What is Prodromal Labor?
Table of Contents As your due window (37 weeks to 42 weeks) approaches, you may start experiencing contractions that come and go but don’t seem to progress into active labor. This type of labor is known as prodromal labor or false labor. While it can be frustrating and exhausting, it’s a normal part of the […]
The Roots of Remedies: The History of Lemon Balm, Yarrow, & Echinacea
The Roots of Remedies Lemon balm, Echinacea, & Yarrow Table of Contents The history of plant medicine is a testament to the wisdom and resilience of humanity. From the Neolithic to modern times, across continents and cultures, the use of plant medicine has been an integral part of human existence. It has been passed down […]
What are the benefits of Water Birth?
Birthing people looking for unmedicated comfort options may find laboring and birthing in a birth pool or birth tub to be an option for pain management in labor. Immersion in a water birth tub or pool can reduce the risk of perineal trauma, shorten labor length, and increase birth satisfaction rates. Several studies have shown that being […]
How to Use Lavender for Pregnancy
What is lavender? Lavandula Officinalis also known as Lavender is a mint plant native to southern France and the Mediterranean, the lavender plant enjoys growing in sunny locations without frequent watering (Elpel, 2008; Gladstar, 2012). This aromatic purple-flowered plant is a historical herb that has been used for perfumes and medicine for hundreds of years […]
What is Water Birth?
Giving birth is one of the most incredible events in life. For parents-to-be who are looking for an unmedicated birth experience, water births may be the perfect option. But what are the benefits of having a water birth? And is it right for you? Let’s look at this unique labor and birth option and learn […]
The Japanese Midwifery Model of Care
This was originally written for an assignment in my Introduction to Midwifery course at the Midwives College of Utah. Midwifery Models of Care Vary across the world Several different impactful midwifery models around the world are covered in the book, ‘Birth Models That Work”, which have similarities in reducing cesarean sections, trauma, and increased parent-centered […]
Is Home Birth a Safe Option?
With increasing maternal mortality rates in the United States, the importance of the search for safe options for pregnancy and birth is a priority for multiple organizations, and home birth could be the answer for low-risk parents (Neerland et al., 2022). Midwife-led out-of-hospital birth is a safe option for low-risk birthing parents because it embraces […]
How do pregnancy tests work?
Congratulations! If your urine is turning pregnancy tests positive, that means that there is Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or HCG present in your urine! Pregnancy tests measure HCG Before your baby’s placenta develops, a trophoblast, which becomes the chorionic sac and your baby’s side of the placenta, secretes Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) which helps the corpus […]
What are the Risks of Shoulder Dystocia?
What are the Risks of Shoulder Dystocia? There are different potential risks to shoulder dystocia. Most of these risks are avoidable if the care provider and birth team supporting the birth is trained and skilled it assisting the baby in maneuvering the birth canal quickly and without injury. The following are some of the potential […]
Becoming an Oklahoma Midwife
Starting my Oklahoma Midwife Journey this Autumn! You may have seen me post about it via social media or read a previous blog post already, but I am officially beginning my journey as a student midwife at the Midwives College of Utah this Fall! I could not be more excited to start this journey and […]