morning star spring 2010 newsletter

Winter 2010Volume 6Issue 26Special Birth Stories Edition

Hello Friends, Many of you were probably wondering if your Winter issue of the Morning Star

Newsletter was lost in the mail. Well, it wasn’t, and I hope you find the delay worth waiting for. So many exciting things are happening simultaneously here at Morning Star. Our Menomonie birth center underwent our accreditation site visit in No-vember, and we recently received full accreditation with the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). When a center is accredited by the CABC, the childbearing family can be confident that the center has demonstrated adher-ence to the highest standards of quality and that the center’s care is consistent with the philosophy of the American Association of Birth Centers. Accreditation is seen as a symbol of excellence and we are proud to be among the nation’s highest quality free-standing birth centers.

Morning Star’s second facility in St. Louis Park, MN, is days away from occupancy! This has been a monumental feat, and we have broken new ground in Minnesota with our expansion. This spring, the new Center will undergo the same accreditation process with the CABC. With new legislation introduced in Minnesota regarding Birth Center licensure, Morning Star is ahead of the game in that it appears accredi-tation will be a requirement for state licensure.

We are looking forward to maintaining and deepening our sense of community in our western Wisconsin, and to forging new relationships in the Twin Cities. We are being warmly received by women, families and birth professionals who are oh so ready for us! As we have in Wisconsin, we will strive to create a haven of community for families seeking a natural approach to health, birth and family living.

Our public Grand Opening will be in early April, and we will be hosting tours regularly for folks who just want to

come see the new Center. Please stay in touch, and as always, we welcome your comments, questions and feedback! Just email us at [email protected].

With Love,

Paula Bernini Feigal, LM, CPMPresident/DirectorMorning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center

NewsletterNewsletterBirth Announcements ............2

Calendar of Events ..................3

Placenta Medicine ..................5

Vitamin D Benefits .................6

News of Interest ......................7

Kaleb’s Birth Story ..................8

Poem .......................................9

Quote of the Quarter ............10

St. Louis Park Location Pics .11

321 13th Street S.E., Menomonie, WI 54751P 715 231 3100

NEW LOCATION!6111 Excelsior Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416P 612 92 BIRTH

Wisdom of Ages, Science of TodayTM

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Grand Opening of our Saint Louis Park Birth Center located at 6111 Excelsior BlvdApril 2, 20102-6 p.m.

• Refreshments• Music• Tours

Come and see our new location and share in our excitement as we expand our serving area!

The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 6, Issue 23

Daughter, Eden Merry Hammang, November 1, 2009 at 3:49 am, 4 lb. 7 oz., 17 in. Born to Jennifer and Nathan Hammang of Maiden Rock, WI.

Son, Kaelan Gorajski Simurdiak, November 9, 2009 at 5:25 pm, 7 lb. 11 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Sarah Gorajski and Michael Simur-diak of Minneapolis, MN.

Son, Caleb James Hable, November 14, 2009 at 1:05 am, 7 lb. 15 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Rachel and Brian of Bloomer, WI.

Son, Grant Ryan Burr, November 14, 2009 at 6:38 pm, 7 lb. 12 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Tara and Ryan of Eau Claire, WI.

Daughter, Olivia Grace Culver, November 15, 2009 at 9:31 pm, 6 lb. 11.5 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Kristi and Scott of Bloomer, WI.

Daughter, Meredith Grace Cordwell, November 17, 2009 at 10:07 pm, 5 lbs 15.5 oz., 20 in. Born to Randi and Jed of Owen, WI.

Daughter, Isabella Rose McCadden, November 21, 2009 at 2:42 pm, 8 lb. 10 oz., 21 in. Born to Elizabeth and Tom of River Falls, WI.

Son, Chase Theodore Manor, November 24, 2009 at 7:42 pm, 7 lb. 5.5 oz., 21 in. Born to Amanda and Joshua of Durand, WI.

Son, Kaleb Michael Mroz, December 2, 2009 at 5:46 am, 7 lb. 1 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Christina and Michael of Kellogg, MN.

Son, Thomas Henry Grovender, December 18, 2009 at 7:35 am, 9 lb. 4 oz. 21.5 in. Born to Rebecca Shult and Eric Grovender of Minneapolis, MN.

Daughter, Siona Hanna Brielle Ohime, December 28, 2009 at 10:38 pm, 9 lb. 1 oz., 21.5 in. Born to Kendra and Matthew of Eau Claire, WI.

Menomonie St. Louis Park

Minnesota Baby & KidsExpo

The premier family event where the hippest moms meet the hot-test, freshest, trendy companies! Imagine a building filled with high end, earth-friendly products and hand chosen exhibitors there for the sole purpose of meeting your family’s needs.

event details:Minneapolis Convention Center

1301 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55403

Saturday, April 10, 2010

10:00 am-6:00 pmSunday,

April 11, 2010 10:00 am-5:00 pm

Tickets available at the Convention Center Box Office. Adults: $8.00, Children: 12 years & under free

for more information:Tel: 952-446-6489

www.MinnesotaBabyExpo.com

Grand OpeningOPEN HOUSE

Come and see our new St. Louis Park, MN location on Friday, April 2nd from 2-6 p.m.! Refreshments, music and tours of our new birth center throughout the afternoon. Everyone is welcome!

Remodeling of our new Saint Louis Park, MN location is making steps in the right direction! Enjoy pictures of the progress on page 11 and be sure to

see the finished product at our Grand Opening Open House on Friday, April 2nd from 2-4 p.m.

Bring your family and friends as everyone is welcome! We look forward to seeing you there! Thanks for your patience during this process.


1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

Schedule of EventsMar. 13 - Handling Complications

Men. 1-2:30 p.m.Mar. 16 - Tuck In Doula Orientation

for doulas who would like informa-tion about being part of our tuck in doula network in the metro. We use Tuck In Doulas to ease the transition for our families as they leave the birth center and head home with baby. SLP 6-8 p.m.

Mar. 17 - Early Home Care Men. 2 p.m.

Mar. 22 - Early Home Care SLP 3:30 p.m.

Mar. 22 - The First Year Class Series: Nutrition for Ongoing Breastfeed-ing and the New Family by Nichole Hirsch Kuechle from My Health Be-ginnings. Cost $50, to register call 612-418-3801. SLP 6:30-8:30.

Mar. 23 - Handling Complications SLP 3:30 p.m.

Mar. 27 - Early Home Care Men. 1 p.m.

Mar. 29 - The First Year Class Series: Natural Family Healthcare by Nich-ole Hirsch Kuechle. SLP 6:30-8:30.

March 2010

Handling ComplicationsSLP at 3:30 p.m.

Early Home Care

Men. at 1:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

Men. at 2:00 p.m.

Handling ComplicationsMen. at 1:00 p.m.

Men.=Menomonie

SLP=St. Louis Park

Early Home Care

SLP at 3:30 p.m.

The First Year Class Series

SLP at 6:30 p.m.


SLP at 6:30 p.m.

321 13th Street S.E., Menomonie, WI 54751P 715 231 31006111 Excelsior Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416P 612 92 BIRTH

Wisdom of Ages, Science of TodayTM

Tuck In Doula Orientation

SLP at 6:00 p.m.

Schedule of EventsApril 2 - Grand Opening Open

House including refreshments and fun as well as tours of our new Saint Louis Park facility SLP 2-6 p.m.

April 3 - Saint Louis Park Birth Center Closed

April 5 - The First Year Class Series: Finding Your Tribe/Work-Life Balance by Nichole Hirsch Kue-chle. SLP 6:30-8:30.

April 8 - Handling Complications Men. 2:00 p.m.

April 10 & 11 - Minnesota Baby & Kids Expo Come see us at the Min-neapolis Convention Center www.minnesotababyexpo.com Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10 am to 5 pm

April 13 - Mother’s Tea: Cranial Sacral care with Catherine BurnsSLP 10:30-12:30 p.m.

April 15 - Mother’s Tea: Topic TBAMen. 12-2 p.m.

April 17 - Early Home Care SLP 1:00 p.m.

April 19 - Handling Complications SLP 5:30 p.m.

April 22 - Early Home Care Men. 2:00 p.m.

Apr

il 20

10

Childbirth Ed. Class I

Men. at 5:30 p.m.Childbirth Ed.

Class IIMen. at 5:30 p.m.

Childbirth Ed. Class III

Men. at 5:30 p.m.

Childbirth Ed. Class IV

Men. at 5:30 p.m.

Mother’s TeaTopic TBA

Men. at 12:00 p.m.

Men.=Menomonie

SLP=St. Louis Park

MN Baby and Kids Expo10:00 a.m.

MN Baby and Kids Expo10:00 a.m.

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30

Grand Opening Open House

SLP at 2:00 p.m.SLP Birth

Center Closed

Mother’s TeaCranial Sacral

careSLP at 10:30 a.m.

Early Home Care

SLP at 1:00 p.m.



Early Home Care

Men. at 2:00 p.m.


SLP at 6:30 p.m.


Background

I have been involved in the art and practice of Midwifery for most of my life, as I grew up practicing midwifery with my mother, a primary care midwife in homebirth practice since the early 70’s. I completed a traditional apprenticeship program and internship at a high volume birth Center in El Paso, Texas and began my own primary care practice in 1992. I became certified as a Professional Midwife in 1998. I am certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics. I actively participate in our state midwifery organization and ongoing continuing education.

Philosophy

A safe and satisfying childbirth experience provides an excellent foundation for taking on the responsibilities of parenthood. We have more information now than ever before about how to have a safe and healthy birth. My goal as a midwife is to help women and families access information, make sense of complex issues, think about their values and preferences, and customize a care plan that meets evidence-based safety standards while honoring and respecting their philosophy. It may take time and effort; but it is worth it! I wish pregnant families well as they embrace the opportunity and responsibility to be informed about their rights, protect themselves and their baby and encourage families to view this time in life as sacred.

I have been involved in the art and practice of Midwifery for most of my life, as I grew up practicing midwifery with my mother, a primary care midwife in homebirth practice since the early 70’s. I completed a traditional apprenticeship program families access information, make sense of

complex issues, think about their values and preferences, and customize a care plan that meets evidence-based safety standards while honoring and respecting their philosophy. It may take time and effort; but it is worth it! I wish pregnant families well as they embrace the opportunity and responsibility to be informed about their rights, protect themselves and their baby and encourage families to view this time in life as sacred.

Welcome new staff member: Savita Jones, CPMStaff Midwife

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Schedule of EventsMay 1 - Handling Complications

Men. 1:00 p.m.

May 1 - Handling Complications SLP 1:00 p.m.

May 3 - Early Home Care SLP 5:00 p.m.

May 6 - Handling Complications Men. 2:00 p.m.

May 11 - Mother’s Tea: Topic TBDSLP 10:30 a.m.

May 15 - Early Home Care Men. 1:00 p.m.

May 27 - Early Home Care Men.2:00 p.m.

May

201

0

Early Home Care

SLP at 5:00 p.m.



Mother’s TeaTopic TBD

SLP at 10:30 a.m.

EarlyHome Care

Men. at 1:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

Men. at 2:00 p.m.

Mother’s TeaTopic TBD

Men. at 12:00 p.m.

Men.=Menomonie

SLP=St. Louis Park


30 31

Come and see our new facility at Saint Louis Park, MN at our

Grand Opening Open House on Friday, April 2nd from 2-6 p.m.

Enjoy refreshments, music and tours of our brand new facility!


Your placenta is an amazing organ! It forms specially inside your uterus during your pregnancy to nourish your baby and provide beneficial hormones for YOU and your baby. High levels of estrogen and progesterone produced by the placenta are responsible for breast changes, skin pigmentations, and uterine enlargement. Human placental lactogen (HPL), also a hormone produced by the placenta, stimulates growth of the breasts, has lactogenic properties and effects metabolic changes. The placenta acts as a shunt, directing blood flow with nutrients and hormones to your developing baby.

Placentophagy Placentophagy is the act of mammals

eating the placenta of their young after childbirth. I give everyone permission at this point in the article to acknowledge feelings of discomfort. It’s understandable considering that few people in our current U.S. childbearing culture actually practice placentophagy or at least talk openly about it. This ancient practice may take some getting used to in modern times. Although current research on placentophagy (at least on human subjects) is nearly inexistent, there are some very interesting ideas to consider. This article will examine some of these ideas and talk about modern options that are gaining popularity. For some women, embracing the healing benefits of their placenta after the birth may be of upmost importance for a smooth physical recovery, prevention of postpartum depression, and ensuring a good milk supply for breastfeeding their new babe.

A Mammalian TraditionHumans are actually one of the only mammals that does not consume

the placenta. There are many theories for why mammals do this, such as cleaning the nest site to ward off predators and that mammals are hungry after birth and may not have other food readily available. Research by Mark B. Kristall, has highlighted some interesting points debunking these theories. For example, when a variety of meats were presented to herbivore mammals before, during and after birth; all meats were refused, except the placenta, which was enthusiastically consumed. Also, while

cleaning the nest site to protect young offspring from predators seems an important theory, Kristall found that mothers of walking offspring soon after birth (leaving the nest site entirely) will stay until the entire placenta is ingested. And certain monkeys that give birth high in trees take special

care to ensure the placenta does not fall to the ground in order to seemingly reap the benefits of placentophagy.

Cultural Considerations

For certain cultures, such as the Chinese and Vietnamese, it is customary to prepare the placenta postpartum for consumption by the mother. The placenta is valued for its rich nutrient content that the mother needs to expedite recovery from childbirth. Italian women have been known to eat the placenta to help with lactation. Other

cultures with high regard for the sacred and special role of the placenta have buried the placenta, rooting that child to ancestral lands or “home’. Today, many women may never see their placenta after birth, if even to even give a quiet moment of gratitude for the critical role the placenta plays in nurturing the growing baby.

Physiologic Effects for Women

As stated above, there really is a need for more research on the physiologic effects of consuming the placenta postpartum. In the 1950s a study was conducted giving dried placenta to women expected to have an insufficient milk supply; 86% of these women had a positive increase in milk production within days. Other studies have examined low iron, or anemia, in postpartum women as significantly linked to postpartum depression. The placenta is presumed to be in high in iron (as in other organ meats) and other beneficial nutrients like vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 has been highlighted for its role in mood, depressive symptoms. The beneficial hormones of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and oxytocin that are made by the placenta may also be beneficial to prevent postpartum depressive symptoms and facilitate postpartum healing. Peruse the internet and you will find individual women’s success stories in postpartum healing following placenta ingestion. Jodi Selander, the founder of Placenta Benefits (http://placentabenefits.org), is herself an advocate for the benefits of placentophagy and has compiled lots of resources for women and families at her website.

Placenta Encapsulation

Although many options exist for ingestion postpartum, the most widely accepted route is via placenta encapsulation following Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been using the placenta medicinally for thousands of years. The technique involves steaming the placenta, then drying, pulverizing and encapsulating to take orally throughout the first weeks postpartum. Ideally the placenta is transported for encapsulation (or the process is done in-home) within the first 24-48 hours. The placenta can be frozen if encapsulation will be delayed. Some women have frozen extra capsules to reap the potentially benefit during menopause!

Morning Star is committed to providing options to families in the West Central Wisconsin and Metro area. Contact us for additional resources or information. Or visit Placenta Benefits http://placentabenefits.org!

Placenta Medicine

1 med. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. olive oil3 C chicken broth

2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey, browned

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 14-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 6-oz can tomato paste

2 tsp. parsley flakes

2 Tbs. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin1/2 tsp. salt

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Combine sautéed veggie mixture and the

cooked meat with the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Recipe

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili


by Emily Sisco, RN, Clinical and Birth Assistant/Client Education

There are dif-ferent forms of vitamin D. Of particular importance is vitamin D3, or cho-lecalciferol, which is the naturally oc-

curring form of vitamin D that is made in large quantities in our skin when we are exposed to direct sunlight. This can be especially concerning to our winter geographic location when we have less access to sunlight! Once vi-tamin D enters the body it is converted to calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D. Calcitriol’s major role is to increase the flow of calcium into the bloodstream.

Recent research notes benefits in pregnancy for mom and baby outcomes with adequate in-take of vitamin D. These benefits in-clude a decreased risk of pre-ec-lampsia, improved length of gestation,

birth weight, and infant bone mineral-ization. The study also notes benefits early in life that can last a lifetime

when there is sufficient vitamin D intake during development, such as a decreased risk of such health problems as schizophrenia, brain tumors, asthma, multiple sclero-

sis, and autoimmune diseases like type I dia-betes. Another recent study linked vitamin D deficiency to bacte-rial vaginitis in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Bacte-rial vaginitis is a treatable bacterial infection that has been identified as a risk factor to preterm labor if left untreated.

Current recommendations include taking a prenatal vitamin with 20 IU (international units) of Vitamin D. At the most 2000 IU Vit. D is tolerable, in fact the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends this level for winter pregnancies. Too much of Vitamin D can cause cardiovascular problems and has been linked to allergies.

Morning Star has recently added Artic Omega-D by Nordic Naturals to our line of supplements; this contains 1000 IU of Vit D in addition to beneficial Omega-3s. Other sources of Vit. D include direct sunlight, vit. D fortified milk, fatty fish such as salmon.

Vitamin D Benefits–For Pregnancy and Baby!


by Marian F. MacDorman, Ph.D., and T.J. Mathews, M.S.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

Infant mortality is an important indicator of the health of a nation, and the recent stagnation (since 2000) in the U.S. infant mortal-ity rate has generated concern among researchers and policy makers. The percentage of pre-term births in the United States has risen 36% since 1984. In this report we compare infant mor-tality rates between the United States and Europe. We also com-pare two factors that determine the infant mortality rate—ges-tational age-specific infant mor-tality rates and the percentage of preterm births. U.S. data are from the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set and European data for 2004 are from the recently published* European Perinatal Health Report*. We also examine re-quirements for reporting a live birth among countries to assess the possible effect of reporting differences on infant mortality data.

Key findings:

Infant mortality rates for preterm (less than 37 weeks of gestation) infants are lower in the United States than in most European coun-

tries; however, infant mortality rates for infants born at 37 weeks of gestation or more are higher in the United States than in most European countries.

One in 8 births in the United States were born preterm, com-pared with 1 in 18 births in Ire-land and Finland.

If the United States had Sweden’s distribution of births by gestational age, nearly 8,000 infant deaths would be averted each year and the U.S. infant mortality rate would be one-

third lower.

The main cause of the United States’ high infant mortality rate when compared with Europe is the very high percentage of preterm births in the United States.

Behind International Rankings of Infant Mortality: How the United States Compares with Europe

by Jill Alliman, CNM, MSN, Chair, Legislative Committee, American As-sociation of Birth Centers

Don’t Quit Now!Recent setbacks for the health care reform bill do not change the

need for birth center facility reimbursement by Medicaid.

The reality is that the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act (HR2358/S423) is not health care reform. It is a simple fix for a CMS error. Tell Congress that they must act now to finish the passage of the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act (H.R.2358 / S.1423).

Why is this important?

* To prevent CMS from requiring more states to deny the facility fee payment to the birth centers.

* To assure that pregnant women in all areas of the country have ac-cess to all sites where prenatal care and childbirth services are pro-vided.

* To realize significant cost savings for the federal and state govern-ments.

Act Now1) Make contact again with legislators’ staff in their local district

and Washington DC offices. Building a strong, long-lasting rela-tionship is key to passing the Birth Center Medicaid Bill and fu-ture legislation. Visit www.birthcenters.org/legislative-alerts/index.php?id=18 for information on how to contact your legislators. For

technical questions that may arise, please email or call AABC’s lobbyist Karen Fen-nell and she will follow-up.

2) Invite your Senator and Representative to visit your center for an Open House. Congress is in recess and in their home districts and states for two breaks:

* February 13th - 21st * March 27th - April 11th.

You may also want to invite candidates running for Congressional seats to your Open House, and your legislators too. It’s never too soon to educate legislators and staff.

Go to www.birthcenters.org/legislative-alerts/index.php?id=30 for information on how to hold an open house. The friends of midwives group in your state might be interested in partnering with you to host an event that demonstrates the depth of local support to birth centers and midwives among constituent consumers. We can help you link up with these groups if you don’t already have a relationship with them.

Please let Karen know of your contacts with legislators. Tell her who you talked with and any comments or additional information requested. Call Karen at 301-830-3910; Send email to [email protected] (note new email address).

This report to Karen is essential so that she can follow-up. Thank you for continuing to make a difference in our legislative efforts!

American Association of Birth Centers LEGISLATIVE ALERT

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When I announced that I was pregnant for a second time, people kept telling me that each pregnancy and labor is different. But were they right…

As with my first child, I did not experience morning sickness. I did have to eat on a regular basis but otherwise I felt great. I gained the same amount of weight as my first child, too. The only difference I ex-perienced was that I did not have sciatic but this time I had leg cramps. Not sure which one is worse.

As my due date of November 30th drew near, I really thought this pregnancy would be different. For some reason I thought I would de-liver early. However, our baby had a different idea.

With my 1st child I was 2 days overdue and apparently that would be the same scenario this time around as well. I was getting very antsy for the birth of this baby, walking didn’t educe labor, sexual intercourse didn’t work either (it did for my first pregnancy), so I resorted to taking blue cohosh. I did that for one day and did not notice anything differ-ent. That night I went to bed like any other night.

On December 2nd at 12:45 am (2 days after my due date), I woke up from what I thought was a contraction. After it, I fell back asleep. At 1:00 am, I felt another contraction so I got out of bed. At 1:10 am I experienced another one. At this point, I decided to wake my husband (Mike) and tell him I thought I was in labor. He joined me on the couch and said, “I think I’m awake for absolutely no reason at all.” Well, the contractions kept happening and were now 6 to 8 minutes apart but were not very long in duration.

I decided to call Paula. She felt that the contractions were not very consistent yet and thus didn’t warrant a trip to the birth center but it was up to us. Considering my first labor only lasted 6 hours and we had an hour drive to the birth center we were all a little nervous about waiting around too long. We told Paula that we would start driving to Menomonie and would touch base with her when we got to Durand (a 1/2 way point). We woke up our daughter and got into our new car. (On a side note: one week before my due date a deer hit my car and shat-tered my driver window. We were planning on selling that car anyways, so my husband went on a mad hunt for a new vehicle right away. The only other vehicle we had was truck and thus would not have enough room to drive all 4 of us back home after the baby’s birth.)

If the contractions were not getting closer together, we would con-tinue on to Knapp and stay at our friend’s house. However, on our way to Durand the contractions started coming every 2-3 minutes and were about 50 seconds in length. In Durand, we decided to go straight to the birth center and called Paula. Paula was in the Twin Cities, so Savita would be there when we arrived. On the way there we saw a deer; oddly we saw one on our drive with our first pregnancy too.

A couple of blocks from the birth center I felt really nauseated and asked Mike to pull over and open my window. However, the sensation pasted and we continued to the birth center. Mike dropped me off at the birth center side walk and I walked to the door as he parked the car and got our daughter out. Our daughter, Hannah did not fall asleep the entire drive. I don’t think she was scared, instead I think she was really curious as to what was happening. I had thought I would birth in the purple room because my daughter was born in the blue room. However, when I walked upstairs I discovered my husband had laid our daughter down to sleep in the purple room—so the blue room it was again.

Savita checked where I was at, which was 7 cm. Just like my first pregnancy, I was experiencing back labor; however it didn’t seem as bad this time around. During contractions I would lean forward and a midwife would press on my lower back. This helped a lot to relieve the pain from the opening that was occurring.

I don’t really remember what Hannah and Mike were doing during all of this. I do know that Mike was seldom in the room as there were already 3 midwives helping me, plus he was busy entertaining Hannah, who decided she did not want to sleep.

The option of going into the tub was discussed but I decided against it. I birthed with Hannah in the tub and decided I wanted to do something different this time. As my labor progressed, I threw up (just like my first pregnancy, although this time I managed to make it to the toilet).

At one point, I was leaning over the bed and my daughter walked underneath me. The day prior she had sprayed some of my perfume all over her and despite a bath the smell was still on her. When she came near me all I could smell was the perfume. I looked at my husband and said, “Get her away from me.” As soon as I said that, I threw up all over the bed. Mike immediately took her out of the room.

Savita checked me again and we discovered I had not progressed very far yet—granted, it had probably only been an hour and my cervix was not thinning equally front to back so she advised me to labor on my side in bed. At one point, she asked me how it felt and all I remember saying was, “It sucks.”

We discovered while laboring like this that the amniotic sac was pre-venting the head for dropping down. So the decision was made to break my water. As my water was broke I was surrounded by warm fluid. Hav-ing my water broke was all it took for labor to take a quick turn—push-ing was coming quickly.

I remember kneeling on the bed as the head was crowning. I was encouraged to take bigger inhales (which was hard for some reason). They continued to monitor the baby’s heart rate with each contraction that happened. I wasn’t alarmed but I knew that my breath was very important but I still found it hard to inhale deeply and long.

As the head was crowning, I forgot how much that hurt and remem-bered the phrase “ring of fire.” Yep, that is what it felt like–simply no other way to describe it.

During all of this Mike and Hannah finally appeared in the room. Savita then asked me to flip onto my back, so they all helped me move onto my back and then they pulled my hips closer to the edge of the bed. As I gave 3 pushes, I could see Mike holding Hannah at the foot of the bed.

During one of the pushes Savita turned the baby, I couldn’t hide how much that hurt so I screamed. But with that turn the baby successfully came out and was placed on my stomach in blankets—it was now 5:45 am. (I later learned she turned the baby so that I would have minimal tearing. So in the end I was thankful for the terrible pain of it.)

The baby was a little blue so oxygen was given. I asked what it was and no one knew. Mike said he couldn’t see due to the blankets and the attention the baby was getting by the midwives.

Well, the baby turned out to be a little boy, Kaleb Michael, weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20.5 inches long. As they continued to give him oxygen, Mike was able to cut the cord while still holding on to Hannah. Due to the quickness of the pushing phase the placenta was high so I had to wait a while (probably 10 min) for the placenta to move down so I could deliver it—which was out in about 2 pushes.

My daughter’s version of my birth is much shorter than mine. It sim-ply goes, “momma screamed, baby popped out.” Well, it wasn’t exactly like that but it was pretty quick, probably only 15 min of pushing and a total of 5 hours in labor.

So was this pregnancy and labor different than my first??? On many accounts no. Ka

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MADISON—Representative Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) ap-plauded the Senate passage of Assembly Bill 57—otherwise known at the Right to Breastfeed Act—with broad support on Tuesday. Rep. Pasch introduced this legislation which will allow a woman to breast-feed in any public or private place, where she and her child are other-wise authorized to be, without interference.

“The reality that such a bill is necessary is unfortunate, but mothers across the state continue to encounter harassment while breastfeed-ing their children,” said Rep. Pasch, the lead Assembly author of the bill. “Senator Fred Risser has demonstrated tremendous leadership as the Senate author of this legislation, and I thank the Senate for their support of this legislation which protects breastfeeding mothers from intimidation and harassment while helping facilitate improved health of infants and mothers alike.”

Healthy People 2010, a program coordinated through the U.S. De-partment of Health and Human Services, has a goal of increasing the number of women who breastfeed at birth to 75%, and at six months of age to 50%. Wisconsin has a long way to go to reach those goals—just 62% of Wisconsin mothers breastfeed at birth, and only 22% continue

for five to six months.

“ B r e a s t -feeding pro-vides the most complete form of nutrition for infants and has been shown to decrease rates of pre-meno-pausal breast cancer, ovar-ian cancer, type 2 diabe-tes, and osteoporosis in mothers,” noted Rep. Pasch, a nurse for over 30 years. “The evidence behind the health benefits of breastfeeding is overwhelming, so we must do all we can to encourage mothers to engage in this behavior.”

According to the Center for Urban Population Health, the number

Lostby Carol Graser

The worldHas shrunk becauseHis primitive heart beatsLife and deathBecause my own Body his firstEarth, these arms nowA freckled womb he learnsTo wriggle from. Breasts heBelieves in, prays againstSoft gods delivering whiteWe are small as one atomAnd entire, spinningHis secure begin

When finally I crack the curves Of this pearly shell, speak fromThis vow of silence, when I complete this mothering sundancerise shining from this kiva of snakes

when the dust of his birth settlesand I emerge with child straddling my hip

who remains the same after this

His secure begin

When finally I crack the curves Of this pearly shell, speak fromThis vow of silence, when I complete this mothering sundancerise shining from this kiva of snakes

when the dust of his birth settlesand I emerge with child straddling my hip

A freckled womb he learnsTo wriggle from. Breasts he

When finally I crack the curves

rise shining from this kiva of snakes

when the dust of his birth settlesand I emerge with child straddling

Lostby Carol Graser

The worldHas shrunk becauseHis primitive heart beatsLife and deathBecause my own Body his firstEarth, these arms now

To wriggle from. Breasts heBelieves in, prays againstSoft gods delivering whiteWe are small as one atomAnd entire, spinning

Ed: Thank You to all who contributed your time and effort to support this awesome legislation! After nearly six years of hard work to get the Right to Breast-feed Act passed, Wisconsin will finally have a law on the books to protect nursing mothers, babies and children (yes, the bill actually uses the word “child” :)

Rep. Pasch Applauds Senate Passage of Breastfeeding LegislationLegislation will protect breastfeeding mothers from intimidation and harassment, facilitate improved health of infants and mothers

of infants who die within their first year of life in Milwaukee is higher than the city’s number of homicides. Further, African American ba-bies are at the same risk of dying as babies born in Albania, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in some parts of the city. The Wisconsin Partnership Program also notes that Wisconsin’s rank for African American in-fant mortality has fallen from among the best in the country to third worst.

“It is well-documented that breastfeeding reduces infant mortality rates, so I hope this legislation will help facilitate efforts to combat these tragic and preventable deaths,” said Rep. Pasch. “43 other states have passed laws with language that specifically allows a woman to breastfeed in any public or private location, and Wisconsin is now one step closer to finally joining these ranks. We must not interfere with this natural act and indeed, we must promote it—for the health of the child, the mother, and our state.”

Assembly Bill 57 has passed through both houses of the Legislature and now heads to Governor Doyle’s desk for his signature. and now heads to Governor Doyle’s desk for his signature.

Come see us at the Minnesota

Baby Expo at the Minneapolis

Convention Center April 10th

& 11th!

See additional information on page 2 or get more

information:Tel: 952-446-6489

www.MinnesotaBabyExpo.com



Vas J, Aranda JM, Nishishinya B, et al. Correction of nonvertex presentation with moxibustion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2009;201(3), 241-59.

This review pooled the results from studies published between 1980 and 2007 that looked at ways to turn fetuses that were not well-positioned for head-first birth into that position. The studies compared moxibustion

to other ways to encourage the fetus to turn (hands-to-belly maneuvers, having the mother lie with her head lower than her feet, acupuncture). Moxibustion involves burning the herb mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) over an acupuncture point found on the outer corner of the smallest toenail. Seven studies presenting data from 1087 women were included in the analysis. All the women in the studies in this review were randomly picked to receive either moxibustion or one of the other methods, to strengthen

confidence that any differences in experiences of study groups were due to the moxibustion.

Combined results from the studies showed that the fetuses of women receiving moxibustion were 36% more likely to turn to a head-first position

than those who got other treatments or no treatment, and this result was statistically significant. To check this result, the study authors looked separately at four trials that used similar starting points for moxibustion, all after the 32nd week of pregnancy. Here too, the likelihood of the fetus turning to a head-first position was more than 30% greater for the women who got moxibustion than for those who got another treatment. The study found no differences in safety between moxibustion and the other methods.

Surprisingly, there was also no difference in the rate of cesarean birth between the groups. Six of the seven studies were carried out in China or Italy. Practice patterns in those countries (e.g., greater acceptance of vaginal breech birth) may explain why the review did not show a higher risk of cesarean section in the group that did not get moxibustion; if done too early, babies could also flip back into breech position, which could impact this outcome.

The take-away: Vaginal breech birth is currently rare in the U.S., where cesarean delivery is routine when the fetus’s position is not head-first. With known risks associated with cesarean delivery for mothers and babies, and no known downside to moxibustion, all women with fetuses that are not head-first by the third trimester should receive information about the safety and effectiveness of this treatment. Most licensed acupuncturists can perform moxibustion. Further research should explore the best frequency and timing of the practice.

The Dr. Brewer Pregnancy Dietby V. Nicole Wocelka, CD (DONA), CIMI, CLC

The Brewer Diet was created by Dr. Tom Brewer, MD, who be-lieved that many complications of fertility, pregnancy, labor tol-erance, and birth outcomes were related to nutritional needs of the mother and baby not being addressed in the typical diet.

His philosophy is based on three Pregnancy Nutrition Principles:1. MOTHER AND BABY ARE ONE BIOLOGICAL UNIT. WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE, AFFECTS THE OTHER. NOURISHING THE MOTHER IS THE ONLY WAY TO NOUR-ISH THE BABY.2. A LITTLE MALNUTRITION IS A DANGEROUS THING. PREG-

NANCY IMPOSES A NUTRITIONAL STRESS ON EVERY EXPECTANT MOTHER. THIS STRESS INCREASES AS PREGNANCY ADVANCES TO TERM3. MANY LIFE SITUATIONS CAN CREATE NUTRITION-

AL PROBLEMS. IDENTIFY THEM AND MAKE DIETARY CHANGES AS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE NECESSARY

SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS FOR YOUR PREGNANCYFor more information on the Dr. Brewer Pregnancy Diet

please visit this website: http://www.drbrewerpregnan-cydiet.com/index.htmlThe midwives and birth assistants at Morning Star can help

you discern if the Brewer Pregnancy Diet is right for you and your baby.

Moxibustion for Bringing Babies Around to the Head-First Position

’’Quote

of the Qu

arter “Wherever and however you intend

to give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body, and your spirit for the rest of your life.”

— Ina May Gaskin

an acupuncture point found on the

‘‘


Saint Louis Park, MN Location Renovation Nearly Complete!

’’

Saint Louis Park, MN Location Renovation Nearly Complete!Saint Louis Park, MN Location Renovation Nearly Complete!

Enjoy some pictures of construction (framing and Enjoy some pictures of construction (framing and insulation) at our new St. Louis Park location in the Twin Cities... Yes, we really did demolish the entire interior of the Cities... Yes, we really did demolish the entire interior of the

building and re-build it!building and re-build it!

We’re getting there... Construction and finishing is We’re getting there... Construction and finishing is We’re getting there... Construction and finishing is We’re getting there... Construction and finishing is moving fast! Everyday, we see exciting changes. Almost ready for furnishings! Be sure to come to our Grand ready for furnishings! Be sure to come to our Grand Opening Open House to see our new birth center.Opening Open House to see our new birth center.

321 13th Street S.E., Menomonie, WI 54751

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Wisdom of Ages, Science of Today™

- Est 1993 -Our vision is to create a health care community and environment in which women, families, babies and providers can be assured the ability to receive and give mother- and baby-friendly care in the Midwives’ Model of Care.

morning star spring 2010 newsletter

Documents

menomonie birth center

birth center licensure

new center

birth professionals

saint louis park birth

new location

birth wisdom of ages

kalebs birth story