Birthologie Online Childbirth Classes

The nausea and general misery associated with morning sickness is without a doubt one of the most challenging parts of pregnancy.

But while many have been led to believe that this is just one of those unavoidable factors that go hand-in-hand with being pregnant, the reality is that there are quite a few things within your control that can either reduce or completely eliminate the symptoms of morning sickness.

First, you have to understand WHY you are sick in the first place.  Go here to learn about that.

Second, avoiding nausea is much more than just making sure to nibble throughout the day.  See all my tips and tricks here.

To learn more about feeling good prenatally, please visit Birthologie.com

I think most, if not all, expectant mothers assume that they will be encouraged, shown how, and helped with breastfeeding after the baby is born by their nurse.

Not so, according to this new report issued by the CDC

What is really going on across the country?

"We're a very long way from where we need to be," CDC Director Thomas Frieden told reporters on Tuesday.

Failure to promote breast-feeding costs the U.S. healthcare system $2.2 billion annually, Frieden said, not to mention – and most importantly – babies lives.

So, new moms, your basically on your own and in fact, you should assume that the hospital staff will work against your breastfeeding efforts. 

What can you do to ensure your breastfeeding relationship starts off strong?

Studies have shown that the follow practices increase your odds of breastfeeding:

1.  Educate yourself and birth partner before delivery.  My breastfeeding module pretty much sums up everything you need to know!

2.  Hire a doula.  Studies show that doulas increase your odds of establishing a good breastfeeding relationship.

3.  Be healthy during pregnancy and afterward.  A well nourished mom provides ample and quality milk for her baby.  Birthologie's module 1 is all about nutrition!

4.  Have an unmedicated birth.  Even IV fluids can decrease your odds of breastfeeding, and studies have shown that pitocin (even pitocin used directly after delivery) and epidural use definitely decrease your odds of a good start. Of course Birthologie's online course will give you all the tools you need!

5.  Scout out your local and online resources before you deliver.  Attend La Leche League and other breastfeeding support groups, find some great online breastfeeding sites, and connect with other like minded moms that will support breastfeeding.

6.  Choose your caregiver and birthplace wisely.  Research your hospitals' policies regarding breastfeeding, ask if they have a lactation consultant on staff 24 hours a day, or have a birth center or homebirth.

Something has always fascinated me….how do women who have atrocious diets and are even heavy drug users have seemingly healthy babies?  I mean, of course a few of them have babies that sadly suffer birth defects and are sickly, but how do some of them get away with having 7-9 lb babies that don't appear to have problems at birth? 

Because the body is amazing, that's why.

As this new research will tell you, the body does everything it can to protect that growing baby. 

When the placenta is deprived of nutrients and attacked by toxins, it

responded by breaking down its own tissues, recycling proteins inside its cells to provide a steady supply of nutrients to the developing hypothalamus despite the mother's interrupted food intake.

Does that mean that it's okay for a woman to starve herself or take in noxious substances during pregnancy?  Of course not!  It has been well established that the healthier your diet is, the the more likely it is your baby is health not only at birth, but throughout the rest of the child's life.  But, should you be forced to go without food for a period of time, just know that your body is doing all it can to help tide you over.  Your body is amazing.

To learn more about nutrition in pregnancy, please visit Birthologie.com

There's a great magnet that will soon by on my refrigerator that says:

'Try Organic Food…Or As Your Grandparents Called it, "Food"'

It's true, our food supply isn't what it once was, and isn't what God intended.

There are many ingredients on our food, processed and even in our produce, that our bodies can't process!

Case in point, wood pulp.  Cellulose, or wood pulp, is used by many companies to pad their pockets and is in many processed foods like crackers and pudding and even ground meat.

As affirmed in this article, we humans lack the proper enzymes to break down wood pulp, also known as cellulose gum, powdered cellulose, and microcrystalline cellulose.  What a surprise.  We weren't meant to eat wood?  Shocker.

So what does cellulose do to food and our body and why does the FDA allow it?

What it does to food is that it extends it.  It makes more of it, in other words  (=more $ for the manufacturer's).  And it makes it more stable, in other words less fragile (=more $ for the manufacturer's).  Lastly, it extends the shelf life (=more $ for the manufacturer's) and it can allow a manufacturer to advertise that their product is lower in fat, since wood pulp mimics fat in that it absorbs water (=more $ for the manufacturer's).

Indeed, food producers save as much as 30% in ingredient costs by opting for cellulose as a filler or binder in processed foods, according to a source close to the processed food industry who spoke with TheStreet on the condition of anonymity…. he’s been able to remove as much as 50% of the fat from some cookies, biscuits, cakes and brownies by replacing it with powdered cellulose – but still end up with a very similar product in terms of taste and appearance.  “We’re only limited by our own imagination,” Inman told TheStreet. “I would never have dreamed I could successfully put 18% fiber in a loaf of bread two years ago.”

Below is a list (courtesy of TheStree.com) of some popular foods containing wood pulp (cellulose), but in no way is it complete.  Be sure to read your labels.

Dole Food

Peaches & Crème Parfait
Apples & Crème Parfait

General Mills

Fiber One Ready-To-Eat Muffins – Used in:

Grilled Chicken Salad, Chicken Club Salad with Crispy Chicken, Meaty Breakfast Burrito, Hearty Breakfast Bowl

Cheese, Pepper Jack, Shredded – Used in:

Chicken Fajita Pita, Southwest Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken, Meaty Breakfast Burrito

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ice Cream Shake Mix
Log Cabin Syrup
Mini Funnel Cake
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (also in Sampler Trio)
Smoothie Base: (Mango, Strawberry, Strawberry Banana)
Tortilla, Flour – Used in:

Chorizo Sausage Burrito, Steak & Egg Burrito, Meaty Breakfast Burrito

White Cheese Sauce – Used in Breakfast Bowl

Kellogg

MorningStar Farms Chik’n Nuggets
MorningStar Farms Chik Patties Original
MorningStar Farms Buffalo Wings Veggie Wings
Eggo Nutri-Grain Blueberry waffles
Eggo Strawberry Waffles
Eggo Blueberry Waffles
Cinnabon Pancakes Original
Cinnabon Pancakes Caramel
Cinnabon Snack Bars Original
Cinnabon Snack Bars Baked Cinnamon Apple

KFC (Yum! Brands)

KFC Cornbread Muffin
Apple Turnover
Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce
Lil’ Bucket Strawberry Short Cake Parfait
Lil’ Bucket Lemon Crème Parfait
Lil’ Bucket Chocolate Crème Parfait
Oreo Cookies and Crème Pie Slice
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie Slice
Popcorn Chicken
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Slice

Kraft Foods

Wheat Thins Fiber Selects
Frozen Bagel-Fuls
Macaroni & Cheese Thick ‘n Creamy
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Three Cheese W/mini-shell Pasta

McDonald’s

Fish Filet Patty
McRib
Premium Caesar Salad
Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap
Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken
Southern Style Chicken Biscuit
Strawberry Sundae
Natural Swiss Cheese – Used in:

McRib, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Angus Mushroom & Swiss, Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich, Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich, Angus Mushroom & Swiss Snack Wrap

Shredded Cheddar/Jack Cheese – Used in:

Ranch Snack Wrap (Crispy and Grilled), Honey Mustard Snack Wrap (Crispy and Grilled), Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap (Crispy and Grilled), Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, Premium Southwest Salad with/without Crispy/Grilled Chicken, Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with/without Crispy/Grilled Chicken, McSkillet Burrito with Sausage

Barbeque Sauce
Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce
Shredded Parmesan Cheese – Used in:

Premium Caesar Salad with/without Crispy/Grilled Chicken

Biscuit – Used to make:

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, Sausage Biscuit with Egg, Sausage Biscuit, Southern Style Chicken Biscuit, Big Breakfast with/without Hotcakes

Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream – Used in:

Strawberry Sundae, Hot Caramel Sundae, Hot Fudge Sundae, McFlurry with M&M’S Candies, McFlurry with OREO Cookies, Chocolate Triple Thick Shake, Strawberry Triple Thick Shake, Vanilla Triple Thick Shake

Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup, used in: Premium Roast Coffee, Espresso

Nestle

Hot Cocoa Mixes: Mini Marshmallows, Rich Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Caramel

Pepsi

Aunt Jemima Frozen Blueberry Pancakes
Aunt Jemima Original Syrup
Aunt Jemima Lite Syrup

Pizza Hut (Yum! Brands)

Parmesan Romano Cheese
Taco Bean Sauce
Shredded Cheddar (for Taco Pizza)
Breadstick Seasoning – Used to make Cheese Breadsticks)
WingStreet Bone-In (in the batter)
Meatballs (for pasta products, sandwiches)
White Pasta Sauce – Used for:

PastaBakes Marinara, PastaBakes Meatball Marinara, PastaBakes Primavera, PastaBakes Chicken Primavera

Alfredo Sauce – Used for:

PastaBakes Marinara, PastaBakes Meatball Marinara, PastaBakes Primavera, PastaBakes Chicken Primavera

Fat Free Ranch Dressing

Sara Lee

Jimmy Dean Frozen Breakfast Bowl (Sausage & Gravy)
Jimmy Dean D-lights Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl
Jimmy Dean D-lights Turkey Sausage Croissant
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Entrée – Used in:

(Scrambled Eggs with Bacon/Sausage and Cheese Diced Apples & Seasoned Hash)

Sonic

Ice Cream
Sonic Blast
Banana Split
Ice Cream Cone

Taco Bell (Yum! Brands)

Southwest Chicken
Caramel Apple Empanada
Corn Tortilla
Enchilada Rice
Nacho Chips
Red Strips
Strawberry Topping
Zesty Dressing

Weight Watchers International

Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich
English Toffee Crunch Ice Cream Bar
Giant Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Bar

Wendy’s Arby’s

Asiago Cheese – Used in:

Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, Asiago Ranch Chicken Club, Caesar Side Salad

Fat Free French Dressing – Used for:

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, Baja Salad, Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, BLT Cobb Salad

Blue Cheese Crumbles – Used in: Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, BLT Cobb Salad
Cheddar Pepper Jack Cheese Blend, Shredded
Chocolate Sauce
Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty (Chocolate, Vanilla)
Frosty (Chocolate and Vanilla)
Frosty Shake (Frosty-cino, Chocolate Fudge, Strawberry, Vanilla Bean)
Milk, 1% Low Fat Chocolate Milk

Many times when a woman hasn't experienced care from different providers who practice from differing philosophies, that don't understand just how different their care can be prenatally, during the birth and postnatally.

The woman who produced the following short video chronicled her experience between two different providers who espouse two different birth philosophies.  Of course, this isn't going to be everyone's experience and in some cases I've actually seen the roles reverse, but overall and in being a birth junkie since 1997, I've got to say, this is pretty right on.

What do you think?

To learn more about your choices in care providers, please visit Birthologie.com

In all likelihood, your caregiver has told you to reduce or eliminate the consumption of one very important mineral.

Salt.

Why?  Why would this recommendation even exist?  It's based on the misguided assumption that salt in pregnancy causes water retention and bloating and could contribute to high blood pressure.  And these recommendations started becoming standard about the time when salt was being heavily refined and many chemicals were added to salt, so maybe there was something to that assumption, BUT…..

You need salt when you are pregnant.  For many reasons.  Without it your kidneys will not function normally and it could contribute to pre eclampsia and toxemia, a potentially life threatening condition.

Now, new research shows that not having enough salt in your diet can alter your offspring's kidney functioning.  It can contribute to hypertension and renal (eye) failure in children. 

It is important to note that not all salt is created equal.  You want to get unrefined, pure salt for your diet in order to ensure proper assimilation.  Did you know that regular table salt has MSG in it?  So, avoid it completely.  Instead I highly recommend full-spectrum sea and mineral salts like Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt that are loaded with beneficial trace minerals and actually have been shown to prevent hypertension and high blood pressure.

To learn more about how your kidneys impact your pregnancy, please visit Birthologie.com

Everyone I talk to doesn't mind going to baby showers, but it never fails….there is always a complaint.

"If I have to try to guess a melted candy bar in a diaper one more time I think I will throw up."

"I really hope I don't have to taste any unlabeled baby food jars again."

"I never know what to get the baby, it all seems too impersonal."

All pregnant women crave the same thing for their baby showers….a feeling of support and connection.  You'd have to be pretty shallow to just be in it for the gifts.

Traditional baby showers try their best to provide this support and connection, and to some extent they do.

But why not make your celebration as meaningful as possible?

Why not throw a Blessingway instead of a baby shower?

Just what is a Blessingway?

I've put together a nice pictorial of my niece, Julene's blessingway.

Enjoy….

To learn more about making your birth meaningful, please visit Birthologie.com

Everyone I talk to doesn't mind going to baby showers, but it never fails….there is always a complaint.

"If I have to try to guess a melted candy bar in a diaper one more time I think I will throw up."

"I really hope I don't have to taste any unlabeled baby food jars again."

"I never know what to get the baby, it all seems too impersonal."

All pregnant women crave the same thing for their baby showers….a feeling of support and connection.  You'd have to be pretty shallow to just be in it for the gifts.

Traditional baby showers try their best to provide this support and connection, and to some extent they do.

But why not make your celebration as meaningful as possible?

Why not throw a Blessingway instead of a baby shower?

Just what is a Blessingway?

I've put together a nice pictorial of my niece, Julene's blessingway.

Enjoy….

To learn more about making your birth meaningful, please visit Birthologie.com

Oregon Health and Science University Hospital is doing something unheard of in this country…..

They are developing evidenced based policies.

Vaginal Breech Births and VBAC after 2 cesareans.

While I applaud them for moving ahead and practicing according to what is safe rather than what is obstetrically trendy, I have to question their motives for doing so.

Says the article:

In 2008, 2 percent of home births in Oregon involved breech deliveries, Cheyney said.

"Part of the reason we decided to start this program is we felt it would be safer for those expectant mothers to have a hospital option and there wasn't one," Pereira said. "Some of these women would like to deliver in a hospital, but there wasn't a hospital to take care of them.

"We are just worrying about patients doing higher-risk type deliveries at home," he said. "We want to be able to offer them a safer option."

Oregon is a state that sees a high number of homebirths.  And apparently, the competition got to them.  They aren't offering these options because they think they are safe and support them, but are doing them to save those poor, helpless mothers and babies making ignorant choices and having their babies at home and oh yeah, they were losing business because of their backwards policies. 

As I wrote in one of my VBAC articles:

If I’ve learned one thing as a doula and childbirth educator, it’s that you have to be willing to walk away and say no in order to get adequate care sometimes.  I’ve also learned that the obstetric community doesn’t change until a certain threshold number of women will walk away from them.

In Other Words, OB’s Eventually Do What We Tell Them To. Period.

Now, this is not to vilify OB’s or pit you against your OB, but you do not have the luxury of time.  You cannot afford to wait until your OB’s ‘gets it’.  But let me suggest this.  If you aren’t willing to research, work and question your OB…if you aren’t willing to walk away and go somewhere else, if it is true that OB’s eventually do what we tell them to do (and I personally testify that that is the case), then may I suggest that the problem is not your OB, it is YOU.

I am glad that women have one more choice of how and where to birth, I just wish the motives were more authentic.

To learn more about VBAC and your birth options, please visit Birthologie.com