Sacred Roots Birth Services

07/07/2016

Note: Also make sure to download the free handout on "big babies" at the top of the article.

"1 in 10, of all first-time mothers in the U.S. had a Cesarean for failure to progress during the years 2002-2008 (Boyle, Reddy et al. 2013)."

"More than 4 in 10 of these women who had C-sections for failure to progress had not even reached 5 cm dilation before they were taken to surgery. This means that many of these women were still in very early labor when they were told that they weren’t dilating fast enough (Boyle, Reddy et al. 2013)."

The Evidence on Failure to Progress and Friedman’s Curve “Failure to progress” is the number one reason for unplanned C-sections in the U.S. In 2013, researchers published a report of 38,484 first-time C-sections that occurred among a national sample of women. The overall C-section rate among…

07/01/2016

The Birth at Home prenatal series are running again for August and there's a $50 off discount when you register before July 10th. These classes are empowering and led by some of the most well-informed birth service providers in our community.

Save $$ on prenatal classes this fall. Next Birth at Home series runs from August 16th - September 20th (6 Tuesday evenings). Register before July 10th and save $50! Great for families expecting to give birth in late September or later. This is such a fun class - please share with your Vancouver area friends!

REGISTER HERE: http://www.webirthathome.com/machform/view.php?id=15121

06/22/2016

But researchers found that women who delivered in hospital were more likely to have interventions such as pain relief, labour augmentation, assisted va**nal births or caesarean births, compared to those who delivered at home. There was also a higher rate of episiotomy among women who gave birth in hospital. An episiotomy is a surgical cut made at the opening of the va**na during childbirth to ease delivery and prevent tissues from rupturing.

Hutton suspects the differences may arise because women who intend to give birth at home may be “more intervention-adverse. For example, in terms of pain relief, they’re more inclined to think ‘I can manage without this and I trust my body and I’m going to do it.’

“There’s also probably the fact that you are at home, and in your home environment the physiological process of labour may work better,” she said.

Midwifery, regulated in Ontario since 1994, is a publicly funded service; there are about 700 registered midwives in Ontario who provide neonatal care to pregnant women, attend their deliveries and look after mother and baby following the birth.

Midwives attend about 10 per cent of all births in the province, and about 20 per cent of those births occur at home.

“Home birth, I think, is a very contentious topic in many circles,” said Hutton. “We have good reason to support women’s choice of having a home birth, but often women are looking for information to validate that choice.

“So having studies like this one that can give us good information about outcomes for both the women and babies is important.”

For women with low-risk pregnancies, the three-year study found babies delivered at home are at no greater risk than those in hospitals.

06/18/2016

Beth Ebers, a midwife in Squamish, said research shows that home birth is at least as safe as giving birth in the hospital, provided that the women have normal, healthy pregnancies, are looked after by a health-care provider trained in home birth and have a hospital nearby if backup medical attention is needed.
“Hospitals are the default place to give birth, and we’re taught they’re the safest and best place. In our culture, we have a lot of work to do to trust our bodies and trust birth,” said Ebers, who has seen home births steadily increase in Squamish since the midwifery practice opened six years ago.

“It’s about informed choice and we, as midwives, support our clients either way.”

For many women, the decrease in interventions, such as induction, electronic fetal monitoring, episiotomy, forceps delivery and caesarean section, is a main reason to have a home birth.

Fifteen per cent of women in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, which covers Squamish, had a midwife deliver their baby, according to a report by Perinatal Services BC that covers the period between April 2014 and March 2015. Of these births, around 15 per cent took place at home.

The report states home births account for around two per cent of the total births in the province, a small number that has been steadily growing since 1998, when B.C. legalized midwifery.

“For those having a home birth, the demographic is very diverse,” said Ebers, whose clients have included lawyers, doctors and a wide range of other professions."

Leaning over the inflatable birth pool, Ashleigh Fonseca’s five-year-old son, Sawyer, put his hand on his mom’s head as she prepared to deliver her baby. The atmosphere in the living room of the. . .

06/13/2016

My vision for birthing women:

I wish every woman who met a stranger on the street while pregnant was given a story of strength, not trauma.

I wish every woman who walked into her care providers office felt at ease, instead of defensive or unheard.

I wish every woman who said NO in birth was respected and honored.

I wish every woman was told "You can do this" instead of, "aren't you afraid it's going to hurt?".

I wish every woman knew that labour and birth isn't like the Hollywood movies, and instead, recognized that birth can be peaceful, beautiful, and empowering.

I wish every woman would choose her birth plan based on her Truth, not her fears.

I wish every woman felt safe enough to birth at home surrounded by loving support and care.

I wish every woman had the opportunity to be witnessed in her sheer power, and rites of passage moment in birth where she becomes a mother.

I wish every woman had support postpartum from the community instead of misdirected advice.

I wish every woman knew she was in charge of her birth.

I wish every woman had a birth-partner, midwife and doula who raised her up, trusted her body, and created a safe space for birth to unfold naturally.

I wish for every woman to feel beautiful, empowered, and honored in her birth.

- Sheleana Aiyana
Sacred Roots Birth Services

Art by: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaGreavetteFineArt/

04/17/2016

A couple of weeks ago this fiercely powerful woman blew my mind with her strength and courage and birthed this adorbs little man into the world. I have always logically known "birth is a rites of passage", but this experience SHOWED me the journey a woman goes through to pass through the threshold on a whole new level. In awe and inspired by the women I have the honor of supporting along the way.

I have openings for the summertime if you're in need of a doula to support you throughout your journey.

11/26/2014

Planning a home birth? There's one more spot in the Birth at Home prenatal childbirth education series starting December 2nd!

The classes are for people planning a home birth in 2015. More info on their website www.webirthathome.com.

This is THE class to take if you're planning on taking prenatal education on your own or with a partner prior to a home birth, and I personally suggest taking it earlier if possible so you can fully utilize the information you take in and make adjustments along the way if necessary.

Birth At Home offers complete prenatal classes for families planning home births in Vancouver, BC. Get prepared for your home birth with us!

11/14/2014

This article is so good, and so true! Written from one man to another (and great to read together as a couple), learn what a doula does and why having one on your birth team is the way to go.

A Man's Guide to Doulas: Why She Wants One & Why You Should Too

11/09/2014

The BRAIN acronym is encouraged when making decisions in birth in a hospital or home setting should interventions be offered or proposed.

11/06/2014

Expecting a baby in January or February 2015? Would you like to experience an easier and more comfortable childbirth?

Crystal has 2 spaces left in her 6 week series starting on Wed Nov 12 from 6:30-9:30pm at Main St & 27th in Vancouver.

More info: http://cultivateyourhealth.com

Hypnobabies Prenatal Classes in Vancouver - Olympic Village & Main St. Hypnosis for Childbirth Education, Prenatal Classes & Placenta Encapsulation

10/29/2014

One of the most important things for all birthing women to know, is that they are powerful and strong.

As women, we are designed to create and birth life. It's what we do.

Our bodies are not broken, nor do they need "fixing" or western medicine to intervene in most cases.

In most cases, what a woman needs is a safe, loving environment and to be surrounded by people who fully trust in her bodies ability to bring her baby safely into the world.