Home birth featured on local TV news

WCCO-TV featured the home birth experience of one local family on their 10pm newscast last night. Their coverage was overwhelmingly positive. Unfortunately, they did give the last word to the head of obstetrics at Abbott Northwestern, the hospital with the highest cesarean rate in the Twin Cities (35.9% in 2007, according to the Minnesota Department of Health data). Nonetheless, this was certainly good press for normal birth. Kudos to Liz Collins and WCCO!

Read/watch the story here.

Cesarean Prevention Webinar

There is still time to register for ICAN's cesarean prevention
webinar!

http://ican-online.org/none/ican-birth-class-cesarean-prevention

ICAN Birth Class: Cesarean Prevention
NEW Online Webinar

Planning YOUR birth? Are you keeping your fingers crossed and hoping
for the best? Well, take charge and find out ways you can increase
your chances of having an easier and safer birth. First-timers and
experienced mothers both can benefit from this class.

This 2-hour online session will help you learn:

* Different kinds of care providers you can use, and the pros and cons of each
* How to empower yourself to make educated choices during your
pregnancy and during labor
* What factors contribute to your chances of having an unnecessary or
preventable cesarean
* What is the "downward spiral of intervention"
* Why avoiding an unnecessary cesarean is safest for you and your baby
* When cesareans are truly necessary

Tuesday, June 23rd - 10:00 pm EDT (7:00 pm PDT)

$20.00 fee benefits ICAN - click here to register:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/999201490

Empowered Birth After Cesarean (EBAC)

I recently learned a new term: EBAC, or Empowered Birth After Cesarean. Marisa Ring from ICAN of the Northland used it and I am hooked. The reason I like EBAC is because it can include all types of birth after cesarean, even CBAC (Cesarean Birth After Cesarean).

I think we often assume that VBAC is the only positive type of birth to have after a cesarean. Most of the time, it is the best birth to plan for. But it is not the only birth that can be empowered. I have heard women from our group talk about their repeat cesareans (what some might call "failed VBACs" - an awful term) as very empowering experiences because they were in control and making fully-informed decisions this time around, even though another cesarean was the best option.

CBACs can be empowered, VBACs can be empowered, HBACs can be empowered, UBACs can be empowered. What matters most no matter how we give birth is that we give birth. To me, this is what ICAN is all about: education and support for empowered birth.

Postpartum phone support

Every Monday and Wednesday, Postpartum Support International has free open phone sessions, called "Chat with an Expert." These sessions provide a free forum for information and contact. Wednesdays are for moms and supporters, and Mondays are for Dads.

You can join the call to talk or just to listen to others discuss resources, symptoms, options and general information with an experienced member of Postpartum Support International. You can talk from the privacy of your own home and there is no need to pre-register or give your name. Sessions are informational only and open to anyone with questions and concerns about themselves, a loved one, friend or family member.

See this link for details. http://postpartum.net/info-sessions/