tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80443810131517023652024-03-13T04:02:38.233-07:00Birth in the Bay AreaThis blog is a forum for ongoing discussions surrounding birth advocacy, best-evidence care, Bay Area and global maternal health issues, human and civil rights regarding our choices in childbirth, and the benefits of natural labor. Brought to you by the ladies at Empowered Birth Doulas.Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-67928534167993773192011-07-08T10:20:00.000-07:002011-07-08T10:22:01.725-07:00WE'VE MOVED!Come check us out at The Bay Area Birth Blog on our webpage: www.empoweredbirthdoulas.com!EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-90119001576012054152010-12-02T10:48:00.001-08:002010-12-02T10:48:26.817-08:00“There is an impossible expectation placed on pregnant women in our society: that we are supposed to get on with everything and express only a blossoming sense of joy and anticipation, even as the person we have thought ourselves to be is transfigured and reborn. It was an expectation that made me feel I was particularly difficult and perverse, in a specifically female kind of way that I hadjazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582127590346013131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-35562705322578661722010-11-26T10:36:00.000-08:002010-11-26T10:36:21.395-08:00Photovoice project: Giving marginalized populations a voice through photography!I see some powerful photovoice projects involving marginalized pregnant women in the United States, as well as around the world. This is a project I have been brewing for about a year now, and I would love to see it come to fruition. A community based participatory approach to giving voice to those who aren't heard in our culture and abroad. Most of the women that I have worked with as a doula Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-66490003113114719542010-11-24T21:04:00.000-08:002010-11-24T21:04:14.518-08:00Repost: NYT article on the risks of Artificial Rupture of the MembranesThis is a repost of a New York Times article from 2007 I recently read thanks to another doula.
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
A large review of studies suggests that a common procedure in labor, intentionally breaking the water, has no effect in reducing the labor time or assuring the baby’s health.
The procedure, sometimes called amniotomy, involves rupturing the amniotic membranes to Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-30623076785994178232010-11-21T22:16:00.001-08:002010-11-21T22:16:04.055-08:00Many New FacesIt was great to meet so many new people all in one day!
Between the SF Birth and Baby Fair and the East Bay Meet the Doula event, we're both really tired, but it was worth it.
We love talking about the benefits of having a doula with couples still trying to decide of a doula is right for them and Grandmoms who've never heard of doulas!
Just wanted to put out there that if you areEmpowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-16083730104871617842010-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:002010-11-20T11:09:52.714-08:00Atlas of BirthAn interactive Atlas of Birth from the White Ribbon Alliance.There are is great disparity in the level of care women receive worldwide. If you look at the United States in the map of the Risks of Women Dying in Childbirth, you notice that we're a different color than the vast majority of Europe, Canada, and Australia. That's because there is a greater chance of maternal mortality in our country EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-71440117661527648002010-11-20T10:55:00.000-08:002010-11-20T10:56:04.704-08:00Sunday's Bay Area Doula EventsThere will be two exciting birth and doula events in the Bay Area tomorrow! First up is the San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Doors open at 10:00 am and there will be many opportunities to win prizes, attend free workshops on birth and early parenting, and shop amongst hundreds of local businesses all in one place! I'll be at the SF Doula Group EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-3615147048897891782010-11-16T09:31:00.000-08:002010-11-16T09:34:08.166-08:00New Year's BabiesWe have availabilities in January and February for new clients! Please call or email to set up an initial interview before the holidays!Email: empoweredbirthdoulas@gmail.comTel: 415.424.4680EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-89549456456863072042010-11-15T13:42:00.000-08:002010-11-15T13:42:45.767-08:00Vote for SFGH Doulas!San+Francisco+General+Hospital+Volunteer+Doula+ProgramClick the link above to cast your vote for the SFGH Volunteer Doula Program to receive a $10,000 Changemakers grant! Just think of how many more doulas could volunteer with that grant money...and how many more women will have better birth experiences!EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-53957048796365501632010-11-15T13:17:00.000-08:002010-11-15T13:18:39.429-08:00Upcoming EventsHello Bay Area parents and birth advocates!Here's an update on the upcoming doula events in the area...What is a doula? First meeting Thursday, November 18th6:30pm-8:30pm731 Henry St., OaklandWe'll be discussing the formation of this non-profit, the goals of the organization, first steps, fundraising ideas, and the results of the survey. If you are interested in learning more about the EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-50912413275830254662010-11-15T12:56:00.000-08:002010-11-15T12:57:46.280-08:00How childbirth preparation classes for men can improve birth outcomes@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Ever heard of tocophobia? It’s a term used to describe the fear of childbirth. Researchers in Sweden have found that when expectant fathers experience tocophobia, it may have negative effects on the birth EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-85895551253644141922010-11-08T15:18:00.000-08:002010-11-08T15:18:42.218-08:00“The power and intensity of your contractions cannot be stronger than you, because it is you. The contractions come from and are YOU. So they can not overwhelm, or be bigger than you, as they are only as strong as you are!”
jazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582127590346013131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-10226112642831483262010-11-03T12:55:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:56:32.272-07:00Walking and Moving in LaborLove this!EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-13958457659246490112010-10-31T13:08:00.000-07:002010-10-31T13:11:32.507-07:00What is a doula? SurveyNot in the Bay Area and able to attend the first meetings? You can be apart of the organization anyway!Please take this quick survey to help us make What is a doula? an amazing, informative, and inspirational group!Click here to take surveyEMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-82466446061168288052010-10-31T12:16:00.000-07:002010-10-31T12:16:02.355-07:00What is a doula? The non-profitI'm excited to be starting the non-profit, What is a doula?--something I've been dreaming of for a long while now.
The organization will serve as a tool to educate the wider public on the role and benefits of a doula, as well as promoting education on options in childbirth.
What is a doula? is still in it's infancy, but you can already follow some of the "makings of..." sorts of things and Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-6910441371022190292010-10-31T12:11:00.001-07:002010-10-31T12:11:38.668-07:00What is a doula, anyway?A doula is a non-clinical birth attendant who is there to help guide you through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period by offering physical and emotional support. Doulas provide a range of comfort measures, such as massage, counter pressure, reading affirmations, etc., to support you and your partner in labor.
A doula is there by your side for the entirety of labor, regardless ofEmpowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-51887956189271470362010-10-22T15:27:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:27:01.683-07:00MOM vs. MOMThis past July, my new idol, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-California), brought before Congress the Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services (MOMS) For the 21st Century Act. This groundbreaking proposal to vastly change the way maternity care is handled in the U.S. has the potential to change the lives of millions of women, making childbirth safer and more satisfying for all expectant Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-87414935904854579472010-10-15T14:25:00.000-07:002010-10-15T14:25:05.643-07:00The 10 month-old fetusAn interesting article from our neighbors up north:
Lobbying grows for the 10 month-old baby
Just how long does it take to make a human baby? Nine months is the going answer, but a small lobby of women believes that it’s more like 10 months and beyond.
Guardian columnist Viv Groskop gave the debate some gravitas with her Oct. 1 story of giving birth to her third child 20 days after his dueEmpowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-21021276537296697832010-10-13T13:08:00.000-07:002010-10-13T13:08:48.991-07:00National Health Services Releases Video on Birthing OptionsA new birth center in a local hospital prompts a video sponsored by the NHS (UK) to release a video on the various options afforded women in that area. Could you imagine a video like this being released in the US? Where homebirth is seen as a safe and viable option, where one-to-one nurse care is standard, where laboring in a birth tub is the norm, and where midwifery care is given to all Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-11788472848985439482010-10-10T18:15:00.000-07:002010-10-10T18:15:58.440-07:00Mother's BlessingJaz and I recently helped host a Mother's Blessing for a friend and it turned out to be a really beautiful, wonderful experience for the mama and all involved. It was a day of pampering Alyx, belly casting, and sharing stories of strength and guidance.
Mother's Blessings can be alternatives to the traditional shower, or supplemental to them. There are some unique traditions to be made up and Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-46932150149927613272010-09-10T11:22:00.000-07:002010-09-10T11:22:51.667-07:00Article on homebirth from the Huffington Post"Why Homebirths are Worth Considering" by Melissa Cheyney
Some highlights:
"The answer among the U.S. medical establishment has been to throw more expensive technology at the problem rather than retracing our steps to see where we went wrong. Instead of admitting that something is fundamentally broken with the system, organizations like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Empowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-10241082012693495792010-09-10T10:04:00.000-07:002010-09-10T10:11:06.086-07:00Afghan Midwifery TrainingThis was passed along through one of the Bay Area birth doula groups. Please donate if you're able and spread the word about this amazing organization!Dear Friends, I try not to send these requests out too often, and appreciate you reading this! As president of Afghans4Tomorrow, and especially when I have an opportunity to help the women and babies in Afghanistan, I hope you won't mind if IEMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-73879188754349740722010-08-05T11:32:00.000-07:002010-08-05T11:32:17.035-07:00First Lady on BreastfeedingFirst Lady Michelle Obama spoke to the NAACP a few weeks back on the "obesity epidemic". In it she mentions the low rate of breastfeeding amongst African-American women:
And finally, it’s one thing we can think about, is working to make sure that our kids get a healthy start from the beginning, by promoting breastfeeding in our communities. (Applause.) One thing we do know is thatEmpowered Birth Doulashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154748759961974038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-25406785574800394402010-08-04T17:03:00.000-07:002010-08-04T17:06:56.956-07:00Hilarious Pregnancy/Motherhood BlogsCheck out The League of Maternal Justice. Pretty hilarious and all-around awesome. Maybe they'll let me join their squad?Blacktating is another fun read.Enjoy!EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8044381013151702365.post-81017952743800456612010-08-04T09:04:00.000-07:002010-08-04T09:06:33.725-07:00A doctor's take on touchFrom the New York Times:A new patient comes to my office, a healthy middle-aged woman. The medical assistant has already documented her normal blood pressure. Of our allotted 15 minutes, I spend more than two-thirds talking with her. <!--forceinline-->I ask about her personal medical history, her family medical history. I inquire about her lifestyle: what kind of work she does, whether EMIFLYNNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275282667236685240noreply@blogger.com0