by Jen Kamel | Sep 12, 2017 | Racism, VBAC |
Recently, I had a great extended conversation on racism in birth work at a VBAC Facts training for professionals in Covington, LA. And I wanted to share it with you. One doula shared that we simply needed to treat all clients the same regardless of race. What she was...
by Jen Kamel | Aug 8, 2017 | Using statistics, Uterine Rupture, VBAC |
So what matters more: Our personal experience? Or the conclusions of medical evidence? I suspect that most of my readers would say, the evidence. Hands down. And that is what most people believe… until they experience a bad outcome. That’s when things...
by Jen Kamel | Aug 19, 2016 | Advocacy, Legal Issues, VBAC |
Update September 2, 2016 This bill was not passed. Update August 25, 2016 1:32pm The Senate floor vote for this bill has been postponed until Monday. Update August 25, 2016 9:57am For those of you watching this issue closely, this bill will be up for a...
by Jen Kamel | Jul 6, 2016 | Cesarean section, Life |
A woman who had four cesareans, after planning VBACs and home births, recently contacted me. She didn’t know where she fit into the birth community. My heart went out to her because there have been periods in my life when I have felt isolated and alone. And...
by Jen Kamel | Apr 22, 2016 | Birth stories, Infant Outcomes, Uterine Rupture |
Above: “I donated my wedding dress to be made into gowns for deceased infants to be buried in. I had pictures done in my dress before I donated it. This is one of my favorites.” – Kaila Flory Kaila Flory lost her baby to a uterine rupture eight...
by Jen Kamel | Feb 17, 2016 | Home birth, Hospital birth, Informed consent, Planning your vbac, VBAC, VBAC Bans |
I’m in an online group for labor & delivery nurses where the discussion of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) at home came up. While some understood the massive VBAC barriers many women face, others simply said, “Find a hospital that supports...
by Jen Kamel | Feb 1, 2016 | Hospital birth, VBAC |
In 2010, I was sitting next to an OB/GYN during a lunch break at the National Institutes of Health VBAC Conference. She was telling me about how she had worked at a rural hospital, without 24/7 anesthesia, that offered vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). I asked her...
by Jen Kamel | Jan 6, 2016 | Legal Issues, VBAC, VBAC Bans |
Update: Since this article was originally published, it has been updated with several new resources (listed at the bottom) as well as a video. “No one can force you to have a cesarean.” I see this all the time in message boards. Don’t worry about...
by Jen Kamel | Dec 27, 2015 | Uterine Rupture, VBAC |
I’ve written before about the symptoms of uterine rupture as well as how having an epidural does not interfere with the diagnosis of uterine rupture. The focus of this Quick Fact is how shoulder pain can be a symptom of uterine rupture. How can an uterine...
by Jen Kamel | Oct 19, 2015 | Hospital birth, Inductions, Using statistics, VBAC |
Isabel recently asked over on Uterine rupture rates after 40 weeks: “I wonder however if there are studies that compare the method of induction. My Doula said that the increase rates of uterine/ scar rupture was due to using high dosages of Pitocin, but now the...
by Jen Kamel | Jul 8, 2015 | Home birth, VBAC |
Over the last five years Dr. Stuart Fischbein, a Southern California obstetrician, has attended 135 home births. These deliveries included VBACs, vaginal breech and vaginal twin deliveries. A summary of these births has been recently published. Here are some...
by Jen Kamel | Dec 17, 2014 | Advocacy, Home birth, Legislative Consulting, VBAC, VBAC Bans |
A little backstory Back in October, I attended my first Interested Parties Meeting held by the Medical Board of California regarding new midwifery regulations as required by AB1308. (Read more about AB1308 here.) Up for discussion was which conditions or...
