• Last updated 10/18/12 by Melanie Mayo

Photo by Christy Scherrer When you hear the words calm birth, do you picture a zen-like setting?  Do you imagine experiencing as little labor pain as possible or having a birth that follows a scripted plan? Ready for a surprise? Studies show that your confidence in yourself and your ability to make your own decisions about your care has a much greater impact on your birth experience than even how much labor pain you experience.  As birth doula Wendy Fowler, CD(DONA), says, Feeling in control and [being] part of the decision... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by emilyfrischmann

I have been thinking a lot about birth advocacy lately. There is a national rally coming up this Labor Day- The National Rally for Change (go here to find a location near you.) A friend of mine is hosting one near me- THANKS RUTHIE! And I bet there is one near you too. Change in birth is in the air- all that needs to happen is WOMEN need to get things rolling. This will have to be a grass roots movement, driven by the consumer. Ladies- that consumer is you and me. I teach birth classes and I blog a lot- for me that is my small way of having... read more

• Last updated 10/18/12 by Melanie Mayo

  How about some African dance to get in the spirit of the last trimester and to prepare for labor? African dance is particularly grounding during pregnancy-it allows you to be present in the moment and to forget about everything else. You learn to focus your thoughts, a technique that has been proven to be helpful in labor and in dealing with pain. You also learn to follow the rhythms of the drum as you dance improvisationally - in much the same way, you will follow the rhythm of the contractions during labor. African dance instructors encourage the class to... read more

• Last updated 8/24/12 by Mothering Editorial

When you think of childbirth education classes, you may automatically think about being taught how to cope with labor by learning breathing techniques and how to control pain.Most childbirth education courses offer much more than this. You will find a broad range of them with different focal points and philosophies. Here are some of the things a childbirth class might offer:        Nutrition. You may be taught the basics about eating during pregnancy, or your class might go into a lot of detail about recommended vitamins, calorie requirements, and even recipe... read more

• Last updated 6/11/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Louise Rachel QuigleyWeb Exclusive The word “contraction” to describe the working of the uterus during labor has bothered me for a long time. True, it is technically correct: like any other muscle, the uterus bunches itself tight, makes its length shorter, contracts itself in that sense, to do the work of pulling the cervix open. But the connotations of the word “contract” create precisely the wrong psychological effect. Before becoming a childbirth educator, I earned a doctorate in English; I have taught writing at the college level; I am a poet. Many times I... read more

• Last updated 11/2/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Thank you to Jennifer Margulis for sharing this excerpt from her most recent blog post with us. You can read the full article on her blog. Doctors and other care providers want you to do things their way. But often their way is based on habit, fear of liability, or expediency. Unlike homebirth midwives, obstetricians almost never request their patients keep a food and exercise log. They almost never take 45-minutes to review the foods you’ve eaten in the past week, counsel you on good nutrition, and strategize on how best to exercise during your... read more

• Last updated 11/3/12 by Cynthia Mosher

It is inexplicable that women in our society are left alone with their newborns at the time they need family support the most. Feeling utterly exhausted, overwhelmed and traumatised with a tiny new being to care for, I needed my husband with me. He was told to leave. I felt totally alone, confused as to why he had gone. A busy hospital ward My stomach started to distend instead of decrease in size. I threw up all morsels of food and drink I tried in vain to get down. I was suffering from post-operative ileus; my bowels weren’t functioning... read more

• 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 11/5/12 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