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Birthwise Doula Program

Naomi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:06:09 +0000

If you are living in the Oxford Hills area in Maine and expecting a baby in 2010, please contact Birthwise Midwifery School for your doula services. I’ve decided to take the year off from attending births for this coming year so that I can devote more time to my growing family (this of course does not apply to close friends or family who may be expecting). This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is for the best.

Birth a Miracle Services will still be offering childbirth preparation classes, birth counseling sessions, the Babymoon Package at King’s Hill Inn, doula teas, and of course, adding resources to this blog.

I highly recommend the Birthwise Doula Program because it is offered by the school’s midwifery students who are very passionate about serving women during birth. Their service is low cost – only $50 for two prenatal visits, continuous labor support, and one postpartum visit in your home. They also offer a postpartum doula service for $10 an hour, for a minimum of 4 hours. Each of the midwifery students has completed a doula training program, usually DONA or ALACE, and have attended home and/or hospital births.

To learn more about the Birthwise Doula Program, here is their contact information:

Birthwise Midwifery School 24 S. High Street Bridgton, ME 042009 (207) 647-5968 clinicaldirector@birthwisemidwifery.edu www.birthwisemidwifery.edu

It’s Okay to Grieve!

Naomi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:25:48 +0000

When I became pregnant with my first child I knew exactly how I was going to give birth. He would be born at home, possibly in a birth tub, surrounded by my trusted midwives and my family. But it was not to be.

Five weeks before my due date I developed mild hypertension, and I was having trouble raising my iron level. Although my liver was showing no signs of developing preeclampsia, my midwife was still very concerned, so at 38 weeks pregnant, I found myself having to decide what hospital I would birth at, and who would catch my baby. (More on my first birth story here)

A lot of people think that stories like mine are no big deal. Most babies are born in the hospital anyway, right? Thankfully I still had a couple of weeks left to process what was happening, to mourn the loss of my ideal birth, and to decide what my next best choice would be, but many women are not that lucky.

I recently had a conversation with a previous client of mine whose plans to have a water birth at home turned into a cesarean hospital birth during the course of her labor. She had no time to learn about cesareans, to decide who would help her to give birth, or to coem to terms with the change emotionally. And as predicted, well-intentioned family and friends made it sound like it was no big deal. Her baby was healthy, right? She recovered from the surgery right? It’s only birth after all, you have a whole life left of parenting!

Comments like these not only prevent women from heailng from difficult births, they prolong the damage. When we pass off their births we make women feel guilty for not being able to “get over it” or “move on”. Telling a woman who had an unexpected cesarean, a home birth transfer, or a difficult vaginal birth that she should just be greatful for her baby is the equivalent of telling her she is mentally unhealthy and a bad mom to boot.

Courtesy of http://birthlove.cyclzone.com/pages/csec_vbac/meghan.html

Of course, comments like these come from well-meaning people, they just don’t know what else to say. So here’s a message for you, if you know someone who lost something at their birth, or if you are that women: It’s okay to grieve! Cry, yell, cuss, complain, speak against it, write or draw out your thoughts and feelings, tell someone who will listen to you. They can’t fix it, but it needs to be acknowledged that birth is important to women and babies.

Although not so for some women, the majority feel that birth is one of the deepest and most meaningful expressions of their femininity. Having one’s baby cut from their womb, or pulled from out of them (whether necessary or not) leaves them feeling incomplete and wounded. These are normal feelings not to be ignored, surpressed, or underestimated. This rite of passage called birth must be acknowledged for what it is: a highly physical, emotional, spiritual, and yes, sexual event.

You cannot move on or be truly greatful until you have allowed yourself to admit and mourn the loss of your birth. And healing will come. That birth experience will never be better, but you will no longer feel guilty for admitting that.

And perhaps if you have another child your next birth will go differently. After my son was born I went through a lot of emotional work so that my next pregnancy and birth would be different. I am proud of myself for that, and my daughter was born at home as planned.

Please read this woman’s story about healing from a difficult birth. She describes it much better than I ever could.

The REAL infant mortality rates and H.R. 3200

Naomi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:09:25 +0000

For the longest time I have been under the impression that the United States’ infant mortality rate is on a downward slide, already much worse than most all other developed countries. The NYT recently reported it as being number 29 on the list.

Most of the top countries attribute their success in few babies dying to the high use of midwives and home birth with good access to OB’s. But my whole belief in this just got turned on it’s head. I recently found a reference to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) who discourages comparison of world-wide infant mortality rates because they are all registered differently.

Some countries count any baby born over 1 pound, others count babies over 12 inches long, others register babies born after 26 weeks of pregnancy, and in the US we count any baby born alive after 22 weeks, I believe. That would mean we would have more babies dying just because of the way we count live births.

Half of infant deaths are due to preterm birth, and a report by U.S. News and World Report in 2006 showed that once you adjust for birth weight our babies the US infant mortality rate is comparable to Norway’s, which we all know is one of the lowest. The high preterm birth rate is probably due in part to higher use of fertility drugs in this country than in other countries.

As of this writing, a healthcare bill is being pushed through Congress which would presumably take effect in 2013. The purpose of H.R.3200 – America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 is essentially to broaden healthcare coverage to those who are not currently insured. It sounds good at first, but the huge debate cross country over this issue has been for good reason. OpenCongress summarizes that this bill includes: “a new government-run insurance plan (a.k.a. a public option) to compete with the private companies, a requirement that all Americans have health insurance, a prohibition on denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and, to pay for it all, a surtax on households with an income above $350,000″.

The consequences of allowing the government to have such large scale control over our healthcare would be devastating to our economy, and some countries with national healthcare plans such as this are even backtracking to an open-market system. Yet some well-known natural birth advocates and maternity care providers are pushing hard for a system like this to be put in place in the United States. They argue that countries like Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden have some of the best outcomes world-wide in maternity care because of the benefits of a national healthcare system; primarily, close working relationships between doctors and alternative healthcare providers, and an established role for home birth and midwives. So the question is, do the presumed benefits of a national healthcare plan outweigh the large-scale consequences?

The answer lies in taking a much closer look at the methods of comparing the United States to countries with national healthcare plans. Using infant and maternal mortality rates, countries are compared to each other to determine who is offering the best healthcare. As I just showed, comparing global infant mortality rates is a highly inaccurate way of comparing healthcare systems, and when you take a closer look at the numbers, the United States is doing far better than many care to admit.

Of course, the countries commonly referred to when discussing who offers the best maternity care are those which have national healthcare plans, but they do have certain features about their maternity care which probably would have a beneficial effect on our own, namely, the high value they place on well-trained home birth midwives, and access to home birth for every healthy woman. And while I look forward to the day when home birth is valued by more Americans, we can be assured that passing this healthcare bill or any comparable bill, will not improve our access to or quality of healthcare, it will not create better access to home birth for our women, and it will absolutely not improve the maternity care our women are receiving.

So, after spending all this time talking about the United States’ infant mortality rate being worse than most other developed countries, I now have to backstep. Something hadn’t felt quite right about it, and I realize now that using a biased organization like the World Health Organiztion for such an important resource is really not a good idea. I will not defend our current infant mortality rate, which should of course be improved, but we can no longer use the reasoning that countries with higher home birth rates have lower rates of death, and we absolutely cannot argue that countries with national healthcare plans offer the best maternity care, because it is just not true.

Instead, we should refer to accurate studies which show the safety of home birth in comparison to hospital birth, and make efforts to improve our current maternity care system based on a free market. More on this in my book, Inspired Birth.

5 Months of Pregnancy

Naomi — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:03:14 +0000

I’ve been putting off this post for a while. I put a lot of things on the back burner but if I wait much longer, there won’t be a 5 Months of Pregnancy post to write!

I am 21 weeks pregnant and I have finally seen my midwife! The last appointment was postponed after her son wound up in the ER for stitches after a hockey accident, but at 20 weeks we managed to get together. Of course, everything is great, baby is growing wonderfully and I’m healthy.

16 weeks

My biggest challenge by far has been fatigue. I don’t remember being this tired before, which doesn’t seem possible because as a mom, you’re almost always tired. But this has been different, so I’ve been working on increasing my protein, iron, and vitamins from natural sources, disciplining myself to go to bed earlier (it’s almost 10pm right now, how am I doing on this on?), and learning how to say no to people.

There is one other thing, twins cannot be ruled out yet. I don’t even like to admit the possibility because I doubt I am pregnant with twins, but the odds keeping stacking up against me! My midwife said we should know for sure around 26 weeks when the baby(s) would go through another growth spurt and we’d be able to feel the number of babies easier. Part of me thinks it would be exciting to have twins, and another part of me is thinking, if we’re having twins, I’m going to do my best to not get pregnant again, possibly for good. Perhaps it’s just the tiredness talking, but I think I’ll be content with 3 or 4 kids to raise.

Other than that it’s life as usual. Home-making, child-rearing, marriage-building (almost 5 years!!), business-boosting, and the seasonal stuff like preparing for winter and the holidays.

20 weeks

Oh, and, if I am having twins, I will still plan to give birth at home, although we may have to find an additional midwife who has had more experience with twins. That is, unless the first baby is breech which would pose more risks and we might have to consider alternatives, but that’s still a ways down the road, and may not need to be considered at all. Just some random thoughts.

Men singing acappella about hypnobirth… can’t get any funnier!

Naomi — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:09:42 +0000

Midwives share about shoulder dystocia

Naomi — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:07:11 +0000

Planning a Vacation before your Birth Day?

Naomi — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:08:13 +0000

A recent poll at babycenter.com showed that almost 9 out of 10 pregnant women plan to go on a vacation with their significant other before the birth of their baby.

And where does one go before having a baby? How does one celebrate before the birth of their child?

: Suite 5 at King’s Hill Inn

How about King’s Hill Inn? A georgeous bed and breakfast amongthe mountains of Western Maine, the hospitable innkeepers here will make sure you have a romantic getaway to make wonderful memories from!

While here you and your significant other will enjoy a seven course breakfast, a spa treatment, a special dinner for two with sparkling cider, and an individualized evening childbirth class by certified doula, Naomi Kilbreth of Birth a Miracle Services. All of this is included in the babymoon package at King’s Hill Inn.

To receive more information and to schedule your weekend babymoon, call King’s Hill Inn at 207-744-0204 (Maine), 1-877-391-KING (Outside of Maine), or visit their website at www.kingshillinn.com.

We look forward to pampering you!

The Mission Statement, Values, and Standards of Practice of Birth a Miracle Services

Naomi — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:50:30 +0000

Mission Statement

Birth a Miracle Services is a partnership of Christian women offering childbirth-related services to our community. Our mission is to broaden birth options to families which support evidence-based, mother and baby-friendly care, wellness and prevention of illness, and empowerment to women and families.

We Value:

* Birth as a normal, natural, healthy process that cannot be controlled. It is not a medical event even when medical care is a part of the birth.

* The inherent wisdom of women and babies necessary to normal birth. Women know how to give birth just as they know how to conceive and grow a baby.

* The rights of women and families to make their own choices about pregnancy, birth, and parenting, and the opportunity to receive support for making informed decisions. We recognize the limitation of their choices which usually occurs if they give birth in the hospital.

* The midwifery model of care which is the most appropriate for the majority of women during pregnancy and birth.

* Mothers and babies as a unit. Babies are individuals deserving of respect, at the same time, what is good for the mother is good for the baby.

* Family structures which support new families following birth.

* The individuality of women; their history, culture, values, family, spiritual and sexual beliefs, as influences on their identity as unique and special women.

* Pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period as milestone events in the continuum of life. This rite of passage profoundly affects women, babies, fathers, families, and have important and long-lasting effects on society.

* The opportunity of every woman to have a healthy and joyous birth experience, to give birth wherever and with whomever she feels safe, loved, and respected. She should not have to fight for anything.

* Access for women to the full range of options for pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period; to have accurate information on all available birthing sites, care providers, and practices; to receive accurate and up-to-date information on the benefits and risks of all procedures, drugs, and tests related to maternity care; with the rights to informed consent and informed refusal.

* The integrity of a woman’s body and the right of each woman and baby to be totally supported in in their efforts to achieve a natural, spontaneous vaginal birth.

* Breastfeeding as the ideal way of nourishing and nurturing the newborn.

* The physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual components of pregnancy and birth as important and inseparable.

* The empowerment of women, especially as realized during pregnancy and birth, and we value the open expression of that strength so women can birth unhindered and confident in their abilities and in our support.

* Skills which support complicated pregnancies or births to move toward a state of greater well-being or the most healing conclusion possible.

* The acceptance of death as a possible outcome of birth. We value our focus on supporting life before that of avoiding death.

* The safety of birth at home, even when unassisted by professionals, and recognize that interference with birth increases risk regardless of where birth takes place.

* Providing women with access to the truth about birth to reduce their fears.

* The truth that although birth is not without risk, neither is life, and recognizing that a lot of things are more risky than giving birth.

* The place of pain in most women’s births as a normal response of their bodies to promote a healthy birth experience, and we value the strength of women to journey through that experience.

* Childbirth preparation based on individual needs and which encourages as self-discovery, not primarily obtaining medical information.

* The role of fathers as guardians and partners. They are not “coaches”, they also need support during labor.

Standards of Practice

Each Partner:

* Believes the Bible is the Word of God, has accepted Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation, and exemplifies God’s love for humankind through her service to childbearing women and their families regardless of her client’s personal convictions.

* Places high priority on her own health and that of her family relationships and needs.

* Periodically inspects her priorities, goals, and values to align herself with Birth a Miracle Services’ mission statement, values, and standards of practice for the benefit of the families it serves.

* Treats other partners of Birth a Miracle Services with respect, courtesy, and fairness, and quickly addresses any disagreements or concerns by the same means.

* Is responsible for offering evidence-based, family, mother, and baby-friendly care which is sensitive and responsive to her client’s specific beliefs, values, customs, and religion.

* Commits to continually grow in knowledge in her own profession and to continually improve her area of service, striving to uphold and maintain the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of her profession.

* Provides accurate descriptive and statistical information to the public about her practices and procedures as requested.

* Respects the privacy of her clients by holding in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service, unless the client agrees to allow the partner to disclose specific information.

* Recognizes her role in the relationships she has with her clients as partnerships, with her clients as the only direct care provider for herself and her baby. Birth belongs to the woman giving birth and to no other.

* Actively promotes individual responsibility of her clients in making informed choices about the healthcare they and their babies receive, and periodically examines her belief systems, preferences, and biases to ensure her care is supportive of women’s informed consent and refusal.

* Strives to achieve the WHO-UNICEF “Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative” to promote successful breastfeeding.

* Strives to set fees that are reasonable and appropriate for services performed. Fees are clearly stated to clients along with a description of the services provided, limits of the practice, terms of payment, and refund policies. She is encouraged, although not required, to reduce or eliminate fees to those unable to pay when possible.

* Is responsible for referring women to more experienced colleagues as needed, and is responsible for providing backup care providers for her clients as needed.

* Provides referrals to community resources to her clients as needed and/or requested.

Birth a Miracle Services in the Community

Naomi — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:00:17 +0000

Doula Service - Naomi has offered continuous, one-on-one professional labor support to women and their partners planning home, birth center, or hospital births since 2002. Birth doulas offer substantial physical and emotional benefits to their clients and are rated highly in emotional support, over doctors, midwives, nurses, and even family members. Women who hire doulas report greater satisfaction in their partner’s support and partner’s report feeling more satisfied with their children’s births when a doula is present. Please review what Naomi’s clients have had to say about her as a doula.

Childbirth Classes - Birth a Miracle Services is now offering one-day childbirth preparation classes for anyone who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy. These classes are independant of any hospital and reflect a collection of techniques from childbirth preparation courses, including Lamaze, Bradley, Birthing From Within, the Dick-Read Method, and the Kitzinger Method. Most classes take place at the Fare Share Commons in Norway, Maine. Naomi is currently the childbirth educator, but is in the process of training a new partner of Birth a Miracle Services, Haley Grant, who will be taking over the childbirth classes after Naomi’s third baby is born in the Spring of 2010.

Birth Counseling – Some couples prefer not to attend childbirth classes open to the public, but would rather have a knowledgeable person come to their home to offer individualized preparation and counseling for their birth experience. Naomi will travel up to one hour from her home in West Paris to offer this service, available for $20 a class hour. If a couple chooses to host a childbirth class in their home, with at least one other person, they will receive $30 off the cost of their class fee.

Babymoon Package at King’s Hill Inn - A recent poll showed that nearly 9 out of 10 expecting couples plan to take a vacation before the birth of their child. To celebrate this special time in their lives, Birth a Miracle Services in the process of developing a Babymoon package with the inn keepers of King’s Hill Inn in South Paris, Maine. This package will include all the special treatment that comes with a stay at the Inn, including romantic Victorian-style rooms, georgous scenery and gardens, a 7 course breakfast. As a special gift to expectant couples, those who ask for the Babymoon package will also receive spa treatments and individualized childbirth preparation classes from Naomi at Birth a Miracle Services. More information to come as this is a very new opportunity.

Blog - Since late 2007, Naomi has kept her blog readers up to date on Birth a Miracle Services opportunities, as well as posting more than 200 articles with useful information related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting, free to the public.

Inspired Birth book for Christian Maternity Care Providers - This book is currently being edited and plans are in the making for sending the manuscript to specific literary agents by early 2010. You will be kept up to date on the progress of the book and the release date as soon as it is known.

Lending Library - Available to Birth a Miracle Services doula clients is a lending library of books related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. This library continues to grow, so check back to see what is new!

Doula Teas - On occasion, Birth a Miracle Services hosts free doula teas in the community to create public awareness of this great birth option. If a woman chooses to host a doula tea in her home, with at least one other person, she will receive $45 off Naomi’s doula service fee for herself or a loved one!

Discounts Aailable – Naomi realizes that women who are single, teens, and/or low-income, are often those who need doula support the most although they are unable to afford it. That is why her doula and birth counseling services are based on a sliding-scale fee for those who are single, teens, and/or low-income. Free services are not uncommon, although she requests her expenses to be paid, a base price of $50. Gift certificates are available (great babyshower gift!) and a $45 discount is available for those who host a doula tea in their home.