the happy homewrecker

U.S. C-section rate at an all-time high. And yet the infant mortality rate hasn't been dropping. Maybe someday people will open their eyes and put two and two together.

On May 16th the FDA issued an alert about cytotec (Misoprostol). It's about time.

I caught the end of this NPR story about episiotomies when I got in the car last night.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds no benefit from episiotomies, a commonplace procedure performed on women during childbirth. The procedure is intended to help prevent additional injury during birth. Melissa Block talks with Dr. Katherine E. Hartmann, who is lead author of the study.

Wish we had our speakers hooked up so I could hear the rest! The full journal article is here (empasis mine): "  . .. relevant studies are consistent in demonstrating no benefit from episiotomy for prevention of fecal and urinary incontinence or pelvic floor relaxation. Likewise, no evidence suggests that episiotomy reduces impaired sexual function—pain with intercourse was more common among women with episiotomy. ^"

Funny how doctors have to do a study to prove something that midwives have been saying for years. I feel like shouting out a big "Duh!" to the medical community in general.

We'd like to give Susan a gift to say thank-you for being our doula (and such a great friend to boot), but I'm drawing a blank on ideas. I was thinking maybe a restaurant gift card, but I think she has stomach issues and has to watch what she eats. Maybe a book? Suggestions?

So I'm entering all these forms for DONA into a database, and I keep seeing all these notations from doulas about 'cytotec inductions.' At first in my mind I was getting it mixed up with 'cryogenic' for some reason, although I don't know what in the world I thought that was (they make you so cold you go into labor?) and last night I got so curious I finally looked it up. Turns out it's a drug that's used for treating stomach ulcers and has the side effect of causing uterine contractions. Thing is, it's not approved by the FDA for that use (says so right in the FDA link above!) because it can cause uterine rupture and other problems. Coincidentally, I picked up the latest issue of Pregnancy magazine today at my midwife appointment and there was a birth story from a mother who had to have a c-section because the Cytotec caused her uterus to lock up. I find it scary that doctors and nurses just hand this stuff out like it's nothing without the mother even knowing that they're using it for something it's not approved for.

I've been re-reading a lot of books about labor/birth that I read the first time around. One of my favorites is Birthing From Within; last night I read this quote and was totally inspired: "There are three things that are givens about labor: it's hard work, it hurts a lot, and you can do it. That's the bottom line. All the rest you learn about is icing on the cake."

Reading all these labor and birth stories is getting me SO excited to go through labor again. I am looking forward to the whole birth experience like you wouldn't believe. Gary thinks I'm nuts. He's looking forward to the baby coming, but he thinks I'm crazy for enjoying the work that comes before. All I know is that I have never felt so empowered or so strong in my whole life, and this will more than likely be the last time I ever have this experience. I'm going to savor every minute of it.

This sounds pretty cool. We don't get the Discovery Health Channel, maybe someone will take pity and tape it for me?

"Unconventional Births," a special prime-time program featuring three families who choose midwifery care and have their babies at home or in birth centers, will air on the Discovery Health Channel in June. Drawing attention to this program in your community could be a great opportunity to educate people and generate discussion about birth, informed choices, and the benefits of the midwifery model of care.

The three births, all attended by Licensed Midwives, are informative and inspiring. One woman chooses to have a home birth; one birth takes place at the Community Birth and Family Center in Seattle and the other at Puget Sound Childbirth Center in Kirkland, Washington. The evidence regarding safety of out-of-hospital birth, the values that affect the choices made by these families, and the decision-making process itself are revealed in interviews with each of the women, their partners, and their midwives.

This hour-long program will premiere at 8:00 pm EDT on June 7th and will be re-broadcast several times throughout the month. Thank you for spreading the word - and for all that you do to educate and support childbearing women and their families!

via the Midwives Association of Washington State and our doula

Thanks to Ellen for sending me this link, a video montage of a birth. Might want to grab some Kleenex first! (Goes without saying that I cried the entire way through.)