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Homebirth in the News
Generally speaking, when homebirth is covered in the media, it is usually with a condescending attitude or outright horror at the “risks” that women take for a homebirth. As many of us now know, that is nonsense and it appears that the trend of homebirth for well screened, low risk women is on the rise. Not just on the rise with the fringe either. Homebirthers are a highly educated, professional bunch.
Yesterday’s issue of the NY Times had a great piece on the rising trend of homebirths in the NY area with credit given to “The Business of Being Born” for bringing much needed attention to the ridiculous state of hospital births in America today. (Go Ricky! Go Ricky!)
There was another very positive article on homebirthing in todays issue of TheLedger.com.
In other news…
Cordweekly has a great article about male vs female circumcision. Why do we (in N America) feel such righteous indignation toward those who practice genital mutilation on girls, yet we continue to look the other way when baby boys are routinely mutilated for religious, cultural or worse yet, cosmetic reasons?? A quote from the article:
“The term “female circumcision” is synonymous with female genital mutilation, and acts as a blanket term for a variety of disfiguring surgical alterations. The World Health Organization firmly opposes female circumcision and considers the removal of the clitoral hood to be a prevailing form of genital mutilation.
Male circumcision, however, is a term applied only to a single, familiar cultural practice, and is not considered mutilation. Male foreskin and the clitoral hood are biologically homologous and so mutilation of these body parts should be treated with similar concern. The acceptance of male genital mutilation is an outdated social construct that needs to be looked at from a less dichotomous perspective. It’s almost the same thing, so why treat it differently?” www.cordweekly.com
Also see how high copper levels may have an influence on postpartum depression at wellpostpartum.com. Apparently blood copper levels rise in pregnancy and fail to go back down post partum in a number of PPD cases. Risk factors from the article:
“Copper excess risk factors:
Pregnancy
Presently taking estrogen containing medication (e.g. OCP, HRT)
Currently take multivitamin containing copper
Regularly use copper tea kettles or pans
Blue-green stains in bathtub, toilet or sink (suggestive of elevated copper content of water)
Family history of:
Postpartum depression
ADD/ADHD/Autism
Wilson’s Disease” www.wellpostpartum.com
Last, check out these great tips from Gloria Lemay’s wonderful blog about very specific ways you can really help out someone who just had a baby. Funny reading for someone who just had a baby and had to entertain tons of visitors and very useful information for someone who genuinely wants to help out. 
Discussion
2 comments for “Homebirth in the News”
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Tags for this post
Tags: baby boys, Business of Being Born, copper levels, female circumcision, female genital mutilation, homebirths, hospital births, male foreskin, male genital mutilation, ny times, Postpartum Depression, PPD, world health organization
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The information we present is not intended to replace a relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems,disease, or illness without consulting with your own physician or qualified medical professional.
I think it should be mentioned that female circumcision can danger the babys life, with is not the case with male babys (if don properly)
@zev:
That is the most ridiculous argument for male circumcision I have ever heard. You can also amputate the male baby’s legs or the female baby’s breasts without killing them. It doesn’t change the fact that it is a blatant, cruel human rights violation.