Mom on the Strand

I have been honored to meet Melissa Metzger, owner of the new Mom on the Strand magazine, a resource for all families here in Myrtle Beach, and surrounding Grand Strand areas.

I got to write a little article for the second edition just released in February 2015. You can find FREE issues in your local businesses. I saw my first at the Second Cup Coffee (right next door to The Fresh Market in Northwood Plaza on 79th Avenue North).

This was my first article in a widely read publication, so be gentle! :) I wanted to let women know that there are tools available to make the childbirth process feel more like something you are DOING, rather than something that is happening TO YOU. It really can be a source of immense pride to fuel you throughout your life, instead of something to escape or fear.

Check out page 5!

"A woman must know herself

and dig deep within

before she braves the journey to motherhood."

2014 Myrtle Beach Baby Expo

Hynes Childbirth Services is excited to participate in our first Baby Expo!

Saturday, January 18th is the Star 92.1 Baby Expo of 2014.

Admission is free for Moms, Dads, and Grandparents to learn about the many local resources available to support pregnancy, birth, and parenting. From 10am to 3pm, we will have a booth at the Springmaid Beach Resort & Conference Center located at 3200 South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

The dates of our next Lamaze Childbirth Preparation Series will be scheduled according to the due dates of families we meet! Come introduce yourself and lets start the conversation about empowering your family to have the safest, most satisfying birth experience.

http://www.star921.net/common/page.php?id=301

Don't forget to *Like* us on Facebook!

www.faceboook.com/hyneschildbirthservices

www.HynesChildbirthServices.com

It is OFFICIAL

I am now a certified birth doula!

Amanda Hynes CD(DONA)

www.dona.org

~ * ~ !!!! ~ * ~

I am super over the moon

proud

and 

psyched.

Guess it is time to re-vamp the sidebar of the blog showing my certification status.

:):):)

Science Behind Doulas

I fell in love with this book the moment I picked it up back in 2006. Henci Goer's "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth." I'm reviewing it again as reference for the upcoming Hynes Childbirth Education Series. It is full of invaluable information.

“Randomized controlled trials produce the strongest kind of research evidence because researchers randomly assign participants to have the treatment or not, which eliminates all kinds of biases. We now have more than a dozen randomized controlled trials.

Various trials have shown that the continuous presence of a caring, experienced woman can reduce:

• the length of labor

• the use of pain medication
• the need for IV oxytocin (Pitocin)
• the likelihood of having an episiotomy
• the percentage of instrumental vaginal deliveries (forceps/vacuum)
• and the Cesarean Section rate

Doulas can reduce the number of babies:

• born in poor condition
• admitted to special-care nurseries
• have prolonged hospital stays
• who have evaluations for infection

These studies also show that women who have a doula

• experience less pain and anxiety in labor
• express greater satisfaction with the labor
• feel that they coped better
• have a heightened appreciation of their bodies’ strength and performance and themselves as women
• breastfeed longer
• experience less difficulty in mothering

They have:

• have more positive feelings toward the baby
• better self esteem
• a better relationship with the father
• and less postpartum depression

The fact that these studies took place in different countries with different populations of women under different circumstances and consistently found benefits further strengthens confidence in the validity of their results.”

This book should be issued with every uterus. :)

"It's All Happening..."

That keeps running through my head, because, IT IS.
I am bubbling over with excitement about childbirth again.
I want to learn.
I want to contribute.
I want to help.
I want to be fearless.
It is ~all happening~.

I'm all about throwing away stuff I don't need.

Stuff that doesn't serve me, or fuel life any more.

Usually it's a quick and easy assessment.

This blog has stuck around, for years now.

I haven't deleted it yet. I haven't pulled the trigger on that simple key stroke that would erase so many of these aggressive, maybe slightly biased and maybe embarrassing posts. I've tried to tone them down a bit. I've added a keyword search for important posts. I've deleted the random snippets, in order to focus in on education of the birth and pregnancy process.

My goal is to provide honest, "evidenced-based" information to families facing this adventure. This blog might also include some *birthie* current events, rumors, ideas, and inspiration. 

It is such an emotional time of life. I want to be a reassuring, constant presence, and sounding-board to help ensure confidence in their decisions. I want all mothers to look back on their birth experience and be fueled by their own fire, no matter what the path ends up looking like.

I want women to be confident in their bodies, and confident in their choice of a birthing team, and above-all to go into birth feeling...

~SAFE~

~RESPECTED~

~HONORED~

The tools seem to have fallen in to my hands. The inspiration has cracked me over the head like a hammer.

People have wandered into my path that seem so much like angelic guides, I cannot ignore the message anymore. I am taking action and jumping in with both feet. 

Here is my own birth of sorts....

www.HynesChildbirthServices.com

I am a pretty proud mama.

We shall see where it all leads. 

Studies Enforce Doula Benefits...AGAIN

"She was the blessing of my life."

A Unversity of Minnesota study, which looked at births among low-income families, found the odds of needing a cesarean were 40 percent lower when women had support from a doula.



Led by Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the School of Public Health's Division of Health Policy and Management, the study shows:

• Doula support may improve birth outcomes for diverse, low-income women
• State Medicaid programs offering coverage for birth doulas could potentially save taxpayer dollars

http://www.health.umn.edu/healthtalk/2013/02/14/doula-care-for-low-income-women-could-save-taxpayers-money/

Doulas Rule

In honor of completing the next step in my DONA Doula training, I'll post the praises of doulas, per the Cochrane Collaboration, which provides "systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions."

http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003766.html

"Continuous support in labour increased the chance of a spontaneous vaginal birth, had no identified adverse effects and women were more satisfied.

Historically women have been attended and supported by other women during labour and birth. However in many countries these days, as more women are giving birth in hospital rather than at home, continuous support during labour has become the exception rather than the norm. This has raised concerns about the consequent dehumanization of women's childbirth experiences. Modern obstetric care frequently subjects women to institutional routines, which may have adverse effects on the progress of labour. Supportive care during labour may involve emotional support, comfort measures, information and advocacy. These may enhance normal labour processes as well as women's feelings of control and competence, and thus reduce the need for obstetric intervention. The review of studies included 16 trials, from 11 countries, involving over 13,000 women in a wide range of settings and circumstances. Women who received continuous labour support were more likely to give birth 'spontaneously', i.e. give birth with neither caesarean nor vacuum nor forceps. In addition, women were less likely to use pain medications, were more likely to be satisfied, and had slightly shorter labours. In general, labour support appeared to be more effective when it was provided by women who were not part of the hospital staff. It also appeared to be more effective when commenced early in labour. No adverse effects were identified."

Myth #783 - Birth is Scaaaary

Uh, yeah.
What SHE said.

www.haveanaturalchildbirth.com

The Most Beautiful Thing

Cullen Peter Gerace
November 16, 2008
4:02am
6 pounds 10 ounces
19" long
13.5" head