In bed, reading my hypnobirthing book, while listening to zen music, to prepare myself for a chill natural birth (in August), when this pretty girl came to lay on me for snuggles. Thanks for adding to my chill. I love my kitties so much.

How are you preparing for your birth?

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy: Our Maternal Death Rates Are Only Bad If You Count Black Women

"As conservatives across the country wage war on reproductive rights, demanding by law that women be forced to carry any pregnancy to term, regardless of the circumstances, they frequently (slash always) like to forget that they do absolutely nothing to support these people during said pregnancies or after. Mississippi, for example, where abortion will immediately become illegal if Roe v. Wade is overturned, has the highest rate of child poverty in the country and recently rejected a bid to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. And in Louisiana, which has a similar trigger law that will go into effect upon Roe being reversed, maternal mortality rates are among the worst in the nation. But according to GOP senator Bill Cassidy, the rate at which women die during pregnancy or shortly after is not as bad as it seems—if you subtract the deaths of Black women, which apparently don’t count.

In an interview with Politico, the following words came out of Cassidy’s mouth: “About a third of our population is African American; African Americans have a higher incidence of maternal mortality. So, if you correct our population for race, we’re not as much of an outlier as it’d otherwise appear. Now, I say that not to minimize the issue but to focus the issue as to where it would be. For whatever reason, people of color have a higher incidence of maternal mortality.”

There’s a lot to unpack here. Let’s start with the idea that Cassidy—who wants to defund Planned Parenthood is all, Yes, on its face, our maternal mortality rates are abysmal, but if you only count white women, they’re not that bad! Then there’s the phrase “for whatever reason.” In fact, there is one very big reason in particular— perhaps you can take a guess? “It’s no mystery why maternal mortality rates are so high among Black women,” Michelle Williams, the dean of Harvard’s School of Public Health said in response. “They are high because of the devastating impacts of structural racism and individual bias.” As Politico notes, Black mothers are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white mothers in the U.S., which has the worst mortality rate among developed nations and where “17 mothers die for every 100,000 pregnancies in the country.” In Louisiana, Black mothers are four times as likely to die than white mothers.

Asked what how Roe v. Wade being overturned would affect maternal mortality rates, Cassidy dismissed the question. “If we’re using abortion to limit maternal deaths, that’s kind of an odd way to approach the problem,” he said. That, of course, is total bullshit. As NBC News reported earlier this month, “Research suggests the bans and restrictions would have manifold effects on maternal health. For one, if more pregnant people can’t get the abortions they seek, they’d shoulder the risk of the U.S.’s relatively high—and rising—rate of death from pregnancy-related causes, which is particularly elevated among people of color.” As Dr. Amy Addante, an ob-gyn in Illinois, bluntly put it: “There are going to be women that will die from pregnancy because of this decision, period.”

Samara is a 42-year-old mother of 4, yoga instructor and zumba teacher. She gave birth to all of her children at home with her youngest just 9 months ago. In addition to co-managed care with an OB-GYN and her midwife, Samara’s trust in her body’s strength, wisdom and capabilities trumped all concerns she heard around pregnancy over 35. However, like every birthing story, there’s a turn in ‘ the labyrinth’ one doesn’t expect and even for a seasoned mama, Samara ultimately had to do what every birthing person has to do — surrender to the journey.

This is a great positive podcast for birthers over 40!!!

Wise words from a mother of 4…

Sometimes one can feel the natural urge to push prior to complete dilation. One reason your care provider would encourage you not to push until the cervix is completely out of the way of the baby is the potential for cervical injury. While this is good reason, encouraging someone to essentially stop a freight train coming through their body is not so easy. It can take someone out of powerfully working with their body to painfully working against it. But with the proper physical and emotional support of knowledgeable birth workers and optimal laboring positions, homeopathy and hydrotherapy, it can be achieved. All this to say, assemble your labor and birth support team now — either virtual or in person — as it can be vital to your experience and outcome.

How much exercise can I do now I’m pregnant?

As I dragged myself off to my class at the gym today, I wondered why I was doing it. I felt sluggish and it felt like a chore I didn’t want to do. I went, I started the class and I still couldn’t get myself into it. So I slowed right down and took it easy. I finished the session but I wasn’t the beetroot red sweaty mess that I usually am when I’ve finished my work out. And I felt great! 

I had listened to my body. For whatever reason, today wasn’t a day for full on exertion.

This was something I found tricky to get my head around when I was pregnant. Having always been a really active physical person, the fact that exercise didn’t suit me as a pregnant woman came as a bit of a shock. I had sworn it wouldn’t stop me. But it did. It floored me. Plenty of women are able to continue their exercise regime well into and throughout pregnancy – but I wasn’t one of them!

The advice given by doctors is that you shouldn’t up the intensity of your regular exercise when you become pregnant as your body is already doing enough in growing your baby. But if exercise has always been a part of your regime and you feel good doing it, there’s no reason pregnancy should stop you (within reason of course!). It’s down to you to calculate the risk of any potential consequences of anything you might do – for both you and your baby – but otherwise, if it feels good, go ahead!

We’re all different. Some women can run a marathon whilst carrying a baby but for others SPD can make walking just to even the toilet feel like that marathon! Generally, if you listen to your body you will know and both you and your baby will be fine. It has an innate intelligence and it always knows best. My years of training as a yoga teacher – as well as personal experience of ignoring the messages from my body and suffering the consequences – have taught me to trust. 

Trust your body. It will tell you how much you can do.  

More than 45% of the new mothers are afflicted by their birth experience, 25% of the mothers have been suffering from anxiety and depression, and 18% of mothers end up suffering from a post-traumatic birth stress disorder.  Therefore, Hypnobirthing is a proven way for a pain-free delivery where you will experience instant relaxation in your life.

I’m grateful to serve!