Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, October 30, 2011,
In :
Interventions
These days women in South Africa have become a lot more clued up on the high c-section rate and the benefits of opting for a natural birth. Studies done internationally have shown that the saying "Too posh to push" may have been somewhat of a myth and that many women were instead being pressured by their care provider to opt for a c-section, rather than choosing it themselves from the outset. Certainly in South Africa, women have become much more informed on the subject and will be choosing t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, October 30, 2011,
In :
Active Birth
A birth stool is a great addition to your options when having an active birth. It's probably one of the oldest birth tools around, as even the Goddess Isis is depicted in ancient carvings as giving birth on a birth chair, or stool.  In fact, the modern origin of giving birth in the Lithotomy Position (ie. flat on back, legs apart) was the result of a certain King who found it to be the optimal position for his mistresses to give birth in for his viewing pleasure. As the role of birth moved fro...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, October 17, 2010,
In :
Pollitics
When autumn comes to New Mexico, the aroma of green chile being
roasted fills the air. Locals buy big burlap sacks of chile which are
poured into a big drum that turns over a fire until the chile is charred
(which then allows the skin to be peeled off).
Chile is mild, medium, hot, or very hot! Locals know enough to
ask, “How hot is your chile?”
One day a newcomer to New Mexico stopped at the Grocery Emporium
on Girard Boulevard and bought a bag of roasted Chile. The aroma made
her ... Continue reading ...
This is a beautiful story of an unassisted homebirth by a woman living in South Africa. It contains photo's and also the most fantastic video of the little boy following the birth, who is very alert and peaceful! Unassisted Homebirth Story (this link will take you do a different website - please use your browser "back" button to return) Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Monday, September 20, 2010,
In :
Doula
"If a
Doula were a drug, it would
be unethical not to use one" - Dr John Kennell
Doula is an ancient Greek word for a woman in
service of another woman, but today it has come to be know as a woman
who supports a couple through labour and birth. A doula should also be a
trained professional who has completed a training program and continues
to update her knowledge on a regular basis.
In South Africa, a Doula is also referred to as a Birth
Companion and most professional Doulas wi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, August 29, 2010,
In :
Homebirth
Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, July 25, 2010,
In :
Homebirth
For those:
- who have had a home birth
- who have wanted a home
birth
- who are planning a home
birth
- whose home birth didn't
go according to plan
- who are thinking about
having a home birth
- who have ‘caught’ babies
born at home
- who have supported
mothers giving birth at home
- who are interested in
home birth...
R30 per person,
... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Sunday, July 25, 2010,
In :
VBAC
VBAC is an acronym for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean and is pronounced "vee-back". In the 1980's when medical interference with birth was at it's very highest and c-sections were being overwhelmingly common, there was no real research on the safety of having vaginal birth after the uterus had a scar on it. It was then that the saying "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" became known. Today things are a little different. During the 1990's began the start of a movement where women started re-explo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Wednesday, October 21, 2009,
In :
Pregnancy
Birth Plans have, over the years, been highly promoted by birth activists as a way the pregnant mother can take control of her birth and have her needs heard, instead of just being treated as a sick patient. While the intention of creating a birth plan is great, when it comes to the practical application of this, the plan generally gets thrown out the window. As a Birthing From Within mentor we do not generally advocate the use of a birth plan, as we know just how unpredictable birth can be an... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Wednesday, October 21, 2009,
In :
Inspiration
 This is a pose used in Yoga and it is called “The Tree Pose” or in
Sanskrit “Vrksasana”.
When using this pose, a person should be like a tree, with roots
holding them firmly to the earth but still able to bend and sway in
harmony with the breeze or mighty gale. A similar mindset is needed to
face childbirth, where you are firmly grounded and can have a sense of
inner peace and calm while being able to adjust and accept any
obstacles that may arise. By empowering yourself with knowledg... Continue reading ...
First, make sure you check out the article called "A c-section, but naturally"! Penny Simpkin is an American author of several books and is an outspoken birth activist since 1968. If you find yourself in place where a c-section has become the best and safest option for the birth of your child, then this is the document for you. This download is aimed at helping you take charge of your birth and offers suggestions on how to best deal with the birth by c-section. Mothers having a c-section need t... Continue reading ...
This is a new term that is gaining popularity as it provides
a very different approach to Ceasarean Surgery. It offers parents, and their baby, some aspects of a vaginal
birth that are not normally associated with ceasarean birth.
During the traditional method of ceasarean surgery, the
doctor tries to perform this as quickly as possible. The baby is pulled from
the mother uterus as soon as possible after the incision is made and then
whisked away to be evaluated, then swaddled and brought... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Thursday, October 8, 2009,
In :
Orgasmic Birth
These days your biggest worry about the your baby's birth might be whether it should be by c-section or by vaginal birth. However, it was only as long ago as when your own mother was born (or maybe your grandmother) that the biggest concern for a pregnant woman was whether she would live through the experience. Three things we can be very grateful for these days: Modern Medicine, Good Nutrition, and C-sections! It is because of these three things that the potential deaths of women and their ba... Continue reading ...
The following are scanned magazine articles. click the image to see the article and read it.
Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Wednesday, July 15, 2009,
In :
Waterbirth
A waterbirth can take place, in the home, in a
hospital, birthcentre or even outdoors in a ocean tidal pool or other
natural pool.
The first question
that people always ask is "But doesn't the baby drown when it's born
under water". The answer is an emphatic "NO!".
The
baby has been surrounded by water, or more specifically amniotic fluid,
for nine months. The baby "breathes" through the placenta and umbilical
cord and continues to do so until the cord is severed. Another
fascinat... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Monday, July 13, 2009,
In :
Hypnobirth
Hypnobirth is method developed by an american woman which helps
labouring women enter a state of deep relaxation in order to diminish the pain
of childbirth. This technique can be used whether you choose vaginal birth or c-section. Women who have had emergency c-sections have reported finding the technique very useful in such a stressful situation.
International website - www.hypnobirthing.com/
Local Resources Kim Young (Northern & Southern Suburbs, Cape Town) www.beautifullyborn.co.za
HYPN... Continue reading ...
Posted by Sarah Meder on Friday, July 10, 2009,
In :
Homebirth
This is a birth which happens in at a place which is
not a medical facility ie. the mothers home or the house of a
friend/family member.
Prior to the mid-1900's childbirth always happened in the home and was attended by a midwife or the local GP.
People
often question the safety of childbirth, and it is the responsibility
of each and every woman considering this option to do her own research.
The conclusion that I, personally, came to was the following:
Prior
to the m... Continue reading ...
This is when a woman decides to have a baby, at home,
without the help of a medical professional (ie. Doctor or Midwife).
Sometimes there may be assistance from a partner/friend/sister/doula
and other times to woman may choose to have here baby in complete
privacy.
The reasons a woman may
choose this option are many and varied. It may simply be the case that
the woman does not have access to a medical professional who is able to
attend a homebirth, or perhpas there are no Birth Centres ... Continue reading ...
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Informed Choice
This section of the website contains information on different ways of giving birth, including information from magazines and videos.
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