What Women Aren't Told About Childbirth

By Manda Aufochs Gillespie and Mariya Strauss, AlterNet. Posted October 20, 2007.
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/65608/?page=entire

A new survey of mothers reveals some disturbing things about hospital maternity care that may make pregnant women want to take a closer look at their options.

The survey Listening to Mothers II (LM 2) was released in 2006 and reports on U.S. women's childbearing experiences. Conducted for Childbirth Connection by Harris Interactive in partnership with Lamaze International and Boston University School of Public Health, it is the first comprehensive survey of women's childbearing experiences. The survey population is representative of U.S. mothers 18 to 45 who gave birth to a single infant in a hospital, with 1,573 actual participants.

"The predominant picture that emerges from our data," the report states, "is of large segments of this population experiencing clearly inappropriate care."

The majority of women ended up attached to IVs, catheters and fetal monitors. They had their membranes artificially ruptured and were given epidurals. Most of these women had little understanding of the side effects of these interventions, including cesarean and medical inductions. The report also shows that though women understood that they had the right to refuse medical interventions, few did, and many received interventions, such as episiotomies, without their consent.

Just as troubling is what is not being done. A "very tiny minority" of women received all of the care practices that promote natural birth. "With 4 million U.S. births annually, a single percentage point represents about 40,000 mothers and babies per year," the report authors say. Despite the relative health of women in the United States, many women are not getting the uncomplicated births they might expect.

Does how we birth matter?

[Can you tell I've just discovered that I can add Youtube clips to blogspot?]

This is so important. From her link, she states:

Last year, over 1 in 3 babies were born surgically. Why should we care? Because it isn't just another way to have a baby, no matter what the reason. Yes, women smile. But look again, at their eyes. And then understand what sacrifice we make, and what we lose.

Michigan: Another cesarean tragedy

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7530396&nav=0RceHnLU

KALAMAZOO -- The exact cause of why Tina Hagenbuch died while delivering triplets has not yet been determined.

But the past president of an organization called The Greater Kalamazoo Mothers of Multiples told 24 Hour News 8 Tina Hagenbuch died of a heart attack after embryonic fluid entered the blood stream during a C-section.

Hypnobaby VBAC

A VBAC Mama uses Hypnobabies and has a very pleasant, peaceful birth

Questioning CPD

By the amazing women of ICAN :)

Improve childbirth outcomes...

Women Can Improve Childbirth Outcomes By Seeking Care Providers With Low Cesarean Section Rates
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/90863.php

Caesareans 'may harm lung growth'

Caesareans 'may harm lung growth'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7137945.stm

Labour may help mature the lungs

Babies born by elective Caesarean section are much more likely to develop breathing problems, a Danish study examining 34,000 deliveries suggests.
Researchers found they were up to four times more likely to have respiratory problems than those born naturally, or by emergency Caesarean section.
The babies may miss out on hormonal and physiological changes during labour which help mature the lungs, they say.
The University of Aarhus study features in the British Medical Journal.

ICAN Responds to CDC Release of Birth Data

[b]Cesarean Rate Hits a New High
Recent Studies Show Cesareans Can Pose Dangers to Mothers and Babies[/b]
Release Highlights:

[i]Cesarean rate at record high in the U.S.
Cesarean rise coincides with CDC report that maternal death rate rising for the first time in decades.
World Health Organization data shows that mothers die at a higher rate in the U.S. than 40 other countries.
Consumer Reports includes cesarean on “10 overused tests and treatments” [/i]
[u][b]Redondo Beach, CA, December 5, 2007 [/b][/u]– The National Center for Health Statistics has reported that the cesarean rate has hit an all-time high of 31.1 percent.

CDC's Preliminary Data for 2006

“There’s no doubt that cesarean surgery is being overused,” said Pam Udy, president of the International Cesarean Awareness Network. “Unfortunately, despite its reputation as a harmless surgery, many women and babies are paying the high price of complications from this surgery.”

For the second year in a row, ICAN has compiled a list of research from the past year that shows cesarean surgery should be used more judiciously and that VBAC should be used more routinely. (See attached) Currently, more than 300 hospitals across the U.S. ban women from having a VBAC, essentially coercing them into unnecessary surgery and feeding the growing rate of cesarean.

The risks of cesarean were tragically highlighted this year by a rash of deaths related to the surgery, including two schoolteachers and friends from New Jersey, Valerie Scythes and Melissa Farah, who died within two weeks of each other in the spring. Both left behind healthy baby girls.

In August, the Centers for Disease Control released a report showing that, for the first time in decades, the number of women dying in childbirth has increased. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_19.pdf Experts note that the increase may be due to better reporting of deaths but that it coincides with dramatically increased use of cesarean. The latest national data on infant mortality rates in the United States also show an increase in 2005 and no improvement since 2000. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/prelimdeaths05/prelimdeaths05.htm

“At a time when maternal and infant mortality rates are decreasing throughout the industrialized world, the United States is in the unique position of having both a rapidly increasing cesarean rate and no improvement in these basic measures of maternal and infant health.” says Eugene Declercq, Ph.D., Professor of Maternal and Child Health at Boston University School of Public Health.

Another report released in October by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the U.N. Children's Fund, the U.N. Population Division and The World Bank, and published in the Lancet shows that the U.S. has a higher maternal death rate than 40 other countries. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607615724/fulltext “Women in the U.S. think they’re getting top notch care, but our death rate for mothers shows otherwise,” says Udy. The U.S.’s maternal death rate tied with that of Belarus, and narrowly beat out Bosnia and Herzogovena.

ICAN’s collection of research highlights from 2007 demonstrates the inherent risks of cesarean including a higher risk of dying in childbirth, a higher chance of suffering from potentially fatal placental problems in subsequent pregnancies, and babies having a higher chance of dying in the first year. Research from 2007 also shows that VBAC continues to be a reasonably safe birthing choice for mothers.

“The research continues to reinforce that cesareans should only be used when there is a true threat to the mother or baby,” said Udy. “Casual use of surgery on otherwise healthy women and babies can mean short-term and long-term problems.”

For women who encounter VBAC bans, ICAN has developed a guide to help them understand their rights as patients. The resource discusses the principles of informed consent and the right of every patient to refuse an unwanted medical procedure. The guide can be found at http://www.ican-online.net/resources/white_papers/wp_vbacbanqa.pdf.

Women who are seeking information about how to avoid a cesarean, have a VBAC, or are recovering from a cesarean can visit http://www.ican-online.org for more information. In addition to more than 90 local chapters nationwide, the group hosts an active on-line discussion group that serves as a resource for mothers.

About Cesareans: ICAN recognizes that when a cesarean is medically necessary, it can be a lifesaving technique for both mother and baby, and worth the risks involved. Potential risks to babies include: low birth weight, prematurity, respiratory problems, and lacerations. Potential risks to women include: hemorrhage, infection, hysterectomy, surgical mistakes, re-hospitalization, dangerous placental abnormalities in future pregnancies, unexplained stillbirth in future pregnancies and increased percentage of maternal death. http://www.ican-online.org/resources/white_papers/index.html

Mission statement: ICAN is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery and promoting vaginal birth after cesarean. There are 94 ICAN Chapters across North America, which hold educational and support meetings for people interested in cesarean prevention and recovery.

For more infomation, visit www.ican-online.org or contact your local chapter leader (that's me!) at icanofbuffalo@aol.com.

Cesareans: Twice the Risk

Excerpt from:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_56908.html
Reuters Health

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Compared with vaginal deliveries, cesarean deliveries have twice the risk of complications and deaths of both infants and mothers when the fetus is in the normal, head-down position, according to findings from a study conducted in Latin America.

However, if the fetus is turned around - in the breech position - the benefits of cesarean delivery outweigh the risks, Dr. Jose Villar, at the University of Oxford in the UK, and associates report in BMJ Online First.

[For what it's worth, and without having taken a look at this study yet but having read another study regarding the safety of breech births, I wonder how many of the deliveries had care providers who were trained in breech births? There is a technique to this, but many OBs are no longer trained in how to handle this, which may segregate the "safe" breech births from the "risky" ones...]

The rising rates of cesarean deliveries in recent years are not explained by any clear benefits to the baby or mother, the authors note. "There is therefore an urgent need to provide women and care providers with information on the potential individual risks and benefits associated with cesarean delivery."


SOURCE: BMJ Online First, October 31, 2007.


Reuters Health

Episiotomy: one of Five Operations You Don't Want to Get

Five Operations You Don't Want to Get
What to Do Instead
http://body.aol.com/news/articles/_a/five-operations-you-dont-want-to-get/20070730110909990002
By CURT PESMEN, HEALTH MAGAZINE, CNN

(Excerpted Article. Other operations listed in this were hysterectomy, angioplasty, heartburn surgery and lower back surgery.)

Episiotomy
It can sound so simple and efficient when an OB-GYN lays out all the reasons why she performs episiotomy before delivery. After all, it's logical that cutting or extending the vaginal opening along the perineum (between the vagina and anus) would reduce the risk of pelvic-tissue tears and ease childbirth. But studies show that severing muscles in and around the lower vaginal wall (it's more than just skin) causes as many or more problems than it prevents. Pain, irritation, muscle tears, and incontinence are all common aftereffects of episiotomy.

Last year the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new guidelines that said that episiotomy should no longer be performed routinely -- and the numbers have dropped. Many doctors now reserve episiotomy for cases when the baby is in distress. But the rates (about 25 percent in the United States) are still much too high, experts say, and some worry that it's because women aren't aware that they can decline the surgery.

"We asked women who'd delivered vaginally with episiotomy in 2005 whether they had a choice," says Eugene Declercq, Ph.D., main author of the leading national survey of childbirth in America, "Listening to Mothers II," and professor of maternal and child health at the Boston University School of Public Health. "We found that only 18 percent said they had a choice, while 73 percent said they didn't." In other words, about three of four women in childbirth were not asked about the surgery they would soon face in an urgent situation. "Women often were told, 'I can get the baby out quicker,'" Declercq says, as opposed to doctors actually asking them, 'Would you like an episiotomy?'"

What to Do Instead

Communicate. The time to prevent an unnecessary episiotomy is well before labor, experts agree. When choosing an OB-GYN practice, ask for its rate of episiotomy. And when you get pregnant, have your preference to avoid the surgery written on your chart.

Get Ready With Kegels. Working with a nurse or midwife may reduce the chance of such surgery, experts say; she can teach Kegel exercises for stronger vaginal muscles, or perform perineal and pelvic-floor massage before and during labor. Health.com: Me and my Kegels

U.S. study to track Caesareans

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/17457507.htm

Area hospitals to share data as doctors aim to improve care, re-establish protocols
By Tracy Wheeler
Beacon Journal medical writer

Optional Caesareans Carry Higher Risks, Study Finds

http://www.bcbs.com/news/national/optional-caesareans-carry-higher-risks-study-finds.html

Caesarean sections performed without a medical reason result in longer hospital stays, higher costs and more than twice as many rehospitalizations as vaginal deliveries, a new study reports.

Kate Winslet Speaks of Cesarean Experience

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,3605,1175608,00.html

'I was so completely traumatised by the fact that I hadn't given birth'

Kate Winslet has admitted that having her first child by caesarean made her feel a failure. Lucy Atkins knows exactly what she means

Tuesday March 23, 2004
The Guardian

Rehospitalization a Risk After Planned Cesarean

Dr. Marsden Wagner Speaks on "Born in the USA"

Dr. Wagner is one of the featured guest speakers at the ICAN Conference!


___________________________________________________
Born in the U.S.A.

GELLERMAN: For most of his career Dr. Marsden Wagner was your typical
American OB/GYN. A baby doctor; delivering his share of the four
million babies that are born each year in the United States.

Ninety-nine percent of those births take place in hospitals. That's
the way it should be, thought Dr. Wagner until he became the Director
of Women and Children's Health at the World Health Organization and
began to travel to places where midwives do the job.

What he saw changed his life.

Oregon moms feel the push for natural birth

http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1171081569261300.xml&coll=7

Today in the Oregonian -- Oregon moms feel the push for natural birth

Some say the pressure's such that women who opt for painkillers are made to feel like failures

Sunday, February 11, 2007

GABRIELLE GLASER

People in the Northwest pride themselves on braving the elements, from mountain climbing to whitewater rafting. But in homes, birthing centers and hospital maternity wards, a more private challenge has emerged among Oregon women, who brave the pain of natural childbirth at a rate double the national average.

Many pregnant women and new mothers say they feel implicit and explicit pressure to join the trend. Those who opt for painkillers or undergo a Caesarean section say they get sympathetic looks and encouragement to "try harder next time." For some, this intimate event has developed a competitive edge.

Gabrielle Glaser: 503-221-8271; gabrielleglaser@news.oregonian.com

Healthy Babies! Healthy Moms!

As seen in Having a Baby Today and New Health Digest

Healthy Babies! Healthy Moms!
(8 ways to help you be healthy and low risk during pregnancy, labor, and birth)
By Amy V. Haas, BA, BCCE

Pregnancy can be a wonderful and exciting time of life for most women. However, women in the United States receive very little information about how to stay healthy during pregnancy unless they do a lot of individual research. In fact most women don’t realize there is anything they can do to positively impact their health during pregnancy or prevent a high-risk status, with the exception of prenatal care. While proper prenatal care is important, it is not magic. Obstetricians have time constraints, and receive little or no training in nutrition, exercise, or preventative medicine. Even women who join childbirth classes may receive limited information. Below are 8 ways to help educate you in how to stay healthy and low risk during pregnancy, labor, and birth.

1) Nutrition – If you only did one thing to help yourself stay healthy during pregnancy, good nutrition would be it! It is the single most important factor in having a healthy baby and a healthy mom. Eating well in pregnancy means following the Brewer diet, which consists of 75 – 100 grams of good quality protein per day, from varied sources. Great high protein food sources include: meats, soy products, eggs, dairy, nuts, beans, and seeds. You should also be eating 5 servings of high complex carbohydrates to ensure adequate calories for energy, and an additional source of protein. In fact 1/3rd of you protein should be coming from whole grains. This would include whole grains that are not milled or processed, and will retain the most nutrients, protein, and fiber. Eating dairy, soy, nuts, and bean products, and broccoli will assist in getting enough calcium. Additional healthy foods to include would be whole, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and don’t forget to drink to thirst and salt to taste! But try to avoid desserts and junk food. Organic food sources are highly recommended when available. Think Color and Variety! This will help you obtain all the nutrients your body needs to build a healthy baby. Eating right during pregnancy can help to prevent premature labor and birth, toxemia, placental abruption, gestational diabetes, problems with breast feeding and healing, and many other serious health problems that would place a mom in the high-risk category.

2) Exercise – Pregnancy exercises can help prepare your body for the birth of your baby, by targeting specific muscles used during labor. Regular physical exercise can help to build strength and stamina. It also makes it easier to recover after birth. Check with your care provider as to any physical limitations you may have

3) Education – Educating yourself with regard to all the issues involving pregnancy and birth will help you to make responsible decisions that are right for you and your family. As the authors of A Good Birth, A Safe Birth said, “If you don’t know what your choices are, then you don’t have any!” There are many different types of childbirth classes, and you need to research to find out which one will fit your needs. A good book to help in this search is The Birth Book, by Dr. William Sears, and Martha Sears, RN. Educating yourself well will help you to avoid unnecessary health risks common in birth in the United States today. This would include educating yourself as to the necessity of routine testing and procedures during pregnancy. Before consenting to routine testing or procedures be sure that it is being done for a true medical need or problem. You need to be aware of the risks and benefits of all tests and procedures during pregnancy. Excellent sources of information on this topic include Henci Goer’s book Obstetric Myths vs. Research Realities, and Barbara Katz Rothman’s book The Tentative Pregnancy.

4) Avoidance of Harmful substances – Everyone knows that you should avoid all street drugs during pregnancy so your baby will not be harmed, but there are many other substances that should also be avoided to have a healthy pregnancy. They include tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, pollution, pesticides, household and industrial chemicals, and any medically unnecessary medications, including over-the-counter medications. According the AAP, The PDR, and The FDA there is no drug that is considered safe during pregnancy. Sadly this would also include all medications commonly giving during birth, as they all reach the baby, and can have negative side effects for both the mom and baby. Any medication given to a pregnant or laboring woman should be for a true medical problem only. All prescription medications should be taken to your care provider and checked to see if they are truly necessary during pregnancy, and if there may be a safer medication or a smaller dose might be appropriate. Before taking anything you should always check with your care provider first!

5) Choosing a Birth Attendant wisely – When choosing a Doctor or Midwife to assist at your birth, it is important you choose one who not only matches your birth philosophy, but also respects your right to make choices that are right for you. Be sure to interview all candidates before choosing. Think about what kind of a practice you would be comfortable with. Would you prefer a large practice of doctors or midwives, or a small practice of only one or two care providers? If you discover along the way that you are no longer comfortable with your original choice, it is important to know that you have the right to change care providers. Choosing wisely the first time will create less stress in your life.

6) Choosing your Birth Place Wisely – When choosing where to have your baby it is good to know that home births have been shown to be as safe, if not safer, than hospital births. Think about where you will feel the safest, and most comfortable. If you feel safest in a hospital setting, then that may be a good choice for you. This of course, will depend on your health status. Only low risk women will be accepted for a homebirth. While it is possible to have a healthy natural birth in a hospital setting, it is certainly more difficult.

7) Doulas – Consider hiring a professional labor assistant to help you through your labor. Studies have shown that having a doula can reduce the need for medication, cesarean sections, pitocin to speed up labor, and other interventions common in birth today. It’s also wonderful to have backup for your primary labor support person in the event of a long labor.

8) Birth Plans – Never assume that everyone attending your birth knows what you do and don’t want! Create a birth plan that outlines your ultimate goals and priorities. To do this you will need to educate yourself with regard to all aspects of birth in the United States so that you know what your priorities are.
***

(For More information on each of these topics contact Rochester Birth Network at www.rochesterbirthnetwork.com 585- 234-0022)

Amy V. Haas, BCCE ©2002 -2006

Recommended Reading:

The Birth Book by William Sears, M.D. & Martha Sears, RN
The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
The Brewer Pregnancy Hotline (The Brewer Diet) by Krebs and Brewer (Available on line at www.blueribbonbaby.org )
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
A Wise Birth by Armstrong & Feldman
A Good Birth, A Safe Birth by Korte & Scaer
Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper
Active Birth by Janet Balaskas
Obstetric Myths vs. Research Realities by Henci Goer
The Tentative Pregnancy by Barbara Katz Rothman
Diary of A Midwife – The Power Of Positive Childbearing by Juliana Van Olphen-Fehr
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

Could changing the court system help prevent unecessary cesareans?

I'm so intrigued by this:

http://cgood.org/healthcare-newscommentary-watch.html

It's Time for Special Health Courts in New York
Richard M. Peer, The Buffalo News, June 26, 2006

In an opinion piece in The Buffalo News, Dr. Richard M. Peer, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York, writes that “[i]t's time to give health courts a chance” because “[t]he current medical justice system is not working for doctors or for patients.” According to Dr. Peer, a vascular surgeon himself, some doctors,“[f]aced with increased liability and skyrocketing malpractice premiums, … are giving up the practice of medicine, especially those in high-risk specialties such as obstetrics, neuro and general surgery and emergency care.” He continues: “At the same time, the current system doesn't provide appropriate or timely compensation to patients who truly experience negligent adverse events. Instead, studies show that it rewards only a small fraction of plaintiffs with legitimate claims and those eventually compensated will have suffered an average of more than four years of litigation.” By streamlining proceedings and lowering the costs of adjudicating a claim, Dr. Peer argues that health courts would help solve these problems.

It's an interesting avenue - I have some hesitations about it, but it might be an avenue worthy of pursuit.

Study backs natural birth after C-section

Study backs natural birth after C-section
Posted 6/29/2006 9:28 PM ET

[To view this article in it's entirity, visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-06-29-vbac_x.htm]

A study out today could lead to an increase in the number of pregnant women who try for a vaginal birth after a cesarean section, a type of delivery called a VBAC.

The study, published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, involved 17,890 women with a prior C-section who delivered at one of 19 academic U.S. medical centers from 1999 through 2002.

It found that those who'd had multiple C-sections were no more likely to have a uterine tear, or rupture, than those who'd had only one C-section. Ruptures occurred in nine of 975 women with multiple previous C-sections, or 0.9%, and 115 of 16,915 women with just one prior C-section, or 0.7%. Women with multiple C-sections were more likely to need a blood transfusion or a hysterectomy if they tried for a VBAC, but their actual risk was just 3.2% and 0.6% respectively.

My favorite part of this article:

Gary Hankins, chairman of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' obstetrics practice committee, said he expects his group will now revise its VBAC advice for women who've had multiple C-sections.

In 2004, Hankins' committee said that the only women with multiple C-sections who are candidates for a VBAC are those with a prior vaginal delivery. The new study found that having a prior vaginal delivery made no difference.

And I really like this:

"I think the important message from Landon's paper, and from our work, is that VBAC in women with multiple prior C-sections is very reasonable," says George Macones, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis and author of a study last year that found only a small increased rupture risk in such women.

Early Registration for ICAN Conference, April 2007

ICAN Conference, Syracuse NY
April 20-22
$199 Early Registration

Heads up!!! The Early Bird deadline for conference is
fast approaching! Between now and February 28, you
can register for the low rate of only $199.
This Silver Anniversary Conference will bring
together a wide range of birth professionals, birth
advocates and consumers. It's the first time ICAN has
had an OB on the agenda.

Dr. Mark Landon, author of the first large-scale
American prospective study on VBAC, will be there to
confirm the relative safety of VBAC for most women.
We're applying for CEUs from MEAC and ICEA.
This is a terrific opportunity for birth professionals
to hear the good news about VBAC while
fulfilling professional educational requirements.

If you are a breast feeding advocate or lactation
consultant, you'll want to come hear Diane
Wiessinger's talk "What Would Mammals Do?"

If you are a birth activist, you'll want to hear
Lynn Paltrow from NAPW answer the question "Do
Pregnant Women Have Rights?" She was co-counsel
representing Angela Carder's family in the famous
1987 suit against George Washington University Medical
Center, winning a decision on appeal that held
the hospital was wrong in obtaining a court order to
perform a cesarean against the wishes of Carder (a
cancer patient), her family and the obstetrical
department.

Susun Weed, author of Wise Woman Herbal for the
Childbearing Year, will discuss "After the Cesarean:
Herbal Healing for Mother and Child."

The stellar list of speakers includes: Dr. Marsden
Wagner, Henci Goer, Sharon Storton, Esther Booth Zorn,
Nancy Wainer and many more. ICAN notables
include Kmom, Gretchen Humphries, Raechel Fredrickson,
Shannon Mitchell, Dawn Kubik and Elaine Mills.

Watch your mailbox for the latest edition of the
Clarion. It includes a four-page insert all about our
conference, "25 Years of Discovering ICAN." Or visit
our conference web site at
http://conference.ican-online.org/ .

Save money .... register today!!!

ICAN of Buffalo Announces 2007 Prevention Series

Hello everybody, and welcome to the new year!

My resolution for this year is to make ICAN of Buffalo an even bigger success. To do so, one of the first changes you'll see is a greater focus on the Cesarean Prevention aspect of ICAN's mission with a series of topic-driven meetings. I am pleased to announce our first two topics in our series:

February 7th - Our first meeting of the new year will be a discussion entitled "Cesarean Prevention Through Nutrition". We will focus on how nutritional choices can decrease likelihood of preeclampsia, toxemia, gestational diabetes, prematurity and more. Meeting to be held at 10:45am at HomeGrown Baby, 3111 Delaware Avenue in Kenmore. Following will be a meeting for those in need of support for cesarean recovery.

March 7th - ICAN of Buffalo presents "Can Chiropractic Care Prevent a Cesarean?" We are pleased to welcome guest speaker Dr. Jessica D'Amore, Chiropractor from Family Chiropractic in Amherst and CBE/doula. She will be discussing the benefits of prenatal chiropractic care, the Webster technique (for turning breech babies) and other ways spinal health can be beneficial to pregnancy and birth. Meeting to be held at 10:45am at HomeGrown Baby, 3111 Delaware Avenue in Kenmore. Following will be a meeting for those in need of support for cesarean recovery.

Please note, we will still offer time for women who are in need of cesarean recovery and support following each meeting.

Other topics that are planned for the year include: "How to Get Your VBAC Back", "What You Need to Know About Pain Relief in Labor", and our Healing Circle, which was postponed until the new year.

We will also be holding some fund raisers and are looking for your help. We would like to do two "Clothing Swap Nights", one for women's clothing, and one for baby and children's clothing - we are in search of a location, donations of items to be raffled, donations of food items such as h'ors d'oeuvre's [I know I have butchered the spelling there - but it doesn't come up on my spell check!] and beverages, and people to help. The other fund raiser we will be doing will be a Cookie Lee Jewelry party, which will probably be held in February. ICAN of Buffalo really needs your support with these fund raisers in order to keep providing support and education to the community!

Another way you can help support ICAN of Buffalo is by becoming a subscriber to ICAN. $30 for a basic subscription gets you discounts to our bi-annual conference (In SYRACUSE this year! Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! - visit http://conference.ican-online.org for more info) as well as our quarterly newsletter, The Clarion, our newly reworked bi-weekly ICAN E-news, and access to all the latest cesarean updates. When you subscribe to ICAN through the Buffalo chapter, a portion of the dollars stay right here, so please consider subscribing today!

I'm really looking forward to the new year, and excited about our new approach! Hope to see you there!!!!