Introducing BellyWise!

I am excited to have officially entered the world of websites as BellyWise! Check out my new site for information on doula services (birth and postpartum), healthy childbirth classes, upcoming events for parents and families, advocacy opportunities, and more. I will be keeping a blog there as well so you can continue to follow my steps within the magical world of birth and family..

here...and then gone again!

In my experience as a doula, I have supported many women who used antibiotics during their labors because they tested positive for Group B Strep. Group B Strep (GBS) is a normal bacteria found in a woman's vagina. It typically comes and goes during a woman's cycle and only presents a problem if the bacteria is present at the time of birth. Even then, the problem comes from the potential for a negative outcome, not from a definite negative occurrence. The concern is that the bacteria may transfer to the baby and may cause an illness that can be severe. Most women are tested for the presence of GBS towards the end of pregnancy. If they test positive, they receive antibiotics during their labor. This might not seem like a big deal, but there are a few problems associated with this protocol. First of all, antibiotics would not only rid the body of the unwanted bacteria, it would also rid the body of its healthy flora...in both the mother and the baby. Tiny babe is coming into a strange and dirty world and really needs all of the good bacteria that he/she can get! Not to mention the really frustrating fact that the mother has to be hooked up to an IV while receiving the antibiotics, reducing her freedom of movement. This is obviously not the end of the world, but I have been with women who have found this the most frustrating and difficult part of labor!

Because of my experiences, I was really, really hoping that I would not be GBS+ when I decided to get tested towards the end of my pregnancy. Unfortunately I was positive. Luckily, I had an awesome home birth midwife (www.motherlandmidwifery.com) who suggested I try to cleanse my system and go back for a retest closer to my due date. So...I used tea tree oil vaginal suppositories for one week to cleanse. In addition, I started a daily regimen of vitamin C, echinacea, and garlic to enhance my immunity along with multiple forms of probiotics in order to replace and enhance my healthy bacteria. The probiotics not only included supplements, but I also focused on eating yogurt, kefir, and miso.

When I went in for my second GBS screening (at 41 weeks and still pregnant), the midwife who saw me was rather skeptical. Turns out, it worked! I was no longer GBS positive! I was one happy lady... (Did I mention that I had an awesome home birth midwife?)

I wish that hospitals would offer this information and a second screening as an option to any woman who was interested in changing her GBS status. I realize it might be inconvenient, and it might cost more money, but it can work - and when it works, wouldn't that save a lot of inconvenience and money...wouldn't it make labor better for the woman and safer for the baby? Aren't they the ones who really matter?

(For any woman who does receive antibiotics during her labor, it is important that she focus on a heavy intake of probiotics for at least a few weeks after the birth in order to replace her healthy flora as well as the baby's.)

a few of my favorite things...

I recently gave birth to my second child, a beautiful baby girl. We had a home birth and so received prenatal care from a local home birth midwife, Christy Santoro. (She's lovely. If you are interested in a home birth, check out www.motherlandmidwifery.com) Through this type of care, and because of Christy's extensive knowledge, I discovered a number of new remedies for the particular ailments I experienced throughout my pregnancy. Here are a few of my favorite rememdies - I hope they will help other pregnant women in the same way they did for me.

I suffered from extreme nausea for the first half of my pregnancy. It turns out that my nausea was often a result of low blood sugar. (This is a typical explanation for the "morning sickness" many women experience during the first trimester.) By focusing on my diet and attempting to eat some protein along with some carbs every time I ate, I was able to regulate my blood sugar and so regulate my nausea. Instead of eating three times a day, I had to snack almost all the time. Almonds and sunflower seeds became a regular part of my snacking..eggs made a great quick and easy protein part of my diet. I also ate a high-protein snack before bed as well as any time I woke up throughout the night. In this way, I was able to alleviate some of the extreme nausea I felt upon first waking in the morning. In addition, remembering to drink electrolytes in fluid helped keep my body regulated.

Apart from diet, my favorite remedy for nausea was taking homeopathic Nux Vomica 30c. It was truly amazing. One tiny pill, and my nausea was temporarily alleviated - at least until I could get some food into my system. I also found ginger tea and peppermint tea to be helpful at times...

I have had sore knees for a number of years, but during my pregnancy the aching in my knees and ankles was far worse than I was used to. In addition to taking calcium-magnesium and making bone broth, I found acupuncture to be my favorite remedy. It was quite amazing the difference a treatment made.

For headaches, I found that I either needed to a) drink water, b) eat some protein, or c) get some sleep. Ta-da! Headache gone. A nice head massage also helped quite a bit...when I was lucky enough to get one! Christy also recommended homeopathic Gelsemium 30c for headaches. I never did try it, but I thought I would include it here as I have become more and more interested in homeopathy due to my experiences while pregnant and postpartum.

I had tingly hands during the first trimester as well as the third trimester. Again, keeping an eye on my hydration was key, but I also drank liquid chlorophyll to help with my blood flow. I added one tablespoon to water or juice or ginger tea and drank it once a day. You can find liquid chlorophyll in its normal "grass-flavored" state or with a peppermint flavor. I also drank liquid chlorophyll towards the end of my pregnancy and into the first few weeks postpartum to help regulate my blood. Chlorophyll (plant blood, basically) has an extremely similar make-up to human blood and therefore can help make our blood stronger and healthier.

For heartburn, Christy recommended papaya enzymes, slippery elm lozenges, and/or liquid calcium-magnesium. All very successful! These things can be found at WholeFoods or any natural foods store.

These are only a few of the ailments I experienced and only a few of the recommended remedies. I was impressed with how well they worked for me, and I felt good about the fact that I could find some more natural ways to alleviate my aches and pains, making my pregnancy a more enjoyable experience. Here's to Mother Nature and alternative treatments!

healthy premie!

In early September, I received a call from a client of mine who was due mid-October. She was on her way to the hospital because she thought her bag of waters had broken. We talked for a short time on the phone and then kept each other informed over the next few days. It turns out her water did break (for an unknown reason), but they wanted to keep her without inducing her so she could hit the 34 week mark before having her baby. We emailed back and forth and had a few phone conversations throwing around ideas for her options in such circumstances. The induction took a long time and was a rather difficult process as her body wasn't yet prepared to undergo labor, but after only four or five pushes (!), their little boy was born at 4lb 3oz. The most amazing part - he was breathing completely on his own! He stayed in the NICU for a short time but was amazingly strong and only needed help with eating as his suck/swallow reflex had not developed at the time. Now he is even stronger at 7lb - living life at home with his parents and breastfeeding well.

I am amazed at this story for so many reasons. First of all, my clients were both incredibly calm and accepting throughout the entire experience, taking each piece of the process as it came to them and making the best of it. To have a baby six weeks early must be difficult for so many reasons, but they simply opened their arms with excitement and said, "Here we go!" To think that such a tiny babe could breathe on his own also fills me with admiration - at a baby's abilities, at a woman's body... And now to see his growth and his progress makes me really happy and contributes to my belief in the benefits of breastmilk. I am also thankful that we live in a place where this babe could get the help he needed, even if it was only a bit of assistance. Many babies need more help than this, and we are very lucky to have access to some exceptional care.

Here's to happy endings...

Costume Swap in Swarthmore

I will be one of the local, green vendors at the following event. Come out and join us Friday, October 7th for what looks like an entertaining evening! Details below... 

The Swarthmore Community Center is located at 715 Harvard Ave. Swarthmore, PA 19081. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Childbirth Educator

"I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand." -Ancient Chinese Proverb

I spent the past weekend attending an intense childbirth educator training. Through discussion and interaction within the group, I learned a great deal about birth and discovered a bundle of fun and enticing teaching tools. Now that I am creating my own childbirth classes, I am enjoying the process of deciding not only what to teach but also how to teach. Instead of telling and telling and telling some more, I love figuring out how I can get the class out of their seats, learning through doing. I also hope to instill within women the confidence necessary to trust their bodies as well as their intuition. I remember a moment during my labor when I couldn't seem to progress further. I felt stuck (or rather, my son felt stuck). A few ideas were given to me, but I didn't like any of them, and when I did what my body told me to do, I progressed, and my son was born shortly thereafter. That was not something I learned in my childbirth class, but by emphasizing our natural ability to give birth, women will learn to feel confident enough to understand and to follow what their bodies are telling them. Within our culture, it is hard to believe in our bodies. Apart from how "sexy" women are supposed to be, our bodies don't get much attention. Instead, the focus is on how we can "help" our bodies along. In reality, in most cases, we don't need any help when it comes to birth. But we still have to learn, understand, and believe that to be true.

I hope that my classes enable women and their partners to discover the ideas and techniques that will help them to have their best birth. I hope that my clients will leave with greater confidence and understanding - in birth and in themselves.

Meet the Doulas at Studio 34!

Join us on Thursday, April 21st at Studio 34 in West Philadelphia (4522 Baltimore Ave) for a discussion of why doulas are beneficial during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Local doulas will be in attendance to answer questions and discuss options and availability with expecting families. Bring your questions and your friends!

Hope to see you there...
kate.

Meet the Doulas.
April 21st.
7pm.
Studio 34 - 4522 Baltimore Ave. West Philadelphia.
facebook invite here