Guest Post: Oxytocin and Childbirth
What is oxytocin? Why is it important to the birthing process? How does our current medicalized birth culture affect the release of this important hormone?
Do C-Sections Increase the Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?
A new systematic review and meta-analysis finds a significant relationship between the occurrence of c-sections and autism spectrum disorders. Is this valid? What are the implications?
Long-Term Effects of Delayed Cord Clamping Found
Many of us are aware of the positive effect of delayed cord clamping on iron levels and red blood cell count, but new research suggests there may be even longer term effects worthy of consideration.
Can Epidurals End Post-Partum Depression?
A new study suggests that epidurals can drastically reduce the risk of PPD. The study is flawed, but does manage to show that PPD is highly complex with multiple etiologies.
Birth Story: My Natural Cesarean Section
Have you ever heard about or considered a "natural" c-section? Might this be the way to help moms and babies experience early bonding and closeness even without a vaginal birth?
Should You Induce Labour?
The question of inductions can be a heated one at times, with proponents of natural birth shunning the idea of artificially inducing something that should happen naturally. We hear comments like, “The baby knows when to come out” and therefore we are wrong to intervene. But is this right?
Failure to Progress: A Discussion on Averages
Sadly it seems far too many people - mothers, doctors, midwives, etc. - either don't understand the averages of labouring and birthing times or downright ignore them. When it comes to birth this can mean far too many women being diagnosed with "failure to progress" and facing numerous (unnecessary) interventions.
Inductions and Autism
Recently an article made the news which suggested a link between autism and the use of inductions. Herein I take a close look at the article to determine what we can and cannot conclude from the data.
Why “Delayed” Cord Clamping Should Be the Norm
In today’s modern birthing picture, you finish birthing your baby and the doctor immediately clamps the cord and you wait to expel the placenta before cutting. However, this isn’t actually the norm around the world (though notably there is variability worldwide in clamping practices). Often, mothers engage in what is, in our culture, called “delayed cord clamping” and there’s reason to believe we ought to be changing our norms as well…
Do C-Sections Impair Maternal Responsiveness?
. Herein I’d like to talk about a piece from 2008 that looked at elective c-sections and later maternal responsiveness. Not because I want to cause a stink for those who had a c-section, but because we need to understand the effects of our modern birthing practices on those intimately involved – the mother and the infant.