• Last updated 2/1/13 by Sarah Clark

        Today something wonderful happened for birth in the United States of America. The American Association of Birth Centers posted an easy to read explanation of The National Birth Center Study II- a comprehensive research study detailing the clinical experience of birthing in a birth center.  The study was published yesterday in The Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health.     Oh, and that experience is truly fabulous.   When I found myself pregnant with my second baby in Dallas Texas I didn't feel that hospital birth was the best option for me.... read more

• Last updated 11/15/12 by Melanie Mayo

  The first book I ever read about pregnancy, birth, and babies was Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwifery.  I wasn't interested in becoming a midwife, and this was several years before I even thought of becoming a mother, but it looked interesting so I picked it up.  It rocked my world.  I had never thought of birth in such earthy terms; I had never considered mother-directed birth, and I definitely hadn't thought that birth could be pleasant or even pain-free!  I feel so fortunate to have discovered this book, discovered this whole world of thinking differently about... read more

• Last updated 4/2/13 by Monica S

One thing to realize is that a Doula is very schooled in the knowledge of Childbirth - labor, all its phases and stages, its nuances.  Also all the terms and measurements the Doctors will be using to decide how ready you are for labor, such as your Bishop's Score, which includes the station of the baby in the pelvis, the situation of the cervix, it's effacement, & dilation and what all that means in concert.  She knows what labor positions to use when, to help keep labor moving forward, to help keep the baby in an optimal position, to alleviate some of the pain you're... read more

• Last updated 10/31/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Did you know that meditation can help provide the strength and courage necessary for an empowering labour? Better yet, it can have a profound impact on your growing baby’s consciousness. Read on to learn how to meditate and the benefits for pregnant women and their babies. First let’s talk about what meditation isn’t. Meditation isn’t about dressing in the latest Bye kids. Mom is going to her cave. yoga fashion and sitting on a mountaintop while birds chirp melodically and whales call out your name. It’s not about locking yourself away... read more

• Last updated 5/10/12 by Cynthia Mosher

A Mothering Pregnancy   A slideshow of beautifully pregnant Mothering community mamas     Watch the Mothering Pregnancy Slideshow   read more

• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

“Being pregnant and giving birth are like crossing a narrow bridge. People can accompany you to the bridge. They can greet you on the other side, but you must walk that bridge alone.” ~African Proverb~ * * * * The word midwife literally means, “With woman” and that is what I am. I spend my days sitting with women at one of the most pivotal moments in their lives. Married or single, 17 or 35 years old, Balinese or Australian, Christian or Muslim, HIV positive or... read more

• Last updated 3/18/13 by Melanie Mayo

Related Articles: Sidebar: Medical Indications For Inducing Labor By Nancy Griffin It was a sunny Friday afternoon, and Tracy was three days past the due date for her first baby. After finishing up the tenth call of the day from well-meaning but anxious friends and relatives, she headed out the door for her weekly checkup with her obstetrician. "If you don't go into labor by your next appointment, we may have to induce you," her doctor had advised. Tracy wondered if the slight menstrual-like cramps she'd had the past few days meant that something was happening... read more

• Last updated 1/7/13 by Melanie Mayo

For newly arrived refugee women, giving birth in a new country can be terrifying. The IRC’s pregnancy support program helps make the experience easier – and joyful. Baltimore, MD – After surviving a treacherous journey out of Myanmar to Malaysia, Hlawn Kim and her husband, Van Run Sang, were thrilled to arrive in the United States as part of the International Rescue Committee’s resettlement program. But just as they were getting used to their new life in Baltimore, Kim became pregnant with their first child. For newly arrived refugee women,... read more

• Last updated 2/20/13 by Cynthia Mosher

by Sarah Juliusson of www.MamaRenew.ca – Find Mama Renew on Facebook. Several years ago a group of us came together to form The Birth Lounge, seeking to share the strong community of care that is available to support new families in our region. As we talked, we found a shared frustration with the corporate trade-shows that have become commonplace. First comes love (the sex show), then comes marriage (the bridal show), then comes baby (the baby show), and over and over again the masses fill the convention centre. High vendor prices are out of reach for... read more

• Last updated 3/6/13 by Momsteader

I’ve read that cravings can start as soon as you’re pregnant, as soon as you conceive, in fact. I’ve also read that they don’t start some two or three weeks after conception, or even four, eight weeks-then again, maybe not at all. Of course, I’m no expert. I suppose it all depends on the individual. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember having a massive craving for pickled eggs. I would consume them by the quart jar. I had it made, because this woman I worked with previously, canned and preserved her own produce-including those pickled eggs.... read more