Archives for Childbirth - Page 4
Birthing Balls
The "birthing ball" is a wonderful comfort tool for pregnancy and labor. It has become standard equipment in many hospitals and birthing centers, and is carried by doulas when they attend births.…
Doulas
As many midwives have found, a doula can be an invaluable resource to a laboring woman and to a new mother. (more…)
Why do women lie on their backs to give birth?
The story, true or not, is that Louis XVI wanted to see the birth of his son, and asked the obstetrician if he could place the queen (Marie Antoinette) on…
Will evening primrose oil help me go into labor?
Here is a thoughtful response from Mary Knauer, CNM. (more…)
Should I be scared if I feel contractions before my due date?
First, it is important to know that your "due date" should really be thought of as a "due month." (more…)
Why is nitrous oxide for pain relief unavailable to most women giving birth in the United States when it is available in so many other countries?
This is the question posed by Judith Rooks, CNM, MS, MPH, a well-known midwifery author, epidemiologist, and researcher. As Ms. Rooks notes in her editorial in the March…
Overweight Moms and Preterm Labor
A 2006 study of 187,290 women in Scotland, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that maternal obesity in early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk…
Landmark Study Shows Giving Birth at Home is Safe
The largest prospective study of planned home birth with a direct-entry midwife shows that homebirth is as safe as hospital birth for low risk women, yet carries a much lower rate of…
The “Push” for Evidence: Management of the Second Stage
An in-depth review of the literature reveals strong support for redefining the second stage of labor and decreasing the duration of time pregnant women are instructed to push. (more…)
Dateline Story Highlights Safety Concerns For Birthing Women In Hospitals
On June 4, 2006, the Dateline NBC television news program aired a segment on the death of a birthing woman at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC. (more…)