Birthing Your Baby

Summer Vacation

2009-06-12T16:50:00.003-04:00

Summer has started for our family, after a whirlwind of spring recitals and performances. Homeschool and nursery school are over, and the children and I are traveling for most of June, so I expect I won't be blogging much for another month or so. I'll be back in a bit... I've got a bunch of ideas swirling around, so I know I won't be able to keep quiet for long!

I also want to mention that the postpartum support group, New Moms Support Circle is taking a break for the summer. Look for fall meeting dates to be published sometime in August.

I am continuing to teach and schedule classes for this summer and fall, so email me if you'd like to set up a time to meet or join a class. I will be able to check me email and voicemail while I'm away, and I'll get back in touch with you.

Until then, here's a gorgeous poem I received in a Mothering email.

Ripening

As the baby, from seed to worldly entrance ripens
So does the mother's consciousness mature through revelations
of life's beginnings-
During this, their growing season.

Out of man and woman's union springs the fruit-
A child swelling 'neath a woman's belly,
And the Madonna-ripening fruit of womanhood.

Joining forces, father and mother weed out their fears,
To clear the ground and prepare the way for the day of harvesting.

On that day, they reap as they sow, the fruits of their labor.

-- Author Unknown

There's so much to love in this poem, I had to share it with you!

Hope your summer is off to a wonderful start!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Wisdom from Mothering

2009-05-13T06:30:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, I finished teaching two postpartum/baby classes. In this last class, we review birth, and we talk again about preparing for birth by learning about the options, and practicing relaxation techniques, and communicating preferences and then letting go during the birth - being flexible, taking it one contraction at a time: birthing in the moment. We also talk all about the postpartum period, what commonly happens physically and emotionally, preparing as a couple, and lots of discussion and demonstrations about baby care.

One thing I always demo and have mom & dad practice is swaddling. I tell about how I didn't swaddle my daughter because she cried the couple of times I tried it, and as a first-time parent, I let it go. After reading more, and seeing how much swaddling helped my second-born, I realize just how much swaddling would have probably helped my daughter, who is highly sensitive and easily over-stimulated. I mention all this briefly in class, part to underline how though not all babies like the act of being swaddled, it might still be worth doing & seeing if they like it once it's done! And I mention it because it hints at the fact that parenting is about learning, and we don't always know what will help, and sometimes we do something we wish we hadn't, or fail to do something we wish we had. As parents, we're still humans, and as anyone can tell you, humans aren't perfect! So there is no perfect parent.

Two articles in Mothering magazine's weekly e-newsletter (which I highly recommend) recognize the fact that we are works in progress as parents. Here's an excerpt from "Breaking Free of Mother-Guilt":

Our society in general, and the Mothering community in particular, has a problem: How can we advocate for birthing and parenting practices that have proven benefits without making parents who have not achieved them feel denigrated? How, for example, do we discuss the overuse of cesarean delivery without making the one-fifth to one-quarter of us who've had one feel bad, or promote extended breastfeeding without seeming to blame women who haven't been able to do it?

I suggest that the answer lies in achieving a certain perspective. This perspective starts from the premise that each of us does the best she can—given the particulars of our knowledge base, resources, support system, and the circumstances in which we find ourselves (and which we often cannot fully control). No one should ever allow herself to feel judged inadequate for doing the best she could, or the best she knew at the time of choosing. But we must also note that because our knowledge base is one of the keys in our decision-making process, it is absolutely appropriate that every effort be made to disseminate good information as widely as possible—never to blame people for past choices or idiosyncratic situations, but to get good facts out to whoever needs and can use them.

Furthermore, and crucially, those who promote such information must recognize that while such choices as excellent prenatal nutrition, natural birthing, extended breastfeeding, avoiding circumcision, cosleeping, and so on are documentably ideal for most families most of the time, there sometimes really are exceptions, limits on information, and limits on what is possible.

Ahh... circumstances, limited knowledge (for however much we know, there's still plenty we don't know!), and real life challenges... it can be hard to accept that even our very, very best may not feel good enough. Parenting regrets are hard, very, very hard. The other article I highly recommend, "Regrets", by Peggy O'Mara, suggests a lovely metaphor for how to handle regrets productively:

A bad experience is like a dive for buried treasure. There is a wreck. Someone has to figure out what happened and remember what to do the next time. Everyone hopes to find the treasure hidden in the wreck, even though many doubt that it's there at all. Like a bad experience, once we mine our regrets for information about what we might have done differently, and what we might do if the same circumstances arise again, we've already discovered a lot of treasure. When the time is right, we can then let the experience go.

Parenting is definitely the hardest job I've ever had to do - full of sacrifice and the occasional bout of performance anxiety. But on the other hand, I've never been so motivated to do a job well, by the sweet, grateful smile of a snuggled child, by a look of joy & wonder at something new, by a question that shows how deeply my child is participating in life. And, I've certainly never been so well-rewarded.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T12:03:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Here's another way to celebrate: go on a cyber-journey... beginning at "Celebrate Women's Real Birth Wisdom"!

Wishing you all peace and strength and joy, mothers and mothers-to-be.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

International Birth Wisdom Week

2009-05-09T09:00:00.002-04:00

There's a story I want to share for International Birth Wisdom Week, but I can't remember where I read it, or when*. The story comes from an African culture, and it tells how the women think about the birth process: Birth is like crossing a river on a log. You need to get across the river on that log, and no one can else can do it for you - it's your journey. People on the shore you left behind cheer you on with encouraging words, and people on the far shore will be waiting to greet you. Someone even follows beside you to guide you and support you with her words and presence. Though you are not alone, birth is work only you can do.

This story has always stuck in my mind, as a pregnant and laboring woman, and then as a childbirth educator - because its truth resonates with me, and also because it is so different from how birth is perceived in American popular culture. So many times birth is talked about (and lived) as something that is done to a birthing woman, not as something that she does.

I don't mean that in order to experience "real" birth, all women need to have unmedicated vaginal births. In my opinion, the difference is about agency: when it is the laboring woman who is exerting her own power to birth safely and with strength and wisdom, she owns her birth, whatever happens. She is unlikely to be haunted with "if only I had known" because she knows that she did the best she could with the situation she was living in that moment.

Whenever I think about birth wisdom, I think about this quote, which is all over the natural birth world: “Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.” Barbara Katz Rothman articulates why it is so important that birth is honored as a beginning, not as "just" an end, "to get the baby out safely".

I also think of this other popular birth quote by Laura Stavoe Harm: “We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong.” I feel sad when I read this, because, too often, women's strength is a secret.
Birth is painful!!! Get an epidural as soon as possible!! Birth is scary! Birth is an emergency! Just be happy you have a healthy baby!!
This is the subtext of so many stories, in the media, and among women. I was sitting at my daughter's dance class the other day, and some of the other moms were talking about their births: thank God for my epidural! ... I don't know how/why anyone would give birth without one! ... It was miserable until I got my epidural... My epidural didn't work, but at least I had one [?!!?]. Another mom and I were silent. What could I possibly say about my wonderful natural births that would not seem judgemental or holier than thou? Thankfully someone directly asked the other silent woman about her birth, and she voiced her joy at giving birth naturally.

I'm grateful for every opportunity to empower pregnant women and their partners to make informed choices, to take personal responsibility, to understand that birth is the beginning of their journey as mothers. I want to join that chorus of people on either side of the river, in hopes that it will swell and swell, getting louder and louder, until "women are strong" is not a whisper, a secret that some of us carry in our hearts and share with our daughters, but a shout, a proclamation, and a promise: WOMEN ARE STRONG.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

*If you know where I might have read this story, please leave a comment!

Exciting Birth Cyber Event!

2009-05-08T15:52:00.002-04:00

Spreading the word:

Join Independent Childbirth in a birth community cyber event next week!

All you have to do is blog about birth wisdom whether it's refuting an obstetrical myth or sharing a birth story of a woman who experienced spontaneous birth outside 'textbook' birth (i.e. a posterior birth, cesarean prevention, VBAC, twins, international birth voices are of great need, etc.). In your post link back to the independent childbirth blog post on birth wisdom (it will be on the site tomorrow).

When you complete your post send us a link to it to view it for inclusion in the IC blog post. In addition, if you visit those posts that are listed on the IC blog post and leave comments on a couple that inspire you to comment we'll send you a 'button' for your blog that you may wish to include on your blog.

Many of us have readers who follow our blogs but may not be aware of other blogs that also have great information to share. Together we are an awesome resource is what the IC birth wisdom cyber event is about. The birth community is global yet we, what we know, are/is all available wherever a mother resides.

If you are interested in joining the event please email us offlist at births @ comcast dot net. Please feel free to forward this email to other birth groups.

Thank you in advance for sharing what you know and inspiring mothers in your neighborhood and "ours."

Dale
www.independentchildbirth.wordpress.com
www.independentchildbirth.com

I'll have my International Birth Week post up tomorrow! Happy reading!!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

April is Cesarean Awareness Month

2009-04-30T07:13:00.005-04:00

I'm slow on this one, but while it's still April, I want to acknowledge Cesarean Awareness Month. You can read anywhere that the cesarean birth rate in the United States is climbing each year - both because the rate of primary cesarean births is rising, and because the rate of VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean) is falling. As of 2007, an average of one out of three babies are born surgically. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in 2007, 31.8% of women birthed by cesarean in the United States.

There is support for women who are recovering from a cesarean birth, including ICAN chapters in many states. If you live in Maine where there is currently no chapter listed, you can still request support. There are also online communities that support women recovering from traumatic birth (cesarean or vaginal), like Solace for Mothers.

In my opinion, one of the most troubling effects of cesarean birth is that it can severely limit women's options for future births. In Maine, there are only a handful of hospitals that "permit" VBACs. In central Maine, the only hospitals I know that do VBACs are CMMC in Lewiston and Maine General in Waterville. Nationally, VBACs are only permitted in about half of hospitals, and frequently only under certain specific conditions or with select care providers who are willing to attend them. Is this information that is offered to women as part of informed consent, especially in the many non-emergent situations like "failure to progress" or "you have a big baby"?

You can read about the lack of choice in Time Magazine, "The Trouble with Repeat Cesareans" and Pamela Paul's follow-up article in the Huffington Post, "Childbirth Without Choice".

You can read about why the rate of VBAC is so low at The Well-Rounded Mama.

Also, you can click on the Cesarean label below this post to read more blog entries on Cesarean birth.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Birth: Assuming Control

2009-04-25T07:30:00.004-04:00

The word assume has several meanings - three that I want to highlight here:

Assume can mean to take for granted or without proof; suppose. Clearly, this is the definition the well-known quip "assume makes an ass out of u and me" comes from.

Assume can also mean to take upon oneself; undertake, as in assuming responsibility for a task.

And, assume can mean to appropriate; seize; usurp - when a dictator assumes power, for example.

What does this have to do with birth? I was enjoying Anna Quindlen's back-page opinion article a few weeks ago in Newsweek, Dollars and Sense, when that phrase popped out at me and has been stuck in my head ever since. She was discussing how few of us understand the complexities of our financial world, "the great unspoken issue behind the tanking of the market, the mess in subprime mortgages and the bailout bill is that Americans don't understand the basics of the economy. Faced with financial instruments increasingly arcane and complex and financial institutions increasingly faceless and vast, most outsourced knowledge and responsibility to those they assumed were ethical and responsible. The banker, the broker, the rating agencies: they would look out for us."
As I read this article, I was struck by how this whole article could also apply to birth. And towards the end of the article, she wrote

"Americans have given up understanding much of what passes for daily life . . . But there's also a precedent for assuming control, even of complex issues. Look at the way many Americans deal with health care today compared with a generation ago. Once doctors, like financial managers, were seen as keepers of a mysterious flame and patients as people who should simply do what they were told. Today many more patients think of themselves as partners and work hard to educate themselves about their health and their ailments before having surgery or taking medications."

Is this true, do you think: have American women "assumed control" of birth?

Unfortunately, I see and hear and read many, many more stories about women assuming (first definition) that they have control and many, many more stories about doctors and medwives assuming control (last definition). If I could make only one wish for my clients, it would be for them to assume control (second definition): not to assume that they can control birth, but that they would assume responsibility for making the choices that are right for themselves and their babies, with caring, responsive doctors and midwives to help them.

I want to share a blog with you that I think is absolutely amazing, called Nursing Birth. It's written by a labor & delivery nurse, and she's started a series called "Don't Let This Happen to You" because, as she says, "Throughout my time as a labor and delivery nurse at a large urban hospital in the Northeast, I have mentally tallied up a list of patients and circumstances that make me go “WHAT!?! Are you SERIOUS!? Oh come ON!”

Women need to read these stories and take them seriously. Just like any other aspect of life, don't just assume you're in control: assume control. What does that mean? Learn about birth and think about your options. Interview care providers and visit hospitals and birth centers. Find a good fit. If you find yourself in a situation that is not a good fit, make changes! Find support. Take classes (email me if you're in Maine!). Reflect, discuss, learn, practice what you've learned. Rehearse. Discuss some more. Assume control!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

HeartString

2009-04-23T07:37:00.004-04:00

It can be such a challenge to purchase products and toys for infants - most of us want items that are safe, useful, and, if possible, aesthetically pleasing.

I received an email a few months ago about a new baby product called the HeartString Baby's Companion. I requested one so I could show my clients and share it with you because I hadn't seen anything like it before. I handed it to a six-month old at one of my New Moms Circle support groups, and she loved it - turning it over and over in her hands and then gumming it for quite a while.

I think new babies would enjoy looking at it too. I remember back to nursing my infants, and as much as I usually loved their kneading little fists, sometimes their pinchy little nails hurt as they patted and prodded me. It would have been nice to have something like this necklace as a distraction!

More information from the HeartStrings website:HeartString Baby’s Companion evolved from a simple concept: Babies like to tug and chew on anything they can touch. In a world full of hazards (keys, metal jewelry, glasses, watches etc.), we designed HeartString to be a touchable, tuggable product for your baby and a wearable accessory for you. With many colours from which to choose, our safe and non-toxic product can be used as a breastfeeding and parenting aid that includes Dad, siblings and grandparents!

HeartString Baby's CompanionTM is a versatile accessory used by breastfeeding moms and concerned infant caregivers. Initially conceived to be a purposeful distraction while bottle feeding, breastfeeding or holding a baby, the HeartString Companions has also been designed to support bonding, ease caregiver transfers and include a male figure. With the infant in mind, the HeartString Companions is safe, non-toxic and unbreakable, acting as a tactile and visual aid to soothe baby and to encourage cognitive development.
Also important to know that the HeartString:

Does NOT contain lead, PVC, phalates, BPA, latex of any known harmful materials.
Materials and products are sourced and made in North America.

Personally, I think this would be a fun add-on baby shower gift, maybe even as the package decoration. I'm excited to add it to my collection of "show and tell" products (sling, cloth diapers, breast pump) for the postpartum class.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Birth Video Contest

2009-04-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Birth Documentary Contest: $1,000 First Prize

Birth Matters Virginia is soliciting 4-7 minute educational videos about birth in the hopes of reducing the incidence of medically unnecessary c-sections, infant and maternal morbidity, and skyrocketing health care costs. The first-place winner will receive a prize of $1,000. Second place $500 and an "honorable mention" prize of $100will also be awarded. The deadline for entering the contest is Mother's Day, May 10, 2009.

Guest judges include: Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, acclaimed producers of the Business of Being Born and Sarah J. Buckley., MD, international birth expert and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering. Ricki, Abby, and Sarah will join a consumer-based panel of judges who will be evaluating the tone, educational content, creativity and more. You don't have to be a professional to enter and you don't have to be from Virginia. We'd love to get videos from mothers, fathers, filmmakers, film students, birth advocates, and anyone else who is interested in birth or film or wants to win $1000.

Birth Matters Virginia advocates "evidence-based" maternity care, which simply means using the best available research on the safety and effectiveness of specific practices to help guide maternity care decisions and to facilitate optimal outcomes in mothers and newborns. There are a lot of ways to approach that topic and lots of opinions on what that means, and we're looking forward to the variety of entries.

For rules, how to enter, or to sign up for updates, please visit http://www.birthmattersva.org/videocontest.html.

You can also join our Facebook group to get updates about the contest and exchange ideas with other participants at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73753459808.

And if you have questions, email Sarah at Richmond@birthmattersva.org.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

The Birth Survey in Maine!

2009-04-18T10:48:00.004-04:00

Did you know that The Birth Survey now has information about Maine??! The survey results are searchable by doctor/midwife and hospital/birth center/homebirth. The best way to find information for our state is to type in your zip code, and select the distance in miles you are able to travel.

Currently, there are only a few reviews for some of our local hospitals and some of our local doctors and midwives. Of course the information is still very well worth looking at! But how awesome would it be if it were even more complete?!! If you've had a baby in the past three years, and would like to help expecting families make an informed decision about the care they choose, consider sharing your experience! The survey only takes about thirty minutes to complete and is completely anonymous.

I would particularly encourage anyone who has birthed at our state's only independent, free-standing birth center (The Birth House), or with a homebirth midwife to share their experience, because there aren't any reviews yet, and I know there have been some fantastic experiences!

I would also particularly encourage anyone who has had care that they were not happy with to complete a survey. I think the tendency can sometimes be to "not make trouble" or take some of the blame for a negative experience on ourselves, and therefore decide not to share the experience... but I think it's crucial for as many women as possible to complete surveys, whether it's to recommend a care provider or location, or to express dissatisfaction with a care provider or location.

"Our goal is to give women a mechanism that can be used to share information about maternity care practices in their community while at the same time providing practitioners and institutions feedback for quality of care improvement efforts."

"We are dedicated to improving maternity care for all women. We will do this by 1) creating a higher level of transparency in maternity care so that women will be better able to make informed decisions about where and with whom to birth and 2) providing practitioners and hospitals with information that will aid in evaluating and improving quality of care."

Objective 1
Annually obtain maternity care intervention rates on an institutional level for all fifty states.

Objective 2
Collect feedback about women’s birth experiences using an online, ongoing survey, The Birth Survey.

Objective 3
Present official hospital intervention rates, results of The Birth Survey, and information about the MFCI in an on-line format.

Objective 4
Increase public awareness of differences among maternity care providers and facilities and increase recognition of the MFCI as the gold standard for maternity care.

I am so excited by this project, and the difference it could make for birthing mothers and their new babies! I urge you to participate by either spreading the news, or completing a survey!!

I'll leave you with this inspiring thought from Christiane Northrup:

"Imagine what might happen if the majority of women emerged from their labor beds with a renewed sense of the strength and power of their bodies and their capacity for ecstasy through giving birth. When enough women realize that birth is a time of great opportunity to get in touch with their true power, and then they are willing to assume responsibility for this, we will reclaim the power of birth and help move technology where it belongs--in the service of birthing women, not as their master."

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Links!

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd share:

If you live in central Maine, there's a great guide to low-cost or free (mostly free) places to be active, courtesy of Healthy Communities. There are trails, parks & playgrounds, schools, and local resources listed for Augusta, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Fayette, Gardiner, West Gardiner, Hallowell, Litchfield, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Richmond, Wayne, Windsor, and Winthrop. Places to be Active

The April Peaceful Birth Project newsletter asks "How are women making these fundamental choices? In a technology worshiping environment where can women find the information and support they need to make knowledge-based choices?

How can that first cesarean be prevented?"
And then goes on to provide some great resources to help families start answering those questions.

Nicole at Bellies and Babies wrote a post this past week called "Vagina Anyone?" that made me laugh and squirm at the same time ("ta-ta"?!!), and goes back to the post I wrote recently re: the impact of language.

The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog reviewed Your Best Birth, which I immediately put on my Amazon wishlist.

Kathy at Woman to Woman Childbirth Education wrote "Nothing by Mouth?" - a clear look at the history of "it's not safe to eat or drink during labor" rule and then links and explanations re: whether this standard routine is evidence-based (short answer: it's not!). Here's more on this topic by Rixa, at Stand and Deliver, "Eating and Drinking during Labor".

And finally, the juiciest for last, Navelgazing Midwife on "Freebirthing", the recent show on Discovery Channel.

Enjoy!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Scheduling Spring & Summer Birth Classes!

2009-04-06T15:49:00.003-04:00

I'm currently scheduling group and private classes for this spring and summer - moms with due dates from May to September! Classes are held in Winthrop, which is about half an hour from Waterville and the Lewiston/Auburn area, and fifteen minutes from Augusta.

For more information, feel free to email me or visit Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine.

Read on for some of the benefits of attending Birthing Your Baby classes!

Birthing Your Baby classes are centered in a deep belief in a woman’s ability to give birth… that birth can be an empowering, transforming experience in a woman’s life…that birth is an essentially safe process for baby and mother. The philosophy that drives these classes also inspires confidence and joy in the birth process and in your new lives as parents.

Birthing Your Baby classes are independent. I am not required to teach from a rigid curriculum that only “approves” of certain kinds of birth. This is your birth…your baby!! I will provide up-to-date, evidence-based information and then you can make your best decisions for a healthy and satisfying birth experience, whether it’s an all-natural home birth or a hospital birth with a planned epidural. We will also discuss and practice helpful communication skills so you can maintain an open dialogue with your careproviders.

I believe small classes work best, so there will never be more than five couples in a class. Small classes allow for more student interaction, for more discussion, and for the class content to be personalized to address each student’s particular needs. Private classes are also available.

I offer a variety of classes – group classes that last four to six weeks, as well as private classes. We discuss everything from how you’re all feeling that particular week and addressing any questions that have come up, to self-care during pregnancy, prenatal testing, nutrition, and exercise, to the emotional and physical aspects of labor, comfort measures, birth positions, and communicating with your caregivers, to the transitions of post-partum life, new baby care, breastfeeding and a lot more – the time seems to fly by… you’ll be talking, writing, laughing, drawing, moving around (a lot!), viewing videos, discovering sensations, and practicing, practicing, practicing!

Birthing Your Baby classes are consumer-oriented. In other words, I am not “prepping” you for the policies and routines for any particular birth place or caregiver. As Dr. Sears writes in The Birth Book, “some hospital-based educators, constrained by their own hospital’s birthing policies, prepare parents to more to be compliant patients than to be informed consumers” (53). Instead, Birthing Your Baby classes will teach you (and give you lots of time to practice) a variety of coping skills, relaxation techniques, and positions for labor and birth. Labor is impossible to predict, so the more tricks you can pull out of your bag, the better prepared you will be!

In addition to the individualized class attention, I provide (free) unlimited telephone and email consultation. Any time (pregnancy, birth, post-partum) you have questions or concerns, I welcome your call or email. I can research a topic… offer emotional support and affirmation… or simply listen.

I have a well-stocked pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting “lending library” that includes books, magazines, and videos that I encourage you to borrow from at any time. I have read all of these selections and can help you find ones which address the topics that interest you.

Birthing Your Baby classes encourage you to be open to the possibilities of birth. I will help you create a birth “plan”, but we will also talk about what the “next best thing” is if everything doesn’t go according to plan. Studies have shown that women who feel like they coped well and were active in making decisions about their care had the most satisfying birth experiences. Regardless of your plans for birth, whether this is your first birth or your third, Birthing Your Baby can provide the information and hands-on practice time to enhance your birth experience.

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Normal Childbirth?

2009-04-04T11:42:00.005-04:00

I've read lots of articles and blog posts and email conversations surrounding the many perceptions and definitions of "normal" childbirth and "natural" childbirth. One thing I've learned is that these definitions are extremely fluid and subjective. One person may define natural childbirth as any birth that is vaginal, others believe that a natural childbirth is one without any medical procedures or medications. What is defined as a procedure can even by tricky - while most of us would agree that artificially rupturing membranes is a procedure, what about a vaginal exam?

Personally, I would define my first child's birth as natural, even though my membranes were ruptured (with my consent) when I got to 10cm and they were bulging, and I had some electronic fetal monitoring. Because I had nothing attached to me (IV, catheter, epidural) and no medication, that fits my personal definition of a natural birth.

What's the big deal about this anyway? Well, as a former high school English teacher, I am a person who appreciates unambiguous language - I like it when people intentionally use the right word for something. In fact, this drives my husband crazy sometimes because he'll come home and use the word flu to describe just about anything going around his office. This word sets off a chain of (annoying, if you ask him) question: a stomach flu? the real flu? how long did it last? was there a fever? etc. Any cold with a fever or vomiting episode fits his definition of flu, but mine is much more narrow. What I want to know is what he might have been exposed to, and what symptoms I should be on the lookout for in the children, and his definition doesn't help me figure that out!

Back to childbirth - does it matter if someone discussing a natural birth means that she didn't have a cesarean, and is basically using the word natural because she doesn't want to say the word vaginal in regular conversation?

The word normal is even more slippery, because its definition is shaped so much by what is normal in any given culture or sub-culture. Normal could mean a very medicalized birth, with IV, epidural, catheter and prone pushing or it could be a homebirth with a midwife attending as a "guardian" who supports the mother and checks on the baby, but who does not do anything medical in nature beyond checking baby's heart tones and examining the placenta and the mother afterward for tears.

I started thinking about these definitions because of a question I read in the Midwifery Today newsletter:

"If the general public continues to be indoctrinated into medicalized birth, how can we expect women to stand up and fight against the marginalization of freestanding birth centers and midwifery in this country?"

— Colleen Bak

Indoctrination is a serious word. This question (or call to arms!) is all about definition, to me. If the definition of natural birth encompasses physiological birth and birth that is medicalized with procedures and medications that may or may not be evidence-based, it becomes very, very hard for people to understand and appreciate the benefits of physiological birth to mother and baby, as well as making that type of birth seem even more unusual than it is. A big part of why I offer independent childbirth classes (and write this blog) is because these are my ways of making a difference: they're my small way to fight against the indoctrination that pervades birth as portrayed on mainstream television and in movies, on TLC's Baby Story, and in some books and classes about birth.

[And yes, I threw another birth category into that paragraph: physiological. What is physiological birth? Dictionary.com defines physiological as "characteristic of or appropriate to an organism's healthy or normal functioning". I like Dr. Kotaska's explanation, from Jennifer Block's book Pushed, “An unmedicated birth in an environment where a woman feels comfortable, where she’s adequately supported, where she has a degree of privacy that allows her brain and her uterus to do the dance that we understand very poorly called labor, is physiological birth.”]

Before I eat lunch I want to wrap this up with a few more links. Lamaze International offers its defining qualities of normal birth with these six care practices. By normal, they mean normal physiologically, not culturally.

And I want to point you to the free online sample of the excellent journal, Birth, where they've posted the articles from current issue (March 2009). The article that directly applies to this post is the editorial, "What is Normal Childbirth and Do We Need More Statements About It?", where you can read more about the words normal, natural, and physiological as they relate to birth. I'll leave you with a quote from the editorial,

"Clearly, 'normal’ has a different meaning in different countries. The dominant cultural definition and experience of childbirth in North America and elsewhere are widely recognized to be medical and technological in both philosophy and practice (3,5), and as evidenced from the medical inclusion criteria for ‘normal birth’ listed in the British and Canadian statements (1,4). As long as birthing systems continue to evolve in this direction, definition of ‘normal’ will evolve to keep up. Provider and consumer groups will have to continue to make their voices heard in support of natural childbirth and, hopefully, a more normal ‘normal childbirth.’"

And that's my addition to what I hope will swell to a growing chorus of women who support a more normal "normal childbirth".

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Preparing for Birth: "What If?" Can Be Motivating

2009-04-03T14:07:00.003-04:00

The most recent Midwifery Today e-newsletter has a quote that ties in well to yesterday's post re: what do childbirth educators teach anyway? and re: how some of the most important work a woman does to birth her baby happens before the birth. "When we are aware of potential risk factors or when mothers express extreme anxiety we can take steps to remedy the situation and facilitate a smooth birth. Our actions will depend on the particular situation, but often just identifying the source of worry and getting it out into the open may be all that is needed to prevent related problems from arising in labor. Ultimately we want to empower moms to use the resources and address the problems before labor begins."

— Heidi Nielson Sylvester
Excerpted from "Psychological and Emotional Dystocia," Midwifery Today, Issue 81
The above quote resonates so well with me because I've seen so many a-ha moments come from the activities we do in class around worrying. After we talk about the purpose of worrying, I encourage families to come up with a "worry list". I suggest they use the "what if" questions that linger in the back (and front!) of their minds as motivation to prepare during birth. One of my favorite activities we do together is the Birthing From Within "taming your birth tiger" visualization. I sometimes see a dramatic shift following this activity: moms and dads relax their shoulders and jaws and leave the class looking like a weight has literally been lifted away. I would love to be a fly on the dashboard of the car sometimes, to hear what conversations are sparked from this exercise.

These discussions in class pave the way for couples to communicate concerns and preferences together, as well as with their care providers and other birth support people. Framing worry as a motivator instead of something to be suppressed and avoided totally changes a lot of people's perceptions and helps them feel more directed and in-control.

For example, one of the my first clients turned out to be very, very afraid of and worried about needles, especially having an IV. I think she felt a little silly about this, but getting it out in the open seemed to be a relief. So we talked about ways needles and IVs in labor - why they are used and how they might be avoided. I strongly encouraged her to talk to her care provider about the routine care she provided during labor so she could be prepared ahead of time. Turns out this OB was very uncomfortable with anything less than a routine IV, and told the mom I was working with that she might die or her baby might die without one. Instead of frightening this mom, the OB's comment made her very angry, and motivated her to change care providers entirely, to a midwife who practiced at a different hospital. She went on to have a very satisfying (and safe) birth experience - without an IV!

While we spend a lot of time on the birth process, and coping strategies, as well as discussing common procedures and medications, one thing that makes my classes different from the standard prenatal class is the focus on preparation that can be done now, while pregnant - whether it's nutrition, or exercise, or communicating, or reflection.

Preparing for birth and parenting starts, in my opinion, during pregnancy - and it goes far beyond getting the baby's room ready and installing a car seat! To read more, click on the What If post I wrote a few months ago.

I'm curious - what did you do (or are doing now) to prepare for your baby's birth? Was there anything you wished you had done?

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Reply Turned Post: What DO Childbirth Educators Teach??

2009-04-02T13:31:00.008-04:00

I've been thoroughly enjoying the posts over at Mom's Tinfoil Hat, and the whole idea of "reply turned post" seems to fit my response to this very interesting post from RedRN, "On Childbirth Education", which I highly recommend clicking over to read and respond to.

This is my response:

"Interesting post! It strikes me how "in the middle" nurses sometimes are, and impresses me all the more when I read about the patient advocating you and others like you do over & over.

One of the things I tell clients (and write in my blog - see the sidebar on popular posts) over & over again is that the prep work done before the birth is extremely important. The mom needs to think about how she wants the birth to go (a set of educated preferences, not demands) and then do the work she can ahead of time to set herself up well: get support from partner and/or friend/family and/or doula; choose a careprovider who is a good match; choose a birth place that's a good match etc. & etc. And then keep reflecting and communicating.

One thing I've noticed about teaching anything (I've taught high school, Sunday School, and birth classes) is that a teacher can say one thing, and there are as many interpretations of that thing as there are students. People tend to hear, in general I think, what makes sense to them, what fits in with their perceptions and experiences. So what you're seeing may or may not accurately reflect the information presented in a class.

People do zone out - so few people contact me in enough time, with enough time, to do shorter classes over more weeks. Families usually choose two or four session classes of three or four hours each. Those are *full* classes, and it's hard to pay attention and process everything. Edited here to add that with breaks, and food, and a balance of activities, brainstorming, groupwork, movies and presentations I think families in my classes have a better shot at staying fully engaged!

And I think you hit on something else important to keep in mind - there are some care providers who *say* one thing and then do another, or are misleadingly ambiguous, especially if asked vague questions with no follow-up. Add that to the fact that many women get care from a practice and may or may not see all the care providers to discuss each partners' routine management ahead of time... I really encourage and role-play with families ahead of time how to ask questions during their appointments, and how to follow-up to get the information they're looking for."

A few more things I've thought of after I posted the reply:

** Some hospitals do allow doppler monitoring instead of electronic fetal monitoring. Other than a five minute test-strip when I first arrived, my son's heart rate was only tracked via doppler. I did discuss this ahead of time with my midwife, to be sure that doppler monitoring was possible.

** That some hospitals still don't allow moms to eat and/or drink during labor astounds me, given how many studies have shown that this is not evidence-based care. And like I tell clients: we're not advised to avoid eating or drinking before getting in the car, just in case there's an accident and we'll need anesthesia, are we? We're not given an IV just in case, either.

** I also continue to be amazed at how "railroaded" some families are during labor, like the scenario mentioned in the original blog post, with Dr. Ass. It's amazing to me that care providers act that way and it's amazing that women and their partners accept it. I understand that there will always be sub-par performers in any profession, and I understand that labor/birth is a very vulnerable time for women, and when providers pull out the "dead baby" card it would be very, very hard to be non-compliant.

So, if you didn't - go read the original post and leave a reply!

Or, to get more information about Birthing Your Baby classes, visit my Class Information page!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Breastmilk Pumping in the Workplace - Maine

2009-03-27T08:55:00.000-04:00

According to Represenative Melissa Innes, the Labor Committee voted unanimously to pass the nursing bill out of committee, and send it to the House floor for the big vote.

This is the text of the bill:

"An employer, including the state of Maine and its subdivisions, shall provide adequate unpaid break time or permit an employee to use paid break time or meal time each day to allow an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for up to three years following child birth. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a clean room or other location, other than a bathroom, in close proximity to the work area, where an employee may express milk in privacy. No employer shall discriminate in any way against an employee who chooses to express breast milk in the work place."

Definitely a great step forward. And as an extended-nursing mother, I love that the timeframe is three years!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Help from Good Guide

2009-03-26T08:19:00.000-04:00

I know I'm not the only one who is sometimes overwhelmed by the number of choices available at grocery stores, health food stores, and pharmacies. Not to mention online options! For example, I would stand in front of the rows of bread, reading labels - which ones were 100% whole grain? which had no HFCS? how much protein per slice? About six months ago, I decided it would just be easier to bake my own bread, which I've been doing since. So that solved that decision - but what about body wash for the kids? dishwashing soap? etc & etc!!!

Well, the Mothering e-newsletter included a link to Good Guide this week and wow, let me tell you - I'm impressed. It rates products on a variety of scales, including the product's effectiveness, its ingredients, and how the company produces it. It also has links to buying products online.

If you find yourself picking up product after product to read labels, this website might simplify the process for you.

If you do go and look, could you please leave a comment about the products you looked up & what you learned? The only thing about this new site is it seems like it could be a little addictive! Maybe we could save each other some time if we compiled some information here...

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Free Postpartum Support Group - Central Maine

2009-03-25T08:14:00.002-04:00

We're meeting again this Thursday, March 26th, from 10-11am, at the Winthrop United Methodist Church! We'll meet on April on the 9th and 23rd.

For more information, visit http://www.birthingyourbaby.com/postpartum.html

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Memories of Childbirth Pain

2009-03-23T16:13:00.005-04:00

I read an interesting study over at At Your Cervix a few weeks ago. Here's a link to the article: Memory of labor pain influenced by a woman's childbirth experience, by Megan Rauscher.

Here's an excerpt:

"Research shows that for about half of women who give birth, memories of the intensity of labor pain decline over time. However, for some women, their recollection of pain does not seem to diminish and for a minority, their memory of pain increases with time.

The study also shows that the memory of childbirth pain is influenced by a woman's overall satisfaction with her labor experience."

I've read again & again that women who report feeling "satisfied" with their births are the ones who participated in making decisions about their care. As strange as it may seem to some people, it wasn't how much pain they felt or didn't feel - it was how safe they felt, and how much control they had over what happened to them.

So I'm not surprised that some these same feelings also impact the memory of pain. I believe that there can be a psychological component to pain, especially to pain during labor and birth. Not that I believe that labor pain is all in the mother's head! Just that there are psychological components that affect how painful labor seems - does mom feel safe? does she understand the normal birth process? does she have someone there to support her during the birth? "Five years after the women had given birth, 49% remembered childbirth as less painful than when they rated it 2 months after birth, 35% rated it the same, and 16% rated it as more painful. 'A commonly held view,' Dr. Waldenström noted in an email to Reuters Health, 'is that women forget the intensity of labour pain. The present study...provides evidence that in modern obstetric care, this is true for about 50 percent of women.'

However, a woman's labor experience was an influential factor. Women who reported labor as a positive experience 2 months after childbirth had the lowest pain scores, and their memory of the intensity of pain had declined by 1 year and 5 years after giving birth."
Isn't that interesting? Positive experience = less reported pain during labor, and less pain remembered afterwards. I wonder if this would be an incentive to pregnant women to think about what a positive birth experience would feel like to them... and then help motivate them to do the work that is possible to do ahead of time (choosing a care provider and birth place, especially)?

Finally, I was not surprised to see this information:

"The researchers also found that women who had epidural analgesia remembered pain as more intense than women who did not have an epidural, suggesting, they say, that these women remember 'peak pain.' However, their perception of how painful labour had been also declined with time."

Anybody care to share their memories of pain during labor? Any thoughts on how pain is perceived in labor, in relation to psychological factors? Or in relation to decisions made with the laboring mom instead of for her?

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Links

2009-03-21T19:18:00.004-04:00

Here are some links to blog posts I've enjoyed reading, these past few weeks:

Adventures in Diapering: 10 Baby Items I Love and 10 Baby Items I Can Live Without.

I second the recommendations for the Robeez, the framed backpack, and the Graco Booster Seat from personal experience. The bibs look they would have been great. In the "live without" post, I also second the experience of going straight from breastfeeding to cup-drinking, starting at around four or five months. I know that's not for everyone, but for those of us who don't need our babies to take bottles, and whose babies really don't want bottles, it can be a good strategy!

*********************

Nicole at Bellies & Babies had several posts introducing super-cool birth stuff: Bloomin' Belly Soaps, BlessingWay Beads, necklaces and artwork.

If you're wondering what a BlessingWay is, Nicole also wrote a post recently about the origins of BlessingWays and how to plan one.

*********************

Gloria Lemay wrote an excellent post called "Ways to Save Millions of Tax Dollars in Obstetrics" that I really enjoyed. What would happen, indeed?

*********************

Kathy at Woman to Woman Childbirth Education has written a number of terrific blog posts lately, my favorite being "Seedlings" - partially because, I too, am starting my seedlings and am so excited for spring weather (it will come - it does every year!).

I also really enjoyed her post on why someone might choose unmedicated childbirth, "What About These People?" and her post that offers a different perspective on "'Losing It' in Birth".

Happy reading!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Essentials?

2009-03-15T08:12:00.004-04:00

I've really been enjoying a series of posts at Eco Child's Play, a website the supports and promotes "Green Parenting for Non-toxic, Healthy Homes".

The latest post in this series is Baby Essentials That Aren't: Baby Food, by Heather Dunham. Other "essentials" discussed in previous posts include the crib, the bucket carseat, the stroller, diapers, tub, and brain boosters.

I thought these articles were fascinating and well-written, and they included lots of resources to learn more. This series is a great antidote to all the commercialism that swirls around pregnancy and postpartum parenting.

It's a crazy week here this week and I've been up many, many times the past two nights with a dog who is having digestive issues and needs to go outside every hour or two. Good times. So, this is going to be a week of link posts! Hope you enjoy!

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

From Lamaze: "Making Tough Decisions Without All the Facts"

2009-03-11T20:33:00.008-04:00

I received this press release* from Lamaze International in my email inbox today and I am including it here because it highlights the importance of informed consent. Expectant families should not assume that the information needed to give true informed consent will necessarily be offered, should medications or medical procedures be recommended during labor and birth.

Making Tough Decisions Without All the Facts: How Inadequate Informed Consent Puts Childbearing Families at Risk

WASHINGTON (March 10, 2009)—Imagine you are a woman in labor and your doctor tells you that electronic fetal monitoring is necessary to record your baby’s heartbeat. Without any further information about the monitoring or its risks, you are given a consent form to sign. Believing the doctor is doing what is best for you and your baby, you sign. By neglecting to tell you that electronic fetal monitoring can result in labor complications and increases the need for cesarean surgery, your doctor has not held up his or her end of the informed consent process.

This shocking scenario plays out nationwide thousands of times a day across a range of procedures. The purpose of informed consent is to ensure that before a health professional or researcher does something to a patient’s body, the patient must understand what is being done and give his or her voluntary consent. But in all aspects of medical care, informed consent can fall short of the mark. In the instance of childbirth, women and their partners may be asked to make decisions without being well-informed of the risks and potential outcomes that can affect moms and babies.

“The fact that health care providers, whom society has been taught to trust, are neglecting to fully inform parents about risks associated with various procedures and interventions during childbirth is inexcusable,” says Judith Lothian, RN, PhD, LCCE, FACCE, co-author of The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth With Confidence.

A recent article published in The Journal of Perinatal Education reveals how sub-par information provided by health care providers undermines the purpose of informed consent. This results in parents having incomplete information when making decisions with potentially grave implications, such as whether or not to use medication or submit to obstetrical procedures during childbirth. The Milbank Report, Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve, found inadequate informed consent processes to be a major barrier to women benefiting from evidence-based maternity care.

Lamaze International, an organization committed to ensuring childbearing families have access to information on the benefits of healthy birth practices, offers resources to help parents talk to their health care providers. Free tools include the Lamaze...Building Confidence Week by Week weekly e-mail series and the award-winning Lamaze: Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond magazine to help parents speak to their health care providers about a range of pregnancy and birth related issues.

###

*Does anyone know if it's okay to a copy press release like this, into a blog? What's the copyright protocol?

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Diddos for Kiddos Consignment Sale - May 2009

2009-03-07T20:51:00.007-05:00

For all of you Diddos for Kiddos fans - here is the spring information:

The spring sale is at the St. Paul Center (136 State Street) in Augusta. The sale dates are Saturday, May 2nd, from 8am to 6pm and Sunday, May 3rd, from 8am to 4pm. The Sunday sale is half-price on all items.

There is also a consignor sale on Friday, May 1st. For more information on consigning, or about the sale, click on this link to the pdf brochure.

On a personal note, I've been consigning at this sale for years. Not to make money, because most of my kids' stuff is handed down to my sister & her children. I consign just to get to the presale! And it is so worth it. I never come home with the same ratio clothes/toys - sometimes one kid gets way more than the other. But it works out perfectly for me to get some of their spring/summer clothes and birthday presents (May & June birthdays) at the Spring sale, and some of their fall/winter clothes and Christmas presents at the Fall sale.

I also make it a "girls night out" and go with a friend - each consignor gets an extra ticket to the sale - so we go to the sale and then out to dinner.

Maybe I'll see you there...

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

Qualifications

2009-03-05T12:20:00.009-05:00

I posted the "You Get Your Hair Done by a Doctor?" Sweet Surprise advertisement yesterday, soliciting comments.

Kathy, of Woman to Woman Childbirth Education, commented "Y'know, I read something recently that said something along the lines of HFCS and sugar being "nearly identical" or "almost chemically identical." Hmm, well, oxytocin and Pitocin are exactly identical... but one crosses into the brain and makes the mother feel good and has benefits for the baby, while the other just makes her uterus contract and slams her baby. So, maybe they're not as "identical" as they thought, hmm? :-)".
I hadn't even thought of that! But I do think it's a very interesting thought, and it does connect the ad with birth... which was what I thought about the first time I saw it. It totally raised my hackles because it shows a woman elevating her doctor as the only credible expert. The way I read the ad, it simultaneously elevates the doctor, puts down the hairdresser, and attempts to make the woman who considered her hairdresser's opinion seem foolish.

I realize that it is no small thing to go through the education and training necessary to become a medical doctor. This eduction, training, and practice should certainly lend weight to a doctor's opinion. However, I also believe that good information is usually available to all intelligent people who take the time to seek and evaluate it. Even if they're "just" hairdressers... or everyday moms... or construction workers etc. & etc. I truly resent the insinuation that the hairdresser has nothing of value to add to the conversation.

Especially because the advertisement was created by Sweet Surprise, according to their website titled "High Fructose Corn Syrup Health and Diet Facts". Facts according to whom?? Facts according to the Corn Refiner's Association, that's who:

"The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining (wet milling) industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, ethanol, starch, bioproducts, corn oil, and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein, and fiber."

Not that they might have a stake in it, or anything...

And those are the thoughts I applied in my head to birth: don't devalue the laywoman who has made it her business to learn about birth, just because she doesn't have a medical degree; and don't underestimate the strength with which people will fight to keep their power, and the dollars that come with it.

In case you were expecting this post to actually be about high fructose corn syrup, here is a sampling of the interesting links I found:

The Murky World of High Fructose Corn Syrup explains the process of making high fructose corn syrup, as well as how the production of high fructose corn syrup fits into the big picture of big farm and food conglomerates: "The development of the HFCS process came at an opportune time for corn growers. Refinements of the partial hydrogenation process had made it possible to get better shortenings and margarines out of soybeans than corn. HFCS took up the slack as demand for corn oil margarine declined. Lysine, an amino acid, can be produced from the corn residue after the glucose is removed. This is the modus operandi of the food conglomerates--break down commodities into their basic components and then put them back together again as processed food."
Here's what the Mayo Clinic says about HFCS, including that

"research has yielded conflicting results about the effects of high-fructose corn syrup. For example, various early studies showed an association between increased consumption of sweetened beverages (many of which contained high-fructose corn syrup) and obesity. But recent research — some of which is supported by the beverage industry — suggests that high-fructose corn syrup isn't intrinsically less healthy than other sweeteners, nor is it the root cause of obesity."

Maybe you've heard about mercury in high fructose corn syrup? You can read more information on Web MD, including a list of the 17 products that tested positive for mercury.

The Washington Post also reported on mercury and HFCS, in "Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury." Here is part of that article which I found interesting, "HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average."
Okay, that just grosses me out: there's HFCS in lunch meat?? The article goes on,

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement."

About a year ago, the Washington Post published a very informative article about the impact of HFCS on health - the health of our planet, "High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Not So Sweet for the Planet."

Apparently I'm not the only one insulted by the "Sweet Surprise" advertisements. Marion Nestle, author of the Food Polictics blog, writes that

"OK, so lots of people think HFCS is the new trans-fat. It isn’t, but is insulting your intelligence an effective way to deal with that concern? It’s hard to know what on the website is most offensive: the videos of dumb people being condescended to by friends who think they know better (and what’s up with the race and gender combinations?), the slogans (“HFCS has no artificial ingredients and is the same as table sugar”), the quiz questions (“which of the following sweeteners is considered a natural food ingredient: HFCS, honey, sugar, or all of the above”), or the take home message: “As registered dietitians recommend, keep enjoying the foods you love, just do it in moderation.”"

Nestle continues:

"Let’s agree that HFCS has an enormous public relations problem and is widely misunderstood. Biochemically, it is about the same as table sugar (both have about the same amount of fructose and calories), but it is in everything and Americans eat a lot of it—nearly 60 pounds per capita in 2006, just a bit less than pounds of table sugar. HFCS is not a poison, but eating less of any kind of sugar is a good idea these days and anything that promotes eating more is not."

"Ad Wars: Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup Really Good for You?" was published in Time Magazine, and brings up what I believe is one of the most important points. "The commercials claim that just like sugar, high-fructose corn syrup isn't unhealthy when consumed in moderation. But it's hard to know exactly how much of it we're actually consuming because it shows up in so many unexpected foods. "It was in my children's vitamins!" said Elise Mackin. Because high-fructose corn syrup extends the shelf life of foods, and farm subsidies make it cheaper than sugar, it's added to a staggering range of items, including fruity yogurts, cereals, crackers, ketchup and bread — and in most foods marketed to children. So, unless you're making a concerted effort to avoid it, it's pretty difficult to consume high-fructose corn syrup in moderation. "We did a consumers survey," says Doug Radi of Boulder, Colo., based Rudi's Organic Breads, "and less than 25% of them realized that high-fructose corn syrup is commonly used in bread.""
Yes, bread! For the past thirteen years or so that I've been buying my own bread, I've almost always chosen whole-grain breads - partially for taste, and partially for nutrition. A while back, I realized that seeing "made with whole grains" wasn't a good indication of nutrition, because bread that was mostly processed flour could still be labeled that way. So I got all vigilant about it, and only bought breads that listed a whole grain flour first, or that were labeled as 100% whole grains. Country Kitchen, which is a local company, made one of the best-tasting, most-affordable 100% whole wheat breads, so I had been buying that for years. Then the whole HFCS thing came up. And that's when I threw in the towel and became my own bread baker.

That's right: I make two loaves every week and half or so, and I get to know exactly what's in it. I have a thirty-year old stand mixer that makes it easy - takes about fifteen minutes to make the dough and then only a few more minutes to punch it down, shape it, and slide it into the oven. I've even learned to cut the thin & straight slices!

If you're interested in becoming your own bread baker, here are a few homemade bread recipes that are easy and nutritious. They're the ones I make over & over again...

Light Wheat Bread
from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz.) whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons (.75 oz.) granulated sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons (.38 oz.) salt
3 tablespoons (1 oz.) powdered milk*
1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 oz.) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) water, at room temperature

1. Stir together the high-gluten flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar (if using), salt, powdered milk, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the shortening, honey (if using), and water. Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still flour in the bottom of the bowl, dribble in additional water. The dough should feel soft and supple. It is better for it to be a little too soft that to be too stiff and tough.

2. Sprinkle high-gluten or whole-wheat flour on the counter, and transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long. Form it into a loaf by working from the short side of the dough, rolling up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension. It will spread wider as you roll it. Pinch the final seam closed with the back edge of your hand or with your thumbs. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch bread pan; the ends of the loaf should touch the ends of the pan to ensure an even rise. Mist the top with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

5. Proof at room temperature for approximately 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

7. Place the bread pan on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished loaf should register 190 degrees F in the center, be golden brown on the top and the sides, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

8. When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and cool it on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours (yeah, good luck with that), before slicing or serving.

Makes one 2-lb. loaf

My Mom's NO-KNEAD OATMEAL BREAD

2pkgs (or equivalent) active dry yeast
1 1/2 C boiling water
1C quick cooking oats (I use regular oats)
1/2C molasses
1/3C butter
1T salt
6 1/4C white flour (I do 3C whole wheat; 3C-ish white)
2 slightly beaten eggs

Soften yeast in 1/2C warm water. In a large bowl, combine the 1.5C boiling water, the oats, molasses, butter and salt; cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2C of the flour; add eggs; beat well. Stir in the softened yeast; beat well.

Add remaining flour, 2C at a time, mixing vigorously after each addition, to make moderately stiff dough. Beat vigorously til smooth, about 10 minutes. Grease top lightly. Cover tightly; place in refrigerator at least 2 hrs or overnight.

Turn out on well-floured surface; shape into 2laves. Place in 8.5 x 4.5" loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until double 1-2hrs. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Makes 2 loaves

And Whole Wheat Bread with Wheat Germ and Rye
from Cook's Illustrated - The New Best Recipe Cookbook

2 1/3 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 C rye flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 cups whole-wheat flour
2 3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, mix the water, yeast, honey, butter, and salt with a spatula mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, and 1 cup each of the whole-wheat and all-purpose flours.

2. Add the remaining whole-wheat and all- purpose flours, attach the dough hook, and knead at low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead just long enough to make sure that the dough is soft and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Note on hand kneading: Mixing the water, yeast, honey, butter, salt, rye flour, and wheat germ in a large mixing bowl. Mix 2 3/4 cups of the whole- wheat flour and the all-purpose flour in a separate bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the whole-wheat flour. Add 4 cups of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients; beat with a wooden spoon 5 minutes. Beat in another 1 1/2 cups of the flour mixture to make a thick dough. Turn the dough onto a work surface that has been sprinkled with some of the reserved flour. Knead, adding only as much of the remaining flour as necessary to form a soft, elastic dough, about 5 minutes. Continue with step 3.

3. Place the dough in a very lightly oiled large bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Gently press down the dough and divide into two equal pieces. Gently press each piece into a rectangle, about 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches. With a long side of the dough facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing down to make sure that the dough sticks to itself. Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place each cylinder of dough in a greased 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, seam-side down and pressing the dough gently so it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover the shaped dough; let rise until almost doubled in volume, to 30 minutes.

5. Bake until an instant thermometer inserted at an angle from the shot end just above the pan rim reads 205 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the bread immediately from the baking pans to wire racks; cool to room temperature.

Makes two loaves.

Do you have a favorite bread recipe? A story about reading the label & seeing HFCS listed in an unlikely-seeming food? An advertisement that aggravates you? Leave a comment & add to the conversation...

Christina @ Birthing Your Baby
Independent Childbirth Classes for Central Maine
New Mothers Support Circle

You Get Your Hair Done by a Doctor?

2009-03-04T17:39:00.002-05:00

I bet you've probably seen the "Sweet Surprise" commercials and print ads defending high fructose corn syrup.

What do you think of this one: You Get Your Hair Done by a Doctor?