My Adventure

Temple by Lake Bratan ,Bali, originally uploaded by mikescottnz.

Dear Friends,

I apologize if you are not interested in receiving updates about this upcoming trip. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you’d like to be removed from my contact list.

As some of you know, I was recently accepted as a student volunteer at the Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic in Bali, Indonesia. This birth clinic (http://www.bumisehatbali.org/) was founded by midwife Robin Lim, author of After the Baby’s Birth (http://www.amazon.com/After-Babys-Birth-Wellness-Postpartum/dp/1587611104). The clinic’s mission is to protect maternal and child health for families in Indonesia (there are actually two clinics, and I have been accepted to the one in Bali), and it is their policy not to turn anyone away. Bali has been economically devastated after two bombings this decade as a predominately Hindu island in a strongly Muslim country. Additionally, all of Indonesia has been hit hard after a tsunami struck four years ago. Since Bali is a tourist attraction, these events were devastating to its economy, and as a result women are giving birth in poor, malnourished condition. Consequently, their maternal mortality rate is unacceptably high.

The clinic in Bali sees approximately 70 births in a month, as well as providing prenatal, postpartum, breastfeeding, and general care to the population. As a student midwife, I will be able to gain important clinical experience (which has been very challenging due to the unavailability of a certified midwife for me to apprentice with in Pueblo, so I have been driving many miles each week for over a year and a half to be able to study) while providing a service to the mothers and babies in Bali.

The trip is going to be a challenging one for my family, as I’ll be gone for the entire month of September (and a couple days on either end for travel). Once again I am grateful to my family and friends for supporting me so that I can make this dream a reality.

I will be fundraising not only to cover my expenses, but also to bring more money to the clinic. My airfare is expected to be in the neighborhood of $1500 (fares are low now because of gas prices; I’m hopeful that I can buy my ticket before fares start to rise again) and my tuition is $800. Anything I raise above that will be going directly to the clinic, and all of the smaller expenses I will not use raised funds for (passport fees, food, etc.). Additionally, the clinic is always in need of supplies, which I plan to pack in my suitcase and buy new clothing when I get there–apparently this means far less overhead than shipping materials, and the inexpensive clothing I buy there will also support the local economy. I’ll include the list of items the clinic needs below in case some of you can help with those.

While I am hesitant to even ask those I know to consider making a donation (in part due to the extreme generosity of friends when I raised funds for the Susan G. Komen foundation two years ago), I know that many of you are eager to help out. All donations are welcome, and if you are interested in assisting me as a sponsor, I will credit your donation in the several press releases I plan to submit before I depart and when I return (which is of course more beneficial for local business people).

There are two ways to donate: you can transfer money directly to me via Paypal, www.paypal.com, to the email address ginapueblo@gmail.com, or if you’d rather support the clinic directly and not my trip per se, you can donate here: http://www.amillionmothers.org/?page_id=233

Once in Bali, I will be updating everyone via my blog: http://plentitude.blogspot.com as well as by email, so please do let me know if you don’t want to get updates because I’m anticipating sending lots (of course with 50-70 births who knows if I’ll have any time)!

Again, the clinic’s “wish list” follows. Let me know if you’re able to help send any of these items with me. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement!

Hugs,
Gina
www.safepassagebirth.com

WISH LIST

For

YAYASAN BUMI SEHAT

Donations that are always needed at the clinic:

General clinic supplies

Ø Children’s vitamins

Ø Water-proof Huntleigh fetal doppler machines http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=6219

Ø Sterile and non-sterile medical gloves – non-latex,6½, 7 and 7 ½, small and medium sizes

Ø Cotton flannel receiving blankets

Ø Baby hats

Ø Amoxicillan 500

Ø Amoxicillan 250

Ø Ciprofloxacin 500

Ø Injectable Amoxicillan

Ø Arnica tincture, 30X or 200C

Ø DeLee suction catheter (for suctioning baby) – 8 fr http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=7958

Ø Bulb syringes for suctioning baby

Ø Umbilical cord clamps http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=00369

Ø Maternity mesh underwear http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=5058

Ø Bactroban

Ø Aloe Vera gel

Ø Instrument lubricant http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=9215

Ø Hand sanitizer

Ø Children’s Tylenol

Ø Money donated for large plastic storage containers

Ø Urinary catheters http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0426

Ø Chux pads!!!! – 23 x 36 inches http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=4079

Instruments needed

Ø General forceps – 12 are needed immediately – 7 inch http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=3518

Ø Needle holders – 18 are needed immediately – 6 & 8 inch http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=3526

Ø Blunt sharp scissors – 18 are needed immediately – 4.5 inch http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0108

Ø Sharp sharp scissors – 18 are needed immediately – 4.5 inch http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0108

Ø Tissue forceps – 6.25 inches http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=2658

Ø Cloth pelvis model with fetal doll http://www.maternalsource.com/Maternal%20Source%20Website/prod19.htm#cp

The Doula Book

The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth by Marshall H. Klaus

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought this was a good, basic book regarding using doulas at birth. It was a nice balance of research, technique, and case examples. For anyone who’s been attending births for awhile, it’s fairly basic, but I still picked up a new tidbit or two (I’ve attended about 30 births). I would highly recommend that any grandmother, sister, or friend who is planning on attending a loved one’s birth read this before the big day. It’s a great primer in that regard. My criticism is that the pictures should be updated, as they will be a real turn-off to a younger generation. The cover is nice and modern, but the inside pictures make it look outdated.

View all my reviews.

Homebirth Information Meeting

Join me on Monday, November 3rd at 7 pm at the Lamb Branch Library (2525 S. Pueblo Blvd) to discuss homebirth options in our community. This would be especially useful for people considering homebirth, those who are already planning one, and those who recently experienced one and would like to share their stories with others. Let’s get a birth community started in Pueblo!

Messing Around

Here’s a little something fun.

Doulas Make a Difference

If you are hoping for a natural (the definition of which varies widely, but in my definition it means at least unmedicated–including induction–and unassisted–i.e., no vacuum extraction, forceps, etc.) birth, then the best way to prepare for that is to arm yourself with a support team. A partner, mother, and friend on board is wonderful, but a professional labor assistant can be an important key to reaching your birth goals.

This study shows that a doula’s presence almost normalized Cesarean-section rates, and did reduce (though not as markedly as I would have expected) epidural rates:

BACKGROUND: Previous randomized controlled studies in several different settings demonstrated the positive effects of continuous labor support by an experienced woman (doula) for low-income women laboring without the support of family members. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the perinatal effects of doula support for nulliparous middle-income women accompanied by a male partner during labor and delivery. METHODS: Nulliparous women in the third trimester of an uncomplicated pregnancy were enrolled at childbirth education classes in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1988 through 1992. Of the 686 prenatal women recruited, 420 met enrollment criteria and completed the intervention. For the 224 women randomly assigned to the experimental group, a doula arrived shortly after hospital admission and remained throughout labor and delivery. Doula support included close physical proximity, touch, and eye contact with the laboring woman, and teaching, reassurance, and encouragement of the woman and her male partner. RESULTS: The doula group had a significantly lower cesarean delivery rate than the control group (13.4% vs 25.0%, p = 0.002), and fewer women in the doula group received epidural analgesia (64.7% vs 76.0%, p = 0.008). Among women with induced labor, those supported by a doula had a lower rate of cesarean delivery than those in the control group (12.5% vs 58.8%, p = 0.007). On questionnaires the day after delivery, 100 percent of couples with doula support rated their experience with the doula positively. CONCLUSIONS: For middle-class women laboring with the support of their male partner, the continuous presence of a doula during labor significantly decreased the likelihood of cesarean delivery and reduced the need for epidural analgesia. Women and their male partners were unequivocal in their positive opinions about laboring with the support of a doula.

Laboring to save home births | csmonitor.com

This is a really good article about some of the the legal issues and debates surrounding homebirth (not in Colorado–we are fortunate that CPMs are legally recognized). Though there is absolutely no evidence to suggest it is a less safe alternative (and there is evidence to suggest it is more safe), it remains the public assumption that homebirth is somehow an uninformed choice. I can tell you that it has been my experience that homebirthers are far more educated and well-read regarding their birthing choices than the average bears. And this is not to imply that hospital birthers are somehow uninformed, but, as a population, homebirth clients are much more proactive in finding the care they want and designing the births they deserve.

Laboring to save home births | csmonitor.com

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The Business of Being Born

Meet up with other birth advocates in Pueblo on Sunday, March 30th at 5 pm. We’ll have a potluck dinner followed by an informal screening of The Business of Being Born.

Location: Pueblo West
Cost: Nothing but a potluck dish
Call Gina at 719-369-4368 for directions and to RSVP

Delayed Cord Clamping and Iron Stores

One of my favorite games to play is justifying why doing something “natural” makes good sense scientifically. We’ve spent years “proving” that breastfeeding is the best choice (duh), and so we also need to “prove” that not interfering unduly with birth also makes sense.

Here’s a study showing a significant increase in iron stores for babies (who, naturally, are breastfed and not receiving supplemental iron) that is sufficient to maintain their iron levels until they begin taking in complementary foods at around 6 months of age.

Apparently the contention that delayed cord clamping leads to an increased incidence of jaundice is neither able to be backed up by good research,  nor conclusively a problem. Again, if something happens when there’s no interference, does that make it a problem or normal?

Please comment with other good research to share.

Welcome!

Welcome to Safe Passage. I’m currently adding content to the site, and hope to have resources, events, and fun stuff available soon. Check out the Calendar page in the upper toolbar for upcoming classes and events. And if you have any great ideas or would like me to include you as a local (to Pueblo, Colorado and the surrounding area) resource, please leave me a comment.

Thanks for visiting!