Jocelyn Possehl is a Doula, a Certified Lactation Consultant and a Certified Childbirth Educator. She teaches Bradley childbirth classes in Riverview and is very excited to share her knowledge and care with birthing mothers.

Meg Osgood is a Doula-in-training and a home birth advocate. She recently gave birth to her first child via home waterbirth (Kim was her midwife!), and she is looking forward to assisting birthing mommas on their special day. Meg is also working as Kim’s office assistant, and you will most likely speak with her on the phone or see her in the office during your next visit.

Barbara Harper, founder of Waterbirth International, will be speaking! Don’t miss it! Lots of vendors, including Sweet Child O’ Mine, and lots of free goodies!!

See you at the
Natural Birth and Baby Expo on
Sunday, April 25th,
from 12pm to 4pm,
at the East Lake Woodlands Country Club
in Oldsmar!

Natural birth and baby products and services overflow at this one-of-a-kind event! Keynote Speaker at 1pm: Barbara Harper, founder of Waterbirth International and noted author of Gentle Birth Choices. Health lunch options for purchase, nursing area, demonstrations throughout the day, silent auction (cash or check only), vendor raffles. Just $5 per family! A wonderful way to support your natural pregnancy, birth and parenting choices!

Midwives are the primary maternity care providers in most of the world today. While it is assumed that Americans will receive the very best medical care possible, the U.S. fails miserably in maternity care. In fact, the U.S. has one of the worst neonatal and mortality rates of developed nations. According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks 32nd in neonatal mortality and 31st in maternal mortality (WHO, 2008) despite escalating cesarean section rates and spending more on obstetric care than any other nation. When will the United States catch up with the rest of the world?

The reality is that most complications during birth are caused by unnecessary hospital interventions, drugs, and being confined to a bed during labor. When a mom labors at home, she is naturally more relaxed. As a result of being relaxed, her labor generally progresses faster and less discomfort is experienced, so there is no need for drugs. The laboring mom has freedom to move around, eat, drink, or labor/birth in the water. The midwife attends her in a supportive and non-interventive way, monitoring her and the baby all along the way. At home, the laboring mom is the only patient, so she has undivided attention and care, and her risk of infection is lowered. The Licensed Midwife brings to the home all the equipment and medications that you would find at a birth center, including a hand-held doppler, oxygen, resuscitation equipment, IV fluid, hemorrhage medication, and suturing supplies. The midwife is trained to both prevent and handle emergency situations. Only about 5% of planned homebirths transfer to the hospital, and most of these are unrushed, non-emergency transfers. Once the baby is born at home, the baby remains with the family in an environment to which its immune system is adapted, which results in less newborn infections.