Thursday, February 28, 2008
US Maternal Death Rate is a JOKE
UGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
there was an AWESOME article in the newest Mothering magazine(March-April 2008) by Ina May Gaskin about our botched death certificate writing, statisticians for maternal death.
She stated that a lot of problems in America with maternal death are due to lack of visits from caregivers at home. With a homebirth the midwifery team comes to see you several times...and in other countries when you get sent home from the hospital they have visiting nurses etc. Here the insurance companies push you out and that's it.
She states that these visits "are not luxuries but necessities for every new mother."
The biggest thing that got me is the fact that maternal deaths are basically "covered up". In the UK every three years they publish a study citing the reasons Why Mothers Die...that's what it's called too and you can pick it up in any book store (400 pages). IT is data from every maternal death. In the US, like I said before, maternal deaths are swept under the rug. We get a single statistic every year of the number of women who die 42 days after giving birth. "comes with no details, no ID of important trends, no analysis, no recommendations" Basically, we have a FALSE sense of security about maternal death.
The published maternal death rate isn't even accurate. The article states that the actual death rate is probably as much as three times greater than the number officially published!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michigan's rate is supposedly 7.6 deaths per 100,000 and after it was studied out further it should really be 18 per 100,000.
The MD who did the MI study says that it is extremely likely that other states underestimate their rates as well.
A reason for this is that all of the states don't use the same death certificate, only 21 ask about pregnancy.
You might be asking why this is important...well Ina May states it like this: If a woman hemmoraghed due to postpartum issues and died in the OR or ICU and the state didn't ask that question on the form, then she would have died due to hemorrhage not referred to pregnancy and then when it gets shoved through statistics...it's not included with the "maternal" portion. See why this is a BIG deal?
"A recent article in a major obstetrical journal revealed a rate of underreporting of maternal death in Massachusetts of 93 %"
There are other huge problems so you should get your hands on this article.
Here's another crazy thing: "The rate of maternal death for black women in the US for 2004 was 34.7 deaths per 100,000 (remember this was probably higher than reported). Most countries with rates that high are seeking help from international agencies."
"At least 29 other countries have maternal death rates lower than we do in the US" that's only based on our skewed statistics...that are underreported.
So stinking sad.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
A really funny story about scare tactics...
So, we have decided to put Lydia in public school. I needed to take her to her pediatrician to get the yellow sheet of paper that says she's healthy enough to go to school. While there this is what I got:
(we did have her fully vaccinated when she was little due to lack of knowledge.)
Doctor: "We are now giving them chicken pox boosters."
Me: "You know we researched the chicken pox vaccine and decided not to have our youngest get it. I think we'd rather just have the kids get the chicken pox. So, we'll pass for the booster. Thank you."
Doctor: Weird look.
Doctor: "We recommend getting the Hepatitis A vaccine. Mostly for kids in day care, but think of the worst case scenario, we could have a natural disaster and there could be feces all over the place."
Me: "I'll pass on that one too."
Doctor: "You'll have to think about Gardasil in a few years. This is how I rationalized it for my daughter; If she ever got raped it's one less thing we have to worry about it."
Me: Thinking in my head, "You live in a much more scary world than I doctor, perhaps you should also give us the AIDS vaccine, the cancer vaccine, the fall down and skin my knee vaccine, etc...and so on"
I love scare tactics.
Mad Props to J-Lo
Sounds like a vaginal delivery to me:
NEW YORK (AP) Jennifer Lopez is "thrilled" to be a mom.
That's what her manager, Simon Fields, tells The Associated Press. Fields says Lopez gave birth to twins just after midnight this morning at a Long Island, New York, hospital.
The first to arrive was a girl, weighing 5 pounds, 7 ounces. The boy came about 15 minutes later, weighing 6 pounds even.
These are the first children for Lopez. They are the third and fourth for her husband, Marc Anthony.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
From a Homeschooling Newsletter I Recieve
Now accepting applications―
Family seeking fun-loving, godly homeschool teacher. Applicant will be responsible for providing total educational development and daily personal care for children of multiple ages. Applicant will assume the following roles: cook, housemaid, nurse, taxi driver, administrative assistant, accountant, athletic coach, social director, computer technician, household and automotive repairman, gardener, course instructor in multiple subject areas and grade levels, and various other responsibilities. This is a full-time position―approximately 120 hours or more per week.
Qualified candidates must be able to work well under pressure, multi-task, and prioritize work loads while maintaining a friendly, enthusiastic attitude. Quick thinking, good memory, and a varied background in extensive subject matter are a must. Promising candidates will be resourceful, adjust easily to distractions, and display creative, hard-working leadership abilities. Organizational and problem solving skills are a plus. Previous teaching experience and/or college preferred, but not required.
If you're interested in working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, this is the position for you! For more information on this exciting opportunity to earn fulfilling, one-of-a-kind rewards, please apply in person today.
ACOG's Statement on Homebirth
The moneygrubbers...want to keep the money in their pockets.
How is homebirth a trend...I think that people have been having homebirths far longer than there have been sterile (yeah right) hospitals. AIe.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
US Infant Mortality Rate
"According to “The CIA World Factbook,” Singapore led the world with an infant mortality rate of 2.30 per 1,000 live births, followed by Sweden with a rate of 2.76 and Japan at 2.80. The United States’ rate of 6.37 ranked just 37th, behind South Korea and Cuba and just ahead of Croatia. The highest mortality rate was in Angola, where the rate is 184.44 deaths for every 1,000 births.
“The fact that we have the second-worst infant mortality rate in the developed world is a statistic that I think people need to know about,” she said. “We are the richest country in the world and the technology that we have is amazing today. Women in their 40s and even in their 50s can get pregnant today and carry children and deliver, babies are living at 23 weeks gestation. It’s amazing the strides we’ve made. But in that process, we’ve lost normal birth.” -ARTICLE
"The CIA World Factbook estimates the infant mortality rate in the United States is now comparable to Croatia, Lithuania and Taiwan. Most analysts currently rank the United States 28th in the world in infant mortality, far behind other industrialized nations such as Sweden, France, Japan and Germany. " -ARTICLE
"The USA has an infant mortality rate of 5 per 1,000, the same as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Malta. Of 33 developed countries, America is just above Latvia, the bottom of the group."
-ARTICLE
Monday, February 4, 2008
Many Babies Exposed to Chemicals
Evidence of phthalates found in urine after using shampoo, lotion and powder, study shows. Click title of this post to be taken to the article.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
The Barefoot Moms Officially Endorse Ron Paul for President!
At first I was hesitant to be politically minded here. However, I can no longer NOT be. This is important. I would dare say the future of Natural Family Living depends on the values and ideas that Dr. Ron Paul holds.
Here are a few reasons why we will be voting for Ron Paul
- He opposes the FDA's move for greater control over nutrients and vitamins, and the directives of the UN's World Food Code (CODEX).
- He authored the Health Freedom Protection Act, H.R. 2117, to ensure Americans have access to uncensored information about supplements and natural remedies.
- He supports the Access to Medical Treatment Act, H.R. 2717, which expands the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments.
- He opposes forced vaccinations and mental health screenings of American citizens.
- Making all medical expenses tax deductible.
- Eliminating federal regulations that discourage small businesses from providing coverage.
- Allowing you to use supplements and vitamins to stay healthy.
"We must stop federal government interfence with our freedom to choose what we eat and how we take care of our health." -Ron Paul
Sounds a lot like another leader whom we admire; "If people let the government decide what food they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in a sorry state as are the souls who live in tyranny." -Thomas Jefferson
A little background info:
He is serving in his 10th term in the U.S. House. Dr. Paul has delivered over 4,000 babies as an OB/GYN. He served his country as a Flight Surgeon in the Air Force and the Air National Guard. Ron has been married to his wife Carol for 50 years. They have five children, 18 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. As a hobby, he grows organic tomatoes.
His voting record:
Never voted for the Iraq War.
Never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Never voted to increase power to the executive branch.
Never voted to restrict our freedoms.
Voted against the Patriot Act.
Voted against regulating the internet.
Voted against reinstating a military draft.
Votes to preserve the Constitution.
Votes to lower healthcare costs.
Votes to end the war on drugs.
Votes to protect civil liberties.
Register Republican and VOTE for RON PAUL.
Visit his website, click the title and read more about his views on: family farms, small businesses, gun control, veterans affairs etc.
Eli Stone Vaccine Drama
If you read the caption under the picture, it says, "The title character on Eli Stone successfully argues in court that a vaccine containing mercury causes autism. " Actually he argued that a preservative not mercury, in the vaccine possibly caused her son to become autistic. It was a great show. I would recommend watching it even if it wasn't a true story.
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