Deaconess Midwives Rock-

Here's a good article for midwives in the Spokane Review.

Birth Pains - It Gets Better With Time

Terri here: good article

11 Dec 2008

New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology illustrates how women's memories of labour pain decline over time. However, for some women, their recollection of pain does not seem to diminish and for a minority, their memory of pain increases with time.

2,428 Swedish women were recruited from antenatal clinics across Sweden and took part in the original study in 1999 which looked at women's memories of labour pain two months and a year after birth (elective caesarean sections were not studied). A 5-year follow up on the same cohort of 1,383 woman was later conducted.

The aim was to study women's recollections of labour pain over time in association with the use of epidural analgesia and to evaluate overall childbirth experience.

In all three occasions, the women filled in questionnaires and were asked to rate their experiences of the intensity of labour pain and their memories of the childbirth. Other data such as the mode of delivery and methods of pain relief were noted. Five years after they gave birth, 49% of women remembered birth as less painful than when they rated it two months after the birth, 35% rated it the same, and 16% rated it as more painful.

Researchers found that women who reported labour as a positive experience two months after birth had the lowest pain scores. When asked again after a year and then again after five years, their memory of the intensity of pain during childbirth declined. For women who said that their childbirth experience was negative or very negative, on average, their assessment of labour pain did not change after five years (Around 60% of women reported positive experiences and less than 10% had negative experiences).

Researchers also note that women who had epidural analgesia remembered pain as more intense than women who did not have epidurals. It may have been that they had chosen an epidural because the pain was more intense in the first place, or it may have been that pain relief afforded by the epidural made the preceding labour, by contrast, seemed even more painful. However, their perception of how painful labour had been also declined with time

Previous studies have stressed the importance of the attitude and behaviour of caregivers in determining whether a woman has a satisfying experience during her childbirth. This study reveals how the memory of pain is influenced by a woman's overall satisfaction with her labour experience. The researchers suggest that healthcare professionals should take into account the woman's overall experience when assessing whether a woman needs further support postnatally.

Professor Ulla Waldenström from the Department of Woman and Child Health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, who undertook the study said, "A commonly held view is that women forget the intensity of labour pain. The present study, which measured women's memory of labour pain up to five years after the birth, provides evidence that in modern obstetric care, this is true for about 50 percent of women.

"The findings also show that there is great individual variation, and that a woman's long-term memory of pain is associated with her satisfaction with childbirth overall. The more positive the experience, the more women forget how painful labour was. For a small group of women with a negative birth experience, long-term memory of labour pain was as vivid as five years earlier.

"Women who had epidural analgesia remembered more pain, suggesting that women remember pain as they experienced it when requesting the epidural, that is, the 'peak' pain. They don't seem to make a comprehensive assessment including the relatively pain-free period after having received the epidural."

Professor Philip Steer, BJOG editor-in-chief said, "This research shows that labour pain is an acceptable experience for many women. Others prefer to have pain relief. It is important for us to appreciate that the overall experience of childbirth (for example, how well supported women feel) has a major influence on women's memory of how painful it was giving birth.

"My advice is for women to discuss the range of options regarding caring labour with their doctors and midwives. Some women (perhaps 3% to 5%) have an underlying deep-seated fear of childbirth and may require counselling to help them cope."

Notes

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is owned by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) but is editorially independent and published monthly by Wiley-Blackwell. The journal features original, peer-reviewed, high-quality medical research in all areas of obstetrics and gynaecology worldwide. Please quote 'BJOG' or 'BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology' when referring to the journal.

Reference

A longitudinal study of women's memory of labour pain-from 2 months to 5 years after the birth.
Waldenstro¨m U, Schytt E.
BJOG 2008; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.02020.x.

Eating Eggs When Pregnant Affects Breast Cancer In Offspring

Terri here: This explains my egg cravings when I'm preggers. What an amazing food- the incredible, edible egg. Good protein too!

02 Dec 2008

A stunning discovery based on epigenetics (the inheritance of propensities acquired in the womb) reveals that consuming choline - a nutrient found in eggs and other foods - during pregnancy may significantly affect breast cancer outcomes for a mother's offspring. This finding by a team of biologists at Boston University is the first to link choline consumption during pregnancy to breast cancer. It also is the first to identify possible choline-related genetic changes that affect breast cancer survival rates.

"We've known for a long time that some agents taken by pregnant women, such as diethylstibesterol, have adverse consequences for their daughters," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "But there's an upside. The emerging science of epigenetics has yielded a breakthrough. For the first time, we've learned that we might be able to prevent breast cancer as early as a mother's pregnancy."

The researchers made the discovery in rats by studying females whose mothers were fed varying amounts of choline during pregnancy. Different groups of pregnant rats received diets containing standard amounts of choline, no choline at all, or extra choline. Then the researchers treated the female offspring with a chemical that causes cancer of the mammary gland (breast cancer). Although animals in all groups developed mammary cancer, the daughters of mothers that had received extra choline during pregnancy had slow growing tumors while daughters of mothers that had no choline during pregnancy had fast growing tumors.

"Our study provides additional support for the notion that choline is an important nutrient that has to be considered when dietary guidelines are developed," said Krzysztof Blusztajn, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at Boston University and the study's senior researcher. "We hope it will be possible to develop nutritional guidelines for pregnant women that ensure the good health of their offspring well into old age."

The researchers also found multiple genetic and molecular changes in the rats' tumors that correlated with survival outcomes. For example, the slow growing tumors in rats had a genetic pattern similar to those seen in breast cancers of women who are considered to have a good prognosis. The fast growing tumors in mice had a pattern of genetic changes similar to those seen in women with a more aggressive disease. The researchers also found evidence that these genetic changes may result from the way that choline affects modifications of the DNA within the mammary gland of fetuses as they develop in the womb.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be more than 184,000 new cases of breast cancer in 2008 and more than 40,000 deaths. Treatments for women suffering from breast cancer range from hormone therapy to surgery.

Nurse Thomson Maternity Rap

I am pretty lame and don't know how to embed a video myself. But click here to go to the Youtube link. It's funny and clean, don't worry!

Aquarobics May Help Ease Labor-

Women who exercised during pregnancy needed less pain meds, study found

Terri here: I HIGHLY recommend this. I did prenatal water aerobics during my last two trimesters when I was pregnant with my daughter. There are SO many benefits to this: easy on your joints, low-impact exercise keeps you in shape for the upcoming marathon of labor, it feels fantastic to be weightless when you're so big, AND being in water actually helps keep or get the baby in a good position (meaning vertex and anterior: head down and facing the right way!). The classes do not need to be prenatal necessarily, and if you do nothing else- just go swimming on your own.

Forward-Facing Strollers May Harm Babies Emotionally

Pushing babies in forward-facing strollers may harm them emotionally due to the lack of face-to-face contact with the parent pushing them, a British study finds.

Here is the link to the article. And watch a video here. (Remember, the British call strollers "buggies" or "carriages". Whatever happened to the word "pram"?)

Terri here: not sure what I think about this one. Aren't most strollers forward facing? I'm grappling with a few related issues right now. It's about security and bonding vs. self-soothing, and it's also about felt needs or emotional needs. And, I see a correlation here to baby-wearing using wraps or slings. Comment and let me know what you think.

"TODAY SHOW FEATURES DOULAS"

Help For Expectant and New Mothers Is National Trend

On Thursday, November 20th, the TODAY Show explored a growing national trend among pregnant women and new mothers: the hiring of a "doula." Debbie Aglietti, a New York doula and member of DONA International was interviewed about her work as a doula in the New York area.

"As more and more women see the advantages of using doulas, I suspect the term 'doula' will become more of a household word," said Debbie Young, DONA International President. DONA International is the oldest and largest doula organization. "In fact, last week Oprah Winfrey's guest, Nicole Kidman, made mention of the assistance she received from a doula in the birth of her daughter, Sunday Rose."

Doulas provide non-medical care for pregnant women and/or new mothers and families. The term "doula" actually comes from the Greek word for a woman who serves.

Doulas work as a team with physicians and midwives in hospitals and in home births. A birth doula is a professional labor support person who accompanies women in labor to provide emotional support, physical comfort and information to help clients feel fully informed. Birth doulas can provide reassurance and perspective and help with relaxation, comforting touch and positioning. Birth doulas also facilitate communication between the woman, her partner and her caregivers. A postpartum doula is trained to help new mothers in the early weeks with their new baby. From help with breastfeeding, education on newborn care, running errands, nighttime support and anything else a new family needs help with, parents find the additional assistance invaluable.

Despite Dr. Snyderman's Today Show statement that doulas are a luxury, doulas assist women and families from all socioeconomic levels. In some cases Medicaid covers their work. In other cases, community volunteers offer doula services for low-income families for free. Some families find their doulas because their hospital offers their services for free or at low-cost. In Illinois, the state government pays for doula services under their "Ounce of Prevention" program. Other programs, such as Chicago Doula Project and PALS in Philadelphia, offer doulas for low-income mothers. Currently, doula services are not covered by most health insurance providers, but DONA International is working to change that.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence at birth:

· Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
· Increases positive feelings about one's childbirth experience
· Reduces the need for Pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
· Reduces the mother's request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Interview a potential doula about how postpartum and birth doulas assist new mothers, pregnant women and overwhelmed spouses. Ask her to discuss the types of tasks doulas do. Tasks could include:
· Putting on music and assisting the birthing mother into a more comfortable position
· Helping a new mother with techniques for easier breastfeeding
· Offering guidance to make the first bath at home go smoothly

Families should seek to find a doula that is right for them.

With any kind of service provider, whether it's a nanny, doula, midwife or OB/GYN, it is important to get references, ask questions and make sure you are comfortable with that practitioner and their experience.

Click here to view the video.

Doulas have been working in hospitals all over the US and, in fact, internationally for over 15 years with good success. They function as part of a team effort with the hospital staff and the woman's choice of caregivers to help the family have the best birth possible. There are always exceptions to the good people in any profession and unfortunately one hospital took that exception to ban doulas. But that is one hospital out of over 7,500 hospitals in the US.

In DONA International's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, doulas pledge to treat the health care professionals that work with their clients with respect. When a nurse comes into the room to check on my client, I step to the other side of the bed and if there is any non-medical thing I can do to assist her and serve my client, I will be glad to do that. The doula helps the mother ask appropriate questions so that the mother can make the best choices possible for herself and her baby. The doula should never speak in place of the family.

Doulas are available to women with various economic means. There are many private practice doulas who work with clients who can afford to pay for their services. Many of these same doulas also take clients who cannot afford to pay their full fee at a reduced rate or may pass them on to another doula in the area that is charging less. There are also many volunteer programs or state run agencies that offer doula services for very little or free. In the press release info below you see some of them mentioned. The vast majority of doulas are in this work because it is their "heart work" and they would likely do it for free if they did not have family obligations. But I want to make it clear that doulas are worth every penny they charge. It is up to each doula to decide if and what she charges.

DONA certified doulas have approximately 50 or more hours of education behind them before they get certified. That includes the workshop, breastfeeding class, childbirth education class, reading and working with families. Then they have to document their work and write papers about their experience. It is not a simple process but it is a worthwhile process!

Patience During Stalled Labor Can Avoid Many C-sections, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (2008-11-03) -- Pregnant women whose labor stalls while in the active phase of childbirth can reduce health risks to themselves and their infants by waiting out the delivery process for an extra two hours, according to a new study.

Terri here: Well, ya think? It is nice when they do these studies to verify the obvious, but apparently it isn't so obvious, or the section rate would not be where it is now in this country.

Here is the link.

Caffiene more of a concern, occasional alcohol- not so much

Cautionary note: No guilt allowed here upon reading this article! I understand how strong the morning coffee addiction can be. And, the occasional festive drink (ie. weekly sabbath wine) appears to be harmless, as we suspected.

Midwives say homebirths are up, despite warnings- NY Times

Hospital birth rates stay the same, despite warnings.

Article here.

Midwives do much more than deliver babies

A great little article about CNMs (Certified Nurse Midwives) here.

Premature Birth Report Card for US: Nation gets a D

This article from March of Dimes is very interesting. I would like to point out that they call for the nation to look at inductions and scheduling c-sections weeks before term.
Here is the article.

Well, duh. . .

(Terri here: sorry, but this seems like one of those "Why did they have to spend tons of money to study this when it seems like common sense?" kind of studies. But anyway, here it is:

Big Baby? Expectant Mothers Should Monitor BMI Increase During Pregnancy

11 Nov 2008

Expectant mothers whose body mass index (BMI) increases 25 percent or more during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to big babies. Analyzing data from 186 deliveries at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, researchers found that 86.2 percent of those babies whose birth weight was above the 90th percentile (4000 grams or 8 pounds 13 ounces) had mothers whose BMI increased 25 percent or more during pregnancy, compared with 6.6 percent of the mothers with normal-weight infants. After adjusting for other maternal characteristics, they found the odds of giving birth to a high-birth-weight baby were more than 200 times higher among mothers whose BMI increased at least 25 percent. The researchers conclude that given the considerable complications associated with delivering high-birth-weight babies, having an indicator that helps diagnose the condition may allow clinicians to make better choices regarding timing and mode of delivery, as well as prepare for emergencies. They call for future studies in larger more heterogeneous populations.

Percentage Change in Antenatal Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Neonatal Macrosomia
By Chad A. Asplund, M.D., et al
Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia

Annals of Family Medicine - November/December 2008

The Annals of Family Medicine is a new peer-reviewed research journal to meet the needs of scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and the patients and communities they serve. The Annals of Family Medicine is dedicated to advancing knowledge essential to understanding and improving health and primary care. The Annals supports a learning community of those who generate and use information about health and generalist health care.

http://www.annfammed.org/current.shtml

Angela Sharma
American Academy of Family Physicians

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Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128921.php

Flu Shot During Pregnancy?

Here is a link to an article that says yes, and it protects your baby too. My advice? Like other vaccinations, I say: Do your research, and then confidently take responsibility for what you decide for your family.

Breastfed Kids Breathe More Easily

(Terri here: More proof that God designed breastmilk to be the perfect food for our babies. Trust the design!)

10 Nov 2008

Breastfeeding for at least four months helps children breathe more easily and may curb their susceptibility to asthma, reveals research published ahead of print in the journal Thorax.

The findings are based on almost 1500 British children born on the Isle of Wight between 1989 and 1990 (Isle of Wight Birth Cohort), whose respiratory health was tracked at the ages of 1, 2, 4 and 10.

Extensive information was gathered during their check-ups. This included details of familial asthma and allergies, whether the mother smoked, and if she had breastfed her baby, and for how long.

Each child was also given a physical examination, and tested for asthma symptoms or allergic reactions.

When the children were 10 years old, their lung function - which included lung elasticity and air flow rate - was also tested.

Among the 1000 or so children for whom full data were available, around a third (374) had been breastfed for at least 4 months. The rest had either not been breastfed at all, or had been breastfed for shorter periods.

The results showed that those children who had been breastfed for at least 4 months had significantly higher values of FVC (forced vital capacity) and PEF (peak expiratory flow) by the age of 10.

FVC measures the amount of air blown out of the lungs after taking a deep breath, while PEF describes the speed of air blown out of the lungs.

The findings held true irrespective of whether the children's mothers were asthmatic or allergic.

Certain breast milk chemicals, which boost the developing child's immune system, may help explain the findings, say the authors.

But they also point to the difference in impact on the lungs of suckling on a breast compared with sucking from a bottle.

The duration of exercise a baby gets breastfeeding is almost twice as long as that for a bottle feed, and bottle feeding also induces a higher rate of swallowing, more interrupted breathing, and requires less lung power.

"Effect of breastfeeding duration on lung function at age 10 years: a prospective birth cohort study."
Online First Thorax 2008; doi 10.1136/thx.2008.101543
Click here to view the paper in full

Thorax

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Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128748.php

Greater Risk Of Blood Pressure Disorders During Pregnancy In Rural Areas

(Terri here: My humble opinion on this article- I believe there is a correlation here due to diet. "Maternal poverty and social deprivation" are referenced, but no credence is given to maternal nutrition. I assume that poverty often infers a high-carb (low protein, less fruit and vegetable variety) diet. Please see Dr. Tom Brewer's research on increasing protein levels during pregnancy, and it's effect on lowering occurrence of PIH and Preclampsia at http://blueribbonbaby.org/.)

10 Nov 2008

Several factors, such as older age and high weight gain, are known risk factors for pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders. Now a new report suggests that social factors - including living in a rural county - may also increase the risk of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), according to research presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Our study showed an increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia and PIH associated with living in a rural area," comments lead researcher Rebecca Moore, MD, of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado. "The reason for this increased risk is unclear, but may possibly be associated with maternal poverty and social deprivation."

Using birth certificate data on infants born in Colorado from 2000 to 2006, the researchers analyzed risk factors for pre-eclampsia and PIH in more than 362,000 mothers. All of the women were free of chronic medical conditions at delivery. Women with pre-eclampsia develop rapid increases in blood pressure, along with kidney damage. Pre-eclampsia is a very common condition and the third most common cause of maternal death in the United States. The cause is unknown and there is no known cure, although the problem usually resolves after delivery.

The overall rate of PIH/pre-eclampsia was 3.3 %. The study confirmed the known risk factors, including age over 35 years, first pregnancy, multiple gestation (twins or more), and gaining more than 30 pounds during pregnancy. Smoking was associated with a lower risk of pre-eclampsia (but smoking increases the risk of other pregnancy complications).

After adjusting for all of these factors, the researchers identified some intriguing new risk factors for PIH/pre-eclampsia. Women living in rural counties were at increased risk: 56 percent higher than for women in other areas.

There was also a link to education, with a 19 % increase in risk for women who had some college education (compared to a high school education). Although the rate of PIH/pre-eclampsia was also higher for women with more than a college education, the difference was not significant. "These novel risks were independent of other risk factors, including adequacy of prenatal care," Dr. Moore adds.

The new information linking PIH/pre-eclampsia risk to the mother's social characteristics is an important first step to toward identifying new, nontraditional risk factors. "Although traditional risk factors for pre-eclampsia and PIH are well recognized, these diseases remain enigmatic, and there is no known effective way to reduce their incidence," says Dr. Moore. "Nontraditional risk factors may be of great importance in the design of future interventions to prevent the occurrence of PIH and pre-eclampsia, but data regarding these risk factors are scarce."

The data provided in the study were all self-reported, and are therefore subject to bias. Also, the study database did not include information on some potentially important factors, including the women's body weight and income level.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The study abstract, "Relationship between Novel Risk Factors and the Development of Pre-Eclampsia and Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension in Women without Pre-Existing Medical Conditions," (SA-FC408) was presented as part of a Free Communications session on the topic of "Clinical Aspects of Hypertension in Kidney Disease" on Saturday, November 8.

ASN is a not-for-profit organization of 11,000 physicians and scientists dedicated to the study of nephrology and committed to providing a forum for the promulgation of information regarding the latest research and clinical findings on kidney disease. ASN Renal Week 2008, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, provided a forum for 11,000 nephrologists to discuss the latest findings in renal research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders. Renal Week 2008 took place November 4 - November 9 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Source: Shari Leventhal
American Society of Nephrology

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Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128712.php

Parenting Methods-

This site here is very informative. A solid source that compiles information on the controversial Ezzo books and programs: Growing Kids God's Way and On Becoming Babywise being the most well known. Please educate yourselves as to why their methods are controversial, and make informed decisions regarding your parenting methods. Discernment and wisdom are key.

Doulas on the Today Show-

Tune in to a feature on doulas scheduled for NBC's Today Show on Thursday, November 6, 2008 early in the 8:00 am EST hour.

Ami Schmitz, Today Show medical producer, recently gave birth with the assistance of a DONA certified birth doula and wants to sing the praises of doulas and DONA International! She, along with Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC News Chief Medical Editor, will present this segment.

An expanded companion article about doulas and DONA International will be available on the Today Show web site, which will include the interviews they did with Debbie Young, current DONA president. The article should be available on Thursday, but it might be necessary to type "doula" in the search engine if it is not the top news that day.

This segment will air barring breaking news that takes precedence.

Pumpkin skills-

My lactation consultant/doula/CBE/student midwife friend from Colorado carved this. Isn't it amazing?

Those Darn Jackhammers. . .

This is from my personal blog, so you may have already seen this.
Hopefully you can see why this is funny. Look closely. . .

Depression can double risk of having a preemie

Depression during pregnancy, that is.
Here is the link.

Preeclampsia may lead to future heart disease-

(The CNM I trained with in Colorado did some research in this area as well. Also, body types seems to correlate: apple-shaped women vs. pear-shaped women. Apples are more prone to heart disease.)
Here is the link.

Boosting Fertility Naturally

Because I know this is something that many friends struggle with, here's a snipit from National Bestselling Author, Gail J. Dahl.
Also check out www.fertilitygarden.com and www.ovusoft.com for more resources.

"Reproductive Exhaustion: If you have experienced years of hormonal birth control or have never had consistent cycles, you may need to boost your body’s mineral storage in order to regulate or help start your periods again naturally. Start taking a high quality prenatal vitamin and mineral, most often found at a health food store, that contains an abundance of minerals in the formula for the best value for your money and your body. If you are dealing with reproductive exhaustion it can take six months or longer before your fertility returns to normal. Although drugs are available to force your ovulation and periods, if you have not created the platform of health required it will be difficult for your body to avoid miscarriage. Replacing your lost minerals, increasing the protein and the water you consume, and increasing your daily exercise will help to boost your ability to conceive and your ability to carry your baby to the natural conclusion of pregnancy.

You can begin to take high quality prenatal vitamins and minerals for 3 to 6 months before conception to boost your fertility naturally. Prenatals will help you to avoid birth defects and miscarriage. Your partner can also take high quality prenatal vitamin and minerals to assist in boosting his fertility as well.

To further boost your fertility, increase the amount of protein that you are eating. When you snack, snack on protein. Adding more fruits and vegetables, organic if available, will also help to increase the mineral content of your body.

Increase the amount of water that you consume, when wishing to conceive, have water at your side to sip on throughout the day and evening.

To further boost your reproductive system you can have one cup a day of the women’s tea, red raspberry leaf, the woman's tea, can also help to boost your mineral supplies and fertility. This is also very soothing and restorative for a woman's entire hormonal system.

Increase daily gentle exercise to reduce your daily stress. Look to include a calming activity for yourself every day like warm baths, a nap, starting a hobby, writing, listening or playing music. Any activity that helps you to feel calm and quiet for about twenty minutes.

Learn to locate your 8 days of fertility in each cycle. By locating your ovulation pattern you will gain control over your fertility throughout your life. During sexual intimacy make sure you take advantage of the potent pre-ejaculate.

Changing your nutrition, increasing your exercise and reducing your stress level can help tremendously in boosting your fertility naturally. These steps will also ensure that you have all the building materials in place to create a healthy pregnancy and baby. Making these improvements and locating your personal ovulation pattern will help to boost your fertility naturally.

Cycle Pain:
If you feel your cycles are too heavy and too painful then the night before your cycle starts or at the very beginning of your cycle, have an ibuprofen (Advil) once, and this will help immediately with painful cramping and will most likely reduce your flow by half throughout your cycle. Learn when you ovulate so you can predict exactly when your next cycle will start. Always circle the first day of your cycle on your calendar, this is an important day. Check out Cycle Savvy for more fascinating cycle knowledge. Justisse also has an online guide for understanding our cycles and our bodies. Taking Charge of Your Fertility is an excellent program to follow. Learning when you ovulate will also help you to prevent pregnancy without drugs, if you are having occasional sexual intimacy, so that you can avoid or be doubly prepared on your days of fertility.

Cycle Myths:
Women are fertile all the time. Not true. Women are only fertile the three days of ovulation (when the egg is released). In fact, a human egg can only survive up to 24 hours after being released from an ovary. The reason women are fertile for as long as eight days per cycle is because sperm can live for up to five days if the fertile clear cervical fluid is present. Interestingly enough, it is men who are always fertile. Their pre-ejaculate contains the most potent sperm, use this to your advantage if you are desiring conception."

Copyright 2008, Secrets Newsletter 2008, by National Bestselling Author, Gail J. Dahl “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets” Now available through major bookstores across North America and the UK. http://web.mac.com/pregnancysecrets <http://web.mac.com/pregnancysecrets> . This article may be reprinted or posted for the purpose of childbirth education when references are included. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.

New Blog-

I was inspired by a fellow doula to start a blog all about birth. So, here I will be posting about fertility, pregnancy, doulas, midwives, childbirth education, birth and parenting. Please feel free to jump in on the discussion! All women, mommas and birth junkies welcome.