I wanted to share with you the trailer for the wonderful initiative and documentary project, Oneworldbirth. The film makers/couple behind this project where activated to embark on their creative advocacy journey after they experienced the loss of their power and ownership during their first westernized birth experience.

Eventually there will be a full-length traditional documentary released, but in the meantime, One World Birth will be uploading footage and interviews so that they can keep the community dialogue and platform open. They are driven to build a global community of parents, midwives, doulas, educators, everyone to “inspire and to help deliver change, to make birth better and safer everywhere”. Check it out and sign up on their website to stay up to date on the evolution of the documentary and to be a part of a global revolution.

This week, NPR highlighted an 18 month midwifery education program in Badakhshan Province’s Shatak village (Afghanistan). Funded by USAID, an independent federal government agency, and implemented Jhpiego, the program was created to address the poor quality of the village’s maternal health care. In 2004, the village lost 54 mothers and 46 newborns, but with the introduction of this new midwifery model, the health care in the village has improved greatly. The proof, two babies passed away as compared to 46 as was reported before.

“These women are like guardian angels for infants and mothers.”
Zafaran Natiqi, head of women’s affairs in Badakhshan.

Normally, due to Afghanistan’s culture, young and married women are unable to work outside of their homes. Fortunately, the village elders are in support of this program and their women. They actively participate in the selection of midwife candidates from within their community.

Learning that the elders of this community are breathing life and encouragement into such a program, reminds me of an organization I just learned of called The Elder’s organization. The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. One of the organizations mission is to gain equality for women and girls around the globe.

I was watching this clip below by former president Jimmy Carter last week and after reading the NPR article, I see, even more so than before, the importance of support and wisdom from such a generation’s counsel and advocacy. It seems that a new breath of coherence is taking place in the world.

This past Monday, I had the fortunate, thought provoking experience of attending the first annual WIE: Women Inspiration and Enterprise Symposium. The event was spearheaded and hosted by a phenomenal triad of women including Sarah Brown (on behalf of the White Ribbon Alliance(WRA)), Donna Karen and Arianna Huffington. The symposium was held to coincide with a United Nations review summit on the Millennium Development Goals which is also being held this week in New York.

The focus of the symposium was to highlight the work of the White Ribbon Alliance, advocates and leaders around the globe who are making a difference. The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in the developing, as well as, developed countries.

Participants left touched, inspired, empowered and motivated to make a change for girls and women around the globe. Special guest speakers included Melinda Gates, Queen Rania of Jordan and Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Director of the Department of State’s new office on Global Women’s Issues and the list goes on to cover more than 40 impressive women. Click here to read more about the participants/panelist.

Many young innovators and entrepreneurs were honored at the event, but I would like to highlight the WIE winner for Creative Vision particularly. Christy Turlington Burns won this deserving award for her film, No Woman, No Cry. In this piece, she shares powerful stories of at-risk pregnant women in four parts of the world, including a remote Maasai tribe in Tanzania, a slum of Bangladesh, a post-abortion care ward in Guatemala, and a prenatal clinic in the United States. It is her passion to increase awareness and support for maternal health around the globe so that we as humanity can collectively end unnecessary deaths due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

After the panels and the awards show, Donna Karen along with other designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Chloe and Vera Wang to name a few, presented a fashion show in honor of the White Ribbon Alliance. All garments are available for bidding on Charity Buzz. The proceeds will benefit the WRA. The evening was capped off by an uplifting performance by Estelle.

His message is very clear and true. We need to re-educate ourselves and most especially our children ( yours, our nieces,nephews, god children, all of them) on food, how to prepare it, where it comes from, quality-vs- additives and its effects on our health. These are essentials survival skills which are lacking. As new parents start fresh and instill these lessons within your children from the beginning.

Join his revolution!

I sometimes believe that if Einstein were to have developed a scientific equation that revealed the connection between the birth of a baby and the relativity of time, he would have correlated that the gift of a new born child accelerates our perception of time. I awoke up this morning and realized that the little adorable princess that came into this world, it seems like just yesterday, is one month old today. Usually, after I attend births, it takes me a few days to fall out from under the magical joyous spell of wonder and amazement a birth can cast on you. With this last birth I attended on November 13th, I was so moved, touched and inspired, that it has taken me a month to really begin to grasp its positive impact.

Up until last month, I had been given a series of invaluable gifts, the introduction to several amazing women I had never known until I became their doula. Now, I forever am blessed with the gift of knowing their strength and grace as mothers, their families and adorable sons. Ironically enough, all of the births I had attended in my doulahood were for the births of adorable awesome little boys till last month. On November 13th 2009, I experienced the emotionally powered gift of attending the birth of a most cherished friend’s second daughter.
What you may not know is that the birth of this amazing mother goddess’s first daughter was the inspiration behind me finally beginning my doula path. I had been exploring the possibility of starting the path prior but was telling myself, “Oh maybe 5 years from now.” Then, one day during her 37th week, I was taking pictures of the soon to be 1st time mom with daughter still inside her womb in central park for memory sake. 4 hours later, her water broke. The next day I rushed to the hospital to meet the sparkling gem and see her inspiring mother. I had brought prints of the photos I took to the hospital and as we looked through them, we realized that I had captured her daughter descending down from the beginning of the photo session to the end. Though I was not there to attend her birth (I was not yet a doula), I wanted to be.

It was the first time that I had seen a close friend through the stages of her pregnancy and as a new mother. It introduced me to a new aspect of love and care. It inspired be to not delay and begin my doula path. So fast forward nearly three years later and here I am still moved by this woman and her now two daughters. Not only was it an empowering gentle birth experience, but it was my 1st time I watched a girl be born. It is not that I do not greatly appreciate my experiences witnessing the birth of boy angels, but as for me personally being so driven to understand and explore the various aspects of womanhood from being a girl to a wise elder, this was a significant benchmark in my life.

Even though I do not have children yet, I now have a closer sense of the feeling that parents and immediate family feel when they welcome a new member to their world. Babies teach us what love is all about. Pre-existing love through friendship makes the already wondrous emotional experience of childbirth even more intoxicating (even more magnified for the parent/s I am sure). It fuels more oxytocin in the room (Oxytocin is WONDERFUL). For any women reading this post, reconnect to the roots of sisterhood. If you have the opportunity to accompany a cherished friend or relative in childbirth, do so. It is one of the most rewarding gifts for both you and the mother will ever receive.

Happy one month old day Princess Ophir
Pink & Glitter By Tori Amos

Acclaimed retired midwife of over 28 years and author Valerie El Halta has been quoted to say,

‘Women today not only possess genetic memory of birth from a thousand generations of women, but they are also assailed from every direction by information and misinformation about birth.” Valerie El Halta.

I have always been fascinated to hear many women share their “secret” thoughts & dreams about the ocean, dolphins, mermaids & other aquatic references during pregnancy, birth and the ebbs of their menses. Often when they share these lucid journeys, their body language retracts into a state of uncertainty, as if their dreams are juvenile or thoughts to be mocked. Some share such dreams and thoughts in such an descriptive way, it is as if they were rendering a familiar ballet in your mind. If only women owned these thoughts as genetic, sacred memories are shared such thought with other women more often. What types of connections would be re-established between the mind, body, and community of women. Could guided mediation inspired by the ocean help more women during their labor?

Before the hospitals and before the concept of water pollution, many women in the past have birthed in the oceans and pools of waters. There are many stories of such hidden in the chapters of history. Researchers have found in Minoan ruins, Art frescos with depictions of dolphins and their unique connections with water and humans. I discovered one of my favorite water birth stories in Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper, R.N. Here is an expert:

“ The Chumash Indians of the Central California Coast tell stories about their women laboring in tide pools and shallow inlets along the beach while men of the tribe drummed and chanted…..Dolphins would appear nearby in the water, staying close to the woman until the baby was born.”

Russian male midwife, Igor Charkovsky, is known for helping pregnant women give birth underwater in the Black Sea ‘aided’ by dolphins. In Peru, in 2005, a study was conducted on prenatal dolphin therapy. It is referenced quite often that many women find it helpful to visualize their contractions as ebbs and flows just like the tides of the ocean or listens to aquatic sounds during labor. Women report that birthing in a birth pool or even just standing in the shower during labor soothes and alleviates the various sensations and pressures in their bodies.

There are several videos and books that capture the water births in a beautiful light if you would like to learn more. If you your self have a wonderful water story to share that relates to this topic, please do so.

What are the odds that a mother and her daughter would birth healthy baby boys on the same day? Apparently these two residents of the Glenwood Springs area in Colorado are amongst this rare group. Cara Pittman was scheduled for an induced labor on March 28th, but then the doctors moved up the induction date to March 19th (for undisclosed reasons). As her daughter, Cheyenne Rodriguez and her mother arrived for the birth, Rodriguez began to have contractions. Rodriguez’s due date was not originally for another 4 days and typically first borns are delivered about a week or two after their expected delivery date.

It is said that babies should be given their right to choose their own birth day. It appears to be that Rodriguez’s son was determined to be born on the same day as his uncle. It makes you wander would he have been like most first borns, around 2 weeks late if his Uncle’s orginal induction date of March 28th was kept ?

Talk about a unique bonding experience 4 fold.

Click here to learn more about this incredible technology.

According to the March of Dimes, nearly 60% of all newborns develop jaundice after birth. Jaundice is the yellow discoloration of baby’s skin and the whites of his or hers eyes. Usually, the discoloration arrives on the 2nd or so day after birth and then naturally goes away around day 8. The common form does not cause any discomfort for your infant or harm. There are some cases where a baby’s bilirubin levels (the cause of Jaundice) can peak to a severe rate and as a result pose a risk of brain damage to a baby. It is for this reason that your baby’s bilirubin level should be checked both before you leave the hospital/birthing center or if you are having a home birth, by your midwife and then 3 to 5 days after birth.

The exact cause(s) for these spiked levels still are being researched though there are some schools of thoughts that believe bilirubin levels are altered due to the clamping of the umbilical cord during birth. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed delaying the clamping of the cord, though for some reason, this is still a standard protocol in most American hospitals. Judith Mercer, a CNM published in the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, concluded her study in 2001 and derived, “Early clamping of the umbilical cord at birth, a practice developed without adequate evidence, causes neonatal blood volume to vary 25-40%. Such massive change occurs at no other time in one’s life without serious consequences, even death. Early cord clamping may impede a successful transition and contribute to hypovolemic and hypoxic damage in vulnerable newborns.”

After learning about this research and that some midwives report seeing fewer cases of jaundice in babies born at home, I do wonder if the early clamping of the chord has a direct effect on the amount of bilirubin released into the baby’s system. For those cases where babies who were born at home and then developed jaundice, I wonder if in those cases the umbilical cord was wrapped around the neck of the baby. If anyone can comment on that, it would be interesting to hear your feed back.

To learn more about jaundice, click here.