Saturday, October 31, 2009

Ask Your Doctor If This Drug Is Right For You

Have you ever noticed on TV when they are touting a medication, they do list all of the possible side effects?

We DVR’d a recent commercial for a medication and listed all of the side effects (insert sarcasm here):

Call your physician if you experience any of these side effects.

Side effects can include diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, loss of appetite, global warming, excessive sweating, blurred vision, excessive thirst, dry skin, dandruff, erection lasting longer than 4 hours, inability to use a turn signal, alopecia, nail fungus, bad breath, sleeplessness, narcolepsy, acne, ear infections, bladder infections, sinus infection, kidney infections, overeating, swelling of the mouth/face/lips/tongue, rash, hives, itching, chest pain, facial hair, weight loss, stuffy nose, sinus congestion, hypertension, excessive back hair, dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin, hypotension, panic attacks, delayed flight times, mastitis, memory loss, ringing in the ears, memory problems, memory loss, ringing in the ears, memory problems, upset stomach, irregular heart beat, asthma, nausea, vomiting, ingrown toe nails, ringworm, intestinal parasites, disruption in satellite tv reception, scoliosis, migraines, flatulence, uterine cramping, enlarged prostate, pinkeye, boils, swine flu, psoriasis, incontinence and insomnia.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Moms & Babes & Swine Flu





OR


You can do this, from Donna Walls RN, BSN, IBCLC who is also a Certified Aromatherapist:

1) wash hands frequently- PLEASE use soap. avoid the hand sanitizers- many contain Triclosan which is linked to breast and other reproductive cancers. If you need a "travel" container, purchase a small 1 ounce bottle or jar and put 1 oz of water with 30 drops of lavender essential oil for a safe, effective hand cleaner when there is no water close by!

2) boost you immune system. Try and herbal immune booster- astragalus is a great one. Taken as teas, capsules or tinctures this herb has proven to boost you body's ability to fight off all kinds of infections. Do not use echinacea regularly- it do not prevent colds or flu, although if taken at the onset of symptoms, it will reduce the length and severity of the symptoms. Both these herbs are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

3) try a steam of eucalyptus essential oil. Place a pan of water (about 1" of water) on the stove and bring to a simmer. Add 10-12 drops of pure eucalyptus essential oil and inhale the steam for 1-2 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times a day as needed. You might also look into a nasal rinse with the Neti Pot. it's a great way to flush germs out of the nose.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The "Ah Ha" Moment

I was heartened by an Associated Press release today that shows we are making progress. Real progress. We ARE helping babies.

We need to keep the conversation moving forward. We need to keep talking. We need to keep disseminating the evidence-based research. We cannot stop now.

The following is excerpted from the AP release:

More hospitals are expected to crack down as regulators begin new quality measurements next spring that aim to reduce too-early elective inductions and first-time cesareans.

Induced labor is on the rise for lots of reasons, some medical and some not. But recent research shows a troubling link between elective inductions and these so-called "late preemies." These aren't the dire too-small babies that the word premature conjures, but near-term babies who nonetheless are at higher risk of breathing disorders and other problems than babies who finish their very last weeks in the womb.

"It was an 'aha' moment for me," recalls Dr. Bryan Oshiro of his visit to a Utah intensive care nursery several years ago, where neonatologists pointed to babies there simply because they'd been induced too soon.

National guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have long discouraged elective deliveries before the 39th week of pregnancy. But some hospitals that took a close look were surprised. At Utah's Intermountain Healthcare, for example, 28 percent of elective deliveries were breaking ACOG's rule in 2001, Oshiro told a March of Dimes meeting on preventable prematurity this month.


I am happy to see that physicians are having "ah ha" moments. I want to hear that nurses and other maternal child health care providers are having "ah ha" moments. We must put the health of babies and mothers first before anything else.

We must. And we must do it now

Monday, October 26, 2009

Man Vs. Childbirth

Being in a supportive role is stressful enough! Well, hang on! You're in for a bumpy ride!


Saturday, October 17, 2009

ICEA Convention In OK City


Inspiration comes in many forms and from various sources.


Take a website for example. The website http://www.thebirthfacts.com/ was inspired by a couple in my childbirth class in the spring of 2008, and I was their doula at their amazing waterbirth in June 2008. When encouraged in class to research their childbirth options, Jen (not her real name) mentioned how difficult it was to get through all of the opinion and commentary to get to the real research.


Soon after that, http://www.thebirthfacts.com/ was born.


Today, in my session Creating & Marketing Your Birth Related Business, several session attendees have inspired me.


So to Donna, Kathy, Kathryn, Loretta, Donna, Janet, Lindsay, Caroline, Jan and ALL of the others who attended my session, know that in the coming months there will be new offerings from Perinatal Education Associates, Inc. dedicated to you!


Creating...now the fun begins!

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Evidence Says: Historically We Should Know Better

I am in the midst of reading the new book Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding 2nd Edition by Linda J. Smith.

Admittedly, she had me hooked right away with Forewards by Nils Bergman and Michel Odent.

But then, it happened! She swept me away into history with a whole chapter on Historical Perspectives on Childbirth And Breastfeeding.

Hauntingly beginning this first chapter was a quote from Dr. Grantly Dick-Read: "The childbirth practices of a nation [are] the reflections of that nation's beliefs concerning the integrity and dignity of life, and [influence] that nation for good or evil, and ultimately the world itself."

Dynamic women throughout our recent past became the heralds of what is right for women and babies. From the beginnings of La Leche League, to Lamaze, to ICEA...including the 1989 shift by WIC to more breastfeeding friendly practices, Healthy People 2010 initiatives, and American Academy of Pediatrics strong 2005 policy on breastfeeding. It is all there plus the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative...as far back as 1989 there was a call in the joint statement of UNICEF and WHO Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Special Role of Maternity Services.

Sadly to date and some by no fault of anyone, doulas are being restricted in the labor/birth area of hospitals (now mostly due to the H1N1 scare), childbirth educators are losing their jobs (due to lack of attendance, in part due to care providers discouraging attendance and partly due to our hurried society), and many (too many) nurses still do not practice evidence based maternity care. From my colleagues I still hear: "Change is hard", or "We have always done it this way." or "Do you know how hard it is to change policy?".

Worse yet, nursing students are not being told in nursing school or clinicals about how to care for women who do not want or need medication during a birth. They do not receive the information. And frankly, neither don't most residents.

Imagine taking your car to the mechanic. You find out she has only been partially trained.

Imagine the repair man coming to your home to fix your oven. You find out he has only been partially trained.

The airline pilot on your next flight has only been partially trained.

The city bus driver who picks you up has only been partially trained.

After reading only the first chapter, I know that historically we should know better. I know that the mechanisms are in place for better practice....best practice. Linda Smith has over 500 references in this book to substantiate everything she says.

We just need to take Nike's advice:

DO IT!
Solid scientific evidence shows that minimizing interventions in birth and policies that preserve normalcy are associated with faster, easier births; healthier, more active and alert mothers and newborns; and mother-baby pairs physiologically optimally ready to breastfeed.
~ Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding
Linda J. Smith

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Ready to get back on the road again!

I am not even unpacking from the Lamaze Conference. I am just adding more inventory to the boxes already there. Yes, we are getting ready to get on the road again!

This time we are off to the ICEA Convention in Oklahoma City. October, as well as August and September, are know as 'conference season' when companies like ours exhibits at the various birthing conference.

Companies like ours. Let's face it. There aren't any companies like ours. Perinatal Education Associates, Inc., celebrating 10 years in business this month, is truly unique. We offer many innovative things to our website visitors: first we have two websites (www.birthsource.com and www.thebirthfacts.com), a blog (this one!), and a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Birthsource) and we Tweet! We offer articles for parents and professionals plus our 200+ item online store at www.birthsource.com AND evidence-based information without opinion or commentary at www.thebirthfacts.com.

At the ICEA Convention, we will have our third book for sale: Creating and Marketing Your Birth Related Business. Finally, a book that is affordable, authoritative and specific to birth professionals. And written by a birth professional.

Come by our booth in the exhibit hall....and join me in my session titled Creating & Marketing Your Birth Related Business as I sub for a speaker who was unable to attend (Saturday morning).

We look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Lamaze: Spectacular Venue, Spectacular Conference

Having just returned from 7 days in sunny and warm Florida, I am rather reluctant to catch the apple cider and sweater weather. Just two days ago, I was sitting under these very palm trees in a hammock on the DisneyWorld property Coronado Springs Resort, the site of the 2009 Lamaze Conference. While the expense of staying on Disney property may have kept some attendees away, those that did attend were not disappointed...either by the venue or by the conference. Second only to the Caribbean Beach (IMHO), the Coronado Springs was a fantastic venue for a conference. Good food, great service and the tranquil atmosphere ~ well, let's just say it was really difficult to leave!

The exhibit hall was full of the regular vendors and some new ones. It was great to see Suzanne Arms, DONA International, The Family Way, CIMS and our friend Dianne Moran from Customized Communications Inc.

The speakers were varied and interesting and new this year was the webinar concept! How great to have a select number of speakers right in your home if you could not attend the conference!

By the way, if anyone attended my session and would like a hard copy of the Power Point Slides, I will have them as pdfs on http://www.birthsource.com/ hopefully soon!