My first birth was very long, in part because the baby's position was less than perfect, being both posterior and asynclitic. (See this excellent website for more info on optimal fetal positioning.)
Eventually it resolved after the midwife helped me to walk the stairs and swing my hips. Now, lookign back, I wonder if I would have avoided it altogether by being familiar belly dance. I have since studied belly dance, and according to others present, I used a lot of belly dance type moves in my subsequent births.
There are belly dance videos and classes available for pregnant moms. Just be careful to avoid sharp, sudden popping moves. Otherwise, this can be a wonderful prenatal exercise that helps you learn to control your pelvic muscles and might assist you in an active labor, to help ease your birth.
Check out this beautiful video of pregnant belly dancing!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
HUGE Court Win in Goslin Pennsylvania Case!
Diane Goslin, CPM, who was charged by the state of Pennsylvania Medical Board with practicing medicine/nurse-midwifery without a license, has scored a huge victory for home birth midwives, winning an appeal to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. You can download a pdf of the Court's ruling here
There are numerous new stories related to this case I'll list some them here that detail the win, with headlines and initial paragraphs.
The Philadelphia Enquirer
Birthing women win legal decision
By Angela Couloumbis
Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau
HARRISBURG - In a case that touched on whether women have the right to give birth where and with whom they want, a Commonwealth Court panel of judges ruled yesterday that a Lancaster County midwife could resume her work delivering babies for the Amish.
Diane Goslin, 50, had been under a cease-and-desist order from the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, which had charged her with practicing medicine and midwifery without a license.
But the Commonwealth Court panel, in a 5-2 decision, nixed that order yesterday.
"I am very excited," Goslin, from New Providence, said shortly after she learned of the decision. "This is such an encouraging day of victory for women and families."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harrisburg News
Midwife for Amish wins appeal
by DAVID WENNER, Of The Patriot-News
Friday May 23, 2008, 3:41 PM
A Pennsylvania court has reversed state-imposed fines and penalties against a Lancaster-area midwife who has delivered thousands of babies for the Amish.
A panel of Commonwealth Court judges ruled the state medical board was wrong to fine and order Diane Goslin to stop delivering babies.
But rather than state that Goslin is free to deliver babies, the written decision concludes Goslin hadn't been given adequate opportunity to defend herself against charges of practicing midwifery without a license.
Goslin, 50, said today her interpretation of the ruling is that it allows her to resume deliveries. The state board of medicine couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
York Daily Record
Pa. court allows unlicensed midwife to resume practice
MARTHA RAFFAELE
The Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. - An unlicensed midwife who assists Amish and Mennonite families with home births won a legal challenge Friday to a state decision that stopped her from practicing.
The Commonwealth Court's 5-2 ruling also overturned an $11,000 civil fine that the State Board of Medicine imposed on midwife Diane Goslin. The board can appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Commonwealth Court said the board erroneously concluded that by practicing midwifery, Goslin was also illegally practicing medicine and surgery without a license.
The board also denied Goslin due process by charging her under a 1985 state law that established licensing requirements for nurse-midwives, but disciplining her under a 1929 law that requires other types of midwives to hold state-issued certificates, the court found.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information about what's happening in Pennsylvania, visit, SaveHomeBirth.com
There are numerous new stories related to this case I'll list some them here that detail the win, with headlines and initial paragraphs.
The Philadelphia Enquirer
Birthing women win legal decision
By Angela Couloumbis
Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau
HARRISBURG - In a case that touched on whether women have the right to give birth where and with whom they want, a Commonwealth Court panel of judges ruled yesterday that a Lancaster County midwife could resume her work delivering babies for the Amish.
Diane Goslin, 50, had been under a cease-and-desist order from the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, which had charged her with practicing medicine and midwifery without a license.
But the Commonwealth Court panel, in a 5-2 decision, nixed that order yesterday.
"I am very excited," Goslin, from New Providence, said shortly after she learned of the decision. "This is such an encouraging day of victory for women and families."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harrisburg News
Midwife for Amish wins appeal
by DAVID WENNER, Of The Patriot-News
Friday May 23, 2008, 3:41 PM
A Pennsylvania court has reversed state-imposed fines and penalties against a Lancaster-area midwife who has delivered thousands of babies for the Amish.
A panel of Commonwealth Court judges ruled the state medical board was wrong to fine and order Diane Goslin to stop delivering babies.
But rather than state that Goslin is free to deliver babies, the written decision concludes Goslin hadn't been given adequate opportunity to defend herself against charges of practicing midwifery without a license.
Goslin, 50, said today her interpretation of the ruling is that it allows her to resume deliveries. The state board of medicine couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
York Daily Record
Pa. court allows unlicensed midwife to resume practice
MARTHA RAFFAELE
The Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. - An unlicensed midwife who assists Amish and Mennonite families with home births won a legal challenge Friday to a state decision that stopped her from practicing.
The Commonwealth Court's 5-2 ruling also overturned an $11,000 civil fine that the State Board of Medicine imposed on midwife Diane Goslin. The board can appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Commonwealth Court said the board erroneously concluded that by practicing midwifery, Goslin was also illegally practicing medicine and surgery without a license.
The board also denied Goslin due process by charging her under a 1985 state law that established licensing requirements for nurse-midwives, but disciplining her under a 1929 law that requires other types of midwives to hold state-issued certificates, the court found.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information about what's happening in Pennsylvania, visit, SaveHomeBirth.com
Jennifer Block on childbirth
What does the former health editor of Ms. Magazine say about childbirth in America, after researching and writing the book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care.
You can see a succinct explanation/introduction as to why Ms. Block wrote her book and what she discovered in her extensive research, in this video.
For more information, visit Jennifer Block's excellent blog, PushedBirth.com
You can see a succinct explanation/introduction as to why Ms. Block wrote her book and what she discovered in her extensive research, in this video.
For more information, visit Jennifer Block's excellent blog, PushedBirth.com
Saturday, May 24, 2008
So close! Show me the truth, show me state!
MISSOURI is one of the "hot" states in the effort to license midwives. Last year, the Missouri CPM licensure bill, introduced by Senator John Loudon (R-Ballwin), was effectively filibustered by Missouri Senator Graham (D - Columbia), which incluced reading pages of the phone book, discussing his and his colleagues' new blackberries, and countless hours of wasting Missourians taxpayer dollars.
Seemingly out of frustration, Louden attached a clause onto an insurance bill that allows anyone to practice if they are certified to provide tocological services, by a group that's accredited by the National Commission on Certified Agencies (in other words, CPMs, CNMs or CMs).
The doctors, with all their overblown education, didn't catch it. The law passed, and it was a huge victory, which is now being battled out in the Missouri courts.
This year, a licensure bill passed the Missouri Senate after some political maneuvering, but the medical lobbyists stopped it from getting out of the House.
The stories from those "on the ground" in Missouri are spooky. This is hardball politics, to say the least.
Seemingly out of frustration, Louden attached a clause onto an insurance bill that allows anyone to practice if they are certified to provide tocological services, by a group that's accredited by the National Commission on Certified Agencies (in other words, CPMs, CNMs or CMs).
The doctors, with all their overblown education, didn't catch it. The law passed, and it was a huge victory, which is now being battled out in the Missouri courts.
This year, a licensure bill passed the Missouri Senate after some political maneuvering, but the medical lobbyists stopped it from getting out of the House.
The stories from those "on the ground" in Missouri are spooky. This is hardball politics, to say the least.
Midwife licensure news from Maine
Some very interesting developments have occurred this year. In all my trips to the state capitol, I've not posted, but soon the legislative session will end, and I should be able to catch up. Until then, here are a few interesting things that have occurred.
MAINE
The Main Department of Professional Regulation issued an official Legislative Report (<--link to a pdf download) that states, "Information presented to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation suggests that the 22 CPMs practicing in Maine are knowledgeable, compassionate and sincerely dedicated to the welfare of women and children. The competence of these CPMs is suggested through good birth outcomes and the absence of examples in which serious medical problems have resulted form the care they provide ..." [Report of the Commission of Professional and Financial Regulation to the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development, Sunrise Review Regarding the Practice of Licensed Midwifery, February 15, 2008, pg. 16.]
In the end, the governor signed a bill that allows UNLICENSED CPMs to carry certain, life-saving medications (like pitocin and oxygen). They felt that CPMs already do an excellent job. One correction to the news story I linked to is that the drugs would not be used for induction. Midwives never induce, which is one of many reasons home birth is healthier and safer for the majority of women.
The doctors groups went apeshit. (Note: this is an editorial, but it includes the same old doctor's talking points.)
MAINE
The Main Department of Professional Regulation issued an official Legislative Report (<--link to a pdf download) that states, "Information presented to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation suggests that the 22 CPMs practicing in Maine are knowledgeable, compassionate and sincerely dedicated to the welfare of women and children. The competence of these CPMs is suggested through good birth outcomes and the absence of examples in which serious medical problems have resulted form the care they provide ..." [Report of the Commission of Professional and Financial Regulation to the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development, Sunrise Review Regarding the Practice of Licensed Midwifery, February 15, 2008, pg. 16.]
In the end, the governor signed a bill that allows UNLICENSED CPMs to carry certain, life-saving medications (like pitocin and oxygen). They felt that CPMs already do an excellent job. One correction to the news story I linked to is that the drugs would not be used for induction. Midwives never induce, which is one of many reasons home birth is healthier and safer for the majority of women.
The doctors groups went apeshit. (Note: this is an editorial, but it includes the same old doctor's talking points.)
Rock, meet hard place
What would you do, if you were on the cusp of winning a 30 year battle to make home birth midwives (CPMs) legal, and in the 11th hour an unanticipated fork in the road was presented to you? One path leads to legalization that's desperately needed, but the twist is many moms could be left to the cold, steel rooms of the surgical suite. The other fork means almost certainly giving up licensure for many years to come.
It's not an easy place to be in. Illinois advocates find themselves wedged tightly between a giant boulder, and one of the hardest places of all. And a lot of moms are hopping mad about it. So mad, that some individuals have threatened to withdraw support of the bill that would licensed CPMs.
The issue is regarding whether or not an Illinois CPMs would be allowed to attend moms who have had a cesarean birth, in their first attempt at vaginal birth (primary VBAC, or first time vaginal birth after cesarean). The twist is that it's extremely difficult, at best, to achieve a safe VBAC attempt in most Illinois hospitals, and in many parts of the state, officially disallowed by hospital protocols.
So we have a group of moms who expect other women (most of them moms themselves) to risk jail or losing ALL their personal assets, to preserve the ability to access vbacs. And another group of women who desperately want to serve vbac moms but don't necessarily want to risk jail and all of their personal assets in order to do so. (And yes, a lot of midwives have served time.)
Where's the balance?
Please post a comment if you have an answer to this quandary. Or just to spout off. (Please note: I understand that this is an emotionally charged issue, but personal attacks will be removed.)
It's not an easy place to be in. Illinois advocates find themselves wedged tightly between a giant boulder, and one of the hardest places of all. And a lot of moms are hopping mad about it. So mad, that some individuals have threatened to withdraw support of the bill that would licensed CPMs.
The issue is regarding whether or not an Illinois CPMs would be allowed to attend moms who have had a cesarean birth, in their first attempt at vaginal birth (primary VBAC, or first time vaginal birth after cesarean). The twist is that it's extremely difficult, at best, to achieve a safe VBAC attempt in most Illinois hospitals, and in many parts of the state, officially disallowed by hospital protocols.
So we have a group of moms who expect other women (most of them moms themselves) to risk jail or losing ALL their personal assets, to preserve the ability to access vbacs. And another group of women who desperately want to serve vbac moms but don't necessarily want to risk jail and all of their personal assets in order to do so. (And yes, a lot of midwives have served time.)
Where's the balance?
Please post a comment if you have an answer to this quandary. Or just to spout off. (Please note: I understand that this is an emotionally charged issue, but personal attacks will be removed.)
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