Here is a copy of an email I received from a colleague.  I believe we must use evidence based care and not just believe what people tell us (yes, even doctors).  She tried to find studies and couldn’t so she is conducting her own.  She is looking for Muslim women who are breastfeeding to help with a study…..if that’s you or someone you know, keep reading:

Anyone interested in joining a study on nursing while fasting please

keep reading….!!!

I saw the topic of fasting while nursing came up and when I was
approaching my first Ramadan as a nursing mommy, I (coming from a
science/medical background) decided to see if there were any research
studies on the topic. I found just one study looking at Muslim women
and it only studied, I think, 12 women. Anyhow, every year the topic
comes up and mommies look to other mommies for advice and it usually
goes both ways….some mommies saying it makes milk supply go down,
others saying they were able to do it just fine. So this year I am
working on studying the topic myself. I am still working out the
details of the study but I just realized how quickly Ramadan is
approaching so I need to get the word out ASAP so that I can get as
many people to participate as possible. The study will be looking at
a number of different factors and try to see which, if any, help to
determine which women will be able to fast while nursing and which
women will have troubles with milk supply or not be able to fast for
other reasons.

At this point, the minimum I need is anyone that is breastfeeding that
is willing to try fasting and do some record-keeping (ie food eaten
each day, # of ounces of fluid taken each day). I may also need a pre
and post-Ramadan baby weight check. So if anyone is interested (and
please please pass this around to all women, all around the world
even) please email me at saadiap@gmail.com

At this point, I would like to exclude women who are also pregnant,
and women who are already experiencing milk supply problems, and
women who are increasingly using formula (since the milk supply may
already be going down due to formula use). Once I get an interest
list, I will email out the specifics.

Please make dua that this is a successful study and helps us to answer
the age old question of whether fasting while nursinng will decrease
milk supply!

And again…please pass this on to every nursing mommy you know!

Jazak’Allahu khayran,

Saadia

As women we have fought for choice, we have fought for options with our lives, and we have fought for our voice to be heard.  What happened with childbirth?  It seems we have gone backwards.  We accept what the doctor says without exploring all our options, we suffer good patient syndrome,  and we lay on our backs to push because that’s what everyone else does.  It is time we take back our power over childbirth.  We are women of strength, and we are amazing! We need to give ourselves more credit! You really CAN do it with no epidural, I promise.

It saddens me that our c-section rate is going up and women don’t get that amazing pride of pushing out their baby. We have fought for the right to choice.  We so easily give up that choice to our care provider.  We have fought for options, however, we don’t explore them when it comes to having a baby.  If you are pregnant, research all of your options.   If your doctor tells you something and it doesn’t make sense, ask why.  If the doctor is concerned about something, go home,  do some research about it (unless of course it is life threatening to you or your baby), and find other women who have had the same experience.

For birth, the easiest way is to hire a doula.  If you can’t or don’t want to, do some research on different positions to labor and push in. The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin is well worth the investment!  If there is one book to get for pregnancy, find this one.  It’s a great conversation starter for your partner to help prepare him too. When you are in the midst of labor, you are more emotional and less analytical. Make sure you have a simple birth plan so the staff knows your wishes. Discuss your wishes with those who will be in the birthing room so they can speak up for you if need be and if there is a complication, they can rationally help you think through it.

Here is a post I did awhile back about advocating for yourself

Remember, if you choose a natural birth, when you start asking for drugs, you are in transition and pushing will commence shortly so hold on because you are almost there.

How much time do we spend looking at reviews for a car seat, a stroller, a restaurant, a new appliance we need/want, and on and on and on?  How did you choose your care provider?  Did you ask around?  Did you go through the insurance provider book and pick one at random?  Did you call a local group of providers and get randomly assigned to a provider within that group?  Are you happy with the decision?  Do their philosophies correspond to your desires?  Did you wish you had more information on the doctor before deciding?

I know how daunting it can be to choose a care provider.  It is a huge decision and overwhelming when you consider all the choices!  You are trusting the health and safety of yourself and your unborn baby to this person.  The Birth Survey wants to step in and fill that gap.  If all the women who have given birth in the last 3 years took a few minutes to fill out a small survey on their specific care providers and specific place of birth, we could have a powerful database women can use to get the skinny on their local options.  We can all help (and use) to create this tool so women can make more informed choices.

Fill out your survey then search for reviews on your care provider and anticipated place of birth (we all know sometimes our bathroom or car get that glorious title instead of a hospital or birth center).

During pregnancy you are not only caring for your own body, but that little baby too. What better gift to give the baby then health? What better time then the moment that stick has a plus sign? I know the first trimester is tough and at that point what you can keep down is perfect. Once you have made it past the pukey stage, it’s time to think about the kind of health legacy you want to give to your child. Is it important to you? Is it just not a priority? Do you want your child to live on fast food and the infamous red dye 40 (it’s so good, I know!)? Is your goal to feed them whole grains with some fruit and veggies mixed in there? Take a few minutes and ponder on this.

What do you wish your parents had done differently?
What did you appreciate about how your parents handled physical health?
What were your habits pre-pregnancy?
What habits do you want to change/keep?
Where are you on the spectrum between fast food for every meal and everything organic with no candy or fast food?
Do you anticipate the veggie fight (not every family does)?
What do you envision the dinner time experience to be in 10 years?
Are you all around the table, or are you all sharing a couch?
What food is on your plate?
Do you plan to cook meals?
Do you want to raise your children as vegetarians or as meat and potato people?
What ethnic foods do you want your children to experience?
What type of example do you want to model for them?

Maybe this is the perfect time to change your own habits for the better. Perhaps you have never given it a thought or maybe it is a daily decision. What one or two things can you easily change? What one or two things are a bit of a stretch but doable?

Now, if you are good with the awareness these questions have brought you, you don’t have to read on. If there are areas you want to change, keep reading.

Close your eyes, envision what you want your life to look like in 10 years. Really feel it, smell it, touch it, taste it, see it. Do you have that life strongly anchored in your mind?

Now make goals short term (perhaps when you bring the baby home), medium (when your baby is about age 5 and habits are formed), long term (that 10 years).
Make them:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time framed

Now that you have goals, set yourself up for success. For instance, if you have a goal to eat 5 fruits and veggies a day, make sure your fridge is always well stocked with them. Maybe take it a step further, set aside a space in your fridge to put your fruits and veggies for that day. If your goal is to eat less sugar, just don’t keep it in your house. If vending machines are a weakness, just don’t take cash to work with you.

As you are preparing the baby’s room, stocking up on diapers, and going to all those appointments, why not take some time to think about how you want to parent that sweet bundle? Use this as a fresh start if there are things in your life you want to change. What better way to honor your baby then a happy, healthy parent?

In honor of Thanksgiving…..

I believe Thanksgiving is much like Valentine’s day.  Why only one day do we need to reflect on being thankful?  Being thankful should be a lifestyle.  What a great gift to pass on to your future generations (did I mention it’s free?)!  In our house we aren’t rich and life hasn’t always been smooth, however, we are always thankful for what we DO have.  Because of this, my children are some of the most giving children I know (I’m not just bragging I promise).  There is always someone in a worse position!

You may have a tough pregnancy (Oh, can I tell you about that), you may be struggling to get pregnant, or you may  have a sick child.  There is always something to be thankful for.  You will find when you start with the little things (yes, as simple as a dry, warm house), the bigger things come to mind.  Your attitude and heart are changed.

I dare you to ponder those things you are thankful for with a scowl on your face.  Can you do it?  I thought not:)  Go, pass on the attitude of gratitude to those around you, especially that one person who always irks you.

An amazing organization with a fantastic product out to do good in this world.  What could be better?  Please go to their website and see how you can be involved in helping babies around this world grow up instead of being a statistic.

The Embrace incubator

You always hear “the experts” telling you to ask questions.  Weren’t we raised to be nice girls?  We aren’t supposed to question those in authority (for all the schooling the doctors sure do deserve some authority haha).  I always viewed myself as being informed and asking all the questions I had, especially with the complications pregnancy brings to my life.

Maybe it’s the fact it’s number four, or perhaps I feel empowered by the books I am studying to become a doula.  I don’t know for sure.  I have asked any question that has come into my head without hesitation.  I find myself speaking up more.  Example, your random fact for the day….Did you know the blood pressure cuff doesn’t actually measure your heart?  I thought it measured the intake and outflow at the heart.  The top number is the number when the blood starts flowing through the cuff and the bottom number is when blood is fully flowing.  I just learned that one last week and it was by asking.  Although I love those caring for me and would recommend them to anyone, I feel like I have some control over my health (my PICC line is a great example of that one!  I was persistent and got it.)

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they are as silly as how a blood pressure cuff works.  I have found the nurses and doctors are more than happy to explain it to you.  If they aren’t, it is time to find others who do.  You deserve good care!  Think of this as good practice.  If your child’s teacher mentions your child having a hard time at school, wouldn’t you ask tons of questions?  In a way, not only are you advocating for your own body, but you are beginning to be the advocate for that little baby swimming in your uterus.  If you feel lost or timid, visit your local library.  There is such great power in books!  The Birth Partner is a fantastic book to get you started.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions!  The more you ask, the empower you will be to make good choices for you and your baby.