Natural Pregnancy Project

Birth Day ~ Book Review

2009-08-19T18:13:53Z

Birth Day by Dr Mark Sloan is an interesting book about childbirth. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it when I started, but found myself very intrigued and captivated as I got deeper into the book.

Dr. Sloan is a pediatrician and in the book Birth Day he explores the science and the history behind childbirth. I was quite amazed at some of the interesting history behind our current state of childbirth. I also like Dr. Sloan’s voice in the book. He’s not only a man, and a doctor, but frequently speaks of his early experiences with childbirth, not only as a training physician but as a father.

The history of childbirth is quite interesting, and the changes from it being generally done at home with female assistance to almost always in the hospital as it is today came from some surprising sources. The women’s movement not only changed the workplace, but the way we give birth as well.

Options for pain relief is covered quite nicely in this book, and the history of pain relief during childbirth has a pretty long and sometimes sordid history. Did you know that chloroform was used to help the Queen of England give birth ~ much to the chagrin of most of the medical establishment of the time.

This book is filled with interesting information, it also features a light hearted writing style that makes the information easy to process and read. The personal anecdotes really help to bring messages home, and make the entire book much more relatable.

If you are interested in childbirth I recommend reading this book. I certainly learned a ton while I was reading it.

35 Easy Ways to Prevent Having a Cesarean

2009-08-10T15:03:49Z

: Image by hrtmnstrfr via Flickr

If you are birthing in a hospital setting chances are dramatically increased that you can end up with a Cesarean Section. Here are some things you can do to prevent a Cesarean and Avoid a repeat Cesarean.

Avoid the first medical intervention
Prepare yourself by reading as much as you can about natural childbirth before your birth day
Exercise throughout your pregnancy
Learn about possible medical interventions and their consequences
Remember women have been giving birth naturally for centuries
Take one contraction at a time
Do whatever YOU need to do to get through your labor ~ go with it instead of fight against it
Remember that VBAC is very safe
Deal with fears, both conscious and unconscious, before your birth day
Practice visualization techniques BEFORE your birth day
Remember to lean on the people attending your birth
Learn different positions to help with birth and pain ahead of time
Tune into your inner strength when labor gets tough
Remain clear about your needs and rights
Have a labor coach that is willing to stand up for your birth plan
Remember you can create the kind of birth environment YOU want
Think about the baby with each contraction
Take childbirth classes to help you prepare
Eat healthy, nutritious foods throughout pregnancy
Create a birth plan, and be prepared to stick to it
Have a doula attend your birth
Learn how to manage stress before giving birth (and practice the techniques you learned)
Choose a caregiver with a low cesarean rate
Join a VBAC support group
Stay out of the bed as much as possible during labor
Clear past birth experiences from your mind
Understand your beliefs about yourself and your birth will determine the course of labor
Identify the beliefs and attitudes you bring with you to your birth
Develop positive attitudes toward giving birth naturally
Use massage during labor
Think about how lucky your baby is going to be to be born naturally
Think about how much quicker you will heal and better you will feel after giving birth
Use as little energy as possible during each contraction
Tune into your body during labor
Choose a doctor who believes in natural childbirth as much as you do

100 Best Health Blogs for Moms to Be

2009-06-23T15:15:25Z

If you are out there feeling a little lost and alone as a soon to be mom don’t be. There are tons of other women out there who are going through the same things as you.

Here’s a great post that will give you 100 places you can connect with other moms or get information from. It’s a great collection of sites you will find very helpful. This is an amazing resource for moms to be.

Click here to see 100 best health blogs for soon to be parents

Here are a few of my very favorites from the list:

The Childbirth Connection

The Lactivist

Spinning Babies

Here’s a couple of my favorites that didn’t make the list:

Breastfeeding Moms Unite

Kelly Mom (this is where I got a lot of my initial information when I was first pregnant)

Enjoy the 100 health blogs and the couple extras from me.

Just remember ~

Don’t let 100 new sites to look at get your overwhelmed. Not all sites will feel good to you. Just keep the ones that feel good and fit your idea of parenting, pregnancy and childbirth and let the rest go.

You are the ONLY expert on YOUR pregnancy ~ stay strong, enjoy your pregnancy and if you have any sites that the 100 blog post missed or I missed, leave them below in the comments.

Selma Hayek Breastfeeds An African Baby

2009-03-20T16:23:46Z

Not long ago Selma Hayek went to Africa with the program Nightline. She was there to get some publicity for her ongoing work to decrease the level of tetanus in that country.

Selma is a still breastfeeding mom and the topic of breastfeeding came up with some doctors in a local village health center. The world health organization would like mothers to breastfeed their babies for the first 2 years. However, in Africa ~ where food is scarce and you would think mothers would breastfeed because it’s food they available most mothers quit breastfeeding after only a few months.

There is a taboo in the culture. It is believed to be wrong to have sex with a breastfeeding mother. So new mothers are pressured by their husbands to quit breastfeeding early so they can resume their sexual relationship.

While Selma was there, a baby became hungry and there was no food for it to eat, and its mother was not longer nursing it, so she did. She very casually pulled the baby to her breast and it began to nurse promptly and strongly.

You could see the satisfaction, both on the face of the baby as well as on Selma’s.

When the incident was over there were a few different feelings Selma talked about having. She mentioned feeling a little guilty for giving her baby’s milk away to a strange baby ~ which I imagine is not a very odd thing to feel. However, she will make as much milk as her baby needs, and I bet she could have fed quite a few more of those African babies as well.

The other thing she talked about was pride. She told Cynthia McFadden who was the correspondent with her on the trip that her great grandmother had come across a mother and a screaming newborn in the streets of Mexico. Her grandmother had stopped to see if she could help and the new mother told her that her milk had dried up and she had no way to feed her starving baby.

At that point Selma’s great grandmother did just as Selma had that day and nursed the baby. The woman was so grateful that her baby did not starve. Selma was feeling pretty proud that she had walked in the footsteps of this grandmother who it appeared she greatly admired.

Well I may be a bit late to the party here, as it seems this video went completely viral yesterday and I didn’t hear about it until last night on Nightline ~ but here it is. Selma Hayek breastfeeding an African baby.

All I can say is Amen to Selma. If every person in this world had her generosity of spirit a lot of our problems would be solved.

Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup ~ HFCS in Infant Formula!

2009-01-27T21:30:20Z

If there weren’t already enough reasons to breastfeed your baby here’s yet another.

It is finally coming to the forefront that there is mercury in high fructose corn syrup. If you have recently read the nutrition label on infant formula you will see the majority of formulas contain high fructose corn syrup, or corn syrup of some sort.

Apparently the FDA has known about the mercury in HFCS since 2005, and has not done anything about it, not told the public and not set any guidelines for the use of high fructose corn syrup in infant products or adult products for that matter.

So now in addition to the vaccinations that still contain Thimerisol new parents also have to worry about giving their infants heavy metal poisoning from their infant formula.

I highly suggest you try to limit if not eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your infant and toddler’s diet. This is going to mean checking ALL the labels. You will be stunned the products that contain HFCS. Things you think are healthy often contain HFCS including a number of brands of yogurt, juice, crackers. It’s hard to get around, but worth it.

I’ve had my misgivings about high fructose corn syrup for a while, I’ve tried to seriously limit our household’s consumption, this just makes me a little more vigilant to keep the small amount we’ve been getting out of our house. (It also gives me yet another reason to give up my Diet Dr. Pepper addiction.)

Here’s the original article I read that brought this all to my attention. It has links to industry studies and more on this topic. This should give you a real understanding of what’s going on, and how you can implement some changes in your home to keep you and your children more safe.

Motrin Bashes Baby Wearing in New Ad Campaign

2008-11-16T23:27:15Z

If you are a baby wearing mama, and you use Motrin, you might want to think twice. Their newest ad campaign features a video that mocks and condescends to their target audience.

Here’s the condescending, mocking, anti mom and baby video.

I was so furious when I watched it I could barely speak. You would think a company who’s target audience is mothers, and has millions of dollars to spend on market research, and advertising would do a little bit better job than to insult their target market.

Insinuating baby wearing is simply a fashion statement, so you can feel like a “real mom”.

Mocking different styles of baby carriers.

“supposedly it’s a REAL bonding experience” I mean come on! Just do a quick Google search and you can see the benefits of baby wearing real and many.

“moms who wear their babies cry more than other moms”? What’s that about. Maybe you need a lesson or two from your local NINO leader to learn how to properly wear your baby so it doesn’t cause so much pain. I know wearing my little one was the only thing that calmed her down, and didn’t bother my back at all. In fact, it cured the pain in my head from 24 hour screaming of a high needs infant.

Look like an “official mom” because you wear your baby. Check yourself. It makes you look like a mom who cares about doing the best you can for your baby and youself.

So now wearing a baby makes us look tired and crazy?

These are probably the same people who think formula is better than breast milk.

You can bet your sweet bippy, all motrin products will be leaving our household today ~ Forever.

Fantastic Response to the Video:

Pregnancy Yoga ~ More PreNatal Yoga Poses

2008-10-07T13:21:59Z

As I’ve said in the past pregnancy yoga is wonderful for your body, mind and spirit during pregnancy. Here are a few more pregnancy yoga poses to help you maintain your flexibility as well as learn how to control your breath.

When you learn how to control your breath in non stressful situations you will be better able to draw on that skill during more stressful times ~ like during labor. The ability to control your breath, and therefore you mind will do you very well during labor.

Yoga helps you get in touch with your body, and your baby. It helps to connect you with your spirit and helps you to get in touch with your ability to handle anything that comes along. This video will show you what you can expect from a great pregnancy yoga video.

This last video will provide you with some pointers and some hip openers for those in their third trimester of pregnancy.

If you continue to do pregnancy yoga you will find you have less water retention and water buildup in your legs.

If you have enjoyed these yoga videos you may enjoy having a full length yoga practice at your finger tips. The one I used during my pregnancy was Prenatal Yoga With Shiva Rea, but there are numerous prenatal videos available depending on your style and the style of yoga you enjoy.

Crunch Yoga Mama Prenatal Workout Exercise Video 2000

US $6.49 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Nov-20-2009 18:49:59 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $8.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Natural Childbirth Videos ~ A Lotus Birth

2009-09-20T14:05:40Z

If you have never heard of a Lotus birth, you are not alone. I had not heard of it before either. But after a little research here’s what I’ve found.

Lotus birth is allowing the umbilical cord to remain intact and connected to the placenta until it naturally detaches itself from the body. Just as it naturally would three to 10 days after birth.

This is seen as giving the baby time to adjust and to transition from living in the womb with the placenta as their only source of nutrients to living in the world. It is a big transition and this is said to help make it easier.

You don’t find many childbirth videos of Lotus birth, but I did find one today I thought I’d share with you.

Lotus Birth Childbirth Video

If you have had a Lotus Birth I’d love to hear from you. Please send me note or leave a comment below.

How to Induce Labor ~ Inducing Labor with Accupressure

2008-08-10T19:21:04Z

I have a couple great things for you today if you are want to know how to induce labor. If you are inducing labor because you are past your “due date” and don’t want to be chemically induced these will help you out tremendously!!

The first of which is a great video I found today that shows a woman inducing labor by pressing on certain specific pressure points. The video clearly illustrates when, where and how to use these pressure points to induce labor. (I wish I had seen this video when I was overdue!!)

The second thing I have for you today to learn how to induce labor is an excellent ebook that will walk you through everything you need to know about inducing labor with accupressure. This ebook is a digital download so you will get it right away, and you can start using the techniques to induce labor within minutes.

I remember when I was past my due date, my midwife told me I would be induced on Wed if I hadn’t already gone into labor. I was desperate to figure out how to induce labor. I tried all the herbal remedies and homeopathics I could find. Nothing really worked for me ~ but I think it was more my mental state than anything! I wish I had know about inducing labor with acupressure, it may have been just the thing to help me induce labor naturally, and help release some of the fear I was having (that I now realize was probably holding back my labor).

And one more thing. If you have not heard of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) I STRONGLY urge you to take a look. This is an amazingly powerful tool to help you release fears, concerns, hidden limiting beliefs, and even alleviate back pain, and morning sickness. Yes it is just that amazing!! It is very similar to acupressure. It uses the energy meridians in your body to help you release things you don’t need. Here’s a great website where you can learn all about it. It’s easy and fast and results are almost immediate!! I REALLY wish I had known about EFT during my back labor that lasted for 39 hours!! Here’s the EFT website and to get a good feel for how it really works here’s a great EFT video done by Bob Doyle.

Holistic Nutrition and Pregnancy

2008-08-10T16:02:55Z

Holistic Nutrition helps individuals achieve optimal mental, physical and spiritual health through the use of food and nutrients. It is used to help already healthy people stay healthy, but it can also be used to help improve symptoms of disease for those already living with a chronic ailment. It is a perfect nutritional plan for pregnancy because it is tailor made to your specific needs.

The focus is on eating foods that provide your body with the highest levels of nutritional value and supplementing one’s diet with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids when necessary. It is more than just eating a balanced diet though.

Diet and nutrition have a serious impact on physical as well as mental health. The wrong food and/or a lack of balanced nutrients can lead to many problematic psychological and physical symptoms as well as chronic health conditions.

Holistic Nutrition: As Individual as the People Who Use It

Getting to know your body and what it needs is one of the most important steps you can take if you want to live a holistic lifestyle and follow the principles of holistic nutrition. . Everyone is different which means every body is different and will need different foods and nutrients. It all depends on your biochemical make up.

Becoming attentive to your body as well as your thoughts, feelings and reaction to what you put in your body will provide you information on how each nutrient, food or supplement affects your body. Keep a journal of physical and psychological symptoms and then research their relationship to diet and nutrient levels. Keeping a journal is helpful, but getting a biochemical workup of your blood is a wise idea. This will give you some exact measurements to judge your progress. Allergy tests can also help you identify hidden allergies that are affecting your body.

Holistic Nutrition is very individualistic. You will need to meet with a holistic nutritionist to figure out exactly what your body needs, and set up a program individualized to your needs.

The Basics of Holistic Nutrition

Even though holistic nutrition is largely individualized, there are some basics that apply to all individuals who wish to follow a holistic nutritional plan. Here are some of the basics you will need to know if you plan to follow a holistic nutrition plan. If you plan to use holistic nutrition during your pregnancy talk to your doctor and make sure she is open to helping you with your nutrition.

- All food should be organic as much as possible.

- Avoid junk food and processed food.

- No food with additives and preservatives.

- No sugar or caffeine.

- Drink adequate amounts of pure water. Filtered and free of chlorine and other contaminants.

- Avoid microwaves.

- No genetically engineered food.

- Identify hidden food allergies.

- Address nutritional deficiencies.

- Eat whole foods in their natural state as much as possible.

Getting started with Holistic Nutrition

If you are going to start living a holistic nutrition lifestyle during your pregnancy you need to take it slow. This is a major change from the average American diet. Start making one change at a time until you are meeting all the requirements for holistic nutrition. Be kind to yourself, this is not an easy process.

You also want to which changes are having what affect. If you make too many changes at once you will not be able to tell which changes were beneficial, and which were not.

Make sure to read labels ~ even at the health food store. All products marked as “organic” may not be completely organic. It’s important to know exactly what you are putting in your body.

As your body responds to the changes you are making, as well as the further you move into your pregnancy you will need to reevaluate your plan, make sure you are still getting all the nutrients and vitamins you need. As you move forward in your pregnancy you may find your nutritional needs have changed. Also food allergies may get worse or better simply by changing your eating habits. This needs to be watched and adjusted for if it does happen. You may find your food plan for this month may not be what you need next month.

No matter where you are at in your pregnancy you will find holistic nutrition a helpful way of life. You will find you have more energy, a clarity of mind, strength and a strong healthy body with which to give birth.