Annie Reeder – Nashville TN Doula and Birth Coach

Visit this Finnish mom and copywriter’s blog to see more of her daughter Mila’s dreams! I don’t like to divert the blog too far from birth, but Adele’s blog is too precious for this creative to ignore.

Voice of America has a new article by Mike Osborne, featuring two of our local midwives: Mary Anne Richardson, a CPM (the article incorrectly states), and Mavis Schorn, a Nurse Midwife (the article states she is a doctor, she is not). The article, “Welcome Home, Baby“doesn’t completely explore the differences between nurse midwives and certified professional midwives, but does show that many women are choosing midwives, for hospital and out of hospital births. Both Schorn and Richardson are in the Middle Tennessee area, and both lovingly serve local women.

Of course, National Breastleaking is a flashier title, but of course not as politically correct or official sounding.

And so, as a small tribute to the monumental art of breastfeeding we have new research to encourage weary moms through breastfeeding: BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS GET MORE SLEEP. Often doctors and families trying to keep postpartum mood disorders at bay encourage breastfeeding mothers to not nurse at night or to formula feed at night, or to completely switch to formula feeding. The thought is that sleep deprivation is a risk factor to postpartum depression. And so, if we can get this new mother any more sleep, let’s do it. And the best way is to stop nursing at night, by hook or by crook. So this is where the research is so important. It proves that breastfeeding moms get more sleep than their formula or mixed feeding counterparts.

Yes, this has been a loosely written, non factually based article. I encourage you to go to science&sensibility.org to read the factually sound, well-researched article Nighttime Breastfeeding and Maternal Mental Health.

Good, no, great news for moms who have undergone a c section! ACOG has a new stance on trial of labor after c section and VBAC. ACOG’s new policy states that not only are women with low-transverse incisions with one previous c section potential candidates, but also mothers who have had two previous c sections, mothers carrying twins, and women with scar of unknown location. To read the press release from ACOG go here.

I’ve decided to add a new column heading for those that are trying to achieve pregnancy. Most of these tools can also be used to avoid pregnancy.

New terms for you? Welcome to the world of Fertility Awareness. We say things like avoid pregnancy or conception, and achieve pregnancy (or conception). We also use words like cervix and cervical fluid and vagina without batting an eye. As a doula, my job is to empower women and their birthing partners to give birth in the way their bodies were designed to. As a woman, my passion is to empower women to know their bodies, and become intimately aware of themselves, and the way their bodies work. Fertility Awareness is an amazing way to begin to explore.

I won’t list all the new links here, just scoot over to the right and look for the heading ‘Fertility Awareness’.

Ouch. It’s difficult to not take this letter personally. Patients of Kingsdale Gynecologic Associates (in Columbus Ohio) received a copy of this letter recently.

The team at Kingsdale Gynecologic Associates is so pleased that you are expecting.  We look forward to helping you enjoy your pregnancy and hope to provide a meaningful and safe birthing experience.

Because of concerns for increased risk to you or your baby, the doctors at KGA have made a thoughtful, unanimous decision not to allow doulas to participate in the birthing process.  It has been our experience that they may serve to create a state of confusion and tension in the delivery room, which may compromise our ability to provide the safest delivery situation possible for you and your baby.

Again, with safety in mind, we have created a Kingsdale Birth Plan (which can be viewed in the obstetric packet provided at your initial visit), outlining the philosophy of our doctors with regard to labor and delivery.  It is our opinion that other birth plans are unnecessary.  We feel that our many years of obstetric experience in a setting of modern day challenges (larger babies, more difficult deliveries) enable us to provide sound judgment with regard to each woman’s particular needs during her course of labor.

Thank you for your understanding in our hopes of facilitating a safe pregnancy and birth process.

___________________________

Patient’s signature

________________________

Date

Kudos to the docs over at KGA for their blatant honesty. They do not want doulas present when they are delivering their clients of their babies. So let’s have some honesty equaling their honesty. It does not benefit doctors for their patients to have knowledge of the research that doulas can provide to their clients about common interventions. My role as a DONA doula is not to create tension or confusion in a labor room. It is to provide well-researched evidence for couples that must make decisions about their child’s birth. My role is to provide emotional support as well as help my client with comfort measures. My role is not to speak on my clien’ts behalf to medical staff. So where does tension come from? Doctors who don’t practice evidence-based medicine vs. doulas who provide evidence and research. This is not to say that there may not have been a renegade doula who came into conflict with one doctor too many over at KGA. A renegade doula is a doula by name, but may not be under a certifying organization, or if she is she doesn’t stick to their scope of practice. Too bad.

It is too bad for KGA’s patients planning on having labor support at their births. Thankfully they can find supportive care (see Women’s Contemporary Health practice), and maintain their will to be informed and educated about their bodies and the birth process during the birth of their child. Thankfully KGA decided to show their true colors and can now be seen as what they are: doctors in control of labor instead of allowing their patients to be in control of their labors and bodies.

Researchers recently published findings in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine that concluded that in normal birth, delayed cord clamping should be encouraged, as it amounts to “mankind’s first natural stem cell transplant.” MSNBC published an article about the research results.

I live in Music City. I work as a doula. Our Nashville hospitals are within miles of famous, or infamous, Music Row. I have always been a musician, in his own right my husband is a musician. Our best friends are amazing musicians: Shirock. It is not something we do, it’s as integral to our lives as eating, sleeping, and breathing. Which is why, when I heard the following story, originally heard on npr’s all things considered, I had to give it space here.

Marco Benevento lives in New Jersey. He is a pianist and jazz musician. His most recent album is entitled “Between the Needles and Nightfall.” Without having heard his music, you guess he may play some intense music. Or have an intense drug issue.  After all, where do most folks imagine needles in association with musicians? Sorry guys, I’m afraid Lost’s Charlie has propagated the stereotype even further.

But find Benevento’s music, hear the beauty in the jazz, and now learn why needles. Benevento’s second daughter was born at home, and to induce labor his wife experienced acupuncture treatment. After the treatment their midwife commented that “Hopefully, you’ll have your baby between the needles and nightfall.” Their daughter, Ila Frost, was born just before dark.

Somewhere between Music Row and downtown Nashville, somewhere between your bed and your bath, somewhere between the east and the west, babies are born everywhere, all the time. Somewhere between inductions and c-sections, somewhere between acupuncture and moxibustion, somewhere between foley bulbs, prostaglandins and amniotomy. Way to go Benevento, you have won me as a fan for your educated decision to have a homebirth, and to chronicle it through your music. Another event in the circle of life, music, and death.