I wish I could think of a punch line for this joke: A midwife, a doula and an obstetrician walk into a bar… but, I don’t really need one since I’ve gotten plenty of laughs just with that opening. Read more…. Humor as Natural Medicine
What would a baby choose for her birth? Editor-in-Chief Jan Tritten encourages us to think about what a baby might choose for birth and respect the baby, as well as the mother. Read more…. Baby’s Choice
Midwife Shafia Monroe talks about the beauty and sensuality of pregnant woman, how we need to honor them during that special time. “Of course midwives love babies. We work hard to provide care to ensure that a woman has a healthy pregnancy and thus a vigorous baby. But in actuality, midwives love women.” Read more…. Midwives Honor the Sensuality of Pregnancy and Birth
Technology can make take away the beauty of birth, when used unnecessarily. Editor Jan Tritten argues that midwives are in a position to change the tide of unnecessary technology, using the evidence that is accruing. Read more…. Technology: Stemming the Tide
I found out I was pregnant in June of ’94 and suddenly everything was different for me. It was as if I had a gun to my head; I had to get better RIGHT NOW. I was convinced that if I didn’t I was going to be the worst mother on the planet. – from Shakta’s story Read more…. Listening to Survivor Moms
One of my most important roles in my midwifery life is that of encourager. My desire is that you carry out the dreams given to you – and I know you have them. I delight in telling about people carrying out their dreams as a way, hopefully, to inspire you. Read more…. Birth Change
Anthropologist Robbie Davis-Floyd shares her experiences speaking about birth in Latin American countries, and identifies at least 21 ingredients necessary for creating a social movement that can effectively bring about birth change. Read more…. Changing Childbirth: The Latin American Example
In this memoir a midwife reflects on the story of her birth as a footling breech in Germany during WWII, and the homebirths that she has attended in her life. She touches on both themes, remembering not only breech births, but the role that animals have played in many births she has been involved with. Read more…. Footling Breech: A Midwife’s Own Birth Story
According to the Listening to Mothers II survey conducted in 2005, four in 10 women had their labors induced and 47% were augmented with Pitocin. Women are given epidurals, they are catheterized, they are forced to birth on their backs and nearly 30% have their babies cut out of them. Read more…. Who Are the Statistics?
Hasta hace 200 años toda la atención del nacimiento en el mundo era humanizada ya que era brindada por parteras que mantenían a la mujer en el centro, y en general, respetaban la naturaleza y la cultura. Read more…. La Partería Global – Tradicional y Oficial – y la Humanización del Nacimiento
Photo by Brett Zeck
Throughout history, women (midwives) have been in communities for other women to turn to for support with women’s concerns—not just reproductive health care, but also issues such as spousal abuse. Read more…. Global Midwifery—Traditional and Official—and Humanization of Birth
Illustration by Minhoon Kim
This third article in our four-part series on bullying focuses on the target of the bully, and the effects on her, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more…. The Target of the Bully and the Effects of PTSD
