How Caregiver Inquiry Can Shape Prenatal Care and Birth Experiences

“What’s your cesarean section rate?”“What is your episiotomy rate?”“May I eat and drink during labor?”“May I have a doula/ lots of family/ a photographer at my birth?” Women and their partners are often encouraged to ask these and similar questions when selecting a care provider for their pregnancy and birth, the theory being that the …

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Supporting Women Without Epidurals

Presentation at the Virtua Voorhees Hospital I recently gave two presentations on “Supporting Women Without Epidurals” at Virtua Voorhees, the local hospital in Marlton, NJ. The hospital has approximately 5,500 births per year and a 43% cesarean rate.  New Jersey and Florida have the highest cesarean rates in the country.  My audience consisted of doctors, …

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Birth Panel

  Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures.– Han Suyin The fourth annual Hudson Valley Birth Options panel took an especially hard look at the truth this year. As in previous years a number of childbirth educators, doulas, midwives and mothers form a panel for local families to explore their birth options. Families from …

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The Power of a Birth Circle

  Our small town of Athens, Ohio is home to a consumer birth group called The Birth Circle.  Over the ten years since it began, The Birth Circle has grown from a handful of mothers who got together to share their birth stories, to a powerful community organization that has made a substantial difference in …

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Silence In Labor

  Why is it so important to create a quiet, peaceful atmosphere during labor? And how can women take charge of creating a peaceful environment no matter where they choose to give birth? The Leboyer Method, established by Dr. Frederic Leboyer in the 1970s was proven to minimize the trauma and stress experienced by a …

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Women Face the Risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse after Childbirth

Elizabeth Carrollton writes about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com. One of the main reasons pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs is due to childbirth. The stress of birth can, in some cases, shift the organs in the pelvis from their normal positions. The most common organs affected during childbirth are the bladder and …

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Exploring The Home Birth Option

“I really want a home birth but…” How doulas and childbirth educators can help expectant parents explore the home birth option. You might be wondering, is it a good idea to have home birth? How many times as a doula or childbirth educator have you heard someone say, “I really want a home birth, but…?” …

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Fear In Birth

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” –Eleanor Roosevelt The light switch for our main bathroom is housed outside the door. This bathroom has no window. Clearly, this setup was designed by an evil prankster (or maybe just someone without kids). The …

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Have a Question? Let’s Chat.

Please don’t hesitate to reach us, happy to be in touch.

Cristin Tighe
Executive Director & International Coordinator
info@birthworks.org
1-609-953-9380
1-202-276-3521 Mobile/WhatsApp