tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099819043517255042011-04-22T01:24:03.729+05:30a clearinghouse of current thought on natural childbirth and parentingPaige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-87595681138103149532008-12-13T12:37:00.001+05:302008-12-13T12:39:17.149+05:30

I'm very pleased to announce the launch of my website! Check it out here for more information about my birth and postpartum doula services in Austin, Texas.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-36238935845513835312008-09-25T01:54:00.003+05:302008-09-25T01:58:51.381+05:30

I'm finally coming up for air and I thought I'd write a brief post to let folks know that I'm now in Austin and quickly meeting lots of childbirth and parenting professionals, which has been wonderful. I look forward to meeting mamas, dads, and babies, too!If you're in Bangalore, please scroll down to see the next post. I'm still getting e-mail inquiries from expectant parents there, and sadly,

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-26031466363671824852008-06-24T06:42:00.003+05:302008-06-24T07:05:35.930+05:30

I have been meaning to post this for the last two weeks, but have been a bit sucked in to life here in New York and New Jersey. It's great to be back but was very hard to leave such a wonderful community of birth advocates and new and expectant moms in Bangalore! I'm still receiving e-mails from women who are interested in having a doula at their birth and/or taking Lamaze classes. Although I

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-21657254813948695132008-06-02T18:16:00.003+05:302008-06-02T18:22:03.340+05:30

As if there weren't enough health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child to convince women to breastfeed, here's another one. According to a Swedish study, breastfeeding reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis for the mother. Researchers found that women who breastfed for up to one year reduced their risk of arthritis by 25%, and that those who breastfed for more than a year reduced

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-20568826621171077832008-05-26T11:14:00.003+05:302008-05-26T11:20:11.201+05:30

This came across on one of my lists, but without a link:CHENGDU, China - A Chinese policewoman is contributing to the country's massive earthquake relief effort in a very personal way -- by breastfeeding eight babies.A newspaper in Chengdu, the capital of quake-hit Sichuan province, devoted a special page to the 29-year-old woman, calling her a "hero."The woman from the quake-ravaged town of

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-16588620268966267992008-05-19T14:46:00.007+05:302008-05-19T16:25:41.028+05:30

I want to share a little about a birth I attended a week ago. I'd been traveling up north and returned to have a prenatal visit with my clients . My client, who I will refer to as C, looked beautiful, felt good and was excited about the upcoming birth. As her due date was only three days away, she and her doctor had discussed her doc's induction protocol, which was that she would need to go in

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-56433598422873046842008-05-12T14:45:00.004+05:302008-05-12T14:57:38.000+05:30

Here's an article in Tehelka -- an independent news magazine -- that I was interviewed for. The title, in my opinion, doesn't really reflect the content of the article, but oh well.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-15281180960466605232008-04-23T16:31:00.003+05:302008-04-24T22:53:48.620+05:30

One of our BBN members passed along this article, which talks about why it's important to find the right doctor for your birth. My experience in urban India is that women and couples have to do a great amount of self-advocacy in order to get accurate information, assert their birth preferences (assuming there are some!), and have some amount of control over their delivery. This is a crucial

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-11726339805270948662008-04-17T15:32:00.003+05:302008-04-17T16:01:30.848+05:30

If anyone - your doctor, your mother-in-law, etc - tells you that it's not good to exercise while pregnant, think again! A new study found that moderate exercise - that is, moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 30 minutes, at least three times a week - has cardiovascular benefits for the baby as well as for the mother. Read more about it here.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-24679285589465884512008-04-10T15:40:00.004+05:302008-04-11T11:58:43.287+05:30

In most hospital settings, doctors routinely clamp the umbilical cord as soon as the baby is born, cutting off blood and oxygen flow from the placenta to the baby. However, waiting until the cord has stopped pulsating (just a few minutes) allows the baby to get his or her maximum blood flow and iron stores, and makes the placenta less bulky and thus easier to detach from the uterine wall. A new

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-35048267624254006742008-04-03T16:07:00.004+05:302008-04-03T17:14:15.981+05:30

The International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization (IMBCO) has just come out with their International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiatve (IMBCI): 10 Steps to Optimal Maternity Services Worldwide. It's based on the results of a survey of birth and breastfeeding organizations in 163 countries and on input from IMBCO's Technical Advisory Group, international representatives, and from birth experts

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-76854204182544218022008-03-24T15:58:00.006+05:302008-03-24T16:59:12.948+05:30

I just visited a client who was told to give her healthy, exclusively breastfeeding newborn a supplement called ViSyveral. It occurs to me that this might be routine at hospitals around Bangalore, though it's the first time I've heard of it. Please note that babies do not need anything other than breastmilk for the first 6-9 months (not even water). This "nutritional supplement" has the following

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-6896864192438547432008-03-19T13:10:00.004+05:302008-03-19T13:20:35.030+05:30

A couple of weeks ago, the New York Times ran this pretty negative article about doulas and lactation consultants. I wanted to post the letters to the editor that were published a week later. New York TimesMarch 9, 2008Letters in Defense of DoulasTo the Editor:Re "And the Doula Makes Four," by Pamela Paul (Sunday Styles, March 2): I recently gave birth to my son with the assistance of an

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-72732319993903747152008-02-22T11:44:00.006+05:302008-02-22T12:02:20.761+05:30

In today's Friday Review section of the Hindu, there's a great review of the films screened at the Bangalore Birth Network's film festival, entitled "Being Born: Films from Around the World." It was held during the first weekend of February and featured The Business of Being Born. We had a great turn-out and interesting discussions after each screening. Stay tuned for more BBN events! Read the

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-52288290500575710622008-02-20T14:49:00.002+05:302008-02-20T14:53:56.433+05:30

I love the idea of performing this in Bangalore. If you're interested in being part of the organizing committee, please let me know! Click here for more.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-36076221306839708152008-02-05T10:19:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:22:21.626+05:30

Christina Aguilera has scheduled her cesarean. Read a letter to her from Jennifer Block here.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-42861773531312909502008-02-05T09:54:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:23:20.808+05:30

Being Seduced to Induce: What Women Should Know About Their OBsBy Marsden Wagner M.D.Women will only agree to caesarean section if they are convinced it is safe for them and their baby. One of the first efforts of obstetricians promoting caesarean section has been to take the scientific evidence on risks of caesarean section and torture the data until it confesses to what they want it to say.One

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-58293722743628581142008-01-26T10:12:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:24:33.482+05:30

The Bangalore Birth Network and Vikalp Bengaluru (Films for Freedom) cordially invite you toBEING BORN:FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLDSaturday, 2 February, 2008, 6:30 pmBirth in the Squatting Position (10 mins, Brazil)Born at Home (60 mins, India)Sunday, 3 February, 2008, 3:00 pmBirth Day (10 mins, Mexico)The Business of Being Born (83 mins, USA)Note: All films are in English or have English

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-60569003080788912782007-11-25T11:29:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:27:20.581+05:30

Induction rates in the US and elsewhere, including india, are steadily rising, causing concern to ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), among others. labor induction refers to the artificial initiation of labor, often by cervidil application to the cervix, administration of Pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) through an IV, and/or artificial rupture of membranes (AROM).One of

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-84888839810586051442007-11-17T14:21:00.000+05:302007-11-17T14:23:26.517+05:30

Smarty Gene: Breast-fed kids show DNA-aided IQ boostBruce BowerScientists have achieved a breakthrough in deciphering the genetics of intelligence. Ironically, they did it by accounting for a key environmental factor.Breast-feeding boosts children's IQs by 6 to 7 points over the IQs of kids who weren't breast-fed, but only if the breast-fed youngsters have inherited a gene variant associated with

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-68102303358688627592007-10-19T13:06:00.000+05:302007-10-24T15:30:55.423+05:30

BIRTH INDIA INAUGURAL SEMINAR 2007At the Rotary Club Juhu Tara Road Santa Cruz, BombayFriday November 30th / 10am to 7pmSaturday December 1st / 10am to 2pm (Our AGM and action plan for change for Birth India members and international guests only will be from 3 - 6pm.)Rs. 250 (Contributions would be most appreciated. We request anyone wishing to hand out their business card to please give a

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-21914227645289622622007-10-18T09:57:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:29:16.678+05:30

I've heard many accounts of women who've given birth in Bangalore who say that nurses and doctors in hospitals constantly ask them to lie in bed. This makes no sense! Especially when it's not to check the baby's heartbeat or to do a vaginal exam. I've never seen or even heard of a woman (who is not medicated for pain) want to be in bed. movement -- rocking, swaying, walking, squatting, etc. --

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-56566996339392655922007-10-02T21:23:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:33:28.470+05:30

On sunday we had our first meeting of the BBN. five of us got together at my flat and talked about what we want the group to be. We spent the majority of the time coming up with a mission statement – not an easy task! This is a work in progress, so we are very interested in people’s feedback. We used a worksheet for guidance, and read mission statements of organizations doing similar work, such

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-86936104840177880472007-10-01T10:44:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:38:21.351+05:30

Two unrelated topics, actually. My new article for the Chillibreeze expat newsletter is an account of three expats who gave birth in bangalore hospitals. Check it out here. Secondly, I just saw Ricki Lake's award-winning documentary (out in US theatres soonish?), The Business of Being Born. It's excellent and I highly recommend watching it! I'm hoping to organize a childbirth film festival here

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-60080039924160441322007-09-23T22:10:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:39:00.226+05:30

Check out this article about the potential link.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-43448528144782653832007-09-08T12:40:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:40:05.197+05:30

Here's a lovely article by Pam England about "birth shock" and how to take care of new moms immediately after labor and birth. It's called the profoundly sacred transition during a newly-born mother's return from laborland.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-80788656826132627572007-08-21T11:56:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:41:45.978+05:30

Many, many women in India, especially poor women, go through labor alone. Government and even private hospitals do not allow anyone to accompany the laboring woman. This practice is not only ludicrous and inhumane, it makes no sense given what we know about how women who are supported in labor have better health outcomes, as do their babies. I think this should be one of the first issues to be

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-26976759234684053562007-08-20T08:56:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:42:33.287+05:30

Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers SayBy Alvin PowellContributing WriterAmerica's "let them cry" attitude toward children may lead to more fears and tears among adults, according to two Harvard Medical School researchers.Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with them, where they'll

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-47346062856155839432007-08-16T14:33:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:43:29.294+05:30

If you or anyone you know is interested in joining our efforts, please contact me!The Bangalore Birth Network (BBN) is a group of professionals and concerned citizens in Bangalore who share the beliefs that:• Pregnancy and childbirth are normal physiological processes as well as social events in the life of a woman and her family. • Women, not medical practitioners, are the primary caregivers for

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-90207604344543027502007-08-08T10:27:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:45:05.985+05:30

Doulas Deliver Help for Laboring MomsBy Judy FortinROSWELL, Georgia (CNN) -- The lights were dimmed, soft music was playing and a scented candle burned on the counter. In the center of it all was Julie Trotter -- moaning through hard labor contractions.Doula Kai Martin Short works to ease Julie Trotter's pain during labor.For more than six hours, Trotter, a 23-year-old from Duluth, Georgia, tried

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-35371025176368591382007-08-08T10:01:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:46:22.225+05:30

In a previous post, I linked to an article about how children under two benefit more from human interaction than watching television. Here's another article with new research on how Baby Einstein videos might actually delay language development instead of enhance it.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-8634895786861730952007-08-06T17:28:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:50:09.795+05:30

The US centers for disease control (CDC) just came out with a survey that found that only about 30% of new moms breastfeed exclusively at three months of age, and at six months, only 11% are breastfeeding exclusively. Why are these number so low when we know that breastfeeding results in better health outcomes for both mothers and babies?! I think it points to a few problems: 1) Traumatic birth

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-33084546430320951382007-07-29T23:20:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:52:04.066+05:30

Here's an excerpt from a recently published article on CNN.com, entitled 5 operations you don't want to get -- and what to do instead.EpisiotomyIt can sound so simple and efficient when an OB-GYN lays out all the reasons why she performs episiotomy before delivery. After all, it's logical that cutting or extending the vaginal opening along the perineum (between the vagina and anus) would reduce

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-80084992593787650402007-07-26T02:48:00.000+05:302007-07-26T02:49:47.732+05:30

The women of the International Cesarean Awareness Network offer their deepest sympathies to the families of Melissa Farah and Valerie Scythes, two New Jersey women who died after undergoing cesarean surgery.* This tragedy affects not just these new families; it is a tremendous loss to the community.While any birth poses small but measurable risks to mothers and babies, it is well-established that

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-51644458353344677282007-07-22T09:05:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:53:43.713+05:30

Pregnancy & Childbirth | USA Today Examines Practice of Ingesting Placenta To Mitigate Postpartum Depression[Jul 20, 2007]USA Today on Thursday examined the practice known as placentophagy, in which the placenta of a pregnant woman is saved, dried and emulsified, then placed in gelatin capsules and taken by the mother in the months after childbirth. Hospitals usually store placentas for a few

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-62958403405508845522007-07-12T19:15:00.002+05:302008-02-20T11:54:31.818+05:30

I wrote this article about preparing for childbirth and the services I offer.

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-30793320309163677672007-07-10T23:41:00.001+05:302008-02-20T11:56:08.929+05:30

I recently came across two stories that might be of interest. The first is a study out of Wake Forest University that confirms the idea that toddlers learn language from people, not television. For more, click here.The second is a firsthand account of the first hospital waterbirth in the Philippines. here it is:Dear Everyone :) Hello. This is my Waterbirthing Experience. I'm not a very good

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909981904351725504.post-87380448013047010062007-06-30T08:49:00.001+05:302008-02-20T12:00:54.285+05:30

The other day I had the privilege of attending a Metropolitan Doula Group (MDG) meeting at which midwife Cara Muhlhahan spoke about managing long labors. [I'm in New York for 2 weeks, heading to Texas for some family time, and then back to Bangalore at the end of July.]Cara emphasized the importance of not pathologizing long labors. When the baby is in the occiput posterior (OP) position (back of

Paige Trabulsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11650529728226853211noreply@blogger.com