The Evidence Says: Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping is Safe

"Mother Nature covered the umbilical cord with a protective and insulating mucous tissue called Wharton’s Jelly. Wharton's jelly, when exposed to temperature and moisture differences, collapses structures within the umbilical cord and thus will provide a physiological clamping of the cord, approximately 5 minutes after birth."

Consider the Source: An interview with Cord Clamping Researcher, Judith Mercer

Excellent information in this interview straight from the source of the research. Once again, we see that science is confirming what nature already knows. :-)

Beyond Biology: The Holistic Stages of Labor

This is one of the most powerful and intuitive accounts of the labor and birth process that I have ever read before. I was brought to tears several times by the power I felt and remembered from my own births as I read it. It is lengthy, but you will not be sorry if you take the time to go all the way through it.

Luke's birth story (HBAC)

Click on the title link to be redirected to the article.

Toothpaste chemical 'that can leave unborn babies brain damaged' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1334533/Toothpaste-chemical-lea

"A chemical in toothpastes and soaps has been linked with brain damage to babies in the womb."

Click on the title link to read the entire article.

Mom defies doctor, has baby her way

Class #2 Sample - Nutrition

The placenta allows the circulations of mother and baby to meet intimately, but never mix.

Inside the placenta the baby's capillaries are continually bathed in a "lake" of the mother's blood.

When necessary nutrients are at a higher level in the mother's blood than in the baby's, they diffuse through the one-cell thickness of the baby's capillaries.

If nutrient levels are not high enough in the mother’s blood stream then the baby does not receive what it needs and this will cause growth and development problems.

Likewise, when waste products reach a higher level in the baby's circulation, they diffuse back through the capillary network into the maternal circulation and are eventually cleansed from the bloodstream by her liver and excreted by her kidneys.

The process of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange works the same way.

Keeping placental function up throughout pregnancy is one of the most important tasks the mother's body must accomplish.

Eight Reasons Our C-section Rate Is Too High

Dr. Priver states that over his 36 years of practice, his c-section rate never exceeded 10%. He modestly describes himself as having “no extraordinary wisdom, skills or dexterity” but offers points that he believes, if taken into consideration by OBs, could successfully decrease the c-section rate.

Read the entire article by clicking on the title link above.

In defence of the amniotic sac

"Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) aka ‘breaking the waters’ is a common intervention during birth. However, an ARM should not be carried out without a good understanding of how the amniotic sac and fluid function in labour. Women need to be fully informed of the risks associated this intervention before agreeing to alter their labour in this way."

Cord Clamping

The links in the discussion board post have some excellent study backed information regarding the benefits of delayed cord clamping and the risks of early cord clamping to a newborn baby.

Questions about Home Birth

Excerpt from the article;

There are many questions that people want to know about home birth as it actually plays out rather than the mere philosophy of the setting of birth. This will be an attempt the answer some of those questions.

What to do with the placenta?

Excerpt from article;

"In the United States, where most women give birth in the hospital, the standard procedure with disposing of placentas involves the care provider putting them in hazardous waste containers to be brought to facilities that bury them without much risk of contamination to water and sewage treatment plants. But some, whether they birth in hospitals, birth centers, or at home, have different intentions."