June 19, 2008 by veronica.

Two of the better things said to me today:
First, by a woman in my yoga class after finding out how far along I am ( I told her 6 months, but now I’m wondering if I’m 7):
“Oh, but you look so tiny!”

Then, by Chris, after I told him I was fed up with the medical system and was having the next baby at home:
“OK, well, I’ll get some books, read up on it, and stay at a Holiday Inn Express the night before and I’ll deliver the baby.”

Anything that gets me through the day…

Posted in Little boy in my belly | 1 Comment »

June 6, 2008 by veronica.

I realize this blog has very little to do with me, but I don’t care. This is important stuff.

So, the study kind of got lost in the hubub of a NYT article regarding some health insurance companies denying coverage (or charging more) for moms who have had Cesarean Births. But there was also a study that was just published that linked Cesareans with the increased risk of having a late preterm infant. Here’s the link.
Add another little “secret” to the consent forms for Cesareans, along with increased risk of maternal death, increased risk of infant death, increased chance of miscarriage in subsequent pregnancies, infection…and on and on….(and yes, I’m serious. Just do some homework. It’s all true.)

Posted in Living la vida Lamaze, Soapbox anyone?, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

June 5, 2008 by veronica.

I’m not a big fan of the FDA. I think they approve too many things that are not safe to use. I don’t think drug companies can be trusted, either. Generally, and history proves this time and time again, they’ll hide bad information to get a drug approved. But when BOTH the FDA and a manufacturer warn against using a medication for a specific use, trust me, we should LISTEN.

And I say this because pretty much every care provider in a 15 mile radius will lie and say it’s safe. It’s not. It’s just really, really cheap, and so effective it literally squeezes unborn children (and the uteruses that house them) to death in more cases than anyone would care to admit. The drug? Cytotec. Want proof? Here and here.

There are safer alternatives, like prostaglandins (ideally in a method that can be removed if either mother or baby don’t tolerate the treatment), but they are more expensive, and less ahem effective. But seriously? I think it’s time hospitals stop lying to moms (or, actually, just not informing them) and move on to the next crazy birth medicine.

Posted in Living la vida Lamaze, Soapbox anyone? | 1 Comment »