This group organizes all kinds of events for moms, dads, and kids in the San Antonio area. You can friend them on Facebook and then be able to join one of the many subcategory groups that they oversee… such as SA Baby Wearers, SA Cloth Diapering, etc.
Check them out if you are in the area, it’s lots of good info!
In this excerpt from an interview, Robbie Davis-Floyd shares her inspiration for the book “Birth Models That Work” and gives one beautiful example of a holistic and continuous model of birthing care in Brazil. Just three people working together – an obstetrician, a midwife and a doula – this model creates a birthing cocoon that often includes cooking and dancing in the expecting mother’s home.
Birth models that work
After many years of critiquing the obstetrical system and protesting the overuse of interventions and technologies in birth out of fear, I have traveled the world giving talks about childbirth, and around the world I have encountered marvelous birth models. It occurred to me several years ago that somebody ought to do something showcasing and highlighting the great birth models that do exist. There are wonderful islands in the middle of the technocratic ocean where women are giving birth in truly physiological ways, normal birth is valued, and women are supported to give birth normally. So I put together this book with my co-editors Lesley Barclay, Betty-Anne Daviss, and Jan Tritten. We found about 16 fantastic models from around the world. Each chapter of the book “Birth Models That Work” is about a different model that works.
A holistic cocoon in Brazil
One of the chapters in the book is about a birth model that is as simple as three people: an obstetrician with a very holistic philosophy, his wife who is a nurse midwife, and a doula. The three of them have a car and they have all the birth equipment that they need that fits in their small car and they go to the mother’s house in labor (they’ve already visited her at home of course and done her prenatal care in his office). When she goes into labor the doula shows up first and knows when its time to call the obstetrician and the midwife, which is when they both get in their car and they come to the woman’s house.
Their primary criteria for what to have on hand is: chocolate cake. It’s a great thing for the mother to do during early labor because of the repetitive kneading movements to keep her up and moving because the most important thing in labor is movement. Labor is all about movement – that’s how you get the baby out of the cocoon, you un-cocoon yourself and you become a mother. It’s by moving – not by laying there flat on your back strapped up to machines – so moving, making the chocolate cake, and dancing (they always bring a lot of great Brazilian music). They are there for the whole labor and birth, and normally the baby is born at home.
The obstetrician, his name is Ricardo Jones, considers his primary role at home birth to be to hang around and read books and take pictures – he’s a great photographer, so he takes these beautiful birth photos. He figures birth is really the work of women, as it’s the mother who is doing the work, and the doula and the midwife who are supporting her. Usually his wife – the midwife – catches. But if there is a complication of any kind, he is there to help diagnose it if necessary and then go to the hospital where they recreate their model in the hospital – a little holistic cocoon around the mother. If she needs a cesarean, he can do the cesarean. This is complete continuity of care. It’s just three people.
The obstetrician doesn’t really need to go to the home births, because the doula and the midwife are perfectly capable, but these are the only people within a thousand miles in Brazil who are doing home birth. So legally he goes to add his obstetric license as a protective shield for the midwife and the doula. He goes there just because the legal status of it isn’t totally clear – yes its legal, but its more legal if he’s there. They have a beautiful birth model that’s all about this three person practice – that’s all it takes is three people to create an island of enlightenment in the middle of a technocratic ocean of birth.
Robbie Davis-Floyd, PhD, is a medical anthropologist specializing in the anthropology of reproduction. She is a senior research fellow at the University of Texas, Austin, author of Birth as an American Rite of Passage, and lead editor of 10 collections, including Childbirth and Authoritative Knowledge: Cross-cultural Perspectives (1997), Mainstreaming Midwives (2006), and Birth Models That Work (2009).
This excerpt from an interview with Robbie Davis-Floyd is transcribed and posted here with permission from Mindful Mama Magazine.
Image Source: Faces of Birth
Proteins
Human milk contains two types of proteins: whey and casein. Approximately 60% is whey, while 40% is casein. This balance of the proteins allows for quick and easy digestion. If artificial milk, also called formula, has a greater percentage of casein, it will be more difficult for the baby to digest. Approximately 60-80% of all protein in human milk is whey protein. These proteins have great infection-protection properties.
Listed below are specific proteins that are found in breast milk and their benefits:
Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of iron-dependent bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. This inhibits certain organisms, such as coliforms and yeast, that require iron.
Secretory IgA also works to protect the infant from viruses and bacteria, specifically those that the baby, mom, and family are exposed to. It also helps to protect against E. Coli and possibly allergies. Other immunoglobulins, including IgG and IgM, in breast milk also help protect against bacterial and viral infections. Eating fish can help increase the amount of these proteins in your breast milk.
Lysozyme is an enzyme that protects the infant against E. Coli and Salmonella. It also promotes the growth of healthy intestinal flora and has anti-inflammatory functions.
Bifidus factor supports the growth of lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a beneficial bacteria that protects the baby against harmful bacteria by creating an acidic environment where it cannot survive
Fats
Human milk also contains fats that are essential for the health of your baby. It is necessary for brain development, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and is a primary calorie source. Long chain fatty acids are needed for brain, retina, and nervous system development. They are deposited in the brain during the last trimester of pregnancy and are also found in breast milk.
Vitamins
The amount and types of vitamins in breast milk is directly related to the mother’s vitamin intake. This is why it is essential that she gets adequate nutrition, including vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are all vital to the infant’s health. Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and panthothenic acid are also essential. Because of the need for these vitamins, many healthcare providers and lactation consultants will have nursing mothers continue on prenatal vitamins.
Carbohydrates
Lactose is the primary carbohydrate found in human milk. It accounts for approximately 40% of the total calories provided by breast milk. Lactose helps to decrease the amount of unhealthy bacteria in the stomach, which improves the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. It helps to fight disease and promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach.
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