FEBRUARY 2006

Table of Contents

Parenting Classes

Penny Simkin Book Signing Event

Chiropractic Care in Pregnancy

DVDs for the Family Room

Birth Suite One Redecorated

Breastmilk for Gabriel

Washington State Midwifery Issues

 

Parenting Classes

We're happy to announce two new parenting classes. The first is a Vaccination Seminar offered by chiropractor Dr. Amy Schulstad. Vaccination can be one of the most bewildering issues for new parents. Most pediatricians strongly advocate following the full vaccination schedule, sometimes to the point of refusing care to those who do not follow the schedule. Dr Amy's seminar is for those who want to hear the other side of this issue before deciding what is right for their child. Here is more information about the seminar:

VACCINATION SEMINAR: Mark your calendars for Monday, March 6th from 7:00-8:30 pm for an informative talk on vaccinations. This no-cost class is open to parents, expectant parents, and anyone else who would like to be more informed about this subject. We will discuss possible dangers and complications, toxins that are added, how to tell if a child is likely to be sensitive to the vaccine, how to successfully avoid immunization for a child, and of course have time for questions. The seminar will be held at Health First Chiropractic, upstairs from Puget Sound Birth Center at 13128 Totem Lake Blvd. Ste. 203, Kirkland. To register, please call Health First Chiropractic at 425-820-8837

The second class is the return of the 4th Trimester class for new parents:

4TH TRIMESTER: This class is a combination of parenting education and support group. It provides a chance to get together with other new moms, dads, and babies and share the challenges and joy of the amazing life transition you're in the midst of. The class is ideal if your baby is newborn-6 months old. You're also welcome to join the class before your baby is born to get a head start on the postpartum issues. The class meets at PSBC on Fridays from 10am to noon. $5 drop-in fee or $50 for 12 class punch card. The class is facilitated by Kat Byrne. For more information, email Kat at babymoondoula@earthlink.net

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Penny Simkin Book Release Party

Penny Simkin is a world-renowned childbirth educator and doula, and the author of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn--one of our favorite pregnancy books. She has also written many other books, including The Labor Progress Handbook, the second edition of which has just been released. A Book Release Party is being held on Thursday February 2nd at 7:30pm at Ravenna Third Place Books in Seattle. The bookstore is sure to be teeming with doulas, midwives, childbirth educators, and parents. If you're interested in attending and maybe getting a signed copy of one of her books, please visit www.ravennathirdplace.com for driving directions.
 

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Chiropractic Care in Pregnancy

by Dr. Amy Schulstad

“Chiropractic care during pregnancy?  Are you crazy?”  This is a common response I get when I suggest chiropractic care for an expectant mother.  The fact is, getting her spine checked is one of the best things a pregnant woman can do, not only for herself, but also for the baby.  The increase of weight is one factor.  As the majority of weight gain is in the abdominal area, the center of gravity shifts forward, which exaggerates the natural curves of the spine.  This affects nerves, muscles, and the mobility of joints.  Ever hear that pregnant women have low back pain?  As the hips expand laterally to help stabilize the body, there is more pressure on the sacro-iliac joints, causing hip pain.  Also, the changing hormones affect the ligaments, cartilage, and bone, causing discomfort.

Think these changes only affect the mom?  Think again- the changing spine also affects the developing baby.  An unbalanced pelvis decreases room in the uterus, restricts the baby's positions, and affects his/her developing spine and cranium.  This may also prevent him/her from getting into the correct position for birth, which can lead to longer, more painful labor, and unfortunately increase the probability of c-sections.

Chiropractic care helps balance the pelvis, stabilize the spine, help with discomfort and pain, and it is safe throughout all phases of pregnancy.  Also, a bonus!  Chiropractic care during pregnancy significantly decreases the length of time a woman is in labor.  First- time mothers average 24% shorter labor and those who have already given birth average 39% shorter labor time! 

Dr. Amy Schulstad graduated from Palmer Chiropractic College in Iowa and has been in practice for four years.  She believes in a family-oriented practice and in educating the community about health and wellness issues.  She welcomes any questions or comments.  Her office is located in Health First Chiropractic, upstairs from Puget Sound Birth Center at 13128 Totem Lake Blvd Ste. 203, Kirkland. 425-820-8837

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DVDs for the Family Room

Do you have any DVD movies that you no longer want? If so, please consider donating them to the birth center. We need both kid and adult movies for the family waiting room. Thank you!

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Birth Suite One Redecorated

Birth Suite One has recently been repainted (big thanks to Traci's husband Guy Palagi, who is a meticulous and talented painter! If you need some interior or exterior house painting work, give him a call at (206) 601-1456). New bedding has been purchased (thanks to Bobbi Quaye for her help with that) and should be in place soon.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the tag sale, purchased items at Amazon or iGive using our links, created a baby handprint through www.pitterpatsnw.com, or donated cash. Birth Suite One's redecoration is the direct result of your generosity. Thank you!

The other two birth suites are also in need of new bed linens. If you are able to help, please let us know.

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Thanks For All The Milk!

Ali's new baby Gabriel is thriving, thanks to all the generous donations of breastmilk. If you have extra milk, Gabriel and Ali will be thrilled!

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Washington State Midwifery Issues

MAWS (Midwives Association of Washington State) is an organization that, amongst other things, works with state government to promote midwifery and women's/children's health issues. Listed below are some of the issues currently being supported by MAWS. Of these, the most critical issue for midwives is the cost of licensure--currently the highest for any healthcare professional despite the fact that most midwives earn less than equivalently-qualified healthcare workers.

There are a couple of ways that you can help to support MAWS: You can join as a consumer (visit http://washingtonmidwives.org/join.shtml) and/or you can contact your state representatives to voice your support for the issues. I have been very impressed at how responsive my own local representatives have been when I've contacted them.

LICENSING FEES – MAWS supports efforts to reduce the exorbitant licensing fees that have been imposed on licensed midwives. By statute, each individual healthcare profession in Washington State must bear the full cost of funding its own regulatory program. In 2005, the Department of Health was forced to dramatically lower the licensing fees of many healthcare providers because of an enormous surplus in the Health Professions Account. Licensed midwives are the only providers whose fees are proposed to increase: from $950 to nearly $1200 per year. This represents a 150% increase since 2002 alone. The effect of recent licensing fee increases has been devastating: the number of licensed midwives in the state has dropped from 119 in 2001 down to 88 in 2005, despite the three accredited programs in Washington graduating midwives each year eligible for licensure. The costs of entering the profession and securing malpractice insurance have simply become prohibitive for many.

Licensed midwives serve as an important resource to childbearing women in this state and there have been a series of public policy decisions made over the years to assure women have access to midwifery care and to support the continued viability of the profession. This year, we urge legislators to support a budget proviso that will bring our licensing fee into line with the fees paid by other licensed providers and require the DOH to develop a long-term strategy that will enable the department to regulate all of the health care professions equitably.

MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT – MAWS supports increased funding in the proposed Operating Budget to improve the Medicaid reimbursement rates for childbirth services by all health care providers, including licensed midwives. Section 209 of the 2005-07 operating budget (Senate Bill 6090) included increased rates for family practice physicians, but other childbirth providers should also receive equivalent reimbursement increases, particularly given that approximately 41% of the clients served by licensed midwives are on Medicaid.

LIABILITY REFORM – MAWS supports HB 2292/SB 6087 and applauds the legislature for developing a bi-partisan, comprehensive, common sense liability reform proposal that has the potential both to improve patient safety and give health care providers in the state some needed relief from runaway malpractice premiums.

PROMOTING CHILDREN'S HEALTH – MAWS supports efforts to ensure that children in Washington have access to needed health care services. In particular, we support House Bill 2376, which would remove authority for premiums to be charged to children on Medicaid. Though the Governor and Legislature eliminated these premiums for this biennium in the 2005-07 operating budget, the authority to charge these premiums on low-income families with children is still allowed in state law and should be abolished.

BANNING TOXIC CHEMICALS – MAWS supports HB 1488/SB 5515, which would ban the use of the toxic flame retardants known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from use in many consumer products in Washington. These harmful chemicals have been found in alarming levels in the breastmilk of nursing mothers in our state. Eliminating these toxins from our environment and our bodies is an urgent need.
 

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