Doulas

Thoughts on Placenta Accreta & the First Cesarean

Thoughts on Placenta Accreta & the First Cesarean

I recently heard a news report about placenta accreta which is a very serious, But rare, side effect of having had previous cesarean section surgery and subsequent pregnancies. Placenta accreta occurs when all or part of the placenta attaches abnormally to the myometrium (the muscular layer of the uterine wall).What struck me was the absence of a discussion on the way to prevent this life-threatening issue: Preventing the first cesarean. Cesarean sections can be life-saving surgeries when used appropriately, and we are thankful for the knowledge and skills that surgeons have to apply this...

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There is a better way!

There is a better way!

I recently read an incredibly sad story of a woman who was grieving her birth experience. Her gut told her that birth was a normal experience for the human body, and there should not be any reason to have to do much of anything to prepare for it.  She didn’t necessarily desire a natural birth, and trusted her careprovider and hospital to do only what was medically necessary.  And there in lies the rub. Birth in the US is not evidenced based. The ways in which laboring and birthing women are treated and cared for are not the ways that will produce the healthiest outcomes.  We have been...

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How to Stay Healthy and Low Risk

How to Stay Healthy and Low Risk

The information in this article is general in nature and is not specific to your particular physical situation or problem. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. You should obtain information specific to the individual mother or baby directly from your medical practitioner.  Also, check out our once a month Healthy Pregnancy class! As seen in issue #4 of Midwifery Today’s Having A Baby Today How to Stay Healthy and Low Risk during Pregnancy, Labor,  and Birth   Amy V. Haas, BA, BCCE   Pregnancy can be a wonderful and exciting time of life for most women. ...

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