Injections, Eggs, and Attorneys: How One Lesbian Couple Conceived

For parents who are GLBT (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender), as well as their doulas, health care providers and allies -- which hopefully includes most everyone -- some great resources have been emerging, thanks in part to the Internet.  Dana Rudolph created the award-winning Mombian blog in 2005, and in 2006 she created Blogging for LGBT Families Day.  (Yes, there are many variations on the acronym.)  Hundreds of writers have participated, and this year writers may submit blog entries on or before June 3, which will then be collected and published on the Mombian Web site.  In particular, I would encourage you to submit your birth story for the event!  To participate, click here.  Also, for more information about the experience of GLBT parents during childbirth and how doulas can help, see pages 29-31 of my book.  Below Dana Rudolph describes the process known as "reciprocal IVF," which she and her partner of 20 years used to create their family.

Skin-to-Skin Contact: It's Not Just For Birth

More people are hearing about the benefits of skin-to-skin contact between babies and parents.  As a Certified Lactation Counselor, one of my favorite pieces of advice for new parents is to use skin-to-skin (STS) well beyond the moment of birth.  For babies, breastfeeding is a "full-body experience," and they need the sensory input of STS to let them know where they are in space, and to send a signal to their brains to begin latching correctly.  Babies also need to be able to use their hands to knead the breast, and STS helps raise levels of a mother's milk-making hormones.  If breastfeeding is not perfected after the first few days of life, by all means continue to use STS to help speed up the process!  Hope Parish and Daniela Jensen will be offering a FREE Webinar about STS, hosted by Isis Parenting, on Wednesday May 15, 2013 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.  To register, visit https://cc.readytalk.com/r/yn3euqhwql6z.  Hope and Daniela are the creators of the NüRoo Pocket, a garment that holds baby STS for what is also known as "Kangaroo Care."  See below for more information about the Webinar, as well as the "Top 10 Myths of Kangaroo Care and STS" by Hope Parish and Daniela Jensen. 

Infant formulas loaded with corn syrup and sugar

By Selena Keegan

(NaturalNews) Top baby formula brands sold in stores contain alarmingly high levels of corn syrup and sugar. In light of rising rates of childhood obesity and diabetes, parents need to read labels carefully to protect their children's health.

Consumption of large quantities of sugar and high fructose corn syrup have been linked to behavioral disorders such as ADD as well as other issues such as anxiety, daytime drowsiness and nighttime insomnia.

Feeding your baby sugar and corn syrup also increases your child's risk for a wide spectrum of other health problems ranging from dental cavities to high triglyceride levels to nutritional deficiencies. Even the mainstream medical establishment warns of the dangers of added sugars.

Warnings issued about sugar consumption for children

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued warnings about the health dangers of children drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, sweetened fruit drinks and sports drinks (http://www.aap.org/).

Unfortunately, many parents do not realize that the most store-bought formulas they feed their infants and toddlers may pose the same health risks as a can of soda.

Most baby formula product lines offer options for cow's milk-based formula as well as soy milk for infants with lactose intolerance. Many formulas come in ready-to-feed, liquid concentrate and powdered forms. All the major baby formula brands offer options for all age groups from premature infants through toddlers, choices for children with special medical conditions, and organic product lines.

The top five ingredients listed for Similac Sensitive Formula for Fussiness and Gas are: Corn Syrup Solids, Sugar (Sucrose), Milk Protein Isolate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil.

Doulas Working in Prisons

Most of us will never have to worry about being incarcerated during our pregnancies.  Nonetheless, the voices of birthing mothers in prison are important for all of us to hear.  According to doulas Marianne Bullock and Vicki Elson of the Prison Birth Project (PBP), most mothers who are incarcerated have committed nonviolent crimes, and represent the most disadvantaged segments of our society.  Other doulas might choose to reach out to this population, and the work of PBP can serve as their guide.  When I learned about PBP, this statement struck me the most powerfully:  "Of all the women who have ever received PBP’s doula services and then been released, only one has returned to jail so far. We believe that doula care is stopping a cycle of violence and trauma to mother and baby during delivery, and helping women to have the tools to make healthier choices. Other prison birth programs report similar decreases in recidivism."  Visit the PBP Web site to learn how you can help, at theprisonbirthproject.org.  (Ways to help are as simple as writing a Mother's Day message that will be delivered to an incarcerated woman via the PBP Web site.)  Marianne Bullock and Vicki Elson tell the story of PBP below.

Dance to prevent babies from "getting stuck" during birth

A topic I would love to see discussed widely is the role of fitness in pregnancy--and its documented effects on childbirth, including shorter labors and a potential reduction in the need for inductions, pain medication, and cesareans, according to researchers such as Dr. James Clapp III, and reported in publications such as Fit Pregnancy magazine.  Whether women start their pregnancies already active, sedentary, slim, or plus-size, incorporating exercise has been proven beneficial.  Looking back at my own pregnancy, I believe regular salsa dancing helped my baby descend into a low, well-aligned position in my pelvis at 30 weeks, where she remained until delivery.  Recently, I have been excited to discover the work of doula and former professional dancer Stephanie Larson, founder of Dancing for Birth™, who describes the potential for dance movements involving the pelvis to improve birth outcomes (see article below).  While fitness does not always guarantee a problem-free delivery, I believe women would benefit from guidance from their healthcare providers to make exercise a priority as they prepare for birth.     

How My Mother’s Death Makes Me Fear Motherhood

The loss of a mother affects a woman whether she chooses to have children of her own, chooses not to, or finds herself becoming a mother after years of believing she was not destined to do so.  Nicole Clark is a social worker and activist who writes about her personal experience with this below.  To view her full Web site, which contains a wealth of information about a broad range of reproductive health and justice issues, click here.  (Another pioneer on the topic of motherless daughters is Hope Edelman, whose books explore many issues, including the helpful role of doulas in supporting women who have experienced mother loss as they become mothers themselves.  Also, women whose mothers are not deceased, but who were absent due to other challenges, sometimes relate to these same issues.)  I am grateful to Nicole Clark for sharing her story here.

FREE Webinars: The "Natural Cesarean" and Optimal Parenting Conference

Several exciting, free online seminars are coming up in April 2013!  You can participate from any location in the world where you have access to the Internet.

On April 11 at 8 PM Eastern time, Dr. William Camann will speak about the "Natural Cesarean" for Isis Parenting (where I also teach classes on newborn care and breastfeeding).  See the previous post on my blog which describes the natural cesarean here.  Dr. Camann is an advocate for changing practices nationally, including such features as slower delivery of the baby's body during a cesarean, breastfeeding while in the Operating Room, and permitting a doula in the OR.

To register for Dr. Camann's talk, go to https://cc.readytalk.com/r/2ngcfj5zhglk.  Also visit the Isis Parenting Web page to participate in free, weekly chats with expert child sleep consultants and lactation consultants, and to access recordings of past Webinars on topics including cloth diapering, potty training, finding childcare, childproofing, and many more.

On April 8-12, en*theos presents the Optimal Parenting 101 Virtual Conference.  To register, go to
http://www.entheos.com/Optimal-Parenting-101/entheos?c=thedoulaguide.  Here is the conference schedule:

Monday, April 8
12 PT/ 3 ET - Alexandra Jaye Johnson - Optimal Parenting 101
1 PT/ 4 ET - Stephen Cowan, M.D. -  Trust Yourself
2 PT/ 5 ET - Giuditta Tornetta - Pain-Free Childbirth
3 PT/ 6 ET - Latham Thomas - Mama Glow
4 PT/ 7ET - Dan Siegel, M.D. - Parenting from the Inside Out & the Whole-Brain Child
5 PT/ 8 ET - John Mc Dougall, M.D. - Healthy Mom, Kids & Environment
6 PT/ 9 ET - Gurmukh - Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy & Birth
7 PT/ 10 ET - Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald - Staying Natural in a Toxic World

Tuesday, April 9
12 PT/ 3 ET - Dr. Alejandro Junger - A Clean Mommy & Baby
1 PT/ 4 ET - Karen Maezen Miller - Momma Zen
2 PT/ 5 ET - Debra Pascali-Bonaro - Orgasmic Birth: The Best Kept Secret
3 PT/ 6 ET - Diana West - Breastfeeding Essentials
4 PT/ 7ET - Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson - The Psychology of Optimal Parenting
5 PT/ 8 ET - Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova - Birth Into Being
6 PT/ 9 ET - Elizabeth Davis - Orgasmic Birth: How to Have a Safe, Natural and Amazing Homebirth
7 PT/ 10 ET - Jack Newman, M.D. - Optimizing Breastfeeding

Wednesday, April 10
12 PT/ 3 ET - Natalia Rose - How to Create a Life Force Family
1 PT/ 4 ET - Carla Stang, Ph.D - Indigenous Wisdom on Pregnancy & Birth
2 PT/ 5 ET - Sheri Winston - Wholistic Sexuality During Pregnancy & Birth
3 PT/ 6 ET - Elena Brower - The Art of Attention: Parenting
4 PT/ 7ET - Leo Babauta - Zen Habits & The Art of Parenting
5 PT/ 8 ET - Gayle Peterson, Ph.D - Being a Mother is a Gift to the World
6 PT/ 9 ET - Laura Shanley - Natural Childbirth
7 PT/ 10 ET - Shazzie - Superfood Nutrition & Ecstatic Pregnancy

Thursday, April 11
12 PT/ 3 ET - Sonia Choquette - Nurturing Your Child’s Intuitive Spark
1 PT/ 4 ET - Maggie Ney, N.D. - Optimizing Women’s Health
2 PT/ 5 ET - Sheila Kamara Hay - Ecstatic Birth & the Importance of Pleasure
3 PT/ 6 ET - Robbie Davis Floyd - Breaking Cultural Norms and Owning Your Birth
4 PT/ 7ET - Jennifer Louden - Sheroic Parenting
5 PT/ 8 ET - Angela Stokes-Monarch - Raw Nutrition, Pregnancy & Unassisted Birth
6 PT/ 9 ET - Nekole Shapiro - Embodied Birth
7 PT/ 10 ET - Sarah Buckley, M.D. - Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering

Friday, April 12
12 PT/ 3 ET - Ingrid Bauer - Diaper Free!
1 PT/ 4 ET - Joel Fuhrman, M.D. - Disease-Proof Your Child
2 PT/ 5 ET - John Douillard, D.C. - Perfect Health for Kids
3 PT/ 6 ET - Naomi Aldort - Understanding Your Children’s Needs
4 PT/ 7ET - Mary Jackson - Birth in Connection
5 PT/ 8 ET - Carrie Contey - Slow Family Living

What I Learned From 17 Years as a Freelance Doula

by Ananda Lowe

I have never worked 9 to 5, Monday through Friday.  Financially, being self-employed is nerve-racking, yet those of us who choose to do so often feel that we would be averse to any other lifestyle.  Working from home alone in my pajamas, answering only to the families that hire me, and even being on-call, suit me. 

For most of the past ten years I have freelanced full-time, combining doula work with teaching, publishing a book, and work as a Licensed Massage Therapist.  Before that I served for seven years as Assistant Director of the doula organization ALACE (now www.tolabor.com), working 3 to 4 days per week in that role, and as a freelance doula part-time. 

As an almost entirely female profession, doulas struggle with society’s devaluing of women’s work, and our own shaky professional self-esteem.  We debate on our email listservs about how much to charge (sometimes whether to charge) and how to stave off burnout as we perform intense work for wages that are often not enough to support our own families. 

The answers to these questions are still evolving and emerging, and I would like to contribute my perspective.  To my doula sisters with your selfless hearts and drive, you can balance your passion for social change with your sanity, and your family’s need to pay the rent or mortgage.

So, here is my list of advice for the freelance soul:

A Mother's Depression: Advice for Fathers and Partners

I admire Sarah and Jean-Philippe Vine for their honesty in speaking about their experience with Sarah's postpartum depression.  Sarah is a doula who courageously told her story on her blog, in the hopes that it would help other mothers.  Her husband also chose to tell the story from his perspective, in order to help those who may be the partner of a mother suffering from postpartum mental illness.  Jean-Philippe Vine is an Animation Director whose professional work can be viewed here, and who wrote and illustrated the essay below about his family's postpartum experience.

Latina women, reclaim your birth power!

Latina mothers have a rich childbearing heritage to draw upon.  Maria Apreza is a doula and Spanish medical interpreter serving the Seattle area. She is passionate about immigrant and women’s rights. Maria also volunteers her services through Open Arms Perinatal Services, a local non-profit that provides doulas free of charge to low-income women of color.  She lives with her husband and four kids.  Originally from Mexico, she enjoys teaching women how to use the rebozo in pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.  Click here for an excellent list of resources and information on the rebozo that she has collected.  Maria Apreza reflects upon her personal heritage and her professional experience in the inspiring essay below.

Update on book about "Homebirth Cesareans"

Guest post by Courtney Jarecki and Laurie Perron Mednick

The Homebirth Cesarean book shines light on homebirth women who transport to the hospital for a cesarean, and the midwives and others who care for them.

Homebirth Cesarean (HBC) began as a conversation between us: a homebirth midwife, and a mom who went from the dream of having a homebirth to the reality of a cesarean. Eight months after the birth experience we shared, we reconnected to process the birth and postpartum care. Although our experiences of the same birth were different, we felt immense relief in realizing that we still maintained a powerful connection as midwife and mother that hadn’t been broken through the HBC. We also realized that mothers require more support and resources following these births, and midwives and birth professionals were open to learning more about how they can best serve these families.

Natural Hospital Birth

Natural childbirth is not easy to achieve in hospitals, which may come as a surprise to pregnant women and couples who assume this option will be readily available, if they so choose.  Doula and medical anthropologist Cynthia Gabriel, PhD, has a lot to say on the topic, and offers parents her guidance for how to maximize their chances in her book, Natural Hospital Birth.  One of her tips that I love best is this strategy for active labor:  when the hospital staff has questions for the laboring woman, her spouse or support person can be the one to answer, so the mother can maintain her concentration and momentum in strong labor.  I have noticed how this technique can work beautifully in a hospital setting, where frequent interruptions are common and appear to slow down labor for many women.  Below, Cynthia Gabriel sheds light on the paradox of "natural hospital birth," and offers an inspirational viewpoint on what it can mean for families and those who care for them.

Birthing Project USA is saving lives

Birthing Project USA connects volunteers and pregnant women within the African American community and other underserved communities, with the goal of reducing infant mortality and strengthening at-risk families.  Volunteers are known as "Sister Friends" who provide support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the first year postpartum.  Chapters exist in cities across the USA and internationally.  The project's founder, Kathryn Hall-Trujillo, has been recognized as a CNN Hero.  Birthing Project USA has supported mothers affected by Hurrican Katrina, provided scholarships to adolescent mothers pursuing a college education, reduced infant mortality rates in high-risk communities, and mentored thousands of young families.  Donations and volunteers are needed to help this important work continue -- visit www.birthingprojectusa.org/intro.html to get involved.  Below, Birthing Project USA describes their accomplishments over the past 25 years and their goals for the future.

How to Avoid Overfeeding a Baby by Bottle

Overfeeding can be a consequence of bottle-feeding, whether a baby receives breastmilk or formula in the bottle.  A simple technique known as "paced bottle-feeding" can be used to help avoid overfeeding with a bottle.  Postpartum doulas, who are often involved in helping new mothers feed their babies, can share this technique with their clients.  Doula and lactation consultant Jessica Barton, IBCLC, demonstrates the technique in the video below.  For printed instructions on how to do paced bottle-feeding, click here to visit Jessica's Web site .  Be sure to explore her Web site for excellent articles on a range of other topics such as galactagogues (herbs and drugs that may increase milk supply), babies with "tongue tie," and more.  Here is what Jessica has to say about paced bottle-feeding:

Paced bottle feeding is a method of bottle feeding that is designed to mimic breastfeeding. There are many reasons families might decide to try it.

Some mothers find that when they return to work and their babies are receiving breastmilk or formula from a bottle in childcare, their babies become less interested in breastfeeding at home and some may even refuse the breast.  [For the complete text of this article, see http://santabarbaralactation.com/blog/paced-bottle-feeding-breastfed-baby.]

Supporting the Births of Plus-Size Mothers

A wonderful Web site titled Plus Size Birth aims to empower plus-size mothers in many ways.  The site offers articles on topics ranging from finding a size-friendly midwife or OB, to locating good-fitting baby carriers; links to many resources; an inspiring pregnancy photo gallery; and a directory of doulas in the U.S. and around the world who have experience working with mothers 200 pounds or more (doulas who would like to be listed, or mothers who would like to find a doula, can click here).  I encourage everyone to spend time exploring the Plus Size Birth site, and to be enlightened by its message of embracing a positive body image for all mothers regardless of size.  Founder of the site Jen McLellan shares her birth story, and her experience laboring as a plus-size mother, below.

Will You Make a Good Doula?

Kristen Oganowski publishes the fantastic blog Birthing Beautiful Ideas, and has written the essay below which will inspire novice and veteran doulas alike.  (For information on how to become a doula in North America, visit the major doula organizations at www.cappa.net, www.dona.org, www.ictcmidwives.org, and www.tolabor.com.  For a list of doula organizations around the world, see pages 80-81 of The Doula Guide to Birth.)

New doulas–or people just considering whether or not to become a doula–often wonder if they’re cut out for the job.

Can I fit it into my lifestyle?  My work life?  My family life?

Will I be able to handle being on call?

Can I stomach the sight of blood, mucous, feces, and vomit?

Will I be able to withstand the unpredictable hours, and the unpredictably long hours?

But people asking themselves these questions might also be wondering if they have the “right” personality traits for doula work.  They might wonder if they are “too this” or “too that,” “enough of this” or “enough of that,” “not enough this” or “not enough that.”

Cervical Scar Tissue – A Cause of Preventable Cesareans

Dawn Thompson is a doula and the founder of ImprovingBirth.org.  She has spent the past eight years on a mission to understand how scar tissue on the cervix affects women in labor, and to let the public know about it.  In her article below, she identifies a variety of gynecological procedures that can potentially cause Cervical Scar Tissue, such as treatments for abnormal Pap smears.  (I discuss the topic on pages 132-133 of my book, where I list the following additional causes of CST:  previous births in which the cervix sustained tears during pushing; abortion; and the removal of polyps.)  Other resources on CST include: 

• an excellent article by O'Nell Starkey, doula and founder of The Beautiful Cervix Project
• photographs of the cervix from The Singapore Family Physician (images are graphic but informative -- see Figures 24a and 24b for scarring of the cervix); and
• an article by Dr. Fred Licciardi of New York University, with drawings that demonstrate how gynecological procedures may cause scarring 

Below, Dawn Thompson describes her investigation of the topic of CST, and the ways she has helped mothers with this condition avoid complications in labor.

Teaching Parents About Doulas in Birthing Classes

by Ananda Lowe

Over the years, I have attended numerous childbirth classes – as a doula accompanying my clients, as a childbirth educator-in-training, and as a pregnant woman myself.  These included natural childbirth, prepared childbirth, twins birth, hypnosis-based birth, hospital-affiliated, privately-run, paid and free classes.

What struck me is this:  although the evidence is clear that doulas may be the most important intervention to utilize for parents desiring natural childbirth, even doulas themselves tend to undervalue their role when teaching childbirth classes — which is unfortunate, I believe.

The last time I observed a natural childbirth class, I timed the portion of the class on the topic of epidurals, and it totaled over 30 minutes, while there was no formal time dedicated to the topic of doulas.   (To be fair, some of my educator colleagues have reported to me that they do provide instruction on the topic of doulas in their classes.)

Imagine the impact childbirth instructors could have if every family leaving their classes had a clear understanding of the medical benefits of doula care, how to find a doula, and how to afford the expense.  Here is an array of suggestions childbirth educators can use to make sure the topic of doulas is central to their classes:

The Natural Cesarean?

While talking with my friend Dr. William Camann, director of obstetric anesthesiology at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston, I was surprised and excited to learn that he recently helped the hospital adopt components of what is being called "the natural cesarean" technique.  Bill is co-author of the book Easy Labor: Every Woman’s Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth, and the Brigham is Boston’s largest maternity hospital, so its adoption of these methods is good news.  In the past, some mothers reported feeling “a disconnection from their cesarean baby because they did not actually see or feel the baby born,” according to the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN).  The natural cesarean technique offers parents the option of viewing the emergence of the baby if they wish.  (For years, ICAN has been a pioneer in proposing guidelines for family-centered cesareans, as well as advocating for other reforms related to the use of cesarean sections—I encourage everyone to support their work!)  Below, Dr. Camann explains the concept of the natural cesarean.

Cutting the Cord at the Right Time: It's Not Delayed, It's Optimal

I will always feel gratitude for the fact that when our baby was born, my boyfriend's one request was that we not cut her umbilical cord too soon.  At the time, it was a topic I was unfamiliar with.  However, researchers, childbirth advocates, and doulas have been discussing the benefits of optimal cord cutting--sometimes referred to as "delayed" cord cutting--for decades, a technique that can be used with vaginal or cesarean birth.  (I believe one of the benefits for my daughter was that at age 12 months, her blood iron levels were normal even though she never had iron supplementation, on a diet that still consisted almost entirely of breastmilk.)  Over the past year, I have been excited to see this topic emerge more prominently in the mainstream news.  One of its spokespersons is pediatrician and author Dr. Alan Greene, who founded the TICC TOCC campaign to promote optimal cord cutting globally.  Other excellent resources include doula leader Penny Simkin's video that beautifully illustrates the concept, as well as a longer, well-referenced lecture by obstetrician Nicholas Fogelson.  I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Greene and am happy to share a link to his compelling TEDx Talk about the TICC TOCC campaign, which he also explains below: