Archive for August, 2009
Birth Story Giveaway
VISIT THE BLOOM STORE
Every natural childbirth experience is unique. Whether you got the home birth experience you dreamed of or ended up with a surprise emergency c-section, your story can serve to educate, inspire and prepare expecting mothers for the journey that lies ahead. [...]
READ THE FULL ARTICLE
Birth Blogs I Like
I spend a good amount of time every week looking at websites and blogs covering topics like natural childbirth, women’s rights, parenting, breastfeeding, eco-green-organic-natural living, etc. There’s a lot of great stuff out there and I’d like to share a few of my favorite recent discoveries with you. Let me know if you have any recommendations you think I should include on future posts. I’m always on the lookout for great sites and want to share them with Bloom readers. [...]
Why Are There So Many C-Sections?
You probably know a few women who have had c-section births and may wonder “Will I have to have one too?” The answer may lie in the type of prenatal care provider you choose and how much personal responsibility you take for the birth of your child. Recent studies put the c-section rate in the U.S. at over 30% and show it trending upward still. Because health care typically pays doctors and hospitals more for a quick c-section than it does for long, drawn-out vaginal births, there is more incentive to perform surgery and get patients in and out quickly. It’s safe to say that the health care system is providing incentives for c-sections and if you put your birth in the hands of a doctor or hospital who is paid by the insurance providers you likely have a 30% chance of having a c-section yourself—unless, of course, you have carefully selected a provider with a low c-section rate, educated yourself about the birth process and are willing to advocate for what’s in the best interest of your health and that of your unborn baby. [...]
Take Action on MomsRising
If I had a “Site of the Month” on Bloom (which perhaps I should), I would make MomsRising.org the first featured website. I hear from working mothers all the time about the difficulties they encounter trying to get paid maternity leave, taking time off of work to care for sick children, lack of good health care and how they wish employers would provide flexible work hours or career options that would allow parents to meet their families needs. I think a lot of moms would take more time off of work after having a baby if they could afford to do so and if their jobs were guaranteed to be waiting for them upon their return. [...]
