Study Links Pitocin to Negative Birth Memories, Reduced breastfeeding rates and more

A while back I participated in a research study about 3 year olds. I was unaware of what she was researching at the time, but I found the results to be fascinating. The author, Claire Winstone, allowed me to publish it as long as I attached her email if anyone had any further questions. Feel free to pass it on.

The study found that women who had pitocin in their births had more negative recollections of their births, spent less time with their babies in the immediate postpartum period, were less likely to exclusively breastfeed. There were also ramifications for baby; babies born in pitocin births were more likely as three year olds to have trouble communicating their needs effectively and had more experiences of discomfort and insecurity. It's a fascinating read. Click here to read the findings in their entirety.

The brain giveth, the body taketh

I have no idea what that title means. What i do know is this: I am leaving for the DONA conference in 15 days and I completely forgot to submit my passport application. Thank you, US government, by the way, for requiring a damn passport to go to Canada. What happened to NAFTA? Are we really scared of Canadians? Have you met any of our northern neighbors? They are more likely to buy you a beer than attack you I am sure.

In any case, I probably would have remembered to take care of this were it not for the ligaments in my ankle that are, to use a scientific term, extremely messed up. I have been hobbling around on crutches for 6 days. Probably 3-4 more before I get to be really hot in a walking cast. At least the surgeon gave me "loose ligaments" to blame for my constant state of "falling down-ness" rather than what my husband thinks of as general spazzy-ness with complete disregard for the physical world.

This trip to BC is supposed to tell me if I want to continue to be a doula or not. I sure hope I get the passport:)

Who has time to be tired?

Or blog, for that matter? I would write extensively about how I had 4 clients deliver in 3.5 days, including one emergency section, one baby transported to a different hospital NICU than mom, 4 different hospitals and about 13 hours of sleep.....but I can't. We're having 24 people over for a Passover Seder tonight. Send caffeinated thoughts! And at least there's this: I am free to have the obligatory 4 cups of Passover wine since I am no longer on call:)

Don't I know better?

So I get a call at 3:30 this morning from B, telling me wife J (who is 42 weeks) is having contractions that are 3 minutes apart and lasting for a minute. They say they are getting ready to leave but will call when they are out the door. I immediately hop out of bed, make coffee wash crust out of sleepy eyes. 

It's now 4:49. I could be sleeping. I am typing instead. 

Like burnt toast that fell on the floor and has cat hair all over it

That's what I feel like this morning. Icky, crappy, dirty old toast. I am such a drama queen. Thank god for good coffee and itunes.

Another birth gone by way of the operating room. I have gotten so swept up in my own feelings about seeing so many cesareans that I am no longer able to say if I think it was necessary or not. All I know this morning is that the look in the eyes of a woman who has labored for a long time and is now being rolled down the hall for surgery is almost too much for me to bear. She will recover physically and mentally...but will i?

We are in the finals!!!!!

We have made it to the showcase showdown, my friends! I am sorry that I don't have anything else to say; this ideablob thing has been all consuming.

We are in the finals. We need you more than ever.

Go.Vote.Now.Immediately.Pronto.

Just do it.

Be BOLD!

Now you know I do not ask for much, faithful (or unfaithful) reader. Today I am asking for 2 minutes of your time that I know can make a huge difference!

Thanks to initial and very exciting enthusiasm, BOLD has quickly risen to become one of the top contenders for this week's finalist spots on ideablob's $10,000 contest! However, the last 36 hours will be the most intense. It isn't too late to log on to ideablob.com Registration is easy. It will take a minute. Don't tell me you don't have a minute. I am not the annoying guy on the corner asking if you have a minute for our earth, oh, and by the way, did you bring your checkbook? We just want your vote to support BOLD's quest for the March ideablob award!

As you may know BOLD is an organization that uses the arts to inspire social action, including supporting local communities for the last 2 years without asking for any financial contributions from our participants. I am the Performance and Talkback Coordinator for this fine, fine organization which has about 5 cents to it's name. With your vote that can change!

So, here are two simple things you can do to help:

The ideablob.com contest is very democratic. The 2 ideas with the most votes by midnight on Friday, March 14 will become finalists in this month's contest, which will have it's final sprint from March 22-31.

Thank you! You rock!