1st DONA Doula Training course 26-28/4/2012

DONA is International organization of Doulas of North America

Doula is a person who provides non-medical care for mothers during and immediately after birth.

• Recognizes birth as a significant life experience.
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a laboring woman.
• Provides continuous support, practrical comfort measures, and an objective viewpoint to aid in decision-making.
• Complements the care provided by the woman's partner and birth attendants.
• Protects and nurtures the memory of the birth experience.

Recent studies indicate the use of a doula:

• Decreases labor length by 25 percent.
• Decreases oxytocin use by 25 percent.
• Decreases mother's request for pain medication by 30 percent.
• Decreases cesareans by 50 percent.
• Increases father's participation level.

The course took place during  from 26th April to 28th April 2012 in Royale Hayat Hospital. This course was designed and was presented by Kristi Ridd-Young, an experienced midwife, doula, and childbirth educator. She is currently the President of the Midwives College of Utah and former DONA Administrative Director and board member. During her 19 years of teaching, Kristi has facilitated many doula trainings throughout the USA. She has been invaluable in helping many expectant mothers and their partners develop skills and the inner strength neeed to experience a positive birth. As a caring, compassionate doula, she has atteneded over 250 women. Kristi has been mentored by many of the leading experts in the field of childbirth, but most of all, she credits her six children and seven stepchildren for much of the wisdom and knowledge she shares.

Can women deliver safely at home? Results of British study about the place of the birth

British Study: Half Of All Pregnant Women Could Give Birth At Home Safely
AP | Nov 25, 2011 12:09 PM EST

Comments (28)

LONDON -- A new study in England shows little difference in complications among the babies of women with low-risk pregnancies who delivered in hospitals versus those who gave birth with midwives at home or in birthing centers.
Based on the findings, researchers said women with uncomplicated pregnancies in England should be able to choose where they want to give birth – and one expert said about half of all pregnant women here could potentially safely give birth outside a hospital.
But they sounded a note of caution for first-time mothers and their infants, who may face a higher risk if they choose a home birth.
"I would never say women should give birth in a particular place, but hope this gives women more information to make an informed choice," said Dr. Peter Brocklehurst, director of the Institute for Women's Health at University College Hospital in London, one of the paper's lead authors. He conducted the research while at Oxford University.
"Birth isn't an abnormal process, it's a physiological process," he said. "And if your pregnancy and labor is not complicated, then you don't need a high level of specific expertise."
Brocklehurst added that about 50 percent of pregnant women in England – those who are low-risk – should be able to choose where to have their baby.
More than 90 percent of pregnant women in England now give birth in a hospital. Some officials say the new study should prompt women to consider alternatives.
"This is about giving women a choice," said Mary Newburn of NCT, a U.K. charity for parents, one of the study's authors. She said midwife-run birth centers in England have a more homelike environment, with privacy, sofas and birthing pools.
In Britain, midwives deliver more than 60 percent of babies already. Similar care is provided in the Netherlands, where about a quarter of all births happen at home. Elsewhere in Europe, most births are led by doctors, although midwives may also be involved.
In the United States, however, less than one percent of births happen at home. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not support planned home births and warns evidence shows they have a higher risk of newborn death compared to planned hospital births. The training of midwives in the U.S. varies by state – and some have no regulations.
Brocklehurst and colleagues collected data for nearly 65,000 mothers and babies between 2008 and 2010 in England. Of those, there were 19,706 births in hospital obstetric wards, 16,840 births at home, 11,282 births in "freestanding" midwifery units – independent clinics where there are no doctors or access to anesthetics – and 16,710 births in "alongside" midwifery units, often housed within hospitals.
All the pregnancies were low-risk, meaning the mothers were healthy and carried their baby to term. Women planning C-sections or expecting twins or multiple births were excluded from the study.
In the U.K.'s hospital obstetric wards, most low-risk women don't see a doctor during labor and are only treated by midwives.
There didn't appear to be a difference for the infants' health based on where the mothers planned to give birth.
But researchers found a higher risk for first-time mothers planning a home birth. Among those women, there were 9.3 adverse events per 1,000 births, including babies with brain damage due to labor problems and stillbirth. That compared to 5.3 adverse events per 1,000 births for those planning a hospital birth.
The study was published Friday in the medical journal, BMJ. It was paid for by Britain's department of health and another government health research body.
Dr. Tony Falconer, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, said his group supports "appropriately selected home birth." He noted the higher risk of problems among first-time mothers choosing a home birth and said that raised questions about where they should deliver.
For Emily Shaw of Oxfordshire, northwest of London, giving birth in a hospital wasn't appealing. She wanted home births for both her sons but because her first baby was induced into labor, she had to deliver him in a hospital in October 2008.
Shaw delivered her second son at home in April. "I felt much more comfortable there," she said. "Instead of getting into a car to go to the hospital, the midwives came to me."
"It was nice to have the home comforts during labor," she added, saying she could eat in her own kitchen and use her own bathroom. "And unlike the hospital, they didn't kick out my partner in the middle of the night."
____

The silent knitting session or support of laboring woman by staying calm

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recently came to the conclusion that too many babies are born in hospitals. In other words, according to the college, it would be beneficial to increase the number of out-of-hospital births (www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14145862). This would lead to a radical rethink of the selection and education of midwives. Outside hospitals, where women must rely entirely on the release of their natural hormones, the main preoccupation should be to protect the involuntary process of birth against situations that can inhibit it. Modern physiology can identify such situations, particularly those associated with a release of adrenaline, and those that stimulate the neocortex (the part of the brain highly developed among humans only).

The time is therefore ripe to underline the historical significance of one of the 27 workshops offered during the Mid-Pacific Conference on Birth and Primal Health Research (Honolulu, October 26–28, 2012). It will be called “The Silent Knitting Session.” The participants will realise at which point a repetitive task such as knitting (or, in Hawaii, making a wreath of flowers to be draped around the neck, for example) is an effective way to reduce the levels of adrenaline.

Since the release of adrenaline is highly contagious, the main preoccupation of an authentic midwife, after the paradigm shift, will be to maintain her own level of adrenaline as low as possible when she is close to a labouring woman. Midwives of the future will also need to train themselves to remain silent, since language is the most powerful stimulant of the neocortex. The silent knitting session will be a necessary step towards an understanding of what authentic midwifery is. We present it as the symbol of a vital new phase in the history of childbirth and midwifery.

— Michel Odent
midpacificonference@gmail.com
www.wombecology.com

One World Birth

Would you like to know what the most renewed experts in field of maternity health & services say? Check this!
Source : One World Birth

Welcome to One World Birth

One World Birth is a free video resource about birth issues aimed at professionals, campaigners and parents who want to keep their finger on the pulse of what is happening in birth today.

Our dream is that this project will help inspire individuals all around the world to connect, share ideas and shout for change where change is needed. We want birth experts who are at the front line of current thinking and research to empower parents with their knowledge and wisdom so that they feel confident to make the choices that are right for them and have the birth that they deserve.

Read more about how and why we set up One World Birth.

Midwives Save Lives - global petition

Source: International Confederations of Midwives

ICM has  has joined forces with our partners White Ribbon Alliance and global campaigning charity Save the Children to call on heads of state around the world to increase midwifery resources for education, recruitment and retention.
Over the past two months we have gathered over 5000 signatures in 76 countries, asking governments to commit to increased investment in midwifery education and employment. Copies of the petition are now being handed over to government leaders to help raise the profile of the life saving role of midwives and to generate as much public and political support as possible, before the United Nations General Assembly. 
Petition handovers around the world

In the UK, ICM President Frances Day-Stirk (right) and representatives from WRA and Save the Children handed the petition over to Minister for Development Stephen O'Brien.

• Read ICM President Frances Day-Stirk's blog about the petition and its global importance
• Watch Stephen O'Brien's speech at the hand-over
• Read Save the Children advocacy adviser on the events of the day

In Uganda the Midwifery Association and WRA representatives met with Parliamentary representatives and secured national commitments to increased investment in midwifery

• Read the WRA Blog from Uganda

KIngdom of Saudi Arabia is opening registration for Midwifery Programme

Source: Al Medina

Armed forces hospital in Ryadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is opening registration for Midwifery programme. This programme is the only one of its kind in the Kingdom and started in 2006.

واس - الرياض

ينظم قسم النساء والولادة بمستشفى القوات المسلحة بالرياض (برنامج القبالة) في السابع عشر من ذي القعدة القادم. وأوضح رئيس قسم النساء والولادة في المستشفى العميد طبيب سلطان بن محمد السلطان أن هذا البرنامج بدأ منذ عام 2006م وهو الوحيد على مستوى المملكة، مشيرًا إلى أن الهدف من إقامة هذا البرنامج تقديم الرعاية الصحية الشاملة للأم أثناء فترة الحمل والولادة وما بعد الولادة والتعرف على المضاعفات التي تواجه الأم والطفل أثناء الحمل والولادة وما بعدها ووضع خطط الرعاية الصحية الشاملة (الجسمانية - النفسية - الاجتماعية) وفقًا لاحتياجات الأم والطفل، إضافة لتخريج سعوديات متخصصات ذات كفاءة علمية وسريرية لتغطية النقص العام في هذا التخصص الحيوي.

Global Midwifery Council

Source: Midwifery Today

The birth of the Global Midwifery Council was in June of 2010 at the Home Child/Midwifery Today Conference in Moscow, Russia. It was born to change the paradigm of birth around the world. At international conferences, Midwifery Today has learned enough about midwifery and birth around the world to realize that birth itself is in deep trouble. The Global Midwifery Council (GMC) is an organization born to help make long term changes in how mothers and babies are treated and how midwifery is carried out. We have a mission to stop inappropriate over-medicalization in birth care!


Through international conferences and networking we have learned so many different ways to view and work with birth, such as using rebozo, which we learned from our Mexican sisters. It is necessary to turn from the over-medicalization of birth and return to a more organic, physiologic model. And the time is now.

We have a lot of work to do on many levels. Maternal death is not just a result of disease and malnutrition. I learned from my sister in Haiti recently that it is also caused by harmful cultural habits. Women there routinely douche after birth to “clean out their insides.” There is little clean water in Haiti. Women die from this. They also sit over boiling hot water after birth, often burning their labia. These habits are taught by their “aunties” as necessary, and cultural habits are hard to break.

 Many cultural habits are dangerous to mothers and babies and need to be stopped; some are likely harmless or even work on levels we do not understand yet and should not be changed; others are practices the world’s midwives can put into practice and begin sharing. Discernment is of utmost importance. In Western medical culture we have many dangerous practices, too, such as cutting women open to extract their babies for no reason at all!

Birth belongs to the mother and baby, but we want them both to live! Midwifery has always been God’s design to serve mother and baby, and we are always looking for better ways serve mother and baby in our work at Midwifery Today conferences.

UK 'has too many hospital births'

Source: BBC

Maternity services across the UK need a radical rethink, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says.

Dr Anthony Falconer: 'We all have a moral responsibility to create the best services we can'

It wants the number of hospital units cut to ensure 24-hour access to care from senior doctors and says more midwife-led units are needed for women with low-risk pregnancies.

The National Childbirth Trust welcomed the report but says the proposals do not go far enough.
NHS managers said maternity care desperately needed to be reorganised.

Midwifery: The Proven Tradition of Birthing

Source: Saudi Life

By Aisha Al Hajjar, AMANI | Saudi Life

Sunday, 21 August 2011 00:00

0digg 52Share THERE was a time when birth belonged to women. This was a time where they labored at home and chose only their dearest, most trusted companions to accompany them during their journey. Modesty and privacy were respected, masha’Allah. In days of old, midwifery was the common model of care and doctors were only invited in for major complications or difficulties. Midwifery, as a profession, evolved and was passed down from generation to generation. These were women who were skilled in handling most complications. But they also possessed a certain art in the gentle and patient way that they approached a woman in labor. The women who served as midwives did so out of sisterly love and a true passion to ease the hardships of birth. Our beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever relieves his brother [or sister] of a hardship from the hardships of this world, Allah shall relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Judgment. And whoever makes things easy for a person in difficulty; Allah will ease for him in this world and the Next. And whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal him in this world and the Next. Allah is forever aiding a slave so long as he is in the aid of his brother.” [Sahih Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and others] Birthing Modesty The field of obstetrics was formally introduced over four centuries ago. With it came an abundance of men. These were not male companions or maharm (close male relatives); they were strangers with medical training. But they didn’t take over birth right away. In Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth[1], renowned American midwife, Ina May Gaskin, explores textbook entries about childbirth in American obstetrics prior to the current hospital birthing era. She looked at texts of old and found that obstetricians were taught to wait outside the laboring women’s bedroom door until summoned in by the nurse or midwife in attendance. According to her research, there is evidence in these writings that teach about the importance of modesty in the labor and birth process. Doctors of that time respected the woman’s need to labor and birth in private and only entered if there was a true need to do so. In fact, they keenly understood how the unwelcomed or rushed presence of a male observer could actually stall or shut down even an active labor. Over the years, the obstetric model of care took over birth in the United States and many other regions of the world, including Saudi Arabia. Birth moved out of the home and into the hospital and the sisterly model of midwifery care was greatly diminished, and in some areas, completely lost. Sadly, the importance of birthing modesty is often times overlooked in a hospital setting. This can be particularly troubling in Saudi Arabia, where modesty is ingrained in the culture and deen (religion).

Mothers Deserve Options

Huffington Post`s Ricki Lake  is asking questions about birthing culture in USA

I made my 2008 documentary The Business of Being Born to educate women about choices in childbirth, and raise questions about maternity care in the U.S. For example, why were C-section rates skyrocketing? Why were options such as birth centers and home birth disappearing? And why does a country supposedly committed to health care reform seem opposed to safe, cost-effective options that include midwifery and well-woman care?

The impact of the documentary was monumental. The blogosphere blew up (I can handle a few people yelling at me if it means my message is being heard!) Every day women stop me on the street to share stories of their safe, successful, meaningful births. Many say they felt "in the dark" about their options until seeing The Business of Being Born. But unfortunately, due to the highly medicalized climate of hospital births and the financial interests of insurance and drug companies, our birth options are disappearing at an alarming rate. It's seems that the more we know, the fewer choices we have. In the last five years, New York City alone has witnessed the shuttering of its only freestanding birth center, two hospital-based birth centers, a popular childbirth education center and a major hospital that offered privileges to a large number of hospital midwifery practices and home birth midwives. This has left many parents-to-be struggling to find birth options outside of the traditional OB/GYN approach.

NEWS RELEASE Global partners stand behind global standards for midwifery

ICM International Confederation of Midwives~s press release:

On the last day of the International Confederation of Midwives Triennial Congress in Durban, South Africa, global agencies have expressed their commitment to work with each other and with ICM to tackle maternal mortality. The UN Population Fund, World Health Organization (WHO), the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and the International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) have each pledged to support the implementation of ICM’s landmark global standards for midwifery education and regulation as a core strategy to tackle maternal mortality worldwide. Around 350,000 women die each year as a result of preventable complications in pregnancy and childbirth. 99% of these deaths happen in low income countries, many of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Millennium Development Goal 5 commits countries to delivering significant improvements to maternal health worldwide but has been the slowest moving of all the MDGs so far.

 ‘Evidence shows that access to competent, educated and strong midwives significantly reduces maternal and infant mortality.’ said Bridget Lynch, President.  ‘ICM set out on the Road to Durban three years ago, committed to reaching our destination with the tools needed to help governments around the world tackle unacceptable rates of maternal and infant mortality. Since then, we have worked with midwives of the world and our global partners to make sure we arrived with these tools in our hands. I am proud to say that we are now the first health profession in the world to have achieved global standards for the competency, education and regulation of our workforce. These, alongside the information provided by the UNFPA’s State of the World Midwifery Report will be essential to the achievement of each countries maternal mortality target.’

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in New Mothers: Results from a Two-Stage U.S. National Survey

1. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in New Mothers: Results from Two-Stage U.S. National Survey 

Article first published online: 20 MAY 2011 
DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-536X.2011.00475.x

1. AUTHORS: Cheryl Tatano Beck DNSc, CNM, FAAN,
2. Robert K. Gable EdD, 
3. Carol Sakala PhD, MSPH, 
4. Eugene R. Declercq PhD, MBA

MIDWIFE`S NOTES:

Pregnancy and labour may be diffucult and painful expirience for some women,  leaving permanent impact on the life of the woman and her baby. This study identified main factors in onset of posttraumatic stress disorder. 
- low partner support
- elevated postpartum depressive symptoms
- more physical problems since birth
- less health-promoting behaviors
- eight variables significantly differentiated women who had elevated posttraumatic stress symptom levels from those who did not: no private health insurance, unplanned pregnancy, pressure to have an induction and epidural analgesia, planned cesarean birth, not breastfeeding as long as wanted, not exclusively breastfeeding at 1 month, and consulting with a clinician about mental well-being since birth. 

State of World`s Mothers 2011

State of World`s Mothers 2011 by UN is yearly evaluation of the Mother`s Index.

 "What are the world's best and worst places to be a mother? The 12th annual Mothers' Index analyzes health, education and economic conditions for women and children in 164 countries.Norway ranks #1 this year and Afghanistan ranks last. The United States comes in at #31 among the 43 developed countries ranked. "

Sadly, State of Kuwait is ranking No. 35 in category of less developed countries. You can read more about the Maternity Health Statistics in the Middle East and Human Development Report .

  

UN spotlights role of midwives in improving maternal and children’s health

Source: UN News Centre 
17 June 2011 – 

The United Nations is set to unveil a report highlighting the vital work of midwives in ensuring that millions of women and newborn children do not die needlessly at a time when many countries still lack enough skilled staff to serve as birth attendants.The report, The State of the World’s Midwifery 2011: delivering health, saving lives, is the first of its kind and draws on data gathered from 58 countries.
Co-authored by several UN agencies – including the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) – and more than 20 international partners, it will be released on Monday at a global conference of midwives taking place in Durban, South Africa.
The report will examine the progress made so far on boosting the numbers of midwives, which are particularly critical to the achievement of two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): boosting maternal health, and reducing child mortality.

Home birth is on the rise. But is it safe? (US Consumer Report)

Source: Consumer Report US , May 26, 2011.

Less than one percent of babies in the U.S. are born at home. But after years of decline, home births are on the rise. Between 2004 and 2008, the rate of home births increased by 20 percent, according to a study published online May 20 in the journal Birth. Why? Maybe alienation with hospital care—where around a third of babies were delivered by Cesarean section in 2007—has some women wanting more control over what they consider a normal, natural experience. They want, in a sense, to stay home to stay safe. But are they right? Is home birth safe?

While the question is a polarizing one, at least in this country, several professional organizations say it can be for low-risk pregnancies if necessary precautions are taken. That includes the World Health Organization, the American Public Health Association, the National Perinatal Association, and the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Midwifery in Arab/ Middle East Countries

UN just published State of World` s Midwifery 2011, covering some 58 countries in all regions of the world.

"Increasing women's access to quality midwifery has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible health care during pregnancy and childbirth"

I would like to focus on Middle East/ Arab countries. Reports are available from following countries:
1. UAE

"It is clear the women do not know what a midwife is and many women think that they are safer with care from a doctor. Based on the results of this research a marketing strategy has been developed to promote the role of the midwife as the expert in normal birth and work has begun both with the medical profession and women to improve the profile and status of midwifery in the UAE"

2. Gulf Countries

"If only considering the percentage of deliveries attended by skilled health personnel and the maternal mortality ratio, the nearly 22 Arab States can be divided into three groups (Table 1). The first, where both indicators are balanced, contains small, rich Gulf countries as well as middle-income countries such as Tunisia, where the government has adopted a holistic, multi-disciplinary health strategy including the investment in training and empowering midwives. Also in this group are countries such as Palestine, where despite an instable and insecure environment, important and well-structured NGO interventions ensure good maternal health care. In the second group, both indicators are high and this can be explained by geographical, social, cultural and economic factors including the weak quality of maternal health services, as in Djibouti, and over-medicalization and low profile of midwifery as in Lebanon and until recently in the United Arab Emirates. The third group has countries where the percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel is low and the maternal mortality ratio is high. In addition to other factors, the situation in most countries in this group (including Morocco, Sudan and Yemen) can be linked to the lack of availability, accessibility and affordability of maternal services in remote and rural areas"

State of World`s Midwifery UAE 2011

In order to promote the role of the midwife it is necessary to find out what the lay perception
is of the role. This  research surveyed women’s views United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
enabled the planning of a marketing strategy to promote midwifery. A semi-structured
questionnaire was distributed in English and Arabic during routine antenatal sessions. The
381 questionnaires that were returned were from women from 27 different nationalities all
planning to give birth in the UAE. The questionnaire consisted of 12 statements to which
respondents were asked to tick either ‘right’, ‘wrong’ or don’t know.

State of World`s Midwifery

UNFPA just published State of World`s Midwifery. Midwives are primary health care providers providing care for low-risk women during pregnancy, labour, after delivery, including the care for babies.

Increasing women's access to quality midwifery has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible health care during pregnancy and childbirth. A first step is assessing the situation.

The State of World's Midwifery 2011: Delivering Health, Saving Lives, supported by 30 partners, provides the first comprehensive analysis of midwifery services and issues in countries where the needs are greatest.

The report provides new information and data gathered from 58 countries in all regions of the world. Its analysis confirms that the world lacks some 350,000 skilled midwives -- 112,000 in the neediest 38 countries surveyed -- to fully meet the needs of women around the world. The report explores a range of issues related to building up this key health workforce.

This page includes access to the full report in three languages, as well as related resources, applications, bibliographical information, individual country profiles and stories of midwives.

La Leche League (LLL) Kuwait

Dear all,

It is our pleasure to inform you that La Leche League (LLL) is coming to Kuwait and a local LLL group will be established soon.  La Leche League is an international non-profit organization.  It's mission is to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

  

We have been asked to provide a list of health care providers and others in Kuwait who would be interested in receiving notifications of new issues of New Beginnings magazine, the online quarterly publication of La Leche League USA.   Each issue contains inspiring stories and helpful information for expectant parents, breastfeediing moms, and mothers at all stages of their parenting journey.  You can take a look at  some previous editions of the magazine here:  http://www.llli.org/nbdate.html

If you are interested in being a member of LLL Kuwait and/or receiving notifications of new issues of New Beginnings Magazine, kindly send message to MidwifeofKuwait  with your name and contact information, including the email address of your preference.

Wishing you a beautiflul summer and nice holidays!

Warmest regards,

Zuzana Nadova (BirthKuwait), Sarah Paksima (BirthKuwait), Caroline Presber (LLL leader, Kuwait).

NOTE: Kindly forward this message to all your family& friends who may be interested.