[ozmidwifery] Lymphedema
Hi All, has anyone had any experience with caring for a woman with primary lymphedema? A friend of mine has this condition and is 24/40 at the moment. Her symptoms haven't worsened through the pregnancy up to this point. I have had a look at a few databases and texts and it seems there hasn't been any research done in this area and there aren't any guidelines for management of pregnancy/birth for these women. So I'm looking for any anecdotal evidence in this area. It seems that the real risk in this situation is with postpartum infection, so logic would say avoid acquiring a caesarean wound. But she has been told that excessive pushing during 2nd stage could be problematic for her in that most of the lymph nodes she's missing are in her groin and her edema is in her legs. What do you think? Many thanks, Katrina Flora Student Midwife, 2nd year ACU
Re: [ozmidwifery] Midwifery troubles in NZ
Title: Message I agree Maureen, seems like when a baby dies under the care of an Ob then it's the danger of birth or women's faulty bodies, but when it's under the care of a Midwife it's the midwife's fault (or b/c they didn't have a dr, ironic) Katrina - Original Message - From: Ken Ward To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 1:11 PM Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] Midwifery troubles in NZ I would like to see a list of babies dying in medical care. It is awful, but things do happen. We had a case where a young mum was told it would be better for her breech baby to born by C/S. The baby died. So C/S need not 'save' the baby. Also, if that's the total number of incidents in that time frame, then surely the stats aren't too bad. What else was involved in the cases? Why aren't Drs errors published? Maureen -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of B GSent: Monday, 20 March 2006 9:31 PMTo: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.auSubject: [ozmidwifery] Midwifery troubles in NZ FYI, just when we are hoping for reform here there is this tragic report from NZ. Barb This article is owned by, or has been licensed to, the New Zealand Herald. You may not reproduce, publish, electronically archive or transmit this article in any manner without the prior written consent of the New Zealand Herald. To make a copyright clearance inquiry, please click here. Pete Hodgson Hodgson argues against review of maternity services 20.03.06 4.20pm Health Minister Pete Hodgson says a review of maternity services would only delay improvements being made in the sector. National Party health spokesman Tony Royal today renewed his call for an independent audit of maternity services following a report of another baby's death being blamed on midwife care. The parents of the child born at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital in an emergency caesarean operation were reportedly told midwives had misread a fetal heart rate monitor. The child died seven hours after the caesarean. The case follows criticism of health workers following reports on the deaths of three other babies -- two by a coroner and one by Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson. The child's parents -- Heather and Alan Phillips -- are now calling for an inquiry into maternity and midwifery care. Mr Ryall said the problem was not going to go away and Mr Hodgson needed to get the review started so problems could be fixed. "Every month there are more frightening incidents coming to light, and more professional groups calling for change." Mr Hodgson said a review of maternity services would delay improvements being developed by professionals. "It would be easy for all involved -- including me -- to call for a review and take some of the political heat out of the maternity issue," he said. "But while it would be easy it would also be counter-productive." The Health Ministry was talking with professional bodies in maternity service including midwives, doctors and nurses focusing on improving services through better coordination between Leader Maternity Care and hospital services. "The ministry and the maternity sector are taking this approach because they know action is needed now -- not after a drawn-out review process." Mr Hodgson pointed out that National MP Paul Hutchison had previously been reported saying he did not think a review was necessary. Dr Hutchison told NZPA that he agreed with Mr Ryall but wanted the Government to act on the 1999 maternity review which he said had been ignored. "Due to the increasing concerns about maternity care I would agree with Tony that a full review is undertaken now -- but great note should be taken of that report from 1999." The hospital involved in the latest case is waiting until the Accident Compensation Corporation has reported its decision before commenting. The New Zealand Herald newspaper reported key failures in the baby's death were midwives' miss-reading of a fetal heart rate monitor and a fetal blood-acidity test was unnecessary in the circumstances and wasted time. A
Re: [ozmidwifery] VBACs, Gestational diabetes and insulin
Hi Mindy, I reckon the onus on providing evidence in support of the repeat c/s (or induction) should rest with your ob. Where is the evidence? What does the research say? I highly recommend hiring the services of an independent midwife for your vbac, the continuity and emotional support will be invaluable. And if you're in Melbourne I recommend the Choices for Childbirth series of sessions, particularly the vbac one. Good luck! Katrina Flora VBAC Mum Student midwife Breastfeeding counsellor PS. For evidence-based recommendations you might also like to take a look at the book A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy Birth, available in its entirety online at http://www.maternitywise.org/guide/ - Original Message - From: The Johnsons [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 2:55 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] VBACs, Gestational diabetes and insulin I would appreciate comments from midwives and women who have dealt with or been through pregnancies involving gestational diabetes, insulin dependence (for gestational only) and VBACs. I am 28 weeks into my second pregnancy, on insulin and hoping for a VBAC. My obstetrician has told me that he wants to do a repeat Caesar at 38 weeks because he was concerned about placental failure. I felt that this was a bit premature and may have been more what suited him than what was best for me, especially 10 weeks out. What is the current thinking on VBACs, gestational diabetes, and placental failure due to insulin? Is it safe to continue the pregnancy, with monitoring beyond 38 weeks? Is induction a viable alternative at 38 weeks considering it will be a VBAC attempt? I would like to attempt a VBAC, but not at the cost of my baby's health. Any information or comments that can be offered to help my husband and I to make a decision would be appreciated. Comments from women who have been in this situation would also be appreciated. As it is ultimately my decision and my responsibility I want to make the best informed decision I can for both myself and our baby. Responses can be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you prefer. Thank you Mindy -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.6/257 - Release Date: 10/02/2006 -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: [ozmidwifery] when to cut an episiotomy
Not entirely sure I want to know, but Mary what is "buttonholing"? Katrina - Original Message - From: Mary Murphy To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 10:03 AM Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] when to cut an episiotomy Because you asked: I have cut 3 in 22 yrs as a homebirth midwife. 1 for foetal distress, 1 for buttonholing the other I cant remember. It was all so long ago. Working with a group of 7 other midwives, I have never heard of them cutting episiotomies either. MM Who else would like to celebrate their lack of desire or interest in cutting a woman's perineum.
Re: [ozmidwifery] another wonderful birth
Hi Julie, what a lovely story, just a question re
the Epi-No. Is it possible for a woman to use it in any position except on her
back? Or do you mean she used it to prepare physically for labour?
Cheers,
Katrina
- Original Message -
From:
Michelle Windsor
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 12:36
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] another
wonderful birth
Julie your birth story reminds me of one that Vicki Chan told last year
at a conference, I can't remember all the details but it was something like
this. a woman ('Alice') rings up and says her membranes have
ruptured and she's got mec liqnot the average
description.yes,Alice isa doctorlaboured with Vicki caring
for her, got to fully dilated and the obstetrician is making noises about
doing a ventouse. Vicki gotAlice moving her pelvis and she birthed
her baby under her own steam. AfterwardsAlice kept saying over and
over "I just feel SO good" And the best part.Alice is also an
obstetrician!
CheersMichelleJulie Clarke
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hi
again
I have a bit of a sore back
today but a warm heart and a smile in my eyes as I think about the birth I
was at yesterday.
The couple had been through my
classes and afterwards asked me if I would support them and I said
yes.
My motivation was because she is
a doctor and I wanted her to have a wonderful birth experience and I thought
if I can help this woman who might potentially become another helper of
women then that would be terrific. Do I hear you say Wow potential
risk for big disappointment with such high hopes there!
Yes you are quite right but I am
a bit like that I dream and have high hopes and then pour all my energy
into achieving it and you know what?
Luckily so does she! She had
undertaken lots of reading, a HypnoBirthing course with a local
practitioner, my active birth course and used the epi-no product for her
preparation.
I watched this woman have a huge
amount of excitement in early labour then feel a bit miserable when it was
obviously not going to be easily controlled or quick and easy then she
surrendered and went completely within herself and over the course of
several hours finally became fully dilated she met a number of personal
challenges along the way and worked her way through them
all.
Fear, excitement, anxiety.
courage, determination, pride, and energy all mixed together. It is one of
the most glorious depictions of humanity being with a woman as she travels
the path of the birthing experience.
She had a very small lip of
cervix for quite a while and she worked with her body beautifully to move
through it one fascinating aspect of this was when she was in the bath and
she really needed to just be totally primal and let go she dropped her
face and head under the water which bothered her so I supported her head
with both hands right across the back of her head wiped all the water and
hair from her face and just held her head for her so she was completely free
to move in whatever way she wanted.
Then something within me
suggested a firm hand support across the top of her head and she worked her
head in a circular motion right deep into the palm of my hand and I felt as
if her body was communicating what her baby was trying to do it was a
fascinating moment for me and we didnt say a word about it didnt feel
the need to just simply working together
well.
Her partner seemed to find it
difficult to support her to begin with and I guess too this was one example
of a man who didnt seem to recall much information from classes but he
cared for her deeply and simply watched everything and learned much better
from me role modeling for him at the time I handed everything to him at
every available opportunity.
I have the impression that the
woman may well describe a sense of balance of male and female energy at her
birth.
The midwife was brilliant she
was absolutely wonderful and so positive and gave great care to the couple
and their baby. Such a beautiful and sensitive person I believe there is a
lot of amazing midwives who are dedicated and skilled in the art of
midwifery. The midwife commented to me also that she saw women who have
included in their preparation extra strategies such as HypnoBirthing and the
use of the Epi-no do really well.
The baby was a little delayed in
having a cry and the Dad sat staring and I suggested to him to touch his
chest and speak to him which he did and within seconds his son responded to
him thats the bit that brings tears to my eyes I feel a welling up
[ozmidwifery] Fw: [ababcnet] an article
This came through on lactnet
today, thought you would be interested, although, don't read if you are
prone to high blood pressure..http://www.sitnews.us/Columns/0405/040405_james_glassman.htmlTime
for Congress to get serious about WHO's excessesBy James K.
GlassmanScripps Howard News ServiceApril 04,
2005MondayPaul Volcker's report last week on the oil-for-food
scandal uncoveredshocking incompetence and venality at the United Nations.
But ifCongress really wants to reform the agency, the place to start is
theWorld Health Organization (WHO), which, in the latest absurdity,
hasembarked on a campaign to drive baby formula underground -
and,eventually, off the face of the earth. The big losers if the WHO
issuccessful will, of course, be the world's poor - the same victims
ofWHO blunders in fighting HIV/AIDS and malaria.With AIDS, the WHO
got a black eye for placing 18 Indian-made ripoffmedicines on its list of
approved drugs. Those medicines turned out tobe uncertified copies of the
patented HIV drugs from which they werecopied.With malaria, the WHO
has refused to encourage the use of DDT andother proven insecticides and has
engaged in what a group ofscientists, writing in The Lancet, called "medical
malpractice" in itsuse of a poor regime of anti-malarial drugs.A
U.N. agency that was set up in 1948, the WHO, more and more, hascome under
the influence of radical health and environmentalactivists, who push a
bitterly anti-enterprise ideology.Congress should insist that the WHO
stick to the basics. Instead,having botched campaigns against the two worst
epidemics in the world,the WHO, incredibly, is focusing its attention on the
bottle-feedingof infants.You probably remember the infant-formula
imbroglio - a real blast fromthe left-wing past. Promoters of breast-feeding
managed to smear theuse of healthy formula to nourish babies and discourage
marketing ofbottle-feeding products.Now, breasts are back.In
January, the WHO recommended the adoption of an extremeanti-bottle-feeding
resolution at the 57th World Health Assembly - theWHO's annual meeting, set
for mid-May in Geneva. The immediateobjective of the resolution is to force
infant-formula packages tocarry warning labels akin to those on cigarettes
or liquor. Theultimate goal is to scare mothers into abandoning
bottle-feeding.There's a deep irony here. The WHO wants to discourage
the use of babyformula, whose efficacy and safety have been established over
manydecades - while at the same time, the WHO has been approving
untestedanti-AIDS drugs.Certainly, there is no questioning the
benefits of breast-feeding. Butmany women lack the time or, in some cases,
the health to feed theirbabies from their own breasts. For them, infant
formula is anexcellent substitute.For example, if a woman wants to
pursue an active career outside thehome, breast-feeding is often
impractical. Infant formula provides thefreedom that many women want, and
deserve. Trying to make formulaanathema is to thrust such women back to the
Dark Ages.This question of choice for women is especially compelling
indeveloping nations, where economies are beginning to draw females,
aswell as males, into the work force in key positions.But radicals
advocate a double standard for the poor - in feedingbabies as well as in HIV
therapy.There's a correlation between high rates of infant-formula use
and lowrates of infant mortality. The reason is not that infant formula
isbetter than breast milk, but that, as a country develops, infanthealth
and nutrition improve, and the use of formula, at the sametime,
increases.Nestle sells more infant formula in a healthy nation like
Belgium thanit does in all of Africa, which has 60 times Belgium's
population. Thebest way to boost good health in Africa is to boost African
economies.And time-saving technologies like infant formula can
help.This means that Africans should be able to choose, and not to
bescared or shamed into breast-feeding. Radicals and their supporters
atthe WHO, however, want to keep African women, in effect,
barefoot,denying them the choice, as they modernize, of a healthy,
convenientproduct.It's time for Congress to get serious about
reining in the excesses ofthe WHO. Defeat this silly resolution in May and
insist that theGeneva health bureaucrats concentrate on whipping AIDS and
malariawith proven medicines, not on pleasing the
ideologues.James K. Glassman is a fellow at the American Enterprise
Institute andhost of the Web site TechCentralStation.com--
Merewyn JansonABA counsellor ('98)Redbank Plains, Queensland,
AustraliaMarried to Paul ('92),Mum to April ('94),Brandon ('96)
andCassidy ('99).Meal ticket to Jingle ('96) the cat,Bells ('01) the
cat,Deefa ('02) the dog,Spicey the cockatiel who is learning to talk
andPrincess, the forgotten mouse, I am finally an RN, but now a student
midwife (gluton for punishment)"Women should not feel guilty if they are
unable to breastfeed,
