Tip Tuesday: Learning How to Relax

Relaxation is actually something that many people must learn. There are several ways to learn how to relax: meditation, guided imagery, even dance and moment classes can all teach relaxation. Relaxation is about learning how to control your mind and body. Some relaxations exercises involve tensing and relaxing of each muscle group in a coordinated series. Some ways to relax include breathing or rhythmic movements. Others can even involve hypnosis.  Practice relaxing so that you are very comfortable with your ability to relax yourself.  If you find it difficult, consider taking a yoga class, talking to a health care providers, or reading material on relaxation to get some technique tips.

Fertility Friday: Plant Proteins

Animal proteins have long been favored over their plant protein counterparts.  Animal proteins have more satiety, due to their higher fat content and then are often complete proteins in themselves and do not need to be complimented. This was an excellent way to maintain a good metabolism and appropriate amount of fat and calories when food was less abundant. Today, with food so abundant it is easy to consume the right compliment of plant proteins to get a complete protein.  Eating animal proteins can increase the amount of insulin like growth factor 1, contributing to infertility and poor ovulation.  So substitute a few animal based proteins a week for eggs, legumes, or soy.

Tip Tuesday: Write it Down

As you think about your birthing experience, write it down. Visualize how you see the labor and delivery experience progressing and your own reaction to what happens. Keep in mind, while the timing of labor can be unpredictable, a lot of what happens once labor starts can be steady, calm and reassuring.  Write down where you will be, who will be with you and different birthing scenarios as well as a the perfect dream scenario.  While we can't always "plan" for birth, we can "try on" different scenarios.

Tip Tuesday: Natural Birth: You can do it!

You can do it. Sometimes just saying these words to yourself can be enough to send you down the wonderful journey to prepare for natural childbirth.  It is something that you are completely capable of and your body is more than able to do. Preparation is the key. Align yourself with a supportive team and plan for preparation and you will do it. Find a great class that you connect with. Read inspiring birth stories. Assemble you birthing team. Get connected with a provider that you trust and will support you and invite others to attend you during the birthing and preparation process. You are amazing, you are wonderful. You can do it.

Which IUD should I choose?

I receive many questions about IUDs (intrauterine devices) and because of older versions of these devices were harmful, their current offsprings have gotten a bad rap. In fact, IUDs are
extremely effecitve and patients who use them are very satisfied.  We only have about 6% of women in the United States who use birth control using IUDs. Part of this is becasue are mothers are remembering IUDs from the 60's and how they decreased fertility and increase the risk of uterine infection. We also still think that they are not for women who have never been pregnant, when in fact, they are a great idea for these women.  Currently, there are three types of IUDs on the market: Click on each for a link to their site.

• Skyla
• Mirena
• Paragard

Hormonal
Skyla are Mirena are progesterone containing IUDs and are made of plastic. The Paragard is a non-hormonal containing IUD made of copper. The Skyla and Mirena work by thickening the cervical mucus and blocking sperm from entering the uterus. They also work to inhibit ovulation and implanation.  

Non-Hormonal
The Paragard IUD works by preventing fertilization.  When there is a foreign body in the uterus, it causes an inflammatory reaction which disruptions fertilization, implanation and is hostle to sperm.

For more information, click of each link to see the prescribers information and talk to your healthcare provider.

Midwifery Model of Care

Often, I am asked about how midiwves care for women differently than other obsterical providers.  And while, it's different midwife to midwife, there is the basic Midwifery Model of Care that I'd like to share as a fundation for why we are different.

Midwives Model of Care™

The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwives Model of Care includes:

·       monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle

·       providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support

 

·       minimizing technological interventions and;

·       identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention