Choices In Childbirth

I’m currently prepping for tonight’s Childbirth Ed class on Variations and Complications in labor.  We talk about many of the situations couples encounter in the few weeks before and during labor, and we spend a lot of time discussing their options in each of these situations.
Some of these situations we cover are  not necessarily dangerous [...]

In the past few weeks, Illinois has released its Public Health Hospital Statistics. Today the Tribune ran a brief piece on Cesareans, the reasons behind them and the rates of some of the local hospitals. You can view Julie Deardorff’s article here: Illinois Hospital C-section rates

In honor of  World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7),  I thought I would highlight a few of the amazing benefits that breastfeeding provides not just to moms and babies, but to the whole family.
First of all, it is the most perfect food for your baby.  Breastmilk changes to meet your baby’s needs.  If it is really [...]

Being pregnant with twins does not automatically determine that you will give birth prematurely, probably by cesarean section, to two low-birth weight babies who will have to spend some time in the NICU.
Moms who have excellent nutrition (read naturally colorful food that remembers where it came from – no super processed, corn-syrup laden, trans fat [...]

As I work in the birth world as a childbirth educator and a doula I see many women who are frustrated because they find that their options are limited.  Not because their provider does or doesn’t handle  a certain situation in a certain way but more often than you’d think, because their insurance or medical [...]