The Birth Lounge Blog

Breech Birth Breech birth is a variation of normal. Hopefully you’ve heard this before, but oftentimes parents carrying breech babes are met with dead ends and discouragement that leaves them with the idea that their baby or body hasn’t done its job properly. Before we go any further, allow me to repeat myself. Breech is a variation of normal, occurring in 3-4% of term pregnancies. Breech fetal presentation means our body, which has answers no text book can teach us, has chosen this position for reasons we may not understand. Remember, things are not inherently bad or dangerous just because we don’t understand them. It just means we have knowledge to gain. What’s important to know is that vaginal breech birth is absolutely possible, and not only that! Vaginal breech birth, when properly supported, can be totally safe. While many providers may push a planned cesarean, you have the right to decline . The Safety Factor If breech presentation is normal, why are discoveries of Breech babie...

Mucus Production & Pregnancy Doesn't sound awesome, but doesn't sound too bad, does it? You're probably thinking a runny nose and you're not too far off, but it can also look like ear infections and sinus infections. During pregnancy, your hormones rage (duh!), but the specific surges in estrogen does helpful things like increasing blood supply to your vaginal area and creating your mucus plug. Since you're pregnant, you can't take most medications. Even if you could, many people choose to limit medication consumption during pregnancy and nursing. So what are you to do? Just be a walking snot factory for 9+ months? No, not at all. Like everything else, you have some choice here on your approaches. Here are a few remedies to clear mucus : - Chiropractic care - Drinking lots of water - Adding electrolytes to your water - Eating garlic + onions - Cutting down (consider eliminating) dairy - Netti po...

Getting Your Labor Started  There are so many stories of women eating pineapple or dates or spicy foods to give labor a jumpstart. Michel Odent has said that he believes babies speak to their mother’s body by varying levels of hormones and chemicals as well as position of baby. This communication will be the initiation of labor. Until then, I am skeptical that anything can start labor. However, I do believe that if enough of the puzzle is in place and you try one of the traditional natural induction methods like breast pump , acupuncture or sex , you very well might tip the scale in your favor and labor might begin. On the other hand, you may try all the things and still need a medical induction. What's a gal to do?  Release any and all expectations of that right now. Trust that your baby and body know what to do and that your perfect birth story cannot and will not miss you if you trust. You have to realize tha...

Exploring Acupuncture during Pregnancy and Labor!  [This is also an episode of Friday Free Talk on The Tranquility Tribe Podcast on iTunes. Listen  here .] Welcome back, Villagers!  Thanks for joining us for episode three of the Tranquility Tribe podcast!   In this episode, Hehe sat down with Nicole Brown, an acupuncturist in the Boston area who specializes in Women’s Health.   Together, they talked about the incredible benefits of self-care, especially during pregnancy and after delivery, as well as a variety of self-care and pain relief options. Who Is Nicole Brown? Nicole became interested in alternative medicine when she moved to the U.S. for college and began to experience health issues that weren’t fully addressed by traditional medicine.   Through her own research, Nicole became very knowledgeable about the countless alternative treatment options that are available.   Nicole now works as a licensed Acupuncturist and certified Hea...