Preg Issues

You're Pregnant? (or thinking about it?) Congratulations!

Pregnancy is a very important time. At no other time will you and your baby be as close as you are right now. You are one. And because of this closeness, everything that you do, think, feel, and ingest effects your baby in some way. HypnoBirthing® recognizes, emphasizes and utilizes this truth.

It is extremely important for you to understand the many things that are related to your pregnancy so that you can make wise and informed decisions and do everything possible to assist your baby's development and growth.

I have collected many articles, studies and information that I believe will help you in this endeavor. Some of them I am sure you are aware of. Others may be new to you. My goal in presenting them to you is to get you to stop and think....to research and question....to discuss them with your partner

...to take charge of your pregnancy and your birthing.

Obligatory Disclaimer: Each and every individual must be responsible for the application of any information accessed through this (or ultimately, any other) website. A partnership with a responsible health care provider who knows your personal history is the only safe way to apply any material from any source.

Prenatal Parenting

You are a parent long before your child is born. Your Parental Responsibilities begin during your pregnancy (or even before). Remember your health and well-being is not something to be shy or embarrassed about. It is your body (and that of your baby), and you have a right to be your own best advocate.

Kim Wilder has written many eye-opening articles and books that emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for your pregnancy and birthing. I recommend her latest one, "Mother's Intentions: How Belief Shapes Birth". You can read the first three chapters on-line FREE. (it is available as an e-book as well as a regular book.)

Dr. Fred Wirth has been caring for sick newborns and premature babies for many years (He was the physician to the first test-tube baby.) In his book Prenatal Parenting he explains the importance of actively parenting your unborn child with forethought and directed attention. It is very informative and enlightening.

Natural or Medicalized Birth? First Do No Harm!

Forceps, drugs, episiotomy, C-sections, and more....all developed and designed to be used in that rare event when birth takes an unusual turn. But what if your birthing is easy, normal, and "uneventful"? How does the medicalization of birth effect you and your baby? This article is a Must Read for every couple making birthing decisions. "Natural Birthing Options...Technology in Birth" by Dr. Marsden Wagner on Dr. Joseph Mercola's website. (Use your Back Button to return to this site)

Choosing your Caregiver

Probably the most important thing you can do to achieve the birth experience you want is to take the time and energy to select just the right caregiver for you. Here are some suggestions of things you might want to ask them during an interview. Remember.....they are working for you and if you are not pleased with their performance, and you cannot reconcile the problem with them, then you can and should seek another one.

Concerning Childbirth

What Women Aren't Told About Childbirth
A new survey of mothers reveals some disturbing things about hospital maternity care that may make pregnant women want to take a closer look at their options. THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ALL PREGNANT COUPLES!!!

"Eight Ways to Increase the Safety and Comfort of Childbirth" This article appeared on Dr. Joseph Mercola's natural health newletter, June 2004, and was written by Dr. Kathy Foulser, a Naturopathic Physician in the Chicago area. It suggests eight ways to increase your comfort and health while you are pregnant and as you bring your precious child into the world. Women around the world are empowering themselves to allow pregnancy and birth to unfold in a peaceful, comfortable, loving, even sacred way. Taking a few moments to read and consider each suggestion will put you on the path to being one of them. It's never too early to start planning for a peaceful, safe, healthy pregnancy and birth.

Special Delivery, Journal for the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE) , 2002, "What's Pain Got to do With it?" In this wonderful article, Kim Wilder, a midwife and HypnoBirthing® Educator explores the possibility of "Painless Birth Without Drugs". She explains why some women can experience a comfortable, even ecstatic and orgasmic, birth. This is a "MUST READ" for any woman who wants to find alternatives to the medicalized form of birth, who wants to take charge of her pregnancy and birthing experience. Kim has also writen a great book Mother's Intention: How Belief Shapes Birth. You can read sample chapters at http://mail.chartermi.net/~mamamojo/MIpart1.htm.

One of the main benefits of the HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Class is the confidence that is created in the birthing couples...confidence that their bodies can be trusted and in their own abilities to handle any turns their labor may take. A study in Ohio has found that SELF-CONFIDENCE IS ONE KEY TO AN EASIER LABOR AND CHILDBIRTH.

Smoking

One of the best things you can do for your baby is to not smoke during your pregnancy or around your newborn. Even second-hand smoke is harmful. Read about the many ways that your baby is affected by people smoking around him/her. If you are still smoking PLEASE take advantage of our Be a Positive Non-Smoker Special Offer to pregnant couples.

Cesarean Section and VBAC

The Cesarean Section rate in the U.S. is at an all time high. In 2003, 27.6% of the babies born in the U.S. were surgically removed from their mother's uterus (National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm) and in 2004 it was up to 29.1% (ICAN). C-section is not just another way to birth.....it is major abdominal surgery with all of the risks and discomforts that accompany it. Women need to educate themselves to the risks to themselves and their babies when contemplating this action.

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) can be a safe alternative to a repeat Cesarean Section for many women. Unfortunately, today many women are being prevented from having a VBAC as more and more hospitals are refusing to allow them. They use scare tactics to dissuade women from considering VBACs. If you are wishing to have a vaginal birth rather than a repeat cesarean, you need to do your homework and research this option.

The International Cesarean Awareness Network's (ICAN) mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). You can get the latest information on studies, etc. from this organization.

VBAC.com's goal is to provide access to information from a variety of sources; scientific studies, professional guidelines, government reports, successful and safe established VBAC programs, and the midwifery model of care . Their goal is to help women make informed decisions about how they will give birth and to encourage an honest and respectful dialogue with their caregivers.