Labor is not a Toothache by Dr. Stuart Fischbein

Posted on May 17, 2013 by birthsanctuary

Here is a repost from our partner OB/GYN Dr. Stuart Fischbein’s blog

From curvewire.com: Kim Kardashian Wants C-Section Posted by Johnny Robish on April 10, 2013 – 10:18pm….. “Kim Kardashian Wants C-Section: It’s being reported that pregnant Kim Kardashian wants to give birth by C-section as soon she’s 8-months pregnant because she wants her life back. And since Kanye is a musician, I would assume it’ll most likely be a “Middle-C” section.” ….. I was at a dinner party last night in celebration of the recent homebirth of twins in Santa Barbara, CA. During a lovely evening we discussed a lot of topics and the subject of Ms. Kardashian’s choice came up. This blog is not about bashing her obvious narcissism but her choice did produce a dialogue about labor pain. I have given this subject a lot of thought during my metamorphosis from hospital based to home based practitioner. Since epidurals and narcotics are not available at home we rely on other methods to deal with pain. Movement, water, hypnosis, massage and strong support are beneficial and work well for many laboring women. The key is that these things help cope with the pain but don’t remove it. To understand why coping but not eliminating pain is important we need to ask ourselves why labor is painful in the first place. I mean, if we believe in evolution why wouldn’t the pain of labor evolve away since natural selection usually eliminates those things that are detrimental to the survival of the species. There is, of course, the biblical Garden of Eden explanation but let me put that aside for the moment. Just suppose labor pain is not detrimental but is beneficial. I give credit to my colleague, Aleks Evangelidi, LM, for her insight in this regard…….. Anyone who has ever had a toothache or a kidney stone will argue there is no benefit to the pain other than to let us know something is wrong. Painkillers are a godsend in these circumstances. But labor is not a toothache and it is time to look at the pain of labor in a different light. All mammals have labor and all mammals have labor pains. The onset of labor contractions usually build slowly but eventually become quite painful lasting 40-60 seconds followed by 2-3 minutes of relief. The mammalian body responds to this pain by releasing its own narcotics and neurotransmitters that nature designed just for that purpose. Endorphins and enkephalins are the body’s natural opiates. Oxytocin release produces warmth and attachment responses and adrenaline helps the body cope with stress and possibly spaces out the next contraction allowing time for rest and recovery. It really is a beautiful cocktail that nature has designed just for this purpose………… When a laboring woman is not allowed to cope with pain as nature designed it is easily understood why hospital epidural rates approach 90%. Having to stay flat in bed so continuous fetal monitoring (CFM) can occur does not allow for the natural desire and ability of mammals to move about in labor to diminish discomfort and use their own pain stimulated cocktail. And so, modern obstetrics encourages epidural use to eliminate pain and modern women think this is a good choice because to them: Labor Pain = Toothache…….. It gets back to the saying about the long habit of not thinking something wrong gives it the appearance of being right. Nature is pretty smart. And a toothache does not have a baby inside but a pregnant woman does. And when a woman undergoes the stress of labor so does her baby. Her body’s response to pain releases that cyclical cocktail and those substances certainly cross the placenta. And just maybe all those neurotransmitters and hormones that help mom deal with the pain and stress of labor help her baby cope as well. For after 9 months of sitting comfortably in the womb suddenly everything that baby has ever known is changing. Labor has to be stressful and even painful for the baby and the suddenness of delivery by c-section even more so. Mom’s natural opiates, oxytocin and adrenaline clearly serve a purpose in assisting her baby in this transition. Denying the baby these substances through the commonplace use of epidurals or scheduled c-sections is counter to nature’s design. Babies are little sponges absorbing every experience and forging new and sometimes permanent neural pathways that will be used in the future. Altering labor has to mean altering this process as well. I was never taught this way of thinking in residency and in my 31 years as a physician I have never seen this discussed in a grand rounds or an academic journal and yet it is so common sensical. Modern medicine needs a bit of humbling and as we are beginning to discover when you mess with Mother Nature you inevitably get something not intended……….. The process of labor is painful for a reason and that reason is it benefits the baby’s transition to extra-uterine life. Women are too often told that the pain of labor need not be endured. And while modern anesthesia is also a godsend and epidurals have a place in some labors, obstetricians need to rethink their unconcerned attitude towards its ubiquitous use. Especially in those cases where they scoff at the woman with a birth plan that states an avoidance of pain medicine. Allowing laboring women the freedom to move about and use other pain coping mechanisms might just be doing future generations a favor. Once again it boils down to informed consent. If Ms. Kardashian still wants her unnecessary c-section so she can have her life back after reading this blog then that is her choice and should be respected. I am willing to bet she has never been taught or thought of birth in this way. Dr. F

See more of Dr. Fischbein’s blog at http://supportdrfischbein.blogspot.com

Being a Single Mom Midwife

Posted on May 9, 2013 by birthsanctuary

In honor of Mother’s Day, here’s a beautiful post from Aleksandra Evanguelidi, LM, CPM, and Clinical Director at The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center.

I laid on the ﬂoor in front of her, trying to see if she was opening, if I could see her
daughter’s head bulging in her yoni, as she simultaneously sobbed and roared. It was
then that her tear fell into my eye. “Well, this has never happened before!” I thought, as
this woman’s tear now rolled down my face. Here was this African American woman, the
10th daughter of her father (no brothers) surrounded by two of her sisters, her husband
and us midwives. She wanted a chance to let her body do it, despite having 4 risk
factors that would have any other midwife in our community risking her out of care, with
good reason. She said that “God is going to do what God will do” as I asked her to sign
that she understood the risks, that her baby could be transported post birth if she didn’t
respond well postpartum. How could I NOT walk with this woman across the threshold
into motherhood the way that she wanted knowing all the risks and choosing it
anyways?

I am the daughter of Toni Marie and the granddaughter of Joesphina. My great
grandmother is Francesca, 9th child, Italian immigrant. The priest told her mother who
was 48 when she gave birth to my great grandmother that it was ok to stop having
children. I am the single mother of Juno, born on the summer solstice 2009. Every
season that passes I am reminded to pause and celebrate her changes, the length of
her hair, her foot size and her new attitudes about life, all like rings on a tree. Juno and
I are like the trunk of that tree. Sturdy and bendy, but still a sapling. From what I know
about trees, they don’t do so well alone. They thrive in a forest where they can create
an environment where the sum of the whole is greater than the individual parts.

We have created our own little village together. Juno and I live with a single woman of
50 and another single mom and her girls, ages 2 and 10 years old. Instafamily. It is a
contemporary version of commune living, only we are living in luxury surrounded by
stunning beauty in the hills of Topanga. Recently named the “hen house” we support
each other like, well, wives. No we aren’t partnered in the lesbian sense, but we are
definitely ﬁguring this whole raising kids and sharing responsibilities thing out together.
Plus, I get to have a practice run at the tween years. So far, I am not acing it.

It is difficult being a single mother. Being a midwife AND a single mother is a whole
other thing. Juno and I have done our version of attachment parenting. Close to four,
we still breastfeed. I sleep with her every night, cuddled up like intertwined branches. I
have never slept as well with any of my boyfriends as I do with her and I can imagine
she must in some ways ﬁll that space for me- I call it space and not a void because
nothing feels like it is missing.

Sometimes, as would be inevitable, the phone rings and I must leave the cuddle. If its
in the middle of the night, I can usually slip away unnoticed and my roommate picks up
the slack. If its before she has gone to bed, the terrors and tremors begin. For me, this
is possibly the hardest thing about being a midwife. To witness my child sobbing and
clinging to me like a leaf to a tree as I pointlessly try to explain how a mama needs me
to help her have a baby, seems criminal to me. I am sure that this will be one of the
things she will need to process in therapy later. If only she knew that even though she
needs me, this mama needs me more to help her ﬁnd HER way home. I feel torn at
times between my daughter’s needs and the deep purpose I have in my life as a
guardian of the birth process. I pray that she comes to understand that in many ways it
is because of her that I must leave- that she, like all women deserve to have their power
restored back to them by giving them the space needed to birth their babies as they are
instinctively compelled. There is a lineage to us women, it is imbedded in our bodies
and it says that we know how to give birth even if our minds have been programmed
with a different message. I am willing to endure this pain of separation with my child
because I believe that the initiation into motherhood deserves the sacred container that
is intrinsic to the act itself. I pray that my daughter remembers all the loving moments
we have together, that one day she comes to appreciate the sacriﬁces we have both
had to endure.

Two days later, I am still basking in the glow from this birth. She did it, just like she
believed she could. I am awed at the strength of the women I support. They are
constantly teaching me about what is possible, breaking down perceptions and limiting
beliefs and reminding me about the pura vida that ﬂows through each of us, the
intangible juju that is part and parcel the magic of birth, life and death. Tonight, as I
write this and my babe snores beside me, getting over a cold, I give mad thanks. I
know that I am blessed to be living in synchronicity and integrity with my truth. I may
not have the perfect fairytale version of a happily-ever-after family experience, but my
forest is a splendid place to be.

Benefits of Prenatal & Postnatal Massage

Posted on April 19, 2013 by birthsanctuary

Prenatal Massage

Prenatal Massage can address any specific issue you need work on, be it relaxation, reduction of tight muscles, or alleviation of lower back and pelvic pain. Perhaps you need a window of time to slow down, deeply rest, or would like some special bonding time with your baby. Prenatal Massages also can help to prepare you for labor. Learning to surrender and let go is an essential skill to practice before and during labor.

Benefits of Prenatal Massage include:

Reduce swelling in hands, feet and ankles.
Induce a better sleep.
Lessen sciatic, back, shoulder and pelvic pain.
Ease muscular discomforts and improve circulation.
Supports deep relaxation and induce a state of calm and peace.
Increase blood and lymph flow which can help increase the elimination of toxins through the circulatory and lymphatic system and this can help reduce fatigue and strengthen the mmune system
Increase oxygen in blood, sometimes up to 10-15% after a massage and so increase oxygen flow to baby too.
Relax the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for healing, relaxing, and inducing a state of calm.
Hormonal Balance and stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, into the brain and nervous system.
Relief for anxiety and depression

Postnatal Massage

Postnatal Massage care is recommended, preferably within 2-3 weeks after giving birth. Postnatal Massage can help with the most prominent concerns for new mothers.

Benefits of Postnatal Massage include:

quicker recovery following birth
mood support and alleviation of maternal depression and anxiety
detox and flushing of the capillaries if medications were required during birth
help with balancing hormones as lactation begins and milk comes in
deeply nourishing the nervous system following the tremendous changes that occur during labor.
Nurture and special care for the new mama as she adjusts to mothering her newborn.

Healing Sessions

In addition to Prenatal and Postnatal Massage, you can also enjoy Healing Sessions at The Sanctuary. These subtle energy treatments are beneficial for deep relaxation, releasing anxiety, stress and fears, and supporting you to embark on the experience of motherhood with confidence, grace and courage. Healing Sessions are wonderful for dads as well, as they are also shifting their roles and sense of self as they prepare themselves to become fathers.

Massage and healing sessions with Siridyal Kaur are avialable at The Sanctuary on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.00 am -1.30 pm Alternate day/times and weekend appointments are available with advance notice. Please call to schedule this special time for yourself.

“I look forward to meeting you and your beautiful baby. It truly is a magical time when you’re pregnant. It is my honor to be able to make this experience for you as comfortable, pleasant and happy as possible. I will do my best to support you in any way I can. Until we meet!” ~ Siridyal Kaur.

Wellness Center at The Sanctuary – Introducing Siridyal Kaur, Massage Therapist & Healer

Posted on April 10, 2013 by birthsanctuary

The Wellness Center at The Sanctuary is delighted to introduce our new massage therapist and healer, Siridyal Kaur. A native to Amsterdam, Siridyal was born into a family of yogis and healers. She began her yoga practice at the age of 8 and realized early on her innate desire to heal and uplift people.

Having two vibrant children of her own, Siridyal remembers quite well the benefits of doing yoga and receiving regular healing and body work during pregnancy. Not only did it support her physically and give her the chance to relax, unwind and recharge her nervous system, it also had a profound effect on her emotional and psychological well being. By balancing her mind, body and spirit she could enter labor with an approach of trust that would let her body do the work and so with each breath go deeper within. Having over 18 years of Body Work and Healing experience, Siridyal has a profound understanding of the changes you and your beautiful body are going through, and considers it her privilege to support and work on you.

Prenatal Massages can address any specific issue you need work on, be it relaxation, reduction of tight muscles, or alleviation of lower back and pelvic pain. Perhaps you need a window of time to slow down, deeply rest, or have some special bonding time with your baby. Prenatal Massages also can help to prepare you for labor. Toning your body and learning to surrender and let go is an essential skill to practice before and during labor.

Postnatal Massage care is best when scheduled within 2-3 weeks following birth, and can help with the most prominent concerns for new mothers including quicker recovery, mood support and hormone balancing.

In addition to her unparalleled massage therapy, Siridyal offers Healing Sessions that work on the body’s subtle energy field, allowing for new perspectives and wellness to arise. (If that sounds mysterious, we definitely recommend you schedule a session!)

Siridyal is regularly available for Massage and Healing Sessions at The Sanctuary on Tue and Thu from 9.00 am -1.30 pm. Same-day appointments are welcome, just call so we can reserve your space. Alternate day/times and weekend appointments are also available with advance notice. Please call to schedule this special time for yourself!

Wellness Center at The Sanctuary 310-566-7690

Cesarean Awareness Month – April 2013

Posted on April 3, 2013 by birthsanctuary

As one of the few refuges for VBAC and natural birth for twins and breech babies, The Sanctuary celebrates Cesarean Awareness Month. We agree with Christa Billings, president of International Cesarean Awareness Network, who says, “While Cesarean surgery can be life-saving for mother and baby, it is major abdominal surgery which is not without significant health risks for both the woman and her child. These choices should be discussed and decided on together by both the mother and health care provider, not via coercion by the care provider. Women truly care for their babies and want to make the best evidence-based choices for their care.”

Cesarean Awareness Month aims to raise awareness and educate people about cesareans. This worldwide awareness campaign supports a reduction in the number of cesareans in mothers who do not really need or who will not benefit from this procedure when compared to a vaginal birth. Cesarean Awareness Month also promotes Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) and support for recovery from a cesarean.

For more information about the possibility of natural delivery of breech and twin births, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and home birth after cesarean (HBAC),call 310-566-7690

Raising Awareness About Cesarean Section

A cesarean section is a surgical operation in which a baby is delivered through a cut in the front wall of the abdomen and womb. This procedure is often used when a vaginal birth carries a higher risk of complications. For example, a cesarean section may be performed when:

A baby is in a feet first position (breech position).
The mother has gone into premature labor.
The labor does not progress in a normal manner.
There is a viral infection (such as hepatitis C or HIV).
The mother has placenta praevia; a condition in which the placenta is low lying and covers part of the entrance to the womb.

Becoming Aware Of The Increasing Trend Towards Cesarean Section

In the US and in many other countries the proportion of cesarean sections has risen steadily in recent years and this rise is not due to a rise in complications listed above. In the US, the 2007 cesarean section rate was about 32%; for every 3 births one was by cesarean section, compared to about 5%, or 1 in 20, during the mid 1960′s.

The reasons for this rise have been widely debated and may be due to many factors. These include a rise in multiple births, an increase in obesity in pregnant women, and a rise in the number of older women giving birth. Induced labor is also more commonplace and is associated with a rise in C-Sections. Couple these factors with a trend in healthcare providers and health insurance companies generally favoring cesarean section over vaginal birth, and we can begin to understand this higher rate.

Lack Of Awareness Of Cesarean Complications

There is also a lack of awareness in mothers that cesarean sections are a major operation which carries its own potential complications. This surgery can lead to increased risk of infection, blood clots, intense longer lasting pain, and repeat hospital visits as a result.

Health professionals do not always give expectant mothers an informed choice, favoring cesarean section over a vaginal birth. This may be due to a fear that there is greater risk of being sued if there are complications with vaginal birth when compared to cesarean section.

Whilst current rates are over 30% in the US, there is evidence which suggests that a cesarean section rate of about 5-10% is optimal in terms of best outcome for mothers and babies.

Cesarean Awareness Month aims to make expectant mothers aware that vaginal births can often be a choice they can take over cesarean section.

For more information about how The Sanctuary supports natural delivery of breech and twin births, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and home birth after cesarean (HBAC), call 310-566-7690.

5 Benefits of Moving through your Pregnancy

Posted on April 1, 2013 by birthsanctuary

So yes, I have been a mover since age 3. My mom put me in ballet class and I have been going ever since. I’ve always known that exercise is of great health benefit and that dancing is a great way to achieve this. What I didn’t know when I became pregnant with my first in 2007, was that movement and dance has a long history among pregnant, laboring and postpartum women across the globe. It’s just not seen so much here in the USA, so we have to work that much harder to achieve a healthy state! The creation of a new life force within us certainly can take its toll, but exercise (and my personal favorite~ dance!) can help us remain healthy and joyful!!!

During pregnancy, many styles of movement will encourage important benefits:

1. Toning the core, minimizing the risk of diastasis recti, or separation of the abdominal muscles

2. Stretching, a great practice to continue opening the body, creating space for baby’s growth and entry

3. Cardio, a means of increasing stamina and deep, sustained breathing in preparation for labor. Cardio also increases circulation, helping your baby and your own body receive oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.

4. Reduction of pain, especially for lower back and sciatica pain

5. An overall sense of feeling good, being connected to your body and your baby!

For further information, I have referenced articles below that clearly define how important it is to be getting up and moving during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period.

Movement during Labor:

When you walk or move around in labor, your uterus, a muscle, works more efficiently (Roberts, Mendez-Bauer, & Wodell, 1983). Changing position frequently moves the bones of the pelvis to help the baby find the best fit through your birth canal, while upright positions use gravity to help bring the baby down (Simkin & Ancheta, 2005). When labor slows, a change in position often will help you “find your rhythm” again.

From the Journal of Perinatal Education:

“Exercise makes the body produce endorphins, these are neurotransmitters that are known to relieve pain and cause a sense of well-being or euphoria. Endorphins are what make you feel good when you exercise. The changes the endorphins make in the brain can last for hours. They will help relieve the depression and feelings of uncertainty that many women experience…” ~ Robert Wadsworth

Dancing Thru Pregnancy by Ann Cowlin, founder of Dancing Thru Pregnancy

Dare to Give Birth Naturally

~ Nicole La Cour, Certified Pre & Post Natal Dance Instructor

A History of International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2013 by birthsanctuary

Today is International Women’s Day. We celebrate being women, all the work that has been done to achieve what has been achieved in the field of women’s rights. And we look below the surface to remember that this work is far from done.

Today 576031_493853064010952_1198303851_n is an opportunity to remember to be present to the ongoing situations that affect and challenge women all over the world. For our daughters and for daughters everywhere, let us not put off the difference we can make for women today. At The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center, we work in the field of protecting and forwarding a woman’s right to birth, right to midwife, right to nurse and make choices for our children. What is your field, and how can you bring some transformation to it such that women are empowered in the near and distant future?

From the International Women’s Day website, here is a history of the day:

International Women’s Day has been observed since in the early 1900′s, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women’s oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman’s Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women’s Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day – a Women’s Day – to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women’s clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin’s suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women’s Day was the result.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) was honored the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic ‘Triangle Fire’ in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women’s Day events. 1911 also saw women’s ‘Bread and Roses‘ campaign.
1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women’s Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Women’s Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women’s solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for “bread and peace” in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women’s strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 – 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women’s rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as ‘International Women’s Year‘ by the United Nations. Women’s organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women’s advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women’s equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honoring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother’s Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970′s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Google Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make every day International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

The Legacy of Black Midwives

Posted on February 4, 2013 by birthsanctuary

“Looking back at the past shows us how to continue to fight for the future of midwifery.” Bridget Howard, CNM, MSN, former chair of the ACNM’s Midwives of Color Committee

Nurse Midwife Maude E. Callen attends a birth in 1951

As Black History Month begins, we look to celebrate the unique contribution made to the field of midwifery, and thereby to all women, by African American midwives. What we find is an immensely rich and somewhat hidden history and journey that black midwives have traveled.

Who is allowed to explore this history? How can we know the deep, rich, and spiritual gifts that black midwives have left for us? What can we be responsible for as we discover the injustices that were served on black midwives, as they were regulated and forced into “retirement” by licensing requirements and false “celebrations”, in which their tools and rights to practice were passed on to nurses and doctors and out of their hands?

What similarities do we see today, with the apparent persecution of practicing midwives in our own state, our country, and around the world, for various deeds performed in service of birthing women but of issue to medical boards, who assume jurisdiction over birth and midwives and women’s bodies?

The questions go on.

The responses are difficult to say out loud, for myself because my throat catches, tears rise up, and I can hardly bear the recognition of how fragile our rights seem to be. The opportunity to birth my children in the space of my choice, at my pace, experiencing the grueling and beautiful transformation of myself as a mother, a woman, a human being, was granted to me because of midwives, because of their courage, their spirit, their service and wisdom and sacrifice.

When we peel back the cover, we see that the midwives who served us today, regardless of race, have all been deeply served by black midwives, the foremothers of today’s traditional midwifery practices. This month, and from now on, can we all look more deeply? Can we honor the tremendous gifts of tradition and family care that have been graced to us by countless humble and under-acknowledged black midwives? And through this honoring, can we discover new connections between us, beyond our cultural norms? What becomes possible when we link ourselves to this past?

Reasons I Can’t Get Pregnant – Natural Fertility Options

Posted on January 14, 2013 by birthsanctuary

iStock_000012742994Small This post is authored by Wendy Arneill, Registered Nurse, Ayurveda Practitioner: Pregnancy & Women’s Holistic Health. Wendy practices privately and through The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center.

Women are magnificent. We nurture, we trust, we multi-task, we support one another and we can do any job we set our minds to, all with love and compassion. We are creative, empathic, we laugh and we are inherently strong. It’s no surprise that we were intended to Mother. It’s inherent in our nature. Why then, are so many women today asking “How can I get pregnant?” It’s counter-intuitive that we could be so creative and productive in our lives, and then be deprived of such a natural and paramount right of women. Yet more and more women are hearing the word “infertile” after not conceiving a child for a year or more of trying. The truth is, there are numerous reasons why women are not conceiving, but few of them are insurmountable by natural treatment. Ayurveda is holistic health care. It has highly refined means of assessment, revealing unique patterns of imbalance which are responsible for such conditions as infertility. Evidence shows time and again that the natural way of improving any condition, infertility included, generates the best results, the most lasting results, the fewest side-effects, and the most improvements in other unexpected areas of the life (“good” side effects). Ayurveda is natural health care like no other, and it holds exceptional knowledge for creating life and conceiving naturally.

Any internet search will list general health problems that interfere with getting pregnant. They look something like this: stress, unhealthy diet, unhealthy weight (high or low), caffeine, late planning, ovulation problems, polycystic ovaries, inappropriate exercise, timing of sex, and so on. This list is valid, but there is clearly more. Otherwise, all of you who have adjusted your lifestyles to improve issues with diet, weight, stress… or have overcome menstrual concerns… would be pregnant! Ayurveda has the more. It understands patterns in the physiology, mind and emotions that are blocking conception, and most importantly, it offers remedies to open these channels. Western medicine is spectacular in addressing acute (major) illness and injury. For most women, their delay in conceiving is not a major medical problem (although it can feel this way), but rather a more subtle imbalance or unique constellation of imbalances. Each woman has a particular situation in body and mind giving rise to an individualized need of improving her overall health to welcome pregnancy. Ayurveda offers highly individualized care with time-tested means to better health and optimal conception.

If you have tried the recommendations by your doctor, your doctor has deemed you in good health, and yet you still need help getting pregnant, expand your horizons to a trusted Ayurveda Practitioner specializing in pregnancy and women’s health. If there are issues with your reproductive system, such as anovulation, irregular periods, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), or others, and you would like a natural perspective to optimize your health with the fewest side effects, Ayurveda has much to offer and your practitioner can work alongside your doctor. An Ayurveda Practitioner will not adjust your medical treatment, but can prevent your need for medical treatment or complement it for greatest success. If you are just beginning to think about pregnancy and want to optimize your conception and experience in pregnancy, Ayurveda is unmatched. Ayurveda creates balance and harmony within your body, mind and heart. This is ideal preparation for supporting your baby in womb and, later, for mothering your newborn.

What are some reasons why I can’t get pregnant?

Many women are asking “Why exactly can’t I get pregnant?” In Ayurvedic terms, some of the most common patterns of imbalance leading to infertility include: Ojas depletion; Excess vata, creating a “cold and stagnant” uterus, leading to imbalanced Apana Vata; Accumulation of ama or inflammation. The Ojas depletion can be in response to many other imbalances, often excess vata (depletion of energy) and sadhaka pitta (something like depression or lack of fulfillment). Many of these terms relate to issues named above by western health models, such as stress, diet, and ovulation problems. However, there are items on the Ayurvedic list which are not recognized in Western /American health care. Ayurveda can assess more individualized reasons for infertility, and better yet, Ayurveda offers precise ways of reversing the issues at hand. The recommendations may include any combination of numerous modalities, dependent on the unique presentation of each woman (or man). They may include medicinal herbs, food choices (not restrictions, rather bringing in different tastes and qualities), effortless and effective meditation (not just re- laxation), detoxification of the body (or purification of part of the body, such as the colon, small intestines, or energy channels), influential aroma and/or sound therapy, Vedic counseling, or traditional Ayurvedic treatments to treat sleep and anxiety. The care plan is devised to fit within your personal life requirements and busy lives. Recommendations can be as simple as a daily tonic herb or more complex, as required and doable. The result most often leads to a natural, easier, healthy and fulfilling pregnancy.

If you have had trouble getting pregnant, or you’re concerned that you will, have an Ayurvedic assessment to complement or fill in the gaps of your western medical evaluation. The stress of infertility is enormous, and it only increases your risk for infertility. Addressing your situation thoroughly with Ayurveda can encourage natural conception and the smoothest transition into motherhood. Evidence also suggests that after one medical intervention is initiated (medications, invasive treatments, hormones), the likelihood of another intervention is more likely. Ayurveda goes to the source of the problem, corrects it, and then allows nature to run its course and conceive. It does not treat symptoms alone; it corrects the root issues, leading not only to pregnancy, but better overall health and wellness. Supporting yourself is the first step in supporting the health and wellness of your baby.

What can help me get pregnant? 

Here are a few tips to start with on how to get pregnant:

* Get proper quality and quantity of sleep (see your Ayurveda Practitioner if this is challenging) * Eat warm foods, especially during the winter months, especially first thing in the morning * Don’t go non-fat. If you need to lose weight, see your Ayurveda Practitioner, but include good oils and fats in your diet.

* Find a teacher to instruct you in effortless Meditation. Not relaxation, not solely breathing or Yoga, but true Meditation, which allows you to transcend and funnel your own strength. Effective meditation is simple, effortless, and proves to bring ease to the whole life, not just relaxation during the meditation itself.

* Yoga poses such as Goddess Pose (standing or lying), especially when coupled with breathing into the pelvic region (the whole pelvic basin, including front and back), will help open energetic channels for conception. Do this daily for 5 uninterrupted minutes, starting with the lying down version and graduating to the standing pose only if it’s effortless. See how you feel after one week of daily practice.

These are some basics. For persistent trouble conceiving, contact your Ayurveda Practitioner who specializes in pregnancy. If you need more direction on how to effectively address the re- commendations above or you have an underlying health issue such as irregular periods, insomnia, fatigue, difficult digestion/elimination, or anxiety, consult a trusted Ayurveda Practitioner. If you’re not sure Ayurveda is for you, simply inquire and you’ll get a sense of whether it’s right for you. Statistics clearly show positive and fulfilling results in natural conception through Ayurveda, even after months or more without success prior. As always, Ayurveda does not replace medical treatment. However, Ayurveda will facilitate pregnancy. Ayurveda helps in creating healthy bodies and happy babies.

Please call 310-566-7690 for more information and to make an appointment with Wendy Arneill, RN, Ayurvedic Practitioner at The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center.

See more about Wendy’s work at FirstLightAyurveda.com

The 7 Minute Eternity

Posted on January 4, 2013 by birthsanctuary

Our guest writer for this post is Richard Pass, RN, BS, Director of Save A Little Life, Inc. Richard teaches Pediatric CPR at The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center every 4th Monday of the month. Click through to the calendar for upcoming classes.

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I have thought long and hard about how to best prepare all parents for the unthinkable. That, of course, would be the moment one might have to actually perform CPR or try and remove a life-threatening airway obstruction.

Now entering my 14th year as director of Save A Little Life, inc. I have known nearly a dozen parents who have actually faced this reality and proved that simple but quick action is at the root of survival.

My respect for firefighters, paramedics and other “First Responders” knows no bounds. Their professionalism, dedication and selflessness is well established. At the same time, these highly trained care givers cannot get to you (in many instances) quickly enough to avert a worst case scenario.

As we prepare for 2013, new information recently cited from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) – where EMT’s and paramedics originate – indicates that it takes, on average, 7 minutes to get to your home or other location. A recent L.A. Times article, again citing LAFD data suggests that the 7 minutes may be a good response time and that some L.A. residents may have to wait longer.*

Science reminds us that the human brain, without circulating oxygen will begin to deteriorate prior to 7 minutes. Longer delays only result in worse outcomes.

There can only be one conclusion: Parents, family & care providers are “First Responders” and must see themselves and respond as such. This awesome responsibility demands that we re-focus on what can be done prior to paramedic response to your location.

The answer remains the same as we’ve been preaching for nearly 15 years: Learn CPR and other life-saving techniques and make a critical difference in those most precious minutes until help arrives.

Becoming proficient in CPR is not a difficult task. However, it requires focus and attention to conditions in the moment. And above all, these moments cannot include indecision and/or inaction.

As we head into the new year, Save A Little Life urges parents to take a class and, if need be, a refresher class as infants become toddlers and onto childhood.

Please logon to our web site, check our Class Calendar for dates, locations, etc. We continue to offer our courses city-wide with classes on weekday evenings and weekends. Private courses are still very popular and we will always try to accommodate families in their homes for a more comfortable and familiar setting.

As the owner and director of Save A Little Life, I wish all of the thousands of parents who have taken our course in the past 13 years to continue to be vigilant in their preparedness for those unthinkable moments.

*Response times are quicker when a “land line” (not a cell phone) is used.

To all of you and to those we’ve yet to meet, I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy new year!

Warmest Regards,

Richard Pass, RN,BS
December 30, 2012