pamela on Jul 13 2008 | Filed under: life of a midwife, midwife practice
I have received so many emails (and phone calls) regarding apprenticeship that it still astounds me. I’m grateful to have the internet as a medium for putting out such a specific request.
Awhile back I was contacted by a student midwife looking for an apprenticeship. She wouldn’t be available until the first of the […]
pamela on Jul 05 2008 | Filed under: midwife practice
I am currently looking for an apprentice. I have a few requirements, however, before taking on someone new:
They MUST be willing to move to Salem, Oregon or the immediate vicinity
They MUST have considerable book education - I have a preference for people who self-study or have an education that fosters independent and critical thinking, but […]
pamela on Jul 02 2008 | Filed under: articles, evidence-based research, midwife practice, research
Lisa Barrett has a great post about GBS (Group Beta Strep). Enjoy!
spamelita on Nov 21 2007 | Filed under: birth story, midwife practice, my life
Had a birth early this morning, third baby (first boy!), 11lbs 8oz, born posterior. Short and sweet aside from some extra blood loss that resolved rather smoothly.
We have one more November mom, was due at the beginning of the month, that is expecting her first baby.
Doing a group prenatal up in Portland on Saturday.
Lots of […]
spamelita on Sep 20 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, second stage
I don’t know how long I have coveted this birth stool:
It’s been years. Like ever since I started my own practice seven years ago. Seriously. But look at the price! $600 USD!!! Oh, it’s ideal: lightweight, molded plastic - easy to clean! That price doesn’t even include […]
spamelita on Sep 19 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, research, unlearning midwifery
I’m wondering how others feel about numerous studies that have shown no adverse outcomes or lack of maternal satisfaction when fewer prenatal visits are scheduled.
I’ve talked about this book before, but Expecting Trouble: The Myth of Prenatal Care in America is a harsh critique regarding what we view as “good” prenatal care, including how often […]
spamelita on Sep 18 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, research, unlearning midwifery
I have added some evidence-based resources to my links on the left of the page. Just so you know…
And here are some good articles/research on topics that seem to be missed and stump many providers:
(From Sara Wickham’s Site)
Maternal hemoglobin NEEDS to fall during pregnancy - and routine supplementation of iron is unnecessary
Homebirth Safety Resources and […]
spamelita on Sep 18 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, research, unlearning midwifery
I’m sharing some of my older posts here - the ones that began some real shifting for me in terms of practice. I need to just tag these posts so they can all be contained and easy to find for me:
How the Baby is “delivered”
However, I wonder if the way the mothers respond to […]
spamelita on Sep 14 2007 | Filed under: birth activism, midwife practice, political, race
I’d like to hear from all of you but specifically Minority Midwifery Student and LaborPayne in regards to this:
In my midwifery school, it was VERY rare to see a woman of color. In my experiences in the birth activism/lactivism world, again, not only is it nearly all white women but the class issue plays […]
spamelita on Sep 12 2007 | Filed under: birth videos, midwife practice, unassisted birth, unlearning midwifery
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMaAfakqHpo]
I remember getting the news that Beatrice birthed her baby. It was a girl, after two boys. Eudora was her name.
I also remember sitting with a friend of mine who had been having issues with her homebirth midwives (she wanted to refuse some things they said were necessary, she wanted an unassisted birth, […]
spamelita on Sep 11 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, research
Because Rixa received some “interesting” comments on her due date entry….
I hear the term “postdates” being used all the time for women a day past 40 weeks gestation. What is frustrating is the true definition of being “postdates” is when a woman’s pregnancy goes beyond the 42nd completed week.
Then again, when we live in […]
spamelita on Sep 09 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, unassisted birth, unlearning midwifery
Can we talk about this whole “internet community”/”blog life” thing?
It’s hard “knowing” so many awesome people online, but not in real life. One of my favorite writers on autonomous/unhindered birth is my good friend, Linda. I’m fortunate to live about 40 minutes away from her, and to have had her in my life […]
spamelita on Sep 07 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice
I am recreating my practice website. Could all of you brilliant women offer me your advice? I’m not completely done, but I do appreciate criticism, assistance, spell check and grammatical hand-holding.
http://www.SalemMidwife.com
Thanks, loves!
spamelita on Sep 04 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, ranty, research
Tina Cassidy, brilliant author of Birth: The Surprising Way We are Born added this to my last post:
I will just add that obesity goes hand in hand with race and class. The poorer, the heavier, statistics have shown. One of the worst-kept secrets in modern maternity is that African-American women have the highest c-section rates […]
spamelita on Sep 02 2007 | Filed under: fatphobia, midwife practice, research
this information on the rising rates of maternal mortality is circulating through the birth communities. of course we know that the rising cesarean rates and interventions are to blame. the docs will admit it.
what I found infuriating about this release of information is the following:
Experts also say obesity may be a factor. Heavier […]
spamelita on Aug 17 2007 | Filed under: good reads, midwife practice, my life
just getting over strep…really, I was achey and flu-like for a week and a half then boom! I’m feverish too - and my throat hurts. Strep. thanks, life! it’s grand taking care of a 19month old when you’re super sick. I also realized during this time that I’m obsessive about […]
spamelita on Aug 14 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice
a bumper sticker my dear girlfriend made for me - we have ten coming!
spamelita on Aug 11 2007 | Filed under: midwife practice, political, ranty
I have to say that I’m always fully supportive of women to make their own, informed choices. I just need to point out that I am grateful - eternally, blissfully grateful - that my view of birth is vastly different than what is seen in the hospital. Even in “normal” hospital births.
Barb Herrera […]
spamelita on Jul 21 2007 | Filed under: fatphobia, midwife practice, vbac
I currently have three clients that are expecting babies anytime now.
One is a woman who I’ve known online for a number of years and have spoken to on the phone regarding birth related issues. Her own midwife is not only going on vacation around her due date but is starting to grow increasingly less […]
spamelita on Jul 16 2007 | Filed under: amazing people, midwife practice
John Stevenson is a general practice MD from Australia. He has attended over 1400 homebirths in a country that is less than enthusiastic about birthing out of the hospital.
My apprentice had a few conference tapes from Ancient Arts Midwifery Institute that featured Dr. Stevenson, so we had been listening to them while driving to […]
