Thursday, January 5, 2012

Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight

 

"Rising Again": Trip 6 to Haiti!

An amazing woman and her family that I know had a baby, in this year...just a week after their house burned completely with all their possessions and their beloved dog. The night the baby came, it was all so fast that his daddy caught him as he was born in the bathroom of their neighbor's borrowed house! Yet this extraordinary family had the grace and faith to focus completely on their blessings, to look forward to the freedom they had, now that the anchor of all that stuff was gone....and they named their beautiful, healthy baby "Phoenix"... after the legendary bird that rises from fire and ashes.(trinitywilbourn.blogspot.com) 

Haiti has had it's own fire and ashes this year, as have I. A functional regime must be in place to implement the aid money left from the earthquake of 2010. They had one election, in 2010, inconclusive/unacceptable results, riots, and a "do-over' election. On my last trip to Haiti in March 2011, the second elections were looming, Former Haitian leaders Duvalier and Aristede had both returned from exiles abroad, making the political situation iffy and volatile. The government was essentially paralyzed, waiting for a president...including the Ministry of Health, with whom Midwives for Haiti works closely to run our program. The week felt like the dream where you want to run but are stuck, immobile. Leaving Haiti, instead of flying out of Port-au-Prince, the normal route, I departed over the Dominican border out of extreme caution-- acting on a solemn Vow of Safety that I long ago negotiated with my husband when I began these Haitian journeys. I felt so sad for Haiti, so exhausted by the same problems and paralysis, and for much of this year, wondered how much good I was able to do in this world. We make our plans and act on our projects, build our houses and life rolls on-- but sometimes, the house burns down when you're away at church. The baby comes in the night before you can even get to the hospital. Trouble walks in the door in the night. I am so aware of how small and imperfect our human efforts are, especially mine. We make mistakes, take a hit, Life happens. Yet in the cycle of loss/ recovery, God grants new life, new wisdom, and new gifts. We need to get up again, and again, and again, and then. good things happen, too. Believe in the Phoenix, and accept the gift of fire, that will burn down old things, and make way for renewal. This is about Haiti, and me, and maybe you. So let's get up and go forward. I'm going back to Haiti, and invite you to come along.

The BackGround
Some folks know exactly what these trips are about-- but for new friends, here is the quick background: In 2009 and five trips ago, I began traveling to Haiti as a volunteer with the non-profit "Midwives for Haiti". I was stunned that a 2-hour flight from Miami landed me in a country where more mothers die of pregnancy-related causes than anywhere else in the Western hemisphere. I saw food cooked over charcoal fires, water carried from the pump or the river to homes, and at night, a candle was the light one used to read...if one had a book and a chance to go to school. Most importantly, Haiti is a land where 70% of the births are not attended by any trained person, and mothers die often, before, during, and after birth. Haiti has a lot of orphanages. Midwives for Haiti was founded by Americans, mainly Nurse-midwives and doctors-- to address this crucial survival-of-mothers problem. We do it by training and supporting Haitian midwives through donations of time, money, and medical supplies. We have a 10-month, full-time training program headquartered in a compound in the small city of Hinche, in the Central Plateau, where we train about 16 students a year to work in clinics, hospitals, and maternity programs all around Haiti. We also employ some of them to travel around the mountains in our bright pink Jeep, making monthly stops in 16 villages where they give prenatal care to women who can't get to any clinic. Sometimes, they deliver babies right there, with adequate supplies. To date we have trained 42 graduates. They are all employed, another benefit of the work that contributes to success of Haitian families. 

When I go, I will help organize a new birth center, staffed by one of our graduate Haitian midwives, in a village called Trianon. I'll also be working on teaching the use of Depo-provera, an injectable family planning method, in a few villages that desire this service. But mostly, I'll be helping Nadene Brunk, the founder of this non-profit, who has just quit her full-time job in the US to give more time to this wonderful Haitian program that she "midwifed" into being over the past 7 years. We have a new class of 17 highly-qualified students, and will be working on helping the teachers, organizing the new birth center in Trianon, and many, many administrative tasks that move our work forward. I am so happy to go back to Haiti...I have many friends there, now, and a god-daughter, Woodmica, who is almost 2. She needs some cute dresses, I think.

Many people ask how they can help or support me in this effort: It's simple:
*Think of me, pray for me, and as we Quakers say, "Hold me in the Light"-- I believe this is of great importance. Without spiritual and emotional encouragement, this work is just too hard...with it, you are part of my team and we are strong.
*Follow this blog--if it interests you. Comment, share, forward to others, so they know about this amazing non-profit, Midwives for Haiti, and can support it, too. Posts will really begin around Feb 1; I leave Feb. 3 and try to post almost daily.
*Donate-- I need about $700 for the next trip. Details below in the "PS" below.
Or see the PS for a very strange and itemized list of specific things I can take with me-- things of high value and low weight that make a suitcase worth carrying all the way to Haiti.

A few years ago, at our Loudoun Community Midwives Holiday party, Margie and I gave ourselves and every staff member a small silver bracelet that said "Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight". We had taken quite a few hits over the previous years- deaths of close family members, cancer, an airplane crash, a son in the Iraq war, and other kinds of stress and loss. So, perseverance and coming back after a "fire", are nothing new to "us midwives". The Phoenix is a profound allegory, and I am happy to call this trip back to continue the work in Haiti: "Rising Again". Thank you for caring about and helping me do this work....I couldn't do it without you.

*************************************************************************
PS: Possibly Boring but Useful Details About Donations.

My practice, Loudoun Community Midwives, pays my airfare, and the rest is up to me...and my friends. Checks written to" Midwives for Haiti" with my name in the memo line, are tax-deductible. (C/o Loudoun Community Midwives, 19465 Deerfield Ave. Suite 205, Lansdowne, VA 20176) 

Even small amounts help so much!
Smaller cash donations ($10, 20, etc.) written to me go to buy family-size water systems in rural villages that have no well. One system costs $10. Or I buy medicine with it, like misoprostol, which stops a hemorrhage for about $2.50, or antibiotics, or condoms. 
Items that can be donated: 
Iron tablets
New (or like-new)White blouses for the midwife students- XS, S, and Med.size.(plain, short-sleeve)
Condoms
Hotel-size soap & shampoo
Pregnancy Tests
Receiving blankets
Tums
60-watt light bulbs
Solid Navy blue skirts or slacks for the kids at Maisson Fortune Orphange & School-all sizes - esp. teens(they have 200+ kids to clothe!)

 

Posted by Midwife Wendy at 8:16 AM 0 comments  Coming soon.

Jingle Belle Project is back!....  In honor and memory of Margie's sister, Mary Belle Pettys, LCM annually sponsors a Holiday gift collection at our office,  for the needy families of Loudoun County.
On Feb 12, 2009 Continental flight #3407 crashed outside of Buffalo, NY. All 51 passengers and crew were killed.
Mary Belle Pettys ( Margie Brandquist's sister ) was a passenger on that flight. Belle as she was known by her family was one of ten children. She was a champion of the underserved and a faithful member of her beloved Catholic Church. In her honor, we are collecting holiday gifts for the less fortunate of Loudoun County. New, unwrapped gifts including toys, clothing, hats, gloves, personal care items and gift cards are welcomed. We will be donating the items to the Loudoun Christmas Coalition.  Collections will continue till December 14. Help us honor Mary and all who were lost on that cold, February night.  Remember....".Every time a "belle" rings, an angel gets her wings."

What Else is New at LCM?
Well.... Discovery TV is shooting a documentary about the lives and work of Certified Nurse Midwives, featuring...US!  We are so proud of our profession, but it's still sort of a well-kept secret.  We are very hopeful that this will be enlightening to the public, so many of whom do not know that a CNM is an option for safe, satisfying, birth and women's health care!  In December, the pilot reel will be shot.   If you're willing to have any part of your December office visit filmed, or interested in filming your own birth and possibly sharing some footage with Discovery, let us know!  Contact Terri at tjaecklein@lmgdoctors.com.

Welcome to a New Nurse:  Stacey Bowler, LPN, has joined us from Orlando, Florida, and will be part of the Nursing team that helps coordinate your great care at LCM.  We found Stacey at Panera, where we were eating lunch and bemoaning the loss of Julie, who had been offered a great gig at the Birthing Inn...so the match seems made in heaven, since Stacey is an experienced OB-GYN nurse who just moved to the area.  Yay Panera!

Wendy's Next Trip to Haiti:  So many kind folks have asked this question, and now we've got an answer;  Trip #6 with Midwives for Haiti will be in February 2012.  We are excited that if the TV exposure becomes a regular  series, it can highlight our work in support of Midwives for Haiti as well, and perhaps follow us with cameras on a trip.  Stay tuned!  Wendy will soon re-open her blog, www.haitibabies.blogspot.com, with a post about the needs of the Feb. trip. 

Inspiration....our lovely client Trinity Wilbourn, and her family, lost their home to fire on Nov. 6, then gave birth to their fourth baby on Nov 17.  Of course, there are great needs for support and help-- but the amazing part is the spiritual growth, community solidarity, and the story of their life told in a very moving and powerful way.  For a reality check and profound inspiration, read a bit of Trinity's blog: www.trinitywilbourn.blogspot.com.  In closing; Stay healthy, stay happy, and stay in touch!

Staff- As Ever, Here to Serve You!
LCM always has some kind of news... as life keeps moving for us all.
Our Office nurse, Sibylle, fell in love with a great guy-- unfortunately, he moved to Tampa,Florida, and charmed her away from us. We bid her a fond farewell in July, and then welcomed back our Very First LCM Nurse-- Melinda Rhoads, RN, BSN. Melinda has had a busy few years--while she continued to teach our childbirth classes, she also finished her BSN, then worked at Faifax Hospital NICU, and then recently gave birth to her third baby, Molly,  Now we've got her back, at the Head Nurse desk, and on the phone, and she is job-sharing this position with another experienced nurse, Julie Costanzo, RN,BSN.  Julie also works at the Birthing Inn as a labor nurse, so it's possible to see her when visiting over there, too!   We have got you surrounded!
And finally, we've also welcomed Melanie Fowler, who will be assisting with clinical office duties.
As Ever- a Great Team!

Paula Senner, CNM, lost her mother suddenly on May 20.  It was a big shock to her and all of her family and friends.  Many patients sent condolences and stayed in touch on our LCM & Friends Facebook page-- and we are all grateful to see the kindness and support for our dear Paula.  Thanks for your very kind hearts and for keeping in touch.

Will you do your Midwives a big Favor??--- Post a Review on Angie's List!
LCM has recently learned that we are have reviews on Angie's List, that are very favorable, and that we could be eligible for special featured listing because of the enthusiasm of our patients.
We need just a few more good reviews for this to happen.  It's great to be an Angie's List member, but you can post a review even if you're not.
Just go to angieslist.com/review and fill in the form.  It's very helpful to post the review in BOTH the "Midwives" category and the "OB GYN" category, so that "shoppers" can find us in either one.--- and THANK YOU for your wonderful support!

Last But Not Least Section;  In Case You Haven't Heard: Wonderful news: June was a"No Hitter" Month for LCM!
Just as in baseball, it doesn't happen often, but sometimes all the forces line up for a perfect game where nobody hits a pitcher's pitches...we also don't often have a month where NOBODY ends up with an unplanned C/Section.  We try hard to do very few C/Sections...but they do happen.  But in June, we attended 36 births.  2 women had scheduled, non-labor c/sections for medical reasons...and that is all.  Every women who went into labor with us...had a vaginal birth!  34 vaginal births.  It was glorious!  Whooo hooo for all those strong mammas.  It is lovely to be your midwives!!!!
Have a Great, Safe Summer!

We've added a new page to the LCM Website, called Birth Options: CNM, CPM, Birth Centers, Doulas!
It is a brief overview, from our perspective, of some of the main options families are exploring. It's "just the facts", with a focus on what is legal in Virgnia, and what types of credentialing and certification are done- or not done. Please be aware there are always many types of practitioners and sites for birth, but we only mention ones that are certified and legal.

Two doulas have been added to our links, as well: These are always doulas that we have worked with successfully, and with good references from our patients.
Tara Lussier
Birth Doula
Begin Within Birth
www.beginwithinbirth.com
703.472.4704
and
Caitlin Givens
http://www.caitlindoula.com/index.php

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March of Dimes March for Babies-Ida Lee Park, Leesburg, Saturday May 7
Loudoun Community Midwives is very excited to be a part of March for Babies this year and hope you will join our team!
You can do so on our team Web page. If you can`t walk with us, you can help the team reach our goal by making a donation. You can do that online as well.
The money we raise will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.
Thank you for helping us give all babies a healthy start!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1481380
www.marchforbabies.org.
The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
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Healthy Mothers, Healthy Birth Summit
Hosted by Birth Matters Virginia,
The Healthy Mothers Healthy Birth Summit is April 9th, at Shenandoah University, Ashburn. (Right near the hospital.)
See www.healthymothershealthybirth.com for more info. It's shaping up to be a really great event! The next day, the 10th, at 2 pm we will be walking with Ina May downtown on The Mall with her Safe Motherhood Quilt Project. We are hoping to get lots of press for this to raise awareness of maternal mortality.
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Consignment sales- the Best Way to get Great Kid Stuff, EVER

http://consignmentmommies.com
http://www.catholicconsignments.org/
http://kidsconsignmentsales.com/va.htm#northernva
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Fitness classes for moms:
Mommy Bootcamp offers exercise classes 6 days per week in Sterling, Vienna, and Chantilly. Moms can bring their baby (6 weeks and up) in a stroller to be with them while they workout. Moms can also come with "big kids" or by themselves to the classes. On Saturdays "Daddy Does Bootcamp" where the dads are included in the workout for no extra fee. Starting in March a new class called "Mommy & Me Bootcamp" will be held every Thursday. This is a great intro to the regular class and designed for moms with young babies (12 weeks and under) that will be in a carrier or mommy's arms during the workout ... really using that "baby weight"! For more information please contact Kathy at 571-214-MOMS (6667) or info@mommybootcamp.org.
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In April, the regular "Birth with a Midwife" Class will be on hold for a month, while our friend, nurse, and Childbirth educator, Melinda, has her third baby!
Another class we recommend is through Nurtured Beginnings, and several sessions focused on Midwifery Clients will be offered
in April. See our Birth With Midwife Class for info.
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Wendy's leaving for Haiti Trip 5, second trip of the year- and probably that's it for 2011! (And yes, it does seem like I was just there!) There's a fresh Blog post for now, and another one will be up when the "fun" really starts, after I'm in-country-- March 11.
www.haitibabies.blogspot.com
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Virginia Pediatric and Adolescent Center
Recently a patient (who is also a nurse) recommended Virginia Pediatric and Adolescent Center, http://www.vpacmd.com/
" Their two locations are in Fairfax County, but they might be worth the trip for some families in Loudoun because they are VERY supportive of breastfeeding. They have an IBCLC lactation consultant on staff who families can see for only the cost of their normal office visit copay, AND they are very open to working with breastfeeding moms who need medication to make sure they can breastfeed safely (including less-commonly used meds). We specifically recommend Dr. O'Mara. When we first came home with our son he went 24 hours without peeing, and Dr. O'Mara called us several times in the middle of that night to check in and advise us so we didn't have to take him to the ER!"
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Happy New Year from your Midwives and Staff at LCM!
We hope 2011 brings health, wholeness, prosperity, and new growth to us all.
Our staff family at LCM continues to grow and change, too--kind of a fact of life in Northern VA, it seems. We are losing a midwife, and gaining one! First, a fond farewell will be said to Kim Guastella, CNM, who has been an important pillar of our office practice for the past 2 years. Kim's husband, Bruce, has a job transfer to Fort Lauderdale, FL, and they will be moving there in early March. We plan to visit her in sunny FLA! Kim will keep seeing clients through February, and she will also be quite often working with and orienting....our new midwife!
Welcome to our newest Midwife: Another "Courtney"!- (Courtney Hasseman, CNM)
Courtney is pleased to join the LCM family though she is not a stranger to the practice; she has received care from the midwives during her prenatal care with her three children. Courtney earned a BS in Molecular Biology from Grove City College as well as a BS in Nursing from Shenandoah University. She then completed her Master's Degree in Nursing from Shenandoah in 2009 and gained licensure as a certified nurse-midwife. Her diverse clinical experiences include care of women in urban and rural locations as well as hospital and out-of-hospital birth. Courtney is passionate about taking time to educate women so they can best make informed choices regarding their care. Courtney is married and enjoys cooking, gardening, and home-educating her children.

LCM and Childbirth Education
Just for the record: We don't have anything against Lamaze!We're also NOT as organized on this website/blog thing (ie, me,...Wendy...) as one could wish....So I suspect sometimes business cards/emails have been passed to LCM for posting on the website, and "fell through the cracks"....I'm really sorry if/when when that happens. Despite my best intents, they may be in the bottom of my briefcase (or my inbox) , or under the bed in Call Room #1 at the Birthing Inn, where I do a bit of sleeping, and computer work, between births.
So, try me again! Send in a brief blurb about your class, name, phone,contact info, type of class...send it right into the blog responses...and I will post it. Also feel free to post on the LCM Group Wall in Facebook-- anyone can post there.
So, for the record! Our LCM opinion about Childbirth Education is this:First-time parents should have some. Being prepared, and knowledgable for the decisons and events of labor and birth can help you navigate it with more tools, understanding, and less fear. What style of childbirth education is quite individual-- it depends on what the mom & her partner is looking for, how much time they have, their schedule, where they live, etc. We also feel that the "Birth with a Midwife" class taught by Melinda Rhoads, BSN, is ideal for many of our patients-- she was our nurse for 5 years, and had 2 Natural Childbirths with us, after all. And she has tailored her class to specifically LCM clientele, particularly those who want to try for an unmedicated birth. BUT! There are other factors in play, here-- as mentioned above-- and, as midwives, we really believe that women should have as many diverse, good options and resources available to them as possible. So, Yes! Lamaze is fine! Send me your info if I have missed you! We can try again.

Circumcision Info
Just an interesting fact- the Center for Disease Control data from 2009 shows that USA circumcision rates fell to 33% of male babies born.
2 of the LCM midwives (Margie and Paula) are trained and credentialed to provide this service at the Birthing Inn when families request it. It's not possible for us to do it on an outpatient basis, and it is necessary for the baby to be an inpatient during his newborn admission period in order for health insurance plans to cover it.
If, however, a family desires to have circumcision done at home, for religious or other reasons, Rabbi/Mohel Michael Henesch 410-653-3255 is available to perform home circumcisions.

Wendy Back to Haiti
With lots of support from LCM families and friends...Wendy leaves Friday, Jan 7, for her fourth trip as a volunteer with Midwives for Haiti. We'll be starting a new class of 16 student Midwives, and also expanding our work with rural prenatal clinics. Follow along at www.haitibabies.blogspot.com-- posts go up several times in the week, whenever internet is working!

Well, we've always got new stuff to share from Loudoun Community Midwives. Our little gifts to you:

• A chance to Do Good! (Margie's Jingle Belle Project)
• More childbirth education in the community!
• Celebrate Anne's Accomplishments!
• Cord Blood Info!
• A Way to reduce risk of GBS!

First!~
"THE JINGLE BELLE PROJECT"
Holiday gift collection for the needy families of Loudoun County
On Feb 12, 2009 Continental flight #3407 crashed outside of
Buffalo. All 51 passengers and crew were killed.
Mary Belle Pettys ( Margie Brandquist's sister ) was a passenger on that flight. Belle as she was known by her family was one of ten children. She was a champion of the underserved and a faithful member of her beloved Catholic Church. In her honor, we are collecting holiday gifts for the less fortunate of Loudoun County. New, unwrapped gifts including toys, clothing, hats, gloves, personal care items and gift cards are welcomed. We will be donating the items to the Loudoun Christmas Coalition.
Collections will continue till Dec 9th. Help us honor Mary and all who were lost on that cold, February night.
Remember.....Every time a "belle" rings, an angel gets her wings. Gratefully,
Geoff & Margie Brandquist and the entire Pettys family
Items may dropped off at Loudoun Community Midwives Office
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Childbirth Education

Mari Stutzman-Smith, one of the great doulas out there, now offers Childbirth education classes-- if you're having trouble finding a scheduled class that works for you, she has some brief sessions that sound excellent: Mari wrote:
" just wanted to let you know that I've launched Celebrated Pregnancy... A 5-week (or one day intensive) Natural Childbirth Education Course to be taught in my home in Ashburn. The next series will start January 5th."
www.celebratedpregnancy.com

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Congrats to Anne Cockerham, PhD,CNM, our part-time midwife...."and why is she part-time, and doesn't deliver babies?" some ask. Because she is one of the best, full-time nurse-midwifery professors in the USA, that's why! We are proud to announce that Anne was voted recipient of the "2010 Student Choice Award for Teaching Excellence", by the nurse-midwifery and nurse-practitioner students of Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing. This program is the largest training program in the US, and Anne teaches Gynecology and Women's Health to about 1100 students there. We are not surprised that they love her class and we are proud to be her friends at her "other", part-time job.

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Cord Blood, Stem Cells....can mean a gift of life--brining up decisions about banking at the time of birth.

For years, we have made it a routine part of our care at LCM to mention the possibility of banking cord blood to all of our pregnant patients. Since stems cells are immature, and can differentiate into almost any human tissue that the body needs, they seem to have impressive biological potential. Numerous ways to use transplants of stem cells through banked cord blood are just now emerging, and may take a major role in regenerative medicine in the future. Another benefit is that because of their immature nature, many family members of the donor baby may be a "match" for stem cell transplants when needed. Siblings seem to almost always be a match, and often parents or others. We don't know any downside to banking, other that the costs, which can be financed several ways by the main companies that offer this service. Another innovation that is available is actually harvesting a piece of the umbilical cord itself, for menechymal cells which have similar properties. Since the cord blood and tissue would otherwise be discarded in the trash and then incinerated, banking seems worth considering.
Some websites to inform you more about Cord Blood Banking are:

www.cordblood.com/education As you will see, a $10 donation will be made to the Newborn Possibilities Fund for your time to view it. Your comments in the "comment section" would be greatly valued and appreciated.
CBR website (www.cordblood.com)
www.ViaCord.com/Cord-Blood-Experts.

_________________________________________
Florajen and GBS

That vaginal swab at 36weeks....GBS or Group B Beta Strep.... makes some women worry. They don't want to have the Beta strep-positive diagnosis, as it brings with it greater concern for baby, especially after the bag of waters is broken. At LCM, we concur with the CDC guidelines that recommend IV antibiotics for all women who test positive for Beta Strep at the end of pregnancy. Now, there's more you can do to prevent GBS...it appears that supplementing with probiotics can impact vaginal health, possibly preventing more GBS.
Read about it at
http://www.florajen.com/vaginal.shtml

And finally -- Wendy's next trip to Haiti is January 7-15, 2011. See her blog soon for details of what's needed,and to "travel with me!" Your support means so much.
www.haitibabies.blogspot.com

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Happy, Healthy, Holidays to All!

Suggestions:
*For at least the first 2 weeks, try to "make your camp" on one level of your home, and stay there for the whole day: get your phone, a water pitcher, a pile of diapers, TV remote or a book, and rest on a bed our couch. Avoid running up & down the stairs, running errands, or doing laundry!
*Do not expect your life, your house, or your appearance to be what it was "before baby." Remember, everything is under revision and will find a new balance in time. Things may be in chaos for a while, try to accept and tolerate that.
*After the first 2 weeks, it may help to choose ONE thing that to you, represents tidiness, and do just that, each day -- it could be having the bed made, or one load of wash run, or one load in the dishwasher.
*Allow your friends and family to help you. Get all the naps you can. 3 hours of sleep will feel like a million dollars!
*Do not pick up heavy toddlers and carry them around, or you are likely to bleed more. Instead, sit down and let them climb onto your lap, or even sit down on the floor and let them get into your arms.

Now: LCM MOMs & Dads; What pearls of wisdom can you offer a brand new postpartum family? Let's see who can send in their best pearls" to share on our blog!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are some varied resources that can help ease the journey -- we recently added them to our "links" section of the website as well. Information is power!
Core Values LLC
Leslie McKeough, LCSW
Postpartum/Perinatal, Adolescent & Family Therapist
Offers a postpartum support group and individual counseling
www.corevalu.com
703-909-9877

Mommy Relief:
an agency that will send out experienced helpers, providing light housekeeping, newborn and sibling care in your home, at an hourly rate.
www.mommy-relief.com
703-532-MOMS (6667)

Staffing Solutions: Mothers Aides
Referral agency for Household & baby-care helpers, screened by a 12-step process
www.mystaffingsolutions.com
703-250-0700

PostPartum Doulas
www.dona.org

Well, it's Breast Cancer Awareness month, with lots of attention on breast health. Some thoughts to share on that:
First, prevention is still worth a pound of cure. Check out the book by Christine Horner, MD on this topic, "Waking the Warrior Goddess" -- kind of odd title, but good info on diet/nutrition, herbs, supplements, and health habits in general can protect against breast cancer.www.drchristinehorner.com.

We midwives at LCM still firmly support the idea of annual mammograms starting at age 40. There were some new USPS Task Force recommendations that came out in November, 2009 that suggested it may not be "cost effective" for this 40-50 group, but we truly beg to differ. We have too often seen cases of breast cancer diagnosis in women under 50 who really vacillated on the decision, and finally did their first mammograms at their midwife's urging...and lo and behold, had a tumor diagnosed and treated early....all because of that mammogram that they almost didn't get. Excellent info on this topic can be found at www.washingtonradiology.com; here's a snippet from them:

"Significant scientific evidence exists to prove that annual mammography saves lives. Yet in 2009, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force advised against annual mammograms for women in their 40s. These recommendations have been scientifically rejected by every major medical organization with demonstrated expertise in breast cancer care. Even the federal government has barred Medicare and private insurance companies from considering these recommendations when making coverage determinations for mammograms.
Please visit Mammography Saves Lives™ to learn why all women should begin getting annual mammograms at age 40. The September 2010 landmark study published online in Cancer confirms that mammography lowers the breast cancer death rate in women age 40-49 by nearly one-third."

Another item of interest is the annual 2010 Breast Cancer Conference sponsored by Inova, in Fairfax on Oct.26, noon-4pm. Open not only to doctors and nurses but to any health professionals for a small fee, it will give an update of the latest research on detection and treatment of breast cancer. www.inova.org/BC2010cme.

Everyone be well and be thankful....
WD@LCM

Dear Friends and Families of the LCM Community:
We want to stay in touch! Yes, we have gotten bigger. After 7 years and 2000 babies, it happens. But...we are making time to listen to women. We want you to feel that we have time for you: time to listen to your concerns, support you in labor, and give you individualized attention when you need it most.
We hope you will subscribe to our blog, so that we can stay connected with helpful information and news. The days of the old paper, snail-mail newsletters are gone. We "went green" and sent them out by email for a while-- but then, keeping up with the emails was tough...
So enter the BLOG. Please share with anyone you know who may want to read our info-- and keep in touch!

New Arrival!
We celebrated our 7th birthday Sept. 1, 2010.
We've now caught over 2000 babies! SOOO- we have found another midwife to help us in our mission. This means we have more appointments available, the work is spread out a bit more, and the midwives who are on call are less tired!

Courtney Marsh, CNM joined us (on our birthday!) as our 4th, full-time, full-scope midwife.
Courtney comes to us from Memphis, TN, with more than 7 years and over 500 births experience. She completed her Masters of Science in Nursing at Yale University in 2003. Courtney's professional passions include labor and breastfeeding support. After work, she and her husband can be found chasing their 3 young daughters, traveling, camping, enjoying baseball and dabbling in photography. Courtney is currently training for a half-marathon.
She will begin attending births at the Birthing Inn in early October. We are so excited to welcome her to our practice~ we hope you are, too!

Flu Vaccine
Flu shots are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester.
The 2010-2011 flu shot is a combination shot that includes H1N1 coverage. LCM now has both regular and thimersol-free vaccine available, for $30 per injection.
The vaccine is considered safe for breastfeeding mothers; see excellent info on Breastfeeding and Flu vaccine at www.kellymom.com.
(A great website, Kellymom.com, is dedicated to breastfeeding and parenting info and resources.)

If you are a "non-vaccinator", consider homeopathic immunization; explore this at homeopathicare.org, where you can be under the care of a trained homeopathic practitioner.

Plugged Ducts in Breastfeeding Women:For mothers with plugged ducts or a tendency for that, try lecithin:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/lecithin.html.
For women with a sore/congested area, the lactation consultants at ILH Birthing Inn also recommend castor oil compresses:
Soak flannel (ie, cotton baby blanket,cut up) squares in castor oil
Cover with saran wrap to protect clothing
Apply heating pad to comfortable level
Apply compresses 4-5x/day
(Make sure to avoid baby getting any castor oil- wipe off nipples if any gets on them.)

Birth Matters Virginia's
9th Annual Awards & Fundraiser Event
Each year LCM helps sponsor this wonderful event that honors caregivers inVirginia and expanded birthing options for Virngina Families. birthmattersva.org
Consider spending an enjoyable Sunday pm, having a great meal, a good time, and supporting a great cause!
Stacey Marie Kerr, MD Author of Homebirth in the Hospital:Integrating Natural Childbirth with Modern Medicine http://www.homebirthinthehospital.com/
Sunday, November 7,2010
1:00 - 5:00pm
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
1800 Lakeside Ave.
Richmond, VA 23228
Tickets: Members ~ $25 Non-Members ~ $35
Children under 2 ~ Free
Garden passes included in ticket price
Silent Auction offering Gifts, Services, Arts, Crafts

Thanks for reading this blog- let's stay in touch!

~All the Midwives & Staff at LCM