought is that maternal Vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy is affecting the normal course of brain development.  If vitamin D insufficiency during prenatal life is a cause of childhood language difficulties — and this still needs to be determined conclusively — then Vitamin D supplementation of pregnant women may be an important next step.”

It is important to note that correlation does NOT equal causation.  Just because low serum vitamin D status is linked with learning disabilities in children, it does not mean that it is the cause of learning disabilities in children.  Women with low serum vitamin D status also tend to be overweight, and being overweight is also associated with developmental delays and cognitive impairments in children.  It may also be likely that poor diet and lack of physical activity in mothers are the main underlying causes in childhood developmental delays, because poor diet, lack of physical activity, obesity, and low vitamin D status are all factors that occur together.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women get 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day, but more recent studies on vitamin D during pregnancy suggest that 4,000 IUs of vitamin D per day are optimal for prevention of complications during pregnancy as well as childhood diseases such as asthma and diabetes.

Aside from supplementation, you can boost your vitamin D status by consuming nutrient-rich superfoods that have been traditionally recommended for women of childbearing age for centuries.  These foods include liver (from organically grown, grass-fed animals), egg yolks (from pasture-raised hens if possible), uncooked dairy products, salmon, sardines, and cod liver oil.

You can decrease your risk of having a child with learning disabilities by testing your serum vitamin D status before getting pregnant, optimizing your serum vitamin D to at least 72 nmol/L, making sure you are not overweight, getting an adequate amount of exercise and sleep, spending time in the sun each day without the use of sunblock, and eating a healthy diet that includes organ meats, egg yolks, unpasteurized dairy, fish, and cod liver oil.