• Last updated 11/3/12 by Cynthia Mosher

This post is part four of of the story of Caroline’s son Ewan. To read the first three posts please visit her author page. No pregnant woman imagines having an emergency caesarean, yet around 60% of caesareans are unplanned. Of these only around 6% are real emergencies. Mine was one of these. My Mum kissed my cheek as my husband squeezed my hand tightly. They were left alone in a suddenly empty room, their concern almost palpable.Feet running, alarms and lights blaring. Frantic voices. A cold room. One last huge contraction. Breathing in, then... read more

• Last updated 11/3/12 by Cynthia Mosher

  The Midwives Alliance of North America is developing a new public education campaign, I am a Midwife, produced by filmmaker Nicolle Littrell of Woman in the Moon Films, MANA’s president and interim executive director Geradine Simkins, CNM, DEM, MSN and Tamara Taitt, DEM. The online film series is launching on the International Day of the Midwife, May 5th, and will focus on midwives and what they do.  Through diverse faces, stories and information shared by “everyday” midwives, the series aims to help educate the public about the benefits of... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Mothering readers are being offered a special price on the webinar version of the Human Rights in Childbirth Conference to be held May 31-June 1 at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The webinar can be viewed from any location during, or within 30 days after, the event. The reduced price and registration details are below. —   About the Human Rights in Childbirth Conference and Webinar — Healthcare in childbirth is of great importance to society. This conference takes a unique, consumer perspective. It will focus on the legal... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Labour is about managing the pain. When this is lost, we turn to others. My contractions suddenly felt on top of each other. I was acutely aware of their pain. My mental attitude had broken. I hit a wall The pain had not intensified by my interpretation of it had. This was fearfrom the pain instead of acceptance of and moving through the pain. Into my mind the words ‘pain killer’ blazed, like a saviour. The names of drugs learnt about in NCT classes crossed through my mind. I couldn’t cope any longer. Feeling a failure, I shakily asked for... read more

• Last updated 4/25/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Linda EpsteinWeb Exclusive - October 15, 2007 I was dreaming. I was speaking with a man whose wife had just had a baby. He showed me a box high up on a shelf. As he pointed to the box he said, "That's a contraction." I replied, "Really? Let me look at it." I reached way up to take the box from the shelf and I felt the contraction. "So that's a contraction," I replied in the dream. And when I woke up, I was indeed in labor. My pregnant belly had been experiencing a lot of activity for more than a week, each time teasing me into thinking the baby was coming. But... read more

• Last updated 11/8/12 by Cynthia Mosher

The Guardian reported today that, according to an Oxford University study, homebirth may be a safe and cheaper option for women in England. The study examined 64,000 births in England between 2008 and 2010 and determined that encouraging low risk moms to deliver at home or in a midwifery center could save the NHS money without sacrificing care. Royal College of Midwives deputy general secretary, Louise Silverton, said: This and other research points out the substantial benefits of midwife-led care: it is better for mothers and babies, it is... read more

• Last updated 11/8/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Contractions are like labour, at first calm, then a few ripples, before gathering in strength and size, then reaching a crescendo, ending in the calm again, just like the waves on this beach in Fetlar (Shetland, UK), which we experienced in all of natures offerings!   Sheila Kitzinger talks of indigenous women labouring alone in a private but familiar place, whilst the midwife waits at a safe distance, ready if she is needed. In a high-tech hospital I too turned inwards to this place, just like other... read more

• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

A TV news reporter called me today. She wants me to make an on-camera comment about a recent mix-up in a Virginia, MN hospital.  Despite the many safety procedures hospitals are required to have in place, a newborn baby was placed in the wrong mama’s arms for a few brief minutes, and perhaps nursed on a breast that did not belong to him. The families involved are understandably shook up. I’m sure the poor nurse is horrified, and probably in trouble. Hospital administrators instantly and publically abandoned one identification procedure in exchange for... read more

• Last updated 4/19/12 by Mothering Editorial

Get your home ready for the new baby by preparing a simple altar as a powerful symbol for your birth. Choose a place on a dresser, a windowsill, or a low table. Cover the area with a beautiful cloth or leave it bare. Add some candles and incense. Look for some interesting rocks when you go for a walk. Maybe you have some seashells you’ve collected in the past. Select items that make you feel good and strong. Or choose objects that are meaningful to you in a religious or spiritual way. Include a small fountain, photos of beloved ancestors and... read more

• Last updated 4/19/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Amy Buringrud Web Exclusive I'm just about to cross over into the third trimester of my first pregnancy, and I'm not sure where the first two went. Juggling the demands of a home-based business, an active social calendar, volunteer obligations, and nearly every childbirth class under the sun, has left me in a tailspin without much time to really appreciate my changing body and the last few months before handing my independence over to a brand new soul. A wonderfully hedonistic friend offered the perfect solution to slow down the clock just enough to... read more