What is HypnoBirthing®- The Mongan Method

By: Brandy Harris, CD(DONA), HCBE, CBE

The first question that I am usually asked when people find out I teach HypnoBirthing is “Hypno…what?! Birthing?!  What is that?” They have “heard” of it or have “heard stories,”  “saw it in a movie,’ “read about it on the internet” or the on that makes my day, “Oh my friend did HypnoBirthing® and she loved it!”

What is HypnoBirthing ?

HypnoBirthing is often touted as “pain free” birthing.  While it occurs, it is not the sole motivation of your birthing.

HypnoBirthing believes that with a combination of education surrounding the physiological process of normal childbirth, mind and body preparation through relaxation, emotional work, affirmation and healthy lifestyle activities such as exercise and nutrition, birth can be comfortable, safer for both mom and baby.

In simple form, HypnoBirthing® is relaxed, natural childbirth.

As an instructor, I like to talk with my students about the simple & real birthing they will achieve.

HypnoBirthing is NOT about “Pain Free” Birthing (it’s a perk).  We talk endlessly about 3 very important keys:

#1 It is about fearless birthing. 

 #2 It is about confident birthing.

 #3 It is about listening to your body.

Why those 3 specific things?  If you have those 3 things, you cannot ever fail or feel as if you did it wrong or it didn’t work.  When you have those 3 bases covered, you are opening the door to other positive possibilities for your birth.  Comfortable birthing, safe birthing, gentle birthing, joyful birthing, ecstatic birthing, easier birthing & calmer birthing. You are opening it up to success!  Even in the face of unexpected changes and special circumstances that may surround your birthing, you are still going to find success.

The concerns that are most often brought to me by the families I teach are fear in general (related to various circumstances) and fear of pain.

Let’s talk about pain for a second.  The most interesting things I have found through my own research on the cultural perceptions and expectations of pain is that #1 we do not have a “word” specifically dedicated for use to describe or name the pains or discomforts of labor and as a culture, women in the US report more pain in labor than any other culture in the world. That alone causes me to stop and think knowing that anatomically, for all intents and purposes, women are built the same give or take a few simple design variations. Could it be our perception? Could it be our culture? Could it be both? Think about it! 

#2 For healthy mother with healthy babies, childbirth is a normal, physiological function. How many other physiological functions are performed daily, by muscles, like the uterus, [often multiple times per day] that require no pain to initiate or complete?  There are several however, for the sake of time and length, let’s talk about the heart. It is a muscle that uses “contractions” multiple times per day to move blood through your body. Do these movements or contractions, under healthy, normal circumstances cause pain?  No.  When does pain become a factor in such a muscle? When something is wrong; Heart attack (for example).  Why on earth do we expect (and are often told) a normal, healthy function in the body is painful.  Define pain. Google dictionary defines pain as “noun; physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.”  Without getting into teaching a class here and now, we use the word pain to describe most any and all discomforts we experience. A headache is painful, a paper cut is painful, stubbed toe is painful, a broken femur? Pain. We use adjectives to describe how serious we are about that pain. “Excruciating” pain for example then we go on to describe the gruesomeness of the sensation we felt to deliver the full package to our listener.  

What if we just stopped using the word “pain” and simply chose to feel each sensation for what it was? Childbirth is a plethora of sensations running though our body that monopolizes all of our senses and requires our indefinite focus. HypnoBirthing challenges you to use words that describe what you may feel during your labor. Tightening, pulling, pressure, heaviness, etc. You be the word smith of what you feel. This is only a small sampling of how you change your vocabulary, perspectives on expectations, preconceived notions & previous experiences in relationship to your birthing. Re-frame your thought process. Come at it from a different angle and see what happens. To me, that is what HypnoBirthing is and how it can help you is well, up to you.  

Birthing is enough work as it is why allow yourself to work harder when you can work smarter?  Let your body do the work while feeling confident in allowing such work to take place without being caught off guard or afraid of what it feels like to do that work.

Sources:

http://www.kybeleworldwide.org/about.php?sub=press&newsid=130

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093177/

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/10/268

What is a Tongue Tie and Why is it a Big Deal?

Nikki Imes, CD(DONA), Monitrice (OMA)

I am on a mission in my local birth and breastfeeding community: I am working to raise awareness about tongue-tie, its impact on breastfeeding, and the quality of life of the mothers and babies affected!

I come at this issue from a unique perspective. I am not a breastfeeding mom nor am I a Lactation Consultant. I am a birth doula, intern midwife and CranioSacral (CST) therapist. However, within the last year, I have been presented with a score of babies who have/had tongue-tie and have seen the negative impact this can have on new families.

As a birth professional, I was already vaguely “aware” of tongue-tie. However, once I began working on babies as a CranioSacral therapist, my awareness grew and things began to snowball. Now, I rarely go a week without either meeting a new tongue-tied client or working on a previously tied baby as part of continued CST care. 

So, what is tongue-tie?

“Ankyloglossia” or “tongue-tie” is defined in Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary as “abnormal shortness of the frenum of the tongue, interfering with its motion”. Sound simple, right? Sadly, not it isn't as simple as it sounds.

I am learning, as expressed in Alison Hazelbaker's book “Tongue-Tie; Morphogenesis, Impact, Assessment and Treatment”, there has long been a controversy amongst healthcare professionals about what tongue-tie is and if it has an impact on breastfeeding, speech, swallowing and other parts of everyday life for infants and adults. However, parents (and especially breastfeeding mothers) are much less conflicted about the negative effect of tongue-tie, even if they are not quite able to distinguish the various degrees of ties.

The classic anterior tie is the tongue-tie most healthcare professionals are familiar with. It is is characterized by the frenum (the “string” on the underside of the tongue) that is attached very far forward on the tongue, sometimes even to the tip. Signs that parents can to look for include a heart-shape to tip of tongue, a tongue that cannot extend over the lower lip and/or a tongue that truly looks “tied down” when baby cries. This can prevent babies from extending their tongue properly to achieve a good latch when breastfeeding and, in future, can lead to speech impediments (along with many other dental issues).

A posterior tongue-tie is quite a bit sneakier. The frenum is not visible in most cases, because the mucosa on the floor of the baby's mouth has enveloped it and causes an even tighter restriction of the tongue. Often, these babies are able to extend their tongue past their lower lip, but they are unable to lift their tongue very far upwards in their mouth. The tongue often makes a U shape when crying, instead of reaching towards palate. By being unable to press the breast tissue towards the roof of their mouth, they have extra difficulty transferring milk out of the breast.

Lip-tie, too...

To add insult to injury, often babies who have tongue-tie also have a lip-tie, as well. Dr. Kotlow of Albany, New York describes lip-ties as “continued attachment of the upper lip to the upper jaw tissue”. As a breastfeeding hurdle, lip-tie can prevent top lip flange, which also causes latch difficulties. Long-term, lip-ties (along with tongue-ties) can cause tooth decay, due to the lip never fully moving away from the base of the upper teeth and the tongue being unable to clear all food debris away from the teeth. Lip-ties also cause the “cute” gaping of teeth that is adorable in toddlers and a financial nightmare for parents with teens who require orthodontia.

Symptoms?

If you are looking inside your little one's mouth and are uncertain if they have a tie, the following symptoms may be helpful for you to determine if you are headed in the right direction:

l  Low milk supply (depending on the severity of the tie a baby may not be able to stimulate milk production through vigorous nursing or transfer the milk efficiently)

l  Creased/flat/blanched nipples after nursing

·      Painful nursing including cracked and bleeding nipples

·      Early weaning because child gets frustrated at the breast

·      Tooth Decay – Improper tongue mobility may prevent babies from clearing milk from their mouth, causing decay (especially on the top front teeth)

·      Colic, gassiness (inability to maintain suction at the breast means baby swallows a lot of extra air)

·      Slow weight gain (baby may actually be burning more calories than he is taking in, due to inefficient milk transfer)

·      Excessively long nursing sessions, with a baby that still acts hungry after leaving the breast (Occasional seasons where baby wants to nurse non-stop are often growth spurts and some babies just have a leisurely pace when nursing. However, tongue-tied babies often want to nurse non-stop because, as stated before, they burn more energy than they are taking in.)

·      Reflux

·      Sleep apnea

·      Abnormal sleep patterns (Waking often to feed because they are unable to fully drain the breast and therefore always hungry. )

·      Speech difficulties

·      Gap between teeth/jaw issues ( Tight tissues can prevent normal development in many areas of the mouth, not just the tongue.)

·      Thrush/mastitis due to inefficient milk transfer

·      Plugged ducts

So, what's a parent to do?

For an anterior tie, there are some pediatricians, midwives, ENTs, and dentists trained to clip them with  sterile scissors. It is a relatively minor procedure that can offer freedom from the restriction of the frenum tie.

For posterior ties and lip-ties, I highly recommend finding a healthcare professional trained to use a laser to release the mucosa under the tongue and the tissue holding down the lip. This is usually a dentist, believe it or not. They see the long-term effects of tongue-tie on the health of the mouth and can offer their patients relief from many symptoms by revising the ties. Laser revision is also very non-invasive and much preferred to what used to be the only option for posterior ties: scalpel incisions and sutures to restructure the tissue under the tongue.

Resources!

Here are some care providers trained in laser revision:

·        Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC – Albany, New York

·      Hugh Oser, DDS – Keller, Texas

·      Stacy Cole, DDS (Holistic Dentistry) – Fort Worth, Texas

·      Dr. James Jesse is a friend of Dr. Kotlow’s that has been recommended by several mamas. He is in San Bernadino, California.

·      Lindsey from Crunchy Savings went to Dr. Notestine  in Dayton Ohio

·      Dr. Martin Kaplan of Kid Care Dental in Stoughton, MA. was trained by Dr. Kotlow

(Credit goes to Heather at the Mommypotamus blog for compiling this list)

Other web resources include:

http://tonguetie.net/

The section on Dr. Kotlow's site with his articles, most of which are regarding tongue and lip-tie. Many of them also have great pictures of various types ties.

The Tongue-Tie Babies Support Group on Facebook, which is an international group of parents and professionals working to help support families through tongue and lip-tie revisions with all the questions and concerns they may have.

If you are local to the Oklahoma City metro area, I am always happy to help talk to parents about babies with suspected ties. You can find my contact info on my website.

 Also, one of the very first people who brought posterior tongue-tie to my attention, Margaret Back, is an IBCLC apart of the Lactation Services department at Integris Baptist in Oklahoma City. I highly recommend getting in touch with her for questions about whether posterior tongue-tie could be the culprit in certain breastfeeding situations.

My goal

My goal, as a birth professional supporting new families,  is to empower parents, lactation consultants, doulas, pediatricians, breastfeeding educators, La Leche League leaders, midwives, doctors and the public at large with the information regarding tongue-tie. Many families are suffering needlessly and in an age of instant access to info, this doesn't need to be the case! 

Sacred Space: Cleansing

Author: Deanna Norris of Earthbound Soul Birth Services

The holy act of space cleansing can look different for everyone. For some, it's salt on the windowsills and chanting prayers on the new moon. For others, it's a physical removal of negative weight to make room for positive. Others prefer holy water and sacred words. For me, I like to keep it simple. 

White sage, salvia alpiana, is known for its ability to purify space. There's something cathartic for me in the act of placing fire to sage. Smelling it's sweet scent wafting into the four corners of my room always puts my mind and soul at rest. It is interesting to note that Salvia comes from the Latin root salvare, which means, "to heal." 

"Sacred white sage (Salvia Alpiana) is one of the most potent plants for purification, cleansing and clearing. Traditionally used by many desert dwelling tribes. Often referred to as Grandmother sage, it represents a divine feminine medicine that purifies negativity and connects and grounds us with mother earth." via powwowlodge

Indigenous people have used sage for centuries, ceremonies clouded with the thick white smoke. Plains people would line the floor of the sweat lodge with sage, rubbing it over their bodies as they sweat, to purify. Sage is burned in smudging ceremonies to drive out bad spirits, feelings, or influences, and also to keep bad spirits from entering the area where a ceremony takes place.

Simple Smudging Ceremony:

Take a minute to collect your thoughts. Set your intention for the space you are about to smudge. Light sage bundle. Blow on it a bit to get the smoke flowing. Walk with intention around your space, using whatever path you feel called upon, but most cleansers go north, east, south and west. Using a feather that you have purified with sage, or your hand, fan the smoke into the spaces you feel need to be cleansed. You may say a few words, or not, and snuff out your sage while facing east. 

You can continue the cleansing process with cedar and sweetgrass. I enjoy using both, but do no always feel the need to utilize them. If you choose to follow this ceremony with cedar and sweetgrass, here are simple suggestions for their use. 

After using sage to drive out the bad influences, purify yourself with cedar and then repeat the cleansing process throughout the space with the cedar. Use sweetgrass in the same manner to bring in good influences. All the while, praying for help in this cleansing and/or keeping your intentions set on the space. Finally, you may take a candle over the space and push its light into every corner. The People of the Pacific Northwest Coast call this, "lighting-up".

You will instantly feel lighter and more pure after this ceremony, air all cleared, intentions set.

to purchase sage from an ethical source, go here:

powwowlodge

to purchase sweetgrass & cedar from an ethical source, go here: 

taosherbco

Bio:

Deanna Norris is a Holistic Birth Doula in central Oklahoma. She holds certifications in Raw Food and Holistic Life Coaching as well as Space Cleansing. She is also a certified Home Apothecary and uses these skills to add depth to her calling of being a birth worker and feminist. She is a writer, artist, gypsy and momma. She lives barefoot with her Englishman, growing things in their backyard, in a quiet little neighborhood in Edmond, OK. You can find out more about Deanna on her website.

Sacred Name - Naming Your Baby

By: Kandace Beck, CD(DONA), CPES, CEIM with Butterfly Birth, LLC

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose.. By any other name would smell as sweet" Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet

As your pregnancy moves farther along, you may start to ask the question “What should I name my baby”. Choosing a name for a precious name family member can make the whole experience seem very real. Sometimes we struggle with naming our babies, because let’s face it, it’s another person identity. You may find clarity by asking yourself what is holding you back. As the amazing poet Rumi once said “Our children are not ours, but they come through us. We do not own them, we guide them”. Choosing your new babies name is the first step in guiding them into this world.

“Naming your baby is personal, it’s political, it’s spiritual, it’s artistic, it’s identifying” Anni Daulter

Finding a new name for your little one should be a celebrated experience during your pregnancy. Something you may also want to explore is the relationship you have you’re your own name. Find out how and why your parents gave you the chosen name you have, are you comfortable with that, and what would you change about it? These are all things that can help you find the perfect name your baby was meant to have. Sometimes you may want to wait until your baby is earthside to name your baby. Many cultures name their children in this way. If you have older children, you may want to get them involved in the naming of their new sibling. In many cultures older siblings care for the younger siblings as if they were parents. Your babies name is what he/she will hear more than any other word in their lifetime, it’s the essence of who they are and what they are to become. A person’s name carries with it the energy of that person and as such should be given with care. You may also want to hold a naming ceremony.

A naming ceremony is a non-religious celebration of the arrival of a new child. It is a way of welcoming the child and officially introducing him/her to family and friends. Naming ceremonies are appropriate for anyone, at any age. The arrival of a new baby, uniting of step or adopted children within a family, or an adult name change are all great reasons to hold a naming ceremony.

Naming ceremonies involve the important people in the child's life - family and special friends. Parents have the opportunity to ask other adults to play a supportive role to their child through to adult life (grandparents, godparents, mentors or supporters). Poems, readings and quotes of personal significance can be used throughout the ceremony. Often a symbolic gesture is also made such as the lighting of a candle, planting of a tree etc. In addition, certificates are presented to parents and other special people as a record of the occasion. Naming ceremonies are not a baptism or christening. While the ceremonies are non-religious, many parents with religious beliefs hold naming ceremonies to welcome their child. Doing so does not prevent the child from holding or participating in a religious ceremony at any stage of their life. While the Naming Ceremony and accompanying documents don't have any legal status, they are a wonderful way to welcome your child and celebrate them as they begin their journey through life. Each ceremony is unique and is tailored to suit your individual needs.

A basic checklist of things to consider follows:

• Choose date and time for the ceremony 
• Decide on venue 
• Confirm celebrant 
• Meet with celebrant to ensure you feel comfortable 
• Pay deposit to celebrant 
• Collate guest list 
• Decide on invitations (optional) · 
• Send invitations (four weeks prior is a good guide) 
• Select ceremony style and format 
• Choose 'special people' to participate in the ceremony 
• Choose symbolic gesture for ceremony (optional) 
• Choose the music (optional) 
• Choose poems, readings or quotes (optional) 
• Write any special words, poems etc (optional) 
• Choose a theme (optional) 
• Choose decorations (optional) 
• Decide what child will be wearing 
• Decide on food and drink requirements 
• Follow up guests who haven't sent an RSVP (one week prior) 
• Ask for volunteers to help on the day 
• Book a photographer or nominate a friend to take photos 

Here are some ideas to help you plan your special day: 

• Time capsule/treasure box - Can contain small gifts, photos, letters or written note cards. The capsule/box is presented to the child when they turn 18 or 21. Invite guests to bring an item instead of a present i.e. CDs; magazines; newspapers; the Guinness Book of Records; coin collections; symbols of something they wish for the child such as runes & crystals to symbolize different things like peace and hope; pebbles from someone's favorite beach 'that the child may always have a special place to go and think'; Celtic symbols such as a horseshoe for good luck; cuff links that he may be a gentleman; a joke book - that she/he may always keep her/his sense of humor; a pressed leaf that they may appreciate nature. 
• Photo board of baby photos of 'special people'. 
• Personalized stamps with a photo of your child - for sending out the invitations or thank you notes. 
• Planting of a tree - Guests help plant the tree and as they place dirt into the ground, they say a word/s expressing their wish for the child OR give out bells for guests to ring as the tree is planted (Native Australian Plants are ideal and symbolic). 
• Lighting of a candle - Candles can be personalized and decorated with little flowers, butterflies, sporting items, cars, child's name, photo, date of birth, weight and length and a poem etc. The parents light the candles, make wishes for their child and promise that on each birthday when they light the candle on the cake they will remember what a miracle the child is. 
• Historical significance - mentioning important things that happened in history on the child's day of birth. 
• Video record - get all your guests to say something about the child (wishes etc) to play back at their 18th/21st. 
• Release a dove - the worldwide symbol for peace. 
• Wishing well/cards - Guests write their wish for the child on a note and place it in a wishing well for the parents to read and keep for the child. 
• Rose petal blessing - Shower with rose petals. 
• Fairy Dust - used at the blessing instead of roses/water. Special people say nice words/wishes as they sprinkle it (Fine glitter, nontoxic - warning it sticks to absolutely everything!). 
• Soaring spirit celebration - Releasing of balloons to encourage your child's spirit to bloom and grow. 
• Write a poem about your child to read at the ceremony. 
• Meaning of name commemorative certificate - a detailed full color, laminated certificate. The child's name is displayed at the top of the certificate, along with the names origin and meaning. The rest of the certificate could include details such as Emotional Spectrum; Personal Integrity; Personality; Relationships; Travel & Leisure; Career and Money; Life's opportunities; their lucky numbers, star sign and birth date. 
• Ceremony theme - base the ceremony around the meaning of your child's name. 
• Star sign commemorative certificate - a full color, laminated certificate providing information about the child's star sign. 
• Astrological chart about your child's life - various charts are available depending on the level of detail you want. 
• Signature bear - For guests to sign creating a permanent memento of the day and guests who attended. 
• Photo signature frame - Frame a photo of your child with a large enough border for people to write on it. It becomes a beautiful reminder of the day and something you can hang in their room or the house. 
• Thank you/Memento cards for guests - Cards mailed out within a couple of weeks of the ceremony are a lovely way to thank your guests for being part of your child's special day. You could hand-make the thank you card and include a photo of your child or consider ordering personalized cards. The options are limitless.

Naming Story

When we got pregnant with our 1^st son I really struggled with what to name him. I knew I wanted it to be unique and something he would not be hesitant to love as much as we did. I knew that this is the 1^st thing I would be giving to him as a parent.

I began doing lots of family research to come up with the “perfect” name for him. My husband is Irish, and we both decided that we wanted him to have a good, strong, Irish names. I also began to ask my mother why my brother had 4 names. She told me all of the men on her side of the family have 4 names, and I knew that was a tradition that I wanted to carry on. My husband also wanted our 1^st sons name to begin with an R, as that was a family tradition.

So.. We started going through “name books” like most parents do. I just didn’t find anything that I fell in love with or that fit our needs above. So.. I just quit looking for a while, and meditated about it, and just let things fall into place. My mother called me one day and said she dreamed of the name “Ryker”, I asked her where she found it, and she couldn't tell me, she said it just came to her. I fell in love with the name right away, but wanted to make sure it was Irish and what it’s meaning was.

I took the name and started doing some research. Turns out the name “Ryker” is Irish Celtic for “Robert”, which incidentally is my father in laws name. So then I started thinking of the other 2 names. My husband’s name is Ryan Lee and I knew I wanted that to be incorporated. So I just decided to change the order a bit. My 1^st son was born with the name “Ryker Lee Ryan Beck”. I am proud to be his mother, and am proud to have given him a name that can carry him through life, with pride and understanding.

What will you name your baby, or have named your baby? Leave a comment below about your babies name, and story!

Slow Parenting: The 4th Trimester

Author & Photography: Deanna Norris

You've spent the last nine (10) months nourishing, nurturing, connecting with the little being that grew inside of your womb. Society would suggest that now that baby is here, anyone can step into these sacred parental roles, freeing you up to “get back into the game”. You find yourself wanting to crawl into bed with your little one and watch them coo and gurgle away the days. Despite the demands that modern society puts on us, that is exactly what you should do.

But I’ve got a different perspective for new parents to consider. The “Fourth Trimester” is a term used by is a term used by Dr. Harvey Karp to describe the first few months of an infants’ life. He says that infants are born “too soon” based on their underdevelopment when compared to other mammal babies. If human babies were born when they were developmentally ready, we would have yearlong pregnancies and 3-month old sized newborns. American babies tend to cry more, have more digestive issues and generally are unhappier than other babies around the globe.

America is the only industrialized country in the world that does not have mandatory paid maternity leave for new parents. This means mothers going back to work 1, 2, 4 weeks after they’ve just given birth. This is equally traumatizing to the mother and the baby. Consequently, we also have the highest rate of infant and maternal death, “colic”, and GERD. Karp theorizes that colic and GERD do not exist in other countries because of the “lying in” period that other cultures encourage mothers to fulfill after birth. For 40 days, moms are waited on, cooked for, taken care of, while bonding with their new babies. This, coupled with 12-50 weeks of paid maternity leave, makes a huge impact in those first few moments of a newborns’ life.

One could theorize that because other parents are getting that crucial alone time with their infants to bond, carry and meet their basic needs themselves, American babies are responding with a loud wail of disapproval. Exploring the theory that our newborns are underdeveloped and our new mothers are physically and emotionally overwhelmed, the following are some gentle ways to promote self-care and infant bonding, even if you cannot fully have a “fourth trimester” period.

*Baby wearing

*Swaddling

*Breastfeeding

Have a “baby moon”. Take your infant to bed and spend several days or weeks simply bonding, nourishing and nurturing your child. Get to know their cues and allow your body to rest and heal in the process.

*Nourishing soups

*Foods high in iron

*Lots of water

Nourishing herbal infusions are a great way to replenish your body with vital minerals and nutrients.

Use equal parts (1 oz) of the following:

Red Raspberry Leaf

Nettle

Chamomile

Catnip

Blessed Thistle

Comfrey.

Mix all herbs into a bowl with airtight lid, or Mason jar. Using about a Tablespoon of the mix, put herbs in a reusable tea bag or infuser. Pour just boiled water over the herbs and allow herbs to steep for a minimum of 10 minutes. Overnight is even better! Sweeten with local, raw honey and enjoy. Drink daily.

*Meditate

*Belly Binding

*Mayan Abdominal Massage

Herbal baths are a great way to relax and bond with baby, while healing your delicate areas. Demetria Clark shares these recipes with us in Issue 44 of Midwifery Today.

2 parts plantain flower (Plantago major)

1 part calendula flower (Calendula officinalis)

1 part comfrey leaf (Symphytum officinale)

1 part burdock (Arctium lappa)

1/2 part violet flower and leaf (Viola odorata)

1 part yarrow flower (Achillea millefolium)

1/2 part lady's mantle flower and leaf (Alchemilla vulgaris)

1/2 part lemon balm leaf (Melissa officinalis)

Mix well. You can add sea salt to the mixture if you wish. Add approximately one cup of herb and salt blend to six quarts boiling water, strain and add to shallow bath. You can also use as a compress.

1 cup sea salt

1/2 cup plantain leaf (Plantago major)

1/2 cup calendula flower (Calendula officinalis)

Use six cups of water.

Alternative ways to use herbal baths:

Brew with the above ratios and add to a Peri Bottle for use after going to the bathroom.

Pour some pre-brewed herbal mix on to pads and freeze for a pain relieving ice pack.

Use a diluted mix around baby’s cord for healing.

*Ask for help

*Take photos of these first sacred days

*Journal your birth experience

Taking this time to your family is self-care that we should expect and encourage of every new mom, always. 

Sacred Placenta: The Key to Postpartum Wellness?

Author & Photography: Taryn Goodwin

"I had bad baby blues with my first and felt it starting after my second just before I got the pills. The pills made everything better. I recovered much faster, less bleeding, my slight tear healed faster with my second than a similar tear with my first, my milk came in sooner and was over flowing (with my first I never leaked milk, but with my second I had an abundance and would leak when my milk let down.) My husband could even tell the difference in my mood if I forgot to take my pills. I have taken them a few times since weaning off them, during stressful times, and they help still, plus my milk gets a boost each time I take them. This is seriously a life saver! I don't know how I would have cared for my two year old and the newborn without these pills. And the best part is they benefit me and my baby. No side effects to me or my infant like if I had to take antidepressants while breastfeeding. Plus I'd rather take something that I know exactly what's in it because I know what I took in during pregnancy, than take some synthetic drug that had all sorts of byproducts and animal hormones."   -Ann S. (a former Spirited Birth Services Client)

If we look at what most mammals in nature do, we see that it is normal and natural to consume your placenta. In fact, to not consume your placenta is to intervene with natures process and to invite the consequences that come with that. An example of this consequence is the fact that more than 80% of women experience the "baby blues" after their babies are born. 80% is such a high number and I imagine the real number of women experiencing this is higher) that the "baby blues" is considered by medical professionals as a a NORMAL consequence of the postpartum period. As is, postpartum fatigue. What if these aren't normal consequences at all, but consequences of us not following natures prescription for postpartum wellness?

So, why do we have the "baby blues"?
Because the placenta actually acts as an primary endocrine organ in pregnancy (a hormone producing organ) the placenta begins producing hormones at 6-8 weeks gestation to help sustain pregnancy. This is a huge deal! These hormonal levels continually increase during pregnancy, and by the third trimester there are 3 times the normal level of hormones in an expectant mother’s system. These hormones are essential the mother's hormonal well-being in pregnancy. By 4-5 days postpartum after losing the placenta, these hormone levels will drop to below normal. This is a huge fluctuation going from 3 times the normal level to below normal hormonal level, and this is why we believe that mothers who ingest their placenta don't experience this huge hormonal drop off.

Let us look at a comparison of the healing ingredients of the placenta, their benefits to the new mother and how the ingredients are already being derived from sources you wouldn't imagine by pharmaceutical companies to treat a number of conditions...

The known ingredients in the placenta and their pharmaceutical alternatives are:

•                     Gonadotrophin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Fertility medicines Choragon and Novarel are derived from the urine of pregnant women.

•                     Prolactin: promotes lactation.

Synthetic prolactin is used in women to promote or create lactation. A hybrid version can be derived through the pituitary glands of cattle.

•                     Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant. It also helps the uterus contract. In pharmaceutical form this is a very addictive drug because it promotes a feeling of connectedness with others.

Pitocin is a snythetic form of oxytocin used to induce labor or stop postpartum hemorrhage. It comes from the pituitary glands of cattle and includes acetic acid for pH adjustment and .5 percent chloretone as a preservative.

•                     Thyroid stimulating hormone: boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events. Synthetic versions of this hormone can be used to treat thyroid conditions and come from the pituitary glands of cattle.

•                     Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores.

Synthetic creams and injections are used treat arthritis, skin allergies, anti-inflammatory medicine and made from cow adrenals.

•                     Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections.

Rebif, a synthetic form of Interferon is a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis is made from genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells into which the human interferon beta gene has been introduced.

•                     Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory.

Cervidil, a synthetic prostaglandin is used commonly to ripen the cervix for labor and is made from pig semen.

•                     Hemoglobin: replenishes iron deficiency and anemia, a common postpartum condition.

Hemoglobin-glutamer 250, an oxygenated blood from cows is used when human blood isn't available.

•                     Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing.

Synthetic versions of cell-surface-bound urokinase (uPA) activity (made from chick embryo) are currently being studied and believed to play a central role in the processes of tissue remodelling important for wound healing, mammary gland involution, ovulation and development and repair of the nervous system. Such activity is also important in a number of disease states such as cancer and the inflammatory diseases pemphigus and rheumatoid arthritis.

•                     Gammaglobulin: immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections.

Immune globulin (IG) is a sterilized solution obtained from pooled human blood plasma, which contains the immunoglobulins (or antibodies) to protect against the infectious agents that cause various diseases.

Give the healing ingredients above it only makes sense that there would be a biological advantage to ingesting the placenta following birth! Unfortunately, most of our best evidence is anecdotal from the mothers who report back to us. I am hopeful that more research on human consumption will take place as this practice continues to be popularized. One of the primary questions to be answered is whether the traditional processing of the placenta (steaming/dehydrating) would ruin or eliminate some of the hormones, vitamins and minerals present in the placenta.  Some preliminary research, to be published out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that many of the compounds present pre-processing remained post-processing. The study analyzed several components present in placenta before any type of preparation, and after the steaming and dehydration that is common in converting the placenta into capsule form. The results demonstrated that while some components are reduced in the dried state, many components do still remain. In fact, the research has shown that the iron content, in particular, is even more highly concentrated after dehydration (Benysheck 2012). In another study, researchers found that most women who have ingested placenta after a birth would do so again after a subsequent pregnancy (Selander 2012).

Remember, you only have one placenta with each pregnancy, so I encourage you to make the best of it. If you are on the fence about placenta encapsulation or even think it’s absolutely bizarre I simply ask you to go ahead and put the placenta in your birth plan and save it in the back of the freezer “just in case”. It is far better to have the placenta and not need it, then to need the placenta and not have it. Be sure to label it so your family doesn't accidentally thaw it for dinner. ;-)

When hiring a professional placenta services provider here are some questions to ask:

•                     Are you OSHA Certified? Be sure the provider has completed OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Training in accordance with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 29 CFR 1090.1030. This will mean they are likely to use EPA & OSHA approved sanitation methods.

•                     Where do you prepare the placenta for encapsulation? Be leery of anyone who routinely prepares them in their own home kitchen, not only is it illegal to prepare a food/supplement in a kitchen (without an approved commercial kitchen) for resale, it is also easier for cross-contamination to happen! This usually means the placenta encapsulation provider brings her equipment to you, preparing in your home. This also ensures that you see your placenta from start to finish to verify it is in fact your placenta. *Occasionally, a separate and specialized off site work area can be used to prepare placentas for encapsulation when done safely and in line with OSHA standards.

•                     Do you do the raw method or the TCM/Traditional method? The placenta is potentially exposed to bacteria from the birth canal including maternal fecal matter, and infant meconium. The steaming process helps to kill off these bacteria and can help protect against any potential illnesses from bacteria allowed to culture on the placenta before encapsulation. Also, in raw preparation, when the placenta is not dehydrated for a long enough period of time mold spores can grow in the raw placenta capsules, thereby putting the mother at risk of food poisoning.

Raw Method:
If you decide you want the benefits of raw consumption consume the placenta immediately after the birth so bacteria has no time to grow, cut off a 1-2 inch square piece and place inside the cheek or under the tongue for as long as possible. It may then be discarded, or swallowed according to your preference. You can also blend in a smoothie. This is the fastest and safest way to incorporate the hormonal benefits of the raw placenta. Placenta smoothie recipes can be found here: http://placentanetwork.com/placenta-smoothies/  *More on the TCM or Traditional method: According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cooling foods are best in the first 48 hours postpartum. Raw foods, thus raw placenta, are used to help calm the hormonal rush and blood flow down. After the first 48 hours, warming foods are most beneficial. Cooked or steamed foods (TCM/Traditionally prepared and/or encapsulated placenta) are used to help rebuild blood, chi, and slowly increase the body's endocrine functions.

Traditional Method (Also referred to as TCM):

The placenta is steamed lightly, dehydrated, ground into powder and made into capsules. Average yield is 75-200 capsules. Most mothers will have some left over to save for hormonally stressful times later on.

Other placenta options:

Placenta Tincture – liquid remedy made for mother and baby or siblings as well

Placenta Salve/Balm – made for diaper rash, nipple soreness, eczema, minor scrapes, etc.

Placenta prints – keepsake prints of your placenta on archival paper

Placenta cord keepsake – Your umbilical cord dried in the shape of a heart or spiral keepsake

A few local TCM/Traditional Placenta Providers:

Spirited BirthServices, Taryn Goodwin

Serving Oklahoma City Metro

Butterfly Birth, Kandace Beck

Serving Oklahoma City Metro

New Life Doula, Jasmine Williams

Serving Lawton, OK

Joy Moore

Serving Oklahoma City Metro

Research and Works Cited:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1432-1033.1992.tb17035.x/pdf

http://www.lucinebiotech.com/placental-encapsulation-and-postpartum-healt/

http://placentanetwork.com/research-and-articles/

Benysheck, Young, Selander, Cantor. “Eating the placenta: A comparison of select hormones and nutrients in unprepared placental tissue and placenta prepared for encapsulation.” Ecology of Food and Nutrition, in press.

More about the author: Taryn became interested in placenta encapsulation after having postpartum depression after the birth of her son. She learned about the benefits of ingesting the placenta and was really attracted to the possibility of offering such a unique and needed service. Taryn was the first Placenta Encapsulation Provider to serve Oklahoma and she has prepared over 400 placentas for encapsulation and regularly hosts presentations on the benefits of the placenta for postpartum wellness. In 2010, Taryn worked with an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist to create an OSHA course specific to the standards needed for our industry and has successfully completed the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Training in accordance with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 29 CFR 1090.1030. Taryn is currently working with several experienced national providers to create a new training association for placenta service providers.

Meditation: Reduce Your Stress and Stay Rested

Author: Kandace Beck, CD(DONA), CPES, CEIM

Photos provided by: http://www.yoganonymous.com/back-to-school-seven-ways-to-meditate-celebrate-life-as-a-family/ 

Being a parent, becoming a new parent, entering a new relationship, starting a new career and all of the life situations can all carry a lot of stress which has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace. Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't requite any special equipment. An you can practice meditation wherever you are -- whether you're our for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor's office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

Meditation has been around in recorded history for thousands of years. The history of Meditation dates all the way back to ancient times. There has been proof found in Indian artifacts of the history of meditation called, “Tantra,” that speaks of such practices, dating back 5000 years. Researchers suggest that primitive hunting and gathering societies may have been the ones to have discovered meditation and its many different states of consciousness while gazing into the flames of their fires. The history of Meditation has evolved over thousands of years, into a structured practice that people use daily. One of the biggest proponents in the history of meditation is the Buddha. The Buddha is also known as one of the biggest meditation icons in both current and times past and has been around since 500 B.C..  The teaching of the Buddha became popular in the Asian continent. According to the history of meditation other separate countries and cultures soon adopted many different forms of meditation creating their own special ways of practicing it. Some of the most popularly used forms today are the Buddhist and Hindu-based Easter-style meditation.

Meditation offers innumerable benefits for your body, mind and spirit. The rest you gain in meditation is deeper than the deepest sleep. The deeper your rest, the more dynamic your activity is.Meditation has two important benefits:

• Meditation prevents stress from getting in the system
• Mediation releases accumulated stress that is in the system

Both of these happen simultaneously, leaving one refreshed and joyful. Why meditation, the physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more prana (energy). This results in joy, peace, enthusiasm as the level of prana is the body increases.
On a physical level meditation:

• Lowers high blood pressure
• Lowers the level s of blood lactate, reducing anxiety attacks
• Decreases any tension-related pain, such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems.
• Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior
• Improves the immune system
• Increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy

Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into an Alpha state that promotes healing. The mind becomes fresh, delicate and beautiful. With regular practice of meditation:

• Anxiety decreases
• Emotional stability improves
• Creativity increases
• Happiness increases
• Intuition develops
• Gain clarity and peace of mind
• Problems become smaller
• Meditation sharpens the mind by gaining focus and expands through relaxation
• A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration
• An expanded consciousness without sharpness can lead to lack of action/progress
• The balance of a sharp mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection

Meditation make you aware - that your inner attitude determines your happiness:
Emotional steadiness and harmony. It cleanses and nourishes you from within an calms you, whenever you feel overwhelmed, unstable, or emotionally shut down.
Meditation brings harmony in creation. When you meditate, you are in the space of vastness, calmness and joy and this is what you emit into the environment, bringing harmony to the Creation/Planet.
Consciousness evolves. With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, your consciousness evolves and in time, is able to experience the higher and refined states of consciousnesses. When your consciousness evolves and expands, that disturbances in your life become negligible. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish. You start living in 'the moment' and let go of 'the past'.
Personal Transformation. Meditation can bring about a true personal transformation. As you learn more about yourself, you'll naturally want to discover more about the mystery of life, the universe, etc. Then the questions that arise in the mind are - What is the meaning of life? What is its purpose? What is this world, what is love, what is knowledge..? Once these questions arise, know hat you're very fortunate. These questions need to be understood; you cannot find the answers in books. As you live through answering them you'll witness that life transformation to a richer level.

Cosmic Consciousness dawns in you. With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, the fifth state of consciousness, called cosmic consciousness, dawns. Cosmic consciousness - is to perceive the whole cosmos as part of oneself. When you perceive the world as part of yourself, love flows strongly between the world and you. This love empowers you to bear the opposing forces and the disturbances in your life. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish. You start living in 'the moment' and let go of 'the past'. The confluence of knowledge, understanding and practice makes life complete. When you grow into higher states of consciousness, you become beautiful yet strong - a soft, delicate and beautiful blossom capable of accommodating different values in life without any conditions.

Meditation is an umbrella term for the many ways to a relaxed state of being. There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components. All share the same goal of achieving inner peace. Ways to mediate can include:

Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. you may be led through this process by a guide or teacher. 

Mantra mediation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.

Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness. you focus on what you experience during meditation, such as flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment. 

Qi Gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore an maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Tai Chi. This is a for of gentle Chinese martial arts. In Tai Chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Transcendental meditation. You use a mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase repeatedly silently, to narrow your conscious awareness and eliminate all thoughts form your mind. You focus exclusively on your mantra to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.

Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you're encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment. 

Don't let the thought of meditating the "right" way add to your stress. Sure, you can attend special meditation centers or group classes led by trained instructors. But you also can practice meditation easily on your own. An you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like - whatever suits your lifestyle and situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation. Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.

Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxations. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and our of different parts of your body.

Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it's religious or secular. Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.

Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking - in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground. 

Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions. you can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help or 12-step-recovery section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.

Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning. You also can listen to sacred music, spoken works or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader. 

Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred object or being, weaving feelings of love and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the object. 

Don't judge your mediation skills, which may only increase your stress. Meditation takes practice. Keep in mind, for instance, that it's common for your mind to wander during meditation, no matter how long you've been practicing. If you're mediating to calm your mind and your attention wanders, slowly return to the object, sensation or movement you're focusing on.Experiment, and you'll likely find out what types of meditation work best for your an what you enjoy doing. Adapt meditation to your needs at the moment. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to meditate. What matters is that meditation helps you with stress reduction and feeling better overall.