The Family Journey

Check out Kristen’s “Letter to a VBAC-ing Stranger“. She makes excellent points about the many factors that go into deciding whether a VBAC is the right option for each woman. I love that she recommends approaching the issue with a “healthy fear” – after all, this is not a decision to be made lightly. However, she does not advocate approaching it with pessimism, inappropriate scare tactics, or incorrect information. Thank you, Kristen!

For Monitoring Labor, Is Inside the Uterus Better Than Outside? – Women’s Health

Posted using ShareThis

It’s so intriguing to me that the woman who created such powerful images considers herself a ‘cautionary tale’ about cesarean section. A traumatic birth catalyzes us (or not) in many different directions. See a recent interview with the artist on the BirthCut Blog.

She did it! CNN has a surprisingly informed article about it. This is a nice change from the negative.

UPDATE: According to PVH, the policy is being changed but does not specifiy that someone with multiple cesareans is restricted from having a VBAC. The language in the policy leaves the discretion up to the provider.

According to this same source at PVH, the success rate is high for attempted VBACs. I am still trying to secure exact statistics.

This leads to so many more questions… Why would this OB tell his or her patient that PVHS is restricting VBA2Cs? Is the provider choosing not to attend this type of birth? Has it become too costly for OBs to insure themselves against litigation? Was the provider trying to pass the buck? Did the OB have misinformation?

*******************
We just heard through the proverbial grapevine that our local hospital network, Poudre Valley Health System, no longer permits a woman who has had two or more cesareans to have a vaginal birth in their facilities.

If you are currently pregnant, ask your provider detailed questions about your specific situation, and how or if this policy will affect you.

Women who have had two cesareans without a vaginal birth in their history do not have the option of choosing a homebirth attended by a Certified Professional Midwife in Colorado due to legal regulations. If choosing a VBA2C at the local hospitals is not available, a woman in this situation will be left with the “option” of having a potentially unnecessary c-section, or she may “choose” an unassisted birth at home. This is the birth climate we will be facing should a ban be put in place.

If this policy were to go into effect, northern Colorado birth culture would be taking a huge step backward. Let’s get in contact with PVHS and figure out just what is going on, why, and change what we can. Please take a few minutes over the next couple of days to do some research and share what you find out.

Please contact
Public Relations (970) 495-7427 or (970) 237-7003
Director of Women & Family Care, Pat Bohling Smith, (970) 495-8252.
And for general questions regarding Women’s Health, please call (970) 495-7000 or 1-800-252-5784

We had a wonderful reaction to sharing our birth art at last year’s BOLD event and we still have a few spaces to fill for this year’s art display on September 26th. Whether your piece is complete or in progress, raw or polished, please share! We’ll be displaying artwork in the lobby at Lory Student Center during our vendor fair and throughout the performance of Karen Brody’s play, Birth.

For questions about submitting a piece, contact Stephanie, our art coordinator ASAP at (970)988-6306 or steph.r.rayburn@gmail.com.

get born, Empowering Sponsor of Northern Colorado BOLD 2009, has just launched a gorgeous new website, and along with it a special offer. Use the promotional code BACKTOSCHOOL and receive 15% off of one subscription, 20% off 2-4 subscriptions and 30% off five or more. get born makes a great gift for new moms, experienced moms, mainstream moms, alternative moms, and even grandmas – it truly is the uncensored voice of motherhood.

This came in my inbox today and I had to share…

Dear friend of ICAN,

In our continued effort to prevent unnecessary cesareans through education, ICAN launched a new online webinar last month featuring our very own ICAN Birth Class: Cesarean Prevention. A webinar (short for “web seminar”) allows many participants in multiple locations to see and hear a presentation from their own desks, and is a great format for spreading ICAN’s message. Our first webinar was such a huge success that we are planning future webinars to come, with the first on Monday, July 27 at 9:00 pm EDT.

First-timers and experienced moms both can benefit from this webinar to find out ways to increase the chances of having an easier and safe birth.

Presenting the ICAN webinar is Claudia Villeneueve, President of ICAN Canada, ICAN’s former Education Director, and a birth doula and childbirth educator.

This 2-hour online session will cover:

* Different kinds of care providers, and the pros and cons of each
* How to empower yourself to make educated choices during pregnancy and during labor
* What factors contribute to the chances of having an unnecessary or preventable cesarean
* What is the “downward spiral of intervention”
* Why avoiding an unnecessary cesarean is safest for mom and baby
* When cesareans are truly necessary

$20 donation goes directly to support ICAN’s mission.

For more information, please visit http://ican-online.org/none/ican-birth-class-cesarean-prevention

To register, go to https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/982351571

We look forward to seeing you there!

Warmly,

Desirre Andrews
ICAN President
www.ican-online.org
Be the change! Ask me how.

Birth By the Numbers – on Orgasmic Birth’s website. Not only does Eugene R. Declercq, PhD, Professor of Maternal and Child Health, Boston University School of Public Health reiterate the same figures we’ve heard over the years, but he also dissects those and discusses alternatives to measuring our birth-health.

What a great opportunity to read some inspiring stories without having to buy the book. Of course, you SHOULD buy the book and monetarily support the author if you like what you see!