KQED report on Pregnancy Related Deaths in the Bay Area and Sandy Caldwell's response

On KQED's FORUM, Thu, Feb 4, 2010, Michael Krasney did a show entitled Pregnancy-Related Deaths on the Rise?

The audio file is available for download at: http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R201002040900

In response to this show, Sandy Caldwell, well loved Doula in our community, has highlighted important information and resources to help us all educate and inform our community about pregnancy and birth. This list was originally posted on the Redwood City Mom's Club. 

Email from Sandy Caldwell (doula):

I work with families during the childbearing year(s). As a birth and postpartum doula, I want to make families aware that we have a very active birth community in our region. These are doctors, midwives, doulas, chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists and others who support a mother's choices as much as possible, and who are practitioners who also are committed to mothers avoiding
unnecessary interventions. These people practice evidence-based care.

There's so much I could share on this topic but want to get some key information to you on what you can do to take care of you during your childbearing year so I will not say more than my original intent for this email, now.

Besides keeping yourself healthy, one of the key things that make a difference is whom you choose as your care provider. My feeling is that when a birth is 'easy' almost anyone could be your care provider, however, when a birth is more challenging, that is when whom you've chosen makes a world of difference. Some care providers are much more skilled at keeping a challenging birth not only safe but with as few interventions as possible.

Of course, I (perhaps many of you), are truly grateful that these same interventions are available when truly needed.

Since there are so many, I share a few of the main ones, primarily to ensure that you have what you need while you are birthing your child:

LOCAL:
Bay Area Birth Information (chapters on the Peninsula and the South Bay)http://www.bayareabirthinfo.org/

Blossom Birth Services (Palo Alto)http://blossombirth.org/

Harmony Birth and Family (Campbell)http://www.harmonybirth.com/

NATIONAL:
Coalition for Improving Maternal Serviceshttp://www.motherfriendly.org/

Helpful documents from CIMS here:http://www.motherfriendly.org/downloads.php

Articles:

Things to do to avoid a cesarean:http://www.ican-online.org/pregnancy/things-you-can-do-avoid-unnecessary-cesarea\;
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Additional resources are on my links page:http://doula-la.com/Links.html

Taking this to another level, one of the things we, who work with birth everyday, know, is that the most powerful changes happen in the US when consumers (parents) get passionately involved and vote with their dollars and with their legislative votes.

This news is an opportunity to help make powerful changes in California and the US.

One thing you can do if you have given birth since 2005 is complete survey about your birth at The Birth Survey. The Birth Survey is a nationwide project to increase transparency in maternal health care. Go here to complete the survey:http://thebirthsurvey.com/index.html

If you are pregnant you can use the survey results to learn about the care your doctor or midwife has provided to others, too.

Another thing you can do it inform yourself regarding midwives (home and hospital-based). Midwives are trained in 'normal' pregnancy and birth. In general, they practice what is known as physiological birth.

Today, most midwives (whether practicing at home or hospital) are not totally integrated into our health care system. This limits their freedom to practice and their incomes. Home birth midwives are available in the region.

One place to find them is on home birth midwife Ronnie Falcao's websitehttp://www.gentlebirth.org/local/midwives.html.

There is also the California Association of Midwives:http://www.californiamidwives.org/

And, there is the Midwives Association of N. America:http://mana.org/

Currently there are midwives practicing at Mills Peninsula, Kaiser Redwood City, El Camino (Mountain View and Los Gatos). In all but at Kaiser, there are only 1-3 midwives in each of the other locations.

Hope this helpful and would love to hear others' thoughts as well.

I would be happy to speak or be a resource to the group on birth or postpartum topics such as this at any time.

Sandy Caldwell
www.doula-la.com