Fall 2009Volume 5Issue 22Special Birth Stories Edition

Morning StarNewsletter

Greetings Friends, Alas, summer is truly behind us. In most circumstances, this wouldn’t be something

I’d take any pleasure in acknowledging, but this year it means we are all the closer to the opening of our St. Louis Park location. We have encountered numerous unanticipated delays, but the project is proceeding, slowly, carefully, well watched and cared for at each new phase. And we are getting EXCITED!

In the meantime, Morning Star has initiated the accreditation process of both birth centers with the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Once complete, this extremely involved evaluation process will help us to ensure that the birth centers are functioning in adherence to the highest standards of quality and that the centers’ care is consistent with the philosophies of the American Association of Birth Centers. Accreditation is seen as a symbol of excellence. Our Menomonie site visit is in early November!

As we wait for this construction to be complete, it became clear that we needed a temporary “home” in the West for all our Minnesota mamas. In August we found and rented a beautiful space in Edina, MN where we can see clients for all aspects of care, teach classes and be close enough on a regular basis to conduct general business. Most of the furnishings, supplies and equipment are all purchased and ready to move to our new space when it’s complete!

I’d like to say a special “Thank You” to all who have shared your resources, donated library materials (you should see that library!), offered your kind words, cheers of support and precious time to educate others and promote Morning Star and the Birth Center option as we make strides toward increasing maternity care choices and improving birth outcomes for metro area moms and families.

Thank you all for your support and patience, and most of all, your encouragement and enthusiasm during the “birthing”

of the first modern Twin Cities Freestanding Birth Cen-ter! I am proud of and humbled by the task before me, and look forward to celebrating with you at our Grand Opening!! Join our Facebook page “Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center” and keep spreading the word!

With Love,

Paula Bernini Feigal, CPMOwner/Director, Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center

Newsletter

Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center

now also located inSt. Louis Park, MN

at 6111 Excelsior Boulevard just west of Hwy 100

• Same Great Care!• Convenient Location!• FINALLY HERE!Morning Star is honored

to offer maternity care in the wellness model to women and families in the Twin Cities starting August 2009. Our beautiful temporary location in Edina is in use during construction where all classes, meetings and appointments are being held.

Call for an appointment or for more information!

612-92-BIRTH

News of Interest ....................... 2Calendar of Events .................... 3Frequently Asked Questions ..... 4Quote of the Quarter ................ 4Cloth Diapering ........................ 6Rebecca’s Birth Story ................ 8Christian Yoga & Pregnancy ... 10Henry’s Pictoral Birth Story ... 11

Wisdom of Ages,Science of Today™

Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center Wisdom of Ages, Science of Today™

321 13th Street SE, Menomonie, WI 54751 • T: 715.231.3100 F: 715.231.31016111 Excelsior Boulevard, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 • T: 612.92.BIRTH ww

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www.MorningStarBirth.com

Page 2 The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22

American Association of Birth Centers Legislative Alert

Major Milestone Achievedby Jill Alliman, CNM, MSN, Legislative Committee Chair of American Association of Birth Centers

H.R. 2358 - The Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act - Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Reps. Susan Davis (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act to ensure Medicaid birth center facility fee payments to states.

Today, President Obama announced that health care leaders have pledged to save the nation $2 trillion in the next 10 years. Birth

centers are part of the solution to our soaring maternity care costs, and they also provide a safety net for Medicaid women. This is not the time to be discontinuing payment to facilities that provide safe, cost-effective care for healthy women with Medicaid

All or our work is paying off, however, we still have much to do to pass this legislation.

NEXT STEP: Call your U.S. Representatives and Senators

Ask your Representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 2358 The Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act. Ask your Senators to sponsor a Senate Bill

We need EVERYONE to take action and ensure that our bill is passed as soon as possible!

Son, Henry George Fish, July 21, 2009 at 8:05 pm, 8 lbs, 1 oz., 20.5 in. Born to Amy and Matthew of Eau Claire, WI.

Daughter, Isabel Marie Killough, August 30, 2009, 6 lb. 15oz. Born to Michelle Ziats and Nathan Killough of Eau Claire, WI.

Daughter, Jordyn Grace Kazort, September 2, 2009 at 8:09 pm, 8 lbs. 15.5 oz., 21 in. Born to Rebecca and Adam of Altoona, WI.

Son, Seth Paul Holmstadt, September 6, 2009 at 7:54 pm, 6 lbs. 3 oz., 19 in. Born to Valorie and Randy of Plum City, WI.

Son, Marshall Edward Ehlebracht, September 9, 2009 at 6:52 pm, 9 lbs. 4 oz., 21 in. Born to Lee and Wayne of Otsego, MN.

Son, James Aaron Bourget, September 14, 2009 at 11:01 pm, 7 lbs. 15 oz., 21 in. Born to Kathryn and Aaron of Boyd, WI.

Son, Oliver Scott Hanson, September 22, 2009 at 12:02 pm, 7 lbs. 7.5 oz., 20.75 in. Born to Jenni-fer and Robert of White Bear Township, MN.

Daughter, Delilah Marion Lee Eichhorst, Octo-ber 1, 2009 at 5:50 am, 8 lbs. 4.5 oz., 21.5 in. Born to Carly and Matt of St. Paul, MN.

Daughter, Elsa Marie Swartz, October 9, 2009 at 4:17 am, 6 lbs. 7 oz., 19 in. Born to Jodi and Kris of Altoona, WI.

Menomonie St. Louis Park

AUG 31, 2009 Canadian Medical Journal:

Outcomes of planned home birth with registered midwife versus planned hospital birth with midwife or physician

Background: Studies of planned home births attended by reg-istered midwives have been limited by incomplete data, nonrepre-sentative sampling, inadequate statistical power and the inability to exclude unplanned home births. We compared the outcomes of planned home births attended by midwives with those of planned hospital births attended by midwives or physicians.

Interpretation: Planned home birth attended by a registered mid-wife was associated with very low and comparable rates of perinatal death and reduced rates of obstetric interventions and other adverse perinatal outcomes compared with planned hospital birth attended by a midwife or physician.

“The rest of the world knows!”

Eligibility requirements for home birthmandated by the College of Midwives of British Columbia

• Absence of significant pre-existing disease, including heart dis-ease, hypertensive chronic renal disease or type 1 diabetes

• Absence of significant disease arising during pregnancy, includ-ing pregnancy-induced hypertension with proteinuria (> 0.3 g/L by urine dipstick), antepartum hemorrhage after 20 weeks’ gestation, gestational diabetes requiring insulin, active genital herpes, placenta previa or placental abruption

• Singleton fetus• Cephalic presentation• Gestational age greater than 36 and less than 41 completed

weeks of pregnancy• Mother has had no more than 1 previous cesarean section• Labour is spontaneous or induced on an outpatient basis• Mother has not been transferred to the delivery hospital from a

referring hospital

The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22 Page 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

Schedule of EventsOct. 31 - SLP Center ClosedNov. 7 - Men. Center ClosedNov. 7 - Handling Complications

Men. 1:00 p.m.Nov. 9, 11, 16, 18 - Childbirth Ed.

Series Men. 5:30-8 p.m.Nov. 12 - Handling Complications

Men. 2-3:30 p.m.Nov. 21 - Early Home Care Men.

1-2:30 p.m.Nov. 14 - Early Home Care SLP 1-

2:30 p.m.Nov. 19 - Mother’s Tea: Winter

Car Seat Safety - Make certain your child’s car seat is properly installed and utlitized during treacherous winter driving. Presented by Nicole Wocelka, Child Passenger Safety Technician Men. 12-2 p.m.

Nov. 16 - Handling Complications SLP 4-5:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 - Early Home Care Men. 4-5:30 p.m.

Nov. 26 & 27 - Centers Closed

Novem

ber 2009

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

Schedule of EventsDec. 5 - Handling Complications

Men. 1-2:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 - Early Home Care SLP 5:30-7 p.m.

Dec. 9 - Handling Complications Men. 4-5:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 - Handling Complications SLP 1-2:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 - Mother’s Tea: Placenta Medicine presented by Emily Cisco Men. 12-2 p.m.

Dec. 19 - Early Home Care Men. 1-2:30 p.m.

Dec. 23 - Early Home Care Men. 4-5:30 p.m.

Dec. 24-26 - Centers Closed

Dec

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Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center321 13th St. SE

Menomonie, WI 54751715.231.3100

6111 Excelsior BlvdSt. Louis Park, MN 55416

612.92.BIRTHWisdom of Ages, Science of Today™

Childbirth Ed. Class I

Men. at 5:30 p.m.

Childbirth Ed. Class II

Men. at 5:30 p.m.

Handling ComplicationsMen. at 2:00 p.m.

HandlingComplicationsSLP at 4:00 p.m.Childbirth Ed.

Class IIIMen. at 5:30 p.m.

Childbirth Ed. Class IV

Men. at 5:30 p.m.

Early Home Care

Men. at 1:00 p.m.

EarlyHome Care

Men. at 4:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

SLP at 1:00 p.m.

Mother’s TeaWinter Car Seat Safety

Men. at 12:00 p.m.

Centers Closed Centers Closed

Men. Center Closed

HappyThanksgiving

Handling ComplicationsMen. at 1:00 p.m.

Handling ComplicationsMen. at 4:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

SLP at 1:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

SLP at 4:00 p.m.

Early Home Care

SLP at 5:30 p.m.

Handling ComplicationsMen. at 1:00 p.m.

Centers Closed Centers Closed Centers Closed

Mother’s Tea:Placenta Medicine

Men. at 12:00 p.m.

MerryChristmas

Men.=Menomonie

SLP=St. Louis Park

Men.=Menomonie

SLP=St. Louis Park

Page 4 The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22

Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: I am only weeks away from my due date and have realized

that my doctor or hospital isn’t meeting my needs. Can I become a client during pregnancy?

A: Of course you can!

Women have transferred in to care to Morning Star Wom-en’s Health and Birth Center at all points in their pregnancy. We get phone calls every week from women whom have discovered that their hospital or care provider isn’t meeting their needs. Some wom-en need some time to realize that their fears about birth are misplaced and that they want to follow their heart and have their baby in a private, relaxed setting, rather than in the hustle and bustle of the hospital “just in case”.

Becoming a client during pregnancy typi-cally starts with an interview with one of our midwives. You will be able to ask ques-tions and have them answered and the mid-wife will be able to get to know you and help you determine if Morning Star is the place for you.

Some women who are considering switching care providers worry about offending or disappointing their current provider. While this displays a great deal of thoughtfulness on your part, you should know that no doctor or midwife practice wants an unhappy patient. You have the right to exactly the care you desire and if you can’t get it with your current provider, no one will fault you for switching. The clinical staff at Morn-ing Star make every effort to work with other care providers so that the transition of care is as easy and friendly as possible.

Q: What back up hospital do you use?

A: We do not have written or formal agree-ments with any hospital. About 8 in 100 women

will need hospital care once they’ve been admitted to the Birth Cen-

ter in labor. Almost all of these will be non-urgent cases, and the midwife and the family go to the hospital together in a private car.

During your prenatal visits, we will discuss if you already have a posi-tive relationship established with any hospital, and discuss the pos-sibility of using that facility for transfer of care if it becomes necessary. Remember, most transports are non-urgent, there is no rush. Morning Star clinical staff enjoys the opportunity to meet providers and staff from various hospitals in the area, and are confident that your care can be seamlessly transferred. One way we help to facilitate this

is by having the client fill out a hospital pre-registration form from your chosen hospital, which we will keep as part

of your medical record. Another way we help make transport easier and better for birthing moms is by

staying with you during your birth and sharing pertinent records and progress notes with your care team in the hospital.

In the rare case that urgent transport to the hospital is required, Morning Star staff will arrange for ambulance transport to the nearest medical center, and your midwife will follow in a private vehicle, provide pertinent history to

the hospital staff and assist as possible with your labor support and birth care.

Q: Do you use doulas?

A: Yes! Morning Star is very famil-iar and comfortable with special

services that a Doula can provide. We do not employ birth Doulas but welcome the family to hire a Doula for their birth if they wish to. Your care providers at Morning Star are acutely aware of the physical and emotional needs of

the birthing woman/family, and are skilled and trained to provide that care throughout your labor, but some women find comfort in adding another trained support person to

their team. We do feature a “tuck-in” program, and contract with trained Doulas to accompany the family home from the

birth center, get mom and babe tucked into bed, arrange supplies, prepare a snack, provide some additional education and support breastfeeding.

“”Qu

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Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

— Mahatma GandhiQuote of the QuarterQuoteQuarterQuote

The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22 Page 5

The MAMA campaign is a collaborative effort by the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM), Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), Citizens for Midwifery (CfM), International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC), North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), and the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC).

This partnership is now at work to gain federal recognition of Certified Professional Midwives so that women and families will have increased access to quality, affordable maternity care in the settings of their choice.

Federal recognition that enables Certified Professional Midwives to be Medicaid providers would:

• Increase the number of safe, qualified, affordable maternity care providers

• Eliminate current discriminatory policies that prevent low-income women on Medicaid from access to CPM services in their communities

• Save money and add no extra costs: women on Medicaid who choose an out-of-hospital birth with a Certified Professional Midwife would incur lower costs for Medicaid than if they had used a physician in a hospital

Increased access to Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) can address the goals of health care reform:

• Ensure quality care for every American – CPMs provide evidence-based, prevention-oriented and health-promoting care, with more babies that are healthy, full weight and full term, and much lower rates of cesarean section and medical interventions.

• Reduce costs – The reduction in interventions, unnecessary cesarean sections, and the associated increased health status of mothers and babies under the care of CPMs would lead to a cost savings to the US health care system.

• Guarantee choice – If CPMs are included in Medicaid reimbursement or a federal insurance program, CPMs

and out-of- hospital birth would be available to all women, not just those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket.

Maternity care must be given priority if health care reform is to succeed:

• 4.3 million American women give birth each year

• 23% of all hospital discharges are related to childbearing

• Cesarean section is the most common operating room procedure in the U.S.

• Charges associated with pregnancy, delivery and newborn care are the most costly hospital condition for both Medicaid and private insurers

• The U.S. ranks behind most industrialized countries in basic indicators such as maternal and neonatal mortality

Midwives are the key to increasing access to effective maternity care:

• The American Public Health Association and the World Health Organization recommend midwives as the primary maternity care providers for the majority of women

• Nations with the lowest infant mortality employ midwives as the primary maternity care providers for the majority of women

• Mounting evidence supports the value and cost-savings potential of midwifery care

• CPMs are trained skilled credentialed attendants for out-of-hospital births

• Birth centers and planned home birth have been shown to be safe for low-risk women, with demonstrated potential to significantly reduce costs to the system

• CPMs are currently licensed in 25 states and own approximately half of the birth centers in the U.S.

Federal action is needed now to support on-going state efforts to increase access to quality maternity care and reduce costs:

• Reimburse and/or employ CPMs in publicly subsidized health care plans and services, including, but not limited to, Medicaid and Medicare, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, the National Health Service Corps, and the Indian Health Service

• Establish equitable reimbursement rates within applicable federal legislation

• Mandate reimbursement for birth centers

• Expand federal resources to educate more midwives

• Implement guidelines for evidence-based practice a n d cost-effective care in federal health care reform initiatives

Visit www.mamacampaign.org for more information and to take action! Together, WE ARE making a difference!

The Midwives and Mothers in Action (MAMA) Campaign is launched!The MAMA Campaign: Advocating for CPMs as a high-value option for quality cost effective maternity care

”Quote of the QuarterQuote

Page 6 The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22

by Amber Richards, Diapering Diva & Owner of Punkerdoops Diapers

“You use CLOTH diapers?” This is a common reaction that I re-ceive from people. I go on to explain that these are not your mother and grandmother’s cloth diapers! Modern cloth diapering utilizes ingenuity and technology to provide a fun, easy, economical, and en-vironmentally friendly solution to your diapering needs. The cloth diapers of today are washed right in your own washing machine and are fastened with plastic snaps or Velcro – no pins, rubber pants, or soaking required!

When I was pregnant with my daughter, Evelyn, I never considered cloth diapering. In my mind I was thinking of toilet dunking, bleach, and pins associated with the old way of cloth diapering. It wasn’t un-til Evelyn was three months old and having persistent diaper rashes

and leaky diapers that I started to research switching to cloth. I had a few long-dis-tance friends who used cloth diapers and suggested that ditching disposables would be the cure to both the rash and diaper explosions I was experiencing.

My research concluded that switch-ing to cloth would not only remedy my problems, but would also save our fam-ily a great deal of money and would give us the opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint and keep literally tons of trash out of landfills. When Evelyn was four months old she wore her first cloth diaper and I fell in love with “fluff” (aka cloth diapers) and became an immediate cloth diaper advocate and informant to every-

one I meet. Very few people I encounter understand the existence let alone ease and simplicity of using modern cloth diapers. I know more parents would make the switch to cloth if they could learn more about cloth diapering and see the benefits in action.

BenefitsCloth diapering has boundless benefits. Disposable diapers can

cost upwards of $2000 for just one child, whereas cloth diapers can be used for a gradual investment of around only $300 and can be used for several children. The benefits of cloth reach every aspect of environmental protection. Using cloth diapers prevents thousands of tons of solid waste containing chemical and human feces from entering our landfills. According to the Real Diaper Association, disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in land-fills; and over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR (http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php). Cloth diapers are free from chemicals such as Dioxin and other toxins found in disposable diapers. Many parents agree that cloth diapered babies potty train earlier and that they simply love the sight of their baby’s bum in a soft and fun patterned diaper!

Diapering SystemsParents may be overwhelmed by the plethora of styles, designs,

manufacturers, fabrics, and acronyms of the modern cloth diapering world. There are cloth diapers for every preference, budget, baby body type, and style of family. The first step in understanding mod-ern cloth diapering is to know what I call the four basic “Diapering Systems.”

• Prefold w/Cover: “Staple” of cloth diapering – a flat diaper that is thicker in the middle and gets folded and optionally secured with a Snappi (a plastic T-shaped invention that eliminates the need for pins) then covered with a water-proof cover. Great for all ages of babies. Covers only need to be washed when soiled. Covers can be made of a special breathable yet waterproof fabric called poly-urethane-laminated cloth (PUL) or out of wool. PUL covers fas-ten at the hips like a disposable with Velcro or snaps. Thirsties brand covers are an excellent cover featuring signature leg gussets that ensure a leak proof fit on any shape of baby. Prefolds come in Chinese or Indian cotton, and are either bleached or unbleached. The important thing is to pick a prefold that is 100% cotton and “diaper service quality” (DSQ). Prefolds from wholesale stores often have non-absorbent polyester batting in the middle rather than extra layers of cotton.

• Fitted Diaper w/Cover: Sized, contoured and fitted to baby’s shape

with elasticized waist and leg openings. Fastens with plastic snaps or Velcro. Fitted diapers

still need a waterproof cover, but skip the folding and

securing of a prefold. Thirsties Fab Fitted diapers are made from a super soft velvety

cotton velour and offer a trim appearance. Thirsties Fab Fitteds have a maximum absorbency of 18 oz and are appropriate for both light and heavy wetters.

• Pocket Diaper: Two-layered (PUL outer and fleece-lined inner) diaper with a space/pocket to place an absorbent insert into. Insert made of microfiber, cotton, or hemp. Specific inserts are available, or you can tri-fold a prefold for a great insert. Fleece lining of pocket diapers keeps baby feeling more “dry”. FuzziBunz Pocket Diapers are sized diapers made by the inventor of the pocket diaper and feature durable snap closures and a large stuffing pocket enabling you to stuff the diaper with as many layers as needed for baby’s absorbency needs. The Tiny Tush Elite Pocket Diaper is a one-sized pocket diaper mean-ing they fit babies from 7-35 pounds. This works by utilizing a four-row snap down system that allows the rise of the diaper to be adjusted incrementally from newborn, infant, crawler, to toddler.

• All-In-One (AIO): One-piece diaper with the absorbency system and waterproof cover sewn to-gether all-in-one – just like the name. Diaper secures with Velcro or plastic snaps. “Ease” of disposables and totally Dad and sitter ap-proved! The Thristies Pocket All-In-One diaper goes on in one simple step and fastens with sturdy Velcro for a perfect fit at every

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The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22 Page 7

diaper change. The built-in absorbent core is made of microfiber that can absorb seven times its weight in liquid! This makes for a very ab-sorbent yet trim diaper. The Thirsties Pocket AIO is unique in that it combines a pocket with an all-in-one system; it has absorbency built right in, but also has a pocket to easily secure additional absorbency with extra doublers.

QuantityYour diapering system, budget, washing routine and age of your

baby determines how many diapers you need. Many parents have a variety of diapers with prefolds being the “staple” and some pockets and AIO’s for going out and about, sitters, and nighttime. Newborns need the most fre-quent changing, so having 24-36 pre-folds or fitteds eas-ily allows for those frequent changes plus washing. Pre-folds and covers are the most economi-cal plus they contain those newborn poop explosions! Six to eight covers are plenty if washing every other day. Washing daily allows for a smaller supply. Infants (3-4 months) need fewer changes and 18-20 diapering systems should suffice. Toddlers need fewer changes, but absorbency becomes the main issue.

Care/UseWashing cloth diapers is as simple as washing clothes. Each dia-

per manufacturer has washing instructions that should be read and followed to not void any warranties. A basic diaper routine con-

sists of placing used diapers, covers, and cloth wipes into a dry pail (a loosely covered trash bin works great.) PUL coated pail liners are great and enable a

no-touch system of dumping dirty diapers into the washing machine. Wash diapers daily or every other day in hot water with 1/4 to 1/2 the

amount of regular detergent. Run a second cold rinse to eliminate any leftover detergent. It is important to use enough detergent that the diapers smell clean, but not so much that they are left smelling like detergent. Dry diapers in the sun or on hot in the dryer with a few dry towels to speed up the drying process. Air-drying covers and pocket diapers will increase their lifespan.

Many parents ask, “what abut the poop?” Babies who are exclu-sively breastfed produce poop that is completely water-soluble and their soiled diapers get thrown into the pail and washer as-is. Wash-ing completely removes the poop and leaves no stains. Babies on sol-ids have thicker poop that does need to be removed with either the help of flushable diaper lin-ers or a diaper sprayer attached to your toilet. Older babies and toddlers have poop that is easily “ploppable” right into the toilet.

Diapering on the go is also easy thanks to PUL lined wet-bags designed to hold soiled cloth diapers and their odors. Nighttime cloth diapering is easy and leak-free by adding to absor-bency to your diaper system with hemp or microfiber doublers.

Warm FuzziesCloth diapering is fun, rewarding, economical, eco-friendly, and

baby friendly. I have gotten so much joy out of watching my daugh-ter crawl and now toddle around in her bright-colored cloth diapers. Every time I change Evelyn’s diaper I get “warm fuzzies” as I am re-minded of the money we are saving, the chemicals I am not exposing her to, and that there is one less diaper in a landfill because of our decision to use a reusable and natural cloth diaper on her. Now that you know more about modern cloth diapering, consider making the switch yourself or tell a friend or relative about them – experience the joy first-hand of cloth diapering. Like me, you just might get hooked!

For more information visit www.punkerdoopsdiapers.com.

by Holly Powell Kennedy, Charles J. Lockwood and Edmund Funai

RECENT reports have focused on the rising trend of home births and, unfortunately, many stories have zeroed in on a few tragic situ-ations.

Although we recognize there is a contentious, ongoing debate about the safety of home birth, and we offer our concern and condo-lences to any parents suffering tragic loss, we are disappointed in the media’s continued implication that all midwifery care is somehow perilous.

It is puzzling that these stories often do not cite well-documented evidence about outcomes of the practice of midwifery in the United States, nor invite representatives of the American College of Nurse-

Midwives or the National Association of Certified Professional Mid-wives to comment.

Approximately 10 percent of U.S. women who have vaginal births are attended by certified nurse-midwives or certified midwives; the number is 14 percent in Connecticut. This has increased 33 percent since 1996.

There are 11,546 certified nurse-midwives or certified midwives. They are well educated, skillful and 97 percent attend births in hos-pital settings.

They also work with a health care team, including, but not limited to, obstetricians, family practitioners and pediatricians. Repeated studies find their practices, caring for similar populations, have out-comes comparable to physicians, and with significantly fewer inter-ventions.

A recent review of midwifery-led care across 11 randomized con-trolled trials with 12,276 women found that those cared for in mid-wifery-led situations were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth, know their midwife, feel in control during labor and initiate

(continued on page 9)

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Page 8 The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22

Having a little baby inside of me was great, but I was excited to meet our little one. I was also looking forward to experiencing labor because I had learned about how labor is a lot of work but how it can also be an exciting and powerful event.

I had been having more Braxton-Hicks contractions than normal on Saturday, July 25th and my real contractions began around one thirty on Sunday morning. I figured out how to use the stop watch on my husband’s cell phone and timed the contractions at around 13 minutes apart. They already felt pretty strong. However, they were much less intense than the ones to come. I’m glad that labor typically progresses gradually rather than coming like a storm without warning.

I don’t really remember much of the next two hours, but I think I stayed awake due to a mixture of pain and excitement. By 3:30 the contractions were 6 minutes apart and pretty regular so I woke Nathan up and told him I was calling Paula. She told me that they could con-tinue like that for a while and that I should call her back when things change. That sounded good to me, so I tried to sleep, but by 4:30 I was really working hard through each rush and they were coming pretty quickly. I woke Nathan up again and told him how I was feeling and he started getting our stuff in the car to go to Morning Star. Then I got into the shower. The warm water really helped with my pain. I realized that the contractions were only a couple of minutes apart and I asked Nathan to call Paula. I did not want to get out of the shower to leave for the birth center. Each contraction wrapped around my belly to my back and forced me to nearly forget about the rest of the world outside of my body. I was making noises that seemed to help me deal with the pain. Nathan reminded me to relax, especially when he could tell I was starting to get worked up. It helped to focus on my breathing, not that I had any special way of breath-ing. I just breathed. And I also felt better when I thought about how my body was made to do this and that our baby was coming. Thinking about God also really helped with my pain.

By 5:30 I finally got into the car and drank some Gatorade. Thankfully I grabbed a bucket on our way out because that Gato-rade came back up before we got out of Eau Claire. At one point I started feeling something pushing on me and I told Nathan “I don’t think this baby is coming out right now, but I am not so sure that it isn’t.” But I think it was the amniotic sac, because it did not burn like the baby did when she started coming out.

On our way I called my mom and she sounded pretty surprised when I told her my contractions were about 2 minutes apart. I also called Nathan’s mom and told her the same thing. They were very short con-versations. I couldn’t talk much during the contractions. I think I kept focusing on making my sounds and on the baby coming and on God.

We got to Menomonie by 6 and I stared to leak some meconium. It was kind of a lot of meconium which made me think that we might have to go to the hospital. But Paula was very calm. She had me lay down on the bed and she checked me. I was thinking “If I am four centimeters I will be happy.” Well, I was surprised and delighted when Paula told me I was fully dilated! Then she told me, very calmly, that

the baby was breech. I think I said, “Hmph… that stinker!”, because the baby had been breech earlier in my pregnancy but had flipped to be head down. I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to deliver at the birth center rather than go to a hospital where I’d probably have a c-section.

So, when the tub was filled I got in and continued with my labor there. Nathan helped a lot by pushing on my back. Back labor is in-tense! At one point I asked, “Could someone please just take my back off?” It hurt a lot. Soon after I got in the tub I started feeling urges to push. Paula reminded me to resist pushing until I could not resist any more. I felt pretty weak and shaky at times. It was comforting to have Nathan to support me. It was also so comforting and encouraging for me to hear Rebecca’s heart beat staying fast. She really did well as she was experiencing birth. Focusing on God as my strength continued to help as well. And, I believe I remember thinking about a birth story I had read in which a first time mom delivered a breech, ten pound baby without an episiotomy or a single tear. I felt so grateful to Nathan, Paula, and Emily for being with me and helping me with this incred-ible task. Emily kept giving me water to drink with a straw, which was great because I did not feel like putting effort into tipping my head back to drink!

When I started to feel a burning sensation I automatically stood up. Before this I had mostly been on my hands and knees in the water. Nathan sat on the edge of the tub with his legs in the water and I sat on his lap with our legs apart. Paula told me to reach down and feel the baby. That was incredible to feel a different person still mostly inside of my body! The urges kept coming so I pushed hard with the

urges. It overwhelmed my body. Paula kept telling me that when the baby started coming out it would come out in one motion. I believed her. And I wonder if she told me this to not let me even think about letting the head stay in me very long. Well, she did come out quite quickly and she stayed in a very good position for a breech delivery. It was an experience beyond words when Nathan and I first laid eyes on Rebecca. I was so amazed that there was this totally individual person in my arms who had been inside of me for so long. She was truly amazing! She was so alert and beautiful, and she breathed

right away. Nathan and I didn’t know if our baby was a boy or a girl and we didn’t look right away because just the presence of our child in our arms was enough to capture us.

After a little while I had to get to the bed because I was bleeding a little more than I should have been. But Paula was so calm that she did not ruin the moment of our daughter’s birth by worrying us about something that was easily remedied. She gave me a shot of pitocin and it all was fine. We stayed at the birth center another five hours and then we packed up our little blessing and drove home. The next couple of days were challenging and full of emotional highs and lows. Yet, all of the struggles with birth and first-time parenting were entirely worth it. Rebecca is precious beyond words, a loving gift from our lov-ing Father.

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The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22 Page 9

CHICAGO (June 15, 2009)-At its annual meeting this week, the American Medical Association (AMA) will join the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in reiterating their commitment to deny women access to Certified Professional Midwives and home birth. Both groups are developing “model” legislation to achieve this goal in all 50 states, putting mothers and ba-bies at risk and stripping billions of dollars in savings from the health care system.

“Certified Professional Midwives are the only maternity care providers in the United States required to undergo specialized clinical training in out-of-hos-pital settings,” said Katherine Prown, PhD, Campaign Manager of The Big Push for Midwives. “Denying women access to maternity care providers with expertise in out-of-hospital delivery so that an-other group of providers can maintain its monopoly on the maternity care market is not only bad public health policy, it is fiscally irrespon-sible.”

David A. Anderson, the Paul G. Blazer Professor of Economics at Centre College, calculates that if the rate of births that take place in private homes and freestanding birth centers increased by less than 10%, the United States would save more than $9 billion in maternity care costs each year. A study commissioned by the State of Washing-ton found more than $3.1 million in savings each biennium to public and private insurers in the state through the utilization of midwives with specialized training in out-of-hospital deliveries.

“The medical industry realizes that Certified Professional Midwives and out-of-hospital birth are segments of the maternity care market that are poised for growth, especially now as we are looking to reform health care,” said Steff Hedenkamp, Director of Communications for

The Big Push for Midwives. “The AMA and ACOG proposals are a smoke-screen, nothing more than a last-ditch attempt to squash the

competition before Congress finalizes health care reform legislation in the coming weeks.”

Advocates for Certified Professional Mid-wives held a briefing on Capitol Hill last month that included a panel of experts in epidemiology, economics, public health, and maternity care, who presented research and data showing that women whose babies are delivered by Certified Professional Midwives experience significant reductions in preterm

and low-birth weight-two of the leading causes of infant mortality-racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes, as well as the costs associated with long-term neonatal care.

“If Congress and the Administration are committed to real reform, they will look at the evidence instead of listening to medical industry lobbyists and realize that, when it comes to maternity care, Certified Professional Midwives can make a serious contribution to helping America reduce costs and improve outcomes at the same time,” said Prown.

The Big Push for Midwives Campaign represents thousands of grassroots advocates across the United States who support expand-ing access to out-of-hospital maternity care and the Certified Profes-sional Midwives who are specially trained to provide it. The mission of The Big Push includes educating national policymakers about the reduced costs and improved outcomes associated with out-of-hospital birth settings and advocating for including the services of Certified Professional Midwives in health care reform. Media inquiries: Steff Hedenkamp (816) 506-4630, Steff@TheBigPushForMidwives.org.

Physician Lobby Groups Propose “Model” Maternity Care Legislation That Would Deny Taxpayers BillionsPlan to Block Access to Certified Professional Midwives and Out-of-Hospital Birth Puts Mothers and Babies at Risk

breast-feeding. They were less likely to have regional analgesia or an episiotomy.

Midwives adhere to a philosophy that birth is an inherently natu-ral process, eschew intervention when the process is unfolding nor-mally and reserve appropriate use of interventions and technology for current or potential health problems.

Women are not seeking “designer” births. They are looking for humanistic care during pregnancy, labor and birth and are increas-ingly having difficulty finding that in many hospitals.

There is strong evidence to suggest we widely overuse interven-tions with minimal benefits and underuse those that are helpful. Beneficial care practices supported by evidence include: unrestrict-ed access to companions of the mother’s choice, with emphasis on continuous emotional and physical support from a skilled woman and access to midwifery-led care; freedom to walk, move and as-sume positions of choice during labor and birth and discouragement of birthing while lying flat; and non-pharmacologic methods of pain relief, such as massage, hypnosis and hydrotherapy. Yet, women are not routinely provided these services and report experiences that reflect a growing trend of childbirth intervention; one in three will

give birth by cesarean.

It is essential that women are provided with the opportunity to have a supported and safe birth. This means protecting them from preventable harm, and ensuring that clinicians are skilled in appro-priate low intervention care and know when it is necessary to inter-vene. This is true for midwifery and medicine alike.

While midwives and obstetricians will continue to debate the safety and appropriateness of home birth, less controversial is the fact that some women seek to give birth in alternative settings be-cause they do not see hospitals as meeting their needs. This should be cause for reflection and action by hospital leaders, and result in measures to make hospitals safer for women to birth. Changing childbirth practices in hospitals will make them a welcoming place for families and will likely result in better care for all.

Holly Powell Kennedy is Helen Varney professor of midwifery, Yale University School of Nursing, P.O. Box 9740, New Haven 06519. Dr. Charles J. Lockwood is Anita O’Keefe Young professor of women’s health and chairman of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Repro-ductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Edmund Funai is chief of obstetrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and co-chief, Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine,\ Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208063, 333 Cedar St., New Haven 06520.

Media Out of Focus on Midwifery(continued from page 7)

Page 10 The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22

by Mary and Susan, Co-Chairs of the MAMA Campaign

What a summer this has been for Midwives and Mothers in Wash-ington, DC! Now, as the health care bills pick up speed in Congress this fall, we need your support and your dollars more than ever. Billy Wynne, our lobbyist, wrote to us this past week: “You should feel very good about the massive education campaign you’ve undertaken and the broad support you’ve gained ...now it’s crunch time!”

Just since May, the MAMA Campaign has accomplished a lot by acting quickly and effectively.

We have:

• Drafted an amendment to recognize and reimburse CPMs in Medicaid

• Hired a national health policy and lobbying firm to guide our advocacy work in DC

• Held a “fly-in” of more than twenty MAMA activists to Washington, DC, in June who met with over 30 key congress members

• Traveled to DC nearly every week since then and followed up with supporters to keep the pressure up

• Prepared a cost-analysis based on Medicaid data from a health pol-icy study in Washington State that was submitted to the Congres-sional Budget Office on our behalf by Chairman Waxman’s office

• Met with 8 top Medicaid officials in Baltimore in July, an unusual opportunity for a provider group new to Capitol Hill

• Monitored and adjusted our strategy weekly as the proposed legis-lation twists and turns through Congress

• Secured the support of important national groups: Childbirth Connection, the National Women’s Law Center, the National Women’s Health Network, Raising Women’s Voices, Our Bod-ies Ourselves, the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services,

American Association of Birth Centers, and state midwifery and consumer groups

• And we have continued to manage the campaign using the pro-bono skills and expertise of top leadership in six national midwife-ry and citizen organizations as well as activated superb grassroots support across the country.

Over these next weeks we will continue to have opportunities to include Certified Professional Midwives in the health care bills. How-ever, the time is growing short and we really need your help. As Billy

says, it’s crunch time!

Every step of the way you have stood behind us. Thank you! Together we have raised $100,000 for the Cam-paign this summer - 2/3 of our goal and a truly stunning fundraising coup for our movement! We are so grateful to you!!

Now we need your help to get across the finish line!

• Will you give $10, $25, $50 or even $100 to con-tinue our work for federal recognition of CPMs? Just click

to donate.

• Will you help us identify potential major donors? Write to president@nacpm.org with ideas.

• If you have given, can you give again? Just go to www.mamacam-paign.org to donate.

And of course, be sure to keep the letters to your legislators com-ing - we need that “dull roar” from the states and districts to move our provision over the top! Constituents are the ones that legislators are listening to. That’s you! Find letter templates and instructions on our website.

Thank you so much! We look forward to hearing from you! Visit us at www.mamacampaign.org.

Call to Action!

by Christina Mroz, Morning Star Mom and Holy Yoga Instructor

Yoga is something that has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. However, for some people like myself I struggled with certain aspects of yoga. One aspect of yoga that I struggled with was the new age practices and beliefs that came with the practice. This led me on a search for a different kind of yoga that would encompass my Christian beliefs and values.

Almost 5 years ago, I stumbled across something called Holy Yoga. There many other types of Chris-tian yoga available besides Holy Yoga but as a yoga instructor this program spoke to me the most. For the past 5 years, I have not only been practicing Christian Yoga but also instructing Christian yoga.

Christian yoga provides an oppor-tunity to combine the physical prac-tice of yoga with worship, prayer, and

meditation on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It provides an opportunity for us to bring together our mind, body, and heart to-gether in a new and profound way.

A simple search on Google or visiting www.facebook.com/l/5ed02;www.holyyoga.net will help assist you in finding a Christian yoga class near you.

In November, I will be releasing my very first Christian Yoga Pre-natal video. I am honored to share my pas-sion of yoga and my love of God with pregnant moms everywhere. The video will be available on Holy Yoga’s website and the Morning Star Library when it comes available.

If you have any questions or com-ments about Christian yoga, I would be happy to dialogue with you. You can contact me at 715-563-5021 or Christina@holyyoga.net

Christian Yoga and Pregnancy

The Morning Star Newsletter - Volume 5, Issue 22 Page 11

born on July 21, 2009 at 8:05 pm8 lbs. 1 oz., 20.5 in.

born to Amy and Matthew Henry G

eorge FishHenry’s Birth: A Pictoral Birth Story

Henry George Fish

We are happy to serve women and families from manycounties of northwestern Wisconsin and easternMinnesota. We are committed to offering holisticmaternity services in the Midwives’ Model of Care©

and to empower women and families throughprinciples of education, communication and shareddecision making.

Morning Star Women’s Health and Birth Center321 13th St. SE, Menomonie, WI 547516111 Excelsior Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 55416715.231.3100 ‡ 612.92.BIRTH

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