Articles of Interest
Midwives Deliver
America Needs Better Birth Care and Midwives Can Deliver It
By: Jennifer Block, December 24, 2008
The article Midwives Deliver from Jennifer Block, discusses how the U.S. spends nearly 90 billion dollars a year on maternity care yet, we rank 41st among industrialized nations in maternal mortality. The problem is that, hospitals are not practicing evidence based care. There are too many costly interventions and nearly 30% of births are by cesarean section, more than twice what the World Health Organization reports as a safe. The safest and most cost effective care for normal, healthy women, is midwife led and out of hospital. Midwives prevent costly interventions and can save the nation billions of dollars every year.
Currently our system needs a serious overhaul. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not use the Midwife Model of Care as a standard for normal pregnancy. Statistics have shown that midwives have lower rates of intervention, c-section, death and other complications. Why does America continue to ignore these numbers? Why are birth centers and Certified Nurse Midwifery clinics being run out of business? Why are traditional midwives being arrested and imprisoned? The answer? It’s all in the name of money! Women’s bodies have been made into a business by doctors and hospitals, and midwives are their competition. It’s time for a change and I hope that this new administration can see that, my body is not a commodity.
Reference List
Block J. Midwives Deliver America Needs Better Birth Care and Midwives Can Deliver It. Los Angeles Times [online]. December 24, 2008
<!--Addition Information:
Link to record: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-block24-2008dec24,0,102434.story
End of citation
Giving Birth In Water
By: Waterbirth International
The article, Giving Birth In Water by Waterbirth International covers the benefits and frequently asked questions about the affects of water on labor, birth and the newborn. Water birth is simple, the mother is immersed in the water during active labor and birth. The benefits of water include, higher amounts of endorphins which controls pain, freedom of movement so that the mother can give birth upright more easily, easy transition for the baby, and the likelihood of a more hands off birth.
As a practitioner, I do more water births than land births. In my experience, the benefits of water far out way any of the common fears involved in the process. I have seen that woman have far less pain, more control and a feeling of safety when giving birth in water. The newborns almost always transition more peacefully and are calm and alert. There are many outspoken doctors who would have us believe otherwise, reporting babies who were asphyxiated while being born. Multiple studies have proven that waterbirth is safe and there has not been one recorded death or injury due to birthing underwater. Despite the controversy, many women continue to choose to give birth in water with a skilled and supportive midwife.
Reference List
Waterbirth International Giving Birth in Water
<persistent link to this article: http://bellybelly.com.au/articles/birth/waterbirth-birth-in-water
End of citation>
America Needs Better Birth Care and Midwives Can Deliver It
By: Jennifer Block, December 24, 2008
The article Midwives Deliver from Jennifer Block, discusses how the U.S. spends nearly 90 billion dollars a year on maternity care yet, we rank 41st among industrialized nations in maternal mortality. The problem is that, hospitals are not practicing evidence based care. There are too many costly interventions and nearly 30% of births are by cesarean section, more than twice what the World Health Organization reports as a safe. The safest and most cost effective care for normal, healthy women, is midwife led and out of hospital. Midwives prevent costly interventions and can save the nation billions of dollars every year.
Currently our system needs a serious overhaul. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not use the Midwife Model of Care as a standard for normal pregnancy. Statistics have shown that midwives have lower rates of intervention, c-section, death and other complications. Why does America continue to ignore these numbers? Why are birth centers and Certified Nurse Midwifery clinics being run out of business? Why are traditional midwives being arrested and imprisoned? The answer? It’s all in the name of money! Women’s bodies have been made into a business by doctors and hospitals, and midwives are their competition. It’s time for a change and I hope that this new administration can see that, my body is not a commodity.
Reference List
Block J. Midwives Deliver America Needs Better Birth Care and Midwives Can Deliver It. Los Angeles Times [online]. December 24, 2008
<!--Addition Information:
Link to record: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-block24-2008dec24,0,102434.story
End of citation
Giving Birth In Water
By: Waterbirth International
The article, Giving Birth In Water by Waterbirth International covers the benefits and frequently asked questions about the affects of water on labor, birth and the newborn. Water birth is simple, the mother is immersed in the water during active labor and birth. The benefits of water include, higher amounts of endorphins which controls pain, freedom of movement so that the mother can give birth upright more easily, easy transition for the baby, and the likelihood of a more hands off birth.
As a practitioner, I do more water births than land births. In my experience, the benefits of water far out way any of the common fears involved in the process. I have seen that woman have far less pain, more control and a feeling of safety when giving birth in water. The newborns almost always transition more peacefully and are calm and alert. There are many outspoken doctors who would have us believe otherwise, reporting babies who were asphyxiated while being born. Multiple studies have proven that waterbirth is safe and there has not been one recorded death or injury due to birthing underwater. Despite the controversy, many women continue to choose to give birth in water with a skilled and supportive midwife.
Reference List
Waterbirth International Giving Birth in Water
<persistent link to this article: http://bellybelly.com.au/articles/birth/waterbirth-birth-in-water
End of citation>