Pre-pregnancy planning, pregnancy, childbirth

Archive for August, 2010

Baby news

Much to my surprise I popped early :-0 and have a 4 day old baby!

Oscar Henry was born at home on the 11th of April, 9lb 4oz and is as
cute as pie. I had a lovely quick birth, my waters broke some time in
the morning, sending me on a frantic shopping dash to get the things for
the birth I thought I wouldn’t need for another 2-4 weeks. Contractions
started while I was in town, sending a few shop keepers into a slight
panic, but I made it home in time and Oscar was born an hour after I
walked in the door and unpacked.

Much to my horror I had a placenta accreta which led to some drama, a 3
hour operation and a  a few days stay in hospital. I still have my
uterus and my life and for that I am eternally thankful. I’m still a
little in shock and my body is trying to recover from the blood loss,
3000mls for which I needed 7 blood transfusions :/

There are a few pictures here of him, be warned he’s very cute :-)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/taniwha_grrrl/137454.html

Andrea

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36wk 3 day update – induction question

After a very long 8 months of pregnancy, I’ve now been advised, due to the gestational diabetes and a very large baby being due, I am advised to be induced.

I have been booked in for Wed April 27th and can be in for anything up to 72 hours in labour !!………..lovely !!

So looks like Emily Rose will be making an appearance between 27th & 30th, up to 12 days earlier than expected.

Gosh I’m scared at the thought of 72 hours of labour…………fingers crossed it will be less than that.

Anyone had experience of induction due to GD (normal delivery not c section) and how easy is it to monitor GD during labour ? They want tests every half hour !!


Karen
DS 10th Aug 1986 – VB – 9lb 13oz
DD 13th Aug 1988 – VB – 10lb 9oz
EDD 9th May 2005 – It’s a girl !! – Now Inducing on 27th April
Sophie’s Prediction for us – Girl

Our Latest Scan Photo
http://www.freewebs.com/kazh/

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Guess what my baby did today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My daughter after weeks of trying finally got her toe in her mouth
today!  The look on her face was priceless!  I just love being able to
be home with my kids and watch them grow up.  I can play with them,
cook, clean and make an income all from home.  Any Mom’s out there
looking for the same thing I was please visit me at www.ShaliCat.com
for some great Free info and No obligation!  But I urge you to check it
out if you are like me and want to be HOME for your family!  Take care
and God Bless!

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This waiting thing is new…

When I had my daughter, I went into labor before I went on maternity
leave. My work gives us two weeks before the due date off. It was a
surprise – I wasn’t expecting to go into labor until closer to my due
date. She was still at term, 37 weeks, but in my mind she was early.

Anyway, on Tuesday, at my 36 week exam for this baby, my doctor told me
that I was already 2-3 cm dialated. That, and the fact that I assumed
that I could have the baby early again, I’m actually paying attention
to whether or not I am going into labor.  Every twinge, moment of
indigestion, slight wetness, is causing me to stop and think, "Was that
it?". My dog and daughter know something is up and are acting strange.
I just wish I could finish cleaning the house without feeling tired.

Good news is that my doctor thinks there is a very good chance I’ll
have a successful VBAC. Baby’s head is down this time, and I seem to be
progressing well.

Renee

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CSICOP/Pensar: Episiotomies 'ineffective or harmful'

PENSAR Conference: CSICOP (skept…@aol.com) has been silent about the
bizarre MD religious birth behaviors/dogmas discussed below.

PREGNANT WOMEN:  OBs are routinely closing birth canals up to 30% and
routinely keeping birth canals closed when babies get stuck.

OBs are routinely CUTTING VAGINAS – "PERFORMING" EPISIOTOMIES – with birth
canals closed the "extra" up to 30%.

LADIES: It’s easy to allow your birth canal to OPEN the "extra" up to 30%.

See THE SOLUTION at the very end of this post.

See also: Women can sue: UCLA OBs slicing vaginas illegally: It’s sexual
assault
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/chiro-list/message/3404

ROUTINE EPISIOTOMIES "INEFFECTIVE OR HARMFUL"

Fernando Althabe, MD et al. write:

"A significant proportion of the health care administered to women in Latin
American maternity hospitals during labor and delivery has been demonstrated
to be ineffective or harmful…[Good example:]…The routine use of
episiotomies…"
–Fernando Althabe, MD et al.^^^ BMC Womens Health. 2005 Apr 11;5(1):4 [Epub
ahead of print] PubMed abstract

^^^Althabe F, Buekens P, Bergel E, Belizan JM, Kropp N, Wright L, Goco N,
Moss N.

OPEN LETTER (archived for global access at http://groups.google.com)

Fernando Althabe, MD
Latin American Center for Perinatology
Pan American Health Organization
WHO
Hospital de Clínicas s/n
Casilla de Correos 627
11000 Montevideo, Uruguay
TE +5982 487-2929 ext 37
FAX +5982 487-2593
altha…@clap.ops-oms.org

Fernando,

In order to study possible changes in birth attendant behavior, you write of
"opinion leaders" developing and implementing evidence-based guidelines then
gathering "birth attendants’ opinions" as a secondary outcome measure.
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00070720

Why not reverse things?

Why not BEGIN by asking birth attendants their opinions?

1. You could ask birth attendants their opinions about the fact that birth
attendants/MD-obstetricians are routinely closing birth canals up to 30%
then slicing vaginas (routine episiotomy) – surgically/fraudulently
inferring that everything possible is being done to open the birth canal the
"extra" up to 30%.

2. You could ask birth attendants/MD-obstetricians their opinions about
their practice of slicing ABDOMENS en masse (c-section) –
surgically/fraudulently inferring that everything possible has been done to
open birth canals – even as they keep birth canals closed the "extra" up to
30%.

3. Finally, you could ask birth attendants/MD-obstetricians their opinions
about their bizarre practice of keeping birth canals closed the "extra" up
to 30% when babies get stuck as they pull with hands, forceps and vacuums –
sometimes pulling so hard they rip spinal nerves out of tiny spinal cords.

Fernando, please consider reversing things:  BEGIN by asking birth
attendants their opinions – THEN have "opinion leaders" develop and
implement evidence-based guidelines.

Just a thought.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo
t…@chiromotion.com

PS1  FORCEPS and VACUUMS  Fernando, I found your commentary on forceps and
vacuum extractions in the WHO Reproductive Health Library:

"Compared to vacuum extraction, the use of forceps resulted in greater
success in achieving an instrument-aided vaginal delivery."
–Fernando Althabe, MD. Vacuum extraction versus forceps for assisted
vaginal delivery: RHL commentary (last revised: 14 November 2002). The WHO
Reproductive Health Library, No 7, Update Software Ltd, Oxford, 2004.
www.rhlibrary.com
http://www.rhlibrary.com/Commentaries/htm-print/P_RHL000052.htm

DON’T FORGET, FERNANDO:  Whether forceps or vacuums are used,
MD-obstetricians are KEEPING birth canals closed the "extra" up to 30% as
they pull.  And sometimes they pull so hard they rip spinal nerves out of
tiny spinal cords.

PS2 UNNECESSARY CESAREANS  Fernando, you studied "Mandatory second opinion
to reduce rates of unnecessary caesarean sections in Latin America…"
Althabe et al.^^^ Lancet. 2004 Jun 12;363(9425):1934-40. PubMed abstract

^^^Althabe F, Belizan JM, Villar J, Alexander S, Bergel E, Ramos S, Romero
M, Donner A, Lindmark G, Langer A, Farnot U, Cecatti JG, Carroli G, Kestler
E; Latin American Caesarean Section Study Group.

You wrote:  "In hospitals applying this policy of second opinion, 22

intrapartum caesarean sections could be prevented per 1000 deliveries,
without affecting maternal or perinatal morbidity, and without affecting
mothers’ satisfaction with the care process."

Mandatory second opinions are nice – but what about mandatory FIRST
opinions – on bizarre birth practices?  Before births, find out birth
attendant/MD-obstetrician opinions about their bizarre practice of CAUSINIG
cephalopelvic disproportion and failure to progress then performing cesarean
sections BEcause of cephalopelvic disproportion and failure to progress.

Fernando, since you are affiliated with PAHO and WHO, could you enlist WHO
in a campaign to stop MD-obstetricians WORLDWIDE from routinely closing
birth canals the "extra" up to 30%?

MASSIVE BABY BLOOD ROBBERY

You might also encourage WHO to campaign to stop MD-obstetricians from
temporarily asphyxiating babies and robbing them of up to 50% of their blood
volume.

This happens to EVERY CESAREAN BABY, according to retired obstetrician
George Malcolm Morley, MB ChB FACOG who writes:

"ACOG’s routine treatment (B138) of these depressed neonates is immediate
cord clamping to obtain cord blood pH studies.  The child’s only functioning
source of oxygen – the placenta – is amputated together with 30% to 50+% of
its natural blood volume.  Total asphyxia is imposed until the lungs
function, and the depressed (asphyxiated, hypovolemic) child starts its
extra-uterine life in hypovolemic shock… B138 was first published in 1993.
Every cesarean section baby, every depressed child, every premie, and every
child born with a neonatal team in
the delivery room has its cord clamped immediately to facilitate the
panicked rush to the resuscitation table.  The current epidemic of immediate
cord clamping coincides with an epidemic of autism…For the trial lawyers,
it is essential that the ‘true genesis’ of cerebral
palsy remains unknown, because that ‘true genesis’ (B.138) is a standard of
medico-legal care…"
http://www.cordclamping.com/ac­­­og-cp.htm

Fernando, I almost forgot…

In your Lancet article (cited above), you mentioned "mothers’ satisfaction
with the care process"…

Women shouldn’t have to ASK for the "extra" up to 30% for their babies at
the pelvic outlet.

Nor should women have to ask for the "extra" up to 50% of blood volume for
their babies.

Sadly, most women don’t even KNOW to ask – in part because MD-obstetricians
have not been asking women for their opinions.

That is, MD-obstetricians have not been obtaining informed consent before
closing birth canals the "extra" up to 30% or before robbing babies of up to
50% of their blood volume

Obviously then, Fernando, MD-obstetricians are practicing RELIGION/DOGMA –
not science…

Prominent British obstetrician Richard J. Lilford noted in 1989 that
obstetrics
"amounts to uncontrolled experimentation."  [Lilford RJ. State of the
obstetric art. The Lancet (Nov18)1989:1205-1207.  Reviewing Chalmers I,
Enkin M and Keirse MJNC
(eds.). Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth Oxford: Oxford University
Press 1989 Pp 1516 (2 vols) ISBN 0-192615580]

Maybe the North/South American medical religion’s bizarre birth dogma can be
take up at the PENSAR Conference…

THE FIRST IBERO-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON CRITICAL THINKING:
THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF DOGMATISM AND DECEPTION
Science and Religion . Pseudoscience . Politics, Economy, and Mass Media
Buenos Aires, Argentina — September 17 and 18
Lima, Perú — September 24 and 25

I’ll cc:  alejandrobo…@fibertel.com.ar; cipsip…@yahoo.com

PS3 FERNANDO:  COULD OBs BE CAUSING STROKES IN BABIES?

I recently wrote to Janet Lee, MS et al. at UCSF…

STROKES IN BABIES —> CEREBRAL PALSY

"[The rate of p]erinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAS)…a common cause of
hemiplegic cerebral palsy…increased dramatically when multiple risk
factors were present."
–Janet Lee, MS et al.^^^ JAMA. 2005 Feb 9;293(6):723-9. PubMed abstract

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/293/6/723

^^^Janet Lee, MS; Lisa A. Croen, PhD; Kendall H. Backstrand, BA; Cathleen K.
Yoshida, MS; Louis H. Henning, BA; Camilla Lindan, MD; Donna M. Ferriero,
MD; Heather J. Fullerton, MD; A. J. Barkovich, MD; Yvonne W. Wu, MD, MPH

OPEN LETTER (archived for global access at http://groups.google.com)

Janet Lee, MS et al. via:

Lisa A. Croen, PhD
Division of Research
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, Calif. 94612, USA.
Lisa.A.Cr…@kp.org

Yvonne W. Wu, MD, MPH
Department of Neurology
University of California, San Francisco
94143-0136, USA
w…@neuropeds.ucsf.edu

Janet Lee, MS et al.,

I recently reported to UCLA Police Chief Karl T. Ross that UCLA
MD-obstetricians may be causing stroke in some infants because they
routinely close birth canals up to 30% and keep birth canals closed the
"extra" up to 30% when babies get stuck.

See Strokes in babies (also: Chiro with headache and slurred speech)
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/chiro-list/message/3429

I am interested in your professional opinions.

Could the fact that MD-obstetricians routinely close birth canals up to 30%
and keep birth canals closed the "extra" up to 30% when babies get stuck
have anything to do with the rate of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke/PAS?

I ask because you wrote that the rate of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke
(PAS) increased dramatically when multiple risk factors were present…

Some of the risk factors you listed are quite relevant to the grisly
spectacle of OBs routinely closing birth canals up to 30% and routinely
keeping birth canals closed when babies get stuck, as in,

FETAL HEART RATE ABNORMALITY:  Over three times as many stroke infants vs.
control infants. (46% vs 14%, P<.001)

PROLONGED SECOND STAGE:  Over five times as many stroke infants vs. control
infants. (25% vs 4%, P<.001)

EMERGENCY CESAREAN DELIVERY: Over twice as many stroke infants vs. control
infants.(35% vs 13%, P = .002)

(OR)

VACUUM EXTRACTION:  Over twice as many stroke infants vs. control infants
(24% vs 11%, P = .04),

Of course, regardless whether MD-obstetricians are causing strokes in
babies…

MD-obstetricians have no business closing birth canals up to 30% or keeping
birth canals closed the "extra" up to 30% when babies get stuck – or lying
to cover-up.  See the Four OB Lies below.

It’s mass child abuse – which is why I reported it to UCLA Chief of Police
Karl T. Ross, mentioned above.

The MDs among you are mandatory suspected child abuse reporters.  If you
suspect child abuse – please immediately report – it’s the law.

BTW, I am in favor of pardons in advance for MDs.  As medical students, MDs
are TRAINED to perform child abuse.

More mass child abuse – perhaps also (perhaps) relevant to strokes in
infants…

MD-obstetricians at UCLA are "usually" clamping umbilical cords "within 15
to 20 seconds" – which means they are routinely robbing babies of massive
amounts of blood volume – which may have some bearing on the infant stroke
rate.

See again: Strokes in babies (also: Chiro with headache and slurred speech)
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/chiro-list/message/3429

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo
Born and raised in LA County
Graduated UCLA (Biochem 1975)
Graduated Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (DC, 1979)
Living in Hillsboro, Oregon
(503) 640-0456
t…@chiromotion.com

PS THE FOUR OB LIES

OB LIE #1. After MASSIVE change in the AP pelvic outlet diameter was
clinically demonstrated in 1911 and radiographically demonstrated in 1957,
the authors of Williams Obstetrics began erroneously claiming that pelvic
diamaters DON’T CHANGE at delivery.

OB LIE #2. After Ohlsen pointed out in 1973 that pelvic diameters DO
change – the authors of Williams Obstetrics began erroneously claiming that
their most frequent delivery position – dorsal – widens the outlet.

OB LIE #3. After I pointed out in 1992 that dorsal CLOSES – and so does
semisitting – the authors of Williams Obstetrics – put the correct
biomechanics in their 1993 edition – but kept in their text (in the same
paragraph!) – the dorsal widens bald lie that first called my attention to
their text…

OB LIE #4. OBs are actually KEEPING birth canals closed when babies get
stuck – and claiming they are doing everything to allow the birth canal open
maximally. (ACOG Shoulder Dystocia video – also forceps and vacuum births
are performed with the mother in lithotomy.)

See Make birth better: Dan Rather, before you leave CBS…
http://health.groups.yahoo.com­/group/chiro-list/message/2983

I noted some of the OB lies in an Open Letter to the FTC years ago…
http://home1.gte.net/gastaldo/­part2ftc.html

RELEVANT AMA PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL ETHICS….

"[AMA physician[s] shall…strive to expose those physicians…who engage in
fraud or deception."

"[AMA p]hysician[s] shall…seek changes in those requirements which are
contrary to the best interests of the patient."

"[AMA p]hysician[s] shall…make relevant information available to patients,
colleagues, and the public…"
http://www.psych.org/psych_pra­ct/ethics/ethics_opinions53101­.cfm

AMA physicians are ignoring their own stated ethics – babies be damned.

EMERGENCY.

PREGNANT WOMEN: By using semisitting and dorsal delivery, OBs are closing
birth canals up to 30%.  Also, when babies get stuck, OBs KEEP women
semisitting and dorsal – they KEEP the birth canal closed the "extra" up to
30% as they pull with hands, forceps and vacuums.

THE SOLUTION:  To allow your birth canal to OPEN the "extra" up to 30%,
simply roll onto your side as you push your baby out – or use other
"alternative" delivery positions.

JUST BEWARE – some OBs will let pregnant women "try" alternative delivery
positions – but will roll
them back to semisitting/dorsal – close their birth canals the "extra" up to
30% for the actual delivery.  Talk to your OB.

Copied to:  UCLA Police Chief Karl T. Ross via KR…@ucpd.ucla.edu

>>>>>END Dr. Gastaldo’s post to Janet Lee, MS et al. at UCSF…

Thanks for reading everyone.

Fernando, please encourage WHO to get involved.

I think 100% of babies would want you to take action IMMEDIATELY.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo
t…@chiromotion.com

PREGNANT WOMEN:

Scroll up a little for THE SOLUTION…

Copied to: Nancy Moss, Ph.D. at NIH mo…@mail.nih.gov

This Open Letter to WHO’s Fernando Althabe, MD will be archived for global
access in the Google usenet archive.  Search http://groups.google.com for
"CSICOP/Pensar: Episiotomies ‘ineffective or harmful’"

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It's happened…

Okay, it’s finally happened.  I’m at 28 weeks now, and I’ve hit that
point where people, instead of saying "My you look great," now touch
my stomach and say "Wow, that’s huge."  I don’t feel so big yet, but
people obviously think I look like a whale.  Oh well…wait till they
see me at 41.5 weeks!

L.A.

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jellybean nursing pillow?

I’m shopping around for a nursing pillow for #2 – #1′s pillow is old
and flattened, and I sort of think it’s something they should each have
their own special one of . . .

#1′s pillow is a "Baby Sitter" made by Jolly Jumper. It’s okay, but
flatter and floppier than the Boppy pillows I’ve had the good fortune
to borrow at others’ homes.

Unfortunately, I can’t find a store anywhere here that sells the Boppy.
In fact, I can’t even find an online store that will ship to Canada
that sells them!!

One store here carries a Jellybean brand pillow that looks rather like
the Boppy – but it’s $60 Cdn, which seems steep to me.
http://www.jellybeanbaby.com/pillows.htm

I haven’t been to the store, because it’s not near here and we don’t
have a car, and I’m wondering before I make an epic trip if anyone else
has had or used one of these and liked it?

TIA,
Melania
Mom to Joffre (Jan 11, 2003)
and #2 (edd May 21, 2005)

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Great Magazine-MotherVerse-Revival of old post

Ok so I came across this group while searching in Google about
mothering magazines. I got so excited when I found the posts about how
there are not any decent (unbiased) magazine for mothers because this
is one of the reasons I started MotherVerse Magazine.

Although I think Compleat Mother is amazing and Mothering has its many
good moments I really wanted to take a unique stance on a Mama mag, one
all types of mothers can feel comfortable being part of. We just
launched a month ago and have already gotten a great response. We are
made by real(great) moms for moms and hope to provide honest,
practical, intelligent, works, ideas, and connections. I hope all of
you will check it out! Submit your stories to us and subscribe. We need
moms to support the project so we can keep this going.

http://www.motherverse.com

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weight gain early in pregnancy

I’m on my second child here.  With the first one, you’d never have guessed I
was pregnant until about 4 months.  My eating was atrocious, and I more than
made up for it later.  I went from 115 to 167.

My doctor told me yesterday that most women don’t gain until after the first
trimester, but I’ve already gained 5 lbs and I’m only about 6 weeks.  Have
any of you also experienced early weight gain?  BTW, my eating habits are
much better this time around.

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30 week checkup

well it was uneventful.  everything looks good.  Said if it hurts don’t do
it lol I have swelling in places that I didn’t have the first time around
lol.

Jennifer
Ariana 8/17/03
Alexander Nicholas via C-section June 1st

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