Fathers Present at Birth
In 1952, British author, anthropologist and humanitarian Ashley Montagu wrote: “Women are the mothers of humanity; do not let us ever forget that or underemphasize its importance. What mothers are to their children, and to others, so will men be to...
The Vital First Adjustment
The baby was born without respiration or a heartbeat. There are moments in one’s life where time seems to slow down and you truly do experience an out-of-body sensation. There were so many things going on around me, but all I could do was stare at t...
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: The Potential Dangers of Epidural Anesthesia
The modern woman is task-oriented. We live in a world that places demands on our competence, attention and efficiency. We use technology, tap into our communities and plumb the depths of our reserves to navigate an often hyper-masculinized world...
Natural Birth Isn't Beneficial
Hey, what’s up with that headline? Is that a typo? Aren’t you a proponent of natural birth? Why, yes. Yes, I am. What I want to share with you is an idea that has been spreading in the breastfeeding world for some time now, and I thi...
Enhancing Our Babies' Innate Expression
When my husband and I became parents, we had a strong recognition that children were intelligent, conscious beings responsive to their surrounding experiences. The world around us was waking up with what was termed the “Human Potential Movement.” Fro...
Babies Remember Birth
What do you see when you look at a newborn baby, bright-eyed, gazing straight at you? Is there really a person there? Silently frowning or beet-red with rage, can this baby think and feel? For its small size, a newborn makes a powerful, compelling...
10 Things I Wish All Women Knew About Giving Birth
When I was pregnant, I seemed to be a magnet for birth war stories—cords around the neck, emergency cesareans, and more. It took a lot of inner conviction to believe in birth as a natural, beautiful event that my body was capable of, rather than a...
Birth Is the Key
A natural birth unlocks breastfeeding potential and so much more."Breastfeeding is complicated, and most mothers can’t do it.” That’s what this culture has thought for decades. But the more we learn, the more we realize that human newborns are...
New Blood
Infants have a right to all the blood they’re born with. Why are doctors keeping it from them?Are we allowing our health providers to rob our babies of their full potential of health, intelligence, immunity and longevity? At the time of b...
The Controversy Reignites
Vitamin K shots are routine for most newborns... but the practice has its dark side.The controversy surrounding administering vitamin K shots to newborns recently surfaced when physicians at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at V...
The Twinkle in Your Parents' Eyes: Conscious Conception and Conscious Pregnancy
You know the expression, “When you were only a twinkle in your parents’ eyes.” The phrase conjures up the happiness of loving parents who truly want to conceive a child. It turns out it is also a phrase that sums up the latest genetic research...
Risks of Induced Labor
A new study linking labor induction to increased autism risk made the news last year. This latest study on the connection between induction and risk of autism comes out of Duke University, and was reported in the Journal of the American Medical...
Estimating the Estimated Due Date
“I’m due on May 27th!” I was told enthusiastically by a friend who just found out she was pregnant. It took more than a little effort to mask my cringe and share her joy. Little did she know that within hours of her positive pregnancy test, she had...
Letter to a Labor and Delivery Nurse
Dear Labor and Delivery Nurse, This letter could also be addressed to doctors and midwives, but it is you, nurse, whom most expectant mothers interact with throughout their labors. I understand that you were called to this profession for a...
A Touch to Heal: A Chiropractor Helps Direct an At-Risk Newborn Toward Wellness
The text came through at 10:41 p.m. on a Friday night. It was from our midwife, Michelle Ruebke, C.P.M.: “I just delivered a baby and think he needs to see one of you guys. He’s too fussy (not crying) and won’t nurse.” Instantly I turned to my wife,...
Birth as Initiation
Imagine yourself in a large, dark room lit by the flame of a single lamp at the center of a table in front of you. The air is thick and warm with the humidity of the 50 people who have remained seated behind you for two hours. You’re tired, yet y...
Eyes Wide Open: Are Informed Mothers and Autonomous Childbirth the Answer to Our Modern Obstetric Dilemmas?
The mosquitoes weren’t as bad that year. I was thankful. Typically, through the summer, they were so thick in our part of the city that it was hard to be in our yard. My quilt was spread out under the pawpaw tree, and tailor-sitting in that shade, I...
Mother and Child are Linked at the Cellular Level
The Mother and Child Connection As we approach this Mother’s Day, I wish to honor all mothers and show an understanding of the healing relationship we have shared with our mothers and our children, and how they have reciprocated this...
The Growing Role of Chiropractic in Childbirth Education
There are few things harder for a childbirth educator to watch than a couple who tried desperately to achieve a natural birth have it slip through their fingers. How do well-prepared people sometimes end up with a birth very different than the one...
The Pregnancy Circle: Preparing for Motherhood One Breath at a Time
What would the transition into motherhood be like if women were encouraged to build their own inner strength throughout pregnancy? What if a woman knew she already held her own answers, and that all she had to do was to trust her intuition? How...
