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 CBAC & the Practice of Acceptance
Seeing the phrase “MY CBAC” in print can occasionally have the power to be painfully debilitating. I so strongly yearned for a VBAC. Yet, when I search deeply into my own psyche, I am confronted with the fact that I got everything I wanted for my baby out of my CBAC.
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.
Birth Story: Amie from Kansas
"I was in labor for three days (Thursday around noon until Sunday around noon) from the time I started having regular contractions about half an hour apart to the time our son was born. My contractions were 10-15 minutes apart for all but the first few hours. I had back labor. "
Birth Story: Alex from Adelaide, AU
Another wonderful birth story coming from Australia this time, thanks to Alex over at Alive and Blogging :)
Science and C-Sections: What Do We Know?
The problem is that the c-section has been seen as an equal alternative (or sometimes even better alternative) to vaginal birth for people with no medical reason to have a c-section. But there are repercussions to this for both the mother and child and it’s my hope to explore those herein.
And Here I Thought We Cared About Moms
This current system of medicalized birth should be yielding amazing results with respect to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity... but it's not.
Beyond the Sling: A Conversation with Mayim Bialik
There has been no celebrity quite as outspoken or involved in the Attachment Parenting world as Mayim Bialik. And I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to have a chat with Mayim about parenting, the book, and much more.