Preparing For Birth

This is a personal post written 10 years to the day of my third son being born. I was also birthed that day into my fullness of voice as a woman and as a full throated advocate for mothers and babies.  You see my son was a CBAC (cesarean birth after cesarean) after a failed [...]

http://blog.ican-online.org/2010/02/07/mother-sized-activism-nbc/ The International Cesarean Awareness Network wants you to get involved and speak your mind about what you think of the NBC “Live in the OR” piece from last week. Here is the link to ICAN’s official response. The only way that mass media will be responsible for what they put on the airwaves is [...]

Many years ago I wrote this piece after attending my very first ICAN conference in San Diego in 2005. I read this and part of me weeps for her, for the me I was and for the women who are becoming part of this sisterhood willingly, wittingly or not.  My pain has been transformed into [...]

Joy Szabo has been in the news lately for desiring a second VBAC for her fourth baby (vaginal birth, emergency cesarean, and vaginal birth).  She has been denied locally in her area of Page, AZ to have a vaginal birth. Due to this situation, the International Cesarean Awareness Network has been assisting her in fighting [...]

Here is the radio interview I did with Debbie Hull of the Whole Mother Radio show.  We talked about the current percentage of cesareans, VBAC availability, where to obtain support, ways to prevent an unnecessary cesarean and much more! http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/090803_063001wholemother.MP3

I have been invited to share with you an intimate and challenging (and graphic) journey of a mother from an unexpected primary cesarean, physician decided repeat cesarean and a home water birth after those two cesareans. Before you watch it, take a deep breath and have an open mind. A box of tissues may be [...]

Having a cesarean section will likely get you a baby, but generally much more than you bargained for. Let me count the ways in no particular order: A scar that in no way makes a bikini look better. Sometimes described as a shelf or a pouch. The feeling of failure, guilt or less than deserving [...]

April is Cesarean Awareness Month http://www.ican-online.org/ What is Cesarean Awareness Month? An internationally recognized month of awareness about the impact of cesarean sections on mothers, babies, and families worldwide. It’s about educating yourself to the pros and cons of major abdominal surgery and the possibilities for healthy birth afterwards as well as educating yourself for [...]

Redondo Beach, CA, February 7, 2008: The International Cesarean Awareness Network (www.ican-online.org) would like to publicly condemn both the AABC (American Association of Birth Centers) and the ACOG (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) for their statements* this week that limit not only women’s choices in birth but imply that birth is a fashion [...]

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement yesterday reiterating its stance that women should not deliver their babies at home among other chafing comments. The statement is linked here: http://www.acog.org/from_home/publications/press_releases/nr02-06-08-2.cfm. So ACOG with an Executive Board of 24 with various districts and committees underneath, believes it is allowed to dictate for [...]