You're listening to the Happy Homebirth Podcast, Episode 104
Today's guest: Dr Rachel Reed is a midwife, academic, author, and international speaker who focuses on childbirth physiology, midwifery practice, and women's rights (and rites). She has provided midwifery care for many women and has attended births in a wide range of settings and circumstances. Rachel is the author of the award-winning blog MidwifeThinking and the co-host of The Midwives' Cauldron podcast. She has published widely in journals and magazines, and her first book Why Induction Matters is a popular resource for women and care providers. Her most recent book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage: weaving ancient wisdom with modern knowledge will be published early 2021. Further information about Rachel and her work is available at www.rachel-reed.website. and….she’s just delightful.
I find myself getting sucked into her blog archives for hours at a time, and for today’s episode I decided to ask her about several topics that she covers quite wonderfully there. I know you’re going to deeply enjoy this episode. With that, let’s jump in!
Show Notes:
Big Babies
Most women having homebirth in Australia have “big” babies, and they’re not scary.
In hospital, however, it can be a different story. If a doctor diagnoses a mother with a “big baby” on ultrasound, it can begin to cause stress and fear for her.
Dr. Reed mentions that the research does not separate healthy, normal big babies from those whose mothers have gestational diabetes. These babies tend to have bigger shoulders and can have more difficulty coming out (though most of them come out just fine, too).
“Big babies don’t scare me, but what people do about big babies does scare me.”
Women who are told they have a big baby: C sections, tearing, poorer outcomes are more likely— so it’s the outside causing the problem.
A care provider’s fear of the big baby can cause many of the interventions
Gestational Diabetes as a label— fairly nonsensical
If there are abnormally high blood glucose levels circulating, that does impact the baby and potentially the birth. However, the blood glucose levels being used are not evidence-based
In Australia, around 17% of women are now labeled as a gestational diabetic.
When Dr. Reed was training, we only tested those who had risk factors.
The issues with challenge tests: it’s an abnormal test— many pregnant women are not drinking sugary drinks, so the tests results can be very off.
VBAC- Mountain or Molehill?
Is this as dangerous as the medical community seems to happen?
Research related to this is mixed with those who are having inductions and those who are not— when we remove those who are having inductions, we see the already small number of issues become all the smaller.
Statistically a
Ep 187: Jocelin’s Road to Homebirth
Ep 186: Recognizing Birth Trauma with Christie Sheffer, CPM
Ep 185: The 3 Pillars of Motherhood with Jessica Lorion
Ep 184: Kati’s Homebirth Hesitancy Turns to Confident Success
Ep 183: Here’s How We Swap Anxiousness for Peace About Our Homebirth in 12 Short Weeks
Ep 182: 4 Warning Signs to Re-Prioritize HB Prep
Ep 181: Remove Anxiety From Your Homebirth Preparation
Ep 180: Increase Attachment With Baby Prenatally
Ep 179: The 3 Reasons You’re Not Feeling Confident About Homebirth
Ep 178: Here’s the Unexpected Secret for How to Have a Peaceful, Empowering Birth Experience
Ep 177: The Intimacy of Homebirth: Using Birth to Strengthen Connection
Ep 176:The Midwife’s Visit: How to Involve Your Children in Pregnancy and Birth With Kelly Jenkins, CPM
Ep 175: The Gillespie Approach: How Craniosacral Fascial Therapy Can Optimize Health for Your Infant
Ep 174: An Interview with a Homebirth Convert, Becky Zale
Ep 173: Is Homebirth Still Safe After a Diagnosed Disability?
Ep 172: The Ring of Fire
Ep 171: Parenting and Birthing Gently with Caitlyn Doerksen
Ep 170: Cross-Country Homebirth
Ep 169: Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Motherhood with Jenna Dodge
Ep 168: Birth on the Road: A Missionary’s Birth Experiences
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