The media circuits are buzzing this week with “news” of the safety of vaginal deliveries after C-sections (VBAC). While this really is not “news” for some, the new guidelines released by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists marks a needed turning point in this country’s perception of a women’s ability to birth. The news the attention, ability and success of such a birth choice.

Candidates for VBACs are those women who have had a Cesarean birth using a horizontal incision low in the uterus (low transverse incision). It is recommended that such candidates undergo counseling in preparation for their VBAC, to encourage, support the women’s emotional and physical concerns.

Between 60 percent and 80 percent of women who attempt VBAC have a successful vaginal delivery, according to the guidelines.

The guidelines which are published in the August issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, recommend that the following women may also be candidates for a trial of labor after a Cesarean:

• Women who’ve had two previous C-sections using a low transverse incision.
• Women who’ve had a C-section with a low transverse incision who are currently pregnant with twins.
• Women who’ve had a Cesarean delivery but don’t know if they had a low transverse incision.

The ACOG recommends that women who choose a VBAC birth choice should do so only if they’re in a facility that has “staff immediately available to provide emergency care.”

Women who are not eligible for a VBAC consists of:

• Women who’ve had a vertical incision on their uterus
• Women who’ve had/had Serious pregnancy complications such as placenta previa

Here is a nourishing and refreshing smoothy recipe from the ladies over at Mamatini.

Ingredients:

8 ounces Mamatini
1 cup of your favorite frozen fruit – blueberries, strawberries, pineapple
1 scoop whey protein powder
1 tsp/packet of your favorite natural sweetener
Optional Scoop of Green Vibrance Superfood Powder

Place ingredients in a high powered blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a tall glass with straw and enjoy!

Mamatini was specially designed to help expectant and new mothers absorb and retain the minerals their body needs to have a more energetic and healthy start to motherhood while providing baby with the nutritional building blocks he or she needs to grow. In addition, Mamatini helps increase milk supply in mothers and aides to relieve baby’s colic symptoms. Click here to meet my write up on the brand from earlier in the year.

I have read that when a baby appears to be in the transverse position, that this symbolizes the baby’s comfort and desire to be close to their mother’s heart. While this is a sweet notion, when it comes to birth, the transverse position is problematic for a desired vaginal birth.

If after 30 weeks your baby is still presenting itself in a transverse position and your care provider and your self are concerned, it is helpful to incorporate some of these natural ways to encourage the little one to turn:

• Have either your partner or friend speak to the baby, shine a flash light, or place ear phones at your pubic bone area
• Contact a homeopathic doctor to give see if Pulsatilla in 200C potency or higher will work for you
• Pelvic rocking and exercises to strengthen muscle tone.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Have a chiropractor perform the Webster technique
• Try an inversion such as the one below:

DO do the inversion if you feel strong enough and it does not cause you discomfort for 2-3 times a day. DON’T do it if you have trouble breathing. As with any exercise, ask your caregiver if there is any medical reason why you shouldn’t do this. DON’T do this inversion if the case is your baby was in a breech position and has already turned head down.

1. Have a helper to brace your shoulders so you don’t come down from the couch too fast.
2. Have your knees on the edge of the couch.
3. Come down slowly.
4. Brace yourself on your forearms.
5. Relax your belly.
6. Relax your neck and head.
7. Hold the pose for 30 seconds for a head down, posterior baby, or a minute for a breech or transverse baby, if you can. Start with shorter times in the pose and work up to 30 seconds.
8. Crawl forward, bringing one knee down to the floor and then the other.
9. Come to your hands and knees.
10. Sit up, on your heels and catch your breath.
Crawl around the room helping the weight of the womb settle forward.

(above directions from Spinning Babies)

At the same time, I found this statement via Birth Naturally

Less than 20% of the babies who are transverse at 37 weeks will remain transverse when labor begins, so another option is to wait for labor to start and attempt to turn the baby or perform a cesarean if it is still necessary.

Speaking from within the context of the statement directly above, your doula and midwife can work with you to suggest various positions during your labor to encourage the turn of your baby. Using gravity and motion can potentially save you from unnecessary internal interventions.

For whatever reason, I had a craving for raw asparagus today. Since I have been trying to focus on my physical health of late, my muscles are screaming loud and clear for potassium. While eating the asparagus I became curious to see what other benefits were attributed to it. Low and behold I found some wonderful benefits that are actually tailored for mothers-to-be and new moms. Here they are for you:

5 BENEFITS

• Eaten during the early stages of pregnancy, it helps the body to fight against certain birth defects such as spina bifida (a neural tube defect)

• A cup of asparagus provides around 263 mcg of folate (Vitamin B). Folate is very important for the synthesis of DNA. Its absence or inadequate supply causes the improper division of fetus’ nerve cells, in turn leading to birth defects

• Stimulates milk production in nursing mothers

• Has very high levels of folic acid which is known to make conception easier

• Controlling blood sugar levels and therefore, is very beneficial for people with diabetes

This month, when you purchase The Everyday Oils enrollment kit from the Verte boutique, $15 will be donated to V-Day and UNICEF’s City of Joy Project. The two non-profits, in partnership with the Panzi Foundation, are currently building a special facility for the survivors of sexual violence in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The City of Joy will support women to heal and provide them with opportunities to develop their leadership through programming in: group therapy; storytelling; dance; theater; self-defense; comprehensive sexuality education (covering HIV/AIDS, family planning); ecology and horticulture; and economic empowerment.

Just a few dollars have far-reaching impact and can provide much needed supplies that will make the City of Joy a comfortable, caring, and healthy place for women survivors of sexual violence to learn, lead, and inspire.

For example, $30 provides one woman with seeds for the City of Joy’s horticulture program for one year or $400 provides the salary of a local registered nurse.

On your behalf, Verte (The Green Doula’s Parent Biz) will donate $15 to one of the City of Joy’s registry category items which include:

Skills Training
Healing
Living
Education
Working
Nourishing
Or a Custom Donation

How Are You Able to Enhance Your Life While Helping to Build the City of Joy?

By incorporating “nature’s living energy” into your everyday lifestyle, you are bound to enhance your everyday life. How do you hone such energy? Well, you don’t have to for Young Living Essential Oils have already done it for you. It is Young Living’ mission to promote the ancient healing art of essential oil therapy. Offering a collection of over 140 therapeutic-grade single essential oils and unique essential oil blends, they are the world’s largest community dedicated to achieving wellness via nature’s purest, most potent gift, essential oils.

When used aromatically, applied topically, or taken internally, essential oils can calm, energize, balance, purify, and rejuvenate the mind and body. As well, such oils can be incorporated into your everyday (including pregnancy and childcare)lifestyle in areas such as:

air purification
aromatherapy + fragrance
cleaning
cooking
first aid
pet care

Your Everyday Oils enrollment kit will include the following oils and more for only $150; ideal to introduce you to the benefits and ease of incorporating essential oils into your life, receive discounts & rewards, and should you chose, the opportunity to generate extra income:

Everyday Oils includes:
(
1)- 5 ml Frankincense
(
1)- 5 ml Lemon

(
1)- 5 ml Lavender

(
1)- 5 ml Peppermint

(
1)- 5 ml Purification
 Blend
(
1)- 5 ml Panaway
 Blend
(
1)- 5 ml Peace & Calming®
 Blend
(
1)- 5 ml Thieves®
 Blend
(
1)- 5 ml Valor® Blend
As well

You can purchase the enrollment kit at any time through Verte, though the fundraiser for the City of Joy ends on February 28th. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me and db@vertenyc.com.

Keep an eye out all this month for a variety of recipes incorporating essential oils that you can incorporate into your pregnancy and infant care regime. If you are not interested in purchasing therapeutic-grade oils, but still want to contribute to the City of Joy, please make your donation here

FOR NORMAL SKIN AND/OR ACNE PREVENTION AND CONTROL

NOVENA ORGANIC FRUIT FACE WASH

$32.00

This citrus fruit cocktail in a bottle thoroughly cleanses your skin while leaving your skin fresh and vibrant. Novena Organic Fruit Face Wash is a blend of citrus and berry extracts, oils such as tea tree, rosehip and organic olive oil, and aloe juice. Its a pregnancy skin care favorite. This paired with Novena’s Organic Citrus Blemish Lotion is exceptionally favorable for those mothers-to-be who are experiencing a case of pregnancy acne. Acne is a common and pesky side effect for some women during their pregnancy. Yet, most acne treatments contain chemicals which can potentially have adverse effects to a baby. Fortunately now, mothers-to-be can now be thankful for Novena Maternity.

Some Great Stats:
100% vegan, free priority mail shipping, dissolves makeup effortlessly

FOR NORMAL TO OILY SKIN

ACTIVE ORGANIC MILK FOREST PURIFIER

$32.00

Though Red Flower is not branded as a strictly pregnancy skin care line, its products purity are safe and gentle for anyone. The active organic milk forest purifier is high in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, vitamins a, b12 and d to strengthen and stimulate vitality leaving a more supple skin tone. The creamy rejuvenating purifier helps to reduce toxicity in the skin while increasing cellular turnover. It is rich with vitamin c, cloudberries, evergreens, herbs, and potent energizing extracts to deliver intense anti-oxidants, nature’s most powerful arctic berries.

Some Great Stats:
one hundred percent botanical, free of all synthetics, parabens, dyes, petrochemicals and sulfates, made with certified organic ingredients, contains the spirit of life, packaged in 77% post consumer recycled paper and printed at a 100% wind powered plant.

Mamatini™ is a new all-natural, 100% organic herbal infusion that was created with the modern mother-to-be in mind. It is the first-ever, ready-to-drink, pediatrician-designed beverage created to help women breastfeed better, easier and for longer. Not only will Mamatini naturally boost your milk supply, it will also increase your energy and increase your ability to absorb and retain critical nutrients your body uses to produce milk. This herbal tonic also helps to relieve your baby colic symptoms.

Mamatini™ is shipped directly to your door via FedEx and can be shipped on a weekly basis at your option. Made with organic ginger and spearmint, this refreshing beverage is recommended from the 36th week of pregnancy until your baby is weaned.

Fenugreek helps you produce a generous supply of milk for your growing baby
Fennel stimulates the “let down” reflex, and helps prevent gas, bloating and colic
Chamomile and Ginger relieve stomach upset and provide restful sleep for baby and mom
Micronutrients promote absorption of vitamins and minerals, such as Calcium and Iron, often depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Vitamin A forms healthy teeth, bones, skin and nails and is key for breastfeeding
Vitamin C forms collagen in the body and aids the absorption of Iron
Vitamin D aids the absorption of Calcium, helping to form strong bones
Folic Acid and B Vitamins provide energy and prevent birth defects

Let’s face it, pregnancy can create and leave behind pesky side-effects. But no worries, nature provide numerous remedies for anything, including stretch marks. Here are two simple and natural remedies to combat stretch mark as oppose to using cocoa butter. These simple yet efficient solutions leave you with a gentle and delicious scent by the essences of nuts, flowers and citrus oils:

ONLINE AND ON THE SHELVES

Elasticity Belly Oil

4 oz- $39.00

Belli , the number 1 recommended skin care by OB-GYNS, has a wonderful product called Elasticity Belly Oil. The product is a luxurious blend of essential oils and ingredients which nourish your skin while protecting against pesky stretch marks. With almond oil as its main carrier, this oil is easily absorbed into your skin and does not leave a greasy residue. In fact, your skin is left feeling soft like a baby’s bottom. The blend’s Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil’s calming scent is an added bonus. In published medical research* (referenced from Belli), the combination of it Gotu Kola extract, Vitamin E and Collagen Hydrolysates was shown to decrease the risk of stretch marks by 39% compared to placebo treatment.

IN YOUR PANTRY

Using either almond or sunflower oil as your base, add 4 to 5 drops of orange blossom essential oil and then gently massage into your skin. It’s that simple. As well, remember that eating good whole grains and organic fruits and veggies rich in nutrients will also help you keep your skin firm.