SCMidwives.org

Mammas – Do your Homework before Birth.

Admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:25:47 +0000

Consumer reports has come out with a list of 10 procedures to reject during pregnancy and birth. In a society such as ours, where more is better, machines and gadgets and technology are sought after, it turns out that Less is More when it comes to pregnancy and birth. Here are a list of 10 procedures to reject during pregnancy and birth.

Whooping Cough Reaching Epidemic Levels

Admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:17:00 +0000

As more states face cut-backs, especially public health departments, less children receive vaccinations for pertussis. Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough can be expensive to treat, and deadly to small children and babies. Once thought to be nearly wiped out by widespread vaccination of children, it’s now making a sweeping comeback. This is a multi-focal problem fueled by parents foregoing vaccines, and vaccines being less readily available to those without medical insurance, people who depend on their local health department for care. Many adults have never received a booster vaccine and can spread the virus to children in their care. No matter which side of the vaccine debate one claims, children are at increasing risk for what was once thought to be a virus that was on its way to banishment. Read more here

The White Paper: A Call to Action for Quality Improvement in Labor and Delivery

Admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:34:20 +0000

Improvements in medicine come about slowly at times. Transitioning to a patient-centered model of prenatal and birth care is an important step in improving outcomes and satisfaction for women, babies, families, and professionals. Patient-centered means that the woman is at the center of the care, not the provider, facility, or other health team members. The Call to Action is endorsed by many organizations including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Premature Babies Fare Better in Other Wealthy Countries

Admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:23:09 +0000

This article is a report on a 3 year research study on prematurity in 184 countries. The causes of premature birth are varied in wealthy countries versus poor countries. The survival of premature infants is also different depending on the wealth of the country. Great strides are being made in poorer countries with simple interventions. However, among the wealthier countries, the USA lags in prematurity treatment. Read more here.

Just How Smart Are Babies?

Admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:15:25 +0000

A baby’s job is to learn. But just how do they do that, and how much do they really know? Researchers are trying to answer these questions. Read this fascinating article on baby brains. These little people are so much smarter than we give them credit for!

Beaufort Midwives Striving to Improve Prenatal Care

Admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:34:59 +0000

Two local midwives in Beaufort, SC are working hard to improve prenatal care and birth care for some of the poorest women in the state. Poor women, with inadequate access to medical services often have some of the worst health outcomes for themselves and their children. Nichole Wardlaw, CNM, and JayVon Muhammed, CPM have teamed up to open a birth center. Birth Centers have been shown to be safe for low risk women and outcomes are at least as as safe as those women birthing in a hospital.

But opening a birth center costs money. Nichole and JayVon have set up a donation site to receive gifts towards their goal for providing improved services. Whatever you can contribute would be welcome. Moms and babies will thank you. Here are some words from Nichole:

Hello family and friends!

I am contacting each of you with the hope that you will help to make this dream a reality. I am currently working on a project to get a Birth Center opened in my area. As most of you know I live and work in a rural area of SC where there is a lack of access to care. The women in this area have higher rates of infant mortality and maternal morbidity, esp women of color. Many women travel an hour to the closest facility for deliveries in a hospital where there is little touch and high intervention. The c/s rate is higher than the national average. This proposed Birth Center will offer women a choice in where they deliver. There will be doula support and prenatal care offered in the home for those with travel and other issues that prevent them from having early entry into prenatal care and routine care. I am very passionate about serving women and their familes and I hope that you will help in my effort. Please click the link below and check our page out! Thank you in advance for your support! Please share the link to anyone else that you think will help.

http://www.indiegogo.com/Low-Country-Prenatal-Childbirth-Center

Please let me know if you have any questions or need some resources to learn more!

Always in service,

Nikki Childs-Wardlaw

Charleston Birth Place – Baby Palooza Weekend

Admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:44:40 +0000

Charleston Birth Place had NINE babies born in the center in one weekend!! The freestanding, CNM owned center has been wildly successful, as this particular weekend reflects!! Here is a lovely photo montage of one of those births. I promise you’ll be in tears.

Photographer Captures Nursing Moments

Admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:37:25 +0000

Rebekah Lewing of Birth Story Photography in Sumter is on a mission. She is photgraphing nursing moms in beautiful poses, for FREE. Models should contact Ms. Lewing on her Facebook page.

Business of Being Born – Free Showing

Admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:21:37 +0000

The Central Carolina BirthNetwork is hosting a free showing of the 2008 Documentary “The Business of Being Born”. The movie, produced by Abby Epstein and Rikki Lake shows how the American way of birth has become a business which is sometimes detrimental to the health of mothers and babies. Health decisions based on profit and the practice of defensive medicine have turned the birth of a baby from a natural and spiritual event into the technocratic procedure it is today in American hospitals. This eye-opening documentary shows expectant parents that some of the choices they make in terms of provider, and place of birth can significantly effect both health and financial outcomes.

The CCBN, formed in 2011, is hosting this free event to promote the awareness of mother-friendly maternity care in the central carolina area. Expectant parents, birth professionals, and anyone else interested in the birth industry is welcome to attend. The documentary will be shown at the Sumter Library on Harvin at 3pm on March 3. A Q&A will follow. If you wish to sit on the Q&A panel please contact centralcarolinabirthnetwork@gmail.com. Doulas, out of hospital midwives, doctors, and those who have had an out of hospital birth or a VBAC are invited to sit on the panel. Please feel free to forward this page link to friends.

Meditating for a More Positive Birth

Admin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:05:22 +0000

“Mind over Matter”; “What the MInd can conceive, and believe, the body can acheive”. As an athlete, I’ve often heard sayings like this. In yoga and other meditative arts, affirmations, or positive sayings are a core of the practice. Here is a great list of pregnancy affirmations that women can use during meditation throughout the pregnancy. Pick one that sounds right to you, sit quietly for several minutes, and repeat the saying over and over. Affirmations often bring a sense of calm and peace. When you are thinking positive thoughts instead of negative, different hormones are released in the body. Negative thoughts release stress hormones that can have long-term effects on body organs and even the baby. Try positive thoughts everyday during pregnancy and send some good hormones to the baby.