Hospital Birth In Progress on the Web
Lynsee is streaming her birth. I am not sure, but at 6:45pm PT, it looks like she's about 5cm. I'm sure they will say soon again. It's obviously a progressive hospital (as hospitals go). I wonder how long I'll watch. (I'm acting like I've never seen a birth before!)

Avoid H1N1 with Vitamin D Supplementation
I know, I know. You're tired of hearing about the H1N1 (swine) flu. The more I hear, the more confused I become, but I keep reading and learning and trying to decide whether to vaccinate myself; I am in a high risk category because of my past Disseminated Coccidiomycosis. My lungs have scar tissue that looks like lace on them. Sarah, too, is high risk; she had lung cancer when she was three-years old, having a third of her lung removed. I've heard whispers of the Vitamin D Theory, but this is the first organized article that explains why and even dosages. The advised dose by our government is 400 IU every day. However, we continue being deficient, sometimes extremely so, in Vitam

MedFake: Hospital Birth Gone Awry: Is This Typical?
(This is in response to Medscape's article, "Homebirth Gone Awry: Is This Typical?" [the post before this one]. Writing was the only way I could answer the absurd accusations in that ridiculous article.) Barbara E. Herrera, LM, CPM Case History  Being a homebirth midwife who sees women throughout their pregnancies, births and on into postpartum, I am familiar with the way these experiences and how they affect women and their families.  So, when I was asked to assist a woman choosing obstetric care with a doctor and, once labor began, to deliver in the hospital, I never knew what lay ahead.  Starting at the beginning

Medscape Article - 9/29/09 - Slamming Homebirth -again-
Home Birth Gone Awry: Is This Typical?Maria I. Rodriguez, MDCase HistoryOften, it is an especially busy night in Labor and Delivery when a patient with a disastrous clinical circumstance presents to the service. One call night, during my internship year, proved to be no exception. Although the events that follow happened many years ago, the encounter is indelibly etched into my memory. Hazel and her partner were brought in by their midwife "for pain medication." (Identifying details of the patient and midwife have been changed to preserve confidentiality.) Hazel had broken her bag of water 7 days earlier but had not

How Homebirth Helps Avoid the H1N1 Virus
You cannot miss the headlines:  Hospitals May Face Severe Disruption From Swine Flu – “Swine flu may hospitalize 1.8 million patients in the U.S. this year, filling intensive care units to capacity and causing “severe disruptions” during a fall resurgence, scientific advisors  to the White House warned.”  Hospitals May Ban Visits to Newborns Due to Swine Flu – &ldq