I’ve for the most part been a good patient. My births we’re unmedicated and followed normal birth, no heparin locks, pit after, maybe 20min of monitoring, but I did have exams and pushed supine. If shots were recommended for my kids I followed the recommended guidelines. Why question the doctor who only has your best interest at heart? Shots weren’t recommended for pregnant women or at least me from 1997-2008. Maybe they just felt I was the crunchy, granola mom and why ask, or my best interest was at heart. 

Since living in Virginia, being a California girl, I started running into all these moms not vaccinating, talking about some Dr Sears vaccine book, all kinds of crazy talk. If you hang around with enough of them, you begin to listen, you begin to take note, and they may start to make sense. It has recently come to my attention what is being put into flu shots.
Thimerosal, which is another name for mercury; I would not have known that reading the label and not researching. Formaldehyde, we all know that’s for embalming dead people and “Formaldehyde - (Embalming Fluid) Formaldehyde has been classified as a human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer
and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).  Research studies of workers exposed to formaldehyde have suggested an association between formaldehyde exposure and cancers of the nasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and brain, and possibly leukemia.” Triton X-100, which its old name Octoxynol-9, AKA spermicide, which lost its FDA approval after not submitting paperwork regarding new studies. I found it curious that the FDA stated in their docket that the product could not  be renamed or repackaged for other uses and yet here we are. Triton X-100 is also labeled “Harmful if swallowed. Causes severe eye irritation. May be harmful if inhaled or in contact with skin. [I wonder what that looks like under the skin] Toxicology not fully investigated. The product may contain traces of ethylene oxide or dioxane, which are probable human
carcinogens.” “USAGE: For Research Use Only! Not For Use in Humans” Those getting the flu shot are also consenting to being a research, test subject; specially our healthcare workers and military. I will note that places like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. that use big vials have the Thimerosal and private practices tend not to since they are individually packaged to be used ASAP, but that doctors may put the pressure on the patient to get the flu shot so they aren’t wasting their income on preservative-free vaccines, which cost more. Preservative-free still contains formaldehyde and Triton X-100. I questioned how a flu shot with Triton X-100 would look like with fertility. I found the FDA 2012 had this to say about Fluzone or FLUVIRIN® a preservative-free flu shot: 
“8.1 Pregnancy 
Pregnancy Category C: Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with Fluzone or FLUVIRIN®. [So let’s experiment on society] It is also not known whether Fluzone or
FLUVIRIN® can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Fluzone, or FLUVIRIN® should be given to a pregnant woman only if
clearly needed.
8.3  Nursing Mothers 
It is not known whether Fluzone or FLUVIRIN® is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Fluzone or FLUVIRIN® is administered to a nursing woman.
13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility 
Fluzone or FLUVIRIN® has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility.”
Most of the flu vaccines said it’s not indicated for children less than 6 months, 4 years, 5 years, and 6 years. 
VAXIGRIP is a vaccine used to help prevent influenza (‘flu’) Their package insert says:
“3. Pregnant women
Influenza vaccination is recommended for any pregnant women who are beyond the first trimester of pregnancy i.e. those who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season. Influenza vaccination is funded by the government for those pregnant women with a medical condition listed above. (Heart disease, Lung disease - asthma that require regular preventative therapy; other chronic lung disease with impaired lung function, Diabetes, Kidney disorder, Cancer, Other conditions – diseases that require treatment with medicines that reduce natural immunity, HIV, children on long-term aspirin
therapy)
VAXIGRIP have been prepared on eggs and are made from inactivated parts of thefollowing Influenza virus strains:
A/California/7/2009 NYMC X-179A (A/California/7/2009 [H1N1] – like),
A/Victoria/210/2009 NYMC X-187 (A/Perth/16/2009 [H3N2] – like),
B/Brisbane/60/2008 (B/Brisbane/60/2008 – like)
[Flu vaccines are being made from viruses from 3 and 4 years ago from states and countries you may not even be a part of. VAXIGRIP isn’t the only one doing this either]
Other Ingredients:
Buffered saline solution composed of: 
- Sodium chloride
- Potassium chloride
- Sodium phosphate
– dibasic dihydrate
- Potassium phosphate
– monobasic
- Water for injection
VAXIGRIP may also contain traces of egg proteins, formaldehyde, octoxinol-9 and Neomycin [multi-dose vials contain Thimerosal]
VAXIGRIP do not contain lactose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.”

Triton X-100 is said to be a mild to heavy duty cleaning solvent, via wikipedia, which I know some of you frown on Wiki’s use, so go to the bottom links of wiki and do some more research on that. My mind questions how this would look with fertility. Later in the week I was given an answer on what the flu shot looks like on gestation, but not an answer to Triton X-100 use or purpose in the flu shot. “National Coalition of Organized Women (NCOW) states that between 2009 and 2010 the mercury-laden combined flu vaccinations have increased Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting Systems (VAERS) fetal death reports by 4,250 percent in pregnant women. Eileen Dannemann, NCOW’s director, made abundantly clear that despite these figures being known to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the multiple-strain, inactivated flu vaccine containing mercury (Thimerosal) has once again been recommended to pregnant women as a safe vaccination this season.”I have many words, but none appropriate to this outrage. My mind travels through many conspiracy theories about our government’s hands in this. It’s just plain heartbreaking. I wrote with a woman today whose Dr told her it didn’t matter where she got her flu shot, “It’s all the same.” I’m not trying to dictate your family’s choices. You should definitely do what is best for your health and your family’s. PLEASE BE A GOOD CONSUMER AND RESEARCH BEFORE YOU USE PRODUCTS. The FDA is constantly saying, "Oops!" recalling and not even regulating recalls, eg cytotec, which is contraindicated for labor and a known cause for maternal and fetal death is still permitted to be used, though the FDA says, "No." but no one is regulating, fining, imprisoning, etc. 

I will leave you with knowledge and a thought that AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians took a vote, 14-0, that every pregnant woman, for every pregnancy, no matter her inoculation history, be given Tdap in her second or third trimester. I will look forward to hearing your info gathering on that recommendation. 

Fastapo blog has an interesting take on the flu vaccine. It’s the last link I’m giving you, today. 

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/consumers/cmi/v/vaxigrip.pdf
http://www.vaclib.org/basic/fluindex.htm
http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/Influenza_Vaxigrip.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98fr/050902b.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octoxynol-9
http://www.vaclib.org/basic/fluindex.htm
http://www.biovision.com/triton-x-100-solution-10-in-h-o-419.html 
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM305089.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM123694.pdf
http://fastapo.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/package-insert-afluria-july2011.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triton_X-100
http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/consumers/cmi/v/vaxigrip.pdf
http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/Influenza_Vaxigrip.pdf 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=508146829210562&set=a.205304229494825.50357.121541814537734&&theater 
http://healthimpactnews.com/2012/4250-increase-in-fetal-deaths-reported-to-vaers-after-flu-shot-given-to-pregnant-women/ 
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/health-of-the-public/20121108acipreqs.html 
http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/package_inserts.htm 
http://fastapo.wordpress.com/tag/fluzone/
​(Updated arch 2, 2017)

Mothers are told to get vaccinated while pregnant for influenza and pertussis, which is Tdap, 3-shots-in-one. If a mother truly feels she needs these vaccines, perhaps after she births may be best; not exposing the unborn baby to harsh preservatives. According to the CDC she should also have MMR and Varicella, aka chicken pox, if she hasn't had it already. Varicella is a highly contagious vaccine. It's advised to avoid infants, elderly, and immune compromised. Did you know the CDC doesn't give the MMR until after a year because the baby receives a natural immunity through the Mother's Milk? Did you know Pertussis antibodies also are passed in Mother's Milk? If you get the shot it can take two weeks to develop antibodies. If your baby was exposed to a virus or disease and you breastfeed it only takes your body until the next feeding to protect your baby. If the CDC even says immunity is passed in breastfeeding, why aren't providers working harder to support an immune the system process that does work?

"A woman who has not received the new vaccine for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) should be vaccinated right after delivery. Vaccinating a new mother against pertussis (whooping cough) reduces the risk to her infant too. Also, a woman who is not immune to measles, mumps and rubella and/or varicella (chicken pox) should be vaccinated before leaving the hospital. If inactivated influenza vaccine was not given during pregnancy, a woman should receive it now because it will protect her infant. LAIV may be an option" http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/downloads/f_preg.pdf

"Why is MMR vaccine given after the first birthday? Most infants born in the United States will receive passive protection against measles, mumps, and rubella in the form of antibodies from their mothers. These antibodies can destroy the vaccine virus if they are present when the vaccine is given and, thus, can cause the vaccine to be ineffective. By 12 months of age, almost all infants have lost this passive protection" (it's because most infants are weaned by this age. The American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, and World Health Organization, WHO, say to breastfeed until the age of 2 or longer as both parties desire)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/measles/faqs-dis-vac-risks.htm


 "By breastfeeding, you may pass some antibodies you have made in response to the vaccine to your baby. When you get a whooping cough vaccine during your pregnancy, you will have antibodies in your breast milk that you can share with your baby as soon as your milk comes in. However, your baby will not get protective antibodies immediately if you wait to get the whooping cough vaccine until after delivering your baby. This is because it takes about 2 weeks for your body to create antibodies"
http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/get-vaccinated.html

"Breastfeeding has been shown to be protective against many illnesses, including painful ear infections, upper and lower respiratory ailments, allergies, intestinal disorders, colds, viruses, staph, strep and e coli infections, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, many childhood cancers, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, salmonella, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) as well as lifetime protection from Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, some lymphomas, insulin dependent diabetes, and for girls, breast and ovarian cancer."..."Through your breast milk, you give your baby immunities to illnesses to which you are immune and also those to which you have been exposed. Nursing also allows your baby to give germs to you so that your immune system can respond and can synthesize antibodies! This means that if your baby has come in contact with something which you have not, (s)he will pass these germs to you at the next nursing; during that feeding, your body will start to manufacture antibodies for that particular germ. By the time the next feeding arrives, your entire immune system will be working to provide immunities for you and your baby"
http://www.llli.org/faq/prevention.html

(Read to the meter of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We cannot find the source of this great poem but if we find out, we will gladly cite it)

Lots of women in Birthville
Liked normal birth a lot.
But the OB who practiced

in Birthville
Did NOT!
He hated birthing! The whole childbirth season.

Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that his heart wasn’t connected quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his wallet was too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that he thought
His patients’ pelvises were two sizes too small.
But,
Whatever the reason,
His heart or his wallet,
He stood there, hating the women,
Who gave birth in Birthville without any gadgets or tools,

Who wanted to squat or give birth on a stool.
And he knew every woman in Birthville beneath
Was busy now, practicing her relaxation techniques.
“And they’re squatting and breathing!” he snarled with a sneer.
“They wait past their due dates without any fear!!”
Then he growled, with his fingers nervously drumming,
“I MUST find a way to get those babies coming!”
For, if he didn’t, he knew…
All the Birthville women would tell of the joys
Of birthing without drugs
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That’s one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

Then the women in Birthville
Would wait and they’d wait.

They’d wait for their labor
Though the babies were late!
They would refuse the pitocin, they’d give him no peace
They’d write up birth plans
Which was something the OB couldn’t stand in the least!
And THEN
They’d do something he liked least of all!
Every woman in Birthville, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, and coach each other
These normal birthers were becoming a bother!

They’d walk! And they’d breathe!

They’d moan and they’d sway!
And the more the OB thought of the birthing day
The more the he thought, “I must stop this whole thing!
“Why for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now!
I MUST stop normal birth!
…But HOW? But HOW?”
Then he got an idea!
An awful idea!
THE OB GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

“I know just what to do!” He laughed in his throat.
And he hid a scalpel in his lab coat.
And he chuckled, and clucked, “What a great OB trick!
“With this coat and this scalpel, it’ll be very quick!”

I’ll tell them their pelvises

Are two sizes too small!
I’ll tell them their babies won’t
Fit through at all!

I’ll tell them they’re risking
The lives of their babies
They’ll do what I say,
No ifs, buts, or maybes!
Then he loaded his bags
And headed on down
Toward Birthville, and the hospital
In the center of town.
He took the first patient who arrived in labor

And told her he was doing her a favor.
It would all be over in an hour or less,
She wouldn’t have to push and she wouldn’t make a mess.
Then he rushed her back to the OR with glee.
“And NOW!” grinned the OB, “I will deliver the baby!”
But the OB had scarcely pulled on his gloves,
When he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.
He turned around fast, and he saw the small head

Of a baby who most certainly did not appear dead!
The OB had been caught by the very fast birth
And his patient now questioned, “Why on earth
Did you tell me my pelvis was too small, and my baby would die?
Why did you try to cut me, why?”
But, you know, that old OB was so smart and so slick
He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!
“Why, my sweet little patient,” the OB lied,
“You’re lucky you were in the hospital

Or YOU might have died!”
But his fib didn’t fool her, and

She said, “Are you sure?
I read The Unnecesarean,
And study My Best Birth.
I keep up with [...Bradley] and I’ve met Ina May,
I’ll put my money on normal birth any day.”

Then the OB thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe birth,” he thought, “isn’t just about the OR.
“Maybe birth…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
And what happened then…?
Well…in Birthville they say
That the OB’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his wallet didn’t feel quite so tight,
He whizzed through the labor deck in the bright morning light
And he brought back the doulas! And took out the IVs!
He handled the birth balls and birth stools with ease!
He took off the monitors and got the women up walking,

He visted their rooms and did a little talking.

He didn’t scowl when they wanted no meds,
He didn’t keep them confined to their beds.
He didn’t complain that they were too loud,
And when his patient wanted to push, she was allowed.

And when she wanted to give birth on her hands & knees,
The OB—THE OB! delivered the baby with ease!

​​Serves 1-2​ ​Serving size varies 1-2 or more

Preheat oven to 98.6* Bake about 41-1/7thmo.

1 (6-9lb) Baby, or more-less if preferred

1 Well trained, supportive Partner

2 Prenatal visits with a Doula, 1 postpartum

12 Weeks The Bradley Method®, of natural childbirth

10-15 Prenatal visits with a Doctor or Midwife

41-1/7th mo. Staying low risk

Dash of Parents, Friends, and/or Nurses (optional)

Garnish with lactation support

(Optional)

Add in a good place to birth, Hospital, Birth Center, Home, Car 

Directions:

1. To preheated oven, add in one baby and allow steeping; with the aid of partner. .

2. Select a well trained doula through one of the leading doula organizations, or a local doula program, such as Bella Birth Choices. (Doula comes from the Greek language meaning woman caregiver or servant) With a doula’s support research has shown women tend to result in shorter labors with fewer complications and the need for interventions and medications. With a doula mixed in a lot is relieved of the coach’s role as the doula is there as the assistant coach; though they are trained, if needed, to act as the main coach. They also, in the last step helps reinforce the garnishment, lactation.

3. Add in 12 informative weeks through The Bradley Method®. With this well incorporated; a nutritional diet and exercise routine will be established. Regular Labor, relaxation, and birthing practice will commence with the support of a well trained coach.

4. Incorporate throughout the baking process 10-15 visits to a supportive care provider, doctor or midwife. Choose one that shares the same view of a normal, natural, safe birth.

5. Stir in 41-1/7th months of staying low risk with good nutrition, exercise, education, avoidance of harmful substances (e.g. drugs, smoking, alcohol, mercury, caffeine, etc), relaxation, and avoidance of stress. (Adapted from“What You Can Do To Stay Healthy and Low Risk”. The Bradley Method® Teacher’s Manual. Pg60-62.1995/2001.) 41-1/7th month is adapted from Yale University’s study compiled in 1990 Mittendorf, et al., "The Length of Uncomplicated Human Gestation," "Obstetrics and Gynecology," vol. 75, no. 6, June 1990; not the 1800 study stating 40 weeks and the baby is fully done. This can cause under ripening of such a delicate dish.

6. Dash in a few parents, friends, and/or nurses during the final stages. Though added in at the end is so important to this process. They can help create the compiled atmosphere that the baby will be laid out in. The nurses often are the ones that determine the baby being placed directly on mom or in the incubator.

7. Once the baby has been plated on the mother’s 98.6* body garnishing can take place with good lactation support through the doula, training received in The Bradley Method®, attendance to La Leche League meetings, and hospital staff.

The place of birth is important, but more importantly are the support team surrounding the birth. Some hospitals may be more supportive towards the normal, natural birth process. Choose each element of your birth wisely, with much research, and subjectivity.

Store at skin-to-skin temperatures around 98.6*. When extra dressings, cloths, are required; baby should be dressed in accordance to the parent who leans to feeling the coldest.

*Choose quality ingredients wisely to help ensure success!

**Bella Birth Choices Labor Doula, Childbirth Educator, Belly and life Casting, Placenta Encapsulation, Tinctures, Salves, and Chocolates

(307) BABY-DAY {222.9329}; bellabirthchoices@gmail.com; www.bellabirthchoices.com

http://www.bradleybirth.com?C584

Good Morning Sister Doulas, Fellow Birthworkers, and Parents

I am writing this morning with a heavy heart. One of our birth worker friends is in trouble and needs our help. I don’t know all the details, but I will share some of what I do know. There is a midwife in the state of North Carolina that has been arrested for the death of the unborn child by “acute chorioamnionitis and funistis and meconium aspiration.”
According to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, “Meconium aspiration syndrome occurs when a newborn breathes in a mixture of amniotic and other fluid during delivery. It is a leading cause of severe illness and death in newborns and occurs in 5-10 percent of births.” As one respondent educatedly replied, “If meconium aspiration is one of the leading causes of newborn death according to John's Hopkins, then how is this the midwife's fault? Statistics show that 99% of births take place in the hospital, so are the doctors arrested every time this happens in a hospital and blamed for the death?” 

North Carolina is a CNM midwife only state. A midwife must then adhere to what regulations the doctor sets before the midwife and in turn the parameters that a woman has in birthing her baby. (In Arizona midwives are not allowed to support a VBAC, a normal variation of birth. In Arizona the doctors do not support VBACs. Where does this leave a mom who has been cut and lives in Arizona?) Rowan Bailey was not licensed, but supported women in how they wanted to birth and were competent in choosing who to birth with. Being unlicensed does not mean a midwife is unqualified, uneducated or lacks skills, as Cindy has explained. Not many years back Virginia had unlicensed midwives and licensure has become a fight in Maryland, using it to take down midwifery as a profession. As we have witnessed here, in Virginia, our CPMs are more than competent to support moms giving birth, as well as our unlicensed midwives have been. Women and babies are capable in birth. Rowan was supporting a mom, who chose her as her support team, and the baby passed. Rowan is not being charged for not adhering to North Carolina’s midwifery
licensure law. She is being charged with murder of an unborn child through the  personhood law. “2011 N.C. Sess. Laws, Chap. 60 (HB 215) defines murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, assault inflicting serious bodily injury and assault of an unborn child. "Unborn child" is defined as a member of the species Homo sapiens at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb. These provisions do not apply to lawful acts that cause the death of an unborn child as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-45.1, acts that are committed in the usual standards of medical practice or acts committed by a pregnant woman that result in a miscarriage or stillbirth. The law repeals N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-18.2.” Mothers, doctors, and abortionists are exempt from this law. It was enacted to protect women from abusers, not their midwife. 
 
What can you do to help? We are raising money for Rowan’s bond, $15,000. When she appears back in court she will be given the money back to apply to her lawyer fees. Carla Hartley, the owner of AAMI, Ancient Art Midwifery Institute, has generously set up this option for donations. "I am working on a way to raise money for Rowan's bail... First .... If you send a check made payable to Rowan Bailey I will give you an AAMI shop credit in the
same amount....mp3s and more. Send to Carla Hartley 30223 Calle Belcanto. Menifee, Ca 92584. If you send $500 I will give you a $700 credit." I will tell you this is a great offer. The MP3s are invaluable in our birth work. There is knowledge from all over the world on them. Another offer is http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-for-rowan-bailey-midwife?show_todos=trueStephanie Dawn is offering some birth business goodies. This isn’t just a midwifery issue, but a women’s right to choose how she wants to birth and with whom. 

Gina Kirby will be hosting Rowan on her talk show today at 1:30pm (EST) The Witch Hunt:Midwifery & the myth of Freedom. “Today we are talking to Rowan Bailey, a birth advocate in North Carolina, where midwives are literally criminalized and Homebirth is virtually prohibited because mothers are forced to choose hospital birth or unassisted birth. Rowen is talking to us from jail, where she was taken because she assisted a mother in excercising her own human right to birth her baby where she chosen…”
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/progressive-parenting/2013/03/29/the-witch-hunt-lives-onmidwifery-the-myth-of-free

 Have a beautiful day!

Warm regards,
~Fern<><

I have changed my views on induction! I am disgusted that I have created a trifold explaining how to induce even so called "naturally". There is no such thing as a natural induction. When I created my trifold I learned the risks of everything on there and added a clause for both "medical" and "natural" inductions, because moms can harm themselves and their babies by using any induction technique that is not a normal human function. When learning more about the labor process, we [I] actually cause more harm interfering, than good. I've contributed to causing more harm than good. This is my confession. I've shared it with others too. I am 100% guilty.

I have even learned that vaginal exams can cause the Ferguson's reflex; causing some of my clients to have PROM, prerupture of membranes, with no contractions, cramping and bleeding, or early births. I don't perform these exams, but I wasn't outspoken about the reflex that could happen prior to estimated due date. In my defense I didn’t know until 2012 and then began to put see the patterns of observation. These exams say absolutely nothing anyway. It has to make us wonder the cause these exams have on the births. In labor I have figured out why moms get the fancy sheet explaining infection signs. I have seen items go in that never EVER should have. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_reflex
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10380450 http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1405.html#afp20091215p1405-b21 

quote"The effects of EFA [Essential Fatty Acid] supplementation during pregnancy and lactation remain largely unknown, and their use cannot be recommended. Extensive but transient petechiae and ecchymoses have been reported in a newborn infant whose mother took a...
total of 6.5 g of EPO [Evening Primrose Oil] during the week before giving birth. 20 The oral use of EPO during pregnancy may also be associated with a more protracted phase of labor and an increased incidence of premature rupture of membranes, arrest of descent, oxytocin (Pitocin) administration, and vacuum extraction. 21 Additional concerns have been raised about adverse effects of   EPO supplementation on conditions including platelet aggregation, cholesterol,  and blood pressure,22–27 although there is insufficient evidence to assess these concerns." EPO also passes to breastmilk: http://www.medicinenet.com/evening_primrose_oil-oral/article.htm

There was another article, but I can't locate it. 

RRL, Red Raspberry Leaf tea or supplements
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20220111

The best way to avoid an induction is to say, "No." The mother is responsible for the birth outcome, not the doctor. She has been blessed with the authority to look after this baby and do what is best for her and her child. For some moms that is drinking a bottle of Castor oil, others it's going in for an induction, and others it's even waiting till 44 weeks. Many of my midwife friends are seeing 42, 43, and 44 week moms. How many other babies are being taken too soon?

Instead of inducing labor the mother could hug 8 people a day to get oxytocin going. Be intimate with her husband, including his semen on her cervix, a natural prostaglandin, and her having an orgasm. Walking is a great way to encourage baby into a good birthing position and mom getting extra endurance for birth. Moms can stand in front or a mirror, looking at herself, saying, "I am made to do this. My body and baby will work together. My baby is healthy. I am healthy. We can do this when the time is right." Watch a funny movie or go to a comedy club and get dopamines flowing. Eat a potato a day, not fries, with anything on it that mom desires, load it up. That will help raise serotonin levels. Bananas can too, but it's not as nutrient dense or fibrous. Continue eating healthy and exercising. The baby will come. 

An excellent thread on this topic can be found http://www.facebook.com/groups/BirthPros/permalink/395028060519987/?comment_id=396378323718294&offset=0&total_comments=119
If you're not on there, it as some decent resources. Most times the normal,
natural, unhindered suggestions do get put down and you will quickly see
who they are through many threads, but they are very wise women speaking, if  you're willing to listen.

Ultrasound and infrasound a must read. In talking with my dad, a cardio vascular tech, he explained to me the difference in dopplers; the lower the ultrasound frequency, the deeper the image penetration. It's why fetal dopplers are 2 & 3mhz while vascular dopplers are 4, 5, & 6mhz. My daughter’s BJU press textbook talked about ultrasonic waves and infrasonic waves. It did say ultrasonic can be dangerous over a long period of time. [I’ll be blogging this info at some point] A cat’s purr, which is infrasonic, is healing. Your cat may
not just be purring in contentment though. I find the information interesting because when I'm pregnant one of my cats is extremely attracted to my pheromones and often nuggles up to my round belly and just sits and purrs. Purring is not always contentment, but also for healing. Infrasound can travel through mountains, buildings, etc; while ultrasound is made to travel short distances. 

When chickens were exposed to infrasound they grew denser bones. It's also why
cats heal better and have fewer injuries than dogs. I've heard pregnant women
can't swim with dolphins because they can see she's pregnant and they become
overly nurturing and can bump her to hard, accidentally, and she hogs the entire
dolphin’s attention in the dolphin encounters. http://paulapeterson.com/CatsPurr.html

This topic was on a midwifery study group. We're specifically taking 6 weeks to learn about Oxytocin. Some HB midwives do recommend alcohol in labor when labor
has been extensively long, to help mom go to sleep. (long as in 36-48+ hours) I was horrified at first until it was reminded to me that in a hospital setting mom would be given morphine, stadol, Demerol, etc. I realized it is the lesser of two evils.

The Question was: “I learned that alcohol
suppresses Oxytocin release, which can therefore suppresses milk ejection. Logically a lack of ejection will lead to fullness in the breast making what appears to be a supply increase. Accurate? Opinions?and whats that thing where women are re to drink some wine in early labor or some kind of ctx ... to stop them .. or what am i thinking of? would the alcohol stop ctx this way? But why castor oil and vodka to impatiently evict babies before their chosen birthday? In that situation you'd think they'd cancel each other.”

Here is what I found in researching:
I think I found it! It's only because I just added my resource of how Oxytocin
plays a role in pregnancy [I posted the other article below] and then I’ve found
small paths to take down the road of an answer.

This article talks about beers role in milk ejection and alcohol does inhibit it. It talks about
the History of women consuming beers, even in ancient Egypt, to produce more milk.
Also which beers now-a-days is lactogenic. I didn’t realize a mom couldn’t just
have a Corona and be good. Guiness is supposed to be the best, but skip the car
bombs. ;)
http://lactogenicdiet.blogspot.com/2011/10/beer-as-galactagogue-brief-history.html

Looking further into why Vodka, OJ, and castor oil are recommended, I remembered what I just learned in my study group research. (I hope I’m not giving anything away) The uterus’ Estrogen levels rise to help bind to Oxytocin receptors, which increase towards the end of pregnancy. So I looked up how Vodka affects Estrogen levels. It turns out premenopausal women taking Estrogen supplements should not consume even the equivalent to a half glass of wine, since it caused her Estrogen levels to almost double and women drinking the equivalent to three glasses of wine, estrogen surged more than threefold. Alcoholic men also have been shown to have higher Estrogen levels. http://www.nytimes.com/specials/women/warchive/961204_810.html

Since Estrogen is raised when consuming wine, I wanted to see the effect of elevated Estrogen on nursing. I ran into lots of animal research. (I actually like animal 
research more than human, because husbandry is a lifestyle and farmers have to get their science right in order to survive, unlike obstetrics. Plus animal’s life cycles are shorter and easier to study more quickly. They also don’t have the outside influences humans do when conducting controlled studies) I read an interesting article on dogs and the hormone level process. I’ll post later. The one I am posting now is about goats. They found an increase in Estrogen is beneficial in goats producing milk, BUT Progesterone has to be combined with it or the milk production isn’t sufficient.
http://goatkingdom.tripod.com/milk-secretion

Going further I looked into alcohol's affect on progesterone levels. In a study on premenopausal women they found when consuming alcohol the progesterone levels  
drop. It’s also why some women have fertility issues. http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/5/417.full

I think consuming wine in labor is mostly for rest and not a stall of labor. The wine raises the blood sugar levels and then quickly drops causing moms to “crash”. Sleep can help to slow or halt contractions, but not always. Wine is usually recommended with a bath, which often does slow early labor.

[Other article]
I am cutting information out that pertains to sythetic oxytocin. (Drives me crazy that
sythetic oxytocin is often termed oxytocin and no sepreration of the two forms. It makes research harder)

Smooth-muscle cells in the uterus contain proteins that bind specifically to oxytocin; the
number of these oxytocin receptors increases during late pregnancy....large amounts of the hormone cause smooth muscles in the wall of the uterus to contract, which in turn initiates labour. Oxytocin’s effect on uterine smooth muscle is dependent on the presence
of estrogen, and for that reason oxytocin has little effect on the uterus during the early stages of pregnancy; near term....There are no known disorders associated with under- or overproduction of oxytocin.
Encyclopedia Britanica
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/437006/oxytocin

Did you know local our hospitals are collecting your baby’s genetic data? It was brought to my attention in Sept. at INOVA Loudon when they asked my client if she would be okay with them taking some blood and putting it in a registry “in case her child were ever kidnapped”. They agreed and blood was taken via the left over cord blood after the cord was left on baby for a while. (I will add baby had 10 and 10 APGARS because of this) 

I went home and wanted to do some research on this “new”idea. It’s the first hospital I heard doing it. When talking with a sister doula in Southern VA she said the hospital there says the exact same thing. That was a bit odd to me. In 2008 there is a Bill that was enacted to allow genetic testing on your newborn’s blood AND that it is allowed to be registered with the Department of HomelandSecurity. AND they DO NOT need your permission to take it. Every hospital birth I have been too I have seen the provider fill up a very large vial of cord blood for “blood typing” the baby. Parents don’t see this happening and it’s often done once the placenta is delivered. To blood type a baby they need very little blood. A hospital in TX was caught taking and selling cord blood, without the parent’s knowledge. (They are under litigation) I have often wondered if our local hospitals aren’t doing the same.

To be a conspiracy theorist this could potentially make your child a case study, hinder future jobs, and have no say if they want to voluntarily give up DNA to a criminal investigator. Imagine if a criminal breaks in and gets hold of these DNA samples as well. I also wonder if this is why providers are against allowing the cord to pulsate. The cord can become very flat and it’s very hard to retain the amount of blood they want. The vial is  about 30-50ml, I can’t remember which. Hypovolemic shock for newborns is a blood loss of 20%, often 68ml, so we’re at ½ to 90% of that with not allowing the cord to pulsate and then add in circumcision the next day… (The Bible said the 8th day, when vit K is up, and this may be why as well)

If you follow reports on the homebirth circuit you will notice if a baby dies it has made national news, the midwife has litigations set upon her, often paying $100K in court fees, losing her rights to serve women, perhaps jail time, etc. Did you know a mother died at Reston hospital a few years ago? Around when they banned doulas. A nurse that was there told me she was in the room and mom went into arrest, and I believe hemorrhaged. She was on the floor surrounded by her blood. The nurse had another job that relieved her from the room and repercussion. (I won’t say what she was doing as I don’t want a trail following her) I have tried to find information on this mom and nothing has come up. A
mother died right under our noses and it wasn’t news worthy. In the US, all I could find was 2008 reporting is a 4.4 to 1,000 live birth mortality rate. Those babies are never heard about. It’s bigger news to report a woman given a cesarean, while not pregnant, than it is to report doctor’s mistakes in birth or a death. There were 4,247,694 live births in 2008, you can do the math. 

Back to conspiracy. I believe our government has pushed the issue for licensure of midwives so they can wait for them to have a natural occurrence of birth, a baby’s death, and then remove them from serving other women. If women are birthing at home, their baby’s cannot be accounted for/tracked. Some states demand the homebirth midwives report to them confidential patient information. I believe there is more to taking down the
midwives than genetic testing andhomeland security, but I do think it is a strong reason. 

Homebirth is the safest place for women, who desire it and have no physical anomalies during their pregnancy or medical history, to give birth. Ina May Gaskin’s, an internationally known midwife, cesarean rate is 1.7%. Around here 1 out of 3-4 of you reading will have a cesarean or has had one, it’s 30%. Maternal and baby death in hospital is rising, not dropping, with technology. Midwives are trained so well in the normalcy of labor and birth, that they know when things don’t look right and it’s time to seek medical
intervention. Not everyone will agree with homebirth. I thought it was the most scary, horrible, insane thought ever. I implore you to research and examine your findings to back up your birth choice(s) to ensure you are doing what is best for you, your baby, and your family. 

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2003038346_dna04.html
http://www.infowars.com/bush-signs-bill-to-take-all-newborns-dna/
http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/pdf/specialstatement.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2011/019.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_01.pdf
http://www.inamay.com/article/medically-unnecessary-cesarean-section-births-introduction-symposium

The reasons for not hatting (adapted from Carla Harlty):
1.Hats can be very dangerous. They can cause moms to have postpartum hemorrhaging. As it turns out the experience of birth is what triggers the built in safety mechanisms. This is also true for third stage. Mom being able to smell her newborn’s head is the design for the reconnection of mother and baby (smell of baby to olfactory system to limbic system = initiation of “identification” biology) and release of Oxytocin signaling the uterus to release placenta and stop bleeding so necessary for mother’s health. The smell doesn't so much trigger Oxytocin as it is that the limbic system is waiting for that smell in order to tell the uterus it is ok to proceed to the next step; anything we do to inhibit that process is dangerous to the mamma.

2.In addition to hats interfering with bonding and safety of third stage, hatting restricts the unmoulding of the baby’s skull. Plus the head is extremely sensitive in those first hours.

3.The hats we use in the U.S. do nothing for maintenance of core temp according to the studies I have found, and in fact one study showed that a hat was detrimental to maintenance of core temp. Brain cooling may actually be good for all babies and not those who have potential brain damage. And studies show that skin to skin with mom is most effective way to stabilize core temperature and that in fact, her body will heat and cool as
needed for baby’s sake as it did when baby was inside. Even if separated from mom, a hat is NOT proven to stabilize core temp unless it is woolen these stockinette or cotton hats we use are useless if not dangerous throw them away.

Brilliant! We cannot improve on this design. Why do we keep trying?

I hope you learned. I sure did, when I first heard of this concept. It’s a part of
protecting moms and protecting babies.