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PS From Penny Simkin
| September 21, 2011
Volume 3, Number 2 | |
Greetings!
Happy autumn! School's in session, and families are back in homework, bus-catching, and early to bed modes. Pregnant women are getting some relief from their swelling and sweating as temperatures drop, and the world continues (one wonders how!) to revolve around the sun.
Good things are happening in maternity care. Check out oneworldbirth.net, an ambitious video project featuring some of the world's leading birth activists and midwives. Their objective is to change birth around the world, and their method is to provide access via video to the inspiring words and insights of many of the venerable and influential leaders in childbirth reform. The website contains many sound bites from these leaders on a number of topics.
And no less exciting to me is the work that is underway at Childbirth Connection. Do visit their website, www.childbirthconnection.org, to learn of the responsible, expert, and effective work they are doing to transform the broken maternity care system in the USA. Surf their site, and you'll find reliable information throughout the website, most of it free and downloadable. You'll get lost in the wealth of solid evidence-based information. Also, send your clients to this website; there is a large section for expectant and new parents - all reliable and trustworthy information.
I have a busy fall ahead, highlighted by a trip to Iceland where I'll meet with doulas, midwives, and expectant and new parents - "my people!" |
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My YouTube Video Goes Viral
In this "issue" of PS, I'm including the link to my YouTube video on cord clamping, which seems to be going "viral!" Who woulda thunk it?
I'm very pleased because early cord clamping is one of the most harmful maternity care routines in maternity care today. It must be changed. I made this video to illustrate to expectant parents how much blood is withheld from a newborn by this harmful and almost universal practice. Check it out.
 | | Penny Simkin On Delayed Cord Clamping |
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Sing To Your Baby Within!
I hope you'll take a moment to read an article I have written for The International Doula journal. I discuss the value to both parents and baby of parents singing to their unborn baby. It's magical to watch the baby's response to his/her parent(s) singing his or her song - completely familiar because the parent(s) have been singing it daily for weeks. Read the article and persuade the expectant parents you know to start singing to their babies!
Click here to read the article>
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Looking Back on 50 Years - An Article in Seattle's Child Magazine
Over the years, I've seen many fluctuations in maternity care, women's lives, family structure, medical economics and the impact of risk managers and litigation lawyers in defining safety in obstetrics. It seems almost as if the well-being of mother and baby is only one of many dominant controlling influences. I feel privileged that I came on the scene when I did - in 1968. At the time, we had very few midwives in the U.S. (none in Seattle). A woman was rarely accompanied during labor and, if so, only by her husband, who had to prove with a marriage certificate that he was the husband. No other companions were allowed. Click here to read the full article>
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To My Washington Readers: Please Support Miles for Midwives Seattle
October 8, 2011 at Seward Park in South Seattle
 Miles for Midwives is an annual 2.8 mile family run/walk organized by the Midwives' Association of Washington State and the Washington Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives to raise awareness around the benefits of midwifery and the important work of Washington midwives! Your participation helps to ensure that families in Washington State have greater access to quality women's healthcare and the lower healthcare costs associated with utilization of midwives.
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Comfort Measures - 20% off! Watch scenes on YouTube
We appreciate all the great feedback from those of you who have purchased our latest Comfort Measures for Childbirth DVD. Click here to purchase your copy online now. Or click here to learn about phone and fax purchases.
 | | Scene From Penny Simkin's Comfort Measures - Slow Dancing |
If you haven't checked out the scenes from Comfort Measures on our YouTube channel, check them out now!
Special Note to Those With Institutional Affiliation or Lending Libraries:
If you are an educator, a nurse, a doula or midwife interested in quantity discounts for your institution or lending library, call us at 206.325.1419 or send us an email for information. We are interested in making this excellent resource available to more childbearing families.
A Special Note to Those With Institutional Affiliation or Lending Libraries:
If you are an educator, a nurse, a doula or midwife interested in quantity discounts for your institution or lending library, call us at 206.325.1419 or send us an email for information. We are interested in making this excellent resource available to more childbearing families.
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Free Copy of "Simkin's Ratings of Comfort Measures for Childbirth" With Every Order Over $30! 
In this brand new 2nd edition, Penny describes and summarizes research on the effects of 19 different approaches to relief of labor pain. She uses a 4-star rating system to evaluate each approach on 8 criteria - degree of pain relief, percentage of women helped, physical control, ability to cope, relaxation, safety, availability, and estimated cost.
Includes 49 illustrations and an 11x17 inch poster comparing all the approaches. Offer ends October 31, 2011
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Upcoming Workshops with Penny
Websites are provided where we have that information 2nd Annual Northern Perinatal Conference 9.24.11 Prince Rupert, BC More Information> Birth Doula Skills Workshop & Advanced Doula Training 10.4-8.11 Reykjavík, Iceland Maintaining Normalcy in Childbirth Today, Hillsboro Yoga & Healing Arts 10.22.11 Chapel Hill, NC More Information> Nature, Nurturing and Negotiation: Labor Support for the 21st Centruy 11.11.11 North Kansas City, MO More Information> Maintaining Normalcy in Childbirth 02.16.12 Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
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Popular Products from Penny
 The Birth Partner, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions "My husband's gift to me at the end of each pregnancy is to read "The Birth Partner." Every woman I come across that is having a baby gets an earful from me about how ESSENTIAL this book is for them to read." - Shalome Wilson, mother of 4, Seattle, WA Details and ordering information>
Relaxation, Rhythm and Ritual: The 3Rs of Childbirth (DVD)Details and ordering information> Labor Progress Handbook Details and ordering information> |
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For my new readers and those who joined my list from the start, I invite you to visit my website. Many of my presentations and handouts are posted there for you to download, and my presentation schedule is also posted there. If I come to your area to speak, please come and see me, and let me know you're on my newsletter list. I hope to keep in touch with you informally on maternity care topics that mean the most to me.
I'd love your feedback.
All the best, dear friends,
Penny
PS Click here to visit us on Facebook
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