At Athens Hospitals, 100% of My Clients Have Unmedicated Births.

In the past year, I have attended seven births in Athens, GA. I haved worked mostly with Athens Regional Midwives, where I think there are five or six midwives on their team. I have also worked with Women's Healthcare Associates with their two midwives, Meridith and Anika, and also with Dr. Melissa Halbach. All these careproviders, whether a doctor or midwife, are not only receptive to unmedicated births but are very hands-off when all is going well. There are two hospitals in Athens, Athens Regional Medical Center and St. Mary's. 

Athens is mostly a college town and very laid back. I haven't yet had a dissapointing experience in either hospital or with any caregiver. As a matter of fact, the nursing staff at both hospitals are supportive and very complimentary. They appriciate doulas who work well with them. They are supportive of moms who prefer to labor unmedicated and really try to help in that effort. They provide doppler monitoring and often use the available wireless monitors. They are also always friendly and ready to accomodate the requests of my clients as well as my own. At Athens hospitals, 100% of my clients have had unmedicated births. The rooms are very spacious at St. Mary's and you labor, deliver and remain in that room for your entire stay. This hospital is a bit like a nice hotel! Having said all that, it is a favorite of mine. Also parking is a breeze and depending on how long you are there FREE. Both hospitals are very close to one another and a lot of practitioners go to both. I hope you all can one day get there to experience it.

Is Your Maternity Care Provider Really Supportive of Your Choices in Childbirth? 10 Questions to Ask.

We can't say enough to expectant moms about choosing your caregivers wisely. It can have a huge effect on the outcome of their birthing experience. We often hear moms comment that they have talked to their caregivers about their desires for a non interventive birth. Most times they initially get a positive response and go with that until they near the end of the pregnancy. This is when they are informed that some of their requests may not be fulfilled and it can be too late to seek help. It is very important to have this discussion early on. It should be detailed and moms should get answers they are comfortable with and be able to discuss reasons for the caregivers choices on labor and birthing options. The other part of the equation is trusting in the caregiver you choose. Usually it is based on your previous experience with the practitioner, recommendations from friends, your birth doula and sometimes the hospital where they will deliver. It has been our experience that if a mom feels comfortable in her choice of caregiver this will go a long way to having a favorable childbirth experience. Not all moms want the same things for their birth and there are many choices of caregivers so expectant moms should always be completely comfortable with whom they choose to attend the birth of their baby. Lumina Birth has compiled a list of 10 Questions to Ask Your Maternity Care Provider, which is downloadable and printable for you to bring to your next office visit.

Chiropractic Care: Turning Breech Babies and Newborn Adjustments

One of the ways to avoid your baby getting into a breech position is to receive regular chiropractic adjustments. Doing so ensures that your pelvis is aligned so that your baby has ample room to move and get in the proper position. If you are nearing your estimated due date, the Webster technique is a proven way to flip a breech baby and it's success rate is higher than the medical "Version" done by your maternity care provider. One of our team members wrote an article on her personal blog about her chiropractor, Dr. April Warhola located in Grant Park. The posted article includes a video of an interview done with Dr. April about easing the birth process with chiropractic care and adjusting newborns to correct any birth trauma. To meet Dr. April in person, join us for our upcoming Meet The Doulas Mixer on April 11 as she is our guest speaker! For more info about fetal positioning and belly mapping, please visit www.spinningbabies.com. 

Introducing Solids? Feed Your Baby Real Food Instead of Processed Rice Cereal

For most of us, when thinking about introducing solid foods to little ones (hopefully not before at least 6 months old - the WHO & AAP recommends breastmilk being the exclusive source of nutrition for at least that long), the first thing that crosses our minds is purchasing boxes of infant cereal. Unfortunately, today most research points to this not being the best option. When flour is refined to make cereal the grains most nutritious part is removed; the flour basically becomes sugar. Except for the iron-fortification (unfortunately, iron that was not there naturally), rice cereal’s contribution to your child’s health is virtually nil, if not detrimental, due to the rise in blood sugar and insulin. What can you feed your baby instead of processed foods, and grains in particular? Most any REAL food! Some ideas might include: avocados, sweet potatoes, freshly pureed greens and other vegetables, squashes, egg yolk, pureed organic grass-fed beef. An easy guide and sample recipe can be found at www.naturalbabypros.com.

Embrace Supports Atlanta's Refugee Population

Embrace is a non-profit program born out of the desire to extend birth support services to some of the most vulnerable populations of women in our city. Atlanta is home to thousands of refugees, many of whom will be giving birth to little ones during their stay in the United States. Journeying through pregnancy, birth and into motherhood is an often overwhelming experience for any woman. Imagine birthing in a country where you do not speak the language or understand the customs and are unfamiliar with many of the medical practices and options. At Embrace we seek to support the refugee women so they may have healthier, more empowered and culturally-sensitive birth experiences. In the midst of their journey from places of turmoil and fear, we hope to  embrace refugee women and help make their journey into parenthood one of greater peace and joy. Get involved at www.embracebirthsupport.com.