Managing pain during all stages of labor is a key priority for midwives and expectant mommas. This has mainly been addressed with epidural analgesia and opioids in the United States. However, studies have studied an abundance of adverse side-effects to mother and the child for these pain management modalities. The epidural is currently seen as the most effective way to combat labor pain yet it is linked to prolonged labor which can increase potential for complications for eit

Many years ago, when I was a younger nurse and my littles were still quite young, I was quite active in the world of #breastfeeding. This was before we had laws that protected us to #nurse our little ones out in public, or laws that prevented our employers from discriminating us if we needed to pump while at work. Even as a nurse I struggled to allot myself time, although smokers were always permitted time to leave so they could smoke during their shifts. It was a different c

There really aren't many author duos that compare to Henci #Goer and Amy #Romano so this book was a safe investment, in spite it being an older publication (2012). You might remember Obstetrical Myths Verses Research Realities by Henci Goer, an excellent read, and potentially the first to illuminate the gap between conventional obstetrical management and the care model supported by the research. It was one of the first books I read on my own #midwifery journey and one of the

As a functional medicine practitioner, the #menopause transition is viewed by me as a physiologic state, much like pregnancy and puberty, and any symptomology that results in discomfort is thought of as a reflection of one's overall health and wellness. Entering these stages of life in an unhealthy state, with fatigued adrenals or gut dysbiosis for example, will certainly provide a less than optimal experience. Guiding a client back into an optimal state of being would be my

Hypertension in pregnancy is a common complication, affecting approximately 10 percent of pregnancies, and can be quite devastating, even contributing to maternal death. Following birth, during the postpartum period, hypertension can also occur which seems to occur in about 2 percent of all pregnancies. Most always this is due to a worsening of chronic hypertension that occurs due to the increased work load required of pregnancy or may be a superimposed preeclampsia. Eclampsi

Eden Family Practice opened only a few weeks before #COVID19 hit the dirt here in the United States, so my clientele is still very small. During the months of the pandemic, I saw no new clients and only maintained the care already established with those who demonstrated necessity, essentially all via telemedicine. I've been seeing entire families rather than just individual clients so I am working with men and women of all ages, and their children. Within that time, I've had

My mother use to say, "she's just a little healthy" whenever she was discussing a child who was a bit larger than the norm. Today, more and more littles are just a little extra "healthy" according to her terms. In reality, twenty percent of children are #overweight or #obese and the trend is increasing. The consequences of childhood obesity is significant and the remedy is complex, including interventions in the school, within the community, and at home. A child who is overwe