Archive for Midwives
A Job Opportunity for Area Midwives
Denise Midstokke CPM, recently contacted Bloom to let us know of a job opening at her beautiful birth center in Sandpoint, ID. We don’t have a classified section on our website, perhaps this is something that we will develop in the future, but we still wanted to share this opportunity with our readers. Denise says: [...]
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What is “Orgasmic Birth”?
No doubt, the feature film of Bloom Spokane’s upcoming 2011 BIRTH! Film Festival has some of you wondering, “Orgasmic Birth? What kind of film festival is this?” It’s one you definitely SHOULD NOT MISS!
I’ve had a DVD copy of the film Orgasmic Birth sitting on the kitchen counter in my house for the past week and it has raised more than a few eyebrows of those who have passed through—my husband’s included. I knew that we had viewed scenes from this movie during the HypnoBirthing class we took in San Francisco over 4 years ago now, but I had never sat down and watched the full-length movie until tonight. I was blown away by the births represented in this film and you will be too.
Pregnant With Twins? Now What?
Being pregnant with twins is hard. It’s hard on your body and your mind. During my twin pregnancy, I found it to be most difficult mentally (once the puking stopped around week 15 anyway). The medical establishment, and therefore most people, expects a woman pregnant with twins to have an elective cesarean section around week 38. This is not what I wanted, so I spent a lot of time researching my options. I am also a birth doula, so I went into pregnancy with a lot of knowledge.
The first thing to remember with any pregnancy is that you MUST be flexible. I wanted a natural, unmedicated birth. I did not get that. I spent my time finding a doctor who was supportive of the birth that I wanted, but he did lay out some guidelines. [...]
6 Things I Learned from Ina May Gaskin
Last Friday I attended the Midwives Association of Washington State Spring Conference where Ina May Gaskin, “mother of modern midwifery,” schooled us on the horrifying history of childbirth in the U.S. and shared her thoughts on restoring childbirth to its rightful owners—women! The title of Ina May’s presentation that day was, “Combining the Best of [...]
Spokane Midwives Birth Center
MARCH 23
As Bloom Spokane works to educate our community about mother-friendly birth options, we encounter parents who are surprised to discover that Spokane has a freestanding birth center—an independently owned and operated (non-hospital affiliated) facility run by midwives who provide prenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, incorporating family-centered maternity care concepts and practices.
Spokane Midwives is the private practice of Washington State licensed midwives Beth Morrill and Linda Morgan located just north of downtown Spokane at 127 East Euclid Street. The birth center provides a comfortable, home-like environment where families attend their prenatal appointments and can choose to give birth. Spokane Midwives’ patients are also cared for by the two student midwives in training at the birth center—Terri Young and Amber Morrill assist in prenatal checkups and attend births with the midwives while preparing to become licensed midwives themselves. [...]
Spokane Baby Fair 2011
MARCH 14, 2011
There is power in numbers! Bloom Spokane and our fabulous group of exhibitors made a powerful statement at yesterday’s Baby Fair. Our group of 15 mother-friendly organizations and providers occupied quite a large section of the event and no one there could deny that the Spokane region is home to a wealth of information and services dedicated to helping women realize their full potential during the childbearing year. [...]
Birth Advice from Labor & Delivery Nurses
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
In the U.S., approximately 90% of women give birth in hospitals. It is the cultural “norm” in this country and the birth setting where most parents feel comfortable. However, the latest studies point to an unnecessary overuse of technology during pregnancy and birth. As Jennifer Block writes in Pushed, “Decades of research show that the healthiest birth for you and your baby — and that means your partner, your family, and your community — is a normal, vaginal birth with minimal intervention and maximum support.” [...]
How to Turn a Breech Baby: You Have Options!
DECEMBER 29, 2010
I recently met a local woman who is 30-weeks pregnant with her first child. As we talked about her upcoming birth she mentioned that her baby was breech (buttocks or feet down). During her last prenatal visit her obstetrician told her, “If your baby doesn’t turn before your due date, we’ll have to do a c-section.” I asked if her doctor had given her any information on some of the different things she could try to help her baby turn head down—the optimal position for a vaginal birth. He hadn’t. She was surprised that there was anything she could do and expressed an interest in avoiding a cesarean if at all possible. [...]
Review Your Maternity Care Provider Online
OCTOBER 29, 2010
Bloom Spokane believes that women of childbearing age must have access to information that will help them choose maternity care providers and institutions that are most compatible with their own philosophies and needs. This includes being able to access patient feedback on doctors, midwives, hospitals and birth centers.
If you’ve given birth in the United States in the past three years, you are eligible to participate in The Birth Survey. Thanks to The Birth Survey: Transparency in Maternity Care, “women can now give consumer reviews of doctors, midwives, hospitals, and birth centers, learn about the choices and birth experiences of others, and view data on hospital and birth center standard practices and intervention rates.” If enough women take this survey, it could have a serious impact on maternity care in the U.S. [...]
Bloom Spokane Announces New Childbirth Class
It’s Your Birth. Know All Your Options.
Bloom Spokane is launching a new public education program to encourage, inform and support local childbearing families during their journey on the road to parenthood. The goal of the class called “It’s Your Birth. Know All Your Options” is to help parents identify the type of birth that’s best for them and make a plan for achieving that birth. [...]
